THE
OBSERVER
Winter
2022 Edition
Vol. 75,
No. 1
Jocelyn
DeHaas & Tonya Mhoon, Editors
Michael Mhoon, Narrator
Montana
Association for the Blind
1802 W. Park
Anaconda, MT 59711
(406) 442-9411
The
mission of the Montana Association for the Blind is to promote the social and
economic self-sufficiency of blind and low vision Montanans through the
facilitation of quality education, learning, training and employment services
and opportunities, and to foster a positive understanding of blindness.
Our
vision is of a Montana in which blindness is perceived and understood to be an
ordinary and respectable part of life, and in which the skills and tools of
blindness are readily available to all who may benefit from them. We envision
an environment in which blind and low vision Montanans have ample and equal
opportunities to learn, to achieve, and to contribute in our homes,
communities, state, and nation.
MEMORIAL LOAN PROGRAM/ELDER BLIND LEASE LOAN PROGRAMS
MAB 2022 MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION
The
MAB is a member of Montana Shares and receives a nice sum of money each year
based on donations through workplace giving and other fundraising.
PRESIDENT’S REPORT
As I
welcome all of you into the new year, I am excited to see what MAB will bring
to each of you this year. The most exciting news to share is that we are
redesigning the MAB website and that will help assist our organization in
highlighting what we have done for the last 75 years and years to come.
Our newly formed social media committee may ask for your support in collecting
information, stories, finding resources, or more importantly helping us promote
our organization.
The MAB
also is focusing on committees and how to involve every member. I know
many of you have reached out to identify various personal, chapter,
organizational or program specific concerns. My desire is that we become
solution focused and offer ideas as to how we can change our organization to
serve the best interests of the individuals in Montana who are impacted with
vision loss of all degrees. If you would like to know more about our
committees, check our web site often at www.mabsop.org, call your
local chapter board members, or get in touch with me, your State President at
(406) 600-7548 or mabpresident@mabsop.org.
Lastly,
in order for us to support you and the state, we really need your support in
promoting and raising money for the programs we want to implement statewide
like a sports and recreation program. You have the power to encourage and
influence others to give through our web site, identify sponsors for various
events statewide (like Dining in the Dark on Friday, May 6th),
or sponsoring a student so they may attend the Summer Orientation Program (SOP),
or the MAB state convention to be held in Helena in 2022, or even bringing
back our pie-throwing challenge. What would you pay to throw a pie into a
board members face?
Thank you
for being a valuable member, volunteer, and supporter of what the Montana
Association for the Blind does to serve the blind and visually impaired in
Montana.
Your president, Todd Fahlstrom
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S REPORT
What
an exciting time to be an MAB member! We have so many things starting and continuing.
President Todd has great visions of what the MAB can become so that it
continues to serve the older, long-time members and bring in new members. One
of the projects is a new website. I’ve been working with Tommy, our webmaster
on it. There will be a lot of links to resources on there, as well as downloadable
forms for membership, volunteering, the SOP, and more. Don’t worry if you don’t
have a computer – all of these forms are still available to you in paper form.
We have a brand new chapter in Missoula! This is something that we have been
missing for over 10 years. President Todd is starting new committees to help
shape the MAB over the next years. If you are interested in being on one,
please contact him. We want more members to get involved.
As
for me, I’m helping our president with many of his projects, writing grants,
and working on bringing in partnerships with other nonprofits. As I said, this
is an exciting time to be in the MAB.
Jocelyn DeHaas
BOARD MEETING SUMMARY
The
Board of Directors met via a Zoom meeting on December 4th. One of
the main topics of conversation was the need for a new website. Our president,
Todd Fahlstrom, feels it is vital to have a new website. We interviewed two
potential web designers. Thomas Tinven, of California, was chosen.
Ernie Turner, Third Vice President and Treasurer, reported that we cannot get
an audit done at this time because we are not in compliance with the IRS rules.
The problem is that the money that the chapters hold must be reported on the
MAB tax forms. This is because they are under the umbrella of the MAB. There
are penalties involved if the IRS finds that we have not been reporting chapter
money – as little as a slap on the wrist or could lose our status.
We
now have the following committees: Memorial Loan/Elder Blind Committee: Todd
Fahlstrom, chair, Summer Orientation Program Committee: Doug Robinson, chair,
and the Social Media Committee: Jacob Krissovich, chair. Other committees will
be formed in the future.
SUMMER ORIENTATION PROGRAM
We finally have the good news from the board of directors that we have been
waiting for – the SOP has been approved for 2022! This year we will be back in
Billings at Rocky Mountain College again. I have been working with the college
to smooth out some of the difficulties we had last year. The SOP Committee has
been working diligently to make 2022 the best year yet!
The
board of directors is working on raising money to support the SOP. It costs us
about $4300 per student, but it is well-worth the money as we transform the
lives of each one. As Todd mentioned in his president’s report, we need to raise
money to do this.
If
you would like to come to SOP as a student, staff, or volunteer, please contact
Rhonda at the MAB office: 406-442-9411. Please share the information about the
program with people you know who might also benefit from it.
Jocelyn DeHaas
WELCOMING A NEW CHAPTER
Celebrate! Celebrate! The Montana Association of the
Blind welcomes a new chapter. We now have a chapter in Missoula again. It will
be called the Zoo Town Chapter and already has 8 members. Welcome Zoo Towners!
Annual Convention
The Helena Chapter is planning the convention for
September. We are firming up the exact date. It will be an exciting convention,
so stay tuned for more information!
DINING IN THE DARK
Dining
in the Dark is a fundraiser where guests will eat dinner with a blindfold on.
It is a way for them to learn what many of us face every day. We held a Dining
in the Dark several years ago, and we are set to hold another one. We are
planning it for Friday, May 6th, and we even have the governor coming!
We are looking for silent auction items. Please contact Tonya Mhoon at (406)
227-3331 if you have something to donate. If there is a monetary donation we
can set that up as well. We are looking for our MAB chapters, I would love to
see each chapter donate at least $100 for this wonderful fundraiser for SOP. If
you can give more…trust me, we will take more. We are working out the final
details so if you would like to buy a chair or a whole table contact Tonya to
find out those prices. This year’s Dining in the Dark will be healed at the
Helena Civic Center. Check website for directions and other important
information.
Tonya Mhoon
Dining in the Dark Chair
ELECTIONS
It
is never too early to talk about elections – before you know it, summer will be
here, and you will be faced with a ballot for the District Representative in
your area. Whose name will be on the ballot? Could it be your name? The
District Representatives serve a two-year term on the board. They attend board
meetings over the phone, Zoom, or in person. At board meetings, they are
important members who help shape the future of the MAB. In addition, they
convey ideas from the chapters to the board and news from the board back to the
chapters. If you are interested in running or know someone in your area who
might be a good candidate, please contact Linda Lay at: 406-531-7904. We also
need more people to serve on this committee, please let Todd know.
MEMORIAL LOAN PROGRAM/ELDER BLIND LEASE LOAN PROGRAMS
The
MAB has two programs to provide no-interest loans to individuals for equipment
or education to help them to have a more independent and fulfilling life. The
Memorial Loan Program provides loans to people below the age of 55, while the
Elder Blind Lease/Loan Program provides loans to people who are over 55. These
are available to legally blind MAB members. The deadlines to apply for a loan are
January 1st, April 1st, July 1st, and October
1st. Please call the MAB office at: 406-442-9411 for an application or
information.
SPOKEN RX LABELS AT CVS
CVS
Pharmacy is expanding its Spoken Rx audio prescription labels to be available
in all its pharmacies, after a trial run last year. The feature, developed as
part of a collaboration with the American Council of the Blind, is part of the
CVS Pharmacy mobile app and can read prescription information — like dosage and
directions — aloud in English or Spanish.
To
use the spoken labels, CVS Pharmacy patients register for a CVS account,
download the smartphone app, and enroll in Spoken Rx. The patient’s future
prescription labels will then be tagged with an RFID label. The enrollment
process can be done over the phone or in person at a CVS pharmacy. When the
patient holds the prescription bottle four inches from their smartphone, the
app scans the prescription bottle’s RFID label and reads out the information.
CVS also has options for Braille and large-print labels on prescription bottles
available as well.
For
those who don’t have a smartphone, CVS can provide a separate, standalone
speaker device on request, at no cost to the patient. The Spoken Rx app only
reads prescription labels from CVS Pharmacy, and there are no plans to expand
the feature to include labels from other pharmacies. The Spoken Rx labels allow
for a greater level of privacy, safety, and independence for blind and visually
impaired customers.
Ed Worrell
Overhere Consulting
EQUIPMENT FOR SALE
The MAB has some used
equipment that was returned to us. We would like to sell it to pass savings on
to you and to help the MAB. We have several CCTVs - three Merlins, a SmartView
Extend, an Enhanced Vision, and an Acrobat. These are several years old, but
they are still in fine working condition, and for sale at a low cost. We also
have an older model CCTV by Optilec that we will give to someone who needs it.
If you are interested, call Ken at: 406-556-7103.
TIPS AND TRICKS CORNER
It is that time of the
year again when the cold and snowy weather is here. Many of us spend more hours
indoors. Here are a few ideas we might consider to fill that time.
1. READING: The
Montana State Library has many audio books for all who love to read. Movie
lovers have Descriptive Videos which are available also. They
can order Braille books for those who like to read Braille. We are very thankful
for the sleep button on the Talking Book machine so we don't have to rewind our
books so far back after falling asleep, "Smile".
2. GAMES: Many table games have a Braille version now. Cards of all
kinds, Monopoly, Scrabble, Dominoes, Chess, Checkers, are just a few of them
that are available. The Independent and Maxi Aid Catalogs feature many of these
games. We also can play many of the games on our computers, hand-held tablets, or
phones.
3. SPORTS: Many athletic activities have been adapted for the blind and visually
impaired to play. Skiing, soccer, Baseball, Bowling, Basketball, Swimming and
Track are some of them. The Ski/Trek for Light is a great organization to get
involved with if you love to ski.
4. HOBBIES: Hobbies of all kinds keep life interesting. Knitting, Crocheting,
Pottery, Leather work, and many other hand crafts are inspiring
and fun. These are just a few suggestions to enjoy our leisure time. Alternative
techniques can be learned if we are willing to try. This is also another way to
meet other people and take part in group events. You can
contact someone in your local MAB chapter who knows and uses the alternative techniques
when working on your project.
Remember to stay safe during these winter months. Wear non-skid shoes or boots
with cleats when out in the snow and ice. Also protect yourself during our
Covid crises.
Written by Sharon Henderson
TREASURE BOX RECIPE:
No Bake Cookies...
Boil for 1 minute:
2 cups White Sugar
½ cup Milk
1 stick butter
Remove from heat and add:
2/3 cup Peanut Butter
3 cups Quick Oats
Drop on cookie sheet by teaspoon and let cool.
Enjoy!
Sharon Henderson
TRAVELING BLIND
This article will not be going back to
my description of traveling in India, but I thought I would discuss some of
what each of us has been experiencing when we travel since the start of 2020.
My wife, Kamala, and I had just come
back to India when the SARS-COV-2 virus hit.
We ended up with much worse restrictions there than are imposed in
Montana. Ours would be almost comparable
to what they have started doing in Australia where people cannot leave their
homes except to go a certain distance.
I know that some people from the MAB
will have traveled on buses, trains, or airplanes since the pandemic started,
and some will not have, but I thought it might be useful to discuss some of
what it is like for those who are thinking about, or at least were thinking
about traveling, before the Omicron variation hit.
After the pandemic hit, I was stuck here
in India for a little over a year. When
we traveled to the USA, we were required to have a Covid test within 3 days of
the flight leaving. When flying from
India to Amsterdam they also required a rapid antigen test within 4 hours of
the flight. Then, for Kamala to continue
to the USA from Amsterdam, we had to provide proof that she was my spouse since
she is from India and has a visitor VISA rather than a green card. So, it is important to be careful and to have
all documents that need to be provided. That requirement for Kamala was only
because we were flying through Amsterdam and had to walk across the airport. There
were different requirements for Europe than for India at that time.
When flying, as on the buses in Great
Falls, you have to wear a mask. The best thing to do is to have several
disposable surgical style masks to use and change them on a regular basis. Since masks are required in the airports and
planes, you will need several for the day so that you do not breathe in
bacteria and viruses since the bacteria can grow in the mask as it is used. One
thing that I did every few hours was to ask the people at the gate desk or the
flight attendant for replacement masks.
I have not done long-distance train
rides to know whether you can obtain a replacement mask there, but I suspect it
is not possible. So, you may want to
have a stack of masks so that you can change them every few hours. It may also be a good idea to consider
getting one of the sleeper compartments as you would be more separated from
other people, and if only your party is in the compartment, you would only need
the masks when you have the compartment door open or are out of the
compartment.
Right now, it is not yet settled, but
there has been talk about whether they will in the future require Covid tests
before people fly within the USA. They
were talking about requiring the tests for only the unvaccinated. But now they have changed that and are
talking about requiring it for everybody.
Regarding types of masks that are
accepted, each airline has its own requirements. However, some airlines, especially those in certain
areas of Europe only accept surgical masks.
So, that gives another reason for using surgical masks.
One of the things to be aware of is that
you are only allowed to take your mask off when you are eating or drinking. On
the way back to India, I did have one flight attendant who chastised me because
I did not put up my mask every time that I had taken the bite and was chewing
it. Another time I was also chastised for not putting my mask up when I was
drinking my coffee and took the cup away from my mouth. And no, I had not even set the cup down! Needless to say, I thought that was a bit
much, but the best thing to do is just agree to do it. In my case I decided that it was not worth
finishing the coffee and just let it sit until they took it away when they
collected garbage. That is better than making them feel that you are a
problem. (I guess the best way to put it
is that it is best to be patient and respectful and then you will not risk
getting banned.)
As far as current testing requirements for
those who are traveling abroad. Each
country varies. In most the requirement
is that you be tested within 3 days of the flight. However, for those returning to the USA,
Biden recently changed the requirement to be that there be a test within 24
hours of the flight. That eliminated the possibility of a PCR test as those
will not normally be back in time for you to board the plane. I have had 3 PCR
tests for travel, and all 3 took over 24 hours to get the results.
Regarding vaccination, the requirements
vary country to country. India did not require vaccination for foreigners to
enter until the USA imposed it on Indian citizens. So, now as a US citizen, I
can fly to the USA without being vaccinated.
But I cannot fly back to India and enter India without being vaccinated.
Additionally, you must be careful about
the requirements that are tied to the areas where you must cross the airport.
For instance, France requires vaccination for entry. Therefore, if you have a
flight that is to transfer in France, you may not be able to even cross the
airport to catch your connecting flight if you are not vaccinated.
Before closing this article I thought
that I should also discuss hand sanitizer.
Because of Covid, they have increased the amount of hand sanitizer that
can be carried in your carryon bag. Your carry-on can have up to 3.4 oz (100
ml) of hand sanitizer. And, your checked
bag can have 1 bottle up to 12 oz.
Wishing you
happy and safe travels,
Dexter
Penwell
LEGACIES
Have you remembered the Montana Association for the Blind in your will?
If so, please let us know so that we can properly thank you. If you have not,
please consider helping us continue to foster independence and a positive
future for the blind and low vision people of Montana.
CHAPTER NEWS
Remember, everyone loves
to read about what has been happening in the chapters – secretaries &
presidents please get your next report in to Jocelyn around April 1st.
Anaconda
The Anaconda chapter is enjoying all the
snow we have gotten here. most of our members are still afraid of
the conference call and meeting in person. We have a venue for our
meetings that we want to start in the middle of January.
We did not have a Christmas party, but President
Rhonda Cochrane, Secretary Eric Hyatt, and Becky Hotalin
delivered chocolates and cookies to all the members. It was a very nice
surprise for them. We had a very good time talking to them.
We here in Anaconda hope you had a very
happy New Year. Be safe and healthy.
Rhonda
Cochrane, President
Bozeman Chapter
August:
We had our annual picnic at the Dinosaur Park in Bozeman. We had fried chicken
and sides, and lots of companionship.
September:
We had our first chapter meeting at the senior center in over a year. It was
like going home. Our book for book club was Pie. We had peach pie for our
treat. The book club continues to thrive with an average of 12 attendees each
month.
October:
Our chapter meeting was at the Low Vision center. Ballots were counted. Tim and
Lori were re-elected for another term. The Low Vision Center is open on Thursdays
from 10am until 3pm. There is quite a bit of interest. One week we had 8
visitors. The Thursday Zoom social connection hour continues to be very
popular. The wishing well at the mall has been bringing in a good profit.
Unfortunately, it had to be removed for the holidays until January.
Christi Small, Secretary
Butte Silverbow Chapter
We
met on November 5th. Eric Hyatt talked about the convention and said
there were about 75 people there as well as 4 people there by Zoom. It was a
fun convention. Lots of money was raised through the silent and live auctions.
We discussed whether we should have our Christmas party in person. We all love
it so much, but since COVID seems to be as bad as ever, we decided to keep
using conference calls for the time being. We will miss getting together in
person for a nice meal, but we enjoy talking on the conference call every
month. Our meetings are on the first Friday of every month at 1:00.
Vicky King, Vice President
Capital City (Helena)
We were able to have our
Christmas party in person at Touchmark, they served us dinner and Santa Clause stopped
by to pass out gifts. Becky Roos played the most beautiful Christmas music on
the piano. Thank you very much Becky! After dinner Becky started to play “Here
Comes Santa Claus” and guess what…he came walking in with his bag of goodies! Thank
you, Santa, for coming by to see us. Santa passed out white elephant gifts to
everyone. We socialized and had a most wonderful time. Now, Capital City
Chapter it is times to get your dues in. We have to have them all paid by
January 31, 2022…so mail your dues in as soon as possible. The Helena chapter
will be hosting the 2022 MAB convention. Plans will be coming soon. Remember
any Helena Chapter member needs a ride anywhere in the Helena area you can call
Mike Mhoon at (406) 227-3331 to arrange a ride, spots go fast, so the sooner
you can set a time for a ride the better. Thank you Mike for your support of
the MAB and Helena Chapter.
Tonya Mhoon,
Secretary
Great Falls Chapter
In
October, the Great Falls Chapter hosted the MAB’s annual convention at the
Holiday Inn. This year's convention was not like any other of its kind. It was
a hybrid, introducing the concept of the usage of virtual attendance for
members to join the convention in a format never used before in MAB history. Folks
were both allowed to either attend in person or over a platform online called
Zoom that allowed all members of varying ability to participate in panels and
events. Since the Great Falls Chapter’s original year to host was canceled in
2020 due to the Covid 19 pandemic, this hybrid option had been seen as the most
viable way to engage the member base. Many of our speakers were also virtual
which allowed for a wider range of speakers from out of state and create a
lower cost on the chapter. Those that physically attended were given reasonable
lodging with some wonderful accommodations from staff at the hotel as well as
nicely prepared food for meals. Attendees who were physically present were also
able to enjoy White Cane Day, walking downtown to help promote and represent
not only the organization but promote blind awareness in general. Those who
were virtual attendees, were able to participate in as strong of a capacity as
possible while being able to stay comfortably safe at home as needed. All in all,
at the end of the day, the chapter leaders believed that for the circumstances
of how things are in these current times, that the convention was well done,
and its new tactics seen as a hopeful flagship for future conventions for the
organization.
November
didn’t really see any action from the chapter, but in December there was
discussion of a bake sale at the Christmas Stroll. This did happen and we
earned about $250 in rough estimates from it. This will mean money coming into
the chapter. The holidays tend to slow everything down, and with a pandemic
still rumbling in the background, it has made things somewhat more difficult to
say the least. But our chapter is trying. As for the new year though, our
chapter is looking forward to getting back to meetings as soon as possible and
pushing forward in expanding the chapter's member base. There is a strong push
in getting the younger generations involved seeing as the Great Falls Chapter
resides in what is to be the most prime location for gaining potential members,
as Great Falls is the home of the deaf and blind school. The hopeful roots of
this ongoing project are driven by current chapter vice president and district
rep (as of this posting) Chandra Scheschy, and members Satin LaRance and Kaelyn
Forward.
Phoenix Robinson, President
Polson Chapter
The Polson Chapter did not submit a report. If you are
interested in attending a meeting in Polson, call Una Rose Graham at 406-883-1100
for time and location.
Rimrock Chapter (Billings)
The
chapter elected Mike Mooney as president, Crissie McLaughlin as vice-president,
and Stacie Huff as Treasurer. Tina Christensen-Wright is Secretary and
Michelle Spalding-Gates is co-Secretary. On December 16, 2021, the
chapter enjoyed its Christmas Party with great conversation, food, and a gift
exchange. Our fundraising committee is working on new and exciting ideas
to raise money during the upcoming year. Tickets for the 4th Annual
Rimrock Chapter Raffle will be available soon and the raffle drawing will be
May 1, 2022. In October the chapter approved free transportation for
members to and from chapter events. The transportation was very
beneficial to members and multiple donations were given in continued support.
During 2022 the Rimrock Chapter will provide transportation to and from its
chapter events for members. Please contact Brian Evans at 406-860-9103
for transportation details. The Rimrock chapter meetings are the 2nd
Wednesday of the month at 7PM at the American Legion in Billings, MT.
Tina Christensen-Wright, Secretary
At-Large Chapter
The At-Large Chapter did not submit a report. For information
on when meetings are held by telephone, contact John Snowberger at
406-823-9292.
Again, please remember that we work hard on the Observer for
the members who enjoy reading about what is happening in the chapters. Please
submit the chapter reports. The next deadline for articles and chapter reports
for the fall issue of the Observer is April 1st.
MAB 2022 MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION
________________________
_________ ______________________
First
Name Initial (opt) Last Name
________________________ ____________ _________ _______
Mailing Address City State Zip
________________________ _____________ _____________
Email Home
Phone Cell Phone
* I
am blind * I am legally
blind * I have low
vision
* I am
sighted
Select your preferred format
for the Observer, the MAB's quarterly newsletter.
* Large
Print
* Email * Braille *
Do not
send
* Digital
audio (an MP3 file on a thumb drive for talking book machine or computer)
There are chapters throughout
the state that hold monthly meetings.
Would you like to be contacted by the chapter nearest you? * Yes * No
Would you like to receive a
reminder for chapter meetings? * Yes * No
I'd like to help my chapter
with: * Calling * Programs
* Other _________
I
would like to be included on the list of names and phone numbers shared with other
MAB members. * Yes * No
May we celebrate your
birthday? (Month and Day)
__________________
Dues are $10 per calendar year, payable
by January 31.
Please return this form and your payment
to the MAB
Programs and Member Benefits
The Montana Association
for the Blind (MAB) offers training
to help people with failing eyesight acquire the skills and attitudes that will
enable them to remain independent and self-reliant. These trainings include a
month-long program, the Summer
Orientation Program, that is offered without cost to participants. Would you like to receive more information on
training opportunities? * Yes * No
The
Bozeman Low Vision Center: Allows people with visual impairments to try
adaptive aids to find what is most helpful to them. Drop-ins are welcome
Thursdays from 10 to 3 or call 406-551-4920 for
an appointment.
For Veterans. The VA Low
Vision Clinic, VIST, can help with assistive tech prescription and training,
and counseling at 406-208-3832. For those already in VA care, their primary
care provider or VA eye doctor can consult the VA’s Low Vision Clinic.
Please
contact the MAB at 406-442-9411 or
mabadmin@mabsop.org for information about other MAB programs such as:
·
Scholarships to
further education
·
Interest-free
loan programs to purchase adaptive equipment
Would you like to donate? Contact the MAB
to learn how you can support:
·
the Summer
Orientation Program
·
the Memorial Loan
Program
·
the Elder Blind
Loan Program
·
the Bozeman Low
Vision Center
·
the local chapters
·
the development
of new programs
o
a Sports and
Recreation Program is being developed
Visit the MAB website at www.mabsop.org to make a one-time or recurring monthly gift to support MAB operating
expenses.
Thank you for your interest in the Montana Association for the
Blind.
Please send us your comments and
questions:
Editor’s Note:
The Observer is published four times a year. Please send all
comments, questions, and submissions for publication to:
Jocelyn DeHaas
MAB Observer Editor
505-818-8721
The Observer
is available in three formats:
1. Large
print
2. Email
3. Digital
audio (an MP3 file on a thumb drive that works in a computer or talking book
machine)
If you would prefer
your copy of the Observer in a different format, please contact the office at:
406-442- 9411.
