From: Subject: IDB - White Cane Update Spring 2009 Date: Thu, 16 Apr 2009 07:18:06 -0500 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/related; type="text/html"; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_0000_01C9BE63.7D115F20" X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.5512 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0000_01C9BE63.7D115F20 Content-Type: text/html; charset="Windows-1252" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Location: http://www.blind.state.ia.us/Newslet/WCUSpring2009.htm IDB - White Cane Update Spring 2009

White Cane Update

April 2009

Published and distributed by = the Iowa=20 Department for the Blind
Karen Keninger,=20 Director

Members of the=20 Commission:

Chairperson Sandra Ryan, = Ankeny
Mike Hoenig,=20 Davenport
Steve Hagemoser, Des Moines

Table of=20 Contents

From=20 the Director
Commission=20 Board Members
Stimulus=20 Funding Emerges from Congressional Labyrinth
Focus=20 on Public Education Fifty Years and Half Way There
Come=20 Help Us Celebrate The Orientation Center 's Golden = Anniversary
The=20 Floods of 2008: Stories of Survival
Scott=20 Marchant=97The Persistent Man
Rehabilitation=20 Services Administration Monitors IDB Programs
Bill=20 Crandall=97A Journey Back
B.E.P.=20 Briefs
Reaching=20 New Heights
Getting=20 to the People We Serve
Jury=20 Preserves Orientation Center Programming = Intact
Public=20 Art Project
Renovation=20 is Nearly Complete
IRIS=20 Announces New Web-Based Archive Service
Friends=20 Annual Meeting
New=20 Rules for Social Security's Ticket to Work Program
From=20 the Library

From the = Director
By=20 Karen Keninger

On November 1, 2008, I assumed the duties of the = Director of=20 the Iowa Department for the Blind. I replaced Allen Harris, who retired = at the=20 end of October. My previous experience at IDB as the Program = Administrator of=20 the Library for eight years, and as the Rehabilitation Consultant for = five years=20 before that, has given me a thorough grounding in all that makes IDB a = leader in=20 blind services. I am privileged to have the opportunity and the = challenge to=20 continue the excellent work started here 50 years ago.

We will be making public education and outreach a = priority=20 this year. (See the following article for details.) If you or someone = you know=20 belongs to a service club, church group, or any other group for that = matter,=20 please consider recommending an IDB speaker for one of their meetings. = We have a=20 great story to tell!!

It's been a busy winter for all of us. In = December, Tracey=20 Morsek replaced me as Program Administrator in the Library. Tracey has = extensive=20 experience in libraries for the blind, most recently as the Assistant = Director=20 of the Pittsburgh Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped. Beth = Hirst,=20 a 30-year veteran of our own library, joined Tracey on the management = staff as=20 supervisor of Braille and audio production and the Instructional = Materials=20 Center. The Library is in excellent hands, and knowing that, I am able = to=20 concentrate on my new duties.

In February, the monitoring team from the = Rehabilitation=20 Services Administration (RSA), our Federal funding and oversight agency, = came=20 for a week to review our programs, policies and procedures. I'm sure we = all=20 learned something during that week. They learned that we have good = programs, and=20 two of them told me that if they had a blind family member, they'd move = to=20 Iowa.

We have a solid base of excellence to work from, = but as is=20 always the case, we have room for improvement. We will be working on = those=20 improvements over the next years.

In February, we also had the long-awaited trial in = the=20 Dohmen case, testing our policy regarding dog guides in the Orientation = and=20 Adjustment Center Program. The jury upheld our position. See the = following=20 article for more details.

This is a very challenging budget year. The = Governor made an=20 across-the-board cut of 1.5% to the 2009 budget for most of state = government,=20 including IDB. He also froze most out-of-state travel and hiring. In = addition,=20 his recommendations for the 2010 budget included another 6.5% = across-the-board=20 cut plus an additional $50,000 or so from our budget. We will also lose = some of=20 our basic support funding from RSA as a result of not having enough to = match it=20 all. We know that all of state government, as well as many of Iowa's = private=20 employers, are facing the same realities in Iowa's economy, and we plan = to make=20 the best of it along with everyone else.

The good news is that we were also included in the = American=20 Recovery and Reinvestment Act, otherwise known as the Stimulus Package, = and will=20 be receiving a substantial amount of one-time funding from that source. = We know=20 we will not be laying anyone off or furloughing as the result of the = budget for=20 2010. We are working on ways to make the best use of the one-time = stimulus money=20 as well as managing within our reduced state budget. We should have a = final=20 budget from the Legislature by early April, at which time we can = finalize our=20 own budget plans.

Our remodeling is expected to be finished by the = end of=20 April, and the mandated public art project should be installed by = summer. See=20 the following articles for more details.

All in all, it will be a challenging and exciting = year for=20 us. You can help us by staying in touch, and by spreading the word about = the=20 work we do wherever you can.

Commission = Board=20 Members

The Iowa Commission for the Blind is a = three-member board=20 appointed by the Governor. Each Commissioner is appointed for a = three-year term.=20 Each year one term expires, allowing the Governor either to reappoint = the=20 incumbent or appoint someone new. If a Commissioner is unable to fill = his or her=20 term, the Governor will appoint a replacement to serve the balance of = that=20 term.

Our current board members are:
Sandi Ryan, = Chair,=20 2008-2011
Mike Hoenig, 2007-2010
Steve Hagemoser, 2008-2009 and = 2009-2012=20 (pending reappointment)

All three are blind Iowans who have extensive = experience=20 with Department services. Sandi Ryan currently works for the Iowa = Department of=20 Public Health as manager of the WISEWOMAN (Well-Integrated Screening and = Evaluation for Women Across the Nation) program. Mike Hoenig works for = the=20 University of Iowa Center for Disabilities and Development as a project = manager.=20 Steven Hagemoser, Ph.D., L.P., currently works for the Department of = Veterans=20 Affairs as a clinical psychologist assigned to the Post-Traumatic Stress = Disorder (PTSD) program at the Des Moines VA facility.

Stimulus = Funding=20 Emerges from Congressional Labyrinth
By Bruce Snethen

By the time of the Council of State Administrators = of=20 Vocational Rehabilitation (CSAVR) winter executive committee meeting in = January,=20 we were learning that Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) funding would = likely be=20 included in H.R.1, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). By = January=20 15, a week later, we had the good news-$500 million for VR and $200 = million for=20 Independent Living (IL) had made it into the legislation in the=20 House.

The House approved its version of H.R.1 on January = 28 by a=20 party line vote of 244-188. At the same time, we learned that the Senate = version=20 of the ARRA also contained $500 million in funding for VR and $110 = million for=20 IL. The Senate version passed out of the committees of jurisdiction and = was=20 headed to the Senate floor with the funding for VR and IL = intact.

But then, with the Senate bill's funding = ballooning to $900+=20 billion, the bill faltered and the Senate leadership was forced into=20 negotiations with a bipartisan group of budget hawks. On the afternoon = of=20 February 5, all the funding for VR and IL was on the table to be cut in = the=20 amendment being developed by the bipartisan group. Finally, after an = entire day=20 of negotiations-with the VR & IL funding hanging in the balance-we = learned=20 late on the evening of February 6 that all of the funding was intact. = The bill=20 cleared a crucial procedural hurdle and then was passed by the Senate by = a vote=20 of 61 to 37.

The bill was then conferenced to resolve = differences between=20 the two versions. Then, in a complete surprise, the news came out that = the=20 conference report contained more funding for VR than the House and = Senate=20 versions and that the funding for IL was significantly higher than the = Senate=20 number, though lower than the House version. The conference report was = approved=20 on February 13 by both the House (246-183/1 present) and Senate (60-38). = The=20 president signed the bill into law on February 17.

None of this would have been possible without the = help,=20 support, e-mails, and phone calls from many in the VR = community.

The bill contains:
1. $540 million for Title I = of the=20 Vocational Rehabilitation Act, $40 million more than in either the House = or=20 Senate passed versions. The funding does not require state match or = affect=20 maintenance of effort requirements. All of the funds will be distributed = in the=20 federal government's fiscal year that ends September 30, 2009.
2. = $140=20 million for independent living programs, $18,200,000 for state grants,=20 $87,500,000 for independent living centers, and $34,300,000 for services = for=20 older blind individuals.

Other funding included in ARRA is targeted to = helping people=20 with disabilities as well:

IDEA special education: $12.2 billion=20
Medicaid Aid to States (FMAP): approximately = $87 billion=20 to states, increasing through the end of 2010 the share of Medicaid = costs the=20 federal government reimburses states. The bill extends the moratorium = on=20 Medicaid and Medicare regulations.=20
Social Security Administration: $500 million = for first=20 stage of $750 million project to construct a new national computer = center and=20 $500 million to reduce the processing backlog for disability = applications.=20 This will likely lead to hiring 5,000 to 6,000 new employees=20 nationwide.=20
Payments to people on SSI, SSDI, Social = Security=20 Retirement, Railroad Retirement, and Veterans Disability: a one-time = payment=20 in 2009 of $250 to people on SSI, SSDI, Social Security Retirement, = Railroad=20 Retirement, and Veterans Disability.

Focus on = Public=20 Education
Fifty Years and Half Way There
By Karen = Keninger

Last fall, the movie Blindness was shown in a few = theaters=20 in this area. I didn't go see it, but I was curious enough about it to = read the=20 book by Jose Saramago. The author pulled out every myth, fear, and = stereotype he=20 could think of about blindness to achieve his literary goals. I don't = know what=20 those goals were because I was so appalled by the blatant stereotyping = carried=20 to extremes-the helpless, the dirty, the evil, the hopeless, the = vicious, the=20 clumsy, dependent, useless. Surely, I thought, this author knows nothing = of=20 blindness, and surely in today's world where blind people have proven = their=20 abilities to work, to raise families, to reach professional goals, to = climb=20 mountains, to sail oceans, surely this ignorance would offend anyone = reading=20 this book.

And then I remembered my own recent experience = with a=20 privately funded, not-for-profit organization. All I wanted to do was to = volunteer to teach conversational English for a week. The only = requirement was=20 that I be a native English speaker. My application was summarily = rejected by the=20 leadership of this organization-people who either didn't know enough, or = didn't=20 care enough, not to say their reasons out loud. "Your professional = experience is=20 not the point. ... You would be living in a cabin out in the country by = a lake.=20 ... We can't ask anyone to be your roommate. ... You could not possibly = carry=20 your weight on the team. ... Team members will be expected to plan and = cook=20 meals, sleep in upstairs bedrooms, share a bathroom, write in a journal. = You=20 couldn't do those things. ... You would be a burden to the team members = and the=20 team leader. ... We just cannot allow that to happen." Obviously, their = stated=20 belief in my abilities was about on the same level as Saramago's=20 stereotypes.

It took several months of persistence before I = finally=20 convinced them to let me participate. And, of course, none of the things = they=20 feared posed any problem at all.

If this little episode were unique, or even = unusual, it=20 wouldn't be worth telling. But we all know that it is not. Every blind = person=20 has hit that wall of ignorance and prejudice sometime or other. We've = been=20 working steadily ever since 1958 to tear down those walls in Iowa, to = prove the=20 capabilities of blind and visually impaired people and to demand our = rights as=20 equals. After fifty years of effort, we are no longer imprisoned by = those walls,=20 but they're still out there, blocking the road.

We need to remember where we started fifty years = ago. Very=20 few blind Iowans had jobs, and those who did worked in the narrowly = defined=20 "acceptable" jobs of the time-chiropractors, masseurs, candy vendors. = The rest=20 sat at home and wove rugs, made brooms, or hemmed towels for a pittance = while=20 they depended on family members for support.

Fifty years after we began here in Iowa to prove = the simple=20 fact that with the right training and opportunity a blind person can go = where=20 she wants to go, do what she wants to do, hold a job, raise a family, = and serve=20 in public office. Fifty years after we began that journey, we are only = halfway=20 there. After fifty years of work, teaching blind Iowans that there is a = way to=20 accomplish anything they want to do; after fifty years of convincing = employers=20 to let qualified blind people work as teachers, secretaries, engineers,=20 machinists, on assembly lines and food lines, in businesses and banks, = in=20 schools, hospitals, factories, offices, and government-after fifty good = solid=20 years of work, we are only halfway there. Where is there? And how will = we know=20 we've made it? When there is a world where it truly is OK to be blind; = where=20 blindness, although certainly not something you would choose, is just = one of the=20 many characteristics that define you as an individual; where a blind = person will=20 be judged and accepted not, to borrow a phrase from Martin Luther King = Jr., on=20 the results of an eye test, but on the content of his character, on the = innate=20 talents and abilities he brings to the job, the community, the family; = where a=20 blind person knows her own worth and holds her head high as an equal = partner in=20 life; where the means of accomplishing the little things don't matter as = long as=20 they get done.

The mission of the Iowa Department for the Blind = is to help=20 create that world where it's OK to be blind. We give people books to = read. We=20 help them find jobs. We train them to use a cane. We build = self-confidence. We=20 mark their appliances and teach them to use the telephone and the stove = again.=20 But that's not enough. Our mission is to tear down those walls of = prejudice and=20 ignorance, because only when those walls are completely gone will blind = Iowans=20 be able to get jobs, live independently, and participate fully in = whatever=20 activities they choose.

Over the next year, we will turn our efforts = outward, to=20 focus more fully on a campaign of public education-telling our stories = and our=20 clients' stories to everyone who will listen.

We will be asking some of you to allow us to share = your=20 stories of success, and we will be asking some of you to go out and = share those=20 stories yourselves. Together we can work to bring down those walls of = ignorance=20 and build in their place understanding and equality.

If you or someone you know belongs to a group who = could use=20 a speaker, please call us at 800-362-2587 or e-mail me at=20 karen.keninger@blind.state.ia.us to schedule an IDB = presentation.

Come Help Us=20 Celebrate
The Orientation Center's Golden Anniversary

This year, the Adult Orientation and Adjustment = Center will=20 celebrate fifty years of providing top-notch adjustment-to-blindness = training to=20 blind Iowans. Help us celebrate this milestone by joining us this fall = for an=20 open house and for our annual Alumni Day.

On October 30, the Department will hold an open = house to=20 showcase our newly renovated building located at 524 Fourth St. in Des = Moines.=20 There will be tours of the building, displays showing the services we = offer, and=20 presentations focusing on the Department's fascinating history and=20 accomplishments.

Alumni Day will be held on October 31, after = taking a=20 two-year hiatus to allow for the extensive remodeling our building has=20 undergone. In the afternoon, we will hold a forum to talk about = transportation=20 issues in Iowa. This forum will give you an opportunity to discuss your = concerns=20 about public transportation. There will also be opportunities for you to = tour=20 the building and to meet our new director, Karen Keninger.

At 5:00 p.m., we will hold our annual alumni = banquet. This=20 year, Director Keninger will deliver the banquet address. A dance and=20 hospitality will follow at the nearby Savery Hotel.

Please put October 30 and 31 on your calendars and = plan to=20 help us celebrate the Center, the Department, and the years of = life-altering=20 services we have provided to Iowans with vision loss. Remember, you = don't have=20 to be a Center graduate to attend. We are looking forward to you joining = us this=20 fall.

The=20 Floods of 2008: Stories of Survival

Shirley's Story. June 12, 2008, is a date = that former=20 Department for the Blind (IDB) client Shirley Wiggins will not soon = forget. On=20 that date, Shirley's Cedar Rapids home of 33 years was flooded. She had = very=20 little warning and left with just the clothes on her back. The water = reached=20 nearly to the ceiling. She lost everything. Homeless, she was not able = to turn=20 to her son for housing since he was also displaced by the flood. = Luckily, some=20 friends opened their home to her. Not one to dwell on her losses, = Shirley=20 immediately went about the business of getting her life back in order. = She=20 received financial assistance from the Red Cross to buy clothes. She = placed her=20 name on various housing lists and vowed she would take the first option = that=20 became available. In September, she got a call that an apartment was = available.=20 She took it without hesitation. Relying on a small amount of financial=20 assistance from FEMA and with financial gifts from friends and family, = she was=20 able to furnish her apartment. While she feels she is on her feet again, = she=20 still faces tough decisions regarding the fate of her totally gutted = house. She=20 lived just one block from the 100-year flood plain, so is not eligible = for the=20 buyout. She cannot afford to rebuild. She misses her old neighborhood = and her=20 neighbors. Yet, Shirley remains optimistic. Throughout her ordeal, she = continued=20 her activities with a local support group for blind and visually = impaired=20 persons. She remains immensely grateful for the outpouring of love and = support=20 she received from friends and family.

Ruth's Story. "The lawn mower and snow = blower were=20 spared, only because they were both in repair shops." So began IDB = client Ruth's=20 story of her experiences as the result of the 2008 Iowa floods. "The = 1999 flood=20 was bad," said Ruth, "but I was told that the water this time wouldn't = rise much=20 more than a foot past what it did during 1999." That prediction proved = woefully=20 wrong: water rushed into Ruth's home of nearly fifty years; when the = flow=20 stopped, there was dirty water six feet deep on the main floor. Ruth and = her=20 dog, Gwen, escaped and spent the next few weeks at a relative's home, = until she=20 was able to find other housing. "People have been kind and I did receive = help,"=20 Ruth commented. Among those assisting Ruth was the local Red Cross, = which=20 relocated Ruth to temporary housing and also provided funds for Ruth's = rent.=20 Ruth lost her hearing aids in flood waters, and an area = church-affiliated agency=20 bought her a new pair. Many of the objects Ruth lost because of flood = waters can=20 be replaced; "but the pictures, the antiques, all those things of = sentimental=20 value, they are just gone," said Ruth. "Gone forever." Ruth was = disappointed=20 about not being assigned a FEMA trailer. She did, however, receive FEMA = funds,=20 as well as disaster relief money from the state of Iowa. Ruth's property = has=20 been approved for buyout, and Ruth hopes to receive that money this = spring. Ruth=20 added that, despite the frustrations the flood caused, she remains = positive.=20 Ruth hopes to purchase a house this year-"one which I can make a home. I = am=20 really looking forward to that."

Scott=20 Marchant-The Persistent Man
By Roger Erpelding

Scott Marchant is a graduate of our Orientation = Center who=20 successfully completed our Business Enterprises Program training. After=20 licensure, he became manager of our Cedar Rapids Post Office-Rest Area = Vending=20 Facility in May 2008.

Scott knew he knew how to work, and had plenty of=20 motivation. But he had no business experience. In addition to this, he = also has=20 a hearing loss. None of this was to stop Scott. Two managers-Kevin = Slayton at=20 K.S. Canteen and Bob Ray from the Wallace Building Vending were just two = of the=20 managers who trained him extensively and showed him the way. These two = managers=20 emphasized assistive technology, keeping track of ordering, how to = handle=20 employees, how to use an accountant most effectively, how to repair and = maintain=20 machines, and how to deal with customers. Scott continues to work = closely with=20 Bonnie Whitson from the Veterans' Administration, Vision = Services.

All of us-Scott, other managers and staff-thought = that Scott=20 was ready to roll at his new assignment. He had a vehicle, an excellent = team=20 player and assistant in his wife Marcia, a staff member who lived in = Cedar=20 Rapids, an active vocational rehabilitation counselor, and plenty of = support=20 from the Department's administration. Despite this, Mother Nature had = other=20 ideas.

The summer came, the clouds came, and the rains = came. And so=20 on June 11, the monster flood of Cedar Rapids came calling. Many of = Scott's=20 machines in his locations were located in downtown areas near the = river-the=20 Federal Building, the Post Office, the Cedar Rapids Police Department, = and the=20 U.S. Attorney's Office, just to name a few. The river didn't care which = vending=20 machines and products were in the way as it inundated some of these = buildings=20 with as much as twelve feet of water.

The rest areas were still open along I-380, when = Scott could=20 get to them. Permanently ruined vending machines, destroyed product, = buildings=20 which were closed for months, and absolute business interruption on many = fronts=20 that no one had planned on were now part of the mix. We found = replacement=20 machines, in some cases we purchased new ones, and in some cases we = helped out=20 with product. Scott just kept his head up and kept working away. But = wait-it=20 still wasn't over. Once the post office became fully operational again, = there=20 were two additional unplanned power outages which resulted in total loss = of his=20 perishable products at that location. The post office is also the main = storage=20 hub for this facility. It was probably some time in August when Scott = asked,=20 "Have you ever had a new operator go through so much stuff?" I = immediately said=20 "No."

All these events were not going to stop Scott. As = normalcy=20 returned, it became obvious that he had gained something he had = initially=20 lacked-experience. The elevator still isn't fixed in the police station, = and the=20 U.S. Attorney's office just re-opened in December with the flood smell = still=20 predominant in the building. The General Services Administration has = found space=20 for the federal employees.

And the future? The federal government is planning = on=20 building a new facility in downtown Cedar Rapids which would consolidate = many of=20 their agencies into one location. Linn County and the city of Cedar = Rapids are=20 talking and planning a co-located facility for their employees; this is = in the=20 initial stages, but if it indeed develops, it will result in two = potential=20 boosts for this facility. So, hang tough Scott!

Rehabilitation=20 Services Administration Monitors IDB Programs
by Shan = Sasser

Eight staff from the federal Rehabilitation = Services=20 Administration (RSA) performed an on-site monitoring visit to the = Department in=20 February. Prior to the on-site visit, RSA staff held a series of = teleconference=20 meetings with Department staff to review numerous categories of = performance data=20 from a five year period (2002-2007). During the teleconference meetings, = priorities and topics for the on-site review were defined. The on-site = portion=20 of the monitoring process began on February 2 and ended on February 6. = RSA staff=20 reviewed the Department's financial systems and reports and the = Vocational=20 Rehabilitation (VR) and Independent Living (IL) programs. In particular, = the RSA=20 staff reviewed performance data related to non-successful outcomes, = quality=20 assurance practices and measures, and strategic planning processes with=20 Department staff. In their preliminary findings, they congratulated = Department=20 staff on the quality of the VR and IL programs and the soundness of our = fiscal=20 operations. No compliance findings were reported for the fiscal = unit.

Recommendations included increased outreach = efforts,=20 broadened supported employment efforts, and enhanced strategic planning = and=20 performance assessment. They identified forward-thinking staff and = excellence in=20 our technology efforts, particularly our in-house developed case = management=20 system, as unique strengths of the Department. A draft of the monitoring = report=20 will be issued this summer. Once Department staff has provided feedback, = the=20 final report will be published in Fall 2009 and posted on RSA's=20 website.

Bill = Crandall-A=20 Journey Back
By Barb Wiegel, Independent Living = Teacher

I remember when I first met Bill Crandall. It was = in 2005,=20 and he was undergoing a series of shots in his eyes in an effort to = treat=20 macular degeneration, a leading cause of vision loss. It was while on = his way=20 home from getting an injection that he decided he needed to take a more=20 proactive approach to his loss of vision. Bill had recently heard about = a=20 community-based training being offered in his home town by the Iowa = Department=20 for the Blind's Independent Living Program. He decided to stop by for = more=20 information.

When we first sat down together Bill said, "I'm = not blind. I=20 can still see." We spent some time talking about what that meant in = practical=20 terms. As the conversation progressed, it became clear to both of us = that there=20 were many things Bill did before his vision loss that he felt he could = no longer=20 do, or at least not do with any ease or accuracy. Bill said he was once = the=20 handy man in the house, but he no longer felt he could accomplish even = minor=20 home repairs. And one-time simple tasks like operating household = appliances now=20 felt almost overwhelming to him.

We talked about the fact that, while Bill did not = consider=20 himself blind, in reality he was letting vision loss limit his life. I = wanted=20 him to understand that a person who is blind can be independent. I = explained=20 that he could do many of the things he now described as "too hard," = "dangerous,"=20 or even "impossible" -he just needed to learn a new approach.

For Bill this was a whole new way of thinking. Up = to this=20 point, he had been so focused on saving his vision that he had not = stopped to=20 acknowledge how much he was limiting himself. As we talked, I realized = that Bill=20 had always been an independent, self-reliant individual with many family = and=20 community interests. Bill's vision loss was well on the way to erasing = all of=20 this. I did not want that to happen, but more importantly, Bill did not = want=20 that to happen. We agreed that while his vision was not improving, his = life=20 certainly could.

Bill asked about the use of a white cane. He had = some=20 useable vision so he was not sure he needed one. We discussed the = importance of=20 using a cane for safe, independent mobility. Bill requested a lesson on = using=20 the cane and was provided with a cane to take home with him. This = initial cane=20 travel lesson was the start to more independence for Bill!

The next day he returned to participate in the = training. He=20 also decided to renew his interest in reading by applying for talking = books=20 (books on tape) available through the National Library Service (NLS). = After=20 completing the community-based training, Bill decided he wanted to learn = more=20 non-visual techniques. We began working together on a regular basis, and = I would=20 meet with him in his home for training. He wanted to build his cane = travel=20 skills, find new hobbies, learn alternative ways to cook, and use his=20 appliances.

I presented Bill with the opportunity to attend a = week-long=20 training program, called Senior Orientation, at our Des Moines = headquarters.=20 Bill jumped at the chance to build on his skills. During this week, Bill = received training in wood shop, home management (i.e., how to label = items around=20 the home, how to manage his medications, etc.), Braille, using a = computer with=20 screen-reading software, and travel with the long white cane. He also = attended=20 daily discussion groups about blindness. These discussions in = combination with=20 the classes offered were designed to not only help him learn techniques = for=20 doing things without his vision but also to help him adjust to his = vision loss=20 in a positive way.

During his cooking class, Bill learned methods to = bake pies=20 and successfully made a lemon meringue pie from scratch. Bill had = enjoyed baking=20 pies, but he had given it up when he started to lose vision. His lemon = meringue=20 pie was a hit with staff and his fellow students! Bill couldn't wait to = return=20 home to bake pies for his family and friends again. This experience, as = well as=20 many more experiences at Senior Orientation, helped Bill realize he = could be=20 independent and he didn't have to give up things he wanted to do. He = wanted even=20 more training!

He attended the Iowa Department for the Blind's = Adult=20 Orientation and Adjustment Center. This is an intensive, residential = training=20 program housed in the Des Moines office. He attended the program for = three=20 months as a full time student at the age of 71 and enjoyed every minute = of it.=20 While there, he built a bookshelf for his living room and now uses it as = a place=20 to set his books on tape and his cassette player. He also expanded his = cooking,=20 computer, cane travel, and Braille skills. Perhaps most importantly, = Bill=20 further learned that it is okay to be blind and that he can do anything = he wants=20 to do. He no longer limits himself based on his blindness.

Bill returned home a more confident person! Bill = now=20 volunteers regularly and stays active in his community. Over the past = several=20 months, he has been helping build a new building for the local = Alcoholics=20 Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous programs. He has been volunteering = there for=20 eight or more hours a day, six days a week. Bill recently became a = member of the=20 Iowa Department for the Blind's Independent Living Advisory Committee = and is=20 co-facilitating a support group in his community for people who are = blind and=20 visually impaired. He is back to living his life the way he wants to = live=20 it!

B.E.P. Briefs
By = Roger=20 Erpelding

New Building at Story City. In February = 2009, the=20 Iowa Department of Transportation opened its newest remodeled rest area = with a=20 new building at south bound Story City Rest Area. Matthew Hicok is our = vendor at=20 this facility. Since construction began early last year, we have had = vending=20 machines in this location at a small kiosk, and were serving pop and = snacks=20 only. The vending is indoors at the new building. We are again offering = snacks,=20 beverages, coffee and $1-$5 bill changing service at the new building. = Hats off=20 to D.O.T. for this fine new building!

Bob Ray retires. On April 1, Bob Ray, = Manager,=20 Wallace Building Vending Facility, will be retiring. Bob has been a part = of the=20 Business Enterprises Program for fifteen years. His first assignment was = at the=20 South Iowa Rest Area Vending Facility, where he was in charge of = eighteen=20 machines at three southern Iowa rest areas. Bob has managed a large = vending=20 route at the Wallace Building Facility for the past 3.5 years. His plans = after=20 retirement are to pursue other business matters. His replacement is in = training=20 and will be assigned accordingly.

Reaching New=20 Heights
By Keri Osterhaus and Tai Blas

As spring settles in, the transition staff at the = Iowa=20 Department for the Blind (IDB) is anxiously planning summer programs for = Iowa's=20 teens who are blind or severely visually impaired. In the past, we have = offered=20 Stepping Stones, a one-week camp, and Camp Discovery, a five-week = program. This=20 year, we are taking a chance on change. Instead of hosting the longer = camps, we=20 will be hosting several three-day trainings throughout the = summer.

Why the change? Pauline Kezer once wrote, = "Continuity gives=20 us roots; change gives us branches, letting us stretch and grow and = reach new=20 heights." At the IDB, we strive to reach those new heights to improve = our=20 services. By challenging ourselves to examine and change how we do = things, we=20 know that our summer transition programs will be more effective for our=20 participants.

As always, we have a firm commitment to continue = teaching=20 the skills that are necessary for youth to transition successfully from = the=20 education system to the adult world. All of these sessions are designed = to meet=20 the individual needs and skill levels of the participants. Students will = have=20 the opportunity to experience the challenge and excitement of learning a = new=20 area, meeting new friends and sharing in new experiences. Through these=20 programs, students will have an opportunity to focus on such specific = topics as=20 community and independent living, college life, the world of work, the = need for=20 studying science, and the importance of recreation.

Our programs will be both fun and challenging. = Here is a=20 brief look at what we are offering:

June 8-10, 2009
Game of Life: Life is = full of=20 surprises, especially after high school. Join us for an exciting journey = as we=20 take a look at what life really involves, the possibilities that are out = there,=20 and the experiences that you may encounter as an adult. All high school = students=20 are encouraged to attend.

June 15-17, 2009
Summer Break: Learn the = in's and=20 out's of living on a college campus, including how to balance school = with a=20 social life. You will be given an in-depth picture of what to expect = after=20 graduating from high school. This interactive look at life on a college = campus=20 is perfect for high school students thinking about attending a = post-secondary=20 training program following graduation.

June 22-24, 2009
KEYS: What are the keys = to=20 success? In this program, we will focus on understanding how to be = successful=20 outside of high school. You will participate in career exploration and = volunteer=20 activities. You will also practice the soft skills needed to make it in = the work=20 force through volunteer opportunities. Are you ready to test your = knowledge of=20 the "World of Work"? High school students will benefit greatly from this = experience.

June 29-July 1, 2009
Mission Possible: = Doctors,=20 Lawyers, Architects, Drafters, Secretaries, Auto Mechanics, Teachers,=20 Artists-science is a part of almost every career. Spend some time with = us=20 discovering all of the possibilities that science has to offer and why = YOU can't=20 live without it. All high school students should definitely = attend.

July 20-22, 2009
Summer Blitz: How can = anyone say=20 life is boring? Join us to experience many exciting and diverse = recreational=20 activities. This program is guaranteed to be packed full of excitement. = Be sure=20 not to miss this one!

For more information about any of these programs, = please=20 contact Transition Specialists Keri Osterhaus or Tai Blas at=20 800-362-2587.

Getting to the=20 People We Serve
By Curtis Chong

Have you ever wondered how a counselor or teacher = from the=20 Iowa Department for the Blind makes timely contact with blind or = visually=20 impaired individuals around the state who have never dealt with the = Department=20 before? How is it that newly blind individuals can receive prompt = service from=20 the Department if counselors are not assigned to fixed geographic=20 areas?

The Field Operations division of the Iowa = Department for the=20 Blind has an ongoing procedure for handling new referrals in a timely = and=20 expeditious fashion. The goal of this procedure is to make contact with = new=20 referrals as quickly as possible and to ensure that anyone who needs = vocational=20 rehabilitation or independent living services knows who their counselor = or=20 teacher will be at the earliest possible opportunity.

Our referral procedure begins when we get a call, = letter, or=20 e-mail referring someone. This information goes to our Referral Team. = This team=20 consists of Chrissy Stocker (Independent Living Secretary), Becky = Criswell=20 (Independent Living Supervisor), and Bonnie Linquist (Vocational = Rehabilitation=20 Supervisor). For any referral, we obtain the following information: = Name,=20 address, telephone number, e-mail address (if available), and any other=20 information that can help the case. The appropriate supervisor on the = referral=20 team (i.e., Bonnie Linquist for vocational rehabilitation or Becky = Criswell for=20 independent living services) assigns the new referral to a VR counselor = or=20 teacher. This is done once we have enough information to determine to = which=20 program a person is to be assigned.

Although counselors and teachers are not assigned = to fixed,=20 rigid territories per se, each counselor or teacher does cover a general = area of=20 the state. Geographic assignments are meant to be flexible enough to = ensure that=20 we can quickly reach a person who is in need of service. If one = counselor has a=20 larger case load than another counselor who is nearby, then the nearby = counselor=20 will get the referral. The counselor receives the name of the referral=20 electronically. This speeds up the referral process. Our electronic = system for=20 handling referrals-affectionately dubbed eFORCE (Electronic Field = Operations=20 Resource Center) -has made the referral process more efficient and=20 individualized than it has ever been. Counselors routinely travel with = their=20 laptop computers and can receive information daily.

The Iowa Department for the Blind has eight = vocational=20 rehabilitation (VR) counselors, two of whom serve as employment = specialists.=20 These specialists work as a team and travel throughout the state. = Generally=20 speaking, one specialist covers the eastern half of the state, and the = other=20 specialist covers the western half of the state. The remaining VR = counselors are=20 divided into two teams; one team covers the western half of the state, = and the=20 other team covers the eastern half of the state. Counselors often = communicate=20 with each other in order to quickly reach new referrals. They serve as = resources=20 to each other and their clients. Initial case assignments are made by = the=20 supervisor.

It is no secret that the Department for the Blind = has fewer=20 counselors today than it once did, and it should come as no surprise to = anyone=20 that counselors must travel greater distances in order to reach their = clients.=20 Nevertheless, prompt response to client requests remains a priority; and = we have=20 the systems in place to ensure that clients can make timely contact with = their=20 counselor. And, while there are no "fixed" territories as such, new = referrals=20 continue to be handled in a timely manner.

To make a referral, simply contact us by telephone = using our=20 toll free number: 800-362-2587 or visit our website: http://www.blind.state.ia.us/.=

Jury = Preserves=20 Orientation Center Programming Intact
By Karen = Keninger

On Wednesday, February 17, 2009, after five years = of=20 litigation and a six-day civil trial, an eight-person jury returned a = verdict in=20 the civil case of Dohmen vs. the Iowa Department for the Blind. The jury = found=20 in favor of IDB and did not award Ms. Dohmen any damages pursuant to her = claim.

This is an important case for IDB and for other = programs=20 across the country which provides training to vocational rehabilitation=20 consumers.

In 2002, Ms. Dohmen challenged IDB's = administrative rule=20 prohibiting the use of dog guides in its Adult Orientation and = Adjustment Center=20 training program. (This rule does not apply to any other activities or=20 facilities of the Iowa Department for the Blind and only applies to = students=20 during class hours.)

Ms. Dohmen insisted that her dog guide accompany = her on her=20 return to the Orientation Center training program, and when she was not = allowed=20 to bring the dog with her, she claimed discrimination under the = Americans with=20 Disabilities Act, the Rehabilitation Act, and the Iowa Civil Rights=20 Act.

The administrative rule and the policy of the = Adult=20 Orientation and Adjustment Center training program are based on the = nature of=20 the training program. The training program curriculum takes a strictly = nonvisual=20 approach to blindness. It requires students to wear sleepshades if they = have any=20 residual vision and does not allow the use of any visual aids during = class. A=20 dog guide in this context is considered a visual aid because the user of = a dog=20 guide relies on the dog's vision along with its training to guide her. = The=20 fundamental concept taught in this training program is that, as a blind = person,=20 the student can learn to do anything he or she wants to without = vision-any=20 vision of his or her own-any visual aids. The completely nonvisual = approach has=20 been proven to be very effective in helping students internalize this=20 fundamental concept. The skills taught in the training program-travel = with the=20 long white cane, Braille, industrial arts, home and personal management, = computers using a screen reader-all in a totally nonvisual = environment-are all=20 supportive of the core concept.

The jury's decision was based on the fact that = allowing Ms.=20 Dohmen to use a dog guide during her participation in that particular = training=20 program would fundamentally alter the nature of the program and = therefore does=20 not qualify as discrimination under the Americans with Disabilities Act, = the=20 Rehabilitation Act, or the Iowa Civil Rights law.

This case, and the training program itself, do not = address=20 in any way the value of a dog guide vs. a long white cane. It simply = affirms=20 that a particular curriculum can be maintained intact. The Orientation = Center=20 training program at IDB is one of approximately 90 training programs for = blind=20 consumers throughout the country. These 90 programs create a broad = spectrum of=20 choices for blind consumers. The Iowa program stands at one end of that=20 spectrum. In Iowa, consumers are welcome to choose from that entire = spectrum of=20 training options if they do not feel that Iowa's Adult Orientation and=20 Adjustment Center training program is appropriate for them.

Public Art = Project
By=20 Karen Keninger

According to Iowa law, 0.5 percent of any = construction=20 project must be spent on public art. Our remodeling project cost in the=20 neighborhood of $5 million, which meant that we were required to spend = $25,000=20 on public artwork for the building.

We chose Ann Cunningham, a Colorado artist who has = done many=20 pieces with tactile elements using slate, wood, and bronze. The artwork = she is=20 creating for our building will include several pieces in various = locations. One=20 is a take-off on American Gothic, the famous painting by Grant Wood. It = will be=20 done with both tactile and visual elements, using slate, bronze, and = wood and=20 will be fully accessible to blind and sighted alike. Similarly, she will = do a=20 landscape and several other pieces intended to look very interesting and = teach=20 visual concepts such as overlap and perspective using sculpture and = raised=20 figures. We are expecting to have them installed by this = summer.

Cunningham has an extensive portfolio of visual = and tactile=20 art as well as sculpture and raised-line drawings.

Renovation is=20 Nearly Complete

The building renovation begun two years ago is = expected to=20 be complete by the end of April as scheduled. Last August, most of the = work on=20 third and fourth floors was completed. Library staff vacated the = Assembly Room=20 and moved back to fourth floor where they found a new configuration of = offices,=20 workrooms, and cubicles. Field staff came back from being scattered all = over the=20 buildings and at home to occupy a new floor plan on third floor. Both = floors=20 boast private offices for most professional staff, meeting spaces, and = work=20 rooms. A perimeter hallway and glass windows in offices give both floors = a=20 completely new look and feel, and allow natural light to grace nearly = the entire=20 space.

Orientation has permanently moved its Braille and = computer=20 rooms to second floor just beyond the home ec area. The final phase of = the=20 project required students and staff to move out of the facilities on the = fifth=20 and sixth floors. They have been living in college dorm apartments at = AIB in Des=20 Moines through the winter while the heating, air conditioning, and = related work=20 were completed. They are expected to move back into the building by the = end of=20 April.

With our building back, we are able to host the = transcribers=20 and volunteers workshop again using our own facilities. We are also = planning=20 Alumni Day again after a two-year hiatus.

IRIS=20 Announces New Web-Based Archive Service
By Rob Davis, IRIS=20 Director

IRIS listeners who use computers now have another = way to=20 access Iowa publications on-line. IRIS has offered live streaming audio = on its=20 web site for several years, and now the service has added an on-demand=20 feature.

IRIS listeners know The Des Moines Register is = read live=20 each day from 9 a.m. to noon and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sundays. Now, the = Register=20 reading, saved as an audio file, is posted on the IRIS web site for = listeners to=20 access at their convenience.

The Register reading is actually divided into four = audio=20 files on the IRIS web site:

the front section=20
metro news and business=20
opinion pages=20
obituaries, sports, and = features.

Each section is posted to the web site within a = few minutes=20 of being read on the air. For example, the front section of the = newspaper is=20 read from 9 a.m. to 9:45 a.m., and is available on the IRIS web site = around 10=20 am.

IRIS archives a week's worth of Register readings = on the web=20 site. Users may listen when they visit the site, or they may download = the audio=20 files to their computers or portable .mp3 devices. In addition to the = Register,=20 many other publications are also available. They include daily readings = of The=20 Ames Tribune, Council Bluffs Daily Nonpareil, The Waterloo-Cedar Falls = Courier,=20 and The Mason City Globe Gazette. The weekly Midweek Shopping Cart is = also=20 offered via the web site.

IRIS also posts other publications which are read = monthly or=20 bi-monthly, such as The Iowan, Des Moines Business Record, City View, = Iowa=20 Source, Information Please, and Iowa History. Additionally, the Iowa = Library for=20 the Blind and Physically Handicapped's monthly update is posted on the = web site.=20 IRIS is working to add more Iowa-based newspapers and other=20 publications.

The on-demand page is compatible with screen = readers. The=20 web site is http://www.iowaradioreading.org= /,=20 and a password is needed to access the on-demand site. Users may call = the IRIS=20 office at 515-243-6833 or toll free 877-404-4747 to obtain the=20 password.

Friends Annual = Meeting
By Peggy Chong

The Friends of the Iowa Library for the Blind and = Physically=20 Handicapped will hold its annual meeting on Friday, April 17 after the = Elizabeth=20 Perowsky Celebration at the Iowa Department for the Blind. We welcome = everyone=20 to attend our annual meeting to hear the accomplishments of The Friends = in the=20 past year and our planned activities and goals for 2009-2010.

At this year's meeting, we will be adding two new = board=20 positions to our Friends board. This is a working board, and we all have = enjoyed=20 working on our Friends projects and building The Friends group. There is = so much=20 to do, and we want to encourage so many people to help us support the = Library in=20 many ways. Along with continuing to purchase sacred texts such as Bibles = for=20 individuals, we hope to support the Library's conversion to digital = talking=20 books as well as the Braille Challenge and other activities.

If you are not able to make it to the annual = meeting of The=20 Friends group, we still want to hear from you. Please feel free to call = Peggy=20 Chong, board member, at 515-277-1288. Or send your tax-deductible = contributions=20 to Friends of the Iowa Library for the Blind, PO Box 93046, Des Moines = IA=20 50393-3046.

New=20 Rules for Social Security's Ticket to Work Program Effective July 21,=20 2008

What is the Ticket to Work Program?
The = Ticket=20 program was instituted as part of the Ticket to Work and Work Incentives = Improvement Act of 1999. The purpose of the Ticket program is to give = Social=20 Security beneficiaries interested in working options in choosing an = approved=20 employment network that can provide them with vocational services and = assistance=20 in finding employment. Social Security gives eligible Social Security=20 beneficiaries a ticket. The beneficiary can then take that ticket to an = approved=20 employment network for vocational assistance.

The Ticket program was also intended to benefit = private and=20 public agencies that provide vocational services to individuals with=20 disabilities by bringing new individuals to their services and by = providing=20 payments when they were successful in helping a Social Security = beneficiary find=20 employment at specified earnings milestones. To participate in the = Ticket=20 program, these agencies are required to apply to Social Security to = become=20 employment networks. Once approved as an employment network, an agency = can take=20 a beneficiary's ticket and request payments when their client achieved = the=20 specified earnings milestones.

Why Are Changes Needed?
Since the = program was=20 instituted, few vocational service agencies applied to become employment = networks and many of those agencies which had become employment networks = ceased=20 to participate. Social Security identified two primary reasons these = agencies=20 did not participate as employment networks. First, payment amounts were = too=20 small in comparison to money they spent on services. Second, because of = the=20 rules regarding Ticket assignment, those private agencies who worked = with a=20 vocational rehabilitation (VR) vocational agency to provide services = received a=20 reduced payment or no payment at all for their services. Because few = employment=20 networks were available, a crucial element of the Ticket program, = expanding=20 consumer choices in vocational services, was not successful.

The new rules that became effective July 21, 2008, = increase=20 payment amounts to vocational service agencies, change the requirements = for when=20 they can be paid, and allow, in certain circumstances, private agencies = that=20 work with a public VR agency to receive a more equitable payment. Social = Security believes these changes will result in more vocational service = agencies=20 participating in the Ticket program.

What Changes Affect Me?
Primarily, the = new rules=20 affect those agencies that provide vocational services to individuals = with=20 disabilities. However, the new rules affect Social Security = beneficiaries who=20 want to work by increasing the number of agencies participating in the = Ticket=20 program as employment networks. Beneficiaries are also allowed to assign = his/her=20 ticket to a VR agency, like the Department, and then to another = vocational=20 service agency once the VR case is closed. With more agencies = participating,=20 Social Security beneficiaries who are interested in working should have = more=20 options for vocational services.

One important aspect of the program has not = changed and that=20 is protection from medical continuing disability reviews. You will not = be=20 required to complete a medical continuing disability review with Social = Security=20 as long as:

1. Your ticket is assigned to an employment = network or in=20 use with a vocational rehabilitation agency, such as the Department; = AND
2.=20 You are making timely progress in your vocational goal.
Those who are = participating in the Ticket program will be required to complete a = timely=20 progress report each year. New timely progress requirements are = effective with=20 the implementation of the new rules. As long as you continue to meet the = timely=20 progress requirements, you will be protected from the medical reviews. = If you do=20 not meet the timely progress requirements, you will once again be = subject to=20 medical reviews. You will experience no other impact on your benefits = for=20 failing to meet the timely progress requirements.

The new rules do not affect the voluntary nature = of the=20 program. Social Security beneficiaries are not required to assign their = ticket=20 or to participate in the Ticket program.

The Iowa Department for the Blind actively = participates in=20 the Ticket program. If you are interested in going to work or increasing = your=20 earnings from work and have questions about the Ticket program, visit = our web=20 site (www.blind.s= tate.ia.us/ticket/TickettoWork.htm)=20 or call Shan Sasser at 800-362-2587, extension=20 1-1256.

Am I eligible for a ticket? How do I know if my = ticket is=20 assigned or in use?
MAXIMUS is a private company that Social = Security=20 contracts with to provide administrative support for the Ticket program. = You can=20 contact MAXIMUS by calling 866-968-7842 or TDD Line 866-833-2967 to find = out if=20 you are eligible for a ticket and, if so, the status of your ticket = (assignable,=20 assigned, or in use with a VR agency).

From the = Library
By=20 Tracey Morsek

Volunteer Workshop
Mark your calendar! = The 2009=20 Elizabeth Perowsky Volunteer Workshop will be held on Friday, April 17, = 2009.=20 Hands-on informative sessions for Braillists and narrators make up the = heart of=20 the day, but as always, a delicious luncheon will be served. This year, = our=20 luncheon speaker is Carol Bodensteiner, the author of Growing Up = Country:=20 Memoirs of an Iowa Childhood. A writer and public relations consultant,=20 Bodensteiner has gathered tales from her childhood into a book that = captures a=20 disappearing time in rural America. She also narrated her book for the = Library,=20 and as the daughter of a talking book borrower, has witnessed the value = of=20 Library materials first-hand.

The highlight of the day will be our Volunteer = Recognition=20 Ceremony and the naming of this year's Elizabeth Perowsky Award=20 winner.

We hope you will be able to join us for this = year's=20 workshop. Come learn just why we think our Volunteers Are the Bloomin'=20 Best!

Braille Challenge
The Braille = Challenge-the only=20 national academic competition for blind students in the entire = country-kicked=20 off with statewide competitions. In our state, the Iowa Braille = Challenge is=20 co-sponsored by the Iowa Library for the Blind and Physically = Handicapped and=20 the Iowa Braille School.

The goals of the Iowa Braille Challenge are to = raise=20 awareness about Braille, to celebrate Iowa Braille readers, and to = encourage=20 blind and visually impaired students to fine-tune their Braille skills. = During=20 the competition, students in grades 2-7 competed in five challenging = categories=20 requiring transcription, typing, and Braille reading. Categories tested=20 students' Braille skills in several areas: reading comprehension, speed = and=20 accuracy, Braille spelling, chart and graph reading, and=20 proofreading.

While the students were competing, parents had a = chance to=20 network and to share information and resources. Workshops for family = members=20 included programs such as "Literacy and Learning: How to Help Your Child = Succeed=20 in Academic Arenas" and "Fostering Independence in Children" as well as = a=20 session describing the resources available from the Iowa Department for = the=20 Blind and the Iowa Braille School.

This year, students also had a chance to celebrate = Louis=20 Braille's 200th birthday. A pep rally, celebrating Braille and his code, = kicked=20 off the day, and at lunch, the students shared a birthday cake after = singing=20 "Happy Birthday" to Louis Braille. Students were entertained by = participating in=20 Braille karaoke.

The 2009 Iowa Braille Challenge is the first step = on the=20 road to the national competition, which will be held in June at the = Braille=20 Institute's headquarters in Los Angeles, California. Students from = across the=20 nation are already competing preliminary testing in hopes of qualifying = for the=20 60 spots available in the national competition. The top scorers in the=20 preliminary round will advance to nationals and have the opportunity to=20 represent their state in competition with top blind students from across = the=20 United States and Canada.

In the 2008 Iowa Braille Challenge, three Iowa = students=20 advanced to the national competition in Los Angeles. A Polk City, Iowa, = student=20 was the national recipient of the NBC4 Superstar Award for excellence in = reading=20 comprehension. We are truly proud that three of the top Braille = Challenge=20 participants in the nation were Iowans.

Friends of the Library
In 2008, the = Friends of the=20 Iowa Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped donated more than = $10,000=20 to the Library's Summer Reading Program, Braille Challenge, and the = sacred texts=20 project, while also providing funding for furniture in the Library's = reading=20 room. In 2009, the Friends plan to continue assisting with these = projects, while=20 providing financial assistance for the Library's conversion from = audiocassettes=20 to the new digital talking book format.

And, if that's not enough, the Friends group plans = on=20 helping the Library staff a booth at the Iowa State Fair.

The Friends of the Iowa Library for the Blind and = Physically=20 Handicapped is an all-volunteer, nonprofit group dedicated to supporting = the=20 Library's efforts to be the best. Membership dues are $20 per year. = Donations of=20 any amount are also accepted.

For more information about the Friends group, you = may write=20 to P.O. Box 93046, Des Moines IA 50393-3046 or send an e-mail to library_friends@msn.com. Or = attend the=20 Friends Annual Meeting, which will be held at the close of the Volunteer = Workshop at 3:30 p.m. on April 17 at the Iowa Department for the=20 Blind.

Return=20 to Issue Index.

Return to=20 Newsletter page.

WHITE CANE UPDATE is published by the Iowa = Department=20 for the Blind. Please direct questions and suggestions to the Iowa = Department=20 for the Blind, 524 Fourth Street, Des Moines, IA 50309-2364,=20 515-281-1333.

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White Cane Update

Members of the=20 Commission:

Table of=20 Contents

From the = DirectorBy=20 Karen Keninger

Commission = Board=20 Members

Stimulus = Funding=20 Emerges from Congressional LabyrinthBy Bruce Snethen

Focus on = Public=20 EducationFifty Years and Half Way ThereBy Karen = Keninger

Come Help Us=20 CelebrateThe Orientation Center's Golden Anniversary

The=20 Floods of 2008: Stories of Survival

Scott=20 Marchant-The Persistent ManBy Roger Erpelding

Rehabilitation=20 Services Administration Monitors IDB Programsby Shan = Sasser

Bill = Crandall-A=20 Journey BackBy Barb Wiegel, Independent Living = Teacher

B.E.P. BriefsBy = Roger=20 Erpelding

Reaching New=20 HeightsBy Keri Osterhaus and Tai Blas

Getting to the=20 People We ServeBy Curtis Chong

Jury = Preserves=20 Orientation Center Programming IntactBy Karen = Keninger

Public Art = ProjectBy=20 Karen Keninger