  
















THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND IS NOT AN ORGANIZATION
SPEAKING FOR THE BLIND--IT IS THE BLIND SPEAKING FOR THEMSELVES


Blind Washingtonian subscriptions cost the Federation about five
dollars per year.  Members are invited, and non-members are
requested, to cover the subscription cost.  Donations should be
made payable to National Federation of the Blind of Washington and
sent to:  National Federation of the Blind of Washington Post
Office Box 2516 Seattle, Washington 98111


Bennett Prows, President
Post Office Box 2516
Seattle,  Washington 98111 (206) 823-6380                         


Albert Sanchez, Editor
East 707 Garland
Spokane, Washington 99207 (509) 487-0809

BLIND WASHINGTONIAN SPRING-SUMMER 1994


Address changes, requests for editional coppies of this newsletter,
and articles should be sent to the Editor.
1994 Mini-Convention--Maximum Success

The Lilacs are not the only things blooming in Spokane this
spring. 
By Bennett Prows

     The Spokane Chapter of the National Federation of the Blind of
Washington is burgeoning into full flower, and fills the air with
the sweet cent of success.  This spring's mini-convention was held
at Cavanaughs on 4th Avenue in Spokane the weekend of April 9,
1994, and everyone came away with a renewed sense of identity,  and
the reason we have the National Federation of the Blind.  

     The host chapter, headed by Albert Sanchez welcomed us as we
arrived in Spokane for the event which officially began on
Saturday. The morning's activities were kicked off by the "Point of
Sale Coordinator" for the Rosauers grocery chain from Spokane. 
Kelly Runyan told the hardy group about the delivery service
provided to all customers of Rosauers, and we concluded that the
program could be a trend setter for other stores.

     Barbara Pierce, the editor of the Braille Monitor and
president of the NFB of Ohio made this mini-convention a function
never to be forgotten. She brought materials that made us all
re-examine our philosophy of blindness, and the in depth discussion
throughout the day meant a great deal to new members and the
oldsters among us as well.

     The banquet on Saturday evening was full of surprises also. 
Several door prizes were donated by the NFB of Seattle, and Rita
Szantay along with Linda Schappals from Spokane administered the
prizes on the anxiously waiting crowd. Mrs. Pierce addressed the
gathered Federationists and friends, and her tale of the Federation
in action made us all realize once again how vital this
organization is to the lives of all blind persons.

     Thanks to Maryanne Schappals, Linda's mother, (and active
member in her own right), the Spokane chapter brought a tremendous
basket of prizes and surprises.  The Spokane chapter had sold
tickets all day for a chance to win this basket of goodies. Linda
asked me as President to draw a name from the cup, and I
unashamedly drew the name of Bennett Prows as the winner!

     Sunday morning dawned early for some Federationists, but by
8:15 A.M. breakfast was being served.  The State board meeting 
brought forth new ideas for the future of our organization, and the
meeting was full of the discussion of events in the NFB that make
this organization move forward.  

     The mini-convention was a great tribute to the people in
Spokane, and we are glad they are an integral part of our
organization.  The Federationists left the conference with new
perspectives and excellent prospects for the National Federation of
the Blind of Washington.  Spokane, we will be back!


JUST PLAIN NANCY!
By Nancy Martin

     (EDITOR'S NOTE:  One of the high points of this year's mini-
convention was the speech presented by Nancy Martin from Vancouver,
Washington.  She had earlier delivered these same remarks at a
Parents' of Blind children seminar.  It is because of the hard work
of such as Nancy that the National Federation of the Blind is
changing what it means to be blind.)  

     Most blind people who are presented as role models are
exceptional and highly accomplished people such as lawyers,
physicists and entertainment stars.  I have been asked to give  a
talk because I represent the average american blind person.  I am
not a rocket scientist;  I am a housewife.

     I got off to a slow start as a kid.  Born three months
prematurely, I did not walk until I was three;  I was not potty
trained until the age of four;  I was in kindergarten for three
years.  While my slow development was no doubt discouraging for my
parents, I eventually picked up speed and took off.

     Today, I am looking for work as a trained medical
transcriptionist.  I am an amateur musician on several instruments
and play music, from classical music on the piano to oldtime folk
music.  I am an officer of the Clark county chapter of the National
Federation of the Blind.  I like to go canoeing and backpacking
with my husband and I am currently helping a blind person develop
mobility skills.

     The point of my story is, that even without support, my
parents were able to get me through a difficult childhood.  So,
don't be discouraged with your children.  My parents were lucky to
get support from their family;  for example, my grandfather took me
for nature walks, to the local train yards, and exposed me to
stimulating experiences.  He even got me over my fear of his
electric lawn mower, its spitting grass and noise.  A policeman
friend even locked me in a jail cell to see what that was like.

     While a resident at the Washington State School for the Blind,
Mrs. Woodworth was one of my favorite housemothers.  She was a
person who loved us and hugged us girls, and filled in for mom. 
She exposed us to farm animals, took us to the zoo, and exposed us
to hands-on experiences that are so important to blind children.

     Now in 1994, thanks to groups like the NFB, blind children and
there parents have role models and much more support available.  I
want to use my membership in the Federation to help other people
and parents of blind children to realize that you don't have to
walk on the moon to live a full and productive life.  It is
respectable  to be blind!



RETHINKING VACATIONS FOR THE BLIND
By Janet Erikson


     (EDITOR'S NOTE:  The following article was sent to me by Janet
Erikson from Coquitlam, British Columbia Canada.  I read it with
great interest because the closest I ever came to a situation as
portrayed in the article was an Easter Seal camp for "handicapped
kids" when I was in ninth grade.  Janet says in her accompanying
letter, "...my inspiration to write this article came from these
things:  Writing about summer fun in the depths of winter;  knowing
that so many blind people are unaware of how we are selling
ourselves short by letting custodialism creep in to our lives by
letting people convince us that one vacation spot for blind people
is a wonderful idea;  my own experiences with tenting, car travel,
living in a 26-foot cabin cruiser for a few days at a time,
traveling internationally, and, NFB conventions."  She is a member
of the National Federation of the Blind Advocates for Equality in
Canada.  She concludes her letter by saying, "Hope to see you all
in Detroit.")

     Most people I know love to go on a vacation--Especially the
kind where good planning, money and a positive attitude take you.

     How would you like to go to the same place year after year? 
It is a place where the buildings and grounds rarely change.  There
are tactile markings to indicate where you are in relation to your
surroundings.  There are railings inside the buildings and one
outside that you can follow to the beach.

     You must be wondering who ends up at a vacation spot like
that?  The people who end up at this place are the blind.  That's
us, and we have many different interests, ages, backgrounds and
abilities.  Why do we go there?  I think it is for fun, fellowship
and to meet other blind people.  Those are great reasons for any
blind person to go on a vacation.  I have other thoughts to share
concerning why we choose to go to vacation sites that are set aside
for blind people.  What I'm going to say may ring true to some and
make others wonder what planet I've moved too.

     These vacations are made to be affordable to all blind people. 
This can perpetuate the idea that we will always be poor, we will
never get ahead and we need goodhearted people to take pity on us
because we are unable to save money for our vacations.  We are
giving volunteers and helping professionals an unsaid message. 
That is, "We are incapable of prioritizing, what we want, so we can
save our money to go to places that we enjoy visiting."

     Why do we need a talent night at vacations that are
specifically set up for us?  Is it because we haven't grown up
enough to join our sighted peers?  Perhaps we have such low
opinions of ourselves that we shall endlessly display our talents
to each other.  We are telling each other that we have talent but
we don't have many opportunities to let it flourish.  Most adults
do not set up talent nights when they are on vacations.

     When we choose to go to specific vacation sites set up for us
it makes us appear childish.  For instance, you don't get a choice
in the meal that is set in front of you.  By not asking appropriate
questions and exploring our surroundings we put ourselves in the
unfortunate position of giving staff and volunteers permission to
say childish things to us because they may be uncomfortable with
our blindness.  Although staff and volunteers are trained to
accommodate what they perceive to be our special needs, few of them
would treat us like adults unless we played the part.  Our
adulthood is given up when we take the special bus for the blind
and are shuttled on to the ferry.  The fact that these vacations
are held in the summer makes us appear to be like big kids going to
a happy summer camp.

     A question we should ask ourselves when we go to a specific
vacation site for the blind is what is the public thinking and
saying about us?  Perhaps it is saying, "Isn't it nice that they
have a special camp they can go too."  Are we giving the public,
who live near these sites, the impression that "blind people aren't
able to go anywhere but this place to have a good vacation."  As
blind people we know that most of us are capable of traveling
independently.  However, we have a long way to go to convince the
public that we can be independent travellers to our vacation
destinations.

     It's easier to go to a vacation site specifically for the
blind because we can remember the layout of the place from year to
year.  Subconsciously we have told ourselves that there is nowhere
else for us to go that is specifically designed for the blind.  By
doing this, we have given ourselves less confidence, because as a
rule, many active blind adults who want to live positive lives do
not want to set foot in these vacation sites.

     We should give ourselves permission to go to a resort hotel if
we feel that we don't want to do our washing and cooking.  When we
stay at these hotels we are giving the public a positive message
that says, "I'm like everybody else."  "I'm worth treating myself
to a stay at a hotel."  "Even though I'm blind I use alternative
techniques to interpret the world around me."

     There seems to be a tendency among blind people, volunteers
and helping professionals to alienate the blind people that are
independent enough to go on vacations by themselves or with
friends.  It is done by saying, "Isn't it wonderful that he/she can
travel and get around so well."  This statement, though meant to be
complimentary, reflects societies low expectations of blind people
who need to use different techniques to get to their vacation
destinations.  or, "That person thinks that he/she can do
everytning.  What is this person trying to prove?  He/she's so
stubborn that there is no way you can help that person."  Why don't
we, as blind people, volunteers and helping professionals listen to
the expertise of independent blind people.  A good example of this
is that many blind people do not need to take a guide on a tour bus
trip.  With good assertiveness and travel skills many blind people
are able to follow the descriptions of the tour and the people on
the bus.

     It would be prohibitively expensive to put tactile markings at
every resort hotel and camp-site across the country.  (Canada being
second in landmass size to the former Soviet Union.)  Imagine the
cost of installing railings inside every lodge and hotel;  railings
leading from campsites to outhouses, railings that lead from
campsites to beaches, and railings you can follow along every
hiking trail.  Here is another way that railings in a building can
influence us.  When younger blind people stay in a building with
railings in the halls, it implies that we are sick and ready to
topple over if we don't hang on to them in order to keep our
balance.

     I think that these vacation sites for the blind should be
sold.  They bring with them too many outdated attitudes about
blindness that many of us and our positive sighted friends have
been working with constant dilligence to overcome.  The money
invested in specific vacation sites for the blind could be spent in
the following ways:  Bringing blind children to spend time with
blind adults to have fun and learn to travel in areas that are
unfamiliar so they can learn to have a positive attitude about
being independent travellers by using white canes.  It could also
be spent to educate hotel managers and tourism officials about the
use of the white cane or guide dog.  We could also get tourist
sites to be more accessible through the mediums of braille, large
print, tape recordings, more narative in films, and, making
pictures more accessible through sculptures, artwork and tactile
drawings.

     In conclusion, blind people and positive sighted friends
should take the innitiative to give support and guidance to there
fellow blind citizens to have the confidence to choose a vacation
that suits there different interests and levels of abilities.  In
rethinking our vacations we are also rethinking about how we want
to define our lives for each other and for society at large.


SCHOLARSHIP TIME AGAIN
By Albert Sanchez

     Here, on the next two  pages, is the 1994  scholarship
application form for the NFB of Washington scholarship program.  If
you have questions contact either President Prows or myself.                      NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND
                                OF WASHINGTON
                          1994 SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

     This October, at its Annual State Convention, the National
           Federation of the Blind of Washington will award a
$1,000 scholarship to recognize an outstanding blind scholar in our
           state.

     All applicants must be:  (1) legally blind, and (2) pursuing
           or planning to pursue a full-time post-secondary course
of study.

     The winner will receive the fourth annual Beverly Prows
Memorial Scholarship.  Beverly Prows believed in the capabilities
of blind people and worked diligently to promote equality and
first-class citizenship for the blind.  In memory of her good work,
her family has designated this scholarship to continue her efforts
to improve the lives of blind Washingtonians.

     To apply for this scholarship, complete this application and
return it to:  National Federation of the Blind of Washington
Scholarship Committee, East 707 Garland, Spokane, WA 99207. The
form must be postmarked no later than midnight of September 30,
1994.

     The scholarship winner must be in attendance to receive the
award.


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Attach the following documents to the completed application:

1.  Write us a letter, telling us what you are like as an
individual. What have you done to deal with situations involving
your blindness? What are your hopes and aspirations? Tell us
anything about yourself that you think we should know.

2.  Send two letters of recommendation.

3.  Provide current transcript(s) from the institution(s) you are
now attending, transcripts from all other postsecondary
institutions, you have attended and if you have not yet attended
any institution or have not completed one year, please send us your
high school transcript.

4.  Send a letter from a state officer of the National Federation
of the Blind of Washington showing that you have discussed your
application with him/her. You may obtain a list of NFB State
Officers by writing:  National Federation of the Blind of
Washington P.O. Box 2516 Seattle, WA 98111 or call:  (206) 823-6380

               NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND OF WASHINGTON
                        SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION FORM



     Your name:                                                   
          
     (please include maiden name or other names by which you have
been known)

     Date of birth:                        

     Home Address:                                                
           
                              Street                   City       
        Zip

     Home Phone:  (      )                     

     Institution being attended in Fall semester, 1994
     
     Institution or School:                                       
           
     
     School Address:                                              
           
                         Street                   City            
   Zip

     Phone:  (      )                     Your Grade Point Average: 
         
       
     Your class standing: 
     (Freshman--Senior etc.)                                      
  


Please list all post-secondary institutions attended with your
highest class
standing attained and your cumulative grade point average.


High School Attended:                                             
           

Address:                                                          
           
               Street              City           State           
   Zip

Your Vocational Goal:                                             
          

State Your Major:                               Minor:            
          

Awards and Honors: (attach list, if necessary)                    
          

                                                                  
          

                                                                  
          

Community Service: (attach list, if necessary)                    
          

                                                                  
           

                                                                  
           NFB of Washington
 East 707 Garland
Spokane, WA 99207


ADDRESS CORRECTION  REQUESTED