                                THE BUCKEYE BULLETIN
                                    March, 1992 
                T A B L E   O F   C O N T E N T S


FROM THE PRESIDENT'S DESK. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PAGE 2

WASHINGTON SEMINAR REPORT by Dave Robinson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PAGE 7

REPORT ON THE OHIO CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION 
by Dave Robinson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PAGE 7

REPORT ON THE FEBRUARY 18 RSC MEETING  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .PAGE 10

IMPORTANT COURT DECISION FOR STUDENTS by Eric Duffy. . . . . . . . . . . . . .PAGE 11

THE BUDDY SYSTEM PROGRAM:  PATHWAY TO INDEPENDENCE by Pam Dubel. . . . . . . .PAGE 12

AWARDS 1991 by Dave Robinson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PAGE ?

1992 COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .PAGE 16

MIAMI VALLEY CHAPTER GENERATES POSITIVE NEWS STORY FOR WHITE CANE SAFETY DAY .PAGE 19

RESOLUTIONS 1 & 6  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .PAGE 22

CHAPTER, DIVISION, AND COMMITTEE REPORTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .PAGE 24

CHAPTER MEETING SCHEDULE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .PAGE 27

PERSONAL NOTES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PAGE ?


                                        NOTE
     Anyone wishing to receive this newsletter on cassette should contact the Production Editor,
Sylvia Cooley, at the state office with the request.  There is no additional cost for the cassette
version.  
                FROM THE PRESIDENT'S DESK
                     by Barbara Pierce

     I sit down to write this column shortly after returning from
our Washington Seminar, and I do not know when I have lived through
a more demanding and exciting month.  It all began, as many of you
know, on the evening of January 10 when the Bureau of Services for
the Visually Impaired Standing Committee of the Rehabilitation
Services Commission (RSC) Consumer Advisory Committee met and
heard in detail for the first time what the Governor's emergency
cut of an additional 6% in the RSC budget would mean to blind people. 
The following day we heard more about the cuts and the plans that
the RSC was making to reduce staff and case services.  
     I was very disturbed and knew that you would be as well, so Barbara Fohl, NFB of Ohio
Secretary and the other NFB representative to the Council, and I began urging our colleagues to
take immediate and decisive action.  Everyone agreed to do what we could to generate letters to
the Governor and key legislators.  We were careful to conduct our more enthusiastic discussions
away from the ears of RSC staff members attending the meeting since they were necessarily
working for a rollback within governmental lines of command, and we were working as consumers and
constituents, able and willing to  use the political process.  Council members discussed the
possibility of organizing a group of disabled people for a rally at the statehouse, and some
members of the group insisted that we ask the Executive Committee of Solidarity (known last year
as Solidarity  91 and soon to become Solidarity 93) to coordinate this effort since it was the
obvious sponsor as an umbrella group, representing all disabilities.  
     I came home and wrote to every chapter president and member of the state board to urge that
the word go out to as many NFB members as possible to write letters.  We had been provided with a
fact sheet from RSC, and I compiled a list of helpful addresses to assist letter-writers.  I even
drafted model letters to the Governor and legislators so that those who were uncertain of what to
say would have a text to follow or sign their names to.  I know that the Lorain County chapter
wrote at least 115 letters, and I have copies of several others.  I am told that Mahoning Valley and
the Capital Chapter generated a number, and I hope that some others that I did not see went out.  I
requested that copies be sent to me so that I could have an accurate count of letters.  As the
President of the NFB of Ohio, I wrote letters to every politician I could think of and to the editors
of the major dailies around the state.  Some other letters were generated by concerned people
across Ohio, and Governor Voinovich must have noticed the effort.  
     By Tuesday, January 21, it was clear that Solidarity was not going to move quickly enough to
do the RSC any good, so the NFB of Ohio stepped into the breach.  In a week and a day we notified as
many other groups of disabled people as we could about the rally and made the necessary
arrangements to gather in the Rotunda of the Statehouse.  We engaged an interpreter for deaf
attendees, got the proper permits, notified the Public Works Department to repair the elevator so
that people using wheelchairs could get into the building, circulated fliers and press information,
wrote the statement of concern for the Governor, invited legislators to speak to the group, and
organized what transportation we could to get our members to the event.  
     On January 29 about thirty-five people gathered at the center of the Rotunda to listen to
leaders in the disability community and legislators talk about the crisis.  Television cameras and
reporters were present, and the deaf people who were there had prepared signs that were very
helpful.  
     When we finished with the speech-making, we went down to the Governor's office on the floor
below and took our statement to one of his aides.  We all crowded into a conference room, where she
listened attentively to what we had to say.  She indicated that she had been speaking with Robert
Rabe, RSC Administrator, and he had already asked for additional information to support our
contention that real hardship would be done if the entire 6% cut were imposed on the RSC.  
     The group dispersed after that impromptu meeting, and we all departed wondering if we had
done any good.  The answer came less than a week later when Governor Voinovich announced that he
was rolling back 4% of the announced cut and would be requiring only a 2% reduction.  This will still
pinch, of course, but the burden will be about the same for RSC as it is for the other social
service agencies.  Everyone was elated, and I believe that everyone recognizes that without the
NFB of Ohio this reversal of the Governor's executive order would not have happened.  Here is the
statement of concern that the group delivered to the Governor's representative.  It bears a
remarkable similarity to my letter to Governor Voinovich: 

                                STATEMENT OF CONCERN
                      FROM MEMBERS OF OHIO'S DISABLED COMMUNITY
     Those of us who listened to your 1992 State of the State address heard you speak with great
compassion of the needs of children, seniors, women, minority group members, and the poor, but not
a word did you say about your concern for the problems that face Ohio's disabled citizens.  All of
us here today know numbers of people with disabilities who have been denied or are waiting for
services they need in order to work, and their plight and that of thousands more will only become
more acute because the Rehabilitation Services Commission, which has been reducing staff and
streamlining administrative procedures for two years in order to respond to the fiscal crisis in
Ohio, has no more fat to cut.  With admirable dedication to clients and employees alike, the RSC has
so far resisted reducing the funds devoted to case services and through a hiring freeze and its
early retirement program avoided laying off staff.  That will now change, and change at a time when
the number of people requiring service is soaring along with the cost of providing them with the
skills and equipment that will make them vocationally independent. 

     There was a time when there was fat to be trimmed in the Rehabilitation Services Commission,
but the financial pressures exerted by the budget cuts of the last two years have done the job. 
People at every level of the RSC have risen to the crisis and have been performing with admirable
energy and dedication, even as their anxieties have grown due to the uncertainty that those
budget cuts have produced.  But attenuated and exhausted staff cannot do more than they are now
being asked to; and, as a result,  people with disabilities who want to work and are willing and able
to do so will sit at home drawing SSI and Medicaid or SSDI and Medicare because they cannot get the
training that would make them independent.  

     It is a short-term strategy that cuts a disproportionately high percentage of the
Rehabilitation Services Commission budget when every dollar cut means a reduction in federal
funds coming into Ohio of three to four dollars.  Such cuts quadruple the impact on the agency's
actual budget.  Your actions will result in the RSC's turning back $13,000,000 of federal money
during this fiscal year.  Taken together with the $7,000,000 returned last fiscal year and the
$20,000,000 projected for next year, you will have denied Ohio $40,000,000 of outside funds that
would have been spent on Ohio services and equipment and would have stimulated business as it
trickled down the economic strata of the state's communities.  
     The disabled community in Ohio is willing to make sacrifices; we know how to.  There isn't one
of us who couldn't teach our able-bodied neighbors about patience, discipline, denial, humiliation,
indignity, and prejudice.  By your actions you are telling us that we do not count, that our
eagerness to contribute to our communities is insignificant, that we can continue to pace the
floors or sit in our isolation while those who are trying to help us to assume our rightful
responsibilities lose their jobs because the Governor of Ohio believes in helping other minorities
but not us.  It is short-sighted and unjust to take the attitude that the time to help people with
disabilities is when everyone else has a job and a place in the sun.  With effective rehabilitation
we can become independent, and keeping us idle and dependent is vastly expensive to society and
degrading to us.  
     We are not prepared to sit and wait for better times when it will be convenient to remember
us again.  Rehabilitation and civil rights legislation for members of the disabled community have
opened too many windows to freedom for you to slam them shut on us now.  Like it or not, we are a
constituency, and we will be heard and seen.  It is in your and Ohio's interest to reduce the burden 
you have imposed on the RSC to one more in line with those imposed on other human services
agencies.  Please reconsider your actions.  


                              WASHINGTON SEMINAR REPORT
                                  by Dave Robinson
     In early February sixteen members of the NFB of Ohio, along with several hundred other
Federationists from around the country, made their way to our nation's capital for another visit
with federal legislators.  As in the past, this annual trip proved to be exciting, productive, and
exhausting.  We spoke with our Representatives and Senators, we sat in on a hearing about the
National Accreditation Council, and we visited and consulted with our colleagues and leaders.  As
always, the Washington Seminar proved to be a true demonstration of the strength and unity of the
National Federation of the Blind.
     In addition to some of us old-timers with many years of experience at the Washington
Seminar, a couple of newcomers came--Joyce Neal from Cleveland and Scott Lawlor from Akron.  They
joined enthusiastically in what we were doing, and both contributed a great deal to our effort. 
Joyce and Scott, along with other members, took time out on Monday to visit our National Center in
Baltimore.  It's important for all of us to visit the National Center for the Blind because it's a
clear demonstration of our organization's ability to effect positive changes for the blind and our
commitment to that effort.  The rest of us took to Capitol Hill and discussed issues with our
Representatives.  See the accompanying article for a preliminary assessment of the way in which
our legislators responded to these issues.  We continued our break-neck schedule of
Congressional appointments during the next two days with time out for some of us to view
bureaucracy in action by observing a hearing that was to review those agencies which are
approved by the Department of Education as recognized accrediting organizations.  NAC was one of
the accrediting bodies being reviewed, and the NFB testified in support of having NAC removed from
this list.
     The issues we brought to our legislators this year were for the most part well received.  The
legislative memorandum and fact sheets that we discussed with members of Congress appear in the
March issue of the Braille Monitor.  
     Now is the time to plan for next year.  I know those who have attended the Washington Seminar
look forward to next year's opportunity.  Those of you who have not attended should plan to do so
next year.  It's fun, it's exciting, it's important, and it's very meaningful, not only to the blind of
this country, but to each of us individually.


                        OHIO CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION REPORT
                                  by Dave Robinson

     The 1992 Washington Seminar of the National Federation of the Blind is now history.  It was a
great gathering again this year.  Now we have to take a look at the results.  How did our
Congressional delegation view the issues we presented?  Will they support our positions?  Did
they take time to see us, and were they open to what we had to say?
     Let's take a look at the responses we received from those who represent us in Washington. 
Before we look at the support issue by issue, I would like to acknowledge those Members of
Congress with whom we were able to visit while in Washington.  As you would probably guess, all of
the Congressmen and women are very busy, and it is often the case that we cannot see them but
must meet with a legislative aide.  However, it is important to note that some members were able to
fit us into their schedules, and we would like to call this fact to the attention of their
constituants. 
     Both of our Senators, Mr. Glenn and Mr. Metzenbaum, took the time to meet with us.  We were
especially glad to visit with Senator Glenn, whom we had not been able to see for a number of
years.  Of course, Mr. Metzenbaum has been a friend and supporter for a long time, and it was good
to see him once again.  The representatives whom we saw included Douglas Applegate, Jim Traficant,
Tom Lukin, Paul Gilmore, Ed Feighen, Dennis Eckert, Marci Kaptur, Clarence Miller, Don Pease, David
Hobson, Mary Rose Oakar, and Chalmers Wylie. 
     Hopefully we will see these individuals again as well as the others in our Ohio delegation
next year.  We understand that Representative Pease and Representative Eckert are retiring this
year, and we want to wish them well and thank them for their time and support.  Special tribute
should be paid to Don Pease, who  has made a point of meeting with our delegation every time we
have visited his office in the past ten years.  
     Because the NFB has been conducting Washington Seminars since 1973, many of the legislators
and their office staff know us well.  We often hear expressions of appreciation for the fact that
we come  with specific issues and detailed points for discussion.  Aides comment about how well our
points are organized.  Even though they don't always agree with us, they know that they should
listen.  So it was this year with our three issues:  First, our bill on the right to choose
rehabilitation facilities; Second, our opposition to NAC and the request for letters to the
Secretary of Education; and third, inclusion of severely disabled persons under Section 8A of the
Small Business Act.  
1.   Freedom of Choice: 
     We received very favorable response on this issue, and almost all whom we visited saw the
merit of our position.  We were looking for co-sponsors, and those who agreed on the spot included
D. Applegate, T. Hall, D. Hobson, C. Miller, M. Okar, J. Traficant, E. Feighen, P. Gilmore, and R. Regula. 
Others agreed to consider co-sponsoring the bill, which is now entitled the Individualized
Rehabilitation Service Selection Act.  Both Senator Glenn and Senator Metzenbaum liked the idea
and thought they would support it when it is introduced in the Senate.
2.   Writing to the Secretary of Education about NAC:
     Most of the legislators and/or their aides knew something about the NFB's opposition to NAC
and our concerns over the years and seemed to think our position was reasonable.  Mr. Gilmore, Mr.
Traficant, Mr. Pease, Mr. Hall, Mr. Hobson, Mr. Miller, Ms Okar, and Mr. Lukin said that they would
write.  Others said they would consider doing so.  The two senators made preliminary arrangements
to write a joint letter, but we have not yet seen a copy of it.  
3.   Amending Section 8A of the Small Business Act: 
     This issue was unfamiliar to most.  Congressmen  Boehner and Sawyer are on the committee
that would review legislation in this area, but they were not prepared to commit themselves on it. 
Mr. Gilmore expressed some reluctance and others expressed some doubt about such a bill's
passage because of the political volatility of the SBA.  D. Hobson, T. Hall, C. Miller, M. Okar, R.
Regula, B. Gradison, D. Pease, L. Stokes, and C. Wylie agreed to co-sponsor this legislation.  Both
Senators Glenn and Metzenbaum stated that they would look into it further.
     As you can tell, much was accomplished, but  much is still left to do.  Now that our
Congressmen and Senators know of our interest, we must keep encouraging them to support our
ideas and sponsor or co-sponsor legislation that will make these ideas a reality.  So get your
pencils, pens, typewriters, paper, and telephones ready: there will be a busy year ahead.

                       REPORT ON THE FEBRUARY MEETING OF THE 
                       OHIO REHABILITATION SERVICES COMMISSION
     On February 18 the Rehabilitation Services Commission conducted its monthly meeting at RSC
headquarters.  In a brief but extremely important piece of business, the Commission discussed a
recommendation from the Administrator, Robert Rabe, that the National Accreditation Council for
Agencies Serving the Blind and Visually Handicapped (NAC) be removed from the RSC list of approved
accrediting bodies for organizations doing contract work for the Commission.  Since last June, when
the Commission first expressed interest in reconsidering its accreditation policy, the NFB has
been arguing for removal of NAC from this list.  Last December the Commission held a public hearing
during which interested individuals and organizations were invited to speak or submit testimony
about Ohio's rehabilitation accreditation policy.  Several Federationists wrote comments, and
three of us attended the meeting and spoke briefly.  The official NFB of Ohio comment included a
good deal of supporting documentation with our actual comment.  All of this seems to have had an
impact.  The RSC's General Counsel John Connelly, who conducted the hearing, commented that he did
not remember a topic that had generated so much public comment.  
     The Commissioners read and considered the materials they were given and raised questions
about the implications of removing NAC from the list.  Then they voted unanimously to do so. 
Members of the National Federation of the Blind know how damaging NAC has been to the field of
work with the blind and, more important, to blind people.  Ohio has taken an important step toward
helping us all get past the sorry NAC chapter in our history.  The Commission is to be commended
for its vote.  
     Prior to the February Commission meeting rumors kept circulating that the Voinovich
administration would increase pressure to merge the Bureau of Vocational Rehabilitation and the
Bureau of Service for the Visually Impaired in an effort to reduce costs.  Such a move would be
extremely harmful to blind people since we are a small minority of the disabled population and
would be lost in an umbrella service-delivery agency.  We felt that it was important for the
Federation to make a clear statement to the Commissioners about our views on this important
subject, so Paul Dressell, who had been one of those present at the December hearing on
accreditation, returned to Columbus on February 18 to read our position statement.  Here is the
text that he read and submitted: 

     SUBJECT: Maintenance of a separate agency for the blind.
     We of the National Federation of the Blind understand the need to cut corners and the
natural urge to do anything to save a dollar during a budget crisis.  However, consolidating the
Bureau of Services for the Visually Impaired and the Bureau of Vocational Rehabilitation would be
an irresponsible act on the Commission's part.  Such a merger would mean that the needs of the
blind would go unmet.  This is not mere speculation on the part of the blind; rather, it is an
unfortunate truth.  Blind residents of states without a separate agency have been underserved by
the rehabilitation system.
     In the early 1970's blind Ohioans petitioned the Legislature to create a separate agency for
the blind, and we are as committed to the separate agency concept as we were then.
     We are willing to work with the agency to reduce costs; however, we are not willing to allow
the Bureau of Services for the Visually Impaired to be absorbed by the larger Bureau of
Vocational Rehabilitation.


                        IMPORTANT COURT DECISION FOR STUDENTS
                                    by Eric Duffy
     A recent Common Pleas Court decision has proven to be important for all disabled people in
Ohio who are interested in obtaining higher education.  For years the Rehabilitation Services
Commission has maintained that if a student who qualified for assistance in attending a state
university decided to enroll in a private college or university, the RSC was not required to
contribute the funds it had been prepared to expend toward a state university education.  The
rationale was that if the individual could contemplate the expense of a private education, the
state had no responsibility to assist.  
     A BSVI client named Mosholder challenged this ruling and appealed the BSVI decision through
the RSC process into the Common Pleas Court, where in the decision Mosholder v BSVI the Court held
that in the absence of an RSC means test, the agency would have to contribute funds equivalent to
what it would have spent if the client had attended a public institution of higher education.  
     I thought that this was the purport of the decision, but just to be sure, I sent a copy of it
to Peggy Pinder, Second Vice President of the National Federation of the Blind and an experienced
attorney in Iowa.  Here is the letter she wrote me in response to my inquiry:  

Grinnell, Iowa
January 2, 1992
Dear Eric:

     Thanks for sending me the Ohio court decision concerning rehabilitation.  While you described
it accurately to me, I would give my description a slightly different spin.
     I would describe the case as holding that, regardless of whether an eligible student attends
a state or a private institution of higher education,  the Rehabilitation Services Commission must
contribute the amount it would pay for attendance at a state school. In other words, the court
basically stated that the rehab guys can't condition funding on attendance at the school of
rehab's choice. Go, court!
     Unfortunately, I don't think that this decision would be very conveniently applied to your
case.  I think the odds would be very long and the chances very slim and I wouldn't advise that
rehab cannot condition funding on attending the school of rehab's choice.
     Happy New Year to you and yours.  I'll look forward to seeing you in Washington, I hope.

Sincerely,
Peggy Pinder


                 THE BUDDY SYSTEM PROGRAM:  PATHWAY TO INDEPENDENCE
                                   by Pamela Dubel

     Editor's note: At this year's convention Pam Dubel, Vice President of our Student Division, made
a presentation to us as part of our Saturday afternoon discussion of rehabilitation alternatives for
Ohioans.  Pam has worked for two summers at the Louisiana Center for the Blind in its Buddy System
Program.  Pam got this job originally through the NFB of Ohio, and it is clear that she has been a
wonderful influence on the children with whom she worked.  But she has also benefitted personally
from her experience.  This article is actually one that Pam wrote for Joanne Wilson, the Executive
Director of the Louisiana Center.  It captures the spirit of the Buddy System Program and the Ohio
student who has contributed so much to it.  Here it is. 
 
     Growing up as a blind child, I attended a wide variety of summer programs designed to teach
the alternative techniques of blindness, such as Braille and cane travel.  Although the programs
had good intentions, they seldom succeeded in providing quality training.  They were missing the
key element.  That is, they lacked competent blind adult role models.  Although I may have acquired
knowledge of the skills, I lacked confidence in my ability to perform them as a blind person.
     Fortunately, times are beginning to change. Today there is an innovative program which
strives to give children quality training and confidence in themselves as blind people.  For the
past two summers I have had the wonderful opportunity to work in the Buddy System program at the
Louisiana Center for the Blind in Ruston.
     Over the past three years, the Buddy System has touched the lives of over thirty children
and their families.  The program's main goal is to show blind children and their parents that it is
respectable to be blind.  Blindness does not mean sitting on the street corner selling pencils.  It
is not a tragedy or a punishment.  Blindness is merely a characteristic like blue eyes or brown
hair.  With equal opportunity and quality training, a blind person can do the same things as a
sighted person.
     The Buddy System fosters positive attitudes about blindness in a variety of ways.  Since the
counselors/instructors are blind, the children learn effective and efficient techniques from
competent blind adults.  Classes are taught in Braille, cane travel, computers and typing, and daily
living skills.  For five weeks, the children are submerged in a positive and challenging environment. 
There is also an ample amount of time for fun.  Horseback riding, hot air ballooning, camping, and
water skiing were only a few of the many activities in which the children participated.
     Although five weeks may not sound like a long time, it was amazing to watch the growth that
occurred.  The children began to realize that it had been their attitudes and not their blindness
that had prevented them from achieving their goals.  Although they may not realize it,
participation in the Buddy System program marked their first step on the journey to independence. 
I feel honored to have been part of such an instructive and innovative program.  As the motto of
the Buddy System states:  "Together we are changing what it means to be blind."  


                       THE FEDERATION HONORS THE BEST OF 1991
                                  by David Robinson

     The NFB of Ohio recognizes the commitment and efforts of our members as individuals and as
chapters and divisions each year at our annual convention. This year was no exception, and we were
blessed with many good candidates for each of the awards. As an organization of volunteers, we
feel that it is important to take time to honor those who stand out among us and work diligently to
strengthen our ability to serve the blind of our state and country.
     Before we get to our Gavel Award given to honor the efforts of local chapters, I want to give
special recognition to some of the individuals honored at this year's very successful convention.
     Our first individual award was the Alfonzo Smith Award, named in honor of our late past
president, recognizing an outstanding blind member.  This year it was given to Eric Duffy, our hard-
working, very capable first vice president.  This award to Eric was made even more significant when
the organization recognized Lori Duffy as the outstanding sighted person of the year. They are
quite a team, and we sincerely appreciate their efforts and are glad to count them as brother and
sister in the movement. 
     I might mention that our Sighted Person of the Year Award was, by resolution of the
convention, renamed the Ruth Garwood Award in honor of our beloved member, Ruth Garwood, in
recognition of her years of dedicated service to the National Federation of the Blind.
     The year 1991 will be the last for the honor of king and queen of the convention.  Because of
the changing times, we decided to retire this recognition and establish something new. We did
ourselves proud, however, this final year in selecting the last reigning king and queen of our
convention by selecting our best. Queen of the convention was Barbara Fohl, our capable and very
personable secretary. Our king of the convention was Ken Velkovich, member of the NFB of Ohio
Board of Directors and president of the NFB of Cincinnati. A big thank-you is extended to each of
you for all that you have done.
     The Gavel Award, given to the chapter or division that most exemplifies the philosophy and
purpose of the National Federation of the Blind, was given to the Mahoning Valley chapter. This
chapter of some 25 members, located in the Youngstown area, worked hard in 1991 to bring
Federationism to the blind of our state. Members supported state and national projects and
activities, assisted blind children and adults with their rehabilitation, conducted local
educational and public relations efforts, and gave of themselves to other chapters and divisions
of the organization. Our second place winner was the Cincinnati chapter, and our third place honors
went to the Lorain County chapter. Each one deserves our applause and should be examples to
follow as we look forward to the Gavel Award in 1992.
     Many of our members have asked what it would take for a chapter or division to win the Gavel
Award. While there are prescribed steps that must be taken, it should be remembered that this
award is given because chapters and their members have demonstrated strong dedication to the
philosophy of the NFB and have given of their time, energy, and resources to the building of a
strong organization and an ongoing effort to assist blind persons. To help you in planning for next
year's activities, here are a few things that were found in the NFB of Mahoning Valley's report
that helped them demonstrate this dedication and effort.
1.   Several members attended the Washington Seminar and the national convention in New Orleans.
2.   The chapter assisted members to the Washington Seminar, the national convention, the state
convention, and state board meetings.
3.   Contributions were made to the NFB of Ohio and to various projects such as the Cane Bank.
4.   A Deferred Insurance Giving policy was purchased by the chapter for one of the children of a
member. The beneficiary will be the NFB.
5.   Presidential releases are played at each meeting.
6.   Arrangements were made to have our book, Walking Alone and Marching Together, placed in a
number of local libraries.
7.   The chapter assisted Parents Division with their fund-raiser.
8.   Members of the chapter hold leadership positions and work with various organizations in
their local communities which help to promote the rights and welfare of the blind.
9.   Members of the chapter and the chapter as a whole have provided assistance to the Parents
of Blind Children, working with the children and assisting in various efforts to obtain the
children's educational rights.
     The effort to give, not just financial resources, but time and energy as well cannot be
measured in any way except by considering intention and unselfishness.  Therefore, even the small
chapters have an equal opportunity to win in this contest. Every chapter and division should make
the effort to document what it does during the year and make it known in its annual report. We all
do a great deal, and the chapter that has been dedicated to our organization should be and
deserves to be recognized for its efforts. Let's see who can top the NFB of Mahoning Valley in the
next Gavel Award competition.

                             1992 COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS
                         The chair's name is listed first.  
(ADA) AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT COORDINATORS:
Annette Anderson, Joyce Rogers
ASSOCIATES COORDINATOR: Rose Kocher
AWARDS COMMITTEE:  Tom Anderson, Paul Dressell, Eric Duffy, Barbara Fohl
CONSTITUTION COMMITTEE:  
Barbara Fohl, Paul Dressell, David Robinson
CONVENTION COMMITTEE:  
Pat Eschbach, Henry Butler, Billie Graham, Mary Pool
DEAF/BLIND COORDINATOR:  Tom Anderson
DIABETIC DIVISION COORDINATOR:  Kay Klamer
DIG COORDINATOR:  Debbie Robinson
DISTRIBUTION OF PUBLICATIONS COMMITTEE:  Tom Anderson, Karren Besly, Carol Feazell, Gladys
Harville, Shelbi Johnson, 
Mary Pool, Bob Smith
GUIDE DOG COMMITTEE:  Ken Velkovich, Annette Anderson, Louise Anderson
LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE:  David Robinson, Tom Anderson, Mary Dews, Paul Dressell, Eric Duffy, Tracy
Masincupp, Colleen Roth
MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE:  Eric Duffy, Annette Anderson, Kathy Arthurs, Ron Shippert
PAC COMMITTEE:  Lori Duffy, Mary Lou Cahill, Loretta Rush
PUBLIC RELATIONS COMMITTEE:  Tom Anderson, David Cohen, Cordelia Leach, David Lutyen, Ken
Velkovich
RESOLUTIONS COMMITTEE:  Bob Eschbach, David Cohen, Midge Coorey, Paul Dressell, Jan Ferguson,
Wayne Ingle, Helen Johnson, David Robinson, Colleen Roth
SCHOLARSHIP COMMITTEE:  Eric Duffy, Shirley Hammond, Bob Pierce
OHIO REPRESENTATIVE TO THE CONVENTION MTG. OF THE COMMITTEE ON THE SENIOR BLIND:  Liz Haag


                          BRAILLE LITERACY WEEK PROCLAIMED
     At last summer's national convention, the National Federation of the Blind passed a
resolution urging Congress to declare the week of January 4, Louis Braille's birthday, as Braille
Literacy Week.  At our own state convention in November we passed a similar resolution for Ohio. 
(See Resolution 91-04 published in the December, 1991, edition of the Buckeye Bulletin.)  Accordingly
Tom Anderson, Second Vice President of the NFB-O and an old hand at dealing with the Governor's
office staff, contacted the appropriate person and got permission for us to send the text of a
proposed proclamation to the Governor.  We did so in early December, and on December 20, Governor
Voinovich signed the following proclamation declaring the week of January 4, 1992, as Braille
Literacy Week in ohio.  Here is the text: 

                          OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR, COLUMBUS
                                     RESOLUTION
     WHEREAS, all Ohioans need to possess competency in reading and writing in order to be
competitive, productive citizens; and
     WHEREAS, the State of Ohio believes that the citizens of this state have a basic right to
quality education; and
     WHEREAS, Braille continues to be the most useful reading and writing tool for blind persons;
and
     WHEREAS, the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio has always been in the forefront of
efforts to demonstrate both the usefulness of Braille and the critical need for Braille
instruction for blind and visually impaired people who cannot efficiently read and write print; and
     WHEREAS, National Federation of the Blind of Ohio promotes the value of Braille through its
National Association to Promote the Use of Braille, its Braille Readers are Leaders Contest for
blind children, and its work with the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically
Handicapped; and
     WHEREAS, Louis Braille, the inventor of the Braille code, was born on January 4, 1809;
     NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE V. VOINOVICH, Governor of the State of Ohio, do hereby designate
the week of January 4, 1992, as

                                BRAILLE LITERACY WEEK

in Ohio, and urge all citizens to take this opportunity to recognize the contributions made by
Louis Braille and the importance of Braille literacy for all blind citizens.

On this 20th day of December, 1991;

George V. Voinovich
Governor

     We were delighted to have this proclamation and were equally pleased when Representative
Ron Gerberry contacted Tom Anderson to say that he had written a bill that would make Braille
Literacy Week an annual occurrence in Ohio.  This bill (H.B. 611) is now working its way through the
legislature.  It has passed the House and is moving on to the Senate, where it will be introduced by
Senator Charles Chip Henry. 
     We will now have to see what happens.  Of course the ultimate objective is to pass a Braille
bill in Ohio that would protect the right of all legally blind children to learn Braille and would see
that their teachers are competent to teach it.  We believe that if the legislature has already gone
on record as recognizing the importance of Braille literacy by creating Braille Literacy Week, it
will be easier to get our Braille bill passed.  We must all keep our fingers crossed and prepare to
work hard when the time comes. 


    MIAMI VALLEY CHAPTER GENERATES POSITIVE NEWS STORY FOR WHITE CANE SAFETY DAY
                                          
     Editor's note:  the following article appeared in a mid-October, 1991 edition of the Dayton
Daily News.  It shows what all of us could be doing to educate the public about the abilities of blind
people and it is good advertising for White Cane Safety Day.  October 15.  Here is the story about
Claud Ray and the Miami Valley Chapter of the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio: 

                       LOCAL MAN UNTIRING IN HELPING THE BLIND
                                   by Dale Huffman
     When he was nineteen years old, Claud Hartley Ray lost his sight in a mountain-climbing
accident.
     "After the initial shock, I came to the conclusion that for the rest of my life I would have to
deal with it," he said.  "I decided to give life the durndest kick I could give it.  Now it's fifty years
later, and I look back and I think things could have been a whole lot worse."
     Ray, 69, of West Carrollton not only has kicked high in life--he has dedicated untiring
efforts to helping others cope with the trauma of being blind.
     "When someone says to me that I have adjusted to being blind so well, I usually say, "It's not
adjusting that counts, it is achieving that is important. You can adjust to many things and not
accomplish anything. It's what you do in this world that counts."
     This summer Ray, who lives alone in the home he owns, raised a vegetable garden and prepared
80 quarts of tomatoes for freezing.  He kept the grass in his own back yard neatly mowed, and did
all the maintenance work around his own home.
     He is fiercely independent, has built cabinets for his basement workshop, and does his own
plumbing and wiring. Neighbors are not surprised to see him up on his roof making repairs.
     "Folks think that blind people sit around at home and feel sorry for themselves," he said. "I
have to fight that stereotype every day. You won't see me sitting on a corner with a tin cup
begging for money. I never took a cent of welfare, and I never will."
     Along the way, as he has handled the challenges of adjusting to a world of darkness, Ray has
spread his spirit of hope and has broadened the world of others with sight problems.
     He is president and one of the founders of the Dayton Federation of the Blind [Miami Valley
Chapter].  On Tuesday, the group is taking part in National White Cane Safety Day.
     "I have about ten white canes stacked up behind my door," Ray said. "We have more on order. We
keep them in stock, but once a year we want to get out the word that they are available for those
in need.
     "We also like to educate the public that there are laws and rights and common courtesies
that go with the person who uses a white cane."
     Ray says he feels it is up to people who have a sight problem to decide if they prefer to use
a white cane to get around or a seeing-eye dog.
     "I have preferred having a dog over the years," he said. "But each person who enters
blindness has to deal with it in his or her own way.
     "Every person facing it should not have to invent the wheel to survive or discover fire. A
person can stumble around a long time after going blind before finding the best way to deal with
things. We just want people to know we have been there awhile, have tried everything, and are
ready to share what we know and help them deal with this new challenge."
     So in addition to everything else Ray answers the Federation of the Blind hotline (253-6763)
several days a week.
     This past week the calls were varied, he said, but typical.
     "Just today a woman called complaining because her husband is in business, is blind, and is
being charged extra when he asks for direct assistance information for phone numbers," Ray said. "I
told her that if they are for business calls, he would probably have to pay for them."
     Other calls came from folks trying to find magnification lenses or large playing cards,
wondering how to apply for a seeing-eye dog, asking how to get special assistance or Braille
information.
     "Some callers are quite emotional and have to be dealt with in a delicate way." he said. "When
someone is going blind, there is fear there, and often they just call to talk to someone, to let out
the inner feelings to someone who understands what they are going through."
     The Dayton Federation of the Blind, he said, is supported with help from Lions Clubs, United
Way, and individual donations.
     Ray regularly makes the rounds of service clubs, schools, and community organizations,
speaking as an advocate for the blind and asking for support and understanding.
     "My main goal has always been the same thing, for all these years," he said. "That is to
survive in an independent way, and in doing so to do everything in my power to let other blind folks
know that they can do anything if they try. Anything is possible.               


                                 HERE COMES THE ADA
     Now that the Americans with Disabilities Act is the law of the land, it behooves each of us to
know something about what it does and does not require of employers, places of public
accommodation, and local and state governments.  Some of the law's provisions are sweeping, and as
a result, uninformed business people are panicking.  
     The National Federation of the Blind has been awarded a grant from the U.S. Department of
Justice to establish the Information Access Project for Blind Individuals.  The March issue of the
Braille Monitor includes an article with more details about this program.  But in the meantime we
must all try to reassure the people with whom we come in contact in an effort to make sure that
exploitation does not take place.  Unfortunately there are unscrupulous individuals out there
trying to make a fast buck out of the uncertainty.  Oberlin College recently sent a staff member to
a conference organized to help institutions avoid compliance with the ADA.  This is shocking, but
with threats floating around of sky-high compliance costs, one can understand the temptation to
sidestep the issue.  
     The following article is reprinted from the January/February issue of NewsNet, the
publication of the Rehabilitation Services Commission. It is aimed at the business community, but
we need to understand the information as well.  Here is the article:

                              BEWARE OF CRISIS SCHEMES
     The Americans with Disabilities Act will take effect on July 26, and the Better Business
Bureau reports that there are schemers who will take advantage of the law to scare business
people into spending money for protection against dangers that don't exist.
     "Crisis" seminars.  You are contacted by a firm which implies that the ADA will "shut you down"
unless you attend their expensive seminars(s) and/or buy their educational materials.
     FACT:  most of the ADA provisions are common sense and written in simple English. Many
sources of advice and help are available free. Your BBB has pamphlets on the subject and plans for
inexpensive seminars.
     "Crisis" remodeling. You are approached with tales of disaster if you don't install ramps and
lower equipment, etc. The firm explains that you get a $5,000 tax credit for remodeling, and all of
its suggestions cost $4,999.
     FACT: Some remodeling may be necessary, but perhaps not. One firm was told it had to lower
all the water fountains to make them wheelchair-accessible. All that was needed was to place a
paper cup dispenser nearby. A dry cleaner, who was worried that he needed expensive ramps,
discovered that he could take care of customers by providing curbside pickup. A clothing store
worried that it needed to provide Brailled price tags but learned that its sales staff could
provide prices orally upon request. A bookstore feared being forced to have a sign language
interpreter on staff for customers who were deaf. All it needed was employees willing to
communicate on paper.
     ADA-certified consultants. There are firms advertising that they are certified, approved, or
official experts on the ADA. One even invented its own official-looking seal. This is news to the
U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the U.S. Department of Justice, neither of which
certifies anybody as ADA consultants.
     The BBB is working with local, state, and national agencies to provide information and advice
to allow you to comply with ADA as comfortably as possible. If a dispute arises, the BBB has
mediation and binding arbitration programs that may help resolve the situation without going to
court.


                             REMAINING 1991 RESOLUTIONS 
     In the December issue of this newsletter we printed four of the six resolutions passed at
the 1991 convention of the NFB of Ohio.  Here are the remaining two, which we promised to print this
time: 

                                  RESOLUTION 91-01
                       Centralization of Braille Book Lending

     WHEREAS, the National Library Service (NLS) has recently proposed to centralize the lending of
all Braille books, removing all books and their lending to two central locations in Ohio and Utah and
providing that all Ohioans' requests for Braille books would be filled from the Ohio facility; and
     WHEREAS, there is concern that this proposal may diminish Braille library services to the blind
generally; and
     WHEREAS, the Cleveland and Cincinnati Libraries for the Blind are now experiencing the same
cutbacks occasioned by tight budgets which other libraries around the country are experiencing;
and
     WHEREAS, handling Braille involves huge overhead costs for staff, utilities, and square
footage--a cost which is now repeated at least once in every state; and
     WHEREAS, NLS proposes to ease the high cost and the duplication of costs borne by states by
centralizing the service, which could, if handled well, result in better, quicker, cheaper service;
and
     WHEREAS, the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio will devote time and effort to assuring
that the service, if changed, is handled right; and
     WHEREAS, this shift in library service is likely to occasion a need for continuing help for Ohio
residents with the bureaucracy, making a continuing, though lessened need for Regional Library
staff assistance to patrons; and
     WHEREAS, careful planning can eliminate or substantially reduce the poor service which will
otherwise result during dramatic change; and
     WHEREAS, the NLS long-range proposal is to eliminate entirely the storage of Braille books
and the associated costs of storage by keeping all Braille books on computer disks only; and
     WHEREAS, under this proposal, NLS will Braille a copy for every person requesting the book and
mail it to the borrower, since computers and computer-driven printers can produce the Braille
copy for less than the cost of long-term Braille book storage ;and
     WHEREAS, the library for Braille books would simply be a library of computer disks served by
Braille printers, producing hard-copy Braille upon request and refusing to accept returned books,
allowing borrowers to keep them or throw them away as desired; and
     WHEREAS, this proposal to produce instant hard-copy, throwaway, soft-cover Braille books upon
demand necessitates centralization of the nation's Braille collection; now, therefore, 
     BE IT RESOLVED, by the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio in convention assembled this
9th day of November, 1991, in the City of Springdale, Ohio, that this organization recognize the
huge long-term benefits in centralization of the handling of Braille, both in cost and in service,
and support the move in this direction; and 
     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this organization recognize the possible ill effects of
centralizing the handling of Braille borrowing and pledge to work to minimize any such effects of
centralization during the transition, by offering to work with the Regional Libraries in planning
and carrying out this new approach to the circulation of Braille books and other materials.  

                                  RESOLUTION 91-06
                            Playing Presidential Releases

     WHEREAS, it is the policy of the National Federation of the Blind that presidential releases
be played at chapter meetings; and
     WHEREAS, information obtained from these releases is invaluable to a chapter's
understanding of the organization, allowing chapter members to become more familiar with key
personalities in the movement; and
     WHEREAS, these releases provide essential information, which every chapter needs to
receive and act upon immediately; and
     WHEREAS, the NFB of Ohio supports the policy of the National Federation of the Blind
regarding the playing of presidential releases; now, therefore, 
     BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind  of Ohio in convention assembled this
tenth day of November, 1991, in the city of Springdale, Ohio, that this organization remind and
encourage all chapters to play presidential releases as a primary part of chapter business.


                      CHAPTER, DIVISION, AND COMMITTEE REPORTS

     This first note is more a notice than a report.  The next meeting of the Board of Directors of
the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio will take place Saturday, April 4, at the North
Broadway United Methodist Church in Columbus.  Barbara Fohl will send reminders to each chapter
president along with directions for reaching the church, which is just west of Route 71 at the
North Broadway exit.  Everyone is not only welcome but encouraged to attend board meetings.  It
would be helpful for the lunch count to know who is planning to attend, but it is one of the rights
and responsibilities of membership in the Federation to attend as many meetings as possible.  

                                  AROUND THE STATE
                                  by Dave Robinson
     Local chapters of our affiliate are constantly busy, and it's always good to hear from them
about activities in their areas.  The last time that most of us were together was at the state
convention in November.  Since that time we all have been involved in a variety of projects.  
     The Cleveland chapter was busy late last year taking to the streets in an effort to get
"Good & Evil" off the air. It worked, and a big thanks goes to our Cleveland chapter.  They are now
busy selling boxes of homemade candy.  You can get chocolate with nuts or chocolate with raisins
for $4 each.  They will be selling these until Easter.  Billie Graham, President of our Cleveland
chapter, also tells me that a couple of members are returning to college, and the chapter is 
welcoming its newest member Joyce Neal.
     More goodies are in store for us as the year progresses with the  white cane cookie sale,
sponsored by the Stark County chapter. Speaking of food, Mahoning Valley chapter will be holding
its annual banquet on April 26, and everyone is invited.  The banquet will begin at 5:00 p.m., and
given all the recent events in Youngstown, the conversation should be lively.
     Many of our chapters have on-going outreach projects to their communities, and I have heard
that our Springfield chapter has been busy assisting local government and businesses with their
compliance to the new American with Disabilities Act.  Cincinnati chapter has been out talking to
nursing and residential care facilities, and the Mahoning Valley chapter got the NFB press
coverage for the introduction of our Braille Literacy Week legislation.  

                                 CINCINNATI CHAPTER
                                  by Paul Dressell
     At its January 24th meeting, the NFB-Cincinnati held its biennial elections with the following
results:  President, Ken Velkovich; Vice President, Bernie Dressell; Secretary, Wilma Johnson;
Treasurer, Paul Dressell; three year board member, Peggy Covey; two year board member, Karren
Besly; and one year board member, Margaret Stinnett.
     On Friday evening, December 20th, members of the NFB Cincinnati chapter joined the staff of
the NFB of Ohio's Community Outreach office in a Christmas party.  Delicious food was enjoyed by
all, names were drawn for door prizes, and for a while it sounded like an NFB convention.  Ron
Shippert, Outreach Office Manager, ably MC'ed festivities.  Awards and citations were given to Ken
Velkovich, Don Pruitt, and Margaret Stinnett as well as Bernie Dressell.  Special recognition was
given to outreach employees who had done outstanding work during the previous year.

                                CAPITAL CHAPTER NEWS
                                    by Eric Duffy
     I know it is inappropriate to take joy in another's loss.  It is even less appropriate to
rejoice when it is a family member who is suffering.  But to every rule there is an exception.  I take
real pleasure in the fact that Dave, Debbie, Danny, and Geena Robinson will soon be members of the
Capital Chapter.  (See the final notice in the Personal Notes section of this newsletter.)  What the
Mahoning Valley Chapter has lost, the Capital Chapter has gained.  I would like to welcome the
Robinson family to the chapter.  In true Federation style, Dave and Debbie can expect to be put to
work immediately.  Chapter members will soon be recruiting sponsors for the Human Race.  This is a
6.2 mile--run, walk, bicycle--event (whatever you want it to be).  For most of us I am sure that it
will be a walk.  However, there is bound to be at least one athlete in our midst.  This event will
take place on Sunday, July 12.  
     The chapter will be conducting our third annual Ice Cream Social on August 17.  This has
served as an excellent fund-raiser for us in the past.  It is a lot of hard work, but it is also a
great deal of fun.  Anyone reading this newsletter should consider this article an open invitation
to our chapter meetings and special activities.

                     THE PARENTS DIVISION GOURMET BASKET DRAWING
     Springtime is fast approaching, and with the spring comes the chance to win a gourmet food
basket.  At least it has been this way for the last three years.  Yes, once again the NFB of Ohio
Parents Division is sponsoring a drawing that will provide for the winner a great big bountiful
basket of all kinds of tasty and tantalizing food.
     By now all chapter presidents and members of the Parents Division should have received
drawing tickets.  We want to have them spread the joy and give everyone a chance at this great
prize.  Tickets are $1 each or $5 for a book of six.  The drawing will be held at the April 4 NFB of
Ohio Board Meeting. So if you want some tickets, contact a Parents Division member or chapter
president soon.
     As in the past, funds raised from this drawing will be used to assist parents and their blind
children to attend our national parents seminar and national convention.  This opportunity has
proved to be of tremendous benefit to parents.  We know that it can give parents and their blind
children a greater chance to succeed and a chance for them to know that they have a tremendously
vast and strong network of people who will believe in and support them as they grow in confidence
in themselves and in other blind people.  We're going to have to go a long way to surpass last
year's ticket sales, so it is time to get started.  Let's make this drawing the best one of all.

                     DISTRIBUTION OF MATERIALS COMMITTEE REPORT
                                   by Tom Anderson
     When I was learning to do an effective job as a public relations person, I learned a term that
I believe is vital in achieving this goal.  That term was "propaganda."  Therefore, one of my
functions in public relations is to be a propagandist, one who spreads the truth.  I believe that
this term and my definition can be applied to your active involvement in the National Federation of
the Blind.  Each of us must spread the truth about blindness and the National Federation of the
Blind in our communities.  A good method is by distributing the materials that are available to us
through our National Center.  I urge each of you to obtain a list of these, then do everything you
can to distribute them in your community.  I will be contacting all presidents of NFB of Ohio
chapters and divisions about developing plans for distributing our materials in their communities.

                                  NEED EXTRA MONEY?
                                   by Tom Anderson
                  NFB of Ohio's Digital Floor Announcer Coordinator

     Do you need extra money in order to help you to do such things as attend the convention of
the National Federation of the Blind?  Then the following announcement may be of interest to you. 
Why not earn extra money by selling digital floor announcers for elevators?  The digital floor
announcer, which is installed in elevators, announces in a clear feminine voice the floor and the
direction that the elevator is traveling.  You could earn a commission of $100 for each digital
announcer that you sell.  Remember that, though audible floor announcers are not required by the
Americans with Disabilities Act, many building managers are attracted by the idea of installing
them as a service to all their visitors.  
     Does this announcement sound interesting to you?  For more information contact me, and I
will send you a brochure.  I will be sending brochures to all NFB of Ohio chapter and division
presidents very soon.  You may write to me at 64 E. Judson Ave., Youngstown, Ohio  44507.


                              CHAPTER MEETING SCHEDULE

     CAPITAL CHAPTER - Eric Duffy, President, (614) 262-9378, first Saturday, 2:00 p.m., Main
Library, First Floor, downtown Columbus.
     CINCINNATI CHAPTER - Ken Velkovich, President, (513) 921-4518, fourth Friday, 6:00 p.m., Dixie
Terminal Bldg., 4th and Walnut Streets, downtown Cincinnati.
     CLEVELAND CHAPTER - Billie Graham, President, (216) 921-7509, third Friday, 7:30 p.m.,
Cleveland State University Student Union Building, 2121 Euclid Ave., Cleveland.
     LORAIN COUNTY CHAPTER - Philip Copeland, President, (216) 365-7970, fourth Sunday, 2:30 p.m.,
members' homes.
     MIAMI VALLEY CHAPTER - Claude Ray, President, (513) 253-7873, second Saturday, 1:00 p.m.,
Montgomery County Library, 2nd Floor, downtown Dayton.
     MAHONING VALLEY CHAPTER - Rose Kocher, President, (216) 545-6723, fourth Sunday, 2:30 p.m.,
Wick Park Pavilion, Youngstown.
     SPRINGFIELD FEDERATION, Kathryn Holder, President, (513) 324-3262, fourth Saturday, 6:00
p.m., 315 Burnett Rd., Springfield.
     STARK COUNTY CHAPTER - David Lutyen, President, (216) 833-0885, last Saturday, 10:00 a.m.,
Mary's Snackateria, Frank D. Bow Bldg., 201 Cleveland St., Southwest Canton.
     TOLEDO FEDERATION, Helen Johnson, President, (419) 246-3343, third Sunday, 2:00 p.m., 880
Prouty Ave., Toledo.
     TRI-COUNTY CHAPTER - Maren Pepple, President, (419) 422-3020, second Wednesday, 1:00 p.m.,
luncheon & meeting at the Salvation Army, Findlay. 


                                   PERSONAL NOTES
     Paul Dressell writes as follows:
     Shortly after Eba Kay Masten died on Sunday, January 12, a fellow Federationist observed
that she was treasurer of just about everything.  In addition to having served as Treasurer of
the Cincinnati chapter of NFB, she also held the same office with Radio Reading Services Consumer
Advisory Committee and the Cincinnati Blind Bowling League.  She could best be described as a
fiscal conservative, for each proposed expenditure was closely scrutinized.  Her records were
always up-to-date, as well as accurate.  Eba had attended several state conventions, the first of
which was in 1964 in Akron.  She was a quiet person but spoke her mind when she had something to
say.  For the past three years Eba had been confined to a nursing home.  A week prior to her death,
she slipped into a coma from which she never recovered.  Eba is survived by her husband Jack and
their son and daughter, who gave birth to a baby on January 27, Eba's birthday.  

     On the morning of February 6th, Wilma Johnson was struck by an automobile while on her way
to work at Clovernook Center for the Blind.  She sustained a broken leg but did not require
extensive hospitalization.  She was not in the hospital long, but recovery is proving to be
frustrating and depressing.  We wish her the very best.  
     Also on February 6 Helen Johnson underwent surgery to open one of her carotid arteries. 
The procedure went much better than the same surgery did several years ago when it was done on
the other side.  Helen came home from the hospital less than a week later and is recovering both
her health and her spirits.  We are all hoping that she will be at the April Board meeting.  

     Ann Fisher reports that because of weakness caused by the medication she is receiving, our
dear Ruth Garwood has been moved to a nursing home.  She would be very pleased to receive cards
and letters from her friends.  Her address, we hope temporarily, is Blakly Care Center, 600
Sterling, North Baltimore, OH  45872.

     Wayne Ingle, prop and mainstay of the Members-at-Large Chapter, has been under the
weather.  He was hospitalized on February 27 and underwent surgery on March 3.  He is now
recovering quite well and hopes to be back at work on the Members-at-Large newsletter very soon. 


     Dave Lutyen, President of the Stark County Chapter, has been fighting a nasty pulmonary
problem that has sapped his strength and energy.  He was under the weather when he and his
devoted wife Debbie conducted the memorable dance at the close of our banquet at the state
convention last November.  Dave is now firmly under the care of his physician and is concentrating
on getting well.  

     Eric Duffy, NFB-O First Vice President, has also joined the ranks of Federationists who have
had surgery.  March 6 was the date of his tangle with the surgeon, and he was home the next day and
back at work the next week.  It takes a lot to keep a good Federationist down. 
     Our thoughts and prayers are with all these colleagues.  

     As President of the NFB of Ohio, I would like to add this late-breaking personal note.  It will
end this issue of the Buckeye Bulletin with a positive item.  Dave Robinson has been named as the
new Director of the Client Assistance Program for Ohio.  This appointment is an encouraging step
since it signifies recognition on the part of the Voinovich administration of the importance of
making sure that the voice of the disabled community is heard in the effort to insure justice for
Ohio's consumers of rehabilitation services.  Congratulations to Dave and to Ohio for a wise
decision.  
Barbara Pierce
