Nancy Johnson

714 SW Wayne Avenue

Topeka KS 66606

(785) 234-8449

Supermom1941@cox.net

Membership Secretary, KABVI

KABVI NEWS promotes the general welfare of blind and visually impaired persons in Kansas.  KABVI NEWS reflects the philosophy and policies of the Association, reports the activities of its members, and includes pertinent articles pertaining to blindness and low vision. 

Send us your news, views, articles, and features.  Materials in braille, on tape, on computer (Microsoft Word), or typewritten (double spaced large print) are considered.   When quoting from other published materials, please include dates and sources.  Unsigned material is not considered for publication.  Send a stamped, self-addressed envelope, and original materials will be returned.  Articles for publication must reach the editor by January 22, April 22, July 22, and October 22 of each year.  Editorial staff reserves the right to edit submitted materials. 

Annual meeting notices and membership renewal letters are sent to all persons on KABVI’s mailing list. If notices or newsletters are returned as undeliverable, those names are removed from the mailing list and their subscriptions to KABVI News discontinued.  Membership is open to anyone interested but is not required for receipt of KABVI News.  A membership renewal form on which to indicate your media preference is included at the end of each issue of KABVI News.  Thank you for helping KABVI keep current records. 

2015 President’s Report, by Nancy Johnson - 4

I wish everyone a blessed and joyful holiday season and hope 2016 brings all you’ve wished for! Those who worked hard for KABVI deserve many thanks. There isn’t room to name each of them. I thank everyone who helped me make it through this year.

2015 was a busy year! Judy Hysten and Michael Byington attended the American Council of the Blind’s mid-year meetings. Calls to the office requesting information or referral averaged ten to twelve a month – about the same as 2014. KABVI was represented at the Kansas Youth Leadership Forum’s resource fair, senior fairs at the Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library, Pratt, and Emporia. Some KABVI people worked with students at Braille Camp this summer in Topeka. Beulah Carrington and I attended the alumni week end at the Kansas School for the Blind. With the 25^th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) came celebrations. I made a short video about blindness that was included in a larger video that was shown as a part of the Topeka Independent Living Resource Center’s ADA celebration. KABVI was represented at the Kansas Commission on Disability Concerns and the Bob Dole Institute. I attended the seminar on Employment in Kansas and the Kansas Disability Caucus. In several cases, I was the only blind person attending. I continue to represent KABVI on the Kansas Council for Developmental Disabilities, Topeka Metro’s Advisory Committee on Accessible Transportation Services, the Pedestrian Planning Committee of Topeka, and I served on the search committee for the director of Kansas Public Radio/Audio-Reader.

Henry Staub, Phyllis Schmidt, Carolyn Thomason, and I began work on a video about KABVI that we can post on Youtube and possibly distribute to other media. What we realized is that KABVI needs a plan. The organization has a stellar past, achieved primarily through legislation. But times have changed and legislation, though still important, doesn’t appear as viable as it once was. It’s important that we watch legislation related to disabilities and make sure blind people are included – nationally, state-wide, and locally.

Organizations that grow change. KABVI isn’t growing, so we must need to change. So – what needs changing, how will changes happen, and who will do the work? Should present programs continue? They include advocacy, information and referral, KABVI NEWS, scholarships, benefits advocacy, assistive technology recycling, youth activities, and extremely limited rehabilitation teaching. I believe they are worth expanding, but they’re not enough. KABVI seems to be simply a name in a phone book or on a resource list. The organization is basically invisible to the general population. Working behind the scenes was fine when the state provided full services and we work with legislators. KABVI’s efforts kept state services alive their last ten years, and then those services quietly went away.

In KABVI’s information brochure produced in 2013, we stated our goal is "to re-establish prevocational services to working-age adults with low vision and blindness that were eliminated by the state’s closure of the Rehabilitation Teaching and Rehabilitation Center programs. The programs were discontinued in 2010; the brochure was produced in 2013; and in 2015 a plan still needs to be developed.

Most of us are of the generation that benefited from the services that are no more, we’re old and enjoying retirement. I’m convinced, after 29 years as a rehab teacher providing adjustment to vision loss and adaptive skills training to people new to vision loss, and three years answering the phone at the KABVI office, the services are still needed.

A concern I’ve had since I became actively involved with KABVI in the 90s is the lack of response to questions/suggestions published in KABVI NEWS. I know how easy it is to put the newsletter aside to "think about" a response – and then forget. But the questions aren’t rhetorical. Unless people respond to questions, make suggestions, indicate interest in participating, or respond in some other way, I cannot feel comfortable committing KABVI to activities or projects. Though self-sufficiency, opportunity, and quality of life for all are the goals, there doesn’t seem to be a definite action plan for achieving them.

Without a viable source of income to sustain KABVI’s programs, we can’t move forward: Without a definite plan for moving forward, it’s difficult to raise funds. KABVI is between the proverbial "rock and a hard place." For the organization to sustain itself, it must push back the rock and get out of the hard place!

Convention attendees re-elected me as president for another year. I’ll do all I can for KABVI, but I can’t push back the rock by myself – not even with the help of eleven other board members! Your board has ideas and will see that KABVI’s work gets done, but even twelve people can’t do it all! Change is difficult. Unless all KABVI’s members and friends become actively involved with the organization, I fear it won’t last very far into the next hundred years.

So – YOU TELL US! Will you ACTIVELY work to help KABVI move forward? With the annual membership renewal letter we send in January, I’ll insert a questionnaire asking each of you about your talents and if you’ll share them with KABVI. Please take a little time to return it, and I thank you in advance for your help!

It’s no surprise that KABVI has a lot of good people – hard-working and dedicated. And we’d like to recommend one of them for the Eleanor A. Wilson award. The person who receives this award should, through personal characteristics and activities, promote public acceptance and understanding of the blind as capable and productive members of the community. One among us meets these qualifications outstandingly. He has been a member, director and treasurer of KABVI for many years. He’s definitely an asset to the organization, an integral part of the backbone of KABVI.

At the conventions he’s always a very busy fellow, taking care of necessary business. More than that though, he’s so accommodating, doing whatever he’s asked to do and extras that we’re probably not aware of. And how about back home between conventions (who knows but his lovely wife, maybe) how many countless hours he spends doing research and all sorts of things in our behalf. Truly he is dedicated to what KABVI stands for. And in the community he and his wife represent our organization in a fine way. They make us all look good. When we come to conventions and approach the registration desk, we hear the pleasant voices of Bob and Nancy Chaffin, and we feel that things are the way they’re supposed to be.

These are just some of the reasons we believe Robert (Bob) Chaffin deserves the Eleanor A. Wilson Award – to keep things just the way they should be.

EDITOR’S NOTE: It couldn’t be said better! Congratulations, Bob Chaffin, on winning the Eleanor A. Wilson award!

In the 17 years I had the pleasure of serving as the first itinerant orientation and mobility specialist for the Sedgwick county Educational Cooperative, I also had the honor and privilege of mingling with many of you. These vision program professionals were among individuals I found most supportive and inspirational during my time in Kansas: Larry Clark with his vision staff at the co-op, the vision staff in Greenbush, Bill Daugherty and Jeff Young at the Kansas State School for the Blind, the Lawlors and the Byingtons. I was truly blessed by your being included in my life.

The same can be said of two students among the hundreds I have taught in my 45-year special education career in eight states. Although some say we should keep our students’ names confidential, I am one who prefers to identify students who demonstrate impressive accomplishments. In Kansas those students were Paul Sedan and Alosha in Goddard.

I am grateful as well for the nine summers I served in the residential and vocational programs at KSSB. From my perspective, I learned far more from the staff and students there than they learned from me.

Prior to returning to God’s Country, I taught special education for 22 years. That was fun. In my last three school years, I drove 200 miles each way from our home in Visalia, on weekends, across the San Joaquin Valley through the coastal mountains to my itinerant O&M position in Santa Clara County based in San Jose. Yes, I knew the way.

In my last year there, I had an office in Los Gatos High School, directly across the street from the Ferrari dealership. I slept week-day nights in a cabin in the nearby mountains.

That almost made staying there worthwhile, but when I reached 55, minimum retirement age in the State Teachers’ Retirement System, it was time to die and go to heaven (AKA Kansas). In my most recent retirement, I have a disease with a fancy name: Wald Enstrom’s Macroglobulinemia, a form of Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma. Aside from the cancer, our son’s girlfriend borrowing $2600 from me yesterday to get her car out of impound, and my wife, Ligaya, being somewhere in the Philippine Islands, all’s honky-dory here in Antelope.

The Board of Directors meeting of the Kansas Association of the Blind and Visually Impaired (KABVI) met October 18, 2015 at the KABVI office. Officers and directors attending: Nancy Johnson, President; Ann Byington, Recording Secretary; Michael Byington, corresponding secretary; and Bob Chaffin, Treasurer. Board members: Kathy Dawson, Bill Moore, Phyllis Schmidt, Henry Staub, and Marilyn Lind. Vice president Paul Berscheidt, Membership secretary Mikel McCary, and Judy (Davis) Hysten were absent. Guests included newly elected Membership Secretary, Carolyn Thomason, Nancy Chaffin, and Melisa Frantz, Southeast Library Special Needs Coordinator.

A discussion of how much detail the Board wants in the minutes resulted in Ann agreeing to do them in a timelier manner and to send out a brief reminder list to the Board shortly before the next meeting.

Ann raised the question of how to dispose of the BrailleNote Apex which was given to KABVI by Sandra Andrews on behalf of a TAP client. Michael reminded Board members that, like the Veterans’ Administration, once equipment is provided to someone by TAP, it belongs to that person for their use. After more discussion including selling the item for $500, or providing it to a braille reader scholarship winner, Ann was directed to bring the equipment to the KABVI office for use as a potential braille backup for the database or other computer activities.

Michael moved that the Board ratify all actions of the 2015 KABVI convention including the treasurer’s report and naming of officers by the convention membership; motion was seconded by Kathy and passed. Officers recommended by the convention were: Nancy Johnson, president; Paul Berscheidt, Vice-president; Bob Chaffin, treasurer; Ann Byington, recording secretary; Michael Byington, corresponding secretary; and Carolyn Thomason, membership Secretary. Directors chosen this year were Kathy Dawson and Judy Hysten; Nancy and Bob were re-elected to the board as well.

Bob requested more complete directions to next year’s convention site and that, if attendees are to go to a less obvious place in the building, someone be appointed to assist members in finding the meeting location.

Michael was reminded as corresponding secretary of the list of "thank-you" notes he needs to send.

He requested the opportunity as corresponding secretary to create a "thank-you" letter for Mr. Montefarrante for his Envision donation of $500 and his personal donation of $150. He will send Bob a hard copy to include with the requested invoice to Envision. Bob reminded Michael that the Snopaks also deserve a thank-you note for their convention registration donation. Other "thank-you" notes should go to Joyce Richie for her provision of sponsors for food, paper products, soda, and gift cards; Pat Murphy for her painting, and Rita for her craft items, Evelyn Fitzpatrick for her donated blanket, and Ruby Simmonds for the afghan. Ann provided a list of sponsors Joyce contacted for Michael as well.

Next year’s convention plans were discussed with several possibilities including Envision, KSSB as part of the Alumni weekend, regional meetings in Hays, Great Bend, Wichita, Salina, Dodge City, and Topeka. Phyllis noted that social media has lessened the need for face-to-face contacts for people to get information. We may want to contact other states regarding how they handle conventions. Ann agreed to attend any ACB convention workshops on growing our affiliate using social media. Michael mentioned that Bay State Council of Massachusetts and other states are streaming their conventions. Additionally, he suggested having our awards etc. at lunch, and only do a one-day convention. Ann noted that we will need to acquire more members with technical capabilities to stream anything, either to just our state, to ACB radio or the internet in general. The possibility of Audio-Reader broadcasting the meeting was suggested as a means of reaching a statewide audience, particularly the older blind.

Michael moved with a second by Kathy that the current convention planning committee of Ann, Phyllis, Kathy and Michael create two possible convention proposals to be submitted to the Board via email by November 16^th. We will need a vote at that time to begin work on next year’s meeting.

Phyllis requested that KABVI and our local blindness organizations make an effort to involve multiply handicapped and developmentally disabled blind in our activities. By doing so, their families might become involved in KABVI and local groups. The Topeka Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired (TABVI) is of particular interest to residents of Kansas Neurological Institute (KNI) who are blind.

Bob noted that the craft sale and silent auction netted over $400 and reminded KABVI members to sign up with Dillon’s online to give KABVI a small percentage of all groceries purchased.

To create an online account at the Dillons website:

For assistance setting up an online account or with general questions, please feel free to call 800-576-4377, option 3.

Specific purchases that cannot be included are: Alcohol, tobacco, fuel, pharmacy purchases with government assistance (Medicare, Medicaid, Tricare), postage, bottle deposits, lottery, Western Union, other customer services, promotional tickets, sales tax, banner gift cards, reloadable gift card products (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Green Dot). See FAQ’s at the Dillons website for a complete list of exclusions.

Dillons and Kroger stores are located across the state. KABVI appreciates your help through this program.

About Humana

**Topeka Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired (TABVI): In August Michael and Ann Byington gave a presentation on a book from ACB, "Barefoot Lawyer," and the author's life in China along with his struggles as a blind man. A covered dish dinner was enjoyed in September. October concerned business of the KABVI Convention and nominations for TABVI officers.

**Southwest Kansas Association for the Visually Impaired (SKAVI): Belated birthday wishes to long-time SKAVI member, Mabel Keller, who celebrated her 100^th birthday in October! Also to Darlene Steele, who turned 90, and SKAVI became 50 years old!

**Editor’s Note: If you’re posting your newsletters on Facebook, please send me the link. I finally reset my password and, though Facebook majorly frustrates me, I can pick your information from there. Put something in the subject line to let me know the information is for KABVI NEWS so I’ll be sure and save it. Large print’s still fine for those who want to send that, or just a summary email to share your major news. I think I’m close to getting reorganized. - NJ

I’m an angel – really – and proud of it!! My title is Christmas Angel. My job is to perch atop the Special family’s Christmas tree from Thanksgiving until New Years and watch over the Specials. I’ve grown old while doing my job, my wings are a bit crimped and my halo’s no longer shiny. The Specials have grown old, too. Their backs are bent a bit, their hair gray, and they move a bit slowly. We have enjoyed many holiday seasons together.

Mrs. Special brought me home from the store the first Christmas she was married to Mr. Special. They laughed together and said I was absolutely beautiful and "just right" for the top of their tree. And up I went! And up I’ve gone for these many years to watch the Special family grow, and January 1 I come down, am carefully wrapped in tissue, and go into my box to rest until next year.

My primary job is to guard the Christmas gifts, though I can’t really do much to protect them. Mr. and Mrs. Special had this cute little Dog named Trixie that was terribly curious. She couldn’t stand smelling all those presents under the tree. One day, while the Specials were at work, Trixie unwrapped most of the packages. When Mrs. Special came home, she found her present from Mr. Special, and hers to him, lying unwrapped in the middle of the floor! She found some little bottles of perfume she’d wrapped for a friend lying carefully on the pillow of their bed! I’d tried to tell Trix not to unwrap the packages, but I just couldn’t make her understand!

At first, when Mrs. Special found everything in a jumble and stuff all over the house, she was really mad and wanted to take Trixie back to the pet store. But, when she saw how carefully Trixie had placed the perfume bottles on the pillow, her mad went away and she laughed. She was afraid, though, that Mr. Special would come home and discover Trix had unwrapped their gifts to one another and be angry and disappointed, so she rewrapped those gifts first and put them back under the tree. Mr. Special did see most of the mess but not their presents, and they laughed together about the incident.

I could write a book, but I don’t know where to go from here – there were pets, kids, grandkids, – something to watch from the treetop every year! The memories are funny, sweet, and sometimes sad. Each Christmas Angel has a Special family. Perched atop the Christmas tree I watch mine make their memories, and that makes me proud to be their Christmas Angel. I love my job!

**Marva "Jean" Williamson Age 77 of Hoyt Formerly of El Dorado. Jean’s life began on June 27, 1973 in El Dorado, the daughter of Vernon and Dorothy (Cloyes) Mitchell. Jean was an educator and administrator working with the disabled and later an administrator for the Rehabilitation Center for the Blind. She received her Master’s Degree in Education from Fort Hayes State University. After her retirement, Jean began her second passion as a warm and wonderful caregiver to anything from the smallest, sickest puppy to the oldest hospice-care dog. Jean is survived by her father Vernon Mitchell of El Dorado, daughters Valerie Williamson of Topeka, and Kelly Williamson of Denver and son Bryan Williamson of Pittsburg. Jean passed away on August 8, 2015 in Topeka. She is preceded in death by her mother Dorothy in 2005 and brother, Billy Mitchell. Memorial contributions in her name may be directed to Pawd’ner Ranch Rescue or Hospice Inc. Dog Shelter.

**Emelia Germaine Wetig, May 1, 1924-August 3, 2015, age 91, died at her son’s home in Great Bend. She was born in Raimes, France, the daughter of Emile and Henriette (Vairon) Lesne. Emelia married Elmer Daniel Wetig November 16, 1946 at Great Bend. Emelia, who came from Charleroi, Belgium was a homemaker and resident of Great Bend since 1946. She was a member of Prince of Peace Parish at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church, Altar Society, Central Kansas Association for the Visually Impaired, and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3111 Auxiliary. Survivors include two sons: James Edward Wetig and his wife, Armella of Russell, and John Eugene Wetig and his wife Nancy of Great bend; one brother, Charles Lesne of Charleroi, Belgium; six grandchildren: Cheri, David, Laurie, John, Jamie, and Joy; nineteen great-grandchildren and step-great-grandchildren, one great-great-grandchild, and numerous nieces and nephews in Belgium and the United States. Emelia was preceded in death by two sisters Jeannie Baczkowski and Lina Larek, and one brother-in-law, Jean Baczkowski. Memorials are requested to Central Kansas Association for the Visually Impaired or St. Rose Health Center Endowment Fund for Golden Belt Home Health and Hospice, in care of Bryant Funeral Home.