“Sightings” of the Wyoming Council of the Blind November 2014 Volume 3, Number 4 There's none so blind as those who will not listen. “ Quote by Neil Gaiman Time for the Holidays By Sandra Behounek 2014 is drawing to a close and we wish everyone a wonderful Thanksgiving, a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! In Remembrance We at WyCb regret the passing of a valued member, Margaret Cates. Margaret will be sorely missed. Meet Your WyCB Board Members In mid-October our President, Tom Lealos, underwent open heart surgery at the Billings Clinic.  He had a four-way bypass performed.  He is now resting at home and is slowly getting back his strength.  In his words, "it will be a long winter, but come spring I'll be back as good as new."  Tom could use your kind thoughts and prayers. Tom Lealos, Board President Tom grew up as a farm boy in the Red River Valley of Minnesota/North Dakota. After graduating from Utah State University with a degree in Forestry he pursued a career in the timber industry in northern California as a Forest Engineer. In 1980, about mid-way through his career, Tom’s life-long eye disease, Uveitis, flared up and caused him to become legally blind. His company and he arrived at a reasonable accommodation which allowed him to continue his career until he retired in 1995. Around sixteen years ago, Tom and Cleo, his high school sweetheart and now wife of 47 years, came to Powell to visit an old work associate. “We liked the mountains, the farm land, and the friendly people we found in Powell,” says Tom, “so we bought a small place just outside of town and started our new life of retirement.” Tom and Cleo have three married children and four wonderful grandchildren, who live on the west coast. Tom’s hobbies include woodworking and landscaping. “I usually do my woodworking in the winter, when it’s cold and it’s hard to work outside,” Tom said. “I’ve gotten to the point where I need specially adapted tools. I’m not able to see the measurements anymore, so I use a click rule, for example.” Over the years, Tom has been active in the Rotary, the Lions Club, his local Chamber of Commerce, and church activities. He has been involved with several industry organizations as well. He now leads a local low-vision support group and is involved in ACB and CCLVI affairs at the national level. “About fifteen years ago, Francie, our local VIP specialist, introduced me to WyCB and I’ve been a member ever since. I agreed to serve as an alternate Board member for two or three years.” Tom gave a chuckle, “Muriel McNeely suggested I run for Board President, but I told her no, because I didn’t have time. I was installed as the Vice President instead. Two weeks later, our new President had to step down due to health issues and found myself serving out her term. I’m now serving my own two-year term as WyCB President. Fate!” Howard Heine, Board Vice President  Howard was born and reared in Casper. He was the fourth child of five, three brothers and one sister.  He graduated in 1954 from Natrona County High School. After graduation, Howard worked in both Utah and in Lander, before serving a 2-year church mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints from 1956 to 1958.   In 1959, Howard married Margaret Hiatt and they had two wonderful Daughters.   Howard went on to graduate with an Associate Degree in Business Administration from Casper College and became a State Farm Insurance Agent in 1961.    Howard said, “I served as the PTA president during our daughters’ grade school years, as chairman of East side grade schools parents’ committees (to offer suggestions of needs to school board for bond issue). I was a member of the Casper Lion’s Club.  Our Lion’s Club was involved with the funding and running of the Blind Camp on Casper Mountain. I’ve also worked as a volunteer at the Natrona county library; and have served in many Church leadership positions.”   “I was an insurance agent for 39 years and retired in 2000. I thought about working the full 40 years,” Howard went on to say, “but my wife Margaret and I decided we wanted to enjoy our lives; so I retired and we toured Europe for a month.  We had a wonderful time and I’m glad we went.”  “Now that I am retired,” Howard said, “Margaret and I have served two 18-month senior couples missions for our Church at our own expense.”   “We have eight wonderful grandchildren.  They live both here and in other States. The youngest is 12 years old.“   “I have advanced Glaucoma,” Howard explained.  “I’ve been going through some recent surgeries. Over time, I’ve had many surgeries and procedures done to relieve the pressure in my eyes. I have many flaps and stints, but the doctors are running out of room.  There’s only so much room inside of an eye. My Corneas’ have thickened and I don’t know if they will be able to give me a Cornea transplant or not.  I’m in God’s hands.”   “I haven’t been blind for very long, but I agreed to be the WyCB Vice President.  It surprises and pleases me to hear people laughing over their problems and disabilities and working together towards a common goal. Nutrition Dr. Morse, a Casper optometrist, presented the lecture at our June convention on, “Eye Supplements-Which One Is Right for Me?” After his lecture, Dr. Morse was asked by several members for a nutrition and supplement guide. Dr. Morse has been working on this guide, and it is now available to interested members. This guide is too lengthy to print in this Newsletter., but If you’d like to have a copy of this document, please contact Jaquie Flatley, at WIL in Casper, 305 West 1st Street, 307-266-6956. Theater Goers For those of us who enjoy getting out and going to a movie, there is good news. Certain theaters, though not all theaters at this time, have installed equipment that has made movies accessible to the visually impaired. Headphones narrate action taking place on the screen, and help the viewer to track characters within the movie. The narrative also reads the sub-titles, as well as the movie credits. Adjustable volume controls, keep the sound at comfortable levels. The narrative does not include previews of coming attraction, so leave the headphones turned off until the movie begins. Ask for these headphones when purchasing your ticket. Make sure the theater employee understands that you require the audio narrative headphones for the blind. Unfortunately not every movie as yet, comes with a narrative track, call ahead to your participating theater, to ensure the movie you wish to see has a narrative track available. The theater manager, with whom I spoke, informs me that within the next two years, all theaters will be required to offer both audio narratives for the visually impaired and printed text for the deaf. Plan Ahead Plans for our 2015 convention are already in the works. It will be held in Casper in June. We hope to see you there! Start saving your spare change and pick up your knitting needles and crochet hooks for the upcoming auction at the convention. Members can add to the auction fun by donating good quality items of any kind for this occasion. ‘Donations will be gladly accepted for either the auction or for door prizes. With your help, there will be a wide variety of items that will appeal to every age and gender. Please remember, quality over quantity! Contact Betty Hazen for all donations at 307-234-2963 or bhazen@bresnan.net A Technology Moment ScriptTalk Station One of WyCB’s goals is to work at implementing Scrip Talk throughout Wyoming pharmacies.   Once it is in place, this device would be available at no cost to consumers. A ScripTalk Station provides those who cannot read the information on their prescriptions, a safe and easy way to manage their personal healthcare. It is easy to use, simply press a button and place the special Talking Label over the reader. A pleasant natural sounding voice speaks all the information printed on the label. ScripTalk Station uses RFID and text-to-speech technology. A thin antennae and a microchip embedded within the label are programmed with all the printed information. Because the data is stored in the label itself, it can be used on any size bottle, box, vial, tube or other prescription container. ScripTalk Station Features: Lightweight and Portable, Natural Voice, Earphone Jack for Privacy, One Touch Operation, Read as Many Times as Needed, Adjustable Volume, Works with any Prescription. Multiple Languages are available. ScripTalk Station is the only audible prescription reading device to meet all federal requirements listed under the Federal Drug and Cosmetic Act (FDCA), Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Health Information Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). In order to make this device available in Wyoming, the pharmacies need to be willing to participate. You can help with this endeavor by your willingness to speak with your pharmacists to provide them with the information they will need to get started.  We are in the process of setting up an informational call that would provide you with the details you would need to be successful in your conversations with your local pharmacies. Please help us bring Scrip Talk to your community!