In This Issue

2023 Meeting Schedule and Calendar 14

Disclaimer

Articles and announcements included in this publication are presented for your information and interest. They reflect the opinions of the respective authors and are not necessarily endorsed by the UCB.

Security Notice

Dear UCB members,

It has come to our attention there is a scam email posing as the American Council of the Blind mentioning the Utah Council of the Blind asking for membership fees of $10 or more. The Utah Council of the Blind board has confirmed with the American Council of the Blind that emails for memberships were not sent out. Please disregard the email if you receive it. It is always best to call the UCB office at 801-245-9264 or email the office at utahblind@gmail.com if you have any questions or concerns.

Sincerely,
Kate Balzly, COO
Utah Council of the Blind

Valentine’s Luncheon

Come spread the LOVE with your fellow friends at the Utah Council of the Blind.

Valentine’s Luncheon

Saturday February 11^th

11:00 am-2:00 pm

At the DSBVI, 250 N 1950 W, SLC

Enjoy a yummy spaghetti meal provided by Golden Corral for $3.00 per person.

Includes entertainment and games.

Call the UCB Office at 801-245-9264 to RSVP by February 8^th.

A Day in My Life

By Ashley Neybert

Hello everyone! My name is Ashley Neybert and I am ViewPlus’ newest Accessibility Specialist. I am also legally blind and thought it might be good for everyone to know some of the adaptations I make in my daily life. I have heard a lot of people saying that blind people don’t use Braille anymore, but in my experience, this is usually because like me, these people have some residual vision and are frequently told that print is better, so they are not taught Braille. This frequently causes all kinds of issues such as eye pain, headaches, back injury from leaning close to things all the time, and possibly even quickening vision loss in some conditions. Plus, you know how often sighted people need reading glasses when older? Well blind people’s eyes get worse as we age too, and it is MUCH easier to learn Braille as young as possible!

I didn’t learn Braille until I was 19 years old. It was hard but it is SUCH an integral part of my life now! So where is it important and why is it so critical? I’m going to virtually walk you through an average day in my life so you can find out. I am a PhD student in Education with a focus on STEM Accessibility, so my day is always jam packed. I wake up at 8am to feed and relieve my guide dog Phoebe, the fashionable standard poodle. Then it’s off to make my breakfast. My oven and microwave both have braille labels to help me navigate otherwise inaccessible equipment. They do make talking microwaves and I’d love one, but accessible tools always cost more. At $500, a talking microwave is half of my month’s rent so until one of you lovely people buy me one, then braille labeled microwave to the rescue!

I live in campus housing so waking up earlier assures that the braille labeled washer and dryer are available. There’s only one of each and it’s never fun to discover someone else’s clothes there when there are 20 plus other washers and dryers available for sighted people. I throw my clothes in, no color sort detergent is the greatest invention of our time, and I set a timer with Siri on my phone. Then it’s off to research! Unfortunately, most journals do not make accessible documents so enter my wonderful SpotDot embosser! This embosser is one of the reasons I joined ViewPlus Technologies. The fact that I can make a graph that is accessible to both me and my sighted peers on the same device is amazing to me and the option to have text and braille on the same page allows me to choose my preferred reading medium on the go. Before I had an embosser that could print direct from PDF, I would always have to send a graph or image to the Disability Support Services office where I’d see my graphic in a week but now, I have an option that even if the printed version isn’t beautiful the first time (we’re still working on making it easier for the blind to create their own graphics) I can now independently get a vague idea of what my classmates might be seeing.

I go grab and switch out my laundry then it’s time to cook lunch. I usually make one more involved meal throughout the day so for either lunch or dinner I will pull out my braille cookbook because I embossed a collection of my favorite recipes to avoid the fact that so many accessible recipe websites have randomly disappeared then you have to find a new one. I cannot imagine how I’d handle this one if I couldn’t read Braille! After eating and washing my dishes I go let out the dog again and then we head off to class where you guessed it: I use the Braille signs to tell where my classroom and the restroom are! I wish people hired more blind people though to review their Braille signs before posting them as sometimes the signs just say “Restroom” and you’re left to wonder if it’s men’s, women’s, or all gender. I frequently also encounter things like everyone calling something the meeting room and the braille simply reads “#235” so please remember to have people that use your accommodations do an accessibility check to make sure it’s right!

In class I either use a screen reader on my computer or a slate and stylus to take my notes. For any teachers reading this, slate and stylus is SO much easier to transport than a Perkins Brailler so please make sure students know how to use both! I find it so useful to be able to make labels and take down phone numbers on a slate and stylus so I don’t need to worry if my phone dies. After class I walk home, let the dog out and feed her again, make some dinner then play with the dog (she needs time off too!) followed by my dinner and homework.

I cannot imagine my life without Braille and I love working for a company that values my independence and making a more inclusive world. We even can make tactile coloring sheets now! Things are getting better than ever for blind people but we’re still working at it. If I could share one thing with TVIs out there it would be to make sure that all of your students get proper Braille and tactile graphics education. Reading print and Braille are not mutually exclusive and the more skills our students have the higher the likelihood of getting jobs. Thank you for joining me for a day in my life!

Ashley Neybert
Accessibility
ViewPlus
ashley.neybert@viewplus.com
(972) 369-6010 - Mobile

Old Fashioned Apple Butter

This is a recipe that Donni Mitchell got from her sister, Terri Colborne. After the recipe are some notes from Terri about changes she finds she likes better.

12 to 14 apples

2 cups apple juice

Sugar

Ground cinnamon

Ground allspice

Ground cloves

1/2 Cup Sauterne (optional)

Wash, core and quarter apples (do not peel). Combine apples and apple juice in lightly oiled Crock-pot. Cover and cook on low setting for 10 to 18 hours (on high setting 2 to 4 hours).

When fruit is tender, put through a food mill to remove the peel. Measure cooked fruit and return to Crock-pot. For each pint of sieved fruit, add 1 cup of sugar, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon of allspice, 1/2 teaspoon of cloves; stir well. Cover and cook on High setting for 6 to 8 hours, stirring about every 2 hours. Remove cover after 3 hours to allow fruit and juice to cook down. Add sauterne for the last hour of cooking. Spoon into hot sterilized jars and process in boiling water bath; seal.

Makes about five 1/2 pint jars

From Rival Crock-pot Cooking, Published 1975

Notes from Terri: First off, I don't count how many apples I use, I just fill the Crock-pot to the top with peeled, cored, sliced apples and set the Crock-pot on Low (300 degrees) and let the apples cook until they are soft. I also never add any juice or water to the Crock-pot, my apples produce so much juice that I drain the juice off with a ladle and use that juice when I make apple pie filling. Because you have peeled the apples at the start you don't need a food mill. I do measure the soft fruit. This last time I made the Apple Butter, I used less sugar. I usually measure all the soft apples then add the sugar and spices for the whole amount. So if I end up with 5 pints of apples then I add 5 cups of sugar, (last time only 4 cups of sugar) 5 teaspoons of cinnamon, 2 1/2 teaspoons of allspice and 2 1/2 teaspoons of cloves. I have never added Sauterne to my Apple Butter. Enjoy.

General UCB Information

The UCB Buzz

The UCB Buzz is available in large print, Braille, audio CD, and by e-mail. If you would prefer to receive your newsletter in a different format, please call the UCB business office at 801-245-9264 or send an e-mail to utahblind@gmail.com and let us know.

We are always looking for articles, book reviews, or interesting tidbits of information from our readers or other interested persons. You may e-mail any articles you wish to submit to tommit60@gmail.com; send Braille, print, or audio to UCB Buzz, PO Box 1415, Bountiful, UT 84011-1415. Please allow extra time for processing Braille, print, or audio.

Board of Directors and Management

Anna Jeffery, President, Skills Development Program Supervisor

Donni Mitchell, Vice President, Ceramics Board Liaison

Jeana Nielsen, Secretary

Vicki Flake, Treasurer

Sandy Ruconich, Director, Executive Director

Monica Youngdell, Director

Sandy England, Director

Kira Larkin, Director, Braille Committee Chair, Ceramics Class Liaison

Shelly Hendricksen, Director

Cindi Vega, Director

Dennie Clark, Director, Skills Development Program Assistant Supervisor

Mindi Larson, Director

Kate Balzly, Chief Operating Officer

Aunilie Hathaway, Membership Committee Chair

Matt Barnhill, Adaptive Technology Committee Chair

JD Seely, Community Projects Chair

2023 Meeting Schedule and Calendar

Members are invited and encouraged to attend meetings of the Board of Directors. Meetings will typically be held the first Thursday of each month at 4:45 p.m. via Zoom. To be placed on the agenda or attend a meeting, e-mail utahblind@gmail.com or call 801-245-9264.

Thursday, February 2, 2023, 4:45 p.m. – Board Meeting

Saturday, February 11, 2023, 11:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. – Valentine Spaghetti Luncheon at DSBVI

Thursday, March 2, 2023, 4:45 p.m. – Board Meeting

Thursday, April 6, 2023, 4:45 p.m. – Board Meeting

Thursday, May 4, 2023, 4:45 p.m. – Board Meeting

Thursday, June 1, 2023, 4:45 p.m. – Board Meeting

Thursday, July 6, 2023, 4:45 p.m. – Board Meeting

Thursday, August 3, 2023, 4:45 p.m. – Board Meeting

Thursday, September 7, 2023, 4:45 p.m. – Board Meeting

Saturday, September 16, 2023, 10:00 a.m. – Annual Business Meeting at DSBVI

Thursday, October 5, 2023, 4:45 p.m. – Board Meeting

Saturday, October 14, 2023, 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. – Budget and Training Meeting, location TBD (by invitation only)