The UCB
Buzz
A publication of
Utah Council
of the Blind
June 2021
For the latest news
updates call the Utah Connection 801-299-0670 or 1‑800-273-4569. (You may
also leave a message at the end of the announcement.)
Check out the
website at utahcounciloftheblind.org
Mail
correspondence to: UCB, PO Box 1415, Bountiful, UT 84011-1415. E-mail us at ucb.board@gmail.com.
For credit card payments call 801-245-9264.
The UCB Buzz is available in large print, Braille,
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If you would prefer to receive your newsletter in a different format, please
call the Utah Connection or send an e-mail to ucb.board@gmail.com and let us know.
Editor: Tom Mitchell
Utah Connection Manager: Linda Holladay
In
This Issue
Disclaimer.................................................................................................. 2
Editorially Speaking.................................................................................... 3
President’s
Message.................................................................................. 6
UCB Annual Business Meeting.................................................................. 9
Call for Nominations............................... 10
Bylaws Amendments.............................. 11
Activities
Suggestions Needed................................................................. 12
Important Cab Tips................................................................................... 13
A Set of Eyes............................................................................................ 14
Pink Salad................................................................................................ 19
Thank You, Lifetime Members.................................................................. 20
People to
Remember............................................................................... 20
The Colors of
the Flag.............................................................................. 21
General UCB
Information......................................................................... 21
Board of Directors................................... 23
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.
by
Tom Mitchell
There's no denying that the past twelve
or more months have been somewhat stressful for all of us at different times.
As of this writing, it seems that we are finally getting out of the forest and
back into the clear. But for the next few months, we will still have to keep
our eyes, ears, and minds open for whatever may come, because things are still
changeable. But for now, let's be joyful that it looks better.
The UCB has been going through some
changes of its own. We've had to appoint a new President, and have had to
conduct our business in ways that many of us on the board were not prepared
for, and have all had to learn new ways of communicating with each other. And
frankly, at times, these have been very frustrating. But even those things have
begun to straighten out and we have begun to find it easier to do our work.
Last year we were unable to have a
business meeting for the election of new board members and the possible
adoption of new bylaws. So, we did the same thing the ACB did, which was extend
all board members' and officers' terms of service for an extra year. But this
year, we believe we can once again hold a business meeting; face-to-face,
voice-to-voice, and person-to-person where we can actually talk to each other.
This meeting will be held on Saturday, September 18, beginning at 10:00 AM till
it's finished. This will be an important business meeting, not just because we
will be holding elections for board officers and members, and possible bylaw
changes, but because we need your help. We need you to attend so that you can
help the UCB decide what you want us to be in the future. We need your help so
that we can know what we can do to help make your lives richer and fuller. And
we need new people to join us on the Board of Directors. Do you know that most
of us are above 50 years of age and older? Some of us in our early- to mid-70s.
I'm 74 and I'm not the oldest. So not all of us are going to be here forever.
We need new people, not just older people, but younger people; people in there 20s and 30s and 40s. When I first joined the UCB I
was 41. And I was older than a lot of members at that time. And so, you see,
there's room for you younger people. There's a need for younger people. If, in the
past, we have made you younger folks feel that you didn't matter, then shame on us. We shouldn't have done
that, and we didn't mean to do it. We want you back. But you
older people, who haven't been active, we still want you, too. We need anyone
who has an interest in the visually-'impaired people of
Now, certainly we can't fix all the
problems of all the people. We can't promise you that we can do that. But
certainly, we can do things that will help many people, not just along the Wasatch
front, but throughout the state.
Lastly, and then I'll get off my soapbox
and you can read some more interesting stuff, I really hope that since you now
know that our September business meeting will be held on the 18th, that some of
you in towns farther than Salt Lake City, farther than a lot of us are, that
you will make a sacrifice and come to our business meeting. Even if you have to
try and stay with family members or good friends, or rent a hotel room for a
night or two, we would really like to see you here. I know that for a lot of us
this is quite a sacrifice, but if you really want this organization to succeed,
please try to come. But however; you can find a way to become an active part of
UCB, we really need you!
Hello all UCB
members and friends, we are moving forward and things are starting to open up. Maybe
we will be close to being back to normal soon. However; my
niece, Elizabeth Rohrer, tells me “normal is only a setting on the dryer.”
so we will have to see what that brings. We are excited to start meeting
together in person again.
Our first gathering
will be our business meeting on September 18. We always look forward to this
meeting. Remember, that is the meeting always accompanied by a free lunch. I
love those meetings where all you have to do is come sit back and enjoy the
moment and eat a good meal. But this year we actually need more than that from
you. We are in need of help on many different levels. Our membership is in need
of a boost and we need you to invite your friends, that you know when you go to
a good movie and you still want to go back and enjoy with all your friends?
Think of the business meeting as a good movie where you want to take your
friends to, the first time. As our membership grows, we can help each other
more. We can be advocates for the blind and show our strength in numbers. We
also need you to be involved. We are looking for people who are excited about
the UCB and its programs; people who have good suggestions on how to improve
them. You know when you are writing a paper or a book or something important
and you get writer’s block well some of us right now are having writer’s block we need some new blood; people with new ideas and
energy. All of you youthful energy people, I am
talking to you as well. We need some ideas of things you want to do. how can we
make you more a part of our organization? What do you need? And how can we
support you? You are our future. So please plan on coming to the business
meeting but also please plan on doing more than just enjoying your free lunch
and exciting entertainment as we read the treasurers report and vote on bylaws.
Thank you to all of you who have worked so hard with us over the years. Without
you we would not be where we are today. Our great programs have been very
successful, and we are a positive force in our community. I hope to see you all
at our business meeting in September.
Anna Jeffery
If all goes as planned, the Annual
Business Meeting of the Utah Council of the Blind will be held at the Division
of Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired, 250 N 1950 W, Salt Lake City,
UT at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, September 18, 2021. Reservations are required so
that we can have enough food for everyone. Please call the Utah Connection or
email ucb.board@gmail.com with your name, the names of others in your party,
and your telephone number no later than Monday, September 13th. When you make
your reservation, please indicate whether or not each person in your party is a
member of the UCB, whether you use large print or braille, any dietary
restrictions you or a member of your party may have, and if you will need a
listening device or any other accommodation.
Membership Verification: In order to
vote at the annual business meeting a member's dues for 2021 must be paid no
later than September 11, 2021. If you have any questions about your membership
status, please contact our Membership Chair, Aunilie Hathaway at (801) 244-5505
or via e-mail at ucb.board@gmail.com.
During this year's annual business
meeting, we will be electing the vice president, treasurer, and two 2-year
board members. As specified in the UCB Bylaws: " In order to be eligible
for election to an officer position a person must have been a member of the
organization for not less than one year and served on a committee. In order to
be elected to a board position a person must have been a member of the
organization for not less than six months. "
"Any qualified member of the
organization wishing to run for a position on the Board of Directors may notify
a member of the Committee by submitting a short (one page or less) written
statement concerning his/her qualifications and vision for the future of the
organization. "
Nominating Committee: We are pleased to
announce that the Nominating Committee chair for this year is Sandy Ruconich. Her committee members are Sandy England and Tina
Terry.
If you are willing to run for one of the
open positions on the Board, you must submit your written statement to the
Nominating Committee by email to:
ucb.board@gmail.com
or by standard mail to:
UCB Nominating Committee
PO Box 1415
Bountiful UT 84011-1415
The nomination statement must be received
no later than July 15, 2021 in order to be published in the August newsletter.
Proposed Bylaws amendments must be
submitted to:
Utah Council of the Blind
Secretary
PO Box 1415
Bountiful UT 84011-1415
or by e-mail to:
ucb.board@gmail.com
Proposals must be received on or before
July 15, 2021 in order for them to be prepared for publication in the August
newsletter.
Hello everyone!
This is a Wonderful
time for everyone to be able to get together for church, school, recreation and
families. Friends and associates can all come out of our shells of quarantine
and look forward to a safe and wonderful future as we have slowed down the
spread of covid-19.
However, I wish to
have your input on what we should do for activities in the years to come. We
all need a balance in our lives as well as we need food and water so let’s band
together and think of some fun things to do. They don’t have to be elaborate or
huge. Just let me know by emailing me at kitty1481@gmail.com or just write
to ucb.board.@gmail.com. You can also let us know on
the
Monica Youngdell, Activities Committee Chair
I'm not sure if this applies to the
entire state so I will speak at least for the Salt Lake area. Ute and Yellow
Cab companies have merged and are now owned by the same company. However,
Submitted by Monica Youngdell
The following is from the PneumaSolutions.com website.
An annual rite of
passage,
Design Day
is an opportunity
for engineering students to prove that they can translate theoretical knowledge
learned in classrooms and laboratories into creative, practical solutions to
real-world problems. As part of this year’s event held
on Tuesday, May 4, students from around WSE presented their work to sponsors
and mentors from industry, faculty members, clinicians, fellow students, and
other guests through virtual live and recorded poster sessions and
demonstrations.
One computer
science project that attendees learned about was an artificially intelligent
screen reader reads webpage content out loud to users. But unlike most screen
readers currently available, “A Set of Eyes” doesn’t work mechanically to just
read aloud loud whatever is hardcoded onto a webpage. Instead, it uses computer
vision and a flexible user interface to create a more accessible—and
natural—experience for users.
We caught up with
computer science student students David Calvo, Jada Campbell, Jonathan Edwards,
Hannah Lynn, and Kavya Tumkur, the team behind A Set
of Eyes, to learn more about the project.
Q: What is an
intelligent screen reader, and why is your design different from screen readers
already available?
Edwards: The term
“screen reader” is kind of a misnomer—it’s not really a piece of software that
“reads” your computer screen. It actually scrapes the webpage’s underlying HTML
code and reads back to you what that code is out loud. So, if you’re on a
popular site like Netflix, for example, a normal screen reader would look at
the code that makes up Netflix and read back to you all the titles that are
displayed on the screen out loud, one by one. It might even miss a few, because
sometimes the code that the screen reader reads doesn’t always represent what’s
actually on screen.
Our approach
involves using computer vision and machine learning to detach the screen reader
from the underlying code and also provide users with a flexible user
interface—meaning they can practically talk with our screen reader to get
information on the page. Our screen reader will be like a set of eyes looking
at the computer screen for the user.
Q: What was your
biggest challenge in creating “A Set of Eyes”?
Tumkur:
The biggest challenge in creating ASoE has been
communicating the problem and solution. Most people who we have spoken to don’t
know what a screen-reader is, let alone the intricacy of how one works. One of
our biggest problems has been conveying what ASoE is,
why it’s a necessary piece of technology for members of the visually impaired
community, and how it has the potential to revolutionize how they browse the
web.
Q: What was the
team’s inspiration for this project?
Calvo: The idea
came from growing up watching my father, who’s been blind since birth. I’ve
seen my dad struggle with completing basic tasks online on a daily basis. I
couldn’t tell you how many times I’ve had to do something for him as simple as
clicking a button, or typing in a number, because a developer didn’t make their
app or website accessible for the visually impaired. Imagine constantly relying
on other people to do things like pay your bills or schedule appointments
online! ASoE is the screen reader that my dad can
rely on to do all of these things himself.
Q: What impact did
the need to work on the project remotely have on you and your team?
Lynn: While we
would all love to be on the Homewood campus together, we have been able to
adapt to the remote setting. In fact, being remote has allowed us to meet and
collaborate with ease and more frequently. Additionally, we’ve been able to
validate the problem we are aiming to solve and our solution with relevant
individuals across the United States. Given the virtual nature of the world
today, people are very willing to hop on a Zoom call and answer questions,
provide feedback, or give general impressions regardless of where in the U.S.
they might be located.
Q: How important
has the senior design experience been to your computer science education?
Campbell: This
design experience gave us a unique opportunity for us to apply the skills that
we learned early on in our CS education to a cause that means a lot to us. We
know that AI has incredible potential, and screen readers are an assistive
technology that blind people depend on. So this
project was a way for us to build the future, which, when you think about it,
is why we studied CS in the first place.
By Sandi
1 large package of
dry Jell-O raspberry
1 large cottage cheese
1 large container of cool whip
2 to 3 fruit of choice: pears, peaches, mandarin oranges, strawberries,
pineapple etc.
Mix Jell-o and
cottage cheese together and add cool whip. Then add two or more fruits of your
choice and mix. Put in refrigerator all together and chill for 2 hours or more.
**Note: You can use
a small Jell-o and cottage cheese and cool whip. This is up to your taste. Play
around with whatever taste you want with the Jell-O and fruits. They can be
canned without juice or fresh.
Once in a while we will be honoring
lifetime members for their service to UCB. This month, we thank Ellen St.
George and Sandy Ruconich for their lifetime
donations.
By Monica Youngdell
From the first of
January to the last of December,
Oh, let us give
thanks to the people to remember.
Who stuck with our
counsel thick and thin,
And survived strife
and heartaches and did it with a grin.
We may not be able
to see you right away,
But we’re looking
forward to that marvelous day
When we can all
embrace once again
Because we like to
get together and share memories now and then.
So
from the warmth of smiles, hugs like a glowing ember,
God bless once
again the people to remember.
Submitted by Sandi
Editor’s note:
Since June 14 is Flag Day, this seems particularly appropriate this month.
What do the colors
of the flag mean?
Answer:
According to custom
and tradition, white signifies purity and innocence; red, hardiness and valor;
and blue signifies vigilance, perseverance, and justice.
Donni Mitchell, our
vice president, volunteers in the UCB Office at DSBVI, 250 N 1950 W, Salt Lake
City, UT, from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. on Wednesdays when DSVBI is open for
business. If you are making a special trip to visit the office, we recommend
you call ahead at 801-520-3766 to be sure she is there when you come to make
purchases or conduct other business.
We are always
looking for articles, book reviews, or interesting tidbits of information from
our readers or other interested persons. The deadline for submitting items for
publication is the 10th of the month, e.g. the
deadline for the February newsletter is January 15th. You may e-mail any
articles you wish to submit to tommit60@gmail.com; send Braille, print, or
audio to UCB Buzz,
If you have
questions or concerns for any board member or to be placed on the agenda of a
board meeting, e-mail ucb.board@gmail.com or leave a message on the Utah
Connection, and you will receive a timely reply.
For the time being,
since the Board of Directors is not meeting in person, if you would like to
join a board meeting, please e-mail ucb.board2gmail.com and you will receive a
reply.
Anna Jeffrey President
Donni Mitchell Vice President
Tom Mitchell Secretary
Vicki L Flake Treasurer
Tina Terry Past President
Aunilie Hathaway Director
Cordie Weed Director
Monica Youngdell Director
Sandy England Director
Sandy Ruconich Chief Executive Officer
Kathryn E Balzly Chief Operating Officer
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