Well, I don't know about any of you, but I can't believe summer is almost over. Time flies! I want to share with you an experience I had this past month that I was able to learn from. Life is one big classroom, and I like to find the lesson that is there waiting for me. Last month I had the opportunity to go to Peru and be reunited with my son, who has been serving there for the past 2 years. During our travels, we were able to visit a well-known Incan city, Machu Picchu. While visiting Machu Picchu, if you choose, you can obtain a pass to hike Huayna Picchu, which is a very steep and treacherous mountain that provides you with a bird's eye view of the Machu Picchu city. As I was preparing and conditioning for this hike, I learned that it was rated one of the most dangerous hikes in the world. For a moment, I questioned my ability not just physically, but also mentally. I thought, "What am I thinking? How will I do this? Is it even possible for a blind person to accomplish this hike?" I decided that I was going to figure it out. At home, I was going to condition to the best of my ability; and when I got there, I was going to take it one step at a time. The day arrived, and we woke up early enough to catch the bus to take us to see the sun rise over Machu Picchu before we started our journey up Huayna Picchu. As we began our hike, it was easy, similar to the hikes I had been training on back at home. About 15 minutes into the hike the terrain began to change, and it became more and more steep and dangerous. As I felt my way up the steep steps the Inca people had carved into the mountain, I knew that if I lost my balance or let go of the cable, I would be a goner. As I pressed forward up the mountain with labored breath, because, let's face it, it put all of my conditioning to shame. It was like the stair-stepper at the gym was on steroids. We would pause and look back at the city, which would get smaller and smaller.

At one point on our way up the mountain, my husband asked me if I had a plan for getting down the mountain. Okay, if you have ever gone hiking before, you will know that going down a mountain is a whole different story than going up. Well, after looking at all the options of getting down, like using a parachute, but they did not hand those out at the beginning of the hike, or calling for a helicopter at the top, but we had no cell service. Honestly, there was no other way down except the same way I got up, just one step at a time, as I held on to my husband's shoulders or slid on my rump one step at a time. It took time, but as we got closer and closer to the bottom, we were able to encourage those who were on their way up to the top. It was all worth it. Just keep going one step at a time and your reward will be great. You will feel like you are on the top of the world; just take it one step at a time.

So that is the lesson, "One Step at a Time!" Sometimes things are hard, and if we can take them just one step at a time, we will be able to get where we need to go. One step at a time we can accomplish our goals. One Step at a Time!!

--Anna Jeffery

President, Utah Council of the Blind

Don’t Miss It! The UCB Annual Business Meeting

The Annual Business Meeting of the Utah Council of the Blind will be held on Saturday, September 17, 2016. It begins at the Division of Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired, 250 N 1950 W, Suite B in Salt Lake City. The meeting will begin at 10:00 a.m. 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 12th. 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 2016 must be paid no later than September 10, 2016. 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

** Alert: Important Information Regarding Elections**

If you are not able to attend the annual business meeting and you are a current member, you are entitled to request an absentee ballot. To request an absentee ballot, please call the Utah Connection as soon as possible at 801-299-0670 or 1-800-273-4569 and leave your name, address, and the format in which you would like the ballot. The ballots MUST be received in our PO Box no later than September 15, 2016 in order to allow for the mail to be picked-up and processed by our mail receivers and to be counted during the election. Remember, write-in candidates will be considered a nomination from the floor.

Board Expectation Statement

When determining who you might wish to nominate or vote for, keep the following policy in mind: Board members of the Utah Council of the Blind should:

Attend monthly board meetings (which may exceed 2 hours)

Attend any additional special meetings that arise throughout the year, i.e. membership meeting, budget meeting, and trainings

Be willing to follow and respond to e-mails and other board correspondence

Maintain knowledge of the organization's programs, services and policies

Make every effort to be at most of UCB’s activities

Be willing to actively serve on at least one working committee

Report on board assignments as appropriate

Be an ambassador for UCB and the blind and visually impaired community at all times

Be willing to assist with advocacy and referral

Be willing to serve on other boards and councils as representatives of the organization, if asked to do so

Be knowledgeable about laws which impact the community of persons who are blind or visually impaired and be willing to educate the public

Election Information and Nominations

This year, the offices of Vice-President and Treasurer along with two positions on the Board of Directors are open for election. Below are letters from or about individuals who have expressed a willingness to run for these positions.

Patricia Beaman, Nominee for Vice-President

To the Utah Council of the Blind,

I am sending you this letter to nominate Patricia Beaman as Vice-President of the Utah Council of the Blind. She is qualified for this position by her longtime membership in the organization, by the committee work she has done for the UCB, and by the leadership she has shown in such areas as legislation and setting up the annual boutique.

Patricia works in support of the needs of the blind and visually impaired. She sees the importance of working in the legislative process and has spent her own time at the State Capitol supporting legislation which will improve the lives of Utahns who are blind or visually impaired.

Patricia is also good at talking with people. She enjoys working with them in order to do the things that need to get done, which is a terrific leadership skill. In addition, she is a team worker and works well in planning and carrying out those things which need to be done.

Finally, Patricia is fun loving, loves to laugh, and she is a kind and caring person. I think she would be a good person to help get things changed if needed.

Sincerely yours,

John and Cindy Knoll

Vicki L Flake, Nomination for Treasurer

Fellow UCB Members,

Please accept this letter as an indication of my willingness to run for the office of Treasurer for an additional term. I have been involved with the Utah Council of the Blind almost since its inception and believe strongly in the principles it was created to uphold. It is my desire to do everything in my power to see that people who are blind enjoy a maximum level of independence, including participating in their communities and government at every level.

It is also my desire to have more people who are blind or visually impaired actively participating in the day to day operations of the UCB: serving on committees; attending board meetings; helping with calling committees, membership drives, fund raising activities, public awareness campaigns, representation on public committees, etc.

This organization is only as strong as its members make it.

Thank you for your consideration,

Vicki L Flake, Treasurer, Utah Council of the Blind

TerriLynne Pomeroy, Nomination for Board of Directors

Dear Members of the Utah Council of the Blind,

This short article is to thank everyone for the opportunity I have had to serve as a member of the Board of Directors for the Utah Council of the Blind. This is an expression of my desire to serve on the Board for another two years.

As many of you know, I have been involved with the UCB in many capacities. I have served on the board, served as newsletter editor, acted as youth group liaison and as activities committee chair to name a few of my assignments. I am currently helping with the website and UCB's Facebook page. I have done some work on writing policies for the upcoming policies manual. I especially enjoy coming up with new interesting activities such as the trip to Cove Fort and sailing on the Jordanelle Reservoir. I invite people to contact me about ideas they might have for any activities or other programs for the organization.

I am a strong supporter of the UCB and its mission. I love the cab coupon program for the additional freedom it provides me. I believe in independence for people who are blind and try to be as self-reliant as possible. It is my greatest desire to be helpful to people with sight loss and look forward to serving the community for another term as a Board Member.

I would appreciate your support,

TerriLynne Pomeroy, Board of Directors, Utah Council of the Blind tl1@ml1.net

Donni Mitchell, Nomination for Board of Directors

Dear UCB members,

I'm running for the board again because I feel that I have more that I can give to the organization and I really like to help people. I hope that you will re-elect me to the board. I'm still learning and I know that I have more to learn.

For those of you that don't know me I have been blind all of my life, I read braille and I like to stay busy. One of the things I did this year was to serve on a committee that helped find a new teacher for the ceramics class. I also helped to dispose of the old kiln so that we would be able to move in the new kiln.

I have enjoyed working in the office, I would like to work more hours in the office but I know that there are only so many things that can be done. If you vote for me I will work really hard for you.

Donni Mitchell, Utah Council of the Blind, Board of Directors

donnimit50@gmail.com

Tina Terry

To Members of the Utah Council of the Blind

My name is Tina Terry. I have been blind from birth. I attended the Nebraska School for the Visually Handicapped for 7 years before transferring to public school. I then attended Trinity Bible College for two years. I moved to Utah in 1988. My hobbies are: cooking, reading, singing, and playing the piano. My husband and I have been married for 19 years. We do not have any children. I enjoy working with new technology for the blind and learning new things. I use this love of technology and learning by going to the homes of other people who are blind or visually impaired to teach such things as braille, computer skills, and the use of the iPhone. Due to illness I was not able to be around people for several years and feel that working in the blind community is one way to get back into society and contribute. Technology is offering us, as blind or visually impaired, so many new and exciting opportunities; I hope that I can help the sighted community to understand more of what we are capable of doing. I enjoy teaching others and hope that working with the UCB will give me even more of a chance to encourage others to believe in all that we can do.

Tina Terry, Utah Council of the Blind

Suggested Changes to Bylaws

4.4 The number of terms which a person can hold as an officer is presently four. I feel that there should not be a limit because I worry about the treasurer position.

11.1 The UCB Credit Union should be removed from this section for two reasons. 1. It is no longer called the UCB Credit Union. 2. It is no longer the same entity it was when it was chartered. The funds should go elsewhere.

Remember the State Fair, Tuesday and Wednesday, Sept 13-14

We are excited to remind you that once again the UCB is bringing to people who are blind or visually impaired the opportunity to spend a day at the Utah State Fair. Those wishing to attend on the evening of Tuesday the 13th will need to meet at the State Fairgrounds at 5:30 p.m. Meet at the East gate which is at the corner of 1000 East and North Temple. We will all enter together. Each blind person is entitled to a guide. The cost will be $1 per person, sighted or blind. You can enjoy the fair through closing time.

This year again, the UCB is sponsoring a second day at the fair, this one during the daytime on Wednesday, September 14. Meet at the East gate facing 1000 East and North Temple at 9:30 a.m. Rides and refreshments will be free from 10 am-12 noon. Everyone needs to enter together and must pay $1 for each person. We are not certain if the circus will be included this year, so pay attention to the Utah Connection for more information.

Reservations are needed for both events so that we do not enter the fair without you. Anyone coming after the group enters misses out on the discount price. Both events are fun, and you can attend both if you wish, but it is mandatory that you make reservations, since the fair people require us to give them a count. If you do not have a reservation, you cannot enter with the group. To assure your reservation, send $1 per person to: UCB, PO Box 1415, Bountiful, UT 84011-1415.

UCB Annual Christmas Party

By Cordie Weed

Hello everyone, I know this is kind of early, but I would like to prepare you to start saving your money for the Christmas party. This year has been flying by so fast, and before you know it will be here. So, start saving your money and come and join us on Saturday December 3, 2016.

The theme for this year is, “Christmas Around The World”. There will be a bake sale, dinner, activities for children and, of course, Santa. Watch for more information in the next newsletter.

Would You Like to Work from Home?

This job entails meeting new cultures, helping people and showing the world that people with disabilities have lots of abilities.

If you are a blind person who speaks English as your native language, and you know how to use a computer, we encourage you to be part of our team. Meet Talkdoit, a company created by and for blind people! For more information, visit http://www.talkdoit.com/nativespeaker'sinformation.html

Club Vision

Make new friends and enjoy old friends while eating lunch, enjoying live music, and listening to some live reading, all thanks to Club Vision! Club Vision meets Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and each get together has no cost to participants! All you have to do is make a reservation by calling Susie at 801-262-3769.

The meetings are held at Granato’s Deli, 1632 South Redwood, and the Club Vision ladies will be on hand to make sure you get safely to and from your transportation and the deli. They will also help you with any diet restrictions. If you live in the area they can provide transportation. The ladies are kind and cheerful and they even bring your meal right to your table! So give it a try!

Note: ask Suzie about the optional help to pay for your return trip on Flextrans.

My Convention Adventure

By Donni Mitchell

This past July, I was able to attend the annual conference of the American Council of the Blind in Minneapolis. I was nervous because I really wanted to do a good job for the State of Utah. I had a good time and enjoyed going to the meetings, and I learned a lot. As UCB's delegate, I attended the nominating meeting which I found very interesting.

I very much enjoyed listening to NLS narrator Martha Harmon Pardee. She made it clear that she loves what she does.

I went on two of the tours. One was to a broadcast museum. There were several working Victrolas that we could touch. They also had a small wireless radio like the one on the Titanic. The wireless still works and we could touch it, but when the guide went to turn on the wireless radio, we all had to stand several feet away because it was really old and it used thirteen thousand volts of electricity. They also have one of the first tape recorders, some old telephones, and some of the first theater speakers.

The other tour that I went on was to the Minnesota Academy for the Blind. The school was nice but a really bad thunderstorm the night before caused some flooding so we could not see some of the buildings.

I do believe that Utah would do well to do things at the ACB Conference which would give us more recognition. For example, we need to send door prizes and maybe even sponsor a session. The auction items didn't bring in much money. The Utah basket only brought in one-hundred twenty five dollars, but it seemed to be a bad year for baskets.

It would be great if we could get more people to go to the national conferences with an eye to learning more about issues affecting the blind and visually impaired.

Next year's national convention is going to be in Sparks, Nevada, which is just outside of Reno. The dates for the convention are June 30-July 7, 2017.

Latest Calendar with Updates

Mail checks or money orders for any activities to UCB, PO Box 1415, Bountiful, UT 84011-1415. They need to reach us by dates given. Unless otherwise noted, classes and activities listed below are held at the Division of Services for the Blind, 250 N 1950 W, Suite B, Salt Lake City.

•Wednesday, September 7, 10 am to 12 pm: Ceramics: Pinch pots. Making clay pots by hand.

•Monday, September 12: Deadline for reservations for UCB's Annual Business Meeting.

•Tuesday-Wednesday, September 13-14: Utah State Fair

•Wednesday, September 14, 10 am to 12 pm: Ceramics: Pinch pots

•Saturday, September 17: UCB Annual Business Meeting

•Wednesday, September 21, 12 pm to 2 pm: Glaze and fire pinch pots.

•Friday, September 23, 3:45 pm: UCB Board meeting (everyone is welcome).

•Wednesday, September 28, 12 to 2 pm: Glaze and fire pinch pots.

•Wednesday, October 5, 10 am to 12 pm: Learn technique for Lladro figurines, including cleaning, under-glazing, firing and glazing.

•Wednesday, October 12, 12 pm to 2 pm: Technique for Lladro figurines

•Friday, October 14: Dinner theater, Charlie's Aunt, a comedy; 120 S Main St, Farmington

•Wednesday, October 19, 10 am to 12 pm: Technique for Lladro figurines

•Wednesday, October 26, 12pm to 2 pm: Technique for Lladro figurines

•Friday, October 28, 3:45 pm: UCB Board meeting

•Friday, November 18 3:45 pm: UCB Board meeting

•Saturday, December 3: UCB Annual Christmas Party

•Friday, December 16, 3:45 pm: UCB Board meeting

•Friday, January 27, 2017, 3:45 pm: UCB Board meeting

•Saturday, January 28, 10 am: Mrs. Cavanaugh's Candy

•Saturday, February 18: Snowshoeing at Silver Lake

General UCB Information

We are always looking for articles or interesting tidbits of information from our readers or other interested persons. The deadline for submitting items for publication is the 1st of the month, e.g. the deadline for the March newsletter is February 1st. You may e-mail any articles you wish to submit for our newsletter to our newsletter editor at newsletter@utahcounciloftheblind.org, or send Braille or large print to UCB Newsletter, PO Box 1415, Bountiful, UT 84011-1415; please allow extra time for processing when using this method.

All members are invited and encouraged to attend meetings of the Board of Directors. The meetings are at 3:45 p.m. at DSBVI, 250 N 1950 W, Ste B, Conference Room R, Salt Lake City, UT. Upcoming meetings are:

· Friday, September 23, 2016

· Friday, October 28, 2016

· Friday, November 18, 2016

· Friday, December 16, 2016

· Friday, January 27, 2017

· Friday, February 24, 2017

· Friday, March 24, 2017

Also, note that the Annual Business Meeting is scheduled for Saturday, September 17, 2016.

If you have questions or concerns for any board member or to be placed on the agenda of a board meeting, e-mail info@utahcounciloftheblind.org, and you will receive a timely reply.

A volunteer mans the UCB Office at DSBVI, 250 N 1950 W, Salt Lake City, UT, from 12:00 to 3:30 p.m. on Wednesdays. You can give her a call at 801-520-3766 or visit to purchase cab coupons, t-shirts, screwdriver/hammers, 20/20 pens, signature guides, or measuring cups and spoons.

The UCB maintains a listserv to keep our computer users up-to-date on interesting information as it comes along and to help facilitate an open dialogue between our members. To join the UCB Listserv, send a blank email message to ucb-talk-subscribe@yahoogroups.com. You will receive a request to verify your wish to subscribe. Just reply without changing or adding to the message.

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.

The UCB Flier is available in large print, Braille (please note the transition to UEB format), audio cassette tape, audio CD, as a Microsoft Word and a plain text file on CD, and by e-mail. If you would prefer to receive your newsletter in a different format, please call the Utah Connection or send an e-mail to info@utahcounciloftheblind.org and let us know.

Ways to Support the UCB at No Cost to You

Remember UCB in Your Will

Make a bequest to the Utah Council of the Blind in your will or trust. The executor will need to know that we are a non-profit charitable institution under IRS 501(c)(3) and that checks should be sent to:

Utah Council of the Blind
PO Box 1415
Bountiful, UT 84011-1415

Amazon.com

If you shop at amazon.com, just use the smile.amazon.com web address, where you have the opportunity to select a charity to support with your purchases. Amazon then contributes a small percentage of most of your purchase to the charity of your choice. The easiest way to set the UCB as your charity of choice is as follows:

· Go to www.smile.amazon.com and login as you normally would. Activate the “Your Account” link

· Arrow down or use a links list to find “Change Your Charity”

· Go down to the form field (just before the search button) and type in “Utah Council of the Blind”

· Tab to the “Search” button and press the spacebar

· In the Results you will see “Utah Council of the Blind”, tab to the “Select” button immediately following it and press the spacebar.

· A pop-up window opens telling you that your purchases will now support “Utah Council of the Blind”

· Whenever you shop at Amazon, use the smile.amazon.com site, and it will remember your selected charity.

Smith’s Rewards

First, you must have a Smith’s rewards card. If you do not have this card, ask for one at a checkout or service desk when you are at Smith’s. For those of you who use your rewards cards to earn gasoline discounts, be aware that the Community Rewards do not affect those discounts at all. You will still be able to accumulate fuel points as before.

Second, you must have registered the card online. To do this, go to www.smithsfoodanddrug.com, follow the link to register and fill out the form with your email address, a password you create, your home store, etc.

To assign the UCB as your charitable organization:

· Sign in to your Smith’s account

· Open the “My Account” page if it does not take you there automatically

· Look for “Community Rewards” near the end of the page, find “Edit” below it, and activate that

· On the search page that opens, below “Find your Organization” you can type either our number, which is “32989”, or “Utah Council of the Blind”

· Tab to “Search” and activate that

· Go down to the results, find the checkbox in front of “Utah Council of the Blind”, and press the spacebar

· Tab to “Enroll” and activate that

· You will be taken back to your “My Account” page where you can see that you have set “Utah Council of the Blind” as your selected organization.

The Utah Council of the Blind Newsletter

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