American Council Of The Blind Ohio Chapter Inc

TO INCREASE THE INDEPENDENCE, SECURITY, EQUALITY OF OPPORTUNITY, AND QUALITY OF LIFE, FOR ALL BLIND AND VISUALLY-IMPAIRED PEOPLE.

CONFERENCE AND CONVENTION: EACH YEAR ACB-OHIO HAS A CONVENTION TO WHICH ANYONE CAN COME. THIS EVENT IS A WEEKEND FILLED WITH SEMINARS AND WORKSHOPS, SOCIAL EVENTS, EXHIBITORS/VENDORS, AND SPEAKERS. THE PROGRAM PLANNING COMMITTEE CONSISTS OF BOTH BOARD MEMBERS AND ANYONE FROM THE ORGANIZATION WHO WANTS TO PARTICIPATE. THE COMMITTEE LOCATES A VENUE AND MAKES ARRANGEMENTS FOR GUEST AND MEETING ROOMS, MEALS, AUDIO/VISUAL SETUP, EXHIBIT SPACE, ETC.; FINDS SPEAKERS, PRESENTERS, AND EXHIBITORS; ARRANGES THE SCHEDULE OF EVENTS; ORGANIZES REGISTRATION; AND SEEKS SPONSORS TO HELP DEFRAY THE COST OF MEALS, SUPPLIES, TRANSPORTATION, AND OTHER EXPENSES. THE 2021 CONVENTION TOOK PLACE AT THE CROWN PLAZA NORTH HOTEL IN COLUMBUS, OHIO, OCTOBER 29-31, WITH 57ATTENDEES AND TEN EXHIBITORS/VENDORS. THE PROGRAM COMMITTEE, INCLUDING SUB-COMMITTEES FOR SITE AND EXHIBITS, CONSISTED OF TEN PEOPLE, BOTH BOARD AND NON-BOARD MEMBERS.

SCHOLARSHIPS: ACB-OHIO HAS OFFERED SIX SCHOLARSHIPS TO STUDENTS WHO ARE BLIND OR VISUALLY IMPAIRED OR PLAN TO WORK IN A FIELD RELATED TO VISUAL IMPAIRMENT OR BLINDNESS FOR MANY YEARS. AMOUNTS RANGE FROM 1,000 FOR AN ENTERING FRESHMAN TO 2,500 FOR A GRADUATE STUDENT. THE SCHOLARSHIP COMMITTEE, CONSISTING OF FIVE, BEGINS ADVERTISING THE SCHOLARSHIPS IN THE SPRING, COLLECTS AND REVIEWS APPLICATIONS AFTER THE AUGUST1 DEADLINE, AND CHOOSES RECIPIENTS. WINNERS ATTEND THE CONVENTION TO RECEIVE FUNDS; ALL COSTS OF THE CONVENTION ARE COVERED FOR THE STUDENTS, AND EACH RECEIVES A ONE-YEAR COMPLEMENTARY MEMBERSHIP TO ACBO. WE GAVE ONE SCHOLARSHIP IN 2021, COMBINING THE TWO UNDERGRADUATE AWARDS. ACB-OHIO ALSO ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIPS AT THREE OHIO UNIVERSITIES-THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY, THE UNIVERSITY OF TOLEDO, AND WRIGHT STATE UNIVERSITY--AND INCLUDES THOSE RECIPIENTS, CHOSEN BY THE UNIVERSITIES, IN OUR RECOGNITION CEREMONY. WE HELD A SPECIAL AFTERNOON SESSION FOR SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS AT THE CONVENTION TO GIVE THEM MORE INFORMATION ABOUT WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE DO, HOW TO FIND ADDITIONAL RESOURCES, AND OFFER SUPPORT IN THEIR ENDEAVORS.

MATCHING GRANTS: BLIND OR VISUALLY IMPAIRED INDIVIDUALS OR ACBO CHAPTERS CAN APPLY FOR FUNDS UP TO 500 TO MATCH FUNDS RAISED FOR A SPECIFIC PROJECT OR ADAPTIVE EQUIPMENT. GRANTS IN 2021 PROVIDED FUNDS TO HELP SIX INDIVIDUALS PAY FOR ADAPTIVE EQUIPMENT TO MAKE IT POSSIBLE TO READ AND NAVIGATE.

AWARDS: ACB-OHIO OFFERS SEVEN AWARDS TO HONOR OHIO INDIVIDUALS AND GROUPS WHO IN SOME WAY HAVE IMPROVED THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR THE VISUALLY IMPAIRED AND BLIND COMMUNITY. THESE INCLUDE AWARDS TO INDIVIDUALS WHO VOLUNTEER THEIR TIME, ENERGY, AND RESOURCES; ORGANIZATIONS OR COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE PROVIDED ASSISTANCE; AN AWARD TO SOMEONE IN THE MEDIA WHO HAS WRITTEN ABOUT BLINDNESS; AN EMPLOYER WHO HAS HIRED AND MADE THE WORKPLACE ACCESSIBLE TO ONE OR MORE BLIND OR VISUALLY IMPAIRED PEOPLE; AND AN AWARD TO A TEACHER OF THE BLIND. THE AWARDS COMMITTEE, CONSISTING OF THREE OR FOUR MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND INTERESTED INDIVIDUALS FROM THE MEMBERSHIP, CONSIDERS NOMINATIONS FOR AWARDS AS NOMINATIONS ARE RECEIVED AND MAKES CHOICES BASED ON EXISTING CRITERIA, ARRANGES FOR PLAQUES, AND MAKES THE PRESENTATIONS AT THE ANNUAL CONVENTION. IN 2021 THE FOUR-PERSON COMMITTEE PRESENTED THE KEN MORLOCK AND THE COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARDS. EXHIBITS: ACBO PARTICIPATES IN VARIOUS CONFERENCES BY PROVIDING ONE OR TWO PEOPLE AT A TABLE IN THE EXHIBIT AREA. WE ANSWER QUESTIONS ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION AND VISION, DISTRIBUTE LITERATURE ABOUT ACB-OHIO AND BLINDNESS, AND EXCHANGE INFORMATION WITH OTHER EXHIBITORS SO THAT WE STAY UP TO DATE WITH WHAT OTHERS ARE DOING WHICH MAY BENEFIT OUR MEMBERS. WE HAD REPRESENTATIVES AT DOZENS OF MEETINGS AND CREATED A ZOOM ACCOUNT IN ORDER TO HOST OUR OWN MEETINGS IN 2021. OUTREACH AND REFERRAL SERVICES: PEOPLE LOSING VISION AND THEIR FAMILIES AND FRIENDS CALL OUR OFFICE TO LEARN ABOUT RESOURCES IN OHIO. WE PROVIDE CONTACTS WHEN POSSIBLE, ANSWER QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW TO FIND OTHER SOURCES OF INFORMATION, AND OFFER SUPPORT. OUR OFFICE RECEIVES FROM THREE TO 12 CALLS A WEEK FROM SOCIAL WORKERS AND MEDICAL PERSONNEL, REPRESENTATIVES OF OTHER NONPROFITS, AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC. WE HAVE A MONTHLY PROGRAM ON VOICECORPS, THE LOCAL RADIO READING SERVICE, TO SHARE OUR ACTIVITIES AND NEWS OF RELATED ORGANIZATIONS. LEGISLATION: THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND OFFICERS ARE CHARGED WITH KEEPING UP TO DATE WITH CURRENT LEGISLATION ON THE LOCAL, STATE, AND NATIONAL LEVEL. WE DO THIS THROUGH SUBSCRIPTION TO NEWSLETTERS AND ANNOUNCEMENT LISTS PROVIDED BY LOCAL AND STATE GOVERNMENT ENTITIES, CONTACT WITH MEMBERS OF THE STATE AND NATIONAL GOVERNMENT, AND SUBSCRIPTION TO THE LEADERSHIP LIST WHICH ACB PROVIDES. ONCE A YEAR SOME OF OUR MEMBERS VISIT WASHINGTON, DC, FOR A LEGISLATIVE SEMINAR, DURING WHICH THEY LEARN ABOUT CURRENT NATIONAL LEGISLATIVE IMPERATIVES AND OTHER IMPORTANT ACTIVITIES, EXCHANGE INFORMATION ABOUT STATE AND LOCAL EVENTS, AND VISIT CAPITOL HILL TO SPEAK WITH REPRESENTATIVES AND SENATORS OR THEIR STAFF MEMBERS ABOUT THESE VITAL ISSUES. EIGHT MEMBERS REPRESENTED ACB-OHIO IN FEBRUARY 2021 AND MET WITH STAFF MEMBERS OF HALF A DOZEN REPRESENTATIVES VIA ZOOM. NEWSLETTER: OUR QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER, THE OHIO CONNECTION, GOES TO ALL MEMBERS AND TO ANYONE ELSE INTERESTED IN WHAT WE DO. IT CONTAINS ARTICLES ABOUT LEGISLATION, UPCOMING EVENTS, MEMBER PROFILES, WEBSITES WHICH CONTAIN PERTINENT INFORMATION, AND ITEMS WHICH PEOPLE SUBMIT ABOUT TRAVEL OPTIONS, EYE RESEARCH, AND BIOS OF AWARD AND SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS AND BOARD MEMBERS. WE PROVIDE COPIES IN LARGE PRINT, BY E-MAIL, AND AS AUDIO. A GROUP OF FOUR MEMBERS HELPS THE EDITOR, MICHELLE SPILLAN, PUT TOGETHER EACH NEWSLETTER; MICHELLE ADDS PHOTOS WHERE POSSIBLE. THE MOST RECENT ISSUE, AS WELL AS ARCHIVES FROM PREVIOUS YEARS, CAN BE FOUND ON THE WEBSITE, WWW.ACBOHIO.ORG. PRESENTATIONS: THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, AND SOMETIMES A MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, MAKES PRESENTATIONS TO GROUPS IN OHIO AND OCCASIONALLY ELSEWHERE TO EXPLAIN THE WORK OF ACBO AND PROVIDE INFORMATION ABOUT ITS PROGRAMS AND SERVICES. IN 2021 WE MADE PRESENTATIONS TO HALF A DOZEN GROUPS. SINCE NEARLY ALL MEETINGS WERE VIRTUAL IN 2021, WE DID NOT HAVE ANY COSTS FOR THE YEAR. BRAILLE PRODUCTION: WE OFFER BRAILLE PRODUCTION TO INDIVIDUALS, COMPANIES, AGENCIES, AND OTHER ENTITIES WHO NEED MATERIAL CONVERTED TO BRAILLE. A DOCUMENT IS SENT TO OUR OFFICE AND A CERTIFIED BRAILLE TRANSCRIBER AND PROOFREADER PUTS THAT DOCUMENT INTO BRAILLE AND PROVIDES THE DESIRED NUMBER OF COPIES. WE PROVIDED SOME SHORT DOCUMENTS TO A MEMBER AT NO CHARGE IN 2021. RECREATION: THE RECREATION COMMITTEE, CONSISTING OF FOUR MEMBERS, HELPS PLAN AND EXECUTE TWO ACTIVITIES EACH YEAR. THE WINTER SPORTS RETREAT, TRADITIONALLY OCCURRING DURING THE MARTIN LUTHER KING WEEKEND, TAKES PLACE AT PUNDERSON STATE PARK. IT INCLUDES WINTER RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES, SUCH AS SKIING, SNOWSHOEING, SLEDDING, AND HIKING, AS WELL AS INDOOR GAMES, SOCIALIZING, SING-ALONGS, AND GOOD FOOD. DUE TO THE PANDEMIC, WE DID HAVE A WINTER RETREAT IN 2021. THE SUMMER RETREAT TOOK PLACE ON ZOOM DURING THE FIRST WEEKEND IN AUGUST, WITH 12 PEOPLE IN ATTENDANCE, PLAYING GAMES AND SOCIALIZING. WE DID NOT CHARGE PARTICIPANTS ANY REGISTRATION SINCE THERE WAS NO COST TO US.