SCAVI NEWS
A monthly newsletter of the South Central Association of the Visually Impaired
SCAVI, P.O. Box 2216, Bedford, IN 47421
Facebook: [https://m.facebook.com/The-South-Central-Association-of-the-Visually-Impaired]{.underline}
Newsletter written and produced by President Regina Vonderhaar and Edited by Rita Kersh.
Regina may be reached at 812-675-0065
Cell 317-435-8216
e-mail rvonderhaar\@att.net
October 2022
WHAT'S HAPPENING IN SCAVI
Our next meeting will be Monday, October 3 at the Bedford Free Methodist Church, 630 R Street, in the Fellowship Hall in the basement at 9:30 A.M. We will be celebrating our 40th anniversary. We will provide a snack, and anyone can bring a snack.
SCAVI BIRTHDAYS
Sue Fleener Oct. 10
Cindy Brooking Oct. 16
Rich Vonderhaar Oct. 17
40TH ANNIVERSARY
History of the South Central Association of the Visually Impaired (SCAVI)
How we began
In the early 1970s, a group of people who had vision problems in the Lawrence County area began getting together at the Stone City Mall in Bedford, where they use the conference room in the Southern Indiana Center for Independent Living's offices. These people met once a month to share stories and suggestions as to how to cope with their vision loss.
As the group began to grow, Harvey and Marie Jeffries from Oolitic helped form this group of people into a chapter of the American Council of the Blind of Indiana (ACBI), which is an affiliate of the American Council of the Blind. They decided to name this new chapter the South Central Association of the Visually Impaired, SCAVI for short.
Making it official
The Constitution and Bylaws established for the South Central Association of the Visually Impaired (SCAVI) was adopted on May 3, 1982 with chapter status subject to acceptance by the American Council of the Blind of Indiana (ACBI)
The Charter was received on October 1, 1982 at the ACBI State Convention in Scottsburg, Indiana.
Members Come and Go
Throughout the years we have gained new members and we have lost members for various reasons. The membership has stayed fairly steady at 20-25 members for most of the years our chapter has been in existence. Our members ages have ranged from the 20's to the late 90's and most have maintained active participation in SCAVI.
Here and Now
Today, our chapter meets in the basement of the Free Methodist Church, 630 R Street in Bedford. Our members continue to encourage others with visual impairments to join us at one of our meetings or an activity to get a feel for who we are as an organization. We also encourage those without vision loss to consider joining us, especially those with an interest in what we do and how we try to assist others with visual impairments.
USEFUL PHONE NUMBERS FOR VISUALLY IMPAIRED
Amazon:
Amazon's Accessibility Customer Service 888-283-1678
Call to speak with an accessibility specialist who can help you buy books and other products, or get you directly to tech support for Amazon devices and services including Alexa, Kindle & Fire Tablet. Hands raised triumphantly for accessible and inclusive smartphones.
Audible Support: 888-283-5051.
Apple:
Apple Accessibility Support Line 877-204-3930
For users of Apple's iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, Apple Watch, or Mac –It is a special support line reserved for customers with vision, hearing, motor, and learning impairments. Senior AppleCare specialists are available 24/7 to help you get your Accessibility Settings right, answer your questions, and resolve your technical issues. They'll even teach you a thing or two.
AT&T:
National Center for Citizens with Disabilities (NCCD) 866-241-6568
This is where wireless customers with vision loss get answers to questions about accessibility features and services available from AT&T.
Comcast:
Comcast Accessibility 866-668-6703
Direct line to a dedicated team, specially trained to support customers who rely on accessibility services including voice guidance and video description.
Google:
To request a call back, from a Google Disability support specialist, complete this online form.
Call an accessibility specialist at Google through the BeMyEyes app on a smartphone or tablet. Click the 'Specialized Help' button on the app's home page, select Google in the Technical tab.
Google Technical Support: 855-971-9121 may (or may not) be able to help with accessibility questions, depends on the specialist you connect with.
Hewlett Packard:
HP Accessibility Support 888-259-5707
Technical support for customers with accessibility needs, pertaining to HP (Hewlett Packard) products, available from 6am to 9pm Mountain Time.
Linked In:
LinkedIn Disability Answer Desk
Call on Be My Eyes app
Contact an accessibility specialist at the LinkedIn Disability Answer Desk through the Be My Eyes app, on a smartphone or tablet; click the Specialized Help button on the apps home page, then select Technical to get to LinkedIn.
Microsoft:
Microsoft Disability Answer Desk 800-936-5900 or the Be My Eyes app--The features you need to make your PC 'vision friendly' are built right into Windows – unfortunately, many people don't know that. Microsoft recognized this as a significant problem and put in place a support team specialized in accessibility. So, dial them up and get your computer set up to work for you (not against you). And, to make it even easier on yourself — allow them remote access to your PC and they can make the adjustments.
Peloton:
The Accessibility Team at Peloton will answer your questions and give you a call, if you request it by email to: accessibility\@onepeloton.com.
T-Mobile:
T-Mobile Accessibility 833-428-1785
T-Mobile has an Accessibility Support web page. It says, "T-Mobile will provide accessible support for wireless network service and billing inquiries. Please contact our Accessibility Customer Care at 1-833-428-1785 if you have any questions or need special assistance. For additional support, please contact Customer Care."
Spectrum:
Spectrum Accessibility Support 844-762-1301
Call this support line to learn about and take advantage of Spectrum cable accessibility accommodations.
Spotify:
Call on Be My Eyes app
Get help from your smartphone or tablet with any questions you may have about Spotify, the world's largest music streaming service. Speak to a trained customer service specialist on BME; go to Specialized Help, Technical, then Spotify.
Verizon:
Verizon Center for Customers with Disabilities 800-974-6006
verizon.com/disabilities
Free 411 for your home phone and for your mobile phone. Get your bills in the format of your choice…large print or digital. They can help you with anything else pertaining to your home phone service.
Verizon Wireless National Accessibility Center
888-262-1999
It can sometimes be challenging to get information about accessibility features that make your mobile phone, or tablet, work for you. Questions about enlarging text, using voice commands effectively, or using the screen reader, often remain unanswered when posed to your store representative. That should be the case no more – now there is a customer service and technical support center dedicated to helping people maximize the accessibility features built into all of Verizon's mobile devices. Let them help you get your device set just right for you, from 8am – 9pm EST, Monday – Friday.
vote.org:
Call on Be My Eyes app
Get help, on a smartphone or tablet, registering to vote, checking your registration status, and requesting a mail-in ballot. On BME, go to Specialized Help on the home page, then Civic Engagement, then select vote.org.
SCAVI MINUTES
The meeting of the South Central Association of the Visually Impaired was held on Monday, September 12, 2022 at 9:30 am in the basement of the Bedford Free Methodist Church. Present at the meeting were Rich and Regina Vonderhaar, Rita Kersh, Cindy Brooking, Jim Vean, Denise Mullis and Loney and Ida Galey.
Rich made a motion that we approve the August minutes, Jim seconded. Motion was approved.
Cindy gave the treasurer's report covering July and August. We had income of $15 from the sunshine basket and $.21 interest. Expenses of $65.08 for picnic and $25 to ACB for the Brenda Dillon Walk. Account balance is $4,474. Loney motioned that we approve treasurer's report, Ida seconded. Motion was approved.
Rita told us she had six items we could buy then put in auction at State convention, but we did not decide.
We also suggested other auction items such as sugar free brownies and a wine basket. Cindy talked about opportunity grants available from both SCAVI and ACBI.
Denise made a motion that we have three $10 door prizes for the convention, Rich seconded. Motion was approved.
Cindy motioned that we adjourn the meeting. Denise seconded. motion was approved.
We adjourned the meeting at 10:25 am.
Respectfully Submitted by Secretary Rich Vonderhaar