SCAVI NEWS
A monthly newsletter of the South Central Association of the Visually Impaired
SCAVI, P.O. Box 2216, Bedford, IN 47421
Newsletter written and produced by President Rita Kersh.
Rita can be reached at 812-278-3038 or e-mail at hoosierrita60\@gmail.com
September 2023
WHAT'S HAPPENING IN SCAVI
Our next meeting will be on Monday, September 11 at 9:30 a.m. at the Free Methodist Church, 630 R St. in the basement fellowship hall.
Our speaker will be Valerie Luchauer from the Lawrence County Emergency Management Service to talk about the Smart 911 program.
SCAVI BIRTHDAYS
Ida Galey Sept. 15
Brenda Eads Sept. 15
ACCESSIBLE TECH
RAZ Mobility Launches Accessible and Innovative Smartphone for People Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired
The SmartVision 3 is the only fully accessible smartphone for individuals with vision loss that offers a large tactile keypad, voice commands and TalkBack for navigation and control. (Photo: Business Wire)
August 01, 2023
CABIN JOHN, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)
RAZ Mobility (www.razmobility.com), the leading provider of mobile assistive technology, announced today the launch of the SmartVision 3. This Google certified smartphone, manufactured by Kapsys, is designed specifically for individuals who are blind or visually impaired.
The SmartVision 3 is a fully functional Android smartphone with an important innovation: it allows people with vision loss to control all aspects of the phone with a tactile keypad, rather than touch-screen gestures, which are difficult for many. As a result of this innovation, the user experience for people who rely on a built-in screen reader to navigate their smartphone is significantly improved, and more people will be able to benefit from smartphone technology.
In a 2021 study published by Jama Ophthalmology, "Prevalence of Visual Acuity or Blindness in the U.S.," researchers found that more than 7 million Americans are living with uncorrectable vision loss, including more than 1 million who are blind. The SmartVision 3 is a unique smartphone engineered to serve this population.
All features of the SmartVision 3 are 100 percent accessible to individuals with no sight at all.
The smartphone screen reader is controlled through tactile buttons or touchscreen gestures.
Use the keypad to place, answer or reject phone calls, write text messages, and more.
The dedicated button on the right edge of the phone provides quick access to the Google Assistant for voice commands and allows you to dictate text in the input area.
The SmartVision 3 has a number of special pre-installed apps for people with vision loss, including a banknote recognizer, color detector, light detector, and magnifier.
Use NFC tags to recognize objects or perform certain actions, like dial a number. The phone includes 5 NFC tags.
Download any app from Google Play, such as Facebook, Twitter, Uber, Amazon, DoorDash, The New York Times, and more.
Charge the battery of the SmartVision 3 with a custom-built wireless charger designed for people who are blind.
Nermin Selimic, COO of RAZ Mobility, said that "allowing people who are blind or visually impaired to control their smartphone with a tactile keypad, and a dedicated button to easily access voice controls and the Google Assistant, is a giant step forward for inclusive design and access for people with vision loss."
RAZ Mobility is the exclusive distributor of SmartVision 3 for the United States and offers the phone to consumers, state government agencies, blind rehabilitation centers, medical centers of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, non-profit organizations, and for-profit companies.
The SmartVision 3 smartphone can be ordered at www.razmobility.com/solutions/smartvision-3-smartphone/.
Please Don't Rain – An Accessible and Unique Weather Experience
OverHere Consulting - Monday, July 31, 2023
The Please Don't Rain app – a unique weather application that's taking the world by storm. Well, I think it should be! And it's found a permanent spot on my Home Screen!
What sets this app apart is its refreshing approach – no location access needed to fetch your forecast. Say goodbye to battery-drain! All other weather apps should take a page out of the Please Don't Rain playbook on this one! With its sleek simplicity, Please Don't Rain proves that less is truly more.
Using the app is a breeze:
1. Choose your location, from precise spots to just your hometown.
2. Select the day you want to keep tabs on – whether it's a day at the amusement park or a leisurely walk with a furry, yellow guide dog.
That's it! The app does its magic, showing you the weather for up to 9 days ahead. And if your event is further out, it's got you covered with a countdown until the day of your event.
Want to add a personal touch? Customize the app's appearance with adorable images for different weather conditions, color schemes for widgets, and the background of the app. Mix and match to suit your style!
And for Voiceover users, this app is amazing! All images are labeled, and navigation is smooth and user-friendly, with navigation headings and consistent navigation features across the app.
Now, let's talk price – it's a steal! Just $0.99 for 3 months or $2.99 for a whole year. Skip a cup of coffee, and you've got it covered!
By the way, here's a little secret: I've been involved in testing and improving this app for accessibility with the Voiceover screen reader. As well as suggesting the Favorite locations section. The sweet dog and man image? A tribute to me and my trusty guide dog, Helen.
Get the App, and follow the developer:
https://overhereconsulting.net/2023/07/31/please-dont-rain-an-accessible-and-unique-weather-experience/
RECIPE CORNER
Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti Recipe
You can cover and refrigerate the casserole overnight, and sprinkle with cheese before baking. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes until bubbly.
6 servings (serving size: 1 1/3 cups)
Ingredients
9 ounces uncooked spaghetti
Cooking spray
1 cup frozen chopped onion
1 tablespoon bottled minced garlic
2 (14.5-ounce) cans stewed tomatoes, undrained and chopped
1 tablespoon low-sodium Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese, divided
3 cups frozen chopped cooked chicken, thawed
Preparation
Prep: 5 Minutes
Cook: 31 Minutes
Preheat oven to 350º.
Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain.
Coat a nonstick skillet with cooking spray; place over medium-high heat until hot. Add onion and garlic; sauté 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, seasoning, and salt; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes. Stir in 1 cup cheese, cooked spaghetti, and chicken. Spoon into a 3-quart casserole coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup cheese. Bake at 350º for 15 minutes.
Buffalo Chicken Pizza
Buffalo chicken pizza is a terrific quick and easy recipe for a weeknight dinner or a tailgating party. This buffalo chicken pizza recipe is particularly easy, because it is made with a tortilla crust.
Look for flatbreads, such as Flat-out Wraps, or flour tortillas in the refrigerated section of your local supermarket.
Although you can use regular mozzarella cheese in place of the smoked mozzarella, the smoked mozzarella really gives this pizza recipe pizazz.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Ingredients:
4 10-inch flour tortillas or flatbreads
1 Tbsp. olive oil
4 cups shredded cooked chicken breast
1/4 cup hot sauce (can use more or less, depending on how spicy you like
it)
4 cups shredded smoked mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Lay tortillas or flatbreads on two ungreased cookie sheets.
3. Brush each with olive oil.
4. In a small bowl, toss the shredded chicken breast with the hot sauce.
Sprinkle evenly over the 4 pizzas.
5. Sprinkle 1 cup of the smoked mozzarella over each pizza. Top with one tablespoon of the blue cheese.
6. Bake 3 to 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted, bubbly and golden brown.
7. Cut into quarters to serve.
Makes 4 main course-size servings or 8 appetizer servings.
CHICKEN DRUMSTICKS OVEN FRIED
1/4 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/3 c. shortening
Heat oven to 425 degrees. Melt in small saucepan and set aside 1/3 cup shortening.
Mix in paper bag the above ingredients. Wash and pat dry 2 pounds of chicken legs.
Put 3 or 4 pieces of chicken in paper bag and shake to coat chicken with flour mixture.
Arrange chicken in a single layer on ungreased 13x9x2" baking pan. Drizzle the melted
shortening on chicken. Bake, uncovered, 45 minutes or until chicken is tender. Enjoy.
Chicken Enchiladas
1/3 cup Planters Peanut Oil
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 cup flour
1 (13.5 ounce) can chicken broth
1 2/3 cups water
1/2 cup enchilada sauce
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups coarsely shredded Cheddar cheese, about 5 ounces
1 1/2 cups diced cooked chicken or turkey
1/4 cup sliced pitted ripe olives
8 (7 inch) Pinata Corn Tortillas
Heat Peanut Oil in a saucepan over medium heat; add onion and garlic, cook until tender. Stir in flour, mixing until smooth. Gradually add chicken broth, water and enchilada sauce, mixing until smooth. Stir in chili powder and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thick. Reserving 1/2 cup cheese, mix remaining cheese with chicken and olives. Dip Corn Tortillas in prepared sauce for about 5 seconds. Spoon 3 tablespoons chicken filling across center of each; roll up and place, seam side down, in a shallow 2 1/2-quart baking dish. Pour remaining sauce over tortillas. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Sprinkle with reserved cheese and continue baking 10 minutes. Garnish with sliced ripe olives, if desired and serve immediately.
Makes 4 servings.
SCAVI MINUTES
South Central Association of the Visually Impaired
SCAVI met at 9:30 AM at the Bedford Free Methodist Church. The meeting was called to order by Rita Kersh. Those in attendance were: Cynthia Brooking, Doug and Brenda Eads, Ida Galey, Rita Kersh, Denise Mullis, Mike and Dolly Sowder, and James and Karen Veen.
Brenda moved to approve the July Minutes. It was seconded by Dolly. The motion carried.
Cindy reported that the current amount in the account is $5,148.59. Recent interest on the account is 66 cents. Dolly moved that we approve the treasurers report, Brenda seconded it and the motion carried.
Our Chili Supper will be held on October 17 at 4:00 PM at the First Baptist Church. A discussion was held regarding the price of the tickets. Dolly moved with Doug seconding the prices. The final decision was that the tickets will be $8 for those six years and over. Those younger than 6 will be free. A list of needed items was circulated so we had the opportunity to indicate what items we could donate.
Cindy requested we consider the purchase of an ink cartridge. Denise moved we approve her request and Doug seconded it. The cost of the cartridge will be around $25.
A state board meeting was held on Saturday, August 5. Rita let us know that the state picnic will be on September 16 at McCormick's Creek. The menu will be barbecued pork and chicken with 2or 3 sides. There will be an auction. Funds are needed to assist with expenses of the state convention that we will host next year. This year's state convention will be held in Columbus, Ohio. Other business conducted at the board meeting was current efforts to get a new web master.
Since the first Monday in September will be on Labor Day, we discussed meeting on September 11.
Denise moved that we approve the change. Ida seconded it and the motion carried. The September 11 meeting will be at 9:30 at the Bedford Free Methodist Church.
Respectfully submitted by Denise Mullis, secretary