THE WHITE CANE BULLETIN Florida Council of The Blind, Inc. March – April 2023 Articles for the White Cane Bulletin must be submitted to Sally Benjamin no later than the 15th of the month before it is published. Sally’s email is: salbenjamin60@gmail.com. If you do not have access to a computer and email, please find someone in your chapter to help you. We want to hear from anyone who wants to contribute to our newsletter, so if you cannot find a way to submit your article, call Sally and she will be glad to assist you. Articles published in The White Cane Bulletin are in compliance with Public Law No. 104197, Copyright Law Amendment of 1996. This law allows authorized entities to distribute copies of previously published non-dramatic literary works in specialized formats, including Braille, audio or digital text that are exclusively for use by Blind people or those with disabilities. Any further distributing of such articles in another than a specialized format is an infringement of copyright. Those much-needed contributions, which are Tax-deductible, can be sent to the Florida Council of the Blind Treasurer, Mark Lear, at *** P.O. BOX 214235 DAYTONA BEACH, FL 32121. To remember the Florida Council of the Blind in your Last Will and Testament, you may include a special paragraph for that purpose in your Will or Trust. If your wishes are complex, please contact the FCB at 800-267-4448. The FCB is a 501(c)(3) organization. For other ways to support the Florida Council of the Blind, visit our Fundraising page found at www.fcb.org. ARE YOU MOVING? – Sally Benjamin If you are moving, please notify me of your new address so you will continue to receive your White Cane Bulletin. Also, if you know of anyone interested in joining FCB and who would like to receive the White Cane Bulletin and the Braille Forum, please contact me at: (850) 980-0205 or E-mail: salbenjamin60@gmail.com TABLE OF CONTENTS President’s Message: by Sheila Young 3 FCB’s Seventieth Convention: by Kati Lear 4 FCB Virtual Auction: By Leslie Spoone 4 Book Corner 5 FCB Convention Sponsors: by Leslie Spoone 5 Recipe Corner: Submitted: by Sheila Young 5 Music to My Ears: Replaying The 2022 SongSight Music Mentoring Retreat: by Greg Lindberg 6 Tech Tips: by John Richards 8 Chapter News Chapter At Large Members; by Peggy Carpenter 9 March-April 2023 GOCB Update: by Martha James  10 Paws for GDUI - News You Can Use! - VOL. III, NO. 1, February 2023 - A Publication of Guide Dog Users, Inc. - Guide Dog Users, Inc. (GDUI): Submitted by: Sheila Young 10 Poetry Corner Submitted: by Shelley Sawyer 12 FCB OFFICERS, 2020 – 2022 15 2020-2022 FCB Chapter & Special Affiliate Officer Liaisons 14 Handy Telephone Number References 16 *** Presidents Message March-April 2023 Dear members & friends, It is hard to believe that we are three years in and still dealing with some of the aftereffects of the pandemic! I want to express my deepest sympathies to those families who have lost someone over the past year, and know my heart is with you and your loss. I, too, lost someone very special just recently, so I do understand the pain you are going through. Our members are also part of our family, so please treat each of them as though they are special, as they are! I realize this has been very challenging for many of our members and many of our chapters, and your Executive Committee has been working hard trying to figure out what we can do to assist each of you. I want to thank the fund-raising committee for coming up with the Chapter Revenue Plan idea for each of us! This will benefit all of the chapters and special interest chapters that take advantage of it! We are celebrating seventy years of FCB this year! This will be, once again, a hybrid convention, and many hours of planning are going into the programs in an effort to bring what is best for our members and to make it beneficial for all of you! I am excited, as once again, our break-out sessions will prove to be quite diverse this year, and I hope each of you will plan to join us. Not only are we planning for convention, but we are also taking part in the virtual and in-person leadership seminar sponsored by the American Council of the Blind in March. This is an opportunity for all members to take part in this experience, whether you attend virtually or decide to make the trip to D. C.! I want to thank Florida Council of the Blind for offering the opportunity for some of our up-and-coming leaders to be able to take advantage of going to the capital and participating in, what will prove to be, an amazing experience! Thanks to our Governmental Affairs Committee and others, our organization is still working very hard on accessible voting for each of us. We do need your help in reaching out to your Supervisors of Election in your area to let them know that you have a right to vote, no matter how you choose to do so, and they have an obligation to make it accessible for you. We all have a responsibility to advocate for the needs of all blind and visually impaired people; if we don’t, who will? I hope each of you is staying in touch with each other; that is how we have been able to survive this very unusual pandemic! Please remember I am only a phone call or email away and am here to assist you in any way you need. If I don’t have the answer, I will find someone who does! Take care, be safe, and hope to see you in June! *** FCB’s Seventieth Convention by Kati Lear FCB’s Anniversary Platinum Convention dates are Thursday, June 1 through noon on Sunday June 4, 2023. Our focus is many aspects of 70. We will learn from each other and have lots of fun. Our convention theme this year is 70 AND JUST GETTING STARTED! The convention committee is putting the convention program together and we thank everyone for sending in their program write ups. We appreciate our sponsors for their donations which will make this convention more affordable for us. One of the focal points of our convention is the exhibit hall and this year it promises to be fabulous. Convention costs are as follows: registration $25, 70’s karaoke style donation of $10, one banquet $40, and both banquets $75. The convention call will be emailed April 1, or large print copies can be mailed for those who request them. I will let you know when online registration is available. We will be staying at the Sheraton Orlando North in Maitland. Their address is 600 North Lake Destiny Dr. Room rates are $99 per night plus tax. To make your room reservation, call 407-660-9000. To book online, use this link Book your group rate for FCB Annual Convention Room Block. The mini hotel code is SIB. We are looking forward to seeing you in June at our fun-filled convention. *** FCB Virtual Auction by Leslie Spoone Hello FCB Family, Come and enjoy our annual virtual auction for The Florida Council of the Blind. We will have lots of exciting items including gift cards, jewelry,  crafts and homemade goodies to share with someone special or just keep them for yourself. The annual auction will be on Tuesday, May 30 starting at 7:00pm ET on Zoom and on ACB Media 8. we will also be auctioning off five live items on Saturday, June 3at the Banquet.  So, get ready for a bidding frenzy.  We look forward to hearing you and seeing you at our annual FCB Auction this year. Happy Bidding! Leslie Spoone FCB Auction Chair 407 678-4163 *** Hiaasen, Carl Skink no Surrender DBC12776 Submitted: by Sheila Young Hiaasen, Carl. Reading time: 6 hours, 13 minutes. Read by Ellen Rabin. A production of Florida Bureau of Braille and Talking Book Library Services. Humor Mystery and Detective Stories With the help of an eccentric ex-governor, a teenaged boy searches for his missing cousin in the Florida wilds. Award winner. For junior and senior high. *** FCB Convention Sponsors by Leslie Spoone Hello FCB Family, The FCB Fundraising team is reaching out to everyone about being a sponsor for the 70th FCB Convention. There are a couple of levels of sponsorship that you or your chapter can do. Here are the levels: Platinum $2500 Platinum Light $1500 Gold $1,000 Silver $500 Bronze $250 You can also be a Red, White or Blue sponsor for$100 Red, $50 White and $25 for Blue. If you would like to be a sponsor for the 70th FCB Convention, please reach out to Leslie Spoone at 407 678-4163 or email lesliespoone@cfl.rr.com. We really appreciate everyone supporting the FCB Convention. We look forward to seeing everyone in June. Best Regards, Leslie Spoone FCB Fundraising Member 407 678-4163 *** Recipe Corner Submitted: by Sheila Young Snicker Salad 1 package instant French vanilla pudding 1 cup cold milk 8 oz. whipped topping 3 unpeeled Granny Smith apples 1 package snack size Snicker bars, cut in slices Whisk pudding and milk together. Chill until thickened.  Fold in whipped topping. Add remaining ingredients and fold together until blended. Chill until ready to serve. *** Music to My Ears: Replaying The 2022 SongSight Music Mentoring Retreat: by Greg Lindberg This past August, I got a text from Steven, a friend of mine. He asked if I had heard about the SongSight Music Mentoring Retreat, a brand new event being put on by legally blind American Idol finalist Scott MacIntyre and several of his colleagues who are plugged into the music scene. The group was searching for up to 10 blind and visually impaired singers and musicians from around the country to attend a one-of-a-kind music retreat. With my experience singing and playing guitar over the last several years, I considered throwing my hat in the ring for what sounded like a can’t-miss opportunity to rub elbows with fellow attendees and those who are closely involved in music. After mentally kicking around the idea, I decided to give it a whirl. I recorded a short video of myself explaining why I thought I might be a decent fit for such an exclusive event. I also submitted a recording of a few songs I had performed. This was all part of the online application. After just over a week, I received an email congratulating me on my acceptance. I was a bit shocked to hear of this fantastic news, and it came much sooner than expected. While I have dabbled in music as a hobby, I certainly did not view myself as any kind of expert. Leading up to the retreat held in November in Scottsdale, AZ, we learned of more details about the various activities in which we would be participating. It sounded better and better as each update arrived in my inbox. My mom and I booked a flight for the two of us, and of course my guide dog, Goldie, to fly out to Phoenix. The time arrived quickly for us to make our cross-country journey from Florida to Arizona. After arriving and spending some time exploring the city, we started meeting some of the attendees at our hotel on Friday afternoon. I had no idea who was going to be there or if I would know anyone. It was a nice surprise to learn of some interesting connections I had to a few attendees. We then took a short van ride over to the venue, a spacious home in Scottsdale. We did some icebreaker activities, enjoyed a tasty dinner, and then sat back to listen to Scott and his band perform a handful of inspirational songs. That night, we sat around the campfire to sing and play music. It was quite a powerful experience as some attendees shared their stories of overcoming adversity and how music and their faith have made such a positive impact on their lives. The retreat continued Saturday; I first got to sit down with Scott and two other attendees to work on my guitar playing and vocals. In just a short amount of time, Scott offered up some valuable advice to me that I’ve already tried to adopt in the time following this event. His main message to me was to sing with a bit more passion, emotion, and to “own” the words of any song I sing. He emphasized how this method is sure to turn heads when performing in front of others or for a recording. Plus, the four of us in this smaller group began composing the words and melody on piano to a new song. I was fascinated by the songwriting knowledge Scott shared with us, and again, I soaked up so much knowledge and experience from him on this front. The concept of “true” and “false” rhymes in lyric writing stood out to me most during this session. In the afternoon, we paid a visit to the Musical Instrument Museum (MIM). I was blown away by the diversity of instruments and music history at this fascinating venue. We all participated in a hand drum class, and the instructor taught us several different techniques. How our group spontaneously produced some super cool rhythms was so powerful. In addition, a large collection of instruments was available for us to try. I think the harp was my favorite among the ones I got my hands on. We also enjoyed another campfire experience that night, this time with smores. Sunday brought the final day of the event. This was recording day. The group of attendees went into a makeshift studio, one of the rooms in the home. We began by recording numerous tracks for the “Let the Light in” single. We each had an earbud in one of our ears, and we listened to different sections of the track Scott had previously composed for the song. We then sang along with these sections, and a producer, Dave Bechtel (who has over 200 albums to his name), worked his magic by recording multiple takes of each section. It really opened my eyes as to how many takes are involved in perfecting just one part of a song. In addition to singing, he even recorded us clapping, making sounds with our mouths, and some cheering to be included at the end of the song. After this lengthy group session, we then individually recorded our own parts of the song. My lines to record were as follows: ”Now don’t you fear the darkness, it’s brighter than it seems. Sometimes you have to close your eyes so you can really see. ‘Cause who you are today is never who you’re gonna be. Oh…let the light in.” I admittedly was a bit nervous recording these individual lines because, unlike the group session, the spotlight was shining brightly on me. I did have multiple takes on each line, but I was ultimately pretty proud of myself for not spending all afternoon trying to make my voice sound perfect. I was also very happy with the feedback both Scott and Dave gave me on my voice during this session as well. Wrapping up the retreat, we each had an opportunity to do an interview about the whole weekend experience to later be featured in a recap video. These interviews were conducted by Kurt Heinecke, another highly accomplished producer, photographer, and videographer who has worked with the likes of Dolly Parton and John Williams. We also had the chance to play around with several instruments at the house, including guitars, drums, and an accordion. I found the accordion quite challenging to hold because of how bulky it is, and I gained a lot of respect for those who play the instrument. I had never taken a good amount of time out to play the drums. Doing so actually lit a bulb in my mind that I might be interested in taking drum lessons someday to open the percussive side of my brain. On the whole, I was completely in aw of my SongSight experience. It totally exceeded my expectations. I truly felt like the crew rolled out the red carpet for each attendee in so many ways. I cannot thank Scott, his team, the volunteers, and all of the attendees for welcoming Goldie and I with open arms into this empowering world for a weekend. I am forever grateful for having received such a unique opportunity to connect with individuals whom I never could have imagined being around just a few years ago. Who knew that my parents’ Christmas gift of a guitar and their encouragement for me to take guitar and voice lessons in the years afterward would lead me to an event comprised of such a special group of people in Scottsdale, AZ in 2022? *** Tech Tips by John Richards: for the Technology Committee Will We Have To Pay In The Near Future To Issue Commands To Our Smart Assistant Or Will Our Smart Speakers Suffer A Slow Death And End up In The Silicon Junk Pile!! We all love our Amazon Smart Assistants; users of the Amazon Alexa Smart Assistant rely on their smart speakers in order to set timers, check weather and traffic notifications, turn on and off lights and other smart devices in the home. However, these Smart Assistants were developed in part to make purchasing goods and services from Amazon easier for the consumer through Voice Purchasing. Sadly for Amazon, that feature has not proved to be profitable. According to a report from Business Insider, Amazon is planning to eliminate some 10,000 jobs. The company is going through the biggest layoffs in the organizations' history. The Amazon Alexa voice assistant unit lost $3 billion in just the first quarter of 2022 and has been sufferring momentous losses for the past several years. Other Tech Giants are sufferring suggnificant losses within their Voice Assistant divisions as well. Long term plans for the echo devices could be anybody's guess. I for one, am guilty of not making voice purchases over the Amazon voice assistant; furthermore, I have disabled voice purchasing all together. I never have been comfortable with the feature. Portions of this article are from an Article written BY HARRY GUINNESS, Popular Science, PUBLISHED NOV 23, 2022 *** Chapter News Chapter At Large Members by Peggy Carpenter Want To Join FCB but Don’t Live Near a Chapter? FCB is happy to announce that there are now two options for joining as an At Large member. Previously there was an option to join FCB as an At large Member for $10 annually. This option will remain, however, there is now a new option to join CALM which is Chapter of At Large Members of FCB for $12 annually. We will identify the differences for each option. Joining FCB as an At Large member gives you membership in both FCB and ACB and allows you to vote in elections and receive both the White Cane Bulletin and the Braille Forum. There is no associated Chapter with this option and no regular meetings. This option also has some limitations related to not being in a Chapter of ACB such as not being able to apply for DKM First Timers and JP Morgan Leadership programs, etc. The new option available to everyone is to join the new CALM (Chapter of At Large Members). This option also gives you full membership in FCB and ACB but also makes you a member of a FCB Chapter. This means you will have access to monthly meetings via Zoom or conference calls where you can learn about new resources, share experiences, advocate statewide or in your local area, and enjoy the camaraderie of other blind and visually impaired Floridians. Many of us live in an area in Florida where it is not convenient to attend meetings at one of our existing Chapters. CALM will hold meetings virtually so no transportation is needed. Calm in association with FCB has embarked on the Electric Youth program aimed at recruiting new members, providing mentoring and leadership opportunities and social networking activities that will eventually lead to an arm of CALM that will be led, run and focused on and by our FCB younger members. We are striving to present options for wherever you are in your Blind/Low Vision journey and by Joining CALM you will have all the benefits of a chapter member along with the opportunity to build a chapter that is fun and advantageous for us all. Joining CALM also ensures that your voice will be heard and that you receive all privileges of being a full member of a Chapter in FCB and ACB. Remember, Communications plus Unity results in Community! Join CALM to be a member of a vibrant new Community within our FCB family! If you are interested in joining CALM, send an email to CALMFCB@gmail.com. If you would like to learn more about Florida Council of the Blind, you can call 1-800-267-4448 or go to FCB.org. Whichever option will best fit your needs, we hope you will join our FCB family. *** March-April 2023 GOCB Update by Martha James    Some of our chapter members were delighted to take part in a live audio described performance of “Rock of Ages” at Winter Garden Theater. It was an entertaining afternoon, taking us back to the 80’s! On February 25, GOCB is participating in the Site and Soul walk put on by Lighthouse of Central Florida, at Crane’s Roost, from 11:00 to 1:00. There will be a get-together afterward at Café Murano’s. GOCB will have a table at the walk.  March 22 we will have another Dine and Donate at Tijuana Flats, from 5:00 to 8:00.  Let’s not forget Trivia night in April. It will be on April 22, at the VFW. There will be a silent auction. Anyone interested in a lively night of fun should join us.  *** Paws for GDUI - News You Can Use! - VOL. III, NO. 1, February 2023 - A Publication of Guide Dog Users, Inc. - Guide Dog Users, Inc. (GDUI) Lisa Gilmartin, December 28, 2022 GDUI member, president GDP Creative Tails writing group and a member of FCB-ACBU For me, there are few joys better than hiking on the paved trails in the western United States. The various new smells tantalizing my nostrils, the arid air on my skin, & the sounds of nature, if even in a breeze, absolutely fills my soul. The true thrill, for me, is to be one with nature. Animal encounters are always memorable, welcome or not. I shared one of these hikes with my twin nieces, Jamie and Jesse, along with my guide Dog, Ravi, in the Santa Monica mountains up to the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles, California. It was lovely late afternoon on a beautiful January 2020 day. We found a canyon trail starting with a very steep incline. The girls read the posted signs on the bulletin board at the start of the trail for any pertinent information. There was nothing alarming listed. So we started our accent to the steep incline. When a mountain trail is extremely steep, it cuts sharply from right to left & back; this is known as a switchback to hikers. There were many switchbacks on this trail. As we reached the last steep switchback, it plopped us directly into the parking lot of the Griffith Observatory. By this time, the sun was slipping slowly behind the mountains to the west as we took in the view. Dusk gave way to a beautiful evening sky. While taking it all in through my senses, I could hear howling in the distance. I told my nieces under no uncertain terms, “I’m not going back that way!“ Jamie walked over to a ranger asking, “What is that noise we hear in the distance?” He told her, “Oh, it’s nothing, just coyotes. “ Really? Nothing? She explained to him that we had hiked from the canyon below to the observatory. She asked if it was dangerous for us to go down the trail in the dark with my guide dog. He assured her that as long as a dog is on a leash, coyotes would not bother us. I was still very skeptical. When we had our fill of the observatory, it was late. Feeling exhausted, I succumbed to walking down the trail. I thought we’ll just walk quickly down the steep trail to the car in less than 10 minutes to make it easier Since we were unfamiliar with how else to get to the car. We reached our first switchback down the steep trail as we stepped onto the trail. Jesse and Jamie walked ahead of Ravi & me. They used their flashlights on their cell phones to walk quickly back down the pitch-black mountain. trail Just then, we all heard a little rustling before reaching the second switchback, a very short distance away. Then came an animal noise. Jesse turned, whispering, “Animal. Turn around.“ We all turned around back towards the parking lot in pitch blackness. Suddenly I heard a very deep, low guttural sound, GROWL, about 9” in the back of Ravi’s tail! Jamie was already at the top by the parking lot. I thought I was walking fast but I was actually not moving at all!! I was frozen! I noticed my legs felt like cement from my knees to my hips. My brain said, “RUN!” but my legs could not move. Jesse turned around to see me frozen. Ravi was stopped just looking at me, waiting for me to direct him. The deep growling was getting louder and louder right behind Ravi. As I recall these harrowing moments, I still remember that deep growling behind me as if it had just happened. Growl Jesse yelled to Jamie, “Jamie, come help Lisa & Ravi!” I thought about what I wanted Jamie to do. I thought I would have her go behind Ravi to protect him and scare this unseen ominous creature. After that thought, the deep growling was so loud, so close behind Ravi, that I realized Jamie could not go behind us. As Jamie ran back to me, she asked me, “What do you want me to do?!” I Outstretched my left hand, passing her the leash saying, “Take Ravi!!” In a flash, they were gone. Jamie was holding Ravi’s leash as the handle on his harness flailed about. Jesse grabbed my left arm, pulling me up the hill, insisting I move. I was still frozen. The louder, deepening growling was now about 3 feet behind me at this point! I started to feel the hairs on the back of my neck rising. The hairs on my arm stood at attention. I knew this was literally a do-or-die situation. Feeling a tingling, flooding body, I knew I was about to be attacked. In a surprise moment in my sheer terror, I clumsily raised my right arm at a 90-degree angle, waving my hand out away from me, trying to make myself look bigger. I turned my head to the right sounding extremely verbally challenged, as if I had never been able to speak clearly in my life, saying, “leave us alone!” With that, I seemed to have broken some sort of spell. The hairs on the back of my neck and arms were no longer standing up. My legs started to move! I was able to race up to the first switch back into the parking lot. Once in the parking lot, we ran to a Ranger in his 60s. We shared our harrowing close encounters with an animal kind. He asked us what the noise sounded like. I repeated my low deep guttural growling imitation. Nonchalantly, he shared, “It’s a relatively famous mountain lion called P-99. It has even been photographed by National Geographic in an article.” Trying my best to be an advocate for hikers, I insisted a sign be put up warning hikers that a mountain lion lives in this canyon. His response floored me. He informed me no signs would be placed.in order to not ruin the natural beauty. I found it incredulous that warning signs will not be placed to warn hikers of P99! Needless to say, Ravi did not go on any more hikes during that trip, nor did we do any night hiking. Please realize the need to be very careful when hiking in nature with a guide dog or any pet! Hikers are out soaking up nature. So are the animal inhabitants looking for the next meal! *** Poetry Corner Submitted: by Shelley Sawyer Greetings Dear Readers: I recently attended the funeral of a much-loved and respected member of our church and of the community here. A poem was read by one of his sons. I found it quite moving and thought I would share it. It’s not a new message, but I believe it is one that we need to keep in mind always. Drinking From My Saucer by John Paul Moore I've never made a fortune, and it's probably too late now, But I don't worry about that much, I'm happy anyhow. And as I go along life's way, I'm reaping better than I sowed, I'm drinking from my saucer, Cause my cup has overflowed. Haven't got a lot of riches, and sometimes the going's tough But I've got loving ones all around me, and that makes me rich enough. I thank God for his blessings, and the mercies He's bestowed. I'm drinking from my saucer, Cause my cup has overflowed. I remember times when things went wrong, My faith wore somewhat thin. But all at once the dark clouds broke, and the sun peeped through again. So Lord, help me not to gripe, about the tough rows I have hoed. I'm drinking from my saucer, Cause my cup has overflowed. If God gives me strength and courage, When the way grows steep and rough. I'll not ask for other blessings, I'm already blessed enough. And may I never be too busy, to help others bear their loads. Then I'll keep drinking from my saucer, Cause my cup has overflowed. *** *** FCB Officers, 2020 – 2022 President, Sheila Young 2304 Amherst Ave., Orlando, FL 32804 sheilayoung125@att.net (407) 425-9200 1st Vice-President, Mikey Wiseman 591 E. 15th St., Hialeah, FL 33010 wisemanmikey@gmail.com (305) 331-4870 2nd Vice President, Cassandra Jessie 408 White St., Daytona Beach, FL 32114 cassandrajessie@gmail.com (850) 980-0177 Treasurer, Mark Lear P.O. BOX 214235 DAYTONA BEACH, FL 32121-4215 learm52@icloud.com (386) 788-0463 Membership Secretary, Sally Benjamin 1009 Concord Road, Apt. 116, Tallahassee, FL 32308 Salbenjamin60@gmail.com (850) 980-0205 Recording Secretary, Mary Tyson 291 Eddie Ave., Holly Hill, FL 32117 mtyson541@bellsouth.net (386) 212-9496 Immediate Past President, James Kracht 9901 SW 138th Street, Miami, FL 33176 jameskkracht@gmail.com (305) 251-6983 or (407) 378-3477 Editor of White Cane Bulletin, Sally Benjamin 1009 Concord Road, Apt. 116, Tallahassee, FL 32308 Salbenjamin60@gmail.com (850) 980-0205 FCB Administrative Assistant, Kati Lear (800) 267-4448 (386) 763-3836     floridacouncil@comcast.net *** 2022-2024 FCB Chapter & Special Affiliate Officer Liaisons Please contact your officer liaison if we can be of assistance or if you need anything from the Executive Committee. CALM (Chapter At Large Members) Sheila Young sheilayoung125@att.net (407) 425-9200 Greater Orlando Council of the Blind: Mark Lear learm52@icloud.com (386) 788-0463 Halifax Council of the Blind: Sheila Young sheilayoung125@att.net (407) 425-9200 Jacksonville Council of the Blind: Cassandra Jessie cassandrajessie@gmail.com (850) 980-0177 Manatee County Council of the Blind: Sally Benjamin Salbenjamin60@gmail.com (850) 980-0205 Miami Beach Council of the Blind: James Kracht jameskkracht@gmail.com (305) 251-6983 Miami Metro Council of the Blind: James Kracht jameskkracht@gmail.com (305) 251-6983 Northwest Florida Chapter of the Florida Council of the Blind: Mikey Wiseman wisemanmikey@gmail.com (305) 331-4870 Palm Beach Council of the Blind: Sally Benjamin Salbenjamin60@gmail.com (850) 980-0205 Pinellas Council of the Blind: Sheila Young sheilayoung125@att.net (407) 425-9200 Sarasota Council of the Blind: Mary Tyson mtyson541@bellsouth.net (386) 212-9496 Southwest Florida Council of the Blind: Mikey Wiseman wisemanmikey@gmail.com (305) 331-4870 Tallahassee Council of the Blind: Sheila Young sheilayoung125@att.net (407) 425-9200 Tampa Council of the Blind: James Kracht jameskkracht@gmail.com 305-251-6983 Braille Revival League of Florida: Mary Tyson mtyson541@bellsouth.net (386) 212-9496 Coalition for the Concerns of the Totally Blind: Mark Lear learm52@icloud.com (386) 788-0463 Florida Council of Citizens with Low Vision: Sally Benjamin Salbenjamin60@gmail.com 850-980-0205 Guide Dog Users of Florida: Mary Tyson mtyson541@bellsouth.net (386) 212-9496 Randolph Shepherd Vendors of Florida: James Kracht jameskkracht@gmail.com (305) 251-6983 *** Handy Telephone Number References Project Insight: (800) 267-4448 Bureau of Braille & Talking Book Library: (800) 226-6075 Division of Blind Services, State Office: (800) 342-1828 American Council of The Blind: (800) 424-8666 (Available 3:00 to 5:30 P.M. EST Monday-Friday only) ACB Legislative Hotline: (800) 424-8666 (Available evenings 8:00 P.M. to 12:00 Midnight EST and weekends 9:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. only) AT&T Disability Services: (800)872-3883 Press 00 and speak with your long-distance carrier, or Florida only: (800)982-2891 BellSouth Disability Services: (800)982-2891 (From anywhere) Social Security: (800) 772-1213 (24-hour voice and touch tone accessible 2