The California Council of the Blind will hold its spring conference and convention from Thursday, April 12 through Sunday, April 15, 2012. The conference and convention will take place at the Crowne Plaza SFO Hotel, 1177 Airport Blvd., Burlingame, CA 94010. For more information call the CCB office at 800-221-6359, or visit their website at www.ccbnet.org.
LightHouse News
Free Tax Preparation at the LightHouse on March 6
It’s that time of year that we all love to hate. Tax season has begun, and the next thing you know it will be April 15th. Don’t wait until then. Come to the LightHouse and get your taxes done for FREE.
What: Free Tax Preparation
When: Tuesday, March 6 (appointments start at 10:00 a.m.)
Where: LightHouse for the Blind, 214 Van Ness Ave, San Francisco, 94102
Contact: Brandon Young, 415-694-7372, byoung@lighthouse-sf.org.
Professional tax preparers will be on hand to help you with your tax needs. Space is limited, so make an appointment today!
LightHouse Yoga Workshop This Saturday
Embrace this Valentine month by luxuriating with your beautiful breath. Led by instructor Nancy Yates, Saturday’s yoga workshop is designed to open our hearts to the divine spirit of the breath while we playfully stretch, breathe, laugh and read love poems.
When: Saturday, February 18, 3:30 to 5:30 p.m.
Where: LightHouse San Francisco Headquarters
Contact: Brandon Young, byoung@lighthouse-sf.org, 415-694-7372
Refreshments (chai and strawberries) will be served. RSVPs are encouraged.
Free Video Description Training for Employment (Expenses Paid)
National Federation of the Blind Jernigan Institute is offering a free workshop, including paid-for travel and room and board in May 2012, as part of the Video Description Research and Development Center Project, Smith-Kettlewell.
Applications are due by March 9.
Beginning July 1, 2012, major broadcast and cable networks will be required to provide video description for some television programs. The growing need to produce video-described programming will create new employment opportunities for blind professionals. With an extremely high unemployment rate among blind people, now is a perfect time for blind people to break into these careers. This workshop will provide participants with some initial training which could potentially make them desirable to companies who provide video description.
Read more here:
http://www.nfb.org/nfb/VDRC_Training_Application.asp.
Participants Needed for Social Networking Survey
Jeffrey P. Bigham, Ph.D., principal investigator from the University of Rochester, is conducting a research study in order to understand the use of social networking among blind and visually impaired people. If you are interested in taking the 15 minute survey please go to:
Exciting Update on Non-24-Hour Sleep-Wake Disorder Studies
As many of you know, Vanda has been conducting research on a sleep problem related to total blindness called Non-24-Hour Sleep-Wake Disorder. They have received many questions asking for information about how the study is progressing and if it is working. They are pleased to be able to share the following information from the screening stage of the study that you may find interesting.
- The drug Tasimelteon was shown for the first time to reset the body clock and to align it to a constant 24-hour day in patients suffering from Non-24-hour
- Over 1,000 totally blind NLP (no light perception) individuals have taken the Vanda sleep survey
- Over 75% report a sleep problem
- 70% of those screened in the Vanda’s main clinical study have a confirmed diagnosis of Non-24-Hour
- Over half of patients in the study have a sleepless night once per month
- Vanda’s main study is close to the target 100 patients but still needs additional participants
- Vanda has donated over $30,000 to blind related non-profits
For more information on Non-24-Hour Sleep-Wake Disorder, go to http://24sleepwake.com/. To take the survey, call 888-389-7033, visit www.non24registry.com or email info@non24registry.com.
LightHouse of the North Coast Hosts Free Six-Week Workshop Series
Join us as Our Pathways to Health presents a series of free health and wellness workshops for Low Vision and Blind Consumers
This peer-led series of workshops addresses the common challenges faced by those living with long-term health conditions like diabetes, high blood Pressure, arthritis, COPD or chronic pain.
Learn how to:
- Set small goals that lead to big transformations
- Lose weight, exercise more, eat healthier
- Find the motivation to tackle large goals
Learn action planning:
- Set small, achievable goals
- Build on success in a supportive environment
When: Tuesdays, April 3 through May 8th, 1:00 to 3:30 p.m.
Where: Humboldt Senior Resource Center
1910 California Street, Eureka, CA 95501
Space is limited.
Contact Janet Pomerantz at 707-268-5646 for more information and reservations.
Caregivers are welcome to attend with workshop participants.
New Dates! Window-Eyes Training by GW Micro
GW Micro will be offering a two-day Window-Eyes training at the LightHouse in February. Take the training that the American Foundation for the Blind raved about in their review of Window-Eyes training in the July 2010 edition of AccessWorld (www.afb.org/aw).
If you are a teacher who needs to know how to use the latest screen reading technology, an IT professional who needs to support blind clients, a student or current Window-Eyes customer who needs to know how to get the most out of Window-Eyes; then Window-Eyes training is made just for you.
When: Tuesday, March 20 and Wednesday, March 21
Where: LightHouse San Francisco Headquarters
What do you get when you sign up for Window-Eyes training?
You get. . .
* Hands-on training with a GW Micro certified trainer
* The entire two-day curriculum on CD
* Knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook using Window-Eyes advanced Office technology features
* Knowledge of the Internet and how to use it to its full advantage with Window-Eyes
* Knowledge of how to customize your computer, making graphics, words, and colors speak the way you want them to
* Continuing Education Units (for an additional fee)
* Many more skills. Check out www.gwmicro.com/training for more information
Unlike other training courses that can cost up to $1000 per day, the complete, two-day Window-Eyes training is only $650 per student. Check with your Department of Rehabilitation (DOR) counselor to see if this expense is covered under your DOR plan.
If you have any questions regarding the training, please contact Kimberly Cline at 260-489-3671 or kimberly@gwmicro.com for more information.
To sign up for the training, please register at https://www.gwmicro.com/Training/Window-Eyes_Training/Registration/. Make sure to select San Francisco, CA as the location for training. For more information, check out www.gwmicro.com/wetraining.
Google Scholarships
As part of their ongoing commitment to advancing computing and technology, Google is pleased to support the work of their partner organizations in providing scholarships to students studying computer science.
They are now accepting applications for the following scholarship opportunities in North America:
• Google Lime Scholarship for Students with Disabilities – Deadline: February 5, 2012
• Google AISES Scholarship – Deadline: February 29, 2012
• Google Hispanic College Fund Scholarship – Deadline: March 1, 2012
• Google UNCF Scholarship – US Application ; Canada Application – Deadline: March 18, 2012
In addition, they are still accepting applications for the Google Anita Borg Memorial Scholarship (Deadline: February 6, 2012).
Links to specific scholarship Information and applications are available at http://googleforstudents.blogspot.com/2012/01/google-scholarships-in-north-america.html.
Scholarship recipients will each receive a $10,000 scholarship for the 2012-2013 academic year and will be invited to attend the all-expenses-paid annual Google Scholars’ Retreat at the Googleplex in Mountain View, CA. Scholarships will be awarded based on the strength of the applicants’ academic background and their demonstrated passion for computer science.
For complete details on all Google scholarships, visit www.google.com/jobs/scholarships.
New Scholarships Available through the Council of Citizens with Low Vision International (CCLVI)
Here are two new scholarship announcements from the Council of Citizens with Low Vision International:
Scholarships for College Students – The Fred Scheigert Scholarship Program
The Council of Citizens with Low Vision International (CCLVI) will award three scholarships in the amount of $3,000 each to full-time entering freshmen, undergraduate and graduate college students who are low vision, maintain a strong GPA and are involved in their school/local community. Application materials must be received by March 15. Scholarship monies will be awarded for the 2012 – 2013 academic year. To read the scholarship guidelines and complete an on-line application, please go to http://www.cclvi.org/scholarships/. Applications will be available to submit on-line until March 15 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. Questions may be directed to CCLVI at 800-733-2258.
Dr. Sam Genensky Video Magnifier Memorial Award
The Council of Citizens with Low Vision International (CCLVI) announces the Dr. Sam Genensky Video Magnifier Memorial Awards. A total of five video magnifiers will be awarded to at least 2 students (K-12, undergraduate, graduate and vocational levels) and 2 non-students (adults and seniors). Applications may be submitted beginning January 25 and all materials must be received by March 31. To read the award guidelines and complete an on-line application, please go to http://www.cclvi.org/scholarships/. Applications will be available to submit on-line until March 31 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. To receive a hard copy application, please call 800-733-2258.
