Jan-Mar 2014 Newsletter
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Darragh Ryan
Apr 5, 2014, 2:36:41 PM4/5/14
to Valley of the Blind
The Gliding Cane
VOB Publication Volume III, Issue I-IIIII, Jan -Mar 2014
Welcome to The Gliding Cane, our very own, member published and written newsletter to let you know just what we do. Whether you are blind, low vision, or relate to Valley Of The Blind, you and everyone you know are always welcome to join us. This newsletter will be sent out towards the end of every month so that you can stay in touch with special events, accessible friendly locations, cool blind tech and more!
Thank you and enjoy The Gliding Cane.
Main Events
Good Times, Valentine!
By Regina Marie
It has been said that love and friendship are 2 sides of the same coin. They both multiply when shared. You may have heard the lyrics to an old song that says “Love is something if you give it away … It comes right back to you. It’s just like a magic penny. Hold on tight and you won’t have any. Lend it, spend it, give it away; it comes right back to you.” Many people at Valley of the Blind have not known each other or did not know each other well. As we have met, friendships have formed or grown and couples have met and connected or deepened already good relationships. No better time to celebrate this than Valentine’s Day and VOB did so in typical VOB fashion!
We shared dinner at a local restaurant and filled the room to capacity. I believe we had almost 40 people in attendance once again. Cindy was handing out kisses to all and they were much appreciated. Yes, they were the chocolate kind wrapped in foil. It was wonderful to see all the couples enjoying themselves and to see people who had been in long-term marriages and people who were just beginning, trying to see if it might work. Many people were there, single, treating themselves and glad to have a group of friends to celebrate Valentine’s Day.
Our group is growing and every time we introduce ourselves, we find out VOB is very diverse and relaxed. If you’re looking for a place to meet lots of cool people, VOB is definitely the place. If you want to get out and do some fun things even though you have lost or are losing your sight, we’ll be there to help you along the way and support you. If you just want some people who understand the challenges as well as the rewards of living with blindness or low-vision in a predominantly sighted world, VOB will offer you compassion too.
At the Valentine’s Day event, I found myself reflecting on how much the friendship of all the people in VOB means to me. I thank all of you for your fun-loving, welcoming spirit. We all have our Para Transit woes, our white cane, gripes, and our audio glitches. Together, we can brighten whatever kind of weather our VOB friends are experiencing. If you haven’t been to a VOB event, I would encourage you to come and check us out. Valley of the Blind has lots of love to give! Come on and have a good time, Valentine!
St. Patrick’s Day Parade
`O’Malley, O’Reilly, Oh Yeah VOB!
BY Laurie Covert and Roland Haley
Irish eyes were smiling upon us on the 15th of March. It was the second year that VOB participated in the Saint Patrick’s Day Parade in old Sacramento.
It was a bright and sunny day when a small crew gathered early at the registration desk to get things rolling. As the morning progressed, Jackie and Sherrianne eagerly awaited for members to arrive at the Crocker Art Museum so that they could escort them to our position in the parade. Amelia was in place to gather and assist everyone in filling out their registration form. Once they were all in order, she made sure they were turned in to the right people. Once, we got our position number (27), Ken and Paula affixed the front bumper with our wonderful VOB banner and decorated the car with bright green shamrocks and other festive decorations.
While waiting for things to begin, we were able to sneak a peek at some of the other parade participants. There were a number of school marching bands and dance troupes. We saw the old Sacramento cemetery historic society members wearing old 1800’s style hooped skirts, trench coats, boots, hats, and carrying their muskets. Some of us were photographed with some bright and cheery clowns. There was a Save-Mart jye-normous red shopping cart filled with about 8 to 10 people.
At 1PM, the procession started marching slowly toward old Sacramento until we got to the actual parade start point of 2nd and J Street. The twenty plus people marching looked the part, with men in leprechaun hats and the women in shamrock headbands. Our name was announced and we were greeted with a friendly, warm, rousing cheer from the crowd. Roland’s nieces were there handing out a variety of candy to the children along the parade route. The crowds were lined up 3-4 deep the entire way.
The day was a big success and that’s no blarney. We look forward to doing this again next year. A big Irish thank you goes out to
Upcoming Events
Greeting’s all member’s,
I hope everyone had a awesome time at the St. Patrick’s Day Parade. As for right now, we do not have all of the details on our April VOB event. As soon as I do, I will post it. But, I do have a few fun things to tell you all about. First, there is always Bowling every Monday at Country Club Lanes at 2600 Watt Avenue, here in Sacramento. It is from 9 am to 11am and only 25 cents for each game. We have a lot of fun, so, try and come out and join us. The second is, Bingo through the Society for the Blind. It is held every Sunday, I do not have the address, but, you can contact Debra, at the Society, or Sherry ann. They would be happy to give you all of the details. Also, aur member Elena has CCB Bingo at her house, the first Friday of the month. If you all are interested, by all means contact Elena. Summer is fast approaching, and there is so much to do here in Sacramento. Either, for free or a small price. So, be looking for my fun finding posts!!!!!!! Ok, love you all.
Paula and Laurie, your fantastic, fun finders!!!!!!!
Continuously On the Calendar
• Lan Park Golfing
Every Monday starting at 10am ask for Brian.
• Country Club Lanes bowling
Mondays are 25 cent game days from 9 am to 11 am. Join some fellow blind and low vision people for some real good fun!
Call Country Club for more details at 916-483-5105 or visit their website.
Spread Your Word
Little Birdie Adventures
We specialize in full service assistance from start to finish from grocery shopping, Doctor’s appointments, Lunch dates, road trips, party/event planning, organizing to housekeeping you name it we can assist. Rates are very reasonable.
Contact: Robyn Crose
Monday through Sunday @ 602-466-5571
Dark Oak Productions Audio Augmentation and creation
Looking for some eclectic audio augmentation? Want something a little different? Want something extremely different? Then Dark Oak Productions is the studio for you. Specializing in sound construction and audio manipulation to match any feeling you’re looking for whether it be promotions, commercials, station ID’s, or just something fun for your personal use like ringtones or voice mail greetings. True digital wax for your pleasure!
Check us out at http://www.darkoakproductions.com or on http://www.facebook.com/DarkOakProductions and follow us on twitter @DarkOakPro
Do you need technology training for most devices? Such as, Windows computers
Using all types of assistive technologies, Braille note taking devices, iOS
devices, digital players and more, then you have come to the right place.
Hello, this is Jonathon Marcotte and I invite you to experience training which is affordable, flexible and fun!
For $20 per hour, I am able to train many different ways. We can have sessions over the phone, over the internet, and also I am available to have in-home training. I am flexible in that I will work with you either by phone or on-line at your leisure. If in home training is requested, the limitations are set to the public transportation schedule. For any questions, feel free to contact me by EMAIL or by calling (916) 539-1802
Assistive Technology, take the world by your hands!
Tandem Cycling
What better way to enjoy the fresh air, than by riding a bicycle built for two! The US Blind Tandem Cycling Connection is a powerful, free resource, dedicated to matching interested, blind participants with sighted, tandem captains.
Even if you do not own a tandem, there are cyclists in our area with one to share with you. So, visit Bicycling Blind, create your profile, and then, use your zip code to search for cyclists, convenient to both of you. The site provides thorough tutorials to make your first ride one that is enjoyable and safe. You can also communicate with potential riders anonymously, through the site. This way, you can keep your contact information safe until you are ready to share it.
If you have any questions about the site, tandem bicycles, or anything related to cycling, as a blind person, please feel free to contact me.
See you out on the trail,
Ron Burzese, NOMC
916-716-5400
Email Ron
Want to get your word out? To have a small ad for your business or service, please email us or call 916-850-0346 to place a free ad.
Want to join, volunteer, or donate to Valley Of The Blind? Email us
Check us out on Face Book
Or call 916-850-0346for more info.
Click here to check out our archived newsletters
Mission Statement
The mission of the Valley Of The Blind has started as to socialize blind and low vision persons within our community of the Sacramento Valley and surrounding areas.
This group shall be member driven and every member shall have equal participation if so desired. We offer humanity towards ourselves and every person who wishes the same for it is us that will make vision impairment fun and enjoyable.
Our primary goal is to help blind and low vision persons share information regarding blindness as to help our community see that there really are no boundaries especially when it comes to having fun.
• -Founder, Organizer: Darragh Ryan
• Co-founder/Event Coordinator, Fun Finder: Paula Knight
• Membership: John Marcotte
• Photography: Laurie Covert
• Counseling Corner Q & A: Everett Black
• On The Braille Traille: Elena Thomason
The Gliding Cane is intellectual property of Valley Of The Blind and its members. Valley Of The Blind is not affiliated with any non-profit advocacy organizations, Independent Living Skills centers, or businesses of accessible retail products. Redistribution of The Gliding Cane is permitted so long as the entire content is maintained. VOB encourages circulation of The Gliding Cane to any persons involved or wanting to get involved with the blind and low vision community. VOB Logo, Photos, Audio clips, and Videos are property of Valley of The Blind and may not be used without written consent from VOB.
For redistribution or use of photos, Audio Clips, or Videos, send a request with the item in question to:
Valley Of The Blind, info.valle...@gmail.com
VOB Publication Volume III, Issue I-IIIII, Jan -Mar 2014
Welcome to The Gliding Cane, our very own, member published and written newsletter to let you know just what we do. Whether you are blind, low vision, or relate to Valley Of The Blind, you and everyone you know are always welcome to join us. This newsletter will be sent out towards the end of every month so that you can stay in touch with special events, accessible friendly locations, cool blind tech and more!
Thank you and enjoy The Gliding Cane.
Main Events
Good Times, Valentine!
By Regina Marie
It has been said that love and friendship are 2 sides of the same coin. They both multiply when shared. You may have heard the lyrics to an old song that says “Love is something if you give it away … It comes right back to you. It’s just like a magic penny. Hold on tight and you won’t have any. Lend it, spend it, give it away; it comes right back to you.” Many people at Valley of the Blind have not known each other or did not know each other well. As we have met, friendships have formed or grown and couples have met and connected or deepened already good relationships. No better time to celebrate this than Valentine’s Day and VOB did so in typical VOB fashion!
We shared dinner at a local restaurant and filled the room to capacity. I believe we had almost 40 people in attendance once again. Cindy was handing out kisses to all and they were much appreciated. Yes, they were the chocolate kind wrapped in foil. It was wonderful to see all the couples enjoying themselves and to see people who had been in long-term marriages and people who were just beginning, trying to see if it might work. Many people were there, single, treating themselves and glad to have a group of friends to celebrate Valentine’s Day.
Our group is growing and every time we introduce ourselves, we find out VOB is very diverse and relaxed. If you’re looking for a place to meet lots of cool people, VOB is definitely the place. If you want to get out and do some fun things even though you have lost or are losing your sight, we’ll be there to help you along the way and support you. If you just want some people who understand the challenges as well as the rewards of living with blindness or low-vision in a predominantly sighted world, VOB will offer you compassion too.
At the Valentine’s Day event, I found myself reflecting on how much the friendship of all the people in VOB means to me. I thank all of you for your fun-loving, welcoming spirit. We all have our Para Transit woes, our white cane, gripes, and our audio glitches. Together, we can brighten whatever kind of weather our VOB friends are experiencing. If you haven’t been to a VOB event, I would encourage you to come and check us out. Valley of the Blind has lots of love to give! Come on and have a good time, Valentine!
St. Patrick’s Day Parade
`O’Malley, O’Reilly, Oh Yeah VOB!
BY Laurie Covert and Roland Haley
Irish eyes were smiling upon us on the 15th of March. It was the second year that VOB participated in the Saint Patrick’s Day Parade in old Sacramento.
It was a bright and sunny day when a small crew gathered early at the registration desk to get things rolling. As the morning progressed, Jackie and Sherrianne eagerly awaited for members to arrive at the Crocker Art Museum so that they could escort them to our position in the parade. Amelia was in place to gather and assist everyone in filling out their registration form. Once they were all in order, she made sure they were turned in to the right people. Once, we got our position number (27), Ken and Paula affixed the front bumper with our wonderful VOB banner and decorated the car with bright green shamrocks and other festive decorations.
While waiting for things to begin, we were able to sneak a peek at some of the other parade participants. There were a number of school marching bands and dance troupes. We saw the old Sacramento cemetery historic society members wearing old 1800’s style hooped skirts, trench coats, boots, hats, and carrying their muskets. Some of us were photographed with some bright and cheery clowns. There was a Save-Mart jye-normous red shopping cart filled with about 8 to 10 people.
At 1PM, the procession started marching slowly toward old Sacramento until we got to the actual parade start point of 2nd and J Street. The twenty plus people marching looked the part, with men in leprechaun hats and the women in shamrock headbands. Our name was announced and we were greeted with a friendly, warm, rousing cheer from the crowd. Roland’s nieces were there handing out a variety of candy to the children along the parade route. The crowds were lined up 3-4 deep the entire way.
The day was a big success and that’s no blarney. We look forward to doing this again next year. A big Irish thank you goes out to
Upcoming Events
Greeting’s all member’s,
I hope everyone had a awesome time at the St. Patrick’s Day Parade. As for right now, we do not have all of the details on our April VOB event. As soon as I do, I will post it. But, I do have a few fun things to tell you all about. First, there is always Bowling every Monday at Country Club Lanes at 2600 Watt Avenue, here in Sacramento. It is from 9 am to 11am and only 25 cents for each game. We have a lot of fun, so, try and come out and join us. The second is, Bingo through the Society for the Blind. It is held every Sunday, I do not have the address, but, you can contact Debra, at the Society, or Sherry ann. They would be happy to give you all of the details. Also, aur member Elena has CCB Bingo at her house, the first Friday of the month. If you all are interested, by all means contact Elena. Summer is fast approaching, and there is so much to do here in Sacramento. Either, for free or a small price. So, be looking for my fun finding posts!!!!!!! Ok, love you all.
Paula and Laurie, your fantastic, fun finders!!!!!!!
Continuously On the Calendar
• Lan Park Golfing
Every Monday starting at 10am ask for Brian.
• Country Club Lanes bowling
Mondays are 25 cent game days from 9 am to 11 am. Join some fellow blind and low vision people for some real good fun!
Call Country Club for more details at 916-483-5105 or visit their website.
Spread Your Word
Little Birdie Adventures
We specialize in full service assistance from start to finish from grocery shopping, Doctor’s appointments, Lunch dates, road trips, party/event planning, organizing to housekeeping you name it we can assist. Rates are very reasonable.
Contact: Robyn Crose
Monday through Sunday @ 602-466-5571
Dark Oak Productions Audio Augmentation and creation
Looking for some eclectic audio augmentation? Want something a little different? Want something extremely different? Then Dark Oak Productions is the studio for you. Specializing in sound construction and audio manipulation to match any feeling you’re looking for whether it be promotions, commercials, station ID’s, or just something fun for your personal use like ringtones or voice mail greetings. True digital wax for your pleasure!
Check us out at http://www.darkoakproductions.com or on http://www.facebook.com/DarkOakProductions and follow us on twitter @DarkOakPro
Do you need technology training for most devices? Such as, Windows computers
Using all types of assistive technologies, Braille note taking devices, iOS
devices, digital players and more, then you have come to the right place.
Hello, this is Jonathon Marcotte and I invite you to experience training which is affordable, flexible and fun!
For $20 per hour, I am able to train many different ways. We can have sessions over the phone, over the internet, and also I am available to have in-home training. I am flexible in that I will work with you either by phone or on-line at your leisure. If in home training is requested, the limitations are set to the public transportation schedule. For any questions, feel free to contact me by EMAIL or by calling (916) 539-1802
Assistive Technology, take the world by your hands!
Tandem Cycling
What better way to enjoy the fresh air, than by riding a bicycle built for two! The US Blind Tandem Cycling Connection is a powerful, free resource, dedicated to matching interested, blind participants with sighted, tandem captains.
Even if you do not own a tandem, there are cyclists in our area with one to share with you. So, visit Bicycling Blind, create your profile, and then, use your zip code to search for cyclists, convenient to both of you. The site provides thorough tutorials to make your first ride one that is enjoyable and safe. You can also communicate with potential riders anonymously, through the site. This way, you can keep your contact information safe until you are ready to share it.
If you have any questions about the site, tandem bicycles, or anything related to cycling, as a blind person, please feel free to contact me.
See you out on the trail,
Ron Burzese, NOMC
916-716-5400
Email Ron
Want to get your word out? To have a small ad for your business or service, please email us or call 916-850-0346 to place a free ad.
Want to join, volunteer, or donate to Valley Of The Blind? Email us
Check us out on Face Book
Or call 916-850-0346for more info.
Click here to check out our archived newsletters
Mission Statement
The mission of the Valley Of The Blind has started as to socialize blind and low vision persons within our community of the Sacramento Valley and surrounding areas.
This group shall be member driven and every member shall have equal participation if so desired. We offer humanity towards ourselves and every person who wishes the same for it is us that will make vision impairment fun and enjoyable.
Our primary goal is to help blind and low vision persons share information regarding blindness as to help our community see that there really are no boundaries especially when it comes to having fun.
• -Founder, Organizer: Darragh Ryan
• Co-founder/Event Coordinator, Fun Finder: Paula Knight
• Membership: John Marcotte
• Photography: Laurie Covert
• Counseling Corner Q & A: Everett Black
• On The Braille Traille: Elena Thomason
The Gliding Cane is intellectual property of Valley Of The Blind and its members. Valley Of The Blind is not affiliated with any non-profit advocacy organizations, Independent Living Skills centers, or businesses of accessible retail products. Redistribution of The Gliding Cane is permitted so long as the entire content is maintained. VOB encourages circulation of The Gliding Cane to any persons involved or wanting to get involved with the blind and low vision community. VOB Logo, Photos, Audio clips, and Videos are property of Valley of The Blind and may not be used without written consent from VOB.
For redistribution or use of photos, Audio Clips, or Videos, send a request with the item in question to:
Valley Of The Blind, info.valle...@gmail.com
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