Legislative Hotlines, current issues for blind persons:
CALIFORNIA CONNECTION: 800-221-6359, after 5 PM and weekends
WASHINGTON CONNECTION: 800-424-8666, 3 to 9 PM and weekends
DISCLAIMER: This publication contains announcements from the Silicon Valley Council of the Blind and is also a forum for opinions relating to blindness issues. Signed articles reflect the views, and research, of their authors.
STATUS: SVCB is a 501(c)3 non-profit, tax-exempt organization under the California Council of the Blind.
Monthly meetings are held at the Santa Clara Valley Blind Center (Vista Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired San Jose). Meetings run 9:30 AM to 1 PM the third Saturday of the month and are open to all.
Is it just my imagination, or has this been an ideal Spring weatherwise? Not too cold, and not too hot. Even so, it is all too easy to remain cocooned in the house.
Last October, I had to send my talking dartboard back to Minnesota to be repaired. Luckily, there is a UPS store nearby, and I could carry it there in my big backpack. It is that same old dilemma: ask for help, or do it yourself? It took four months to get the dartboard back, but it is as good as new. It took so long because replacement parts were not available, probably due to the pandemic.
The original dartboard stand was also falling apart, so I replaced it with a new one. On a lovely Spring day, I decided to assemble the stand outdoors in my carport. The stand is held together with shock cord. It took a great deal of patience and perseverance to get it untangled and assembled. At the base of the stand there are two holes to attach the toe board. Sighted throwers use a chalk line to indicate where to stand. Blind throwers use the toe board instead. I looked for the two screw holes to attach the toe board and discovered that they were on the inside of the stand, not the outside where they were supposed to be. I could not face disassembling the stand, so I decided to drill new holes. Back in the late sixties, my dad gave me a toolbox that included an electric drill. I had never used it. I am not very mechanical, so with much trepidation I decided that there is a first time for everything. To make a long story short, even after all these years the drill worked, and the new holes were perfectly placed. This experience brought back a flood of good memories of my incredibly supportive dad, and served as a reminder to count my blessings every day.
Next month, I will try to write something more related to SVCB. Meanwhile, take advantage of this glorious Spring, and get outdoors whenever you can.
"Hey guys, master is worn out! And Star's rheumatism has really been painful these last few days. Though he thinks she's getting better, he's worried. Taking care of an old person is new to him. So if he doesn't make sense anymore, blame me, OK!"
That's very nice of you King. I appreciate that. Finally got that convention report written, and now I can say hello! "Hello!"
At our May meeting, Susan Glass and I gave impromptu convention reports, and my notes weren't written yet. "So it was awful, not even dogpark standards." But I hope you'll find my section of the convention report better. You can hear the May meeting at:
svcb.cc/psaudio/ps0521.mp3
Let's wish happy June birthdays to Ken Carey, Victor Clifford, Allen Jones, Alice Turner, and Art Takahara. They should come to the social hour (better yet, the meeting), so we can sing them a song.
Good news, we've got an SVCB picnic September 18, 11 AM to 3 PM. Details shortly!
As I write the report for our June newsletter, the COVID news is getting brighter. Hopefully if things continue to improve, we can have in-person meetings again in a couple more months.
The Fund-Raising Committee was scheduled to meet by phone on Monday evening, May 10, 2021 at 7:30 PM, but all of us, including me, forgot. I'm thinking we are all a little overwhelmed with one thing or another. The next Fund-Raising committee meeting is scheduled for Monday evening, June 14, 2021 at 7:30 PM. We will discuss items to auction at the July meeting.
This morning, the SVCB members attended our May chapter meeting virtually on Zoom. We had another virtual auction, and I have listed below the auction items and the high bids.
The first item auctioned was a Logitech Bluetooth Multi-Device Keyboard K480—black—that works with Windows and Mac Computers, and Android and iOS Tablets and Smartphones. This item was donated through Victor Clifford from an estate sale. The starting bid was $20, and the high bid was $40 from Gail Roe.
The second item auctioned was an Emcom MS115 Amplified Multimedia Sub-Woofer Stereo Speaker System. This item was donated by Noel and Deb Runyan. The starting bid was $30, and the high bid was $40 from John Vandervort.
The third item auctioned was a HoverCam Model T5 Scanner; in the original box; like new; does not include any OCR scanning software. This item was donated by Noel and Deb Runyan. The starting bid was $50, and the high bid was $75 from Rob Turner.
The fourth item auctioned was a Folding Crate on Wheels that can collapse for easy storing. This item was donated by Bill and Kathy Tipton. The starting bid was $10, and the high bid was $30 from Debbie Armstrong.
The fifth item auctioned was a Restor Style Neck and Shoulder Aromatherapy Wrap. This item was donated by Bill and Kathy Tipton. The starting bid was $10, and the high bid was $30 from Gail Roe.
We are still hoping that we will be able to have our picnic this year, so if you can think of some items that would make great raffle prizes, please contact me at 888-652-5333 to leave a message that will be forwarded to me, or look me up on our membership list to call me directly. You can also send me an email at fundraising@svcb.cc, or check the membership list and email me directly. Again, the next Fund-Raising Committee meeting will be on Monday, June 14, 2021 at 7:30 PM.
Thank you to all who have donated and/or participated in our virtual auctions. You are all helping to keep funds coming in while we continue to meet on Zoom.
We will continue to keep all of you informed of changes as they occur. As always, please stay safe and well!
Walking, they say, is one of the best exercises, especially for non-athletes and/or seniors. But if you are blind or visually impaired, getting in a good walk can be a challenge. First, there's the issue of social distancing, because even if you are vaccinated, medical authorities still suggest you stay six feet away from others. This is difficult to do when sharing a sidewalk with other pedestrians. Your guide dog may wish to follow others closely, and your poor vision may have trouble helping you keep far enough away.
Then there is the issue of tricky intersections, unexpected curbs, and the reality that some neighborhoods just aren't safe. Many parts of our county aren't pedestrian friendly, they lack sidewalks and traffic signals. Our big expressways are truly just for automobiles. And with the summer heat upon us, it's definitely no fun walking outside.
My solution is the air-conditioned Milpitas Great Mall. Outside, a large transit center insures it's served by plenty of buses. A BART station will also open there soon, and it is already served by Light Rail. Paratransit also drops off at any of its six entrances. The mall is circular, so it's hard to get lost; following around, you'll always end up where you started. The entire route is 7/10 of a mile. The mall is air-conditioned, and there are absolutely no steps anywhere inside. There are places to sit, places to eat and, of course, a Starbucks where you can relax to wait for your ride or surf the web.
A middle passage cuts through the circle, so if you get tired walking halfway around, you can take that shortcut to return to your starting point. The flooring has different surfaces and colors in different sections: carpet, tile, and stone, and a noisy fountain directly opposite entrance number one. So there are plenty of other clues to keep you oriented. The mall has an app for your phone to help you locate specific stores. There are tiny shops specializing in perfume or jewelry, and huge department stores like Marshall's, Kohl's, and Dick's Sporting goods. But even if shopping is not your thing, the opportunity to get in a safe, cool, and easily oriented walk is superb.
If you have arthritis like me, indoor malls typically have few stairs, since many shoppers bring strollers. Those with a second level provide an elevator.
Not all malls are indoors, however, and many are designed so that drivers navigate to individual stores in their cars. All the stores aren't necessarily connected by sidewalks. Examples include The Pruneyard, Riva Mark Shopping Center, Santana Row, Cherry Orchard Shopping Center, San Antonio Shopping Center, Stanford Shopping Center, the Gilroy Outlet Mall, and the Town and Country Mall in Palo Alto. If you plan to visit an outdoor mall, it's helpful to first understand its layout so you aren't hiking through enormous parking lots.
Indoor malls are a far better experience for the pedestrian! Though the Great Mall is the largest, Silicon Valley has other indoor malls, including Eastridge, Valley Fair, Westgate, and Oakridge. Most malls are open now, but you should call your particular mall to determine its current hours. And not all of them are as easy to navigate as the Great Mall. Eastridge has steps where you might not expect them, and Valley Fair has confusing passages branching out everywhere.
Some formerly thriving malls no longer exist: for example Valco in Cupertino, and the Sunnyvale Town Center. The popularity of indoor malls has declined as we become a more automobile-centric culture.
Some outdoor malls like the Stanford Shopping Center and the Pruneyard are large enough to have several walkable sections separated by parking lots. Typically, these wide sidewalks are mostly in the shade, and the availability of pedestrians means it's easy to ask for directions or assistance reading signs. Santana Row consumes several blocks, and though there are sidewalks, you must cross many intersections to explore the entire thing. But because it's a pedestrian-friendly area, drivers are not permitted to speed, making it a great place to practice new cane or guide dog skills.
If paratransit or a friend is picking you up, it's a good idea to learn the outside signage that can be seen from an automobile. For example, if you can tell your family you are at the Red Robin entrance, even though you might just be standing at the curb, it will help them to locate you easily. This is simple to determine by calling the Mall's Customer Service and explaining you are visually impaired. They can tell you the number of entrances, and which anchor store or restaurant has outside signage there.
If you use navigation apps on your phone, they may fail to work inside the mall. When learning a new mall, I go outside through each entrance and give my phone a clear view of the sky before marking its location. Then if I'm lost, I can exit the mall and query my phone to ask what entrance I'm nearest. When I am learning a mall, I do so during a crowded time so I can ask people arriving the name of the entrance and the signs they can see.
Some malls have Wi-Fi, so you don't have to struggle to get a cellular signal. I use this feature a lot to locate bargains, or to just text family members to let them know I'm safe. If you are on a cellular plan with limited data, the mall Wi-Fi is helpful in accessing the internet for free.
Another plus for me is that I can pick up restaurant food to bring home. I don't have to pay extra delivery charges, and nowadays the delivery companies also have steep service charges that I can also avoid. Ordering directly from a restaurant site is often cheaper than the prices you find on Uber Eats or Door Dash, even when you don't factor in those extra charges.
If you thought malls were just for teenagers, think again. More and more, seniors are discovering the pleasures of mall walking, and in response malls are opening their doors earlier and earlier to the fitness crowd. In many malls, this group of mostly seniors often meets after their walk to chat at the food court or café nearby, so becoming friends with this group can help you feel like you belong. Call before you go. But you'll often find that, though stores open at ten, the mall itself may open as early as 7, not just for the cleaning and setup crew, but also for the exercisers that flock there for their health!
Virtual conventions. Hmmmmm. Obviously very different. My feeling about attending these events start with "bring it on," and ends with "can I go home?" The nice thing about in-person events is that I've actually left home and enjoyed myself in an unknown place. Being at home for a virtual convention means my ham radio is waiting over there in the corner. I clear my project table of enough space to set up my Zoom computer, and that project I moved says "I'm here, work on me." So sometimes it's a little hard sticking it out, paying attention, and not wanting to treat Star to dinner.
So enough of this nowhere rambling. But it does explain why I only attended a few events, and really did treat Star at our favorite place, not even thinking I'd be awarded into the Hall of Fame, a bumhug like me. "You've got that right, master, bumhug." How did you get here, King? You belong in Membership Corner. "I belong nowhere and everywhere." OK, stick around.
There were chapter and affiliate meetings on the days before the start of the official convention on April 22. One activity I attended was the business meeting and program of the Braille Revival League of California on April 20. And I witnessed an amazing aspect of virtual events: they're so easy to attend! Before the meeting, BRLC had 18 members, over 25 people came to the event, and membership now stands at 39: amazing! It's likely the cause was that Frank Welte was elected president, and there was a well-done program on how working people use braille on the job.
I attended the Nominating Committee meeting to cast SVCB's wishes for the slate of candidates that was presented to the convention Friday evening, April 23.
In addition, I attended a fun Writer's Workshop, conducted by our Susan Glass, on April 19. It is hoped that workshops like this will encourage people to contribute their writing talents to CCB. We wrote short stories or sketches in 10 minute periods, and shared our efforts.
Network problems kept me offline for the Thursday evening Roll call, but after it came a presentation from the History Committee, featuring recordings of people who were around when CCB was established in its current form. Old-timers are still interested in the well-being of CCB. It's worth caring about and working for. But I was quite impressed by the last part of the forum that focused on CCB's future.
The credentials report was read and SVCB seated, 3 seats right and 5 forward. "From what?" Take your pick!
The Nominating Committee report was read, and the slate of candidates for officers and directors was introduced. As it turned out, all the incumbents were re-elected in the voting that commenced Friday evening.
The Thursday session ended with the first reading of a bylaws amendment that eventually was referred back to committee during the Sunday morning business session.
Unfortunately, local happenings prevented me from getting online until the Friday afternoon session. I heard the Untapped Assets presentation from the new Inclusive Diversity of California (IDC) affiliate. Regina Brink is president of this group, and is a treasured contributor to the BC. This group wants to expand opportunities for visually impaired and blind people from marginalized groups in CCB.
I listened to the Conflict and Collaboration: Blind Services vs. Cross-Disability Services panel discussion, where Roger Petersen spoke as a panelist. It's sad that the blind community has to deal with two conflicting service models: agencies for the blind delivering targeted services to visually impaired and blind people, and Independent Living Centers where people are treated as just another disability and not served with specific needs in mind. I'm likely missing something here, so complain to King.
Next I heard a HumanWare presentation where future products and updates were discussed. A new version of the Victor Reader Second Generation player is in the works, with many improvements suggested by users. Specifically, that pesky USB power connector will be fixed.
I got into the Friday night session in the middle of Jeff Thom's Governmental Affairs report. I believe that most of the issues discussed there are also explained in the Spring Blind Californian. AB371 has passed the Assembly, to make people accountable when they leave electric scooters on sidewalks for us to trip over. It appears that this bill is only a starting point, and we need to change local regulations regarding these devices.
Next up, voting for CCB officers and directors. Only the nomination of Nelly Emerson was challenged, with Warren Cushman being proposed. He lost, but we had an opportunity to test secret balloting. It went well, with volunteers from Delta Gamma taking calls or texts, and then returning tallies to Gabe, the moderator.
The fourth session, moderated by Rob Turner, commenced Saturday morning at 9 AM during breakfast, so I missed the ACB update. But I did hear the Artificial Intelligence presentation.
A director from Bookshare outlined changes that will enhance the reading experience for users. Implementation of a new mark-up language called Math ML will allow mathematical expressions in textbooks to be directly accessible, and screenreaders like JAWS now use it. In addition, there is talk of a coming web-based reading facility for Bookshare.
Larry Gassman described how Picture Smart works in JAWS. An OCR package with the screenreader scans an image, sends it to the cloud, and a description is returned to be spoken. Famous people are recognized, along with King. "O yea, gotta check that out!"
The Domestic Violence and Hate Crimes Committee followed with a presentation on how the WEAVE organization in Sacramento is working with the Society for the Blind to deal with the many aspects of domestic violence done to visually impaired and blind people, a sad expression of unlove. Dealing with this is important, especially around things like sexual or communication abuse. Have you ever wondered if you were a victim of domestic abuse? Now that's a cold experience.
Pedestrian Control Over Drivers' Yielding was the first presentation Saturday afternoon. It all revolves around your effectiveness in getting drivers' attention, so they will yield at crosswalks to let you cross safely. It was emphasized that driving is very much an unconscious activity. Drivers yield when white canes are in view, so basic cane skills to cross streets work well. However, roundabouts should be avoided, as vehicles are moving faster than they move on normal streets.
And there was a presentation called You Have a Story to Tell, Kelly Brakenhoff, Author, Lincoln, Nebraska. That's right! And if you get past feelings like "Who'd be interested" or "I'm not good enough," you can write and even enjoy it.
Well, by this time I'd had enough Zooming, so we took Uber to dinner, missing the awards banquet. But Victor Clifford got the Distinguished Service award: right on! Bernice Kandarian, Mike Keithley, Roger Petersen, and Rob Turner were all inducted into the CCB Hall of Fame. "That must be a crowded place with master there." Ah yes, you're right, King.
I missed the Sunday session because church was right in the middle of it, and friends were taking us there.
Resolutions are not sketched here. I think 16 resolutions passed, and several were referred back to authors for refinement. Summaries will likely be published in the Fall BC, and the Sunday session will eventually be on ccbnet.org.
Virtual conventions are OK when there's no alternative, but if I'm going to convention, I wanna go! That's not a critique of the planners, it's just me. Thank you for letting me be your delegate.
Let me begin this report with the highest praise possible for this year's Convention Planning Committee. I did not serve on this committee, but my husband John did. Since the committee met via Zoom on what often seemed a weekly basis, I was privy to overheard conversations, and oh, what careful planning! That committee worked together like the smoothest-running train in history, with attention to informative, balanced, inclusive programming. Last year's CCB virtual convention was excellent, but this one was even better.
Pre-convention activities began on March 30 with Zoom training sessions for anyone who needed them, and ran throughout the month of April. It seemed that something was in session nearly every day of the week, making it possible to attend most sessions that I wanted to attend. This never happens at live conventions because sessions must run concurrently; one always has to give up something. Another advantage: virtual sessions always start and end on time. There's no getting lost as you search for a meeting room or a place to sit. Food and drink are always available. And the disadvantages of going all virtual? You can't hug your friends, or hang out in their rooms swapping technology, or pet their dogs, or stay up half the night talking. I did miss the touch and clamor of a live gathering.
OK, enough atmosphere, and on to the meal.
On April 12 at 7 PM, I attended the virtual meeting of CCB's Governmental Affairs Committee. Regina Brink shared information about Assembly Bill 392, which officially became law in January 2020. Part of this bill requires that Peace Officers and Victims Assistance professionals receive training and guidelines to follow when working with people with disabilities. To understand the need for this training, consider the following scenarios:
* A police officer mistakes a white cane for a weapon.
* A blind or visually impaired person does not see the police officer, and therefore fails to respond to commands.
* A hearing impaired person does not hear the officer and fails to respond.
* Failure to recognize that someone with whom they are working is blind, especially if that someone is a victim of a crime, has just gone through the harrowing experience, and is too scared or flustered to have a calm discussion about visual impairment.
Regina encouraged members of CCB chapters to educate themselves about police and Victims Assistance training in their local communities, and learn what specific training is being provided, as well as who is providing it. We as blind and visually impaired individuals may want to be training consultants.
We next discussed ACB's legislative seminar and this year's legislative imperatives. Jeff Thom shared plans in the making for CCB's statewide, virtual legislative Capitol Week, which will happen beginning Monday June 7. CCB members will schedule virtual appointments with their district assembly persons and senators to discuss several imperatives. One of these is a bill that's co-sponsored by Guide Dogs for the Blind and Canine companions for Independent Living, which seeks to prevent the sale of fraudulent service animal certificates. We are also continuing to work on a statute involving prescription drug labeling.
On Sunday, April 18, I attended the pre-convention business meeting and program of Golden State Guide Dog Handlers, Inc. We elected new officers, and my yellow lab guide Omni and I are now the incoming presidential team for this affiliate. We are fortunate to have Alice Turner's dynamic leadership legacy to follow, but I agree with Omni that we have big paw prints to fill. Our program speaker was Todd Jurek, Field Service Manager at Guide Dogs for the Blind. Mr. Jurek gave an interactive presentation called Integrating Our Guide Dogs into Our Families: The Good, the Bad, and The Ugly. He shared tips, techniques, and strategies that we can use with our families, friends, and coworkers when the novelty of our guide dog's presence wears off and real life sets in. We tackled problems such as handling people who feed our dogs when we've asked them not to, who interfere with or criticize our work with our dogs, or who ask us to leave our dogs at home when we obviously need them with us. Guide dog handling is a lifestyle choice after all, not an activity to be dabbled in one day and whimsically discarded the next. Several of us had sent our questions and concerns to Todd in advance of the workshop, which made the discussion run smoothly.
At the request of CCB's Publications Committee, I facilitated a writing workshop on Monday, April 19, for any and all CCB members wishing to write for the Blind Californian, but perhaps uncertain about where to start. I'm not sure, but I think we had more than 30 people on that call, and we had a blast! We discussed the booby traps that can prevent us from writing, such as internal Editor Police who scream that we're no good at writing or have nothing worthwhile to say. We listed the many BC articles we'd never have had the pleasure to read if their authors had listened to the internal nay-sayers. Then we completed and shared a number of writing prompts. Here's a sampling:
A. The first time in my life when I truly understood that I was blind.
B. Things I enjoy most about the community where I currently live.
C. Challenges and barriers to my being fully independent in my community.
D. My favorite teacher.
E. My funniest ever cooking fiasco.
F. My scariest mobility challenge.
G. What would my cane or guide dog say about me if it could talk?
We discussed ways of rounding out and extending these starter prompts into articles. I guarantee that you'll read at least one of them in the forthcoming BC. We are planning additional writing workshops to work together on BC articles in progress.
On now to convention weekend itself.
Mike and King have already given you the low-down on most stuff, but here's a little more.
On Friday evening April 23, we paused to remember and celebrate blind Californians who passed away during this last year. Among them were Tamara Kearney, Elmer Chapson, and Bonnie Rennie, and there were others. I always appreciate this remembrance ritual that celebrates our life together as a community.
Following this ceremony, Gabe Griffith gave his first president's convention address. He shared his background in CCB, and thanked the membership for its confidence in him. He especially thanked the CCB Board of Directors, the Convention Planning Committee, the Technical Operations Group (TOG), and CCB Office Manager Nicole Pechaeco. He then reviewed the resolutions that CCB passed in 2020.
* Resolution 2020 Number 1. Nonvocational Services for People with Vision Loss. The ACB Board of Directors adopted that resolution last year. On our state level, we are represented on a committee for seniors by our super capable Jeff Thom.
* Resolution 2020 Number 2. This resolution concerns the selection of CCB convention sites, and aims to ensure that people with hearing loss and other secondary disabilities will have full access and ease when participating in the convention. Because we've been virtual for the last 2 years, we've not yet had the opportunity to implement this resolution, but we look forward to doing so. Imagine having a hearing impairment and trying to navigate a convention hotel with high ceilings that bounce sound everywhere, and a lobby fountain that drowns out necessary sound clues. This is one scenario that caused us to adopt this resolution.
Gabe hopes that this year we can work on issues pertaining to cyber security. Regarding CCB funding, he says that we are on the look-out for corporate sponsors. He says that he welcomes everyone's ideas for membership growth and funding, and he is happy to speak to chapters about CCB, which given that most of us meet virtually these days, is easy.
I absolutely have to tell you about Saturday evening's banquet entertainment! If you have never heard ACB musician Jason Castinguay perform, you've missed an outstanding experience. Jason is a superb jazz vocalist, pianist, harpist, and showman, with a talent for presenting themed concerts. His theme for our banquet was travel, in hopes that as the COVID curtain lifts, we can all hit the road. He gave us tunes like "Route 66," "Come Fly with Me," and so many more. You can hear Jason's radio show on the ACB radio channel ACB Café, every Tuesday afternoon from 2 to 4 PM Pacific Time. The show is called Art Felt. You can also purchase his CD's at jcastblegg@gmail.com, or at jasoncastonguay.com, or musicalmomentswithjason.com
The Sunday morning convention session was dedicated to convention minutes, treasurer's report, and voting on resolutions. A full resolutions report will appear in the BC, but here is a sampling:
Resolution 2021-1. Mandatory Disability Training for Healthcare Workers on and For Consumers with Disabilities. The resolution passed.
Resolution 2021-2. Called the Translation Project, this resolution directs the CCB Publications Committee to explore the feasibility, costs, and consumer demand for translation of CCB media into multiple languages, beginning with Spanish, and to submit a proposal to the CCB Board of Directors concerning this project by December of 2021. The resolution passed.
Resolution 2021-9 is called Equity in Law Enforcement Training Standards, and was mentioned briefly earlier in this report.
I think we had a total of 13 resolutions, most of which passed, but I will leave it to the legislative experts in CCB to give you the full skinny in the Blind Californian.
I think the convention was excellent, and I appreciate the meeting that the Planning Committee held one week afterward to give all of us a chance to provide feedback.
After 14 months, we are ready to re-open our doors and invite you back in! We have been having small test audiences in the theatre for some of our recent shows and concerts, and we are now very excited to announce that the final mainstage show of Tabard's 20th Anniversary season, Shylock, will have in-person tickets available for fully vaccinated patrons. If you are not vaccinated, aren't quite ready to attend indoor events yet, or simply prefer the comfort of your sofa, don't worry the show will still be available to watch livestream in the same high-quality online format we've been offering all season.
Tabard's production of Shylock is being presented as a co-production with Silicon Valley Shakespeare. It stars local playwright, actor, and teacher Doug Brook, and is directed by Jonathan Rhys Williams, Tabard's Artistic Director. The whole artistic team has been working hard to put together a fantastic, thoughtful piece of theatre for you to close out this season.
Shylock is a powerful, engaging play that asks as many questions as it answers, tackling a host of ideas such as history, representation, censorship, cancel culture, problematic classics, and the very nature of art and theatre. In this play, we meet Jon Davies, an actor in a Shakespeare Festival that is, or was, producing The Merchant of Venice. Mr. Davies had chosen to play the infamous money lender as a unapologetic villain, and as a result of the ensuing controversy, the show's run has been cancelled. Davies takes the stage for an audience talkback session after the show to defend his work.
We know you will enjoy this interesting and thought-provoking piece that, in keeping with the tradition of Shakespeare, is sure to spark rich discussion and strong opinions.
Shylock opens on June 4, and will play through June 20. Tickets are available for limited in-person seating for fully vaccinated guests, so if you wish to attend, purchase your tickets early!
This show is included for Mainstage and All-Access Subscribers. For in-person patrons, face coverings and vaccination cards will be required. California defines full vaccination as two weeks after your final shot.
Departs every Sunday at noon from Pier 40 in San Francisco. Call 415-281-0212 for information and reservations, or visit www.baads.org.
Bay Area Outreach and Recreation Program (BORP)
BORP believes that everyone should have access to the unique challenges that outdoor recreation provides, and makes every effort to accommodate each person's needs, including providing transportation and volunteer support. For event listings, call Lori Gray at 510-843-4398, or visit www.borp.org.
Calendar
June: Healthy Vision Month.
June 4 through June 20: Tabard Theatre Presents SHYLOCK, see notes)
June 15: Let's Talk Low Vision, Julian Vargas, Come find out more information about the new apple product, see notes.
June 19, 10 AM to 12 PM: SVCB membership meeting.
June 21, noon: July, 2021 newsletter deadline.
June 27: Helen Keller Day.
July, 2021
July 1, 7 to 9 PM: SVCB Board meeting. If you're not on the Board but want to attend this meeting, contact SVCB president Rob Turner.
July 6, 5:30-7 PM: Breast Cancer Support Group. Call-in: 605-715-4920; ID: 2776167. For questions, call Lori Scharff at 516-887-1336, or lorischarff@gmail.com.
July 16 to July 23: ACB 60th Annual Conference and Convention, held online. See https://acbconvention.org/ for details.
July 17, 10 AM: SVCB membership meeting.
July 19, noon: August newsletter deadline.
July 27: Let's Talk Low Vision, Jessie Wolinsky, Audio Internet Reading Service of Los Angeles, see notes.