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 in-person meetings are held at the Santa Clara Valley Blind Center (Vista Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired San Jose). Meetings run from 9:30 AM to 1 PM the third Saturday of the month and are open to all.
I am writing this on the Saturday after the holiday week and before we welcome in the New Year—2025. My first message is a word of thanks to all those who planned and implemented a beautiful holiday party at Vista Center San Jose. Our committee included Victor Clifford, Lorraine Brown, David Hoffman, and Naomi Grubb, with helping hands from Joe and Carol Silveria, and music provided by Diane Wetzel, Katherine Stewart, Bev Clifford, and Susan Glass. Rob Turner and Mike Keithley served as our trusted sound technicians! The auditorium felt festive with the table decorations and the blend of old and new traditions. I will always remember Dawn Wilcox bringing in garlands from her backyard tree to decorate the tables, along with her many bells to ring in the holiday cheer. Dawn, now living in Bainbridge Island, Washington, was our original hospitality chair. With a helping hand from Alan Jones, they made every new and long-term member feel welcome and included, from the time we walked in the door. This spirit of welcoming lives on at SVCB.
I heard each of the tables sharing their own stories of holidays and much laughter as we enjoyed the food from Maggiano's. We were entertained by the heartwarming stories shared by storyteller Olga Loya, who encourages us to practice the art of storytelling in our own lives, as that is how traditions are passed on from one generation to the next. The cherry on top of the cake always goes to our gracious, faithful, and joyful volunteers, Penny Airing, Claudia French, Roger Havasy, and Rachel Silveria for their hospitality and friendship.
Soon we will welcome the New Year, and our chapter will continue to offer informative and interesting programs during our monthly meetings. Advocacy lives on with our members demonstrating self-advocacy, and showing up at city and county meetings, to bring the blind and low-vision perspective to decision-making processes associated with transportation, access to voting, and education, to name just a few. Weekly chapter calls continue on, Wednesdays at 4 PM, and we will bring the formation of the Barbara Rhodes Technology Grant task team together in February.
Our last roster sent to the California Council of the Blind (CCB) listed 49 members and 7 lifetime members, reflecting our continued growth as a vital chapter of CCB and our affiliation with the American Council of the Blind. Growth in membership is directly tied to your welcoming approach and desire to bring new members into our community. I encourage you to offer your ideas for new traditions, highlight important issues, and provide suggestions to help us continue to flourish and support each other and the local blind and low-vision community.
Thank you all for contributing your time, talents, and treasures to our chapter. Rob, Cora, and I wish you the best for the New Year, and we look forward to seeing you at our January chapter meeting!
Well now, the new year has started with a new round of great SVCB activities. Have you paid your 2025 dues? If you haven't, bring them to the January meeting on Saturday, January 18. Dues are $20. And look for the SVCB business calendar in this newsletter. "And if your dog wants to join, dues are 9,500 pieces of kibble." Poor David, I hope he never has to handle that! "No problem, I'll get them!"
The Christmas holiday party was well done, with socializing being the key. Many thanks to all who made the party so warm and fun. And the food was great, and King had two pieces of cheesecake. "O yes, but I hardly noticed; it sorta melted in my mouth. I particularly enjoyed the chicken Piccatta."
I found the storyteller quite interesting, and her presentation is at:
This column is small, as we're recovering from all the food and candy. "And Master gave me lots of candy he decided to throw away, like dark chocolate-covered pretzels."
The Council of Citizens with Low Vision International (CCLVI), an affiliate of the American Council of the Blind, annually awards four scholarships in the amount of $3,000 each to full-time college students. Scholarships are awarded to freshman, undergraduate, and graduate students, all of whom must be low vision, maintain a strong GPA, and be involved in school/local community activities.
Application materials must be received by 11:59 pm. Eastern time February 15, 2025. Scholarship monies will be awarded for the 2025-2026 academic year. To access the guidelines and application, visit:
The Academy for Certification of Vision Rehabilitation and Education Professionals (ACVREP) has posted the OT certification proposed certification criteria on its website, under News and Information. It is open for public comments until January 30, 2025. You will be able to download the documents from the news article, which may be found at:
and place the word CVROT in the subject line of your email.
-Participants Needed for Workforce Engagement Survey of Adults with Vision Loss
Are you an adult under 65 years of age? Do you have a vision impairment that qualifies as legal blindness? Do you presently reside in the US?
If you answered "Yes", to these 3 questions, we invite you to participate in research on employment-related decisions and outcomes of Americans with vision loss.
We are an interdisciplinary team of researchers affiliated with the Envision Research Institute and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee that is investigating how to enhance the labor force participation of working-age, legally blind Americans. Over 56% working age Americans living with vision loss, are out of the labor force. However, why so many of them choose not to participate in the labor force is still a conundrum. To address this knowledge gap, we are conducting a nation-wide survey of working age, legally blind adults, about the deterrence, motivations, and outcomes of labor force participation. Findings of the survey will guide the development of research strategies, best practices, and programs to make the labor market more attractive and inclusive of Americans with vision loss.
What does participation involve? Complete an online questionnaire (containing a series of objective-type questions), independently or with assistance. Those opting to complete independently will receive step-by-step instructions. Those opting for assistance will be interviewed by a member of the research team.
How much time is needed to complete the survey? Between 30 to 45 minutes. Actual time spent may vary depending on individual circumstances.
What are the risks and benefits? There is no major risk or direct benefit for participating in the survey. Participant feedback will contribute towards enhanced labor force participation, of working age adults with vision loss. Anyone completing the survey will have the option to enter their name into a raffle drawing to win prizes.
I'm interested. What should I do? Tell us a bit about yourself and how to contact you by visiting:
Producers of the upcoming short film "Cathedral Florida", are searching for a lead male actor who is either blind or has or has had a visual impairment. The character, Dennis, is in his 30's-50's. All ethnicities are welcome. Shooting 4-5 days in Los Angeles in May/June 2025. Travel/housing can be provided.
The synopsis of the short film is: A young boy joins his girlfriend on vacation, but finds he is more drawn to her father, who is blind.
For more information and instructions on how to apply, visit:
-EEOC Sues Alto Experience, Inc. for Disability Discrimination
Alto Experience Inc., a ride-hailing company that currently operates in Texas, Florida, and California, and previously operated in the District of Columbia and Virginia, violated federal law when it denied reasonable accommodations and employment to deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals who applied to work as personal drivers, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) alleged in a lawsuit.
According to the lawsuit, Alto refused to hire qualified deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals for its personal driver position, despite the ready availability of technological accommodations, and, in some instances, despite previous experience as drivers for other ride-hailing companies. The EEOC also alleged that some qualified deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals who were denied accommodation, or employment as personal drivers, were steered into less desirable car-washing positions. During the hiring process, Alto also failed to provide communications accommodations, such as American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters, the EEOC said.
The EEOC filed suit (EEOC v. Alto Experience, Inc.; Case #1:24-cv-2208), in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia after first attempting to reach a voluntary, pre-litigation settlement through its conciliation process. In the lawsuit, the EEOC seeks back pay, compensatory and punitive damages for the aggrieved individuals, and equitable relief to prevent future discrimination.
As part of the Developing Artificial Intelligence (AI) Equity, Access, and Inclusion for All Series, the Access Board will present its preliminary findings on the risks and benefits of AI for people with disabilities. The presentation will take place virtually on Tuesday, January 14, 2025, from 2:00 to 3:30 PM ET.
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is pleased to announce its first workshop series of the new year, on the Americans with Disabilities Act. Join experts in the field for these exciting learning opportunities.
The topic for January 14, 2025, is The ADA and Accommodations: What Employers Need to Know. In Part I, you will learn ADA basics, common challenges, effective strategies, and how to handle complex accommodation requests. Visit:
February 6th's topic is Tackling Employer Defenses Under the ADA. During Part II, you will master employer defenses under the Americans with Disabilities Act, including undue hardship and direct threat analysis, by utilizing current court decisions and case studies. To view the agenda, go to:
for more information about each workshop and to register.
-Company Voluntarily Recalls Their Previous Bottles of Eyedrops
Regener-Eyes LLC, the distributors of Regener-Eyes Professional Strength and Regener-Eyes LITE, recently launched their new preservative-free bottles with back flow prevention. The previous bottle design did not provide backflow prevention. After consulting with physicians and industry experts, Regener-Eyes developed and launched this improved bottle design.
"Following last week's discussion with the FDA, we are confident that our new preservative-free bottles meet the standards for back flow prevention for preservative free multi-dose bottles, and we are voluntarily recalling any remaining stock of the previous bottles", a company spokesperson stated.
If you have any of the previous bottles, or any questions, contact the company at
The OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation is proud to announce its collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) as a global collaborating partner on the WHO's SPECS 2030 initiative.
The SPECS initiative builds on the world's first-ever global target, to increase effective refractive error coverage by 40% by 2030. This collaboration between WHO and the Foundation represents a significant step forward in addressing refractive error, preventing myopia, and improving access to vision care worldwide, particularly in low resource settings.
The collaboration will focus on knowledge sharing, technical input, and data provision to scale impactful solutions and ensure the effective implementation of United Nations' "Vision for Everyone" resolution. By leveraging their respective expertise, WHO and the Foundation aim to make sustainable vision care accessible to millions, improving health outcomes and social inclusion.
-AT&T to Eliminate Most Traditional Landline Phone Service by 2029
Background: AT&T plans to eliminate its traditional landline phone service across nearly all U.S. states in its service area by 2029, according to an official announcement. The wireless carrier has said its copper wire infrastructure is antiquated, maintaining it is costly, and better service is available through fiber and wireless broadband networks. However, consumer advocates nationwide have objected to the removal of traditional phone service. They say access to basic landlines is important for the country's most vulnerable people, including senior citizens, who don't want to use cellphones, consumers who can't afford cell service, and those in rural areas who may not have good access to cell or broadband internet.
I am happy to report that the 2025 Goodies Games don't need to be canceled after all! Five loyal fans have signed up so far to make sure they will continue (much appreciated by me, the Hh/BC/LGF of your fan club), but we still have five games that are lacking yummy refreshments. The months still available to you, to show off your culinary skills (or your shopping expertise) at one of our fun games, are April, May, June, July, and November. Some of you usually prefer the same month each year to bring refreshments, but contact me anyway because I can't assume for you. Any newbies to the goodies games, are most welcome. You can reach out to me either by phone at
-Fantasy Fudge (aka. Bev and Vic's Famous Chocolate and Toasted Walnut Fudge)
Based on the recipe from the Marshmallow Cream jar
My mom used to make this delicious fudge when I was a teenager, and the whole family loved it! When I moved to California, I brought the recipe with me. And the reason I appreciated it so much was that I could make it without using a candy thermometer, and it always came out great. Over the years, Vic and I have made countless batches to send to family and give to friends. It has always been the perfect way to thank people for offering me rides, or for providing other helpful services. Our only modifications have been to toast the walnuts, to substitute other flavors of chips, to use different nut varieties, and to combine all these in various configurations. Enjoy!
Ingredients
3 cups sugar
1 1/2 stick butter (3/4 cup)
1 small can evaporated milk (1 cup)
1 (12-ounce) package semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 (7-ounce) jar Marshmallow Cream (aka. Marshmallow Fluff)
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups walnuts, chopped and toasted
Directions
Combine sugar, butter, and evaporated milk in a heavy saucepan. Bring to a full, rolling boil, stirring constantly.
Continue boiling over medium heat for 5 minutes, or until the mixture reaches 234 degrees on a candy thermometer (Soft Ball Stage).
Remove from heat, and stir in the chocolate chips until melted. Add the Marshmallow Cream, vanilla, and walnuts, and stir until well blended.
Pour into a greased 9 by 13 inch pan, and cool at room temperature. If you then decide to put the pan into the refrigerator, bring the fudge back to room temperature before cutting.
Recipe yields 3 pounds.
Note: DO NOT substitute sweetened condensed milk for evaporated milk, and DO NOT substitute superfine sugar for regular granulated sugar!
-Artichoke Squares
Modified slightly from my friend Genie's recipe (I don't know where she got it)
This is a recipe that I tried for the first time this year, although it's been hanging out in my electronic Appetizers folder for quite a long time. I recently brought it to two Christmas parties, and it was a huge hit at both.
Ingredients
1 (12-oz) can artichoke hearts, strained and chopped fine
reserved liquid from the can of artichoke hearts
1 medium onion, chopped into small pieces
4 large cloves of garlic (or more), minced
4 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup breadcrumbs, tightly packed (can use seasoned)
Sauté the onion and garlic in 1/4 cup of the reserved artichoke liquid until lightly browned, but not crispy. Pour into a large bowl.
Add the chopped artichoke hearts and the rest of the reserved liquid. Stir in all remaining ingredients, and mix until everything is well blended.
Bake in a greased 8 by 8 inch pan at 325 degrees for 40 minutes, or until knife inserted in middle comes out clean and top is lightly browned.
Let cool, and cut into small squares for appetizers, or into larger squares to be served warm as a light supper dish. And they are just as good served cold or at room temperature.
Notes: When browning the onion and garlic, I also add a bit of butter to the sauté pan to enhance the flavor of the vegetables. The recipe says you can use seasoned bread crumbs, but I prefer to make my own crumbs with my favorite kind of bread, and let the delicious flavors of the other ingredients shine through.
When prompted for a participant code, press the Pound key.
Note that the above Zoom call-in information is used for SVCB's virtual link to monthly in-person membership meetings.
2. Shows Described by AudioVision Bay Area
For all productions (Golden Gate, Orpheum Theatres, Broadway San Francisco, and Broadway San Jose), tickets are generally on sale four weeks before the production opens. To charge tickets and reserve receivers, call:
Audio described shows by TheatreWorks have resumed, with descriptions by Gravity. Pre-register for tickets that include a free "show talk" 30 minutes before the show, at the TheatreWorks box office at:
The monthly "Let's Talk Low Vision" conferences are held on the third Tuesday of the month at 8:30 PM Eastern. Archives are at the Council of Citizens with Low Vision International (CCLVI) Official website at:
7. 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:
January 18, 9:30 AM to 1 PM: SVCB annual meeting, Vista San Jose. New administration takes office. Approve Business Calendar.
January 20, noon: February SVCB newsletter deadline. Distribute 2025 budget.
February
February 1, 8 PM and 2 at 2 PM: Hershey Felder: RACHMANINOFF and the TSAR, with descriptions by Gravity, MVCPA, see notes.
February 3, 5:30 to 7 PM: Breast cancer support group meeting.
February 5, 7:30 to 9 PM: SVCB Board Meeting. Interested SVCB members are invited.
February 15, 9:30 AM to 1 PM: SVCB monthly membership meeting, Vista San Jose. Approve 2025 budget, elect delegates for CCB convention, appoint Picnic Committee, and discuss picnic site.