Disabled American Veterans
Blind
Veterans National Chapter #1
WEB
SITE: http://www.davbvnc1.com/contents.htm
September/October
2015 Newsletter
Editor:
Dennis O’Connell
Email
address: bvnc1@optonline.net
"IF I CANNOT SPEAK GOOD
OF MY COMRADE,
I WILL NOT SPEAK
OFFICERS OF THE BLIND CHAPTER
Commander James Hogan (CA)
Phone
661 251 7870 email: ja2paroses@aol.com
Senior vice commander: Ron Lester (AZ)
1st Junior vice Commander David May
(OH)
2nd Junior vice Commander Leonard
Pope (NJ)
3rd Vice Commander Dennis
O’Connell (NY)
4th Junior vice Commander
Robert Abshire (CO)
Judge Advocate Richard Bugbee (AZ)
Chaplain Rev. Tony Martino (IL),
Phone 847 736 2111, email: deaconmartino@gmail.com
(filling in for Tony to send cards,
Dave May, cell: (330) 806-9910
Email: dtm50@neo.rr.com
Adjutant/Treasurer Paul Kaminsky (FL) (also webmaster),
Phone 904 291-0576, email: pkjax@kaminsky.com
Judge Advocate
Richard Bugbee (AZ)
Immediate Past Commander Carroll
Prosser (SC)
PLEASE, if you know of any member who
is sick or deceased inform one of the officers whose contact information is
listed above ASAPP.
Please
keep Carroll Prosser, Tony Martino and
Paul Kaminsky in your prayers!
MESSAGE
FROM THE COMMANDER
It
is indeed an honor and a privilege to have been elected as your Commander for
the Blinded Veterans National Chapter #1 of the Disabled American Veterans at
the 2015 National Convention in
I
am looking forward to working in outreach to all of our
Currently
there are 13 VA Blind Rehabilitation Centers throughout the country serving not
only our senior veterans but our youngest as well who have suffered vision loss
as the results of TBI and other war related eye injuries. These centers provide
training in every aspect of independent living and are an incredible resource.
Unfortunately they are not being utilized to their maximum due to staffing
shortages.
The
National Blind Chapter does their best to provide some funding to help these
veterans receiving inpatient blind rehab services with some recreational relief
but our funds are limited.
As
the Blind Chapter does not participate in the Forget me Not campaign or any
other fundraisers with the exception of gathering donations at the annual
breakfast at DAV National conventions, we are asking for the help and support
of your States, Districts and Chapters to further our cause. Let's work
together and help support our blind veterans. Every little bit helps!
NEWS
I
am pleased to announce that the Foundation Fighting Blindness (FFB) will be
joining forces with the Foundation for Retinal Research (FRR) to enhance our
research efforts to find treatments and cures for retinal degenerative
diseases. The merging of FRR into FFB will officially take effect on January 1,
2016.
For
the past 17 years, FFB Board member and Officer, David Brint, his wife Betsy,
and other family members have dedicated themselves to organizing, informing,
and supporting individuals and families across the country affected by retinal
disease. FRR has played a vital role in advancing the field of research in
congenital blinding disorders, as has FFB, through large investments in this
area of research over the past two decades.
As
scientific progress in our field continues to accelerate – there are now
roughly 20 clinical trials focused on retinal disease treatments – it is
increasingly clear that greater collaboration is, and will be, needed in order
to fund later stage projects and de-risk them sufficiently to draw commercial
partners from the pharmaceutical, biotech and investments sectors. We have
taken the initial steps, but there is still a great deal more work to be done.
We believe that the joining together of FFB and FRR will increase our capacity
to attract commercial investment.
We
welcome the FRR families to the FFB and look forward to the amazing dedication
and passion that has been such a defining characteristic of FRR. FFB, in turn,
is committed to providing information and support at the same high standard
that has been set by FRR. Most importantly, we share a laser-like focus on
finding treatments and cures for retinal diseases.
Sincerely,
William
T. Schmidt, CEO, Foundation Fighting Blindness
www.FightBlindness.org
PART 1: This pamphlet has been produced
by the Consumer Advocate, U.S. Postal Service. It is designed to answer the
most often asked questions
about free matter for the blind and
other visually handicapped persons. The information contained in this
publication is based on E040 of the
Domestic Mail Manual and United States
Code, title 39, sections 3403–3405.
Q: Who may qualify to mail items free of
postage?
A: Persons who are blind or who cannot
use or read conventionally printed material due to a physical handicap.
Other handicaps that can prevent normal reading
include disabling paralysis, muscle or nerve deterioration affecting
coordination and
control, and confinement in iron lungs
or other mechanical devices. Among the causes of such conditions are cerebral
palsy, multiple sclerosis,
muscular dystrophy, arthritis, infantile
paralysis, myasthenia gravis, and diplegia.
Q: What must a person do to be eligible
to mail
items free of postage?
A: The person must have a competent
authority certify in writing that he or she is unable to read conventional
reading material. A competent
authority includes a licensed medical
doctor, ophthalmologist, optometrist, registered nurse, or professional staff
member of a hospital or
other institution or agency. The
statement is to be submitted to the post office where postagefree mailings will
be made or received by the
blind or visually handicapped person.
The person is then considered eligible to use the free mailing privilege.
Q: Which material may be mailed free of
postage?
A: Under the conditions specified below,
the following material is eligible:
1. Books, magazines, musical scores, and
other reading matter, or pages or parts thereof, in raised characters
(Braille), large print, or
recorded form.
2. Paper, records, tapes, and other
matter for the production of reading matter, musical scores, or sound
reproductions for eligible persons.
3. Equipment and parts for equipment
used for writing by eligible persons or for educational purposes.
4. Sound playback equipment specially
designed or adapted for the use of visually
handicapped persons.
5. Equipment or parts for equipment
specifically designed or adapted for use by visually handicapped persons, such
as Braille watches, white canes, and similar equipment.
Q: Are there restrictions on this
material?
A: The material may not contain any
advertising.
Musical or other sound recordings not specifically
designed for use by visually
handicapped persons are not eligible for
free mailing.
The mail is subject to inspection by the
Postal Service.
Q: Can letters be mailed free of
postage?
A: Letters in raised characters
(Braille), in 14-point or larger sight saving type, or in
the form of sound recordings may be mailed free of postage
from an eligible person. Handwritten or typewritten
letters, however, are subject to the applicable rate of postage when mailed to
or from an eligible person. Also subject to applicable postage are bills paid
by mail by
eligible persons and letters in any form
when mailed to eligible persons from ineligible persons.
Q: Who can mail eligible material
postage-free and to whom can it be mailed?
A: Individuals, libraries, and other
noncommercial organizations serving eligible persons may mail the above
material free of postage to eligible
persons and to organizations serving
eligible persons. Eligible persons may return materials to the lenders free of
postage. Eligible persons
may exchange the above material among
themselves free of postage. Libraries and other noncommercial organizations may
exchange such material among themselves free of postage.
Commercial producers of the above
material may mail such material free of postage to an eligible person on the
additional condition that
whatever charge, fee, or rental required
does not exceed the cost of the material.
GOD BLESS