NEWS FROM NATIONAL
President’s Message
I can’t believe we are less than a month away from our Annual General Meeting! I just want to drop in quickly to thank my Board and our staff for their hard work over the past year—we are still in the midst of change!
I would like to especially thank my outgoing Treasurer, Peg Mercer, for all her hard work over the past two years. I know, Peg, there were times when you wanted to scream, or strangle someone, but you stayed calm and got the work done. I wish you all the best in whatever advocacy you continue to do, inside and outside AEBC.
I know we will have at least one new Board member, and I look forward to working with everyone, old and new, for another year.
Marcia Yale, National President
2024 AEBC/Allyant Scholarship Program
We are thrilled to announce the names of the recipients of the nine scholarships awarded through the 2024 AEBC/Allyant Scholarship Program! Let us introduce you to these amazing students who were awarded scholarships this year. They embody the spirit of diversity and academic excellence which we strive to encourage. This year, three of our scholarships are dedicated to members who are no longer with us--though their legacies will live forever. Read the article here: https://www.blindcanadians.ca/post/nine-scholarships-awarded-through-the-2024-aebc-allyant-scholarship-program
AGM 2024 is almost here!
A reminder that this month is our Annual General Meeting to be held on Sunday, September 22, 2024. This will be a hybrid meeting that you won’t want to miss! Some of our Members are joining us in person in Vancouver, BC, but we hope many more Members across Canada will join us online by Zoom. Don't forget to pre-register HERE in order to receive your unique Zoom link.
If you are interested in attending in person, please email Carol at operations@blindcanadians.ca by September 8. Cost to attend is $50 and full details can be found here on our website.
CHAPTER/AFFILIATE HAPPENINGS
Ottawa-Gatineau Chapter AGM
The Ottawa-Gatineau Chapter of the AEBC will hold its annual general meeting on Tuesday, October 8 at 7:00 PM eastern daylight time using Zoom. All members are invited to attend as observers if they are not members of the chapter. The meeting will begin promptly at 7:00 PM. Please ensure that you connect ahead of time, since late arrivals disrupt the flow of the meeting.
To join with the Zoom app on your mobile phone (iPhone or Android) or with a web browser on your computer (Windows or Mac), click on the following link.
To join the meeting with your telephone (land line or mobile), follow the steps below.
1. Dial 1-647-558-0588.
2. When the Zoom service answers and asks for the meeting ID, enter 205-922-165 followed by the # key.
BC Affiliate AGM
The AEBC BC Affiliate will be holding its Annual General Meeting on September 7, 2024 beginning at 10:00 a.m. Pacific time. Prior to the business portion of the day, we will welcome two guest speakers. We would like to extend an invitation to all AEBC members who are interested in joining us to do so using the BC Affiliate Zoom details. The first speaker will share information on the OKOApp--an AI driven navigation to help you navigate and explore your environment with confidence. (Speaker's name TBA) The other guest is Amos Miller from Glidance and he will tell us about their newly launched product (Glide), which is the world's first self-guided primary mobility aid designed to help blind and low vision individuals navigate with confidence.
Full Zoom Meeting Details:
Meeting ID: 491 319 312
Passcode: 250604
Dial 1-778-907-2071
Meeting ID: 491 319 312
Host code: 441880
BC Affiliate President’s Report
Prior to the meeting, be sure to read the BC Affiliate President’s Report available here: https://www.blindcanadians.ca/post/bc-affiliate-president-s-report-2024
FROM THE AEBC BLOG
2024 Paralympics in Described Video
Despite the commitment and skills of athletes with disabilities, until very recently, the Paralympics did not receive the media coverage they deserved. We heard very little about the games in the news let alone saw coverage on prime TV. This year’s Paris games however, will be well covered on CBC. And for those of us who are unable to see, the games will be described thanks to the efforts of organizations such as AEBC. AEBC continues to advocate to the CRTC and the CBC to facilitate access to programming. THE PARIS 2024 PARALYMPICS is on now until September 8th. CBC is thrilled to offer described video to audiences watching on CBC TV, CBC GEM, CBC.ca and the CBC Sports app. In addition to the opening and closing ceremonies, described video will be available on all daytime and prime time coverage. https://www.cbc.ca/sports/paralympics
Working Dog—Please do not distract
September is Guide Dog Awareness Month. Check out this article from Linda Bartram on her experiences with a guide dog and guide dog awareness.
AEBC Member Penny Bennett Inductee to the Canadian Disability Hall of Fame
We are so pleased to share the news that AEBC Member, Penny Bennett, has been chosen as one of three individuals this year to be inducted into the Canadian Disability Hall of Fame. The Canadian Disability Hall of Fame recognizes distinguished Canadians who have made significant contributions in assisting or enhancing the lives of persons with physical disabilities. Read more here:
Mattel Introduces the First Blind Barbie Doll, complete with tactile features and cane
Mattel, Inc. recently announced the addition of a blind Barbie doll, created to allow even more children to find a doll that represents them and inspire all children to tell more stories through play. AEBC is pleased about the release of the new Barbie doll. In fact, our Advocacy Committee Chair, Dean Steacy, has already ordered one for his granddaughter! Read more here:
U.S simplifies travel rules for dogs entering the United States from Canada.
Read our article on what has changed and the form you will need to complete if travelling to the U.S. with your service dog or pet. https://wix.to/xvxYEdx
ADVOCACY NEWS
From Dean Steacy, Chair of Advocacy & Outreach Committee
Things have slowed down a little bit during the summer, but since the last update at the public board meeting, the following things have happened. Marcia and I were interviewed by a reporter from the Canadian Digital news media service--apparently this is a new news outlet. The reporter asked us questions concerning our experience with kiosk machines. This interview was in relation to a study that had been put out by the University of Waterloo, and she was seeking independent opinions to determine if the Waterloo study was accurate. Apparently, our experiences are very similar to those individuals that University of Waterloo interviewed. As soon as we get a copy of the article, we will forward it to the members to read.
Marcia and I met on August 8 to put together a submission to the CRTC concerning descriptive video. This was reviewed on August 15 by the Advocacy Committee and will be submitted to the CRTC by its deadline on August 26.
The August 15 meeting was our last meeting for the year. Our next meeting will be held after the AGM, so if you’re interested in Advocacy and want to join the committee, please let me know. I can be reached at governmentrelations@blindcanadians.ca
COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE HAPPENINGS
Since last year’s AGM, the Communications Committee has been working in several areas to set up more efficient and secure systems internally and developing a consistent look and feel to present to both our members and the outside world. We have joined forces with the IT committee for much of our work and we have been able to host more frequent training sessions.
All of the training sessions we have hosted to date, as well as several other information videos are posted on our YouTube channel: at https://www.youtube.com/blindcanadians Also, you will have noticed that we have moved all of our email communications into the Groups.io service and our discussion list has been growing and has become quite busy of late. We encourage you to join this active members’ discussion list by sending an email to members+subscribe@AEBC.groups.io. Acting on member requests we have generally consolidated our email announcements into our Monday Morsels weekly bulletin.
Since our new website launch last year, we can boast to having 4,287 site sessions year-to-date with 2,996 unique visitors. During this time, we have put up 70 blog posts and in the last 30 days, we have had 273 blog views – we’d love it if you would post as well as visit this vibrant area on our site. Since September, our Facebook followers have increased from 539 to 571. For those of you who use Facebook, we are working on a user guide to help make your experience and navigation more enjoyable. If this kind of work interests you, I encourage you to join the Communications Committee when we post the call-out for new committee members after the AGM.
I want to take this opportunity to thank my fellow Communication Committee members who have brought fresh ideas and stimulating discussion to this committee: Brian Bibeault, Hilton Schwartz, Lisa Lawson, Marcia Yale and Ryan Fleury and our very welcome and able wranglers, (staff) Lee Pigeau and Carol Austin who keep us organized and moving forward.
Diana Brent, Communications Committee Chair
MEDIA CLIPPINGS
FOR EMPLOYERS
ECO Canada, in partnership with The Canadian Association for Supported Employment (CASE), is dedicated to promoting opportunities for people with disabilities to have meaningful careers in the environmental sector. On Sept 4th, employers are encouraged to attend an engaging and informative webinar designed specifically for employers in the environmental sector, joined by professionals supporting individuals with different abilities and their employers. The objective of this webinar is to inform employers about:
· the benefits of hiring persons with disabilities,
· the types of support available for individuals and employers, and
· how fostering an inclusive workplace can enhance your team’s effectiveness and overall mission.
Register now at this link: https://bit.ly/3WUygzf
Also check out this special page at ECO highlighting accessibility and inclusion in the environmental sector with an important report coming soon:
UPCOMING AEBC EVENTS
Check out our EVENTS CALENDAR for posted dates and links to information about events.
CHAPTER/AFFILIATE CHATS
National Public Chats: Join us every Friday at 4PM Pacific, 5PM Mountain, 7PM Eastern
BC Affiliate Public Chats: Join us Thursday Nights at 8 PM Pacific
Halifax Mid-Week Meltdown: Join us on the second Wednesday of every month at 8 PM Atlantic. The Halifax Meltdowns are open to anyone--both members and friends of AEBC. If you are not a member, please email us at halifaxchapter@blindcanadians.ca so we can send you information about the meltdowns.
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ALLIANCE FOR EQUALITY OF BLIND CANADIANS
The Alliance for Equality of Blind Canadians (AEBC) is a national charitable organization committed to empowering blind, partially sighted, and deafblind Canadians to lead a life filled with opportunity, inclusivity, and equality. We advocate, support, and strive to make the world a better place for everyone, regardless of their visual abilities. Together, we can create a brighter and more accessible future for all.
Visit our website at www.blindcanadians.ca and follow us on social media
Facebook: @facebook/blindcanadians
Mastodon: @blindcanadians
YouTube: @blindcanadians
The Equalizer committee is committed to bringing you timely and informative news from the organization. We appreciate your feedback on our newsletter or submissions for consideration. Contact us at EMAIL Newsletter.
If you are interested in becoming more involved in our advocacy work or joining any of our working committees, please reach out to EMAIL Government Relations.
If you’re not already a Member and would like to support us as a Member or Donor.
Alliance for Equality of Blind Canadians
PO Box 20262 RPO Town Centre
Kelowna, BC V1Y 9H2 1-800-561-4774
Copyright (c) 2024 Alliance for Equality of Blind Canadians
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