20/200 Fellowship, Inc.

A School-Year’s Worth of Learning in One Day

“We caught a baby Barracuda!”

This rather excited announcement was made by Kevin Pertuch as he sorted through the creatures he and his partner had hauled in with their seining net. Less interesting to Kevin, but enjoyed by the rest of the Eye Openers/Dots 6 Kids combined group that ranged in age from 6, to well, a lot older than 6, were the Pinfish, Jelly Fish, Blue Crabs, Hermit Crabs and Silver Sides that were caught, studied, and ultimately released back into the Indian River Lagoon.

Four is definitely the charm. The Fellowship’s 4th annual Ecotour was about as much fun and education as you can squeeze into one day. Sunshine Wildlife Tours’ Captain Nancy Beaver led us on a trip through the lagoon, where we were escorted by dolphins through the fragile ecosystem that is the jewel in the Treasure Coast’s Crown.

After experiencing the calls of the many birds in Bird Island, we repaired to Boy Scout Island for lunch and seining. We covered every inch of the island, experiencing a freedom of mobility that can only come from actually taking a chance and overcoming obstacles along the way. During our leisurely return to Manatee Pocket, we learned about the importance of Mangroves and the attempts to restore them to the lagoon. We also learned about what is not being restored, the sea grasses. And we discussed the shaky future of the Manatee, which has been reclassified from endangered status to threatened status.

At the end of it all, our Dot 6 Kids and Eye Openers groups returned to dry land, exhausted but enthused by all we had experienced of the flora and fauna that call the Indian River Lagoon home.

We are grateful to Captain Nancy for giving us this unique opportunity to explore our environment. To make a reservation on a Sunshine Wildlife tour, contact Nancy at (772) 219-0148. These programs are made possible thanks to your support.

July - August 2006

Thank You Mariner Sands Chapel!

The 20/200 Fellowship, Inc., is forever grateful to the congregation and board of the Mariner Sands Chapel. Providing programs for the blind of the Treasure Coast for years to come, in a facility which is owned solely by the blind and visually impaired community for which we serve, has always been of paramount importance to all of us. Over the past two years, Mariner Sands Chapel, through their generous philanthropies, has donated funds to pay off the majority of the remaining mortgage on our building.

As of June 2006, the 20/200 Fellowship has realized the goal of owning its home on Kingfish Avenue in Stuart, guaranteeing that our doors will always be open to provide blind and visually impaired individuals the window of opportunity to be a vital part of the Treasure Coast community.

SCHEDULE OF PROGRAMS
JULY – AUGUST 2006

Programming Note: Friday Nite PUB will be returning in August! Join us for a new season of PUB as we explore advances in technology, goal setting, and much more.

EYE OPENERS
JULY 12th 1-3 PM
“CANE SKILLS AND TECHNIQUES”
GUEST SPEAKER: CURT SEELEY

During this Eye Openers, Curt Seeley, an Orientation & Mobility instructor in Martin County, will discuss the various aspects of cane travel. Curt, along with this year’s Dot Six Summer Camp participants, will demonstrate the different cane techniques that one can use to gather information about their surroundings. He will also discuss how to safely cross streets using a cane, how to orient yourself to unfamiliar environments, and the importance of having good cane skills, so don’t miss this very informative session!

EYE OPENERS
JULY 26th 1-3 PM
“FIRE AND HOME SAFETY”
SPECIAL GUESTS: MARTIN COUNTY FIRE AND RESCUE

Join the Dot Six Kids Camp participants for a presentation on fire safety and safety in the home! Representatives from the Martin County Fire Department will visit the Fellowship to explain what to do in the event of a fire, and discuss home safety. This is a great time to refresh your knowledge of this life-saving subject!

FRIDAY NITE PUB
AUGUST 18th 7-9 PM
“THE WORLD OF PORTABLE COMPUTER ACCESS”

FreedomBox, made by Serotek Corporation, comes in the form of either a USB thumb drive or a CD-rom the size of a credit card. This portable software can give you instant access to any computer, including a web browser and System Access, which provides speech output for all of the applications on the computer. Come learn about this adaptable device!

AUGUST EYE OPENERS THEME: CELL PHONE ACCESSIBILITY

There are two categories of cell phone accessibility: software that is installed on to your cell phone, and phones that are accessible right out of the box. During the month of August, we will explore both of these categories. No matter which type of accessibility you prefer, we’ve got the information for you!

EYE OPENERS
AUGUST 9th 1-3 PM
“ACCESSING CELL PHONES WITH SOFTWARE”

Talks, Mobile Accessibility, and Mobile Speak are software programs that can allow your Nokia series 60 or 80 cell phones to talk to you. Mobile Magnifier will enlarge the text that appears on the screen of your phone to make it easier to read. These programs will allow you to access the many features of your cell phone such as battery status, signal strength, call logs, the phone book, and the menus.

EYE OPENERS
AUGUST 23rd 1-3 PM
“ACCESSIBLE OFF THE SHELF CELL PHONES”

During this Eye Openers, we will discuss cell phones that are accessible right out of the box. There are two different options that can speak information to you such as the battery status, signal strength, and contacts in your phone book.

Convention Connections
By Ashley Skellenger

When I was in my sophomore year of high school, I attended my first state convention of the National Federation of the Blind. Up until that point, I had never really thought about attending conferences on a regular basis, let alone the issues that were brought up during the meetings. I think that what immediately caught my attention at this first conference was seeing how many other blind people were there. It was amazing to be in the hotel, and see over 100 dogs and canes. I was the only blind student at my high school, so getting to meet so many other blind persons at that convention was amazing in its own right.

One of the first things that struck me about the people I met and interacted with at this convention was their confidence. There were those who were raising families, working in various jobs, and who held board positions in the NFB, and as a result, worked on varied projects, ranging from legislation issues, advocacy, and fund raising. This was a great source of encouragement and support to me; it gave me living role models, and caused me to examine my own skill level. From talking to others, I learned new techniques in such areas as cane travel, and cooking. I also began to learn about legislative issues that affect those who are blind, and how I could advocate for myself. It was also a wonderful support network to have; I learned a lot more by being able to contact many of the people I had met after that first convention, sharing questions and experiences.

While these conventions offer a vast support system for me and others who are blind, we are fortunate to live in an area that has a similar resource available to us. The 20/200 Fellowship provides training in the use of Braille and adaptive technology, both important and needed skills, which can help you become more independent and self-sufficient. The Fellowship also offers, as I am sure you’re aware, groups for those losing their sight, and for those specifically seeking employment. These groups allow for meeting others, learning new skills/techniques, and give you the opportunity to form a support network. The after school and summer camp program allows for similar opportunities for the kids as well. I would definitely encourage everyone to take part in what the Fellowship has to offer; it is a great organization, and the services that are offered mirror what can be found at many conventions.

I hope to see you here this summer, as it will be my last summer here for the foreseeable future! But more on that in our next issue…

Mark Your Calendars!
Join us for our 2nd Annual Walkathon &
Visual Impairment Awareness Event

Canes, Canines & Community

Saturday, October 14th, 2006 at 8:00AM
Memorial Park - East Ocean Boulevard - Stuart, Florida

Walk begins at 8:00 AM - Day of event registration/breakfast at 7:00 AM
Registration: Individuals $15.00 in advance, $25.00 day of event
Teams $50.00, in advance only

Free breakfast for all registered walkers
Free t-shirts for first 200 registered walkers
Entertainment - Information - Occlusion Corner
Education for kids of all ages
Grand Prize Drawing - Team Prizes - Individual Prizes

For more information, or to volunteer to be a part of this exciting event, call us at (772) 220-0095 or email info@20-200fellowship.org