Vol. 36, No. 3
September 2006

NEWS YOU MAY USE

Please help our Friends of Talking Books by linking your Bashas Thank You card to the Friends. Just ask a Bashas clerk to link your Thank You card to the number 23664. Bashas, through their “Thanks a Million” program, will donate one percent of the total sales linked to that number to our Friends. It won’t cost you a cent and will be a big boost to our Friends. Thanks - a million!

Many thanks to all of you who replied to our survey in July. We mailed 1200 surveys to randomly selected patrons and more than half of those selected replied. We were astonished that about 10% of those who responded said they were not getting enough books. How could this be when more books are only a phone call away? Just call 602-255-5578 or 800-255-5578.

The Arizona Commission on the Arts is looking to develop a list of artists who are blind or visually impaired for a future art activity. The Commission defines art for this project as paint, ceramic, woodwork, metal work, literature, music, theater, dance, etc. If you are a blind or visually impaired artist please provide your name, phone number, mailing address, email address and the type of art you do and how long you have been doing it to Karla K. Rivas, SBVI Program Assistant, 1789 W. Jefferson, Phoenix, 85007, ph: 602-542-394; fax: 602-542-3778.

A Maricopa County Park Ranger leads a half-mile hike on the fourth Saturday of each month at Estrella Mountain Regional Park, 14805 W. Vineyard Ave., Goodyear, AZ 85338. It’s a fun stroll on a wheelchair accessible path and is enriched with the sounds, tastes, smells and touches of the desert. Times vary so call Park Ranger Patricia Armstrong at 623-932-3811 for details. There is a $5.00 per car park entrance fee.

If you are going on a plane trip or long road trip and do not want to take your cassette player in the car or plane with you but would like to listen to a book along the way, you might consider purchasing a Playaway from your local bookstore. A Playaway book is about the size of a cassette, comes with headphones, and the entire book is on the single Playaway device. One hundred or so new and popular books are available, costing about the same as a hardback book.

The Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts would like you to know that all of their performances can be audio described with a two-week advance ticket purchase. There is no charge for this service. A trained Audio Describer will narrate the action and describe the players so you will be better able to appreciate the performance. They will provide a very small earpiece and receiver for you to use during the presentation.

Sun Sounds of Arizona has partnered with the Citizens Clean Elections Committee to provide visually impaired voters with candidate and voting information. Prior to the election you can call 1-866-517-8711 or visit their website at www.sunsounds.org and then follow the links.

Both Maricopa County and Pima County will use touch screen voting machines with large print and audio capabilities for the first time. If you want to vote early, you may call the respective County Elections departments to request large print or Braille ballots. Pima County requests a 72 hour advance notice for a Braille ballot. The number to call in Maricopa County is 602-506-1511 and in Pima County, 520-740-4271. Accessibility options may vary in other counties, so call your local election department for details.

The City of Mesa is seeking visually impaired individuals interested in playing Goalball. Please call 480-644-5702. You need not reside in the City of Mesa to participate.