Interviews to Empower Presents: Dan Oates

Welcome to Interviews to Empower, where we feature inspiring individuals to encourage you to become lifelong learners. This month’s interviewee is Dan Oates, a man who’s tireless work has provided many opportunities for children who are blind and visually impaired.

Q: First, tell us a little about your self.

A: Currently, I am retired from the West Virginia Schools for the Deaf and the Blind and living in Romney. I travel a lot speaking about Space Camp for Interested Visually Impaired Students (SCIVIS). My goal is to interest more students in attending the program. My girlfriend, Jenny, lives in Oklahoma so I take every opportunity to go and spend time together.  We love to travel and see locally and nationally produced theatre performances.

I spend about four months a year now in Huntsville, Alabama.  During the summer I work as an Education Program Manager at Space Camp.  My job duties include managing 12-14 teachers who coordinate and lead the Space Camp Educators Program.  We host about 500 teachers from 30-35 countries attending Space Camp each summer.  I return in September to oversee the SCIVIS program for about 200 blind and low vision students from about 25 U. S. states and 10 foreign countries. During a two-week period in February and March, I return to Space Camp to assist with the Honeywell Leadership Challenge Academy (HLCA).  These are two one-week programs for Honeywell employee’s children, ages 16-18, to attend a leadership-based Space Camp program.  I act as a corporate liaison between Honeywell and Space Camp. While at home I enjoy working on genealogy, local history projects and working out at the Wellness Center. I am also a member of the Board of Directors for the National Organization for Albinism and Hypopigmentation (NOAH). NOAH’s mission is to act as a conduit for accurate and authoritative information about all aspects of living with albinism and to provide a place where people with albinism and their families, in the United States and Canada, can find acceptance, support and fellowship.

Q: How did you get into working with children with disabilities, especially with blindness?

A: I have had a long history with the school beginning with my earliest years.  My uncle and mother worked at the school. My neighbors, while I was growing up, worked there.  I can remember going to school to visit my Uncle Bill Oates, who was a houseparent at Seaton Hall for secondary deaf boys.  I spent many days attending youth group meetings, Boy Scout troop meetings, and just hanging out there.

My mother was the superintendent’s secretary, when she passed away suddenly in 1979.  She always wanted me to work there because it was such a great place.  But my plans were totally different than what she wanted for me.  I had always told her, “those kids are weird!”

After graduating from Fairmont State College with a B. S. degree in Recreational Programming, I landed a job at the Mineral County Parks and Recreation Commission in Keyser, WV.  One of the skills I learned while working in Keyser was chair caning – repairing and replacing old seats in antique chairs.  Something I felt was a complete waste of my time.  I worked there until spring of 1979, when the Federal funding was cut.  During this time, my father had a serious heart attack and my mother died in April.   I returned to Romney without a job and to care for my father while he recuperated from his heart attack and loss of his wife.

During that time to make a living I caned chairs, stripped furniture, and sold antiques.

One day, Mr. Ralph Brewer, principal at the West Virginia School for the Blind, called and asked if I would be interested in a three-month job filling a vacancy.  He said, “I hear you can cane chairs.  Just wondering if you could teach a blind child how to do that?” I replied, “Yes I can!” I had no idea but I needed a job.

Those three months changed my life!  I soon realized that my perspective of “those kids” being weird was so wrong.  I didn’t understand them but soon realized they were no different than other children. 

Eventually Mr. Brewer called me to his office and offered to pay for my Masters in Education and Orientation and Mobility certification if I would return to school.  So off to the University of Pittsburgh I went.  At the beginning of the 1981-1982 school year, I returned as WVSB’s first certified O & M instructor.

In the end, my mother got her wish and as usual, mother’s are always right!  So interesting to me that a skill that I thought was a waste of time combined with a misperception of some really neat kids equaled a career!

Q: Let’s talk about your career. What are some things you have accomplished while working in the field of blindness? Also, what challenges did you, and do you still, face in the field?

A: During my thirty years I had two job titles.  I was an orientation and mobility instructor from 1981 to 1994.  From 1994 to my retirement at the end of the 2011-2012 school year I was an Educational Outreach Specialist.

Early in my employment, Mr. Brewer began sending me to the University of Virginia to take classes in low vision. This quickly became an interest of mine.  He asked me to coordinate a low vision clinic on campus.  I worked with a number of optometrists over the years for our clinics.

In 1993 I was asked to present at the Outreach Forum at the Indiana School for the Blind.  These are outreach professionals from all of the schools for the blind throughout the United States.  There I learned of a traveling low vision clinic in Iowa that I felt would be wonderful to have in West Virginia.  Upon my return from the Forum, I pitched the idea to our superintendent, Max Carpenter, and he denied the request.  When I became employed as an Outreach Specialist I pitched the idea again and Mr. Carpenter shot me down again.  Knowing the idea was a good one, I went to Dr. Terry Schwartz of the Department of Ophthalmology at West Virginia University and she was all for it.  Dr. Jim Jones, an optometrist at WVU, and I traveled to Charleston to the Lions Conservation Foundation and presented the idea.  They granted us $6000.  The low vision clinic was off and running.  It soon became apparent to Dr. Schwartz and myself that due to our current job responsibilities we would be unable to manage the program.  Dr. Schwartz found some funding through her department and we hired Rebecca Coakley as the coordinator of the project.  It was through her enthusiasm, vision, and tireless energy the Children’s Vision Rehabilitation Project (CVRP) was born.  Today that project has helped children from all over the world and Becky Coakley is one of the leading low vision educators in the world.  I’m very proud of my work in beginning that program.

During this time I was selected by the West Virginia Board of Education to accompany ten gifted students to Russia on a Space Exchange. These students were not blind but the top ten academic students in the state.  This was a very scary trip for me as I had only been on a plane once and never outside the United States.  Trips to Russia in 1993 and 1994 were so valuable to my maturity as an educator, allowing me to see other countries and educational systems.  As a result of the success of my first two trips, Mr. Carpenter and my office partner, Paula Athey, went to Russia in 1995.  While touring the school for the blind there, Paula was contacted by a parent of a child with an inoperable brain tumor.  Paula, myself, and many other state residents worked hard to allow Yelena Shilova to come to the United States for surgery in Huntington, WV.  Today, Yelena is alive and thriving in Russia.

My sixteen years working throughout the state as one of the coordinators for the INSITE program were probably the most rewarding.  Many times I was the first educator parents met after they had received the news of their babies diagnosis of vision loss.  I traveled all over our beautiful state and spent time in every county and met hundreds of families and educators.  I would like to think my knowledge in the field of blindness and low vision helped families begin to accept their child as a productive member of society.  

I feel my biggest challenge was staying current on all of the innovations in the field.  There was times that living in rural West Virginia limited me in this area.  I was fortunate to travel extensively within the U. S., Russia, Ireland, St. Lucia, and Australia to continue learning throughout my career.  I have always been blessed to work with professionals who shared their knowledge freely and I have always had a passion for learning.

Q: A lot of alumni of WVSB remember their experiences at Space Camp, from scuba diving to feeling what it is like on the moon to jumping off a 40 foot tower into freezing cold water And more! :) You were instrumental in getting that program off the ground. Can you please talk about that?

A: Contrary to popular belief, I had little to do with the initial program.  Edward Buckbee, the founder of Space Camp, grew up in Romney.  When he began to notice the desire of children with special needs to attend his program, he reached out to his friend, Max Carpenter.  Mr. Carpenter contacted Ralph Brewer, principal at the School for the Blind, and together they formed a committee to look into the possibilities.  I was a member of that committee but was not slated to go on the trip.  Mr. Carpenter, Mr. Brewer, Kathy Johnson (math teacher), and Michele Hooker Slocum (science teacher) drove to Alabama for the first meeting and overview of Space Camp in 1989. It wasn’t until the return of the committee that it became apparent that the services of a mobility instructor would be needed.  I was extremely excited about going and was so honored to accompany twenty amazing students on this trip in December of 1990.

Kathy Johnson was the early coordinator of the program and I was simply a chaperone who took orders, followed students to their activities, made sure everyone had low vision devices and knew where they were.  As the program continued and more students attended from other schools for the blind, I began to see potential for the program to attract hundreds of students.  Eventually, I approached Kathy with the idea of inviting students attending public schools and opening the program to all students with blindness and low vision.  My contacts through outreach made this possible.  Soon I handled all registration and contacting new students and Kathy handled materials and programming.  Our program slowly grew with Kathy always reining me in to slow down and make sure we were maintaining a quality program and not growing too fast.  By the late 1990’s and into the 2000’s, we were hosting between 150-200 students each year.  The program was named Space Camp for Interested Visually Impaired Students (SCIVIS) sometime in the late 1990’s and continues to be known by that today.  Since 1990 over 4000 students have attended the program. Kathy continued to work with the program until she retired in 2007 and soon thereafter passed away in 2010.

In 2007, I was honored by being selected as an inaugural member of the Space Camp Hall of Fame.  I have often been referred to, as the founder of SCIVIS but that is not true.  Each year we honor Mr. Edward Buckbee, Mr. Ralph Brewer, and Mr. Max Carpenter as the SCIVIS founders.  During graduation we further honor Mr. Carpenter and Kathy Johnson by selecting a special graduate who has overcome many obstacles to receive the Carpenter/Johnson Award.  In my nomination for the Hall of Fame it was stated that I am the “heart and soul of SCIVIS”.  I’m comfortable with that!

Q: Do you have any advice for other professionals working in the field of blindness, or for anyone who happens to be blind?

A: My advice to any vision professional would be to seek out opportunities to learn from others, visit other schools for the blind and conferences.  I’ve always said, “I haven’t had an original idea.”

Also find your passion and work it.  I was unaware of the passion that I would develop working with blind and low vision students.  Fortunately, my mother, Mr. Brewer, and others saw it first and directed me “blindly” towards it.  I would say my success in the field was based on the resources I made.  I also discovered that I was better working for children than working with them.

Q: We understand that you have published a book about a Confederate soldier? What is the title, the story behind it, and how can readers obtain a copy?

A: Yes, the title of the book is “Hanging Rock Rebel, Lt. John Blue’s War in West Virginia and the Shenandoah Valley Along with Other Writings”.

Lt. John Blue was a native born son of Romney. His adventures prior to and after joining the Civil War were detailed in weekly articles in the Hampshire Review from the spring of 1898 until April of 1901.  I have taken those first hand accounts of his story and placed them in a book format with accompanying pictures, chapters, and index, both last name and regimental.

The story of Lt. Blue intrigued me during my middle school years as I was blessed to have history teachers who valued teaching local history.  Upon discovering his writings in the local paper, I was amazed at reading a first hand account of over 300 pages; virtually unheard of!

The book is available in print for $22 and can be found at local bookstores or at http://www.fortpearsallpress.com.

Mr. Oates, it has been a pleasure interviewing you and learning more about you and the others who have made O&M and Space Camp some of our best memories at WVSB. Thank you so much for all you have done and continue to do to further the education of blind and visually impaired children.

A big thank you to our readers, too. This blog is about to become one year old, and we could not have made it this far without you.

We hope you will come back in two weeks for another post. We have some exciting news coming up about our new book, “ducking into UEB”, a braille manual for all students, children and adults who want a fun way to learn unified English braille.

Until next time, be encouraged, do something you’ve never done before and come like us on Facebook at facebook.com/adkinsandwells/

'Tis the Season for Holidays and Remembering

Hello, and welcome to our blog. S.J. Wells here with you this week, and I’m trying to come up with an entry to inspire you. It’s a cold morning here in WV. I think the temperature is 19 degrees Fahrenheit. As a homeschool mama, I’m finding it difficult to get going this morning, which makes it easy on my children to laze around and ignore me. Cold mornings make me want to stay in bed and think up new stories to write. Which, now that I think of it, reminds me of something.

I was in elementary school, and it was time to brave the cold and go to the bus stop. Mom fixed me a warm breakfast and a hot cup of coco. Then, when breakfast was over, she bundled me in my coat, pulled up my hood and tied it under my chin. She hurried me into the car with the heater running and drove up the hill to the bus stop. Just before handing me off to the aid who rode the bus to help those of us with disabilities, she laughed and wiped a motherly hand across my dripping forehead. “Look at you!” she said. “You’re sweating like a Sumer day!”

The Christmas season in elementary school meant fun. At the time, all of the children in the county who were blind or visually impaired went to the same school, where we had a teacher for the visually impaired along with an aid to help out. Our teacher planned activities rich in sensory details. One year I remember slathering one of those pointy ice cream cones in green icing and sticking sweets like chocolate chips and Frootloops to it. That was one, yummy Christmas tree. One time we went to a museum and felt wooden shoes. A few times she took us to a local church where our classroom aid was the organist and had the lady to play Christmas songs while we sang.

Lest you think she wasn’t giving us a rounded education, she also told us about her family’s tradition of celebrating Hanukkah instead of Christmas. She taught us how to play the dreidel game and to sing the song that goes with it. She told us all about lighting the menorah and what it meant. Even brought one in for me to feel.

Sometimes, Christmas for those who have recently lost their sight can be difficult. Family and friends talk of driving around to see the lights, and the blind person can not take part in the actual seeing part. Christmas cards in print are handed out everywhere, yet the blind person can not read them and feels left out. So, here are some things to keep in mind if you or someone you know is feeling this way this year.

1. Christmas cards, as well as other types of cards can either be put in braille or bought in braille. Search the web, ask a blind friend for help or just buy a card with a tactile picture on the front and read the card to the person who is blind.
2. Instead of concentrating on Christmas lights, how about Christmas music and Christmas scents? Or, even tastes?
3. Instead of making your packages look all pretty, why not wrap your gifts with some imagination? If it is a small gift, put it in a bigger box, wrap and put in another even bigger box. Wrap up something silly in a pretty package, like a bottle of water or coke and make it fancy with a beau. Get creative.
4. But, what should you get for someone who can’t see? Something they can feel, taste, hear or smell. Consider their likes and dislikes, as you would with anyone else and let it come from the heart.

Of course, you know both Anita and I are authors, and so we will always recommend buying books. But, this year, I have to toot my own horn a bit and let you know that my newest book, “His Yankee Wife” is now available in paperback and on kindle. Check it out on Amazon, and think of your reader friends when you do. Here is the link.

https://www.amazon.com/His-Yankee-Wife-s-Wells/dp/1979106606/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1513175996&sr=1-1&keywords=his+yankee+wife

Also, Anita has a children’s book out, and if you are struggling with vision loss or have a family member who is, this book is just what you need this Christmas. It’s called, “A Brother’s Love”, and it’s available on kindle for only $2.99. Here’s the link.

https://www.amazon.com/Brothers-Love-Anita-Adkins-ebook/dp/B06X9CNPLF/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1513176236&sr=1-1&keywords=a+brother%27s+love%2C+Anita+Adkins

From Anita and I we wish you all the merriest of Christmases, the happiest of Hanukkahs and a prosperous New Year. Be sure and come back on Dec. 28, as we have an edition of Interviews to Empower that will surely inspire you. If you are an alumni of WVSB, you won’t want to miss it, because there are some surprises.

Until then, be blessed, and remember the reason for the season…the one who was born in Bethlehem.

Interviews to Empower Presents: Ricky Richmond

Welcome to this month’s edition of Interviews to Empower. If you have never met him, then prepare to be inspired. Allow me to introduce to you Ricky Richmond who’s motto is "You gotta except  it's all right to ask for help if you need it; even sighted people need help.”

Q: Ricky, thank you for allowing us to interview you today. Tell us a little about yourself and your eye condition.

A: I was born in 1971 with congenital glaucoma and had my left eye removed when it exploded when I was only 3 months old. I didn’t receive a prosthesis until I was 11.

Q: Wow, that’s a lot of time to wait. Can you tell us about how you got your prosthesis?

A: Well, I was attending the school for the blind in WV, and my orientation and mobility instructor, Dan Oates took me to Morgantown, WV to get it. I am very grateful to Mr. Oates for the effort he made in finding the financial support for this procedure and insuring I get my eye which I still have today.

Q: So, you went to WVSB?

A: Yes. When I was 6, my family and I were eating at a restaurant when a lady with a son who was deaf approached us  and told us about the school for the deaf and blind. Later, my mom called and talked to the folks at the school, and they sent a representative out to talk to us. His name was Mr. Boner. My parents were nervous and scared at first, but my 14 years at the school was a good education.

Q: What was it like at the school for the blind?

A: Well, I participated in sports, like swimming, wrestling and track. I was in the show choir, which was called Pizazz. I also played saxophone in the marching band. I got to travel around the state and even go out of state for competitions. Once, the marching band went to Hagerstown, MD to perform in a parade, and another time we went to the Apple Blossom Festival in Winchester, VA. Another cool thing we got to do was participate in the skiing program. We got to go to Canaan Valley for 3 days to ski. I took Radio at the school, too and piano tuning.

Q: Did you ever go to public school?

A: No. But, I did take a psychology class at Hampshire High during my senior year.

Q: Speaking of your senior year, did you take a senior trip?

A: Yes. We went to Nags Head, NC, where I was first introduced to the beach.

Q: Earlier, you mentioned piano tuning. Can we talk about that?

A: Yes. I took piano tuning from 1986 to 1991 at WVSB. Francis Chillcoat was the instructor. After graduating in 1991, I went to the Piano Hospital and Training Center in Washington State. I lived on the third floor of the administration building at the Washington Schools for the Deaf and Blind. To pay for my room and board, I volunteered my time to help with the children at the school from 6 to 9 every evening. During my training, I learned to tune and repair pianos, though tuning is my strong suit. On Saturdays I traveled to schools and colleges where I tuned 1 to 2 pianos per week. I graduated in 1993 and was offered a position in Alabama, but they didn’t offer enough money, so I came back home to WV. In 1994 a music teacher approached me and helped me get my tuning business started. The blind man who used to cover that area had recently retired, so I accepted the Lewisburg/Alderson area, gratefully.

Q: And, you are still tuning pianos today?

A: Yes, I’m still tuning pianos. I do some minor repairs, as well, but major repairs require someone to bring heavy piano pieces to my house which this, as well as other costs would be too much of a financial burden for my clients. If I cannot repair the piano at the clients home, I usually suggest they just purchase another one, as used pianos can often be less expensive than the cost of restoration.

Q: Is transportation a difficulty for you?

A: No. My clients are real good to give me rides to job sites. I hire drivers, too. I work in homes, businesses and churches. Business has declined somewhat, especially after the devastating floods that hit WV in 2016, but I have had several busy years, and I’m hoping my business will rise again once people in the area have rebuilt their lives; I feel confident this is a possibility.

Q: What do you like to do in your spare time?

A: Spend it with my family and friends. I have 2 older brothers and a younger sister. My mom and stepdad live in Virginia, but they come to visit often. Recently, a friend of mine suffered a stroke. I have learned from him what it’s like not being able to walk, and he has learned from me what it’s like being blind. We help each other. He helps me with things I can’t see, such as drilling wholes in my treadmill and driving me places. I help him by lifting things like bags of dog food into the shopping cart.

Q: You aren’t afraid to ask for help, then?

A: No, I’m not. Even sighted people need help, and you just gotta  accept, it’s all right to ask for help when you need it. You have to look at the situation and decide what needs to be done. For instance, I had to have a stove pipe replaced, recently in my wood stove. I had to ask for help from my brothers to get it installed.

Q: We could all take lessons from you in this area. Is there anything else you would like to add?

A: Yes. I just want to say that I have been a member of the At-Large chapter of the National Federation of the Blind of WV since 1994 and have been the treasurer of this chapter since 1998.

Thank you so much Ricky for allowing us to interview you for the blog. It has been a pleasure. And, thank you, faithful readers for being here with us. We hope you have enjoyed this months edition of Interviews to Empower, and we hope you are having an amazing holiday season. Be sure and come back on the 2nd Thursday of December, and the 4th Thursday for another interview to inspire you.

Blessings. 

An Update from Anita

Hello, and welcome to the blog. Anita here this time.

First, let me say that it is my fault we are late at delivering this month's blog. I turned 40 recently, and that means I'm getting old and forgetful, :) and so I left the thumb drive at work. I save the blog post on the thumb drive so I can then insert it into my iPhone and attach the post to an email I sent to S.J. So, my apologies. And, thank you, S.J., for telling me about flashdrives for iPhones. It makes it easier for me to transfer files to and from my iPhone and other devices.

I have been very busy since I last wrote to you here on the blog. For one thing, I attended the annual conference at the American Printing House for the Blind, or APH. While there, I was able to do a lot of networking with other people in the teaching field and with other blind people from all around the world. At the World Blind Union meeting, I happened to sit beside Mark Maurer, former president of the National Federation of the Blind, NFB, and Mark Riccobono, current president of the NFB. Networking is an awesome thing because this gave me an opportunity to speak to these gentlemen on a personal basis, and it was not at a convention. They meet many people, and so I am sure it is hard for them to remember all of the people they meet. But now, I have a stronger voice should I need one pertaining to any assistance I may need from them. Several members of the American Council of the Blind, ACB, were also present at this meeting. Lou Tutt, a member of from AER, was also present. While you are hearing me mention several educational organizations, remember I am a teacher. In your profession, whatever it may be, it is a good idea to attend conferences for networking purposes. This is how you gain a deeper knowledge in your field and a body of support that can prove invaluable in your personal and professional life.

While at the APH convention, I was also privileged to tour the printing house. I was surprised at all I didn't know about what they did, though I should have known it. I worked as a seamstress at Blind Industries and Services of Maryland, or BISM, several years ago. APH was similar, though the type of production was different. We discovered how braille and large print books and magazines went through stages of processing before being printed. They used several embossers and printing machines, some of them enormous. We also stopped by the booth where an audiobook for the National Library Service, NLS was in the process of being recorded. To me, this was special because I listen to these books and I recognized the name of the narrator, Jack Fox. Also, I learned that the reader gets paid by how quickly they can accurately record the book rather than by how long it takes to complete the recording. At another place in this plant, we were in a huge room with worktables all around. Silent workers were working to assemble kits, for example, APH has a Jump Rope To Fitness Kit. Each item in the kit has a specific item number, and these specific bins with these numbered items were in another area just beyond this work area. I was also able to tour the APH museum.

While on this tour, I continued to meet people in my field, some blind like myself, but many with vision. While not attending meetings where I was exploring APH products and providing input on products and services, I spent my moments of spare time enjoying Louisville. I enjoyed a nighttime horse and carriage ride through the city streets and dining at The Old Spaghetti Factory. I also did a bit of shopping at the gift shop, where I purchased a horse. No, it wasn't real.

To move on to other things I've been doing since I last wrote to you, I was a foster Mom for about a month or longer. Due to needs of the child, I requested a different placement for the child, but I learned a lot. I also discovered that I live in a supportive community. This world is better than we think it is, if we choose to take the time to dwell on its good. Many friends and acquaintances stepped in to assist me. I had to make unexpected trips to the doctor's office to pick up prescriptions that could not be faxed to the local pharmacy. I had to go to Morgantown  for appointments. I had to have assistance each medicine time because, regardless of my level of vision, this job required two people, the key reason I requested another placement for the child. One day, I had to rely on a driver and friend to drive around between pharmacies and wait while prescriptions were being filled. Also, I had to make a number of phone calls pertaining to the child. Taking care of the child  at home was the easy part, though before I accepted the child, I figured this would be the hard part. Thank you to all who helped me during this time. It was a lot of fun, but also a lot of work. When the right child comes along, I look forward to being so busy again, but I am thankful for my "me" or "Mommy" time in the meanwhile. :)

And, of course, I've been very busy at work. Our first nine weeks just ended, and I think it is the busiest nine weeks I've experienced in my five years at the West Virginia School for the Blind. But it has been fun and rewarding. The children have been busy learning my braille songs and working to build braille contraction knowledge. And, I've been busy planning their work and taking on extra responsibilities this year.

That is a brief snapshot of how I have been filling my days. Currently, I'm sitting on my couch, wondering if my Mom's birthday present is tucked out there in my mailbox. One of my cats, Tiger Lee is lying on the chair arm beside me, and I just heard my Mom get out of bed and wheel herself into my downstairs bathroom. She is spending the weekend out of the nursing home. I am having her a surprise birthday party tomorrow. Sue Smith, who used to be my night houseparent when I was a student at WVSB, owns a bakery. I called upon her to make my Mom a Mario birthday cake as she will only be turning 69 on November 15, which is this coming Wednesday. A breakfast walk to pick up food from the Romney Diner is calling and my cousin, Ruth Ann, who helped me tremendously with my foster daughter is hoping I'm awake to be ready when she gets here after while to take me grocery shopping. So bye until next post.

And, please remember to say "Thank you!" to all the Veterans you meet for what they've done for our country. Also, have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Speaking of Thanksgiving, since it falls on the fourth Thursday of the month, our edition of Interviews to Empower will be posted the following Thursday, Nov. 30. We hope you will join us then. Thank you for being with us today, and we’re praying you have a fantastic weekend.

Blessings.

Interviews to Empower Presents Kerri Kosten

Welcome to Interviews to Empower! We’re so glad you came to be with us this week. Our interviewee this time is an inspiring individual who is totally blind, partially deaf and yet does not allow her fears and anxieties to dictate her day-to-day life. Come and meet Kerri Kosten, a sports writer who is blind.

Q: What caused your blindness?

A: I was born prematurely, so I have Retinopathy Of Prematurity.

Q: What about your partial deafness?

A: When I was very young, I became ill. My parents thought and were told it was the flu. However, it was Meningitis, and the high fever that I had left me partially deaf. I only have hearing in my left ear.

Q: I imagine that makes travel difficult, as people who are blind rely on their hearing a great deal. Can you tell us about that?

A: Yes. When I was at the Louisiana Center for the Blind, I was taught to mental map. Basically, I learn directions before I go and remember them so I can map my way back home. This was not taught to me until I received O&M at LCB. Also, I learned to call ahead to ask for bus fare, directions, availability of cabs and such. It is much safer to travel using transportation such as buses, cabs and even Uber, rather than walking, as I do not have to cross as many streets. Another thing to keep in mind is to ask for assistance often.

Q: Speaking of cane travel, when did you learn blindness skills?

A: I learned braille when I was four years old. Today, I can read about 200 words per minute. I didn’t learn good cane skills until I went to LCB.

Q: Did you go to a school for the blind or public school?

A: Both. I attended public school until fifth grade, then went to the WV School for the Blind for a few years. I actually graduated from University High in Morgantown, WV. As a younger student, I liked going to the blind school in Romney, WV. However, when I got older, the city girl in me missed the city. LOL

Q: So, what got you into the world of sports writing?

A: When I was fifteen, I listened to a basketball game on the radio. It was my first game, and I found I loved the energy of the game and announcers. After that, my passion for It grew. I was like a kid in a candy store, and I knew I wanted to do something in sports; I just didn’t know what. As far as writing, I didn’t like it, at first. However, I knew that as a blind person, writing about sports was something I needed to concentrate on. So, I majored in journalism at WVU. Then, I wrote for 1440 WAJR on their website. It was a volunteer position, but it taught me so much. I really enjoy putting stuff about sports into words, and I like that a person can do this job whether they can see or not.

Q: Are you still writing for WAJR?

A: No. Today, I write for The Dominion Post here in Morgantown. I research athletes who do not choose to go to WVU, then interview them. I really enjoy this job. It has helped me to get out of my comfort zone. At first, I was very nervous about talking to people I didn’t know. But, now I am more confident and comfortable when interviewing people. I feel that because of this job, I am more mature and patient. I wish all people who are blind could get this opportunity.

Q: You mentioned going to the Louisiana Center for the Blind. What types of classes did you take there?

A: Wow, I did so much, I could go on talking forever. :) It is a nine month program, so I was there from April of 2012 to January of 2013. I took cane travel, shop, computers, cooking, home maintenance, home management and braille.

Q: Wow, talk about a busy schedule. First, because we don’t often hear of blind people taking shop, tell me some of the things you learned in that class.

A: I learned how to use a lot of different tools including a drill press and a ban saw. My final project in that class was to make a set of braille blocks.

Q: How about home management and home maintenance?

A: In home maintenance we were taught things like how to clean, how to take off a door knob and put it back on, how to use a screw driver, how to turn a breaker box on and off, how to shut the water off at the valve of the toilet, how to unplug a toilet, and how to find something that may have fallen down a sink drain.

In home management we were taught how to cook. We made brownies from scratch, homemade pasta, fried chicken in a fry daddy, stir fry in a wok, homemade bread, hand cranked our ice cream, made waffles in a waffle iron…just everything. LOL At the end of the program, I had to make a meal for eight and another meal for forty. I had to write invitations on a slate and stylus, give out invitations, shop for food, cook food and serve the food like a waitress would. My meal for eight was chicken baked in the oven with Italian dressing, peas, green beans, baked potato and salad. For dessert I made a dump cake. My meal for forty was pasta with garlic and herb sauce.

Q: Let’s talk about cane travel and some of the trips you took.

A: Well, we certainly got out and about. We went to a Louisiana Tech game. Then, a friend and I went to Oklahoma to watch the Sooners against the Baylor Bears. We had to plan our trip and figure out bus fare and everything. It was an amazing trip, and both my friend and I are blind. No one sighted went with us. Other activities at LCB were rock climbing, horseback riding, zip lining, trips to the movies, the peach festival and shopping. My last trip was a solo trip from Ruston to Monroe. I went shopping at the mall in Monroe.

Q: What advice would you give to someone new to sight loss?

A: Never give up. Blindness is not the end of the world. Get good blindness training. You can still do all the things you used to, just in a different way.

Q: What would you say to a student who is blind who is just graduating high school?

A: Try to meet as many people as you can. Learn to network. Don’t give up. Get involved with those things you are interested in. Don’t allow anyone to tell you “you can’t”.

Q: Is there someone you look up to?

A: Yes. My O&M instructor at LCB. His name was Roland Allen, and he paved the way for blind O&M instructors. He believed I could do anything, and therefore, I believe I can do anything.

Kerri, thank you so much for allowing us to interview you. Just talking with you inspires me.

To read Kerri’s pieces, you can find them in The Dominion Post www.dominionpost.com

Thank you, faithful readers for being with us today. We apologize that this post is late. But, we will be back on Nov. 9 with more inspiration, so come back and be with us. Want to see us on Facebook? We can be found at facebook.com/adkinsandwells.

Blessings.

The Long White Cane

Just about every sighted person has seen one, either on the streets of their hometown, while traveling in a big city or on television. Most folks know without being told that it is a cane used by people who are blind or visually impaired. Some speculate that it will grow out of use before too long, taken over by guide dogs or guide ponies. Some people who are blind think that by using a long white cane they are presenting themselves as disabled. Others embrace it as the tool it is and are even proud of it. But, where did it come from? Why do blind people use it? Why is it still as effective as it was nearly a century ago? Hi, there. S.J. Wells here with you today, and since White Cane Safety, AKA White Cane Awareness Day is October 15, I thought I’d share some of the interesting facts about the long white cane with you, our faithful readers.

History tells us that blind people used all kinds of sticks, shepherd’s staffs and canes to detect objects in front of them. However, the mobility cane we know today didn’t come about until around the time of World War I. A man named James Biggs from Bristol was said to have created a version of the long white cane in 1921 after an accident took his sight. Feeling threatened by a growing population of motorists, he painted his walking stick white so it would be more visible to drivers. Ten years later in February, 1931, Guilly D’Herbemont launched a scheme for a national white stick movement for blind people in France. It wasn’t long until the folks in England got wind of it, and soon they were launching a campaign that basically said persons who carried long white canes would be recognized as having visual impairments.

Meanwhile, in North America, a member of the Lion’s Club saw a blind man walking across the street using a black cane. The Lion’s Club member painted the man’s walking stick white in order to make him more visible. In 1931, the Lion’s Club International began a national program, promoting the use of white canes for persons who are blind. During that time, most folks who used a cane, held it in a fixed, diagonal position in front of them, and it worked primarily to alert sighted folks that he or she was blind. However, when blinded veterans returned from World War II, things changed for the better, as these men were not content to stay home and be cared for. They wanted to rejoin the work force and began using their canes to get around, rather than just carrying them.

In 1964, a joint resolution of the Congress HR 753, was signed into law authorizing the President of the United States  of America to proclaim October 15 of every year to be White Cane Safety Day. President Lyndon B. Johnson was the first to proclaim the October 15 as White Cane Safety Day. No longer was the long white cane just a symbol of a person who is blind but a tool to assist them to live as independently as they so wished.

Once made of wood, canes are now made of several materials ranging from aluminum, graphite, fiberglass and sometimes a mix in between. Whether they are rigid or folding, folks now can order them in other colors rather than white. Some patterns of color symbolize a difference between blind and blindness with a hearing impairment. Whatever the material, whatever the color, the cane does not define the one using it. Rather, the person defines the cane. As a chef uses his/her favorite knives to slice and dice, just as a car mechanic prefers the tools in his/her own tool box to get the job done, just as a minister uses his/her favorite version of the Bible and reference books to get the message out to the congregation, so a person who is blind uses his/her cane to navigate the world around them.

If you or someone you know needs a white cane, the National Federation of the Blind has a form on their website that you can fill out and get one for free. Just go to nfb.org,  and you’ll find it. If you want more information than I’ve provided here about the long white cane, be assured that Google is speech friendly, so go on your own internet search. If you’re not sure on how to use your cane, the NFB also has articles explaining how. Don’t be afraid to try new things or to ask for help. People who are blind and familiar with the cane will be more than happy to share their knowledge.

So, this coming Sunday, October 15, remember the long white cane, and use yours to show the world that, like those veterans returning home from war without their sight, you aren’t going to sit back and let others do for you anymore; you’re a force to be reckoned with.

Thank you for being with us today. We hope you’ll come back on October 26, as we have an interview to inspire your socks off. Ever heard of a blind woman who writes about sports? Well, you have now. Mark your calendars and be sure to come back in two weeks. Also, don’t forget, we’re on Facebook at facebook.com/adkinsandwells/

God bless.

Interviews to Empower Presents Robin Ayers

Hello and welcome to another edition of Interviews to Empower. We’re so glad you are with us today. This month’s interviewee worked at the West Virginia Schools for the Deaf and Blind for thirty years. Her advice is applicable whether you have a disability or not, and her experiences will give you a smile and encourage you to keep going. Come with us as we introduce to you, Mrs. Robin Ayers.

Q: What made you decide to work with students who are blind or visually impaired?

A: A position came open, and I was the only one on campus who could fill it. I was asked/talked into taking it.

Q: Some folks give strange looks when we say “Home EC”. Did they call it that when you were the teacher?

A: By the time I took the position in 2000, the name had changed to Family and Consumer Sciences.

Q: What changes did you notice over the years in what types of things you taught?

A: The basics of clothing construction and meal prep became less the focus as more emphasis was placed on nutrition, family management, and careers. Essentially, the focus seemed to shift from teaching mostly in-home tasks to including more outside the home needs. 

Q: What were some of the challenges of teaching children who could not see like you?

A: 1. Remembering to walk in each student's shoes to determine his/her needs and how to teach them

2. Placing enough labels in Braille around the classroom

3. Giving directions more accurately. For example, telling someone that something is to "the right of the doorway" rather than "over there" 

Q: What were some high points during your time at the school for the blind?

A: Omigoodness. Senior dinners prepared by the kids for their selected guests, Preparation for the Superintendent's Tea/Open House, which started in November, successful meals prepared and served by ProStart students, a totally blind student learning to use a paring knife safely, another student trying to bake his pizza upside down on the oven rack, construction of individual pillows sewn by hand, production of nutritious goodies to stock the school store

Q: What advice would you give to new teachers of the visually impaired just coming out of college?

A: Get to know your students well. Craft your lessons meet their individual needs as much as possible. Focus on what the CAN do rather than what they CANT do, and focus on those strengths.

Q: What advice would you give to parents or caregivers of children who are blind concerning home economics or daily living skills?

A: They should be expected to take care of their own needs just like any other kid. Just adapt the environment so it makes that possible. This old thing of "if she just sits in the chair all day and behaves herself is all that's expected" is bullhockey! Parents doing everything for the child just doesn't cut it. Those parents will not likely be around forever and that child, who is then an adult, better be able to fend for himself! One of my biggest fears was that some situation would occur where the parents couldn't get to the kid, like a flood or snowstorm, and the child would just sit there and starve to death!

Q: Finally, what advice would you give to students today?

A: Learn to do as much as possible for yourself. People aren't always going to be around to help you. 

Robin, thank you so much for allowing us to interview you. We truly enjoyed reading your answers. And, thank you, faithful readers for being with us today. Remember, we’re still on Facebook, so come over to facebook.com/adkinsandwells/ and join the discussion.

Note: Beginning today, Sept. 28, 2017, we will no longer be posting once a week. Instead, we will be posting entries on the second and fourth Thursdays of every month. If you have a question you would like us to address, contact us via the blog or send an email to adkinsandwells@gmail.com and put “question” in the subject line. If you know of an individual that you would like us to interview, someone who will encourage those of us who are blind or visually impaired, let us know. As always, be encouraged to try new things and never let anyone tell you that you can’t do something. Have a fantastic weekend, and we’ll see you back here on Oct. 12.

Blessings.