Interviews to Empower Presents: S. J. Wells

Hello, and welcome to the last edition of Interviews to Empower. Anita here with you, and I am so glad you are with us today. These interviews have inspired me and my colleague, S. J. Wells, and we pray that they have been an encouragement to you. As it is our last post, I thought I would interview S. J. So, without further adue, here is author of Christian fiction and my friend, S. J. Wells.

Q: What is your eye condition, and how long have you been blind?

A: I was born with congenital glaucoma, catteracts and scar tissue. I had some vision in my left eye for 21 years, but the summer of 2000 my pressure went down to 4, and I lost my remaining vision.

Q: I remember now; you had to have an eye removed. How did that affect you and your family? Was it a hard decision, or was it just a necessity?

A: Losing my vision was the hard part; losing the eye was easy. I was in pain, and the eye did not look normal. I think it was harder on my family, though, than it was for me. And, I had only been married for a few months, so my husband got to hear me complain more than the rest of them. The person who hurt the most over it, I think was my mom.

Q: Are you the only one in your family who is blind?

A: Yes. I am the oldest of 4 girls, and except for needing glasses or contacts, I am the only one considered blind. My parents didn’t treat me any different, though. Mom taught me to wash dishes and clean house alongside my sisters, Dad taught me to ride a tricycle, and blindness was never an excuse for bad grades. :)

Q: How old were you when you started to receive orientation and mobility?

A: I was introduced to the cane when I was 10. It made me feel different than my classmates, so I wouldn’t use it, though. Then, in 7th grade I was taught to use it properly. I used to rely on friends to be sighted guides, but when my dependence on them kept them from wanting to be my friend, I gladly took up the cane and became more independent.

Q: Did you go to public school, then?

A: Mostly. I attended public school until my junior year of high school. Then, I went to the West Virginia School for the Blind. I graduated from there in 1997 as Salutatorian of my class.

Q: Did you attend college?

A: For a semester I went to Kutztown University in Kutztown, PA, but I got home sick and begged my parents to bring me home. I took some independent living classes from the West Virginia Rehabilitation Center, such as cooking, O&M, and computers. Those 3 months of intense O&M were important and would become the single most useful blindness skill in my life.

Q: You use a cane, then?

A: Yes, but I did have a guide dog from 1998 to 2006.

Q: Let’s talk about now. What do you do for a living?

A: Well, I got married in 2000, so I am a wife. My first daughter was born in 2005. My youngest was born in 2007, so I am a mom. I homeschool my girls, I attend church with my minister husband, and I write books.

Q: Tell us about your writing. What made you want to be an author?

A: I used to get books on records or tapes from my local Library Commission, and for years those books were my best friends. Then, when I was 15, I thought, why not write a Christian story like these Westerns I’ve been reading. That idea over the next 15 years became my first novel, “Wild Heart”

Q: A reader driven author. But, you didn’t stop with “Wild Heart”, which, BTW, I remember helping you with in high school.

A: No, I didn’t stop there. :) “Wild Heart” needed a sequel, so I wrote one. It’s called, “To Tame A Heart”. Then, I wrote a Scottish, time travel romance called, “A Moment in Time”. My 4th book is “His Yankee Wife”. Last May I published a book based on a true story about a man who became paralyzed when he dove into a 4 foot pool called, “Caleb’s Story”.

Q: Wow! And, folks can read more about you and your books on your website?

A: Yes, it’s www.sjwellsauthor.com.

Q: What made you decide to come on board with our book, “Ducking into UEB”?

A: First, I knew the book would be good and helpful for students and teachers, alike. Your love for your students comes out in everything you do. Also, I love writing kids’ fiction, even though I don’t feel it is my strong point. I wanted your book to succeed, and I wanted to be a part of it. I wrote “A Quackin’ Adventure” one night after telling the story to my girls before bed. But, I had no plans for it, and I was having difficulty finding an illustrator. So, when you asked if I had any fictional material lying around, I gave it to you, willingly. I am thrilled to see it doing so well.

Q: So, what is next?

A: I’m currently working on my 6th book called, “You Belong to Me”. It’s about a man who is called by God to go preach in the colonies who is captured by pirates and sold to a sharp-tongued woman desperate to save her farm.

Q” Sounds interesting. Can folks follow you on Facebook, too?

A: Yes. facebook.com/sjwellsuathor/

Q: If you were to give any advice to someone facing sight loss, what would it be?

A: Don’t give up. There is always a way. Trust in God; He will not fail you. Get in touch with those in the blindness community, and learn all you can. Don’t be afraid of your cane or of your blindness, but embrace your differences and learn to laugh.

Q: Anything else you would like to add?

A: Yes, there is. I have thoroughly enjoyed writing on this blog with you. I have been challenged and encouraged by those whom we have interviewed and by you pushing me out of my comfort zone. I may not have ever tried to get a book published, if you had not believed in me all those years ago. Thank you for being my friend and for being tough on me.

Well, I have learned a lot from this writing project with you. And, faithful readers, keep in mind that while we will not be posting any new material to this blog, it will remain up for you to come back to as often as you want.

Thank you, S. J. Wells for being the interviewee this time.

Thank you, Anita for allowing me to be a part of your project.

Together we make a good team. :) Y’all come over and be with us on Facebook, okay? facebook/com/adkinsandwells/ and you can always email us at adkinsandwells@gmail.com

Blessings to you all

Anita Adkins and S. J. Wells

Authors of “Ducking into UEB”

Interviews to Empower Presents: Kristen Witucki!

Welcome! We are so glad you are here! Today’s entry is another edition of Interviews to Empower, and our interviewee will surely inspire you to never give up. Allow me to introduce Kristen Witucki!

Q: Hi, Kristen. Thank you so much for being with us today. First, how long have you been blind, and what caused it?

A: I’ve been blind since birth from an eye condition called microphthalmia, as well as hypoplasia of the optic nerve. I was born premature, which caused the blindness; no one else in my family is blind.

Q: Did you attend a public school or school for the blind, and did you participate in any extracarricular activities?

A: I attended a pre-school for children with disabilities, though I was the only blind child in the school at that time. After that, I attended public school throughout my education. Outside of school, I participated in as many bands as I could, (I played piano, clarinet,

bass guitar and percussion), and I also worked in community service and debate activities. I tried our literary magazine, but I didn’t like it. One really great aspect of schools for the blind that I learned about when I taught in one was their equal access to sports. I wasn't the best at sports anyway, but that was one area in which my

public school was also mostly unequipped to adapt.

Q: When did you start receiving orientation and mobility training? Do you use a cane today or a guide dog?

A: I began learning the cane when I was three, I think! For most of my life I've been a cane traveler, though I did travel with a guide dog for seven years and might do it again someday. Right now I don’t travel enough to use one, but that might change. 

Q: Where did you attend college and what was your major? What challenges

did you have. How did you overcome them?

A: I attended Vassar College where I majored in English, minored in German and also earned certification to teach English to students in grades 7-12. My teaching internships were challenging at times, but I learned a lot from them and from my students and cooperating teachers.

Q: What jobs have you had and where are you working now?

A: I’ve worked in various positions in membership development and customer support at Learning Ally. For two years, I taught English, creative writing and some braille to secondary students at the West Virginia School for the Blind. Now I'm the curriculum and content editor for Learning Ally's College Success Program, I mentor college students through a program called New Jersey EDGE, and I teach braille to a high school student.

Q: What do you like to do for fun?

A: I can usually be found chasing my children around, but when they’re asleep, I love to read, write, or listen to music. I also enjoy a conversation with a good friend.

Q: What are the challenges of both you and your husband being blind? How

do you two manage?

A: If the kids are quiet, they usually need one of us to investigate what they're doing, unless they've told us first. :) I don't feel that our family has any extraordinary challenges, though ask me when my kids are older! My sons are seven and two years old. I'm thrilled to have the opportunity to raise them. Most of the time, I think of myself as their mom, and I'm also very lucky to live in an area in which our parenting is respected. The only time it seemed harder was when my

first son was born. Some doctors and other hospital personnel were skeptical. It's a relief not to interact with them anymore!

Q: You mentioned writing. Tell us about your book.

A: My book, Outside Myself, took ten years to write, on and off! It cycles between the points of view of two characters: Tallie, a young girl who first obsesses about being sighted and later grapples with what being blind in a sighted world really means; and Benjamin, an older customer service representative who looks back on his life, the incredible misunderstanding he endured as he tried to fit in and his complex feelings about becoming blind.

Q: If you could give any advice to someone facing sight loss, what would it be?

A: I read or heard somewhere that blindness is the most feared "affliction" after cancer and AIDS. I'm not sure if that's still true. But there will be a time "after the adjustment," and that time really has the potential to be good, if not great! Hang onto a good opinion

of yourself, and seek out individuals who can help you to maintain that!

Q: When life gets you down, and you feel like you just can’t go on, what keeps you motivated?

A: My family and friends, birds and crickets singing, the wind in the trees, the ocean, probably most of nature. And curiosity about what is going to happen next!

Kristen, thank you again for allowing us to feature you here on the blog. And, thank you, faithful readers for being with us today. Check out Kristen’s book, “Outside Myself” here.

We hope you have enjoyed today’s post, and we would love it if you would leave us a comment below. Be sure and come back every second and fourth Thursdays for more encouragement along this journey. Until next time, be blessed.

Interviews to Empower Presents: Joy

Welcome to another edition of Interviews to Empower where we feature folks whom we believe will inspire you to keep on keeping on. This month we are trying something different. We have asked our interviewee to tell her story in her own words. So without further adue, let me introduce you to Joy.

Hi. My name is Joy. I have 2 kids who are grown and 2 wonderful grandbabies. I am a cook at a local restaurant, and I have two cousins who are blind. I was asked to talk about what it’s like having cousins who can’t see, so I will try my best.

I was 8 or 9 when my cousin J was born and about 10 when his sister A was born. They were just babies when my family noticed something was wrong. When my mom told me they were blind I was sad, because I wanted them to be able to enjoy the world like I do. I was afraid they wouldn’t be able to.

My mom, stepdad and I lived with my aunt V and my cousins, because my mom took care of Aunt V before her babies were born. Then, when we found out the babies were blind, Aunt V needed us even more.

We lived in a very rural part of West Virginia and didn’t know if there were opportunities for kids who were blind. So when Aunt V decided her kids needed to go to the school for the blind, we all move to Romney, WV. I was upset, because I didn’t want to leave my family and friends. But, Mom said we had to do what was best for J and A and Aunt V. Today, as I look back I am so glad we moved up here and gave my cousins the chance to learn.

As I was 10 years older than my cousin, A, I was the one who did a lot of babysitting. I guess you could say we all grew up together. But, when it came to having a social life, I sure did get annoyed. Playing hide-and-go-seek with the kids when my boyfriends came over, J answering the phone and telling stuff about me to my boyfriends, yeah, having cousins who are blind sure did interfere with my social life. But, you know, it would have been that way even if they had perfect vision. They were just normal kids.

I am embarrassed to admit this, but when my daughter was born I was scared to let my cousins hold her at first. I was afraid something would go wrong with them not being able to see. But, unknown to me, Mom would let them hold and feed her behind my back. I have pictures of them holding my babies, so I guess I got over that fear. It was just something all new moms go through, I reckon. Today, A babysits my grandbabies when I need help, and nobody could take better care of them than she. Not only that, J is married with 2 little boys of his own.

I always treated my cousins like everyone else. The fact that they couldn’t see, while sad was not the end of the world. After all, my grandpa was blind, I had a great grandmother who was blind and a few other relatives with vision problems. I knew even as a teenager, the ability to see or not didn’t make a person more or less special. Which reminds me of those times when I was lazy and didn’t want to walk J and A all the way to the blind school across town. I would try to talk them into skipping school. J was all for it, but A made me walk her to school. LOL I guess that’s why A graduated at the top of her class.

The hardest thing about taking care of my cousins was worrying about whether they would run into things. Aunt V was always moving furniture around, but my mom rarely did that. Then, once she did move furniture around, and J came in and tried to sit down in a chair. Turns out there was a table in that spot, so he sat right down on the table instead. LOL Now whenever I visit A, I never know where her furniture is going to be, because she likes to change things around. I guess all kids grow up to be like their moms, no matter what.

The funnest part of growing up with my cousins was just being with them. I took them wherever I went. When my own kids were young, A taught them braille, and it made me so proud they could learn something so neat. A person never knows if they will need to learn it. I mean, what if they went blind later in life? I tried to learn, but it took several hours just to learn how to write my name that I gave it up. I probably grew up faster, taking care of my cousins and aunt the way I did, but I wouldn’t trade those times for anything.

If I could give advice to someone facing blindness in the family, I guess I would say make sure they go to a blind school or get blindness skills training so that they can live as normal a life as possible. Also, remember to encourage them that they can do anything they set their mind to.

Joy, thank you for your story and your honesty. And, thank you, faithful readers for being with us today. If you or someone you know has an inspiring story, let us know at adkinsandwells@gmail.com.

That concludes our post for today, but we’ll be back the second Thursday of May, so be sure and come join us. Until then, remember to take hold of life and face it with a grin.

Blessings.

Interviews to Empower Presents: Anita Adkins and S. J. Wells

Welcome to this month’s edition of Interviews to Empower. Today, Adkins and Wells are interviewing the authors of “Ducking into UEB”, Anita Adkins and S. J. Wells. That’s right. We are interviewing ourselves. Grab a seat and your beverage of choice, and come chat with us. :)

Q: Anita, we’ll start with you. Tell us about yourself and why you became a teacher.

A: I was born in Charleston, WV. My family is from Lincoln and Boone counties in Southern, WV. When I was three, we moved to Romney so my brother and I could attend the school for the blind. I decided to teach when I was a youngster. I have always loved to learn, and I love to self-teach, as long as I am interested in what I am teaching myself. For example, I love to explore unfamiliar places, study how to program computers or use a new app. Unfortunately, after learning enough to satisfy my curiosity, I move on to something new, unless the skill is useful for me in my career or for fun. My reason for teaching as a youngster was because I loved to play school. When I grew up, I became interested in specifically teaching in the field of blindness in order to help others become independent, and thus, to live a quality, productive life.

Q: S. J., Did you also attend the school for the blind?

A: Yes and no. :) I went to public school until my junior year of high school. After that, I attended the school for the blind and graduated from there in 1997. My family lived about twenty minutes from Charleston, WV, and living in Kanawha County meant there were several teachers for the visually impaired available over the years. I left public school for WVSB, because I hoped I would have more interactions with my peers. As it turned out, it was the best decision for me. Although I have always loved to learn new things, I didn’t think I liked school when I was a kid. My first attempts at teaching were when I helped a fellow student learn to tell time in the second grade. At that tender age, I never dreamed I would be homeschooling my own children, but I now know I am where I am meant to be.

Q: Anita, we know you are a teacher at the same school where you graduated. How was it that you came full circle?

A: Well, I graduated from WVSB in 1996. A few years later, I went to work for a company called T-base Communications where I was a production assistant with the job of a braille proofreader. I also did some accessibility testing for usability and accessibility of websites while there. I have worked as a Rehabilitation teacher at Blind Industries and Services of Maryland, or BISM, where I taught braille, assistive technology, cane travel, independent living skills, and blindness philosophy. In 2009 I graduated from Allegany College of MD with an Associate’s degree in Elementary Education and in 2011 from Frostburg State University with a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education. After that, I moved to WVSB where I have taught braille since December, 2012.

Q: S. J., what did you do after high school, and what led you to choose homeschool for your children?

A: In the fall of 1997, I went to Kutztown, PA to go to college. But, homesick, I returned in December and took a few classes at the WV Rehabilitation Center to learn more blindness skills. I took advanced orientation and Mobility, cooking and computers. In 1998 I went to Morristown, NJ and trained with a Seeing Eye dog. My husband and I were married in March of 2000, and from July, 2002 to May, 2003 I went to a local vocational school for medical transcription. In October, 2003 I went to work for T-Base Communications as a braille proof reader. My next job was a sewing machine operator at Blind Industries and Services of MD. My oldest daughter was born in 2005, and my second in 2007. Remembering the days of long hours at public school before long hours of homework afterward, I decided to teach them at home during the day. It has been a challenge, but God has given me strength and wisdom beyond anything I could ever imagine.

Q: Anita, what gave you the idea to write your own braille curriculum??

A: A colleague came in to my room one day and told me I should write a braille book like Braille Too. Also, at the time I began writing DUCKING INTO UEB, there were no current programs to teach UEB to students in grades k-12. I was spending a lot of my time creating worksheets and missing having a curriculum. I needed a way to assess my students and also for them to have practice. Too, I wasn’t fond of how some of the EBAE programs were written because they seemed basal. My book is somewhat like that, but I tried to incorporate some fun components into the program as I addressed various learning styles for my students.

Q: S. J., how did you become an author?

A: I began writing when I was eight years old, but I have always loved to read. I started writing my first book, “Wild Heart” the summer I was fifteen. I published it in 2009. Since then, I have written three more works of fiction, “To Tame A Heart”, “A Moment in Time” and “His Yankee Wife”. In my junior year of high school, I wrote a children’s story called, “Gold! A Tall Tale”. After telling my children a bedtime story one night, I wrote another children’s story called, “A Quackin’ Adventure”.

Q: So, Anita, how long did it take you to write, edit and publish “Ducking into UEB”?

A: The answer for writing, editing, and publishing is approximately three years. I began in 2015 and published on January 4, 2018. Editing really was two stages. First, I edited along with other friends/colleagues. Then, I hired someone to go through the book, edit it, and also to make it look friendly for the sighted person. I chose to publish the book through Create Space. The reason I chose this is because I wanted the student copy to be able to be brailled for a student without the teacher needing to buy it every time a book became too rubbed down for the braille to be felt. If I had submitted it to APH, teachers would be required to purchase the student edition. Also, I wouldn’t get any royalties from them. I considered AFB, but they would only be able to produce print versions. Another reason is I wanted to include other free materials in the program, including braille songs. The book is also available on Kindle and is sold through Amazon.

Q: So, where did the title come from, Anita?

A: When I first heard a new braille code was going to be accepted, I was not happy. I didn’t want a new braille code; the old one worked, and so why fix it. I want to duck this new code. Then, as a teacher knowing my students needed to learn this new code and that I needed to role model for them, I thought “Well, I’ll just take a quick look at this code.” Thus, I ducked into the code just a little. When S. J. Mentioned she had a children’s book called, “A Quackin’ Adventure”, I asked her if I could use it. The story had not been published, and she said yes. It gave me a theme for the book. She also agreed to be another author, adding more works of fiction as stories and songs. She spent time writing some of the suggestions and reading through the entire manuscript and telling me things that needed to be edited. Her story, “A Quackin’ Adventure” can be found at the end of the book.

Q: Anita, do you plan on writing anything in the future?

A: I always plan to write. I have a fiction story published called A Brother’s Love that is available from Amazon, also published through Create Space. I am working on a novel about a blind man who must step out of his comfort zone to save his overproductive family from being murdered. His prosthetic eye has a secret chip planted in it by someone in his doctor’s office, and some bad criminals are hunting for him in order to receive that chip before the blind man uncovers their treasure. I love reading more than writing probably.

Q: And, you, S. J., what are you currently working on?

A: I am writing a story about a local man who became a quadriplegic in a diving accident when he was a teenager. I am also working on my fifth fiction novel, about a minister who travels to the American colonies in 1748 to evangelize among the settlers and Indians when he is kidnapped and sold as an indentured servant to a woman desperate to save her farm from a jealous neighbor.

Q: This question is for both of you. Do you two ladies have any advice for aspiring writers?

A: Write, write, write; read, read, read! And, never, never, never give up!

“Ducking into UEB” by Anita Adkins and S. J. Wells

https://www.amazon.com/Ducking-Into-UEB-Anita-Adkins-ebook/dp/B078T4V2D2/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1519227486&sr=1-1

“A Brother’s Love” by Anita Adkins

https://www.amazon.com/Brothers-Love-Anita-Adkins-ebook/dp/B06X9CNPLF/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1519227378&sr=1-1&keywords=a+brother%27s+love%2C+Anita+adkins

S. J. Wells’s books can be found on her website at

www.sjwellsauthor.com

We have had so much fun today, and we hope you, our faithful readers have had fun, too. Adkins and Wells has been a writing team ever since we were in high school together, providing ideas and more than a million laughs as our friendship grew. Alike in many ways, we are most definitely different with separate experiences, thoughts and ways of doing things that only strengthens who we are. We enjoy working together, and we believe this blog proves that. If you have a question or comment, please feel free to get in touch, either by commenting below or sending an email to

adkinsandwells@gmail.com

Blessings.

Valentine's Day, Assistive Technology and Growing Up

Valentine’s Day. As an elementary student I both loved and hated it. I loved the thought of giving special cards to my classmates, especially those I considered friends. I loved the thought of getting cards, especially ones from my friends. :) I hated the fact that I needed someone else to help sort and sign the cards for my classmates in order for them to be able to read them. I hated asking my sister or cousin or an adult to read aloud the Valentines that I received. By the time I was a teenager, my attitude toward Valentine’s Day was similar to Ebenezer Scrooge’s attitude toward Christmas— “Bah, humbug!” As an adult with children of my own, I get a kick out of listening to them sort their cards. This one goes to this friend, and that one goes to that friend. Then, when they come home with Valentines from their friends from church or youth group, I love to hear them tell me, “Soandso gave me this one, and so-and-so put this in their Valentine.”

Hello. S. J. Wells here with you today. I suppose some of my feelings toward the parties in public school were simply what happens when growing up, but the giving and receiving of print cards is not geared toward those with sight loss. So, today, we’re going to talk some about ways teachers, parents and friends can make Valentine’s Day a little more friendly for students of all ages.

1. Search the internet for brille cards. If you have a way to make your own, even better.
2. If braille cards are out of the question, make sure they are tactal. Glitter, ffelt, raised pictures, anything easy to touch.
3. Either use scented markers or let your child use them. All kids, and some adults, too enjoy scents.
4. Musical cards. You can buy them anywhere. Some you can even record your own voice in them. A few years ago, my husband bought me a musical card, and I loved it.
5. Instead of cards, try candy, flowers or balloons.
6. And, when all other ideas fail, tell your friend or special Valentine, “Happy Valntine’s Day.”

Trying to fit in is something all kids struggle with. Disabilities often make it that much more difficult. The enability to see colors makes it difficult to match clothes. Printed labels, cards, homework, signs, mail, all of these can add up to unnecessary stress. Thankfully, though, we live in the age of technology and a lot of these stresses can be avoided. Here are some ideas to look up online.

1. Braille clothing labels. You can pin or sew them onto tags.
2. Bar code readers. Yes, there are devices that will read a bar code. Omni bar code reader, Digit-Eyes, an app for iPhone and many more.
3. Color identifiers.
4. Money identifiers.

Many of these are simple apps that can be downloaded to an iDevice. Try Seeing AI, for instance. Google and see what would work best for you. One cool device is called, Pen Friend. Here is a link so you can check it out yourself. There is even a video. 

https://www.maxiaids.com/penfriend2-voice-labeling-system

Sometimes, there isn’t much we adults can do to ease those feelings of not belonging. Kids have to go through it and learn for themselves. But, I remember as a fifth grader, our school counselor suggested I read a book. It was called, “The Seeing Summer” by Jeannette Eyerly. You might find it on NLS BARD as a free listen for your student, but here is the link to it on Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/Seeing-Summer-Jeannette-Eyerly/dp/067145661X

Another book you can check out is “Can You Feel the Thunder” by Lynn McElfresh. The link to it is

https://www.amazon.com/Can-Feel-Thunder-Lynn-McElfresh/dp/068982324X/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1517852433&sr=1-3&keywords=Lynn+McElfresh

Thank you for being with me today. Growing up is hard, and it can seem especially hard for someone dealing with vision loss. But, growing up is something we all must do, and we must learn how to live in a sighted world. I hope these suggestions will be of some help to you, and I hope you will come back to visit us in 2 weeks for our next edition of Interviews to Empower. The month of February, we will be interviewing the authors of “Ducking into UEB”. That’s right, Adkins and Wells will be interviewing each other. We’re going to have fun, and you won’t want to miss it. Mark your calendars for Feb. 22. Until then, keep on keeping on and don’t forget to read that special Valentine meant just for you—the Holy Bible.

Blessings. <3

'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.