July Newsletter Text only.docx

							KECC BY michelle McElmurray

I hope everybody is enjoying their summer and staying cool. We are in the process of
launching the 2012 Kentucky Employment Charitable Campaign (KECC). KECC is a
partnership of state employees and six accredited statewide charities, working together
to improve the lives of our families, friends and neighbors throughout our
Commonwealth. I Michelle McElmurray, have volunteered to represent The Office for
the Blind as this year’s KECC coordinator and I would like to share my story of how one
of these charities has benefited my family.

In the spring of 2011, my Father was diagnosed with an aggressive form of stomach
cancer. Anytime you hear the word cancer and aggressive you can only pray for a
miracle from the good Lord above. My Father had his first “aggressive” treatment one
week after being diagnosed and never was able to recover. He lost his battle to cancer
three weeks later. This is where Hospice of the Bluegrass, a KECC charity stepped in
from the minute that we needed them. They came once a day for 15 days straight and
even provided a hospital bed for us to set up at home. The expense alone of renting a
hospital bed is outrageous especially if his sickness had prolonged. They provided
many tangible health care items and comfort drugs, to allow my father to feel no pain
during his final days. Hospice did an exemplary job of preparing my family of what to
expect, as his health was deteriorating so quickly. The services that they provide are
not only FREE, but also a gift that is priceless. Just think of how many people you
know who are fighting their battle or lost their battle to cancer and what a difference this
KECC charity can or will make in the lives of those who will encounter on this horrible
disease.

Hospice is just one of the many charities of KECC. As the kick-off approaches and you
look at all the different charities involved and maybe at one time or another one of these
have made a difference in your life or in the life of a loved one. I think of KECC charities
as the unexpected in life, which no one can predict.

I personally donated $3 a paycheck last year, which is a total $78 for the year, which is
also tax deductible. What Hospice provided for my family was well over $78 a day.
Being the 2012 KECC coordinator for me is not about raising money to meet a goal but
to raise the money so that these charities can continue to make a difference in other
people’s lives the way that it made a difference in my family’s, and that to me is
priceless!

KECC kick-off will take place on July 17th at the Civic Center in Frankfort. To learn
more about the impact of these charities click here at KECC.org I didn’t lose as much
as this charity gained! I challenge you to consider making a huge impact on one of
these 6 KECC charities. Just one dollar a paycheck can change the lives of others!
Please join me so that we can “IGNITE THE FUTURE” together.
Dorothy Brame’s Employee Spotlight

   Tell me about how you grew up? I grew up in the small town of Perryville, KY with
   my parents and younger sister. Both sets of grandparents lived there as well as my
   aunts, uncle, and cousins creating instant playmates. My mother worked
   in Frankfort at the Transportation Cabinet and my father worked at GE in Louisville.
   There was quite a commute for both of my parents to get home everyday therefore
   we were considered "latch key "kids. It was very nice having family around so that
   everyone looked after each other. Small town living was great until I became a
   teenager. So my hearts desire to go somewhere with more than two stoplights.
   When all my classmates chose UK and EKU, I chose WKU. I lived here since
   I completed college.



   Tell me about your family? My family consist of my husband Lawrence and my
   stepdaughter, Monique'. Lawrence is retired from Office of Employment
   Training and played pro football back in the day. Monique' is a Navy Vet and
   lives in Norfolk VA. It doesn't look like we'll get any grandchildren soon, so we spoil
   our nieces and nephews. We have two pet turtles, Jack and Jill. We always say that
   we chose turtles as pets because that is about as much energy as either of us can
   can handle. And, yes, I consider ESPN and Sport Center commentators a part of the
   family too.

    What do you like to do outside of work? Other than watching every sporting
      event that has the word "ball " on the end of it with my husband, I like to read,
      write in my journal, and being outdoors. I am fascinated with 48 -Hour Mysteries
      and Snapped. I am very involved in my church. I serve in the nursery and am
      on the First Connections team. First Connections is a team devoted
      to doing random acts of kindness in the area. The expressions on people's faces
      are priceless...the only requirement is that they are to pass it along.

   How Long have you been with OFB? How did you end up here? I started working
     with OFB in June 1994 as Assistive Technology Specialist. Prior to that I worked
     as work adjustment/job placement counselor for LifeSkills, Inc. for 10 years.
     Many of the consumers I worked with were referred by OFB and OVR. One of
     the OFB counselors told me about the AT job and after doing that for 11 years, I
     became the Deaf- blind Services Coordinator in 2005.

   Anything you want to say about your co-workers? I really enjoy my co-workers.
   I work with a solid group of people who are respectful of each other’s area of
   expertise. We've learned that it is easier to help each other for the consumers sake
   rather than to pull in the opposite direction. However, we do have our moments,
   but most of the time, we leave it, as just that, a moment, and then move on. We
   take time to laugh at ourselves and share funny stories. We spend alot of time
   working together and while we are not "best friends", we know we can count on each
   other. I really appreciate that in my co-workers.

   What is your favorite or least favorite about your job? The favorite part about
     my job is meeting the consumers. Every consumer is different and every situation
     is different. The consumer's I work with make the job challenging. People have
     very interesting lives. I enjoy hearing their stories and working with them to make
     their lives successful, whatever that may mean for them. ( Pass- on least favorite
     about job)

   Who has been your mentor? My mentor is my Dad. He is very funny and sees the
     humor in many things. He is very positive and encouraging. He is not been
     formally educated, but is very wise. There is nothing he can't do or willing to try. I
     wish I was more like him.

   Would you do anything different if given the opportunity? I do not think that I
     would do anything different if given the chance to. I think that I am right where I
     am supposed to be. Even when I tried other jobs, I eventually was lead back to
      working with people with disabilities.




     Thank You Dorothy for sharing a small piece of your life. We are so
                     honored to have you as part of the OFB team!


Kentucky Business Enterprises (KBE) will be conducting a training class for potential
vendors to manage food service operations statewide. KBE needs your help in finding
qualified, motivated individuals for this program. Attached you will find the minimum
criteria that is needed to be considered for training. Please examine your caseload
carefully to determine who may be a good fit for KBE. Below is a syllabus of time
frames and other pertinent information that you will need to know:


Please send your recommendations to KBE by the close of business on July 20 th, 2012.

   We will select between 8-10 individuals for an interview

   Interviews will be conducted at the CHR building in Frankfort, KY on August 7th

   The interview panel will select 3 individuals for the training

   Training will begin on September 4th, 2012. It will end October 12th, 2012.
If a consumer of yours is selected for the interview process, someone from KBE will
contact you with further details regarding the date, place and time of interviews. This
process is very important to KBE. It is critical that we have qualified, trained licensees
ready to begin their career in the food service industry. Please contact Amy Mefford if
you have any questions.



Derby Fun by Sonya Roark

On Friday, May 4, Pam Ebling, Independent Living Counselor, and Sonya Roark,
Assistive Technology Specialist participated in the Lake Cumberland Health Expo
focusing on Diabetes held in the Somerset Mall. There were over 65 exhibiters and 200
attendees. The theme for the event was Kentucky Derby. Sonya and Pam
demonstrated assistive technology equipment and independent living aids. Numerous
contacts were made with potential consumers as well as other professional service
providers and referral sources. This is one of the many marketing events staff
participate in throughout the year.


CMS Corner

The Pre-Approval Process in CMS was implemented in September 2011. While there
are still a few glitches, the process is working as intended.

        The most frequent triggers for Pre-Approvals have been:

The amount authorized for a service exceeding the allowed amount in CMS, such as
authorizations for Avastin, or exceeding the maximum amount set for the expenditure
code being used, such as the limit of $1000 for computers. A Pre-Approval will also be
triggered if an adjustment leads to a difference of 10% from the original authorization.

When an authorization is sent for Pre-Approval, be sure to notify Janell Turner and / or
Debbie Mazurek to assure timely processing. They are not notified automatically by e-
mail by CMS. Once the authorization has been Approved or Denied, notification will be
sent to the staff that moved the authorization to Pre-Approval. Any denials will have
detailed reasoning for the denial.


We are working on improvements to this process and welcome any comments or suggestions.



Keynote Speaker of the 2012 AT Odyssey – Michael Hingson

The Office for the Blind Assistive Technology Exposition and
Conference “2012 AT Odyssey A New Vision” will be held in
Louisville at the Galt House September 18 and 19. This two day
event will feature training tracks with breakout sessions on a variety
of topics, vendor exhibitors, an opening session by Apple and a
closing luncheon with keynote speaker Michael Hingson.

“Who would have ever thought?” is a question Michael Hingson thinks about and
discusses in every speech he delivers. Michael Hingson’s life changed dramatically
on September 11, 2001 when he and his guide dog, Roselle, escaped from the 78th
floor of Tower One in the World Trade Center moments before it collapsed. Soon
after, Michael and Roselle were thrust into the international limelight where Michael
began to share his unique survival story and 9-11 lessons of trust, courage, heroism,
and teamwork.

Michael and Roselle became recognized experts of the strength of Teamwork and
the human-animal bond, and have been successful in communicating the power of
Trust in countless media interviews and public presentations. Michael’s #1 New York
Times best-selling book, THUNDER DOG: The True Story of a Blind Man, His Guide
Dog, and the Triumph of Trust at Ground Zero was released in August, 2011 and
gives readers an unprecedented look at how a guide dog team works and how blind
people can be just as successful as our “light dependent colleagues”. A harrowing
story of trust and courage, Thunder Dog reveals how blindness and a bond between
dog and man saved lives and brought hope during one of America’s darkest days –
September 11, 2001.

Although blind from birth, Michael has an indomitable and fearless spirit that first
emerged when he began to spread his wings as a boy, first by riding a pedal car
inside the house, without assistance, after he learned to “hear” the coffee table. Then
he shocked the neighbors by graduating to riding his bicycle, alone, through the
streets of Palmdale, California. Raised with a can-do attitude by parents who refused
to send him away to “a home for the handicapped”, Michael’s father taught him to do
math in his head and his mother taught him Braille.

Michael is no stranger to discrimination. When he was a high school student, the
school district refused to allow Michael to board the school bus with his guide dog.
His father, who had an eighth grade education, did his own research and fought the
system, eventually getting his son a seat on the school bus. Michael earned the rank
of Eagle Scout in the Boy Scouts of America and flourished in school. During college
at the University of California at Irvine, he became an on campus radio personality,
drove a car around campus at night, and even had his guide dog, Squire, stolen in a
dorm prank. Michael took a master’s degree in physics and is a lifetime member of
the Physics Honors Society, Sigma Pi Sigma.
In 1982 Michael met and married his wife, Karen, who uses a wheelchair. Later
Michael went to work for Quantum, a high-tech company that manufactures tape
backup systems. Quantum occupied a suite on the 78th floor of Tower One of the
World Trade Center.

On September 11, 2001, Michael and his guide dog, Roselle, had just arrived and
settled in to work when American Airlines Flight 11 crashed into their building in the
terrorist attack that destroyed the World Trade Center. They survived the initial impact
and, after descending 78 flights of stairs, Michael and Roselle were just 100 yards away
from Tower Two when it collapsed.

After sharing his survival story on hundreds of TV and radio programs, Michael decided
it was time for a change. After a 27-year career in high tech computer sales and
management, Michael joined the San Rafael, California based Guide Dogs for the Blind
team in 2002 as the National Public Affairs director, sharing his 9-11 story throughout
the world on behalf of the school. In June of 2008 Michael left Guide Dogs to form The
Michael Hingson Group, Inc. to travel the world speaking about the importance of
teamwork and trust in our professional and personal lives, along with serving as a
consultant for corporations and organizations that need assistance with Inclusive and
Diversity training as well as adaptive technology training.

Michael is a former member of the California State Guide Dog Board and has served on
several other prominent agency boards throughout his career. Presently he serves as
secretary to the Marin County Senior Coordinating Council and is a member of the
board of directors of the Colorado Center for the Blind and of the National Federation of
the Blind of California. In November, 2008, Michael was appointed a National
Ambassador for the Braille Literacy Campaign of the National Federation of the Blind.
On October 1, 2011 Michael and Roselle were honored by the American Humane
Association with the 2011 Hero Dog Award in a star-studded gala in Beverly Hills, the
program aired on the Hallmark Channel on Veteran's Day, 2011 with an encore
screening on December 23, 2011. Michael is an Ambassador for the American Humane
Association.

Michael lives in Northern California with his wife, Karen, Africa, Michael’s seventh guide
dog, and Fantasia,

Africa’s mother and a retired breeder dog for Guide Dogs for the Blind



Congratulations Station
Congratulations to Allison Flanagan for completing her training through the national
rehabilitation leadership institute (NRLI). NRLI is based on the dynamic partnership
between San Diego State University and the George Washington University, both
ranked in the top 10 of rehabilitation counseling programs in the United States.
Through their cooperative efforts, the institute offers for opportunity for rehabilitation
leaders across the nation to enhance their knowledge, skills, and understanding to meet
the constantly changing requirements and standards in the field of Vocational
Rehabilitation. Allison attended a series of four, one week courses offered over a 14 to
16 month period, Three at the University of San Diego and one at George Washington
University.

Congratulations to Mike Ricke for completing Part II of the CWIC certification process.
This means that Mike is now a fully certified Community Partner. Great job Mike, OFB
is happy to have you as a part of our team.

Consumer Services
Spring always brings changes and those changes will occur whether you are ready or
not. The Office for the Blind is continuing to implement changes and unfortunately
some of those changes continue to occur whether staff are ready or not. Change can
be frightening to some people while others will embrace and welcome something new.
Regardless of the type of “changer” you are it is important to feel part of the change and
to share your concerns with management and leadership of our agency. You have
heard all the old adages, “Change is inevitable”, “Change occurs whether you are ready
or not”, and “Change is the only constant thing in life”. It would appear these are very
true within our agency right now. The changes can be seen in the KWIB initiatives that
are stretching across the state and being implemented locally. It is visible in the internal
budget deficit we are facing that is requiring us to make policy and procedure changes.
It is even seen at the federal level where the proposed WIA legislation includes a
multitude of changes for the Vocational Rehabilitation field if passed at its current draft.
Yes, change is all around us but it is up to each one of you on how you will accept the
change. Will you see the cup as half full or half empty? Is the change in your life
opening a door or closing one?


McDowell Center Tidbits
Abby Cocanougher has been selected to serve as a consumer representative on the
National Library Services for the National Audio Equipment Advisory Committee. In
addition to Abby’s experience as a Talking Book user, her professional duties allow her
to witness the experiences of others when introduced to NLS players. Abby is excited
to be a selected member and will make a valuable addition to the committee.

Thank you Abby for volunteering your time and commitment! Office for the Blind is
proud to have you as a member for Kentucky to serve in this national capacity..

The McDowell Center hosted a cookout on Friday, June 22nd for students, staff and
our advocacy organizations. There were approximately 40 in attendees \. Thanks to
Gary Cusick for grilling the meat and staff for bringing a side dish. Also a big thanks to
Steve Deeley for organizing the event and purchasing the hamburgers and hot dogs.
Everybody had a great time of fellowship!


Training Corner

Dr. Karen Wolffe Training

Under the training grants there were various activities for the FFY 2012 calendar year.
This particular training is one of the two main training events for all staff. We had 89
participate in the training at Lake Barkley, in Bowling Green KY on March 27-29th. Dr.
Karen Wolffe manages a private practice as a career counselor and consultant in
Austin, Texas. She received a B.A. from the University of North Carolina in English, a
M.Ed. from the University of Texas in Special Education with an emphasis on Students
with Multiple Disabilities, and a Ph.D. in Rehabilitation Counseling from the University of
Texas, in Austin, Her research and writing interests include the importance of career
education, social skills development, transition issues, employment opportunities for
people with disabilities, and literacy in the workplace.

This training focused on strategies for working with challenging individuals. There were
components for McDowell staff and field staff on learning how to team in the delivery of
an employability skills training program using a structured learning approach. Dr. Wolffe
also taught our staff many more skills to enhance our services. Our next main event
will be the AT Odyssey Expo/Conference on September 18 & 19th. This will be a very
exciting event for the Office for the Blind.

National Federation of the Blind Kentucky by Pamela Roark-Glisson

The statewide NFB-NEWSLINE® newspaper reading service in Kentucky continues
increased usage through referrals by the KY Office for the Blind, KY Talking Book
Library Services, SSA Work Incentive Planning Assistance Program, Independence
Place, Inc., the NFB.org web site and outreach activities.


The enhanced features of the service continue to increase and present magnificent
means of information access through Global Search features and advanced online
access methods. NEWSLINE offers the accessible current information of 300
newspapers and fifty magazines by consumer choice and is user friendly 24 hours a
day and seven days a week. The addition of the Target Store Ads and Job Postings via
Career BuilderProvides independence to anyone wishing to know what is in the Target
adds or for those who may want to independently search for a job.


Since the NEWSLINE service is available nationally and all of Kentucky’s neighboring
states are adequately funded, the features are specific to any location in the country for
which you choose to read about or job search through appropriate prompts. The
National NEWSLINE Team works endlessly to define new channels, such as Kentucky
Elections information channel, and also continues to add new newspaper and magazine
publications regularly. As Newsline Subscribers have discovered over the past several
months, the National NEWSLINE Team has extended the invitation to request
international newspapers of interest, and a number of these newspapers have been
added. Do you want to know exactly what is going on in Israel, as you hear TV/Radio
broadcasts locally hinting at turmoil and skirmishes or even plans for war? The
Newsline Subscriber can now go to the Jerusalem Post to read first-hand accounts of
Israel’s local news. The China Daily, London Telegraph, Guardian, New Zealand Times,
India Times and other international papers give us first-hand accounts of international
news!


The constant challenge to reach more than 300,000 Kentuckians who are eligible for
NEWSLINE demonstrates the need for adequate regular funding streams. Securing
adequate funding will create employment, increase the local Content Development on
the Kentucky Information Channel, provide greater Technical Assistance and Outreach,
as well as, increase Marketing aspects of the KY NFB-NEWSLINE®. Adequate funding
will maximize the service’s great benefits in the lives of youth with disabilities; college
students; young parents both who are blind and those who have blind children or are
otherwise print disabled; working age Kentuckians who are eligible for the service;
returning wounded warriors who have the desire to continue their connection in service
to our state and nation; and the senior population who have spent a lifetime of regular
access to community connectedness through the local newspaper and experience the
continued need even though blind or otherwise print disabled.

Sincere appreciation is extended to all the Friends of NEWSLINE in Kentucky! A
special thanks to the KY Office for the Blind for the leadership and collaboration
necessary for NEWSLINE to remain on the cutting edge of accessible electronic
information technology!

A continued educational approach to inform everyone about this service and the infinite
amount of accessible information which is available to anyone who is print disabled,
including accessible job listings and the potential of creating employment, remains
imperative. For more information, please contact Independence Place, Inc. at
(859)266-2807 or www.independenceplaceky.org.
OFB Coca-Cola Scholarship

Coca-Cola was awarded the state soft drink contract in November 2010. The Kentucky
Office for the Blind received a $20,000 scholarship fund from Coca-Cola to use towards
seven consumers’ college training. The Office for the Blind is excited to offer a
scholarship program for our current consumers. There will be three $4,000 scholarships
and four $2,000 scholarships awarded in 2012. The Committee has met and has
selected seven qualified candidates. There were 19 applicants that applied. The
scholarship selection committee consisted of Erica Smith, region two manager, Mitsy
Knight, VR Counselor, Bowling Green. Pam Minton, Administrative Assistant at the
McDowell Center. Michelle McElmurray, Executive Assistant, Central Office, and
George Stokes, SRC member and chair of the Blind Vendors Committee. The selected
candidates will be presented with their scholarship on August 17, 2012 at the State
Rehabilitation Council Meeting at the Charles W. McDowell Center in Louisville, KY. We
are excited to share pictures of the selected candidates in our next newsletter!

The three candidates choosen for the $4,000 scholarships are Elaine Royse, Paris KY,
Jessica Groneck, Cold Springs KY, and Melanie Peskoe, Louisville KY.

The four candidates choosen for the $2,000 scholarships are Angela Dehart, Ashland,
KY, Doris Bachman, Lily, KY, Ronnie Peyton, Frankfort, KY, and Stacy Timberlake,
South Shore KY.

Congratulations to all seven of these well deserved candidates! We will spotlight the
winners on our website in August 2012 under the OFB Coca-Cola Scholarship tab.


Birthdays

August

Theresa Murphy, 3rd
Chris Smith, 12th
Gay Pannell, 12th
Tonia Gatton, 15th
Abby Cocanougher, 26th
Karen Perry, 17th
Norma McCormick, 21st
Carol Pruitt, 25th

September

Nancy Tooley, 3rd
Jenny Tyree, 4th
Marry Harrod, 8th
Kathy Crowdus, 12th
Kirsten Schmidt, 12th
Vanessa Corrente, 13th
Sue Claunch, 15th
Kent Jones, 22nd
Vanessa Denham, 23rd
Susan Willis, 26th

October

Jack Kennedy, 5th
Bruce Sparrow, 6th
Nancy Harper, 19th
Gary Tabor, 26th
Kirk Leiferman, 27th


Upcoming Events

August
8/17           State Rehabilitation Council meeting, McDowell

September
9/18 - 9/1     AT Odyssey “A New Vision” Expo/
               Conference, Galt House, Louisville

9/5 - 9/7      KY Rehabilitation Association (KRA) Conference

9/14           Office for the Blind (KECC) Charity Golf Scramble, Juniper Hills, Frankfort



REMINDERS
The monthly OFB INSIDER is published 3-4 times per year. Submissions should be e-mailed to:
Michelle.McElmurray@ky.gov

The deadline for the November 2012 will be October 1st .

When submitting an article please follow the following guidelines:
 Should be less than two pages

 Please send in email or attachment, no PDF. Please submit by the deadline given.

 Editor has discretion regarding editing, without final approval of submitter.