The American Council of the Blind’s 2024 Audio Description Awards Gala Broadcast on November 14

Alexandria, Virginia – The American Council of the Blind (ACB) announces that the 2024 ACB Audio Description Awards Gala was air on November 14 at 7:30pm ET. Created in 2021 to recognize outstanding achievement in audio description in entertainment and educational media, the Awards Gala features celebrity guests, film clips, and a dozen awards. The broadcast of the show includes captions, audio description, ASL interpretation, and Spanish dubbing.

Join hosts Marilee Talkington and Alie B. Gorrie as they welcome guests from the arts, entertainment, and sports worlds to celebrate accessible films, series, video games, and more. Awards are presented in categories such as Innovation, Popular Entertainment, Live Events, Spanish Media (USA), and International. The winners of the Audio Description People’s Choice Awards are also announced.

Special guests include:

• Kathy Bates, award-winning actor
• Rebecca Alexander, author and disability rights advocate
• Molly Burke, digital creator, author, and advocate
• Ross Minor, accessible gaming consultant
• Roy Samuelson, author and AD producer and narrator
• EJ Scott, actor and activist
• Trischa Zorn-Hudson, Paralympics Hall of Famer

About the American Council of the Blind.

The American Council of the Blind is a national member-driven organization representing Americans who are blind or have low vision. For more than 60 years, ACB has been a leader in national, state, local, and international advocacy efforts. With 68 affiliates, ACB strives to increase independence, security, equality of opportunity, and the quality of life for all people who are blind or have low vision. For more information, visit www.acb.org.

Find out more at https://acb-events.pinecast.co

Tabitha Kenlon gives a behind the scenes look at the 2024 ACB Audio Description Awards Gala as well as a comprehensive overview of ACB's Audio Description Project.

Find out more at https://acb-events.pinecast.co

2024 Sneak a Peek Appetizer Auction Day One

Opens Friday, November 29 at 12:00 noon ET.

Closes Saturday, November 30 at 12:00 noon ET Opening Bids Included

Appetizer Auction Rules and Information: Contact Leslie Spoone at 407-678-0075 or 407-678-4163 or email at [email protected] with your bid. Please provide your name, phone number, email, item number and bid amount. Bids must be in $5.00 increments. Leslie will send out Appetizer Auction information communicating the high bid on each item at 5:00pm ET, 8:00pm ET and 9:00am ET each day. Billing for both the Sneak a Peek Appetizer Auction and The Holiday Auction will take place the week of December 2nd for the total amount of all winning purchases. The auction items need to be paid for by December 19.

ACB Auction Disclaimer

The American Council of the Blind conducts fundraising auctions with the purpose of providing financial support for our programs and services. We thank those individuals, organizations, and businesses who donate items for our auctions. Please note that if you bid on an item and live out of the United States, you will be responsible for paying for the shipping of the item. To participate as a bidder, we ask that you be courteous to one another, to those who are conducting the auction and to those who will be contacting the winning bidders to arrange for payment. It is expected that any winning bidder will, after being contacted by anyone connected to the auction, provide proper billing information prior to the auction item being sent to them. If we do not successfully collect the bid amount, we reserve the right to repurpose the item to the benefit of ACB. We reserve the right to block any individual not following the guidelines during the auction or from participating in any future auction. We look forward to seeing you at the auction. Happy bidding! Sneak a Peek Appetizer Auction Items Day One

301 Movie Extravaganza Package Donated by ACB Associate Director of Development Jo Lynn Bailey-Page Opening Bid $30

Enjoy using this $50 Regal Cinemas gift card to watch the latest audio described movies with some friends or family over the holidays. But that’s not all, enjoy some goodies to go along with your movie.

302 Wine Charm Jewlery Set handmade and donated by Claudia Af Opening Bid $25

Dress up for a special occasion wearing this 26 inch multicolored, green and white bead jewelry set. The necklace and bracelet have wine charm accessories on both of them. The bracelet is 9 inches and has a hook clasp like the necklace does and it is easy to put on. Also, enjoy these matching drop earrings that are 2 inches long. Proudly proclaim your love of wine while looking lovely!

303 Logitech Wired Headset, Stereo Headphones with Noise-Cancelling Microphone Donated by Dan Spoone Opening Bid $30

These stereo headphones are black and have a noise-cancelling microphone, USB connection and In Line Controls. The PC headphones with plush, padded headband and ear cups provide optimum comfort. A rotating microphone minimizes background noise to provide noise-cancelling qualities resulting in clearer calls.

304 Two Dozen Homemade Shortbread Cookies Donated by Deb Trevino and Delaware Council of the Blind and Visually Impaired Opening Bid $30

Enjoy two dozen fresh-baked mouth-watering authentic shortbread cookies guaranteed to explode on your palate with luscious buttery goodness. These are great with milk, hot chocolate, coffee, or your favorite tea. Next to Walker's, these are the best I've ever tasted. If you plan to leave cookies for Santa or give a tasty treat to someone you love, don’t miss this opportunity!

305 Gold LaMae Purse donated by Tesse Kelly Opening Bid $20

Enjoy this lovely purse which has two handles for carrying. The purse is 11 inches high by 19 inches long by 5 inches wide and has a black cloth lining with a center pocket, interior side pocket, phone and miscellaneous pocket and one outside pocket. The perfect purse for you fashionistas out there!

306 3 sweet angels glow in the dark tactile light blue T-shirt and royal blue zip tote bag donated by Blind Girl Designs Tricia Waechter Opening Bid $25

I was really drawn to create these white cane angels because of all of the angels in my life. We have lots of ideas about angels, all of which are completely legitimate, my personal belief just reflects the goodness around us. Each of these sweet angels are made from six white canes in an A shape and the heads are ovals and above each head is a hand drawn halo. If you notice, I drew each of the wings separately, because even angels are individuals! In addition to being completely tactile, the ink is glow-in-the-dark ink and the angels glowing in the dark are just beautiful! Remember that the glow-in-the-dark ink charges with a light source so every time you wear it hold it in front of a lamp or something for about four minutes. This T-shirt is 100% cotton, but do not size up because there is a very little shrinkage when washed. Please wash inside out in cold wash and hang to dry or tumble for a few minutes to get the wrinkles out. These t-shirts come in unisex sizes youth small through large, adult small through five XL, tall large through three XL. As the winner you can pick your own size! Plus, the royal Angels tote is 15 inch by 20 inch full zip canvas bag with a folder bottom so it can sit upright and a has zip pocket on the inside as well! It has generous straps, so you can swing it over your shoulder. We even had one customer put 2 gallons of milk in an emergency so, you know it will carry all of your electronics!! Enjoy your Blind Girl Designs! Www.blindgirldesigns.com

307 Premium Belgian Chocolate pralines donated by ACB CFO Nancy Marks Becker Opening Bid $40

Delight your senses with our premium assortment of 16 Belgian pralines, inspired by the expertise and creativity of Guylian’s Master Chocolatiers and crafted with carefully selected ingredients of the highest quality. All Guylian chocolates are palm and soy free and we only use 100% ingredients of natural origin. This box is filled with small masterpieces. Plus, enjoy Hachez Confiserie-Pralines: Assortment of pralines: A fine mixture of the creamiest marzipan, nougat, mousse, pralines and truffle fillings covered in delicious milk, dark and white chocolate.

308 Cafe Che Che Coffee Donated by Sheri Richardson Opening Bid $30

Enjoy three pounds of rich and wonderful coffee with your friends or family. Lisa Petke, the owner of Cafe Che Che roasts small batch, single origin, specialty coffee and delivers it to your doorstep. She says, “All of my beans are ethically and sustainably grown and sourced. I’m passionate about good coffee, and about supporting small farmers and workers in developing countries.” This is truly heaven for the coffee lover!

309 nativity Bottle with Fairy Lights donated by David and Keri Bishop Opening Bid $20

The lovely piece of Christmas decor is one of Keri Bishops recycling crafts. David Bishop finds many of the items that become recycling crafts in the Bishop home. David found this unique shaped bottle while out for a walk and brought it home for mom to do some crafting magic. The bottle is globe shaped with a flat side on the front and back and a fluted neck. a gorgeous nativity design was put on the bottle cut from gold color vinyl. The holy family is on the front and back flat surfaces of the bottle. The shepherds and the angel are on one rounded side and the 3 wisemen are on the other rounded side. Fairy lights were placed inside the bottle with the cork being the battery pack. The side of the cork shaped battery pack has a small on/off switch.

310 A Tantalizing Homemade Candy Donated by Patty Slaby Opening Bid $40

This scrumptious homemade candy will make your get together with friends even sweeter! You can select one type of homemade candy or three different kinds. You will receive 60 pieces of candy in total from a selection of: peanut butter balls, peanut clusters, rum balls, dipped pretzels, bugles dipped in chocolate and many, many others. Patty will contact you for your selections.

311 Amazon Echo Pop Smart Speaker donated by Carl Richardson Opening Bid $30

This ECHO POP compact smart speaker with Alexa features a full sound that's great for bedrooms and small spaces. The speaker is small enough to blend in and mighty enough to stand out. you can control music with your voice and you can also Ask Alexa to play music, audiobooks, and podcasts from your favorite providers like Amazon Music, Apple Music, Spotify, Pandora, Sirius XM and more. Connect via Bluetooth to stream throughout your space. Wow, this speaker will provide a lot of wonderful entertainment while you are either traveling or just hanging out with friends or family!

312 hand Sone Tote Bag and a $50 Starbucks Gift Card donated by Merrilee Hill-Kennedy

Opening Bid $30

You will enjoy having this handmade tote bag which is made up of four squares in the front and four squares in the back. The tote is approximately 19 inches tall and 19 inches wide. It is lined and has an inside small pocket. Each square is in shades of blue and green and the prints are different but do coordinate with each other. The straps can be shoulder straps or Crossbody and there will                          also be two smaller zippered pouches inside that coordinate and will hold smaller items in the tote. Plus, a $50 Starbucks gift card to have some of your favorite beverages and treats with some friends or family members over the holidays!

313 Artisanal Mediterranean olive oil and Vinegar Bread Dipping Set donated by Dan Weidl Opening Bid $30

Enjoy this set that includes: Garlic Bread Mix, Rosemary Bread, Garlic Olive Oil, Rosemary Olive Oil, Classic Balsamic Vinegar, Fig Balsamic Vinegar, Chili Rosemary Seasoning, Italian Seasoning, Herbes de Provence Seasoning, Bread Dipping Bowl and a recipe Card.

314 Bundle Package for Blind Girl Designs donated by ACB of Nebraska Opening Bid $30

Enjoy shopping at Blind Girl Designs with a $60 gift certificate on behalf of the American Council of the Blind of Nebraska. Shirts range in size from small to 5XL. As a bonus, choose one Nebraska themed t-shirt or apron. What a fantastic way to either splurge on yourself or to give to someone special in your life

315 Death By Chocolate Cake Balls Made by Linda Allison and donated by the East Tennessee Council of the Blind

Opening Bid $30

Enjoy Three dozen triple chocolate chunk cake balls. They are delectably moist chocolate chunk cake rolled into approximately one inch balls and dipped in premium milk chocolate.

316 ACB Pet Kit donated by ACB Mini Mall Opening Bid $35

The ACB Mini Mall is proud to offer a 7-piece dog kit. This kit features the following items: A Pet Accessory Bag which is perfect for days at the dog park, long walks, or trips. This is a gray and black shoulder bag which measures 13 inches by 10 inches by 2 inches. The main compartment uses a zipper to keep the bag closed. The bag also has a Velcro pouch in the front and mesh side pocket. The bag contains a collapsible pet bowl and a detachable zippered case, with a belt clip perfect for holding treats. There is a Sherpa Rectangular Pet Bed that is gray and measures 25 inches by 21 inches by 7 inches. The bed is machine washable and dryable for easy cleaning and care. Also included is a LED plastic safety clip which gives you improved visibility. Click the button once and the clip lights up in a bright neon green color. Click the button a second time and the neon changes from a solid light to a flashing light. For playtime, there is a Frisco ball launcher with a long-curved handle that lets you toss the ball further while helping prevent hand and arm fatigue, tennis balls included. After playtime, use these Gentle Cleaning Wipes which come in a 80-count tub. They are green tea scented, made from oats and hydrating aloe. Finally, you’ll receive a Frisco Dog waste bag dispenser with 15 unscented waste bags and 120 additional unscented waste bags.

317 Mary Kay Satin Hands Set Donated by Nancy Folsom

Opening Bid $30

This 3-step process will leave your hands and feet feeling soft, smooth, and luxurious! The Satin Hands set softens, exfoliates, and moisturizes each time you use it. Now that we are washing our hands more than ever, this set is great for guys and gals to help keep your hands healthy! You will love how great your hands feel! You can use it on your feet as well.

318 Blind Barbie donated by Cindy Hollis Opening Bid $30

Introducing the first blind Barbie Fashionistas doll, created in partnership with the American Foundation for the Blind. She wears a satiny pink blouse and sparkly skirt with fun-to-touch fabric and stylish lavender heels. High-contrast closures on her outfit make dressing easier, and her silvery aviator sunglasses offer UV protection. Barbie uses a white cane for exploring, complemented by an outfit perfect for social outings. With articulated arms for cane use and packaging featuring "Barbie" in Braille, this doll is thoughtfully designed.

319 Handmade Baby Blanket donated by Nancy Mereno

Opening Bid $25

Enjoy having this lovely six color baby blanket which is 33 inches by 38 inches. The colors include: white, lime green, light pink, light blue, light lavender and pale yellow. What a fantastic blanket for your baby to snuggle up with!

320 Eiffel Tower Wine rack donated by Melissa Dubose

Opening Bid $25

Enjoy having this idyllic Eiffel Tower wine rack that will Hold 6 bottles and comes with an Eiffel Tower wine stopper. What a fantastic conversational piece to showcase with friends while sharing a glass of wine!

321 Handmade Jewelry Set donated by Becky Hawkins

Opening Bid $25

Show off your fashion sense with this handmade set, made from multi colored earth chip tones. The necklace is 18 inches long and the bracelet is 8.5 inches. Wow, what a fantastic gift either for yourself or for someone special in your life!

322 Santa Dog Cookie Jar donated by Jeff and Keri Bishop

Opening Bid $25

This cookie jar depicts a cute husky puppy wearing a Santa hat and holding a Christmas gift between his front paws. He comes with yummy treats for your pup including: One package kind rewards sweet potato chicken wraps( dried sweet potato wrapped in chicken jerky); one package duck jerky; one package chicken jerky; one package snausages and a giant peanut butter dog biscuit. These treats will make a fantastic gift for that special doggie for the holidays!

323 $50 Amazon Gift Card Donated by Blue Grass Council of the Blind

Opening Bid $30

It is time to treat yourself to something special and here’s a gift card to help you do it. $ 50 in spending at Amazon!

324 Homemade fritter bread donated by Becky Hawkins

Opening Bid $25

Wow, If you love apple fritter donuts, you will love this homemade apple fritter bread. This apple fritter bread is very moist and delicious and will melt in your mouth! It has apple cider and applesauce infused in it

325 The Blind Kitchen’s 12-Tool Sampler donated by Debra Erikson Executive Chef and Founder of The Blind Kitchen

Opening Bid $30

Enjoy the 12 individual tools selected from across our 4 collections. Tools include: Auto Measure Spout, Boil Alert Disk, Butter Slicer, Cut Glove, Heat Gloves (1 pair), Herb Bags (4), Mini Box Grater, Oven Rack Guards (2), Peeler, Salt Cellar, Signature Guide and Towel Clips (6). Wow, these tools will excite the cook in your life!

326 Choceur CHOCO Changer Chocolate donated by ACB CFO Nancy Marks Becker

Opening Bid $25

The sweet taste of Choceur CHOCO CHANGER that has milk chocolate and Caramel Sea Salt. By purchasing the Choceur CHOCO CHANGER, you are directly supporting cocoa farming communities in Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana. The Choceur CHOCO CHANGER bars look different from others and the triangular pieces represent cocoa plantations from Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana. The pieces have different heights, which reflects the reality of the cocoa value chain risks and rewards are not evenly distributed. The Choceur CHOCO CHANGER is not only a delicious treat, but also a true work of art.

327 Pretty daisies 3-D tactile print pink sweatshirt and a royal tote bag donated By Blind Girl Designs Tricia Waechter

Opening Bid $30

These delightful 3D tactile Daisies have white canes as stems and green delicate leaves. From left to right there are four daisies that are white and green combo with clever art on the inside of each daisy. The first one is tall, second one is white short with a green middle, third one is tall green with a white middle and lastly, a white short with a small green middle. They look like a delightful colorful garden on the vibrant pink sweatshirt. These sweatshirts come in unisex sizing, youth, small through large, adult small through 5-XL, tall large through 3-XL. As the winner you get to pick your own size! This cozy heavyweight crewneck sweatshirt has banded sleeves and bottom and it is made from cotton/ poly and will not shrink. Please wash this inside out to protect the ink and feel free to put it in a hot tumble dryer in order to make it nice and fluffy for you But make sure it’s inside out! Plus, enjoy this royal blue tote which is 15 inch by 20 inch full zip canvas bag with a folder bottom so it can sit upright and a zip pocket on the inside as well! It has generous strap, so you can swing over your shoulder. Please spot clean. Enjoy showing off your Blind Girl Designs! www.blindgirldesigns.com

328 $50 Starbucks Gift Card donated by Jean Mann

Opening Bid $30

Everyone loves a good cup of coffee. It’s even better with some friends or family members over some laughs! as an extra bonus, Starbucks has goodies to eat. Bid so you can enjoy all the delicious choices from a great coffee establishment.

329 A Healing with Reiki Session donated by Nancy and Cathy Herb

Opening Bid $30

Reiki is a Japanese word meaning, "the key of life". It is a very powerful, intuitive, healing energy that can be used to heal any situation, physical or otherwise. It has helped relieve pain or other discomforts. It is an excellent cleanser of negative energy. Cathy and Nancy Herb, who are both master Reiki practitioners, are offering you a Reiki session lasting up to an hour. Bid and see what Reiki can do for you.

330 The daisy book player donated by Barry Scheur

Opening Bid $40

Enjoy having this T6 daisy book player which is a perfect digital book player designed for the blind and visually impaired to access to music, media, documents, recording and more importantly daisy books. With the lightweight and compact design, T6 daisy book player delivers up to 12 hours of listening pleasure anytime and anywhere. This player features : Voice user interface offers ease of operation for the blind; High contrast digits buttons of the key pad which provide fast navigation. You can browse DAISY books by chapter, section, or phrase and it has a built in 8GB flash storage and it can be expanded up to additional 32GB SDHC card. T6 Daisy book player reads in four high quality voices: Tom, Nathan, Susan, and Samantha.

331 Two pound bag of Premium Pecans donated by Marsha Farrow Opening Bid $25

Enjoy having Two pounds of Whatley brand pecans made up of extra large halves, from the Loganville Legacy Lions Club. Wow, what a yummy treat either for yourself or to share with some friends!

332 The Pocket Bible Donated by Rev. Ray Raysor, President DC Council of the Blind

Opening Bid $30

The Pocket Bible is a self-contained digital device that contains the entire bible. It is about the size of the old cassette tapes and has navigation buttons that allow forward and backward movement by both book and chapter. It has no moving parts and is rugged and water resistant. The Pocket Bible has both an internal speaker and an earphone jack. Available in your choice of English Standard Version, King James Version, New King James Version, New American Standard Bible, New International Version NIV, New Living Translation ®. Audio Bibles in Spanish also are available.

333 Set of Four durable, hand-knitted dish cloths made with love and donated by Rhondda Lang from Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Opening Bid $25

Spiff up your kitchen with these four dishcloths in purple dark blue, yellow, and sand. As a bonus, you will receive a second set which includes Too dark blue two light blue and one gray blue. These will make wonderful gifts either for yourself or friends!

334 $50 Amazon Gift Card donated by Mucie Allred

Opening Bid $30

It is time to treat yourself to something special and here’s a gift card to help you do it. $50 in spending at Amazon!

335 One on One Training with Leslie Spoone donated by Get Up and Get Moving

Opening Bid $25

Enjoy working out with Leslie either doing some resistance, yoga or cardio. We will have some laughs and get to know your body with these three 45 minute sessions.

336 Ugg Boots donated by anonymous

Opening Bid $30

Keep warm with these size 10 black laced ankle boots with black laces, soles, and gray sherpa lining inside the boot. Wow, you will look stunning in these boots!

337 Greeting Cards for All Occasions donated by Connie Jacomini

Opening Bid $30

Burgoyne, the publisher of fine greeting cards since 1907 produced this 35 hand-crafted all occasion greeting card collection. These hand-crafted cards with unique embellishment, coordinating envelopes are very tactile. Enjoy having these unique cards for every occasion!

338 See’s Candies Assorted Lollypops donated by Sharon Morrison

Opening Bid $25

Flavor-rich down to the very last lick. Made with dairy-fresh butter, heavy cream and flavored with real vanilla, Colombian coffee, rich chocolate and butterscotch. Approximately 30 per box. What a scrumptious treat to have for yourself or share with some friends!

339 16 inch Round Green Ribbon Wreath Donated by Miriam Huff

Opening Bid $30

This 16 inch Round Ribbon Wreath is lovingly made with 2 shades of green: emerald green and apple green. The ribbon is 100% polyester grosgrain ribbon which will last for many years. It is so versatile, as an indoor/outdoor wreath, that it can be used to decorate for the Christmas holidays, St. Patrick's Day, Springtime, and Summer by just adding little accessories or leaving it to shine all on its own. For example, for Christmas, you can add red bows, lights, little candy canes, etc. For Spring and Summer, you can add little flowers. Let your creativity run wild! The entire wreath frame is covered with premium ribbon, there is no danger of scratching any surface. You can lightly dust off your wreath periodically by giving it a gentle fluff with a clean hand. The ribbons can be individually spot cleaned and air dried if necessary. You can seal your wreath in a bag or a tote with a lid and these wreaths are not fragile , they can be stacked.

340 guide dog royal Blue Hoodie donated by Blind Girl Designs Tricia Waechter

Opening Bid $30

Oh, don’t you just love your guide dog? We do too! We designed this darling print to celebrate our guide dogs in fun tactile white puff ink. This design has the words "I LOVE MY GUIDE DOG" repeated over and over in readable braille in the shape of a 12 inch heart. Along the inside of the braille are the words in letters. Inside of the heart is the big tactile paw print (of a Labrador retriever). In the center of each of the pads of the paw print is a heart, the heart is a cut out so that the color of the garment shows through. The whole design is in tactile white puff ink! This hooded sweatshirt comes in youth size small through large, adult sizes small through five XL, tall sizes large through three XL. You get to pick your own size if you win! It is a standard pull over cotton poly hoodie fit with a large front pocket and large hood with a drawstring. It will not shrink if put in a hot dryer and you should wash and dry inside out in order to protect the ink and make it nice and fluffy on the inside! Enjoy showing off your Blind Girl Designs! Www.blindgirldesigns.com

341 Scentsy Fragrance Flower with Oil donated by Leslie Spoone

Opening Bid $20

Scentsy brings the beauty of the outdoors inside with its Fragrance Flowers. Part of the unplugged collection, each flower is uniquely hand-crafted from solo wood. Accompanying the flower is 1 Jar of Fragrance Oil. This is the Luna scent which is white florals jasmine, sweet pea and freesia juicy berries and sandalwood shimmer like moonlight. The oil will last up to 60 days. Even if the oil is gone there will still be fragrance coming from the flower.

342 Homemade Caramel Brownies without nuts in a 8 by 11 pan donated by Judy okraski

Opening Bid $30

Enjoy having these homemade scrumptious caramel brownies with your favorite beverage! What a wonderful treat for the holidays.

343 Amazon 4K Fire stick donated by Carl Richardson

Opening Bid $30

This fire stick will give you a cinematic experience to enjoy in vibrant 4K Ultra HD with support for Dolby Vision, HDR, and HDR10+. Home theater audio with Dolby Atmos - Feel scenes come to life with support for immersive Dolby Atmos audio on select titles with compatible home audio systems. Endless entertainment that you can stream more than 1.5 million movies and TV episodes from Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, Peacock, and more, plus listen to millions of songs. Subscription fees may apply.

Find out more at https://acb-events.pinecast.co

Bay State Council of the Blind 2024 Spring Conference and Convention Agenda Grousbeck Center, Perkins School for the Blind, Watertown, MA

Morning Session

• Welcome From Our Host, Perkins School for the Blind

• Opening Remarks David Kingsbury, President, BSCB

• Overview of Massachusetts Commission for the Blind Activities John Oliveira , Commissioner, MCB

• Participant Introductions

• State Government Initiatives to Improve Accessibility Ashley Bloom, Chief Information Technology Accessibility Officer, Executive Office of Technology Services and Security

• Updates from Two of Our Committees Ambassador Program: Pam Loch, Membership Committee chair Healthcare Resources web page: Nona Haroyan and Jerry Berrier, Advocacy Committee co-chairs

• First Reading of Proposed BSCB Code of Conduct Policy Brian Charlson and Jennifer Harnish

• lection of BSCB Officers Brian Charlson (to explain voting procedures) Mary Haroyan( to announce slate of nominees recommended by the Nominations Committee) Sharon Strzalkowski to chair election of President David Kingsbury to chair election of other officers

Afternoon Session

• Announcement of Election Results David Kingsbury Short comments by newly elected Officers

• Debate and Adoption of Proposed Code of Conduct Policy Brian Charlson

• Experience as a Book Author Andrew Leland, author of “The Country of the Blind,” interviewed by Kim Charlson

• Announcement of BSCB Awards Awards Committee: Kim Charlson (chair), Pam Loch, and Jerry Berrier

• Tips for Getting a Handle on Your Personal Finances Moe Carpenter, Penny Forward

• News from the Tech World Jeff Bishop, ACB Blind Information Technology Specialists affiliate President: Overview of BITS training activities and other member benefits David Kingsbury, Demo of the new JAWS PictureSmart with Generative AI feature for describing digital images

• Overview of Recent Perkins Library Activities Kim Charlson

Find out more at https://acb-events.pinecast.co

Re-experience the April 8, 2024 total eclipse of the sun through sound.

Harvard University’s Astronomy Department welcomes those who are blind or have low vision to experience the total eclipse of the sun, through use of the LightSound device which uses a technique called sonification, the process of converting data, in this case light intensity into sound.

The American Council of the Blind and ACB Media are proud to partner with Harvard to broadcast this amazing event where you experience and track through sound the eclipse as it reaches totality at different times from Texas through Vermont. Folks from many different organizations around the country connected their LightSound devices to Zoom as the eclipse reached totality at their location.

The podcast opens with an interview of Allyson Bieryla, Science Center Astronomy Lab and Telescope Manager, Harvard University Astronomer, Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory who describes the LightSound Project, and demonstrates and explains the LighhtSound device.

For more information about the LightSound Project, go to The LightSound Project (harvard.edu)

Find out more at https://acb-events.pinecast.co

20240407-1 Illinois Council of the Blind 20240407-1 Morning Sessions

• ICB Business o Elections o Treasurer's Update o Resolutions o Affiliate Reports o Convention 2025 Discussion o Old Business & New Business

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20240406-3 Illinois Council of the Blind 20240406-3 Banquet

• ICB Banquet: o guest speaker Kolby Garrison o Presentation of Awards & 50/50 Raffle Winner Presented o Memorial Service - Remembering ICB members, friends and guide dogs who have passed since our last convention. Note: Memorial service started shortly after the conclusion of banquet

Find out more at https://acb-events.pinecast.co

20240406-2 Illinois Council of the Blind 20240406-2 Afternoon Sessions

• Railroad Relocation Project History: o Kevin Seal - Hansen Engineering

• Accessible Pharmacy: o Andy Burstein

• Audio Description Project: o Samantha Gould

Find out more at https://acb-events.pinecast.co

20240406-1 Morning Sessions

• BBS Update: o Kim Borowicz

• ACB Report

Find out more at https://acb-events.pinecast.co

20240405-2 Illinois Council of the Blind 20240405-2 Afternoon Sessions

• ISVI: o Michelle Clark

• Illinois State Library Talking Book and Braille Service: o Director, Stephen McMinn

• Candidates Forum

Find out more at https://acb-events.pinecast.co

20240405-1 Illinois Council of the Blind 20240405-1 Business Meeting

• ICB Business: o Credentials Report o First Reading of Nominations o Nominations from the Floor o First Reading of Constitution and Bylaws Amendments

• Blind Mice Mart: o Dale Campbell

Find out more at https://acb-events.pinecast.co