The ACB E-Forum Volume LIII December 2014 No. 6 Published by the American Council of the Blind Be A Part of ACB The American Council of the Blind (TM) is a membership organization made up of more than 70 state and special-interest affiliates. To join, contact the national office at 1-800-424-8666. Contribute to Our Work Those much-needed contributions, which are tax-deductible, can be sent to Attn: Treasurer, ACB, 6300 Shingle Creek Pkwy., Suite 195, Brooklyn Center, MN 55430. If you wish to remember a relative or friend, the national office has printed cards available for this purpose. Consider including a gift to ACB in your Last Will and Testament. If your wishes are complex, call the national office. To make a contribution to ACB by the Combined Federal Campaign, use this number: 11155. Check in with ACB For the latest in legislative and governmental news, call the “Washington Connection” 24/7 at 1-800-424-8666, or read it online. Listen to ACB Reports by downloading the MP3 file from www.acb.org, or call (231) 460-1061 and choose option 3. Tune in to ACB Radio at www.acbradio.org or by calling (231) 460-1047. Learn more about us at www.acb.org. Follow us on Twitter at @acbnational, or like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AmericanCounciloftheBlindOfficial. © 2014 American Council of the Blind Melanie Brunson, Executive Director Sharon Lovering, Editor 2200 Wilson Blvd., Suite 650, Arlington, VA 22201 All content created initially for use by ACB in publications, in any media on any web site domains administered by ACB, or as a broadcast or podcast on ACB Radio, archived or not, is considered to be the property of the American Council of the Blind. Creative content that appears elsewhere originally remains the property of the original copyright holder. Those responsible for creative content submitted initially to ACB are free to permit their materials to appear elsewhere with proper attribution and prior notification to the ACB national office. Table of Contents President’s Message: Thanks for Our Blessings, by Kim Charlson Announcing the 2015-16 ACB Scholarship Program It’s Holiday Auction Time, by Carla Ruschival Convention Bits and Pieces, by Janet Dickelman A Partnership for Affiliate Empowerment, by Doug Powell Avoid the Crowds; Shop from Home at the ACB Mini Mall, by Carla Ruschival And the 2014-2015 Scholarship Winners Are …, by Michael Garrett Celebrating Successes at the Banquet, by Sharon Lovering 2014 ACB Membership Seminar, compiled by Ardis Bazyn A Look into the ACB Pre-Convention and Post-Convention Board Meetings, by Denise Colley Affiliate News Passings Here and There, edited by Sharon Strzalkowski High Tech Swap Shop Are You Moving? Do You Want to Change Your Subscription? Contact Sharon Lovering in the ACB national office, 1-800-424-8666, or via e-mail, slovering@acb.org. Give her the information, and she'll take care of the changes for you. Got a request? Tune in to ACB Radio interactive and ask the DJ on duty to play it for you at www.acbradio.org. Blind show hosts offer a plethora of musical genres at www.acbradio.org/interactive.