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The New Jersey Council of the Blind
CHRONICLE
January 2025

The New Jersey Council of the Blind’s mission is to strive for the betterment of the blind and visually impaired community. The purpose of this publication is to provide a forum for the free exchange of ideas, opinions and information that concern blind and visually impaired people.

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President’s Message:
By Sabastian Warren, President of the
New Jersey Council of the Blind

Happy New Year, everyone! I’m thrilled to step into another year as your President. Looking back, our organization has accomplished so much, and I believe this year will be even more successful. With your input, motivation, and support, we’ll continue to grow and thrive as a community.

This year, I am setting intentions rather than resolutions because intentions focus on long-term consistency. Resolutions, on the other hand, tend to disappear faster than our commitment to “lose weight and get fit” after one tough gym session! Together, we can maintain momentum throughout the year. My intentions for 2025 include fostering fellowship, expanding membership, strengthening our advocacy efforts, and achieving meaningful growth.

One of the highlights of the year will be our first quarterly meeting, where we’ll focus on the theme of community and connection. To show that our community extends far beyond New Jersey, we are excited to welcome two incredible speakers from the American Council of the Blind (ACB). Jeff Thom, who brings over 40 years of experience with the ACB, and Cindy Hollis, who has held many impactful positions within the organization, will be joining us. Their insights will remind us that we are part of a larger movement — one with a wealth of knowledge, advocacy programs, and resources to help us grow.

Let’s be honest — I don’t have all the answers, and I never will. But with the guidance of leaders like Jeff and Cindy, we can lean on the expertise of a nationwide community. We don’t have to navigate these challenges alone, and together we can explore innovative solutions to better support blind and low-vision individuals.

I also want to take a moment to thank everyone who has supported me during my first year as President. It has been a journey of learning and growth, and I am committed to becoming the best leader and advocate for the blind and low-vision community that I can be. To our board members, to everyone who attends our quarterly meetings — whether in person or by phone — thank you for your dedication and contributions.

I am also excited to share a personal accomplishment that will benefit all of us. Over the past five years, I fought a legal case with the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission over violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act. With the help of the New Jersey Division on Civil Rights, I am proud to announce that I won, and changes are on the way! These include having staff available at MVC offices to assist blind and low-vision individuals with paperwork and the introduction of accessible equipment to help us complete forms independently. Hopefully, these changes won’t turn a 15-hour wait into a 20-hour one — if you’re from New Jersey, you know exactly what I mean! My hope is that these improvements will make the MVC experience more inclusive and efficient, and that we’ll no longer have to rely on family or friends to navigate the system.

As we move into this new year, I encourage you all to share your ideas for advocacy goals and initiatives. Inspired by the work of the American Council of the Blind, we have the opportunity to shape meaningful legislative priorities that reflect the needs of our community.

Let’s make this a year of connection, achievement, and progress. Thank you for standing with me, and I look forward to another magnificent year together.

Sincerely,
Sabastian Warren
President, New Jersey Council of the Blind

January Quarterly Meeting Notice

Our January Quarterly meeting will be held by conference call on Saturday,
January 25, 2025, from 12:00 PM to 3:00 PM.
Call 719-300-3278, no passcode required.

Our guest speakers

Jeff Thom

Jeff Thom has been an active member of the American Council of the Blind (ACB) for over 40 years, contributing to the organization in numerous leadership roles at the local, state, and national levels. Currently serving as the incoming president of a local chapter, Jeff has also been president of three ACB affiliates, including the California affiliate, which he led for a decade.

In addition to these roles, Jeff is a longstanding member and past chair of the ACB Resolutions Committee, as well as the chair of the Advocacy Steering Committee. He has served as the first vice president and is currently a board member of ACB.

Jeff’s contributions extend to legislative advocacy, having served as the Director of Governmental Affairs for the California affiliate. In this capacity, he successfully spearheaded efforts to pass several pieces of state legislation benefiting the blind and visually impaired community.

With decades of service and advocacy experience, Jeff Thom continues to inspire and lead efforts to enhance accessibility and inclusion.

Cindy Hollis

Cindy Hollis serves as Manager of Membership Engagement for the American Council of the Blind, working remotely from her home in Flat Rock, Michigan. In this role, she works closely with affiliate leaders and members, and oversees the thriving ACB Community platform where more than 20,000 virtual events have been held since March 2020 impacting thousands of people who are blind or low vision.

Born and raised in southern California, Cindy’s family moved to Washington state the summer before her senior year of high school. This is where she attended college, raised two daughters, and worked 21 years in local public schools providing braille instruction and three years as Development Community Outreach Coordinator for the Lighthouse for the Blind, Inc. She helped charter a local chapter within the Washington state affiliate, where she served as president for eight non-consecutive years, playing an integral role in developing their successful statewide leadership program.

Cindy’s involvement on a national level has included serving two terms on the ACB Board of Publications where she helped draft language for the Hollis Liggett Braille Free Press award, wrote the resolution that created a youth program to be held at ACB conferences and conventions and was the first coordinator of said program, has chaired the Leadership Institute and awards committees, co-chaired the auction committee, and served on the convention planning, membership, resource development, and auction committees.

In her spare time, Cindy enjoys participating in ACB Community events (especially karaoke), cheering on The Seahawks, spending time with her family, and traveling with her guide dog, Balsa.

2025 Dues are due.

Please send your annual dues along with the attached membership form to our Treasurer, Steven Sowa. Annual dues for members at large are $10.00. Checks should be made payable to NJCB and mailed to PO Box 434, Woodbridge, NJ 07095.
We offer the option of using PayPal or credit card to pay dues and making donations using your credit card. Our webpage has a direct link to the secure page.

2025 Scholarship Opportunities

NJCB is pleased to announce the 2025 Bernard Zuckerman Scholarship program. To apply, eligible candidates must be certified legally blind or visually impaired, will be a full-time college student, undergraduate or graduate, in the 2025 – 2026 academic year and be a New Jersey resident. The deadline to apply is May 15th and the winner will be awarded at our July Quarterly meeting. Full details, application forms and how to apply can be found on our website at www.njcounciloftheblind.org. You may also email questions to scholarships@njcounciloftheblind.org.

Meet the author Patricia Musico, with Miss Ruth Williams

Cookbook Notebook

MRW. Was there a particular event or situation that inspired you to come up with this idea?

PM. Yes, as a facilitator, I heard many of my members say they no longer had any desire to cook. It was too arduous, and they didn't want to cleanup, especially just to make one hot dog or a small grilled cheese. They live alone and resort to eating snack food, mostly junk food. I knew about the toaster bags from a friend of mine, but I never tried them. I decided that I had to do something to help. That is how it began. One recipe at a time. I just became so interested in the awe of what could be done without any other appliance except the toaster and a toaster bag. The only cleanup was the washing of the bag; and, even easier, it could be washed on the top prong of the dishwasher.

MRW. Is it really possible to make nutritious meals in the toaster?

PM. Yes, with the toaster bag. My Cookbook has more than 50 pages of recipes and then those recipes can be mixed and matched to make so much more. And all you need is any frozen vegetable, fresh vegetable, canned or jarred vegetable. Meat, fish, chicken all can be cooked in the toaster. You see the toaster is really a grill. My Cookbook has the pictures, recipes and all the necessary instructions. And my Cookbook has audio to help.

MRW. Do you need to have basic cooking skills already to do this or can anyone do it?

PM. If you read or listen to the instructions anyone can do it. In fact, my next Cookbook is already named. Preteens to Campus to the Golden Years. As I continued working on my Cookbook, I realized that almost all people can use it. Especially now with applications and QR Reader it is very easy. And as I explained in the instructions these are alt free applications to download onto your smartphone. Of course, the toaster and bags will be hot so listen and read the warnings carefully.

MRW. Part of the reason so many of us do not like to cook is the preparation and so much cleaning up. Does this change those reasons?

PM. Yes, that basically is the entire purpose. It is easy to cook, no pots, no pans, stove. oven, electric grills, fryers and overhead dangerous microwaves. Just a toaster and the special toaster bag. The bags are available at Amazon and I would suggest that for $30 you order a new toaster that now has timers. That makes this so very easy to clean up. no mess.

MRW. In what formats will this book be available?

PM, Actually, it is complete with just my book. There are nine ways you can have it read to you, it will also be available on a thumb drive, and in a few months, it will be on Amazon eBook.

MRW. Where can we buy your Cookbook?

PM. Order from me. Email me at pmusico1947@outlook.com with name and phone number. I will call for more information such as which style, mailing address, price. Everyone who has a Cookbook will automatically be a member of my Cookbook Club for help as you need it.

MRW. Why did you choose to make your Cookbook, notebook style?

PM. While it may seem old fashion, please remember that many low vision people start to lose their vision after age 50. Now of course, many people are born blind and up to age 50 face every day with blindness and low vision. Not in any way to ignore that statement, however, people who are 60 or older did not grow up in the Computer Age. They don't know how to use computers, smartphones and most are still using house phones. This book is to help everyone at all stages of vision loss and others to be able to use as many devices as possible that are available to all age groups. This "old fashion" Cookbook has pages covered to keep recipe pages clean and wipeable if using them on a counter. The pages are easy to remove and put under a CCTV magnifier machine or phone camera to read pages to you. Not only do many people deal with vision loss but also other problems that make using their hands and fingers difficult to maneuver bound books.

I wish to thank Miss Ruth Williams, Vision Loss Community Advocate, for this interview and always a cheerful cheerleader.

Chapter News

Mercer County Happenings!
By Wanda Williford

Happy New Year! 2025 is alive and kicking with lots of promise here in Mercer County. The Mercer County Association of the Blind has so much to look forward to in the New Year and gratitude for a very successful 2024. We experienced a calendar of exciting events and plan for even more in 2025.

In November, we took a trip over the river and through the woods to Hunterdon Hills Playhouse in Hampton, New Jersey. The scenic drive was filled with laughter, lots of trivia and a breakfast of blueberry muffins. We arrived safely in our Stars and stripes wrapped chartered bus honoring the military, thanks to driver James. Once inside, we were greeted by the playhouse staff and served a delicious lunch. And let's not forget the plethora of desserts that are offered at Hunterdon Hills. Macaroons, pumpkin mousse, and every type of sweet treat you could think of for the season, including sugar-free options. The holiday show featured an Amazon moon lighting Santa, misfit dentist that truly wanted to be an elf and a Hallmark movie inspired romance. The story was sweet and interspersed with lots of joyful songs. The sing-along, I would venture to guess, was the favorite portion of the show. There were many angelic voices harmonizing to the best Christmas song ever, Oh Holy Night. We departed the show with our hearts and bellies full. I spotted several bags of treats purchased at the bakery. Indeed, a good time was had by all.

The annual MCAB holiday party was held in December at the Trinity United Methodist Church in Ewing, NJ. Chiarellos Catering provided the buffet including the crowd favorite eggplant Parmagian. Assorted desserts were contributed by MCAB members. The eggnog milkshakes and Jersey Apple cider rounded out a festive menu. Door prizes, gifts and a joyful noise were enjoyed by members, family and friends. Thanks to Angela Lampkin, Barbara Knoblock, Barbara Plunkett and Nicole Gorman for helping to plan a wonderful event.

The MCAB Winter agenda will include ways to improve our collective dietary, mental and physical health. First, will take a deep dive into the Meta Ray-Ban Smart glasses. This device has made a positive impact in the blind and low vision community. Wearable AI in the form of stylish frames provides a measure of independence at a more affordable price point of $300. We will conduct an in-person demonstration of the remarkable features the smart glasses offer. Next, we will host a dietician who will share information on how to eat healthy at every stage of life. Lastly, we will explore the benefits of deep breathing techniques and self-guided meditation which can promote a sense of well-being and improved mental health.

Sadly, this past Fall we lost longtime MCAB member and friend, Joan Jones. Born in New Orleans, Louisiana, Joan moved to New Jersey in 1962. Amongst her many talents, she was a professional opera singer and toured the Northeast for many years sharing her voice with audiences. We will miss her sweet voice and friendship.

We are excited to welcome several new members into the MCAB family. Michael Owens, Kimberly Adams, Marilyn Young, Gloria Moses and Sondra Lampl have all recently joined MCAB. We look forward to growing and learning with all of you.

The New Jersey Council of the Blind has opened a Webstore with Terri Lynn Fundraising.

Shop from the comfort of your couch. These delicious treats make a wonderful gift for friends and family or treat yourself!

You can support our cause by purchasing these premium nuts, gourmet confections, and sweet and savory snack mixes.

Everything you buy gets shipped right to your door, and a portion of every sale goes directly to support our cause.

We think you are going to love these premium products. They are really something special! You can start shopping to support us here:

NJcounciloftheblind.terrilynn.com

Or donate here to support our cause www.njcounciloftheblind.org/donate/.

Check out the NJCB Facebook Page

NJCB is on Facebook. Anyone interested in contributing to the success of this page please send your ideas and posts to our email address at njcounciloftheblind@gmail.com Please note all posts must be related to activities relating to your membership with NJCB or its affiliates. The page is www.facebook.com/groups/2255314534793147/. Just search for New Jersey Council of the Blind in Facebook.

Save The Date

Saturday April 26th Location TBD
Saturday July 26th Location TBD
Saturday October 25th Location TBD

The NJCB Chronicle is also available on Newsline. If you do not have a Newsline subscription, contact Reader Services at the New Jersey Talking Book and Braille Center at (800) 792-8322 to get signed up for a Newsline subscription. Four quarterly newsletters are sent to members free of charge by E-mail. You may obtain the current and back issues of the Chronicle and other information from our web site https://www.njcounciloftheblind.org. Feel free to write us at njcounciloftheblind@gmail.com.

The New Jersey Council of the Blind (NJCB) is a 501 (c) 3 corporation. Much appreciated tax-deductible donations may be sent to the Treasurer of NJCB.
The NJCB officers are.
President, Sabastian Warren (609) 672-7059
1st Vice President, Wanda Williford (609) 375-6682.
2nd Vice President, Lisha Pottackal (215) 948-2210
Secretary, Dan Bausch
Treasurer, Steve Sowa (848) 999-2079 or by mail to PO Box 434, Woodbridge, NJ 07095

NOTE: Disclaimer. The views and opinions expressed in this newsletter are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and views of the New Jersey Council of the Blind officers and/or members. The editor reserves the right to edit articles submitted for both space and content.

New Jersey Council of the Blind
An affiliate of
American Council of the Blind
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