THE RHODODENDRON A Publication of: MOUNTAIN STATE COUNCIL OF THE BLIND, INC PO Box 834 Ridgeley, WV 26753 www.mscbwv.org Summer 2014 Editor: Carol McGhee The 2014 Summer issue of the Rhododendron is dedicated to Laura Mae Whiting Hoffmaster, a longtime member of the Mountain State Council of the Blind. She was enthusiastic, attended state and national conventions, and in her later years, gave generously when and where she could. Laura, we love and miss you. In This issue: Rhododendron, Our State Flower President's Message Convention Summary Laura Mae Whiting Hoffmaster Crossroads Leadership Conference Exciting Convention News Do you want to Win Some Cash T-shirt Time Catch the Wave to the Convention Calls for MSCB Bylaws Amendments New Phone and App Chapter News Calendar of Events MOUNTAIN STATE FLORA: Rhododendron, Our State Flower By Rose Sullivan Recently, the beautiful and showy Rhododendron maximum celebrated the Centennial of its designation as West Virginia's state flower. There are many names for this state treasurer and member of the heath family that is characterized by its large dark evergreen leaves and delicate pale pink or white blooms. The many common names for this shrub include rosebay, rosebay rhododendron, big laurel, great laurel, great rhododendron and white rhododendron. The Rhododendron maximum was selected by the Legislature to be our state flower in 1903 and was the result of a vote by public school students. The range of rhododendron extends along the Appalachians from Georgia north to New England, and also in parts of Canada . In 1736, Peter Collinson and John Bartam introduced Rhododendron maximum to England, selling plants to gardeners in London with hopes of financing future plant expeditions. Bartam later became the King's botanist in America. However, his laurel never became a favorite of gardeners in England because of its small flowers. The rhododendron is characterized by having rose pink or white showy flowers that form large round clusters and bloom in June to July. Its leaves are simple, alternate, up to nine inches long, elliptical in shape and have a leathery texture. The fruit is a sticky capsule. Rhododendron are found in ravines, shaded hillsides in cool moist locations, and favor acidic soils. They often grow in dense thickets that can become impenetrable. These thickets may cast so much shade that other species of plants and trees are eliminated from the understory. Though not a commercial product, the wood is used in making small craft items such as briar pipes. It easily regenerates through root suckers, sprouting from stumps, or from layered stems after it has been cut or even burned. Rhododendron exhibit an unusual and distinctive adaptation to cold temperatures. The leaves droop and roll lengthwise. The colder it gets the tighter the roll gets until the leaves have the shape of hollow slender cylinders. This may be a way for the tree to minimize water loss, especially in dry winter winds. Since the use of common names leads to confusion we need to address another beautiful member of the heath family that can be confused with Rhododendron maximum. Kalmia latifolia is a smaller shrub that has many common names but is often called mountain laurel or ivy. Kalmia latifolia has smaller leaves (3/4 to 1 inch across) than great laurel and small, candy-striped white or pinkish flowers. It blooms in rocky woods during May to July, and at 5 to 15 feet, is smaller in stature than the great laurel. Another relative that is also sometimes called mountain laurel is the Catawba rhododendron (Rhododendron catawbiense). Its darker pink or purple flowers are more common in southern WV. One thing that all three “mountain laurels” of the heath family have in common is their beautiful evergreen foliage and their toxicity to humans or livestock if eaten. Rose Sullivan is the DNR's WildYards coordinator stationed in Elkins. PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE Dear Members, As I write this message, I am sitting on a swing on the beautiful campus of the Washington State School for the Blind in Vancouver, WA. I am participating in a workshop on computer programming, for which I have a lot to learn. The 2014 ACB National Conference and Convention has just come to a close. I hope many of you were able to listen to some of the meetings and events on ACB Radio. Since there are so many activities covering a variety of topics at the convention, there is no way I can give a report on everything. I will do my best to summarize some major convention highlights in a separate article. It is now less than three months until our MSCB convention in Charleston. Save the dates of October 10-12 to come join us for a weekend of fun, information gathering and sharing, and good food. Our theme this year is "Waves of Change, Oceans of Opportunities." (See an article later in this issue with hotel information and some other convention details.) As has already been stated, this issue of our newsletter is dedicated to our longtime friend, Laura Hoffmaster. She was a valuable member of MSCB for many years. MSCB donated $75 in her memory to the ACB Braille Forum, for which she read from cover to cover faithfully. Until next time, have a nice rest of the summer, and hope to see as many of you as possible in Charleston in October. Sincerely, Donna Brown, MSCB President CONVENTION SUMMARY Las Vegas, The Real Deal By Donna Brown As some of you may know, an ACB National Conference and Convention is loaded with many things to do—meeting to attend, tours to go on, recreational events to try, the always-popular exhibit hall, and the food functions. The 2014 Conference and Convention was no exception. It truly was The Real Deal. The members of the Nevada Council of the Blind were great hosts, the hotel staff was everywhere and always, willing to help, and the volunteers were exceptional. Some of the meeting topics included: education, legislation, women's concerns, technology and programs for entrepreneurs, lawyers, government employees, and vendors. If you have the opportunity, download the convention program from the Internet. There were five MSCB members who were able to attend most of the convention. Two of us participated in ACB's second national Leadership Institute. The general sessions began on Sunday evening with a wonderful report given by ACB President Kim Charlson about ACB's activities for the year. Our DURWARD K. McDaniel First Timer winner, Carol McGhee, was also recognized. Monday morning's general session included presentations about the following topics: the History of Nevada; an update Report on Accessible Tactile Currency from the Bureau of Engraving and Printing; Developments and Progress at NLS by Karen Keninger, Director, National Library Services for the Blind and Physically Handicapped; and QuickBooks Accessibility. Presentation by the ACB Scholarship winners kicked off Tuesday's general session. This was followed by an informative presentation by Tom Wlodkowski, Vice President, Comcast Accessibility, entitled Tuning in for What's New at Comcast. This session closed with Accessibility News from Microsoft and an update on ACB's Audio Description Project. One of the highlights for many convention attendees is the presentation given by a talking book narrator on Wednesday mornings. This year was no exception. The presentation entitled My Life in Books: From Thrones to Moans: The Voice Behind 800 Talking Books was given by Gabriella Cavallero, from Denver, CO. This was followed by a panel discussion about Cell Phone Technologies: Something for Everyone. This session closed with presentations from three different companies about Accessibility to Prescription Drug Information: Devices and Approaches. Thursday morning's session consisted of reports from Melanie Brunson, ACB's Executive Director; Janet Dickelman, National Conference and Convention Chair; a report on the ACB Walk and Auction by Dan and Leslie Spoone, and Dan Dillon; the annual ACB Treasurer's Report by Carla Ruschival; and the ACB Enterprises and Services by Rev. Michael Garrett. Friday's general session was primarily ACB business—election of board members and Board of Publications members; voting on resolutions, and amendments to the Constitution and Bylaws. Most afternoons and evenings during convention week are filled with meetings and workshops held by some of the special interest affiliates and ACB committees and task forces; luncheons and mixers; recreation activities; and focus groups conducted by some of the exhibitors. As usual, the exhibit hall was hustling and bustling with vendors and many shoppers. There were several vendors with high and low tech devices, apparel, braille jewelry, and information about Social Security, Non-24, and If you ever have the opportunity to attend an ACB National Conference and Convention, that will most likely not be your last. The 2015 national Conference and Convention is in Dallas TX, July 3-12. DKM First Timer Experience at the ACB Convention Carol McGhee This article is mainly about my experiences at the ACB conference and convention. There are other articles in this publication that will explain more about the actual event itself. It was April 27 and I had returned from a weekend trip and I was dozing in my chair when the phone rang. Drowsily, I answered the phone and the voice in my ear brought me fully awake. It was Allen Casey informing me that I had won the DKM First Timer award from east of the Mississippi. I had seen that number on my phone earlier but I had assumed that he was calling me to say that I did not win. Of course, I accepted the invitation to be a guest of the DKM committee to attend the ACB Conference and Convention. Now it was July 10 and I was on a plane to Las Vegas with my husband and a friend who were also attending. Lady Luck was with us, the flight was straight through and we got there a little ahead of schedule. After a long wait to register and to get into the room, we, (my husband and I), rested a little before deciding to explore the surroundings and to find a bite to eat before trying to get some sleep. On Friday, I hit the ground running to go to the leadership seminar. It was really interesting and I have things to take back home with me from it. Saturday was filled with a focus group workshop, a reception, a welcome party and of course, exhibits. On Sunday Allen, Steve Fiksdal and I had breakfast. Allen reminded us that in a little more than twelve hours we would be on stage. Within that time frame, I attended a sports fanatics dinner and rushed from there to go to a meeting for first-time attendees. That happened, and the National ACB Conference and Convention was in full swing! Monday through Friday was filled with sessions, meetings and tours. Of course, I have to mention the DKM reception. Some of the people knew Durward, the man for whom this award was named, and there were stories about him. There were times that I felt so overwhelmed with the hotel, the exhibit hall, the meeting rooms and even the resolutions but thing became much easier as the week progressed. I feel that I saw the best in humanity and some that could use improvement but those were in the minority. I am very grateful for the people who made this experience possible for me. Their names are too many to mention, and I don't even know them all, but thank you so much. I have never been around so many helpful people: The volunteers, the hotel staff, even the guests themselves! Most importantly to me, it was the people behind the scenes that made everything work as well as it did. I would definitely attend another convention if things worked out for me to do so. Laura Mae Whiting Hoffmaster ONE of a KIND: Laura Mae Whiting Hofmaster Laura was the most generous lady, school teacher, colleague, and friend I have ever known. She is remembered as one who gave special birthday and Christmas gifts to her students, as well as other things like goodies she made in her kitchen. Over the years she never forgot where her students were from and could name their siblings and other family members. She made many delicious baked items for her colleagues while still working. After she retired, the teachers looked forward to Fridays because a fantastic baked goodies was always in the teachers' workroom to enjoy. Two special recipes which I still use are Devils food chocolate pudding cake and Cheeseburger pie. These recipes of Laura, submitted by alumni members, first appeared in writing in the West Virginia School for the Blind Alumni Centennial cookbook published in 1970. Speaking of that cookbook, I remember how Laura and I brailled the master pages to be produced by single-page copies on the thermoform. Laura, her husband Frank, Tom Workman and I spent many evenings making seventy-five or more copies of the one hundred nine pages. A long Memorial Day 1970 was spent by the four of us collating and spiral binding these pages into the first cookbook by the Alumni. When walking to town or any place, Laura always was about three feet ahead of others. She could easily out walk everyone, including those much younger than she. So many memories and fun stories are remembered about Laura, but there is not room to mention them all. Yes, Laura was a special, one of a kind! —by Ninetta Garner Laura Memories Submitted by Russell Cook No memories are more lasting than our childhood school days. When thinking of the people who impacted my early life, Miss Laura Whiting, who later became Mrs. Hoffmaster, comes vividly to mind. I was 8-years old, when she became my second-grade teacher. She was kind and patient with us, but she would not tolerate slacking or childish mischief. With amusement, I recall an incident involving Ron Wolford, a classmate of mine, who loved to sit near the window and daydream of the escapades to be pursued outside if he could only make good an escape. He would sit poised with his head held back, mouth wide open, gazing at who knows what! Laura did not care about what he was thinking; she knew only that he was not focusing on his lessons. "Hey, absent-minded professor," she would call out to him, "Quit trying to catch flies, close your mouth, and pay attention!" She would then snap her fingers sounding like a loud gun report. Ron be would brought back with a startled response, "I'm not doing anything, Miss Whiting." "I know your not," she would reply, "get busy and do something like your assigned seat work." Ron is gone now as is Laura. I'm 73-years-old, but the sound of those finger snaps and verbal prompting s are alive to me as if they had happened today. Laura would agree with you when you were right, and defend you in the right, but she would also with the same dispatch correct you when you needed correcting. She would do this because she was a teacher and loved her students. As she once said, "It wasn't for the money I became a teacher." Submitted By Chris Cook Laura holds a special place in my heart: each October 6th, my birthday, she called to wish me a happy day. In return, I called her on April first to share the same sentiment. The last April first, Laura sounded "poorly", but she insisted that if her legs were only better, she could be great. We all will sorely miss this generous, thoughtful, and true friend. Consider how many lives she touched; could only the rest of us be so remembered! MEMORIES OF LAURA By Carol McGhee I first met Laura on the morning of Thursday, September 6, 1956, when she introduced herself to me and the rest of my kindergarten classmates as Miss Whiting. Her voice was not a gentle one; however, it contained kindness. I was neither ready nor willing to learn the reading and writing of Braille. The dots felt rough and bumpy and they were not what my brother, Bobby, who is ten years older than I used. After my first two weeks of school, I missed the next six weeks due to a tonsillectomy and its complications. But things had changed in my way of thinking and I decided that Braille might be a good idea after all. Laura did not give up on me and she saw my potential even before I was aware that I had anything even resembling that word. Time passed and now I was a bright third-grader with Mrs. Hoffmaster, the former Miss Whiting, as my teacher. In the spring of that year, Laura and I were challenged again when my mother passed away. How was this woman who had no children of her own going to convince a confused and heartbroken child that she should make a potholder for a mother she did not have? It seemed like a logical solution: Laura had no babies; I had no mother. It made sense to me so the potholder was completed, and, of course, I took it home with me at the end of the year. Two years after I graduated from high school, Laura lost the love of her life just as I was learning about love. Life moved on and soon we were two adults twenty years after my high school graduation. Now I could call her Laura, my friend. Soon I was living in Romney where Laura had spent almost the last fifty years of her life. Things remained virtually unchanged for the next twenty years of our lives. There were phone calls back and forth, pizzas, meetings, ball games and registration cards shared. I no longer lived in Romney and a year later, neither did she. My only hope is that I may have had a tiny fraction of the positive impact on another's life that she had on mine. Laura, I love you. My Memories of Laura Hoffmaster By Donna Brown Laura was one of the first people I met when I moved to Romney from Pennsylvania. Since she was also an out-of-stater who moved to Romney for her first teaching job, she could relate to my uneasiness and welcomed me to Romney with open arms. When I didn’t have a TV, we watched the Olympics together and ate lots of popcorn. At 6:00 AM for several summers, we would meet at the corner of Antigo Place and Birch Lane to head to the track to walk several miles. Boy could Laura walk! I will forever remember Laura’s generous contributions of delicious fudge to MSCB auctions. I have always admired Laura’s strength, her determination to keep going when her health was really failing, and her never-ending faith in God. I will miss you Laura, but I know I’ll be eating those scrumptious cupcakes with you in Heaven someday. Crossroades Leadership Conference Potomac Valley Chapter President Glen Pinkard and MSCB Treasurer Dennis Dennison attended the second annual “Crossroads” Leadership Conference in Louisville, Kentucky on March 21-22. “Crossroads” was the theme, which was also referred to as a “highway to success.” This conference included interstates (general sessions) and side roads (break-out sessions). In fact, there were several “side roads” or break-out sessions. These allowed participants an opportunity to choose between several different sessions in order to best meet their needs. Or as it was called, choose your own “roadmap.” Both Glen and Dennis learned about many skills that they hope will benefit the Mountain State Council of the Blind. Some sessions that they attended included: how to put fuel in your organization's tank and steer a steady course (fundraising, partnerships and investments), how to toot your own horn and tell your organization's story (low-cost public relations and marketing), how to fill the seats on your organization's bus with young folks, senior citizens, and volunteers, how to avoid exhaust fumes (burn-out), how to use remote control (apps) to work more efficiently, and how to get a fast start (make a great first impression, give a super elevator speech, grow your confidence). As a result of this conference, MSCB has begun working on a new Facebook page and has a Twitter account. Potomac Valley Chapter has started working on marketing and getting new members by planning a “Dining in the Dark” event for some time later this year. Also, Glen is hoping that the tips he gained will help keep down costs for future conventions –certainly a benefit for everyone. Exciting Convention News: You May Be Eligible to Win! MSCB members who are first time Convention attendees will be eligible to win a nice monetary drawing. Plan now to attend the October 10-12, 2014 MSCB convention. Also for all members, when pre-registration materials arrive in September, don't hesitate! The first ten people whose forms with payment are returned will get a partial rebate on the registration fee. Take advantage of the opportunity to reduce your convention expenses this year. Come to Charleston the weekend of October 10-12, 2014. by Ninetta Garner Do you want to win some cash? As you may remember, last year MSCB conducted a drawing for an iPad. This fund-raiser was very successful. We raised about $800. This year the fund-raising committee is selling tickets for a drawing of three cash prizes. We can all use some extra cash. The prizes are $100, $75, and $50. Tickets are $1 each or six for $5. The drawing will take place during the banquet at our state convention in October. To purchase your tickets or to help us sell tickets, contact Donna Brown by phone at (304) 822-4679, or e-mail danmbrown@atlanticbb.net. . By: Donna Brown T-SHIRT TIME!!!! MSCB T-Shirts; Order Now, Be Prepared for the Convention Surely you want to be seen at the convention wearing your MSCB T-Shirt! This is great for the organization's public awareness. If you haven’t purchased one, go ahead and place your order now. The MSCB logo is on the front. The design features the outline of WV with the print and Braille letters "MSCB" inside the outline. "Mountain State" is written in an arch above the state and "Council of the Blind" in a straight line below. This great-looking blue, short-sleeved shirt with gold lettering is ideal to wear at MSCB activities sponsored by your local chapter or the state organization, as well as when running errands, taking a walk or having an outing with family or friends. As a result of seeing the shirt, someone may ask questions about the organization and you will have the opportunity to share information about MSCB. Shirt sizes in stock range from small through large. Sizes from small through 5X can be ordered with prepayment. These t-shirts sell for the low price of $14.00 each. Add $2.50 shipping charges per shirt if mailed. For questions about ordering, contact Ninetta Garner by phone at (304) 381-2729 or send an e-mail with MSCB T-Shirt in the subject line to: garner9@frontier.com. Please include your phone number. Send payment (including shipping fee if to be mailed) to: Ninetta Garner, 105 Heritage Point, Morgantown, WV 26505. Be sure to specify the number of shirts you want and the sizes. Place your prepaid order today and be ready for all those great late summer and fall activities! by Ninetta Garner CATCH THE WAVE TO THE MSCB CONVENTION! OCTOBER 10-12 Get ready to ride the waves and explore the oceans of opportunities at the 2014 Mountain State Council of the Blind's State Convention at the beautiful Wingate Hotel in South Charleston, West Virginia. This year's program is packed full of very interesting topics -including: riding the new wave at the National Library Services for the Blind by exploring the oceans of books, make a new wave in your life by becoming an independent entrepreneur with the Randolph Sheppard vendors program and explore the ocean of opportunities as a blind vendor, get on board the bus and ride the new wave to the ocean of opportunity with Kelli LaNeve from Coordinated Transportation Program, and much, much more! Exhibitors will be returning once again Friday night. This will be followed by food and fellowship. Prepare also for the annual MSCB auction. Please bring items that are in good condition or new to the auction. We are asking for no clothing items. Saturday afternoon holds a surprise event. Our banquet speaker will be ACB'S President Kim Charlson. Following the banquet will be trivia night with Treasurer Dennison. Your registration forms will be coming by mail or via email sometime in mid- August so REMEMBER, an early registration could save you money. Please make your reservations by September 26, 2014 to receive a discounted group rate. Wingate by Wyndham 402 Second Avenue South Charleston, WV 25303 You can call 304-744-4444 and use group code MSCB for the group rate of $102 per room per night. Hope to see everyone in South Charleston! By Glen Pinkard, Convention Chair Call for MSCB Bylaw Amendments At the annual MSCB Convention, the Bylaws may be amended according to Bylaw 11. If you have a proposed amendment to offer, it must be received by the Bylaw Chairperson in writing thirty days prior to the beginning of the Convention. This year the deadline for receiving proposed amendments is September 10, 2014. Send in writing proposed language for amendments to Ninetta Garner, 105 Heritage Point, Morgantown, WV 26505 or email at: garner9@frontier.com. Place "Bylaw Amendment" in the subject line. These may be submitted either in braille, print, or email. Please do not send audio or handwritten material. If you have questions, you may call Ninetta at (304) 381-2729. If you get the voice mail, leave a message with phone number and I will call you back. by Ninetta Garner, Bylaws Chairwoman NEW PHONE and App FREEDOM Phone Digital Amplified Freedom Phone with Talking Caller Id Our new digitally amplified phone has pulled out all the stops with a top-notch ergonomic design and cutting-edge phone. The handset allows you to tailor your amplification and ringtone preferences to perfection. You can control the tone, just like the equalizer on your stereo. It has a Talking Caller ID with talking keypad which talks when your review the caller id list, the redial list or the phone book. You can record a name for each entry in the phone book. Features include: up to 50dB amplification, 39 name and number talking phone book, big buttons, volume control, speakerphone, 4 ring tones, 5 one-touch speed dials, and one large one-touch emergency button. It's back-lit keypad and LCD display allows you to view the Caller ID in 16 different languages. It has a Hi/Lo/Off ringer volume control, a 1-touch voice mail button, and a last number redial. You can mount it on a wall or place it on a table. Unit measures 13 1/b by 11 by 3 inches. It is hearing aid Compatible, comes with a one year warranty and includes free tech-support for life of the product. price $129.95. CONFERENCING APP Here is some news about "1 Touch Conf", an app which will allow you to store conference call information in one place and then make calls with one touch! The app is free and very easy to use. Now you can make a call from your iPhone without needing to worry about punching in a code (alleviating the pressure of memorizing a long string of numbers and/or inputting several numbers in a short time-frame). Once you have the app open, do the following to add conferencing numbers: Tap on the "add" button in the top right corner. The top field will say "conf name". Tap on this and you will be placed in an edit field. The standard keyboard will be available below and you can either type in the name that you'd like to call this conference, or you can use the dictation feature. Below this will be the spot for the phone number. Going left to right you will read: phone number, 1, 800, 345, 2222. The phone number is in three edit fields. Tapping on any of them will place you at the end of the field and you will need to delete the number already there. Once in any of these fields, a phone keypad will be available for you to type in the number you wish to have. If using a non-800 number, just tap on that field and you will be placed at the end of the number. Delete the three digits and type in the area code for your conference. For example, if entering the area code for MSCB's conference number, type in "832". Then move to the second field, erasing the three digits there and input "551". Then move to the third field, tap and delete the four digits and type in the last four digits of your conferencing phone number, "5100". Below the phone number going left to right it says "pass code" and then, 34256) which is an edit field. Again, tapping on this edit field will place you at the end and you will need to delete the number already there. Then just type in the conference code, "186679". When these steps are completed, tap the "done" button in the top right corner. Your conference will now be placed into your "conference call list", automatically alphabetized. To the right of the name of the conference will be a "call" button. Tap on this to make a call. A dialogue will pop up saying you'll need to press the pound key once you hear the pass code entered. Tap on the "ok" button, and your call will be made for you. Note: if you do not press the pound key, the call will still go through. At the bottom of the main screen there will be two options "conference call list" (showing the alphabetized list conferences with the "call" button to the right of the name) and "history" (which shows a history of the calls you've made). This app may also be used for your bank. You still need to enter your password, but the first step, inputting the longest number, is done for you. Happy conferencing! CHAPTER NEWS PVC News The Potomac Valley Chapter is currently working on three upcoming events. They will be hosting an annual summer picnic at Hampshire Park in Romney, WV on August 9. Students and their families from the West Virginia School for the Blind have been invited to attend. Others are welcome to attend. Early plans are in the works for a ?Dining in the Dark? event ?set tentatively for November. This event will have all participants eating dinner in the dark. It is intended as a fundraiser, but mainly as an awareness event. More information will be coming soon. Also, Potomac Valley is excited to be working with the Vandalia Chapter to get as many people to this year?s state convention as possible. For more information on any of these events, please contact PVC President Glen Pinkard by phone at 301-777-8359 or email gpinkard@mscbwv.org. NEWS FROM VANDALIA Hello to all of you! Spring has flown by and we're in the middle of summer. I hope that everyone has been having a fun time. The Vandalia Chapter of MSCB has been moving right along with its work. In March, Helen Panzironi assisted us in creating a strategic plan. In this goal we outlined commitments, goals and times to have items completed. Ms Panzironi is now a member of our chapter and we welcome her Currently we are working on transportation in and around Morgantown, accessible medication and other things of interest. Three people from this chapter recently attended the ACB National Conference and Convention in Las Vegas Nevada. They were Ninetta Garner and Carol and Frank McGhee. Carol was the recipient of the DKM First Timer award. I don't know if this was strategic planning or not, but Debbie Cain became a grandmother in early June to a grandson. Our thoughts have shifted to the MSCB State Convention in October and most of our members will be there. Hope to see you also! Carol McGhee CALENDAR of EVENTS Monday August 11: MSCB Conference Call. Phone (1832) 551-5100. Pass Code 186679# Monday September 1: Labor Day Monday September 8: MSCB Conference Call. Phone (1832) 551-5100. Pass Code 186679# Friday October 10-12: MSCB State Convention, Wingate Hotel South Charleston WV Monday October 13: Columbus Day (observed) Monday October 13: MSCB Conference Call. Phone (1832) 551-5100. Pass Code 186679# Wednesday October 15: National White Cane Safety Day Sunday November 2: Daylight savings time ends Monday November 10: MSCB Conference Call. Phone (1832) 551-5100. Pass Code 186679# Thursday November 27: Thanksgiving Day Monday December 8: MSCB Conference Call. Phone (1832) 551-5100. Pass Code 186679# Thursday December 25: Christmas Day Google Voice Number: 304-933-9540 MSCB OFFICERS AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS President: Donna Brown, 2015, final term Phone: 304 822-4679 Email: president@mscbwv.org Vice President: Kevin Maynus, 2015, first term Phone: 304 253-8821 Email: vice-president@mscbwv.org Secretary: Ninetta Garner, 2015, final term Phone: 304 381-2729 Email: secretary@mscbwv.org Treasurer: Dennis Dennison, 2015, second term Phone: 304 738-8930 Email: treasurer@mscbwv.org Board of Directors Mucie Allred, 2014, finishing a two-year unexpired term Debbie Cain, 2016, first term Josh Metz, 2014, first term Glen Pinkard, 2016, second term