From: Pete Donahue 
Subject: setting an example
Fellow Federationists and Friends,
Lillian Ackley's post of earlier today made me think of an insident that
took place last spring when Mary and I along with Jim Sofka, our chapter
president hosted a meeting of one of those, (Support groups for the blind)
hosted by the San Antonio Indipendant Living Center, (SAILS.)
  At that particular meeting we showed the film, That the Blind mayread, a
film that deals with the Braille crysis in America.  One of those in
attendance was a member of the Blinded veteran's Association, (BVA.)  He
was an 80-year-old man who kept telling us about the wonderfull training
he was given by the V.A.  The truth of the matter was that he did not know
Braille, and he had to have his wife help him in to the room and find him
a seat
As the meeting dragged on he kept telling us about the great training he
had from the V.A.  When we had had enough we asked him if their training
was so good why was he not taught  Braille, and the proper use of a white
cane?  If their training was so good why was it necessary for him to have
his wife help him find a seat.  If he had had proper travel training he
should have been able to get around by himself and let his wife go about
her own persuits and not have to act as his guide dog?  He refused to
answer these questions.
Finally we got around to talking about our training centers and about the
quallity training they provide to blind persons; not just in blindness
skills but training in developing a positive attitude towards blindness
and learning that it's ok to be blind.  He shot back byy offering to take
any literature we could give him to other BVA members who might benefit
from such a programme.  He wasn't ready for our response to that idea.  WE
told him that rather than just take our pamphlets to his members he should
really seriously think about enrolling in one of our centers himself,
completing the training, and then sell the idea to his buddies.  He would
then be an example of they could become if they got this kind of training.
He told us that he was too old.  Boy, I wish he could have been in Anaheim
last summer when the 80-year-old woman from Collorado spoke about rock
climbing.  Thos who were there will remember that this lady was enrolled
in the Collorado Center for the Blind.  I am sure she could have given him
something to think long and hard about.
After once more asking us for some literature to take to his friends in
the BVA we decided we had had enough.  We finally told him that the best
thing he could do if he expected to convince his buddies that attending
one of our centers was worth while that he needed to attend one of them
himself in order to be a better ambassador for what can be gained by
completing such a programme.  We refused to give him any literature but
told him that if he wanted to see blind persons obtain the highest
quallity training he needed to get the training himself before trying to
sell the idea to others.  We told him, "Don't just be a pamphlet peddler.
Go and get this training yourself and you will be better able tto promote
our training programmes to others.  Your  example will say far more to
them than all of the pamphlets he could give them!"
After that meeting Mary told Sails that she would no longer host a group
that was going to be noghing more than a place for blind peeople to come
and cry the blues out.  rather, she wanted to see such support groups do
things that are worth while and will help blind persons get back what they
may think blindness took from them.  The group has since disbanded.  We
don't know what ever happened to this gentlemam but we hope he is doing
well whare ever he is.
Just some food for thought from South Texas.  Take care and have a good
evening.
Yours truly,
Peter Donahue
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