Officers: 2014– March 2016
Chair: Vance Lankford
Vice Chair: Heather Munro
Secretary: Lori Graham
Newsletter Editor: Stephanie Walker
Member-at-Large: Scott Addison
Member-at-Large: Karen Abney-Marsh
History: Who were involved with TAER, O&M March 1988?
Chairperson: Marjie Wood
Vice-Chairperson: Sue Linklater
Secretary-Treasurer: Julie Glover
Newsletter Editor: Vickie Carson
Board Members: Melanie White, Mark Libby
Some who were nominated for new officers:
Chairperson: Richard Lampert
Sec-Treasurer: Philip Johnson
Newsletter Editor: Rebecca Kilian Smith and Board Lisa McCullough: Even then we had trouble finding people to run for office.
TAER was gearing up for their conference at the time: Dallas, Texas
O&M were preparing to have MOWAT sensor training, one of 3 electronic travel aids that was taught to the O&Ms around the state, at the conference. A MOWAT was a green, hand-held device that could detect poles, etc. in addition to using the cane and held in the non-cane hand.
The O&M Constitution and By-Laws were being discussed.
O&M even had a pre-conference.
Stephen Bosbach had an article about tandem bicycles and was presenting a slide show at the conference.
The interest group had a recreation committee at the time and answered some questions in the newsletter:
One question that was answered, explained Goal Ball: Ask if you are new to the field and are not aware of Goal Ball: or even Beep Ball:
These are great team sports for the Visually Impaired:
Back then the interest group had a bank account: We no longer have a bank account but sometimes can access items from the TAER Board.
O&M Division: Best Practice Award Winners
BEST PRACTICE AWARD - LIST OF RECIPIENTS BY YEAR
Dallas Lighthouse for the Blind – 1997
Vance Lankford - 1999
Marjie Wood – 2000
Gene Healy - 2003
Cindy Haughn – 2004
Carolina Martinez – 2005
Christy Householter – 2006
Beverly Jackson - 2007
Edward Mullen - 2008
Susan Waltrip - 2009
Emily Leeper – 2010
Diane Barnes – 2011
Ruth Ann Marsh – 2012
Burnsteen (Bernie) Smith – 2013
Rebecca Kilian-Smith – 2014
No one nominated-2015
Survey of Feet Position:
This Survey of Five Hundred People in a community while walking in everyday life, compared to a smaller number of Visually Impaired walking in regular day activities:
GP: General Population:
VI: Low Vision or totally blind
Walking with both feet forward: GP: 18% VI: 14%
Walking with feet slightly out:
GP: 30% VI: 14%
Walking with feet facing out:
GP: 37% VI: 29%
Walking with feet facing in:
GP: 9% VI: 7%
Walking with one foot in:
GP: 1% VI: 7%
Walking with one foot facing out:
GP: 5% VI: 29%
I had often assumed that everyone walked with feet straight forward like Bob Bryant described as the way Indians walk:
The GP that were surveyed actually showed 67% walk with the feet out to some degree while VI walked with feet out at only 43%. VI had higher numbers with feet in different directions. GP 6% with VI 36%.
Some Things Change
I have been an Orientation and Mobility specialist for almost thirty years. Considering all the time that has passed, many things in my life have changed. We didn’t have computers for use every day when I started my first job back at the West Texas Lighthouse for the Blind. I didn’t have a cell phone for several years and the first one was large and had to be plugged into my car all the time. Amazingly, I had a five minute a month plan and mostly didn’t even use those up. Wow! Well my hair is no longer brown but that happened years ago, so that must not be the age thing. Some things are the same. There is still a WTLB, still ESC’s, SFASU is still producing O/Mers and The Division for Blind Services (well except for the name) is still here. Somewhere along the way I got married and five kids happened along the way. The point of this article (besides trying to set an example for others to write articles) is that one of my daughters’, Katie, has decided to join the VI field. I am proud of all my kids in many ways but it is really cool when one of your children follow you in your profession. Katie has helped with VI programs and camps since she was very small and I guess she figured she might as well sign up. She made her own decision without much input from me. Katie just graduated from Angelo State University and jumped right into the program. She has already received so much support and encouragement from the local TVI’s and I hope that she can get through the classes and join our profession very soon. — Vance Lankford
