BOLD VENTURES November 2016
Blind Outdoor Leisure Development
BOLD welcomes persons 18 and older with all degrees of vision: blind, low vision, partially sighted and fully sighted.
PO Box 8114
Pittsburgh, PA 15217
Terri Winaught, Editor
Email: boldwpa@gmail.com
website: www.wpabold.blogspot.com
Update Line: 1-773-597-4222 (updates recorded each Friday.)
NIFTY NOVEMBER
Please enjoy as many of the following events as you can:
Thursdays the 3rd and 17th: Mall Walking at the Ross Park Mall from 9:30 to 11:30 AM on the 3rd and 10 AM till noon on the 17th.
The Sunday before by 9 PM is always the reservation deadline, with Pat dePasquale being the reservationist for the first Thursday and Toni Kelly being the reservationist for the third Thursday. Pat's number is 412-492-1692, and Toni's number is 965-4443.
Thursdays the 3rd, 10th, and 17th: Yoga from 2:30 to 4 at Squirrel Hill's Schoolhouse Yoga Studio: 2215 Murray Ave. The Tuesday before by 9 PM is always the sign-up deadline with Veronique Schreurs: 412-225-4038.
Saturday the 12th: Shopping at the Grove City Outlet stores from noon until 5 PM. To get to Grove City by noon, we will be leaving at 10:30 AM, with the central departure and return location still being worked on. To say more about this outing, individuals who are blind or have low vision are being asked to bring guides since we are unable to guarantee sighted assistants.
Finally, attendees are being asked to pay $15 to defray the cost of the bus. To make this payment by Saturday, November 5th, send a check or money order to 2269 Tilbury Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15217. Make your check or money order payable to Western PA BOLD, and indicate in the memo section that it is for the Grove City trip. (The above date is also the sign-up deadline by 9 PM with Penny Fleckenstein: 412-415-3871.
Wednesday the 9th: Mall Walking at the Monroeville Mall from 9 to 11 AM. To sign up with Joyce Driben by 9 PM the Thursday before, phone 412-521-4385.
PAST EVENTS
Twenty members with vision impairments and many sighted helpers attended and thoroughly enjoyed the September 24th tandem biking event at North Park's Westview Grove.
Many thanks to the biking captains Nancy Leverett and Penny Fleckenstein recruited; Samra for providing the food and obtaining the grove along with reservationist Marty Mathews. For more about this well received outing, see Penny Fleckenstein's Personal Perspective.
LOOKING AHEAD
BOLD'S Holiday Party will be held from 2 to 6 PM on Sunday, December 11th. The location is the Homestead Grays Room at One Smithfield Street.
The menu for this celebration will be: glazed ham with pineapple slices, stuffed shells, chicken parmesan, scalloped potatoes, a vegetable medley, rolls and butter; tea and coffee; desserts and snacks which partygoers will bring, and cold beverages which BOLD will provide.
To reserve with Cindy Perseo by 9 PM on Sunday, November 27th, phone 412-421-3992. The above date is also the deadline by which to send the $15 per person cost of this event to Veronique Schreurs at 2269 Tilbury Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15217. The checks or money orders are to be made payable to Western PA BOLD, with a note in the memo indicating that the payment is for the Holiday Party, or if yearly dues of $12 are included (total $27).
Although Veronique as Treasurer has always been more than gracious about accepting payments at the party, her preference-and that of the Board-is that payments be mailed by the date already given. Thank you for your cooperation in this matter, given how hectic things are at holiday parties.
On Sunday, December 18th, the Downhill Ski Guide Clinic will be held at Seven Springs from 9 AM to 3 PM. To sign up for this clinic with Dom Ceresa by 9 PM the Tuesday before, phone 724-527-1857. If you sign up and then must cancel, please do so by phoning Dom no later than 8 PM the day before. Clinic attendees will meet at Seven Spring's old ski school desk.
ADMINISTRATIVE ADD-ONS
The offices that are up for re-election are Second Vice President, Recording Secretary, and Treasurer.
To list the duties of each office, the Second Vice-President recruits reservationists, assists with reservations as needed, and coordinates transportation when buses need to be chartered.
The Recording Secretary takes minutes at BOLD'S monthly Board meetings; sends them to Board members, and reads them at meetings.
Finally, the Treasurer prepares monthly reports which document receipts and disbursements. The Treasurer also pays bills, reads reports at meetings, and E-mails them to Board members.
If interested in any of these offices-all of which are held for two years-phone President Tammi Swiantek at 412-488-6298. If more than one person runs for an office, ballots will need to be prepared for voting at the Holiday Party. To allow for that possibility, please call Tammi by 10 PM on Sunday, November 13th.
A final administrative note is that dues for the 2017 fiscal year are due on December 31st, 2016. To pay your dues by the 31st, send your $12 check or money order, made payable to Western PA BOLD, to 2269 Tilbury Ave., Pittsburgh, 15217. Please indicate in the memo that your check or money order is for 2017 dues.
PERSONAL PERSPECTIVE
Tandeming It: A Personal Perspective by Penny Fleckenstein
"Hey, Ray, have you written any more songs lately?"
"Give me three minutes and after we go up this steep hill, I'll tell you about my songs. You sure you wanna do the steep hill?"
"Yeah, no problem," I said. Heck, after doing 72 miles in one day the week before with Beth what was a steep hill?
After we got up the hill, he told me about a song he'd written about our Terri Winaught and an anti-Trump song. He got me laughing because Ray is so creative and so fun. To think that our
Ray Jab From PA could become so famous if he gets his song out there in time.
I smiled as we got back to the shelter. I felt so good doing my third ride of the afternoon with Ray. My first two were on my bike with my regular captain Beth. I felt fulfilled having gone
three times around the loop adding up to fifteen miles. It had been a long time since I'd accomplished that at a BOLD event.
Beth beat me by going four times around the loop. Twice with me and twice with Anne. As I sat eating the delicious lasagna and salad and roll which Samra had prepared, I felt so grateful that
so many had already gone riding twice. We were all involved in lively conversation on such a beautiful Saturday with good food, good people, and fabulous bike captains. Ray even set up other activities for riders to do while they waited for another turn on a bike or when they were all done.
Samra and John did an excellent job organizing the event. There was a terrific turnout. I can't wait to do it again!
CULTURAL CONNECTIONS
Tuesday, November 8th is when the Pittsburgh Opera will present Salome at the Benedum Center: 7th Street and Penn Ave. in Downtown Pittsburgh. The start time is 7 PM; the cost per ticket is $10, and the contact person is Regina Connelly at 412-281-0912, x213. Listening devices for audio commentary will be available as will Braille and Large-Print programs.
On Saturday, November 12th, the Pittsburgh Opera will present their free Brown Bag lunch series from noon to a PM. The location will be the Opera's Strip District headquarters: 2425 Liberty Ave.
On Sunday the 20th, the Pittsburgh Opera will present an Art Song Recital, and the Pittsburgh City Theatre will present "Feeding the Dragon."
The City Theatre play will start at 2 PM, and will be preceded by a sensory workshop at 1 PM. The ticket price is $22 with persons who are blind having the option of requesting a free companion ticket.
The Art Song recital at Pittsburgh Opera's Headquarters will be from 2 to 4 PM. This recital is free to Friends of the Opera, and $5 for everyone else.
Finally, on Thursday, November 10th, the Bricolage Theater will present "Midnight Radio: Night of the Living Dead." BOLD members will receive a $10 discount for this performance which will begin at 8 PM and be preceded by a 7:30 Happy Half Hour. Also, persons who are blind will have the option of experimenting with the equipment with which Foley sound effects are produced.
For more information about this audio-described performance, which will be held at 937 Liberty Ave., phone Marketing Director Emily Wilson at 412-471-0999.
Braille programs will be available upon request, and this facility, including restrooms, is physically accessible.
FUNDRAISING FACTS
Since totals for the September 21st Day of Giving are still being talleyed, see future newsletters for details.
Also, remember to bring money to the December 11th Holiday Party to buy 50-50 raffle tickets which will cost $1 each.
BOLD BITS
Get Well Wishes to Carol Platt as she continues to struggle with an open wound on the leg she broke earlier this year.
Prayers for a quick, comfortable recovery also to Maurice Johnston who received surgery at UPMC Mercy for a broken hip and is now recovering further and receiving physical rehab at a facility near Homestead.
CONGRATULATIONS!! KUDOS and BRAVO!! to Tobi Williams, Nancy Leverett, Tammi Swiantek and Eugene Mariani for stellar performances in competitive rowing at the Head of the Ohio.
Tons of congratulations also to Dave Popoleo who placed fourth in "Gotcha" a new Darts Tournament event, Bonnie Newland, who placed first in a 301-double and won not only money for the first time but also a trophy, and Joe Wassermann who also placed at this Wilmington, North Carolina tournament.
A final note about this tournament is that Cindy Perseo wants to heap tons of thanks on Kevin, a nephew. Kevin not only drove to and from North Carolina but also guided, got food for people and helped in so many other ways at this tournament.
Penny Fleckenstein, who provides trainings about blindness on a regular basis to Port Authority drivers, wants you to know that Downtown Pittsburgh will no longer be a free fare zone effective January 1st, 2017. Also effective as of that date, bus riders will be required to pay always when getting on.
Happy Birthday to Bill Burgunder, Tom Burgunder, Sylvia Denys, Devon Evans, Marilyn Hall, Mark Pugh and anyone else with a November birthday.
Tons of thanks to the tremendous team who works hard each month to make BOLD Ventures available and accessible.
THE END