BOLD VENTURES
October 2018
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
Editorial team: Veronique Schreurs, Nancy Leverett, Terri Winaught, Peggy Walsh
Email: boldwpa@gmail.com
Website: www.wpabold.blogspot.com
Update Line: 1-773-572-3078 (updates recorded each Friday.)
OCTOBER CALENDAR
Sunday September 30 by 10pm: deadline to reserve with Tammi Swiantek 412-488-6298 if you will be at October’s Board meeting.
Tuesday October the 2nd is when Tammi will chair BOLD’s Board meeting at One Smithfield Street in the Pirates Room on the First Floor. All are welcomed to attend, the approximate times being 6:30 to 8:30 PM. (Bring your ideas and your willingness and energy to implement them.)
Thursday October 4th: Mall walking at the Ross Park Mall from 10am till noon. To reserve, call Pat DePasquale by Sunday September 30th . 412-492-1692.
Saturday October 6: A leisurely walk in Schenley Park, starting time: 9:00 am and ending approximately at 11:00. Meeting point Schenley Park - Bartlett Shelter near the corner of Bartlett and Hobart St. Walking distance of 2 to 3 miles. Easy terrain Trails/roads with crushed limestone surface. Mostly in the shade. Led by City Park Ranger Ernie Francestine, who will share information about trees & plants common to the park, a bit about birds & other wildlife in the park, and some park history and whatever else may be his area of greatest interest/expertise. Reserve with Jeff Mulkern 412-487-9469 by Tuesday October 2.
Thursday October 18 is when Mall Walking will be at the Ross Park Mall from 10 AM till noon. To reserve, call Toni Kelly by Sunday the 14th : 412-965-4443.
Wednesdays the 3rd, 17th and 31st are when Mall Walking will be held at the Monroeville Mall from 9 to 11 AM. To sign up with Joyce Driben the Thursday before on her cell: 412-216-0930.
Thursdays the 4th, 11th, 18th and 25th: Yoga at Squirrel Hill’s Schoolhouse Studio: 2215 Murray Ave. from 2:30 to 4 PM. Cost, $10 per person ($15 optional if the group is small). Reserve the Tuesday before with Veronique 412-225-4038.
FUNDRAISING FACTS
We hope you remembered to save the date, October 7th, because the auction to be held on that Sunday from 2 to 5 PM will enable you to do some early holiday shopping for that special someone or buy a “just because” gift for a friend or loved one.
In addition to the gifts mentioned in September’s newsletter, we now also have a men’s wallet; a women’s wallet; a 52-inch folding collapsible cane, and Joan Rivers sunglasses. (We might also have a second donut maker.)
Payments for auction items must be made that day by cash or money order. Along with this event, there will also be pizza, pop and water.
To reserve with Terri Winaught by Thursday, October 4th, phone 412-263-2022.
LOOKING AHEAD
Saturday November 10: Holiday shopping at Grove City, $15. We will arrange students to meet us there. They will guide us and help people shop. But we need to know as soon as possible how many people want to make this trip. Please call reservationist Peggy 412-683-6070 no later than October 15 so we can decide on the feasibility. We will charter a bus, going from Human Services if enough people are interested.
Looking ahead to the Holiday party: save the date: Sunday December 2nd, 2-5pm at the Double Tree Hotel at the Meadows, Washington, PA. Nancy and Bruce Leverett are hosting this party for BOLD, no charge! There will be a limit of 50 people. Transportation will be arranged from Human Services to the hotel. We will have a 50/50 raffle.
CULTURAL CONNECTIONS
Sunday September 30: “The Revolutionists” (with all female cast) at the City Theatre, 1300 Bingham St., South Side 15243. Time: 1pm: Blind/Visually impaired workshop, 2pm audio-described performance of. For more information and to order $22 ticket with or without companion call the Box Office at 412-431-4900, Option 3.
Tuesday October 9, 7pm at the Benedum Center, downtown: audio-described performance of Madam Butterfly. Braille/large print programs available. To learn about the length of the performance and to order $10 tickets for blind/vision impaired patron with companion call Regina Connelly, 412-281-0912 X213.
Wednesday October 10: Pittsburgh Public Theater, free city performance of “Pride and Prejudice” at 6:15PM for the Blind/Visually impaired workshop and 7:00PM performance. Location: The O’Reilly, 621 Penn Ave., Pgh 15222. Admission passes are sent in advance. To have your name added to the mailing list call Shaun Hall: 412-316-8200. To learn more about the full subscription season call the box office: 412-316-1600.
Pittsburgh Opera: their October events will be held at headquarters: 2425 Liberty Ave., 25th street entrance, Pgh 15222. Reserve in advance with Marilyn Egan, 412-281-0912, X242.
Saturday October 13th, 12 noon; Brown bag lunch concert
Sunday October 21th, 2-4pm: Opera up close discussion: “Hansel and Gretel”
Tuesday November 6, 7pm at the Benedum Center, downtown: audio-described performance of Hansel and Gretel.
Robert Morris University Speakers’ Series: Wednesdays 8pm at Heinz Hall downtown, open seating. Five of these lectures are available this year. Jennifer Wilburn asks that you call only ONCE to request one or two tickets for your first and second choice of lectures you wish to attend, she will contact you in advance to let you know what is available. Goal: at least one lecture per caller. 412-561-8155,
October 24, 2018: Lisa Genova – neuroscientist who writes books about how to avoid Alzheimer’s. (Still Alice is a movie based on her book, it won an Academy award)
November 14, 2018: Gloria Steinem – an icon for Women’s Liberation.
January 30, 2019: Jeb Bush – Florida governor, brother of G.W. Bush
March 6, 2019: Ian Bremmer – founded the Eurasia group, a global political research firm.
March 27, 2019: Bryan Stevenson – founded the Equal Justice Initiative. He wrote the book “Just Mercy” voted by Time magazine as among the 10 best non-fiction.
BOLD BITS
Friday, October 12th from 1PM to 3PM is the Accessible Movie Afternoon at Carnegie Library for the blind (4724 Baum Boulevard, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213). The Library is showing “DEALT”: Sixty-two year old Richard Turner is renowned as one of the world’s greatest card magicians, yet he is completely blind. Light snacks & drinks are provided.
Wednesday, October 17th from 1 PM to 2:30 is our next Accessible Tech Training at CLP-LBPH (4724 Baum Boulevard, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213). Join us for a hands-on tech training focusing on tablet and smart phone accessibility options.
On Saturday September 22, first dinner of the season at the Pittsburgh Lutheran center for the Blind. Time 4-7pm, dinner at 5pm; Address: 535 North Neville Street, Rear entrance, Oakland. To sign up phone Sherri Crum: 412-682-1800 by September 15, 6pm.
Get Well Wishes to Carol Platt who came home from Shadyside Hospital on Labor Day, and then was admitted to Concordia in Monroeville for physical and occupational therapy; Penny Fleckenstein, who is recovering from a foot injury, and Natasha Brown’s 15-year-old sister who was in the hospital as of this writing.
CONGRATULATIONS!! To Terri Winaught who had the honor of singing the National anthem on Friday, September 7th at a Pittsburgh Riverhounds soccer game. To Ceinwen King-Smith, whose musical talent was featured in an article in September’s issue of the Pittsburgh Quarterly, and Donna McKendree, who received a vendor’s license that will enable her to sell pop and water at sporting events.
Happy Birthday to Mark Grasak, Jim Musto, and anyone else with an October birthday.
PERSONAL PERSPECTIVES
“I’ve never been on a boat before,” Donna McKendree confided as she began her perspective on the August 22nd Pontoon ride at Moraine State Park.
“Even though this first-time boat ride made me nauseous, I still was able to enjoy this outing,” Donna concluded.
“It was really nice and a lot of fun,” said Jim Winaught. Jim went on to share how glad he was to have gone on this outing not only because of how much he liked it, but also because, “Donna and me going gave BOLD two extra sighted guides. It turned out perfectly; it really was perfect!” Jim concluded.
Perspective by Peggy Walsh: “On August 28, on a sultry afternoon including a mini-thunder rumble, 10 Bold-sters boarded the nautical Nature on Lake Arthur. Thanks to drivers Veronique and Stu for getting us there right on time and safely home. Our first mate gave us a birds-eye tour of the area, mentioning Snake Island for having that shape but no reptile inhabitants. He described how different birds caught fish, and played their calls on the MP3. We had pizza and cool drinks and socialized at a large table as the boat gently slid and bounced on the calm breezy water. After the boat trip, three swimmers had a splashing good time at a nearby beach.
Thanks to Nancy for arranging this delightful outing.”
THE END