June 2020 newsletter

BOLD VENTURES
June 2020

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

IMPORTANT INFORMATION DURING THIS DIFFICULT TIME!

I am happy to report that YOGA KEEPS GOING! It is free of charge to participate! However, the BOLD treasury is covering the cost. We would welcome a one-time monetary contribution from people who have enjoyed yoga. If you cannot contribute at this time, don’t worry and continue to be our guest. Thank you to several people who have already donated. If you are able to, mail a check made out to W PA Bold to Veronique Schreurs, 2269 Tilbury Ave, Pittsburgh PA 15217.

For details on how to dial in, email Veronique at veronik43@gmail.com, or call 412-225-4038.

Yoga done by conference call! Every Thursday it starts at 2:45pm, call in at 2:42pm. It is a one-hour session. Don’t call too much before the starting time!

Continuing our popular weekly chat session! Every Tuesday at 7pm, May and June, we will have a one-hour chat session where our Bold members can tell each other how they are doing during this difficult time. This is also a time you can ask for help if you need it. Number to call: 1-605-475-6777, passcode 265396# (don’t forget # at the end). If you don’t have free long distance on your phone, call Joyce 412-521-4385 or Peggy 412-683-6070 at least one hour ahead, one of them can tap you in.

Here is how it works best: Call in and say your name, even if you hear talking. Then mute yourself by pressing *6. The board member who is moderating will check who is on the call at 7:05pm, then will say a person’s name. Unmute yourself again by pressing *6, then start talking about what’s on your mind. It doesn’t have to be Bold related. We are trying to have only one person talk at a time after the initial 5 minutes. Note that the board meeting is now private because we have the chat sessions.

Please let the moderators know you will be dialing in one hour or more ahead. They are:
Karen on May 19, 7pm, Terri on May 26, 7pm,
Joyce on June 2, 6:30pm, followed by the Bold board meeting which is private.
Tammy on June 9, 7pm, Nancy on June 16, 7pm,
Penny on June 23, 7pm, Veronique on June 30, 7pm.

We understand it may be a learning process to be on a group call and to have to wait till the moderator calls your name, but so far it has been an enjoyable experience, and takes us out of isolation.

Monday June 8, 7pm: Game night with Marilyn Hall who will be our hostess for indoor games. The game of “Skunk” has been her specialty for years, and now she will share her skills with Bold. Please join her for a funtastic time by calling 1-605-475-6777, passcode 265396# (don’t forget # at the end). Call in and say your name. If you want to let Marilyn know ahead of time, call her at 412-683-1333. Enjoy!

Sunday June 21, 3pm: Game afternoon with Stu Weissman & Tammi doing Trivia and word games on the conference line: 1-605-475-6777, passcode 265396# again don’t forget # at the end. Call in and say your name. Be ready to have fun!

CULTURAL EVENTS

Potential sources of at-home enrichment have been sprouting up faster than spring flowers. If you have a favorite, from a telephone-based activity to an easily-accessible online museum tour, workout site, or musical performance site, please let us know during the conference call or e-mail it to boldwpa@gmail.com.

BOLD BITS

Thank you, Terri Winaught, for the following 2 helpful hints:

Hint 1. If you are unable to participate in the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank’s drive-through deliveries, phone (412) 460-3663, x655 and arrange to have food delivered to your home.

Hint 2. To say more about homebased help, if you are 60 or older; under 60 and have a disability or have a family member who works on the front line, the Pittsburgh Cares buddy system might be able to help by matching you with someone who can run errands. If you have no computer access or have trouble using Google docs, you can sign up over the phone: (412) 433-0359.

Shirley Brand whose husband passed away some time ago would like people to call her. Phone: 412-422-1034, or send her a card at 6513 Forbes Ave., Pittsburgh PA 15217.

Congratulations to Isaac, Penny Fleckenstein’s son with his graduation from the Moody Bible Institute with a specialization in Youth Ministry, and to Donna McKendree for getting a job at the Hampton Inn in Oakland.

Congratulations to Jim Musto for participating with Vanadium house in a walk to raise money for Multiple Sclerosis. Jim walked 44 laps! High Five, Jim! The team raised $264.

Happy May birthday to Jim Wagner, and June birthdays to Linda Davis, Natasha Brown, Peggy Walsh, Veronique Schreurs and anyone else with a June birthday.

PERSONAL PERSPECTIVE by Veronique

For the last few weeks, we have had a Bold chat by conference call. Imagine my surprise when Gerry Blum showed up on the call. For those of us who have been members more than ten years, we remember how much he did for Bold before getting married and moving to Maryland. Another welcome surprise was Ernie College from Philadelphia joining the call. He was Carol Platt’s friend. Carol passed away and we still miss her. It was also really nice to hear from our local Bold members. I’m glad the call made us feel less isolated. Thanks to Peggy and others who connected people who could not dial the conference line!

THE END