BOLD VENTURES
November 2021
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
WE ARE CONTINUING OUR NEW CONFERENCE CALL SYSTEM! Please read! The number to call is (385)799-9487. There is no passcode for participants. To mute yourself, press *6, same to unmute. This info will apply every time “conference call” is mentioned in the newsletter.
NOTE Comcast users there is a problem connecting to the conference line. The work around or back door is first to dial 206-451-6045. Then you will be asked to enter the conference line number for BOLD followed by the pound sign. This is a Comcast problem.
Anyone can hear a recording of the newsletter. Instead of mailing out cassette recordings, people can call (401) 252-0029 Access Code: 265365#.
Please note: Regarding covid-19, For in-person events, we will follow CDC recommendations as they stand at the time of each event, which may include wearing masks, especially for those who are not vaccinated.
CALENDAR
Every Thursday from 2:45pm, until 3:45pm, on the conference line YOGA KEEPS GOING free of charge to participate! Thank you to those who sent a contribution. Call Veronique 412-225-4038 if you want to be added to the email list for yoga. For people reading this by email, here is a link of our July 2 yoga session, which you can click on or paste into your browser to activate:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0v_BIbISDHM
Continuing our popular weekly chat session! Every Tuesday at 7pm, until further notice, we will have a one-hour chat session where our Bold members can connect with each other or ask for help.
Call the conference line to join and 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, to be tapped in. The conversation doesn’t have to be Bold related. We are trying to have only one person talk at a time after the initial 5 minutes. The moderators are: Karen October 19, Joyce October 26, Peggy November 2 (at 6:30), Tammi November 9, Nancy November 16, Penny November 23, Veronique November 30.
Leftover events from October
Monday, October 18, 7 pm on the conference line, bingo for fun, call Nancy at 412-561-3972 to sign up or if you need a braille/ large print bingo card.
Monday October 25, 7 to 8 pm, meeting Wisconsin BOLD Zoom. Wisconsin BOLD call featuring a short video from Aspen BOLD narrated by John Denver. If you were lucky enough to ski with Aspen BOLD you should recognize the familiar voice of Muriel Frye and Jean Eymere. Join Zoom Meeting with the ZOOM APP on your computer or smart device https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81466070331
OR BY PHONE AT 929 205 6099 and Enter the Meeting ID: 814 6607 0331 followed by the pound sign.
NOVEMBER EVENTS
Note, there are changes and additional information to this event. Saturday November 6, 8:30 am to 6:00 pm, Grove City shopping trip individually guided by Therapeutic Recreation students from Slippery Rock University. Cost is $10.00 for transportation on a school bus leaving and returning from 1 Smithfield Street Pittsburgh 15222 downtown. We will arrive at 10:00 at the Food Court entrance to the outlets to be paired with our student guide to spend the day shopping until we drop. We will gather at 4:30 at the Food Court entrance to fill out and sign the student service hour forms and board the bus for the trip back. We should arrive at 1 Smithfield St. at 6:00 and schedule Access Trips for 6:30. For a list of all the stores call 724-748-4470 and choose option 2 for a directory. Questions call Peggy Walsh, on her cell phone at 412-977-2351, her home phone has been disconnected.
Important, to participate in this shopping trip everyone must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Wearing a face mask is required on the bus and be prepared to wear a mask all day. Bring some extra cash to tip the bus driver or treat your guide. There is a food court for lunch but everyone is responsible for the cost of their own food.
Sunday November 14 from 1 pm to 2:30pm meet in front of the Frick Environmental Center 2005 Beechwood Blvd., Tree identification by touch includes some walking, cost $5.00, limit 10 visually impaired participants, reserve by November 7 with Penny Fleckenstein at 412-415-3871. There are indoor bathroom facilities and you can bring a snack and drink.
PAST EVENTS
Tandem biking in September was a great time! There were 11 visually impaired bikers and their sighted guides. The weather was perfect, the trail was easy, the company was convivial, and the food was good and plentiful. Thank you to Scotto for his wonderful organizing and all the other things he does. Thank you to Dan Cornell and John Pirain for your help getting the bikes there. Thank you to the sighted captains and drivers new and old for making this event possible. A big thanks to the donors whose contributions have made the cost for this event manageable. Hurray for in person activities! Nancy Leverett First Vice President BOLD
CULTURAL activities hopefully will start again in the fall. Anyone interested in finding out what tickets, if any are available, please call Joyce Driben at 412-521-4385.
Library events:
Book Club by Library for the Blind, on zoom or phone. Reserve by calling 800-242-0586 or email them at: LAMP@carnegielibrary.org. Upcoming books are:
Thursday, October 21, 1pm to 2 pm, The escape room DB95709
BOLD BITS
From Erika Petach: I am so excited to announce that BVRS has received funding to reopen the yoga studio and I wanted to reach out to you to let you know that BVRS is looking to train and hire individuals who are blind or visually impaired to be certified yoga instructors. We will pay for their certification and training and will hire them upon successful completion of the training for our Blue Awning Yoga studio.
Interested participants must meet the following criteria to qualify:
1) Be physically able to participate in yoga activities
2) Must be an individual with Blindness or visual impairment
3) Be willing to participate in all aspects of the certification program which typically occurs on Saturdays over a 9 month period of time
4) Be willing to sign a contract as we are paying for the certification
5) Must have transportation to get to our studio in uptown
We would prefer but is not necessary:
1) Previous experience doing yoga
If you have anyone that is interested, please have them contact me at epetach@pghvis.org. Our plan is to reopen the studio December 1, 2021.
Thank you.
Erika Petach, President/CEO Blind & Vision Rehabilitation Services of Pittsburgh, 412-368-4400
Saturday October 30 to 31 The U.S. Blind chess championship will be held at the Holiday Inn Express, 5311 Campbells Run Road, just off the Parkway West cost $1.00. Everyone will play four games, two on Saturday and two on Sunday. All meals included. There are money prizes, but you don’t have to be a chess expert to play. This is not a BOLD event, but BOLD’s Bruce Leverett will be one of the volunteers. Contact Nita Patel, td@realyeachess.com, phone 603-716-3040.
Kimberly Smythe was happy to report that the cataract surgery she had on both eyes in September went well. In addition, Kimberly was equally eager to say how well her job at J.C. Penney’s continues to go.
Get Well Wishes to Natasha Brown’s father, sister, and stepmother, all of whom have COVID-19. On a more positive note where Natasha is concerned, CONGRATULATIONS! On her marriage to Josh Kinder on Sunday, October 10 at First Trinity Lutheran Church in Oakland. Congratulations and GREAT JOB! Are also offered to Nancy Leverett and Tammi Swiantek on how they placed in the Head of the Ohio Rowing Competition: Nancy won two silver medals with Tammi winning both a gold and a silver, one of those having been won while rowing with Nancy.
Get well wishes to Bob, Ray Jablonowski’s brother.
Best wishes to Jon and Toby Williams on moving to their new home in Canonsburg, PA 15317.
Ongoing wishes and prayers for Janet Jain for cancer treatment and for Penny Fleckenstein and Hope Pietrolongo as they continue to recover from serious health challenges.
Belated Happy Birthday to Kimberly Smythe & Brittnee Brown whose birthdays are in October.
Happy November Birthday to Bill and Tom Burgunder, Susan Etters, Donna McKendree and Mark Pugh and anyone else with a November birthday.
In Memoriam of Pat Rossi by Veronique Schreurs
My friend Pat Rossi passed away in September, age 87. She was a ski guide a long time ago.
Pat invited me to a Bold hike 27 years ago along the Youghiogheny River. Pat and I were members of AYH, and we were on a joint hike with Bold. Maynard Hansen was the leader and he asked us to walk up to a Bold member and walk together. Pat guided Joyce, I guided Peggy. Then we went to a classical concert together. That event started a long friendship! If it weren't for Pat, I may not have known about Bold!
Rest in peace, dear Pat.
THE END