BOLD VENTURES December 2024
Western Pennsylvania Blind Outdoor Leisure Development
Sponsorship of the December BOLD Ventures is by Peggy Walsh. Thanks Peggy for your generous support of BOLD Ventures.
May your holiday season be BOLD,
Filled with family, friends, and fun!
And when this year’s story is old,
Let the New Year be a BOLD one!
Happy Holidays, everyone!
General Membership Meeting
BOLD will be holding a general membership meeting on
Wednesday, December 18, 2024, at 6:30 pm on our conference line. This
meeting will be for the election of these board members: Second
Vice-President, Recording Secretary, and Treasurer. The following BOLD
members have been nominated: Second Vice-President, Carol Lubecki;
Recording Secretary, Karen Seligman; and Treasurer Charlotte Ford.
Please join us for this important meeting on the BOLD conference line at
385-799-9487.
Show your support for BOLD, it’s time to pay dues.
The
holiday season is here, and this is also the time in BOLD to get ready
for the new year, 2025, by paying dues. The dues for the upcoming year
are $15. There are two ways to pay your dues. You can send a check
payable to WPA BOLD to WPA BOLD, PO Box 9101, Pittsburgh, PA 15224. Or
if you like you can use either PayPal or a credit card at the donate
button at the bottom of this Newsletter or on our website
www.wpabold.blogspot.com and use the “donate” button. If you use our
website, be sure to write a note saying that you are paying your dues.
If you are new to BOLD and paid your dues after September 30th, you are
covered for 2025. Also, if there has been any change in your contact
information, please send it to our treasurer Ryan Leverett at
ryanjleverett1@gmail.com. Thanks for paying your dues!
A BOLD Event Reminder: If you sign up for one of our events, and find that you will not be
able to attend, please, please let the person who signed you up know
that you won’t be attending. Having an accurate count of participants
makes an event organizer’s job much easier.
BOLD Pictures: Our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/wpabold includes pictures of BOLD events.
December Calendar
Monday, December 2, from 6 to 8 pm, Board Meeting in-person at Western PA School for Blind
Children, 250 N. Bellefield Avenue, Oakland. Any non-board Members who
want to attend must call Nancy at 412-561-3972 by November 30. Note,
this day change is not an error, due to board members’ schedules, the
BOLD Board will now be meeting on the first Monday of the month.
Tuesdays, December 3 and 17, from 9 am to 12:30 pm, Mall
Walking at the Monroeville Mall. Cost is free. Lunch is on your own at
the food court. Sighted guides and visually impaired walkers sign up by
11 am the Tuesday prior to the walk with Joyce at 412-521-4385. So, to
sign up for December 3, call Joyce by 11 am Tuesday, November 26, and
for December 17 call Joyce by 11 am December 10.
Wednesdays, December 4 and 11, from 7 to 9:30 pm SE Wisconsin BOLD virtual
bingo, for all the sign-up information leave a voicemail or text Tammi
at 412-951-6528 or email at tswiantek@comcast.net. Have fun and good
luck!
Thursdays, December 5, 12, and 19, from noon to 1:30, Ice
skating at the Mount Lebanon Ice Center, 900 Cedar Blvd., Pittsburgh,
15228. Cost is $6. We need sighted ice skaters to be guides on and off
the ice. Sign-up by 8 pm on the Sunday before each date by leaving a
voicemail or text for Tammi at 412-951-6528 or email at
tswiantek@comcast.net.
Sunday, December 8, 9 am, Downhill Ski Guide Training at Seven Springs. If
you are interested in being a guide for BOLD’s vision impaired downhill
skiers this season, contact Scotto Gray, BOLD’s Director of Downhill
Skiing, at scottog@yahoo.com by Thursday December 5 to sign up and get
more information. If Seven Springs is not open on December 8, the
training will be held on December 15. Scotto has chosen the dates for
this year’s ski season. They are Sundays January 5 and 26. Stay tuned to
January’s BOLD Ventures for more information about downhill skiing.
Monday, December 9, from 1 to 2 pm, Swimming at the Athletic Club, Carnegie
Library of Homestead. 511 East 11th Ave, Munhall, 15120, no charge.
When you arrive, use the elevator on the left to go down to the ground
floor to the locker rooms, restrooms and pool. Arrive early, so you can
swim the whole hour. Sign up with Marty by 8 pm Friday December 6th at
412-440-4909.
Saturday December 14, from 2:30 to 3:30 pm, indoor ice skating at
the Hunt Armory Ice Rink, 324 Emerson St, Pittsburgh, PA 15206. There
is no charge for ice time or skate rentals thanks to sponsorship by the
Penguins Foundation. The actual ice time is one hour starting at 2:30.
Please arrive early to sign a release, get skates, and pair up with
guides. We need sighted guides to make our skating event a success. When
signing up, please indicate if you are willing to guide a skater. Also
let us know if you are a visually impaired skater who wishes to be
paired with a guide. When leaving a message please provide a return
phone number. Reserve by Monday, December 9 by 8:00 pm with Brad at
412-600-9661 or bradleetebbs@gmail.com.
Upcoming Events
Note: there will be more details on the following events in January’s BOLD Ventures.
Sunday, January 12, from 12:30 to 5 pm, snow tubing at Boyce Park with pizza party to
follow in the ski lodge. From 12:30 to 2:30 pm, we will be snow tubing.
Then from 3 to 5 we will have the Pizza Party. Come join us for some
winter fun! There will be an army of volunteers to ensure everyone has a
great time.
Sundays, January 5 and 26, 9 am, downhill skiing at Seven Springs.
Thursday, January 30, from 7 to 8:30 pm, winter poetry and short story reading on the conference line.
CULTURAL ACTIVITIES
Anyone interested in getting information about upcoming audio described plays or the availability
of tickets for cultural events such as symphony or chamber music
concerts, or operas, please call Joyce at 412-521-4385.
BOLD BITS
Get well wishes to Penny Fleckenstein who was recently hospitalized for surgery and
several health challenges. Also, we send wishes for a rapid recovery to
Penny’s Mom who recently fell and broke a wrist and had other injuries.
Kimberly Smythe is thankfully doing much better, but she still needs our positive thoughts and prayers.
Congratulations to Carol Lubecki whose son, Nick, got married on November 3.We all know Nick for the pizza parties and the fall festivals at Braddock Farm.
Congratulations to Terri Winaught who has been approved for membership on the Community Care Health Equity Advisory Board.
My BOLD Take, by Jeff Mulkern
On
November 9, BOLD gave me a good reason to lace up my hiking boots and
meander through Hartwood Acres Park. Led by A.J. Arnett, about 20 BOLD
folks enjoyed the cool morning air as we trekked along checking out the
Oaks, Poplars, Pines, and more. A.J. also identified some bird calls for
us. Along some sections of trail, a thick layer of leaves covered over
the rocks and roots - meaning Mother Nature put everyone, sighted or
not, on equal footing. Lunchtime was a simple pleasure of sitting on
logs while feasting on PB&J (thank you Nancy) and hoagies. A nap
when I got home made it a perfect day.
My BOLD Take, by Carol Lubecki
Swimming at the Athletic Club at CLP of Homestead
I
have been hearing good things about BOLDs monthly swimming opportunity,
and despite the fact that I do not think I have been in a pool for more
decades than I want to count, I thought I would give it a try. I found
the entrance to the facility very accessible, there’s no steps. I took
the elevator down to the lower level and met very friendly people along
the way who directed me to the locker room. The facility has a very nice
locker room, with private changing rooms, showers, and of course
restrooms. The door from the locker room leads right to the pool where
the Lifeguard met us and guided us to the stairs of the pool. Much to my
surprise the lanes of the pool were marked with tactile lane divisions,
and we each had our own lane. I had a great time using pool noodles and
a kick board, trying to remember what I used to do when I had gone
swimming. I had ample time to figure it out. Wow! what a great workout
and just really nice to try something different. The lifeguard was so
great, and I felt supported the entire time. I plan to return. So Fun!
Happy December Birthday to:
Ernie College, Celeste Compomizzi, Karen Seligman, Brad Tebbs, and anyone else celebrating a December birthday!
NEWSLETTER RECORDING
Anyone can hear a recording of this newsletter,
call 401-252-0029 Access Code: 265365#.
Contact Us
WPA BOLD
PO Box 9101
Pittsburgh, PA 15224
Donate
Email: boldwpa@gmail.com
Website: www.wpabold.blogspot.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/wpabold
Editors: Debby Hill & friends