July 2021 newsletter

BOLD VENTURES                                                                                   

July 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

 Joyful July!

Admin note: we are keeping the dues for 2021 to $12. Mail your check to Veronique Schreurs 2269 Tilbury Ave. Pittsburgh PA 15217. Thanks to those who paid! Call Veronique 412-225-4038 if that is a hardship, and you would like to remain in Bold.

 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.

 WE HAVE A NEW WAY FOR EVERYONE TO HEAR A RECORDING OF NEWSLETTER!

Instead of mailing out cassette recordings, people can call (401) 252-0029 Access Code: 265365#. everyone can use this service.

July CALENDAR

Every Thursday from 2:45pm, until 3:45pm, on the NEW 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 NEW 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:

Terri  July 6, 6:30pm, followed by the board meeting which is private.

Joyce July 13, Nancy July 20, and Tammi July 27.                   

Monday July 12, 2021 07:00 PM, Western Pennsylvania BOLD meets Southeastern Wisconsin BOLD for the second time.  Join in a conversation with the members of the only other BOLD organization that still exists from contact with Aspen BOLD. We will be using our conference line for the call.

The hosts are Nancy Leverett and Ray Tweedale and we will follow our usual chat call procedure of calling in and giving your name. Then everyone can mute with *6 when the hosts will take turns calling on their members to talk.

This summer, Bold members are participating in two new outdoor activities and you can too. Veronique is introducing us to lawn bowling at Frick Park, and the Highland Park Tennis Club (HPTC) is holding free introductory Clinics to teach blind tennis.  We've had BOLD members try out both of these activities with a lot of success and enjoyment.  Read on to find out more details and how you can get involved.

Lawn bowling, in Frick Park, outdoors, off of 7300 Reynolds St. Pittsburgh PA 15208. If you are interested, call Veronique 412-225-4038 to set up a one-on-one coaching session. The game consists of rolling a bowl on grass that is smooth as a carpet toward a stationary ball. It is a nice challenge, a little harder than bocci.

Blind tennis clinic June 19th, and July 3rd & 17th from 11:30 to 12:15 with all equipment provided. the registration form can be found at https://www.emailmeform.com/builder/form/l94NcJe06azpM1m

Apologies for their broken link in last month’s Newsletter for tennis.

CULTURAL activities hopefully will start again in the fall.

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:

 - June 17th, 1pm-2pm: Deacon King Kong by James McBride (DB 98819)

 - July 15th, 1pm-2pm: Nomadland: Surviving America in the Twenty-First Century by Jessica Bruder (DB 86971)

BOLD BITS                                                                                                                            

Prayers for Penny Fleckenstein's health; ongoing positive thoughts for Natasha Brown as she continues to struggle, and Warm Wishes for Terri Winaught as she deals with a variety of health challenges.

Condolences to Jim Musto and family for the death of Jim's Brother-in-law Nick Fratto on May 15.

About 2-3 weeks ago, Andrea Schwartz’ husband Ray took a fall which caused severe bleeding requiring delicate brain surgery.  He's now back home resting & being careful not to do heavy lifting or his usually vigorous exercising.  BOLD holds the Schwartzes in loving prayer & pictures of miracle healing.

On a more positive note, Natasha is looking forward to starting a job at a thrift store where she will be hanging clothes and pricing them.

Penny's book, LESSONS IN LOVE: Poetic Reflections is available on Audible at www.audible.com for $5.86.  The book was recorded by Penny, with relevant sound effects added by the producer.  

Happy birthday to Bonnie Newland and Ashley Winaught and anyone else with a July birthday.

PERSONAL PERSPECTIVE by Maggi Ostrowski. When Veronique contacted me about the possibility of BOLD considering lawn bowling as a future activity, I immediately agreed to try it and then went to work researching it.  I knew nothing about the game, let alone that there was a bowling green in Frick Park.  It was a perfect evening when we met with Carol, a member of the Frick Park Lawn Bowling Club.  I was surprised at the number of people out on the green that evening, enjoying the sport and its levels of competition.  The object of the game is to roll a ball, or bowl, closest to the target ball, a small white ball called a jack.  The ball's design, slightly flattened on one side, creates the challenge of the game. The shape of the ball causes it to travel a curved path.  This game requires little equipment and an adaptation of an audible cue for aiming.  I preferred clapping hands over the beeping baseball cue.  I really had a good time at my first attempt at lawn bowling and we even had a bit of competition at the end of my orientation.  It was a fun, outdoor activity that gets your body moving and sparks your competitive side.

PERSONAL PERSPECTIVE by Nancy Leverett. BOLD started exploring blind tennis in February 2020 right before the Pandemic with an indoor demonstration. I wasn't sure that I would like this sport. I've never liked flying objects that I can't see coming at me but that hasn't been a problem.  The ball is foam with rattles inside that I can hear and tell where the ball is at. The game is played with normal tennis rackets on a tennis court that is smaller than regular courts and a net that is lower. I have found it very satisfying when the strings of my tennis racket connect with the ball that makes me want to play more.

THE END