May 2022 newsletter

BOLD VENTURES May 2022

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 and team

Email: boldwpa@gmail.com

Website: www.wpabold.blogspot.com

Facebook page: www.facebook.com/wpabold 


Note: This newsletter has been formatted with headings

on the first line of each item. If you are using JAWS or NVDA just press the letter H to move from item to item. 

 

CAMP KON-O-KWEE: The weekend has been cancelled! How disappointing! We did not have enough people signed up. If you paid, you will get your check back.

 

REMINDER: PLEASE PAY YOUR DUES! Thank you if you already have. 

The dues for 2022 are still $12. Please send your check made out to W PA BOLD to PO box 8114, Pittsburgh PA 15217. Call Veronique 412-225-4038 if that is a hardship, and you would like to remain in Bold.


CONFERENCE LINE: Whenever the conference line is mentioned in this newsletter, 

the number to call is (385) 799-9487. There is no passcode for participants. To mute yourself, press *6, same to unmute. 


NEWSLETTER RECORDING: Anyone can hear a recording of the newsletter, 

call (401) 252-0029 Access Code: 265365#. 


COVID-19: The board decided that for our in-person activities all participants are to be fully

vaccinated (on the honor system) and follow government guidelines about masks.

 

CALENDAR

Every Thursday from 2:45 until 3:45 pm 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. If you are enjoying yoga, please consider sending a donation to BOLD. 

CHAT SESSION: There is a change to the schedule of our popular chat sessions!

Starting in May, we will only have the chat on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays. On those days starting at 7 pm 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. 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: April 26: Nancy, (skip May 3), May 10: Jeff, (skip May 17), May 24: Penny, (skip May 31).

Rowing: Three Rivers Rowing Association

offers a variety of instructional rowing programming for persons with disabilities, including those with visual impairments. Spring is a good time of year to try or get back into rowing, so for more information, please contact Director of Adaptive & Para Rowing, adamherrick@threeriversrowing.org or call 412-231-8772.


APRIL

Saturday, April 30, Container gardening workshop from 2:30 to 4:30 pm cost $5 per person

at Garden dreams Urban Farm and Nursery 806 Holland Ave., Wilkinsburg.
All facilities are accessible and this is a rain or shine event.
Participants will have personalized plant selections, with a variety of plant starts from herbs, flowers or vegetables suitable for indoors, patio or vegetable patch. Up to 18 plants per person with a carrying container provided and print or braille labels.
Reserve by April 24, with Nancy Leverett, 412–561–3972.


MAY

Tuesday, May 3, from 6 to 8 BOLD Board Meeting at Human Services, 

1 Smithfield St, downtown. In person! Any non-Board Members who want to attend must call Nancy at 412-561-3972 by May 1.

Wednesdays May 4 & 18, Wisconsin virtual bingo, from 7:00 - 9:30 pm via Zoom. 

BOLD virtual event sign in information:

Join Zoom Meeting with the ZOOM APP on your computer or smart device.
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81466070331

Or use your landline or smartphone without the Zoom APP to join by your phone's long-Distance plan: 929 205 6099, put a comma and Enter the Meeting ID: 814 6607 0331, 

Then press the pound key (#) and wait to be let in. To join, contact Lion Ray Tweed ale at (262) 224-5517 and provide the numbers of your own card. You can also request a PDF card to be emailed to you that can be printed. Only one card played per person, and your card must be registered with Ray. They also enforce the last number called rule. There are cash prizes that if WPA BOLD members win will go to WPA BOLD as a donation. No need to sign up. Just show up using the sign in listed at the beginning. Ray will be on early at 6:30 pm Eastern for anyone that wants to be sure they can get in or would like to provide the numbers for their card. GOOD LUCK AND HAVE FUN!

Saturdays May 7th through July 23rd (weather permitting) FREE Tennis Clinic

Highland Park Tennis Club will be hosting free spring/summer Blind/Visually impaired tennis clinics. Instructors will guide athletes through step-by-step verbal instruction on how to play Blind/VI tennis. All equipment will be provided. Blind tennis is played with softball-size foam balls that have a ping pong ball in the middle that makes sound. For specific session times, more information or to register, please visit www.blindtennis.org or call 412-576-4103.

 

Sunday May 15, from 3 to 4 pm: Embodied Dance lessons/workshop.

Point Park University, GRW Dance Studios, Lawrence Hall, 212 Wood Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15222. Enter through the side door located on the Boulevard of the Allies. Wear casual and comfortable clothes. Dance barefoot or with soft soled shoes (that haven't been worn outside, dance studio rule.) The instructor is Gia T. Cacalano. Gia is a veteran movement artist, choreographer, instant composer, educator and performer with over 35 years of experience. Cost is $5 per person. Participants begin with Breathing techniques to relax and feel into their bodies, transitioning into further warmup via movement improvisation. A full body warmup from head to toe sitting in a chair and later graduating into standing dance exercises (or remaining in chair).
A simple dance phrase will build via repeating movements to memory.
No experience is necessary and all are welcome. Reserve by 9 pm May 11, with Joyce Driben 412-521-4385.

Sunday, May 22, from 9:30 until 2:00 tandem biking and lunch

starting the ride at the West Newton Bicycle Shop 106 West Main St., West Newton, PA 15089. The part of the trail we will be riding is very level and goes along the scenic Youghiogheny River. We will bike for 2 hours allowing enough time to be back to where we started at approximately noon for lunch. Lunch will be at the Trailside Café. Cost for lunch is $5 for BOLD members and guides/captains. Reserve by 9 pm Thursday May 12, with Maggi at 412-613-8592 or mio528@comcast.net
We need some sighted folks to captain the tandem bikes, and provide rides to and from the trailhead. Scotto will be there early to give some tips and instructions of being a tandem captain and pair up captains and stokers. We will provide several tandems, so don't think that you need to provide one. However, if you know of one, we can use please let us know about that also.
If you are a willing captain with questions, contact Scotto at, scottog@yahoo.com


LOOKING AHEAD

PICNIC: Looking forward to a picnic again on June 11 in Highland Park, Lake Point Grove

with Ray Jablonowski! Details in the next newsletter. 

CULTURAL activities:

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 Accessible Media, on zoom or phone. Reserve by calling 800-242-0586 or email them at: LAMP@carnegielibrary.org. Upcoming books are:

Thursday May 19, 1 – 2 pm: Falling DB104510

 

BOLD BITS

Tranquil thoughts and warm wishes to Peggy Walsh as she continues to deal with a significant

health challenge.

Warm wishes to Kimberly Smythe as she deals with an ongoing health issue, 

and congratulations to her on having obtained an additional job as the Easter bunny for three weeks during the Easter season.

A Big bouquet of get well wishes to Diann Popoleo who is in the hospital

with multiple medical problems. 

Happy May Birthday to Erin Wagoner, Jerry Penfield, Joyce Mulkern, Bruce Leverett and

anyone else with a May birthday. 

 

CELEBRATION OF LIFE: A Personal Perspective by Terri Winaught.

On March 21, 2022, BOLD held a celebration of life for members and volunteers who died during the past year, the individuals whose lives we celebrated being Janet Jain, Pat Rossi, and Brian Lundt. Nine BOLD members and three guests attended, one of those persons being Brian's wife. Janet was acknowledged for the exquisite teas she hosted for BOLD and also for the loving care she gave to Christopher, her son with special needs.

Pat Rossi is who introduced Veronique to BOLD, and Brian was praised for his resilience during adversity and for a training video that will be his legacy for many years. I hope that this moving event will guide people who lost loved ones on the path to healing.


THE END