May 2025 newsletter

BOLD VENTURES May 2025
Western Pennsylvania Blind Outdoor Leisure Development

Sponsorship of the May BOLD Ventures is by Mark Grasak.

Thanks for your eager willingness to sponsor May’s BOLD Ventures!

 

We Made it, We Did It, and It Was Good!

Yes, I am talking about the BOLD 50th Anniversary Party. I think we can all be proud that BOLD has continued to perk along for 50 years. So, of course, we deserved to celebrate. Thanks to everyone who put the celebration together including Nancy Leverett, our hardworking president; Brad Tebbs our first vice-president who worked with the caterer, oversaw the production of the t-shirts and more; Weston Tebbs, Brad’s son, who created the t-shirt design and the 50th anniversary banner; and Jeff Mulkern who kept track and of attendees with a well-organized Excel spreadsheet. Also, a big thanks to all of the volunteers who helped out at the party. You made everyone feel comfortable. And thanks to the party sponsors for chipping in some extra funds including two anonymous BOLD members who paid for the party food and bar. We did not get great weather for the event—chilly, windy, muddy—but inside the Boyce Park Activity Center it was warm, the food was good, the company fun, and the speeches short and sweet. And it was very good to hear from Joyce Driben who played an especially key role in getting WPA BOLD off the ground. Thanks to everyone for coming and joining in celebrating a milestone for a great organization!

The Unveiling of a New BOLD T-Shirt

For some time, the BOLD Board has been diligently working to make available a BOLD t-shirt. And thanks to the creative efforts of Weston Tebbs and Commonwealth Printing’s willingness to rush our order, the new BOLD t-shirt was ready to be unveiled at our 50th anniversary party. Anyone who wanted a BOLD t-shirt got one at the party. If you were not able to be at the party and would like a t-shirt, be sure to tell the reservationist for the next event that you sign up for that you would like to get a t-shirt. We will need your size, and we will see if we can get a t-shirt for you to pick up at that event. Here is a description of the t-shirt: 

The t-shirt is red. On the front there is a colorful design featuring various activities. At the top, two people are riding a tandem bicycle. Below them, a person is skiing. The word "BOLD" is prominently displayed in large, bold letters. Below the text, two people are kayaking, and to the left, a person is rock climbing. (Description provided by Be My AI.) 

On the back of the t-shirt, it reads: “50 Years of Being BOLD Together! Est. 1975.”

 

Important Transportation News for BOLD members who use Access and/or public transportation to travel in Allegheny County.

Pittsburgh Regional Transit (PRT) which provides public transportation including paratransit to Allegheny County, desperately needs approximately $117 million dollars of increased funding from the Pennsylvania state legislature in the 2025-26 state budget to continue service at the current level. If there is no additional money in next year’s budget or only a portion of the needed amount is provided, then in February 2026 PRT will have to raise fares by up to 9%, cut bus and rail service including elimination of some routes by up to 35% and cut ADA and over 65 Access service by up to 62%. The cuts in the availability of Access to areas in the county is directly dependent on what bus routes are eliminated. For the general public if cuts to PRT do occur, it will be a blow to the Pittsburgh economy and will make traffic and parking issues worse. For us in the blind and low-vision community, it will definitely make getting places a much more challenging than it is now. But you can do something to hopefully keep the transportation crisis from occurring! First, go to PRT’s Funding Crisis website, which has all of the information about the funding issues and describes ways that you can get your voice heard at PRT. Secondly, you can contact your state representative and senator and let them know what a lack of an increase in funding for PRT would mean for you. If you don’t know the name of your state representative or senator, contact your local library or call LAMP at 412-687-2440 or toll-free 800-242-0586 and ask someone to find the information for you. Please do what you can, we want you to continue to be able to get to BOLD events.
 

BOLD Pictures: Our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/wpabold includes pictures of BOLD events.

 

MAY CALENDAR

Every Thursday in May, from noon to 1:30, Ice skating at the Mount Lebanon Ice Center, 900 Cedar Blvd., Pittsburgh, 15228. Cost is $6. If you’re looking for some exercise, consider Thursday ice skating. The ice is great, and accommodations can be made for all experience levels. If you’ve been thinking of trying skating, but you are worried about getting a ride, go ahead and sign up, and we may be able to find you transportation. 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.
 
Saturdays, May 3 through July 19, from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm, Spring/Summer Blind and Visually Impaired Tennis Clinics, Highland Park tennis courts 6344-6348 Stanton Avenue 15206. No charge. The address to use for Access is 6701 Stanton Avenue, Pittsburgh, 15206. Note that this is the address of a house across the street from the tennis Courts. To sign up or ask any questions contact Lori, VP, Highland Park Tennis Club, 412-951-8223.
 
Monday, May 5, 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 Saturday, May 3.
 
Saturday, May 10, from 10 to 11:30, World Migratory Bird Day at Frick Park, Frick Environmental Center, 2005 Beechwood Blvd, Pittsburgh 15217.
 
Tuesdays, May 13 and 27, from 10 am to 1:30 pm, Mall Walking at the Monroeville Mall. Cost is free. Lunch is on your own at the food court. (Note: this is a time change for these events.) Sighted guides and visually impaired walkers sign up by 11 am the Tuesday prior to the walk by calling Peggy at 412-683-6070 or text her at 412-977-2351. So, to sign up for May 13, contact Peggy by 11 am Tuesday, May 6, and for May 27 contact Peggy by 11 am May 20.

 
Wednesdays, May 14 and 28, 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. Good luck and Have fun!

 

UPCOMING EVENTS

Sunday, June 1, 9:30 am to approx. 1:30 pm, Verona ADA Kayak Launch Event, 101 Arch Street, Verona, 15147, next to the Steel River Rowing Club. No cost. This is an inaugural event for a kayak/canoe launch site on the Allegheny River which is being set up for people with disabilities who benefit from the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The event will start at 9:30 am with a ribbon cutting ceremony. At 10:30 kayaks/canoes will be launched. Also, at 10:30 there will be fishing instruction on the dock. Starting around 12:30 BOLD kayakers can get together and walk to either have lunch at the Freedom Square Diner or have Pizza at the Acclaim Brewing Co. Lunch is on your own. Sign up with Brad by 8 pm on Sunday, May 25. Let him know if you will need a tandem kayak. You can contact Brad by email at bradleetebbs@gmail.com or by calling or texting him at 412-600-9661.
 
Saturday, June 21, noon to 5 pm, Highland Park, Lake Point Shelter, Ray will be hosting one of his famous picnics. no cost. There will be games, hiking, food, and lots of fun. Be sure to sign up by 8 pm on Tuesday, June 17 with Linda at 412-681-9686.

 

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

BOLD Outreach News: Recently Terri Winaught, BOLD’s outreach coordinator, arranged for BOLD to participate in two outreach events. On March 26 from 1 to 4 pm Terri along with Nancy Leverett and Ryan Leverett-Ptak exhibited at Pitt’s Summer Job, Intern and Volunteer Fair. Also, with the help of Pitt’s staff, information about BOLD will be on Pitt’s volunteer portal. Then on Thursday, April 24th, Terri along with Brad Tebbs and Nancy and Bruce Leverett had a BOLD Exhibit at Mount Lebanon Representative Dan Miller’s annual Disabilities Fair at the Castle Shannon Fire Hall. Our BOLD members got to spread the word about BOLD and network with many individuals and groups.

 

Happy May Birthday to:

Bruce Leverett, Joyce Mulkern, Erin Wagoner, and anyone else celebrating a May birthday!

 

Be a BOLD Ventures Sponsor

BOLD prides itself on the fact that our monthly newsletter, BOLD Ventures, is made available to our members in the format of their choice—email, braille, print and large print. But doing this involves various costs. You could help defray some of the cost by being a BOLD Ventures sponsor for a month. Your willingness to help is much appreciated. If you would like to sponsor one of the upcoming BOLD Ventures, just make a $50 donation to BOLD. If you wish for your donation, you will get your name and a short greeting of your choice in BOLD Ventures. For more information and to set up your sponsorship, contact Debby at 412-742-4288 or dm-hill@comcast.net.

 

NEWSLETTER RECORDING: 

Thanks to the fine work of Marty Mathews, anyone can hear a recording of this newsletter by calling 401-252-0029 Access Code: 265365#. 

Contact Us

WPA BOLD
PO Box 9101
Pittsburgh, PA 15224
Donate: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=259R2M58LGYFL

Email: boldwpa@gmail.com
Website: www.wpabold.blogspot.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/wpabold
Editors: Debby Hill & friends