BOLD VENTURES October 2025
Western Pennsylvania Blind Outdoor Leisure Development
This BOLD Ventures is sponsored by Delbert Rankin who says, “great job!” Thanks Delbert for your BOLD Support!
Important Note:
BOLD has a new snail mail address. It is PO Box 10307, Pittsburgh, PA 15234.
Important Announcement:
By year’s end, elections will be held for BOLD’s President, First Vice-President, and Corresponding Secretary. To nominate yourself or another BOLD member, contact Nancy, the Chairperson of the Nominating Committee, by 8 pm Sunday, October 5 at 412-561-3972. BOLD runs with the efforts of dedicated folks, and I know there are BOLD ones out there who have the energy and creativity to help keep BOLD going for the next 50 years.
OCTOBER CALENDAR
Every Thursday in October, from noon to 1:30, Ice skating at the Mount Lebanon Ice Center, 900 Cedar Blvd., Pittsburgh, 15228. Cost is $7. 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.
Sunday, October 5, from 1 to 5 pm, picnic at Ray Jablonowski’s home, 4551 Parade St. Pittsburgh, Pa, 15207. Cost is free. Enjoy an afternoon of playing Corn Hole, Bocce Ball, various word games, and other games. There will be pizza and hoagies. Also, sighted volunteers are needed to help out at the event, so if you can help be sure to make a reservation. Everyone should make your reservation by calling Linda at 412-681-9686 by 8 pm Thursday October 2.
Monday, October 6, from 6:30 to 8:30 pm, Board Meeting in-person at Western PA School for Blind Children, 250 N. Bellefield Avenue, Oakland. Note, the meeting time has changed. Any non-board Members who want to attend must call Nancy at 412-561-3972 by Saturday, October 4.
Tuesdays, October 7 and 21, 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. 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/call her at 412-977-2351. So, to sign up for October 7, contact Peggy by 11 am Tuesday, September 30, and for October 21 contact Peggy by 11 am October 14. Be sure to sign up so that if there is any change or cancellation for mall walking, you will get the information.
Wednesday, October 8, Volunteer Fair at Duquesne University Student Union. Terri and Brooke will represent BOLD. The fair will Include a networking Brunch in the Student Union. We are still looking for one or two sighted volunteers to assist at the table. If you can help, please phone Terri at 412-441-0925 no later than 10 pm on Friday, October 3.
Wednesday, October 8, from 1 to 2 pm, BOLD Vision Support Group, on BOLD Conference Line 385-799-9487. Join BOLD member Amelie Colletti—Community Mental Health Professional and Client Intake Specialist at VisAbility Pittsburgh—for a supportive phone-based group for individuals with vision loss. Connect with others who understand your journey, share resources, celebrate successes, and offer mutual encouragement. To RSVP call/text Amelie at 412-266-9960 or email acolletti@visability.org or just call in.
Saturday, October 11, from 9:30 am to 1:30 pm, tandem Biking, Eliza Furnace Trail. Meet at the Eliza Furnace Trailhead in the POGOH Hub parking lot, Swinburne Street, 15207. No charge for the ride and lunch. (Lunch details to be announced.) This ride begins in south Oakland in the city of Pittsburgh, so it will be possible to get to the trailhead by Access. We need some sighted bikers to captain the tandem bikes and provide rides to and from the trailhead. Scotto will be there early to give tips and instructions of being a tandem captain and pair up captains and stokers. We will provide tandem bikes, however, if you know of a tandem we can use, please let us know about it. If you are a willing captain with questions, contact Scotto at scottog@yahoo.com. Everyone should make their reservation by 9 pm Saturday, October 4. Sighted captains contact Scotto at scottog@yahoo.com; visually impaired stokers contact Mike by calling or texting 412-378-5688.
Saturday, October 11 2 to 5 pm, BOLD Tupperware fundraiser, Forward Shady apartments, 5841 Forward Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15217, in the first floor Community room. Refreshments will be provided. Please bring your friends! Everyone is welcome. When making your reservation be sure to report any food allergies or restrictions. The reservation deadline is Wednesday, October 8, by 10 pm. To make a reservation contact Terri by calling 412-441-0925, texting 412-595-6187 or emailing terriwinaught2@gmail.com .
Wednesday, October 15, from 7 to 9 pm, on the BOLD Conference line, 385-799-9487. Maureen Sullivan, an insurance broker for many years, will answer any questions that people have about Medicare, Medicare supplements, and any upcoming changes. No reservations required.
Wednesday, October 15 and 29, 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!
CULTURAL ACTIVITIES
Anyone interested in getting information about the availability of tickets for the Pittsburgh Symphony or chamber music concerts, please call Tony at 412-310-2508 or email: tony.diana.rock@gmail.com .
BOLD BITS
We are sending Bundles of get-well wishes to Maggi Ostrowski who recently broke a bone in her right foot. We hope you will be back to your favorite BOLD activities really soon.
Congratulations to BOLD members Maggi, Nancy, and Tammi who attended the 42nd Bayada Regatta rowing race in New Jersey on Saturday September 13. They rowed as members of the Three Rivers Rowing Association (TRRA) adaptive and para rowing team. The visually impaired rowers demonstrated their rowing skills and won metals with the help of the TRRA rowing coach and dedicated volunteers who brought the boats and equipment and shared their rowing expertise. If you go to BOLD’s face book page there is a link to a TV interview that includes Nancy, and you will see some of the boats in action.
Terri, a BOLD Board member, would like to continue organizing monthly calls on the BOLD conference line featuring subjects that you, the BOLD members, would be interested in hearing about. She would like your ideas on what topics such as agencies, organizations or even individuals you would like to learn about. To give Terri your ideas you can call her at 412-441-0925, text her at 412-595-6187 or email her terriwinaught2@gmail.com.
A BOLD take by Terri Winaught
On Monday, September 15th Bradley Tebbs and I showcased BOLD by appearing at a Volunteer Fair at the University of Pittsburgh Student Union. I couldn’t have had a better and more conscientious helper than Brad who obtained items from Ryan and Chelsea’s house, set the table up, and gave an excellent pitch about who BOLD is and what we do. Because this event was both crowded and noisy, I’m unsure how many people approached our table, but what I can say is that one person who graced our table has a Mom who has lost a great deal of sight and her vision continues to decline. With event organizers who are as helpful as the Pitt staff, I am looking forward to the next Pitt event. This future Pitt activity will be one during which people who showcase their organization are asked to conduct an interactive activity in which students, staff, and anyone else present can participate.
My BOLD Take by Debby Hill:
I am so lucky, I get to write about another BOLD event that occurred on a beautiful weather day. September 13 at the Pittsburgh County Fair was sunny, warm, and perfect. A group of BOLD Ones and I had so much fun visiting the fair exhibits, telling folks about BOLD and of course judging the fair’s Best Tomato in Pittsburgh Contest. At the exhibits, we got to touch various animals including a chicken, a lamb, and a goat; we checked out various plants and have fair food. We had 12 tomatoes to judge in the contest, and we all agreed that the winning tomato was this giant one which tasted sweet and wonderful! Also, BOLD had a winner at the fair. No, it wasn’t a prize tomato, but Ryan Leverett’s wife Chelsea entered an apple pie in the fair’s pie tasting contest and won the third-place prize. It was a great way to spend a September Saturday!
A BOLD Take by Brad Tebbs, BOLD’s First Vice-president:
September 13: Pittsburgh County Fair--BOLD members and I staffed the BOLD tent, visited exhibits. Then at 2, they taste-tested the dozen tomatoes entered in the Best Tomato in Pittsburgh contest, and I enjoyed eating the leftovers.
September 14: Montour Trail Bike Ride--Unfortunately, my ride ended prematurely. I was riding my single bike next to Eugene and his captain when the chain broke on their tandem bike. I stayed with Eugene in the shade while his captain rode my bike to get her truck and rescue us.
September 15: Pitt Volunteer Fair--Terri and I had a table that was quite handy just inside the ballroom. So, it was easy for students to visit us. Hopefully, we will have some follow-up contacts. That is a summary of my very busy BOLD weekend!
POGOH is an organization in Pittsburgh that supplies bikes to be shared at various stations across the city. On September 8, Jen, the coordinator of POGOH’s adaptive bike program came to the BOLD Board meeting. She described the adaptive bikes POGOH has including a side-by-side tandem bike and a tricycle. There is a schedule for when these bikes are available, and it is preferable that you make a reservation to ride. For more information go to http://www.pogoh.com/adaptive-pogoh
Or to make a reservation and get more information call 412-595-9421.
Happy October Birthday to:
Dan Cornell, Norma Caquatto, Cindy Flerman, Mark Grasak, Jim Musto, Kimberly Smythe, and anyone else celebrating an October birthday!
NEWSLETTER RECORDING
Thanks to the decent work of Marty Mathews, anyone can hear a recording of this newsletter by calling 401-252-0029 Access Code: 265365#.
A BOLD Ventures Sponsorship Update:
As you probably know, 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. We now have two levels of sponsorship. For $75 you can have your name, and a short greeting and a color picture of your choice in BOLD Ventures. You can either supply the picture or request a picture. If you donate $50, you can have 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.
Contact Us
WPA BOLD
PO Box 10307
Pittsburgh, PA 15234
Donate: Donate
Email: boldwpa@gmail.com
Website: www.wpabold.blogspot.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/wpabold
Editors: Debby Hill & friends