THE DERBY CITY NSCIA NEWSLETTERNOVEMBER 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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The Derby City Chapter of the National Spinal Cord Injury Association Network- Serving Kentuckiana.
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Message From the President Dear Members & Friends- November 's meeting will be held in the 10th floor dining room at Frazier Institute. Our speaker will be. Pam Person,. Ms. Person will speak about steps in preventing skin ulcers, and the new techniques available for the treatment of skin ulcers that do occur. Refreshments will be provided. We will host our annual Christmas party next month in lieu of December's meeting. See December's newsletter for more details. January's meeting will be held at Frazier Institute, 220 Abraham Flexnor Way, Louisville, in the 10th floor dining room at 6:30 p.m. - David Allgood
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From Kentucky.gov-ed DISABILITY VOTING INFORMATION Some Voting Facts: People with disabilities are the largest minority in America (54 million). There are 35 million Americans with disabilities of voting age, and 25 million are registered to vote. Over the past twenty-four years, 85% of all registered voters turned out for presidential elections. 1984 Voting Accessibility Act: This act says that all polling places are required to be physically accessible. If a polling place is not accessible, then it should be moved to another location, or be made temporarily accessible. It is only when this is not possible that your local election officials can require you to vote by an alternative method, such as curbside voting. The organization, Justice for All, has heard that the Voting Rights Section of the U.S. Department of Justice will begin enforcing the 1984 Voting Accessibility for the Elderly and Handicapped Act, which contains stricter requirements than the ADA. To Be Eligible to Vote in the state of Kentucky you must: Be a U.S. citizen and a Kentucky resident for at least 28 days. Be at least 18 years old by the date of the next general election. If you will be 18 by the November general election, then you can vote in the prior May primary election. Not be a convicted felon or, if you have been convicted of a felony, your civil rights have been restored Not have been judged ìmentally incompetentî by a court of law. (Continued On Page Two)
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THE DERBY CITY NSCIA NEWSLETTER | ||
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Derby City Area Chapter ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION The Derby City Area Chapter of the N.S.C.I.A. is a membership organization for individuals with spinal cord injuries, their families, and health professionals. Founded in 1984 as a Charter Member of the N.S.C.I.A., it was incorporated under IRS Section 501 (c) 3 as a not for profit organization. The Board of Directors consists of the Officers, Past President and the Board Members At Large. *** PRESIDENT VICE PRESIDENT TREASURER LIAISON TO FRAZIER INSTITUTE FUNDRAISING CHAIR CORRESPONDING SECRETARY/WEB MASTER PAST PRESIDENT BOARD MEMBERS AT LARGE- Mike Perry NSCIA Editor- Barbara Davis Visit Our Website at The Derby City Area Chapter newsletter is brought to you through the generous support of Frazier Rehab Institute. |
DISABILITY VOTING, CONT'D Not claim the right to vote anywhere outside Kentucky. In order to be eligible to vote you must first register to vote. In the state of Kentucky you can register to vote at least 28 days prior to the next election through any of the following sources:
Kentucky allows registration for 3 political distinctions:
Kentucky has closed primary elections, which means that you must register as a Democrat or Republican to vote in that party's May primary election. If you register as Other, you cannot vote in the Democrat or Republican party primaries but may vote in judicial, school board and city council primaries. All eligible voters may vote in the November general election. What if I have special needs at the polls? People who require voting assistance due to physical disability and/or blindness may request voting assistance at the polls on election day. Physical disability and blindness are the only two reasons that a voter may apply to a County Board of Elections for permanent voting assistance. A person may receive assistance from someone of their choice or the two precinct judges at the polls. A person may not be assisted by their employer, his or her agent, a union officer, or agent of that voter's union. How do I know where to vote? You will receive a notice in the mail which lists your precinct name and your voting location address. The polls are open from 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM, local time. You can contact your County Clerk's office for any question concerning where to vote. Can I request an absentee ballot? An absentee ballot may be requested at the County Clerk's office if you meet any one of the following qualifications:
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Refrigerator Calendar
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THE DERBY CITY NSCIA NEWSLETTER | ||
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VOTING, CONT'D You are a member of the Armed Forces or the dependent of a member of the Armed Forces. You temporarily reside overseas but are still eligible to vote in Kentucky. You are a student attending school outside the outside the county of your voter registration. You temporarily reside outside the state but are still not able to vote in Kentucky. You are incarcerated in jail and have been charged but not convicted of a crime. You work outside of the county and are unable to either vote early in the county clerk's office or in your polling place on the election day. From GimpontheGo.com -ed AVOIDING HOLIDAY TRAVEL HASSLES Venturing out for the holidays? More power to you; you're going to need it. Going on a trip this time of year can be a huge hassle for the most hearty of travelers, let alone those with disabilities. High gas prices, overcrowded roads and planes, weather delays, striking airline workers and diminishing luggage allowances might make us want to huddle up at home and hibernate. However, if you're like the 5 plus million of us who will be heading elsewhere to celebrate the season, you'll be happy to know there are ways to help ensure the smoothest transit possible. The first trick in minimizing your travel worries is to schedule your trip for the right day. Do not start your journey when everyone does; stretching your vacation by half a day may cost you more time in the end. Rather than traveling the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and returning that Sunday, two of the busiest travel days all year, try going early Thursday morning and returning home Saturday night. You may lose a few hours visiting with your family, but you'll save yourself many hours of aggravation in traffic or delayed flights. The same is true of Christmas; slide your holiday plans forward or back a day to avoid a travel crunch. If you plan on flying, there are a few tricks to guard against the chances that your flight will get delayed or canceled. In general, nonstop flights cause the least problems. Connections, or even just layovers at an airport, can result in missed flights or your plane's getting caught up in a morass of backed up flights. If you must take a flight that stops en route, try to find one that goes to the least |
trafficked airport with the most temperate weather. Another tip is to get an early flight; the later in the day, the more chance that previous delays will impact the departure of your plane. On the days you do travel, call the airline to check your flight's status, and make sure you arrive at the airport extra early. Flights are regularly overbooked during the holidays and showing up early is your best defense against being bumped. Try checking your luggage curbside. Besides being quicker, the skycaps don't work directly for the airlines and, with a nice tip, are often more willing to overlook bags which exceed the weight limit. While making your reservation you should have alerted the airline to the nature of your disability and any assistance you'll require. Reconfirm this upon check-in, along with a review of the equipment you use (wheelchair batteries which comply with flight regulations, service animals, oxygen, etc.) so that everyone is clear about the procedures well before boarding. Airlines often cut carry-on limits to a single bag during the heavy holiday season. Equipment necessary for a disabled traveler does not count against this limit, nor the two checked bag limit. So, if you carry-on a bag of fragile components detached from your wheelchair, you are still entitled to another carry-on, despite the one bag rule. If your flight is delayed, try to find out how long the delay will be so that you can make other arrangements if necessary. If worst comes to worst and your flight is canceled, or you miss your connection, airlines will rebook you on the next flight if space is available, or will refund your ticket. An option you can request, however, is for the airline to see if there is space on another airline's flight. If there is, you may then endorse your (non-electronic) ticket to be used on the other airline at no additional cost to you. After reading all of this, you may decide that flying during the holidays isn't for you. Depending on the length of your trip, you might want to look into traveling by train. Amtrak has made a concerted effort to accommodate disabled passengers, going so far as to offer a 15% discount to them and an accompanying passenger. With regard to early arrival, off peak travel days, and prior notification of disability, the same rules apply to both air and rail travel during the holidays. Although less popular than catching a plane, trains do fill up and delays aren't uncommon. However, the trade-off for the slower speed of travel is often a more comfortable trip. Wheelchair users are able to remain in their chairs with ample seating spaces in coach and accessible overnight compartments. Unlike most planes, the bathrooms in Amtrak trains are accessible with grab bars and extra space. (Continued On Page Five) | |
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HOLIDAY TRAVEL, CONT'D
For those with non-mobility impairments, Amtrak also provides TTY service, space for service animals, allowances for special dietary requirements, and allows users of oxygen to bring their own equipment-a far cry from airline policy. Many Americans will choose to hit the pavement and drive to their holiday destination. Traffic this holiday season is expected to be at an all-time high, or low depending on your perspective. For those planning on braving the freeways, try to leave either very early or very late so as to avoid as much traffic as possible. Don't over pack your vehicle. The last thing you need on a long drive is an obscured view or cramped vehicle. Be sure to get plenty of sleep before you set out, map your route accurately, and set specific times or locations to stop and refresh yourself. You may also want to map some alternate routes in case you run into unexpected traffic or road closures. Additionally, it is a good idea to carry a cell phone in case of emergencies. No matter what, if you're traveling for the holidays you are going to experience crowds and delays, but knowing what to expect and taking steps to insulate yourself from unnecessary problems can make all the difference between feasting on turkey and feeling like one.
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FOR SALE!!!!***
Adult Protective Underwear; Lg. Size 45î-58î; 114c-147c; 54 per case; $25 case; Liz Amaker; 502-387-5185. 2 Electric Hospital Beds; Good Shape; $500 Each; Call Kenny Flood @ (502) 648-7335. 97 Mercury Sable LS; station wagon. Leather interior; 6-cylinder; 6-passenger seating; rear-facing third seat; Braun wc topper; Monarch hand controls. 93,000 miles. Price negotiable. Call Ruth @ 239-9754 after 5 p.m. 2001 Dodge Intrepid. 30,000 mi; leather interior; automatic transmission; Braun overhead wheelchair carrier & hand controls. Call Ruth at 239-9754 after 5 p.m. *Shower Chair; 2 yrs old, negotiable; Invacare 900 Action Power Chair; 4 yrs. Old; $600. Call 448-5296. *Cookbooks for Sale: Recipes compiled by Chapter members; $10:00. Call David @ 589-6620. *Video tapes for sale. Various topics related to spinal cord injuries. Call David Allgood or Buddy Lawson. ***If assistance is needed to pay for any of the above items, contact Kentucky Assistive Technology Loan Corporation at for information on loans at 5% interest to qualified candidates.
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You are cordially invited to join us! The Derby City Chapter of the National Spinal Cord Injury Association We meet: WHEN- Third Monday of every month from 6:30 to 9:00 PM If you wish to be a member, donor, and/or be on the mailing list of the Derby City Chapter of the National Spinal Cord Injury Association please complete and mail the following form to the address below
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