March 2026

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Table of Contents

Presidential Ponderings: Together, Let’s Grow ACBO

By Carrie Muth

As your president, I have pondered a great deal about where ACBO has been & where we are going. A few months into my first term (2020-2021), Covid changed

all our lives. ACB started community calls over Zoom, and, ACB of Oregon stepped up with weekly chat calls that still run every Tuesday evening at7pm co-sponsored

by ACBO & Coaching in the Dark. Many of our members continue participating in calls, facilitating some, & hosting. It has been an amazing adventure for

the blind community.

I began my 2nd term  (2022-2023) excited to move back to in-person events & grow as an affiliate. That July/August, I was diagnosed with stage IV colorectal

cancer. I am grateful for the amazing support from my ACBO family during all of the treatments & surgery. I am especially appreciative of the amazing ACBO

Board that stood behind me and stepped up to see that ACBO continued. I realized how dedicated we are all to ACB of Oregon.

ACBO saw growth in 2024-2025. Blindskills & Southern Willamette chapters joined ACBO thanks to the hard work of Leonard Kokel & his dedication to chapter

development. We had some great skill building Leadership events led by Peter Altschul. And, the Fun Squad put on some great conventions.

Over the past 6 years, participation has also changed. Our meetings and conventions went from in-person, to virtual, to hybrid. Despite the devastation

of Covid, it has brought a wonderful sense of community to us and advanced how all of our members can participate.

Looking ahead in 2026-2027, I ponder what legacy to leave when I am o longer your President. What can we do to develop leaders? What can we do to help

ACBO grow? How do we work together to “Make change VISIBLE (Valuing Independence, Supporting Inclusivity, and Bettering Lives for Everyone)? 

During our April Leadership event, we will ponder those questions to come up with some goals & plans to work on over the next 2 years. I will be holding

a couple of Zoom meetings prior to then to get feedback from all of you (watch your emails to find out dates & Zoom info). I really hope we can set some

goals & work together to move forward.

Let’s get excited & move ACBO forward!

Carrie Muth

Carrie.muth@acboforegon.org

541-269-1993

Stylus Memories – Joke of the Quarter

By Summer, 2001

Returning home from work, a blond was shocked to find her house ransacked and burglarized. She telephoned the police at once and reported the crime. The

police dispatcher broadcasted the call on the channels, and a K-9 patrolling nearby was the first to respond. As the K-9 officer approached the house with

his dog on a leash, the blond ran out on the porch, shuddered at the sight of the cop and dog, and then sat down on the steps. Putting her face in her

hands, she moaned, “I come home to find all my possessions stolen. I call the police for help, and what do they do? They send me a BLIND Police officer!”

Legislative Report

By James Edwards, legislative committee.

The Oregon Legislature is currently in a short session. It started on February 3 and runs for thirty-five days. The session is packed with bills submitted by many people, though most have little chance of being heard. Even those that do get a hearing often do not receive enough votes to move forward.

There were just over two hundred bills introduced this session. The main focus areas are the state budget, a transportation bill, and the cost of living.

To browse all the bills submitted this year, visit the Oregon Legislature website. For a more detailed look at what is happening in Salem, consider subscribing to the Oregon Capitol Chronicle newsletter. You can choose to receive daily or weekly updates by email.

On another note, former ACBO member Art Stevenson is running for a House of Representatives seat in his district. His campaign slogan is “Be smart, vote for Art.” If you would like to get in touch with him, reach out to us and we will pass along his contact information. Good luck, Art!

A 2026 Leadership Opportunity

By the Durward K. McDaniel Fund Committee

Originally Published in the February Braille Forum

from the Durward K. McDaniel Fund Committee

Are you hoping to build your leadership skills or get more involved in ACB? Maybe you’re already taking on leadership roles and want to connect with others who share your passion. If any of that sounds like you, we’ve got a great opportunity you won’t want to miss.

This year, the Durward K. McDaniel (DKM) Fund Committee is proud to reach two major milestones of helping drive leadership in ACB! Thirty years ago, the DKM Committee launched the First-Timer program. Meanwhile, this year marks 10 years since we celebrated the inaugural class of ACB/JPMorgan Chase Leadership Fellows. 

As tradition holds, the DKM Fund Committee will select two ACB members — one on each side of the Mississippi River — to be our DKM First-Timers this year. Five members will also be chosen to take part in the ACB/JPMorgan Chase Leadership Fellows program. Both programs are designed to help you grow, learn, and experience ACB in a deeper way.

If you’re chosen, you’ll get to attend the 65th annual ACB Conference and Convention from July 24–31, 2026, in St. Louis, Mo. You’ll meet other leaders, spend time with past recipients, and take part in a wide range of convention activities that can help you build confidence, skills, and lasting connections.

Who Can Apply?

You must be blind or visually impaired, at least 18 years old, and a current ACB member.

DKM First-Timer Award:

  • You must have never attended an in-person ACB Conference and Convention.
  • You need at least two years of continuous membership in an ACB state or special-interest affiliate, or you must be a member-at-large serving on an ACB committee.

ACB/JPMorgan Chase Leadership Fellows Award:

You need at least three years of continuous membership in an ACB state or special-interest affiliate, or you must be a member-at-large serving on an ACB committee.

If you qualify, you’ll just need to fill out the online application and ask the president of your affiliate — or your committee chair if you’re a member-at-large — to submit the recommendation form.

Important Dates

Applications open January 1, 2026.

2026 DKM/Chase Award Application: https://forms.gle/U64TKDkxSiRbmwYs8

2026 DKM / Chase Recommendation Form: https://forms.gle/EqfMsJMuQncdj6mm8

Everything is due by April 1, 2026.

After applications close, the DKM Committee will schedule a 30-minute interview with each applicant in mid-April. Once interviews and reviews are complete, we’ll make our selections in late April. Two First-Timers and five Leadership Fellows will be chosen. If there aren’t eligible applicants on one side of the Mississippi, both First-Timers may be selected from the same region.

Everyone will be notified soon after decisions are made.

What’s Covered?

If you’re selected, ACB will cover round-trip airfare, transportation to and from the convention, double-occupancy hotel room, per diem for meals, registration, and tickets for certain events like the reception and banquet. Optional tours and activities aren’t included. You’ll be responsible for arranging any personal accommodations you need so you can fully participate throughout the week — including attending all general sessions and required events.

If you have any questions, reach out to Zelda Gebhard, DKM Committee Chair, at zgeb@drtel.net or (701) 709-0262.

Cookies Anyone?

By Carrie Muth

My sister has been raising money for a missions trip to Scotland through her church. It will be her first missions trip and her first time traveling to another country. One of her fundraising ideas has been selling cookie kits — homemade sugar cookies paired with homemade buttercream frosting and sprinkles.

For Valentine’s Day, she sold 22 kits and gave away 4 more. She also sold them at Christmas and plans to offer Easter-themed kits as well. My grandkids were lucky enough to receive some, and this grandma had a wonderful time joining in on the fun.

These are the recipes our family has used for years. The buttercream frosting recipe is believed to have come from the back of a powdered sugar box.

Sugar Cookies

This was my Mom’s recipe.

Cream together:

  • 1/2 cup shortening
  • 1 cup sugar

Add and mix into creamed mixture:

  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/4 cup milk

Add and combine:

  • 3 1/2 cups flour
  • 3 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Roll out the dough and cut into shapes. Bake at 350°F for 8 to 10 minutes.

Tip: If you are not planning to frost the cookies, try sprinkling colored sprinkles over the rolled dough before cutting into shapes. Red or green sprinkles work great at Christmas.

Buttercream Frosting

This frosting is white by default. You can easily change the color by adding food coloring. My sister divides it into smaller bowls and colors each one to match the season — red and green for Christmas, pink and purple for Valentine’s Day, and so on.

  • 1 pound (about 3 3/4 cups) powdered sugar
  • 2/3 cup butter or margarine, at room temperature (butter gives the best flavor, but margarine works well too)
  • 1/4 cup milk, added gradually
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cream all ingredients together. Add the milk a little at a time until you reach your desired consistency. If the frosting gets too runny, mix in a bit more powdered sugar to thicken it back up.

Variations

  • Peanut butter frosting: Add 2 to 3 heaping tablespoons of peanut butter. My sister uses this method, and it makes a wonderfully creamy frosting. Our Mom used to substitute peanut butter for the butter entirely, but adding it in produces a creamier result.
  • Chocolate frosting: Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of baking cocoa to the base recipe.

Chapter Update: Southwestern

By James Edwards

Hello from the Southwestern Chapter of ACBO. We are located in Coos Bay, just a short distance from the ocean beaches. If you enjoy winter storms, the sound of huge waves crashing on the rocks, strong winds blowing rain in your face, or sea lions barking from the shoreline, this is the place to be.

As a chapter, we meet on the second Saturday of each month for our business meeting and lunch at a nice restaurant on the grounds of a local retirement home. We currently have twenty-three members. Fifteen were present at our February meeting, along with one guest who found us through an ad we placed in a local paper seeking volunteer drivers for our group.

We are fortunate to have several well-known ACB members in our chapter. Michael Babcock serves as president, Leonard Kokel as treasurer, Mallory Babcock as secretary, and James Edwards as vice president. We are also proud to have our state president, Carrie Muth, and her husband Peter Altschul as members.

Our newest members, Jim and Judy Houston, joined last year after seeing an ad placed by Diane Beggs, our public relations person. Diane also serves as our event coordinator and started a monthly bowling league that is well attended, with lunch afterward at the bowling alley café.

Like all chapters, fundraising is always something we work on. We participate in the Bottle Drop recycling program, Leonard and Tony Clausen manage a donation box setup, and Tony collects money for the 50/50 drawing each month.

To keep our meetings interesting and informative, we bring in special speakers and programs throughout the year. Peter occasionally invites us to concerts where he is performing. We discuss issues affecting the blind community, share information about assistive technology, and stay connected as a group. That personal engagement within our membership is what keeps our chapter strong, and it is something we would encourage for any chapter.

Chapter Update: Willamette

By Christie Joachim

The Willamette Chapter met in January with its new officers. We had many discussions about our vision for the coming year. The membership decided to focus on local government, and some members will be attending city council meetings to learn what is being done about pedestrian safety on sidewalks and other related issues.

We have also been discussing fundraising and plan to host a Blind Bingo event in March. We are hopeful that we can partner with the senior center for future events and get more people involved.

The AVI Board, which handles and distributes funds from the sale of the School for the Blind, made a decision to donate the entire fund to two organizations. The money was split evenly, with half going to the Talking Book Summer Reading Program for youth and the other half going to the summer program for youth through the Northwest Association of Blind Athletes. Each organization should receive approximately $4,500. We felt this was a very good use of the funds and a meaningful enough amount for each group to make a real difference.