Recreation, Hospitality
Convention participants who had not exhausted all of their energy
in meetings, in the exhibit hall, or at the Auxiliary Silent Auction
had, right within the Reno Hilton, an assortment of gaming and
food options at their disposal. Some used the city bus to explore
additional choices in downtown Reno.
Dennis and Marilyn O’Connell of Floral Park, New York, chose
the hospitality of the Tuesday evening President’s Reception
to celebrate their 30th wedding anniversary rather than go out
on their own. Asked Marilyn: "Why go anywhere else when you
have this nice tradition to look forward to every year?"
Lake Tahoe was the destination of six packed buses that left
the hotel at 9 a.m. Thursday morning and did not return until
approximately 4 p.m. A vast majority of the registered attendees
went on the trip, which featured lunch and an early afternoon
cruise on the Tahoe Queen. Because the BVA contingency was sufficiently
large, the cruise was chartered for convention attendees and their
families only. The guided bus trip also provided an opportunity
to learn more about the current issues, history, geography, and
culture of the Reno area.
Friday Forum
Convention attendees were treated Friday morning to a series
of discussions on topics that the Association considers most vital
to blinded veterans in 2004.
General Weeks led off the Forum with a condensed version of his
Regional Group Leadership and Training Seminar. Boise, Idaho,
VIST Coordinator Val Duffy followed with "End of Life Planning
and Veteran Survivor Benefits."
The National Library Service’s James Herndon, head of collections
development, gave a general overview of NLS programs for the blind
and physically handicapped and introduced the draft of the American
Library Association’s new standards. The morning ended with
an update on House Veterans Affairs Committee activities by Len
Sistek, Democratic Staff Director for the Committee’s Oversight
and Investigations. Len emphasized the potential of individual
veterans to influence the actions of Congress, using the recent
passage of House Concurrent Resolution 56 as an example.
Tinsley Captures Carroll Spirit
"Father Carroll’s work and his words are legendary,
and his leadership is felt today and will be felt for generations
to come," said Dr. Tuck Tinsley, President of the American
Printing House for the Blind (APH), as he addressed BVA as the
Father Carroll Luncheon speaker.
Tuck has been a central figure in the founding and development
of a new Hall of Fame for Leaders and Legends of the blindness
field, of which the former BVA national chaplain of 25 years is
a member. The Hall is housed on the fourth floor at APH. Tuck
said that although Father Carroll’s work is most often associated
with blinded veterans and BVA, as it should be, his sphere of
influence did not stop there.
"Father Carroll’s contributions and impact are known
widely throughout the field of blindness, he said. "They
are recognized and respected not only in rehabilitation of the
blind, but also in education of the blind, orientation and mobility,
counseling and personal adjustment, employment programs, and the
training of programs for professionals for service in those areas."
In preparation for his speech, Tuck paid a visit to the Carroll
Center several months in advance to search for Father Carroll’s
archived addresses to BVA. Center Executive Director Rachel Rosenbaum
was later able to locate 19 speeches, dating from 1946 through
1964.
Providing an outline to his remarks, Tuck said that the passion
of Father Carroll’s life journey with blinded veterans, and
his dedication to them, are evident when one examines when Father
Carroll spoke to BVA, what he said to blinded veterans, and where
he eventually took BVA and the entire field of education and rehabilitation
of the blind.
Tuck then took luncheon attendees on a tour of the Father Carroll
years, citing the priest’s most profound quotes and examining
the themes he chose to address with blinded veterans.
"Father Tom was a man of letters and a man of conviction,"
he said. "He was a priest for all faiths, a friend to be
trusted but never to be hushed."
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