October 2004 Publication

NCIL to Present Assistive Technology & Resource Fairs

In Jue, 2004 North Country Independent Living was awarded a grant from the Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA) Education and Training Foundation to provide an Assistive Technology Fair in each of the tribal communities of Lac Courte Oreille, St. Croix, Red Cliff and Bad River.

Arrangements have been made to hold the first of four fairs at LCO on Thursday, November 4 from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the LCO Casino and Conference Center in Hayward. The event is free to all who attend.

During these fairs, people with disabilities, friends, and family members will be introduced to the assistive technology that is available through local vendors such as assistive listening devices, amplified phones, lifts for vehicles and computers with modifications. You will also have the opportunity to learn about the NCIL loan closet and programs specific to veterans, along with educational presentations made throughout the day.

A $20 stipend will be offered to people with disabilities who register and complete a pre and post assessment regarding their knowledge of and access to assistive technology during the A.T. Fair.

We encourage you to visit our website (www.northcountryil.com/events.htm) for more information on these fairs.

Registration will also be completed at the door. If you would like more information on the event, would like to receive a registration form, or are a vendor or service provider who would like to display a booth, please contact Jeri at 715-392-9118 ext. 11, v/tty or 1-800-924-1220 v/tty.

Technology Initiative Will Help Consumers Find and Keep Employment

North Country and the other seven Independent Living Centers in Wisconsin are participating in a program to get assistive technology into the hands of consumers and employers. The Technology for Employment Initiative will be providing information, resources, and assessments to people with disabilities. The goal of this effort is to use technology to overcome barriers that prevent a consumer from getting and keeping a job. Employers and businesses who are interested in hiring people with disabilities would also receive information and resources. A loan closet of assistive technology will be provided where consumers and employers can try out devices. The goal of this program will be to provide the technology that consumers need so they have the best chance of finding and keeping a job.

The Technology for Employment Initiative will be providing services to all ages, cultures and disabilities. The majority of members on the governing board will be people with disabilities.

WisLoan Helps Consumer Purchase Scooter

Jackie Hansen now has a scooter to help her get around thanks to the WisLoan Program. Jackie describes WisLoan as “a great program.” that made it possible to get the scooter.

Jackie is a person with Fibromyolgia. She has been having more difficulty standing and walking in recent years. “I couldn’t go anywhere I had to walk longer distances such as shopping at the mall,” she says.

WisLoan changed all that for Jackie. With the help from staff at North Country, Jackie completed a loan to purchase a used scooter. She purchased the scooter for about one thousand dollars after waiting “not very long at all” for the loan to be approved.

Jackie has been working as a social worker for Washburn County for about five years. She’s enjoying her life more now thanks to the help from WisLoan.

WisLoan is a statewide, low interest loan program that allows people with disabilities to purchase assistive technology or make accessibility modifications to their homes. Up to $15 million in additional funds is being provided to WisLoan for additional loans. To find out more about WisLoan, call North Country in either Superior or Ashland.

Election Day is Tuesday, November 2.

Your Voting Rights

You can vote in Wisconsin if:

Calendar of Events

Lifespan Respite Open House, Tuesday, October 19, 10-2, New Horizon’s Conference Room, 511 W. Main, Ashland. Advisory and Partner meeting to follow. For more information, call Deanna or Jenny, 715-682-7171.

North Country Independent Living will have a strategic planning day on October 27 at the Days Inn, Superior. Call John Nousaine at 715-392-9118 v/tty or 1-800-924-1220 v/tty for information.

October 29, the last day to request an absentee ballot. Write your city or town clerk. General Election, Tuesday, November 2.

Assistive Technology and Resource Fair, November 4, 10-3:30, LCO Casino & Conference Center, Hayward. A $20 stipend will be offered to consumers who pre-register and complete a pre and post assessment. For more information, call Jeri at 392-9118 ext. 11 or 1-800-924-1220 v/tty.

Parents as Leaders, November 12-13, February 4-5, 2005, March 11-12 & May 6-7, Pilgrim Center, on Green Lake near Ripon. Contact Beth at 1-800-532-3321 for more information. If you need accommodations like special meals, contact Parent Projects at 800-532-3321. These trainings are for parents, foster parents, grandparents or others who care for young children with developmental disabilities. There is still time to register for the November session.

Courage Duluth is hosting a Power Chair Sports Sampler at the UMD Fieldhouse, November 13 from 12-5 p.m. There will be a variety of sports and activities. For more information, call Courage Duluth, 218-726-4762. Registration required by November 10th.

The 2005 North Country wall calendars are now in. Pick yours up at our office in Superior or Ashland.

Support Groups

What Do I Need to Register to Vote?

When you register at your polling place, you need to provide:

• Your full name
• The address where you live (not a box number) and the address where you receive mail, if different. You can show proof of your address by bringing in a utility bill or other mail with your address on it or driver’s license.
• Your date of birth
• Your telephone number
• Your signature
• You can bring in a friend to help you complete this registration form. You will need to provide the name, address, and phone number of the person helping you.

What Kinds of Help Can I get to Vote?

You have the right to have someone go with you into the voting booth to help you vote. This booth is required to have a screen or curtain. If this booth has at least one voting machine, it needs to be 48 inches wide and 48 inches deep so wheelchair users can access the booth. Machine levers should be in easy reach of a wheelchair user. If hand marked ballots are being used, the table should have a height of 34 inches with 29 inches of clear space for knees.
You have the right to take your service animal into the polling place. The polling place should provide a chair for you while voting or to rest if you have difficulty standing. You can also get help voting if you have problems reading or writing, have difficulty with English or have a disability that makes it hard for you to mark the ballot.
You have the right to file a complaint if you feel that your rights have been violated. The Wisconsin Coalition for Advocacy (WCA) will be providing election day support during polling hours on November 2 ( 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.). The number to call if you have problems at your polling place is 1-800-928-8778.
 

North Country Seeking Board Members

North Country Independent Living is seeking to fill vacancies on our Board of Directors. NCIL is a private, non-profit agency serving people with disabilities in Ashland, Bayfield, Douglas, Iron, Price, Sawyer, Washburn and Burnett Counties.

Our mission is to assist consumers to live as independently as their abilities allow.

North Country’s Board provides oversight/management of our many services and provides for meaningful community-based input into the operation of North Country.

For further information, contact NCIL at 1-800-924-1220 v/tty. Those interested should send a letter to:
Mark Novotny, President, NCIL
2231 Catlin Ave.
Superior, WI 54880.

Advocacy Coalition Needs Members

North Country’s Consumer Advocacy Coalition (CAC) is looking for additional members to assist with community advocacy efforts. This coalition consists of people with disabilities who assist North Country in developing its agency advocacy plan each year. A couple of the members were recently in Seattle at the National Governor’s Association meeting urging the governors to advocate congress to restore recent cuts to the Section 8 Housing Voucher program. The CAC is also helping North Country in our Get Out The Vote effort. A DAWN grant is helping to fund some activities of the Consumer Advocacy Coalition.

The CAC would like people with sensory disabilities to consider becoming a member of the coalition. If you would like to be considered, contact John Nousaine at our Superior office.

Rides to the Polls

People With Mental Illness or Who Have a Guardian May Vote

A person who has not had a court decide that they are unable to vote should be allowed to register and vote, regardless of whether anyone thinks this person has a cognitive disability or mental illness. A court must find that a person with mental illness or a cognitive disability cannot understand the election process in order for them to lose their right to vote.

A court should not take away a person’s right to vote unless the person bringing a case can prove with convincing evidence that the person does not understand the purpose of voting in an election.

In deciding these types of cases, it’s likely that a court will require that a person be able to understand things like:

• What a government is and what government officials do.
• How elections affect the choice of government officials.
• What it means to vote.

The right to vote should not be taken away if the person could learn to understand elections through education or experience.
A person under guardianship can ask the court to restore any right, including the right to vote. Consumers who have guardians can find out if they still have the right to vote by contacting their guardian or their county social worker (Wisconsin Coalition for Advocacy & The Guardian, 2004).

Additional Tips About Voting

• First time voters need to register. You can register at the polls on election day. If you are unsure of where you are to vote, call your city or town clerk or ask a neighbor. You can register by mail by asking your city or town clerk for a Voter Registration Form.

• First time voters have the right to a provisional ballot if you don't have a photo I.D. and have not provided identification for voting before.
• If you make a mistake or "spoil" your ballot, you have the right to request a replacement ballot from a poll worker. You may receive up to three replacement ballots.
• If you are homeless and don't have proof of identification, you may bring a witness to the polling place who is a qualified elector in the city or town.
• Persons who are helping people who are homeless learn about voting can complete a form on letterhead to meet voting requirements. This form can be viewed at: http://www.elections.state.
  wi.us/Clerks_Corner/
  homeless%20voters.pdf.
• You have the right to vote if you are a convicted felon and have completed your sentence, including parole. Contact the Department of Corrections.

Technology Corner