Heading to India June 30th, thanks to you!

Well, our goal has been reached, $6,000 is in the bank, or was until I spent nearly $2,000 on a plane ticket to India. I'm patiently awaiting the visa to come in, and off we go June 30th, returning August 2nd. Coming with me are Lauren Barr and Susan Yarbrough two FSU orientation and mobility students. They are going to assist with teaching as well as helping to coordinate in-services that we are organizing while in Bangalore for both the parents and the local staff working with people with visual impairments in India. What's also great is that I met someone at a conference that is from Hyderabad, India and he is flying me to his community while I'm in Bangalore to begin setting up operations for next summer, so 2012 is planned already. We'll be looking for two other locations as well, so if you have ideas, please let me know.

While in India I'll be updating much more frequently, with pictures and experiences that I've had. I want you all to know how much impact your support is having. Thank you so much for your support, I can't wait to put it into great use in just a few short weeks. Now I have to get all this stuff wrapped up at FSU before I can go! Please email me or comment here if you like, mickey@abilitybeyondthehorizon.org or find us on Facebook at Ability Beyond the Horizon. See you in India!!

~Mickey

Presenting at a Leadership Conference for Visual Impairments about our Efforts

I don't have a ton of time as I'm prepping for a week long trip to two different conferences, the big one for ABH is in Seattle to present at the Josephine L. Taylor Leadership Institute. Its a big leadership conference for the field of visual disabilities. So please forgive me if this post seems all over the map. I'm a little nervous as this is the first real public unveiling of our efforts to people in my field. I'm looking forward to some great questions and discussion which can only make what we're doing that much better.

We're doing a major fundraising push at the moment to gather funds for the trip to India this July. We've split the obligation amongst the "we". That's everyone that is responsible for making this ship float and sail. We've recently added our EIN number to the donation page for easier tax purposes. We're also crafting a letter for donors for their records. You may not know, but there is required language from the IRS in these letters if the donation is larger than $250. All these things I'm having to learn just to help people. Yikes. It'll be worth it though!

Also, a major shout out to Joe Strechay Vice President of Ability Beyond the Horizon. He has taken this fundraising thing very seriously and has raised nearly $1,000 in the last couple of weeks. Our goal is $6,000 to make the trip a reality fully supported by ABH, and not just my own pocket. The trip is a reality regardless, we have 5 people in India that are ready to go. Thanks Joe, you are incredible.

I was talking with a new friend the other day, Maria Morais, who is a pretty active member of the National Federation of the Blind. Their site has this great quote:

"The real problem of blindness is not
the loss of eyesight. The real problem
is the misunderstanding and lack of
information that exist. If a blind person
has proper training and opportunity,
blindness can be reduced to a physical
nuisance."

The conversation made me better sharpen my awareness that we're not just planning to teach new orientation and mobility instructors, what we're really doing is facilitating greater independence for people with visual impairments in developing nations. Being able to travel independently is a beginning step, but even before that is the belief that someone who cannot see still has the same right and ABILITY to be independent as anyone else. We've got at least 5 people in India, and I know many others at their respective organizations that also believe this. They just want to know how. Thank you for your support, it truly means the world to me and others you'll never meet, but they'll know about you. I thank you for being part of the "We".

~Mickey

So much happening!

We are amping up for India! Some great new developments of late. I've started some major talks with the Rotary in Tallahassee. They have said they will support our project, though it is still unclear as to in what capacity this will be. Financially in some form I'm certain, and we're also looking to work with the international Rotary network to help us with logistics on the ground wherever we end up working.

Rotary International is in nearly every nation of the world. What that means to us is that we have an already established network of people in whatever community we're going to that is dedicated to community building and good works. That kind of "staff" would be near impossible to hire. I'm really excited about the possibilities this offers.

We're also having a retreat this evening that I'm very stoked about. Ken Armstrong of The United Way of the Big Bend is facilitating it for us. The goal is to get the board all organized and on the same page. What's awesome about this is that I'm just a teacher with an idea, and Mr. Armstrong manages a multi-million dollar non profit. One, if he thinks its worth his time to give this retreat, that means to me that we're really doing something worthy. Just the idea that he's will to invest in us with his time and knowledge is invaluable. Two, he REALLY knows his stuff, and having someone like him to talk with and bounce ideas off of is just amazing. He's already been tremendously helpful.

I've also come up with what I think will be a great fundraiser for us. A 5k race, but the catch is, its a partner race, and one of the team members must be blindfolded. We'll teach everyone human guide, the specific method used when a person guides another person around, which will be a benefit to our local community. Then we'll have a blast as people "race" through a 5k course, complete with obstacles. The people I've mentioned this to already are super excited. Now I need to figure out the logistics of making this all happen. If anyone knows anything about this kind of event planning, please write me. I tell you, this project is really causing me to diversify my list of abilities!

So next steps: Formalize a relationship with Rotary in Bangalore. Finalize paperwork between us and the folks in India. Plan the fundraiser. Raise 6 thousand dollars to make the trip a reality. Change the world. *or a small piece of it in India, but to those kids and adults with visual impairment, it will mean the world. This I promise you.*

Thanks for continuing to support us, I love getting your feedback, don't ever hesitate to email if the mood strikes you. Money gets us around the world, your friendly support keeps me amped and keeps the wheels turning, I can't do this without either. Thank you for providing both.

~Mickey

Going to India! A call to Action!

Wow, so much happens, and then the next thing I know its been almost 6 months since I last posted. As most of you know, we have a little Quin crawling around the house, he's 11 months old just a few days ago. Unbelievable! Contact me for adorable baby pictures.

A lot has also been going on with Ability Beyond the Horizon. Since our change in a new direction, everything has felt better. I'm going to put together an outline to follow later in another blog, but a rough sketch is this:

We go to a location in a developing country, next summer it will be Bangalore, India. Two orientation and mobility instructors land in the country after I set up relationships from here in the states. These relationships are understandings that the organizations we work with in the host country agree to provide orientation and mobility (O&M) services for a period of 3 years. That means these people I'm training will for at least some portion of their time at the school be expected to teach O&M to the students/clients for 3 years. My hope is that in 3 years they'll be sold on the benefits of O&M when they see how much more independent their clients are.

So, agreements are struck, we land. One of our team will be responsible for the training of the new O&M instructors. They will spend a month together working on all the ins and outs of our job, essentially doing what I do here in the states with college students. This will be a month long intensive though.

The other team member will work with the agencies and schools that the people we're training are coming from. That team member will be working on caseload management, showing the schools what an O&M program looks like, and how its implemented. The big thing is that this person will need to work with the school to develop their own program. We aren't installing our own ideas there, we are guiding them in creating a sustainable program that works for them. This person would also be teaching clients the basics of O&M, getting the programs off the ground for these different schools.

By the end of the month, the two people from our organization will come together with new O&M instructors, and a shiny new O&M program in place for those instructors to work in.

Now for the other really neat parts. We've been working together here in Tallahassee with the local Rotary Club, Sunset Rotary. Its all in the beginning stages, but Ability Beyond the Horizon may begin working closely with Rotary international. You may or may not know, but there are Rotarians everywhere. There are like 22 clubs just in Bangalore alone. Through Sunset Rotary in Tallahassee we will create relationships with these clubs in the areas that we plan to work. The rotary club in Bangalore will do a lot of the ground work for Ability Beyond the Horizon before we ever arrive. They can assist with getting us lodging and incidentals set up so that when we arrive we just focus on work. Then after we go, the Rotary club in that area will hopefully have developed a positive relationship with a great agency/school in their area and continue to lend a hand in their own community, also helping Ability Beyond the Horizon maintain relations with the school and helping us monitor the progress of the O&M program in the school.

If we can formalize this relationship with Rotary we will have an amazing, already built infrastructure of wonderful people in their local communities around the world to help us to be successful. Cool huh?

We also officially have our first fundraising chapter in Austin, Texas. This is being spearheaded by Kassy Heil who is an O&M instructor at Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired. I would like to have many of these fundraising chapters where folks can come together and party for a purpose. We're so excited to see the creativity Kassy has put into action.

So the timeline:

In 2011 we'll be in India, in 2012 I want to have 3 teams operating in 3 different locations. Lebanon has already promised 6 people, that's 2 people from every organization for the blind in Lebanon, its a small country. That means after just one month there we will have planted seeds across the country in a new way of thinking, that blind people have the ability to be independent, and not only will the thinking start changing with those 6, but they will also have the tools to make it a reality. In 2012 after we are successful with 3 locations running at the same time, we'll know this bird really flies. Then there's nothing stopping us from really ramping up and applying for major grant money to fund the initiatives. I have a list of volunteer O&M instructors already telling me they are ready to go, just tell them when and where.

So that is where we are now. How can you help?? Since we're still an all volunteer organization, operating costs are very low. We can make this change in India for $6,000. I plan to keep this number for everywhere we go. This will allow us to have a little money in the bank to help with the start up costs in going to a new location. That covers everything for a team of two to go to India, live, eat, and teach for a month. Your donation is completely tax deductible in the United States, we are a 501c3 non profit organization.

You all know me, so its going to someone you trust, and your money will go to providing services, this I promise. With your help, together we'll do great things in the world for people with visual impairment. I've got the energy, expertise, and craziness to make this happen. What I need now is fuel for this mission. If you'd like to do this over the web, we have a way to take credit cards and so forth here that is completely secure.: http://www.abilitybeyondthehorizon.org/involvement.php You can of course also make checks out to Ability Beyond the Horizon and mail them to:

Ability Beyond the Horizon

c/o Mickey Damelio

5789 St. Joe Rd.

Tallahassee, FL 32311

Please lets make this happen together, its such a small amount, even 20 dollars will have a huge impact on our success. We are going to India, even if I have to start kicking up quarters in grocery store parking lots to make it happen. Feel free to call me if you want to chat more, 850-583-1582, email works as well. Thank you all for your continued support, it means the world to me, and will mean independence to people with visual impairments in India and around the world for years to come. Are you as excited as I am?

~Mickey

image courtesy of: mckaysavage

Keeping it real

So, I was thinking the other day while on the plane to Little Rock for the International AER conference, the giant conference for my personal field of visual impairment education. My thinking went toward how things have evolved with the organization lately, and my last blog post, and ones before that. They've been pretty few and far between, and I feel like moving away from the personal, which is what, I think, attracted so many readers to begin with.

So, with the new direction comes a renewed commitment to "keep it real", and to also keep you up to date on my process of development. This serves me in that it allows me to gather my thoughts together, it really helps me think. It's also a really nice thing to go and read my "old me" from two years ago. I want to edit so BAD, but won't in order to preserve the integrity of the blog. I hope it also keeps you more engaged in the strides we are making to change the world for people with disability.

In Little Rock I did my best to meet as many folks as possible, and made some great new friends. I did not advertise Ability Beyond the Horizon (ABH) much at all, but to those I did talk to about it, the interest was genuine. It seems that there has been international efforts for O&M previously, but to date, they've been one offs. Meaning, a group will organize and go somewhere, they'll do some training and intervention, but then they come home, and that's it. This isn't criticism of these people, its just that everyone has "life" happening to them, and things can get hairy.

Look at me! I started this two years ago and still haven't helped the first person! I'm sticking with it though, and I think this investment of time now will pay in spades later (whatever that actually means). I had more than a few people recognize me from the article I posted last time that was in our big report, that was kind of neat :-) Most the people I spoke with were encouraged by my age, they said when they got older they realized they wanted to do something like this. Since I'm young, I've got a lot of time to make a splash. I hope to roll those people into the mission of ABH when I have a place for their talents. Its been a little while since I got so much "young pup" love from people, I felt a bit like an ambitious intern again. They don't know though, since we just met, that my energy level actually stays this way *grin*.

The website received some updated content, thanks to Shawn Laasch and Rachel Nickens. Shawn added a subscription box to the site so that newcomers can receive the blog easier, and we also redesigned a few pages. Rachel is an editing machine, and is helping me not to be so wordy. She's not touched this blog, so that's why you are having to read so much here :-)

I've been meeting with Paul Lewis, Sandy Lewis' husband, Sandy is on our board of directors. He's committed to helping me develop a solid business plan. We've met twice now, and will meet again on Friday, he's done a GREAT job at challenging my thought process and forcing me to put a finer and finer point on what I want to accomplish. He was one of my professors while in school and I've always liked his style of instruction. Now as friends, he's still teaching me a lot. There are conflicting opinions in the business world literature about putting together a business plan, but I've got to say, to someone like me that doesn't typically go in for all this detail, its really challenging me to truly understand what I want. We're essentially laying out the blueprint for the house I want to build, and I'm so excited about the possibilities.

Let me hear from you! Are you still reading?? Is this thing on??

~Mickey

We're headed in a new direction!

Well, I can be excited again when someone asks me, "So, what's happening with Ability Beyond the Horizon?" Because, honestly, for the past year now, I could answer that from a business side, as in, "well we've got our 501c3 status", which don't get me wrong, is great news, and very necessary, but I started this to help people with disabilities in developing nations to find independence, and respect in their communities, as well as lead lives that the community finds valuable. To date, I've helped exactly, none. That is really hard to deal with since we're coming up on our 2 year anniversary this month. Its been 2 years since I hatched this plan in that Vietnamese cafe. I can't believe it.

So the changes:

Dr. Sandy Lewis, our secretary, met with the regional coordinator for Asia/Pacific programs at Perkins International, a group that provides early intervention services, and services for children with multiple disabilities in developing nations around the world. They are endowed by the Hilton folks, as in Hilton hotels, so have a great bit of capital behind them. Debbie Gleason, the coordinator, has been so helpful, spending lots of phone time with me, trying to get us in a good place with the early intervention project. The end result is that I don't think early intervention is the best direction for ABH to travel at this time. Kind of weird, I know, but its for the best, AND the kids I wanted to help in Hue, will still get help anyway, so its a win win. With the new direction, you all can continue to support something that is very needed, and this time that we're the only ones really doing in such an organized effort.

Perkins is working in Vietnam, not in the area of Hue, but in the major cities Hanoi, and Saigon. They will probably begin work in Hue soon, so the kids there will get help. Apparently, they began work in Vietnam shortly after I searched in 2008 to see if there was a project there for early intervention, which is how I missed them before. After coming to the conclusion that maybe early intervention was not needed in Vietnam if Perkins was already doing such a good job, I asked Debbie where she thought we could be the most useful. Perkins works all over the world in developing nations, and so if anyone could tell me a niche to fill, she'd definitely be the one. Her thinking was that orientation and mobility (O&M) was a need not being met around the world, and one Perkins is not able to fill. Additionally, teaching people to be orientation and mobility specialists, is what I do here in the states, so it fits so well.

The commitment of Ability Beyond the Horizon is to work toward empowering people with disabilities in the developing world. Teaching orientation and mobility, which is the ability to independently travel an environment, from in your home, to around your city, and thus, giving people with visual impairment access to independent living, working, and traveling, definitely works toward that goal. If you can't move independently, you can't really do very much in life. Its a cornerstone to success. Imagine if you couldn't find your way out of your house, or to the bathroom. Would someone with this problem be employable? I think not. I also think we can do something about this.

So, I met with the board of directors last night to discuss this with them. And now, Ability Beyond the Horizon will be changing course, I'm very excited about this. The plan is to go to "centers for the blind" in developing countries and train center staff in the skills of Orientation and Mobility. Its what I originally went to Vietnam to do. We will go and spend a month to six weeks, working every day with staff at the school. Our staff will train these people in how to be O&M specialists, and then supervise their teaching of clients and students in O&M to ensure competence. We will then provide ongoing support to them via the Internet, and on site visits when necessary to maintain a high level of competence and safety, as well as to train additional staff if needed.

We'll have volunteer O&M specialists here in the states that we can send to these locations maybe with an intern or two, they'll provide the training, and then come home to their regular jobs, hopefully wanting to do it again, then we can send them somewhere else in the world later. Sounds exciting doesn't it?!? I already have a few volunteers, and you'll see why soon.

I very much plan to stay in this mix of going to other countries and training, I can't let the volunteers have all the fun, and will probably be doing the training alone first, just to get the curriculum ironed out and any kinks that might come along. I teach people to be O&M specialists for a living, so this won't be difficult, but I'll need to provide support to the other O&M specialists who have never taught anyone else how to do their job before.

One of the best parts is that Debbie at Perkins International is going to put me in touch with people all over the world that have this need, these are good people, committed to progressive change for people with visual impairments. They've already been vetted by Perkins International. That is immensely valuable.

So how did we get all those volunteers? Ability Beyond the Horizon was recently the cover story for the AER Report, a publication for the field of visual impairment education that has a readership of 5000+ people. That's where all my volunteers came from. Download it here. That's me on the cover! Crazy...

So exciting changes are afoot, the website will be getting an overhaul soon, thanks to Shawn Laasch, we definitely need to change the content around. I will let you know when I hear more. Feel free to message me with any questions, words of support, etc :-) Until next time...


~Mickey

ps. if you'd like subscribe to this blog, so that you can receive updates in your email, please go to visionteachervietnam.blogspot.com and enter your email in the subscription box. Its a little clunky having to go somewhere else to subscribe, but Shawn is working on a solution for us.

Fully Tax Exempt thanks to you, we're Official!!!

photo credit: sean dreilinger

"Dear Applicant:

We are pleased to inform you that upon review of your application for tax exempt status we have determined you are exempt from Federal income tax under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. You are also qualified to receive tax deductible bequests, devises, transfers or gifts under section 2055, 2106 or 2522 of the Code. "

It continues in the eloquence that only our Federal Government can attain for 2 more paragraphs.

Whew! I feel like this road has been LONG. I'm really relieved/excited to have this status. It means that with the addition of just a couple more pieces of easy paperwork we can really begin fund raising and grant writing, which will soon lead to helping children. If I've not said it lately, I am SO thankful for each of you. Whether it be for a financial contribution, or spreading the word about our budding organization, you are a critical component and I could not have gotten here without your support.

I'm just imagining us helping children with disabilities and their families in Vietnam, India and later elsewhere around the globe, (Haiti perhaps??), to have the same opportunities at an education that their peers have. The same chances at success as an adult that other children around them enjoy. With the recent birth of Quin, my son, who is now 2 months old, it makes me feel an even greater sense of urgency, though he does not have a disability. He's grown so much in just 2 months, and I cannot help but think of the babies with disabilities in other places around the world that are missing out on very important interventions to keep them on track with their future classmates.

Even a simple talk with the family can make a huge difference in the life of a child with a disability. Someone there to say, you know, your child can still have a chance at a great and meaningful life. I know for most of us we think, "well of course their life could be meaningful, a disability is not a death sentence" but unfortunately for many in other parts of our world, it is a sort of "death sentence". Its the death of many of the dreams that the families had for their child. Expectations often become reality. Our goal is to breathe life back into those dreams; to change those expectations. To create a new reality for children with disabilities. To assist the family in setting their child on a road to achievement. Many people in these countries do not think its possible, I KNOW its possible. I see it here with families in the US, I want to bring that hope to families abroad.

I am glad you are here to help me make this dream a reality. You are making a difference just by reading this message. If you'd like to continue to contribute to that difference, please visit http://www.abilitybeyondthehorizon.org Or join our cause on Facebook and spread the word to your friends. Point them to the website, this blog is mirrored there. Get the word out that this is for real, and our cause is moving forward. Even a small contribution of time or dollars adds up to make a great sum of opportunity for others, and now its tax deductible! As it stands now, we are an organization of volunteers. All contributions will go to the efforts of helping children. For now much of it is getting the tracks laid for the train to travel on, but its a very necessary step for future success.

Thank you for everything, I will keep you updated as we make progress forward, which should be SOON. I want everyone to yell "Yay!!" when you finish reading this, and when someone looks at you funny for doing it, well there's your first opportunity to spread the word about Ability Beyond the Horizon.

~Mickey