APH News & Press
APH Recognizes Three for Achievement in the Field of Blindness
News Release: Louisville, Kentucky, December 13, 1999
The American Printing House for the Blind (APH) is pleased to announce the three winners of the first Virgil Zickel Awards. Each has contributed an innovative idea for a product that is now being produced by APH.
Nancy Rinker worked with APH to produce a prototype of her idea for a new reading easel for visually impaired students. The GrandStand Reading Easel is a bright yellow, lightweight, portable, and inexpensive aid for large print readers. What makes the easel unique is the adjustable shelf, which can be raised and lowered as needed to accommodate different size books. Nancy received her Masters degree in visual impairment from Peabody College in Tennessee, and has taught at the Virginia School for the Deaf and Blind in Staunton for 31 years. She is also an itinerant teacher in the Staunton (Va.) Public School System.
Marcia Gevers is recognized for her work in developing the MasterPlan Calendar. This calendar is specially designed to fit low vision needs. It is written in large, bold print and includes both month-at -a glance and weekly planning pages. Organized in a three-ring binder, the calendar allows for flexibility in adding and subtracting pages so it can be customized for personal use. Marcia originally produced this calendar for her own use. However, others asked for copies and found it useful, so Marcia brought the idea to APH where it is now being produced. Marcia is a rehabilitation teacher for the State Department Services for the Blind of Indiana. She lives in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
Alex Snow suggested a new type binder that would make it possible to manage braille paper more efficiently. The result is the three hole Floppy Braille Binder. Before the introduction of this soft-cover binder, 11" x 11.5" braille paper was held in a 19 hole hard-cover binder that Alex, and others, found difficult to manage. Alex is a 12 year old blind student in the seventh grade at Newtown Middle School in Newtown, Connecticut.
The awards were presented at the annual meeting of APH Ex Officio Trustees, which was held in Louisville, Kentucky in October.
This is the first year for the Virgil Zickel Award. It will be given, annually, to a person (or persons) who contributes an innovative idea for a new product that can be produced by APH. The award commemorates the service of Virgil Zickel, plant manager at APH for 27 years. Virgil, who passed away in May of 1999, retired from APH in 1973. Upon his retirement, APH General Manager Finis Davis said of Mr. Zickel, "The effectiveness of the Printing House today is greater and richer because of the dedication, courage, vision and wise leadership that Virgil Zickel contributed through the years. His work as Plan Manager added great stability to the Printing House in meeting our production schedules and bringing into being many innovations in aids and equipment used in the production processes, thereby reflecting great credit on him and the Printing House on a national and international basis."
Contact Roberta Williams, Public Relations Specialist, for more information. Telephone: 1 -800-223-1839 or (502) 895-2405; e-mail: rwilliams@aph.org