The contest is now over and unfortunately, we did not win. There were three winners. The entries that came in first and second in votes won. The third place vote getter did not win and we were in fourth and did not win. The fifth place vote getter took the third prize. While I am extremely disappointed at not winning, I am very happy at the support that we did receive, both from people that we know and those that we don't know. I have copied all of the comments from the site onto this blog so that we will always remember how kind so many people actually are.
Thanks to all who voted and supported my daughter and our attempts.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Monday, October 6, 2008
Trying to Win
janila needs a tech makeover because…
I am not writing for myself but for my daughter. When she was ten she was diagnosed with diabetes, something that a normally healthy person often thinks is a just a minor dietary inconvenience. However,eight years ago at the age of 25, she was robbed of her eyesight by this insidious disease. She has since had to rebuild her life piece by piece. One thing that she has had to do is learn to use a computer all over again. Fortunately, there is a talking program for the blind called JAWS that works on her computer and she is able to slowly surf the internet and has, in fact, become pretty proficient doing that. But now her computer has died. She is using an old one that I was able to purchase from my employer but it is also dying. If we could afford to buy a new computer, we would, but the added insult is that her JAWS program will not work with the new Windows Vista. So, in addition to having to purchase a computer, we must find another $800 to update her JAWS so that she can use it. And once we have purchased both of these, she must learn to use the Vista version which I have found to be very different from Windows XP that she is used to. The computer has been her window and links to the outside world since she cannot read newspapers and cannot drive anywhere to learn about new things on her own. My hope is that she can be considered for your tech makeover and that she can not only receive a new computer but also some training on how to use the new version.
COMMENTS
Saturday, October 4, 2008
My Dear Friends, the Crayola Posse
My friends, the Crayola Posse, posted this on their own blog. Thanks, Terri and Jim!
Vote now!!
I know the VP debate is on the minds of so many but make your vote count now for a letterboxer who could use a technical make-over. Janila's daughter, Out of Sight, is in the running to win the Need a Tech Makeover. Read Janila's story and you will understand why this family needs our vote before Monday. Spread the word (listservs, blogs etc.) It's feels good to be voting FOR something opposed to against something else.
LBMA and LBUSA Message Boards
Hello,
Some of you may know me as a letterboxer and some of you may know me
as the mother of a blind letterboxer (Outofsight) and the grandmother
of a letterboxer in training (Milkmonster). Recently, I have been
forced to put my letterboxing way, way back on my list of priorities
as the needs of my family have increased. My daughter and grandson are
the main priorities on my life and I have been focusing on spending as
much time with them as possible and I will do anything to make their
lives easier.
That being said, my daughter lost her sight 8 years ago from diabetes.
She was an EMT before that time and her husband is a paramedic and a
fireman. My son in law works two full time jobs to make ends meet for
their little family since Laura no longer works outside the home. She
did go back to school to learn how to be a massage therapist and does
have a few clients that she treats regularly. She had learned to use a
computer before she lost her sight and was retrained on it after she
became blind. The computer is her main means of finding out anything
she needs to know since she can't read a newspaper or book or a box or
can as most of us would. But now her computer died.
I found a contest to win a new computer but I am looking for votes to
help her win. You can read a lot about my daughter and grandson on my
blog at http://milkmonstersmimser.blogspot.com/ but what I am asking,
really, I am begging, is for votes for her to win the computer at
http://www.needatechmakeover.com/2008/09/janila-needs-a-tech-makeover-because/
If you could go to that website and click on the words "liked it" and
add a comment if you choose, I would appreciate it greatly. A new
computer would be the world to my daughter.
Thanks so much for any help,
Jan
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hi Jan -- you entered this contest back in early Sept -- what took you
so long to post it here! You (or rather Outof sight) has my vote. I
never knew it was a recent blindness -- she was so upbeat when I met
her back in 2005, I thought she had lived with it since childhood
(kids are so adaptable).
But LBMA only has 516 members. I hope you take this to LBusa (big
list) where there are 3780 members. Give more folks an opportunity to
vote and feel they've something good today!
Judy
sewsowbizzy
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Happy to do anything I can you help out you and Out of Sight. You
should also post this to the AQ boards. Hopefully you will get all the
votes Laura needs to go over the top.
--
Nathan Brown
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
I voted and then passed it on to other yahoo groups I'm on. :)
Tammy
Rock Hoppin' Mama
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Some of you may know me as a letterboxer and some of you may know me
as the mother of a blind letterboxer (Outofsight) and the grandmother
of a letterboxer in training (Milkmonster). Recently, I have been
forced to put my letterboxing way, way back on my list of priorities
as the needs of my family have increased. My daughter and grandson are
the main priorities on my life and I have been focusing on spending as
much time with them as possible and I will do anything to make their
lives easier.
That being said, my daughter lost her sight 8 years ago from diabetes.
She was an EMT before that time and her husband is a paramedic and a
fireman. My son in law works two full time jobs to make ends meet for
their little family since Laura no longer works outside the home. She
did go back to school to learn how to be a massage therapist and does
have a few clients that she treats regularly. She had learned to use a
computer before she lost her sight and was retrained on it after she
became blind. The computer is her main means of finding out anything
she needs to know since she can't read a newspaper or book or a box or
can as most of us would. But now her computer died.
I found a contest to win a new computer but I am looking for votes to
help her win. You can read a lot about my daughter and grandson on my
blog at http://milkmonstersmimser.blogspot.com/ but what I am asking,
really, I am begging, is for votes for her to win the computer at
http://www.needatechmakeover.com/2008/09/janila-needs-a-tech-makeover-because/
If you could go to that website and click on the words "liked it" and
add a comment if you choose, I would appreciate it greatly. A new
computer would be the world to my daughter.
Thanks so much for any help,
Jan
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hi Jan -- you entered this contest back in early Sept -- what took you
so long to post it here! You (or rather Outof sight) has my vote. I
never knew it was a recent blindness -- she was so upbeat when I met
her back in 2005, I thought she had lived with it since childhood
(kids are so adaptable).
But LBMA only has 516 members. I hope you take this to LBusa (big
list) where there are 3780 members. Give more folks an opportunity to
vote and feel they've something good today!
Judy
sewsowbizzy
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Happy to do anything I can you help out you and Out of Sight. You
should also post this to the AQ boards. Hopefully you will get all the
votes Laura needs to go over the top.
--
Nathan Brown
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
I voted and then passed it on to other yahoo groups I'm on. :)
Tammy
Rock Hoppin' Mama
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
It's done!! Hope she wins!
missmoon
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I voted! Do you get any extra credit if we leave comments? Can we vote more
than once?
Best of luck,
Kit Kat
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
The judging rules are really vague but since they have a category
called most popular and it pulls those with the most comments, I have
a feeling that it might play a part in the final decisions.
You can't vote more than once from a computer but you can vote on
other computers. It doesn't seem to track WHO is actually doing the
voting. I know that there are ways to get around the computer issue
but I am not that computer literate to figure out how and not really
sure that I would want to manipulate it.
Thanks so much for your votes!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I voted! Do you get any extra credit if we leave comments? Can we vote more
than once?
Best of luck,
Kit Kat
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Re: [LbNA] A Computer for Laura
The judging rules are really vague but since they have a category
called most popular and it pulls those with the most comments, I have
a feeling that it might play a part in the final decisions.
You can't vote more than once from a computer but you can vote on
other computers. It doesn't seem to track WHO is actually doing the
voting. I know that there are ways to get around the computer issue
but I am not that computer literate to figure out how and not really
sure that I would want to manipulate it.
Thanks so much for your votes!
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I really hope this person wins…
It seems like this woman could really use a new computer. I hope she wins.
Everyone needs a window into the world - and I hope she gets her window.
As a person that works with students with visual impairments, it is not easy.
JAWS is very expensive. A braille printer/scanner is thousands of dollars. I looks like Zoomtext will not work for her as well.
Have you looked into programs from the National Federation for the Blind and the American Federation for the Blind? I know the local chapter of the NFB does do free training–but of course it isn’t the same as having your own.
A computer with JAWS is key to employment. I’ve seen computer programmers, databases managers and technical support people all rely on JAWS for thier workplace.
I know this girl very well and she really needs the help. Thank all who votes for her!!!
I wish I could respond to each person individually to thank them for their votes, but I can’t, so here is a big thank you to everyone who is helping us out.
Jan
THIS WOULD BE A GREAT PERSON FOR YOUR CAUSE. IF YOU HAVE ANY DOUBT JUST SPEND THE NEXT HOUR WITH YOUR EYES CLOSED AND REALIZE FOR A BREIF MOMENT WHAT HER WORLD LOOKS LIKE.
HOPE SHE WINS.
I know friends of this person and I know that Diabetes is a dangerous disease that has many complications. Please, as Stacy says, give her the window into our world.
I hope she wins this. I cannot even imagine being blind, what she must go through. This computer would be her eyes to the outside world.
This seems like just what she need. It is costly have this disease and the help is really needed. Not to mention I can not imagine how much this computer and software would open her life. How lonely it must be. I think she should win!!!
Good Luck and I hope you win!
My vote goes to Laura
Hope she wins the computer she needs, to do whatever is important, to her. I have diabetes myself but Type 11. Everyday is a struggle.
Good luck Laura.
You deserve one.
Hope you win.
Hope you win!
Janila needs to win this so she can live a better life . We pray taht she will have that chance. Good Luck
Hope she wins, good luck laura
Laura you are such an inspiration! A young wife and mother who needs this tech tool to reach beyond her fingertips. (I would imagine her fingertips are the only way she can “see ” her sons face!)I hope she wins the computer and Intel helps to upgrade the JAWS program. For someone who asks so little, who accomplishes so much- one vote more goes a long way to make a miracle happen. Count me in and yes, I’ll send to friends. Believe!
Excelsior, Laura! ad astra per aspera.
If you buy a PC with Vista Home Premium or Vista Business, you can call Microsoft and get a license key to roll back to XP. No need to upgrade to Vista.
I don’t know where you are, but if you are in eastern PA, I would be glad to help you do this.
I use to work with Jan and her daughter and grand-son are her life.
Craig hit the nail on the head…..just close your eyes for an hour, just think of the faces of your loved ones and those yet to meet and the colors you wont see any more. These are things that Laura use to have in her life and is now filled with darkness! So my vote is for Laura in the hopes that she can remember the colors and faces before she lost her sight………
Hoping this gift is granted..
Hard to imagine the obstacle and
easy to imagine how this would help.
Blessings…
We were neighbors for about 7 years and early in our friendship I saw her all alone walking through our townhouse development. I thought she might be lost, so I pulled my car over and spoke with her. She told me that before she could get a seeing eye dog, she had to prove that she could navigate around her development unassisted. She did just that and got her great dog. This girl is awesome in what she does and what she tries to do. She should get this tech makeover without any doubt at all.
A little more of her story is that she was an EMT… She gave to the community… She has a son… She has a husband who is a firefighter… Such giving people showing strength when life has thrown obstacle their way…. a tech makeover is deserved!!
With what she has given of herself already how can she be denied access for independence.
I work with Jan mainly through email for work and she is such a sweet helpful person and I hope that by adding my vote for janila it helps her family in many ways. God bless you and your family.
Given the chance to achieve the ordinary, I believe that Janila will accomplish the extraordinary.
She deserves the chance to overcome her impairment and champion her cause by inspiring others who with diabetes.
Miracles do happen.
Good luck!
I hope you win!
I really hope she wins the computer! My sister sent this to me.
GIVE HER THE COMPUTER!!!
Your story is truly inspirational. I wish I could vote as many times as it would take for her to win. Best of luck to you!
I had cataract surgery almost a year ago now. And before the surgery my eyesight was really bad. that gave me a very brief and limited understanding of what it must be like to be always in the dark. I hope that she wins the computer. Best of luck.
Please help this lady realize her true potential ….as she truly is an inspiration !! We’d like her to win this computer !!!!
Votes shouldn’t matter - this person deserves a computer AND a JAWS upgrade!! Best of luck. ssb
I’m rooting for you, Laura!
Give me a W give me an I give me a N whats that spell? Win Win Win. Best of luck I really hope you win.
What a story. Best of luck.
I wish you all the luck in the world and God willing you’ll win the computer.
If we could submit more than one vote, I would sit here all day clicking “liked it”!! I hope and will pray that Laura wins this more than deserved computer. I know her lovely Mom, Jan through LBing and Emails, and through her computer, can feel the love for her daughter. Please let her (Laura) have the opportunity to connect to the world with a new computer!
GO LAURA!!
You all have my vote. Best wishes to Laura and we certainly hope that the device will help her.
As a prior comment said it is easy to get a new machine with Windows XP rather than Vista. This would solve the problem of a new JAWS. GOOD LUCK on winning the new machine and email me if you are short of techie assistance.
Amazing! I will be passing this story on.
I know these folks. It’s not just the real and important need, but when you think of someone who “deserves” a break, that’s what you have here.
Hilde called my attention to Janila’s need. I’m glad she did because Janila seems very deserving. I hope she wins.
May God bless you
I really believe she needs this computer - please give it to her!!
I want Janilla to win this computer more than anyone else. thanks, rae
Best wishes!
This is a truly deserving person. Please choose her to receive this computer.
Janila has a tremendous need. Please help her out!!
What a great candidate! I sure hope she wins her computer and training!!!
I hope she gets it!!
God bless her!
Please give Laura a new computer. Good luck!!!
I hope she wins!! This is a very lovely and deserving person.
Laura would be a great candidate for a tech makeover! She certainly relies on a PC for more than most of us can imagine. I hope this deserving candidate is chosen to receive a much needed “tech makeover”.
Janila rocks!
With all due respect to the other top vote recipients, Laura’s needs are most compelling. When one loses a sense like sight, a means of communication and perceptions of the world near and extended are gone. Communication, unlike like the arts, can not be argued that it is a luxury. Technological tools for mothers in Laura’s position are a necessity.
Hope you win!!
She’s a perfect candidate for this makeover! She’s got so much to deal with already, I hope that she wins this tool to help her deal with the world.
What a deserving person to get a new computer!
I’m keeping my fingers crossed!
Hoping for the best!
Good Luck!! I truly hope you win!
Your daughter’s situation is the reason we find the generous in ourselves. I sincerely hope you win this.
Living in a different country far from my family, my computer is the link the the world. I cannot imagine not being able to have that contact - it’s something everyone needs. I hope she wins.
Best of luck! You sound like a great family! We are pulling for your daughter so she can feel a part of this busy and changing world we live in. Technology really is the way to keep up with friends, news, family and to find employment.
I hope you win it, It will definitely add to the quality of her life and surely deserves to win
Laura is an awesome person..i wish i was a more eloquent writer and was able to describe her true beauty and Her mom is a very selfless person . How great it would be for Laura to win….i really can’t think of anyone more deserving!
Janila is a wife and a Mom… a former paramedic who can no longer do the job she loved - she gave so much to others - her husband has to work two jobs to make ends meet just now… I hope very much our votes will give the gift of the world - and a chance at employment - back to her.
God bless you.
I really hope you win!! Life is sooo not fair
No one deserves it more the she does. She is a
great person. I have know her for years and my daughter was also diagnosed with diabetes at the age of 10 and she has been a positive influence on her in the past 7 years that we know her and she continues to educate my daughter, Good luck!!!!!!!!!!!
Everyone deserves to be empowered towards independence! Hope you get the votes of confidence you need!
I met Laura approximately 7 years agao. She is truly an inspiration to anyone who meets her. I am amazed how she has surmounted her disability to raise her son,and meet every challenge that comes her way. There is no self pity and she has been a source of support for my own grandaughter who also was diaganosed with Type one diabetes at age 10. She truly deserves to win this computer. Her courage is awe inspiring and I can think of no one who deserves to win this more
Good luck, I wish the best for you and your daughter!
Good luck, I wish the best for you and your daughter!
Good luck - your daughter deserves this helping hand!
I hope this proves to be a blessing!
Good Luck to and God Bless both Laura and Janila.
I sure hope you win Laura.
This definitely is a deserving person.
This sounds like a really good cause - hope it is one of the three top picks.
My prayers are with you and your daughter, Laura. The power of prayer is bigger than life itself and God will bestow his grace on you both as he has your whole lives.
What better place to put a computer where it could help so much! Good luck - sure hope you are one of the top 3!!
I hope she wins , People with this much love in there hearts deserve a brighter future!
Please vote for Laura! This is her link to the world! She is a great mom and needs to stay as connected as possible to everything that is out there! With out her computer she is very limited!
I believe this individual is most in need of a computer with a program to enable her to be informed about the world around her. Blindness is a tough cross to bear and only much harder if you are homebound & cut off from your usual methods of communication.
Laura I really hope you get this - sounds like you could put it to really good use!
good luck.
I’m so sorry you didn’t win - is there anywhere that we can donate to help get this computer and software for this worthy cause?