Southeastern Orientation and Mobility Association --
Look where we've been!

2022 SOMA - Tampa, Florida December 10-13 2022 PROGRAM & SPEAKERS

In our opening session, Tommy Strasz, Kristy Plesscher and Garret Waldie had us all engaged in creative O&M challenges. [Picture courtesy of Eileen Bischoff]

picture shows a large room with round tables, several presenters are standing in front and to the side of the room and laughing or talking, some participants are laughing and others looking at one of the tables in the back corner of the room

picture shows a large room with round tables, several presenters are standing in front and to the side of the room and laughing or talking, some participants are laughing and others looking at one of the tables in the back corner of the room

A collage of picturs 6 pictures showing 1-participants guiding each other along a simulated cliff face, 2- 2 participants talking with each other, one is holding a cane, 3- participants at a lecture, 4- Jennifer Graham standing at a corner with an engineer wearing a vision simulator, 5- Eileen Bischoff sitting in the hall and smiling at us, 6- Elaine Mara talking with some participants in a stairwell.

SOMA interactive - Barlow-style!

went into the community to check out beaconing signals for street crossings and detectable surfaces for alignment;
brainstormed to develop strategies for teaching cane techniques or dealing with failures;
collaborated with traffic engineers while exploring challenging intersections;
practiced O&M techniques that are tested during the Florida Cane Quest:
conducted remote O&M lessons with participants in another room;
practiced developing skills to assess crossing situations;
went on a Juno (simulated guide dog walk);
went on a scavenger hunt using NFC tags;
assessed and facilitated proprioception;
enjoyed an O&M tech smack-down;
guided folks while blindfolded or
while walking along a cliff face!

Guiding along a cliff face . . .

Arizona's O&M: Adventures and Discovery in the heart of the Grand Canyon

(photos of participants courtesy of Nancy Montcalm, photo of Alex courtesy of Eileen Bischoff}

slide shows a blind teenager in front of a cliff, wearing an orange vest and grasping what looks like the end of a horizontal poll, her mouth is open as if she's yelling or concentrating very hard. Behind her is an adult wearing a camouflage-colored wide-brimmed hat and orange coat, yelling encouragement to the teenager.

two pairs of participants are pressed up against a wall, facing the wall and side-stepping along a one-foot-wide strip of panels, with blocks randomly attached.

picture shows a close-up of one of the pairs of participants pressed against the wall, one is blindfolded and holding the arm of the other, and grinning while talking.

Alex speaks in front of the screen as participants listen.

Guiding as a white-cane user . . .

Teaching basic O&M skills in schools as a cane user

(photos courtesy of Dona Sauerburger}

picture shows Elaine holding her cane and speaking to the audience

picture shows Erika speaking to the audience.

Pictures show Elaine guiding Erica through a narrow aisle beside a table, and then turning into open space. Elaine is using a cane and the tip of her cane reaches to the left far enough to be in front of Erika.

3 pictures show Elaine approaching an ascending stairway while guiding a blindfolded woman on her right. Elaine puts her right hand on the railing and then the woman reaches for Elaine's hand on the railing as Eiaine steps up the first stair.

2 pictures show a woman wearing a blindfold and holdng a cane in her left hand and the railing in her right hand as she descends a stairway. She is guiding a man on her right, he has his eyes closed and is holding the guide's right arm with his left hand, and the railing with his right hand as they descend.

(above, left)

Feet in the Street!

see below

Street view of same intersection, in foreground is a 2’ x 2’ temporary Tactile Direction Indicator (TDI) with a black background and yellow bars perpendicular to the line of travel indicating the correct crossing alignment. In the background, 2 women install a second TDI, Jen Graham, COMS is squatting with her back to the camera, and Beezy Bentzen, COMS, stands in front of her looking down at the TDI.

Image of a intersection corner. Close up of Tactile Direction Indicator (2’x2’ square with raised yellow and black stripes) placed parallel to traffic to indicate the correct alignment. The TDI is placed on the sidewalk in front of a blended, rounded corner with black truncated domes.

Aerial view of an intersection from Google Maps. The intersection is a 4 leg, each with multiple lanes of traffic, and each with unique layouts and curb approaches including offset crosswalks, an island separating the right-turning lanes, etc. A red maps beacon placed in the center, and the bottom left crossing is highlighted with a red line.

Janet Barlow

Janet Barlow Collaboration Initiative: Traffic Engineering and O&M

Picture shows about 50 participants in a large room with round tables. Jen is at the front of the room with powerpoint slides.

Image is of traffic engineer John Hubbard, a close up, standing at a podium with a microphone in his hands. The heads of the participants are in view in the bottom of the image.

Image of John Hubbard to the left of the image standing at a podium speaking into a microphone next to a projected image on a screen. In the foreground are the backs of 2 participants of the presentation, and one woman on the right facing the camera is signing as an interpreter.

Picture shows a larger view of the room where John Hubbard is presenting. We can see 7 or 8 round tables with about 30 participants, plus an interpreter sitting at one of the front tables and signing.

(pictures to the left courtesy of Dona Sauerburger)

(pictures below courtesy of Dona Sauerburger and Eileen Bischoff)

Image is of 11 people seated around table set up in a U shape with their backs to the camera. At the top of the U stands Lukas Franck, COMS, holing an object and facing the people seated at the tables.

2 pictures show people traveling via human guide in a large hallway. In the background, 2 women are traveling, both with canes in their hands. The traveling providing human guide has her blindfold pushed to her forehead, and the person receiving human guide has her blindfold covering her eyes and her cane extended. In the foreground, 2 men are traveling. The one providing human guide carries his cane parallel to his body, and the one receiving human guide has his blindfold on and is also carrying his cane parallel to his body.

2 pictures show people traveling using human guide in a large hallway. In the background are 2 men, with the one being guided under blindfold with a cane held parallel to his body, and the man guiding has his blindfold pushed to his forehead. IN the foreground, although 2 people are pictured, the person providing human guide is mostly out of frame, with only their elbow and hip showing. The person being guided has a blindfold on and a long cane extended.

Let's get real!

Aerial view of a Google Maps image of a 4 leg intersection with 6 and 8 lane crossings, islands separating the right-turning lanes on the top two and bottom right crossings, and skewed crosswalks.

Image show a zebra-painted crosswalk crossing 9 lanes of traffic to reach and go through (at street-level) an island separating a right-turning lane.

Street view image of Jen Graham COMS and Jeff Thompson PE standing at the corner facing the street. Jeff’s back is to the camera and he is holding a white cane parallel to his body and wearing a set of vision simulators. Jen stands to his left in the grass.

Image shows 2 people, Jen Graham COMS and Jeff Thompson PE with their backs to the camera and in motion, walking through a street-level opening in the island and approaching the separate right-turning lane.

Image is of a crosswalk with 2 thick white lines on the perimeter. In the center are scattered large black shapes resembling open books, stretching across the entirety of the crossing.

Image is a street view of an intersection with multiple lanes of traffic. In the foreground is the curb approach, which shows the 2 legs of sidewalk meeting to form a Y shape which extends to the respective street crossings. In the background are several urban businesses including gas stations and restaurants.

(pictured to the left}

Regrouping . . .

(pictures below courtesy of Eileen Bischoff)

Image is of a U shaped table with people seated around the outside of the U. At the top of the U is Beezy Bentzen, COMS, standing presenting to the group with her hand on a chair in front of a projected image on a screen. The screen says 'aligning to cross when cues are absent or misleading'.

We see Beezy standing in a conference room with a half-dozen engineers and talking about the sample tactile alignment pads on the floor (pads are about 2 feet by 3 feet, with raised parallel bars).

we see Beezy in front of about 5 engineers walking along the sidealk.

Beezy and a man are standing in a curb ramp near one of the tactile alignment pads.

Lukas has a microphone while pointing to a slide showing an intersection, Jen is in front of him using the laptop.

All together now!

Sponsorship:

usomsa.org

Connections and memories

closeup of a selfie with Ashley and Eileen smiling

Picture is a closeup of a selfie with Dona and Kay smiling.

Picture shows Eileen, Justin, Lukas and Kristen wearing OMSA T-shirts standing in front of their exhibit table and smiling

Picture shows Mike May smiling as he stands and talks, reaching into a brailleNote PK hanging on his hip.

Lukas sits and smiles, wearing his O&M Specialist Association shirt and holding a yellor rubber chicken.

picture shows a closeup of Sarah, Jen and Beezy smiling broadly.

Jessica and Ashley are sitting in the hall, leaning forward holding thumbs up while other people mill around behind them.

Ashley and Kris are outside on the grass, looking at something that one of them is holding, and laughing.

picture shows about 50 people, posing together, smiling and waving.

(top left to bottom right - photos courtesy of Eileen Bischof unless otherwise indicated)

Andrea Wallace and Cheri Hart
Ashley Pace with her mother Eileen Bischoff
Dona Sauerburger with Kay Jackson, whose wildlife pictures are below
Eileen Siffermann, Justin Kaiser, Lukas Franck and Kristen Sims at their exhibit of the Orientation and Mobility Specialist Association.
Mike May shares insights, ideas and information in his session Accessible Indoor Wayfinding Technology (photo courtesy of Nancy Montcalm}
Lukas Franck takes a break
Sarah Duyck, Jen Graham and Beezy Bentzen
Jessica Smith and Ashley Pace
FSU students Ashley Grguric and Kris Wang
FSU graduates and students

[photos courtesy of Eileen Bischoff]

Dona is surrounded by 10 people, they are huddled and talking as Dona and several participants hold one hand above another.

both pictures show one participant holding onto the handle of a guide dog harness while another participant holds on the other end and guides.

Behind the Scenes

(photos courtesy of Dona Sauerburger}

Andrea Wallace and Cheri Hart are standing in front of a luggage cart and smiling at us.

5 people are sitting or standing around a table cluttered with boxes, papers, drinks, bins, etc. Several of them are huddled around a laptop.

Ashley and Ethan are sitting at the work table, leaning toward each other, Ethan is smiling and Ashley is grinning playfully at the camera.

A dedicated core of volunteers made the conference happen! From left to right are Andrea Wallace, Cheri Hart, Ashley Pace, Eileen Bischof, Kira Luber, Cheri Hart, Ethan Bischof, and Ashley Pace with Ethan Bishchof (Sue Glaser was not pictured).

(third from left)

(second from left, with birthday flowers Eileen had given her)

Follow-up after the conference . . .

Applying what I learned . . .

Dona Sauerburger

Wildlife at SOMA!

5 close-up pictures of beautifually-colored birds (one on the grass, one in a tree, and two with obscured backgrounds) and a squirrel looking at us while holding a nut in his paws.

Small world!

by Dona Sauerburger

picture shows Dona with a smiling man with a salf-and-pepper beard, wearing a yellow and orange vest, with this truck behind them.

2020 SOMA - "LIVE" Online December 14-15 2020 PROGRAM & SPEAKERS

photos courtesy of Dona Sauerburger

SOMA 2020 -- It was the best of times, it was the worst of times . . .

picture shows a graphic layout of the platform (floor) and its features such as Stages, Lounge, etc.

Despite the glitches, people loved the conference --
they thought the sessions were fabulous and enjoyed networking in the lounge.

LIVE interaction at a virtual conference

posted here

picture shows screenshot of Doug, Sheila and Christine smiling or talking. Messages in the chat box say, 'This sounds like a great lesson for my college student;' 'Would love to see your lesson plans on emergency prep.' Mike's message says, 'yes, can you share the lesson plan?' and Christine responded 'christine.telford@lighthouseblv.org'

On the stage: Presenter Doug Gilbert with Stage Manager Sheila Walker invited Christine Telford to share the stage. Messages asking for more information and Christine's email address can be seen in the chat box.

Photo shows 4 screens, with pictures of Christine, Mike and Kinyatti in three of them. Beside their screens is a layout of the lounge tables, showing 3 people at Table 1 and Christine's name.

Photo shows 4 screens, with pictures of Christine, Mike and Kinyatti in three of them. Beside their screens is a layout of the lounge tables, showing 3 people at Table 1 and Christine's name.

In the lounge: After the session, Christine and Mike (in the top boxes) met in the lounge. Other participants from the session saw her and sat down to learn more. Kinyati Gakuhi (bottom left box) was one of those who contacted Christine to learn more.

Networking in the lounge
Christine Telford

Pandemics, visual impairment and how to navigate the new normal

Interaction turns into action
Mike Switzer

Picture shows Dona, Anthony and Susan on the screen, with their names showing on the panelist panel. There is a cascade of thumbs-up in front of their screen.

(L-R) Dona, Anthony and Susan asked people who plan to use remote instruction after the pandemic to give a thumbs-up, and most of the audience did.

Photo shows four screens, with Dona in one and Anthony in another, Susan and her husband Kinyatti are in another screen. Susan is wearing the SOMA 2020 T-shirt, which shows a laptop with the screen showing a sillouette of a peson walking with a white cane.

Photo shows four screens, with Dona in one and Anthony in another, Susan and her husband Kinyatti are in another screen. Susan is wearing the SOMA 2020 T-shirt, which shows a laptop with the screen showing a sillouette of a peson walking with a white cane.

Anthony and Dona relax in the lounge with Susan (who is wearing her SOMA 2020 T-shirt) and her husband Kinyatti.

I grew as a presenter at SOMA
Dona Sauerburger, COMS

presented

Will remote instruction be useful?

Volunteers -- crucial to our success!

Stage Managers

Sylvia Ekdahl

Cyndy Greenacre

Photo of Nan outside with a view of a city in the distance..

Nan McMillan

Ginette Mora

Melissa Nielsen

Sheila Walker

Courtney Wescott

Andrea Wallace

Game Hosts

Lindy Ballard

Jennifer Cruise

Nan McMillan

Facilitating Accessibility

Jack Mitchell

Anthony Lanzilotti

Jack Mitchell

Anthony Lanzilotti

2018 SOMA - Tampa, Florida - December 8-12 2018 PROGRAM & SPEAKERS

photos not attributed are courtesy of Dona Sauerburger

Welcome Presenter Newbies!

interactive program for training parents

exploring partial occlusion

Ann and Sara are standing in a croweded hallway smiling widely

Imani is presenting and speaking with enhusiasm, gesturing with her hands reaching out and folded together.

Presenters, Participants and Exhibitors

Picture shows Janet Barlow smiling and standing in front of a table with a gift basket and some fliers and poster.

Janet Barlow at the table for AER O&M Division's Environmental Access Commmittee, which she chaired for many years and for which she continued to provide leadership and inspiration until her death in 2021.

Picture shows a teenaged student standing with a microphone and speaking to a large audience. A woman sitting in front is videotaping him with her smartphone.

Students from the school for the blind made crafts to sell at their table, and were a huge hit! Here they are at the general session with other exhibitors explaining what is at their table.

Gordon is standing in front of his table, holding a cane and talking.

Gordon Hudek, who has worked with O&Ms to develop innovative products for Ambutech and supported SOMA for many years.

Joy stands in front of the audience, smiling and speaking with her hands reaching forward.

Joy Bieder wonders who doesn't love resources?.

Laura is speaking to a small audience while Dona looks at her and smiles.

Laura Zierer and Dona Sauerburger invite participants to experience APH's street-crossing simulation program.

Sarahelizabeth is standing and smiling at the camera,

Sarahelizabeth Baguhn shared a research-validated inventory of O&M skills for children.

Eileen and Lacey are in the hallway, smiling at the camera.

Eileen Bischof (right), co-chair of the conference, and Lacey Long, who made and donated the white-cane earrings for the conference.

We see a close-up of Eileen and Mary, wearing earrings made of beads - black on the top, white in the middle and red on the bottom 0 with a large white bead at the end.

Eileen Bischof (left) and Mary Phagan-Kean (aka "saint Mary" for all that she has done to help SOMA succeed!), show off their Lacey-made cane earrings.

Stephan is clasping his hands and speaking to the audience while Dona smiles and looks down.

Stephan Sauerburger and his mother Dona address changing your world - Practices for making a difference. Dona made this project her mission when Stephan died of anorexia nervosa in 2021.
photo courtesy of Gene Bourquin

Tara and Dona are in the hallway, smiling - Tara is looking at the camera and Dona is holding and looking down at a little horse made out of corks.

Tara Brown-Ogilvie and Dona Sauerburger enjoy reconnecting during a break.

Mickey is putting some bags into a cart filled with boxes that Eileen is pushing.

Our work is never done! Conference co-chairs Mickey Demalio and Eileen Bischof clean up after the conference.

2016 SOMA - Chattanooga, Tennessee - March 12-15 2016 PROGRAM & SPEAKERS

Two pictures show the table with piles of name tags and a program and bags. Mary is sitting at her laptop and Debbie is handing people bags.

WELCOME TO SOMA 2016!

Getting everyone settled with their insulated tote bag, conference T-shirt, commmorative pen, program guide and other materials at the registration table were Conference Co-Chair Mary Phagan-Kean (seated), Debbie Nelson (standing) and Bernice Meyer (taking the photo).

Angel Gautreaux (wife of Conference Co-Chair Lynn) assembled all the packets -- thank you so much, you're an Angel indeed!

Two pictures show a man behind a small table showing people maps and brochures. One photo has a man with two children, the other has a man and a woman looking at the map.

[Right] Our Visitors' Concierge was set up near the registration desk to help participants and their families and friends find entertainment and places to sightsee.

The balloons were festooned throughout the conference to commemorate SOMA's 50th anniversary.

Photos courtesy of Dona Sauerburger

Picture shows people sitting in a circle on a 4-wheeled bicycle, each person has their feet on bicycle pedals. Beside them are a man and a woman, each holding a cane with a red disk at the bottom, about 10 inches across.

[left] Two innovations meet -- the 7-person CoBi bicycle and the Dakota Disk cane tip. The folks with the red shirt and black pants are the company representatives, Kim and Ben (the "captain" of the bike), then clockwise is Jen Yesaitis (she is checking her iphone to make sure she has the photo that is shown below!), Jen Graves, Michael Deolloz, and Lynn Gautreaux. Matt Stewart is holding one of the canes with the Dakota Disc tip. [photo courtesy of Dona Sauerburger]

Picture shows people sitting in a circle on a 4-wheeled bicycle, each person has their feet on bicycle pedals.

Picture shows people sitting in a circle on a 4-wheeled bicycle, each person has their feet on bicycle pedals.

Below left: Participants [L to R] Matt Stewart, unknown, Steve Hoyt, and Bill Robinson try the Dakota Disk cane tips on rough terrain.

Below right: Paul Olsen (L), creator of the Dakota Disk cane tip, and Gordon Hukek (R) of Ambutech which developed the tip, standing in front of their powerpoint after their presentation.

Picture shows people standing on grass with canes that have a red disk at the bottom, the disk is about 10 inches across and an inch or two high.

Picture shows people standing on grass with canes that have a red disk at the bottom, the disk is about 10 inches across and an inch or two high.

Paul and Gord are standing in front of their powerpoint which shows a red disk and a white disk each about 10 inches across and 1-2 inches high. The white disk is attached to a cane and the slide says'Dakota Disk - From innovative idea to final market, August 2012 to August 2015'.

Picture shows 10 people standing along a wall with chairs in front of them, they are wearing casual clothes and smiling. One woman is standing on one leg with her hands in front of her with palms together.

Photo shows Dona wearing a light green pants suit and Tara wearing a black dress, each are holding cards and signs and smiling at the camera.

[Far left]: Susan Austin (standing 5th from the left) and the participants of her "Chair Yoga in the Morning." [Photo taken by Dona Sauerburger, who was VERY relaxed but rejuvenated and grateful to Susan for the wonderful yoga morning sessions!]

[Near left]: Tara Brown-Ogilvie (R) and Dona Sauerburger (L) after presenting "Teaching Deaf-Blind people to communicate with the public" with Dr. Gene Bourquin (who is taking the picture).

OPENING GENERAL SESSION

All but one photo of general session are courtesy of Bernice Meyer

Photo shows people on a large stage with a podium and table, the slide behind them shows fireworks and says 'SOMA 50 years!'

Dona Sauerburger led the SOMA Celebration, starting by thanking Kathy Yale for researching the history.
Stephen Sanford, who attended the first SOMA gathering, shared his remarks, and Dona shared stories from Tom Wood and Mike Corbett before talking about the traditions that make SOMA special today. First photo courtesy of Gene Bourquin

[Below] Susan Austin rejuvenated everyone with Chair Yoga, and they loved it!

4 pictures show Susan Austin sitting on the stage and holding her arms up, while participants in the audience are laughing while they stand and sway with their arms raised.

4 pictures show Susan Austin sitting on the stage and holding her arms up, while participants in the audience are laughing while they stand and sway with their arms raised.

Mickey Damelio's keynote speech "Keeping the O&M profession alive and healthy," inspired the participants.

[Below] Bernice Meyer, Exhibit Coordinator, introduced the vendors who each explained what was at their tables.

Photo shows an auditorium with tiered seating, and about 30 people are standing behind their seats smiling, many of them waving at the camera.

The Guide Dog Mobility Instructor session Monday evening featured a video presentation recorded at the International Guide Dog Federation Seminar in Japan. The viewing was followed by a discussion with the Japanese presenter, using an interpreter and skype with a split screen.

The presenter was unable to see the participants during the discussion, so this picture was sent to him afterwards as a greeting and thank-you.

Photo courtesy of Lukas Franck)

BLINDFOLD WALK!

Photos courtesy of Bernice Meyer

Photo shows Dorothy in the lobby giving instructions to about a half-dozen people, most of them have a cane and some are wearing a blindfold.

Photo shows 4 women walking from the front entrance of the hotel toward the street. Two are walking with a blindfold and using a cane, two are carrying a cane and a paper with instructions.

Photo shows two people crossing a narrow street with a stop sign. One is blindfolded and using a cane. At the corner behind them are 3 more people wearing vision simulators and using canes.

Photo shows a woman with a blindfold crossing a street while a man behind her carries his instructions. Both are wearing green lanyards with name tags from the conference.

Photo shows a group of people walking down the sidewalk, some of them are wearing blindfolds.

Photo shows 3 people wearing vision simulators and using a cane while crossing a street with a stop sign.

Photo shows a man and woman walking along a downtown sidewalk. He is holding instructions for the Blindfold Walk, she is wearing a blindfold and using a cane, carrying a large card saying 'please help me to cross street, tap me if you can help. I am deaf and blind.'

Photo shows 3 people with canes walking from a plaza up a long flight of stairs. Two are wearing blindfolds.

Photo shows a half-dozen people walking across a pedestrian bridge that appears to be made out of thick glass.

Photo shows 3 women, all wearing green lanyards with name tags from the conference, reaching the other side of the bridge. One of them is wearing a blindfold, the others are watching her.

Guide Dog Mobility Instructors and Apprentices from The Seeing Eye.

(Photo courtesy of Lukas Franck)

FRIENDS AND REUNIONS

Reuniting with old friends and making new ones was one of the biggest benefits of SOMA! If you have pictures of you and your friends at the conference, send them in to Dona Sauerburger and we'll post them!

Jackie Audette, apprentice at Guide Dog Foundation said, "I was so excited to attend SOMA for my own professional reasons, but I was pleasantly surprised with a friendly reunion!! I unexpectedly ran into two good friends I had from college -- we all used to puppy-raise together at Rutgers University, and I hadn't seen either of them in many years.

"The first photo to the right shows me with Nicole Murray (a GDMI at The Seeing Eye) and the other shows Lauren Wheeler and me saying goodbye before heading on our flight home -- Lauren is an apprentice at The Seeing Eye."

(Photos courtesy of Jackie Audette)

Photo shows John hugging Rocky who is licking John's face. Rocky is colored completely black.

Photo shows John hugging Rocky who is licking John's face. Rocky is colored completely black.

Photos show Rocky with his head resting on his paws on the floor and his eyes closed next to a tag saying 'Guide Dog Foundation Puppy.' The next photo shows his head and paws on top of and covering the tag.

Photo shows Linda Chung sitting on a wide step between John and Tiffany, with Rocky between Linda and John. Behind Tiffany is another black lab looking at Rocky.

Rocky's Reunion

The family who puppy-raised Linda Chung's guide dog more than 7 years ago drove from Atlanta to reunite with Rocky and meet Linda. The first photo to the left shows John Green and Rocky having a joyful reunion in the Choo Choo lobby.

When Rocky saw the "Guide Dog Foundation Puppy" tag that had been on his leash, he recognized and took possession of it.

The last photo shows John, Rocky, Linda, Tiffany and their pet chocolate lab Harley on the steps in front of the Choo Choo hotel. This was the first time Linda had met the Greens, and she says they will definitely keep in touch!
Photos courtesy of John and Tiffany Green

EXHIBITS AND NETWORKING!

Vendors' Page

Photos courtesy of Bernice Meyer

7 photos all show a large room with vendors' tables along 3 of the walls, many people are at each table talking with the vendors. In the middle of the room are large round tables with colorful balloons in the center.

photos shows a long table with piles of plates colorful vegetables and 4 or 5 large steam tables.

Photo shows Lynn in front of an audience of about 30 people, he had a long table with materials and is holding a cane. Several people are taking pictures of him.

Photo shows Lynn working with some pipes and glue at a table surrounded by 3 other people. We can see 5 or 6 other tables with pipes and material with people working on them.

Lynn Gautreaux's 'Make & Take' AMD workshop;
Lynn's session on repairing and modifying canes.
Photos courtesy of Bernice Meyer

3 photos show the CoBi 7-person bike riding through streets parking lots in the hotel ground, with 7 people sitting in a circle, some of them waving at us. The people are sitting in a circle facing each other and holding a circular bar. All but one have their feet on pedals (the man at the back of the bike is steering, and has no pedals).

A lot of people enjoyed riding the 7-person CoBi bike!
Photos courtesy of Bernice Meyer

Mickey Damelio and Eileen Bischof facilitated the discussion at the closing session.
Photo courtesy of Bernice Meyer

2012 SOMA/COMA - Richmond, Virginia - September 30 - October 2

Craig is standing in the hotel lobby wearing an iridescent yellow-green windbreaker, white shorts, and a safari-type hat with a Trekker Breeze device hanging around his neck. He is holding a coffee mug.

Chris Cunningham is standing on front of a room full of participants and points to diagrams on a powerpoint titled 'Signal Controler Overview.'

Jenine Stanley stands between the presenter tables and smiles while she talks to the audience -- we can see the back of one of the participants.

Mike May is sitting on a stage holding a microphone and talking to the participants

We can see the backs of seated participants while Maria Delgado stands with her fingers on her laptop keyboard with the powerpoint titled 'Instructor feedback' showing on a screen behind her.

3 participants stand at a crosswalk and check their notes -- behind them we see a roundabout.

Craig Phillips returns from his all-day feet-in-the-street Trekker Breeze workshop.
Chris Cunningham explains traffic signal patterns;
Jenine Stanley covers social networking;
Michael May talks about accessible maps;
Maria Delgado shows APH virtual and tactile exploration products;
Felisa Benbow, Nielah B. and Lauren Porchia study their notes at a pre-conference feet-in-the-street workshop on roundabouts.

2002 SOMA -- Orlando, Florida

Purvis Ponder and Janet Morgan Barlow
Purvis Ponder and Debbie Billings

HISTORY

Southeastern Orientation and Mobility Association ("SOMA") Conferences
Special thanks to Kathy Yale for researching and documenting SOMA's history

1967 Tallahassee, FL ("Southeast Conference on Mobility")
1972 Daytona, FL ("Orientation and Mobility Instructors Conference")
1973 St. Augustine, FL
1974 Tallahassee, FL
1975 Atlanta, GA
1976 Tallahassee, FL
1977 Nashville, TN
1978 Orlando, FL
1979 Tallahassee, FL
1980 Chapel Hill, NC
1981 Macon, GA
1982 Nashville, TN
1983 Baton Rouge, LA
1984 Tallahassee, FL
1985 Birmingham, AL
1986 Jackson, MS
1987 Nashville, TN
1988 Atlanta, GA
1989 Charlotte NC
1990 Chattanooga, TN
1991 New Orleans, LA
1992 Charleston, SC
1993 Raleigh, NC
1994 Gatlinburg, TN
1995 Myrtle Beach, SC
1996 St. Augustine, FL
1997 New Orleans, LA ("SWOMA/SOMA")
1999 Decatur, GA
2000 Raleigh, NC
2001 Chattanooga, TN
2002 Altamonte Springs, FL
2004 Auburn AL
2005 Tallahassee, FL
2007 Nashville, TN
2009 Charlotte, NC
2011 Greenville, SC
2012 Richmond VA ("SOMA/COMA")
2014 Atlanta, GA
2016 Chattanooga, TN
2018 Tampa, FL
2020 "LIVE" Virtual Conference (on line)
2022 Tampa, FL

AER O&M Division conferences
2003 New Orleans, LA
2013 New Orleans, LA
2017 Pittsburgh, PA

2022 SOMA - Tampa, Florida December 10-13 2022 PROGRAM & SPEAKERS

SOMA interactive - Barlow-style!

Guiding along a cliff face . . .

Guiding as a white-cane user . . .

Feet in the Street!

Janet Barlow Collaboration Initiative: Traffic Engineering and O&M

Let's get real!

Regrouping . . .

All together now!

Connections and memories

Behind the Scenes

Follow-up after the conference . . .

Applying what I learned . . .

Wildlife at SOMA!

Small world!

2020 SOMA - "LIVE" Online December 14-15 2020 PROGRAM & SPEAKERS

SOMA 2020 -- It was the best of times, it was the worst of times . . .

LIVE interaction at a virtual conference

Networking in the lounge Christine Telford

Interaction turns into action Mike Switzer

I grew as a presenter at SOMADona Sauerburger, COMS

Volunteers -- crucial to our success!

Stage Managers

Game Hosts

Facilitating Accessibility

2018 SOMA - Tampa, Florida - December 8-12 2018 PROGRAM & SPEAKERS

Welcome Presenter Newbies!

Presenters, Participants and Exhibitors

2016 SOMA - Chattanooga, Tennessee - March 12-15 2016 PROGRAM & SPEAKERS

2012 SOMA/COMA - Richmond, Virginia - September 30 - October 2

2002 SOMA -- Orlando, Florida

Networking in the lounge
Christine Telford

Interaction turns into action
Mike Switzer

I grew as a presenter at SOMA
Dona Sauerburger, COMS