Larry, I don't recall reading another reply to the original post, but you could check out the archive and see if it is there.
http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ Mickey ----- Original Message ----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [email protected] Sent: Saturday, February 24, 2007 12:59 PM Subject: Re: [BlindHandyMan] Home renovation not hindered by blindness Don --it was a Blind Handyman e-mail that somebody sent to the List in response to your e-mail with the article. New topic - I also sent an e-mail to the newspaper asking that they forward the Blind Handyman website to Ernie Berry. -- Larry Martin Woodworking for the Blind --joining the world of blind wood workers -------------- Original message ---------------------- From: "Don" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Hello Larry, I'm not following you, did the message come across the list, are > too you. How about your deleted items folder?? Don > ----- Original Message ----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > To: [email protected] > Sent: Saturday, February 24, 2007 9:03 AM > Subject: Re: [BlindHandyMan] Home renovation not hindered by blindness > > > Don -- I just mistakenly deleted someone's response to this e-mail from you > before I read it. Is there any chance of getting that re-sent to me? > > -- > Larry Martin > Woodworking for the Blind > --joining the world of blind wood workers > > -------------- Original message ---------------------- > From: "Don" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > If any one on list lives around this area, are knows of this guy, we would > like > > to talk with this guy on the show. text follows. Don > > Home renovation not hindered by blindness > > By Heather Riedel > > > > "This house was one of the worst properties in the east side of Toledo and > > I'm going to take it to the best property," Ernie Berry said. > > > > Berry talks about the house he purchased last June as he stumbles around > > boards and scraps. He uses a cane because he doesn't want his guide dog, > > Calypso, > > to step on a nail or a sharp piece of wood. > > > > "When I'm by myself, I don't mind if I fall down," Berry said after catching > > his footing. > > > > Berry, who was born blind, is fixing up the 5,000-square-foot pale yellow > > house on Oswald Street, which was built in 1896. He said it used to be a > > "crack > > house with > > > > 22 people living in it at one time." > > > > Berry has never let his blindness deter him from hard work. He has two > > degrees from UT, is working toward a master's degree, was an intern in > > Washington, > > D.C., and has twice ran for political office. > > > > "I was born blind and no one knows why," the 22-year-old said. "The doctors > > never knew why. It's just one of those things." > > > > In addition to not being able to see what he's doing or where he's going, > > Berry has to walk with a cane, the aftermath of a neurological attack when > > he > > was 16. > > > > "I don't see anything as being difficult for me," he said. "I just have to > > do it. Giving up is not an option." > > > > The most difficult task while working on refurbishing the house was the > > demolition part, he said. It took nearly five months to clear the inside of > > the > > house. He said the work went faster because he did it himself. > > > > "I wasn't afraid of things falling on me because I couldn't have seen them > > anyway," Berry said. "If they hit me, they hit me." > > > > The house was in horrible shape when he bought it, he said. > > > > "It was foul-smelling and there were condoms and crack paraphernalia > > everywhere," he said. > > > > Now, the house is gutted and the only things in it are spider webs draped > > around wooden beams and some scraps on the floor. It is dark and drafty, > > because > > the heat has not been installed yet. > > > > Berry laughed as he recalled knocking down walls and clearing out the house, > > working well after the sun went down when the property would be dark inside. > > He remembers passing neighbors saying, "Hey Ernie, don't you want a light on > > in there?" or, "It's pretty dark in there." > > > > "What do I need a light for?" Berry said. > > > > The house will be a twin-plex that will emulate an Old West End style home, > > Berry said. > > > > "We're not stopping just because of the weather," Berry said. "We're a month > > ahead of schedule, but no corners will be cut. It's going to be a new home > > in an old building." > > > > Not busy enough > > Berry said he bought the house because he "needed something else" to work on > > and he wasn't busy enough. > > > > The project, to which he estimates he has devoted at least 1,500 hours of > > labor since June, is a hobby, he said, and it won't cut into the time he > > spends > > with other commitments during the week. > > > > One of those commitments is chess. Berry began playing chess at age 5 and > > won the Northwest Ohio Regional Chess Championship in 1998. > > > > "Everything in life, no matter what it is, is a chess game. You have to > > think ahead," he said while relating his metaphor to the house. "I can see > > the > > finished project and if I can get to the checkmate ahead of schedule, I > > will." > > > > Along with chess, weight lifting has become an important hobby. After he > > suffered from spastic paraplegia neuropathy, which caused his legs to spasm > > and > > confined him to a wheelchair, he worked to rehabilitate himself and was able > > to walk again. He said he was encouraged to lift weights to strengthen his > > body, but he didn't stop there. His motivation and competitive nature sent > > him to the National Bench Press Competition in Cleveland, where he placed > > fourth. > > > > Berry also mentors neighborhood children, ages kindergarten through high > > school, teaching them to play chess and training them in weight lifting. > > > > "I don't want to sacrifice the time I spend with mentoring these kids every > > week," Berry said. "I think one of the most important things is to be a role > > model to someone who looks up to you." > > > > Along with these hobbies, Berry works full time as the ADA coordinator for > > the City of Toledo, and is attending UT for his master's degree in public > > administration. > > > > "I love Toledo," Berry said. "Toledo is my home. People haven't said they'd > > entrust me with making governmental decision yet, but that doesn't stop me > > from fixing up Toledo one house at a time." > > > > Berry credits his parents, Pete and Becky, for his perseverance in his life > > and his love for his hometown. > > > > "We're proud of our city and we're going to try to take care of it," Pete > > Berry said. He has given some advice to Ernie about the refurbishing of the > > house, > > but said it's his son's project. "The neighbors are all glad because it was > > an eyesore, but now they see progress." > > > > "There are always two outlooks on life," Becky Berry said. "You have to find > > the good side and stay positive because the good seems to overtake. We live > > in this neighborhood and we want to keep it nice." Becky Berry said she is > > proud of her son for all his accomplishments and for trying to make his > > neighborhood > > a better place to live. > > > > Pete Berry added that when people ask him if he is proud of his son he says, > > 'I'm not proud of him, I'm inspired by him.'" > > > > With a supportive family behind him, Berry said, "There isn't anything I > > can't handle because I've proven to myself and others that I'm determined to > > do > > what I can for the city given my current situation. > > > > "I think to myself that even though people think it [the house] is, > > physically, too much for me, I have that motivation and it feels good going > > to sleep > > after a hard day's work." > > > > Toledo Free Press Staff Writer > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ No virus found in this incoming message. 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