VCC Magazine Fall-Winter 20-21

V irginia C apitol C onnections , F all 2020/W inter 2021 22 A ssociations AARPVirginia –804.344.3059 David DeBiasi, ddebiasi@aarp.org Alliance for Construction Excellence (ACE) J. T. Thomas, Chairman , 703.658.4383 Fraternal Order of Police, VA State Lodge John Ohrnberger, johrnb@aol.com Speech-Language-HearingAssociation ofVirginia (SHAV) Renee Garrett, President • www.shav.org Virginia Association for Career and Technical Education Dr. Brenda D. Long, Executive Director , 540.760.250 Virginia Association for Marriage and Family Therapy https://vamft.wordpress.com/ Virginia Association of Realtors Terri Suit, CEO , o) 804.249.5702 c) 804.381.1222 Martin Johnson, Senior VP of Gov. Relations , c) 804.514.9830 Anthony Reedy, VP of Political Operations , 804.249.5719 Mary Lawson, Vice-President of Legislative Affairs , 540.230.6310 Erin Barton, Deputy Legislative Counsel , 804.249.5033 Virginia Cable Telecommunications Association Ray LaMura, President , 804.780.1776 Virginia Coalition of Police and Deputy Sheriffs Chip Condon, President , 1.800.913.2727 Virginia Education Association –804.648.5801 Dr. James J. Fedderman, President Kathy Burcher, Government Relations Virginia Fire Chiefs Association David Hutcheson, President , 757.651.7641 Virginia Professional Fire Fighters Robert Bragg, President , 434.882.8238 Virginia School Counselor Association Julia Taylor, Chair ; Lauren Kershner, Assistant Chair www.vsca.org Virginia State Firefighters Association Ken Brown, President , 804.971.7983 Voter Registrars Association of Virginia Allison Robbins, President , 276.328.8331 E ateries Rueger’s Restaurant & Bar 901 Bank Street, Richmond • 804.343.7300 (Inside The Commonwealth) S ervices Gus’s Shoe Repair 528 East Main Street, Richmond • 804.782.6959 www.shoerepairrichmond.com H otels Berkeley Hotel (Per diem rates offered, restrictions apply) 804.780.1300 • 1200 East Cary Street, Richmond The Commonwealth (Per diem rates offered, restrictions apply) 804.343.7300 • 901 Bank Street, Richmond Adjacent to General Assembly  Delta Hotels by Marriott Richmond Downtown (Special Session rates available) 804.788.0900 • 555 East Canal Street, Richmond Linden Row Inn (Special Session rates available) 804.225.5841 • 100 East Franklin Street, Richmond The Blonde in The Elevator By Ken Jessup Since 1995, I’ve been trekking around the Capitol talking with elected officials and legislative assistants about disability issues. Being visually impaired, my white cane has been my calling card! I’ve made so many friends, it seems everyone wants to share a story concerning a relative or friend with a disability sometimes, even themselves. Now, from time to time, I’d like to share some of the more memorable moments of a lobbyist with a disability as I navigated our Commonwealth’s legislative process. I’ve been warned not to start with a “blonde” story, but this is so amusing that I must share…. During a session, I entered an elevator wearing my sunglasses and using my white cane, a rather attractive young blonde lady came in behind me. Since we were the only ones and I hate quiet elevators, I decided to break the ice. Looking straight ahead and not at her I said “you’re a blonde, aren’t you?” The young woman seemed amazed and asked how I knew. That was all the opening I needed to really play with her head! “People who are blind or visually impaired can tell hair color in an enclosed area because relative humidity changes according to the pigmentation of hair follicles” I told her. That would have been the end of the story and funny enough as she seemed to believe what I had said. A couple hours later I was on the floor she worked on and I observed her poking a coworker and saying “see that blind man? He could tell I’m blonde by the relative humidity in the elevator”. That moment amuses me every time I think about it! Ken Jessup is a member of the Department for the Blind and Vision Impaired, a member of the State Rehabilitation Council, and the Statewide Independent Living Council. B ENNETT F UNERAL H OME Charles D. Morehead, Sr. Funeral Director & General Manager 3215 Cutshaw Avenue Richmond, Virginia 23221 (804) 359-4481 V