Making Change Happen

Part of my days are spent slogging through unhelpful, hard to view websites or dealing with trying to find a way to read really tiny print. It's everywhere! When I find a website that is absolutely impossible to work with I make a choice, based on my own and global needs, about whether to contact the webmaster or not and ask for a change. I've had a few successes. One was with a state website for education in Indiana. I got a fix and a lightning fast response so now the command CTRL with + and - works just fine.

I had a great deal of difficulty reading and exploring Kim Komando's website for computer tips. I wrote her an email telling her that her site was barely usable by the visually impaired and unsubscribed from all of her emails and it made me sad. I revisited a few months ago and the site is much improved. Did I have an influence? I'd like to think so.

I've found many people don't like making accommodations for others as a rule. I minimize the business I do with those who are unresponsive to requests for help. I have contacted my local Lion's Club and received one perfunctory email back and that was it. Here, in my community, that org is a dud. And that's a shame because the building is about 2 blocks from my home and in charge of local recycling. "That" is something it does well. Sigh...

My village was hit hard economically and divested it's responsibility to move people onto another township. There is no near public transportation for walkers. I contacted someone in charge of authorizing such services and was redirected to a sister township to find out what was available in the way of transportation.

I found that medical transportation on a very limited basis was offered and mostly to Chicago. Through a series of conversations with several people who had the power to make decisions service was extended to cover trips to the grocery store, the library and a few other places. However the service hours have been so limited (unavailable on weekend) and have to be scheduled so far in advance they aren't terribly helpful most of the time. I will take credit for getting those services for others in my village who had just accepted the status quo.

Taking it further I found that the village now offers a "program list" that is maintained on the village website and it details services available to the disabled and elderly. That is something new... having it all spelled out for folks to read and know about. Wait times are longer and the hours aren't improved but, perhaps, that will change in the future.

I feel good knowing I made that happen.

Sherry