[Cabs] Exciting Changes to The Blind Coloradan! We are Now aBlog!

[Melissa R Green]

I agree.

Melissa R Green and Pj
Failure is not fatal, but failure to change might be



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "James Beal via Cabs" <cabs at nfbnet.org>
To: <cabs at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Thursday, July 17, 2014 4:15 PM
Subject: Re: [Cabs] Exciting Changes to The Blind Coloradan! We are Now 
aBlog!


Even if you get the bugs out of this blog, it will only serve to 
disenfranchise more of our membership than the ezine has. I don't?make this 
criticism lightly.
?
One of the things I do to help the folks in the Pueblo chapter is print out 
the Blind Coloradoan whenever it comes out and distribute it. I do so 
because only three of the members have computers and only two of them have 
email. If I didn't provide them with info, they would be completely out of 
the loop. This is not something you want to have happen when you are 
interested in maintaining, building, or strengthening an affiliate.
?
The problem with having The Blind Coloradoan exclusively available on a blog 
is compounded with recent situations with DVR and other possible funding 
sources. Most of our membership is on some sort of fixed income be it Social 
Security, SSDI, veterans' retirement, or another government program. While 
the cost of computerized equipment has come down, even with cell phone 
technology, the cost of getting set up to access the blog will run around 
$700, the equivalent of one month's check for most folks. Then there is 
learning to use the equipment once you have it. Our seminars at conventions 
are helpful but most people will need more ongoing help at least initially. 
There is a shortage of people willing or able to assist with this. Even if 
you find someone to help you learn how to access the blog, This could cost 
an individual upwards of $80 per hour of instruction.
?
There is one advantage to doing this, however. That is that it takes less 
time and effort to edit a blog than might be needed with the Blind 
Coloradoan in its current format.
?
This is the tip of an iceberg I see coming at our organization like one did 
with the Titanic. We are developing two classes of members, those who can 
afford to participate fully in what we do and the rest who occasionally get 
involved but can't really contribute beyond being a warm body at Washington 
or one time every ten years attending National. If we are to survive as an 
organization we will need to find ways to expand member participation, not 
limit it. Food for thought. Take a little time to digest it.
James Bealbealcorgi at aol.com

-----Original Message-----From: Jessica Beecham via Cabs 
<cabs at nfbnet.org>To: Colorado-talk 
<colorado-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org>; cabs <cabs at nfbnet.org>; 
Nfb-greeley <nfb-greeley-bounces at nfbnet.org>; Pvc-nfbco 
<pvc-nfbco-bounces at nfbnet.org>; Jessica Beecham 
<jbeecham at cocenter.org>Sent: Wed, Jul 16, 2014 4:06 pmSubject: [Cabs] 
Exciting Changes to The Blind Coloradan! We are Now a Blog!   For Immediate 
Release  Release Date:  Wednesday July 16, 2014  Jessica Beecham  Chapter 
and Community Development Coordinator  National Federation of the Blind of 
Colorado  303-778-1130 x 223  720-440-2632 
jbeecham at nfbco.org<mailto:jbeecham at nfbco.org>   Colorado Springs, CO 
(July 16, 2014). The National Federation of the Blind of  Colorado this week 
announced that The Blind Coloradan will be changing formats  to bring 
readers more timely, empowering information and opinion. The Blind 
Coloradan will now evolve into a blog Blind Coloradan 
theblindcoloradan.blogspot.com.  According to Kevan Worley, who has edited 
The Blind Coloradan in recent years,  "This is very exciting for readers who 
really want to stay in the know. We will  now be able to better target our 
creativity and use of valuable time to bring  more immediate information, 
analysis, and opinion to our readers, both within  and outside of our 
immediate Federation family. We can more effectively meet the  needs of our 
readers through a more relevant, accessible, 21st Century solution.  I look 
forward to collaborating with Jessica Beecham and all future contributors 
to make our new blog a powerful tool of communication and inspiration."  For 
over three years, the NFB of Colorado newsletter, The Blind Coloradan, has 
published three to four times per year. It has been inspired by the National 
Federation of the Blind of Colorado's best intention, expansive creativity, 
and  earnest commitment to bring each reader profiles, information, event 
summaries,  resolutions, and convention reports. The newsletter quickly 
began to become too  dense. It began to resemble a news magazine rather than 
a breezy, up-to-date  news bulletin. It became daunting to write and even 
more daunting to read.  For quite some time now, the organization has also 
had a blog. NFB CO has  determined that the best use of time, effort, and 
imagination would be to target  resources more effectively and encourage 
everyone to read the new Blind Colorada  blog. Please send news people can 
use, notices of upcoming chapter activities,  and opinion to Kevan Worley or 
Jessica Beecham. Email 
kevanworley at blindmerchants.org<mailto:kevanworley at blindmerchants.org> 
or jbeecham at nfbco.org<mailto:jbeecham at nfbco.org>. The affiliate plans 
to keep  the blog lively and up-to-date. NFB CO also plans to add the blog 
to the local  news channel on NFBNewsline. So, check the blog, read the 
blog, and share the  blog with others 
theblindcoloradan.blogspot.com<http://www.blindcoloradan.blogspot.com/>. 
_______________________________________________ Cabs mailing list 
Cabs at nfbnet.org http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/cabs_nfbnet.org To 
unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for Cabs: 
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/cabs_nfbnet.org/bealcorgi%40aol.com


_______________________________________________
Cabs mailing list
Cabs at nfbnet.org
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/cabs_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for Cabs:
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/cabs_nfbnet.org/graduate56%40juno.com