[Coagdu] FW: starting the NFBCO's blind parents division

[Melissa R Green]

For your information.


Warmly, 
Melissa R Green and Pj
Inside every Guide dog beats the heart of a Puppy raiser, and Trainer.


-----Original Message-----
From: Nate Trela [mailto:ntrela at gmail.com] 
Sent: Tuesday, March 08, 2016 5:38 PM
To: slabarre at labarrelaw.com; jonrdeden at gmail.com; jdeden at cocenter.org; dburke at cocenter.org; wmarshall at cocenter.org; nettiecosp at icloud.com; kevanworley at worleyenterprises.com; dillonlln at yahoo.com; nhecker at mavs.coloradomesa.edu; codyjbair at yahoo.com; garyvdrn at msn.com; rascal.angel2 at gmail.com; massey52 at q.com; go.melissa at gmail.com; annajee82 at gmail.com; bmfvend at yahoo.com; graduate56 at juno.com; rmcgeorge at comcast.net; mnietfeld at cocenter.org; copobc at gmail.com
Subject: starting the NFBCO's blind parents division

Hello chapter and division presidents and other NFBCO leaders,

I've had a chance to meet many of you, but for those I haven't yet, I'm working to get a blind parents division  started for the state. I was able to make it to a couple chapters to talk about it and reached out to many of you to pass the word on at meetings I couldn't make, but won't be able to make any more meetings before the next one for the fledgling parents division, so I'm passing this along with the hope we could get a plug in.

First, a little about myself ... I'm a 2013 CCB graduate and work full  time as a reporterr covering the energy sector for a global financial  newswire. I've got a 13-year-old daughter training for a performing arts career and a nine-year-old son who lives for soccer and his xBox.
I've been blind for almost four years, (on top of spending roughly 20 months of the five years before that below 20/200 as I went through surgeries aimed at saving my sight). And I'm divorced but my girlfriend (a fellow CCB graduate) is practically a stepmom to the kids.

 Some of this is recycled from an email I sent to  Colorado Talk a couple weeks ago before the first meeting, but it's updated with some more current info ... Please free to pass it on to anyone you think would be interested as well as with your chapter members. I'll send another message next week to Colorado Talk to keep things rolling there.

  For many of us, living the life we want means raising a family, and
we   know our blindness is a characteristic that shapes how we do some
  things as parents, but it doesn't define us or limit us. It
certainly   doesn't prevent us from raising happy, bright and active
children.

   But we know that to some people - maybe teachers, social workers, neighbors or even our own families - how we do it all can be hard to understand. And maybe sometimes we even wonder if there is a better way to do things like keeping track of a child at a playground, lugging a car seat around just in case you might want to take an Uber later, getting the kids too soccer practice or working through their algebra homework.

  So we are launching a blind parents division for the NFBCO and we want  this to be a truly statewide entity. At our first meeting on Feb. 20,  we talked about ways this division can benefit parents around the  state. Whether it's being a resource for new parents wondering about  alternative techniques e have used, addressing accessibility issues  with our children's schools and the technology they work with, or  educating others about parenting without sight, we  have shared  experiences and talents that are a benefit to all of us.
We ran the  cross-section, from people curious about having children in the  future, an expectant mom, a new mother, parents with school-aged  children and even those with children long out of the house. We talked  about a social component with playgroups and group outings ... the  ideas kept coming.

  While we are starting off with meetings in conjunction with the Denver  chapter's meetings, there's a lot of enthusiasm for  taking it  on the  road in conjunction with other chapters meetings. We'll likely have a phone line for our next meeting so more people can  get involved and it won't be as Denver-centric.

  The next meting is set for March 19 at CCB, starting at 1215 pm, and  we'd love to have as many people participating as possible. We're planning to adopt a constitution, elect a board and really get things going. If you can't make it to Littleton or want to talk more please feel free to send  thoughts to me at ntrela at gmail.com or call me at 303-993-5895. We would welcome parents, grandparents and even those just curious about how we do it all.

   Cheers,

   Nate