[Community-service] What is the community service group?

Darian Smith dsmithnfb at gmail.com
Sun Jan 26 22:01:18 UTC 2014


hello all,
  

 in light of requests for more information as to the purpose and activities of the community service group, I wanted to take the time  this sunday afternoon to share with those whom seem most interested in the subject answers on the matter.
 I   suspect that this would do just as well as organizing a call, and  would allow for anyone to ask questions that others might have and get them answered  for all to see.
 
  the  purpose of the community service group (CSG or CS group) is to educate the blind in how to become involved in service activities  and projects, educate the sighted as to the rue abilities of the blind  via involvement in community service projects and encourage such involvement in members, chapters and affiliates. 
 We believe that service is not only a path to employment, a way to educate, but a way to learn  about one’s self, and the issues faced in one’s community and country. 
 Put simply, the sighted tend not to believe we can  engage in service projects and often the blind don’t think they can either. with exposure to the positive philosophy of the federation and it’s  members serving  as  positive role models, these    attitudes we aim to change.
 It is our  belief  that in order to do this, we must challenge ourselves  by re-thinking what  service-related activities the blind “can” do.  an example might be  organizing a park beautification project.  Maybe it is thought that we can’t pull up non-native plans and plant native plants and trees, that we can’t build planter boxes, fill them with  the dirt  before planting what’s needed. maybe we are told we are not to paint where the paint is needed?  Maybe such things are possible with the proper  basic  training                  and understanding of the project, and the proper non-visual techniques?
  we feel that taking on  projects that get us to look beyond  blindness are educational for both ourselves and the community. To this end, the group plans a seminar each year at our national convention to motivate, provoke and engage.  We are in the  works of   planning a service project at this year’s convention and are looking into ways to fund future service projects and informational trips to service  conferences where we might share information about the group and the work  the federation does, as well as  learn of partnerships and   practices we may leverage  to further the blind in the service field.
 If you only volunteer once and a while, want to do more of it, or do plenty of it already,  we want to be a support if you run into trouble or need some ideas.
 in addition to our fundraising committee, we have a teleconference  seminar chair who plans teleconference seminars  that will get you to think, ask questions and get questions answered by like -minded blind folks.  
 We have a resources committee that is working on compiling a list of agencies and resources members can use as well.  We have a service project committee that is charged with finding our project  this year.   
 eventually a division will form, but we hope that it will form and thrive with the collective efforts of all who believe in service, the federation, and the  power that comes with collective action and the believe that we can address our country’s most pressing problems along  side our sighted friends, family and neighbors(all of you on this list). 
 If  one has a question, we all help to find the answer, if one has an idea, we rally to support the person in implementing it, if one needs encouraging, we all help to do so.  In short  we all pitch in where we can.
 should you have any further questions, please feel free to ask them.
 If you  feel the need to dialog further  please contact me via the information in my signature.
 In the meantime, all of our committee chairs our also on this list serve and are willing to answer questions related to their committee as well. 
  Best,
   Darian   
                   
  
 


Darian Smith
Chairperson, Community Service Group -National Federation  of The Blind.
dsmithnfb at gmail.com
 (415) 215-9809
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