[CT-NFB] Telling the truth

Thu Dec 17 09:29:23 UTC 2020

affiliate Members, 
it has become necessary for me to advise the affiliate of  untruthfulness and inaccuracies being spread through rumors about myself and Honorata.
First, we have left neither the affiliate nor the Federation. Nothing that we have said, written, or communicated states otherwise.
Second, I did not close down our chapter, Which is being told to affiliate members.  Each of our chapter members attending the convention contacted me individually, or expressed their concern during  our December 5 meeting for the tone, tenor, and disappointment with the business sessions of the convention.
Third, during our December 5 monthly meeting, Honorata and I announced to the members present that we were resigning our positions and leaving the chapter.  It is not my chapter, it is our members chapter, and not ours to close. fourth, a discussion took place and the 11 members Present did not want to continue having a chapter without both of us participating. No member wanted to lead the chapter or run for a board position. attending the meeting were the most active members of our chapter.
Fifth, a  member, a retired JAG  attorney, articulated a motion to dissolve the chapter. The motion was seconded by our Vice President and unanimously passed. A quorum was present and  per  our constitution the vote was Legitimate and legally binding. With the unanimous vote  , I did not need to cast  a vote.
Sixth, our members, with our assistance, will maintain a support group in Stamford.
Seventh, all members present, and those not, were encouraged   to join the  At Large Chapter should they desire to stay connected with the Federation. The  phone number for Jim Cronin was provided and   they  were advised of the at-large meeting held on December 16, and given  the access information. both Honorata and I joined the call and contacted James Cronin notifying him of our intent to join the  chapter.
Eighth, active members not present at the December 5 meeting were contacted and advised of the decision of the members present. Each member reached  agreed with the passing of the motion. I was advised that Beth Rival will be calling chapter members to seek interest for starting a new chapter. We welcome this.
 We remain loyal and committed to the movement and the Federation. During the past three years we have committed ourselves to this, not only with  treasure, Time,  learning, and passion, but with emotion and understanding of the true Federation philosophy,  history, and tmovement.
Both Honorata and I have been despised by a   close circle of    long Dash time friends of the affiliate, Especially during  the past year. Everything is known, documented, and true. Insecurity and frank mean-spiritedness has caused much chaos, hard feelings, and frustrations.
 There are so many kind, compassionate, talented, and proud members within this organization.We have been blessed to have  caring mentors, close relationships with national leaders,And  have made lifetime friends.    We wish that  the  Federation   love, hope, and determination will  turn things around. 
We do not need titles, seats at the head table a couple of times a year, or  backslapping to know that we did our best and will continue to do so. What we have been subject to should make all members question our leaders, our mission, and our commitment to building the Federation in the proper manner.
I understand that we may be Relatively new to this organization, that we do not have decades of close friendships and relationships, and that change is difficult. But, if growth is not present, and  certainty is questionable, then The mission is lost. Without integrity, transparency, ethics, compassion, inclusion, and fairness, there’s nothing to support.

I was recently contacted by an affiliate member letting me know that they had received a call prior to Convention By another member to ascertain who I was. The person inquiring indicated that he/she was told that our chapter is only large because all of the members consist of the families of  both Honorata and myself. This is an outright lie. My father was treasurer and he and my mother attended all of our chapter meetings, except for two each year, and they attended and volunteered at our 2019 convention. Our daughter Sarah was our first secretary, attended the majority of our chapter meetings, and attended two national conventions where she attended all of the general sessions and assisted most members in one way or another. Recently, she actually mailed out   another round of fund raising letters as she has done consistently since the office closed. our daughter Megan joined the chapter during thMeet the Blind Month of 2019 and has been a consistent  participant at meetings and    social gatherings, providing her baked goods and snacks,  even during  our January 2020 Board Meeting in Stamford. She attended the 2019 state convention and assisted with the raffle, auction, and wherever else needed.
 The necessity to defend ourselves is truly insulting and unconscionable.
Those who actually   have divided the affiliate, disseminated rumors And false information, and did whatever it took to retain power, Will undoubtedly be exposed   with truth, evidence, and ownership.
More troubling than what we have experienced is the fact that this  affiliate  is failing the blind of Connecticut. There are more than 62,000 people in Connecticut self identifying from visually impaired all the way to Blind. there are nearly 7000 clients of services for the blind. There arethere are more than 300 school age children in Connecticut who are blind. Who are we serving? Who are we reaching out to? To serve is selfless, not doing so is selfish. Sadly, we believed that 
     we were part of a Federation family, but during my many months of serious illness and   the  recent tragic passing  of Honorata‘s brother, we learned who are true friends are, And who really considered us   as part of the Federation family.
A while back Maryanne personally handed me the official NFB coin. On the reverse side, in braille, the word together is prominent. I  will return it  to her as regrettably it means nothing.

Respectfully,

P.A. Magalnick,JP
203-912-5783
Justice of the Peace, CT

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