<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html charset=windows-1252"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;">Hi Tom,<div> Thank you for your thoughtful suggestions.</div><div> I would respond by saying that the National Association of Blind Students is a division made up of students who are from many different walks of life, having many different experiences, interests, desires and needs. We come together to help each other reach our goals, and are very supportive of the needs of each other. In the past we supported the forming of a committee in which non- traditional students could come together to help bring about more focused attention to this portion of our membership. We’ve also attempted the same but for our high school members. We would be open to doing this again, provided there is a good amount of interest to do it, and reasonable commitment to back it up.</div><div> I hope that this helps. If you would like some assistance in organizing such a committee, feel free to send me a note off-list and I will be glad to lend what I can as I am able.</div><div> Again, I thank you for your thoughts, and am happy that you are interested in involvement in the work that we do to raise expectations for blind people. </div><div><br></div><div> </div><div> <br><div><div>On May 18, 2014, at 10:36 PM, Thomas Peralta via nabs-l <<a href="mailto:nabs-l@nfbnet.org">nabs-l@nfbnet.org</a>> wrote:</div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"><blockquote type="cite"><div style="font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;">Mary,<br>I appreciate the fine work you are doing, but want to point out one area that may be over-looked. Because of the economy and all the cuts in Federal, state and local programs, many blind seniors have been forced to go back to work or get more schooling, like myself. Therefore, I might suggest the formation of a mentoring group for blind seniors or/and adults returning to school. I am just getting my membership in the NBF and plan on becoming very active at both the national and state levels. At this point, I am the Secretary/Treasurer of the Wisconsin chapter of the Blind Veterans Association and on the Legislative Lobbying Committee of the Wisconsin Council for the Blind. What can I do to help? With regards, Tom Peralta<br>On Sunday, May 18, 2014 7:06 PM, Mary Fernandez via nabs-l <<a href="mailto:nabs-l@nfbnet.org">nabs-l@nfbnet.org</a>> wrote:<br><br><br><br>All,<br>Hope that everyone had a lovely restful weekend. Two weeks after<br>having opened the application to the mentoring program, we have had a<br>wonderful response. But we still need more mentors and mentees! If you<br>know of a student who has never attended a national convention, or who<br>would benefit from this program, please forward this information. If<br>you, or someone you know wants to volunteer to mentor someone please<br>apply. There is nothing quite as powerful as forming personal<br>relationships when we want to bring in new members. Even if they don't<br>become members, I want every student who participates in this program<br>to walk away with the knowledge that they can do whatever it is that<br>they want to do. So, sign up today. Contact me if you have any<br>questions or concerns.<br>The application forms are at <a href="http://www.nabslink.org">www.nabslink.org</a> in the homepage there is<br>a National convention mentoring program link.<br>The first meet and greet will be July 1st, not July 2nd as I<br>previously mistakenly wrote.<br>Thank you and see you at convention!<br>--<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br>Mary Fernandez<br>"I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will<br>forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them<br>feel."<br>--<br>Maya Angelou<br><br>_______________________________________________<br>nabs-l mailing list<br><a href="mailto:nabs-l@nfbnet.org">nabs-l@nfbnet.org</a><br><a href="http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org">http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org</a><br>To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for nabs-l:<br><a href="http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/tinypaws8491%40yahoo.com">http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/tinypaws8491%40yahoo.com</a><br>_______________________________________________<br>nabs-l mailing list<br><a href="mailto:nabs-l@nfbnet.org">nabs-l@nfbnet.org</a><br><a href="http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org">http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org</a><br>To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for nabs-l:<br><a href="http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/dsmithnfb%40gmail.com">http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/dsmithnfb%40gmail.com</a></div></blockquote></div><br></div><br><br><div apple-content-edited="true">
<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;"><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;"><div>Darian Smith</div><div>2nd Vice President, National Association of Blind Students</div><div>(415) 215-9809</div><div><a href="mailto:dsmithnfb@gmail.com">dsmithnfb@gmail.com</a>.</div><div>twitter: @goldengateace</div><div><br></div><div><a href="http://www.nabslink.org">www.nabslink.org</a></div><div>Follow the National Association of Blind Students on twitter: @nabslink.</div><div>“ A good Head and a good heart are always a formidable combination” </div><div> - Nelson Mandela. </div><div><blockquote type="cite"><br>Vehicle Donations Take the Blind Further <br>Donate your car to the National Federation of the Blind today!<br>For more information, please visit: <a href="http://www.carshelpingtheblind.org/">www.carshelpingtheblind.org</a> or call 1-855-659-9314<br></blockquote></div></div></div>
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