[Greater-baltimore] This Week's Minute Messages From the Movement!

[Melissa Ann Riccobono]

National Federation of the Blind of Maryland

Minute Messages from the Movement 

Melissa Riccobono, President

President at nfbmd.org

Phone number 410-235-3073

www.nfbmd.org

Follow us on Twitter @NFBMD

Like us on Facebook

 

Note from the President

Hello everyone,

There are so many wonderful things going on in the National Federation of
the Blind of Maryland, and I want everyone to remain informed! Therefore, I
am going to do my very best to put out a weekly email with "Minute Messages
>From the Movement." I hope everyone will find these messages helpful, and
that chapter and division presidents, and other NFBMD members, will take the
time to submit information to be included in these emails. Again, this is
about connection with one another, and information sharing. So, let's get
started!

 

Messages

Yesterday, six members of the NFB of Maryland testified in front of the
House Ways and Means Committee regarding HB 1242. This bill, if passed, will
provide a line item in the Maryland budget for the Maryland State Library
for the Blind and Physically Handicapped. In addition to those testifying,
other members of the NFBMD came out to sit in the audience and show their
support for this important legislation. The Maryland Library for the Blind
is a crucial resource. We are working very hard in Annapolis to make sure it
will have a predictable funding source for years to come.

 

This Saturday, March 8, I will be traveling to Salisbury to visit the
Delmarva Chapter of the NFBMD. There will be elections, and I am looking
forward to spending time with my Federation family on the Eastern Shore. The
Delmarva Chapter is selling Easter flowers this spring. For more information
about this fundraiser, please contact Danielle Earl at dearl at bism.org

I will be please to share election results in next week's email, so stay
tuned!

 

News from BISM

I am pleased to announce that Sarah Baebler and Melissa Lomax have been
hired by Blind Industries and Services of Maryland to direct youth services.
Sarah comes to us from Wisconsin (horray, a fellow Badger!), and she worked
in the BISM Independence 2013 Program. Many of us know Melissa Lomax, who
has served as MDABS president and on the NFBMD board of directors for the
past few years. I know Sarah and Melissa are hard at work planning summer
programs and other events for blind youth. Stay tuned for more details as
they become available!

 

The Braille Monitor on iTunes?

Yes, it's true! The Braille Monitor is now available as a podcast on iTunes!
OK, so I've been told it's been available for a while now, but it was news
to me. I figured if I didn't know about it, there very well may be others
who were unaware as well. So I thought I'd spread the word. Of course you
can read the Monitor on NFB Newsline, have it emailed to you, receive it in
Braille, in print, or on a thumb drive. I just love having so many options!
I appreciate being able to subscribe to the Monitor as a podcast because I
can listen to a human voice read it, I can listen on my phone or iPod where
ever I am, and the latest issue just magically appears in my podcasts as
soon as it is available.

And, speaking of podcasts, the Presidential Release is also now available as
a podcast. This can be a great way to play the release at chapter meetings.

 

In nex week's email.

News about the Imagination Fund and how you can become an Imaginator this
year!

Mobile phones that help the NFB

Election results from the Delmarva Chapter

A link to the audio of the presidential report from our 2013 state
convention

Details about an opportunity for blind elementary school students to
participate in chemistry experiments

Spring Raffle Update. Don't forget to buy your tickets!

 

 

Dates to Remember

.         March 14, 2014: Basket Bingo
<http://www.nfbmd.org/events/basket_bingo2014.html> 

.         March 15|: MDPOBC bake auction, in conjunction with Greater
Baltimore Chapter Meeting. Breakfast served at 9 AM; meeting begins at 10.

.         April 23: Elementary School Chemestry Experiment Day, 200 East
Wells St., from 1-4 PM

.         April 24-25, 2014: 2014 Jacobus tenBroek Disability Law Symposium,
<https://nfb.org/law-symposium> "Disability Rights in the 21st Century:
Creative Solutions for Achieving the Right to Live in the World

.         May 10: Be OK With Blindness for Parents and Teachers of Blind
Children. Sponsored by MDPOBC and BISM. NFB Jernigan Institute.

.         June 8, 2014: TENTATIVE--NFB 6 Dot Dash-A 6K Race to Advance
Braille Literacy (Baltimore, Maryland)

.         July 1-6, 2014: NFB National Convention (Orlando, Florida)
<http://www.nfb.org/national-convention> 

.         July 28-August 8: NFB BELL Programs in Baltimore and Glendale!
Applications will be available soon!

.         August 1, 2014: 7:00 PM NFBMD Crab Feast (Baltimore, Maryland)

.         September 9: Web Accessibility Day at NFB Jernigan Institute
<http://nfb.org/web-accessibility-day> 

.         October 15-17: NFB Technology Train the Trainers
<http://www.NFB.org/training-the-trainers> 

.         November 14-16, 2014: NFB of Maryland Annual Convention (Towson,
Maryland)

 

Please consider making a donation <http://www.nfbmd.org/donate.html>  today
to help us build a future full of opportunities. You can also donate your
vehicle <http://www.carshelpingtheblind.org>  or support us by giving your
old household goods to our GreenDrop program <http://www.nfbpickup.org> .

 

To submit items for possible inclusion in this weekly email, please send
suggestions to President at nfbmd.org  Be sure to include any related URLs that
might provide further information.