[Greater-Baltimore] June minute message

Thu Jun 15 15:29:19 UTC 2017

June 2017 Minute Message

Fellow Federationists:

Get Ready for Orlando
Have you figured out how you are getting from the airport to your hotel and
back? You have several choices.  Consider using a Mears Shared Shuttle.
Mears is offering a discount of $4 off the roundtrip price with the NFB
Mears Shuttle coupon. Go to the link NFB Mears Shuttle Coupon
<https://nfb.org/images/nfb/documents/pdf/2017%20nfb%20mears%20airport%20shu
ttle%20coupon.pdf> . Follow the instructions on the coupon to reserve your
shuttle in advance or simply present the coupon at any of the four Mears
Transportation ticket counters located on level 1 of the Orlando
International Airport terminal.  Call 800-759-5219 with questions.

You may also wish to try SuperShuttle. It is $29 roundtrip to and from the
Rosen Shingle Creek. To make reservations call 800-258-3826. The reference
code is SRDT3. There will be no extra charge for making phone reservations.
You can also book online at
http://group.supershuttle.com/group-page/the-national-federation-of-the-blin
d-2017-annual-convention/. 
 For those who wish to use paratransit while in Florida, you must call and
register with Access Links in advance.  The number is 407-423-8747. 

To make sure you don't miss any convention events, consult the national
convention agenda by going to Convention Agenda
<https://nfb.org/images/nfb/documents/word/2017-conv-agenda-for-final-web.do
cx> . The agenda will also be on NFB NewslineR soon. 

Don't miss the Maryland caucus!  Date: July 11; Time: 9 PM; Place: Sewanee
11 in the Rosen Shingle Creek Hotel.   If you wish to sit with people from
Maryland at the banquet, be sure to bring your banquet ticket to the caucus
for the exchange.

We need your help at the Maryland Table. We will be selling snacks and
instant lottery tickets. Please contact Tyron Bratcher or Amber Woods to let
them know when you can help. Don't forget to buy as well as sell items. If
you have a shift at the Independence Market, please remember to fill it.
This is a great way to meet people from across the country and make new
friends. 

Scholarship Winners
We are pleased to have a National Scholarship winner from Maryland this
year.  Wayne Thomas Smith is a freshman at the University of Maryland,
College Park.  He plans to get a degree in computer engineering.  We also
have two State Scholarship winners:  Akierra Burks and Christopher Nusbaum.
Akierra will be a sophomore at Hampton University in Hampton, Virginia.  She
plans to get a B.A. in English.  Chris will be a freshman at Lynchburg
College in Lynchburg, Virginia.  He plans to get a B.S. in Education, with
an emphasis on teaching blind students.  Be sure to congratulate these three
scholars when you meet them at the convention.  

Crabs Anyone?
Be sure to get your ticket for the Annual Crab Feast, to be held on August
19 at Columbus Gardens in Baltimore.  Please note that the crab feast is on
Saturday this year.   On August 19, from 6 pm to 11 pm, feast on
all-you-can-eat crabs, pit beef, ham plus a full buffet of six entrees,
sides, salads, and dessert.  Of course there will be beer, music and
dancing.  This is our major fund raiser for the NFBMD scholarships, youth
stipends and BELL programs.  To purchase tickets, contact Steve Brand at
steve at ayst.net.  

BELL Volunteers Needed
In our three BELL programs, blind volunteers have the opportunity to raise
the expectations of blind children so that they can live the lives they
want.  Getting to know and work with these students is also fun.  If you
wish to help in the Salisbury program, July 17-28, contact Danielle Earl at
dearl at bism.org <mailto:dearl at bism.org> .   If you wish to help in the
Baltimore program, July 31 through August 11, contact Melissa Riccobono at
melissa at riccobono.us <mailto:melissa at riccobono.us> .   If you wish to help
in the Glendale program, July 31 - August 11, contact Debbie Brown at
deborahb14 at verizon.net <mailto:deborahb14 at verizon.net> .  

National Certification in Unified English Braille (NCUEB) Test Special Rate
Available
Spread the word!  Do you want to save $200?  To celebrate the twenty-fifth
anniversary of the Braille Bill in Maryland, the National Federation of the
Blind of Maryland will subsidize the test fees for the first ten blindness
professionals in the state making the cost to these individuals $75. The
National Blindness Professional Certification Board will offer the NCUEB
exam in conjunction with the Braille in the 21st Century Literacy
Conference.

DATE:    October 19, 2017
TIME:    8:00 am to 1:00 pm
PLACE: NFB Jernigan Institute
200 East Wells Street
Baltimore, MD 21230

To register for the test go to
https://nbpcb.org/members/login.php?r=/members/er.php?eid=328.
You must register and pay your fee by October 5, 2017.  You must also
register separately for the Literacy Conference to be eligible for this
discount. 

Please check www.nbpcb.org/ncueb <http://www.nbpcb.org/ncueb>  for important
details including what information is covered on the NCUEB exam, what to
bring, what is prohibited, and much more! 
Paper will be provided, but you must bring your own Braille writer.

If you have questions, contact braille at nbpcb.org <mailto:braille at nbpcb.org>
.
For more information about the Braille Literacy Conference go to
<https://nfb.org/brailleconference> https://nfb.org/brailleconference.

Braille Spectator on the Web and on Newsline
The spring 2017 edition of the Braille Spectator is available for your
reading pleasure on both NFB NewslineR and the NFBMD website.  On Newsline,
look under the local channel.  For the web edition go to
<https://www.nfbmd.org/newsletter> https://www.nfbmd.org/newsletter.  

Save These Important Dates.
July 6, 2017.  No diabetes call.  
July 10-15, 2017. National Convention, Orlando, FL.
July 17-28, 2017. NFB BELL Academy in Salisbury, MD.
July 23-29, 2017. NFB Youth SLAM, Towson University, MD.
July 31-August 11, 2017. NFB BELL Academies in Baltimore and Glendale, MD.
August 19, 2017.  Annual Crab Feast, Columbus Gardens, Baltimore, MD.
September 9, 2017. Board of Directors Meeting, time and place to be
announced. 
October 19-20, 2017. Braille Literacy in the 21st Century Conference,
jointly sponsored by the National Federation of the Blind and the Maryland
School for the Blind.  200 East Wells Street, Baltimore, Maryland. 
November 10-12, 2017.  Annual State Convention, Sheraton Baltimore North
Hotel in Towson, Maryland.

Sharon Maneki, President
National Federation of the Blind of Maryland
410-715-9596
The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the
characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise the
expectations of blind people, because low expectations create obstacles
between blind people and our dreams. You can live the life you want;
blindness is not what holds you back.