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<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>Greetings, all!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>Wonderfully stated, Rob! I will add that I too have been
awe-struck as I have watched Dr. Maurer with the NFB grow in leadership and in
advocacy approach and in developing/resolving issues. The comment you made
about support without judgment is something I feel strongly throughout the
organization, and it's much more compatible with my style of advocacy. It
doesn't mean that issues are glossed over, chocolate-coated or ignored. It's
all about how they are presented. Confronting an issue doesn't have to be a
hammer to the head. It can be a velvet hammer touching the head, then the heart;
or, the heart then the head!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>Cheers,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>Susan <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div>
<div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> home-on-the-range-bounces@nfbnet.org
[mailto:home-on-the-range-bounces@nfbnet.org] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Rob Tabor<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Monday, July 12, 2010 10:24 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> NFB of Kansas Internet Mailing List<br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [Home-on-the-range] From your monitor<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Greetings
listmembers and Maryse.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p>
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<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>I
wholeheartedly agree with Susan Tabor's insights into the 2010 national
convention experience, but I'll add my oown perspective by addressing each
question as presented.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<blockquote style='border:none;border-left:solid black 1.5pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 4.0pt;
margin-left:3.75pt;margin-top:5.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt'>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal>1- What did going to the convention mean to you<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>When
I first joined NFB in 1985 after defecting from ACB, I did not know the importance
of having a positive philosophy of blindness until I began reading the vast
reserve of NFB literature which I acquired at my first convention in Louisville
that year. Although it is essential to communicate the NFB philosophy at the
state affiliate and local chapter levels, I am persuaded without reservation
that participation at our national convention is of paramount importance in
moving the NFB philosophy across the 18 inch road from head to heart. This I
believe is the driving force that brought about the creation by our national
board of directors of the Journigan fund, a scholarship fund to help
Federationists on SSI and similar low and fixed income sources to come and to
be involved in our national convention and with the aid of excellent veteran
Federationists as mentors who help new convention delegates deal with the
frequently overwhelming effects of large crowds, megalithic hotels and
convention centers, busy schedules, etc. A declaration by our colleague Parnell
Diggs is spot on in his assertion that the best reason for raising funds is to
bring new members to national convention. In case Mr. Diggs monitors this list
I apologize if I've misquoted him.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal>2-What did you learn?<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal>It will take more time to process the subtle aspects of
lessons I have learned from the 2010 convention. I suggest that a helpful way
to assimilate lessons learned is to apply a sine qua non test. In other words,
we may ask ourselves what we know in retrospect that we would not have known
had we elected to stay home or to go elsewhere during convention week. With
this in mind, I have come to recognize that the growth in membership, assets,
projects and programs, and influnce of our organization are directly
attributable to the outstanding leadership of Dr. Maurer and his executive
leadership team and board. Dr. Maurer's leadership has evolved to this point in
a two fold manner. First, he has grown tremendously in his leadership and
management style and approach, then he has grown the organization itself. To
offer but one example, the strategic initiative projects were launched and
continue to experience remarkable growth on his watch. Last but not least, we
have made positive strides in our collective ability to offer support without
judgment and in some ways I think we are reclaiming the grass roots energy and
robust spirit that marked the early days of our social movement.<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal>3-Was it a life changing experieence?<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>To
address this question honestly, I must say the jury is out as lasting change
often comes about so gradually and in such subtle and incremental fashion that
others notice change before we are cognizant of it. However, I sincerely hope
the real answer turns out to be an unmitigated Y E S. As this question is
linked to the last one below, one, I will endeavor to develop my response by
addressing it.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal>4-what are you bringing back to apply to your life and to
help change another's?<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>The
NFB 2010 convention has rekindled my all ready strong desire to strive to do my
best at whatever I endeavor to do and to make dilligent and conscious efforts
to improve in areas where my best is not good enough. I recently told a
colleague in Federationism that my bonds to NFB are permanently sealed by its
inspiration to excellence and its disdain for mediocrity and absolute contempt
for poverty of effort. Part and parcel is my renewed desire to extend my
knowledge and experience to assist my blind colleagues, Federationist and
otherwise, on the journey toward first class citizenship and interdependence
equal to that of our sighted peers. But such commitments are not a one and done
proposition. They are like a battery that must be periodically recharged and
National Convention does exactly that.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Should
the mighty and unseen forces be willing, I look forward to seeing all of oyou
in Orlando in 2011.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Best
to all</span><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Rob
Tabor and White Cane Raśl</span><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal>DID DEEP.<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal> Thus, I sart with me. Going
to Dallas to attend my first NFB convention was a life changing experience at
many levels.Let me explain. I am legally blind and fall in the category
described, at the banquet ,by Dr. Maurer as a middle-of-the-road blind. I then
realized I never really deep down accepted this new challenge of 6 yrs.
ago. Therefore I desperately tried to function as a sighted person,only to
experience but mediocre results,impatience and frustration.<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal> The convention taught me that I can function as
a bi-visual person.(no other connotation meant!) Yes, I am a bi-vsual
person. In other words,when I need some sight it is there and when I need
blindness skills,they are there. This in essence makes me a confident and
competent individual better able to serve my NFB family and enter a new career
with knowledge and poise.<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal>Thank you Kansas Federationists for having adopted this new
American citizen<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal>Sincerely<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal>Maryse<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'>
<hr size=2 width="100%" align=center>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal>_______________________________________________<br>
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</blockquote>
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