[IABS-Talk] President Riccobono's notebook for the week of December 7

[Marilyn Green]

Dear fellow federationists,

Please see the following information from President Riccobono's notebook:

Independence Market Holiday Hours

The Independence Market will be closed starting at 5:00 p.m. eastern
on Wednesday, December 23, and will not reopen until Monday, January
4, at 8:00 a.m.
eastern to give our hard-working staff time to enjoy the holidays with
family. Don’t forget to place your order for our accessible measuring
cups or Braille
UNO® cards so you can still do all of your tasty holiday baking and
have fun with family! Don’t delay, order today!

New Nation’s Blind Podcast Episode–“Deafblind and Living the Lives They Want”:

In this episode of the Nation’s Blind Podcast, Anil Lewis and Chris
Danielsen talk with Alice Eaddy, president of the
Deafblind Division of the National Federation of the Blind,
and Marsha Drenth, the division’s first vice-president.
Access the Nation’s Blind Podcast now.


Open-House Gathering–Share with Prospective Members:

On Sunday, December 13, at 8:00 p.m. eastern, the National Federation
of the Blind is hosting an open-house gathering for people to learn
about becoming
members of the Federation. Share with prospective members this
opportunity to learn more from leaders about the Federation and why
membership is crucial.
Sign up by emailing
membership at nfb.org
 or calling 410-659-9314, extension 2509.

Accessibility Boutique:

The National Federation of the Blind is hosting an accessibility
boutique that will cover accessible smart home products. The boutique
will be held on
Tuesday, December 15, 2:00-3:30 p.m. eastern, via Zoom. Smart home
products are designed to help control items in your home, from
security to entertainment.
Take advantage of this free opportunity to learn the latest tips and tools.
Register for the Smart Home Accessibility Boutique today.

Upcoming Event–Smart Cities Summit:

The National Federation of the Blind Smart Cities Summit is a one-day
online event on Thursday, January 28, 2021. The goal is to bring
policymakers and
technology developers together to collaborate and create accessible
infrastructure for smart cities. Review the agenda and
register for the Smart Cities Summit
 today!

Scholarship Program–Start Applications Now:

Every year, the National Federation of the Blind awards more than
$120,000 to blind scholars across the fifty states, the District of
Columbia, and Puerto
Rico in recognition of their achievements and professional
aspirations. Each scholarship winner is awarded based on their
academic excellence, community
service, and leadership. The application process is open and we
encourage students to start the process now. Review the
scholarship application checklist
 and the
scholarship program FAQs.
Share this opportunity that invests in the future of blind people.
Learn about the eligibility and requirements of the
2021 scholarship program
 and start the application process now.

Still Time to Register for Braille Readers Are Leaders—A Contest for
Children and Adults:

This contest is designed to encourage the contestants to read more
Braille, helping them to improve their reading skills and win prizes.
The National Federation
of the Blind is partnering with the American Action Fund for Blind
Children and Adults to present the 2020-2021 Braille Readers Are
Leaders contest to
encourage Braille literacy and reading for pleasure. Children and
adults across the United States compete against their same-grade peers
to read the most
Braille pages between December 1, 2020, through January 18, 2021.
Registration is still open. Learn more about the
Braille Readers Are Leaders
 contest.

Braille Readers Are Leaders Solidarity Challenge:

In a recent conversation, Anil Lewis and Everette Bacon both
acknowledged that they simply do not take the time to read Braille on
a regular basis to improve
their Braille skills. Recognizing that he is not the most competitive
person, Anil offers this solidarity challenge for likeminded leaders
in the Federation
to join him in participating in the upcoming Braille Readers Are
Leaders program. The only prize he is striving to receive is a renewed
commitment to improving
his Braille skills. He has registered for the program, and challenges
other leaders in the Federation to join with him in solidarity to
achieve the same
goal.
https://www.actionfund.org/programs/braille-readers-are-leaders

Dates to Keep in Mind:
list of 15 items
•
December 13: Open-House Gathering call, 8:00 p.m. eastern
•
December 15-17: Dare to Be Remarkable, 11:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. eastern
•
January 4: Presidential Release LIVE, 8:00 p.m. eastern
•
January 18:
Braille Readers Are Leaders
 registration (and page count) deadline
•
January 28:
Smart Cities Summit,
12:00-8:00 p.m. eastern
•
February 1: Presidential Release LIVE, 8:00 p.m. eastern
•
February 8:
Washington Seminar
 Great Gathering-In
•
March 1: Presidential Release LIVE, 8:00 p.m. eastern
•
March 24-26: Jacobus tenBroek Law Symposium
•
March 31:
Scholarship application
 deadline
•
April 1: Presidential Release LIVE, 8:00 p.m. eastern
•
April 15:
Bolotin Awards
 nominations deadline
•
May 2: Presidential Release LIVE, 8:00 p.m. eastern
•
June 1: Presidential Release LIVE, 8:00 p.m. eastern
•
July 6-11: NFB National Convention, New Orleans, Louisiana


-- 
Marilyn Green, President
National Federation of the Blind of Illinois
312-343-8396
www.nfbofillinois.org