[il-talk] 2012 State convention

[Denise Avant]

Hello all,
Well, I hate to be a copy cat, but I must say this was the best Illinois convention I have ever attended. Carl Jacobsen, our national rep was wonderful. It was good to have Anil Lewis from the national office just come and be a part of us.
Thank you so much Leanne. It was great working together again. Thank you Nancy Gardner. You are so cool and calm during anything that remotely resembles chaos.  You just always step in and fill a need for NFBI.
I wish to thank Ryan Parry for his help on Saturday with the door prizes while Nancy was elsewhere. IABS and all of the new students simply rock. I see a scholarship class of future leaders. All of the scholarship class members not only are grateful to receive the NFBI scholarship, but in so many ways, I saw all of them extending themselves to give something back.
 I particularly want to thank the scholarship class for helping in any way that you could with the kids from freedom link. The freedom link kids expressed at the banquet how the program has benefited them. But I am sure they were helped by seeing young people close to their age this weekend.
Thank you all for supporting and voting for me to be your new first vice president. I have big shoes to fill. But I take comfort in knowing that Debbie Stein will still be around and available to all of us.
Thank you Patti for affording me the privilege to MC our banquet. As I said the other night, I do not take it lightly.



Denise Avant
dravant at ameritech.net

P.S.  Please give to the National Federation of the Blind of Illinois Annual
Appeal by sending your tax deductible donation to NFBI c/o Glenn Moore III,
Treasurer P.O. Box 1065 Elgin, IL 60121.