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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72"><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>Hello All,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The next meeting of the At-Large Chapter will be on Tuesday, May 17. Remember we will have election of officers, so don’t miss the meeting. The call-in number is 641-715-3272. The access code is 720125. The National President’s message starts at 7:30, and the meeting begins at 8. Below you will find the minutes from the April Chapter meeting. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Minutes for the At large chapter of the National Federation of the Blind of Maryland<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.5in'>Date: Tuesday, April 19, 2016<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.5in'><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The meeting was called to order at 8:00 P.M. via conference call by Marguerite Woods. There were around 15 people on the call.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Sharon said that no one has yet sent in their dues for this year. Dues are $5 and can be sent to Sharon at 9013 Nelson Way, Columbia, MD 21045 or can be sent through Paypal at nfbmd.org.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Sharon expressed condolences on behalf of the chapter to Charles who lost his mother right before Easter. Nikki Tippett also recently lost her mother.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Marguerite reminded us that the state convention will be October 28-30 at the Baltimore Marriott at Camden Yards.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>An idea was presented for a fundraiser for the chapter which would include a bus trip to a play at the Dutch Apple Theater in Lancaster, PA. The charge would be $100 and would include lunch. This would be sometime in September. The play that would be seen is Phantom and is similar to Phantom of the opera. The suggestion was made that anyone interested in going could put a little money aside at a time to save up for the trip. Tickets could also be sold to others. We agreed to see if people are interested and report back at the next meeting.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Marguerite said she recently participated in early voting and found the voting machine to be very accessible. Sharon said if you have an obvious disability you will be told about the machine, but those with disabilities that are not as obvious are not going to be told that the machine is available so you will have to ask. Sharon also said the format of the ballot on the machine is different from the paper one. There is a survey for those who vote to share their experiences. Those who receive email messages should have gotten a link to the survey. Anyone without email can call Sharon, and she will fill out the survey for you.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>We were joined on the call by Ever Lee Hairston, who has written a book called “Blind Ambition”. She is also on the national board of directors for the NFB. She said she was happy to be on a call with members of the federation family, and that it gives her hope that expectations for the blind can be raised. She explained that her book is her journey from being a little girl to around 2012. Her parents were sharecroppers on a plantation in North Carolina, and she had many challenges growing up as an African-American and dealing with segregation. She was born with Retinitis Pigmentosa, as were her 3 sisters. She shared a story about a time she went to a football game with one of her sisters. Neither of them could see afterward because of the dark, and they both fell in a 4-foot hole. She was dating the quarterback of the football team and had to ride home in his car very dirty and muddy. She said this experience lowered her self-esteem and, at the time she was not aware of any services to help with vision loss. She also told us about a time she was picking cotton with her siblings and got into a pack of snakes. At that point, she decided there had to be a better way of life than that on the plantation. She went to New York to take a job as a maid and planned to return to North Carolina and go to Duke’s nursing school. However, she had to take an eye exam to go to school and failed, so she was not able to attend nursing school. She then got involved in the Civil Rights movement in the 1960’s and participated in marches and even went to jail. She also met Dr. Martin Luther King. She graduated from college and went to New Jersey to be a teacher but had trouble because of her blindness, so she went from job to job. She was invited to an NFB convention and didn’t want to go, but she eventually went. She says it “saved her life”. She explained that when she got to the convention, she was asked if she wanted a print or a Braille agenda. She could no longer read print but hadn’t been taught Braille. She talked to as many people as she could at the convention. She was able to go to the Louisiana center 3 years later and gained a great deal of confidence. She said it hasn’t been easy but she has overcome many challenges. She said she shares her story to inspire others and says we should help people when we can. She answered many questions about the book and her life. She told us she now lives in California. She also explained that the book is not available in Braille, and there are no immediate plans for it to be, but it is in other accessible formats. She emphasized not letting blindness hold you back from living the life you want.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Sharon said there is an article in the Braille Monitor that Ever Lee wrote for anyone who would like to read it.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Sharon reminded us that elections for the at large chapter will be next month. She named the current officers and encouraged everyone to think about whether they would like to run for one of the offices.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The meeting ended at 9:00 P.M.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.5in'><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.5in'>Submitted by Danielle Shives<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><b>Sharon Maneki, </b>President<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>National Federation of the Blind of Maryland<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>410-715-9596<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>