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<h1><b>President's Notebook</b></h1><br><br>
<br>
<h1><b>National Federation of the Blind</b></h1><br><br>
<br>
<h1><b>Mark A. Riccobono</b></h1><br><br>
<br>
<h1><b><a href="mailto:officeofthepresident@nfb.org">
officeofthepresident@nfb.org</a></b></h1><br><br>
<br>
<h1><b>(410) 659-9314</b></h1><br><br>
<br>
<br>
Dear Fellow Federationists,<br>
<br>
This week will bring us to the two-month mark in the countdown to our
2017 National Convention. As you can imagine, all energy and time at the
national office is now focused on pulling the logistical details together
for our best convention ever. I have heard about some great plans in our
affiliates for bringing new people to the convention. Keep building and
do not forget to urge preregistration. <br>
<br>
There are a number of important things to pay attention to this week. Top
of mind is the launch of our monitoring of our Uber and Lyft agreements.
Please make sure your affiliate is activating on the kick off of our
testing that will be in place for three years.<br>
Please also give immediate attention to the fly-in (described in Critical
Actions) being hosted by our blind merchants and determine if there is
anything your affiliate can do to help.<br>
<br>
And Happy Mother's Day to all the Federation mothers! <br><br>
<h2><b> </b></h2><br><br>
<br>
<h2><b>Critical Actions This Week:</b></h2><br><br>
<br>
<h3><b>There is a National Federation of the Blind Fly-In in Washington,
DC, on May 23, organized by the National Association of Blind Merchants,
a Division of the NFB. The purpose is to target key congressional
committee members. It is not essential that every state is represented.
The committee members we are targeting are the states listed at the end
of this article, so it is most critical to have members from those
states.</b></h3><br><br>
<br>
There are three issues we hope to address: <br><br>
1.
The Department of Defense's effort to promulgate rules that will
effectively eliminate the Randolph-Sheppard priority for military dining
contracts. <br><br>
2.
HR 1990 that would commercialize interstate rest areas displacing almost
four hundred blind entrepreneurs who now service vending machines at the
rest areas. <br><br>
3.
The Veterans Administration's refusal to recognize the Randolph-Sheppard
priority at many VA facilities. <br>
<br>
Please contact and coordinate with Nicky Gacos, who is our merchants
division president, if someone from your state wants to attend. He can be
reached at
<a href="mailto:nickycolorado@netscape.net">nickycolorado@netscape.net</a>
or (908) 464-5359. <br>
<br>
The states we are targeting are Rhode Island, Mississippi, Nebraska,
Arkansas, South Dakota, Iowa, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Michigan,
Washington, Minnesota, Kansas, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, Wisconsin, and
West Virginia.<br>
<br>
<br>
Delegate and Board Member Convention Expenses:<br>
You should have seen an email last week describing the reimbursement
policies and procedures as they relate to national convention. If you did
not receive it, please notify Beth at
<a href="mailto:bbraun@nfb.org">bbraun@nfb.org</a>. <br>
<br><br>
<h2><b>News:</b></h2><br><br>
Convention Fundraising Announcements:<br>
Convention is right around the corner, and with it come many fundraising
announcements. In an effort to make the information more readily
available to convention attendees and cut down on the number of listserv
emails during the busy convention season, we've put together a
<a href="https://nfb.org/fundraising-announcement-form">fundraising
announcement form</a> for affiliates and national-level divisions. If you
will be selling candy, raffle tickets, or other items to benefit the NFB
at the convention and would like to let folks know, fill out the form at
<a href="https://nfb.org/fundraising-announcement-form">
nfb.org/fundraising-announcement-form</a>. All announcements will be
posted at
<a href="https://nfb.org/national-fundraising-announcements">
nfb.org/national-fundraising-announcements</a>. If you have any
questions, please contact the communications team at
<a href="mailto:communicationsteam@nfb.org">communicationsteam@nfb.org</a>
. <br>
<br>
Rideshare Testing:<br>
As per their settlement agreements with the NFB, both Uber and Lyft have
agreed to implement new driver training requirements and policies
regarding drivers’ obligations to transport riders with service
animals. On May 8, the NFB begins its
<a href="https://nfb.org/rideshare">Rideshare Testing Program</a> to
assess how successfully both companies are implementing these changes. If
you use Lyft or Uber and have a service animal or travel with someone who
has a service animal, your help with this testing process is critical.
Please see <a href="https://nfb.org/rideshare">nfb.org/rideshare</a> for
more information or contact Valerie Yingling at
<a href="mailto:vyingling@nfb.org">vyingling@nfb.org</a> or (410)
659-9314, extension 2440. <br>
<br>
NABS Mentorship Program:<br>
Applications are live for the 2017 NABS Mentorship Program that will take
place in Orlando, Florida, during the 2017 NFB National Convention. Those
who apply to be either a mentor or mentee must be in attendance at this
year's convention. You need not be a student to apply for the mentor
role, but we encourage only students to consider the mentee position.
Applications close on June 15. Please direct questions to Kathryn Webster
at
<a href="mailto:nabs.president@gmail.com">nabs.president@gmail.com</a>
.<br>
<br>
Senior Division Retreat:<br>
The National Federation of the Blind Senior Division is organizing a
retreat for October 8-14, 2017, at Rocky Bottom Retreat and Conference
Center. This is a rural setting, a camp owned and operated by the South
Carolina affiliate of the NFB. The cost is $325 per attendee, which
covers room, board, training, activities, and ground transportation from
Greensville to Rocky Bottom, but does not include transportation to and
from Greensville, South Carolina, the nearest airport to the camp.
Eligible participants are legally blind seniors ages fifty-five and older
with a strong desire to learn alternative, nonvisual techniques taught by
blind instructors, who are responsible for taking all medications
independently, and who have the stamina to be actively engaged for five
full days of activities.<br>
To apply, send a letter by August 1 requesting a retreat application to
the attention of: <br>
Mr. David Houck.<br>
119 South Killbourne Road<br>
Columbia, SC 29205<br>
<br>
<br><br>
<h2><b>Convention:</b></h2><br><br>
Community Service Division:<br>
The National Federation of the Blind Community Service Division will hold
its annual seminar and business meeting during the 2017 National
Convention on the evening of July 12.We are looking for chapters and
affiliates who are doing community service activities, or have done them
within the past year or so, and would be willing to share their story
with their Federation family. If you are interested in communicating your
experience in terms of what your chapter or affiliate did; how blindness
didn’t stop you from doing the activity; and how it benefited the
membership, the community, and the federation; we would like to hear from
you. Please send an email to NFB Community Service Division Vice
President Dacia Cole at
<a href="mailto:dacia.luck@gmail.com">dacia.luck@gmail.com</a>. Please
include "Community service story" and the name of your
chapter/affiliate (e.g., Chicago Chapter or Illinois Affiliate) in the
subject line.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br><br>
<h2><b>Dates to Keep in Mind:</b></h2><br><br>
·
<a href="http://nfb.org/state-conventions">Spring
conventions</a><br><br>
<b>· May 8, 2017: First day of
NFB </b><a href="https://nfb.org/rideshare">Rideshare Testing
Program</a><br><br>
· <b>May 29-August 18, 2017:
</b><a href="https://nfb.org/bell-academy">NFB BELL Academy</a><b> held
at forty-seven sites throughout the nation<br>
</b>· June 4, 2017:
<a href="https://nfb.org/dot-dash">6K Dot Dash</a> <br>
· July 10-15, 2017:
<a href="https://nfb.org/images/nfb/publications/bm/bm16/bm1611/bm161101.htm">
National Convention, Rosen Shingle Creek Resort, Orlando,
Florida</a><br>
· June 15, 2017: Deadline for
NABS Mentorship Program applications<br>
· July 23-29, 2017:
<a href="http://www.blindscience.org/nfb-youth-slam">Youth Slam</a>,
Towson University<br>
· September 12-17, 2017:
<a href="http://blindmerchants.org/blast-2017/">BLAST</a>, Nashville,
Tennessee <br>
· October 8-14, 2017: Senior
Division Retreat, Rocky Bottom Retreat and Conference Center<br>
<br>
<br>
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.<br>
<br>
Mark A. Riccobono<br>
President<br>
200 East Wells Street, Baltimore, MD 21230<br>
(410) 659-9314 |
<a href="mailto:officeofthepresident@nfb.org">
officeofthepresident@nfb.org</a> <br>
<br>
<br>
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The National Federation of the Blind is a community of members and
friends who believe in the hopes and dreams of the nation’s blind.
Every day we work together to help blind people live the lives they want.
<br>
<br><br>
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