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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 is the one week of the year when we try not to think outside the
box. Our national office is full of boxes which are about to be sealed
and loaded on to a truck that will head to Las Vegas on Friday. The
convention is right around the corner. We are looking forward to our best
convention ever. You are critical in making that come true. We are in a
new place, with lots of new attendees, new exhibitors, and new sponsors.
Your leadership will be critical in making the convention experience
great for all. Thank you in advance for your work.<br>
<br>
During the convention, please be sure to capture stories that exemplify
our work together. Share these stories with our communications group
during or after the convention, so we can continue to help communicate
the impact we make with the world.<br>
<br>
Stay tuned as we get closer to the convention as there may be last minute
announcements that we need to share with you. <br>
<br><br>
<h2><b>Convention:</b></h2><br><br>
Contributions at the National Convention:<br>
During the national convention, we will collect financial contributions
for the Jernigan Fund, the SUN Fund, and the White Cane Fund. In recent
years, our Imagination Fund has not operated differently than our White
Cane Fund, so we have combined it into one fund—the White Cane Fund. As
you know, that is how we designate geeneral donations to the National
Federation of the Blind. Please keep this in mind when making
contributions to the organization at the national convention.
<ul>
<li>If you are making contributions to multiple funds, please write one
check per fund payable to the National Federation of the Blind or NFB and
identify the fund in the memo line of the check.
<li>Financial contributions to the tenBroek Fund should be made payable
to Jacobus tenBroek Memorial Fund or JtB. Please do not include NFB
anywhere on the check.
<li>All fund contributions should be in individual envelopes clearly
marked in print and Braille with the name of the affiliate, the fund, and
the amount.
<li>Financial contributions to NFB Camp or Kids Camp should be made
payable to NFB Camp and given directly to Carla McQuillan, president of
the NFB of Oregon. These do not need to be announced during the roll
call.
</ul> <br>
2019 National Convention Live Stream:<br>
We are proud to provide portions of the 2019 National Convention via our
live stream for those who are unable to be with us in person. The
convention will be streamed during the Board of Directors Meeting,
General Sessions, and the Banquet. Find the media players available to
access and the sessions scheduled to be broadcasted at
<a href="https://www.nfb.org/livestream.%A0" eudora="autourl">
https://www.nfb.org/livestream. </a> <br><br>
Agenda and other convention documents available on NFB-NEWSLINE:<br>
To read the agenda or the other convention-related documents using the
telephone access method, go to Option Five for Newspapers in Different
State, then Option Five for National Meetings of Interest to the Print
Disabled and follow the prompts to select the item of your choice such as
the 2019 NFB Convention Agenda, the 2019 NFB Convention Exhibitors, 2019
NFB Convention First Timers Guide, or the 2019 NFB Convention Restaurant
Guide. If you're using NFB-NEWSLINE Mobile, choose Publications,
Publication Options, and All Publications to maneuver to the documents.
<br>
Google Calendar:<br>
Below is a link to a public Google calendar for the upcoming national
convention. You can access and subscribe to this calendar from within
apps if you want to see the whole convention agenda or just add
individual events. <br>
<a href="https://calendar.google.com/calendar/ical/pqckoub820qm8r0s3i12vidl3c@group.calendar.google.com/public/basic.ics">
https://calendar.google.com/calendar/ical/pqckoub820qm8r0s3i12vidl3c@group.calendar.google.com/public/basic.ics</a>
<br>
<br>
<br><br>
<h2><b>News:</b></h2><br><br>
New Executive Director of BLIND, Inc.:<br>
Jennifer Kennedy has accepted the position of executive director of
BLIND, Inc. starting in late July. She is a long-time Federationist who
comes with a strong background of leadership in blindness rehabilitation.
She currently works as a lead cane travel instructor at the
adjustment-to-blindness training center in Utah. Additionally, she serves
on the National Orientation and Mobility Certification Trainers (NOMCT)
committee, an appointed committee of structure discovery cane travel
certification holders whose purpose is to supervise cane travel
apprenticeships, grade certification exams, and evaluate agencies
desiring structure discovery certification. Thank you to Brian Delude for
ably serving as interim executive director and to Dan Wenzel for his
years of service as the previous executive director at BLIND, Inc.<br>
<br>
Blind Prisoner <br>
A <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0005t9p">BBC program</a>
aired recently in the UK regarding the case brought by Maryland blind
prisoners and similar cases in the UK. Most of the episode is a
discussion with our counsel, Eve Hill, and with Tyrel (they only used his
first name), one of the inmates who participated in the litigation. Kurt
Decker from NDRN also participated as they have brought similar cases.
Please share with our members the work we did and its significance.
Here’s the link:
<a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0005t9p" eudora="autourl">
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0005t9p</a><br>
<br>
<br><br>
<h2><b>Dates to Keep in Mind:</b></h2><br><br>
<ul>
<li>July 7-12, 2019:
<a href="https://www.nfb.org/get-involved/national-convention">NFB
National Convention</a>, Las Vegas, Nevada
<li>February 10, 2020: Great Gathering-In; Washington Seminar begins
</ul> <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, 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>
<a href="https://nfb.org/">
<img src="https://nfb.org/images/nfb/images/email/2/nfblogo.png" width=210 height=76 alt="National Federation of the Blind">
</a><br>
<br>
<a href="http://www.facebook.com/nationalfederationoftheblind">
<img src="https://nfb.org/images/nfb/images/email/2/facebook.png" width=24 height=24 alt="Facebook">
</a>
<a href="https://twitter.com/NFB_Voice">
<img src="https://nfb.org/images/nfb/images/email/2/twitter.png" width=24 height=24 alt="Twitter">
</a>
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/NationsBlind">
<img src="https://nfb.org/images/nfb/images/email/2/youtube.png" width=24 height=24 alt="Youtube">
</a><br>
<br>
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><br>
<br>
_______________________________________________<br>
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