[Ncabs] News & Views
Gary Ray
ghraynfbofnc at charter.net
Fri Aug 10 15:41:48 UTC 2012
Fellow NC Federationists!
Here is the latest News and Views.
Gary Ray
*****
NEWS AND VIEWS
Gary Ray, President Katherine W. Barr, Editor
18 Sandon Dr. 3326 Sharon Road
Asheville, NC 28804 Charlotte, NC 28211
(828) 505-0299 (704) 364-4808
Newsletter of the
National Federation of the Blind
of North Carolina
Description: Description: nfblogo
JUNE, 2012
Federation Board Members 2011-2012
NFB of NC
(Revised 2/22/12)
President
Gary Ray
18 Sanndon Drive
Asheville NC 28804
phone 828-505-0338
cell phone 919-417-2885
NFB of NC line 828-505-0299
e-mail: ghray at charter.net
First Vice-President
Tim Jones
76 Silver Lake Pt.
Sanford, NC 27332
cell: 704-491-1486
e-mail: tmjnc2 at gmail.com
Second Vice-President
Herman Gruber
116 Argonne Drive
Durham, NC 27704
phone: 919-477-6561
cell: 919-280-5313
e-mail: hermangruber at frontier.com
Secretary
Sharon Weddington
137 Kristens Court Drive
Mooresville, NC 28115
phone: 704-660-3481
cell: 704-302-7308
e-mail: locagirl at windstream.net
Treasurer
Boyce Locklear
P O Box 2633
Lumberton, NC 28359
cell: 910-734-4431
e-mail: blocklear44 at gmail.com
Board Members
Lusi Radford
3604 Octavia St
Raleigh NC 27606
phone: 919-851-4817
alternate: 919-341-6526
e-mail: Lusi98 at nc.rr.com
Charles Parker
105 Old Barn Lane
Rocky Mount NC 27804
phone: 252-977-1960
e-mail: angusparker at suddenlink.net
Julius Locklear
2228 Leadenhall Way
Raleigh NC 27603
cell: 910-740-1129
e-mail: jrl006 at bellsouth.net
Patricia Tessnear
202 Ridge Rd
Wilson NC 27893
phone: 252-291-3405
e-mail: ptessnear at nc.rr.com
Easter Burton
5075 Winster Dr
Apt. 102
Winston-Salem, NC 27106
phone: 336-293-8307
cell: 336-306-4764
e-mail: emm120849 at triad.rr.com
Sharon Newton
1914 East 7th Street #4
Charlotte, NC 28204
phone: 704-334-8758
e-mail: sharonnewton at bellsouth.net
Editor
Katherine Barr
3326 Sharon Rd
Charlotte, NC 28211
phone: 704-364-4808
e-mail: harrysbarr at gmail.com
NCABS President
Justin Salisbury
ECU White Hall 309
Greeneville, NC 27858
phone: 860-989-7865
e-mail: salisburyj08 at students.ecu.edu
POBC President
Cordelia Fox
5908 Heartwood Ct
Harrisburg, NC 28075
home: 704-707-3984
cell: 704-787-3206
e-mail: foxca01 at gmail.com
EDITOR'S NOTE
Happy summer to all! Special thanks to husband Harry Barr for extra help
with this Newsletter. In May I fell and broke my pelvis in two places. I am
improving and hope to see many of you at our State Convention in September.
Registration form is included with this Newsletter. Thanks to all chapters
who contributed this time. Deadline for the October Newsletter is September
30.
The Editor
PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
By Gary Ray
My goodness, so much has been going on since our last newsletter! Actually,
most of it has been good.
We all need to pray for Katherine Barr, Herman Gruber, and Hazel Staley.
These three leaders of the NFB of NC are all under the weather. Herman is in
Duke at this writing. Katherine broke her pelvis and Hazel is just not
feeling well. Let's hope they are all better when you read this.
The National Convention is going to be in Dallas from June 31 through July
5, at the Hilton Anatole. The room rate is $63 and you may make your
reservations by calling (214) 761-7500. I would like for folks who are
planning to go to let me know so I can try to keep up with everyone while we
are out there.
We are going to do something very different this year for our State
Convention. We are going to hold it at Camp Dogwood. We will rent the whole
camp and do our convention and business in grand style. Folks will need to
share rooms like they do during the Dogwood camping, but we believe it will
be a grand change up for our affiliate. Another cool feature is the cost. It
will cost each person, $130 at the door, and $125 if they pre-register
online. This includes the whole ball of wax - registration, room, food, and
banquet. Now, that is a REAL deal. You may get further info on the NFB of NC
website at www.nfbofnc.org. We are not going to be able to take credit cards
over the Internet this year, but we hope to be able to do so by next year's
convention. Please see the NEWS FLASH later in this newsletter for more
details.
I was afraid that this biennial Legislative session was going to be the
worst in history for the blind of NC. My fears may have been a bit
premature. It ain't over until the lady Governor signs, but things are
looking up.
In the House version of the budget, there is a Special Provision that
reverses the closure of the Governor Morehead School. This is great news. We
will have to wait until the budget is passed for final word on this.
Our Newsline funding is in the House version of the budget, too. We feel
that this is a pretty sure thing and this is wonderful news!
There is a Resolution in the House that stops the merging of the Division of
Services for the Blind into a super Rehab agency. Again, this is great news.
We will have to work hard to get this passed, but we have hopes!
A bill to reorganize all State Boards and Commissions was introduced in the
Senate. This bill included a section that killed the Consumer and Advocacy
Advisory Committee for the Blind (CAAC). Senator Bill Purcell, one of our
great friends, introduced an amendment to remove the CAAC from the bill and
it passed!
As I look at our enhanced possibilities in our legislative efforts, I am
very encouraged. We have begun to widen our base in the Legislature and our
efforts are beginning to show fruit. I need to especially thank Herman
Gruber, Lusi Radford, Tim Jones, and Sharon Weddington for all their efforts
to bring us back from the brink!
I am very happy with the Students Division. They did another Student Seminar
in Raleigh on Saturday, March 17. The Seminar was held at the same time as
the Super Conference. This was a great opportunity for our students. I am
also very pleased with our reforming Parents group. Cordella Foxx is doing a
great job of getting it back on its feet again.
North Carolina has another National Scholarship winner this year. Elizabeth
Troutman is attending both Carolina and Duke in Graduate School.
The NC BELL program is coming again in July. The dates are July 16 through
July 27. We have been notified that the NC BELL program has been awarded a
Dr. Jacob Bolotin Award by NFB. I will accept the award at the convention in
Dallas. There will be a cash award for the NC BELL program, but we do not
know yet how much. I wonder how many of you read the article in a recent
Braille Monitor that included the NC BELL program?
CHAPTER NEWS
Buncombe County Chapter
By Doug Smith, Sec.
The Buncombe County Chapter has been quite active the past year.
What have we been doing? We have sold M&M candy and participated in the Belk
Charity Day Sales raising between $900 to $1,000.
For the past two years, soon to be three, we have been able to send members
to the Washington Seminar and both the State and National Conventions.
The Buncombe County Chapter will celebrate its third anniversary on July 19,
2012. A celebration party is scheduled for June 22.
Several of our members have attended meetings of the Asheville City Council
to address problems with independent mobility in various areas and other
issues important to the blind community.
We continue to have guest speakers at our meetings. Our two most recent
special guests addressed the topics of mobility and Braille.
We have members who participate in the local blind bowling league during
annual season of August through April each year.
The future looks bright and there is more to come as far as fun, informative
and educational activities.
We look forward to seeing all of you at the NC State Convention at Camp
Dogwood this year.
Cumberland County Chapter
Greetings and salutations! Cumberland County Chapter is on the move. Our
membership is growing and is currently at twenty -five. We welcome two new
members, Dr. Earl L. Hill and Ronald Boyd.
On behalf of chapter officers: Mildred Boyd, Pres.; Amy Henderson, Vice
Pres.; Alvin Ricks, Treas.; and Linda Boddie, Sec., we would like to thank
the membership for their participation in our chapter and especially during
our spring fund raiser. Cumberland County NFB partnered with Belk's for
their Belk's Charities Days and enjoyed a successful campaign
Our chapter now has the ability to meet via teleconference. Each member has
a phone number as well as a pin number that will join us together.
We would like to wish our chapter President, Millie Boyd and member Levon
Harris a speedy recovery. Both have been recently hospitalized but are doing
well. We hope they will be back with us soon!
Lincoln County Chapter
By Lea Williams
For the Lincoln County chapter being so new, we have been growing at a
spectacular rate. At a count of eighteen members and almost a dozen
visitors, we have hit the ground running. We meet on the first Thursday of
every month from 10:00 AM until 12:00 PM at the Gaston College. With our
inspiring guest speakers and enthusiastic members, our meetings are to
enjoy. We were honored to have our state president Gary Ray at one of our
first meetings. Other guest speakers were the much loved Tammy Lukous,
Social worker for the blind. She has a special place in all of our hearts.
She heads up the local blind support group which many of our members are
also active with.
We as a chapter have been working hard. We have raised over $300 in the sale
of candy and are in the process of selling Belk coupons.
Secretary Billy Milburn has created for our members individualized business
cards. Printed on the front has our picture, name, office or committee title
if holding one, along with our contact details. On the back is the National
Federation of the Blind's logo. We are in the process of developing our
facebook page and once finished the address will also be on the cards.
Four of our members, Pres. Joy Scott, Vice Pres. Carolyn Goforth, Sec. Billy
Milburn and Social Director Lea Williams, had the opportunity to attend the
state convention. Joy Scott accepted our Charter and represented the chapter
during the banquet Saturday evening. Lea Williams is a student at the Gaston
College and was elected Vice President in the North Carolina Student
division.
We teamed up with the South Iredell chapter and went to the NCSD meeting in
Morganton to support the Governor Morhead School in Raleigh where State Sec.
Sharon Weddington and Pres. of the Lincoln County chapter Joy Scott spoke
about the benefits of keeping the Governor Morehead School open.
A few of our members have attended Camp Dogwood and the Fishing Tournament.
They have enjoyed themselves and plan to go back.
Some of the great things we do during our meetings are our buddy system and
spot light. The buddy system is where we draw names and the name is your
buddy for the month. You are to call this person and speak with them at
least one time before our next meeting. This is done in hopes of bringing a
closer connection between the members of the chapters, therefore making the
whole experience more stirring for the members. This helps the members who
are not so social to have the chance to be brought together with a friend
and bring a bit of sunshine in their life. The spot light is where one
person will give a testimony of themselves. They tell how they had lost
their eye sight and how it has changed their lives. They can talk about the
things that worked for them and didn't work for them. One member does this
during a meeting. December is going to be our Christmas gathering. We will
gather together and celebrate the holidays with a joyful cheer.
We want to give our gratitude to the Lions Club for their support and
interest in us. They have done so much for the NFB. They are wonderful and a
generous group. The Lions Club is important to our chapter and we enjoy
spending our Christmas with them along with the other things throughout the
year.
Nash-Edgecombe County Chapter
By Charles Parker
Hello everyone! The Nash-Edgecombe Chapter has been busy with fundraisers so
we can afford to attend the state convention in September. We've sold
tickets for a drawing of eight prizes to some nice restaurants for Mother's
Day, participated in Belk Charity Day, and wrapping up with Fun Run for
Charities in Rocky Mount. Now we're all ready for a short rest.
Our chapter set up a table, handed out NFB brochures, wrote names in
Braille, gave nice homemade gifts made by Mary Davis to the children, and
three of us did do the one-mile walk at the Fun Run Day.
Our members have been calling and e-mailing our U.S. Congressman asking him
to cosign onto bill HR3086, the Fair Wages for Workers With Disabilities Act
of 2011. We're all looking forward to the passage of this bill.
Chapter members enjoyed attending the vendor's expo at the Governor Morehead
School in March, which was sponsored by the Students Division of the NFB of
NC. Most also attended the Aids and Appliances store while on campus.
South Iredell Chapter
By Sharon Weddington, Pres.
Hello Fellow Federationist! Greetings from the South Iredell Chapter.
We would like to send our well wishes to our editor Katherine Barr and our
2nd Vice President Herman Gruber. May you both feel much better real soon.
Hugs and prayers.
First I have to thank the members of the South Iredell Chapter for all their
hard work raising money and getting this convention planned. We are as busy
as bees getting things lined up for the state convention. We are excited
about hosting it and we hope you are just as excited about attending it!
There are going to be some new things this year and we think you will be
pleased.
Things we need for the convention:
-- Early registrations online so we can plan accordingly.
-- Everyone to show up on Thursday if at all possible. Check in will start
at 2 pm.
-- Friends willing to share a room so we can have space for more friends.
-- Door prizes worth at least $5.
-- People to attend seminars and retain knowledge in several different
areas.
-- Folks who really know what it means when we say "Down home and having
fun".
You should also start practicing those dance moves for Friday night. I
haven't been in a good twist contest in a long time and I think the dance on
Friday night is going to be a great time to have one as well as some other
contests! Can you hula hoop? Prizes? Sure!! Plans for Saturday night are
still on the planning board, but again it will be a great time for all.
Prizes? Absolutely!! We are very spontaneous and anything is possible. Here
are a few things to look for at our convention this year:
-- Door prizes, door prizes and more door prizes!
-- Great food, fellowship, fun and lots of friends!
-- Dancing and contests during the dance for everyone with door prizes!
-- A great hospitality room with wonderful hosts and of course a door prize!
-- Wonderful seminars with motivating and informative speakers!!
-- A vendor hall full of great gifts, ideas and info!
-- Rides for those who need a lift up the hill!!
-- SURPRISES AT ANY TIME, ANYWHERE!!
Please make every effort to attend this year's NFB of NC State convention at
Camp Dogwood September 6 thru 9. It is a great deal at only $125 for
everything if you register online and $130 at the door. If you plan to wait
until you arrive to register, you might want to call first to make sure we
have rooms available. There are plenty of rooms available now, but I believe
they will start going fast, so get your reservation in soon.
Remember our theme is "down home and having fun" and that is just what we
want you to do this year. If I can answer any questions or for room
reservations and transportation from train or bus station, please call me at
704-660-3481 or email me at locagirl at windstream.net.
Wilson County Chapter
By Patricia Tessnear, Pres.
Hello from the NFB of Wilson!
We hope each of you is having a happy and productive springtime. The NFB of
Wilson is alive and doing well. In February Senator Buck Newton attended our
meeting along with several members of the Nash Edgecombe NFB chapter.
Senator Newton was quite friendly and very attentive to our concerns
regarding the merger issue and the school issue. He stated that while it was
doubtful that much could be done in the short session regarding these
issues, he was dedicated to making sure blind and visually impaired
individuals receive the services they need in order to lead happy productive
lives. I'm not sure how much Senator Newton can do for us, but all of us on
the night of his visit felt that we had made a friend.
On March 17 twenty-six of our members boarded a bus along with members of
the Nash Edgecombe Chapter and members of the Edgecombe County VIP Support
Group to travel to Raleigh to visit the vendor hall sponsored jointly by the
student division and the Super Conference. We also visited the aids and
appliances office and made purchases. Following these events, we went to the
Farmers Market in Raleigh for shopping and lunch. Everyone had a good time
on our trip.
In April we once again participated in the Belk's charity day sale. Thanks
again to Del and Pattie Penniwell for taking charge of this project. Del and
Pattie sold tickets on several occasions at the Belk store and handed out
kernel books to customers.
Currently, around 22 of our chapter members are planning to attend the NFB
convention at Camp Dogwood in September. We have started our major-fund
raiser which is the sale of tickets for the chance to win one of three great
prizes. We will have our tickets at the convention.
We wish all of you a happy summer and we will see you at the convention.
STATE CONVENTION FLASH!
By Sharon Weddington
WHEN? Thursday September 6 through Sunday September 9, 2012
WHERE? Camp Dogwood 7030 Camp Dogwood Drive, Sherrills Ford, NC 28673.
PRICE? $130 at the door and $125 if you register online.
PRICE INCLUDES? Room for all 3 nights, registration, banquet on Saturday
night, door prizes, great hospitality room, dancing, surprises, fun and
fellowship and 6 additional meals.
Wow!! What a deal!!
WHAT ARE THE MEALS? Friday breakfast, lunch and dinner, Saturday breakfast
and lunch, and Sunday breakfast.
HOW DO I REGISTER? Registration form included in this newsletter or online
at www.nfbofnc.org. You may snail mail the form but the discount only
applies to online registration.
HOW DO I RESERVE MY ROOM? Call Sharon Weddington 704-660-3481. DO NOT CALL
THE CAMP.
HOW DO I MAKE SURE I WILL NOT MISS OUT ON THIS GREAT CONVENTION?
1. Register online today or mail your registration to Sharon Weddington 137
Kristens Court Drive, Mooresville, NC 28115.
2. Call Sharon to reserve a room at 704-660-3481.
3. Mail check along with registration form or bring with you.
4. Check-in for rooms will start at 2 pm on Thursday September 6.
5. For more info or if you have questions call Sharon Weddington at
704-660-3481.
6. Keep checking the website for the NFB of NC for latest information and
updates at www.nfbofnc.org
NEWS FLASH!
FUNDRAISISER
By Tim Jones, Fundraising Chairperson
Hello, fellow federationists! As the state convention draws nearer, I wanted
to give everyone a friendly reminder and encourage you to help the NFB of NC
to continue changing what it means to be blind. Our sponsorship ads for our
convention book have been sent to all chapter presidents. I hope they have
been shared with all members.
Those of us who have sold these ads find it fairly easy to do. I sold one a
few years ago to my dentist; Julius Locklear has sold ads to restaurants in
Raleigh; Boyce Locklear has sold ads to businesses that he has done business
with in Robeson County. So, as you can see, sometimes it just takes
presenting and asking your local businesses. Try it, you might be pleasantly
surprised. I realize that it seems that a big part of what we do is asking
for money but, as you know, it takes funds to support this organization and
our endeavors. Our two major projects each year are the Washington Seminar
and our national convention. Without our fundraising projects we cannot be
successful in supporting these.
Please contact me (704-491-1486 orTMJNC2 at gmail.com) if you need some ads or
if you have any questions about the ads. The deadline will be upon us before
we realize it in mid-August!
We are also excited to be selling our tickets for the drawing that will be
held at the state convention. These tickets are only $1 each and have very
nice prizes to be given out such as a $300 Walmart gift card, our $100 gas
card, and our third prize of $50 Cracker Barrel gift card. Now as you can
see, these tickets will be very easy to sell to your friends, classmates,
relatives, church members, and neighbors. Our state secretary, Sharon
Weddington (704-660-3481) is the contact person for more tickets or
information.
The NFB of NC has always been there and will always be there for the blind
citizens of NC; now it's your turn to be there for the organization by
helping with these two major fundraising projects. Without your support our
success is not possible.
Thank you.
NCABS
The North Carolina Association of Blind Students (NCABS) would like to begin
this report by congratulating three of our students on their graduation in
May:
-- Alan Chase, Treasurer, Master of Education in Special Education (NCSU)
-- Justin Salisbury, President, Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics (ECU)
-- Brice Smith, Bachelor of Arts in Communication: Public Relations (NCSU)
NCABS will be sponsoring two officers to attend the 2012 National Federation
of the Blind Convention in Dallas, Texas. NCABS prioritizes and supports
national engagement in our members and leaders.
NCABS is preparing for our second-annual student track at the 2012 NFB of NC
State Convention. Last year, we brought in many presenters for our student
track. This year, we will focus on the talents and skill sets of members
within our division and still include some presenters. We are considering an
Apple product showcase, bead work, and a discussion of transit systems. We
are eager to add anything that will enhance our experience and are open to
suggestions as our programming continues to evolve. We are most grateful to
the board of the NFB of NC for affording us the opportunity to have a
student track at the state convention and special discounted rates for
students to attend the state convention.
Newsline Notes
There is now an app for iPhones, iPads, and iPod Touchs that will deliver
Newsline to those devices. As I understand it, you can get the app at the
App Store, imagine that! This has just hit the street, but initial reviews
have been very encouraging.
If you have unlimited long distance on the phone you use to access Newsline,
there is a number you can call that does not cost NFB as much as the Toll
Free number or any of the local access numbers. That number is (646)
600-6969, so use it and save us money.
Audio Version of Braille Monitor Starting in January 2012
FROM OCTOBER BRAILLE MONITOR
Attention Cassette Edition Subscribers:
At the convention and in the August/September Braille Monitor we announced
that the December issue 2011 will be the last one produced on cassette.
There are, of course, optional ways for cassette readers to continue to get
the Monitor. If you have access to the Internet, the Monitor can be read or
downloaded in Microsoft Word, as an audio MP3 file, or as a Daisy recording,
meaning that it can be easily navigated by article. If you want to read the
magazine in print or Braille, we continue to provide it in these formats.
Starting with the January issue, however, the Monitor will also be available
on NFB-NEWSLINER. Just access NEWSLINE using any of the options available,
and the Monitor will appear in the magazines section.
If you prefer reading by listening to high-quality human narration, we can
still ship the Monitor to you by mail, but instead of a cassette tape, you
will receive a USB drive. These are sometimes called thumb drives or memory
sticks. The digital player provided by the National Library Service has two
slots for playing recorded material. The most familiar one is on the front
of the unit. It accepts the special cartridge used by the Library. The
second slot is found on the right side of the unit near the headphone jack,
and, unless you have removed it or it has become dislodged, the slot is
covered by a protective rubber pad. Removing this pad reveals an indentation
in the unit where the USB drive is inserted. It will go into the unit in
only one direction, so, if you encounter resistance, flip the drive over and
try inserting it again. The main cartridge slot used to play books from the
Library must be empty before you insert the memory stick in the right side
of the player. If the main slot has a cartridge in it, the digital player
will ignore the USB drive.
Once the USB drive has been inserted, the player should function just as it
does when you are reading a book. Pressing the rewind or advance keys moves
back or ahead by five seconds. Pressing the previous element or next element
keys moves from article to article or, in some cases, moves to the next
section in an article in which divisions are present. If you remove the USB
drive to use the player for other material, when you again insert it,
reading should resume from the place you stopped reading.
The USB drive will be every bit as functional as the cassettes we have been
providing. The audio quality should be improved, along with the navigation,
and the drive should last many years. If you think you will want to refer to
an issue again, you are welcome to keep the drive, but, because they cost
more than cassettes and can be used hundreds of times, readers willing to
return the USB drives are requested to use the return address label that
will be sent along with your drive. This will save money that we can use for
other programs.
Current cassette readers who wish to continue receiving the Monitor after
December must contact Marsha Dyer. She can handle subscription requests for
print, Braille, email, or USB drive. Call her at (410) 659-9314, ext. 2344.
If you do not reach her directly, please leave your information on the
Publications line voicemail. Please be assured that all voicemail messages
will be received, and your information will be updated prior to each month's
issue being mailed out. She can also receive your request by email when you
write her at <mdyer at nfb.org> or by postal mail at 200 East Wells Street at
Jernigan Place, Baltimore, MD 21230. Be sure Marsha has your first and last
name (if leaving her a voicemail, please spell both), your address, and the
format in which you want to receive the Monitor. If you currently receive
the Monitor in another format, you need do nothing; your subscription will
continue. But please understand that, if you are currently a cassette
reader, doing nothing will mean you will stop receiving the Monitor, so
please think about the new options and let us know how to keep you informed.
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