[Nebraska-senior-blind] NFBN Senior Division Meeting Reminder - tomorrow, Monday the 18th

Mon Jan 18 22:26:20 UTC 2016

Hello fellow seniors

Just for your info; I tried calling Tina Krebs last week on Monday (in the
morning) and Wednesday (in the afternoon).  Each time got her answering
service.  I left pertinent info, including our conference call each month
and my phone number.  No reply as yet.  

Nancy 

-----Original Message-----
From: Nebraska-senior-blind
[mailto:nebraska-senior-blind-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Robert
Leslie Newman via Nebraska-senior-blind
Sent: Sunday, January 17, 2016 5:30 AM
To: '0senior division listserv'
Cc: Robert Leslie Newman
Subject: [Nebraska-senior-blind] NFBN Senior Division Meeting Reminder -
tomorrow, Monday the 18th

Hi you all

RE: Yup, tomorrow evening is our January meeting! - Also below is an NFB
news letter from the Community Service Division 

* When and how to get on the call

* Agenda 

* the NFB Pledge 

*#1- When and how to get on the call:

Date: Monday January 18th 

Time: 6:00 MT, 7:00 CT 

Phone: 1-605-475-6006

Access: 203747Pound

* Be prepared to report on your progress in reaching the person assigned to
you to be contacted. And do write me with your progress; did you reach
them; give me any corrections to their contact information. Be prepared to
receive another name in January, and beyond.

* Agenda for the January 18th meeting:

-First- Come-to-order, say our NFB pledge 

-Second- secretary & treasurers Reports Will be discussed and approved
and/or accepted

-Old business: 

-Discuss our new membership drive. Strategize building the Division 

-New Business: 

-Set goals for this year. Any new stuff that any of us bring to the meeting

-Philosophical discussion- What New Year resolution have you made; how does
blindness factor into it?

-Finally- brags & drags

-Adjournment

NFB Pledge: 

 I pledge to participate actively in the efforts of the National

Federation of the Blind to achieve equality, opportunity, and security for
the blind; to support the policies and programs of the Federation; and to
abide by its constitution.

--Here is the Fall 2015 Community Service Division's newsletter; they are
doing good works, check it out!!!

National Federation of the Blind Community Service Division Let's Get
Involved! National Federation of the Blind Community Service Division Let's
Get Involved! 

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Newsletter, Fall 2015

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National Federation of the Blind Community Service Division

Darian Smith, President

Newsletter: Fall 2015

Hindley Williams, Editor

To give us feedback on this publication, suggest articles to be featured in
future issues, or for any pertinent questions, please email us at
newsletter at nfbcommunityservice.org

Letter From the President

Note from the Editor: Darian Smith is the president of the Community
Service Division. In this letter, he describes the extensive
accomplishments of this new and proud division of the NFB.

Dear Fellow Federationists,

The National Federation of the Blind is celebrating 75 years of raising
expectations of blind people, and the Community Service Division is,
naturally, doing its part to support the work and celebrate the collective
realization of our dreams thus far.

Our division started as an interest group back in 2011 with a handful of
committed leaders coming together to dream what could be when we focus our
minds and share our experiences.

Four years later, we've seen the culmination of our efforts to organize
this new division come to fruition and are proud to be counted among the
number of divisions changing what it means to be blind for all of the
nation.

Thanks to the work of our leadership this year, we've seen the growth of
our blog, a medium through which we communicate real, true stories of blind
people showing in action that they are not the "takers" society might
perceive us to be.

We've also seen the establishment of new committees, such as
"publications," "partnerships," "fund-raising," and "social media".

We are glad to see our numbers grow on our Facebook and twitter platforms,
as more people will come to know of our division and how community service
can paint a picture of blindness not being the characteristic that defines
us and what we choose to do with our lives.

I truly hope that you find energy in the words, empowerment in the actions,
and a drive to not only serve your community and change perceptions of
blindness by these great stories, but that you take an opportunity to learn
about the Community Service Division and come to know and understand who we
are in the National Federation of the Blind. 

We are creative, courageous, loving, inclusive, and familial in all that we
are and all that we do.

On a personal note, I want to take a moment to recognize in this, our first
of hopefully many newsletters to come, the wonderful and indescribable
amount of love, energy, and enthusiasm that has come from every person
who's given of their time, talent and treasure to build the foundation of
this Division, because what we see today would not be possible without
them- Thank you so much! 

We look forward to seeing most of you in Orlando in July at our national
convention. Until then, let's continue to seek out ways to expand and
increase true opportunity for the blind, let's continue to serve in our
communities, and let's get involved!

Darian Smith

President, National Federation of the Blind, Community Service Division

75 Days of Service

by Libra Robinson

Note from the Editor: Libra Robinson is the president of the D.C. Community
Service Division, and played a critical role in planning and executing the
75 Days of Service Campaign. Here are her reflections on the campaign
halfway through the 75-day period.

The 75 Days of Service Campaign is a project intended to encourage members
of the Federation and their families and friends to volunteer in and around
their communities. From there, we encourage people to share their service
experiences or to ask questions via the Community Service Division's
Facebook group, the division's blog, bi-weekly conference calls held
throughout the campaign, and to Tweet using the hashtag #NFB75Serve. The
name of this campaign reflects the 75th anniversary of the existence of the
National Federation of the Blind. 

We have had three conference calls, and it seems that our fellow
Federationists are really geared up about this project. On our first call,
we had the pleasure of hearing from our national President, Mark Riccobono,
who shared his thoughts and ideas on how to volunteer in our communities.
In addition, we have had chapter members from different states share ideas
and ways they have volunteered or are going to volunteer on all three of
the calls. Together, we brainstormed ideas on how to create hands-on
service projects. I personally am very excited and can't wait to read the
many blog posts about the different ways people have chosen to serve during
this campaign, and I know that the two remaining conference calls will be
filled with many new ideas and enthusiasm.

If you have not as of yet volunteered or created a service project, you
still have time! This campaign lasts from April 12 through June 26. I
encourage everyone to get involved and share with others about The 75 Days
of Service Campaign! 

The Importance of Volunteerism

by Mary Jo Partyka

Note from the Editor: Mary Jo is a devoted member of the division's
Publications Committee. She has been serving for many years, and in this
article, she shares her experience with a particular service organization.
To read more stories about blind individuals serving in their communities
like Mary Jo, check out our blog. 

Although I was employed for 35 years, it is important to me that I am an
active and involved member of my community. After college, I saw a
newspaper article about a training class for a 24-hour crisis-intervention
program hotline and figured, why not?

The organization, called Contact, serves people all over the United States
and the world. Many of our callers have serious mental health concerns
including alcoholism, difficulties with family members, depression, and
suicidal thoughts. In order to prepare myself for talking to callers,
Contact required me to attend a training, where I learned from guest
speakers, practiced active listening, and worked through simulated phone
calls. Although I have a degree in counseling, the experiences I had during
and after the training had more of an impact on me than anything I had
learned in college.

The calls I have received over the years are often from people in great
pain, and they share with me what they are feeling. I have received calls
from friends and family members of people who are threatening to commit
suicide. There are times when the potential suicide victims themselves call
me and, in many cases, these callers are individuals who feel trapped.
Other times, calls are not as immediate, but stem from a place of deep
sadness.

Being involved as a blind person in this organization has never been an
issue for me. After rejoining Contact in 2013 after a 30-year hiatus, I
found that members of this organization continued to be committed to
helping people, and that recent changes in the technology used by the
organization have allowed me to be a more independent volunteer as I log
calls into the computer rather than the printed forms from years past.
Contact has been very accepting of me and my capabilities, and the
volunteers I work alongside understand that I have much to contribute to
the cause, just like they do.

This kind of volunteerism keeps me on my toes, but I'm committed to it. I
have been asked to be a group leader for several training sessions. I was
also elected chairperson of the board of directors. I'm always ready to
learn and grow.

You may be wondering why I decide to spend 20 hours a month answering calls
from people who are unhappy. I want people to know that they are valued,
and I believe that, in helping other people with certain parts of their
personal lives, I am helping the people in the community. Although I have
never been in their positions, I want to provide them with sufficient
information so they will know what to do to help their friend, relative, or
themselves.

I am just one person, and although I do my best, I don't have all the
answers. But providing help to people in pain or crisis makes me realize
how important our service is here at Contact and how much it is needed.

Let's Get Involved: The American Red Cross

By Michele Mitchell

Note from the Editor: Michele Mitchell is a co-chair of the division's
Publications Committee. In the below article, she encourages individuals to
get involved in one of the most active and well-known service organizations
in the world.

Today, we generally think of The Red Cross as being a disaster relief
organization, but it did not start that way. The Red Cross is the world's
largest volunteer network, and has a variety of services that it provides.
The founder, Henry Dunant, wanted to create an organization which protected
the sick and wounded during wartime regardless of nationality and allowed
national organizations to provide aid on a neutral basis. Dunant's
organization adopted the symbol of a red cross on a white background, which
is now an internationally recognized symbol of relief and neutrality in
wartime. 

The American Red Cross was founded in 1881 by Clara Barton, who got her
start in service during the Civil War, collecting and distributing supplies
to the troops and providing personal comfort to soldiers in the field as
well as their families at home. During a post-war visit to Europe, Barton
was introduced to the global Red Cross network and took part in some of
their relief activities. Upon her return to the U.S., Barton succeeded in
procuring U.S. membership in the global Red Cross network in 1882. At this
point, the United States was no longer at war, so The American Red Cross
primarily provided disaster relief during its first 20 years, distributing
aid and supplies to victims of fires, floods, famine, and countless other
catastrophes both in the United States and abroad. This expansion of Red
Cross services caught on globally, and in 1884, aiding victims of natural
disasters was noted as one of the primary functions of The Red Cross
worldwide.

Today, the organization continues its traditional commitment to the
American Armed Forces, with service now expanded to include veterans,
reserves, the National Guard, and military families. In addition, The Red
Cross provides food, clothing, shelter, and medical care to victims of
disasters ranging from single family home fires to earthquakes that
devastate entire regions. Services also include Health and safety classes,
such as first aid and CPR, swimming and water safety, disaster preparedness
and emergency prevention, and even child care. 

The Red Cross is a service organization that serves many purposes, inviting
people who come from all backgrounds and skill levels to join the cause.
Visit their Web site or call to get involved in your area.