[nfb-db] We Need Your Support

[John Lee Clark]

Can I add your name in support of our efforts to convince the board of AADB
to give us back our most cherished tradition: the national conference.  Many
deaf-blind people do not have email and are not able to speak up in such a
short time, so this petition needs support from ANYONE who understands how
important our conferences are to us.

For more information, read the petition below.  I hope you will be willing
to add your name.  If so, you can reply to this message with "Yes!" and I
will add your name.  Also, forward to those you think might want to support.
Thanks!

We, the members and friends of the American Association of the Deaf-Blind,
were shocked and heartbroken when Arthur Roehrig, on his last day as
president (Tuesday, June 30, 2009), announced that the board had voted two
months earlier to postpone the next conference to 2013.  This means seven
years of no conference.  We find this unacceptable.

In his letter, the president explained that AADB did not have enough money
for a conference.  That is not true.  AADB DOES have the money, but the
board decided to use it to maintain AADB Office staff and expenses, which
total around $300,000.  Most of this money comes from a fund AADB had for
many years, that used to be solely for conferences.  We ask the board of
AADB to use this fund for conferences again.  Ever since the expansion of
AADB Office affected our conferences, members have made it clear on many
occasions that we want the deaf-blind community's most important cultural
touchstone back: the conferences.

In the same letter, the president mentioned that the host organization for
the next conference had found a hotel available for 2011.  The hotel
requires a $25,000 deposit.  The host organization even raised $10,000 on
its own.  That left $15,000.  But the board decided to postpone the
conference with the hope that the host organization would raise more money.

We are disappointed that the board did not make cuts to the already
overpriced and ineffective AADB Office (for an organization of our size,
four hundred deaf-blind members) and transfer $15,000 to the hotel to
complete the deposit.

We affirm that the conferences are of utmost importance to the deaf-blind
community.  We ask the board to get the next conference back on track for
2011.  We request that the board transfer $15,000 to complete the hotel
deposit by the end of July.  Failure to do so will result in the members
among the undersigned withdrawing our memberships and requesting refunds,
followed by other acts of protest by members and our allies.

Members and non-members, deaf-blind and others, all are welcome to support
our cause.  If you would like to sign this petition, email your name and
city to ipo56 at aol.com by July 10.  The leaders of this petition will submit
it to the board of AADB on that day.

Thank you for your support!

Petition Leaders

Melanie Bond
Bay City, Michigan

John Lee Clark
St. Paul, Minnesota