[Nfb-editors] New Newsletter- Nevada's "Silver Standard"

[Robert Leslie Newman]

Here is the very first "Silver Standard" (Let us give Nevada a HAND! Not
only do they have a new website, as a service from this committee, but on
their own, they now have an affiliate newsletter!)

 

 

 

SILVER STANDARD

July/August, 2011

 

The Voice of the National Federation of the Blind of Nevada

 

"It is Respectable to be blind in Nevada."

 

Editor, William Harmon

1401 North Michael Way #118

Las Vegas, NV  89108

Phone: (702) 646-3190

(Email,  <mailto:wlharmon1447 at gmail.com> wlharmon1447 at gmail.com(

 

     Welcome fellow Federationists and friends to the first issue of the new
NFBN newsletter. From time to time, we will be keeping you in touch with the
activities of the Organized Blind Movement in Nevada and in the nation. We
will provide you with news and commentary about issues and events that
concern NFB members as well as blind people in general. We will also be
inviting input from you about things that you wish to see in this
newsletter,  as well as asking you to contribute articles and information.
If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, you may write, call, or
email me using the information listed above.

William Harmon

 

 

 

NFBN Board of Directors.

Rena Smith President, Las Vegas

Rochelle Harmon Vice President, Las Vegas

Kimie Beverly Secretary, Las Vegas

William Harmon Treasurer, Las Vegas

Thomas Kearns Board Member, Reno

Jeanine Mooers Board Member, Reno

 

Recent News.

 

"A Blind Man Drives!"

     On Saturday, January 29, 2011, Mark Riccobono made driving history on
the track at Daytona. Riccobono, who serves as the Executive Director of the
NFB Jernigan Institute and is totally blind, successfully piloted a sport
utility vehicle down the track at the Daytona National Speedway while over
300 fellow Federationists cheered him on. The vehicle in question uses
special nonvisual software which tells the driver what he needs to know to
stop, start, make turns, and avoid hazards. Specially-adapted gloves produce
vibrations of varying intensity that let the driver Know what he needs to do
in order to keep the car on the road.

     Designed by students at Virginia Tech, with the assistance of the NFB,
this SUV promises to one day mitigate one of the greatest challenges faced
by blind people everywhere; reliable transportation. Does this mean that
within the next five or ten years, blind people will be driving on our roads
and highways? Probably not, but the events at Daytona last January have
opened a new era in our struggle for first class citizenship. What after all
is one of the greatest marks of independence? It is the ability to provide
one's own means of transportation; the ability to drive. That has been the
case with most teenagers since our society put the horses out to pasture and
slid behind the wheel of Dad's Model T, and in the future, it may also be
the case for blind people.

     On the morning of January 29, Mark Riccobono safely and successfully
drove along a track while boxes and other items were tossed out of a van.
Riccobono avoided all of these obstacles, and just to prove that this whole
thing was no hoax, he passed the van and crossed the finish line alone. It's
all documented on video. Plus, over 300 Federationists, including three
Nevadans, can bare testimony to the fact that on January 29, 2011, on the
track at Daytona Beach, Florida, a blind man drove a car.

     Are there plenty of additional obstacles to be overcome before I can
get in my own car and drive to the grocery store? Absolutely. Are there
doubters and critics even among blind people? Many. Will this keep those of
us in the Organized Blind Movement from working hard to one day put blind
people behind the wheel? NOT AT ALL!

     We now have a new rallying cry in the Federation. It is powerful and it
goes something like this, "NFB to the DMV!"

 

"McCarran Owes Us Some Answers."

     On November 5, 2010, Rena Smith, Rochelle Harmon, and William Harmon
traveled out to McCarran International Airport to catch a flight to Reno. We
arrived a little early for our flight in order to meet an investigator.
After we all got together, we tried out two kiosks. You know, those machines
that allow passengers to make changes in reservations, check flight status,
even print boarding passes. They're great! You can do practically everything
you need to do without having to stand in line. Well, no. Not if you're
blind because we discovered that those kiosks aren't user-friendly for blind
travelers.

     Before raising a stink with the airport, the NFB spoke with officials,
to discuss the kiosks. Their response was not encouraging. They basically
informed us that they had no intention to change their kiosks despite the
fact that this can be done easily.

     Well, the Federation has been around for seventy-one years, and we have
never been known for taking "no" for an answer. We filed a lawsuit against
McCarran International Airport, and before we are finished, those kiosks
will be user-friendly. The suit has just been filed and there is a lot of
work that needs to be done, but there will come a day when a blind traveler
will be able to pass through our airport an take advantage of the same
conveniences that sighted travelers currently enjoy. And once we accomplish
this here in Las Vegas, we will then work to spread our good fortune to the
rest of the nation.

 

"Great Times in the World of Disney!"

     "2,980" That is the number of people who registered for our 71st Annual
Convention. From July 2nd through the 9th, blind people from 50 states, the
District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and several dozen other nations, gathered
at the Rosen Shingle Creek Hotel in Orlando, Florida to conduct the business
of the Organized Blind Movement. Of course, a few of us got our registration
information in late and were relegated to the Rosen Center and one other
hotel, but shuttle buses ran every fifteen minutes, so we were able to take
part in all of the exciting convention activities. This included visits to
the exhibit hall to sample all of the wonderful wares that venders had for
sale, attending meetings of our various divisions, watching the excellent
play performed by students and staff members from the Louisiana Center for
the Blind, and of course participating in the general sessions of the
convention where lots of important decisions were made.

     On July 5, the Board of Directors of the NFB met to discuss some
important issues, meet our scholarship winners, and vote on some necessary
measures. Rena Smith, the President of our booming and vibrant Nevada
Affiliate, also announced to the Board that the NFBN recently presented the
NFB National President with a gift of $392,500.55. We are always happy to do
what we can to support our movement.

     At the opening session of the convention which occurred on July 6,
members of the marching band from Disneyworld's Main Street performed for
us. This coincided with one of the most beautiful ceremonies of our
convention; the recognition of Federationists who have served in our armed
forces. Fifty veterans of our military stood proudly while the rest of us
honored them and thanked them for their service to our nation. The veterans
also presented NFB President Marc Maurer with a silver gavel in honor of his
twenty-five years of service as the leader of the Organized Blind Movement.

     During the general sessions, we listened to a number of presentations
from a delightful talk by Sam Rosen, the owner of the hotel, to Mark
Riccobono's description of his drive down the track at Daytona. The speech
that really brought the house down, however, was made by Former New York
Governor David Patterson. A new member of the New York City Chapter of the
NFB, Patterson talked about the challenges that came with being the first
blind governor of one of our largest states. He talked about his successes
in the Governor's office, but he also mentioned the ridiculous and sometimes
disgusting comments that were made about him in the media, including a skit
on "Saturday Night Live" that made fun of him in particular and blind people
in general. After members of the NFB protested against the cruel way in
which Governor Patterson and blind people were lampooned on that show,
Patterson became the only politician to ever receive an apology from its
producers. By the time he left the podium, we were all standing and
shouting. Many of us also belted out a line or two of "The Battle Hymn of
the NFB".

     On July 8, we attended our annual banquet. Dr. Fred Shroeder served as
our emcee, and while we all enjoyed typical banquet food, awards were
announced, door prizes were given out, and a good time was had by all. As
usual, Dr. Marc Maurer gave a rousing speech that had us on our feet
clapping and cheering. Thirty deserving blind students received scholarships
with a total value of $100,000, and much to their surprise, Dr. Fred
Shroeder and his wife Kathy received the Jacobus tenBroek Award. This is the
highest honor that any Federationist can receive from our organization.

     Ten Nevadans attended the convention, and although that doesn't quite
top Maryland's 271 members registered, we were happy to be there and we
participated fully in the week's activities; both official and unofficial.
In 2012 we meet in Dallas, Texas, but in 2013, we will be back in Orlando.
We will also be there in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018. Orlando is going
to love the NFB.

 

Recent Events.

     Besides being on hand to cheer Mark Riccobono at Daytona,
Federationists from Nevada traveled to the Washington Seminar. Rena Smith,
Rochelle Harmon, and William Harmon joined up with three other Federationist
to visit the offices of our representatives on Capitol Hill. We thanked them
for passing the law that will keep new cars from becoming so quiet that they
become a danger to blind and sighted pedestrians alike. We also urged them
to help us pass legislation that will make it easier for blind people to
find jobs, compete for government contracts, and develop adaptive software
for equipment and appliances that blind people use in our everyday lives.

 

     On February 11 and 12, members of the NFBN Board of Directors met at
the Ramada Inn in Reno for a board training. Ron Gardner of the NFB of Utah
and a good friend of the NFBN, conducted a full day of classes in which he
taught us how a board has to operate in order to get the job done.

 

     In March, Rena Smith, William Harmon, and Darion Smith from the
National Association of Blind Students met with a large group of
Federationists and hopeful Federationists in Reno to revive the NFB Student
Division in Nevada. We ate pizza, drank soft drinks, and made plans to
reorganize a NABS affiliate in the Silver State.

 

     In May two exciting events occurred. On May 7, a pancake breakfast was
held at the Las Vegas Blind Center. Participants enjoyed pancakes, bacon,
eggs, coffee, juice, and many other delicious items. The event was organized
by Kimie Beverly, the chairperson of our Fund Raising Committee. Kimie did
an excellent job and we raised around $1,000.0. There are other events in
the works for the coming months including another pancake breakfast at the
Blind Center on October 15. Stay tuned.

 

     On May 12, Rena Smith took six Federationists to the Utah State
Convention in Salt Lake City. She wanted them to see how Ron Gardner and our
neighbors in the Beehive State conduct their business. They came home
inspired and ready to help build the movement here in Nevada.

 

     On June 10, a telephone conference call was held with students. NFBN
President Rena Smith hoped this and similar meetings will bring the students
together and help them begin working to improve and increase services for
Nevada students.

 

     From July 2 to July 9, ten Nevadans attended the NFB National
Convention in Orlando, Florida.

 

On July 25 and 26 Rena Smith and Anthony Pascual traveled to Casper, Wyoming
to attend an informational protest. The subject of this protest was a piece
of legislation being considered by the U.S. Senate's Committee on Health,
Education, Labor, and Pensions, the (HELP) Committee. The piece of
legislation in question is The Workforce Investment Act. At the center of
the controversy is Title V, Section 511 of this act which reauthorizes the
payment of subminimum wages to workers with disabilities. This is not
acceptable to those of us in the Organized Blind Movement, and we will work
hard to prevent any language that allows this practice to become part of
any law.

     Informational protests occurred in twenty-one states from Alaska, to
Arizona, to Maryland, to Georgia. Federationists stood in front of the
primary district offices of all the Senators who serve on the HELP Committee
and made our feelings known. Nineteen Federationists were in attendance for
the event in Wyoming including Joanne Wilson and Jason Ewell from the
National Center for the Blind. They drew quite a bit of local press. Three
newspapers and two television stations covered their protest. While Rena and
Anthony were working hard in Casper, a petition made the rounds here in
Nevada. Over 240 signatures were collected, so the lawmakers who represent
the Silver State will know how we stand on this issue.

 

     On August 5, 6, and 7 Rena Smith and William Harmon will be meeting
with state presidents and treasurers from eight other states. This will take
place at the National Center for the Blind in Baltimore. We will be trained
to use the financial reporting system that the organization wants us to
employ when preparing tax information. Sighted friends, yes it is true.
Blind people also have to satisfy the IRS.

 

     On October 13, the Northern Nevada Chapter will participate in a
disabilities awareness day in Reno.

 

"State Convention Information."

     On November 4, 5, and 6 the NFBN will host its convention at the Golden
Nugget Las Vegas. On Friday night, there will be a meet-and-greet followed
by a meeting of the NFBN Board of Directors. During the day on Saturday we
will hold our general session. At the same time, our students will be
attending their own seminar. On Saturday night we will have our annual
banquet. On Sunday some fun events are planned. Along with the meeting on
Saturday, various venders will be showing and selling different products. If
you wish to register for the convention, the cost is $20.0 Banquet tickets
are $30.0 per person and yearly dues in the NFBN are $10.0.

 

"Scholarship News."

     Will you be graduating from high school in 2012? Are you currently
enrolled in a college, university, or trade school? If you are, then you
might want to think about applying for one of the two NFBN scholarships.
During our state convention, we will be awarding scholarships for $750.0 and
$500.0. Applicants must be legally blind. They must also be NFB members, be
enrolled in classes at a college, university, or trade school or show proof
that they have been accepted at one of the above-mentioned institutions for
the 2012-13 school year.

     They must provide a letter explaining their reasons for applying for
the scholarship, fill out the scholarship application, and include at least
one letter of reference from an officer in the NFB, two letters of reference
from a teacher, instructor, or professor at their school, and their most
recent transcript. In addition, applicants must be able to attend the NFBN
State Convention in November.

     The application and instructions for applying will be available online
by the end of August. Applications must be received no later than October
14. The winners will be announced at the state convention banquet on the
evening of November 5.

 

"NFB 101."

     In the NFB, we throw words around like "Affiliate", "Chapter", and
"Division", But what do those words actually mean? Many new Federationists
get them confused, so do some veteran members. Let's go over what these
words mean.

     An affiliate is the NFB in a state or territory. It conducts the
organization's business in the state or territory in which it is located. In
the NFB, we have affiliates in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and
Puerto Rico. Each affiliate has a board of directors, headed by a president,
and its own constitution.

     A chapter is the NFB in a particular town or city. It conducts the
NFB's business in that particular local area. There are over 700 local
chapters of the NFB around the nation including two here in the state of
Nevada. Chapters are also governed by an elected board and are issued a
charter by their state affiliate.

     A division represents a particular professional or interest group. Some
major divisions include the National Association of Blind Students (NABS),
the National Association of Blind Lawyers, the National Organization of
Blind Educators, the National Association of Guide Dog Users (NAGDU), the
National Association to Promote the Use of Braille (NAPUB) just to mention a
few. We also have divisions representing the parents of blind children, the
senior blind, blind people in communities of faith, blind merchants, blind
veterans, blind musicians, etc. Divisions elect their own leaders, conduct
their own meetings, and raise their own funds. They also organize events and
work on projects that promote their particular interests.

 

 

 

"NFB Knowledge Contest"

     Below you will find three questions about our organization. If you
answer one question correctly, you will receive an official NFB thumb drive.
If you answer two questions correctly, you will receive a thumb drive and
have your dues paid for 2012. If you answer all three questions correctly,
you will receive a thumb drive, have your 2012 dues paid, and get a free
ticket to this year's convention banquet. You must email your answers to the
address at the top of this newsletter no later than August 31. Your name
will then be put into a drawing. The winners will be announced in the
September/October Newsletter. In order to be eligible to win one of the
prizes, you must live in the state of Nevada and may not be a member of the
NFBN Board of Directors.

     Here are the questions:

1.      In what country was our organization's founder, Dr. Jacobus tenBroek
born?                                           a. The Netherlands  b.
Canada  c. The United States

2.      In 1940, a group of blind people met in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
to form the NFB. From how    many states did these blind people come?

3.      In what speech did Dr. Kenneth Jernigan use the phrase, "We know who
we are, and we will    never go back"? Please give the title of the speech
and the year in which it was made.

"Thumb Drives for Sale!"

     We still have a few thumb drives for sale. Anyone can have one for
$5.0. You may contact Rena Smith at 228-4217 for purchasing information.

"Contact Information"

     If you wish to contact the national office of the NFB by mail,
telephone, or fax, you can utilize the information below.

 

National Federation of the Blind

200 East Wells Street at Jernigan Place

Baltimore, MD 21230

Telephone: (410) 659-9314

Fax: (410) 685-6563

Email: ( <http://www.nfb.org> www.nfb.org)

 

 

To contact the NFB of Nevada, you may write to our president, Ms Rena Smith
at:

1344 North Jones Blvd.

Las Vegas, NV 89108

Telephone: (702) 228-4217

Email: ( <mailto:realhappygirl1 at gmail.com> realhappygirl1 at gmail.com)

 

     You may also access our state affiliate's website at
(www.nfbnevada.org)

 

 

Robert Leslie Newman

President, Omaha Chapter NFB

President, NFB Writers' Division

Division Website

 <http://www.nfb-writers-division.> http://www.nfb-writers-division.net

Chair, Newsletter Publication committee

Personal Website-

 <http://www.thoughtprovoker.info/> http://www.thoughtprovoker.info