[Nfb-editors] Survey of newsletters
Bridgit Pollpeter
bpollpeter at hotmail.com
Sat Mar 5 20:32:41 UTC 2011
So what do we do with this information?
And, believe it or not, not every Federationist is online or has access
to technology to be online. What do we do to not shut these members
out? In Nebraska, we currently only offer the newsletter
electronically, but not everyone has means to electronic access.
Having a presence online is great, and we must keep current, but we
can't leave people in the cracks.
Bridgit
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Today's Topics:
1. Finished a quick survey of newsletters (Robert Leslie Newman)
2. Ohio's- "The Buckeye bulletin," Winter-Spring (new)
(Robert Leslie Newman)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Message: 1
Date: Fri, 4 Mar 2011 15:40:15 -0600
From: "Robert Leslie Newman" <newmanrl at cox.net>
To: "editors nfb list" <nfb-editors at nfbnet.org>
Subject: [Nfb-editors] Finished a quick survey of newsletters
Message-ID: <004801cbdab4$bfc9c130$3f5d4390$@cox.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Here is a short summery of a survey I have been working on. I wrote each
affiliate president and also visited each affiliate's page, from
nfb.org. granted, I have not heard back from all states, which may
change some of my findings, but here is a summery of how our 52
affiliates are communicating:
18 out of 52 affiliates have a newsletter.
17 affiliates who do not only not have a newsletter, but they do not
have a presents on the Internet, as in do not have an affiliate Website.
Some affiliates are using their websites as a place to post dates of
events and short accounts of state and national happenings. Methods for
accomplishing these "postings" are:
#1 A list on the main page, or a link to a separate page, but a series
of short accounts of events to come or summaries of events that have
happened.
#2 An interactive bulletin board type of arrangement, where events are
listed, and respondents can add to what is being reported.
#3 A listing of recent Tweets (both of the affiliate and/or of those
sponsored by the national NFB Twitter account.
#4 A reference and link to an affiliate Facebook page.
Robert Leslie Newman
President, Omaha Chapter NFB
President, NFB Writers' Division
Division Website
<http://www.nfb-writers-division.org>
http://www.nfb-writers-division.org
Personal Website-
<http://www.thoughtprovoker.info> http://www.thoughtprovoker.info
------------------------------
Message: 2
Date: Sat, 5 Mar 2011 06:36:35 -0600
From: "Robert Leslie Newman" <newmanrl at cox.net>
To: "editors nfb list" <nfb-editors at nfbnet.org>
Subject: [Nfb-editors] Ohio's- "The Buckeye bulletin," Winter-Spring
(new)
Message-ID: <009701cbdb31$f6f84fa0$e4e8eee0$@cox.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Here is the 19 page, 7,016 word Winter-Spring 2011 "The Buckeye
Bulletin"
Winter/Spring 2011
Buckeye Bulletin
A publication of the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio
Barbara Pierce, Editor
237 Oak Street
Oberlin, OH 44074
bbpierce at pobox.com
http://www.nfbohio.org
(440) 775-2216
Sylvia Cooley, Production Editor
Dr. J. Webster Smith, President
(800) 396-6326 (NFBO Office)
jwsmithnfb at frontier.com
P.O. Box 458, Athens, OH 45701-0458
Voice of the Nation's Blind
The National Federation of the Blind of Ohio is a 501 (c) 3
consumer organization comprised of blind and sighted people committed to
changing what it means to be blind. Though blindness is still all too
often a tragedy to those who face it, we know from our personal
experience that with training and opportunity it can be reduced to the
level of a physical nuisance. We work to see that blind people receive
the services and training to which they are entitled and that parents of
blind children receive the advice and support they need to help their
youngsters grow up to be happy, productive adults. We believe that
first-class citizenship means that people have both rights and
responsibilities, and we are determined to see that blind people become
first-class citizens of these United States, enjoying their rights and
fulfilling their responsibilities. The most serious problems we face
have less to do with our lack of vision than with discrimination based
on the public's ignorance and misinformation about blindness. Join us in
educating Ohioans about the abilities and aspirations of Ohio's blind
citizens. We are changing what it means to be blind.
The NFB of Ohio has fourteen local chapters, one for
at-large members, and special divisions for diabetics, merchants,
students, seniors, parents of blind children, guide-dog users, and those
interested in Braille. This semi-annual newsletter is produced in large
print and on CD and is circulated by email. For information about the
National Federation of the Blind of Ohio or to make address changes or
be added to the mailing list, call (440) 775-2216 or email
bbpierce at pobox.com. For information about NFB-NEWSLINE, our free
digitized newspaper-reading service, call (866) 391-0841. Local NEWSLINE
numbers are: 330-247-1241 (Akron), 330-409-1900 (Canton), 513-297-1521
(Cincinnati), 216-453-2090 (Cleveland), and 614-448-1673 (Columbus)
Table of Contents
>From the President's Desk
by J. Webster Smith
2010 Convention Report
by Deborah Kendrick
NFB of Ohio Awards Presented at the 2010 Convention
by Barb Fohl
The Blind Driver in Daytona
by Eric Duffy
Editor's Musings
by Barbara Pierce
The Million-Dollar Seminar
by Beth Debus
2011 NFB of Ohio Committee Assignments
A Briefcase, a Shirt, and a Spark
by Carol Akers
Buckeye Briefs
Activities Calendar
PHOTO CAPTION: J. Webster Smith
>From the President's Desk
by J. Webster Smith
As I write this, we have just returned from the Washington
Seminar, which was held the week of January 31st. It was a good meeting,
and I always feel more empowered and connected as a citizen after this
event. It has also caused me to do some thinking about politics and
political campaigns. I have always loved politics, and I have fond
memories of many political discussions around my family dinner table. In
fact I've always had an uncanny ability to predict the outcome of
elections. Since 1994 I've had the pleasure of teaching a class entitled
Communication and Campaigns at Ohio University in the School of
Communication Studies. Additionally I've published a book in this area
and taught several hundred students, several of whom are consultants to
some of the most prominent politicians today.
As I look back, I do wish I hadn't taught some people
because they are presently working with people and on issues that I
would probably not support. I recognize that my love for politics is
probably not the most popular hobby. In fact, I often hear people
express their deep loathing for political campaigns and politicians.
They say, "They are all crooks, and it really doesn't matter who gets
into office anyway." For this column I would like for you to consider
why we should care about the political process and consider that it
really does matter who gets in.
First, campaigns have really changed over the years. There
was a time when what we know as campaigning did not involve individuals
crisscrossing the country and twenty-hour days of nonstop events and
travel. In fact, many presidents were elected while simply sitting on
their front porches. The idea was that people would come to their homes
to hear them speak. Many of those candidates were chosen by party bosses
in smoke-filled rooms, and the general public had very little input. The
first so-called primaries did not occur until 1896, and even as recently
as 1960 there weren't even ten significant primaries in that historic
election. As many of you know, all of that has now changed. Candidates
have to go out and meet the people and find out what they are thinking,
or at least they make an attempt to do so. Blind people need to be in
those audiences, and we need to make our concerns known to our
representatives.
The Congress was out of town this year during the Washington
Seminar, and in fact they have announced that they want to spend more
time in their home districts. These will be great opportunities for us
to invite them to our chapter meetings and other events. It should also
make it easier for us to reiterate and reinforce a particular message by
visiting their district offices as well. Given our financial
constraints, it will be necessary for us to make our Washington Seminar
delegation smaller, and we may have to limit our time in Washington even
more to save on hotel cost. Therefore, it will be necessary for us like
never before to take advantage of the political process when the
representatives are in their home districts.
Second, campaigns and elections have consequences. I
remember someone asking me what I thought about the chances of Barack
Obama in 2008. I said that I thought that he had the potential to really
shake up the political arena. What an understatement that turned out to
be. Remember the November 2010 elections? Believe me, they will have
profound consequences both nationally and statewide. For example, a new
RSC executive director has been appointed because a new administration
is in the governor's office. All of this is new to that agency, and its
future impact is yet undetermined. It always makes a difference who wins
and who loses, because we need as many supportive candidates as we can
for our issues.
Despite my love of politics, I too get tired of the
political ads and posturing. Ultimately I know that who eventually wins
the next election will make a big difference. The NFB has always
understood this and thus has tried to be out front of the political
process and willing to rally support for issues ranging from Social
Security to the Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act. Let me be clear here:
most campaigns are constituent driven, and things tend to get done by
those that show up and make the most noise. We cannot afford to sit idly
by and let someone else do it for us. We must continue to be active in
the political process, so we are thinking about ways of influencing our
state legislature in a more public and organized manner this year. Do
any of you believe that the Tea Party movement did not have and does not
continue to have a profound impact on the current political climate?
Finally, the right candidate can make a difference.
Historically many laws have been passed when a particular issue touched
a single representative personally. We need to find candidates who will
take our issues, if not personally, at least seriously and to cultivate
champions who could ultimately help us to make significant contributions
for the blind and visually impaired community. At the Washington Seminar
this year we were addressed by two senators and a former governor. I
must tell you there was a certain energy and expectation when they
spoke. We need more blind and visually impaired people to consider
participating in politics because in some ways this may be the only way
that many of our issues will get the consideration they deserve.
One of the strengths of this movement has been its
willingness to understand and use the political process to make life
better for the blind and visually impaired all over the world. We have
been very active in our state as well, and it is my hope and goal to
make us even more politically active in coming years so that we can get
our piece of the pie. So, while we may not like the way campaigns are
run now, we need to understand that they are here to stay. If we are
going to get our share of the pie, we will have to be visible, vigilant,
and vocal at every level of the political process.
PHOTO CAPTION: Deborah Kendrick
2010 Convention Report
by Deborah Kendrick
The sixty-fourth annual convention of the National
Federation of the Blind of Ohio offered a slightly new format in an
improved though familiar hotel, and spirits were consistently high. For
the first time the board met at noon on Friday, November 5, in a
cost-saving measure. President J.W. Smith conducted the meeting with his
usual efficient blend of warmth, humor, and efficiency.
In addition to a successful membership seminar and various
committee meetings, participants could examine technology products and
consignment table items being sold in the exhibits room or wander down
the hall to participate in a research project on Website navigation
being conducted by a Wright State doctoral student. The NFB philosophy
seminar was, as usual, a true highlight of the afternoon. The energetic
discussion was led by NFB Second Vice President Ron Brown, who was
serving as national representative for the convention, and NFB of Ohio
President Emerita Barbara Pierce. Should we take advantage of discounted
or waived ticket prices just because we are blind? Does a blind person's
skipping the line at an amusement park send a negative message? Opinions
were varied and lively and frequently sparked new topics for
consideration within the realm of what it means to be blind.
Friday evening featured a session on fundraising strategies
led by Dr. David Lucas, School of Communication Studies, Ohio
University. Other Friday night activities were the annual meeting of the
nominating committee and, of course, hospitality.
The plenary session of the 2010 NFB of Ohio convention was called to
order by President J.W. Smith at 9:00 a.m. Ron Brown, our national
representative, set the tone with his moving account of the Indiana
child whose family had to fight for his right to use an NFB long cane.
He encouraged members to support the Blind Driver Challenge in Florida,
reminded us of the importance of Washington Seminar, and encouraged
everyone to attend the national convention July 3 to 8 in Orlando.
Will Reed from the Ohio Library for the Blind and Physically
Disabled was warmly welcomed. Also welcome was his announcement that all
patrons should have their new digital Talking Book players by Spring
2011.
Becky Keller, a cane travel instructor from Blind Industries
and Services of Maryland, provided a vivid and appealing description of
the training provided by BISM. Students live in offsite apartments,
traveling to and from the agency daily by public transportation.
Blindness training covers everything from independent travel and
computer skills to cooking, shopping, and employment preparation.
Students participate in daily seminars focusing on the blindness
philosophy of the NFB, and training typically runs from seven to nine
months.
Dan Conners, director of the Bureau of Services for the
Visually Impaired, brought the heartening news that the agency has hired
consumer specialists (individuals who have received services from either
BSVI or its counterpart, BVR) around the state to act as advisors in
service delivery. Mark Seifarth, legislative liaison for the Ohio
Department of Developmental Disabilities, gave his typically energetic
and entertaining update on the changing legislative picture in Ohio.
Attorney Arnold Shaheen delivered a thoughtful commentary,
reflecting on advocacy from his perspective as both lawyer and parent of
an adult daughter who is visually impaired. (Natalie Shaheen is an
education program specialist in the Jernigan Institute.)
In President J.W. Smith's annual report he stressed that,
while the affiliate's financial situation is the most dismal it has been
in years, the affiliate is comprised of tough people who will weather
tough times as required. In keeping with the convention's theme, The Day
After Civil Rights, Barbara Pierce delivered a thought-provoking
address, reinforcing the importance of reading our national publication.
Dr. Tiffany Wild shared information concerning the new program
certifying orientation and mobility instructors which has been launched
at Ohio State University, and Lee Martin of the Indiana NFB affiliate
recounted his personal claim on civil rights after deeply troubling
employment discrimination. Tracy Parks rounded out the day's program
with a lighthearted collection of reflections on her diminishing vision
and her life as a photographer.
Throughout the weekend various divisions and committees met
as well-including blind seniors, Parents of Blind Children, students,
and others. At the annual meeting of NAPUB, the National Association to
Promote the Use of Braille, Barbara Pierce was elected to be the new
president. At the seniors' lunch, Hermine Wiley, an advocate for people
with hearing loss, presented information and sources to consider when
selecting a hearing aid.
The Saturday evening awards banquet was, as usual, a
splendid celebration of the weekend and one another. The joy of having
Bruce Peters among us once again was underscored by his even better than
usual job as master of ceremonies. Ron Brown's banquet address was
poignant, personal, and yes even brief! Award presentations by Barb Fohl
included more than one surprise, and we all welcomed our two scholarship
winners, Sandra Sommers, winner of the Jennica Ferguson Memorial
Scholarship, from North Canton, and Brittany Foor from Amherst, winner
of the NFB of Ohio Scholarship. (See elsewhere for details of the awards
details.)
Sunday morning's memorial service touched us all, as we
remembered well-known and lesser-known members of the NFB of Ohio
family. Ron Williamitis, of course, was in our thoughts throughout the
entire convention as the Ron Williamitis shirt and bag were passed with
considerable spirit and jocularity from person to person at $10 a
transfer.
Elections were held, and the nominating committee's slate of
candidates was elected as follows: president, Dr. J.W. Smith; first vice
president, Eric Duffy; second vice president, Barb Fohl; secretary,
Shelbi Hindel; treasurer, Sherry Ruth; and board members, Crystal
McClain and Bruce Peters.
The convention adjourned at noon. The Columbus Ramada Plaza
and Conference Center Hotel is to be congratulated on its best effort
yet to serve our organization, and we can all look forward to a new
facility when we meet next year In Dayton.
PHOTO CAPTION: Barb Fohl
NFB of Ohio Awards Presented at the 2010 Convention
by Barb Fohl
Editor's Note: Presenting affiliate awards is an important
part of state business. It is a clear way of encouraging and thanking
members and chapters who understand what the affiliate stands for and
work to further our goals and improve the lives of blind Ohioans. Awards
are presented during the annual banquet, the highpoint of each year's
convention. This year Barb Fohl, chair of the Awards Committee,
presented two awards on Saturday evening, November 6. Here is her
report:
The National Federation of the Blind of Ohio presents awards
only when they have been earned, so we don't always present the Ruth
Garwood Award, which is given to a sighted person who has provided
outstanding service to the state affiliate. The award commemorates the
efforts of the devoted sister of our treasurer for eleven years in the
seventies and early eighties, Ivan Garwood. Ruth's support and
assistance enabled Ivan to do an exemplary job maintaining our financial
books despite deaf-blindness.
PHOTO CAPTION: Carol Akers holding her award certificate
This year we honored the newly elected president of the Ohio
Parents Division, Carol Akers. Carol has been an active member of the
NFB for twenty years and has been involved at all levels of the
organization: chapter, state affiliate, and the National Organization of
Parents of Blind Children. She has missed only one national convention,
the year her father died. She has been a driver to Washington Seminars
and national conventions, has worked tirelessly on hospitality events
and fundraising efforts, and is a regular attendee at affiliate board
meetings. Carol's message when counseling new parents is that, if their
child's only disability is blindness, he or she can without doubt live a
full and productive life.
After presenting the Ruth Garwood award, I announced some
changes in the Gavel Award Contest this year, including a $50 prize to
the chapter and division Gavel Award winners along with the usual gavel
and plaque. I am pleased to report that the competition was serious and
more chapters competed than in recent years. Our Chapter Gavel Award
winner for 2010 was our brand new NFB of Springfield chapter. They
promote the NFB by highlighting events from the national presidential
releases. While members are golfing, at dialysis, etc., they answer
questions about blindness and invite people to come to their chapter
meetings. They also share our philosophy by making presentations at
elementary schools-reading and writing Braille, demonstrating cane
technique, and distributing Braille alphabet cards to audiences.
Their civic activities include the following: one person is
a member of the Committee to Aid the Blind in their community and has
spoken in favor of legal housing rights to the Fair Housing
Administration. And one member marched in the 2010 Tournament of Roses
Parade and was seen and heard on TV, radio, and print promotionals to
raise funds for that trip.
In order to promote friendly competition, encourage chapters
and divisions to work hard, and recognize them for outstanding
achievement, the Awards Committee announced last summer that, if we
found that a chapter had engaged in an original or outstanding activity
during the past year, we would give the chapter a check for $25, a
certificate of achievement, and an opportunity to describe the activity
to the convention. We decided that two chapters had engaged in original
activities this year and presented them with their awards at the general
session on Sunday morning. The Capital Chapter sent out email letters to
raise funds. The Lorain County chapter arranged to have the NFB logo,
chapter contact information, and a brief message printed on 4,000 Drug
Mart Pharmacy bags in order to promote the organization.
We hope that the activities of this year's award recipients
will inspire chapters across the state to redouble their efforts to be
the NFB's tangible presence in their communities. We also encourage
divisions to get busy promoting the NFB's understanding of the
opportunities available to blind Ohioans when we work together to change
what it means to be blind.
PHOTO CAPTION: Mark Riccobono driving on the Daytona Speedway
The Blind Driver in Daytona
by Eric Duffy
Editor's note: Eric Duffy is first vice president of the NFB
of Ohio. He attended the Blind Driver Challenge at the Daytona
International Speedway on January 29. Here is his report:
It was in the year 2000 that the blind-drivable car was
first mentioned by NFB President Marc Maurer. Of course there were many
skeptics, many who scoffed at the idea and said it could never be done.
Some just asked why--why would we sink our hard earned money into the
impossible? Why, when there are so many other pressing problems to be
solved for the blind, are we putting our time, energy, and resources
into a car that more than likely won't benefit any of us? Most sighted
people surely laughed at the idea.
But I was among those who asked why not? Why not dream big?
Why not dare to dream about the blind doing something no one thought
could be done? After all, we were building a major research institute.
Why not shoot for the moon? How many people laughed at John F. Kennedy
when he said by the end of the decade we will put a man on the moon and
bring him home again safely? I believed that our work on the car would
bring about revolutionary technology for the blind and the rest of the
world, much in the way the space program did.
Early Friday morning, January 28, I left the frozen tundra
of Columbus bound for the sunny skies of Daytona Beach. Upon arriving in
Orlando, I walked out the door of the airport to take the shuttle to
Daytona Beach, and, when I did not get blasted with a gust of cold air,
I had to remind myself of where I was. I was in Orlando, the home of the
Magic Kingdom. But for me and the blind of the nation, the real magic
was going to happen at the Daytona Speedway the next day.
When I arrived at the hotel, I began joking with some of the
folks in the lobby. Some were Federationists, and others were not. But
it occurred to me that the guy who was perfectly confident and
comfortable joking around in a crowd of total strangers is not the same
guy who joined the National Federation of the Blind in 1984. As I walked
to my room with a hotel employee, I asked him where I could get some
oysters. He said, "Well there's a place across the highway and a ways
down. Maybe you could give me an order, and I could pick it up for you
later." That would be the safest thing. Of course I did not give him an
order, and he did not pick it up for me later. He seemed to be a nice
man, and I know he just wanted to be helpful. But I had a feeling he did
not offer this service to nondisabled guests.
Both my stomach and my GPS told me not to run across the
highway and walk that little way to the Oyster Bay restaurant. So, after
unpacking, I stopped at the ATM machine and then called a taxi. The ATM
was accessible. This is something I attributed to the work of the
National Federation of the Blind.
Having allowed both my hunger and my craving for fresh
oysters to overcome hard-learned lessons from the past, I did not bother
to call the Oyster Bay to see if it was opened. So of course, when I
arrived at my destination, a sign read "Reopen tomorrow."
I asked the cab driver where else I could go to get oysters.
He said, "I'll take you to the Oyster Bar. I've never been in there
myself, but I've taken a lot of customers there." Upon arriving at the
Oyster Bar, I paid my fare and went inside. Immediately a lady asked
what she could get for me. I said I wanted an oyster sandwich. There was
some nervous laughter followed by silence. Then she said, "You can't get
that here, we don't serve food. This is just a bar." After a little more
give and take, she ran out the door and caught the cab driver before she
got away. Needless to say, I did not end up having oysters that day.
What does all this have to do with the blind driving a car?
Nothing and everything. After having some hot wings and a drink, I
decided to walk to a Walgreens that my GPS told me was near by. I picked
up some Coke and a few things I had forgotten at home, and I walked back
to the hotel. Again I realized that, even in my first few years of
college, I would not have walked around a strange city by myself. I have
grown a lot over the years, and I have done so because of the National
Federation of the Blind. If I have grown, so have other members. If we
have grown individually, then it stands to reason that we have grown
collectively as an organization. I now have higher expectations for
myself. I dream bigger now than I did twenty-seven years ago, or for
that matter five or ten years ago. So does the National Federation of
the Blind-another reason for the car.
Friday evening we came together for a prerace meeting. It
was then that we learned that Mark Riccobono would be the blind driver.
I had done a great deal of speculating about who the driver might be up
to that point, and I was glad that Mark was on my list of possible
drivers. As President Maurer introduced him, he said that Mark did not
have a driver's license, but that he had thought about encouraging him
to go to the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). In true Federation
spirit, the crowd broke into a chant of "NFB to the DMV."
Mark then talked about his experience with the car and how
he had become the blind driver at Daytona. He talked about taking his
wife and children for a spin. Of course that touched me and many others
in the room-another reason for the car. We were given instructions about
when and where to catch the buses to go to the track the next morning.
We then received Blind Driver Challenge shirts, and the evening
concluded.
On the way to the track I heard an affiliate president
counseling a blind teenager and his parents. This was one of many times
that day I felt proud to be a member of the National Federation of the
Blind.
As I sat in the stands waiting for the big moment, it
occurred to me that we really did have a strong presence at the track. I
also thought that, if all Mark did was to drive around the track, it
would be historic, it would be noteworthy, but it wouldn't be enough. We
soon learned that there would be much more. Kevan Worley was in the
booth with the announcers for the Rolex 24 race taking place later that
day. They discussed our work on the car, what was about to happen, and
the significance of it all in the lives of the blind and on society as a
whole.
The energy of the crowd was high as they described each
event. The collective voice of the NFB was heard as Mark approached our
section of the grandstands. It all came together for me when the
announcers talked about Mark avoiding boxes that were tossed out of a
van. Then he passed the lead van. Mark Riccobono, the blind driver, took
the lead at the Daytona International Speedway. The NFB had a booth in
the Sprint Fan Zone. Steve Brand represented us in a chili cook-off. We
had a press conference, and there was much more to do at the track that
day.
The evening concluded with pizza, salad, cookies, and a cash
bar. We got to hear from President Maurer; Dennis Hong, the professor
from Virginia Tech University whose students have been working with us
on the car; and the blind driver himself. This was a celebration
befitting our accomplishment.
I am proud to have been a part of this historic event. It is
my hope that the Wright State Research Institute, for which I am now
working, will be a part of future development with the vehicle. We will
hear much more about the blind-drivable car in the Braille Monitor and
at the national convention in Orlando. Let the staff of the Jernigan
Institute know what you would like to see us work on in the future.
Let's dream big and work together to build a great future for the blind
of the United States and the world.
PHOTO CAPTION: Barbara Pierce
Editor's Musings
by Barbara Pierce
At its January meeting the affiliate board of directors made
a decision that would have been very difficult if it had not been so
obviously necessary. After more than two decades of providing remarkably
generous assistance to Ohioans who want to attend the national
convention but find the expense too much for them, the board voted to
limit the assistance to any one person to no more than $500. In some
cases less assistance will be awarded. This decision will require a
significantly revised application process, and it should make applying
to the Jernigan Fund more attractive to Ohioans attending their first
convention since that fund provides stipends of about $600. For more
information about applying to the Jernigan Fund, see the current issue
of the Braille Monitor, where you will find Allen Harris's article about
the application process right before the recipes.
For the past two years we have been warning members at every
opportunity that our funding was shrinking and that we were all going to
have to address the problem of finding ways to raise money for the
affiliate if we are to continue to provide the services that we have
always offered. Now our thrift program is completely closed down, and we
have managed to spend most of the fund reserves we had amassed. Like the
state of Ohio, we cannot spend money we do not have, so we are having to
cut back radically.
We are looking at even more severe cutbacks unless we solve
the problem of finding and undertaking alternative fundraising efforts.
Chapters must form the habit of contributing funds to the state
organization from their own fundraising projects. Moreover, when the
affiliate embraces statewide fundraising projects, chapter and division
members must realize that all of us are going to have to join in to make
the efforts a success. This has never been easy for us to do.
Historically many chapters have thought that they have done their part
when their members buy a few tickets themselves. But we are all going to
have to step up and take tickets or items to sell and then go out and
sell them.
The Fundraising Committee will do its best to introduce
attractive projects that members across the state will be able to work
on and feel good about the quality of the product. But the bedrock truth
is that, if we do not all recognize our personal responsibility to fund
our movement, we really will have no movement to fund.
All of us know how much good the NFB does for all blind
people, and particularly the newly blind. Especially in these days of
shrinking services from BSVI, our ability to reach out to the people who
need our help is more necessary than ever. If you have ideas for
lucrative fundraising projects, please pass them along to Eric Duffy,
who chairs the Fundraising Committee. If you know of other possible
sources of funding, President Smith needs to know about them
immediately. You can always find our leaders' contact information at our
newly accessible Website, <www.nfbohio.org>. We can and will meet this
crisis, but it will take us all to do it.
The Million-Dollar Seminar
by Beth Debus
Editor's Note: Recently affiliate presidents were asked to
appoint someone to serve as the Imagination Fund coordinator in their
states. Building this fund is the primary way that NFB members help to
fund our organization. Of course we make personal contributions and help
our chapters and affiliates to raise money, some of which gets passed on
to fund the programs of the organization as a whole. But, historically,
blind people have not been known for our deep pockets. The people around
us generally have a lot more money than we do, and inviting them to
contribute to our work just makes sense if we really intend to make a
difference in the lives of blind people.
Those who work with fundraising at our national office have
set a goal of raising a million dollars this year through the
Imagination Fund. All of the state coordinators were invited to
Baltimore for a weekend seminar at the National Center. Beth Debus was
the Ohio participant in that seminar. This is what she reports:
William Arthur Ward once said, "If you can imagine it, you
can achieve it. If you can dream it, you can become it." When we arrived
at the million-dollar seminar, we were all asked why we were there. I
responded, "To learn all I can about how to help raise a million dollars
and teach what I've learned to everyone in Ohio." During the seminar I
realized that I wasn't there only to learn how other people have raised
thousands of dollars; I was there to help change what it means to be
blind.
The Imagination Fund is the tool the NFB created to allow
Federationists to raise money for the organization in their home
communities and among their families and friends-in other words, tapping
funding sources outside the NFB and its members. It was started in 2004
to fund the work of the NFB Jernigan Institute as well as state
affiliates and local chapters. The work paid for by the Imagination Fund
encompasses research, technology, and educational projects, including
making the study of science and math a real possibility for blind
children through summer science academies, promoting Braille literacy
through the Braille Readers Are Leaders Contests and Braille books,
providing hope for seniors losing their vision through resource fairs,
helping state affiliates and local chapters to promote programs and
provide information that will educate the blind, advancing technology
helpful to the blind through such projects as the blind driver
challenge, creating a state-of-the-art library on blindness, training
and inspiring professionals working with the blind, providing parents
critical information for educating their blind children, and mentoring
blind people trying to find employment. Projects are developed by
listening to what blind people want and making it happen
Those who commit themselves to raising money for the
Imagination Fund are called Imaginators. Becoming an imaginator is
simple. Go to <www.raceforindependence.org> and click on the Become an
Imaginator link. You will find a number of online tools to help you
invite your friends, family members, and neighbors to make
contributions. You can import your personal email address book and send
out sample letters. You will find fundraising ideas and help creating
your own personal Webpage. In addition the Independence Market at the
National Center for the Blind can mail you other Imagination Fund
materials including text-to-give cards, donor book marks, and brochures.
You can contact me at <mbdebus at yahoo.com> for help using the online
tools. She can help you sign up as an Imaginator and can answer your
questions about this important program for changing what it means to be
blind.
One person asking for donations won't change the Federation, but with
your help hundreds of blind people across the country will change the
Federation. How much can you raise? You'll never know unless you make
the ask. Join me in the race!
2011 NFB of Ohio Committee Assignments
Editor's Note: At the first board meeting each year the
president traditionally makes committee assignments for the coming year
with the advice and consent of the board. Here are the appointments to
the 2011 affiliate committees along with the committee charges:
DEAF-BLIND COORDINATORS: Delcenia Brown, Lisa Hall, and Deanna Lewis
Charge: To provide assistance and information to those who
are in this unique community and to serve as a vehicle to foster a
positive relationship for the deaf-blind community.
AWARDS COMMITTEE: Barb Fohl (chair), Debbie Baker, Paul Dressell, Eric
Duffy, Colleen Roth, William Turner, and Kathy Withman
Charge: To oversee the awards process, to provide
information and feedback when necessary, and to make reasonable
judgments about NFBO awards.
CONSTITUTION COMMITTEE: Shelbi Hindel (chair), Annette Anderson, and
Colleen Roth
Charge: To make sure that all NFBO constitutions are in
compliance with the state and national constitutions, both
philosophically and rhetorically.
CONVENTION PLANNING AND ARRANGEMENTS COMMITTEE: Mary Pool and Sheri
Albers (co-chairs), Carol Akers, Susan Day, Gus White, and Kathy Withman
Charge: To assist in the planning and functioning of our
state and national conventions and to provide additional assistance in
the selection process of state convention sites.
FINANCING THE MOVEMENT COMMITTEE: Sherry Ruth (chair), Annette Anderson
(SUN coordinator), Paul Dressell (PAC coordinator), and Mary Pool
(Jernigan Fund
coordinator)
Charge: To make members aware of these specific
organizational fundraising opportunities and to implement strategies to
increase participation.
FUNDRAISING COMMITTEE: Eric Duffy (chair), Carol Akers, Susan Day, Mark
McClain, Jerry Purcell, William Turner, and Kathy Withman
Charge: To investigate additional opportunities to increase
NFBO resources and to implement effective fundraising strategies and
programming.
LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE: Eric Duffy (chair), Sheri Albers, Debbie Baker,
Eric Burghardt, Susan Day, Cheryl Fischer, and Shelby Hindel
Charge: To increase the visibility and viability of the
organization in the state legislature.
MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE: Richard Payne and William Turner (co-chairs),
Stefanie Claytor, Kyle Conley, Beth Debus, Everett Gavel, Macy McClain,
and Gloria Robinson
Charge: To implement effective strategies to recruit,
retain, and reinvigorate the members of the NFB of Ohio.
PERSONNEL COMMITTEE: J.W. Smith (chair), Eric Duffy, Barb Fohl, Shelbi
Hindel, Crystal McClain, Barbara Pierce, and Sherry Ruth
Charge: To oversee and manage the personnel matters of the
organization.
PROMOTION AND PUBLICITY: Susan Day (chair), Sheri Albers, Everett Gavel,
Deborah Kendrick, Bruce Peters, Barbara Pierce, and Wanda Sloan
Charge: To promote and publicize NFB-O programs and events
and to acquire as much positive publicity as possible for such
activities.
RESOLUTIONS COMMITTEE: Paul Dressell (chair), Robert Campbell, Barb
Fohl, Deborah Kendrick, and Shivaji Kumer
Charge: To oversee the submission process and to write and
distribute clearly articulated and philosophically sound resolutions.
SCHOLARSHIP COMMITTEE: Barbara Pierce (chair), Beth Debus, Deborah
Kendrick, Bob Pierce, and William Turner
Charge: To conduct the affiliate scholarship program and to
develop and implement effective strategies to increase the visibility of
the program and increase participation.
WEBSITE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE: Barbara Pierce (Chair), Eric Duffy, Everett
Gavel, Deborah Kendrick, and Zaheer Sheikh
Charge: To facilitate the development and maintenance of our
Website and other related technological outlets.
A Briefcase, a Shirt, and a Spark
by Carol Akers
Editor's Note: During convention sessions this year the
proceedings were interrupted periodically by the conspicuous passing of
a large Hawaiian shirt and a backpack stuffed with papers. Every time a
new person donned these items, the person handing them over contributed
$10 to the affiliate treasury in memory of longtime Federationist Ron
Williamitis, who died suddenly of a heart attack in September. It became
a badge of honor to be seen wearing the shirt and pack, and at one time
or another all of the state's leaders took their turns. This is the way
Parent Division President Carol Akers described the effort to honor Ron:
It takes only a spark to get a fire going, and some of those
sparks can fire up great ideas. One such spark flared during the fall
board meeting as a way to remember someone who will never be heard in
our meetings and conventions again. Ron Williamitis was committed to our
cause, and it was his booming voice that could be heard above all others
proclaiming "Hear, Hear!" when he agreed with the point being made.
Wouldn't he be pleased to learn that he had a unique place in our
convention this year and know that his personality was still with us
while raising funds for Ohio? So Ron, if you're listening, the Hawaiian
shirt and bulky briefcase that we all recognized as your presence and
your voice at convention was heard to the tune of $500.
Buckeye Briefs
The following divisions and chapters have conducted elections at the
convention or since:
At-Large Chapter: president, Colleen Roth; vice president,
Barb Fohl; secretary/treasurer, Tracey Sinkovic.
Ohio Association of the Senior Blind: president, Barb Fohl;
vice president, Colleen Roth; secretary, Paul Dressell; treasurer, Judy
Cook; and board member, Debbie Baker.
Ohio Association of Guide Dog Users: president, Deanna
Lewis; vice president, Debbie Baker; secretary/treasurer, Anne Marble;
and board members, Annette Anderson and Kathy Withman. This is a brand
new division that actually received its charter at the January board
meeting.
Diabetes Action Network: president Wanda Sloan; vice
president, Barb Fohl; secretary, Susan Day; treasurer, Karen Noles; and
board member, Jeanette Wade.
Parents of Blind Children Division: president, Carol Akers;
vice president, Ruth Boggs; secretary, Crystal McClain; treasurer, Mark
McClain; and board members, Jim and Cindy Conley.
National Association to Promote the Use of Braille of Ohio:
president, Barbara Pierce; vice president, Debbie Baker; secretary, Barb
Fohl; and treasurer, Paul Dressell.
The Springfield chapter will host a voter registration drive
on Saturday, March 19, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Registrants should
come to the Social Room in Hillman Manor at the Springfield Masonic
Community, 2655 W. National Road. We will provide the Automark
accessible voting machine for those who wish to become familiar with the
process of voting independently using text-to-speech capability. We will
distribute the Blind Voters Guide to those who need it and will provide
assistance for those who need help to complete their voter registration
forms. We will distribute our contact information for the Springfield
chapter and literature introducing the National Federation of the Blind.
For further directions to the Masonic Community, or for answers to other
questions about the day, please contact Debra Baker, Springfield chapter
president, 937 471-5193.
PHOTO CAPTION: The Dressells' great grandson
We are delighted to report that Aiden James Edward Dressell
was born at 12:15 p.m., Friday, December 24, 2010. He weighed in at
seven pounds eleven ounces and is twenty-and-a-half inches long. He is
Bernie and Paul Dressells' first great-grandson. Congratulations to all
the Dressells!
Activities Calendar
March 19, Springfield Voter Registration Drive
March 31, National Federation of the Blind scholarship deadline
April 9-12, NFB Leadership and Advocacy in Washington Program for middle
school youth
May 1, NFB of Ohio scholarship application deadline
May 15-22, White Cane Recognition Week
July 3-8, National Federation of the Blind annual convention, Orlando,
Florida
October, Meet the Blind Month
October 15, White Cane Safety Day
November 1, Beginning of the Braille Readers Are Leaders contest
November 4-6, National Federation of the Blind of Ohio annual
convention, Holiday Inn Dayton Mall
Robert Leslie Newman
President, Omaha Chapter NFB
President, NFB Writers' Division
Division Website
<http://www.nfb-writers-division.org>
http://www.nfb-writers-division.org
Personal Website-
<http://www.thoughtprovoker.info> http://www.thoughtprovoker.info
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