[Nfb-editors] DC - The Capitol Steps Winter 2013

Fri Jan 17 22:56:03 UTC 2014

THE CAPITOL STEPS

Winter 2013

Eric and Laura Smith, Co-editors

Published by and distributed by e-mail request

The National Federation of the Blind of the District of Columbia

www.nfbdc.org

Shawn Callaway, DC Affiliate President

P.O. Box 29141, Washington, DC 20017-2808

(202) 352-1511

E-mail subscription requests, articles and Letters to the Editor for 

The Capitol Steps should be emailed to NFBDC1 at gmail.com. The editorial staff
reserves the right to edit all articles for space and/or clarity
considerations.

Please Note: The deadline for the next issue is February 22, 2014.

Table of Contents

1. Message from the President

2. Great Turnout for DC Convention

3. NFB Offers Scholarships to Blind Students

4. Members in the News

5. "ANGELS AT THE BEACH" by Renee Donalvo-Carlsen

6. "Save the Date" 

7. Many Ways to Give

8. Just for You

1.	Message from the President

Dear Federationists,

As we conclude 2013, I want to let you know that I am truly impressed by the
hard work and  

dedication of the DC Federationists.  This year, we've initiated and
completed many affiliate 

and community projects as well as had outstanding attendance at both state
and national 

conventions. Of note especially, is that the DC Affiliate is the first state
entity to establish a 

Community Services Division. We hope that we have set the standard for other
affiliates and 

national NFB to follow suit.

We've proved that we can have fun with numerous get-togethers, including our
3rd annual Crab 

Feast, walking in the Columbia Lighthouse for the Blind's annual "Light the
Way" walk-a-thon, 

and the Capital East's wine-tasting event. We have forged successful
partnerships and 

participated in activities with Maryland and Virginia chapters in the
Washington metropolitan 

area. These activities included a boat cruise on the Potomac to Mt. Vernon,
attending theatrical 

productions at Arena Stage, and conducting joint leadership workshops. 

We had our best-ever state convention with 136 Federationists, guests and
friends in 

attendance. We enthusiastically welcomed Mr. Sam Gleese as our national rep,
members from 

local states as well as special guests including past Greater DC Chapter
President, Linda Black-

White, and her husband James White who came all the way from Kansas City.
Linda's mother, 

Josephine Black, a longtime supporter, enjoyed the convention too.

Congratulations to our new board members-Libra Robinson (1st
Vice-President), Margaret 

Williams (2nd Vice-President), Gail Snider (Secretary), Lamont Wright
(Treasurer), and Robert 

Ashe and Eric Smith (At Large Board Members) who were elected at the
convention. I have 

appointed Oliver Washington to fill Gail Snider's vacancy in the at-large
board seat for 1 year.  

Welcome, also, to our many new, enthusiastic members who joined this year.

We have big ambitions for the new year. We are working cooperatively with
the Martin Luther 

King Library and have a partnership with DC Public Schools to improve the
education of our 

blind youth. Our partnership with the South African Embassy continues and
will include 

potentially helping familiarize representatives with one of our national
training centers and 

attending the national convention.

Many of our Federationists and their families have begun to make
preparations to take the 

train to the national convention in Orlando in July. Won't you come join us!

Cordially yours,                           

Shawn Callaway, President

2.	Great Turnout for DC Convention

More than 130 Federationists, guests and friends gathered at the Holiday Inn
Capitol, 

October 17- 19 for the annual NFB-DC Affiliate Convention. Highlights
included testimonials 

from Federationists who recently completed blindness skills training at the
Louisiana Center for

the Blind, a stirring keynote address by Rev. Sam Gleese, long-time NFB
leader from 

Mississippi, presentations from local agencies, a successful program for
students from 

the DC Public Schools and a moving tribute to our beloved past leader, the
late Joie 

Stuart. Funds were raised through the Friday night auction, contributors
listed in the 

souvenir program and generous pledges from our members and friends. Many
thanks to 

Federationists from nearby Maryland and Virginia chapters for helping make
this a most 

successful event.

The new Community Services Division was installed --the first in the nation.
Officers are:

President: Libra Robinson (President), Oliver Washington (1st
Vice-President), Conrad Perry (2nd 

Vice-President), Gail Snider (Secretary), Jason Manchester (Treasurer), and
Dana Hinnant and 

Shirley Jordan (Board Members).

3.	NFB Offers Scholarships to Blind Students

If you're planning to go to college next year or know a blind person who is,
the NFB may be able 

to give you a hand. Any legally blind college student living in the U.S. is
eligible to apply for 30 

scholarships ranging from $3,000 to $12,000 from high school seniors
beginning their freshman 

year in the fall of 2014, up through graduate students working on their PhD
degrees. These 

Merit scholarships are based on academic excellence, community service, and
leadership. 

Besides the money, each winner will receive help to attend the July 2014 NFB
Annual 

Convention in Orlando, providing an excellent opportunity for high-level
networking with blind 

persons in a wide range of professions and occupations.

Interested students can apply online or in print. The application deadline
is March 31, 

2014.  Further details are available at www.nfb.org/scholarships. For more
information, 

e-mail to scholarships at nfb.org or call 410-659-9314 Ext. 2415.

We've had applicants from DC in the past, but with your help, we can bring
home a 

winner in 2014. 

4.	Members in the News

Catharine Dillahunt was elected to the Board of the DC State Independent
Living Council in

October 2013 for a two-year term.

Shawn Callaway was elected vice president of the Friends of the District of
Columbia Regional 

Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (DCRLBPH) Board at its
November 25, 2013 

meeting.

5.	ANGELS AT THE BEACH By Renee Donalvo-Carlsen

Have you ever met angels? Well, my friend, Edith, and I did! We are both
blind, and we 

ventured out to St. Petersburg, Florida on Columbus Day weekend. We stayed
at the Sirata 

Resort Hotel on Gulf Blvd. and we had a wonderful time! By the way, this
hotel provides escort 

services as needed. 

Let me tell you about the angels--an Australian angel helped us to find the
warm water with 

calm waves. Another angel who was buried in the sand got up when he realized
we needed 

help to find our canes. A French angel helped us find our room. 

A free trolley goes up and down Gulf Blvd. for a minimal cost. We went on
the Dolphin Cruise 

and had a nice meal at the Bubba Gump's Shrimp Co. Tom, a trolley driver,
took us to church 

and many other places. On our last evening, an English angel helped us find
a beach hut. We sat 

there listening to country music while the sunset.

St. Petersburg is a peninsula within a peninsula. Our experience there was
indeed enjoyable 

and memorable including the crossing of Tampa Bay on an 8-mile bridge. You
might like to try 

venturing out yourself, perhaps with another sight-impaired friend. You may
very well meet 

angels at the beach like we did!

6.	"Save the Date"   Mark your calendar for these upcoming events-

January 27-30, 2014 Washington Seminar

The annual gathering of Federationists from around the country, to meet with
their senators 

and members of Congress. Also includes other meetings and workshops related
to NFB issues.

Join us at the Holiday Capitol Inn at 550 C Street SW. Please plan on
attending these meetings 

as well as a follow-up meeting with Eleanor Holmes Norton and her staff. 

NFB National Convention 

Our opportunity to connect with NFB friends from across the nation in
Orlando, FL at the Rosen 

Centre Hotel, 9840 International Drive, once again. Call the hotel directly
after January 1, 2014 

for room reservations at 1-800-204-7234. 

We are arranging to take the Amtrak Meteor as a group again this year. Dates
have just been 

finalized-put July 1-6, 2014 on your calendar now! 

The next chapter meetings will be: 

. Capital East Chapter, January 9, 5:00-8:00 p.m., Plymouth Sr. Center, 5233
N. Capitol St. NE

. Greater DC Chapter, January 11, 1:00-3:00 p.m., 3rd Dist. Police Station,
1620 V Street NW

7.	Many Ways to Give 

This is the time of year that we think about giving back to the
organizations that have enriched 

our lives. There are a number of ways to donate to NFB to help fund programs
and assist the 

organization in its mission to help blind people. Here are just a few of
them for you to consider 

at  year end.

PAC Plan-This is an easy way to support the many programs of the NFB by
automatically giving 

a flat amount each month to the Federation directly from your checking or
savings account. 

Once you sign up, there are no checks to write or stamps to lick.   Sign up
for the PAC plan 

today! Visit NFB.org and type "PAC Plan" in the search box. 

Imagination Fund-This supports the Jernigan Institute, the innovative
program that sponsors 

things like cars blind people can drive, ground-breaking research on
blindness and special 

educational programs for blind kids. Plus, part of the money you give comes
back to each state 

affiliate. Learn more at https://nfb.org/jernigan-institute

Car Donation-You or someone you know can easily donate a used car and help
the NFB.  Call 

toll-free 855-659-9314 or visit https://nfb.org/vehicledonations 

There are numerous other options, including the Legacy Plan, to support the
organization that 

means so much to us. National office is happy to have you call and discuss
how you can include 

NFB in your estate planning.  Happy New Year!

         8. Just for You

Do something for yourself-keep up with the news with free newspapers and
magazines on 

your phone. This NFB newsletter, too, can be accessed through NEWSLINE, a
digitized national 

newspaper-reading service. Please contact Ms. Kathy Gosslin at (202)
442-4365 or e-mail 

nfb.newsline at dc.gov. 

Looking for a great way to get into shape and maybe even shed some of those
holidays 

pounds? The National Capital YMCA offers Project Venture, a free,
volunteer-run,  

accessible exercise program for persons with disabilities from the DC area.
It has been 

around for over 40 years. Come join us Saturday mornings from 9 a.m. to 12
noon at the 

National Capital YMCA, 1711 Rhode Island Ave NW. 

Do you enjoy movies and theatre?  Landmark E Street Cinema in is offering
audio-described 

movies and staff are very attentive is getting the technology to work right
for you. They have 

had the narrative  technology available for about 6 months and are beginning
to get more 

offerings with this specialized function. It is available on movies with
greater popularity, 

currently showing and audio-described are "The Book Thief" and  "Nebraska".

Arena Stage will be offering "The Tallest Tree in the Forest" a play about
the life of civil rights 

activist Paul Robeson, a one-man show starring Daniel Beaty and directed by
Moises Kaufman. 

The run will be from January 10 to February 16. It's a show not to be
missed!! Your editors saw 

it in Kansas City earlier this fall.

Robert Leslie Newman

Personal Website-

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

NFB Writers' Division, President

Division Website-

http://writers.nfb.org

Chair, NFB Communications Committee

Nebraska Senior Division, vice President