[Nfb-idaho] National Federation of the Blind of Idaho 2016 State Convention News Article

[Sean Malone]

This is an article that appeared in last Saturday's Edition of the Lewiston Tribune about last weekends state convention that was held in Lewiston Idaho.

ADVOCATES FOR BLIND GATHER IN LEWISTON
National Federation of the Blind of Idaho holding its annual conference this weekend at Red Lion Hotel

By Chelsea Embree of the Tribune

People who are blind want to be a part of society - and they are.
That's the message promoted by the National Federation of the Blind of Idaho, as well as its president, Dana Aard. The nonprofit organization is holding its annual convention at Lewiston's Red Lion Hotel through Sunday.
"You can still live the life you want," Aard said. "... Some of the obstacles we have to face sometimes get in the way, but blindness itself - we can be trained, we can be taught."
The organization advocates on a local, state and national level for accessibility and other issues that face people who are blind or legally blind. The group also works to get legislation passed, including a January meeting with Idaho's legislators.
Aard said one of the group's main issues is increasing access to public transportation, both statewide and in the valley.
"The problem is that all transit, because of a lack of funding, is really, really limited," Aard said.
Scheduling a trip using public transportation can be challenging, Aard said, noting buses are often not in service at night or on the weekends. In the Lewiston-Clarkston Valley, bus service ends at 7 p.m. on weekdays, and there is no service on weekends.
Finding funding is a consistent problem, Aard said.
"We are about the only state now where the Legislature does not pay into public transportation," she said.
Regionally, travel between communities can also be difficult. Public transportation in the Lewiston-Clarkston Valley extends from Clarkston to Kamiah, but there are no routes to or from Moscow.
It poses a problem that the National Federation of the Blind of Idaho, which now has a Lewiston-Moscow chapter, is aware of.
"If you don't have someone to help you get around, it makes it difficult to get anywhere," said Joe Thompson, president of the Lewiston-Moscow chapter.
The chapter was established in March 2015, making it the newest chapter of the organization. Thompson was one of its early members.
He first became interested when his eyesight "was getting pretty weak," he said. Thompson spent three months in Boise learning nonvisual skills, which included doing activities wearing sleeper shades and using canes.
"It's pretty incredible what the totally blind can do," he said. "We worked on power machinery in the wood shop, made things with blindfolds on. So it just gives you a perspective on what's possible."
The Lewiston-Moscow chapter is working on setting its priorities, which will likely include addressing transportation issues and acquiring educational materials, Thompson said.
Most recently, though, the group has been preparing for the organization's convention, which Aard called one of the biggest in recent history. It's the first time the convention has been held in Lewiston since the 1980s.
Aard said the convention not only promotes advocacy, but it also gives people the opportunity to see those who are blind out and about and having a good time.
"You get here and you see people walking around, you see people visiting, you see people looking at exhibits, having a good time, carrying on - you all of the sudden get a broader view of, 'Wow, what's possible?' " she said.
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Embree may be contacted at cembree at lmtribune.com or (208) 669-1298. Follow her on Twitter @chelseaembree.
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