[NFB-Idaho] President's Update, December 2018

Sat Dec 29 01:30:59 UTC 2018

Pasted in this email and attached is my update for December. I have tried to
include valuable  and current information. Please share with those who do
not have email or are not on the discussion list. Thank you. President's
Update

December 2018

I hope everyone is enjoying a rich holiday season filled with all those
activities that are meaningful for you. Now that there is respite from much
of the busyness of the season, we need to get ready for the federation
excitement of 2019, and there is plenty of excitement to be had including
our legislative luncheon and Winter Board meeting, our state convention, our
national convention in Las Vegas, the braille-a-thon and much more. 

Our Winter Board meeting and legislative luncheon will be held January 21--
(Martin Luther King day--) at the Red Lion Downtowner hotel 1800 W. Fairview
Ave, in Boise, phone 208 344-7691. The board meeting will begin at 9:00 AM.
A continental breakfast will be provided for board members, so members
should arrive by 8:30 to get food and be ready to start the meeting promptly
at 9:00. Free coffee is available until 11:00 AM For non-board members to
enjoy if they wish. Our legislative luncheon will begin at 11:30, with the
program starting around 12:00 PM. These times are an estimate as the
legislators can be delayed for many reasons. Our topics this year include
funding for the Idaho Talking Book program, and the ICBVI Independent Living
program including the probable loss of some funding, and its implications
for consumers. I have met with Sue Walker, librarian for the talking book
service and Ann Joslin, state librarian, as well as Beth Cunningham, ICBVI
administrator. I have written a letter to the governor and governor-elect
urging funding for the Idaho Talking Book program. I will be writing fact
sheets on these issues, and am looking for a couple of people who can talk
to the legislators about how the talking book program, or the independent
living program has impacted your life and made a difference for you. Please
contact me if you have an impactful story to tell or know someone who does.
The cost for the luncheon is $25.00. The meat will be pork loin. There will
be a vegetarian/gluten free option.  Contact Jan Gawith at 208 342-3066 to
let her know you are coming, and your meal preference. Make checks payable
to the National Federation of the Blind of Idaho, and send to Harry Gawith
at 410 Ave. H., Boise, Idaho 83712. Getting checks ahead of time is helpful.
We need our members at this event. Our legislators, like most people, don't
have an understanding about blindness. Our luncheon provides a great
opportunity to educate, both on our issues, and on blindness in general. I
look forward to seeing you there. 

Our state convention will take place in Boise, March 21-23 at the Holiday
Inn, 2970 Elder phone 208 344-7444.

Room rates are $99.00 per night plus 6% sales tax. Breakfast is not included
with the room. Reservations can be made now. This convention will be unique
as we will be holding a workshop for families of blind children in
combination with our convention. Parents will participate in special
workshops designed around their needs, as well as being involved in key
sessions of our convention. We will have a reception for attendees on
Thursday night, and will have a vendor expo on Friday afternoon. More
details are being worked out, so stay tuned. 

As many of us know, our NFB national convention will be at Mandalay Bay
resort in Las Vegas, July 7-12. The Idaho affiliate is co-hosting this
convention with the Nevada affiliate. The affiliates are responsible for
planning and staffing the host affiliate hospitality room, and information
table, conducting the opening ceremonies for the convention, and determining
the entertainment for the special evening event during the convention. Teri
Rupp, the Nevada president, is connected with individuals in Las Vegas
entertainment, and she will be investigating different options. The national
convention will never be closer to Idaho than Las Vegas. As a hosting
affiliate, we need members to plan to attend. If you will be attending for
the first time, you are eligible for the Jernigan Scholarship for first-
time attendees. Please go to
https://nfb.org/images/nfb/publications/bm/bm18/bm1811/bm181118.htm for more
details. 

I will be attending the Washington Seminar with Erin Olsen from Treasure
Valley chapter. The proposed topics for congress include; Access Technology
Affordability act, which will provide a refundable tax credit  for persons
purchasing adaptive technology; The Accessibility Standards for medical and
Exercise Equipment, and home appliances; and Disability Employment Act,
which will create new opportunities for employment, and continue to work to
eliminate section 14c from the Fair Labor Standards Act. The fact sheets
should be out soon. The Great Gathering In will begin the event on January
28. A reception for congress will be held on January 29. 

Our national office has developed a process to honor current members of our
organization, and to welcome new members in. Existing members will receive a
specially commissioned coin. Chapter presidents will determine how the coins
will be presented. A three step "on boarding process" will be initiated for
new members. Steps include the pre-membership faze, the welcome ceremony,
and the new member orientation. K'Lynn Hand is membership chair and will
have new information as it comes out. I must submit membership information
for all existing affiliate members to our national office by January 15.
Chapter presidents have been emailed the spreadsheets which must be filled
out and sent to me so that the information can be passed on to our national
office. To date, I have received 1 spreadsheet. Our national office has been
working for several years to have an accurate data base consisting of all
the various lists of individuals involved in our many services including
convention registration, publications, NFB NewslineR, the free white cane
program etc.

Our updated membership information will help make this data base more
complete and accurate. We will also be able to access more information that
can help build our membership.

The Idaho Braille-a-thon begins January 4. Sign up by completing the
information which Susan Ford sent out on the listserv, or call her at 208
376-1727 to get signed up. I always read more braille during this event. I
find reading braille for pleasure relaxing. 

We need to start gathering items for our on-line auction. Restaurant
certificates, hotel stays, and gas cards are good items. They sell well and
they are easy to ship. We need items from all over the state. Board members,
and others coming to the legislative luncheon, can bring items if you have
them

I wish everyone a happy new year. 2019 will be a dynamic year for the Idaho
affiliate. Let's recommit our energy and hard work as we build the National
Federation of the Blind.

Dana Ard, President

National Federation of the Blind of Idaho

Main: 208-345-3906

Cell: 208-859-2828 (call only)

Email: president at NFBIdaho.org

Website: www.nfbidaho.org

"The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the
characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise the
expectations of blind people, because low expectations create obstacles
between blind people and our dreams. You can live the life you want;
Blindness is not what holds you back."  

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