[NFB-Idaho] Washington Seminar

[Ramona]

This is  a good year to have a crowd involved in Washington seminar. The Great Gathering In meeting Monday evening (3:00 pm our time) is a very exciting meeting. It only happens once a year, and you are bound to find surprises. Appointments with Congress can be very significant. We cannot let the crazy stuff going on in the Capitol interfere with our work. Even though not every person who goes to each meeting will speak about an issue, each can be introduced and get a feel for the Congressmen's and Senator's reactions. Sometimes we may meet with staff, but some of them are also very interesting. If we have a large group on the screen, it tells them to take us seriously. If we do not, they make their own decisions. If we participate in this seminar, we are better prepared to follow up throughout the year. Reading the Fact Sheets is important preparation; but presenting the issues makes them ours personally. The more invested we are in this legislation, the better we can work with it throughout the year. I urge as many as possible to get involved. Dana will coordinate, but every member has something to offer. Please do not undervalue your picture in the meetings. Every constituent matters to each member of Congress. If you will be there only by landline phone, the zoom stoderator can put your name up by your number and maybe your city, as well. 

Let's make this Washington seminar count! 

RamonaOn Jan 12, 2021 11:46 AM, Donald Winiecki via NFB-Idaho <nfb-idaho at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>
> Dana,
>
> I'm not sure I'm the best person to speak on behalf of members, but I am
> happy to participate.
>
> February 8-11 I have some unmovable appointments and classes, but there is
> also time I can cut loose for the Washington Seminar:
>
> Mon 8 Feb: 10AM - noon
> Tue 9 Feb: 1:30PM - end of the day
> Wed 10 Feb: 10AM - end of the day
> Thu 11 Feb: 2:30PM - end of the day
>
> Best,
>
> _don 😷
>
> *DON WINIECKI *he, him, his <https://www.mypronouns.org/>
> *Handid Media Systems* • a 501(c)(3) non-profit
> Producer & Promoter of *braille* and *tactile* *media* for
> accessible documents, literature, maths, and music
> *Email:* dwiniecki at handid.org
> *Web:* http://handid.org
> *Tel:* +1 208 571 8096
>
> Help us fulfill our mission! Donate tax-deductible funds to *Handid*
> at the following: https://tinyurl.com/donate-to-Handid
>
> On Mon, Jan 11, 2021 at 12:37 PM President NFBIDAHO via NFB-Idaho <
> nfb-idaho at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>
> > Our grate, exciting Washington seminar, where we get to talk to our
> > senators
> > and house members about our issues, will be a virtual event this year, from
> > February 8-11. We will have four issues to present: The access Technology
> > Affordability Act, Home Use Medical Devices Accessible Now (HUMAN act),
> > Website Accessibility, and Accessible Voting. Factsheets should be
> > available
> > today. I need to hear from people who wish to participate in this event.
> > Because it will be on Zoom, members, who are not speaking but want to know
> > more about this event, can join the Zoom. Members who wish to speak will be
> > required to attend mandatory training and the Grate Gathering In, which is
> > the kickoff event where we all get together as an organization, learn more
> > about our issues, hear speeches from our leaders and sometimes congress
> > persons, and generally get excited about our mission in the National
> > Federation of the Blind. If you are interested in speaking about one or
> > more
> > of these proposals, please contact me.  You won't have to speak alone. We
> > usually have at least two people who speak on an issue. We will have
> > designated times for our Zoom meetings, so if you are working, you will
> > need
> > to take off the time for the meeting, as well as the training time and time
> > for the grate gathering In. I know the Grate Gathering In will be from
> > 3:00-5:00 our time on February 8. There will probably be a choice of
> > trainings you can attend. I need a member who is in representative
> > Fulcher's
> > district to speak at his session, if at all possible. We have not had a
> > member from his district attend the seminar. I know congressional
> > representatives like to hear from their constituents. Let's get on board
> > and
> > have a great Idaho representation for our Washington Seminar.
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software.
> > https://www.avast.com/antivirus
> > _______________________________________________
> > NFB-Idaho mailing list
> > NFB-Idaho at nfbnet.org
> > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-idaho_nfbnet.org
> > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> > NFB-Idaho:
> >
> > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nfb-idaho_nfbnet.org/dwiniecki%40handid.org
> >
> _______________________________________________
> NFB-Idaho mailing list
> NFB-Idaho at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-idaho_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for NFB-Idaho:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nfb-idaho_nfbnet.org/walhoframona%40gmail.com