<html><head></head><body><div style="color:#000; background-color:#fff; font-family:HelveticaNeue-Light, Helvetica Neue Light, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida Grande, sans-serif;font-size:16px"><div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1481174239591_12029" dir="ltr">Dear East Valley,</div><div dir="ltr" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1481174239591_12082"><br></div><div dir="ltr" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1481174239591_12085">My apologies for getting this out to everyone so late. <br></div><div dir="ltr" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1481174239591_20830"><br></div><div dir="ltr" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1481174239591_20828">Tomorrow, December 8th there will be a Valley Metro Accessibility Advisory Group (VMAAG) meeting. I know that we haven't talked much about this in our chapter meetings. This group has been chosen to advise Valley Metro and their transit teams in their plans for more accessible transportation now and in the future.</div><div dir="ltr" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1481174239591_21027"><br></div><div dir="ltr" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1481174239591_21028">The way this works is the transit teams create presentations of their plans to present to the VMAAG. The group is then asked for input as to weather these plans will meet the needs of blind and handicapped individuals. When the VMAAG group has considered all possibilities and given the teams their best input and or insights, the teams then take our information, implement it, and present it to their boards to make it happen. Before the meeting is adjourned there is a place in the agenda for public comments.</div><div dir="ltr" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1481174239591_35604"><br></div><div dir="ltr" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1481174239591_40876">Some of our own members of the East Valley chapter have attended these meetings as part of the public and talked with the Valley Metro teams. I have also been heavily involved as I was chosen this past summer to serve as one of the group members representing the National Federation Of The Blind Of Arizona.<br></div><div dir="ltr" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1481174239591_23000"><br></div><div dir="ltr" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1481174239591_28511">All meetings are open to the public via phone or by attending. </div><div dir="ltr" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1481174239591_21427"><br></div><div dir="ltr" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1481174239591_21428">The address to the meeting is 101 North First Avenue, Tenth Floor Phoenix Arizona 85003 from 2:30pm to 4:30pm.</div><div dir="ltr" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1481174239591_27123"><br></div><div dir="ltr" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1481174239591_26811">I understand it is a little late for some of you to book your rides, but you are more than welcome to call in to the meeting at any time after 2:15pm. Bus and light rail riders will be happy to know that stops are conveniently located by the building where meetings are held.<br></div><div dir="ltr" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1481174239591_69088"><br></div><div dir="ltr" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1481174239591_67337">Meeting phone number and ID; 602-744-5840, ID: 7782#.</div><div dir="ltr" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1481174239591_69457"><br></div><div dir="ltr" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1481174239591_69458">Thank you and I hope to see or hear you there. Your opinions and information regarding your transit matter, and we want to know your thoughts.<br></div><div dir="ltr" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1481174239591_65558"><br></div><div class="signature" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1481174239591_12030">Sincerely,
<br><br>Megan Homrighausen
<br><b id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1481174239591_12041">East Valley Chapter President<br>National Federation Of The Blind Of Arizona</b>
<br>480-510-6196<br><div id="yiv8851084231yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1461649445555_3130"><br></div><span id="yiv8851084231yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1461649445555_3132" style=""><span id="yiv8851084231yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1461649445555_3133" style="">National Federation Of The Blind Basic Principles -Dan Frye<br><br>1.<span id="yiv8851084231yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1461649445555_3134" style="font:7.0pt;"> I</span></span></span>t
is respectable to be blind. It’s okay to be blind. Being blind is
something that we need not feel troubled or embarrassed about, concerned about
or emotionally exhausted over. It’s okay to be blind.<span id="yiv8851084231yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1461649445555_3136" style=""><span id="yiv8851084231yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1461649445555_3137" style=""><br>2.<span id="yiv8851084231yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1461649445555_3138" style="font:7.0pt;"> T</span></span></span>he real problem of blindness is not the absence of vision but is
the social misconceptions and stereotypes that exist about blindness. It is not the physical absence of eye sight but it is what society has come to
believe about our blindness. We reject the misconceptions that society has and
we accept that the physical absence of our sight is not the big problem.<span id="yiv8851084231yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1461649445555_3140" style=""><span id="yiv8851084231yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1461649445555_3141" style=""><br>3.<span id="yiv8851084231yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1461649445555_3142" style="font:7.0pt;"> </span></span></span>With proper training and opportunity the average blind person can
do the average job in the average place of work.<span id="yiv8851084231yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1461649445555_3156" style=""><span id="yiv8851084231yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1461649445555_3157" style=""><br>4.<span id="yiv8851084231yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1461649445555_3158" style="font:7.0pt;"> </span></span></span>Blindness
is simply one of many human characteristics, like being tall or being short,
being big or small, being bright or average. Blindness is simply one of many<br>characteristics.<span id="yiv8851084231yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1461649445555_3175" style=""><span id="yiv8851084231yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1461649445555_3176" style=""><br>5.<span id="yiv8851084231yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1461649445555_3177" style="font:7.0pt;"> </span></span></span>Blindness
can be reduced to the level of an inconvenience or physical nuisance. <span id="yiv8851084231yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1461649445555_3188" style=""><span id="yiv8851084231yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1461649445555_3189" style=""><br>6.<span id="yiv8851084231yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1461649445555_3190" style="font:7.0pt;"> </span></span></span>We
believe in the effectiveness of alternative non visual techniques.<span id="yiv8851084231yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1461649445555_3213" style=""><span id="yiv8851084231yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1461649445555_3214" style=""><br>7.<span id="yiv8851084231yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1461649445555_3215" style="font:7.0pt;"> </span></span></span>If
we want equal rights we need to accept equal responsibility.</div></div></body></html>