<html><head></head><body><div style="color:#000; background-color:#fff; font-family:Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida Grande, sans-serif;font-size:16px"><div dir="ltr" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1492487341321_29319">Dear East Valley,<br id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1492487341321_29320" clear="none"><br id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1492487341321_29321" clear="none">For those of you who were not in attendance at the East Valley Chapter<br id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1492487341321_29322" clear="none">meeting that took place this past Saturday, and even those who<br id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1492487341321_29323" clear="none">attended, we conducted business and made some decisions that you<br id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1492487341321_29324" clear="none">should all be aware of.<br id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1492487341321_29325" clear="none"><br id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1492487341321_29326" clear="none">First, the chapter as a whole, passed a motion to assist East Valley<br id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1492487341321_29327" clear="none">chapter members to go to the 2017 National Convention. The motion<br id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1492487341321_29328" clear="none">states, "three people will receive up to $800 each to go to<br id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1492487341321_29329" clear="none">convention. It is up to the presidents discretion who qualifies for<br id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1492487341321_29330" clear="none">this assistance."<br id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1492487341321_29331" clear="none"><br id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1492487341321_29332" clear="none">By the end of May, up to three individuals will be chosen from the East Valley to help with assistance in the costs of the convention, weather it be the cost of a flight,<br id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1492487341321_29334" clear="none">hotel room, food, etc.<br id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1492487341321_29335" clear="none"><br id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1492487341321_29336" clear="none">If you are needing assistance, and have not contacted me, please, call<br id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1492487341321_29337" clear="none">or send me an email as soon as possible. The decision will be made by<br id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1492487341321_29338" clear="none">the end of May.<br id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1492487341321_29339" clear="none"><br id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1492487341321_29340" clear="none">When considering giving assistance, being that only three individuals<br id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1492487341321_29341" clear="none">can be chosen from the East Valley, members' requesting will be asked<br id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1492487341321_29342" clear="none">to be very specific as to what they need help with to assist them in<br id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1492487341321_29343" clear="none">going to the convention. Members will also be asked about roommate<br id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1492487341321_29344" clear="none">plans.
If a member is asking for chapter assistance then that member must be
willing to cut costs by securing roommates. Members will also be asked
reason for attending<br id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1492487341321_29345" clear="none">National Convention.<br id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1492487341321_29346" clear="none"><br id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1492487341321_29347" clear="none">Please know that if you are chosen to receive assistance from the East<br id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1492487341321_29348" clear="none">Valley, it is absolutely expected for you to help at the convention.<br id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1492487341321_29349" clear="none">As one of the four host states chosen this year to assist with various<br id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1492487341321_29350" clear="none">activities of the convention, your volunteerism is imperative,<br id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1492487341321_29351" clear="none">whether it be at the registration table, independence market,<br id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1492487341321_29352" clear="none">fundraising table, collecting tickets, etc., I need to remind you that<br id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1492487341321_29353" clear="none">we will want, expect and need your help.<br id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1492487341321_29354" clear="none"><br id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1492487341321_29355" clear="none">Other factors I will consider are who has been dedicated to our<br id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1492487341321_29356" clear="none">chapter, your overall participation to the NFB and the East Valley<br id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1492487341321_29357" clear="none">chapter.<br id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1492487341321_29358" clear="none"><br id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1492487341321_29359" clear="none">If you have never gone to an NFB National Convention before and are<br id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1492487341321_29360" clear="none">considering asking for assistance from the East Valley Chapter, please<br id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1492487341321_29361" clear="none">take a look at the agenda for the 2016 NFB National Convention at:<br id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1492487341321_29362" clear="none"><a rel="nofollow" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="https://nfb.org/images/nfb/documents/pdf/2016-conv-agenda-final-web.pdf.The" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1492487341321_29363">https://nfb.org/images/nfb/documents/pdf/2016-conv-agenda-final-web.pdf</a>. The<br id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1492487341321_29364" clear="none">agenda for the 2017 convention hasn't come out as of yet, but the<br id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1492487341321_29365" clear="none">agenda from last year will give you a pretty good idea as of what to<br id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1492487341321_29366" clear="none">expect. If nothing sounds interesting to you, then this may not be a<br id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1492487341321_29367" clear="none">good opportunity to ask for assistance, as we expect our members to be<br id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1492487341321_29368" clear="none">at the general sessions, various meetings and take part in the<br id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1492487341321_29369" clear="none">convention in some way.<br id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1492487341321_29370" clear="none"><br id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1492487341321_29371" clear="none">I would also like to remind members who do not get assistance from the<br id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1492487341321_29372" clear="none">East Valley that you may also contact our NFBA state president, Donald<br id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1492487341321_29373" clear="none">Porterfield to ask for assistance as well. His email address is:<br id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1492487341321_29374" clear="none"><a rel="nofollow" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="mailto:donaldpfield@cox.net." id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1492487341321_29375">donaldpfield@cox.net.</a> Also, if you are a potential first-timer to a<br id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1492487341321_29376" clear="none">National Convention, you may wish to take advantage of the Kennith<br id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1492487341321_29377" clear="none">Jernigan fund, which is set up to help first-timers to National<br id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1492487341321_29378" clear="none">Convention.</div><div dir="ltr" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1492487341321_29379"><br id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1492487341321_29380"></div><div dir="ltr" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1492487341321_29381">In
other news, the East Valley Chapter has chosen to have our summer pool
party at the home of Ruth Swenson and Jim Sohl on May, 20th 2017. We
will send out more information as it becomes available.<br id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1492487341321_29382"></div><div dir="ltr" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1492487341321_29383"><br id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1492487341321_29384"></div><div dir="ltr" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1492487341321_29385">If you have any additional questions, please feel free to contact me.</div><div dir="ltr" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1492487341321_29386"><br id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1492487341321_29387"></div>Thank you and have a wonderful week.<div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1492487341321_29237"> </div><div class="signature" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1492487341321_29238">Sincerely,
<br><br>Megan Homrighausen
<br><b id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1492487341321_29239">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 Principles<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>