[Nfbc-info] meat the blind month

[Ken Volonte]

Hi Listers.
The San Joaquin Chapter, NFBC was well represented this month.  Jennifer 
Boylan participated in a couple of health fairs and got a White Cane Safety 
Day proclamation from City Hall.  Last night, my wife Velvet and I attended 
a fund raising reception for our congressman, Jerry McNernie, where we got 
to talk to him, actually to the whole reception about the problems of 
accessibility for the blind.  The congressman has already cast a yes vote 
for the Electronic Accessibility Act, and is waiting to see legislation 
dealing with appliances.

    This is how we made sure that people met the blind, by showing up and 
participating.  I didn't know that there would be an opportunity to address 
the public at large during this reception, but I was there and I knew what I 
wanted to talk to the congressman about.  So show up. Take an active part in 
your town's affairs.  Everybody in town knows who I am, how I think and 
where I live.

    Once in a doctor's office, Velvet and I were asked about our passion for 
politics.  When we see a problem, we're not quiet about it.  With me, it's 
problems relating to blindness.  With Velvet, it's problems with 
inaccessible buildings.  To some extent, our concerns are dictated by our 
bodies, but we are patiently persistent, and over time, things get better. 
In no small part, my political sense has been engendered by my membership in 
the NFBC.  As I've said before about our chapter, we're small, but we're 
mighty.