[Nfbf-l] NFBF Jacksonville Chapter Blind Community Picnic

[Judith Hamilton]

Wow!

What a great report.  Congratulations to the Jacksonville Chapter for a job
well done!
Judy




> [Original Message]
> From: Lenora J. Marten <bluegolfshoes at aol.com>
> To: <nfbf-l at nfbnet.org>
> Date: 4/18/2011 12:53:07 PM
> Subject: [Nfbf-l] NFBF Jacksonville Chapter Blind Community Picnic
>
> Hello Everyone,
>
>
> Well folks, we've had yet another Jacksonville "First Down" Blind
Community Picnic! Many, many
> kudos go out to our chapter members for pulling off such a huge event.
Our behind the scenes
> planning starts months in advance; ordering tables, chairs, sno-cone
machine, budgeting and most
> of all getting that park booked. Thursday night we cleared burger and
potato salad shelves at Sam's
> Club, then went on to clear the bun shelves at Publix. We sliced, diced
and chopped; put on our NFB
> shirts, smiles, best attitudes and showed up at Cuba Hunter Park bright
and early Saturday morning.
>
>
> Tables and chairs were set up for our guests as well as tables for our
serving line. Drinks, water and
> ice placed in coolers to quench everyone's thirst. For a time the
pavilion looked like a truck dropped 
> off food at a restaurant. While some chapter members set up the serving
line, others set up the 
> community center room for Bingo and Triva. Still others readied the
registration area to greet
> our guests. 
>
>
> Gilla and Christiana greeted 95 guests at the registration table with
smiles and VIP arm bands. They
> patiently answered questions and sent people in the right direction.
While Patricia, Eric and Daphne
> called out Bingo games, the tantalizing smell of Mark and Chris's famous
BBQ hamburgers and hot dogs 
> permeated the park. At the same time, Andy, David, Kevin, Tracie and
myself opened and readied beans,
> potato salad, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, relish, chips, condiments,
buns, plates, napkins, hand 
> sanitizer and gloves for our servers. 
>
>
> Gina, Larry and Marita seemed to be everywhere, helping out whenever
needed. Seemed like every
> time I turned around looking for help, one of them was there. Joe, of
course, as our leader did
> what he does best; kept us focused and on task while making sure that he
personally greeted
> each and every one of our guests. 
>
>
> Special thanks go out to Dave Hegwood for serenading us with his
wonderful singing voice
> and guitar throughout the day. Way to go Dave!
>
>
> As soon as all the Bingo prizes were given out, our guests headed over to
the pavilion for food,
> more fellowship and fun. New friends and old friends alike chatted,
mingled and ate their fill.
> Children played in the grass. What an awesome day! With yet... still more
to come...
>
>
> As guests headed back over to the community center for Trivia, they
stopped at our sno-cone
> machine where Michael, Marita and Anna served up sno-cones of many
flavors. Brandon Tomasello
> once again challenged our teams with trivia questions for all age groups
and backgrounds. 
> What fun!!
>
>
> It was wonderful to see friends re-connect with each other as our picnic
has truly become a 
> "family reunion" of the Jacksonville Blind Community. It gives us a
chance, every year, to show 
> what we're truly about. Without politics. Without fundraising. Without
agenda. So, why do it?
> Why go to that much trouble? The answer is simple. It makes us feel good
to perform an act
> of kindness above and beyond the normal act of kindness. When people
perform acts of 
> kindness, they remember why they do what they do. We're reminded why we
got involved with
> NFB and how much we've helped each other. We want the rest of the blind
community to feel,
> as Peter so eloquently put it, the Jacksonville NFB love!
>
>
>
>
> Lenora J. Marten, President 
>
> Florida Organization of Parents of Blind Children 
> NFB-Jacksonville Chapter Secretary 
> Chairperson, FSDB/PAC
> bluegolfshoes at aol.com 
> 904-777-5976 / 904-229-9554
>
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