[NFBMI-Talk] Calling All Performers!!

[Robert Earl Parsons]

Good Morning Federation Family

I hope that all of you are having a great beginning of Fall. With the first day of National Meet the Blind Month underway, I thought it would be great to update you all on the student division's progress for our talent competition at state convention. The event, "Michigan's Got Talent," will take place on Friday, November 8, 2019 at 9pm at the Crowne Plaza Grand Rapids. This event, aimed at spotlighting our affiliate's talented members, is a social phenomenon that you will not want to miss. We will have great performers, delicious appetizers, and a cash bar! It is gearing up to be one for the record books.

The Skinny: The talent competition offers prizes for the top three performers of the night. These prizes include cash and other items of desire, but to win such prizes you must enter the competition. There will also be a door prize drawn at the event, so you must be in the room for the event in order to win this item. In order to register for the competition, you should select the talent competition as an event you are attending when you register for convention. This will add the $5 cover charge to your overall registration invoice. If you do not do this, no worries, you can still buy a ticket at the door for $7. Take advantage of the savings and preregister, you will become part of the VIP club and have an opportunity to walk into the event and skip the lines.

What's a Talent? A talent is subjective. This is not a singing competition. Talent shows include performers that can do something classical like playing a musical instrument or reading a poem to something unorthodox like belching the alphabet. If it makes you unique and keeps the judges on their feet, you are talented. Remember, I promised that if anyone needed a backup dancer, they can contract me for a $5 box from Taco Bell. I got mad moves, yo. We are here to have fun and create more camaraderie amongst our affiliate members at our fiftieth anniversary.

Want to Compete? No problem, our competitor registration link is live on our affiliate's convention page. Simply go to www.nfbmi.org/convention<http://www.nfbmi.org/convention> and click the link that takes you to the form. Remember to read the directions carefully. There will be a conference call for competitors in the next two weeks so that you will know what the expectations are.

If you have any questions about the event or the process to register to compete, please feel free to contact me via e-mail at Robert.E.Parsons at wmich.edu<mailto:Robert.E.Parsons at wmich.edu>. I am always happy to help. Remember, scared money doesn't make any money, so if you think you are talented try to show us and be rewarded with love, hope, and determination... and maybe some cash.

Blessings



Robert E. Parsons Jr.
President, Kalamazoo Chapter
Vice President, Michigan Association of Blind Students
National Federation of the Blind of Michigan
Phone: 804 801 7674
"Without struggle, there is no progress." -Frederick Douglas