[NFBMI-Talk] president's New Year message and update

[Michael Powell]

Greetings to my federation family in Michigan.

Happy New Year!  

I hope everybody had a happy and blessed Christmas or other special holiday,
religious or otherwise, that allowed you to spend time with your immediate
family.   The time I was able to spend on computer the last few weeks has
been sporadic but now that we are in the new year of 2021 I am renewed,
focused, energized and ready to go.   

President Riccobono says that our watchword beginning with this month is
"forward federation."

There is a lot to look forward to this year that will keep us busy.  This
month we begin by hitting the ground running as our Washington seminar will
be virtual and we want all members to participate virtually especially when
there is an appointment scheduled with your representative in Congress.  

Our national office will be offering some training sessions for state
leaders and others attending the seminar and I will keep you posted as to
the Zoom information and when they are to take place.

These will be held throughout the Thursdays in January beginning with state
presidents and legislative directors and ending with Zoom training for
beginners and how we meet with our representatives and Senators.

I also want to get everyone involved in chapter meetings by keeping all of
us engaged and acting together.  

Since some of our chapters have been meeting regularly through our Zoom
platform you are invited and encouraged to attend and participate in those
chapter meetings and we will be sure to get meeting times and contact
information to anyone needing it.  So chapter presidents and boards please
remain alert and keep passing information to your members as I will do my
best to keep all of you in the loop.  If there are people you know that have
email who are not on this list please do what you can to get this to them
and help them get signed up for this list.  

During this time of pandemic it is important that we help keep each other
positive and safe.  I bring this to your attention especially now since I
learned that four members of our Wayne chapter have tested positive for the
corona virus.

Donna and Larry Posont, Karen and Marcus Simmons recently tested positive
but they are all on the mend.  Donna and Larry were at their chapter phone
meeting this past Saturday and they are doing well and focused on keeping
themselves fed and healthy.  They seemed to be in good spirits to those of
us who were also there.  Marcus called me on New Year's Eve to tell me that
he has been in the hospital to get his diabetes under control and I am told
he might be going into rehab to keep him moving.  Karen is holding up fine
as well.  

Keep them in your thoughts and prayers and if you want to contact them send
them your     good wishes through emailing this list or directly.  I know
there are other people in the chapter and our other chapters and divisions
who have been struggling with some health issues and we want them to know
they have the love, prayers  and support of all of us.  

We are a strong and resilient family and we will sustain each other and
renew our efforts to remain committed to all we have to do .  We will get
through this!I miss all of you and can't wait for us to be able to get
together again in person.     So in looking forward to that time we can
celebrate together let us continue reaching out to others who are blind so
they too can live the life they want and have a future that is full and
bright with promise.

Until we talk again, I remain yours in the federation.

Michael Powell

President

National Federation of the Blind of Michigan

(586)754-1325

Mpowell7583 at yahoo.com

president at nfbmi.org