[Nfbmt] FW: invitation

Wed Oct 21 16:07:54 UTC 2015

I had invited each of the Senators and representative Zinke to the
convention, and had heard back from each of their offices that they couldn't
come due to schedule conflicts.  I received a nice email from Rep. Zinke, an
indication from Steve Daines' office that his representative couldn't come to
our convention, and a message from Senator Tester's office that he couldn't
come, but that he would send a message to us.  The staff member responsible
for delivering the message met me at the Holiday Inn, and the message was
read on Saturday at the convention.  The devil in me wishes that the poor
girl who delivered the message to me could have stayed and read it to the
convention herself, but that didn't happen.  I sent the following message to
Senator Tester's local and national offices, and have been awaiting a
response.  I still haven't stopped hooting about it.  LOL I have posted it
just exactly as it was received.  Please read it all the way to the end.  Joy

Dear Robyn,

Thank you for delivering the message to me from Senator Jon Tester.  I was
happy to receive it.  I wish it had been possible for him to have attended
our convention, or for you to have stayed for some or all of the convention
as well.

The message we received from senator Tester was read to us at the convention.
My question is this:  Did we receive the incorrect message, meant for another
group?  I include the text below.

JON TESTER  

MONTANA  

COMMITTEES:  

APPROPRIATIONS  

BANKING  

INDIAN AFFAIRS  

VETERANS' AFFAIRS  

HOMELAND SECURITY AND  GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS  

United *tates senate  

SENATE HART BUILDING  

SUITE 311  WASHINGTON, DC 20510  

202-224-2644  

INTERNET:  http://tester.senate.gov/contact  

National Federation of the Blind, Montana Chapter  

Great Falls, MT  

October 9, 2015  

Dear Friends,  Welcome to Great Fall, Montana. Sorry I am unable to join you
today.  First, I want to thank the staff at the Montana School for the Deaf
and Blind for all of your great  work. You truly make a  difference in the
lives of families across our state.  

As your senior Senator I believe that we must make responsibly investments in
our youth to  ensure they have the tools they need to succeed.  

That is why I am fighting to lift the damaging across the board budget caps
that are forcing cuts  on all federal initiatives-including the Labor Health
and Human Services Appropriations Bill  that funds the National Clearing
House for the Blind.  

I have always been a strong supporter of investing in this initiative because
it provides blind  students with resources to further their education.  

And this year, if that bill doesn't make meaningful investments in your
children, I will not  support it.  

We can do better and I will continue to push my colleagues to reach a budget
agreement that  supports the National Clearing House for the Blind.  

I am also working with the state to ensure the Healthy Montana Initiative,
which will expand  Medicaid to 70,000 additional Montanans, is approved so
more Montana families can have  access to affordable health care.  

If you have any questions or concerns, my door is always open.  Thanks again,
and keep in touch.  

Sincerely,  

,I.,  

BOZEMAN  (406) 586-4450  

BUTTE  (406) 723-3277  

BILLINGS  (406) 252-0550  

GLEE Tester  (406) 365-2391  

GREAT FALLS  (406) 452-9585  

HELENA  (406) 449-5401  

KALISPELL  (406) 257-3360  

MISSOULA  (406) 728-3003     

The National Federation of the Blind of Montana is an affiliate of the
National Federation of the Blind, which was formed 75 years ago and now has
over fifty thousand members nationwide.  It has affiliates in all fifty
states, as well as the District of Colombia and Puerto Rico.  Besides meeting
monthly in local chapters, we get together once a year somewhere in Montana
to celebrate what it means to be blind, to learn about organizations and
gadgets that make it easier to do things without sight, and to have fun.  

Some of us have been blind all our lives; some of us are new to being blind
and are unfamiliar with the ways that blindness can be reduced to a physical
nuisance.

We have a statewide convention annually not to commiserate with each other
about how miserable and debilitating it is to be blind, but to celebrate the
fact that we are alive and well and contributing members of society.  We are
just like everyone else, except without sight.  Actually, most blind people
do have some sight; only 3 to 5% of us have no sight whatsoever.  Even so, we
are employed, some of us have college and post graduate degrees, some of us
are married with children or grandchildren, some of us own our own homes or
businesses.  We cook, we shop, we love, we hate, we vote, just like everyone
else.  We look forward to the day when blindness will be viewed by our fellow
citizens as nothing but a characteristic, like blonde hair or blue eyes.  We
are not more remarkable than you; we are not more disadvantaged than you.  We
are people who are just like you in every respect except we happen to be
blind.  We get together every year to celebrate that, and to pass on that
philosophy to those who are newly blind or who have not had an opportunity to
experience the good life that we have in spite of and sometimes because of
our blindness.  To paraphrase someone with whom I am sure you are familiar,
we look forward to the day when we will not be judged by the manner of our
dress or whether or not we have sight, but by the content of our character.
As the Psalmist David said, man looks on the outside, but God looks on the
heart.  That is what we look forward to in our lives as well.

We are a civil rights and advocacy organization striving to better the lives
of those who are blind or have low vision through education, legislation, and
recreation.  For example, we want to work toward making our lives better by
advocating for the repeal of such antiquated but still legal practices as
paying subminimum wages to people with disabilities.  Having a job that pays
at least minimum wage or higher is  something that most Americans take for
granted, and would raise holy heck if they didn't.  In fact, some are
organizing to raise the minimum wage even higher.  All we are asking for is
to have the same opportunities that our fellow citizens take for granted.
The repeal of Section 14C of the Fair Labor Standards Act would be a game
changer in the lives of workers with disabilities. 

Although I appreciate receiving a message from Senator Tester for the
National Federation of the Blind of Montana convention to which he was
invited, I think the one he sent is meant for another group.  If you would
like, I can make sure they get the message, or I can return it to you.
Please let me know what is your pleasure.

Sincerely,

Joy Breslauer, President

National Federation of the Blind of Montana  

From: Madison, Robyn (Tester) [mailto:Robyn_Madison at tester.senate.gov] 
Sent: Sunday, October 04, 2015 1:03 PM
To: Bruce&Joy Breslauer; Forrester, Jeanne (Tester)
Cc: Ulmer, Cheryl (Tester)
Subject: Re: invitation

Dear Joy, 

I will be at your conference this week and can deliver a message from the
Senator. Can you let me know the best time during your conference you would
prefer the message? 

Thanks and I look forward to meeting you! 

Robyn Madison 

Sent from my BlackBerry 10 smartphone on the Verizon Wireless 4G LTE network.

From: Bruce&Joy Breslauer 

Sent: Sunday, October 4, 2015 6:14 AM

To: Forrester, Jeanne (Tester)

Cc: Ulmer, Cheryl (Tester); Madison, Robyn (Tester)

Subject: RE: invitation

I haven't heard from anyone yet, and our convention starts Friday evening,
October ninth.  

My phone number is below.

My street address is: 

3105 Fourth Avenue South

Great Falls, MT 59405

View the 2015 Convention Agenda <http://www.nfbofmt.org/agenda.html> 

Joy Breslauer, President

National Federation of the Blind of Montana 

Address: P.O. Box 1325, Great Falls, MT 59403 

Phone: (406) 454-3096

Email:  <mailto:president at nfbofmt.org> president at nfbofmt.org

Web Site: www.nfbofmt.org

Live the life you want 

The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the
characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise the
expectations of blind people, because low expectations create obstacles
between blind people and our dreams. You can live the life you want;
blindness is not what holds you back.

From: Forrester, Jeanne (Tester) [mailto:Jeanne_Forrester at tester.senate.gov] 
Sent: Wednesday, September 23, 2015 11:02 AM
To: Bruce&Joy Breslauer 
Cc: Ulmer, Cheryl (Tester); Madison, Robyn (Tester)
Subject: RE: invitation

Joy - We will make sure you have a message for your conference in October.  I
am copying Cheryl and Robyn from our Great Falls office and they will be in
touch with you.  Please let me know if you have any questions.

Sincerely,

Jeanne

From: Bruce&Joy Breslauer [mailto:bjb5757 at bresnan.net] 
Sent: Tuesday, September 22, 2015 1:39 PM
To: Forrester, Jeanne (Tester)
Subject: RE: invitation

Hi, Jeanne.

I am replying back to you to see if Senator Tester will be sending a message
to the NFB of Montana convention in Great Falls on October 9-11, 2015, since
he won't be able to be there in person.  

The agenda follows.

View the 2015 Convention Agenda <http://www.nfbofmt.org/agenda.html> 

Although we would be pleased to pass along any message from Senator Tester,
we would be most pleased to hear from him regarding S. 2001.

https://nfb.org/national-federation-blind-applauds-introduction-legislation-i
ntegrate-workers-disabilities

Joy Breslauer, President

National Federation of the Blind of Montana 

Address: P.O. Box 1325, Great Falls, MT 59403 

Phone: (406) 454-3096

Email:  <mailto:president at nfbofmt.org> president at nfbofmt.org

Web Site: www.nfbofmt.org

Live the life you want 

The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the
characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise the
expectations of blind people, because low expectations create obstacles
between blind people and our dreams. You can live the life you want;
blindness is not what holds you back.

From: Forrester, Jeanne (Tester) [mailto:Jeanne_Forrester at tester.senate.gov] 
Sent: Thursday, September 10, 2015 2:16 PM
To: Bjb5757 at bresnan.net
Subject: invitation

Joy - Thank you for inviting Senator Tester to speak at your convention,
right now he has a scheduling conflict and we would be happy to send a
message from him.  Please let me know if you would like a message and if
anything changes on his schedule I will be in touch.  Also, could you send me
an agenda, when you have one.  

Sincerely, 

Jeanne Forrester

State Scheduler

U.S. Senator Jon Tester 

2900 4th Avenue North, Suite 201

Billings, MT  59101

406-252-0550

 <http://www.facebook.com/senatortester> facebook
<http://www.youtube.com/senatorjontester> youtube
<http://tester.senate.gov/signup> email

-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: image001.png
Type: image/png
Size: 2172 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://nfbnet.org/pipermail/nfbmt_nfbnet.org/attachments/20151021/a190786f/attachment.png>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: image002.png
Type: image/png
Size: 2481 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://nfbnet.org/pipermail/nfbmt_nfbnet.org/attachments/20151021/a190786f/attachment-0001.png>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: image003.png
Type: image/png
Size: 1416 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://nfbnet.org/pipermail/nfbmt_nfbnet.org/attachments/20151021/a190786f/attachment-0002.png>