[NFBMT] NOTICE: Thursday, May 9, 6:00 p.m. Monthly Meeting of The Treasure State At-Large Chapter of the National Federation of the Blind of Montana

Tue May 7 23:38:48 UTC 2019

Greetings Montana Federationists!

And especially to you members of the Treasure State At Large chapter of the
NFB of Montana.

The time of our regular chapter meeting is nearly here!

What? Already?

Yes, that's right

The Treasure State At-Large Chapter of the National Federation of the Blind
of Montana will meet on 

Thursday, May 9th  at 6 pm.

Reminder.

The phone number and access codes to attend the meeting have been recently
CHANGED!

Here below is the information for the conference.

TO JOIN THE TOTALLY FREE CONFERENCE CALL 

USE THIS NUMBER:

712-432-6301

ACCESS NUMBER FOLLOWED BY THE POUND SIGN:

654032#

Here are a few other Tips while in the conference:

BUTTONS on PHONE KEYPAD for Conference Participants:

*    to start the reading of commands menu.

*1   MUTE SELF - mute yourself, and unmute yourself.

*4   DOWN VOLUME (turns volume down on phone within the conference)

* 6   UP VOLUME (to turn UP volume on your line)

* 7  DOWN MIC VOLUME (your Microphone)

* 8   EXIT COMMANDS LIST (to get out of hearing the list of commands)

* 9   UP MIC VOLUME (turns UP your microphone Volume)

# - EXIT / PREVIOUS (takes you out of conference, and switch to previous.)

Round Robin Check-In: Sound Off!

Reports

Old Business

New Business

Listed below are a few items suggested for the meeting. 

ITEM # ONE:

Make a list of guests you would like to have come and share with us. When we
had Peggy Chong last fall, everyone seemed to like that. I'd like to hear
your ideas. I have a few, too. But first, I invite your input.

ITEM TWO:

What is in store for our affiliate, and our chapter for this year? Who has
some ideas and some thoughts on things in your community that could be
useful for our group's stated mission? How can we develop a strategy to grow
and spread the word about NFB of Montana.

ITEM THREE:

Funding the movement. I have been doing nothing. I am sorry. But I think
that we must start. In my life, I say I want to do something. But until I
actually start, I get no head of steam at all. I don't care how small it is,
I think we need to get some gas in our tractor and plow some fields, in this
here outfit.

I invite you to join in on the discussion, and think of some ideas. Our
organization, it seems, is funded, as far as I know on the generosity of a
few. But we all need to get the public to help us out, too. 

ITEM FOUR:

How long now have we been the new affiliate?  2013? Six years, almost.

So it must be about time. Time for what?

A publication of the affiliate. First, lets' think up a name. Then let's get
an Editor. 

Then let's get a small, readable thing published that chronicles our group's
activities.

I don't know about you. But my memory is not so good, and to have something
to refer to, that might help.  

And what else would it help?

Read again Items 2 and 3. And when you think about it, we actually have
accomplished quite a few things over these six years. Toot your horns. There
is a good movie at the drive-in theatre, I hear.

A FINAL REMINDER:

The Annual State organization Dues. Send them to:

National Federation of the Blind of Montana

P.O. Box 1325

Great Falls, MT 59403

    Website:  www.nfbofmt.org 

      Phone: (406) 438:1421

I thank you in advance for your interest and your support.

The Federation is yours, and the stronger we are the more good we can do.

Sincerely,

Your chapter president, Rik James of Bozeman

Read more how to reach me below.

NFB Pledge

I pledge to participate actively in the efforts of the National Federation
of the Blind to achieve equality, opportunity, and security for the blind;
to

support the policies and programs of the Federation; and to abide by its
constitution.

Contact:

Rik James

(406) 586-4123

(406) 451-1874 (Note: This is a NEW mobile number!)

montanarikster at gmail.com

If you no longer wish to receive these messages about the meetings, do let
me know by replying to this message and request to be removed.

I will remove you from the list. No problem. No problem at all.

### EXCUSE ME? PROFESSOR? IS THIS REALLY THE END? ###

Well, not exactly. 
Here is an article from the Federation's Ohio affiliate newsletter in the
fall of 2014.

I hope that by reading it you may find it will promote some discussion
amongst our group.

I think, in my case, at least, it has been the writing in the many
publications throughout the National Federation of the Blind, be it the
Braille Monitor, Future Reflections, or, for that matter, any of the state
affiliate newsletters, the members who share their experiences and their
thoughts and aspirations, they help me to continue to formulate how I feel,
think, and understand many things having to do with society and this thing
called blindness.

Enjoy.

Rik

>From the President's Desk

by Eric Duffy

from the Buckeye Bulletin, the publication of the National Federation of the
Blind of Ohio

Fall, 2014

At a recent gathering of BSVI counselors I was asked why vocational
rehabilitation counselors should attend the conventions of consumer
organizations. Much of my response applies to everyone with an interest in
blindness. Some of what I said was specific to counselors, but I think the
question is worth contemplating for all of us.

>From an early age I recognized that jobs were important. I would hear people
ask my dad what he did for a living. Later people asked me what my dad's job
was. For many years now one of the first questions I'm asked when meeting
someone new is either do I work or what do I do for a living. More often
than not I am actually asked if I work. It is generally presumed that a
working-age, nondisabled person has a job. My guess is that one who fits in
that category is rarely asked whether or not he or she works. In any case a
large part of one's identity is wrapped up in what one does for a living.

Those charged with the responsibility of helping people train, prepare for,
and find jobs have a heavy burden to bear if they take that responsibility
seriously. This is even more true for those working with blind job seekers
because the needs of the blind are highly specialized and often
misunderstood.

My observation is that most BSVI counselors have very little interaction
with blind people outside of their direct working relationship. It seems to
me that, in order to know what blind people are really capable of
accomplishing, this contact with the blind has to be vastly expanded. I have
had counselors tell me that they don't understand how I do all of the
traveling I do. They have asked how I handle the airports, hotels, and
unfamiliar cities. When participating in a convention, one can't help
learning how blind people get things done.

We are often asked to serve on task forces and advisory bodies and testify
at hearings or write letters in support of the OOD. We certainly should do
these things, but the support cannot be one-sided. Whether the agency knows
it or not, it is in its best interest to have strong consumer organizations
of the blind. Counselors should do what they can to understand what we are
about and help us build our organization. Dr. Jernigan used to point out
that, when a state agency is under fire, weak consumer organizations will be
of no help. That is the moment when counselors and administrators want and
need strong, articulate, passionate consumers to stand up and tell
legislators just why the agency needs funds and political friends and fight
to win them.

We change attitudes about blindness every day, and we help change the lives
of blind people. We raise their expectations of themselves and their state
agency. This is not something for an agency to be afraid of or discourage. 

So what should each of us be doing before convention? We should certainly
urge chapter members to attend convention. We should tell them how much fun
and inspiration are to be found there. We should answer their questions and
soothe away their doubts about their ability to move around the hotel and
get where they want to go. But we should do more. If we are in contact with
BSVI counselors, we should invite them to the convention. Give them a
printout of this article and the convention information in this newsletter.
We should be prepared to put the case for their attending part or all of the
convention. We have every reason to be proud of our annual convention. We
know firsthand that conventions change lives; they can also change the
attitudes of the counselors who make decisions that change our lives.

You may have noticed new language at the front of this newsletter. It is the
brief message that we are using to explain what the National Federation of
the Blind is and does. It also explains why we gather to gain strength and
inspiration from each other. I close this column with these sentences
because their message should inspire all BSVI counselors to attend our
convention. 

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.

With these things in mind, I think the better question is why shouldn't
counselors participate in our convention. In fact, I believe that
participating in local, state, and National meetings of the blind should be
a part of the continuing education requirement for counselors.