<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>meeting revised please send out on our email list</TITLE>
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<DIV style="font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A
title=rchpay7@gmail.com>richard</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>Sent:</B> Saturday, October 8, 2016 9:55 AM</DIV>
<DIV><B>To:</B> <A title=spangler.robert@gmail.com>'Robert Spangler'</A> ; <A
title=tjjanning@gmail.com>'Tim Janning'</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>Cc:</B> <A title=grob702@gmail.com>'Gloria Robinson'</A> ; <A
title=drcarolyn-peters@att.net>'Carolyn Peters'</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>Subject:</B> meeting revised please send out on our email list
</DIV></DIV></DIV>
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<P dir=ltr><SPAN lang=en-us></SPAN><SPAN lang=en-us></SPAN></P>
<P dir=ltr><SPAN lang=en-us><FONT color=#44546a face="Calibri Light">This is
subject to be changed if necessary.</FONT></SPAN></P>
<P dir=ltr><SPAN lang=en-us><FONT color=#44546a face="Calibri Light">October 8
2016 chapter meeting </FONT></SPAN></P>
<P dir=ltr><SPAN lang=en-us></SPAN><SPAN lang=en-us></SPAN><SPAN
lang=en-us><FONT size=4 face="Times New Roman">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.</FONT></SPAN><SPAN
lang=en-us> </SPAN></P>
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<P dir=ltr><SPAN lang=en-us><FONT color=#44546a face="Calibri Light">Call
meeting to order President Richard Payne</FONT></SPAN></P>
<P dir=ltr><SPAN lang=en-us><FONT color=#44546a
face="Calibri Light">Prayer open</FONT></SPAN></P>
<P dir=ltr><SPAN lang=en-us><FONT color=#44546a face="Calibri Light">President
release and answer any questions about it.</FONT></SPAN></P>
<P dir=ltr><SPAN lang=en-us><FONT color=#44546a face="Calibri Light">Roll
call</FONT></SPAN></P>
<P dir=ltr><SPAN lang=en-us><FONT color=#44546a
face="Calibri Light">Refreshments Debbie</FONT></SPAN></P>
<P dir=ltr><SPAN lang=en-us><FONT color=#44546a face="Calibri Light">This is
subject to be changed if necessary.</FONT></SPAN></P>
<P dir=ltr><SPAN lang=en-us><FONT color=#44546a face="Calibri Light">Secretary
report. Robby</FONT></SPAN></P>
<P dir=ltr><SPAN lang=en-us><FONT color=#44546a face="Calibri Light">Treasure
report Tim </FONT></SPAN></P>
<P dir=ltr><SPAN lang=en-us><FONT color=#44546a face="Calibri Light">Gavel
report Robby</FONT></SPAN></P>
<P dir=ltr><SPAN lang=en-us><FONT color=#44546a face="Calibri Light">Meet the
blind month October 15</FONT></SPAN></P>
<P dir=ltr><SPAN lang=en-us><FONT color=#44546a face="Calibri Light">State
convention </FONT></SPAN></P>
<P dir=ltr><SPAN lang=en-us><FONT color=#44546a face="Calibri Light">Dr. Peters
will serve on state nominating committee. </FONT></SPAN></P>
<P dir=ltr><SPAN lang=en-us><FONT face=Calibri>Marshals</FONT></SPAN></P>
<P dir=ltr><SPAN lang=en-us><FONT face=Calibri>Getting a van to go to
convention</FONT></SPAN></P>
<P dir=ltr><SPAN lang=en-us></SPAN><SPAN lang=en-us><FONT color=#44546a
face="Calibri Light">We will talk about working at the convention. The chapter
needs to donate a basket for the drawing.</FONT></SPAN></P>
<P dir=ltr><SPAN lang=en-us><FONT color=#44546a face="Calibri Light">Door prize
from chapter</FONT></SPAN></P>
<P dir=ltr><SPAN lang=en-us><FONT color=#44546a face="Calibri Light">We can have
a table at the convention to sell items if we can come up with someone to work
the table and help with other things like hospitality </FONT></SPAN></P>
<P dir=ltr><SPAN lang=en-us><FONT color=#44546a face="Calibri Light">Project
mobility report Wanda</FONT></SPAN></P>
<P dir=ltr><SPAN lang=en-us><FONT color=#44546a face="Calibri Light">Gloria
wishes to have the floor for a few moments. </FONT></SPAN></P>
<P dir=ltr><SPAN lang=en-us><FONT color=#44546a face="Calibri Light">Chapter
nominating committee</FONT></SPAN></P>
<P dir=ltr><SPAN lang=en-us><FONT color=#44546a face="Calibri Light">Christmas
party</FONT></SPAN></P>
<P dir=ltr><SPAN lang=en-us><FONT color=#44546a
face="Calibri Light">Announcements</FONT></SPAN></P>
<P dir=ltr><SPAN lang=en-us></SPAN><SPAN lang=en-us><FONT
face=Consolas>Yesterday the Foundation Fighting Blindness released an
announcement saying that what it described as phase one of its #HowEyeSeeIt
campaign has ended, and that the end of this phase of the campaign signifies the
end of the #HowEyeSeeIt Blindfold Challenge. The announcement publicly
recognizes the concerns raised during the past month by members of the National
Federation of the Blind about the harmful effects of perpetuating misconceptions
about blindness in order to raise money for medical research. (For background,
read recent posts on our Voice of the Nation's Blind blog, as well as my
contribution to the Huffington Post.) This long-awaited announcement, combined
with the meeting the foundation leaders have agreed to have with me later this
month, makes me cautiously optimistic that they have come to understand the
valid concerns of the blind of America.</FONT></SPAN></P>
<P dir=ltr><SPAN lang=en-us><FONT face=Consolas>> </FONT></SPAN></P>
<P dir=ltr><SPAN lang=en-us><FONT face=Consolas>> It is fitting that this
hopeful sign of change has been achieved in October, which is "Meet the Blind
Month" in the National Federation of the Blind. During this month, we put extra
emphasis and energy into getting our local chapters out into the community in
order to teach members of the public about blindness by having them get to know
blind people and to better understand our lived experience of blindness through
genuine interactions. For the members of the Federation, this is often a time to
tell our individual stories about breaking through the misconceptions that we
have internalized and coming to the realization that if we allow ourselves to
buy into the fallacy that blindness is a severe limitation, we will most
certainly and artificially limit our potential. Low expectations are
self-fulfilling and only lead to minimized opportunities and diminished
lives.</FONT></SPAN></P>
<P dir=ltr><SPAN lang=en-us><FONT face=Consolas>> </FONT></SPAN></P>
<P dir=ltr><SPAN lang=en-us><FONT face=Consolas>> I want to express my deep
appreciation for the members of the National Federation of the Blind who have
respectfully and energetically pushed back on the harmful impact of the
#HowEyeSeeIt Blindfold Challenge. The true stories of the experience of blind
people that have been shared during the past month have gone a long way toward
mitigating the negative impact of the campaign and creating a greater
understanding of the interesting, active, adventurous, fun, and powerful lives
we live as blind people. Equally as important, members of the Federation have
demonstrated courage in speaking the truth about blindness. I read many
disappointing comments from supporters of the #HowEyeSeeIt campaign suggesting
that our reaction to it was unfounded, mean spirited, and ungrateful. It takes
courage to speak the truth even in the face of discouraging comments about the
lives we live every day and the discrimination we face from the low expectations
of others that were perpetuated by the blindfold challenge. The stories of hope,
love, and determination that have been shared by Federation members are a
shining example of the timeless observation that the truth will set us
free.</FONT></SPAN></P>
<P dir=ltr><SPAN lang=en-us><FONT face=Consolas>> </FONT></SPAN></P>
<P dir=ltr><SPAN lang=en-us><FONT face=Consolas>> Although the FFB says it
has ended the Blindfold Challenge, I encourage members of the Federation to keep
telling your stories. Continue to create videos, write blogs, share photos, and
publish articles about the true lived experience of blind people and how we use
alternative techniques to participate fully in society. Continue to tell those
stories because we must repair the damage that has been done, and because this
will not be the last time that we are confronted with the negative impact of low
expectations. Keep telling our stories because the more we tell the truth and
the more we demonstrate our integrity, courage, and the independent and
dignified way in which we live our lives, the more we will continue to make
powerful, and ultimately permanent, change throughout our society. This
experience once again demonstrates the power of our collective
action.</FONT></SPAN></P>
<P dir=ltr><SPAN lang=en-us><FONT face=Consolas>> </FONT></SPAN></P>
<P dir=ltr><SPAN lang=en-us><FONT face=Consolas>> The announcement released
yesterday by the Foundation tells us that the #HowEyeSeeIt Blindfold Challenge
was built on the theme of “experiencing the world through another person’s
eyes.” Of course, this is the primary problem that members of the Federation had
with the challenge. Vision is not a requirement for success. Blind people
experience the world just as fully and joyfully as others do, but using our
other senses instead of our eyes. The joy of living and gaining knowledge about
the world is not found in one sense but through the combination of them, powered
by the decision of each of us to be happy and fulfilled human beings focused on
the many things we can perceive rather than what we cannot. The blindfold
challenge was focused on vision, while the lived experience of blind people—the
everyday lives we live and the techniques we use to do the normal everyday tasks
and the extraordinary, not-so-everyday ones—are not dependent on the eyes. The
announcement goes on to say that “Phase two of the campaign will feature
profiles of people with no or low vision, showcasing their adaptability,
strength and talent.” I again encourage the Foundation and all of its supporters
to call on members of the National Federation of the Blind for profiles of blind
people living life successfully, carrying out the normal responsibilities of
equal participation, and breaking down the stereotypes about blindness. The
evidence from the past month demonstrates that the National Federation of the
Blind, the oldest and largest organization of blind people, has strength and
capacity rooted in the authentic experience of blind people living the lives we
want. We invite the Foundation Fighting Blindness to draw from this deep well of
experience to tell its supporters that there is life with blindness, even as the
search for new medical treatments continues.</FONT></SPAN></P>
<P dir=ltr><SPAN lang=en-us><FONT face=Consolas>> </FONT></SPAN></P>
<P dir=ltr><SPAN lang=en-us><FONT face=Consolas>> To my brothers and sisters
in our movement, I again express my deepest appreciation for what you do to
demonstrate the truth about blindness every day. It is a tangible expression of
the promise that we make to each other in our organization a promise that has
been clearly witnessed in our work on this campaign and which expresses
#HowWeSeeIt: Together with love, hope, and determination we transform dreams
into reality!</FONT></SPAN></P>
<P dir=ltr><SPAN lang=en-us><FONT face=Consolas>> </FONT></SPAN></P>
<P dir=ltr><SPAN lang=en-us><FONT face=Consolas>> </FONT></SPAN></P>
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