[NFBNJ] Notes From The President Of The NFBNJ August 2016

[joe ruffalo]

Notes From The President NFBNJ August 2016

Greetings to all on the NFBNJ announcement list!

Hope all are enjoying the last days of summer and are looking forward to the 
opportunities that are in front of us to make a difference!

In this notefor August 2016,  I have provided information pertaining to:
•    The 40th state convention, Raising Expectations, of the National 
Federation of the Blind of New Jersey
•     LowViz Guide Info to be demonstrated at the state convention
•    The Sounding Board, the publication of the National Federation of the 
Blind of New Jersey
•    Brian Mackey’s Updates Pertaining to his Business
•    NEWSLINE®

Please share with others.

***

The 40th State Convention Raising Expectations Info And please save the 
dates.


To all chapter/division presidents, please have as an agenda item for your 
upcoming meetings.
Promotion is the key!

Greetings to all!

I am proud to announce that the National Federation of the Blind of New 
Jersey will hold its 40th state convention, Raising Expectations, at the 
Holiday Inn, 151 Route 72 East, Manahawkin from Thursday, November 10 
through Sunday, November 13, 2016. We were able to block rooms from November
9 through the conclusion of the state convention.

The room rates are as follows:
$89 per night plus tax.
Breakfast is included for each person registered for each day.

Please use the following phone number and code when making reservations.
Do not go through the national toll  free number.

Call: 1 609 481 6100
Code: NFB

The hotel rooms are remodeled and all rooms will have refrigerators.

Yes, November  is a few months away, however, make your reservations as soon 
as possible.
As of this writing, more than half the rooms that we blocked are already 
reserved.

The block of rooms will be released to the public by October 19. Once the 
date of October 19 arrives, we can not guarantee rooms at the $89 per night 
and therefore, MAKE YOUR RESERVATIONS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE!

Additional information pertaining to pre registration costs, meals and other 
items of importance will be forthcoming.

We are planning to distribute the pre registration form by early September 
and the agenda is targeted for completion by the third week in October.
As details are finalized and additional updates are available, continue to 
visit the state convention page on our website at 
www.nfbnj.org/state-convention

The state convention will feature technology 
workshops/seminars/presentations, an exhibit room highlighting vendors with 
low and high tech devices, information from the NJ CBVI, The New Jersey 
State Library and Talking Book and Braille Center, division meetings which 
include technology, seniors, diabetes, Braille, Parents of Blind 
Children,merchants, students, deaf-blind and guide dogs.  In addition 
presentations from leaders in the blindness community, first timers, 
inspirational, motivational and educational presentations throughout the 
weekend will charge your batteries to live the life you want.
We will conduct meetings to review and pass resolutions of the NFBNJ. During 
Friday night, bring your singing voice and dancing shoes as we dance the 
night away.  For me and many others, the annual banquet highlights the work 
of the Federation with presentations of awards, state scholarships, a 
keynote address from Everette Bacon, the national representative.
There will be auction items throughout the weekend and door prizes for those 
in attendance.

In early September, I will be distributing a door prize and auction item 
letter to all on our announcement lists to present to your local grocery and 
retail stores, your bank, etc. The donations received provide an opportunity 
for all registered conventioneers to win many valuable items.

Any questions, please contact Joe Ruffalo, President at 973 743 0075 or 
email, nfbnj1 at verizon.net.

**


LowViz Guide

The National Federation of the Blind of New Jersey is proud to announce the
40th state convention, Raising Expectations, at the Holiday Inn, 151 Route
72 East, Manahawkin from Thursday, November 10 through Sunday, November 13,
2016.

We are pleased to feature LowViz Guide, a new indoor navigation app for the
blind and visually impaired. The app was developed in 2015 as a free
community service by  Macular Degeneration Support. Since then, it has been
provided at more than a  dozen state and national conventions for
blind/visually impaired attendees who  have access to iPhones or iPads.

As part of the LowViz Guide  service, we will:
•    map your venue with points of interest and scheduling details for
meeting rooms
•    set up a temporary beacon system throughout your meeting area
•    provide you with promotional materials to introduce your attendees  to
Low VizGuide
•    provide step-by-step user instructions in large print, audio, and
Braille formats
•    be on hand during the entire event to offer personal support for your
attendees

For complete information about LowViz Guide, including an audio-visual
demonstration, testimonials, and media broadcasts, see
http://www.mdsupport.org/audioguide .

Dan Roberts, Director

***

The Sounding Board, the publication of the National Federation of the Blind 
of New Jersey is distributed twice a year, spring and fall.
The fall issue is targeted for distribution by mid to late October.  The 
staff invites you to submit articles for the fall issue no later than 
September 15.
Please forward your submissions to Kathy Gabry at  specialk38 at aol.com In 
addition, please copy your submission to the following:
Mary Jo Partyka: choirnfb at gmail.com
Jerilyn Higgins: jdhiggins3 at verizon.net
Barbara Shalit: barbart at tullensound.com
Joe ruffalo: nfbnj1 at verizon.net

Past issues are available for your reading pleasure at the state 
website,please visit, www.nfbnj.org/sounding-board
Note: The Sounding Board most current issue is available via NEWSLINE®.

***

Update Pertaining To Brian Mackey’s Business

Greetings to all,

Many of you have heard about my company, Mackey Enterprises, LLC, but are 
probably wondering what it is all about. Mackey Enterprises was first 
established in late November 2011 to assist individuals and small businesses 
with their data entry and bookkeeping projects. By mid-2014, I had completed 
four sub-contracting projects for a local accounting firm called Padden Denn 
Drewry. The following year, I completed projects for my first two clients 
and launched my company website, www.mackeyenterprisesllc.com.

Mackey Enterprises, LLC attended its first state convention as a vendor at 
last year’s state convention. Due to performing other NFBNJ duties, Mackey 
Enterprises will not be in the vendor room at this year’s state convention, 
but I will still be at convention with some business cards and in hopes of 
acquiring new clients.

After the successful relaunch of the NFBNJ website (www.nfbnj.org) in late 
June, Mackey Enterprises has expanded its listing of offered services. We 
now offer the following:
•    Data Entry using Microsoft Word or Excel
•    Bookkeeping using QuickBooks or Microsoft Excel
•    Web Design using WordPress

To see a full description of our offered services, please visit 
www.mackeyenterprisesllc.com/offered-services.

All of the projects are completed with a “Blind With Vision” attitude 
because we are able to “see” your project from a different perspective. 
Hopefully you will choose Mackey Enterprises, LLC for your next data entry, 
bookkeeping, or website project.

For additional information, please visit my website, 
www.mackeyenterprisesllc.com, call me at 609-953-6988, or email me at 
brian at mackeyenterprisesllc.com.

Thank you.

Brian A. Mackey

Brian A. Mackey, Owner
Mackey Enterprises, LLC
609-953-6988
brian at mackeyenterprisesllc.com
www.mackeyenterprisesllc.com

***

NFB-NEWSLINE®

NFB-NEWSLINE® is a free service offering access to newspapers available to 
anyone who is blind, visually impaired or print-disabled. It offers over 400 
publications to choose from, including 12 national newspapers like the Wall 
Street Journal and USA Today, 20 breaking news sources such as CNN, BBC and 
ESPN Online, 17 international newspapers including Financial Times and 
Vancouver Sun, and countless state newspapers, as well as over 50 magazines 
like Family Circle, Time, Smithsonian and more.

NFB-NEWSLINE® also has TV Listings so you can keep track of your favorite 
shows.

Job listings with NFB-NEWSLINE® are another important resource for 
subscribers. Job listings for NFB-NEWSLINE® are provided by a leading 
national search engine with over 100,000 jobs listed.

Another feature of NFB-NEWSLINE® is the localized weather alerts. Have you 
heard the emergency alert tone on the television but are unable to read the 
message scrolling on the screen? Now you can simply sign into NFB-NEWSLINE® 
and the weather report will be read to you on the spot. Any available 
weather alerts will be provided as soon as you sign into NFB-NEWSLINE®.

NFB-NEWSLINE’s wide array of publications and announcements can be accessed 
anytime you choose, on your schedule, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. There 
are a variety of ways to access. You can use your touch-tone telephone; you 
can access the service via the website, On Demand emails, using portable 
players, or even via your iPhone, iPad or iPod! And it’s always free.

Since 1996, the New Jersey Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired
(NJCBVI) has sponsored and funded NFB-Newsline® in New Jersey. We thank the 
NJCBVI for continuing to raise expectations to live the life we want!

Who Can Benefit?

Anyone who cannot read conventional newsprint can qualify for this free 
service. Blind individuals can now gain access to the information in 
newspapers and TV at the same time as their sighted friends and family. 
Raise your expectations. Blind professionals can now converse on relevant 
topics critical to their work. Removing obstacles to your goals. Many 
seniors find that reading the daily newspapers is no longer possible. Now 
they can once again participate actively in community affairs. Blindness is 
not what holds you back. Blind children are now able to research their own 
school assignments and do homework independently. Blindness is not what 
defines your future. Anyone with a physical disability who is unable to turn 
a page can qualify for NFB-NEWSLINE®. Live the life you want.
Please visit the following links for additional information:
•    NFB-NEWSLINE® Online - On the Web and on the Go!
•    Local Telephone Lookup
•    Newspapers By Email
•    Television Listings
•    Participating Publications
•    Online Application

Methods to View Publications

NFB-NEWSLINE® over the Phone

•    If you can dial the phone, you can use NFB-NEWSLINE®
•    Create your own Favorites list, skip or read articles or sections, read 
just one article or the entire publication.
•    Alter the reading voice: change the volume, speed, or pitch

Web News on Demand
•    A secure, text-only website that is screen-reader friendly
•    Email a full publication, a section, or single article to your inbox

NFB-NEWSLINE® onDemand Email
•    NFB-NEWSLINE® offers your news and information emailed to your inbox.
•    Set your emails to once daily, or updates throughout the day

NFB-NEWSLINE® for Portable Players

•    Download desired publications directly to digital talking-book players
•    Works with many popular devices, including Victor Reader Stream 2nd 
Generation and National Library Service Talking Book Library Players

iOS Mobile App for iPhone, iPad, and iPod

•    Free NFB-NEWSLINE® Mobile App, right on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod.
•    Easy navigation, even for those new to technology
•    Emergency Weather Alerts linked to your GPS—stay safe and informed 
wherever you are
•    Global Search function allows you to find articles on specific topics

EMERGENCY WEATHER ALERTS and SEVEN-DAY FORECASTS

NFB-NEWSLINE® offers both seven-day weather forecasts as well as emergency 
weather alerts. These weather alerts are localized to your zip code, or 
using your GPS for the NFB-NEWSLINE® iOS Mobile App.

JOB LISTINGS

NFB-NEWSLINE® provides job listings from a national job source offering over 
100,000 listings. Profiles are customizable.

TV LISTINGS

NFB-NEWSLINE® offers TV listings customized to your home zip code and your 
television provider using the telephone access method.

RETAIL ADS

NFB-NEWSLINE® provides retail ads for national retailers, customizable by 
zip code.

Participating NJ Publications
•    Asbury Park Press
•    Associated Press New Jersey
•    Bergen Record
•    New Jersey Blindness Advocacy Organization News
•    New Jersey Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired
•    New Jersey Grocery Ads
•    New York Times
•    Newark Star Ledger
•    Talking Book and Braille Center Channel

Additional Information

To learn more about NFB-NEWSLINE®, please visit 
www.nfb.org/audio-newspaper-service. If you have any questions, please 
contact Jane Degenshein, New Jersey Coordinator for NFB-NEWSLINE® at 
973-736-5785 or jdegen16 at comcast.net. You can also call NFB-NEWSLINE® at 
1-866-504-7300 (toll free).

***

Joe Ruffalo, President
National Federation of the Blind of New Jersey
254 Spruce Street
Bloomfield, New Jersey  07003
973 743 0075
Nfbnj1 at verizon.net
www.nfbnj.org

The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the 
characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise 
expectations of blind people because low expectations create obstacles 
between blind people and our dreams. You can live the life you want; 
blindness does not hold us back. Together with love, hope and determination 
we transform dreams into reality.