[NFBNJ] Notes From NFBNJ President Joe Ruffalo For February 2017

[joe ruffalo]

Greetings to all!

Hopefully, we can put aside the shovels, rock salt and boots as we near the 
first day of spring.

In the next few weeks, I will be providing material to all on the 
distribution list with information pertaining to the Washington Seminar.
In the meantime, please find out who your representative in Congress is in 
order to forward informational emails to highlight the issues that the 
Washington Seminar members conducted in late January.
You can do a Google search, call your local public library.  Make sure that 
you provide your address since there are several Congressional 
representatives that overlap certain towns/cities. You can also look up your 
Congressional representative by visiting www.house.gov.

In next months notes, we will highlight the BELL Academy with information 
for all to share.

Thanks for all you do!

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

***

Legislative Issues

The National Federation of the Blind is a powerful voice for advocacy, 
opportunity, and equality for blind Americans.  Each year, we travel to 
Washington D.C. to meet with our Congressional representatives in order to 
educate them on issues of critical importance to the blind of the nation. 
We are also hard at work in our home state ensuring that legislation that 
benefits blind children and adults is passed.

Join us at the Capitol!

To learn more, please read the legislative issues that are currently being 
presented to our representatives in Congress.


In the picture above, back, left to right: Ryan Stevens, NFBNJ Legislative 
Coordinator; Congressman Donald Norcross (District 1); and Alice Eaddy, 
president of the Deaf-Blind Division of NFBNJ. In front: Vee Gaspa, 
president of the NJ Association of Blind Students.

***

Items of Interest
1.    Kevin Sisco’s radio show
2.    Tec Tips, The KNFB Reader School
3.    Eyes Like Mine
4.    Sounding Board Deadline

***

1.    As I continue to support to highlight, feature and promote our members 
with achievements and accomplishments, I have forwarded the following 
information from Kevin Sisco pertaining to his internet radio show. Please 
share with others. The following information is provided by Kevin Sisco.

Kevin's Consulting Live is a show that streams live over the web every 
Thursday starting at 3 PM EST.  The show mainly covers the latest in 
technology but can cover many topics.  I also search for interesting people 
related to the tech field to interview.  I also search for individuals who 
may have information on a security threat.  In other words, I like whistle 
blowers!  The best part is that this show is also archived.  This means that 
if you miss the live broadcast you can download the mp3!

So how do you listen to Kevin's Consulting Live?  Visit:
http://kclive.gbj4.us
Click (or hit enter) on the link for the stream.  You will be taken to a 
page with headings.  Get to the audio controls heading and find the play 
link.  You can find the archives by going to the archive heading.

Enjoy the show and if you feel you can contribute to the show call me at 
973-590-8976. Please give me a week's notice as I handle the booking for the 
show.

****

2.    Tec Tips
The KNFBReader online school has over an hour of useful video tutorials on 
how to use the App:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLW144PTYGib0d3XFZiHS0OKgB5LF-_O1t

****

3.    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact: Krystle Allen, President of Eyes Like Mine, Inc.
Krystle at eyeslikemine.org

All interested women are invited to The Ms. Blind Diva Empowerment Pageant 
Information Reception on February 25, 2017 Eyes Like Mine Inc. would like to 
invite all interested blind and visually impaired women to an information 
session (which we are calling The Information Reception) for the Ms. Blind 
Diva Empowerment pageant! The Information Reception is scheduled for 
Saturday February 25, 2017 from 11 am-2 p.m. at The Leaders for Life 
Headquarters on 84 Clinton Place in Newark, NJ. The mission of the Ms. Blind 
Diva Empowerment Pageant is to empower women with vision loss by providing 
tools to encourage and cultivate their daily life experience. Pageant 
contestants will participate in a series of empowerment workshops occurring 
in Northern New Jersey until the day of the pageant itself, May 13, 2017.

Hors’ d'oeuvres and beverages will be served. The Ms. Blind Diva Empowerment 
Pageant is open to women 18 years or older who are vision impaired or blind 
living in the New Jersey area. For directions and further details please 
email info at eyeslikemine.org and eventscoordinator at eyeslikemine.org or call 
973 255 6710.

****

4.    the Sounding Board:
The publication of the NFBNJ is the Sounding Board.  The deadline of March 
15 to submit articles is approaching.
Please submit articles to Kathy Gabry at specialk38 at aol.com, Mary Jo Partyka 
at choirnfb at gmail.com, Barbara Shalit at barbart at tullensound.com, and to Joe 
Ruffalo at nfbnj1 at verizon.net.

We care. We share. We grow. We make a difference
Joe Ruffalo, President
National Federation of the Blind of New Jersey
973 743 0075
nfbnj1 at verizon.net
Your old car keys can be keys to literacy for the blind.
Donate your unwanted vehicle to us by clicking www.carshelpingtheblind.org 
or call 855 659 9314