[NFBNJ] Notes From President Joe Ruffalo For January 2017

[joe ruffalo]

Greetings to all!

As we enter 2017, I wish all a healthy and productive year as we continue to 
raise expectations to transform dreams into reality as we live the life we 
want!
Later this month, thirteen members of the NFBNJ will be attending the 
Washington Seminar to present issues pertaining to the blind community to 
our Congressional representatives.
Please keep special notice with upcoming emails highlighting the issues and 
the next steps from all to make a difference.
I have highlighted several items of interest for your review and to share 
with others.

Thanks for your continued support to change what it means to be blind.

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

***

The following two articles are from the January 2017 Braille Monitor:
1.    Overview of the Rosen Shingle Creek Resort
2.    First Timers Jernigan Scholarship Highlights

1.    Orlando Site of 2017 NFB Convention

      The 2017 convention of the National Federation of the Blind will take 
place in Orlando, Florida, July 10 to July 15, at the Rosen Shingle Creek 
Resort, 9939 Universal Boulevard, Orlando, Florida 32819-9357. Make your 
room reservation as soon as possible with the Shingle Creek staff only. Call 
(866) 996-6338.

      The 2017 room rates are singles and doubles, $83; and for triples and 
quads $89. In addition to the room rates there will be a tax, which at 
present is 12.5 percent. No charge will be made for children under seventeen 
in the room with parents as long as no extra bed is requested. The hotel is 
accepting reservations now. A $95-per-room deposit is required to make a 
reservation. Fifty percent of the deposit will be refunded if notice is 
given to the hotel of a reservation cancellation before June 1, 2017. The 
other 50 percent is not refundable.

      Rooms will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. 
Reservations may be made before June 1, 2017, assuming that rooms are still 
available. After that time the hotel will not hold our room block for the 
convention. In other words, you should get your reservation in soon.

      All Rosen Shingle Creek guestrooms feature amenities that include 
plush Creek Sleeper beds, 40" flat screen TVs, complimentary high-speed 
internet service, in-room safes, coffee makers, mini-fridges, and hair 
dryers. Guests can also enjoy a swimming pool, fitness center, and on-site 
spa. The Rosen Shingle Creek Resort has a number of dining options, 
including two award-winning restaurants, and twenty-four-hour-a-day room 
service.

      The schedule for the 2017 convention is:
Monday, July 10  Seminar Day
Tuesday, July 11 Registration and Resolutions Day
Wednesday, July 12     Board Meeting and Division Day
Thursday, July 13      Opening Session
Friday, July 14  Business Session
Saturday, July 15      Banquet Day and Adjournment

           2. The Kenneth Jernigan Convention Scholarship Fund
                               by Allen Harris

>From the Editor: Allen Harris is the chairman of the Kenneth Jernigan Fund 
Committee and was one of the people who came up with the idea of honoring 
our former president and longtime leader by establishing a program to 
promote attendance at the national convention, where so much inspiration and 
learning occur. Here is Allen’s announcement about the 2017 Kenneth Jernigan 
Convention Scholarship Fund Program:

Have you always wanted to attend an NFB annual convention but have not done 
so because of the lack of funds? The Kenneth Jernigan Convention Scholarship 
Fund invites you to make an application for a scholarship grant. Perhaps 
this July you too can be in the Rosen Shingle Creek Hotel in Orlando, 
Florida, enjoying the many pleasures and learning opportunities at the 
largest and most important yearly convention of blind people in the world.

The three biggest ticket items you need to cover when attending an NFB 
national convention are the roundtrip transportation, the hotel room for a 
week, and the food (which tends to be higher priced than at home). We 
attempt to award additional funds to families, but, whether a family or an 
individual is granted a scholarship, this fund can only help; it won’t pay 
all the costs. Last year most of the sixty grants were in the range of $400 
to $500 per individual.

We recommend that you find an NFB member as your personal convention mentor, 
someone who has been to many national conventions and is able to share 
money-saving tips with you and tips on navigating the extensive agenda in 
the big hotel. Your mentor will help you get the most out of the amazing 
experience that is convention week.

Who is eligible?

Active NFB members, blind or sighted, who have not yet attended an NFB 
national convention because of lack of funding are eligible to apply.

How do I apply for funding assistance?

1.    You write a letter giving your contact information, and your local NFB 
information, your specific amount requested, and then explain why this is a 
good investment for the NFB. The points to cover are listed below.
2.    You contact your state president in person or by phone to request his 
or her help in obtaining funding. Be sure to tell the president when to 
expect your request letter by email, and mention the deadline.
3.    You (or a friend) send your letter by email to your state president. 
He or she must add a president’s recommendation and then email both letters 
directly to the Kenneth Jernigan Convention Scholarship Fund Committee. Your 
president must forward the two letters no later than April 15.

Your letter to Chairperson Allen Harris must cover these points:
•    Your full name, and all your telephone numbers and label them-cell 
phone, home, office, other person (if any).
•    Your mailing address and, if you have one, your email address.
•    Your state affiliate and state president; your chapter and chapter 
president, if you attend a chapter.
•    Your personal convention mentor, and provide that person’s phone 
number.
•    Your specific request:
Explain how much money you need from this fund to make this trip possible 
for you. We suggest you consult with other members to make a rough budget 
for yourself. The body of your letter should answer these questions:
o    How do you currently participate in the Federation? Why do you want to 
attend a national convention? What would you receive; what can you share or 
give? You can include in your letter to the committee any special 
circumstances you hope they will take into consideration.

When will I be notified that I am a winner?

If you are chosen to receive this scholarship, you will receive a letter 
with convention details that should answer most of your questions. The 
committee makes every effort to notify scholarship winners by May 15, but 
you must do several things before that to be prepared to attend if you are 
chosen.
1.    Make your own hotel reservation. If something prevents you from 
attending, you can cancel the reservation. (Yes, you may arrange for 
roommates of your own to reduce the cost.)
2.    Register online for the entire convention, including the banquet, by 
May 31.
3.    Find someone in your chapter or affiliate who has been to many 
conventions and can answer your questions as a friend and advisor.
4.    If you do not hear from the committee by May 15, then you did not win 
a grant this year.

How will I receive my convention scholarship?

At convention you will be given a debit card or credit card loaded with the 
amount of your award. The times and locations to pick up your card will be 
listed in the letter we sent you. The committee is not able to provide funds 
before the convention, so work with your chapter and state affiliate to 
assist you by obtaining an agreement to advance funds if you win a 
scholarship and to pay your treasury back after you receive your debit or 
credit card.

What if I have more questions?

For additional information email the chairman, Allen Harris, at 
kjscholarships at nfb.org or call his Baltimore, Maryland, office at (410) 
659-9314, extension 2415.

Above all, please use this opportunity to attend your first convention on 
the national level and join several thousand active Federationists in the 
most important meeting of the blind in the world. We hope to see you in 
Orlando.

                                 ----------

Additional Items of Interest

1.    Matching funds
2.    Student Fund Raiser
3.    Technology Tips, The Puc App
4.    Transportation Possibilities

*****

1.    Matching Funds:
Please share the following information with others on your email lists.

Many employers support their employees' charity donations by matching a 
portion of the funds an employee donates. Through these programs, your NFBNJ 
members, family members, co-workers and neighbors can inquire with the human 
resources department where employed. Donors can double their gifts to 
support your efforts to transform the lives of blind students, seniors , 
support state scholarships, and to assist with our educational and outreach 
programs in New Jersey. We are asking all who receive this information 
whether their employers offer gift matching programs. If they don't know, 
please inquire with their human resource department.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Joe Ruffalo, President 
at 973 743 0075 or email, nfbnj1 at verizon.net, or Brian Mackey, Treasurer at 
609 953 9688 or email, bmackey88 at gmail.com

***

2. Student Fund Raiser

Are you still looking for that perfect gift? Are you getting tired of making 
the same food over and over again? I  have the answer to all your cooking 
and gifting problems. The national Association of Blind Students has started 
a cook book fundraiser. Each cook book includes recipes from starters, to on 
trays. You can find food from Italy, to China. Each cook book is 15 dollars, 
and you can get your copy in print, large print, or braille. To learn more, 
or to order your cook book please contact Vee Gaspa, National Association of 
Blind Students board member at 434 989 1868 or 
Veronica.gaspa at student.shu.edu.

***

3. Puck App

Make Your Current Home Smart. Simple. Built to control what's already in 
your home. Attach Puck on or near your TV, Soundbar, curtains, or any other 
IR remote-controlled device* and download the free iOS app to free yourself 
from the burden of traditional remotes.

Puck works with over 180,000 infrared-controlled devices. Can't find what 
you are looking for?  Let us know and we'll do our best to add it.

How does Puck work? Puck connects with your iOS device via the Puck app, 
available free on the App Store.  Puck communicates via Bluetooth Low 
Energy, then transmits the signal to the target device (TV, DVD, etc.) using 
Infrared, just like a traditional remote. By attaching Puck directly to your 
target device, line-of-sight limitations are a thing of the past, which 
means no more wires!

Cost is $29.95. The app is free.

Order page is:
https://getpuck.com/get-puck/

There is a form to complete on the "Get Puck's" home page if you wish to 
receive Puck updates!

***

4. New Way to Use Uber and Lyft Without a Smartphone:

      GoGo is an automated hotline that lets people use Uber and Lyft 
without needing a smartphone.

     Uber and Lyft are available nationally; when you use GoGoGrandparent, 
we'll send you whichever one is cheapest at the time that you make your 
request for a ride. Their prices are typically up to 40 percent less than 
the cost of a cab.

      Using GoGo is simple: callers call from a number they have registered 
with us and hear a menu of options. They can press 1 for a car to be sent to 
pick them up from their home, 2 for a car to be sent to pick them up where 
we dropped them off last, or 0 to speak with an operator for a custom pickup 
location. Once the driver arrives, they tell the driver where they want to 
go. When you make a request, a car shows up at your door within fifteen 
minutes, typically less.

      To register free of charge, please call (855) 464-6872 or visit 
<gogograndparent.com/register>.

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
www.nfbnj.org
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