[NFBNJ] NFBNJ: State Convention Updates and Carla McQuillan's Bio

[joe ruffalo]

Greetings to all!
With less than two months until the 42nd state convention of the National 
Federation of the Blind of New Jersey, I have provided several important 
items for your review.
Please take notice on all deadline dates.
If you have made hotel reservations, congratulations!
If you haven’t made your hotel room reservations, don’t hesitate!

My contact information is provided in my signature block if you have any 
questions or concerns.

Warmly,
Joe

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
Raising Expectations To Live The Life You Want!
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
**

reminder:  Updates Distributed Monday, September 3, 2018

As of this writing, 184  of the 225 rooms in our Block have been reserved!

Don’t hesitate, make your room reservations ASAP!



Also provided below is the biography of national representative Carla 
McQuillan. ,



Greetings to all!



The 42nd state convention of the National Federation of the Blind of New 
Jersey,

Live The Life You Want; Blind With Vision will be held from

Thursday, November 1  through Sunday, November 4, 2018.



For early arrivals, there are a number of rooms reserved for Wednesday, 
October 31.

There will be another function in the hotel and rooms will vanish quickly.

Don’t hesitate.  Please make your room reservations as soon as possible.

Note: As of this email, 184  rooms have been reserved!



Last year, the room block was sold out prior to the block deadline date and 
therefore, DON’T HESITATE!

The room block deadline is October 5, 2018.



When making hotel room reservations,you need to secure via credit card.

There will be no charge to your card until you arrive at the hotel.





With this said, if  you are thinking about attending, if you are somewhat

positive that you will attend, not quite sure you will attend and to those

that know that they will attend, PLEASE make your hotel reservations as soon 
as possible.



Note; if you can not attend and you have made hotel reservations, don’t call 
the hotel to cancel.  Please call me at 973 743 0075.

I usually have a waiting list to review as many learn about the state 
convention after the

date of October 5.  if the block is not sold out, the remainder of rooms

will be released to the public.  In years past, the block sells out prior to

the deadline and therefore, Please, don’t hesitate!

Note: If I  have’t mentioned it, don’t hesitate!  GRIN!





There are a limited number of refrigerators and if you are in need for

medical reasons,please inform the staff when making your hotel reservation.



In addition, there are a limited number of assessable rooms and if needed,

don’t hesitate, make it known when you are making your room reservation.





Renaissance Woodbridge Hotel, 515 US Highway 1 South, Iselin, NJ, 08830

Note: If traveling via Access Link, please inform the trip coordinator the 
following.

You must state that the hotel is in Woodbridge.  For some reason, Iselin

does not work as the location.

Cross street: Gill Lane

If traveling via train,  the station nearest the hotel is the Metro Park 
Station.  The hotel provides a shuttle from 7:00 am to 11:00 pm



The address to use for those driving is 4 Gill Lane.

It is a bank that is across the street from the hotel.





To make your hotel reservations, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week please call

(732) 634-3600



Please use code: NFB

The best time to call is during regular business hours, 9:00 am to 6:00 pm.





Standard Room

$106.00, plus tax.



Junior Suite

$146.00, plus tax.



Hotel’s room rates are subject to applicable state and local taxes

(currently 14.625%) in effect at the time of check-out.





       Breakfast Buffet included in rate for up to two guests.



Note: The guide dog relief area will be announced at a later date.





We have distributed  the pre registration information to all on the NFBNJ 
distribution list in late August.  In addition,via on the state website and 
on Newsline. don’t hesitate to reserve your hotel room



As updates are needed to distribute, we will do so.



 Thanks to all as we continue to raise expectations to live the life we 
want!



Joe Ruffalo, President

National Federation of the Blind of New Jersey

973 743 0075

nfbnj1 at verizon.net

www.nfbnj.org

Raising Expectations To Live The Life You Want!



Meet our national representative, Carla McQuillan.



Greetings to all!

I am proud to announce that Carla McQuillan has been assigned as the

national representative for the 42nd state convention of the NFBNJ, Live The

Life You Want; Blind With Vision!

Her biography is provided below.

As my policy, I will invite Carla to a conference call probably in mid 
October with our members to formerly introduce her to the NFBNJ Federation 
family.

Details will be forthcoming.



Warmly,

Joe



****



Carla McQuillan





Executive Director of Main Street Montessori Association





Carla was born and raised in Southern California in the early 60's, the

youngest of 4 children. In the summer before fifth grade, Carla lost a great

deal of vision but did not notice it until she started school in the fall

and was unable to read the chalkboard from the front row. A few years

earlier, her older brother had been diagnosed with a rare genetic eye

condition called Stargardt's disease, which resulted in the loss of central

vision. It was soon confirmed that Carla had the same condition. She was

diagnosed legally blind in 1971.



Because of her remaining peripheral vision, Carla did not "look blind", so

she was not taught Braille or any other alternative techniques of blindness.

She had very little experience with blind people. The only blind person she

knew was her brother, and he was forever using his blindness as an excuse

for standing on the sidelines. Carla knew that this was not the life she

wanted and was determined to do everything in her power to convince the

world that she was not blind.



After high school Carla went to Humboldt State University in Northern

California. There she met her husband Lucas. They were married in the summer

of 1981 and moved to San Diego for Lucas's master's degree program. Though

Carla had not completed her bachelor's degree, she was more than happy to

put her college career on hold and work to support the couple. Her one year

of college had not been very successful. Without the ability to read Braille

and eyesight too poor to read print, Carla, who had been an A student in

high school, saw her grades drop.



She got a job as a Montessori Preschool teacher in San Diego while Lucas

completed his master's degree. Their daughter Alison was born in 1983. In

1985 the family moved to Illinois. Lucas enrolled in a doctoral program at

the University of Illinois, and Carla decided to complete her bachelor's

degree. With Lucas' encouragement, Carla asked for accessible textbooks and

decided to learn Braille. The staff at the university's disabled student's

services office told her how difficult Braille would be to learn and how

inefficient it would be. Discouraged and defeated, Carla wondered if there

was any hope for her future. Fortunately she learned of a scholarship

program through the National Federation of the Blind. She won a scholarship

from the organization's Illinois affiliate in 1988. The state convention

changed her life. Her negative attitudes about blindness and about her own

potential to be a successful professional were replaced by confidence and

self-assurance that remain a hallmark of her character today.



After both graduating with High Distinction from the University of Illinois

in 1988, the McQuillans completed their family with the birth of their son

Duncan. They moved to Oregon to be near Carla's family. Carla started her

own Montessori preschool, which later expanded to include 3 schools and a

Montessori Teacher Certification Program. Carla served as President of the

National Federation of the Blind of Oregon from 1992 until 2006, when her

business responsibilities became too demanding. She also served on the NFB's

national board of directors from 1998 until resigning from that position as

well in 2006. She was re-elected president of the Oregon affiliate in 2012

and still serves in that capacity. She is the director of NFB Camp, the

program that offers child care during the annual convention of the National

Federation of the Blind. Carla was again elected to the national board of

directors in 2016.



"I had such horrible misconceptions about blindness for most of my childhood

and early adult life," Carla says. "I thought I knew what blindness 
meant,and I didn't want any part of it. The National Federation of the Blind 
taught me that blindness was only as limiting as I allowed it to be. My 
friends and colleagues in the movement have been more than ideal role 
models; they have saved me from a life of regret and underachievement."



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