[NFBNJ] NFB President Riccobono's Notebook - week of 01/02/2019

Mon Jan 14 20:44:46 UTC 2019

Greetings to all!
I have pasted several items of interest to share with our membership.
I have offered my comments after each item.
Please read and share.

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

**
President’s Notebook
National Federation of the Blind
Mark A. Riccobono
officeofthepresident at nfb.org<mailto:officeofthepresident at nfb.org>
410-659-9314

Dear Fellow Federationists,

The year has started off with a flurry of activity in the National 
Federation of the Blind. As many of you spin up after the holidays, I want 
to again remind you about the deadline this week for membership lists. This 
is going to make a huge difference in managing membership data going 
forward. If you have any trouble with the spreadsheet, please be sure to 
reach out to Julie McGinnity here at the office.

Thank you to each of you who participated in our youth outreach call last 
week. Attached is the summer programs PDF that we mentioned on the call. 
Please promote the great opportunities offered through our organization as a 
way to increase engagement in our organization and to help us raise 
expectations for the next generation.
I offer my comments: We will distribute via our distribution list and will 
post the flyer highlighted above on the state website.

I am eagerly anticipating our 2019 Washington Seminar where we will once 
again bring our expertise to the members of the United States Congress. 
These relationships are critically important to our work and I hope that 
your delegation is ready to take the Hill in late January.
Warmest regards from a snowy Baltimore. I am off to visit our Louisiana 
Center for the Blind today to experience firsthand the great work that is 
being done in our programs.
Comments: The NFBNJ has a delegation of fifteen members, that will deliver 
and present the issues to New Jersey’s Congressional Representatives.

Critical Actions This Week:

Deadline for Submitting Membership Lists:

As I mention above, tomorrow is the deadline to submit your membership lists 
to Julie McGinnity. Her email address is 
jmcginnity at nfb.org<mailto:jmcginnity at nfb.org>.
Comments: Thanks to all chapters/divisions that provided information to 
Ellen Sullivan.  We are missing a chapter and a division, please contact 
Ellen at 302 333 8146 or email, ems553 at comcast.net

News:
Presidential Release:
The January release has been posted to 
https://nfb.org/presidential-releases-en/presidential-release-479-english-january-2019.

Comments: Usually, a few days after the post, the monthly release can be 
located on Newsline.

Congressional Reception:
Our reception will take place Tuesday, January 29, from 5:00-6:30 p.m., at 
the Holiday Inn Washington-Capitol Congressional Ballroom. Note that this is 
a different time and location than were originally announced.
Comments: we could have several NFBNJ participants attend.

Washington Seminar Dream Makers’ Circle Table:
As leaders in the National Federation of the Blind, I know that you lead 
best by example. In order to ask those who are not members to support us, it 
is crucial that we support the NFB by joining our Dream Makers’ Circle. This 
is especially true of our leaders. Joining our Dream Makers’ Circle Legacy 
Society is easier than you think. You can give exact amounts or percentages 
and, of course, you can do so after taking care of your loved ones. Come 
find out how. Please find time to stop by the lobby and talk with Patti 
Chang about your options. Let’s go build the Federation by joining in the 
Circle.

Comments: To all NFBNJ participants, please visit with Patti to gain the 
valuable information.

Future Reflections Options:
You can read the current issue of Future Reflections online at 
https://nfb.org/images/nfb/publications/fr/fr37/4/fr3704tc.htm. If you want 
to receive Future Reflections via email each month, visit 
http://nfbcal.org/listserv-signup.html to sign up. Also audio files are 
available on our website or as podcasts through the iTunes store, or you can 
subscribe to our RSS feed.

Comments: Along with the Braille Monitor, Future reflections is a must read. 
The publication is produced quarterly.

Summer Opportunity for Teens:
Explore and connect this summer, June 16-22, 2019. Join the National 
Federation of the Blind at our NFB Engineering Quotient (EQ) program. NFB EQ 
is a week-long adventure into engineering and problem-solving. No specific 
level of engineering experience required. Engage in activities designed to 
strengthen knowledge and grow interests. Connect with the twenty-nine other 
teen participants while also exploring the local community and participating 
in various recreational activities. Enriched experiences. New friendships. 
More independence. Apply for NFB EQ 
now.www.blindscience.org/nfbeq<http://www.blindscience.org/nfbeq>. Have 
questions? Email STEM at nfb.orgmailto:STEM at nfb.orgmailto:STEM at nfb.org.
Comments: Please share this information with students, parents, teachers. 
Please post to social media.
Brian will have on the state website.

Reminders:
National Convention Hotel Block is Open:
We are excited to be hosting our convention at the beautiful Mandalay Bay 
Resort and Casino. As is the case every year, we have once again arranged 
for exceptional room rates. Unlike in years past, the same enviable rate of 
$99 per night applies to singles and doubles as well as triples and quads. 
Hotel and sales taxes are 13.38 percent and 8.25 percent, respectively. The 
resort fee (normally $37 a night) will be waived for NFB convention 
attendees. However, fees for internet access, local and toll-free calls, and 
fitness center access may apply.
To make reservations for the 2019 convention, you can call the hotel at 
877-632-7800. The hotel will take a deposit of the first night’s room rate 
for each room and will require a credit card or a personal check. If you use 
a credit card, the deposit will be charged against your card immediately. If 
a reservation is cancelled before Friday, June 1, half of the deposit will 
be returned. Otherwise refunds will not be made.
Comments: A good number of membership have reserved hotel rooms, don’t 
hesitate!

Dates to Keep in Mind:

  *   January 28, 2019: Great Gathering-In; Washington 
Seminar<https://nfb.org/washington-seminar> begins
  *   March 28-29, 2019: Jacobus tenBroek Law 
Symposium<https://nfb.org/law-symposium>

·         March 31, 2019: NFB scholarship 
application<https://nfb.org/scholarships> deadline
·         April 15, 2019: Dr. Jacob Bolotin 
Award<https://nfb.org/programs/dr-jacob-bolotin-awards> application deadline

  *   June 16-22, 2019: NFB EQ<http://www.blindscience.org/nfbeq>, 
Baltimore, Maryland
  *   July 7-12, 2019: NFB National 
Convention<https://nfb.org/convention/2019>, Las Vegas, Nevada

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.

Mark A. Riccobono, President
200 East Wells Street, Baltimore, MD 21230
(410) 659-9314 | 
officeofthepresident at nfb.org<mailto:officeofthepresident at nfb.org>

[National Federation of the Blind]<https://nfb.org/>

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