[NFBOH-Cleveland] A message to keep you in the loop.

[Suzanne Turner]

Greeting's Ohio,

You will find the January minutes at the end of this email. This year
continues to be very busy and exciting. Several of us just returned from the
National Federation of the Blind 2019 National Convention in Las Vegas,
Nevada. At the banquet, President, Mark Riccobono emphasized Freedom. As an
African American male, I quite understand the value of freedom  in ways that
some may have never thought about. Years  ago, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
taught us the true meaning of the word "freedom", leaving an indelible mark
on America. During the Civil Rights Movement, King preached that nonviolence
and civil disobedience are the only way to fight for freedom, successfully
leading Blacks in their quest for the "unalienable rights" promised by our
Founding Fathers. "We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of
dignity and discipline," he urged. The National Federation of the Blind is
"an organization of change and continues  to workk
 toward securing full integration, equality, independence, acceptance, and
respect for all blind Americans." 

Additionally, President Riccobono wrote an article in the Braille Monitor in
the August -September 2012 edition, it also highlighted freedom. However, it
spoke to the Degree of Freedom. Here is what it says,
Degrees of freedom is often used to describe the dynamics of a group, a
society, a government, or any other system that has a number of human
influences upon its outcomes. We might think of each individual as an
independent degree of freedom. The combination of two, five, ten, or one
hundred individuals working collectively may provide more degrees of freedom
than those individuals acting without coordination. 
 
Prior to the establishment of the National Federation of the Blind, the
blind had little influence on their future outcomes. During our organizing
Dr. Jacobus tenBroek, the founder and first president of the National
Federation of the Blind, described the new organization as "creating the
machinery which will unify the action and concentrate the energies of the
blind." In forming our organization, we established a system with power,
energy, determination, and resources-a system that could influence other
systems and thus establish new degrees of freedom for the blind.
Each time a blind person has gained employment in a new field of study,
accessed a new resource or public accommodation, or achieved influence
through another position of power, the degrees of freedom for all of us were
increased. Similarly, every time a new chapter of the Federation was formed,
a new affiliate established, or another convention assembled, the variables
changed, new potential was realized, and the ability to influence the
broader society was enhanced. Out of the collective system of the Federation
have come individual blind people with growing self-confidence and an
empowered spirit to change the systems that had been established for us
without us.

Hence, "the NFB was founded on the guiding principles that blind people have
an inalienable right to independence, that blind people have equal capacity,
and that only blind people themselves can legitimately speak for the blind
community. These principles have continually permeated the membership and
structure of our ever-growing organization."

///

I know that the summertime is when many federation chapters will be having
picknicks and other festive programs. I urge all Chapters to stay headfast
with the work of the federation. Please continue to contact Ohio State
Representatives to sponsor legislative bills. We must always promote NFB of
Ohio's legislation and do what we can to get them past. 

///

Eric. and our volunteers will be in Columbus next week working on the 2019
BELL Academy.  It promises to be another great event for our blind children.
You should stand ready to help if we need you. Thank you, to everyone who
has already reached out and done what they could to assist with this
spectacular endeavor. 

///

The 73rd Annual Convention of the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio
(NFBOH) will be the largest gathering of blind people in the state. It will
be held on November 1st, 2nd and 3rd, at the  DOUBLETREE by Hilton,
Columbus/WORTHINGTON Hotel. The address is 175 HUTCHINSON AVENUE, COLUMBUS,
OH 43235. The telephone number is (614) 885-3334. You should start calling
now and reserve your room. The room rate is $89.00 plus tax. Sheri Albers is
the Convention Arrangement Chair this year. So, please reach out to her and
see where you may help. There are many opportunities to assist, such as,
gathering door prizes, volunteering to marshal, stocking the hospitality
with refreshments for this year's convention and more.

The 2019 Convention theme will be!

Wait for it!

Wait for it!!

Drum roll please!!

  "Obstacles are Opportunities"  The NFB is  an instrument of change!

 "No matter what obstacles may come your way, stay focused, stay positive
and stay true!

///

I would also like to remind chapters and divisions that you should have your
Membership Coins now so if you do not, please contact me. I have not
received any  emails that demonstrates; new members. This is concerning,
because we should always be recruiting new members.

I could write more, but because the Fall State Convention and other items
will be happening right around the corner. Stay tuned!

///

But, before I let you go! If you are wondering where the 2020 National
Covention will be! It is the home of R&B artist Beyoncé and where basketball
player, James Harden signed his contract to play. 

If you guest Houston Texas! you are correct!

The Minutes are below!
  
National Federation of the Blind of Ohio
Board of Directors Meeting
January 14, 2019

President Richard Payne called the meeting to order  at 7:00 PM using
conference line 712-775-7031.

1. All members of the board were present. Other members of the affiliate
were given the opportunity to introduce themselves. 

2. Sheri Albers moved that the November and December minutes be adopted as
emailed. Barbara Pierce seconded the motion, and it carried.

3. Bob Pierce read the financial report prepared by Sherry Ruth. Eric Duffy
moved its adoption. Barbara Pierce seconded the motion, and it passed after
an opportunity for questions.

4. President Payne had asked Sherry Ruth to bring a recommendation to the
board concerning how the organization should invest some of its assets.
Sherry moved that we invest in CDs as follows: $25,000 14 months Huntington;
$25,000 19 months Huntington; $50,000 36 months Edward Jones. Eric Duffy
seconded the motion, and, after a lengthy and informative discussion, it
carried. 

5. President Payne proposed that the affiliate conduct a leadership seminar,
legislative training, and BELL training in conjunction with the April Board
of Directors meeting and the Columbus seminar. Eric Duffy moved that we have
such a weekend with BELL training beginning Friday evening, April 5, and the
Board of Directors meeting taking place on Sunday, April 7. Suzanne Turner
seconded the motion, and it passed. President Payne will appoint an ad hoc
planning committee to work out the remaining details.

6. Deanna Lewis gave a report from the fund raising committee. The following
items were covered: 

A. We have made $77 from the Honey Baked Ham gift card sales thus far. That
fund raiser ends in early May, so please continue to purchase cards and ask
your family and friends to do so as well.

B. The committee recommended that we once again sell Malley's chocolate for
the Easter season. Barbara Pierce  seconded the motion, and it carried.
Deanna will get our online campaign set up and get order forms for those who
want them.

C. Sheri Albers then talked about the Flying Pig Marathon. For the fourth
year in a row we will line up at Mile 9 of the Half Marathon on Madison Road
and cheer on runners and hand out Puffs tissues to them as they go by. For
this task the affiliate will be paid $500. All we need to do is make sure we
have thirty members, family, and friends signed up to participate. Those of
you who have done this  before will remember how much the runners
appreciated us, not only for the tissues, but for the moral support we were
able to provide. This is a great way for us to give back to the community
while getting the brand of the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio out
in the public. Then there is the matter of selling pigs. Pigs can be sold
online. For each pig sold the affiliate will receive $5. For each pig sold
using a paper ticket, the chapter or division who sells it will get $2 and
the affiliate will get $3. Please let Sheri Albers know how many paper
tickets your chapter or division wants to sell. The chapter or division is
responsible for turning in all money from sales to Sherry Ruth. In the memo
line of the check put "Flying Pig." Ticket stubs and or unsold tickets must
be sent to Sheri Albers by April 27. Chapters, divisions, and individuals
must account for each paper ticket we have. We do that by returning ticket
stubs or unsold tickets to Sheri Albers. If a chapter requests twelve
tickets, and only eight stubs and two unsold tickets are returned to Sheri
Albers, then the chapter must pay $10. 

D. By consensus the board agreed no longer to participate in the Great Lakes
Shop with Scrip fund raising program. Historically the membership has not
supported this program in such a way that we have made a lot of money. We
thank Shelbi Hindel for the work she has put into this effort for several
years. 

7. President Payne asked for chapter, division, and committee reports. 

A. The Diabetes Action Network reported that they have one new member. They
also reported that the national organization is working to update the
information about diabetes that we have for distribution.

B. Barbara Pierce reported that the Seniors Division is doing good work with
the monthly informational calls. These calls are informative and energizing.
Sandy Krems and Gloria Conway have now become the leaders in organizing and
making these calls successful.

C. Suzanne Turner and Carolyn Peters reported that the membership committee
had a great call for new members in December. The call was well attended,
and a lot of good topics were presented, and good questions were asked. They
thanked all participants.

8. Marianne Denning reported on the Braille literacy program. We have once
again received a grant from Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities
(OOD) to teach uncontracted Braille to adults in need of instruction. The
program will operate very much like it did last year. Marianne Denning and
Debbie Baker are the teachers leading the program. They need to hear from
both students and those who are interested in mentoring as soon as possible.


9. President Payne reported that the 2019 convention of the National
Federation of the Blind of Ohio will be held at the DoubleTree Hotel in
Columbus October 31-November 3. Room rates are $89 per night plus tax. 

10. There was a general discussion about bequests. It is a longstanding
practice that, when a Federation entity receives a bequest of any size, half
of it is given to the national organization. This is done on the principle
that money should always travel upward within the organization. The money
serves more people at the national level  than it does at the local or state
level. This discussion came about as a result of the bequest that the
affiliate received from the Bob Merkle estate. Richard authorized Sherry
Ruth to send half of the money to the national organization due to the
above-mentioned practice. Bob was  a member of the Springfield chapter, and
there was some discussion about how much money the affiliate would give to
the chapter. President Payne asked that the Springfield chapter provide him
with a proposal concerning how money would be used to benefit the blind of
the greater Springfield area and how much money the chapter believes it
needs to meet these needs. It is not healthy for sizable amounts of money to
sit in bank accounts. Therefore, we must be sure that a feasible plan of
action is in place.  The affiliate will always support activities that will
grow and build the organization at all levels.

11. The meeting adjourned at 9:33 PM.

Respectfully submitted,
Eric Duffy, Secretary

Richard Payne,  President
National Federation of the Blind of Ohio
937-396-5573or 937/829/3368
Rchpay7 at gmail.com <mailto:Rchpay7 at gmail.com> 
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

 
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