[NFBOH-Cleveland] January 2026 Cleveland Updates

[smturner.234 at gmail.com]

Cleveland Members, Happy New Years!

 

The season of Holiday's are in the mid-week. Therefore, the first of January
is approaching vastly. New Year's resolutions and promises will be made.
Let's see who can keep them until this time next year. Will you promise to
be more healthy, aware and kinder? Will you promise to advocate, mediate for
causes or uplift others? Maybe you will not slumber, overstay or speak when
not invited. Nevertheless, I am hoping that you can fulfill your promise in
2026.

 

I want to thank the Christmas Party Team, Tomeika Hurt, Chacity Gilliam and
Antonio Dobyne for a great time. The food was outstanding. Also, the
children were so helpful and fun to be with as well. Parents, please thank
them on behalf of the Cleveland Chapter.

 

The most wonderful experience was that Cleveland had all men serving us our
food. Men, Robert Roche, Antonio Dobyne Chris, who is Tomeika's brother and
Kirtis Keith, we thank you for your service. 

 

Nada Douglas kept us with great music. Cleveland thanks you as well.

 

William Turner and Tomeika Hurt represented the Cleveland Chapter at the
Greater Akron chapter's Christmas party, and I attended the Cuyahoga
Chapter's event as well. Both were a treat for us to attend.

 

Please continue to keep Wayne Fletcher in your prayers, as he continues the
process on the kidney transplant register. He was at the Cuyahoga party as
well. It was good to see him.

 

Now back to business!

 

Below Agenda

1. National Convention

2. State Convention

3. National Senior Retreat

4. More is below.

 

Please read and share the entire update.

 

///

 

The 2026 Washinton Factsheets are available by attachment. Please read
through them; as we all must be up to date on the 2026 National Advocacy and
Policy initiatives.

 

They are,

A. Technology

B. Employment

C. Laws That The Blind Depend On

 

Although, you are not traveling to DC. Your advocacy is just as important
locally.

 

///

 

Cleveland chapter Voice Box:

 

Details:

The Voice Box will be updated this afternoon by 4 :00PM. Please go to:

(641) 715-3900

Code: 582705.

 

Anyone is welcome to access the recording.

 

///

 

Announcement by Renee ArringtonJohnson

 

Details

Hello tech patrons!

 

Our new quarter of workshops, including the Windows Screen Reader series,
starts in January. If you or someone you know would like to become a
confident screen reader user on Windows, building your confidence with
typing is one key to success.

'You can always email or call us to book one-on-one guided typing practice
that starts with the home row and builds up to complex sentences and
function keys. If you would rather practice at home, we can recommend a
variety of free typing apps and websites. If you want to practice typing but
don't have a computer, we can show you how to pair an affordable keyboard
with your phone and practice that way.

Whatever your method, now is a great time to brush up on typing so you can
take full advantage of our winter workshops without the annoyance of hunting
for that elusive semicolon key!

 

Chansey Fleet, Assistive Technology Specialist

Email chanceyfleet at nypl.org <mailto:chanceyfleet at nypl.org>  or

Call or Text:

347-632-8383

to type with us!

 

///

 

New Year's Fellowship

 

Details:

All members are encouraged to attend a Happy New year fellowship gathering,
called, "NFB Friends and Members of the Year" Thus a new us, a new attitude
and a new start"! What a great way to kick off 2026 with members, food and
laughter. The address is 11616Detroit Road. Please RSVP so we can have a
count for the restaurant. Contact Tomeika Hurt at 216-820-5404. The first 33
attendees will be in the private room. Others will be seated in the
restaurant. However, you have the availability to walk to and frow.

 

///

 

January 2026 Chapter Meeting

 

Details:

The Cleveland Chapter will hold their January 2026 meeting at the Garfield
Heights Library, 5409 Turney Road, Garfield Heights, Ohio, from 1:00 to
3:30PM. Please bring a guest.

Remember, 2026 dues are $15 for the year. Please provide them no later than
January 30th 2026

 

///

 

Announcement from Tomeika Hurt, Fundraising Chair

 

Details:

For members who received Valentine Fundraising tickets and tumblers for
sale, which were distributed during the November 2025 meeting, all 500
tickets have been distributed to members. Most of them have been sold.
However, there are a few members who will have tickets at the New Year's
gathering.

 

Congratulations! All tumblers have been sold.

 

Members can turn in tickets and funds on the following dates and occasions,

1. You can turn in tickets stubs and money at the Cleveland Sight Center on
Tuesday's and Thursday's from 12:30Pm to 2:30PM. I will be present.

2. Also, on January 3rd 2026, during a fellowship at the My Friend
Restaurant from noon until 3:00, there will be another opportunity to sale
or turn in stubs and money. This will be a Happy New year fellowship
gathering. "NFB Friends and Members of the Year" What a great way to kick
off 2026 with members, food and laughter. The address is 11616Detroit Road.
Please RSVP so we can have a count for the restaurant.

3. You can also turn in tickets and funds at the Cleveland January meeting.
We will meet at the Garfield Library, 5409 Turney Road, Garfield Heights,
Ohio, from 1:00PM to 3:30PM.

4. And, the final deadline is on February 7th when all stubs and money
should be turned into the Fundraising Chair, Tomeika Hurt.

Therefore, the drawing will be on February 8, 2026 in the Ohio zoom room.
You do not need to be present or reside in Ohio to win.

 

There are four prizes,

A: Hotel stay at the Embassy Suites with love basket,

B: Massage for two,

3: A certificate for $100 at the Capital Grill

4: And lastly, $50 in cash.

 

Anyone may purchase a ticket for $10. You do not have to reside in Ohio to
win.

Consequently, If you would like to purchase or assist with the sale, contact
Tomeika at (216) 820-5404.

"I honestly believe that we all can do this and bring in money so it can
help out with assistance for convention as well as the Washington and
Columbus Seminars. Thus, any other assistance that is needed with the
agreement of the Executive Board for approval. If you have any questions
pertaining to the tickets, please do not hesitate to contact me. You have a
beautiful, wonderful, productive blessed day."

Love Tomeika Hurt

 

///

 

Announcement from the National Senior Division,

 

Details:

2026 National Senior Division Retreat

 

What is a retreat, you ask?

The NFB Senior Division sponsors a winter retreat for those seniors who are
new to blindness or who want a refresher for some of the techniques that
don't require vision.

Dates: February 8 to February 14, 2026

Meet & Greet on Sunday, February 8 and Wrap-up Saturday, February 14, 2026

Will be Held 1 PM - 2:30 PM

Monday through Friday, Noon - 5 PM

These will be one-hour classes.

Featuring Cane Travel, Daily Living Skills, Technology Tips and Tricks from
Low Tech to High Tech,  and so much more

 

All of this for the cost of only $50. So, kindly go to the link below and
join us in this weeklong journey. You will learn, share and enjoy the
fellowship in this safe environment.

Sign up here:

<https://forms.gle/mZ1rkvneov65Utyc9> https://forms.gle/mZ1rkvneov65Utyc9

Looking forward to having you in our zoom room!

 

///

 

National Convention

 

Details:

The upscale JW Marriott Austin will serve as our headquarters hotel, while
the recently opened Austin Mariott Downtown, just a short walk away, will
provide overflow space. All convention events will take place in the
headquarters hotel this year. Both hotels offer a number of dining options,
24/7 fitness centers, and rooftop pools with cabana rentals. The hotels are
in the heart of downtown Austin, surrounded by local restaurants and shops.
A few blocks south, walking trails line the section of the Colorado River
known as Lady Bird Lake.

Our 2026 convention hotel rate is $139 per night for singles and doubles.
Triples and quads are available for $155 per night. Sales tax and a tourism
fee total a combined 19 percent.

You may book a room at 800-535-4028 as early as January 1.

 

///

 

Announcement from Chacity Gilliam Vice president

 

Details:

The 2026 State of Ohio Convention will be held at the Marriott University of
Dayton Hotel, 1414 South Patterson, Blvd. Dayton Ohio on November 5th
through 8th 2026. The hotel rate is $129 per night. You can make your
reservation now by calling 800-535-4028.

 

Cleveland will charter a bus coach to Dayton. Here are the details:

The price of a round-trip seat is $120 per passenger.

You can begin installment payments starting on January 17, 2026 at the
Cleveland Chapter January meeting.

A $30 deposit is due by March 21, 2026 to secure your seat.

Final payment is due on September 21, 2026.

Deposits are final.

You can either make your payments by zelle or mail.

Zelle address: NFB.CLE.Treasurer at Gmail.com
<mailto:NFB.CLE.Treasurer at Gmail.com> 

Mail: NFB of Cleveland, Attention, Natassha Ricks,

6980 Ladd Ln.

Maple Heights, Ohio 44137

Please call either Chacity Gilliam at 216-644-4374 or Natassha Ricks at
216-376-9863 to inform them of your payment.

Note: Please put in the memo: Dayton Trip.

 

///

 

Finally, if you would like to serve on the following 2026 Cleveland Chapter
Committees, please contact President, Suzanne

1. Legislative Committee - William Turner, Chair

2. Education Committee -

3. Membership Committee - Theresa McKenney and Chacity Gilliam, Chairs

4. Fundraising Committee - Tomeika Hurt and Antonio Dobyne, Chairs

5. Outreach Committee - Wilbert Turner, Chair

6. Seniors Committee -

 

Our Membership Coordinator is Chacity Gilliam. She will gather new members
information and input them in the New membership Portal.

 

Cleveland's Sargent of Arms will be Lorain Clemons and Machelle Gulley.

 

If anyone need any assistance or clarification, please email or call me at:

(216) 990-6199

Email: SMTurner.234 at gmail.com <mailto:SMTurner.234 at gmail.com> 

 

Thank you for reading!

 

President, Suzanne

 

Suzanne M. Hartfield Turner

National Federation of the Blind of Ohio, Vice President

Ohio Legislative Director

Cleveland Chapter, President

 

The National Federation of the Blind advances the lives of its members and
all blind people in the United States. We know 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. Our collective power, determination,
and diversity achieve the aspirations of all blind people.

 

P: (216) 990-6199

W: NFBOhio.ORG

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ohiosblind/photos/

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://nfbnet.org/pipermail/nfboh-cleveland_nfbnet.org/attachments/20251228/d5e3036f/attachment-0001.htm>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: 2026 Access Technology Affordability Act Fact Sheet.docx
Type: application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document
Size: 121416 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://nfbnet.org/pipermail/nfboh-cleveland_nfbnet.org/attachments/20251228/d5e3036f/attachment-0003.docx>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: 2026 Blind Americans Return to Work Act Fact Sheet.docx
Type: application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document
Size: 85798 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://nfbnet.org/pipermail/nfboh-cleveland_nfbnet.org/attachments/20251228/d5e3036f/attachment-0004.docx>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: 2026 Protecting Education Employment and Independent Living Fact Sheet (1).docx
Type: application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document
Size: 117177 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://nfbnet.org/pipermail/nfboh-cleveland_nfbnet.org/attachments/20251228/d5e3036f/attachment-0005.docx>