[NFBOK-Talk] Greetings and announcements!National Federation of the Blind

Thu Dec 8 20:54:38 UTC 2016

Greetings Federation family, 

I wish you warmth and a giving heart as we enter into the holiday season.
Please remember that your Federation family is definitely a part of good
things happening in the world. I encourage you to read the December issue of
the Braille Monitor found here
https://nfb.org/images/nfb/publications/bm/bm16/bm1611/bm1611tc.htm. It is
filled with great information about blindness and how the National
Federation of the Blind encourages blind people to live the lives that they
want. It is my hope that we have done that for you and will continue to do
so for others well into the future. Much of life for me as a blind woman has
been greatly impacted and forever changed by the friends I have made within
the Federation. 

If the Federation has contributed to your life please consider making and
asking your friends and family to contribute to our local Oklahoma Affiliate
at the donate link on our website, http://nfbok.org/ways-to-donate/ Or to
our national organization at this link https://nfb.org/donate. Together with
love, hope and determination, we transform dreams into reality.  

One of the great programs that we conduct annually is our National
Federation of the Blind Scholarship for blind students. Applications  are
now live and will be accepted thru March 31 of 2017. Follow this link for
details https://nfb.org/scholarships Please note that students applying from
Oklahoma must contact me to schedule an interview before the March 31st
deadline. 

The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the
characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day, we raise
expectations of the blind because low expectations create obstacles between
blind people and our dreams. Blindness is not what holds you back. You can
live the life you want.! 

Below my signature is a message from President Riccobono along with
important announcements!

Warm wishes and love to you all, 

Jeannie 

A message from our President, Mark Riccobono:

Dear Fellow Federationists,

We have just completed a couple of busy days of meetings by the board of
directors of the National Federation of the Blind. On Friday night, we had a
donor appreciation dinner for those who have made significant financial
contributions to our organization. It is sometimes overwhelming to examine
the number of projects and the amount of work we get done in a year as an
organization. When you think about it, the primary reason we are as
effective as we are is that we have a strong committed corps of members who
put in significant time and energy. It is these personal relationships we
have with each other that allow us to tackle the big obstacles in our way. I
encourage all leaders of the Federation to continue to take the time to
build personal relationships with members, even as the pace of things we
need to complete seems to increase. If we fail to know each other at a
personal level, we will fail to continue to build the type of organization
we want. 

I wish that Melissa and I could make it to all the great Federation holiday
parties that are being planned across the nation. It would be wonderful to
share with each of you the great success we have had in 2016. Although we
cannot be with you, please know that we appreciate the tremendous work and
joyful energy you bring to our organization at all levels.

Critical Actions This Week:

Communications Survey:
As we close out 2016 and plan for 2017 and beyond, we are evaluating various
aspects of how we accomplish our organizational goals. To help us plan, we
would value your feedback on the NFB's organizational priorities, as well as
which forms of communication are most useful and effective for you. This
information will help us build a successful communications plan for the
future. The survey is confidential and should take approximately five
minutes to complete. Please distribute the link
(https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/B9MR89H) far and wide. We encourage all
willing participants to complete the survey by Monday, December 12.

New Product in the Independence Market-KNFB Reader Enterprise: 
We are happy to introduce a new license-based version of our award-winning
app in a new model called KNFB Reader Enterprise, currently only available
from the Independence Market. You can purchase a two-device license for
$99.99, a three-device license for $139.99, or a four-device license for
$169.99. To purchase an Enterprise license that you can use with multiple
devices, including in combination with both iOS and Android devices for
yourself, call the Independence Market at (410) 659-9314, extension 2216.
You will still be able to purchase KNFB Reader for a single device in the
App Store or Play Store. Soon, KNFB Reader Enterprise will also be available
through approved distributors. If you are interested in becoming a
distributor for KNFB Reader Enterprise, contact Scott White at
swhite at nfb.org <mailto:swhite at nfb.org> , or call (410) 659-9314, extension
2231.

Slam That!:
Some say that blind students cannot learn science, technology, engineering,
or mathematics. The members of the National Federation of the Blind say
"Slam that!" Dates and a location are now available for the 2017 NFB Youth
Slam-a week-long, hands-on, STEM learning program for one hundred blind and
low-vision high school students from across the country. This program of the
NFB Jernigan Institute's National Center for Blind Youth in Science will be
held July 23-29, 2017, at Towson University in Baltimore, Maryland.
Individuals who are interested in volunteering to help the members of the
NFB "Slam that!" and are available July 21-29, 2017, should apply at
http://www.blindscience.org/nfb-youth-slam-volunteer-page. The deadline to
apply is January 31, 2017. 

Dates to Keep in Mind:

*       December 16, 2016:  <https://nfb.org/santa-letters> Deadline for
Braille Letters from Santa requests

*       January 30-February 2, 2017: Washington Seminar
<https://nfb.org/washington-seminar> 

*       March 31, 2017: Deadline for scholarship applications
<http://www.nfb.org/scholarships> 

*       April 7-9, 2017 NFB Oklahoma Affiliate Convention  - More
information coming soon!

*       July 10-15, 2017:
<https://nfb.org/images/nfb/publications/bm/bm16/bm1611/bm161101.htm>
National Convention, Rosen Shingle Creek Resort, Orlando, Florida

Jeannie M. Massay, President

National Federation of theBlind 

Of Oklahoma

505 Baker Street

Norman, OK 73072

Phone: 405-600-0695

Jeannie.massay at nfbok.org <mailto:Jeannie.massay at nfbok.org>  

Live the life you want!

The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the
characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day, we raise
expectations of the blind because low expectations create obstacles between
blind people and our dreams. Blindness is not what holds you back. You can
live the life you want.!. 

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