[NFBOK-Talk] NFBOK 2016 State Convention!!!!

Thu Feb 4 16:25:04 UTC 2016

Jeannie,
We are still planning on having the re-organization of the OABM that weekend. Where will it fit in at?
Rhonda

From: Jeannie Massay via NFBOK-Talk 
Sent: Tuesday, February 02, 2016 7:39 PM
To: Jeannie Massay 
Cc: Jeannie Massay 
Subject: [NFBOK-Talk] NFBOK 2016 State Convention!!!!

     2016 National Federation of the Blind of Oklahoma Convention

March 31 –April 3, 2016 

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.

The Board of Directors of the National Federation of the Blind of Oklahoma welcome you to join in our 42nd Annual convention!

Jeannie Massay, President

Audrey T. Farnum, 1st Vice President 

Rex Schuttler, 2nd Vice President  

Glenda Farnum, Treasurer

Jedi Moerke, Secretary 

Cammie Loehr, Board Member

Mike Harvey, Board Member

Mike Floyd, Board Member 

The mission of the National Federation of the Blind of Oklahoma is to seek equality, education and employment for all blind people in Oklahoma.  We offer public education about blindness, serve as a source of information and referral, provide literature and publications about blindness, share information about and demonstrate assistive technology and other adaptive equipment for the blind, participate in advocacy efforts in the protection of civil rights, and offer support for blind persons and their families.  Our members are blind children and their parents, blind students from high school to college, adults and seniors.    

We wholeheartedly believe that blindness is not the characteristic that defines anyone or their 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 us back.  We are living the lives that we want! 

This year we are thrilled to have Ever Lee Hairston serve as our national representative and keynote speaker. Ms. Hairston is a dynamic and charismatic woman, a published author and a person whose story you will want to hear. A bit about Ever Lee:

Mentor, Advocate, Motivational Speaker

Born to Arizona and Clarence Hairston on the Coolemee plantation in Mocksville, North Carolina, Ever Lee is the third of seven children. She grew up and attended schools in the segregated South. “I felt like a second-class citizen, using hand-me-down books in school; and, due to unexplained vision problems, I had to struggle to read from the bulletin board,” Ever Lee noted. In spite of the challenges of growing up in the segregated South and continuing visual problems, Ever Lee had a strong desire to become a nurse. Ever Lee’s parents simply could not afford to send her to college; so after high school, Ever Lee went to New York City to earn money for college by working as a live-in maid. She returned to North Carolina at the end of the summer anxious to pursue a nursing career. However, she failed the required eye examination and was told that she would not be suitable for admission to Duke University Nursing School. “I was heartbroken but refused to be defeated,” she said. She was accepted at North Carolina Central University, where she earned a teaching degree.

After graduating from North Carolina Central, Ever Lee taught high school business courses in New Jersey. While working as a high school teacher in New Jersey, Ever Lee’s eyesight continued to deteriorate. She finally sought answers and medical care. Ever Lee, along with three siblings, were diagnosed with a genetic eye disease, retinitis pigmentosa (RP). And, four years after starting a challenging teaching career, Ever Lee was forced to resign from her position because of her impending blindness.

At the age of twenty-nine, facing total blindness, with a failed marriage, a child to raise alone, and uncertainty about future employment, Ever Lee admitted to being devastated and feeling sorry for herself. However, she held on to the hope that a better way of life was in store for her. Ever Lee admits to believing in the old adage that “When God closes a door, He opens a window.” She began looking for the window.

After inventorying her strengths, she stepped through a window of opportunity at New Jersey’s Rutgers University, where she took graduate courses in counseling. In 1983 she landed a Counselor Trainee position with the Camden County Department of Health and Human Services. But, as Ever Lee explains it, “With no blindness skills, I was faking my way through.” She notes that she relied heavily on sighted people to read to her and to act as guides.

In 1987 Ever Lee was invited to a NFB convention in Phoenix, Arizona. At first she made excuses because she was afraid of requesting the time off from her job. The most profound experience, as Ever Lee explains it, came when she started through the registration line. She remembers being asked, "Would you like a Braille or print agenda?" She could no longer read print and did not know Braille. It was then, according to Ever Lee, that a light bulb went off. She talked to as many people as she could at that convention in Phoenix, Arizona, and learned about the NFB centers. >From then until 1990 she continued to function without blindness skills but worked on a plan to get to Louisiana where she could be trained.

Ever Lee attended the Louisiana Center for the Blind from October 1990 until April 1991. She learned to read Braille, mastered cane travel and independent living skills, and learned to utilize adaptive technology. She returned to New Jersey, after the Freedom Bell rang for her at the Louisiana Center, with a confidence she never had before, integrating blindness skills into her everyday life.

Ever Lee credits her training at the Louisiana Center for the Blind with enabling her to succeed at her chosen career. After twenty-six years holding many successive positions with the Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Alcohol and Substance Abuse Program in New Jersey, Ever Lee retired from the position of program director in 2006.

In July of 2006 she moved to California. She continues to devote tireless hours mentoring and advocating for the blind, as well as delivering inspiring speeches to blind and visually impaired audiences and educating the sighted public about blindness. Ever Lee is blessed with one son, Victor; a wonderful daughter-in-law, Brenda; and three energetic grandchildren: Briana, Kendall, and Jasmine. She enjoys traveling, reading a good novel, and spending time with family 

Most recently, Ever Lee has authored and published a book titled Blind Ambition: One Woman’s Journey to greatness despite her blindness

Holiday Inn  - City Centre 

17 West 7th

Tulsa, Ok 74119

918-585-5898

www.holidayinn.com/tulsda-cc

The rate for the hotel this year is a fantastic $89.00 for singles or doubles.  All applicable taxes apply.  Each attendee must make their own hotel reservations.

Convention Rates and Packages: 

Convention Package $95.00 

Includes Registration, Boxed lunch for Friday and 1 Banquet meal for Saturday evening. 

Ala Carte Pricing

Registration - $25.00 

Boxed Lunch (Available Friday and Saturday) - $20 each 

Banquet Meal - $40.00 

*If you require specialized meal ACCOMODATIONS, please indicate so on your registration. 

You may register and pay online using a Credit card or Pay Pal account.  If you prefer to register online and mail a check or pay at the door with a check or cash, you may do so at the same link.  Our awesome Webmaster (1st Vice President, Audrey Farnum) has completely redesigned our website and has worked very hard to make this happen for us!   Go to this link to register online:  http://nfbok.org/state-convention/

If preferred, you may register by filling out the form at the end of this e-mail and sending it along with a check to Glenda Farnum, Treasurer of the NFB of Oklahoma at the following address: 

Glenda Farnum 

6116 Gunhill Way

Warr Acres, Ok 73132

Any questions about registration should be  directed to Glenda Farnum, Treasurer, at 405-255-6482 or by e-mail at treasurer at nfbok.org

If you are a student and plan on attending the Student Seminar Sessions, please contact Cammie Loehr , President of the Oklahoma Association of Blind Students at cammieloehr767 at gmail.com  or by phone at 580-678-8222. 

Convention Activities 

Thursday, March 31, 2016 

7:00-8:30          Registration 

6:00 -10:00       Federation Family Gatherings   

Informal gatherings and fellowship  for students, and anyone else wanting to have a good time together before we get down to business. More information will be forthcoming regarding specific times and locations. 

Friday, April 1, 2016 

8:00-9:00          Registration 

9:00 – 10:00     NFB of Ok Board meeting  

Open to all convention attendees. 

10:00- 11:00             Resolutions Committee Meeting, Mike Harvey, Chair 

Any member may submit, at least 2 weeks in advance of the convention, a resolution which may be considered by the Committee. All members are encouraged to attend as this is where you will learn about the resolutions for this year. Resolutions which pass the committee will then be voted on by the membership at the annual business meeting on Sunday, April 3rd.  Resolutions are considered to be the policy of our organization. 

Resolutions for consideration may be sent to Mike Harvey at mike.harvey149 at gmail.com 

The Exhibit Hall will be open from 10:00 to 8:00. (Friday ONLY)

Raising Expectations 

A day of seminars for all blind Oklahomans, their friends and family members relating to the development of blindness skills and the achievement of independence.  How to live the life you want!

11:15-12:30     Session 1 rotation   

1. Student Seminar: Self-Advocacy 

2. Cane Travel - Professional Orientation & Mobility Instructors will be on hand to dynamically teach participants the basics of using a long white cane to navigate the world as a blind person. Led by Jedi Moerke, Mike Harvey, and others.

3. Tech Talk & Demonstrations:  Do you have a Love/ Hate relationship with your technology?  This seminar is for beginners to those who are tech savvy.  Bring questions about the technology that you depend on.  Hopefully, we can provide the answers. Led by Audrey Farnum.

12:30 – 1:30     Lunch   

1:30- 2:45         Session 2 rotation 

1. Student Seminar – Technology Matters

2. Why I am a Federationist! Discussion of what the National Federation of the Blind is and why members on this panel got involved and remain so. 

3. When blindness comes: Seniors successfully living with blindness 

3:00-4:15 Session 3 rotation 

1. Student Seminar - 

2. Health & well-being: Incorporating Stress management into our lives – Led by Jeannie Massay

3. Cane Travel  - Professional Orientation & Mobility Instructors will be on hand to dynamically teach participants the basics of using a long white cane to navigate the world as a blind person. Led by Jedi Moerke, Mike Harvey, and others.

4:15 -6:30         Dinner Break – Dinner on your own. Restaurant menus are available in Braille and Large-print. Local restaurants are happy to serve you as well! Enjoy! Fuel  up and get ready to finish out the day!

6:30-8:00 Session 4 rotation   

1. Student Seminar 

2. Tech Talk & Demonstrations:  Do you have a Love/ Hate relationship with your technology?  This seminar is for beginners to those who are tech savvy.  Bring questions about the technology that you depend on.  Hopefully, we can provide the answers. Led by Audrey Farnum.

3. The Working Blind - A panel discussion with employed individuals who happen to be blind.  Panelists from a variety of interests and jobs will speak about their jobs and the skills that they use daily to bring home their pay!

8:30-10:00        Activities           

1. Student Division Meeting and Elections 

2. Meet & mingle/ Game night          

3. Described movie 

Saturday, April 2, 2016 

9:00 Call to order

9:00-12:00                  General Session 

12:00 – 2:00               Lunch 

2:00 – 5L00                 General Session 

Speakers include Jeannie Massay, President,  National Federation of the Blind of Oklahoma, Joe Cordova, Director, Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation, Ever Lee Hairston, National  Representative and many others helping blind Oklahomans live the lives that they want!

7:00           Banquet and keynote address featuring Ever Lee Hairston

Sunday, April 2, 2016

9:30-12:00        Annual Business Meeting 

12:00                   Adjourn 

An updated agenda will be forthcoming with additional information on the specifics of General Session speakers and a separate agenda for the Student Seminar sessions. Stay tuned! Make sure to register and reserve your room today!We hope you can join us!

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 

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 youw ant.!. 

“Whatever you dare to dream, begin.” – Goethe 

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