[NFBSea] Invitation: NFBW Greater Seattle Chapter Meeting + Independence Community Walk, June 08, 2024!

[Humberto Avila]

  National Federation of the Blind of Washington Greater Seattle Chapter
  Meeting and Independence Walk


Join us for an exciting, empowering, strength / resilience building, 
connection-filled meeting of the NFB of Washington's Greater Seattle 
Chapter. Details are below. Each section of this invite message is 
organized into headings, for ease of navigation, if your email reader 
app supports rich text / HTML email display.

Feel free to pass this invitation along to interested people in our area!

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      Meeting Location:


Razzi's Pizzeria <http://www.razzispizza.com>

8523 Greenwood Avenue North, Seattle, WA  98103

note that Razzi's is on the #5 busline and has easy dropoff points for 
rideshare and paratransit.


      Date & time:


Saturday, June 08, 2024 at 11:00 A.M. Expect about an hour or so for 
being there (See below, as our meeting format has changed a bit to 
accommodate an exciting opportunity for community building at the end of 
our meeting!)


    Meeting Agenda:


 1. We have the usual business stuff to go over: president, secretary,
    treasure and state report, as well as other things the chapter may
    be considering voting on, so stay tuned for more updates.
 2. National Convention <http://www.nfb.org/convention> is coming up
    very quickly and folks are preparing for that, we will have an
    update on how things are going with that. also, if you can't attend
    the convention in person, there is a virtual experience that is
    tailored for those who arent able to go. Even though the
    registration deadline has passed for signing up for in-person
    convention, you can still sign up for the NFB Virtual convention
    Experience! Visit this link for more details and
    <https://nfb.org/get-involved/national-convention/2024-national-convention-virtual-experience>
    to sign up.
 3. The NFB Presidential Release
    <https://nfb.org/resources/publications-and-media/presidential-releases>
    may be played during this meeting for folks that couldn't catch the
    live version on May 30. This report from the NFB President details
    important info regarding convention, resources, and other things the
    national organization is taking on.
 4. Amandeep, our President, is participating in NFB Bell Academy
    <https://nfb.org/programs-services/nfb-bell-academy>, so she'll talk
    about this in more detail and details will be available for folks to
    sign on as volunteers. Click on the link in this paragraph for more
    info on this amazing program for Braille teaching for blind children
    happening this August at the school for the blind in our state!
 5. Our secretary, Humberto, will lead us into a philosophy discussion
    on topics about blindness. His discussions tend to focus on living
    our best lives as Blind and low vision people,. The topic that will
    be addressed during this philosophy discussion will be on
    participating fully in summer recreational activities such as
    camping, organizing field trips, picnics, and the like, from the
    perspective of the back-end of things like setting up, taking down
    and organizing things just as efficiently as sighted people can.
    Remember - these "philosophy" seminars are intended to be
    conversational in nature and laid-back, so no whiteboards, slates,
    or other note takers are needed here. :) You just participate,
    contribute, commicerate
 6. After our meeting's through, we will disperse for the day, and
    whoever wishes to join us for our social gathering outside in the
    park afterwards, can do so and otherwise enjoy the rest of your day.


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    Social Walk of Interdependence at Seattle's Green Lake Park


I would like to thank my Vice President, Kristin Geary, for organizing 
this event that promises to be amazing opportunity for networking, team 
bonding, and connection-building. Details are below for those who would 
wish to join us for this walk. Remember- it is a walk, so dog-guides and 
Long White Canes are welcome, and in fact, they are MORE THAN ENCOURAGED!


      Location:

Starbucks near Green Lake Park

7100 East Green Lake Drive North, Seattle, WA 98115

Note: We will be meeting at this location to take a drink and 
re-energize ourselves to kickoff this walk. We will be heading out from 
there into Green Lake 
<https://www.seattle.gov/parks/allparks/green-lake-park>.


      Date & time:

Saturday June 08, 2024, after the NFB Seattle Chapter meeting. I would 
expect us to meet at Starbucks by about 12:30 PM or 1:00 depending on 
how things go. for those walking from the meeting, we will take a short 
bus trip down to this Starbucks.


this particular starbucks is close by to a bus line, and has accessible 
entrances for dropoff points for rideshare and paratransit as well.

A restaurant is also available across the street from the Starbucks. For 
those of us wanting a meal after the walk we may be meeting up there to 
discuss the awesomeness of what we have done and just to mingle with one 
another.


We will be walking in the park for an hour or two depending on how 
people feel. Remember to use and model the alternative skills of 
blindness such as good cane techniques, listening, finding clues, and 
just follow the leader for the day!


    Note to Access Paratransit Riders:

You may want to set up a dropoff destination from your home to Razzi's 
Pizzeria to get to the chapter meeting. then, set up a different pickup 
location, using the Starbucks by Green Lake Park as the pickup address 
(please see above) to then head home. We will not be returning to 
Razzi's after our walk. this might make your life much easier. If going 
to lunch at the alehouse across the street from Starbucks, somewhere 
around 3, 4 or 5 PM may be a good pickup time slot, depending on your 
plans. If just walking in the park, perhaps around 2, 3 or 3:30 may work 
for you, again depending on how things go. This will be a come-and-go 
event. The time windows have been suggested to eliminate confusion and 
stress.


  Thank you so much for attending our meeting / interdependence walk
  this upcoming Saturday, and let's go build the National Federation of
  the Blind! We can #LiveTheLifeWeWant, blindness is not what defines us
  and holds us back!


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