[Nfbv-announce] Greater Springfield Chapter Meeting Announcement & Newsletter

[lpovinelli]

The next Greater Springfield Chapter meeting is Tuesday, September 14, 2010. Come and learn how you too can learn to dance.  We have a special treat for you to kickoff our fall. See details below.   

Dear Members and Friends: 

I thought I would provide a quick update to our chapter via a short newsletter.

-2010 Picnic 
-September Meeting Announcement
-2010 NFB of Virginia Convention Announcement
-Pledge

2010 Picnic held Saturday, August 21, 2010

I wanted to take a moment to talk about our recent picnic.  We had a wonderful afternoon of fun and fellowship with our fellow chapter members.  Joy and Gary Relton graciously opened their home to 31 members (including NFBV, President Fred Schroeder) and friends for this annual gala.  We enjoyed hamburgers and hot dogs that were graciously donated by our long time member Bernie Werwie.  One of the highlights of the afternoon was getting to know Nicholas, Leonardo, and Esteban, better know as the triplets,and their mother Ceila and Grandmother Margenia. The three triplet boys are 11 years old and have been in the United States for seven years.  They are originally from Columbia.  Knowing that opportunities for blind children are extremely limited in Columbia, mom decided to bring the boys to the US to obtain proper blindness training.  She knew that only by receiving a good education along with proper blindness training would her boys have a better chance at greater opportunit
 ies.  During the picnic, we had Nicolas, Leonardo, and Estaban flipping burgers and hot dogs on the grill, playing with various braille devices, participate in a sing along, play video games and more importantly get to know competent blind adults.  My hope and prayer is that a network of folks would be available to work with this wonderful family to help these boys obtain the skills necessary to become competent adults.  I know that my friend Ollie Cantos has taken an interest in the family and whatever we can do to help would be very much appreciated.

 September Meeting Announcement

Our next meeting will be held on Tuesday, September 14, 2010 at 7 PM
The meeting will be held at the John Marshall Library located at 6209 Rose Hill Drive, Alexandria, Virginia. 

This month we have a wonderful and exciting program.  We have Jordana Starr and her fiance Michael coming to talk to us, and even provide a quick instruction, on how to do various forms of dancing as a blind person.  They've had experience teaching fellow federationists Michael and C.J. Fish, Larry & Sue Povinelli, Bob Hartt and Bonnie O'Day.

Here is a quick bio.
Mike and Jordana began ballroom dancing in college, when they both competed on the Tufts University Ballroom Dance Team in 19 different dances.  Since leaving the competitive dance world, Mike and Jordana have become professional instructors, specializing in teaching new dancers with little to no previous experience.  Though many of their students are couples preparing for their weddings, they have taught children as young as age 6 and seniors well into their 80s. Notably, Mike and Jordana are two of only a handful of dance instructors in the country who teach the visually impaired.

In addition to private lessons, Mike and Jordana also teach and perform at special events like birthday parties, bridal showers, and corporate functions.  Some of their past clients include the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the Gephardt family, and the Department of Defense.

Please come and join us and bring a friend along to hear all about dancing.  You might even get a quick lesson.

See you on September 14.

State Convention Information: 
National Federation of the Blind of Virginia 
State Convention by Michael Kasey, NFB Vigilant - Spring 2010     
The 2010 NFBV Convention will be held in Falls Church November 12-14, 2010. 
This may prove to be the most attended convention in our history!  It must 
be the largest hotel we have ever had a state convention. The hotel address 
is:  Marriott Fairview Park, 3111 Fairview Park Drive, Falls Church, VA, 
22042(703) 849-9400 or (800) 228-9290. The rate for a room is $65 per night 
(plus tax). The same low rate is also available one day prior to and one day 
after the convention for those who wish to continue enjoying the hospitality 
of the city. There is much more to come. Stay tuned! 

Pledge: 
I pledge to participate actively in the efforts of the National Federation 
of the Blind to achieve equality, opportunity, and security for the blind; 
to support the policies and programs of the Federation; and to 
abide by its constitution.