[nfbwatlk] Fw: CFB President's Message, Dec. 2010

Sun Dec 19 21:42:04 UTC 2010

You're welcome. You're right; she's doing a great job, especially when one considers that the blindness system in Canada is antediluvian and the organized blind as an effective group is a rather new phenomenon.

Mike

----- Original Message -----
From: Leslie Fitzpatrick <lfitz50 at gmail.com>
To: "'Ationfb of Washington Talk Mailing List'" <nfbwatlk at nfbnet.org>
Date: Sunday, Dec 19, 2010 12:59:58
Subject: Re: [nfbwatlk] Fw:  CFB President's Message, Dec. 2010

>
>
> Mike thanks for posting that  the canadians have a great president. It seems
> that she is doing a great job. Lesfitz
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nfbwatlk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfbwatlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
> Behalf Of Mike Freeman
> Sent: Sunday, December 19, 2010 10:45 AM
> To: NFB of Washington Talk Mailing List
> Subject: [nfbwatlk] Fw: CFB President's Message, Dec. 2010
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Elizabeth Lalonde" <elizabeth.lalonde at shaw.ca>
> To: <list at cfb.ca>
> Sent: Sunday, December 19, 2010 10:30 AM
> Subject: [List] CFB President's Message, Dec. 2010
> 
> 
> > The following message is also on our Website www.cfb.ca
> >
> >
> >
> > President's Message
> >
> > December, 2010
> >
> >
> >
> > Hello everyone,
> >
> >
> >
> > I am happy to connect with you all this holiday season.
> >
> >
> >
> > One of the biggest challenges we face as Canadians is our geography. It is
> 
> > difficult to connect with each other when we live across such vast 
> > distances. Members of the Canadian Federation of the Blind want to bridge 
> > this distance, and we try through emails and teleconferences. We need to 
> > do more. And I look forward to hearing your ideas about ways we can do 
> > this.
> >
> >
> >
> > The most important part of the Federation is the family spirit: the 
> > feeling of togetherness, vitality and oneness we feel when we are 
> > together. When you go to a National Federation of the Blind convention in 
> > the states, or a CANADIAN FEDERATION OF THE BLIND convention in Canada, 
> > people feel connected, part of a like-minded group, not just of blind 
> > individuals, but of those who want to work in a positive and united way to
> 
> > promote equality and empowerment for blind people.
> >
> >
> >
> > I prepared this message to let you know we are here and that we want you 
> > to be a part of our family.
> >
> >
> >
> > We have a Website, www.cfb.ca, a Facebook page, and a toll-free phone line
> 
> > 1800-619-8789. Please contact us and tell us about yourself.
> >
> >
> >
> > We have a listserv. If you would like to be on this list, please send us 
> > an email to info at cfb.ca.
> >
> >
> >
> > As many of you know, I was away last year in Louisiana training at the 
> > Louisiana Centre for the Blind. It was an amazing experience: a 
> > life-changing adventure. I didn't learn Braille as a child, for the 
> > reasons so many children with low vision do not learn Braille — they 
> > thought I had enough sight to read print.
> >
> >
> >
> > This year, at the Louisiana Centre for the Blind, I learned to read 
> > Braille at nearly 50 words per minute. It is an empowering accomplishment 
> > for me. I wore sleep shades everyday during my training and learned to 
> > cook, travel, work with tools all without using sight. It freed me and 
> > gave me the courage and the confidence to accomplish even more.
> >
> >
> >
> > I deeply miss my time at the centre and the lifelong friends I made there.
> 
> > But I am happy to be back in Canada to lead this amazing group and to help
> 
> > other blind people experience the things I gained.
> >
> >
> >
> > I thank everyone in the CANADIAN FEDERATION OF THE BLIND and the executive
> 
> > for working so hard in my absence.
> >
> >
> >
> > The CANADIAN FEDERATION OF THE BLIND is looking forward to growing in the 
> > coming year. Our blind youth mentoring program has started and we will be 
> > doing much more with this program in the new year.
> >
> >
> >
> > Gail Copp organized a successful fundraiser this December, a screening of 
> > the documentary film "The Eyes Of Me." This event was well-attended, 
> > earned money for the CANADIAN FEDERATION OF THE BLIND, and most 
> > importantly, educated people in a positive way about blindness.
> >
> >
> >
> > As always, we are raising funds to help support those members who want to 
> > attend the National Federation of the Blind convention in Orlando Florida 
> > in July 2011. These conventions are the pinical of Federation life; they 
> > provide a way to meet new people and stay connected with old friends in 
> > the Federation; they offer a venue for learning about blindness, how to 
> > succeed as a blind person, and they build enthusiasm for the important 
> > work we do in the organization.
> >
> >
> >
> > In the Canadian Federation of the Blind, we are continuing our advocacy 
> > work in the areas of getting proper training and rehabilitation for blind 
> > Canadians and bringing this important and largely neglected issue to the 
> > attention of government and the public.
> >
> >
> >
> > I want to thank you all for your efforts: the work you do as individual 
> > blind people wherever you are in Canada or in the world makes a 
> > difference. Every time we accomplish something in our own lives helps 
> > others to know what is possible and sets a positive example . Every time 
> > we reach out in small ways to other blind people to support and mentor 
> > them makes a difference in our lives and in the lives of those we mentor.
> >
> >
> >
> > I wish you a happy holiday season, and best wishes  for the new year.
> >
> > Yours in love and friendship
> >
> > Elizabeth Lalonde, President
> >
> > Canadian Federation of the Blind
> >
> >
> >
> > Elizabeth Lalonde, President
> > Canadian Federation of the Blind
> > www.cfb.ca
> > PHONE: (250) 598-7154
> > TOLL-FREE: 1-800-619-8789
> > E-mail: info at cfb.ca
> > P.O. Box 8007
> > VICTORIA, BC V8W 3R7
> >
> > Together we are changing what it means to be blind.
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > List mailing list
> > List at box334.bluehost.com
> > http://box334.bluehost.com/mailman/listinfo/list_cfb.ca 
> 
> 
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