[nfbwatlk] NFB of Washington 2010 Convention -- Election Results

[Prows, Bennett (HHS/OCR)]

So, let me put my thoughts on the just concluded NFB of WA convention on the list:

The hotel staff and the services at the Vancouver Hilton were excellent.  The courteous manner, and the attention to detail was absolutely the way it ought to be.  And, that's a compliment to the Hilton folks.  By the way, Beth Manning deserves our thanks as an example of a great Hilton employee, and she sort of smoothed the way for the rest of us for the weekend.


The agenda, formulated by President Freeman was really excellent.  It came together very nicely, with discussion of agency updates in the morning, and several items including legislators, Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, and WSSB representatives talking about education in Washington state and the possible fate of education for blind youth in the afternoon. We rounded out the afternoon with discussion of career opportunities, and where and how to get the training needed for such careers, including presentations from Scott Labarre on the Colorado Center for the blind, and Kirk Adams from the Seattle Lighthouse, who also introduced Kevin Daniel CEO of the Inland Empire branch.  The social security administration presented (even on Saturday) concerning the benefits now available for the blind and disabled, and rolled out new 2010 Braille, print and digital materials for concerning the various programs for benefits they have.

We also enjoyed Denise Mackenstadt's presentation on the NFB Junior Science Academy and the mentioning of the upcoming 2011 "Youth Slam" at our national center.
  
The banquet, and Scott Labarre's keynote speech was outstanding, and I really must commend Don Mitchell for being not only a tremendous banquet MC, but by adding music with his guitar at the banquet really entertained the gathered throng throughout the meal. 

Rita Szantay did a great job of introducing the scholarship winners, and rewarding them with the two scholarships we had this year.

Despite competing with a professional auctioneer next door, who was selling for a local high school, we did well after the banquet with our auction, taking in quite a tidy sum for just an hour and a half of my rattling on.

Sunday of course was very interesting with the elections, and the conversations about the future and how we can build and provide strength to not only existing chapters, but adding new ones in the near term as well.  Bob Sellers led a very good discussion of our opportunities for fund raising, and we all became optimistic about the future of the finances of this organization.  (As long as we are willing to work, of course.)

I certainly enjoyed meeting the numerous new people we had this year, and those Federationists that joined us having moved here from other states as well. 

In short, this convention was very uplifting for some of us who have been sort of walking in place for a while, and it gave me at least, impetus to really want to move forward.  

WE all left enthusiastic about the convention, and about our future in the NFB.  Thanks Mike and Vancouver for a great experience.

/s/

Bennett Prows
  
-----Original Message-----
From: nfbwatlk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfbwatlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Mike Freeman
Sent: Sunday, October 24, 2010 4:18 PM
To: NFB of Washington Talk Mailing List
Subject: [nfbwatlk] NFB of Washington 2010 Convention -- Election Results

Fellow Federationists and Friends:

WE just concluded a most successful 2010 NFB of Washington convention.  I shall leave it to others to summarize the convention and shall confine myself here to giving you the results of the election for officers, members of the NFB of Washington Board of Directors and the elections for National Convention Delegate, First Alternate Delegate and Second Alternate Delegate.  You will note several changes on the NFB of Washington Board of Directors.  The Board positions held by Les Fitzpatrick and Gary Mackenstadt, were not subject to election this year.  Here are the results. Elected were:

Michael Freeman (Vancouver), President
Bennett Prows (Kirkland), First Vice-president
Maria Bradford (Spokane) Second Vice-president
Donald Mitchell (Vancouver), Secretary
Douglas Johnson (Manchester), Treasurer
Michael Mello (Seattle), Board Member
Marcy Carpenter (Seattle), Board Member
Michael Freeman (Vancouver), Convention Delegate
Kaye Kipp (Vancouver), First Alternate Delegate
Noel Nightingale (Seattle), Second Alternate Delegate

Congratulations to the new Board members.  I am certain that they will bring fresh energy, enthusiasm and wisdom to the National Federation of the Blind of Washington during the coming year.

Michael Freeman, President
National Federation of the Blind of Washington
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