[nfbwatlk] thoughts on the NFB of Washington convention

[Marci Carpenter]

The weather might have been damp and stormy last weekend but the love and spirit of the Federation shown brightly at our NFB of Washington state convention!

I want to thank all of the members of the NFBW for your help in making the convention run smoothly and for welcoming all of the new convention attendees. We were very pleased to have ten students of DSB’s Orientation and Training Center attending our convention. 

We changed the agenda this year from having mostly presenters and speakers to devoting much time to interactive discussions and learning experiences. Our first-timers orientation was very well attended and helped rookies get to know our veteran members. Our National Representative, Ever Lee Hairston, was friendly and engaging and gave a very moving banquet address. As I walked around the breakout sessions on Saturday afternoon I heard people sharing ideas, learning new things and making connections. Our table discussions about legislation on Sunday morning were full of teaching people about our issues and how to access information about them. There was a hot Uno game at the early hospitality session on Friday night and the hospitality suite was packed with people enjoying the weekend. New parents of blind children learned about our programs and the support we can provide them and their children. Blind children found new friends. Blind students, diabetics and guide dog users held informative discussions. LouOma Durand (DSB), Scott McCallum (WSSB) and Danielle Miller (WTBBL) all joined us for the weekend and participated in discussions.

We broke recent attendance records at this convention with 117 in attendance and 101 at the banquet. Congratulations to our 2016 scholarship winners; Nerie Garcia ($2,000) and Courtney Cole ($3,000). Both were very involved in the weekend’s activities and I have no doubt that they will continue to e involved in the Federation. Thank you to the Lillian S. Edelstein Trust for providing funds  our scholarships this year.

Elections were held last weekend and the following people were elected or re-elected to our NFBW Board of Directors:
President; Marci Carpenter
1st Vice President; Mike Mello
2nd Vice President; Maria Bradford
Secretary; Andrea Travis
Treasurer; Corey Grandstaff
Board Position #1; Noel Nightingale
Board Position #2; Doug Trimble
Congratulations to all!

These are some of my thoughts and feelings as I reflect on our convention. If you attended the convention, whether for the first time or the thirty-sixth time, I invite you to share your thoughts on this list. You may also contact me privately with your thoughts and ideas for our affiliate. 

Now our task is to carry the energy of our convention forward into our chapters and divisions, to bring our message of hope and possibility to new blind people around the state, to continue to participate actively in our national events and programs and to build the Federation here in Washington state and across the country!

Marci Carpenter, President
National Federation of the Blind
 of washington
mjc59 at comcast.net <mailto:mjc59 at comcast.net>
(206) 604-5507