[Nfbwv-talk] {Spam?} SOME CONVENTION REFLECTIONS

[Smyth, Charlene R]

Ed, 

I do wish I had your way with words and your way of writing!!

I am still smiling about getting one over on you and being able to give
you such a good and well deserved honor.  

I left the convention with such a warm feeling inside from being able to
spend time with my Federation family and knowing that the convention was
such a success because we all worked as one to make it so.  

What a wonderful and memorable birthday it was.  Bre and all of you sure
did surprise me and I enjoy reliving it in my mind.  I will remember all
of you and the special evening every time I look at my blue Blenko glass
bowl.  I will use it for many different things and currently have it
sitting in the middle of my dining room table holding napkins in it.  

Again, thank you to everyone.

Charlene


-----Original Message-----
From: Nfbwv-talk [mailto:nfbwv-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Ed
McDonald
Sent: Monday, September 30, 2013 12:33 AM
To: NFBWV Discussion List
Cc: Cathy Jackson
Subject: [Nfbwv-talk] {Spam?} SOME CONVENTION REFLECTIONS

Dear Fellow Federationists,

It has been a busy week of catching up since last weekend's NFBWV state
convention; however, it has also been a great week of savoring the
completely unexpected Hall of Honor recognition which you all extended
to me. Most of us do what we do in the NFB because we believe in the
organization and what it stands for--not for praise and glory.
Therefore, this will always be one of the most memorable events of my
life, and I will simply say thanks to everyone who had a hand in it. I
suspect that our president, second vice-president, and secretary may
have violated federal privacy laws in their effort to uncover
information about my Federation history, but I promise not to report
them to the authorities or to press charges!

Elsewhere, I don't believe I have seen anything on this list concerning
Keryl Rustin's much-deserved award as the 2013 Federationist of the
Year. 
Her efforts to create and build the Eastern Panhandle Chapter are
certainly worthy of recognition.

It was also a good year for first-timers. Charles Powell, DeAnna
McIntyre, and their daughter Sarah were very much involved in virtually
all convention activities. We were also pleased to welcome Joyce Scholes
from our Eastern Panhandle Chapter and Richard Campbell from the Kanawha
Valley Chapter. 
Richard is hardly a newcomer to many of us who have known him for a long
time, but I understand that it was indeed his first NFBWV convention. We
are honored that he and Ruth chose to share the weekend with us.

We were also honored that the Saunders girls (that's how I know
them)--Laura and Teri--were with us for the banquet and the memorial
service. I am sure many of us felt Buck's spirit in our midst throughout
the convention, and I appreciate all of those who took part in the
memorial service. Special thanks go to Mary Ann for her Scripture
reading and to Roger and Debbi Williamson for sharing their music.

Brad Hodges is to be commended for his "lunch and learn" event. This was
a fresh idea for our convention, and I hope it sets the stage for an
ongoing effort to share information about new technologies. I would be
remiss if I did not also give a nod to the "lovely and talented" Karen
McDonald for putting together another service and technology exposition.
This event has great potential--not only as an educational experience
for all of us, but also as a way to attract new members to the movement.
I hope it will continue to grow in future years.

Furthermore, Brad and the rest of the Huntington Area Chapter set a new
standard of flair and efficiency in the door prize department.

Money is the fuel that makes possible virtually everything we do. Thus,
what can we say but "thanks" to Sheri, Ricky, Jack, Marcus, and the rest
of the auction crew for another successful evening and to Mary Grogg for
tirelessly selling those 50/50 tickets.

I do not believe we could have asked for a more appropriate national
representative than Cathy Jackson. Cathy has been a friend of mine for
25 years, and she really is like a member of the family. Her banquet
remarks concerning "low-vision" members of the NFB offered all of us
some vital food for thought.

Our many reports and presentations were probably too numerous to mention
individually, but they all contributed to the success of the weekend. I
must, however, say "great job" to our president for pulling it all
together.

I hasten to add that these musings are not intended to be a
comprehensive summary of the convention. It is inevitable that I have
left out some important activities and the people who made them
possible--like Bre Brown's brilliant orchestration of a surprise
birthday gathering for President Smyth. Perhaps others will have
additional thoughts, especially for the benefit of those who were unable
to attend. In any event, it was a great weekend and one to be remembered
and savored for a long time to come.

Ed




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