[Nfbwv-talk] President Riccobono's Notebook for June 29, 2015

[Smyth, Charlene R]

June 29, 2015 President's Notebook
National Federation of the Blind
Mark A. Riccobono
officeofthepresident at nfb.org<mailto:officeofthepresident at nfb.org>
(410) 659-9314

Dear Federation Family:

In just four days I will be heading to Orlando and I know that many of you are busy packing your bags as well. When I got to my desk at the NFB Jernigan Institute this morning and thought about what to include in the notebook, the only thing that seemed pressing was our national convention. This will be my twentieth consecutive national convention and, as you might imagine, this year is pretty special.

As we finalize the plans for our seventy-fifth anniversary convention and head to Florida, I wanted to express my sincere appreciation for the work that each and every one of you puts into our movement. I know that each of you logs many hours of volunteer time every week for the advancement of our mission. As a former affiliate leader, I know that much of what you do for the blind of your state goes unrecognized-the advocacy calls, the words of encouragement to members, and the opportunities you take to plant seeds that grow into meaningful change in your state. I also want to express my appreciation for the support you have shown to me in this first year of my Presidency. The members of the Federation make it practical for us to have a powerful organization and the core of leaders that we have across the country help me coordinate the many dynamics of this movement we have built.

I would also like to take a moment to recognize the staff of the Federation. Their dedication and energy contributes significantly to our work. You will witness many of them working actively throughout the convention.
There will also be many others who you may not notice because their job is to work behind the scenes to allow our convention to operate smoothly and effectively. Our staff has once again shown that they stand out against any staff in the nation. They have expertly managed the dynamics of having a new President, a seventy-fifth anniversary, and other new wrinkles like a world record attempt in the midst of an already complicated convention. Between our members and our staff, we have an awesome team.

I hope you will take the opportunity to stop by room 2455 and meet with Melissa and me. Hearing the hopes and dreams of the blind of this nation is a significant part of the joy of our work in this organization. It serves as an inspiration and as insulation against the barriers that we still face. Safe travel to Orlando, let's prepare to celebrate, and let's go build the future of the Federation.

Warmest regards,
Mark A. Riccobono, President
National Federation of the Blind
200 East Wells Street at Jernigan Place
Baltimore, Maryland 21230
Phone: (410) 659-9314
Fax: (410) 659-5129
Email: officeofthepresident at nfb.org<mailto:officeofthepresident at nfb.org>
Twitter: @Riccobono and @NFB_Voice
Web: www.nfb.org<http://www.nfb.org/>



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