[Nfbwv-talk] President Riccobono's Notebook for December 19, 2016

Tue Dec 20 17:05:43 UTC 2016

December 19, 2016
President's Notebook
National Federation of the Blind
Mark A. Riccobono
officeofthepresident at nfb.org<mailto:officeofthepresident at nfb.org>
(410) 659-9314

Dear Fellow Federationists,

It is hard to say that the Federation ever slows down, but I do note that the schedules seem to be lighter in the last two weeks of the year. We have had a great year, and I feel blessed to have the honor of working with each of you on a daily basis. We have much work ahead of us next year, but I urge everyone to take this holiday time to reflect on our progress and the great pleasure it is to be in this family that is the National Federation of the Blind.

There are a few matters that do require your attention before you go off the grid for the holidays. I encourage each of you to pay attention to the deadlines below and especially our Washington Seminar call later this week.

I am anticipating the coming holidays and the restful family time (as restful as a household with three children ever can be). I am planning to refuel the batteries for a great 2017. I hope that each of you will take the opportunity to do the same. As you take a moment to reflect at the end of 2016, I would ask you to consider sharing with me thoughts that come to mind about the year we have had and how we can make the next year even better.

I plan to be away from the office and email much of the week between Christmas and New Year's-please remember that our national office is closed on December 26 and 30. I will be available on my mobile phone in case there are Federation matters to deal with urgently.

I hope that you and your family enjoy a spectacular end of the year, that the joy and meaning of the holidays fills your heart and home with love, and that 2017 is an outstanding year for you personally and for our Federation.

Critical Actions This Week:
Call for Affiliate Presidents and Legislative Directors:
This Wednesday, December 21, at 7:30 p.m. EST, there will be a call for all affiliate presidents and legislative directors to discuss various aspects of the Washington Seminar and our legislative priorities for 2017. Call-in information will be forthcoming.

Washington Seminar:
The Holiday Inn Capitol is accepting reservations for the 2017 Washington Seminar, which will occur from January 30-February 2. Please call (877) 572-6951 or go to https://nfb.org/washington-seminar to make your reservations using booking code F7B.

The rates are $188 for a room accommodating up to four persons, and the applicable tax is 14.5 percent. These rates are good for check in as early as January 29 and check out by February 3. While the reservation deadline is December 28, I urge you to take care of this now before the holidays get too busy.

News:

Holiday Schedule:

The national office will be closed Monday, December 26, and Friday, December 30, for Christmas and New Year's respectively. The Independence Market will be closed the entire week of December 26-30, and will reopen on Monday, January 2.

2017 National Convention Exhibit Hall Information Now Available:
Exhibitor and sponsor information for the 2017 National Convention is now available at https://nfb.org/sponsor-and-exhibitor-info. Exhibitor and sponsor applications will open after January 1, but I encourage you to start thinking about your affiliate's presence in the convention exhibit hall now. Please be sure to make note of all applicable deadlines and requirements.

Reminders:
Ready to Slam That!?:
The 2017 NFB Youth Slam, a weeklong program for blind students interested in science, technology, engineering, and math, will be held July 23-29, 2017, at Towson University in Baltimore, Maryland. Applications for the program are now available online for students<https://nfb.org/youth-slam-student-application> and adult volunteers<https://nfb.org/youth-slam-volunteer-application>. For more details, visit http://www.blindscience.org/nfb-youth-slam.

Student Loan Notifications:
If you have experienced accessibility issues with student loan communications, we need to hear from you. In October 2014, we entered into an agreement with the US Department of Education to make all federal student loan information accessible to blind individuals. Under the agreement, the DOE and its loan servicers should now offer: (1) accessible websites; (2) digital forms that can be filled out, submitted, and saved on electronic devices; and (3) timely provision of alternative formats for all documents, including notices, statements, and publications. If you have had difficulty receiving accessible federal student loan information in the past year or otherwise believe that the DOE or one of its loan servicers is not fulfilling its obligations under our agreement, please contact Valerie Yingling at vyingling at nfb.org<mailto:vyingling at nfb.org> as soon as possible to discuss.

Dates to Keep in Mind:

*        January 30, 2017: Great Gathering-In

*        January 30-February 2, 2017: Washington Seminar<https://nfb.org/washington-seminar>

*        March 30-31, 2017: Jacobus tenBroek Law Symposium

*        March 31, 2017: Deadline for scholarship applications<http://www.nfb.org/scholarships>

*        April 15, 2017: Deadline for Jacob Bolotin Award applications<https://nfb.org/bolotin-award-main>

*        July 10-15, 2017: National Convention, Rosen Shingle Creek Resort, Orlando, Florida<https://nfb.org/images/nfb/publications/bm/bm16/bm1611/bm161101.htm>

*        July 21-29, 2017: Youth Slam<http://www.blindscience.org/nfb-youth-slam>, Towson University

*        September 12-17, 2017: BLAST<http://blindmerchants.org/blast-2017/>, Nashville, Tennessee

The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise the expectations of blind people, because low expectations create obstacles between blind people and our dreams. You can live the life you want; blindness is not what holds you back.

Mark A. Riccobono
President
200 East Wells Street, Baltimore, MD 21230
(410) 659-9314 | officeofthepresident at nfb.org<mailto:officeofthepresident at nfb.org>

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