[NFBWV-Talk] NFBWV CONVENTION, Agenda & Zoom Information

Wed Oct 15 22:53:11 UTC 2025

The 2025 convention of the National Federation of the Blind of West Virginia begins tomorrow in Morgantown and continues through Sunday morning, October 19. The convention agenda is attached and included in the body of this message.

For those who are interested but unable to attend, we will make every effort to stream most of the convention sessions via Zoom, using the recurring Members at Large meeting credentials. Streaming will depend largely upon the reliability of hotel WIFI. 

Sessions include:

Blind Community Unity Day, Friday Afternoon, 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM
General Session, Saturday Morning, 8:30 AM to 12:00 noon
General Session, Saturday Afternoon, 1:30 PM to 5:00 PM

It will not be feasible to stream the Saturday evening banquet or the Sunday morning memorial service.

The Zoom meeting will not be monitored, so if you choose to join, please mute. Here is the information needed to join:

Topic: NFBWV Convention

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Meeting ID: 886 9371 8383

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Meeting ID: 886 9371 8383

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2025 NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND 
OF WEST VIRGINIA CONVENTION

Holiday Inn--University Area, 1188 Pineview Dr.
Morgantown, WV 26505
(304) 241-6649

AGENDA

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2025

3:00 PM  Hotel Check-in; Drop off door prizes and auction items to  the Presidential Suite (Suite # to be announced)

5:00 PM  Dinner on your own 

7:30 PM  NFBWV Board of Directors Meeting; open to all (Board Room) 

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2025
BLIND COMMUNITY UNITY DAY

Morning Session-Presentations & Exhibits

8:30 AM  Vendor Booths Setup  

9:00 AM  2025 Convention Called to Order;  Sheri Koch, NFBWV President (Semper Section)

Welcome and announcements; Sheri Koch

Brief Audience Self-Introductions

Vendor Mini Presentations: 5 to 10 minutes each (Montani Section) 
West Virginia Assistive Technology System (WVATS); Doug Cumpston
Jehovah's Witness; Kevin & Lisa Willis, Ron & Dianne Barnett
West Virginia School for the Deaf and the Blind (WVSDB); Melanie Hesse
Disability Rights of West Virginia; (representative to be announced)
West Virginia EyeCan Lions Club; Ahmad Shafi, Pete & Rhonda Smith
This & That Gadgets Table; NFBWV Members 
American Printing House for the Blind (APH) Low Vision Devices; Sheri Koch for Lee Huffman

10:30 AM  Break

10:45 AM  Visit the Vendor Booths

12:00 PM  Box Lunch for all: Provided by NFBWV (Semper Section)

Afternoon Session-Reports & Presentations

1:00 PM  On the National Level: Who we are; Jim Marks, NFB National Representative

1:15 PM  On the State Level: Who We Are; Sheri Koch, NFBWV President

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1:30 PM  West Virginia Division of Rehabilitation Services (WVDRS): A Close Look at Employment of Blind West Virginians; Candice Ward, Assistant Director and Kevin Maynus, Program Specialist, Blind Services

2:15 PM  West Virginia School for the Deaf and the Blind (WVSDB); Melanie Hesse, Dean of Students & Student Pannel

3:00 PM   Wendy Bailey, Blind/Low Vision Education Coordinator WVSDB Outreach   

3:15 PM  Break

3:30 PM  American Foundation for the Blind (AFB); Haley Linville, Business Services Manager

4:00 PM  Disability Rights of West Virginia; (presenter to be announced)

4:20 PM  LiveAbility Center for Independent Living, Morgantown; Annetta Johnson, Administrative Director

4:40 PM  Adjourn

Evening Session-Dinner & Auction

6:00 PM  Dinner: Plated meal (Montani, Semper Sections)

8:00 PM  Pot Pouri Auction: Fundraiser;  Marcus Soulsby, Auctioneer (Montani, Semper Sections)

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2025

Morning General Session-Taking a Closer Look
(Montani, Semper Section)

8:30 AM  Call to Order and Brief Remarks; Sheri Koch, NFBWV President 

Invocation; Harold "Tommy" Rogers

Pledge of Allegiance; Led by Jack Yahnke

-4-

NFB Pledge; Led by Karen McDonald
"I pledge to participate actively in the efforts of the National Federation of the Blind; to achieve equality, opportunity, and security for the blind; to support the policies and programs of the Federation; and to abide by its constitution."

8:40 AM  Report from the National Office: A Closer Look; Jim Marks, National Representative  

9:40 AM  Affiliate Report: A Closer Look at What's Going On in West Virginia; Sheri Koch, NFBWV President

10:00  AM  Break

10:15  AM  Training for Life at an NFB Center: My Experience at the Louisiana Center for the Blind; Ahmad Shafi, NFBWV Member at Large

11:00 AM  Challenging Inaccessibility at the University Level; Harold Rogers, WVU MSW Student and NFBWV Member at Large

11:30 AM  NFBWV Chapter Reports 
Members at Large:  Ed McDonald, Chapter President
Sightless Workers Guild of Wheeling: Jack Yahnke, Chapter President

12:00 PM  Box lunch (Sempre Section)

Afternoon General Session (Montani, Semper Sections)

1:30 PM  RESOLUTIONS Committee Report; Ed McDonald, Chair

1:45 PM  Scholarship Committee Report; Karen McDonald, Chair

2:00 PM  Brochure Development Committee Report; Carol McGhee, Chair

2:15 PM  University Outreach Committee Report; Michelle McKeller, Chair

2:30 PM  Fundraising Committee Report; Harold Rogers, Chair

3:00 PM  Break

Other Special Projects and Ongoing Activities

3:15 PM  Outreach & Membership;  Dane Campbell

-5-

3:30 PM  NFBWV ADA Accommodations Manual;  Harold Rogers

4:00 PM  West Virginia EyeCan Lions Club; Ahmad Shafi, President

4:20 PM  Reflections from "A Well-Respected and Loved Old Timer";  Ed McDonald

4:40 PM  Where Do We Go from Here? Group Discussion  

5:00 PM  Adjourn 

6:30 PM  BANQUET
Master of Ceremonies; Ed McDonald
Keynote Address; Jim Marks, National Representative

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2025

9:00 AM  In Memoriam: Remembering Those We've Loved and Lost; Marcus Soulsby, (Montani Semper Section)

10:00 AM   Adjourn   -   THANKS AND SAFE TRAVELS

NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND OF WEST VIRGINIA
833 Chappell Rd., 
Charleston,  West Virginia  25304  
304-209-8779 

www.nfbwv.org

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