[Ohio-talk] Fw: Buckeye Update for February 23, 2010

[Dr. Smith]

Dr. J. Webster Smith
President National Federation of the Blind of Ohio
P.O.BOX 458 Athens, Ohio, 45701-0458
Phone Number - 740-592-6326 
"Changing What it Means to be Blind"
----- Original Message ----- 
From: Dr. Smith 
To: jwsmithnfb at verizon.net 
Sent: Tuesday, February 23, 2010 11:33 AM
Subject: Buckeye Update for February 23, 2010


I don't know about you, but I am so ready for this Winter to be over! Unfortunately, as I write this we are expecting more snow and I am so excited about it. 

 

Washington Seminar -

 

                I think we had a very productive trip to Washington this year and I am elated that we missed the blizzard. Once again, 12 of us divided into 4 teams and we were able to deliver our message concerning not-so-silent cars, a technology bill of rights for the blind, and removing the disincentive for employment for those receiving SSDI. Now you can help us with the follow-up process by contacting your appropriate representatives and making the case for these bills. I know that some of you have already invited your representatives to a future chapter meeting just make sure that you check with the appropriate leaders that attended the seminar, ie - Barbara Pierce, Eric Duffy, Deborah Kendrick, and Myself so that we can avoid duplication and overkill. There will probably be changes in our congressional delegation after the elections this year but I think we have come up with a very efficient way to maximize our opportunities at the Washington Seminar. 

 

 

A Meeting with BSVI Director -

 

                Eric Duffy and I met with the newly appointed BSVI Director on February 18th, 2010. It was a meeting that we were supposed to have on January 22nd but was postponed because of family obligations. I think it was a good meeting and we agreed to meet quarterly in different locations around the state. I believe that you will see a different way of operating and communicating on the part of BSVI and I made it clear to Dan that I wanted to keep the lines of communication open between our organizations and that we were interested in doing whatever was necessary to create and maintain an effective partnership with BSVI. It is clear that the budget or lack thereof will continue to dictate the services that BSVI can offer, but it was also clear to me that the new director has the proper mind set when it comes to dealing with the blind and visual impaired of our state. I will keep you informed as we go forth with these meetings and we were both encouraged that maintaining a separate agency is very important to this new director, in fact he told us that he would have never considered taking the job if it had not been clearly communicated to him that there were no plans to combine BSVI in any way in the future. 

 

 

Some Reminders -

 

                Remember that our Spring Board Meeting will be held in Toledo on April 24th, 2010. Our Toledo Chapter will be hosting us and providing meals as well, look for directions to the location for the meeting, and instructions concerning meals. Please sell your gourmet food basket raffle tickets for the parents division because we will have the drawing at that meeting. Don't forget to remember Bruce Peters as he deals with several physical issues at this time and please understand that he does not have access to email since he has not been able to return to work for several weeks. Finally, I am looking at future sites for Conventions in 2011 and 2012 and right now we have bids from hotels in the Cincinnati and Dayton areas, it is my hope to have something for us to discuss concerning future conventions at the Spring Board meeting.