[Ohio-talk] Fw: Buckeye Update March 30th, 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, March 30, 2010 11:37 AM
Subject: Buckeye Update March 30th, 2010


I can't believe that it is almost April and that Easter is this weekend! Let me start by wishing you all a happy Easter and you will be in my prayers as I make my annual trip to Chicago on April 3rd. 

 

The Spring Board Meeting

 

                Our spring board meeting will  be held on April 24th, in Toledo Ohio at the Christ Community Church. The church is located at 1421 S. Cove Blvd. and the phone number is 419-242-8300. Our Toledo chapter will be providing snacks and lunch for us and I'm sure that they would appreciate some kind of idea  as to how many they should prepare for. I know that Barbara Fohl and Sherri Ruth will be unable to join us on the 24th but you should let Eric Burghardt or Colleen Roth know if you will be joining us for lunch at the board meeting. Committees and divisions should be prepared to give us an update on their progress to this point in the year and as usual I would like to start the meeting at 10am so please be on time. I will be sending out the agenda for the meeting in about a week, so if you have particular items for it let me know as soon as possible.

 

 

RSC Public Forum

 

                On March 29th I attended the RSC public forum that was held in Athens and I thought it was most useful. I think it is a step in the right direction and I believe that Mike Rench is attempting to be innovative and inclusive. I made two recommendations which you might find interesting. First, I suggested that when they produce Braille materials that they really get someone to do it with some experience, it is amazing to me that sighted people think that it is sufficient to just copy power point presentations as is when they Braille them. Second, I made it very clear that RSC must become more proactive in terms of effective partnering with appropriate consumer groups and that the agency is going to have to address the issue of employment maintenance and find ways to have their clients have the same employment choices as the general public. I do think that they can find ways to improve the format of their forums but I thought it was overall a useful experience. 

 

 

Some Reminders

 

1.       Please sign up for the race for independence campaign by visiting raceforindependence.org or calling 410-659-9314 ext 2371

 

2.       Don't forget that convention assistance forms and applications for our state scholarships are due by May 1st 

 

3.       I will be contacting chapter Presidents to find out how many Jernigan raffle tickets you will need this year, remember this is the raffle where you can win $1000.00 dollars and an all expense paid trip to next year's convention which will be in Orlando, Florida. 

 

4.       Keep praying for and thinking about our brother Bruce Peters

 

5.       Don't forget about my fundraising concert which will be held May 23rd here in Athens

 

6.       Don't forget to pre-register for the Dallas convention either online or by mailing in your form, it will save you 5$ both or your banquet ticket and your registration