[Ohio-Talk] Cleveland Chapter Updates

Wed Oct 12 11:00:29 UTC 2022

Good Morning Cleveland,

What a wonderful few days of some great weather. I hope you all are taking
advantage of it. The leaves are falling, but the sunshine is ever so rising
in the atmosphere. Enjoy!

Well, we are less than a month from our state convention. I hope you all are
getting excited. I am!

I will be so elated to see you all. Please take time and review the agenda,
it is attached. I will review it this Saturday at the Chapter meeting that
will be held at the Stokes Library at, 1962 Stokes Blvd. At 1:00. Please be
on time and schedule your pick up at 2:45 PM to 3:15 PM to leave. 

All members are expected to contribute to the NFB Spirit Basket that will be
auctioned off at the Banquet on Saturday night at the convention. Please
bring your 5 dollars to the meeting or contact me so that we can collect
them if you are not present.

Again, the meeting is Saturday, October 15, 2022 at 1:00 PM. For assistance
with preregistering for the convention, please bring those funds to the
meeting as well.

The Cleveland Mayor, Bibbs has written a proclamation to the Cleveland
Chapter celebrating White Cane Safety Day, which is Saturday. I am
requesting an electronic copy so that I can share it. I will pick the
printed copy this week.

Below is an email the Affiliate President, Richard Payne  sent out. Please
read it through to its entirety so that you will not miss anything.

Ohio Members and Friends,

Thank you for coming and participating in the event of the year, our 76th
annual state convention. This year's agenda is filled with information
designed to help you live the life you want. If you have not received the
electronic format, please consult your Chapter or Division President or the
Convention Coordinator, Suzanne Turner.

Because we are getting very close to the state convention, there are a few
reminders that I want to bring to your attention:

1: Final date to make Hotel Reservations and to Preregister for the
Convention

2: Hotel prohibitors' s

3: Submitting Membership Lists

4: Per Capita

5: Reviewing the Code of Conduct

6: Convention Special Events and Fundraisers

7: More

First, Chapter and division presidents, you should already have submitted
your gavel reports to the Awards Committee. The deadline was October 1,
2022. Whether you decided to take part in that process or not You are
required to email me a report with the activity from your Chapter or
Division. 

As a further reminder, Chapter and Division lists and dues are to be
submitted. each local Chapter or Division shall provide to the Secretary of
the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio a current list of names,
addresses, telephone numbers, and email addresses when applicable of its
members. I should also get a copy of this information at the same time.

Additionally, the dues for your chapter or division dues should be sent to
Todd Elzey at 611 Blenheim Rd., Columbus, OH 43214, no later than one week
before the convention you also can send dues by Zell to
treasurer at nfbohio.org <mailto:treasurer at nfbohio.org>
<mailto:treasurer at nfbohio.org> . I also need to know who you are appointing
to the nominating committee to represent your Chapter.

Another reminder is for anyone that needs assistance to attend this year's
State Convention,  to fill out the convention assistance form and email it
back to me by October 15,2022. This date is the deadline to get that
information to me.

Those who are attending the state convention and staying at the hotel,
please make your room arrangements now! October 20,2022 is the final date to
reserve your hotel room. If you wait until after October 20,2022 you will
have to pay the going rate at the hotel which will be much higher than our
rate which includes the breakfast buffet. 

Many of you should have already reviewed the agenda. So, I encourage you to
use it as a map to plan your activity schedule. And, if Chapters and
Divisions can assist and encourage members to come to the hotel early, then
do that. Please, just know that it takes all of us to make this convention
great.

Note! Preregistration ends on October 28, 2022. Please preregister early so
that we can provide a close and approximate account of attendees to the
hotel for boxed lunches and banquet meals. If you need assistance with the
online portal, please consult your Chapter and Division Presidents or a
member of the Convention Planning Committee.

Subsequently, outside food, beverages and alcohol are prohibited in all
convention rooms, seminars, general sessions and alike. The only room that
will provide such is the Hospitality Room except for alcohol, which will be
A grab-and-go with snacks and beverages that will be available Friday from

5:30 PM to 8:30 PM. This is the only takeout that will be permitted. The
hospitality room will be in room 121. Please do not bring these items in any
of the CONVENTION areas; as the Ohio Affiliate will incur a hefty charge and
you will be in violation of the hotel's policy. However, we do encourage you
to take full advantage of the hotel restaurant.

participants who are comfortable can bring and wear masks during the
Convention, feel free, but it is not required. The Convention will follow
the Ohio and CDC COVID Regulations. A limited number of masks, hand
sanitizers and assessable COVID tests will be available in the
Preregistration pickup and Registration area. Everyone is expected to
practice good hygiene, such as, washing hands, covering hands and mouths
when coughing or sneezing and so on. As a vital reminder, if you are
experiencing COVID-symptoms or have tested positive in the past three days,
please, please protect yourself and others, especially those who are
vulnerable, "stay home".

Special attractions and Fundraisers:

On Friday night at 9pm we wish to feature you and your talent at the "You
Got Talent Event". Please contact Wilbert Turner and he will make sure you
have an opportunity to be showcased! It is important that you sign up as
soon as possible, so we can organize our stars. Wilbert Turner,
wo.turner5 at sbcglobal.net <mailto:wo.turner5 at sbcglobal.net>
<mailto:wo.turner5 at sbcglobal.net>  or (216)

212-4959 by October 30th. 

The Senior Division is again sponsoring a convention drawing for $200. You
can buy your chances now or at the convention. The tickets are $10 each. If
you are 50 or older, you can also pay your dues for 2023 at the same time.

Dues are $5. You can send checks to treasurer Gloria Conway, 16008 Evening
Star Ave., Maple Hts., Ohio 44137. Be sure to tell Gloria what the funds are
for, and whose dues you are paying.

Ohio affiliate drawing "YOU + STRAWBERRY PIE = ERIC DUFFY"? Start exercising
those throwing arms, and get ready to buy your tickets at the 76th Annual
State Convention! Tickets are $5 each, or three tickets for $10. They will
be sold by Annette Lutz at , the door prize table after the Board of
Directors meeting, between General Sessions and in the Exhibit Hall. 

Back by popular demand With all the stress of Convention, you still need to
find time to take  care of yourself. So, please stop by to visit LuAnn or
Deanna for a  professional chair massage. LuAnn and Deanna are Licensed
Massage  Therapists and have been able to offer expertise to NFBO
Convention goers for the past few years. We are providing a 10-minute  chair
massage for $10. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to  the Ohio
Association of Guide Dog Users. 

The NFB of Ohio Community Service Committee is thrilled to announce our

2022 affiliate community service project!!!!For over a century, The City
Mission group has provided help and hope to Cleveland's hurting and
homeless.  Then as now, their work begins with meeting basic human needs of
food, shelter, and caring. We are honored to be partnering with City Mission
this year, and will be focusing on their most needed items at this time.

Please coordinate with your chapters and divisions, friends, and family, in
collecting new twin blankets and new twin sheet sets, or cash donations
towards the purchase of all-day bus passes. There are several ways to
contribute. During our upcoming 76th annual state convention, the new
blankets and sheet sets can be dropped off on Friday, November 4th from 5:00
to 5:30PM in the Community Service seminar room. All cash donations should
be sent to the affiliate treasurer using any of the following methods:

PayPal, or Zelle, (no fees): treasurer at nfbohio.org
<mailto:treasurer at nfbohio.org>  <mailto:treasurer at nfbohio.org>  or mail
checks or money orders to: Todd Elzey, 611 Blenheim Rd., Columbus, OH 43214
please note what the funds should be used for. 

Code of Conduct

Through advocacy, public awareness, and mentoring, the National Federation
of the Blind provides support to members and advocates for our rights to
live the lives we want. As a member or guest at our convention, you
represent not only yourself but also our organization. We want you to enjoy
your time with us, make new friends, and renew old acquaintances. Although
we encourage members to socialize and have fun, the convention also provides
an important opportunity to come together to continue the work of our
organization, to learn about the important initiatives that we are involved
with on a local and national level, and to plan our work for the future.

We welcome all attendees to our convention and embrace diversity, inclusion,
and mutual respect. As with all NFB events attendees of the 76th Annual
Convention of the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio are subject to
the NFB's Code of Conduct, which can be found at:

https://nfb.org/about-us/history-and-governance/code-conduct/code.

To that end please keep the following expectations in mind when you join us:

1.            We welcome people from all walks of life and with diverse
needs and

experiences. Please treat everyone as equals and with respect.

2.            Discrimination or harassment will not be tolerated under any

circumstances. If your behavior could possibly make anyone uncomfortable,
even if you would not be upset by it yourself, do not do or say anything
that could be considered inappropriate by others.

3.            The Code of Conduct prohibits sexual harassment and sexual

misconduct of any kind.

4.            The Code of Conduct prohibits the use of illegal drugs at NFB

events, and states that "Although alcoholic beverages are served at some
Federation social functions, members, employees, contractors, event
attendees, volunteers, and program participants may not take part in any
such functions in a condition that prevents them from participating safely
and from conducting Federation business effectively or that might cause
embarrassment to or damage the reputation of the Federation."

We hope that everyone enjoys their time at the convention. Please take the
time to review the NFB Code of Conduct at
https://nfb.org/about-us/history-and-governance/code-conduct/code to make
sure that you understand your responsibilities. If you witness an incident
that you believe violates the Code of Conduct, you should immediately report
it to a member of the NFB of Ohio Board of Directors or another leader.

If you have questions or need a better understanding of anything in this
email, please contact me off list.

Richard Payne,  President

National Federation of the Blind of Ohio

937/829/3368

Rchpay7 at gmail.com <mailto:Rchpay7 at gmail.com>  <mailto:Rchpay7 at gmail.com> 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.

Suzanne Turner, President

(216) 990-6199

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