[Tall-Corn] The NFBI and the Iowa Legislature

[bray at nfbi.org]

Greetings,

We are off to a start in working with the Iowa Legislature to maintain and
improve  the status of the Iowa Department For The Blind. We are still in
early times but it is clear that the only way we are going to be heard is
for us to make it happen. With that in mind President Van Gorp and the
legislative committee have called a meeting on ZOOM this Saturday morning at
10:00 a.m. This meeting is for the membership of the NFBI to get together
and learn what we have done so far, what we believe to be the right things
to do from here forward and to answer your questions about how to accomplish
this. We hope that many of you will be able to join us because this is one
of the most critical things we have done in many years to promote the
well-being of the lives of blind Iowans in the years to come.

 

Do we have friends in the Iowa Legislature? Yes, we certainly do but it is
up to each of us to make new friends and to help convince those that
disagree with us that what we are asking for will cause blind Iowans to
continue to have and expect excellent services. Each of us need to contact
legislators and tell our story. Does it need to be fancy and all flowery?
No, it needs to let the legislator that you are communicating with
understands what it means to you. This may come in many different forms. It
can be done by phone. It may be done by email or regular mail. It may also
be done by a personal visit.

 

It was suggested by one of our State board members that blind persons across
the state may want to get on social media and tell their story. I believe
that is an excellent idea. I realize that not all of us are on social media,
for example, I am not. I do encourage  all who are to make use of this tool
to spread the word. 

 

I also wish to thank those who have already attended the subcommittee
meetings of the State Government Committee of the Iowa Senate. The meeting
yesterday had many blind Iowans, several students from the Orientation
center and our friends in attendance. The chair of the committee permitted
anyone in the room who wished to speak. There may be more gatherings of that
subcommittee we don't know at this point. We do know that the same type of
committee in the Iowa House will be meeting and we need to be there. If you
can attend we encourage it. If you cannot lists of the people on these
subcommittees have been circulated and will continue to be . Contact these
people and make your feelings known. News stories appeared on KCCI tv as
well as articles in the Des Moines Register and Cedar Rapids Gazzet. If you
have any contacts in the media be sure to let us know about them. They would
be most helpful. 

 

Remember that this Saturday we will be having a ZOOM meeting to discuss what
has happened and what is coming up. Please, come join us, ask questions,
make suggestions a let us know about things that have occurred that we have
missed.

 

If we can be of help with anything along these lines feel free to contact me
by phone or email.

 

Bob Ray

Legislative Committee Chair

National Federation Of The Blind Of Iowa

Phone: 515 334-7231

Email:

bray at nfbi.org <mailto:bray at nfbi.org> 

 

 

Let's go build the National Federation Of The Blind Of Iowa.  

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