[Travelandtourism] NFB of NY State Convention Report from Cheryl Echevarria

Mon Oct 7 14:41:34 UTC 2013

Good morning officers and members of the Travel & Tourism Division:

This weekend I attended the 57th Annual NFB of New York Convention.  Our National Rep was Mark Riccobono Executive Director of the Jernigan Institute in Baltimore, MD.

Great friend, and remember NFB is not just a non-profit organization to us that we belong to, for many of us NFB in general is family, and when I say friend, I actually mean family.

We have over 50,000 family members from Maine to Alaska and Hawaii, Washington, DC to Puerto Rico.

Anyway, enough of that.

On Sunday, October 6, 2013, I gave a report when Carl Jacobsen went and asked for a report from chapters and divisions.  Whether you are an officers or a member of this division, you should be giving reports and updates of the division, so people know we exist.  Carl has mentioned we are a new division, which I corrected and said, we have been around since 2001, but that we have had a different focus on this division up until 2011, at which time, our former President Don Gilmore and Treasurer Milton Taylor approached me to take the reigns on the division and expand it in the advocacy of travel for all of us.

We are not just a social group, and please make sure you say this. Our constitution was changed our mission statement has been changed since 2012, and when you register for a division, please read about what one is and what one isn't, especially if you are paying a yearly dues to a division, you want to know what it is all about.

It is also on the home page of the www.nfbtravel.org website, if you haven't visited it yet, this is your opportunity to do so.

 The purpose of the National Federation of the Blind Travel & Tourism Division is to aid the National Federation of the Blind. It is to serve as a vehicle for collective action by the blind of the nation. This division functions as a mechanism through which all interested blind and sighted persons can come together to plan and execute programs that improve the quality of life and travel for the blind. We promote vocational, cultural and social advancement of the blind; to achieve integration of the blind into society on the basis of equality with the sighted; to focus attention upon accessibility and problems facing blind travelers, to educate blind people interested in the travel and tourism industry; and to take any other action necessary to improve the overall condition and standard of living of the blind.

So if you are attending your state convention, and your state president is asking for updates from the division, even though we are a national division, you should still talk about it. Many people think we just talk about traveling somewhere or just for travel professionals, we are more than that. And no it isn't for just travel agents.  Please emphasize this statement.

We work in employment, giving advise how to get into the travel profession, whether you want to be a travel agent, or a Business Development Manager of a Tour supplier like a cruise or a tour company, there are 100,000 tour operators including Disney, cruise lines, etc to work for.

Or to advocate in areas of airlines, bus, trains, locally in your area or when traveling to Conventions and beyond.

If you need help in what to say at convention, please contact one of the officers by e-mailing us at info at nfbtravel.org

Also, I mentioned our trip for 2014, since we are leaving for our trip to the Southwest on Wednesday the 9th. Is Nashville, which the dates are October 6-10, 2014. More information will be posted upon my return from our 1st trip.

Please remember when you see the price of the event, it already includes our fundraiser money included on the trip.

That amount will be announced when everything is finalized.

Also, I will have flyers for all to circulate, and if you need it brailed, if you can do it wonderful.

Take care.

Cheryl Echevarria, President
NFB Travel & Tourism Division
National Federation of the Blind
631-236-5138
www.nfbtravel.org
info at nfbtravel.org

Disabled Entrepreneur of the Year 2012 of NY StateLeading the Way in Independent Travel!
Cheryl Echevarria, Ownerwww.echevarriatravel.com631-456-5394reservations at echevarriatravel.com
 Your old car keys can be the keys to literacy for a blind child.  Donate your unwanted vehicle to us by clicking www.nfb.org/vehicledonations or call 855-659-9314. Echevarria Travel has partnered with Braille Smith. www.braillesmith.com for all her braille needs.  Gail Smith is the Secretary of the NFB of Alabama 		 	   		  