[Travelandtourism] Trip to Israel 2016 and 2 new paid members of the division

[cheryl echevarria]

Please make sure you reply to the travelandtourism at nfbnet.org to respond to these posts.  Thank you.
Many have written to me off list that they would be interested in the possibility of going to Israel, and asking there friends and family to participate as well. Our next meeting of the Travel & Tourism Division will be on Wednesday, April 15th at 8PM Eastern Time.
Also, I would like to official announce we have 2 new paid members of the division, our webmaster of the www.nfbtravel.org website, and he is also doing our blog and any other tech stuff, Lavar Phillips from NY, and his girl friend Brandy Pinder. Welcome!  
I would also like to remind those of you who are paid members that are not yet on the travelandtourism at nfbnet.org talk list with us yet, that please do so, if you are getting 2 e-mails, that means you have not indicated that you are on the talk list, and that we need to know this so you don't get 2 e-mails.
In reference to the possible trip to Israel for 2016 instead of 2015, I think it will be something that we will need a payment plan on, and I need to reach out to my suppliers either Israel4all who was on the Echevarria Travel Show in the past or Globus, who I will have Barbara Canizio, my Business Development Manager, who I will be having on my show on May 7. Barbara and I work very closely here on Long Island, and she has indicated that Globus has worked with many people with abilities and disabilities, so long that we get the information in the planning ahead of time, we may have issues with wheelchair with the buses, but not with guide dogs (Guide Dogs are allowed into Israel from the United States).
We also want to decide what we want to do besides that main sights, maybe we also want to meet with the local guide dog school there or since the NFB is part of the World Blind Union, maybe speak to National that we are planning a trip there if we go in this direction, to talk about the services etc that they have in Israel and bring it back to the US.
Just some ideas

So those that are paid members of the division will have 1st say in these trips, and those that are yet to be paid members may encourage you to join us in the planning of these trips.  Remember this is only $10 a year to join us.   The reason that I say that only paid members have the 1st say is because we need to vote on this, and only paid members have a vote.  Once we have ideas for a trip either in 2015 or 2016, we will bring the ideas to the Meeting in Orlando on July 3rd and have a vote, again those that vote are indicating that they are going on either the Israel Trip or any other trip that is  voted on.
We will have a fundraiser Trip Committee on this, Secretary, Margo Downey, has indicated in the past that she maybe interested in chairing this, but we need members that want to help with this as well.
Remember at this time, only our trips are our fundraisers.  
Respectfully yours,
Cheryl Echevarria, PresidentNFB Travel & TourismNational Federation of the Blind631-236-5138


Disabled Entrepreneur of the Year 2012 of NY StateOffering the Best in Meaningful Travel Experiences for Everyone!Cheryl Echevarria, Ownerwww.echevarriatravel.com631-456-5394reservations at echevarriatravel.com

Sign up for our e-newsletter by e-mailing us you first and last name, and e-mail address to reservations at echevarriatravel.com, let us know if you want just text or pictures in your e-mail.
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