[Travelandtourism] Report on last nights division meeting which went wonderfully

Thu Apr 17 10:55:15 UTC 2014

Okay, I ditto Brandy's ideas about PR and fundraising.  

Margo and Isis

-----Original Message-----
From: Brandy Pinder [mailto:bdpinder at gmail.com] 
Sent: Wednesday, April 16, 2014 9:56 PM
To: 'NFB Travel and Tourism Division List'; 'Amy Baron'; 'DJ Reese'; 'Glenda
Farnum'; 'Jemal Powell'; 'Jo Taylor'; 'Lavar Philips'; 'Margo downey';
'Milton Taylor'
Subject: RE: [Travelandtourism] Report on last nights division meeting which
went wonderfully

Hi All,
Just a few thoughts. 
First, I am not positive until I get my full schedule the day before if I
will be able to make the call on April 29th. Tuesday is usually a later
working day from me and my commute is about an hour and a half so if I do
get off at seven this puts me in the door around 8:30 if I'm lucky... But
maybe I will get lucky again and get off early. It's happened two Tuesday's
in a row so who knows.

My first choice for 2015, and I think I've said it before so sorry for
repeating, is PR. I love beaches, water, warm weather etc and I enjoy all
varieties of Spanish culture, food, and music. It would be visiting a whole
other culture without needing a passport. Also, it is somewhere I wouldn't
be as eager to go alone. Lavar has mentioned most people do speak good
English in PR but what if it is mostly Spanish speaking of which I can
understand but do not speak? Also, it would be neat to go with nelson
because he is from PR because he can show us all the things outside of the
typical tourist things that most people would think of going to see.

Also, the thought of having a small fund raiser either the day before
national convention or after national convention in the next few years I
think is a brilliant idea. Many people will already be there because of
convention and it wouldnt' cost them much extra to do an extra night and a
tour and I'm assuming if it was a fund raiser many would be willing to
participate. I don't know if this would be feasible for 2015 because we may
already have something in October. Also, I think we would have more success
with the fund raiser if it was every two years until it becomes more widely
known. I know it isn't just for the blind community but many of us can't
afford one trip per year which comes out to close to one hundred a month for
two people and around seventy for one. If people could pay more over an
eighteen month period this may fit into some people's budget better. I know
some conferences like Top Dog have gone to every other year because they
realized that people really couldn't afford every year. Or maybe every
alterating year it could be attached to national convention and the next
year something else in October. Once more and more people, blind and
otherwise, start coming maybe we could swing every year.
Just some thoughts. Thoughts on my thoughts? Smile

-----Original Message-----
From: Travelandtourism [mailto:travelandtourism-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of cheryl echevarria
Sent: Wednesday, April 16, 2014 3:15 PM
To: travelandtourism; Amy Baron; DJ Reese; Glenda Farnum; Jemal Powell; Jo
Taylor; Lavar Philips; Margo downey; Milton Taylor
Subject: [Travelandtourism] Report on last nights division meeting which
went wonderfully

We had a great turnout last night for the Division Meeting of the Travel &
Tourism Division.
Everyone was new accept 1 person.  Also Milton Taylor, took over for Glenda
Farnum, Treasurer, for the night; and our Secretary, Margo Downey, is not
well, so please remember Margo in your prayers. Also, we did not hear from
Vice President, Maurice Shackelford.
We have 2 new paid members, Brandy Pinder (NFB of NY) and Lavar Phillips who
is not new to the division, he is our webmaster, and is also from the NFB of
NY, so welcome the both of you.
Since, we had some many people on the call, about 8 all together.  We did a
review of what this division is, and what we do, etc.
Such as this division, you don't have to be a travel professional, a leader
in the organization, a traveler to foreign countries, etc.
We talk about those things, as well as, give advise about local para-transit
contacts, especially if you need help with your programs. Both Margo Downey,
Secretary, who is a transportation commissioner, in Buffalo, NY and Jemal
Powel, Board Member sit on transportation advisory board in Illinois, that
we will be having future discussions just dedicated to these topics in the
future.
We went around and introduced each other, where each one was from, we had
people from Wisconsin, Oregon, Missouri, California and more.
We gave a history of the division which started in 2001 by Stephanie Scott
Nelson speaking with Dr. Maurer, about an interest group related to travel
through today on areas that affect all of us in the travel industry from the
TSA, Airline Personnel, issues affecting our Veteran's. I also am a member
of the National Association of Blind Veterans, I am not a veteran, but I did
join the division in helping with travel related issues.
Which reminds me, we still need support on the, Space Available Bill, this
year in DC, we were not actively seeking support because of the Fair Wages
and Airline Bills, but this bill is very serious as well. So let's remind
our Senators of S346, because it seems that Senate is dragging their heels
on this, leave your House of Representative people alone, they are all for
it.
For more information on S346, please go to the nfb.org website
nfb.org/national-federation-blind-applauds-introduction-bill-benefit-disable
d-veterans.
Some of the other things that were discussed, the 2013 trip to Utah, which
was our 1st fundraiser, and we have people on the call that went and we have
many people who would like to go back to Utah for 2015.
Another topic that came up with doing something this year at National
Convention for group trips to the local sights, well it is kind of late for
that, even though the convention is in July, there are a lot of planning on
that, and if the division is going to do it as a fundraiser, the officers
should be there to make sure things go smoothly, this can be looked at for
the 75th Convention, since we will be in Orlando again, but we need to start
thinking of these things after convention.
So, going forward, we will have a few calls a month, like we would like to
have our next meeting just about ideas for the 2015 fundraiser trip, this is
the only thing we have as a fundraiser to bring in money, we raised $1400
last year, and that doesn't go very far.
One meeting we will have just to discuss you local transportation in your
area, and get ideas on how and what to mention at local hearings or whom to
speak to locally before you reach out to a Senator or someone else that
doesn't handle the local areas.
As well as, employment opportunities, and I don't just mean, being a travel
agent, maybe work in a hotel, or resort, or on a cruise ship, we can have
guests on the calls that actually have some ideas in that area, such as
Statler Center, who will be at our Convention meeting, or maybe have Mark
Jones come back and see if he can recommend, some areas where to apply for a
job, or see if we can have Cathy Vazquez or other areas of the travel
industry where you can work.
But we need your inputs on the things we will talk about. Milton Taylor, had
mentioned to me this morning, that the Seniors Division is doing this, and
so I thought we can do the same thing.
What do you all think?
We will try to have 2 meetings a month, and not all officers have to be on
the calls for this.
Right now we have our meetings starting at 8pm Eastern Time on Tuesday
Nights.
Our first meeting will be April 29th, 2014 to discuss only ideas for
Fundraiser Trip 2015, you do not need to be a paid member yet until July,
since that is when the year starts, so please RSVP that you will be
attending, via this list travelandtourism at nfbnet.org, and the ideas you
have, but bring exact ideas, don't just say California, NY, Utah, without
stating why you would like to go there, what you would like to see and do.
Make is realistic, meaning we cannot go from New York City to Buffalo in one
trip, because it is 8 hours to get there. Just some advice.
Nothing is off the table on this.
Respectfully,
Cheryl Echevarria, PresidentNFB Travel &
Tourism631-236-5138cherylandmaxx at hotmail.com

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

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