[Travelandtourism] Response on questions about the NY State Trip and Information about how to find out all information about the division events and activities

Tue Aug 11 14:44:16 UTC 2015

Good morning Lori Anne and everyone:

Information, all members and those interested in the division, should be on
the travelandtourism at nfbnet.org email, which the link to join is
www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/travelandtourism_nfbnet.org; we appreciate
this, we have a few contact lists and some get the postings 2 and 3 times.
So please register for our talk list to get all information or our Facebook
or Twitter page but you only get a little information not the discussions.

Video of the National Division meeting was recorded by my husband, Nelson,
and is available with more information on our website at

http://nfbtravel.org/75th-anniversary-convention-of-the-national-federation-
of-the-blind-videos/

I am not sure  how many new people we have on the talk list or members since
we started planning for this trip since after convention in 2014. This email
is just to educate all of you, and not to be considered insensitive to
anyone here.  So, bear with me, while I write this long response. Again, not
wagging a finger at anyone, but remember we are a division, we hold monthly
teleconference meetings and national meetings. I also know that many people
just hit the delete button, if they are not interested in the topic, etc. I
do that all the time myself.

Just an FYI, the we are having a board meeting today at 3pm with our travel
agent working we are working with, and looking to have her on our 1st
meeting of the year in September, which will be discussed with today.

The fund raiser trips the division has been working on since the end of the
last trip in 2013 when we went to Utah and Las Vegas, which was a wonderful
trip and we raised close to $2000 and we enjoyed every minute of it with the
people who came with us sighted and blind, a like. 

We educated the tour company we used about blindness and people with other
abilities and disabilities. We also met a few interesting people on the
tours that actually wrote in their blogs about meetings us, and people like
myself who thought she couldn't do things like climbing, no  we didn't do
mountain climbing, but because of my balance issues due to amputated toes
from complications from diabetes, that is how I lost my vision. To all of us
participating in events like a pre-dinner  skit on how the West Was Lost,
and enjoyed things like the national parks  or touring Las Vegas even though
we cannot see them.

All this being said, we have had a trip planned for 2015, Nashville, which
people voted on, but the trip died prior to the 2014 convention, because
when we started with deposit dates, no one, including some of our officers,
were actively working to get the word out. So it was dropped. 

Now that we have started planning the 2016 trip back in September 2014, got
a travel agent involved (I could not be travel agent again for the trip,
because it is a conflict of interest, and I got a finger wagged at me, by
our national president, we are workign with a wonderful, lady that I know
for many years, her name is, Mary, and she has been on a teleconference
call, and has been very patient with all our questions and doing a  lot of
work); with ideas from everyone; the top 2 places were Savannah, GA and NY
State Trip, which is not a NY City Trip, but we will be visiting various
locations throughout NY. It was voted on at our meeting at the convention
this past July and the NY trip won.

We had asked in the past that if you are voting on these trips, even if you
cannot attend, that you help get the word out about it, via your email
friends and family, Facebook, twitter, we all have communications with
people. NO KIDS on the trip though.  We are going during the time kids are
in the school to save some money. Also, NY State is a little bit more during
the Fall because of the follage season, winery season, and other wonderful
events going on. FYI, when you are looking at the pricing below, the
Savannah trip was about the same. 

The trip includes bus, tours, tour guides, hotels, meals where indicated, we
also wanted to have time for time on our own, whether it is lunch or dinner
on our own, or shopping,  something that has time for you to relax and
enjoy. Also options for staying longer or options for extras like seeing a
Broadway show or sporting event before or after the trip.

I will be posting the full information on the next page, but it has been
posted a few times, including prior to convention on both trips.

We need a minimum of 24 people, which means, we have held 12 rooms, double
occupancy. We do have pricing for single occupancy, but a lot more money
than what is listed here. We also have to sign a contract with our travel
partner prior to taking deposits, if our trip falls below 24 people by the
deposit date it will be cancelled. So we need everyone to get the word out
exactly as we post it, not this below, but when we  have that first date of
deposit.

Pricing for the trip is $1290 per person, double occupancy; and travel dates
are September 21-26, 2016.  Deposits of $200 per person double occupancy are
due by September 1, 2015; but we have asked Mary, to see if we can get an
extension on this to October, which will give us some lead time to get the
word out about the trip. There will be payment plans after deposits are met
for those that would like them, but the 2 full payment of $400 per person is
due by February 1, 2016 and final payment will be due June 1, 2016. 

We decided on these dates because it was before the heavy fall seasion of
state conventions.  This information has also been posted on our Facebook
page for those that use Facebook; our page is NFB Travel and Tourism
Division; Twitter page is: www.twitter.com/travelandtour1. We post events
and meetings on all social media, I am also looking to create a page on
LinkedIn.

I will also post the information on the www.nfbtravel.org
<http://www.nfbtravel.org>  . 

Unless things have changed by many of you who have voted on this trip at
National Convention, then we will move forward, again trying to see if, we
can extend the time for deposits.  

Again, welcome to those that are new to the list and to the division. You do
not have to be member of the NFB to be on the list or even blind, we welcome
you all.  All paid members, who have paid their dues for 2015/2016 year
which runs from July to July is $10 a year;  have a right to make a motion
and to vote on issues within the division. 

Those who have not paid,  can pay up to the 1st meeting of the year in
September, the rest are welcome to participate but will be required to pay
due prior  to the national conventions, prior to our meetings at national
convention, and if our treasurer has time after the meeting to pay dues, or
up to the 1st teleconference call of the year, which is held the 3rd or 4th
Tuesday of the month at 8pm Eastern Time.

Thank you and sorry for long response.

Cheryl Echevarria, President

National Federation of the Blind's Travel and Tourism Division

A proud division of the 

NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND - "Live the life you want"

www.nfbtravel.org

To join the talk list

http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/travelandtourism_nfbnet.org

631-236-5138

cherylandmaxx at hotmail.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 have the life you want;
blindness is not what holds you back.

Cheryl Echevarria 

Travel is our specialty and offering the best of meaningful travel for all
ages is our passion!

http://www.echevarriatravel.com

reservations at echevarriatravel.com

631-456-5394

Visit my website to get my FREE report, "Top 5 Good Reasons to Use a Travel
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I build my business on referrals. Please pass my details on to friends and

family members that deserve the best vacation that they can imagine

P.S. - Families of all sizes is my specialty. Whether you are just starting
out and looking for that romantic destination for your destination wedding
or honeymoon. Booking that planned family vacation to Walt Disney World or
that bucket list trip that Grandma  & Grandpa are planning for the family, I
would love to help you. 

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braille needs.  Gail Smith is the Secretary of the NFB of Alabama

-----Original Message-----

From: Travelandtourism [mailto:travelandtourism-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Lori Anne via Travelandtourism

Sent: Tuesday, August 11, 2015 8:16 AM

To: travelandtourism at nfbnet.org

Cc: Lori Anne <loriannecoley at gmail.com>

Subject: [Travelandtourism] Nyc fund raiser

Do you have an approximate month and date that this trip will occur?

Sent from my iPhone

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