[Travelandtourism] John Pare, Jr is now a member of the Amtrak Disability Advisory Committee.

Sat Aug 22 17:50:54 UTC 2015

Justin:

I didn't know there was on either. When I had been in contact with Amtrak
and the Essential Access Disability Committee, they never told me that. All
that the kept saying to me was that they have a disability board, and have a
blind person on the board at that time, and that the website was fine.  I
have been in communication with them since Valerie Yingling from the
Paralegal office at the NFB Office in Baltimore back in December 2014.

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
Professional"

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. 

We have partnered with Braille Smith. www.braillesmith.com for all her
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 Justin Young via Travelandtourism
Sent: Saturday, August 22, 2015 1:35 PM
To: NFB Travel and Tourism Division List <travelandtourism at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Justin Young <jty727 at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [Travelandtourism] John Pare, Jr is now a member of the Amtrak
Disability Advisory Committee.

Thank you for sharing this information Cheryl!  I was unaware of the
separate website for Blind or Low vision individuals, but yes I stopped
using the site because of the calendar issue.  When I got an iPhone I
started using the app which is awesome!  Congratulations to John Pare on
joining the Amtrak Advisory Committee.

Justin Young

On 8/22/15, Jordan Gallacher via Travelandtourism
<travelandtourism at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> Att least the ACB does not have an it's our way or the highway attitude.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Travelandtourism [mailto:travelandtourism-bounces at nfbnet.org] On 
> Behalf Of Cheryl Echevarria via Travelandtourism
> Sent: Saturday, August 22, 2015 12:20 PM
> To: 'NFB Travel and Tourism Division List'
> Cc: Cheryl Echevarria; 'john Tebockhorst'; 'Steven Hastalis'; 'Jemal 
> Powell'; miltjotaylor at gmail.com
> Subject: Re: [Travelandtourism] John Pare, Jr is now a member of the 
> Amtrak Disability Advisory Committee.
>
> Really and why is that.
>
> Does it state anywhere that we cannot sit on committees.
>
> Other leaders in the Federation have sat on Transportation committees 
> or advisory boards?
>
> Does it say somewhere in the constitution that we cannot sit on 
> transportation committees.
>
> I know many that are including local transportation committees in 
> their towns and states.
>
> Both the NFB and the ACB of NY State are on the Executive Board of the 
> NYS Commission for the Blind.
>
>
> 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 Professional"
>
> 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.
>
> We have partnered with Braille Smith. www.braillesmith.com for all her 
> braille needs.  Gail Smith is the Secretary of the NFB of Alabama
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Jordan Gallacher [mailto:jordanandseptember at gmail.com]
> Sent: Saturday, August 22, 2015 1:16 PM
> To: 'Cheryl Echevarria' <cherylandmaxx at hotmail.com>
> Subject: RE: [Travelandtourism] John Pare, Jr is now a member of the 
> Amtrak Disability Advisory Committee.
>
> Lol.  And I will refrain from saying what I am thinking, but the NFB 
> has no business on that committee.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Cheryl Echevarria [mailto:cherylandmaxx at hotmail.com]
> Sent: Saturday, August 22, 2015 12:14 PM
> To: 'NFB Travel and Tourism Division List'
> Cc: 'Jordan Gallacher'; 'Amy Baron'; 'Denice Brown'; 'Jemal Powell'; 
> 'john Tebockhorst'; miltjotaylor at gmail.com; 'Steven Hastalis'
> Subject: RE: [Travelandtourism] John Pare, Jr is now a member of the 
> Amtrak Disability Advisory Committee.
>
> Can you be more explicit on the issues with this.
>
> So we all know what you are talking about. Also, I had been in touch 
> with Amtrak since December 2014. So I also sent the information that I 
> got from Amtrak to John Pare. FYI, Amtrak has been saying the same 
> things for months with no changes. But at least we have someone from 
> the NFB now on the Board.
>
>
> 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 Professional"
>
> 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.
>
> We have partnered with Braille Smith. www.braillesmith.com for all her 
> 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 Jordan Gallacher via Travelandtourism
> Sent: Saturday, August 22, 2015 12:53 PM
> To: 'NFB Travel and Tourism Division List' 
> <travelandtourism at nfbnet.org>
> Cc: Jordan Gallacher <jordanandseptember at gmail.com>
> Subject: Re: [Travelandtourism] John Pare, Jr is now a member of the 
> Amtrak Disability Advisory Committee.
>
> Oh no they don't.  E-mailing someone now who can make sure that that 
> does not happen.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Travelandtourism [mailto:travelandtourism-bounces at nfbnet.org] On 
> Behalf Of Cheryl Echevarria via Travelandtourism
> Sent: Saturday, August 22, 2015 10:55 AM
> To: 'NFB Travel and Tourism Division List'
> Cc: Cheryl Echevarria; 'john Tebockhorst'; 'Steven Hastalis'; 'Jemal 
> Powell'; miltjotaylor at gmail.com
> Subject: [Travelandtourism] John Pare, Jr is now a member of the 
> Amtrak Disability Advisory Committee.
>
> Good afternoon everyone:
>
>
>
> I was on Facebook today and, John Pare, Jr., Executive Director for 
> Advocacy and Policy with the National Federation of the Blind had 
> announced he is now a member of the Amtrak Disability Advisory 
> Committee.
>
>
>
> I am a member of the Amtrak disability advisory committee. We had our 
> first face-to-face meeting this past week at the Amtrak headquarters 
> in Washington DC. I urged them to fix the calendar problem and to 
> discontinue use of a separate, specialized web site for blind and low 
> vision customers. The calendar problem prevents a blind person who is 
> using screen reading software from entering ones travel dates thereby 
> completely blocking a blind person from purchasing a ticket. This 
> problem will be fixed in one to two months. The reason for the long 
> delay is not the difficulty of the problem but the long testing time 
> for Amtrak to roll out any changes to their website. In the meantime 
> you can use the low vision website or the IOS app.
> They will also be phasing out the separate website for blind and low 
> vision customers but I did not get an exact date for this change.
>
>
>
>
>
> 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 <http://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 Professional"
>
>
>
> 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.
>
>
>
> We have partnered with Braille Smith. www.braillesmith.com for all her 
> braille needs.  Gail Smith is the Secretary of the NFB of Alabama
>
>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
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>
> _______________________________________________
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>
>
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> dsepte
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>
>
> _______________________________________________
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