[Travelandtourism] We need to hear from you about whether you are going to be participating in the Travel & Tourism Division or are we dissolving the division

Sat Apr 2 11:51:41 UTC 2016

Good morning Edward.

The National Federation of the Blind welcomes everyone. No offense here, we really do not have members at least to my knowledge of members from outside the united states. We have many international people who attend the National Convention that are part of the World Blind Union, since their country has similar organization like the NFB.  

I mean yes you can be involved.

When people join the divisions here with the NFB, they pay dues, they know there are monthly meetings whether they are state and chapter affiliate meetings, etc.

They do know what is expected of someone paying dues, etc.

I respect what you are saying. There are issues we all are working on that are very important to those that want to make traveling accessible for everyone.

I am a travel professional, who owns her own travel agency as well, which is not a requirement of this division. 

But when our members vote on things at National meeting they do not come through with involvement on things.

Case in point, we try to do a fundraiser for the division by taking a trip somewhere. Our one and only successful trip was to the national parks of Utah and that area, we have 27 people go. Blind people and sighted people. For us to keep the division going to and to help get members to important meetings where airlines have meetings or maybe to a meeting with others that are working on buses like Greyhound, or find a way to get our members to National Convention who could not in their own power get there.

We worked hard in 2015 to arrange a trip to the state of NY or GA, we invited everyone to participate in the planning of with the committee we had. Brought it to National Meeting, it was voted on NY, but no one actively reached out to friends and family to help get those going on the trip. 

Fell through. This has been done every year since 2014 and it flies out the window.

There are issues we have been working on  all year, and no one comes to meetings at all. 

We have other divisions like the students and guide dog division, parents of blind children and over 50+ other division and committees that people have once a month.

I see it and experience it.

Again, no disrespect on this.

This is my last term as President, and I am also leaving the NFB. The other issue is, we get no support from others in higher authority, who you would think that would, one of the reasons I love the philosophy of the NFB. Live the Life You Want. I get it. Without the NFB I may not have gone through the issues being blind after becoming blind at the age of 35  in 2001.

I wouldn't have my business or confidence without the NFB. At the same token, it is not the same organization it was back when I joined. So going to be putting my efforts into still advocating for the blind in any way I can, but with the knowledge and people I know around the world in the travel industry, and other people with disabilities, at least I am being heard.

I hope you enjoy the division for as long as it is here. It was started in 2001 way before I was part of the NFB in 2006.

Take care and enjoy!

Cheryl Echevarria, President
National Federation of the Blind – Travel & Tourism Division
Vice President
631-236-5138
cherylandmaxx at hotmail.com
“Live the Life You Want”

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 was awarded by Governor Cuomo in 2012, New York State Disabled Entrepreneur or the year, and is the owner of Echevarria Travel 

-----Original Message-----
From: Travelandtourism [mailto:travelandtourism-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Edward Green via Travelandtourism
Sent: Saturday, April 2, 2016 5:16 AM
To: TravelAndTourism <travelandtourism at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Edward Green <ergreen1981 at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [Travelandtourism] We need to hear from you about whether you are going to be participating in the Travel & Tourism Division or are we dissolving the division
Importance: High

Hi Cheryl,

I’m contributing as a relative newcomer to the NFB (I joined as a Member at Large last year), and I must confess, have not ponied up my subs yet to join the Division though this is something I still intend to do should the Division have a future.

I wonder whether people do see value in the Division but are not able to participate in monthly calls for a variety of reasons.  For me, it’s a timezone issue as I live in the UK, but for some, I wonder whether the monthly meetings may feel a bit as though they are being asked to serve on some sort of Committee for the Division, when in fact they may want to support the work of the Division through membership but participate/consume its services more passively.

It may be that the Division has a future, but that monthly calls aren’t the way forward.

I’d be interested in others’ views though.

Cheers,

Ed
> On 1 Apr 2016, at 15:06, Cheryl Echevarria via Travelandtourism <travelandtourism at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Good morning everyone and need to hear from all of you!
> 
> 
> 
> Last night was our March Meeting of the NFB Travel & Tourism at 7 PM 
> Eastern Time.
> 
> 
> 
> Please remember unless you are on the East Coast you need to move one 
> hour back. If you live in Minnesota it is 6 PM, Utah is 5 PM, West Coast is 4 PM.
> 
> 
> 
> We get an email after each conference call from Freeconferencecall.com 
> of when people called. We had gotten 3 separate calls for after 8pm 
> and later after the meeting was over!
> 
> 
> 
> Our meeting was short again this month. Only 1 member besides that 
> officers had shown up.  Yes, I am giving the "Mother's Guilt" here! It 
> is becoming way upsetting, that we have members, who do not 
> participate accept at National Convention.
> 
> 
> 
> If we want to keep this division going, we need your participation.
> 
> 
> 
> We all decided on last night's call, that we would contact our 
> National President, Mark Riccobono, for some kind of assistance in this matter.
> 
> 
> 
> We do have some officers what would like to run again for their 
> positions, but they don't want to unless there is something to work towards.
> 
> 
> 
> As many of you know, I will not be running again as President of this 
> Division.
> 
> 
> 
> But I still have a few months left in my position, the same as the 
> rest of the team.
> 
> 
> 
> I would just love to say that. I have been proud to work with some 
> great people, who want to make a change in the way blind people 
> travel, whether you don't travel at all or you want to make things 
> better for yourself and other blind people in the way of travel.
> 
> 
> 
> The officers and I are like family, we love working together and will 
> remain friends for a very long time.
> 
> 
> 
> If we do not hear from you. We will be making phone calls to all 
> people, we have contact information on.
> 
> 
> 
> Cheryl & Nelson Echevarria
> 
> We make getting there as easy as being there!
> 
> http://www.echevarriatravel.com <http://www.echevarriatravel.com/>
> 
> reservations at echevarriatravel.com 
> <mailto:reservations at echevarriatravel.com>
> 
> 
> 631-456-5394
> 
> To Schedule an appointment with us click here 
> <https://www.timetrade.com/book/TRSHMC:/Users/Owner/Documents/20150416
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> 
> We specialize in Romance; Family Travel and Group Travel for clients 
> throughout the US, Canada and Puerto Rico. Destination Travel Experts 
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> Remember, we build our business on referrals. Please pass our details 
> on to friends and family members that deserve the best vacation that 
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> 
> We also offer dedicated services for the legally blind traveler. 
> Cheryl Echevarria has been legally blind since 2001 from complications 
> from diabetes, we are able to assist those who are low vision to totally blind.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
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> 
> 
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