[Nfbf-l] "Actions speak louder than words!"

Sun Dec 6 21:47:20 UTC 2009

Dear All,
    I believe this message demonstrates the very attitude that is creating 
the issue within our affiliate. Rather than listening to the concerns of 
thos of us who are leaders in this affiliate and changing the culture within 
the Board of Directors, those who are disenchanted are bid farewell without 
even an effort to resolve the issues.
    At our Leadership Workshop we were told that the Board wanted to 
communicate better with the membership. One way we were told this would be 
done is by the posting of the minutes of the Board of Directors. It has been 
more than a month now and still the most recent minutes are from january 12!
    I have helped other Chapters with the details of such things as opening 
a bank account, implementing educational programs, conducting fund raising 
events, and advocating for others  because the Board ignored their needs. We 
are being asked to help raise funds for the affiliate, yet the Board of 
Directors fails to be accountable for how they spend the money we have 
already raised. Again, I ask the question, "When can we expect the better 
communication we were promised would happen soon? When is "soon"?
    There is an adage that "actions speak louder than words"! We are told we 
will get better communication and, after a month, we cannot even get the 
minutes of the Board meetings. "Actions speak louder than words!" We are 
told the Board wants to help strengthen chapters. "Actions speak louder than 
words!" We are told there will be better communication and transparency. 
"Actions speak louder than words!"
    If you were frustrated with the way our afiliate was being run and 
received the message below, would you be motivated to stay on or would it 
only galvanize your intention to give up? I have frequently thought of 
giving up because of my frustration with the affiliate and their lack of 
responsiveness to real concerns. However, I feel the NFB is more than a few 
individuals or even the body of the Board. I know the potential of 
collective action and believe in what the NFB stands for. I, too, am unhappy 
with the way the business of the affiliate is being handled, but I know 
there is a greater good and a larger organization. Until the membership,as a 
whole, becomes frustrated with the actions of the Board and either demand 
change or make it happen through their votes, we will continue on the 
regressive path we are following.

Fraternally yours,
Marion Gwizdala, President
East Hillsborough Chapter
National Federation of the Blind of Florida

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Dan Hicks" <danjhicks at yahoo.com>
To: "'NFB of Florida Listserv'" <nfbf-l at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Sunday, December 06, 2009 4:06 PM
Subject: Re: [Nfbf-l] Our benefit dinner and show


> Dear Dave,
>
>
>
> We are sorry to see you and Holly go and we will miss you in the 
> affiliate.
>
>
>
> Dave, it's too bad that you couldn't answer the question "What does the 
> NFB
> of Florida do?" for those that asked. It is too bad that you didn't know
> more about the organization, even after attending the Leadership Workshop
> for two and a half days - an event, by the way put on by the NFBF, and to
> which your room and nearly all expenses were paid by that same 
> organization.
> I realize that you chose to be late or absent from some of those meetings,
> but, in the sessions for which you were present, you should have gained
> enough information to be able to have a short speech to those who asked 
> you
> what the NFBF was up to. But, somehow, you were not able to come up with 
> any
> information, so let's hope that the printed information you distributed
> contained some of the answers the questioners needed.
>
>
>
> Holly, you have attended at least one and probably more of our Tallahassee
> Seminars, and have been an articulate, enthusiastic, and committed
> participant. You know some of the goals and activities of the NFBF and how
> hard we have worked to move them forward.
>
>
>
> As you both know, the NFBF elects half its board members every two years,
> but I suppose you won't be around for those elections. People who join an
> organization and stay with it only for a few months before leaving, really
> don't accomplish much by way of making changes to that organization.
>
>
>
> We wish you well in whatever organization you chose to become part of.
>
>
>
> Dan Hicks, President
>
> National Federation of the Blind of Florida
>
>
>
>
>
> "Self-education is, I firmly believe, the only kind of education there is"
>
>                                    -Isaac Asimov
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>> -----Original Message-----
>
>> From: nfbf-l-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfbf-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
>
>> Behalf Of davidw
>
>> Sent: Sunday, December 06, 2009 7:38 AM
>
>> To: Florida Association of Guide Dog Users
>
>> Cc: NFB of Florida Listserv
>
>> Subject: [Nfbf-l] Our benefit dinner and show
>
>>
>
>> What a great turnout last night promoteing our business " A to Z Adaptive
>
>> Aids"  we raised some money to purchase independent aids for those that
>
>> need
>
>> them but can't...
>
>>
>
>> We had NFB brochures out and quite a few people asked about the
>
>> organization.  I quite frankly when asked the question's they were 
>> asking,
>
>> "what does the NFB of Florida do"  I didn't have a answer and honestly 
>> had
>
>> to say, "I really don't know" and "your guess is as good as mine"  I
>
>> honestly didn't have any answer's for them and after discussing this with
>
>> Holly Schneider (vice president of the Hernando chapter)  we both have
>
>> decided to resign as members of Florida NFB.  We will remain as members
>
>> nationally  and continue to fight for individual rights as citizens but
>
>> under a different flag.  Is there a ACB chapter in Hernando county?  If
>
>> anyone can pass this information to us,  dwermuth1 at earthlink.net  we 
>> would
>
>> like to find more about what they are doing and perhaps start a chapter
>
>> here.
>
>>
>
>> Regards and best luck in the future when you all have a chance to vote on
>
>> change on your leadership.
>
>>
>
>> Dave Wermuth and Holly Schneider
>
>>
>
>>
>
>>
>
>> _______________________________________________
>
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>
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>
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>
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>
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>
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>
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