[Nfbf-l] Thank You, Debby - You are an Inspiration!

[andrew regnery]

Debby,

It was a pleasure meeting you this weekend at the NFB Florida  
Convention. On Friday night YOU were the first person that I talked  
with on the 6th floor of the Embassy Suites Hotel about Florida  
Parents of Blind Children. I wanted to share with you my personal  
story on my vision loss. It will provide you perspective that you and  
the Parents of Blind Children were meant to become a part of my life  
at this moment in time.

It is a personal passion of mine to provide inspiration, guidance, and  
hope to students, parents, and teachers of our K-12 public school  
system,. Because I lost my sight (October 2007) and was classified by  
Social Security as visually disabled (April 2008), I have had to go  
through a major and sudden transformation in my life's journey. In  
July 2008 I worked with my DBS Vocational Rehabilitation specialist,  
Christina Panzak-Smith to put a one-year vocational rehabilitation  
plan in place. The plan I proposed was unique and considered  
impractical with my family and friends. I did not listen to them and  
went with the pull from my soul (i.e., guided by our Lord as a  
Messenger of HOPE) in trying to achieve my hopes and dreams. I knew  
what I wanted to do but was uncertain on how to get there. However,  
this was not new to me as I have had to face similar challenges and  
obstacles in my life. I faced this type of challenge many times in my  
career as an Aerospace Engineer working in the world of Advanced  
Programs and R&D (i.e., Research and Development). I began work after  
graduating from the University of Wisconsin with a BS in Civil and  
Environmental Engineering at Rockwell International in 1980 which  
later became part of the Boeing Company in 1996. My 25 years working  
in this world of challenges, obstacles, and the unknown for aerospace  
vehicles and technology has led me to do the same for our current  
education system.

My vocational rehabilitation plan is to begin an effort to transition  
the culture of our K-12 PUBLIC Schools. The new culture will be based  
on preparing our children to participate in the global economy of the  
21st century. The plan was based on starting my own Education Outreach  
company and using my experience as an aerospace engineer and an out-of- 
the-box visionary to assist our American children become motivated to  
LEARN and then be provided the guidance to seek, explore, and discover  
who they are and what our WORLD is all about.

I am choosing to address those categories that are most challenging.  
This includes working with

(1) children who are visually impaired and blind
(2) children who use English as a Second Language

My goal is the show that these children when put in the proper  
LEARNING environment can exceed the level of children who can see and  
use English as their first language. I plan to raise the bar where  
these children can test at the level of the best countries (note:  
currently the United States ranks 24th) in the world in math and  
science when graduating from high school. This will require  
revolutionary improvement instead of the evolutionary improvement that  
our schools are measuring themselves against. Our nation must reverse  
our downward trend in math and science or our country faces a future  
with a lower standard of living and lower wages. Remember who was the  
economic power at the start of the 1900's. It was Great Britain. They  
were overtaken by the United States as the economic power during the  
20th century when innovation allowed the following:

The Ford Company began mass production of the Model-T Ford
The Boeing Company began large production runs of passenger jets
NASA sent man to the moon resulting in future technologies such as the  
integrated circuit, personal computers, internet technology, advanced  
materials, etc.

These innovations created high paying manufacturing and white collar  
jobs. These manufacturing jobs which can be performed with low paying  
labor is disappearing from this country. Other industries have emerged  
in the last 50 years such as investment services, fast foods,  
entertainment services , digital media, travel industry, etc. For the  
United States the new innovation technologies of the 21st century  
include energy technologies, green environment technologies, bio- 
technology, nano technology, robotics, communications, etc. American  
companies currently has more openings for engineers and scientists to  
develop these new technologies than students graduating from college  
each year. This is why my focus is  to improve math, science, and  
technology education with our K-12 public schools.

Debby... I was inspired by you to get involved with Florida Parents of  
the Blind. On Saturday morning during Centering Prayer I asked the  
Lord to provide me the guidance, strength, courage, and wisdom on how  
I could help with this group. During the Saturday morning  
presentations with Dr. Ruby Ryles and Dr. Sandra Lewis I was overcome  
with the desire to participate as a member of the Board of Directors.  
I am honored to have been elected as the PR/Membership Board Member  
for Florida Parents of Blind Children.

I love your passion and caring soul. By stepping back as president you  
are now a consumer of services instead of a provider. I hope that I  
can be of assistance and support to your family in Martin County as a  
provider of services. You have made my job easier. You were the  
trailblazer and I am following in your footsteps to continue with your  
mission and vision. I can use your assistance as a mentor and allow a  
seamless transition to the new generation of leaders.

Thanks Debby! May you and your family be filled with faith, hope, and  
charity.

Andrew

Andrew Matthew Regnery
PR/Membership Board Member
Florida Parents of Blind Children



On May 25, 2009, at 9:50 PM, Debby B wrote:

> As most of you know, I made the decision prior to convention to pass  
> on the baton this year. It was a very tough decision to make, but  
> one that is necessary at this time. I'm not going away, just  
> stepping back in order to focus on my family for a season.
>
> We had many new families this year, and incredible activities and  
> child care. The child care workers want to go with us to Orlando!  
> Many, many thanks to Dennis and Sue Davids, and to Jody Ianuzzi for  
> all their hard work prior to and during the convention to help make  
> this convention come together. Many thanks to Lenora and Larry  
> Marten for their generous gifts to the parents, and to Dennis and  
> Sue Davids for their generous donations to the childcare program and  
> gifts to the parents.  Many thanks to Carol Fratti and Chris Masal,  
> both from DBS, for the last minute scramble to acquire the power  
> point equipment needed. Thanks also to Donna Evans for our Girl  
> Scout volunteers on Saturday, and David Evans for the use of your  
> sound system. And, of course, thanks to our fabulous speakers and  
> presenters: Dr. Ruby Ryles, LA Tech University; Dr. Sandra Lewis,  
> FSU; Suzanne Dalton, FL Instructional Materials Center; Dr. McKeown  
> and Dr. Lam from Bascom Palmer; Sherrill O'Brien, Winona Brackett,  
> Cecelia Rodrigues, Eric Marten on our Braille Readers panel, and  
> Dani Sapiro, Kris Scheppe, Winona Brackett, Kelly James on our "What  
> Can You Do With a Blind Kid?" panel.
>
> Welcome to all our new families! We're glad to have you join us! We  
> missed those of you from the past years who were not able to attend  
> this year. Hope you will all make plans to join us in Orlando next  
> year over the Memorial Day weekend. Also, check out National  
> Convention July 3-July 8, in Detroit, MI. (www.nfb.org) Be sure to  
> join the March for Independence team, or make a donation to Winona  
> and I or to the team. Info following my signature.
>
> Congratulations to our new board:
> President Lenora Marten
> Vice President Doreen Franklin
> Secretary Vickie Wolf
> Treasurer Larry Marten
> Legislative Board Member Anastasia Campbell
> PR/Membership Board Member Andrew Regnery
> Fundraising Board Member Kelly James
>
> Debby
> bwbddl at yahoo.com
> www.nfbflorida.org/parents
>
> Please support Braille literacy and programs for our youth by  
> sponsoring me in
> the Motor City March for Independence! Better yet, join the team of  
> the FL Parents of Blind Children! Only 5 more weeks!!
> http://www.marchforindependence.org/goto/debbyb
> http://www.marchforindependence.org/goto/fpobc
>
>
>