[Nfbf-l] FOPBC State Convention Happenings
Sherri
flmom2006 at gmail.com
Thu Jun 3 23:20:44 UTC 2010
Lenora, You and the rest of the division did a superb job. I wish I could
have attended some of the sessions, particularly the bullying workshop,
because as my two daughters were growing up, they experienced some of that
and so does my 13-year-old son who has issues of his own. While not truly
visually impaired, he will not wear his glasses, because the kids pick on
him.
Anyway, I wish I could have somehow mastered being in two places at once as
your workshops and break-out sessions sounded just wonderful! I enjoyed
talking with Doreen. I hope some of what Holly and I told her is able to
help. I am here if any parents need help or if there is anything I can do. I
am sure I will learn a lot from being involved in this division too. I did
not get a chance to pay my dues. I would like to join. How much are dues?
Thanks.
Sherri
----- Original Message -----
From: "Doreen Franklin" <theconelady at yahoo.com>
To: "NFB of Florida Internet Mailing List" <nfbf-l at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Thursday, June 03, 2010 7:05 PM
Subject: Re: [Nfbf-l] FOPBC State Convention Happenings
> Lenora
> You are soooo right -- FOPBC and NFBF do ROCK!!!!
>
> I came to the convention knowing that I would be re-energized from
> everyone. And I got more than I expected!
>
> After presenting snippets from various meetings with our district, I had
> support and encouragment that was "much needed" on my end. I "grabbed"
> Holly Idler for specific info on O&M for Torrie -- and she and Sherri Brun
> jumped in with plenty of info and suggestions. It is so great to "ask" and
> just receive bundles of info, support and encouragement from everyone.
> Many many thanks!
>
> On the other foot, helping with the IEP session was great "therapy" for
> me, as well as being able to talk to other families as to where they are.
> Seeing Rodney and his cane and reading his first braille book - that was
> well worth all the struggles we have had!!! That is what we all struggle
> for and Rodney just soaked it up! There was a warmth in my heart for
> seeing his being given the tools he needs!
>
> I personally thought that the convention ran very well with the Affiliate
> meetings in the AM and break-outs in the PM. Our Parent sessions really
> got parents thinking (IEP and Oregon Project) but yet we had plenty of fun
> and laughter at the Braille book-making class (I am challenged and it took
> me a while to get a picture together). The Parent Meet-and-Greet was an
> awesome time to see where other families are and be able to start to
> immediately bond over the kids' disability.
>
> Many thanks to all who helped, especially Lenora and Larry for having the
> insight for our parents! This will definitely help the families that were
> at the convention, as well as those for next year (word will spread and we
> are going to have many more families next year!).
>
> I am glad I am a part of FOPBC and NFBF - definitely changing the way we
> think about blindness!
>
> Doreenhttp://www.raceforindependence.org/goto/TorrieF
>
> --- On Thu, 6/3/10, Lenora J. Marten <bluegolfshoes at aol.com> wrote:
>
>
> From: Lenora J. Marten <bluegolfshoes at aol.com>
> Subject: [Nfbf-l] FOPBC State Convention Happenings
> To: nfbf-l at nfbnet.org, nfbfjax at comcast.net
> Date: Thursday, June 3, 2010, 9:55 AM
>
>
>
>
> Good Morning,
>
> Wow! What a convention! I hope everyone is caught up on their sleep. I
> know I am happy to have my body clock back to normal.
>
> NFBF rocks! Thank you all so much for your continued support. Those of you
> who know me well, know that I cannot say something in just a few
> sentences. I’ve tried REALLY HARD. But it’s just not working. So, pull up
> a chair and grab a cup of coffee….
>
> Our parent seminars were, by far, the smoothest I have ever coordinated
> with any blind group. Kudos goes out to our 14 daycare volunteers who,
> believe it or not, all showed up on time! They thoroughly enjoyed working,
> learning and playing with our children. Your future NFBF members spent
> time playing games, making crafts, coloring with their giant low-vision
> coloring books and brailled pictures. There were even muffin tins and
> balls for the little ones to practice Braille letters. Our kids went home
> with brightly colored Florida beach pails they had decorated themselves
> with tactile shapes filled to the brim with goodies and crafts. The teen
> room that the Inman’s helped Larry and I put together was a little
> boring – on purpose. We wanted a ‘down time’ room for our teens, but didn’t
> want to make it too interesting. We wanted them to choose to participate
> with other teens, the state affiliate and their families.
>
> Special thanks go out to our Troop 333 volunteers who traveled from
> Jacksonville to help us out. Michelle Falkner, troop leader and mom
> traveled in with her son Dalton and his friend Justin, both Eagle Scouts.
> They not only assisted us with the lunchtime daycare turnover, but cared
> for our kids during the banquet Sunday night and again on Monday morning.
> They were happy to help out wherever needed with both FOPBC and NFBF. They
> also took the opportunity to participate in our cane walk learning even
> more about blindness issues. They learned much from their experiences with
> us and will be reporting to both Troop 333 and the North Florida Council.
> Go Boy Scouts!
>
> Our speakers, Anna Brynild from Central Florida Parent Center, Mark Keith,
> parent trainer from FSDB and Dr. Bill Cavitt all generously donated their
> time, experience and knowledge in order to help parents become better
> informed when making decisions concerning their children. Those parents
> with school age children attended an IEP workshop put on by Anna and Keith
> while parents of younger children spent time with Dr. Bill Cavitt learning
> much about the Oregon Project and how to maximize its use. On Sunday our
> parents participated in interactive workshops. They had so much fun at our
> Braille book making workshop that not one person cared that we were short
> on braillers. Everyone shared, learning and creating with each other.
> Thanks to NFBF for allowing us to have Mike Hingson for an hour. Parents,
> teens and NFBF members went away motivated after hearing about his
> personal experiences. Our bullying workshop was very well received by all.
> We talked about
> bullying related to blindness issues for just before parents, teens and
> NFBF members broke into role-playing groups. They were given instructions
> and questions designed to engage children in conversation meant to ‘draw
> out’ what is happening in their lives.
>
> Our very own Holly Idler, who is too fabulous for words, pulled off the
> best cane walk ever! The room was filled with adults, teens and children
> seeking much needed orientation and mobility instruction. Our parents had
> many, many questions concerning cane techniques, protective techniques and
> sighted-guide. It was such a privilege to see Rodney hold a cane for the
> very first time and watch his confidence grow throughout the rest of the
> convention. Special thanks go out to NFBF 2nd vice-president Joe
> Minichiello and our NFBF scholarship winners who came out to help Holly
> and assist our families.
>
> As a division, we tried some new approaches this year that really paid
> off! FOPBC board members were given the opportunity to actively plan,
> participate and execute our parent seminars. Doreen Franklin, our
> vice-president, together with Anna Brynild not only planned the IEP
> workshop, but put together that wonderful skit for all of you in general
> session giving you an idea of just how difficult it is for parents to
> continuously deal with the IEP team. Anastasia and I spent a lot of time
> this year discussing and researching just how we wanted to do the Braille
> book making workshop. Although we both had different ideas, we worked
> together very well in planning just what our parents asked for – those
> seemingly elusive Braille picture books that are so hard to come by. Larry
> not only helped to plan and execute the bullying workshop but helped out
> in more ways than I can possibly count. In fact, by the end of the
> conference, we were all referring to
> Larry as the ‘energizer bunny’. Andrew put together a wonderful technology
> seminar for our teens where they learned where technology has been, where
> it is today, and where it is going in the future. Tracie, not sure what to
> expect at her first NFBF convention, helped out in many, many areas
> including gathering some door prizes for us and obtaining that most
> important auction item – the Peterbrook chocolate basket. Kelly, although
> unable to attend the convention, gave us many useful ideas and input
> throughout the year.
>
> The FOPBC board had many discussions this year concerning the amusement
> parks in Orlando and possibly planning an event on the same weekend as
> convention. We all had different opinions, concerns and desires.
> Major kudos go out to Larry for painstakingly making the many phone calls
> and follow-up with each and every major park in order to let us know what
> our options were so that we could make this decision together. Thanks go
> out to Kevin Inman who helped us to explore some other options in case we
> needed them. We all learned a lot from this experience as we truly had
> seven different opinions with a board that was not only learning how to
> interact with each other, but also learning about the workings of NFB.
>
> Immediately following general session on Monday, our May Adventures in
> Blind Optimism Saturday Program was held at SeaWorld Adventures in
> Education where our children were given a Shark and Penguin Encounter
> geared toward blind children. We started off in the education center where
> our kids got to touch and learn about a snake, a baby alligator, animal
> bones and even some polar bear fur. We then walked through the park for a
> behind the scenes tour of the penguin exhibit. We spent a lot of time
> there learning about the care and feeding of the penguins complete with
> sanitary precautions for the penguins, scheduling light simulation, etc.
> Our families got to touch and take photos with two very different
> penguins. Upon entering the shark exhibit, we got to touch some baby
> sharks and continued to learn, learn, learn! All this took about an hour
> and a half. Our families got to spend the rest of the day at the park
> where some of our kids rode a roller coaster
> for the first time. We had 28 people attend with two families having never
> visited SeaWorld previously.
>
> All in all, it was a fabulously stupendous convention! FOPBC and NFBF are
> working together to change what it means to be blind for Florida children.
> WE ROCK!
>
>
>
>
>
> Lenora J. Marten, President
> Florida Organization of Parents of Blind Children
> NFB-Jacksonville Chapter Secretary
> Chairperson, FSDB/PAC
> bluegolfshoes at aol.com
> 904-777-5976 / 904-229-9554
> www.raceforindependence/goto/fopbc
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