[Nfbf-l] NFB of Palm Beach April Newsletter

[Tekesha Saffold]

NFB OF PALM BEACH APRIL NEWSLETTER 

 

Let's recite the NFB Pledge:

 

I pledge to participate actively in the efforts of the National Federation
of the Blind to achieve equality, opportunity, and security for the blind;
to support the policies and programs of the Federation; and to abide by its
constitution.

 

Greetings Federation Family! The National Federation of the Blind Palm Beach
Chapter is honored to have you at our monthly meeting on Saturday March 10th
at Duffy's 11935 Southern Blvd., Royal Palm Beach, FL from 11:00 AM to 1:00
PM. During this meeting, our guest speaker will be Todd J. Bonlarron,
Assistant County Administrator. He joined the county in 1999 as Executive
Director of the Legislative Delegation and more recently served as Director
of Legislative Affairs responsible for developing the legislative program
for the County Commission, and coordinating the County's lobbying efforts in
Tallahassee and Washington DC. Mr. Bonlarron oversees Cooperative Extension
Service, Legislative Affairs, Libraries, Palm Tran, Public Affairs and Youth
Services. He also serves as the liaison to the Department of Health, Health
Care District, Metropolitan Planning Organization, and Supervisor of
Elections. 

Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much!

Helen Keller

 

Happy Birthday or Happy Anniversary from the NFB Palm Beach Chapter if you
are celebrating any special occasions this month. Enjoy each moment like it
is your last and many blessings!

 

State Convention Info:

 

The Tampa Chapter and Suncoast Chapter are working diligently in planning an
awesome state convention. The state affiliate welcomes all ideas for guest
speakers, workshops, and extra activities. 

The state convention will be held over Memorial Day Weekend, May 25-28, 2018
at Hilton Tampa Airport Westshore, 2225 North Lois Avenue, Tampa, FL 33607.
To make your room reservations, please call the Hilton Tampa Airport
Westshore at 813-877-6688. When calling, ask for the National Federation of
the Blind of Florida Convention room rate (code NFB) of $104.00 per night.
Rooms are reserved on a first-come first-served basis. Your room reservation
must be made by May 5, 2018 to guarantee our special hotel rate. Prior to
convention the registration fee is $20.00, and the banquet tickets are
$40.00 each. The registration and the banquet fee will each increase by
$5.00 on Monday, May 7, 2018. So, it is important that we receive your
payment by that date to qualify for the pre-registration and banquet package
discount. Don't wait, send your Convention Registration in today! If you
have questions, please feel free to contact NFBF Treasurer Gloria Mills
Hicks at: treasurer at nfbflorida.org or by calling 1-866-342-5080. 

 


National Federation of the Blind National Convention Info: 


 

The National Federation of the Blind will hold its annual National
Convention during the week of July 3-8, 2018. The convention will be at the
Rosen Shingle Creek Resort in Orlando, FL.  The 2018 room rates are singles
and doubles, $88; and triples and quads, $93. In addition to the room rates
there will be a tax, which at present is 12.5 percent. No charge will be
made for children under seventeen in the room with parents if no extra bed
is requested. Please note that the hotel is a no-smoking facility.

Call for your reservations at (866) 996-6338 or you may also write directly
to the Rosen Shingle Creek, 9939 Universal Boulevard, Orlando, Florida
32819-9357. The hotel will want a deposit of $100 for each room and will
want a credit card number or a personal check. If you use a credit card, the
deposit will be charged against your card immediately, just as would be the
case with a $100 check. If a reservation is cancelled before Friday, June 1,
2018, half of the deposit will be returned. Otherwise refunds will not be
made.  Preregister for the convention on the NFB website at www.nfb.org as
soon as possible.

 


The Kenneth Jernigan Convention Scholarship Fund


by Allen Harris

Allen HarrisFrom the Editor: Allen Harris is the chairman of the Kenneth
Jernigan Fund Committee and was one of the people who came up with the idea
of honoring our former president and longtime leader by establishing a
program to promote attendance at the national convention, where so much
inspiration and learning occur. Here is Allen's announcement about the 2018
Kenneth Jernigan Convention Scholarship Fund Program:

Have you always wanted to attend an NFB annual convention but have not done
so because of the lack of funds? The Kenneth Jernigan Convention Scholarship
Fund invites you to make an application for a scholarship grant. Perhaps
this July you too can be in the Rosen Shingle Creek Hotel in Orlando,
Florida, enjoying the many pleasures and learning opportunities at the
largest and most important yearly convention of blind people in the world.



The three biggest ticket items you need to cover when attending an NFB
national convention are the roundtrip transportation, the hotel room for a
week, and the food (which tends to be higher priced than at home). We
attempt to award additional funds to families, but, whether a family or an
individual is granted a scholarship, this fund can only help; it won't pay
all the costs. Last year most of the sixty grants were in the range of $400
to $500 per individual. 



We recommend that you find an NFB member as your personal convention mentor,
someone who has been to many national conventions and is able to share
money-saving tips with you and tips on navigating the extensive agenda in
the big hotel. Your mentor will help you get the most out of the amazing
experience that is convention week.

Who is eligible?

Active NFB members, blind or sighted, who have not yet attended an NFB
national convention because of lack of funding are eligible to apply.

How do I apply for funding assistance?

*	You write a letter giving your contact information, and your local
NFB information, your specific amount requested, and then explain why this
is a good investment for the NFB. The points to cover are listed below.
*	You contact your state president in person or by phone to request
his or her help in obtaining funding. Be sure to tell the president when to
expect your request letter by email, and mention the deadline.
*	You (or a friend) send your letter by email to your state president.
He or she must add a president's recommendation and then email both letters
directly to the Kenneth Jernigan Convention Scholarship Fund Committee. Your
president must forward the two letters no later than April 15, 2018.

Your letter to Chairperson Allen Harris must cover these points:

*	Your full name and all your telephone numbers-label them-cell phone,
home, office, other person (if any);
*	Your mailing address and, if you have one, your email address;
*	Your state affiliate and state president; your chapter and chapter
president, if you attend a chapter;
*	Your personal convention mentor, and provide that person's phone
number;
*	Your specific request, and explain how much money you need from this
fund to make this trip possible for you. We suggest you consult with other
members to make a rough budget for yourself.

The body of your letter should answer these questions:

How do you currently participate in the Federation? Why do you want to
attend a national convention? What would you receive; what can you share or
give? You can include in your letter to the committee any special
circumstances you hope they will take into consideration.

When will I be notified that I am a winner?

If you are chosen to receive this scholarship, you will receive a letter
with convention details that should answer most of your questions. The
committee makes every effort to notify scholarship winners by May 15, but
you must do several things before that to be prepared to attend if you are
chosen:

*	Make your own hotel reservation. If something prevents you from
attending, you can cancel the reservation. (Yes, you may arrange for
roommates of your own to reduce the cost.)
*	Register online for the entire convention, including the banquet, by
May 31. 
*	Find someone in your chapter or affiliate who has been to many
conventions and can answer your questions as a friend and advisor.
*	If you do not hear from the committee by May 15, then you did not
win a grant this year.

How will I receive my convention scholarship?

At convention you will be given a debit card or credit card loaded with the
amount of your award. The times and locations to pick up your card will be
listed in the letter we send you. The committee is not able to provide funds
before the convention, so work with your chapter and state affiliate to
assist you by obtaining an agreement to advance funds if you win a
scholarship and to pay your treasury back after you receive your debit or
credit card.



What if I have more questions? For additional information email the
chairman, Allen Harris, at kjscholarships at nfb.org or call his Baltimore,
Maryland, office at (410) 659-9314, extension 2415.

Above all, please use this opportunity to attend your first convention on
the national level and join several thousand active Federationists in the
most important meeting of the blind in the world. We hope to see you in
Orlando.




 


 

Fundraiser Info:

 

Introducing our Amazing Trio Bundle raffle!

All of the details of this raffle are found below for your convenience: 

 

The great part about this raffle is that there are 3 prizes and 3
opportunities to win!!! For only $5 individuals will have an opportunity to
win:

1st prize: I Pad Pro, or the cash value of $800 2nd prize: $500 Uber or Lift
gift cards, or the cash value 3rd Prize: $200 Travel voucher, or the cash
value

 

Winners do not have to be present to win, and the drawing will take place on
July 8, 2018 at our National convention in Orlando.

 

In addition this fundraiser starts once you receive your tickets, and will
go through our national convention. If you are not attending the national
convention, all tickets, stubs, and funds must be return to Paul Martinez no
later than June 30th.

 

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Paul Martinez by your
preferred method of choice by phone 813-390-5720.

Collaboration made this fundraiser and Collaboration will make this
fundraiser successful.

 
KNFB Reader wants you to make the print yours and expand your horizons. KNFB
Reader is a mobile app that reads print aloud. To buy KNFB Reader visit
www.knfbreader.com or visit the App Store or the Google Play Store.  If you
would like a demonstration or instruction contact Jorge Hernandez at Phone:
305-877-2311 or Email: jeh1065 at comcast.net.

 


*New Information: Just Us Blind Girls of Palm Beach Support Group 


Please come and join us at our regular monthly meeting which is every third
Wednesday of each month.
 
This is an organization for adult blind women. The purpose of the
organization is to show blind women that they can strive to be more
independent, self-sufficient, active and self-confident. There is a lot more
to come in the near future. Come and give us a chance; we are on the move.
All women are invited to come to our meetings.
 
Date and time: Wednesday, March 21st, from 1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. 
Location: 4801 S. Dixie Highway, West Palm Beach, FL.  During the meeting,
Our topic will be on fitness and health goals. We will have some time for
fun and some type of movement to get our blood circulating. Snacks will be
provided. Please contact Tekesha Saffold for more information.



Blind Divas gear up for empowerment pageant  

By  <http://connect.nj.com/user/bcarter/posts.html> Barry Carter

 

 <mailto:bcarter at starledger.com> bcarter at starledger.com,

Columnist, The Star-Ledger

People with sight say the oddest things to those who are blind.

"Oh, you're so pretty,'' like how can that be?

Danielle DiBello, 30, of Saddle Brook, who is legally blind, said she hears
that often and finds it irksome.

To her, it says blind people can't be attractive, letting the insensitivity
roll off her back.

Then there's this one that cracks up Joanna Mallard, 32, of Jersey City.

"Who dressed you today?''

"Nobody, I'm just living life,'' said Mallard, who lost her vision due to
retinal detachment 12 years ago.

What will they say June 2, when these women grace the stage in Newark during
the Ms. Blind Diva Empowerment Pageant 2K18?

Mallard and DiBello are among eight women to sign up first for the pageant
hosted by
<http://www.nj.com/essex/index.ssf/2016/02/turning_the_beat_around_to_see_be
yond_their_blindn.html> Eyes Like Mine Inc., a Newark nonprofit organization
that breaks down stereotypes and stigmas associated with the blind.

 

This is the second pageant the group has organized, an idea that its
president, Krystle Allen, thought of when she was a student at Essex County
College. As she walked to class, Allen said, she could hear students
referring to her as the "blind girl," a tag she didn't like.

"If they're going to call me something, they're going to call me Blind
Diva,'' said Allen, who likes to dress in style and wear her trademark
6-inch high heel shoes.

>From that experience, Allen and her vice president, Naquela Wright, who also
is blind, rolled out the pageant idea to empower visually impaired women.

For Mallard, the pageant is an opportunity to help others struggling with
blindness the way she once did.

"I was depressed and suicidal, because I felt like I was too young for
this,'' said Mallard, who was 20 at the time.

"It was a struggle, but once I got over the hump, I walk in the liberty
knowing that I'm more than my eyesight.''

Mallard is a poet, licensed foster parent and motivational speaker.

DiBello, after pulling herself through difficult times, such as depression,
is a licensed massage therapist and has sung in several talent shows.

Born blind in her left eye, DiBello said she became legally blind in her
right eye at 12 years old from retinal detachment. People were off-putting
and didn't know how to interact with her, she said.

"Oh, so you can see, but you can't see,'' said DiBello, remembering how she
was treated."I didn't fit into the blind world, and I didn't fit into the
sighted world.''

When she turned 20, DiBello accepted being blind and sought help on how to
live. "I can see a future, whereas I didn't before,'' she said.

Now DiBello can add Diva to her platform after she and a number of other
visually impaired women attended an informational session about the pageant
Saturday, February 10th at the Ashley Stewart clothing store in Newark.

They came from across the state: from Keyport, Plainfield and Irvington, to
Saddle Brook, Jersey City and Maplewood.

One contestant, Tekesha Saffold, 35, flew in from Palm Beach, Florida.

"I've always wanted to be a part of something like this,'' said Saffold, who
lost her sight nine years ago from retinal detachment.

Saffold said she had a hard time accepting her situation, thinking her sight
would return. Once she got past the denial, Saffold gradually became
comfortable with visual impairment and confident in her abilities. An avid
traveler, she graduated college with a bachelor's degree in social work and
is now president of the National Federation of the Blind for Palm Beach
County. This summer, she's planning a life-after-sight party to celebrate
her accomplishments.

"I don't look at my blindness as something that holds me back,'' she said.

Neither does Tara Invidiato, 33, of Keyport, who is entering the pageant for
another reason. Invidiato is deaf and blind. Her participation, she said, is
to reach the deaf-blind community.

"It's very hard for the deaf-blind to come out,'' Invidiato said."I'm trying
to show them that they have the power to come out and do anything they
can.''

She was born deaf, but Invidiato said losing her sight three years ago to
aggressive glaucoma was tough.

"I couldn't read anything. I couldn't talk,'' she said. "Without any
communication, that will drive you nuts." 

Invidiato learned Braille in 10 months and continued to use American Sign
Language. Today, she teaches individuals who are guides for blind people and
she is on the board of directors for the American Association of the
Deaf-Blind.

Eyes Like Mine takes pride in showing those of us with sight what the blind
community can do.

Two years ago, the organization had blind folks wearing out the dance floor
during its
<http://www.nj.com/essex/index.ssf/2016/04/these_dancers_have_all_the_right_
moves.html> Dancing With the Blind competition at Essex County College in
Newark. The dancers did salsa and hip-hop, liturgical and modern dance,
house music and tap dance routines.

The pageant should be just as riveting.

Allen is looking for more contestants to take part in the Blind Diva
competition. There will be workshops on public speaking, walking the runway,
make-up tutorials. Tickets are $20 in advance and $30 at the door, which
happens to be The Club House, 205 Spruce St., Newark.

 

Come on out. Trust me, Eyes Like Mine won't disappoint.  Oh yeah, they want
us to dress to impress.

The Blind Divas certainly will.

Barry Carter: (973) 836-4925 or  <mailto:bcarter at starledger.com>
bcarter at starledger.com or 

 <http://connect.nj.com/user/bcarter/posts.html> nj.com/carter or follow him
on Twitter
<https://twitter.com/BarryCarterSL?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7C
twgr%5Eauthor> @BarryCarterSL

 

The mission of the National Federation of the Blind is to achieve widespread
emotional acceptance and intellectual understanding that the real problem of
blindness is not the loss of eyesight but the misconceptions and lack of
information which exist. We do this by bringing blind people together to
share successes, to support each other in times of failure, and to create
imaginative solutions.

 

"To handle yourself, use your head; to handle others, use your heart."
Eleanor Roosevelt

 

-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: image001.png
Type: image/png
Size: 49705 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://nfbnet.org/pipermail/nfbf-l_nfbnet.org/attachments/20180401/c8dcf8f5/attachment.png>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: image002.jpg
Type: image/jpeg
Size: 88660 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://nfbnet.org/pipermail/nfbf-l_nfbnet.org/attachments/20180401/c8dcf8f5/attachment.jpg>