[Arizona-students] Monthly Arizona President's Message
Arielle Silverman
hdsilverman at gmail.com
Sat Dec 2 00:41:10 CST 2006
November 29, 2006
Hello, fellow Federationists,
We will have a busy time over the next couple of months, and I wish you well
for the holiday season!
The Phoenix Christmas party will take place Saturday the 9th at the El Paso
restaurant from 4 PM to 8 PM at
4303 W. Peoria Ave. in Glendale. Call Norma Robertson, (602) 957-6023, for
further details. The winning Imagination Raffle ticket will be drawn that
evening! Get your raffle ticket money in to Vicki Hodges or Arlen Keen
soon. The See?s Christmas candy sold by the Students? division will also be
distributed that evening. If you haven?t already ordered the candy, a
limited amount will be available for sale at the party.
The Tucson Christmas party will take place Saturday the 9th from noon to
3:30 PM at the SAAVI location. Please call Gerry Piatt, (520) 790-8102, for
further details. The See?s candy will also be distributed that day as well.
The East Valley Christmas party will take place Saturday the 16th at Carol
Scharlat?s home. Please call Barbara O?Brien, (480)940-9929, for details.
The drawing for the Diabetes Division Raffle for the Christmas cactus will
also occur that day! Please get the raffle tickets and money to Art Dinges
soon.
Let?s remember our members who are not well at this time. Kenny Davis is in
the Good Samaritan Rehabilitation center because he took a severe turn for
the worse. At this moment he is not able to speak, but please call Pam for
information and to express support. Her number is (602) 249-0053
Michael Zimet in Tucson has contracted Lou Gehrig disease and is gravely
ill. He is receiving at-home hospice care, and is not expected to recover.
If you wish to express support, Mona Zimet can be reached at (520) 299-6380.
Kristie Keen is still recovering from severe upper respiratory infections,
and would not mind hearing from you. She can be reached at 602-973-9450.
January will be a busy month with NFBA activities!
The day-long TOPS seminar will take place Saturday, January 13 at the Mesa
Public School building. TOPS stands for Training and Opportunity for People
to Serve, and will be a mini-leadership seminar, to teach and remind our
members fundamentals of recruiting, mentoring, sharing our philosophy,
making public presentations, advocacy, and so much more. Please plan to
participate. This is a terrific way to get back to the basics of why we are
Federationists. We will share more details as they are developed.
Our annual Legislative Luncheon will take place Thursday, January 18 at the
Grand Canyon room in the state capitol. We will speak with our legislators
while they are having lunch between 11 AM and 1 PM. Once again, lunch will
cost our members $5, and be served by Joanie Spinka from the Capitol Café.
Please let your chapter or division president know if you are planning to
participate.
The Washington Seminar will once again take place at the Holiday Inn in our
national capitol between January 29 and February 4, 2007. Our affiliate
board has approved a fund to assist our members who are planning to attend,
but need a little financial help. Please let me know confidentially if this
is your situation.
Let?s think about current news,, our NFB response, and how we will address
issues among ourselves and among the greater society. .
We now have our Arizona listserve up and running!
nfbaz-talk at nfbnet.org
This listserv will aid in the informal communication among the members and
friends of the NFB of Arizona. It will also
assist us in the timely communication and prompt discussion of
relevant issues.
To subscribe to this list either go
to:
http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfbaz-talk
or send
e-mail to
nfbaz-talk-request at nfbnet.org
and put the word subscribe in
the subject line.
If you have questions, or need help, please call Paul Amirian (our listserv
administrator) at 520 319-9109 or Email:
paul at amirians.us
Here is an example of some information that is distributed by the NFBAZ-talk
listserv -
November 29, 2006 (National Public Radio broadcast)
A federal judge orders the Treasury Department to make changes in the way it
prints money, so it will be easier for the blind to tell bills apart.
A ruling, in response to an American Council of the Blind lawsuit, proposes
several options: printing bills of different sizes; adding embossed dots;
and using raised ink.
The Treasury Department says the proposals are too expensive. It has 10 days
to decide whether to appeal.
NFB Press Release November 29, 2006
National Federation of the Blind Comments on Federal Court Ruling on U.S.
Currency
Views Effort as Dangerously Misguided
Baltimore, Maryland (November 29, 2006): The National Federation of the
Blind, the largest organization of blind persons in America and known as the
voice of the nation?s blind, criticized as dangerously misguided a federal
court ruling saying that the design of U.S. currency discriminates against
the blind.
Dr. Marc Maurer, President of the National Federation of the Blind, said:
?The blind need jobs and real opportunities to earn money, not feel-good
gimmicks that misinform the public about our capabilities. Blind people
transact business with paper money every day. This ruling puts a roadblock
in the way
of solving the real problem, which is the seventy percent unemployment rate
among working-age blind Americans that severely limits our access to cash.
The ruling will do nothing to alleviate that situation; in fact, it
seriously endangers the ability of the blind to get jobs and participate
fully in society. It argues that the blind cannot handle currency or
documents in the workplace and that virtually everything must be modified
for the use of the
blind. An employer who believes that every piece of printed material in the
workplace must be specially designed so that the blind can read it will have
a strong incentive not to hire a blind person.?
Maurer went on to enumerate the real needs for access to information by the
blind and made a distinction between those needs and the issue of
identifying currency. ?Access to information of all kinds, such as that
contained on Internet Web sites and in the press, is certainly critical to
the ability of
the blind to become productive members of society. Blind students need
educational materials in Braille and other alternative formats so that they
can
prepare for employment and ultimately earn an income for themselves and
their families. Given the urgent need for access to the kind of information
that is required for success in America?s information economy, the matter of
identifying the denominations of paper bills is of relatively little
concern.?
Blind people traditionally identify paper currency by folding bills of
different denominations in different ways. ?In reality, blind people do not
routinely find that we have been short-changed,? Maurer commented. Machines
are readily available to identify paper money for blind people who run
businesses or handle large amounts of cash. ?Essentially, the United States
Treasury has been ordered by the courts to come up with a solution for a
nonexistent problem,? Maurer said.
The National Federation of the Blind believes that with training and
opportunity, blind people can compete in the world with only minor
modifications.
The American Council of the Blind, which brought the lawsuit against the
United States Treasury, promotes the view that the blind are unable to
compete unless the world is modified dramatically and specifically for blind
people, and that the blind must be made objects of care and pity rather than
equal participants in society.
John G. Paré Jr.
Director of Public Relations
NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND
1800 Johnson Street
Baltimore, Maryland 21230
Telephone: (410) 659-9314, ext. 2371
Cell phone: (410) 913-3912
Fax: (410) 685-5653
Email:
jpare at nfb.org
mailto:kwadia at nfb.org
On a lighter, but very important note, here is another example of
information distributed by the listserv ?
National Federation of the Blind Partners with Santa Claus
to Support Braille Literacy
Blind Children to Receive Letters in Braille
NORTH POLE (November 28, 2006): The National Federation of the Blind, the
nation's oldest and largest consumer organization of the blind, and the
leading promoter of Braille literacy in the United States, announced today
that as Christmas approaches the Federation will be providing a special
service for children who read Braille. Blind children who wish to send
Braille letters to Santa will be able to submit their letters to the
National Federation of the Blind Jernigan Institute, which will then Braille
Santa's response.
Dr. Marc Maurer, President of the National Federation of the Blind, said:
"learning to read Braille is critical to the future success of blind
children. Proficiency and fluency in reading Braille are best achieved by
taking every opportunity to read Braille. What could be more fun for a
blind child than receiving a personalized letter from Santa Claus in
Braille?"
The National Federation of the Blind will send Braille replies from Santa
to letters received from blind children and their
parents. Letters to Santa may be in Braille or print. Each reply
will be in Braille and print so that parents and children can read
together. The replies will be in contracted Braille unless
otherwise specifically requested.
Braille or print letters to Santa may be sent to Santa Claus, c/o
National Federation of the Blind, 1800 Johnson Street, Baltimore, Maryland
21230. Letters may also be requested via the Internet at
www.nfb.org
<
http://www.nfb.org/ .
Letters must include the
writer's name, the child's name, the child's birthday, the child's
gender, mailing address, and a telephone number in case Santa's helpers at
the National Federation of the Blind have questions.
Letters must be received by December 15 to ensure a return letter is
received before Christmas. For more information about the Braille Letters
from Santa Program, visit our Web site at
www.nfb.org
<
http://www.nfb.org/ .
hoping you are well,
Bob Kresmer
-------------- next part --------------
November 29, 2006
Hello, fellow Federationists,
We will have a busy time over the next couple of months, and I wish you well
for the holiday season!
The Phoenix Christmas party will take place Saturday the 9th at the El Paso
restaurant from 4 PM to 8 PM at
4303 W. Peoria Ave. in Glendale. Call Norma Robertson, (602) 957-6023, for
further details. The winning Imagination Raffle ticket will be drawn that
evening! Get your raffle ticket money in to Vicki Hodges or Arlen Keen
soon. The See?s Christmas candy sold by the Students? division will also be
distributed that evening. If you haven?t already ordered the candy, a
limited amount will be available for sale at the party.
The Tucson Christmas party will take place Saturday the 9th from noon to
3:30 PM at the SAAVI location. Please call Gerry Piatt, (520) 790-8102, for
further details. The See?s candy will also be distributed that day as well.
The East Valley Christmas party will take place Saturday the 16th at Carol
Scharlat?s home. Please call Barbara O?Brien, (480)940-9929, for details.
The drawing for the Diabetes Division Raffle for the Christmas cactus will
also occur that day! Please get the raffle tickets and money to Art Dinges
soon.
Let?s remember our members who are not well at this time. Kenny Davis is in
the Good Samaritan Rehabilitation center because he took a severe turn for
the worse. At this moment he is not able to speak, but please call Pam for
information and to express support. Her number is (602) 249-0053
Michael Zimet in Tucson has contracted Lou Gehrig disease and is gravely
ill. He is receiving at-home hospice care, and is not expected to recover.
If you wish to express support, Mona Zimet can be reached at (520) 299-6380.
Kristie Keen is still recovering from severe upper respiratory infections,
and would not mind hearing from you. She can be reached at 602-973-9450.
January will be a busy month with NFBA activities!
The day-long TOPS seminar will take place Saturday, January 13 at the Mesa
Public School building. TOPS stands for Training and Opportunity for People
to Serve, and will be a mini-leadership seminar, to teach and remind our
members fundamentals of recruiting, mentoring, sharing our philosophy,
making public presentations, advocacy, and so much more. Please plan to
participate. This is a terrific way to get back to the basics of why we are
Federationists. We will share more details as they are developed.
Our annual Legislative Luncheon will take place Thursday, January 18 at the
Grand Canyon room in the state capitol. We will speak with our legislators
while they are having lunch between 11 AM and 1 PM. Once again, lunch will
cost our members $5, and be served by Joanie Spinka from the Capitol Café.
Please let your chapter or division president know if you are planning to
participate.
The Washington Seminar will once again take place at the Holiday Inn in our
national capitol between January 29 and February 4, 2007. Our affiliate
board has approved a fund to assist our members who are planning to attend,
but need a little financial help. Please let me know confidentially if this
is your situation.
Let?s think about current news,, our NFB response, and how we will address
issues among ourselves and among the greater society. .
We now have our Arizona listserve up and running!
mailto:nfbaz-talk at nfbnet.org nfbaz-talk at nfbnet.org
This listserv will aid in the informal communication among the members and
friends of the NFB of Arizona. It will also
assist us in the timely communication and prompt discussion of
relevant issues.
To subscribe to this list either go
to:
http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfbaz-talk http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfbaz-talk
or send
e-mail to
mailto:nfbaz-talk-request at nfbnet.org nfbaz-talk-request at nfbnet.org
and put the word subscribe in
the subject line.
If you have questions, or need help, please call Paul Amirian (our listserv
administrator) at 520 319-9109 or Email:
mailto:paul at amirians.us paul at amirians.us
Here is an example of some information that is distributed by the NFBAZ-talk
listserv -
November 29, 2006 (National Public Radio broadcast)
A federal judge orders the Treasury Department to make changes in the way it
prints money, so it will be easier for the blind to tell bills apart.
A ruling, in response to an American Council of the Blind lawsuit, proposes
several options: printing bills of different sizes; adding embossed dots;
and using raised ink.
The Treasury Department says the proposals are too expensive. It has 10 days
to decide whether to appeal.
NFB Press Release November 29, 2006
National Federation of the Blind Comments on Federal Court Ruling on U.S.
Currency
Views Effort as Dangerously Misguided
Baltimore, Maryland (November 29, 2006): The National Federation of the
Blind, the largest organization of blind persons in America and known as the
voice of the nation?s blind, criticized as dangerously misguided a federal
court ruling saying that the design of U.S. currency discriminates against
the blind.
Dr. Marc Maurer, President of the National Federation of the Blind, said:
?The blind need jobs and real opportunities to earn money, not feel-good
gimmicks that misinform the public about our capabilities. Blind people
transact business with paper money every day. This ruling puts a roadblock
in the way
of solving the real problem, which is the seventy percent unemployment rate
among working-age blind Americans that severely limits our access to cash.
The ruling will do nothing to alleviate that situation; in fact, it
seriously endangers the ability of the blind to get jobs and participate
fully in society. It argues that the blind cannot handle currency or
documents in the workplace and that virtually everything must be modified
for the use of the
blind. An employer who believes that every piece of printed material in the
workplace must be specially designed so that the blind can read it will have
a strong incentive not to hire a blind person.?
Maurer went on to enumerate the real needs for access to information by the
blind and made a distinction between those needs and the issue of
identifying currency. ?Access to information of all kinds, such as that
contained on Internet Web sites and in the press, is certainly critical to
the ability of
the blind to become productive members of society. Blind students need
educational materials in Braille and other alternative formats so that they
can
prepare for employment and ultimately earn an income for themselves and
their families. Given the urgent need for access to the kind of information
that is required for success in America?s information economy, the matter of
identifying the denominations of paper bills is of relatively little
concern.?
Blind people traditionally identify paper currency by folding bills of
different denominations in different ways. ?In reality, blind people do not
routinely find that we have been short-changed,? Maurer commented. Machines
are readily available to identify paper money for blind people who run
businesses or handle large amounts of cash. ?Essentially, the United States
Treasury has been ordered by the courts to come up with a solution for a
nonexistent problem,? Maurer said.
The National Federation of the Blind believes that with training and
opportunity, blind people can compete in the world with only minor
modifications.
The American Council of the Blind, which brought the lawsuit against the
United States Treasury, promotes the view that the blind are unable to
compete unless the world is modified dramatically and specifically for blind
people, and that the blind must be made objects of care and pity rather than
equal participants in society.
John G. Paré Jr.
Director of Public Relations
NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND
1800 Johnson Street
Baltimore, Maryland 21230
Telephone: (410) 659-9314, ext. 2371
Cell phone: (410) 913-3912
Fax: (410) 685-5653
Email:
mailto:jpare at nfb.org jpare at nfb.org
mailto:kwadia at nfb.org mailto:kwadia at nfb.org
On a lighter, but very important note, here is another example of
information distributed by the listserv ?
National Federation of the Blind Partners with Santa Claus
to Support Braille Literacy
Blind Children to Receive Letters in Braille
NORTH POLE (November 28, 2006): The National Federation of the Blind, the
nation's oldest and largest consumer organization of the blind, and the
leading promoter of Braille literacy in the United States, announced today
that as Christmas approaches the Federation will be providing a special
service for children who read Braille. Blind children who wish to send
Braille letters to Santa will be able to submit their letters to the
National Federation of the Blind Jernigan Institute, which will then Braille
Santa's response.
Dr. Marc Maurer, President of the National Federation of the Blind, said:
"learning to read Braille is critical to the future success of blind
children. Proficiency and fluency in reading Braille are best achieved by
taking every opportunity to read Braille. What could be more fun for a
blind child than receiving a personalized letter from Santa Claus in
Braille?"
The National Federation of the Blind will send Braille replies from Santa
to letters received from blind children and their
parents. Letters to Santa may be in Braille or print. Each reply
will be in Braille and print so that parents and children can read
together. The replies will be in contracted Braille unless
otherwise specifically requested.
Braille or print letters to Santa may be sent to Santa Claus, c/o
National Federation of the Blind, 1800 Johnson Street, Baltimore, Maryland
21230. Letters may also be requested via the Internet at
http://www.nfb.org www.nfb.org
<
http://www.nfb.org/ http://www.nfb.org/
.
Letters must include the
writer's name, the child's name, the child's birthday, the child's
gender, mailing address, and a telephone number in case Santa's helpers at
the National Federation of the Blind have questions.
Letters must be received by December 15 to ensure a return letter is
received before Christmas. For more information about the Braille Letters
from Santa Program, visit our Web site at
http://www.nfb.org www.nfb.org
<
http://www.nfb.org/ http://www.nfb.org/
.
hoping you are well,
Bob Kresmer
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