[Nfbnet-members-list] Minnesota 2014 Annual Convention Agenda and Streaming Information

Thu Oct 30 16:00:23 UTC 2014

Minnesota Federationists:
Here is the agenda for our convention. See you in New Ulm!

NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND OF MINNESOTA
2014 Annual Convention

October 31-November 2, 2014
New Ulm Holiday Inn
2101 South Broadway
New Ulm, Minnesota 56073
President: Jennifer Dunnam
National Federation of the Blind of Minnesota
100 East 22nd Street
Minneapolis, MN 55404
(612) 872-9363
www.nfbmn.org
Twitter: @nfbmn
Facebook: National Federation of the Blind of Minnesota

National Representative: Pam Allen
Treasurer, National Federation of the Blind and
President, National Federation of the Blind of Louisiana
Ruston, Louisiana

The National Federation of the Blind of Minnesota knows that blindness
is not the characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day
we raise the expectations of blind people, because low expectations
create obstacles between blind people and our dreams. You can live the
life you want; blindness is not what holds you back.

Registration $10.00 if received before the convention, $15.00 on-site.
Banquet tickets, $30.00. Saturday lunch tickets, $20.00.  Membership
dues (if not already paid prior to the convention) $5.00. Please make
sure we have your most current contact information, including email
address. If you do not currently receive the Braille Monitor, our
national monthly magazine, please let us know, and we will sign you
up.

Bake Auction: The bake auction will take place throughout the
convention, beginning on Saturday morning and continuing through the
Sunday session. (Charlotte Czarnecki, Auction Coordinator).

Door Prizes: Door prizes will be awarded throughout the convention. To
be eligible, you must be registered and in the room when your name is
drawn.  (Matt Langland and Maurisa Becker, door prize Co-chairs).

Live Streaming: For those unable to join us this weekend, the
convention will be streamed live at this link:
http://s8.streammonster.com:8387 (when a web page appears, follow the
"listen" link).  This link will work with most platforms but may not
work with Windows Media Player; a better link for Windows Media player
will be emailed when available. This is our first experiment with
streaming, and our audio coordinators will be doing their best to deal
with the many variables that can affect the quality and availability
of the stream.

Raffle: a 50-50 raffle will be conducted during the convention, the
winner to be drawn during the banquet. The proceeds will support
Community Shares of Minnesota, which in turn supports the NFB of
Minnesota. Tickets $1.

Breakfast: The hotel provides a continental breakfast free of charge
to those staying at the hotel, beginning at 7:00 on Saturday and
Sunday morning. Breakfast selections include eggs and a breakfast
meat, pastries, toast, bagels, English muffins, yogurt, cereal, oat
meal, whole fruit, milk, juice, coffee, hot water, tea, hot chocolate.

Get On the PAC Plan: At the national board meeting thirty years ago
this year, E.U. Parker came up with the idea of what we first called
the Bank Draft Pledge System to help finance the Federation. This
system is now called the Pre-Authorized Contribution (PAC) Plan. The
PAC Plan has come to be an ever-more important part of financing the
movement. According to the chairman of the NFB's PAC committee, Scott
LaBarre, the Federation has raised more than ten million dollars over
the years through the PAC Plan.
  The PAC Plan allows members, affiliates, chapters, and others to give
a regular and automatic donation to the Federation every month. All
you have to provide is your checking or savings account identification
information. Because of the costs associated with operating the
program, the minimum donation is $5 a month and there is no
restriction on how much you donate. Please sign up at the convention
to begin a new PAC contribution or to make changes to your current
contribution. Your donation will help the  blind live the lives they
want.

Friday Afternoon/Evening, October 31

2:30-5:00	Registration (Registration area). Registration will also be
open at other times during the convention. Those who pre-registered
should pick up lunch/banquet tickets and agendas. There is a
registration fee of $15.00 for those registering at the convention.
Banquet tickets are $30.00, and tickets for the BLIND, Inc. lunch are
$20.00. Those attending the seniors division meeting should purchase
your breakfast tickets for $12.00.

3:00-10:00	Exhibits/Sales--Lobby Area

NFB Louis Braille Commemorative Silver Dollars, with readable
Braille--Proof version, $42.

inTACT Sketchpad and Eraser: E.A.S.Y. Tactile Graphics will be
exhibiting the inTACT Sketchpad and Eraser: affordable, portable, and
accessible tools for quickly creating and editing freehand raised-line
drawings. You can share ideas with anyone using graphics that are both
visual and tactile! Learn to draw, and draw to learn with inTACT
Sketchpad and Eraser.  Please stop by our booth, and/or visit
www.EasyTactileGraphics.com.

Information on Federal Student Financial Aid from the Department of
Education  http://www.fsapubs.gov/

Meetings
3:15	Resolutions committee
Ryan Strunk, chair--Gallery 1

3:15	Live The Life You Want! A Conversation
Pam Allen and Roland Allen--Gallery 2

5:00-7:00	Annual meeting of the Minnesota Association of Blind Students
Va'nasha Washington, President--Gallery 1

7:15	Annual Meeting of the Minnesota Association to Promote the Use of Braille
Melody Wartenbee, President--Gallery 1

7:15	Unleash The Power in Phones and Tablets
An informal hands-on session for learning and helping others learn
about new and useful applications and tips and tricks to increase your
productivity and access to information through mobile devices. Come
check out the KNFB Reader for iOS and much more!

7:00-10:00	Registration: $15.00. Banquet tickets, $30.00. Lunch
tickets, $20.00. Senior breakfast tickets, $12.00.--Registration Area

7:30 - 11:00	The Minnesota Association of Blind Students invites you
to an evening of Halloween hospitality!  Light snacks will be provided
and there will be a cash bar! Costumes are encouraged--best costume
wins a prize! There will also be a contest with four participants in
the running to receive a pie in the face (Jennifer Dunnam, Pam Allen,
Ryan Strunk, and Va'nasha Washington). The participant who has the
most money by the end of the night will receive the pie. Have a desire
to see one of these folks get pie-d? Be sure to come and donate to
their buckets! --Gallery 3

Saturday Morning, November 1

7:00 a.m.		Breakfast and Annual Meeting of the National Federation of
the Blind of Minnesota Seniors Division (Breakfast $12.00, paid in
advance at registration)
Joyce Scanlan, President--Boardroom.

8:15 a.m. 	Registration: $15.00 (Registration Area)

9:00	Call to order (Galleries 1 and 2)

9:05	Opening Ceremonies
Invocation
Welcome
Convention arrangements/announcements.

9:25	National Report
Pam Allen, Treasurer, National Federation of the Blind, and President,
National Federation of the Blind of Louisiana

10:00	Dialog with State Services For The Blind
Carol Pankow, Director, Minnesota State Services for the Blind

10:35	Ensuring Quality Education for Our Children
Kristin Oien, Blind/Visually-Impaired Specialist, Minnesota Department
of Education

10:55	Good News From Our Library
René Perrance, Public Services Librarian, Minnesota Braille and
Talking Book Library

11:20	What's New At The Academy
Brad Harper, Superintendent, Minnesota State Academy for the Blind;
and Jon Davis, Director, Minnesota State Academy for the Blind

11:45	Funding Our Movement, It Must Be Done (Pre-Authorized Contribution Plan)
Bob Raisbeck, Pre-Authorized Contribution Plan Committee Chair

11:50			Announcements

12:00	Adjourn

12:10	BLIND, Inc. lunch (Gallery 3, $20.00).
Students and staff of BLIND, Inc. will join Federationists as we
celebrate the progress and accomplishments of our consumer-directed
training center.

Saturday Afternoon, November 1

2:00		Call To Order

2:05	Let's Go Build The Federation!
Candice Chapman, Graduate Student, University of Minnesota and
Coordinator of Minnesota's 75 in 75 Campaign

2:15	Print, Print, Everywhere--But Now We Can Read It Too: The  KNFB Reader
Ryan Strunk, Treasurer, NFB of Minnesota Metro Chapter and Solutions
Analyst, Target Corp.

2:30	Promoting the Tactile Graphics Fluency Movement: Drawing Tools
for the Blind
Mike Coleman, vice president, E.A.S.Y. Tactile Graphics

2:50	Braille: It's Even Faster Than You May Think
Brook Sexton, Accessibility Analyst, Target Corporation

3:10	Ensuring Access to Information from the State of Minnesota
Steve Jacobson, Vice President, National Federation of the Blind of Minnesota

3:30	BLIND, Incorporated On The Move!
Dan Wenzel, Executive Director, Blindness: Learning in New Dimensions
(BLIND), Incorporated; et al

4:00	Employment For The Long Term
Alice Hebert, Teleconference Specialist, AT&T

4:15	Landmark Case Is a Victory For Us All
Aaron Cannon, Lead Software Accessibility Engineer, Instructure, Inc.

4:35		President's Report
Jennifer Dunnam, President, National Federation of the Blind of Minnesota

4:50		Reports/Announcements

5:00		Adjourn.

Saturday Evening, November 1
6:00			Social Hour/cash bar (Pre-Function Area)

7:00	Banquet ($30.00, Ballroom). Master of Ceremonies: Judy Sanders
Invocation.
Introduction of head table.
Federation songs.
Drawings.
Presentation of Essay Contest Winners.
Presentation of 2014 NFB of MN scholarships.
Keynote Address--Pam Allen, Treasurer, National Federation of the Blind
and President, National Federation of the Blind of Louisiana.

Hospitality/music will follow the banquet. (Cash bar.)
Remember to set back your clock and gain that extra hour!!

Sunday Morning, November 2

9:00		Business Session, Call To Order --Galleries 1 and 2.

Resolutions
Ryan Strunk, Chair, Resolutions Committee

In Memoriam

Mid-Year Treasurer's Report
Tom Scanlan, Treasurer, National Federation of the Blind of Minnesota

Elections

The Blind Table

Chapter and Division Updates

Give to the Max Day

Representation on committees and councils
Resource Center Advisory Council--Dan Wenzel
Minnesota State Rehabilitation council for the 
Blind--Jennifer Dunnam and others
Minnesota State Academy for the Blind Site Council--Tim Aune
Academies Governance Board--Jan Bailey
Library Advisory Committee--Bryce Samuelson

Announcements

12:00		Adjourn

Special Thanks
The activities of this organization can only succeed with the help and
dedication of many Federationists, and the convention is no exception.
Thank you to the Minnesota Association of Blind Students for the
Friday Evening hospitality, to the Federationists in the Riverbend
area for their hard work, and to all of the many Federationists who
have worked both out in front and behind the scenes to make this
convention happen.

Divisions and Committees
National Federation of the Blind of Minnesota Seniors' Division--Joyce
Scanlan, President.
Minnesota Association to Promote the Use of 
Braille--Melody Wartenbee, President.
Minnesota Association of Blind Students--Va'nasha Washington, President.
Resolutions Committee--Ryan Strunk, Chair.
Pre-Authorized Contribution Plan Committee--Bob Raisbeck, Chair.
Scholarship Committee--Sheila Koenig, Chair.
Membership Committee--Jan Bailey, Chair.
Social Media Committee--Sheila Koenig, Chair.
Public Relations Committee--Judy Sanders, Chair.
Door Prizes--Matt Langland and Maurisa Becker, co-chairs.
Bake Auction--Jan Bailey, Charlotte Czarnecki, Kathy McGillivray, and
other auctioneers and bakers.

Jacobus tenBroek Legacy Society

Help build a future full of opportunity for the blind by becoming a
member of the Jacobus tenBroek Legacy Society. Your legacy gift to the
National Federation of the Blind can be made in the form of a will or
living trust, an income-generating gift, or by naming the NFB as a
beneficiary of a retirement plan or life insurance policy. You can
also become a member of the Jacobus tenBroek Legacy Society by making
a legacy gift to your state affiliate. By committing to support an NFB
affiliate, your gift will benefit both local and national programs as
all bequests made to affiliates are split evenly with the NFB national
treasury. In addition to having the satisfaction of contributing to
the future success of the NFB's mission, tenBroek legacy society
members will also receive a specially designed thank you gift and
other benefits. For additional information about the Jacobus tenBroek
Legacy Society, please contact Lou Ann Blake at the NFB Jernigan
Institute by e-mail at lblake at nfb.org, or by telephone at
410-659-9314, extension 2221.

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