[Nfbnet-members-list] Nevada Convention

Tue Aug 14 00:42:25 UTC 2018

Fellow Federationists: 
Mark your calendars for October 5th through 6th, 2018!

Expect a weekend of energy as we Dare to Dream, Declare, and Deliver!

The 2018 National Federation of the Blind of Nevada State Convention will be
held at the:

Nugget Casino Resort
1100 Nugget Ave.
Sparks, NV 89431

The National Federation of the Blind 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.

We are proud to announce that Pamela Allen (Executive Director of the 
Louisiana Center for the Blind, president of the National Federation of 
the Blind
of Louisiana, 1st Vice President of the National Federation of the 
Blind, and chairperson of the NFB Board of Directors) will be our 
national rep this
year! Her bio can be found at
https://nfb.org/pam-allen-bio 

Mark your calendars and make every effort to attend the 2018 state 
convention of the National Federation of the Blind of Nevada. Get 
Involved. Make a Difference!

Hotel Details and Room Rates

Use our booking code GNFBO18 to easily reserve your room at 
http://bit.ly/2FNc58G
. Room rates for single or double occupancy is $119/night, and 
triple/quad occupancy is $129/night plus resort taxes and fees. 
Reservations must be made
by September 5th in order to receive our group rate. After September 
5th, the remaining rooms in our block will be released to the general 
public.

Guide Dog Relief Area

The guide dog relief area will be announced at a later date.

Convention Registration Costs and Details

Convention registration will ensure you a ticket into our Friday Meet 
and Greet Reception, Saturday continental breakfast, Saturday boxed 
lunch, and door
prize drawings. Convention Preregistration will open from June 5th and 
run until October 4th. When purchased by October 4th, the 
preregistration fee for
convention is $15 ($20 on-site, October 5th-6th) and the cost of a 
banquet ticket is $40 (same price when purchased at the convention).

NOTE: all first timers will receive a $5 registration discount.

Childcare will be available for all children who are registered for the 
convention or $10 at the door. We encourage preregistering your children 
to ensure
that we have enough volunteers, games, and crafts.
Follow this link to preregister:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdgO8LY6sQSOOKpGBMR--eQYDiV0T0gK4wO
KmJavVTtwA6lgg/viewform

Health & Wellness Expo and Vendor Fair Registration

Are you a business owner, vendor, or nonprofit interested in exhibiting 
at our Health & Wellness Expo and Vendor Fair? Would you like to be 
recognized
as a key supporter by sponsoring our event? Send all inquiries to 
National Federation of the Blind of Nevada President Terri Rupp at
president at nfbnevada.org .

National Rep Bio

Pam Allen, First Vice President and Board Chair Nonprofit Agency 
Administrator, Advocate, Community Leader

Pam Dubel was born in 1970 and grew up in Lancaster, New York. She 
became blind when she was approximately two years old as a result of 
retinal blastoma,
a type of cancer. Although her parents were shocked by her loss of 
sight, they fortunately realized that she was still the same child 
except that she could
no longer see. Through love and high expectations, they instilled in Pam 
a sense of pride and confidence in her ability to succeed. They 
constantly taught
her that her blindness was not a limitation to achieving her goals and 
dreams. Growing up as the youngest of six children also helped her learn 
to be
independent. Since she was the youngest, nobody, especially the brother 
a year older than she, let her get away with anything. Pam attended a 
private Catholic
school, where she was the only blind student. Her itinerant teacher 
provided a sound foundation in Braille, which helped her excel in 
academics. Her parents
expected her to do her best and to engage in activities that would make 
her a confident and well-rounded person. She participated in horseback 
riding,
skiing, and cheerleading during elementary school. During high school 
her interests shifted to performing in chorus, doing community service, 
and having
fun with her friends.

While growing up, Pam had limited contact with other blind people her 
age. In general she had no desire to associate with other blind people. 
She understood
that every high school senior experiences some trepidation about the 
transition to adulthood and independence. However, as high school 
graduation approached,
she began to grapple with questions that her sighted peers couldn't 
answer. She planned to attend college, and she hoped that she would 
eventually find
a job, but she secretly wondered if she would truly be able to obtain 
employment. After all, she had had difficulty finding part-time work 
during high
school. Her loving family and friends encouraged her, but she had 
questions that went unanswered. Although she entered college with some 
apprehension,
she was determined to achieve her best. Her small liberal arts college 
provided an exciting environment in which to learn and grow. But those 
unanswered
questions continued to nag at her. If people were amazed that she could 
accomplish the most insignificant tasks, would they ever treat her as an 
equal?
She realized that she had to meet other blind people with more 
experience than she who could serve as role models.

Her search exposed her to a wide variety of groups and organizations of 
and for the blind. However, not until she attended a student seminar 
hosted by
the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio did she begin to find the 
answers for which she had been searching. Although she didn't realize it 
at the
time, that seminar marked the beginning of a new chapter of her life. 
She met Barbara Pierce, president of the NFB of Ohio, who told Pam about 
the Louisiana
Center for the Blind. More than that, she spoke with Joanne Wilson, its 
director, who arranged for Pam to complete an internship at the center 
the following
May. As soon as that was completed, Joanne invited her to work as a 
counselor in the children's summer program that year.

Pam was a 1991 National Federation of the Blind scholarship winner when 
she was a senior at Denison University, where she majored in psychology 
and minored
in women's studies. She served as vice president of the Ohio Association 
of Blind Students and as secretary of the National Association of Blind 
Students,
and throughout college she worked summers for Joanne Wilson at the 
Louisiana Center for the Blind with the Children's Program.

After graduation from college Pam decided to become a student at the 
Louisiana Center for the Blind. She recognized that she still needed to 
gain some
confidence in her skills and in her ability to be a successful blind person.

Since 2001 Pam Allen has served as the director of the Louisiana Center 
for the Blind, one of three NFB adult rehabilitation centers. Prior to 
becoming
the director, she served as the director of youth services, working with 
blind infants and toddlers and their parents, supervising the training 
of classroom
aides to teach Braille throughout Louisiana, coordinating summer camps, 
and developing innovative programs for blind children and teenagers.

People often ask her what makes the Louisiana Center for the Blind such 
a special place. She responds, "What sets our alumni apart from those of 
other
kinds of rehabilitation facilities? The answer is that, by attending our 
center and the other centers conducted by Federationists, students are 
exposed
to the National Federation of the Blind and its philosophy. The NFB is 
more than an organization; it is a loving family. Regardless of where 
you are, you
can find members of the NFB who can give you support and encouragement 
when you need it. The NFB also provides a constant supply of mentors and 
role models
who challenge you to set goals for yourself. Lives are positively 
changed every day at the Center because of the philosophy of the NFB."

Allen recalls that she used to believe that she did not need other blind 
people. She thought that being independent meant succeeding without the 
help of
others. Her involvement with the National Federation of the Blind has 
taught her that this is not true. She has learned that she needs 
reinforcement from
her blind colleagues and friends.

Pam lives in Ruston, Louisiana, with her husband Roland Allen, a 
dedicated Federation leader and a gifted orientation and mobility 
instructor at the center.
She is currently the president of the NFB of Louisiana and secretary of 
the National Association of Blind Rehabilitation Professionals. In July 
of 2002
she was elected to the National Federation of the Blind board of 
directors. Four years later, in 2006, she was elected to serve as 
treasurer of the National
Federation of the Blind. In 2012, Pam and Roland received the 
prestigious Jacobus tenBroek Award in recognition of their distinguished 
service in the Federation.
In 2015, Pam was elected as first vice president of the National 
Federation of the Blind. Allen is also involved in a variety of 
community and professional
organizations, including the Chamber of Commerce and as a gubernatorial 
appointee to the Louisiana Rehabilitation Council. She says, "Being 
elected to
the national board has allowed me to give back and to spread the message 
of our movement. It is an incredible honor and privilege to serve!"

Additional Information

Check our website for further details, scholarships, and more 
announcements at www.nfbnevada.org .

Follow us on Facebook to stay up to date on what's happening at 
https://www.facebook.com/nationalfederationoftheblindofnevada .

If you have questions and need additional information, please contact:

Terri Rupp, President
PO Box 2041
Reno, Nevada 89515
Cell Phone: 702-524-0835
email:
President at nfbnevada.org
Respectfully,
Michael Ausbun
Vice President, National Federation of the Blind of Nevada
(775) 432-8789
"Hold your head high in the joy of accomplishment and the pride of
independence-but not because of dog or cane or human arm, not because of
your ability to read Braille or use a computer. These are the trappings of
independence, not the substance of it. They should be learned and used when
needed-but they should be regarded only as means, not ends. Our independence
comes from within ...." Dr. Kenneth jernigan