From john_bailey17 at hotmail.com  Mon Oct  3 12:49:55 2016
From: john_bailey17 at hotmail.com (John Bailey)
Date: Mon, 3 Oct 2016 12:49:55 +0000
Subject: [Nfbv-announce] Fairfax Chapter of the NFBV had an awesome
 September and it is just going to get better!
Message-ID: <DM3PR15MB1066037DCCD75E8483DA04638FC20@DM3PR15MB1066.namprd15.prod.outlook.com>

Dear Fairfax Chapter Members and Friends,
September was an awesome month for us. I just wanted to take a moment too review all the exciting September events the chapter hosted and to thank those members who made it all possible.

First of all, I wish to thank Annette Carr and Joy Relton for organizing and participating in our September 24 Tech Day held in Fairfax. Both Annette and Joy went far beyond expectations to bring us the latest in book and newspaper accessibility technologies. And, there was much much more.

I would also like to thank Scott White from our national office in Baltimore who heads NFB-NEWSLINE for presenting at our event where he demonstrated not only how the vision impaired can easily read the newspaper as soon as it becomes available to the public.  But, also independently where ever and whenever you want.

A special shout-out goes to those members who helped out with registration - Cathy Schroeder and Rodney Neely. When we needed extra hands, they were there.

At our regularly scheduled September meeting held at the home of Fred and Cathy Schroeder, we hosted a program on how the vision impaired can be their own bosses and have their own businesses. It was not only interesting because of the real-world content we were able to learn from, it was also interesting because it was our second time having the program available to anyone in the state via conference call. It wasn't only those at Cathy's house who enjoyed the program, we had several check-ins from across the country also join us.

Just a preview of upcoming events:
October 15: Motorcycle show-and-tell-and-ride around Fairfax City. We will start the event at 10 AM at the Fairfax City Hall. More information will be coming soon. Make plans now.

September 20: Our presenter will be a local female judo champion who happens to be blind. Lori flips-on-its-head the idea that the vision impaired can't do sports. She will show us how we can participate in sports and about all the sport activities available to the blind. We will be meeting at the Fairfax Red Lobster on Fairfax Blvd. More information coming soon.

In addition, congratulations to Fairfax Chapter member and National Scholarship winner Sharon Jose for earning a fellowship grant from the chapter to assist with the costs of attending this year's state convention in Virginia Beach the weekend of November 11 thru 13.

Want more info about our events and chapter, contact John Bailey at john_bailey17 at hotmail.com<mailto:john_bailey17 at hotmail.com> or via phone at 703.994.2040

For meeting times and locations, go to:
http://www.nfbv.org/chapters-divisions/fairfax/



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From michaelgkasey at verizon.net  Mon Oct  3 20:07:46 2016
From: michaelgkasey at verizon.net (Michael Kasey)
Date: Mon, 03 Oct 2016 16:07:46 -0400
Subject: [Nfbv-announce] Calling for Resolutions!
Message-ID: <001d01d21db1$cf581980$6e084c80$@verizon.net>

>From Jennifer Shields:

Fellow Federationists:

As you know, our state convention is fast approaching. One of the most
important parts of our convention involves reading and discussing
resolutions sent in by our affiliate members. Resolutions are policy
statements of the affiliate, and we welcome them from our members.

If you are planning on submitting a resolution, or if you have an idea for
one, please contact me as soon as possible. The resolutions committee can
assist you with writing your resolution if necessary.

Many people are intimidated by resolutions because they have a complex
structure with all those awkward whereas statements. However, there are many
people who have ideas which we might consider as potential policy statements
for the NFB of Virginia. Also, they help spark conversations about vital
issues we face as Virginia Federationists.

I am honored to serve as Chair of the Resolutions Committee during our

2016 state convention. If you would like to submit a resolution, please send
it to me as soon as possible. My email address is:

jen.shields929 at gmail.com <mailto:jen.shields929 at gmail.com> 

Thank you, and the committee looks forward to receiving your resolutions.

Best,

Jennifer Shields

Chair, 2016 NFBV Resolutions Committee

Recording Secretary, National Federation of the Blind of Virginia

 

 

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.

 



From michaelgkasey at verizon.net  Mon Oct  3 23:57:07 2016
From: michaelgkasey at verizon.net (Michael Kasey)
Date: Mon, 03 Oct 2016 19:57:07 -0400
Subject: [Nfbv-announce] Gather up and bring your door prizes to convention!
Message-ID: <001001d21dd1$d9c8c6b0$8d5a5410$@verizon.net>

>From the Chesapeake Bay Chapter:

 

Dear Fellow Federationists,

Karen Brown is the coordinator for door prizes for this year's state
convention in Virginia Beach. We are looking for door prizes and need your
help. Some of the items we are looking for as a door prize include a pound
of coffee, chocolate, candles, small seasonal items, cash and gift cards.
Anything along those lines would be great.

Door prizes should be brought to the convention registration table at the
hotel. You may also mail then in advance to:
Karen Brown
3335 Mackenzie Bay Lane
Virginia Beach, VA  23453

Please contact Karen with any questions or concerns at (757) 567-8224 or at
k.brownone at cox.net <mailto:k.brownone at cox.net> .

Thanks and hope to see you in Virginia Beach!

Chesapeake Bay Chapter

 

 

 

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.

 



From john_bailey17 at hotmail.com  Wed Oct  5 11:24:32 2016
From: john_bailey17 at hotmail.com (John Bailey)
Date: Wed, 5 Oct 2016 11:24:32 +0000
Subject: [Nfbv-announce] Correction to last Fairfax chapter announcement
Message-ID: <DM3PR15MB106641C66AF02B329A268EC38FC40@DM3PR15MB1066.namprd15.prod.outlook.com>

The next Fairfax chapter meeting will be October 20 and not September 20.
Thanks,
JB



Dear Fairfax Chapter Members and Friends,
September was an awesome month for us. I just wanted to take a moment too review all the exciting September events the chapter hosted and to thank those members who made it all possible.

First of all, I wish to thank Annette Carr and Joy Relton for organizing and participating in our September 24 Tech Day held in Fairfax. Both Annette and Joy went far beyond expectations to bring us the latest in book and newspaper accessibility technologies. And, there was much much more.

I would also like to thank Scott White from our national office in Baltimore who heads NFB-NEWSLINE for presenting at our event where he demonstrated not only how the vision impaired can easily read the newspaper as soon as it becomes available to the public.  But, also independently where ever and whenever you want.

A special shout-out goes to those members who helped out with registration - Cathy Schroeder and Rodney Neely. When we needed extra hands, they were there.

At our regularly scheduled September meeting held at the home of Fred and Cathy Schroeder, we hosted a program on how the vision impaired can be their own bosses and have their own businesses. It was not only interesting because of the real-world content we were able to learn from, it was also interesting because it was our second time having the program available to anyone in the state via conference call. It wasn't only those at Cathy's house who enjoyed the program, we had several check-ins from across the country also join us.

Just a preview of upcoming events:
October 15: Motorcycle show-and-tell-and-ride around Fairfax City. We will start the event at 10 AM at the Fairfax City Hall. More information will be coming soon. Make plans now.

October 20: Our presenter will be a local female judo champion who happens to be blind. Lori flips-on-its-head the idea that the vision impaired can't do sports. She will show us how we can participate in sports and about all the sport activities available to the blind. We will be meeting at the Fairfax Red Lobster on Fairfax Blvd. More information coming soon.

In addition, congratulations to Fairfax Chapter member and National Scholarship winner Sharon Jose for earning a fellowship grant from the chapter to assist with the costs of attending this year's state convention in Virginia Beach the weekend of November 11 thru 13.

Want more info about our events and chapter, contact John Bailey at john_bailey17 at hotmail.com<mailto:john_bailey17 at hotmail.com> or via phone at 703.994.2040

For meeting times and locations, go to:
http://www.nfbv.org/chapters-divisions/fairfax/

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From michaelgkasey at verizon.net  Wed Oct  5 17:51:13 2016
From: michaelgkasey at verizon.net (Michael Kasey)
Date: Wed, 05 Oct 2016 13:51:13 -0400
Subject: [Nfbv-announce] Charter bus to and from convention notice
Message-ID: <000001d21f31$108b9f50$31a2ddf0$@verizon.net>

Greetings Colleagues and Friends:

 

I am writing as president of the Potomac Chapter of the National Federation
of the Blind of Virginia to announce a convention bus will be offered this
year.

 

We will leave from the St. George's Episcopal Church at 915 North Oakland
Street, Arlington Virginia at 1:00 pm Thursday November 10.  We will make
intermediate stops in Prince William County, Fredericksburg, and Richmond.
We plan to return north at 1:00 pm on Sunday November 13.  We will drop-off
at the same locations.  The exact times for these pick-ups and exact
locations are still tentative.  The tentative Prince William County pick-up
is scheduled for the rest stop at exit 156 off I95.  The Fredericksburg
pick-up is scheduled for the Hospitality House hotel off exit 130 and the
Richmond pick-up will be at the Wendy's restaurant at the Chamberlain exit
off of I95. 

 

The cost is $80 per person.  Our chartered bus is equipped with comfortable
high backed seats and a rest room.  

 

I hope as many persons as possible are able to take advantage of this
opportunity.  For example the train from Alexandria to Newport News and an
almost 90 minute bus ride to Virginia beach costs $84 and takes about six or
seven hours not to mention a considerable cost of a cab from the bus stop in
Virginia Beach to the Hotel.  

 

Although the train from Richmond costs less than $50 per person, it also
involves the same bus ride from Newport News and a cab to the hotel.  

 

Another great advantage of taking our bus is we have an opportunity to visit
and get to better know each other and enjoy the comradery of the convention
as we travel.

 

 

Please contact me if you have questions or need to make reservations to join
us on the convention bus. I would like to have reservations by November 5.
Those in the Potomac chapter may pay at our October meeting or as you get on
the bus.  Others should pay as you enter the bus.

 

Email: johnh50 at verizon.net 

 

Cell: 703-867-6400

Home: 703-379-1141

 

 

 

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.

 



From john_bailey17 at hotmail.com  Thu Oct  6 11:57:29 2016
From: john_bailey17 at hotmail.com (John Bailey)
Date: Thu, 6 Oct 2016 11:57:29 +0000
Subject: [Nfbv-announce] Time is running out to get a hotel room and
 register for Nov. 11-13 Virginia State Convention in Virginia Beach
Message-ID: <DM3PR15MB106676489FC3729C62D52F0F8FC70@DM3PR15MB1066.namprd15.prod.outlook.com>

Time is running out to get a hotel room and register for Nov. 11-13 Virginia State Convention in Virginia Beach

FYI: If you need a hotel room at our NFBV  reduced rate, you must register for a room prior to October 15.


2016 National Federation of the Blind of Virginia State Convention
Dates and Hotel Reservations

We are convinced that the 2016 NFB of Virginia State Convention will be another great event. Following are the dates and hotel registration information. We look forward to seeing everyone there.

You can make your hotel reservations now at our NFB of Virginia rate.

Details:

  *   November 11, 2016 - November 13, 2016
  *   Wyndham Virginia Beach Oceanfront
  *   5700 Atlantic Ave, Virginia Beach, VA 23451
  *   Call 1-800-365-3032 to make reservations and ask for the National Federation of the Blind of Virginia (NFBV) group rate.
  *   Click here to make hotel reservations online<http://www.wyndham.com/groupevents2016/ORFVB_NATIONALFEDERATIONBLINDVA/main.wnt>

Special room rate of $72 + tax per night from Thursday, November 10 - Saturday, November 12, 2016.

The cut-off date to take advantage of this special room rate is Tuesday, October 18, 2016. Cancellations must be received 72 hours in advance to avoid penalties. All guestroom rates are subject to the current area tax rates. After the deadline, there is no guarantee that you will get a room at the convention hotel.

The Wyndham Virginia Beach Oceanfront Hotel features 244 guestrooms, with 166 oceanfront options available, boasting the most direct ocean views in Virginia Beach. Guests can delight in cool sea breezes from their private balcony or patio opening to our semi-private beach. All of the guestrooms at the hotel feature free Wi-Fi, a refrigerator, coffeemaker and flat-screen TVs. For guests that want a little more space, the one and two bedroom suites as well as the Jacuzzi king rooms offer sweeping views of the shoreline, along with some extra room for the whole family to relax after a great day at the beach.

Registering For Convention

There are three ways to register for the convention:

  1.  Click here to go to the Brown Paper Tickets web site to register online;<http://www.nfbv2016.brownpapertickets.com/>
  2.  Call Brown Paper Tickets toll free (800) 838-3006 to register by phone; or
  3.  You may complete the attached Convention Pre Registration Form and mail it with payment included to:
     *   NFB of Virginia
     *   3230 Grove Avenue
     *   Richmond, VA 23221
     *   Click Here to Download the 2016 Pre-Registration Form<http://www.nfbv.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/2016-NFBV-Convention-Pre-Registration-Form.doc>

Convention Agenda Preview

We are working hard on convention plans and we want to provide a preview of the plans so you can arrange to be there.

Based on the positive feedback from last year, we will continue with the new structure of convention, making both Friday & Saturday programming even stronger. While you are welcome to show up for just a portion of convention, you should seriously consider asking for Veteran's Day, November 11 as a day off to attend the great Friday programming.

These plans are still in progress and may change.

Friday Highlights:

  *   I. General Session officially starts Friday Morning - After a brief
Board meeting, open to all members, we will start the convention officially at 10:00 a.m. There will be exciting presenters on Friday morning and a ceremony honoring our Veterans.
  *   II. II. Friday Seminars - 2 Seminars are planned on Friday afternoon
     *   a. Technology Seminar -Chris O'Meally is planning a great seminar. The Best Apple IOS Applications of 2016, Best Practices for blind ride sharing users, advancements in Google product accessibility including Android, Chrome OS, and Google apps.
     *   b. Relationships Intersection - Uricka Harrison and Deepa Goraya will lead a seminar on relationships, dating, parenting and living the life you want.
  *   III. Exhibitors - We will have a great set of exhibitors sharing products and services you will find interesting and valuable. Robert Parsons will be organizing exhibits.
  *   IV. Rookie Reception - First time convention attendees will be welcomed in an environment to receive answers to questions and get connected.
  *   V. Veterans at the Beach Party - On Friday evening, all are welcome at an indoor Veterans at the Beach themed hospitality.
  *   VI. Student Programming - The student division is planning a set of programming on Friday night to get convention rolling for students.

Saturday Highlights:

  *   I. General Session - There will be phenomenal presentations during General Session on Saturday morning including a National Report from our National Representative, Pam Allen and a Virginia report from President Kasey. More details to follow.
  *   II. Saturday break Out session - On Saturday afternoon, in place of General Session we are planning smaller breakout groups for our core constituencies:
     *   a. Career / Employment Track for Working age adults - Melody Roane is developing an exciting and interactive session to help you in your career. More details to follow.
     *   b. Student Track - We are planning an exciting student track including a Friday welcome reception, a travel activity for Saturday lunch outside of the hotel, and interactive programming on Saturday and Sunday morning that will enable students to learn from each other and from our great Federation resources. The Virginia Association of Blind Students will be organizing student track.
     *   c. Senior Track- Nancy Yeager and a committee of seniors are planning an exciting program for seniors based on ideas from across the country. More details to follow...
     *   d. Parent Track - the Virginia Association of Parents of Blind Children is planning a number of programs including discussions on advocacy /self-advocacy and some hands on activities.
     *   e. Social Media Training - Concurrent to these breakout sessions, Danielle Trevino will lead 2 sessions to help understand how to use Social Media for both achieving personal and Federation goals. Danielle will lead an introductory and advance class and seating will be limited. More details on registering for these sessions will be provided soon.
  *   III. . On Saturday night, Pam Allen, our National representative and First Vice president of the National Federation of the Blind, president of the NFB of Louisiana, and Director of the Louisiana Center for the Blind will provide an exciting banquet address you will not want to miss.

Sunday Morning

On Sunday morning, we are planning a number of high energy presentations including, That's Me: Exploring Our Common Bonds, led by Joanne Wilson. There will be blind people talking about their unique jobs and a report out from our students.

As you will observe, we are planning a great event. However, to make it truly outstanding, we need you to plan to attend.

Please act now to join us in Virginia Beach.

Child Care

Child care is available to the children of registered convention attendees (ages infant through 5th grade) during 6 sessions of convention. These sessions are:

  *   Session 1 Friday morning 8:45 am to 12:15 pm
  *   Session 2 Friday afternoon 12:15 pm to 5:15 pm
  *   Session 3 Friday evening 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm
  *   Session 4 Saturday morning 8:45 am to 12:15 pm
  *   Session 5 Saturday afternoon 12:15 pm to 5:15 pm
  *   Session 6 Saturday evening 6:45 pm to ? hour after banquet adjournment

Snacks will be provided during Sessions 1, 2, 4 and 5. Even though child care will be open and fully staffed during lunch on Friday and Saturday, lunch will not be provided. Parents should either pick their child up for lunch at the end of Sessions 1 and 4 or provide a lunch for their child to eat in the child care room. Also, dinner will not be provided on Friday or Saturday evening. Parents should feed their child dinner prior to bringing them to Sessions 3 or 6. The cost of child care is $5 per family per session. If you need more information, please contact Mary Durbin at (757) 472-2495 or mrdurbin at cox.net. Please indicate the number of children per session on the Convention Pre Registration Form.

Saturday Boxed Lunch

On Saturday, box lunches will be available for a cost of $13.50 if purchased in advance on the convention pre registration form. Box lunches can only be guaranteed for those purchased on the convention pre registration form. A limited number may be available for purchase at the convention.

Note: Individuals participating in the Student Track / Virginia Association of Blind Students programming should plan to attend the Orientation & Mobility lunch outside the hotel and should not purchase the Saturday boxed lunch.

:Student Youth Track

We are again holding a special Youth Track designed to meet the needs of blind Students. In order to participate in this fun and exciting program, participants under the age of 18 must also complete, sign, and bring the below Youth Track Registration form to convention.

Click here to download the 2016 Youth Track RegistrationForm<http://www.nfbv.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/2016-Youth-Track-Registration-Form-final.doc>

Those participating in the youth track will also need to register for the convention. See the notes above on hotel and Convention Registration.

The KNFB Reader

Now you can have the convenience of an OCR scanner in the palm of your hand. The KNFB Reader app is a revolutionary tool that you can use, with the touch of a single button, to read virtually any type of printed text, including mail, receipts, class handouts, memos, and many other documents. Accuracy is facilitated by a field-of-view report, automatic page detection, and tilt control.

Proprietary document analysis technology determines the words and reads them aloud to the user with high quality text-to-speech. Read the words you want to read; live the life you want.
Visit the Apple App Store to purchase the KNFB Reader app and start enjoying it today!<https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/knfbreader/id849732663?mt=8>

For the latest news and information about the KNFB Reader, follow us on Twitter @KNFBReader or like us on Facebook.

Get a tax credit, help the blind, and donate your car!

You can donate almost any vehicle, including cars, trucks, boats, motorcycles and recreational vehicles. They do not have to be currently running. Your vehicle donation will be sold at an auction or to salvage depending on condition. We will arrange to have your vehicle picked up, and send you the receipt for your tax deduction.

Start the process today by calling (855) 659-9314 or donate your car online<https://nfb.org/vehicledonations>.

Recent Posts

  *   2016 NFBV State Convention Agenda Preview<http://www.nfbv.org/2016-nfbv-state-convention-agenda-preview/>
  *   2016 Youth Track Registration<http://www.nfbv.org/2016-youth-track-registration/>
  *   2016 State Convention Registration Now Available<http://www.nfbv.org/2016-state-convention-registration-now-available/>
  *   2016 National Federation of the Blind of Virginia State Convention<http://www.nfbv.org/2016-national-federation-of-the-blind-of-virginia-state-convention/>
  *   Annette Talks About Why Braille Is So Important<http://www.nfbv.org/annette-talks-about-why-braille-is-so-important/>
  *   Joy Relton Talks About How The NFBV Changes The Lives Of The Blind<http://www.nfbv.org/joy-relton-talks-about-how-the-nfbv-changes-the-lives-of-the-blind/>
  *   Fairfax Chapter NFB introducing Sharon Jose National Scholarship Winner<http://www.nfbv.org/fairfax-chapter-nfb-introducing-sharon-jose-national-scholarship-winner/>
  *   National Federation of the Blind of Virginia 2016 Scholarship Application Now Available<http://www.nfbv.org/nfbv-2016-scholarship-application-now-available/>
  *   Fairfax Chapter Hosts Indoor Rock Climbing in March<http://www.nfbv.org/fairfax-chapter-hosts-indoor-rock-climbing-in-march/>
  *   New NFBV Reimbursement Request Form<http://www.nfbv.org/new-nfbv-reimbursement-request-form/>

Categories

  *   Blind Children<http://www.nfbv.org/category/blind-children/>
  *   Chapter Activities<http://www.nfbv.org/category/chapter-activities/>
  *   Donations<http://www.nfbv.org/category/donations/>
  *   Fundraising<http://www.nfbv.org/category/fundraising/>
  *   Leadership<http://www.nfbv.org/category/leadership/>
  *   Legislation<http://www.nfbv.org/category/legislation/>
  *   National Convention<http://www.nfbv.org/category/national-convention/>
  *   News and Announcements<http://www.nfbv.org/category/news-and-announcements/>
  *   Seniors<http://www.nfbv.org/category/seniors/>
  *   State Board Meeting<http://www.nfbv.org/category/state-board-meeting/>
  *   State Board Meeting Minutes<http://www.nfbv.org/category/state-board-meeting-minutes/>
  *   State Convention<http://www.nfbv.org/category/state-convention/>
  *   Students<http://www.nfbv.org/category/students/>
  *   Uncategorized<http://www.nfbv.org/category/uncategorized/>
  *   Unique Opportunities<http://www.nfbv.org/category/unique-opportunities/>

Find us on Face Book
Link here<https://m.facebook.com/profile.php?id=366844540190283&v=feed&_rdr> to go to the National Federation of the Blind of Virginia Face Book Page
Join Our Information and Announcement List

Link Here to fill out the form to join our Information and Announcement list.<http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfbv-announce_nfbnet.org>
Copyright 2014 National Federation of the Blind of Virginia
Proudly powered by WordPress<https://wordpress.org/>

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From jacquelinestonebrown at comcast.net  Thu Oct  6 16:33:45 2016
From: jacquelinestonebrown at comcast.net (jacquelinestonebrown at comcast.net)
Date: Thu, 6 Oct 2016 16:33:45 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: [Nfbv-announce] NFBV Action auction from Jacki Brown
In-Reply-To: <2032533941.14190633.1475771434267.JavaMail.zimbra@comcast.net>
Message-ID: <1311488928.14195475.1475771625403.JavaMail.zimbra@comcast.net>

Dear Michael, 

I've attached the announcement for the 2016 Action Auction. Would you please 
get it on our server? 
Thanks. 

Jacki 
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From michaelgkasey at verizon.net  Thu Oct  6 18:01:28 2016
From: michaelgkasey at verizon.net (Michael Kasey)
Date: Thu, 06 Oct 2016 14:01:28 -0400
Subject: [Nfbv-announce] GIVE TO THE 2016 Action Auction!
Message-ID: <001501d21ffb$aa104110$fe30c330$@verizon.net>

Hear Ye!  Hear Ye!

  The NFB of Virginia will be having an Auction at its state convention in
Virginia Beach - November 11-13, 2016.  We need good NEW, HAND-MADE or
ANTIQUE ITEMS to auction.   Please contact Jacki Brown:
703-534-0747/jacquelinestonebrown at comcast.net
<mailto:jacquelinestonebrown at comcast.net> ;to tell her what you plan to
donate.  She'll be releasing the information about what is being offered at
least a week before the convention via email.  PLEASE DONATE NOW!

 

Then bring your donated items to the convention.  Just like last year there
will be a table set up with the items offered outside the vendor's room on
Friday and in the meeting room on Saturday and Sunday. On Friday the Action
Auction volunteers will accept items for auction and describe each item to
all who stop by. LIVE AUCTION WILL START FRIDAY MORNING AND GO ON BOTH
SATURDAY AND SUNDAY during general meetings and at the Banquet.  

 

Remember - this is our chance to raise money for ourselves in a fun way -
also a way to buy only previously dreamed of luxuries from our friends.

 

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.

 



From tracy.soforenko at gmail.com  Fri Oct  7 03:18:46 2016
From: tracy.soforenko at gmail.com (Tracy Soforenko)
Date: Thu, 6 Oct 2016 23:18:46 -0400
Subject: [Nfbv-announce] Highlights of the NFB of Virginia November 11-13,
 2016 Convention for Working Age Adults
Message-ID: <00ba01d22049$84181d40$8c4857c0$@gmail.com>

This convention highlight message focuses on topics for working age adults.

Working age adults will benefit from a remarkable set of programs

Including:

*         Take Charge:  Strategies for Success -- It's More than just about
a paycheck! - Whether you are pursuing your first job or you have been in
your career for thirty years, this Saturday afternoon seminar is for you.
In a competitive job market, learn about the tools that will empower you to
take the next step toward achieving the career you want!  Through
interactive engagement, you will hear from presenters and other participants
about their secrets for Success.  By taking an active role in securing your
first job or advancing in your career, learn how to become the indispensable
employee!  Explore strategies to position yourself to become the employer if
that is your dream!

*         Social media Introduction or Advanced Seminar - Sign up for one of
two Social Media Seminars for beginners or advance users. Danielle Trevino,
Coordinator of Social Media and Member Engagement at our national
headquarters will lead these interactive sessions to help participants take
advantage of Facebook and Twitter. Pre-registration for these sessions is
required and seating is limited.

*         Microsoft, Apple, and Google - O My! Christopher O'Meally, Chair.
The battle of the Technology giants is real, but which one will you pick?
Join a host of presenters at this Friday afternoon seminar as they help you
dive into all of the major operating systems across computers and mobile
devices.

*         Back to Basics: Dating, Relationships, and Culture: Uricka
Harrison and Deepa Goraya, Co-Chairs. This Friday afternoon seminar will
explore a variety of topics surrounding blindness and its intersection
between dating, relationships, and culture. Through panel discussions and
breakout sessions, we will cover dating as a blind person, challenges and
experiences with dating a blind person versus a sighted person, marriage and
parenting as a blind person, issues surrounding blindness and culture and
how that affects how you view blindness and how it is perceived by others,
how culture and blindness affect your dating life and relationships,
experiences using online dating sites, dating as a blind senior, experiences
with traveling as a blind individual with your sighted or blind partner.

 

*         Blind Parents: Raising Kids as a Blind Parent, Jessica Reed and C.
J. Fish, Moderators. This Saturday luncheon will be a discussion to address
the techniques blind parents are using to raise their children throughout
all facets of life. Come with your questions and our panelists will be ready
to answer them. 

 

The National Federation of the Blind of Virginia convention combines
excellent networking with positive blind role models, fellowship with old
and new friends across the Commonwealth, and some of the best presentations
on topics important to the blind of Virginia

 

The cutoff date for hotel rooms and pre-registration is October 18 .

Details on convention registration and hotel reservations can be found at:

http://www.nfbv.org/national-federation-of-the-blind-of-virginia-state-conve
ntion/

 

Please join us in Virginia Beach.

 

Tracy Soforenko

First Vice President, NFB of Virginia

Tracy.soforenko at gmail.com <mailto:Tracy.soforenko at gmail.com> 

202 285-4595

 



From holleymanor at verizon.net  Fri Oct  7 18:09:03 2016
From: holleymanor at verizon.net (Rick Holley)
Date: Fri, 07 Oct 2016 14:09:03 -0400
Subject: [Nfbv-announce] October At Large Chapter Meeting
Message-ID: <07AE809AEAC64A9CBCA781037308A09E@LENOVO0A00C700>

It's that time again.
Date: Oct. 11, 2016
Time: 8 PM
Call no.: 877-394-5901
Passcode: 6149670
Subject: At Large Reception at State Convention
Speakers: One and all!

Please call in and help us plan.
Rick Holley

From john_bailey17 at hotmail.com  Fri Oct  7 21:54:53 2016
From: john_bailey17 at hotmail.com (John Bailey)
Date: Fri, 7 Oct 2016 21:54:53 +0000
Subject: [Nfbv-announce] Join the Fairfax Chapter for a motorcycle ride
 Saturday, October 15 and here is how
Message-ID: <DM3PR15MB1066983D4B44CE78CCBCF9A88FC60@DM3PR15MB1066.namprd15.prod.outlook.com>

Ever wonder what it would be like to ride a high powered motorcycle? Well, here is your chance to experience the noise, technology, and adventure of being on a chopper and touring the City of Fairfax.

Several members from the local Harley motorcycle club will be gathering for a motorcycle ride-and-tell just for us.

On Saturday, October 15, 2016 at 10 AM. at the City of Fairfax Town Hall, dozens of motorcycle enthusiasts will be answering our questions about what it is like to own a motorcycle. Then, they will take us on a tour of the city on their bikes.

This event is open to anyone interested in learning about the hobby. Or, those just wanting an exciting ride around the town.

The Fairfax City Hall is located at  10455 Armstrong St, Fairfax, VA. We will be meeting at the front doors. Be there by 10 AM if you want your chance to tour the city on the back of a Harley.

For more information, contact NFBV Fairfax Chapter President, John Bailey via email at john_bailey17 at hotmail.com<mailto:john_bailey17 at hotmail.com> or via phone at 703.994.2040. The event is open to everyone.



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From markwroane at gmail.com  Sat Oct  8 11:52:46 2016
From: markwroane at gmail.com (Mark W. Roane)
Date: Sat, 8 Oct 2016 07:52:46 -0400
Subject: [Nfbv-announce] FW: Survey To Help the Blind Live the Lives We Want
 In Our Christian Communities
In-Reply-To: <00e101d220fc$b5474540$1fd5cfc0$@gmail.com>
References: <00e101d220fc$b5474540$1fd5cfc0$@gmail.com>
Message-ID: <002201d2215a$7ceaedb0$76c0c910$@gmail.com>

 

 

From: Melody Roane [mailto:lindseyroanem1 at gmail.com] 
Sent: Friday, October 07, 2016 8:41 PM
To: markwroane at gmail.com
Subject: Survey To Help the Blind Live the Lives We Want In Our Christian Communities

 

Hello everyone,

 

This is Melody Roane from Richmond, Virginia.  For the past eight years, I have had the privilege to serve on the Board of the Braille Circulating Library which is a ministry located here in Richmond, that provides Christian materials to blind patrons from all around the world.  Many of our materials are available in Braille, large print and cassette.

 

We are excited about all the opportunities God has given the Braille Circulating Library to serve the blind community over the past 91 years, and we are stepping out in faith as we plan for the next 91 years!  We are at a point in the life of our ministry where we want to receive your input concerning what materials and services would help you grow in your Christian walk and empower you to serve others in your churches.  We are exploring ways that we can modernize our collection and make it more accessible to the blind.

 

In the link below, you will find a short introduction to the history of our ministry along with a ten-question survey.  We are requesting that you fill out the survey with your thoughts and ideas that we will prayerfully consider as we determine God?s direction for the Braille Circulating Library.

 

Thank you in advance for your input and suggestions.

 

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to e-mail me at lindseyroanem1 at gmail.com <mailto:lindseyroanem1 at gmail.com> 

 

May God bless you in all the good work you do.

 

Have a beautiful day!

 

Melody Roane

 

 

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScZXLZYfD_z-WYIjj8OR9GYWAEoJppy9fWWArWA6cJeYYXrtQ/viewform

 



From michaelgkasey at verizon.net  Sun Oct  9 18:23:23 2016
From: michaelgkasey at verizon.net (Michael Kasey)
Date: Sun, 09 Oct 2016 14:23:23 -0400
Subject: [Nfbv-announce] Legislative Ideas can turn into Resolutions!
Message-ID: <000a01d2225a$38809e80$a981db80$@verizon.net>

Hello everyone,

 

My name is Deepa Goraya and I am the new Co-Director of the NFBV Legislative
Committee, along with Jeanette Gholson. On October 24th, we will be holding
a conference call for members to call in and suggest ideas for resolutions ,
especially those that would affect our legislative agenda. Resolutions are
very powerful, as they can influence the policies of the affiliate. So this
is a great way to have your voice heard on an issue that is important to
you. You do not need to know how to draft a resolution to participate on the
call. If your idea is selected, you will be able to work with an experienced
resolution drafter and turn your idea into a resolution to be presented at
the Resolutions Committee meeting at our upcoming state convention.

 

More details about the call will be upcoming.

 

Deepa Goraya

 

 

 

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.

 



From tracy.soforenko at gmail.com  Mon Oct 10 00:12:20 2016
From: tracy.soforenko at gmail.com (Tracy Soforenko)
Date: Sun, 9 Oct 2016 20:12:20 -0400
Subject: [Nfbv-announce] Why Parents and Students Should Attend the 2016 NFB
	of Virginia Convention (11/11 - 11/13)
Message-ID: <00e601d2228a$f81f7c90$e85e75b0$@gmail.com>


Highlights for students and their parents:


 

*         Braille Carnival - An exciting hands on Friday evening carnival
for students of all ages.

*         Friday Student Social - An engaging and interactive student social
for students from middle school through college. 

*         Saturday Student Breakfast with President Kasey in the
Presidential Suite 

*         Student Division Luncheon /Travel Excursion - Paired with role
models and peers, this travel excursion outside of the hotel led by and for
students to connect with peers and organize programming for themselves.
Since this excursion is outside of the property, students should not order
the lunch offered through convention registration. Please see details below
on the student luncheon.

*         Saturday afternoon Students programming - Learn about how your
peers are participating in sports and fitness, clubs and other leadership
opportunities, and getting the training they need to succeed in school and
beyond.

*         Parents Division Luncheon and Parent Track - Connect with parents
from across Virginia committed to advocating for their children and ensuring
high expectations for their kids. Meet positive role models and tap the
network of parents who are making things happen for their children. Learn
about how to best advocate in the IEP process, technology for your student,
how your student can engage in student run programming across the country,
engage in sports & fitness in the community, and options for training on the
alternative skills of successful blind people. Box lunch is recommended for
parents attending this program.

*         Sunday Scavenger Hunt and Philosophy Chat

 

Additionally, in the General Session, there are great programs for parents
and students including:

*         A Panel of parents of Blind Children Sharing how parents are
advocating for their children while teaching their children to advocate for
themselves.

*         Learn from positive blind role models who are running their own
businesses, pursuing their dreams, and leading the way for blind people
across America.

*         Learn about the accomplishments we are making together to advance
the rights of the blind in Virginia, across the country and internationally
so we can all live the life we want.

 

 

If you are going to attend the convention and you are planning to take part
in our student programming, please send an email to the Virginia Association
of Blind Students (VABS) secretary, Jennifer Shields, who will be able to
count you in the running for door prizes and add you to the list for the
luncheon on Saturday, November 12. Her email address is
<mailto:jen.shields929 at gmail.com> jen.shields929 at gmail.com. We would like
for all students to confirm if they are coming or not by Friday, October 21,
2016 in order to have an accurate count of how many students to expect. When
you send the email, just include the following in the message body:

 

1.    Your name

2.    Your Chapter

3.    The days you are attending convention

4.    Your favorite pizza topping

 

Please note, all students under 18 must bring a completed and signed copy of
the attached youth Track Registration form to participate in the Student
Track programming.

The 2016 NFB of Virginia convention, is Scheduled for November 11, -
November 13 in Virginia Beach. The National Federation of the Blind of
Virginia convention combines excellent networking with positive blind role
models, fellowship with old and new friends across the Commonwealth, and
some of the best presentations on topics important to the blind of Virginia

 

Our hotel room block and reduced pre-registration pricing closes October 18
so act right away to reserve your space. Details on convention registration
and hotel reservations can be found at:

 

http://www.nfbv.org/national-federation-of-the-blind-of-virginia-state-conve
ntion/

 

We hope you can join us.

 

Tracy Soforenko

First Vice president, NFB of Virginia

 <mailto:Tracy.soforenko at gmail.com> Tracy.soforenko at gmail.com

202 285-459

 

 

 



From john_bailey17 at hotmail.com  Mon Oct 10 13:23:11 2016
From: john_bailey17 at hotmail.com (John Bailey)
Date: Mon, 10 Oct 2016 13:23:11 +0000
Subject: [Nfbv-announce] Winchester Chapter accessible voting programs
Message-ID: <DM3PR15MB10667ADBF1695A49AE81B5E48FDB0@DM3PR15MB1066.namprd15.prod.outlook.com>

hello Federation family,
As we approach the presidential election for 2017, the Winchester chapter of the national Federation of the blind of Virginia has been invited to speak to the election officers and volunteers for The November 8, 2016 election.
on October 29, 2016, we will be speaking and going over the ADA accessible voting machine. they will also be providing large print and instruction to all the volunteers. We are bringing awareness about independent voting in the right to vote.
please be sure to go out to vote. Live the life you want! Blindness is not what holds us back!


--
Christopher Walker
National Federation of the Blind
Outreach Chair and Delegate, Winchester Chapter
NFBV Leadership Fellow
www.nfbv.org<http://www.nfbv.org/>
chrisvinson1 at gmail.com<mailto:chrisvinson1 at gmail.com>
540.303.0080

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.



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From john_bailey17 at hotmail.com  Mon Oct 10 13:25:02 2016
From: john_bailey17 at hotmail.com (John Bailey)
Date: Mon, 10 Oct 2016 13:25:02 +0000
Subject: [Nfbv-announce] Join the Winchester Chapter for the October festival
Message-ID: <DM3PR15MB1066FB37C1B994684E0852A78FDB0@DM3PR15MB1066.namprd15.prod.outlook.com>

hello Virginia federation family!
The Winchester chapter Will have an informational booth in downtown Winchester at the walking mall during the October festival, on Saturday, October 15, 2016 from 12 noon to 8 PM. this is for meet the blind month. There will also be beer and other activities available during this festival.
We invite everybody to come join us. if you have any questions, please feel free to contact me. thank you!


--
Christopher Walker
National Federation of the Blind
Outreach Chair and Delegate, Winchester Chapter
NFBV Leadership Fellow
www.nfbv.org<http://www.nfbv.org/>
chrisvinson1 at gmail.com<mailto:chrisvinson1 at gmail.com>
540.303.0080

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.



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From michaelgkasey at verizon.net  Mon Oct 10 13:51:18 2016
From: michaelgkasey at verizon.net (Michael Kasey)
Date: Mon, 10 Oct 2016 09:51:18 -0400
Subject: [Nfbv-announce] Calling all students!!!
Message-ID: <001801d222fd$60c4dbb0$224e9310$@verizon.net>

Dear Students,

 

  As excited as we are as a Federation family for the state convention in

  Virginia Beach in November, I am even more excited to share the

 opportunities and interesting programs that the Student Division has to

  offer. Please join your fellow Virginia affiliate students in creating

  memories and growing our membership by attending our student programming

  during convention. The student's division will have a hand in a variety of

  different affiliate events and seminars like the exhibit hall on Friday,

  November 11, where we will be fundraising our popular shot glasses, raffle

  tickets for a 50/50 prize, and delicious home baked peanut butter cookies.

  We will also be providing even more exciting events throughout the weekend

  including a delicious breakfast with our affiliate board, a luncheon and

  meeting to discuss future division events, panel discussions to address

  issues that students face every day at school and at home, and of course
the

  annual Youth Track that we all love. Also, attendance at these  programs
includes a chance for you to win a few door prizes from the  Student
Division

  including a $50 cash prize.

 

  If you are going to attend the convention and you are planning to take
part

  in our student programming, please send an email to our secretary,
Jennifer

  Shields, who will be able to count you in the running for door prizes and

  add you to the list for the luncheon on Saturday, November 12. Her email

  address is  <mailto:jen.shields929 at gmail.com> jen.shields929 at gmail.com .
We

  would like for all students to confirm if they are coming or not by
Friday,

  October 21, 2016 in order to have an accurate count of how many students
to

  expect. When you send the email, just include the following in the message

  body:

 

  1.       Your name:

 

  2.       Your Chapter:

 

  3.     Contact Information:

 

  4.       The days you are attending convention:

 

  5.       Your favorite pizza topping:

 

  We look forward to meeting with you and having an exciting weekend on the

  ocean front.

 

 

Jennifer L. Shields, B.A.

Christopher Newport University '16

Recording Secretary, National Federation of the Blind of Virginia
Treasurer/Secretary, Virginia Association of Blind Students

 

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.

 



From michaelgkasey at verizon.net  Mon Oct 10 17:38:51 2016
From: michaelgkasey at verizon.net (Michael Kasey)
Date: Mon, 10 Oct 2016 13:38:51 -0400
Subject: [Nfbv-announce] Calling all Guide Dog Users in Virginia!
Message-ID: <001701d2231d$2aa4c1b0$7fee4510$@verizon.net>

From: Michael Valentino 

Subject: Virginia Association of Guide Dog Users (NAGDU) 

 

At our NFBV convention on Friday evening:

7 to 8:30 pm in the James Room

We will hold the new Guide Dog Users Interest meeting

The Virginia Association of Guide Dog Users a potentially NEW division of
the National Federation of the Blind of Virginia is accepting members. We
are giving away fabulous door prices and providing hors d'oeuvres, desserts
and beverages. We will be offering FREE juno walks so folks can experience
what it's like to have a guide and we will discuss legislative and other
issues.   You don't want to miss this event we're going to have a dog gone
good time.

 

If you have questions, please let me know.

 

Yours truly,

Michael Valentino

Mike Valentino (valentinoma19 at gmail.com <mailto:valentinoma19 at gmail.com> )

 

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.

 



From michaelgkasey at verizon.net  Mon Oct 10 19:14:48 2016
From: michaelgkasey at verizon.net (Michael Kasey)
Date: Mon, 10 Oct 2016 15:14:48 -0400
Subject: [Nfbv-announce] FW: Calling all Guide Dog Users in Virginia!
Message-ID: <000301d2232a$91c28a50$b5479ef0$@verizon.net>

Clarification:  "providing hors d'oeuvres, desserts and beverages"

 

Actually, the refreshments will be available in the Hospitality Room hosted
by the Host Chapter.  The VAGDU meeting will be held, yet not include
refreshments.

 

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.

 

From: Michael Kasey [mailto:michaelgkasey at verizon.net] 
Sent: Monday, October 10, 2016 1:39 PM
To: Nfbv-announce at nfbnet.org
Subject: Calling all Guide Dog Users in Virginia!

 

From: Michael Valentino 

Subject: Virginia Association of Guide Dog Users (NAGDU) 

 

At our NFBV convention on Friday evening:

7 to 8:30 pm in the James Room

We will hold the new Guide Dog Users Interest meeting

 

The Virginia Association of Guide Dog Users a potentially NEW division of
the National Federation of the Blind of Virginia is accepting members. We
are giving away fabulous door prices and providing hors d'oeuvres, desserts
and beverages. We will be offering FREE juno walks so folks can experience
what it's like to have a guide and we will discuss legislative and other
issues.   You don't want to miss this event we're going to have a dog gone
good time.

 

If you have questions, please let me know.

 

Yours truly,

Michael Valentino

Mike Valentino (valentinoma19 at gmail.com <mailto:valentinoma19 at gmail.com> )

 

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.

 



From michaelgkasey at verizon.net  Mon Oct 10 21:47:37 2016
From: michaelgkasey at verizon.net (Michael Kasey)
Date: Mon, 10 Oct 2016 17:47:37 -0400
Subject: [Nfbv-announce] NOVA 3D Printing Club
Message-ID: <001601d2233f$eb61e960$c225bc20$@verizon.net>

Hello, my name is Lawrence Nightingale, and I work at NOVA Woodbridge. I am
writing you today because I am the faculty adviser for a student group on
campus, the 3d printing club. The 3d printing club exists in order to make
3d objects for the blind in order to help them understand the world better.
I am contacting you today because of the work that the Lions club does, you
can help us by connecting us with blind individuals or blind educators in
the area that can be a part of our group. We seek to have blind individuals
join to have to make requests for 3d printed objects for example a famous
sculpture or a bust of a famous historical person. IF you were able to do
help us connect with blind individuals we would appreciate it. Before you do
that though, we would like to invite you out to see our group. Our meetings
are on every other Saturday at the NOVA Woodbridge campus our next meeting
is September 24th from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm. Looking forward to hearing from
you, I hope that you can help with our cause. 

Lnightingale at nvcc.edu <mailto:Lnightingale at nvcc.edu> 
703-878=5620

 

 

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.

 



From michaelgkasey at verizon.net  Tue Oct 11 21:08:59 2016
From: michaelgkasey at verizon.net (Michael Kasey)
Date: Tue, 11 Oct 2016 17:08:59 -0400
Subject: [Nfbv-announce] Convention  Hotel Navigation
Message-ID: <004a01d22403$afa78960$0ef69c20$@verizon.net>

Hello Federation family,

 

Below and attached is a description and navigation clues for our convention hotel.  Hope to see you all there!

 

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

 

Wyndham Virginia Beach Oceanfront Hotel

5700 Atlantic Ave 57th St and Atlantic Avenue 

Virginia Beach, Virginia 23451

757-4287025

 

National Federation of the Blind of Virginia

58th Annual State Convention 

November 11 ? 13, 2016

 

Hotel Navigation

To start off, the Wyndham Hotel is divided into three buildings: First building is located closest to Atlantic Ave which has the parking garage-floors 1-4, the Atlantic Foyer (convention hall)-Level 2 and West Wing Suites-floors 2-5. The second building(middle) has the front desk and  gift shop on Level 1 and the business center, executive offices, Cape Charles rooms and the  Mariner rooms on Level 2. The third building is closest to the oceanfront, it has the east wing & tower-floors 1-18, the indoor/outdoor pools-level 1, weight room-level 1, guest laundry-level 1, access to the beach-level 1, vending machines-level 1 and the Surf Club Ocean Grille-level 1. This is also where you would go for the dog relief area. 

 

2nd Building and Main Lobby

The passenger drop off and main entrance is between buildings 1 and 2. Main entrance to the hotel lobby and front desk is on your right in building 2 on the 1st floor. When you enter through the automatic doors, the front desk is on your left and the lobby is on your right. Straight ahead is another automatic door leading to outside and building 3. With your back facing the front desk, the elevator and stairs to the 2nd floor is off to your left. Gift shop and restrooms are back to the right side of the lobby. The Concierge desk is on the right side as well.  When arriving on the 2nd floor, the Cape Charles rooms A, B & C are on your right side. The catwalk from building 2 to the Atlantic Foyer is off to your left. The business center and executive offices are down the hallway behind you past the stairs. Mariner rooms A & B are down the hallway straight ahead on you, this hallway(not wheelchair accessible) will also take you to building 3 on the second level which is where child care is located (room 201).

 

1st Building

You can enter the 1st building from either the left side of the passenger drop off area or through the catwalk on the second floor of the 2nd building. First floor is only parking; an elevator and stair case is available by the passenger drop off area. Second floor is split with parking and the Atlantic Foyer. Floors 3 & 4 is for parking only. Floors 5-8 has the West Wing Suites. It is recommended that you enter the Atlantic Foyer on the 2nd floor by using the catwalk from building 2. On the right side of the catwalk are restrooms and two chairs. Enter the Atlantic Foyer by walking through the double doors. When entering, on your immediate left is an elevator to floors 1-8 and a door to the 2nd floor parking garage. The registration tables and exhibit tables will be located along the left side after the parking garage door. On the right is the bar counter. Also on the right past the bar is the York, James and Rappahannock Ballrooms(in that exact order). Straight ahead of you on the other side of the Atlantic Foyer are a piano and a window. 

 

 

3rd Building and Main Tower         

Enter the 3rd building by exiting the 2nd building and crossing the crosswalk to the automatic doors.  Note that the crosswalk bears off to the left; it is not a straight shot across. The entrance has a small lobby with tables and chairs. When entering the lobby from the roadside entrance, to your left is the Surf Club Ocean Grille. Further down on the left are three elevators to floors 1-18 oceanfront rooms. Take this elevator to the second floor for child care (room 201). Straight ahead in the lobby is a hallway that turns to the right, the first door on your left after turning is the weight room, second door is guest laundry. A little further down that hallway on the right is the entrance to the indoor pool. Down that same hallway on the left, almost opposite of the pool, is a hallway that leads to the beach access door. Out the beach access doors is a patio with a railing straight ahead. Towards the middle of the railing are steps down to the sand. Out the doors and to the left is the Surf Club Ocean Grille; to the right are the dog relief area and the handicap ramp down to the sand. 

 

Dog Relief Area

In the 3rd building, go out the beach access doors and turn to the right. Follow that side walk to the grass straight ahead. This is where the ?dog friendly? rooms are located. They will have several trash cans throughout the property if you cannot make it to the relief area. Some bags will be provided, please try to bring your own. 

 

Hotel Hints

*        Elevator in the main lobby by the front desk (2nd building) only goes to the 2nd floor.

*        Most rooms will be located in the 3rd building in the tower or east wing. Use the elevators in the lobby of the 3rd building. 

*        Most suites are located in the 1st building on floors 5-8. Use elevator in parking garage or the Atlantic Foyer. 

*        It?s easier and recommended that you use the catwalk on the second floor of the 2nd building to access the Atlantic Foyer. 

*        Keep your room key with you, many activity rooms require a room key. 

 

 

 

. You can live the life you want; blindness is not what holds you back.

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From michaelgkasey at verizon.net  Thu Oct 13 14:11:32 2016
From: michaelgkasey at verizon.net (Michael Kasey)
Date: Thu, 13 Oct 2016 10:11:32 -0400
Subject: [Nfbv-announce] 2016 NFB of Virginia Scholarship Winners
Message-ID: <000001d2255b$b39e18a0$1ada49e0$@verizon.net>

My Federation friends,

 

We are proud to announce our  Scholarship winners to be recognized at
convention this year:

 

Tracy Jones, graduate student, University of the Rockies (online), Ashland,
Virginia.

Sharon Jose, , George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia.

Robert Parsons, , Randolph Macon College, Richmond, Virginia.

 

We are grateful to the scholarship committee:

Brian Miller, Chairman

Derek Manners

Deepa Goraya 

 

 

Please join us in congratulating our winners!

 

Michael Kasey, President

National Federation of the Blind of Virginia

 

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.

 



From john_bailey17 at hotmail.com  Thu Oct 13 15:08:58 2016
From: john_bailey17 at hotmail.com (John Bailey)
Date: Thu, 13 Oct 2016 15:08:58 +0000
Subject: [Nfbv-announce] Not too late to join us for a motorcycle ride
 around Fairfax this Saturday
Message-ID: <DM3PR15MB106633CA308AB730061D554E8FDC0@DM3PR15MB1066.namprd15.prod.outlook.com>

Room for everyone. Come join us Saturday at 10 AM for a tour of the city you won't soon forget.


Ever wonder what it would be like to ride a high powered motorcycle? Well, here is your chance to experience the noise, technology, and adventure of being on a motorcycle and touring the City of Fairfax.

Several members from the local Harley motorcycle club will be gathering for a motorcycle ride-and-tell just for us.

On Saturday, October 15, 2016 at 10 AM. at the City of Fairfax Town Hall, dozens of motorcycle enthusiasts will be answering our questions about what it is like to own a motorcycle. Then, they will take us on a tour of the city on their bikes.

This event is open to anyone interested in learning about the hobby. Or, those just wanting an exciting ride around the town.

The Fairfax City Hall is located at  10455 Armstrong St, Fairfax, VA. We will be meeting at the front doors. Be there by 10 AM if you want your chance to tour the city on the back of a Harley.

For more information, contact NFBV Fairfax Chapter President, John Bailey via email at john_bailey17 at hotmail.com<mailto:john_bailey17 at hotmail.com> or via phone at 703.994.2040. The event is open to everyone
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From john_bailey17 at hotmail.com  Fri Oct 14 12:45:15 2016
From: john_bailey17 at hotmail.com (John Bailey)
Date: Fri, 14 Oct 2016 12:45:15 +0000
Subject: [Nfbv-announce] Very important info about Saturday's Fairfax
 motorcycle ride around the city. Must read!
Message-ID: <BL2PR15MB10578E3DCCFC2E32241A53D78FDF0@BL2PR15MB1057.namprd15.prod.outlook.com>


This is very important.

Below is a note from  the motorcycle drivers about Saturday's motorcycle ride-and-tell around Fairfax City. It contains important information about what you must wear and be aware of before you can ride. Normally, having fun and being safe don't work well together. Fortunately, being safe on this trip means you will have the most fun.


>From the drivers:
All of the riders involved are experienced and most of them participated in our last event.  They are willing to do this ride as a personal thing.  This is not a Chapter sponsored event.  Your members have to know that risk is involved and that they are engaging in a ride of their own free will, recognizing the inherent risks in motorcycle riding and that they will hold the operator harmless for injury incurred other than gross negligence.

For any who wish to ride, you will need to assess and agree that they are physically and emotionally able to do a ride and will follow the instructions of the operator of the motorcycle.

Any who wish to ride should come prepared wearing a long sleeved denim or other sturdy material jacket; jeans, sturdy shoes that come up over the ankle, leather gloves and safety type glasses.  Glasses that wrap around the face are better in that they protect the eyes better from wind borne dust, etc.  We will bring extra helmets.

For more information, contact John Bailey at John_Bailey17 at hotmail.com<mailto:John_Bailey17 at hotmail.com> or via phone at 703.994.2040

We will be meeting Saturday, October 15 at the front steps of the Fairfax City Hall located at
10455 Armstrong St, Fairfax, VA 22030
At 10 AM. You don't have to ride in order to have a good time. Just drop by and feel-the-rumble.


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From michaelgkasey at verizon.net  Fri Oct 14 18:11:50 2016
From: michaelgkasey at verizon.net (Michael Kasey)
Date: Fri, 14 Oct 2016 14:11:50 -0400
Subject: [Nfbv-announce] senior group October conference call
Message-ID: <000f01d22646$6fbf7430$4f3e5c90$@verizon.net>

>From the Senior Division:

A message appearing below and also in the attachment.

 

This is a reminder of the next Seniors conference call, on Wednesday,
October 19 from 7:00 to 8:30 pm.  We'll try to finish earlier.  

 

Our main agenda item is Senior Seminar agenda and arrangements. 

 

All seniors and those interested in senior issues are welcome to join us.

 

Below  are the call-in numbers: 

 

Phone:  712-432-1500;

When prompted, ender code 830676 followed by the pound key (key to the right
of the 0).

 

Call Nancy, phone 703-283-2524 or email:  nancyyeager542 at comcast.net
<mailto:nancyyeager542 at comcast.net>  if you have questions or comments.

 

Nancy Yeager

 

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.

 

From: Nancy Yeager [mailto:nancyyeager542 at comcast.net] 
Sent: Friday, October 14, 2016 11:49 AM
To: 'Michael Kasey' <michaelgkasey at verizon.net>
Subject: senior group october conference call

 

Hi Michael,

 

Would you please send this out?

 

Thanks.

 

 

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From michaelgkasey at verizon.net  Fri Oct 14 18:34:27 2016
From: michaelgkasey at verizon.net (Michael Kasey)
Date: Fri, 14 Oct 2016 14:34:27 -0400
Subject: [Nfbv-announce] exhibit hall on Friday, November 11,
 2016 "$50 prize for Passport program"
Message-ID: <000001d22649$98cb63e0$ca622ba0$@verizon.net>

Message from Robert Parsons including details about  $50 prize for Passport
program:

 

Greetings Federation Family

 

The time of waiting is nearly over and with registration deadlines being on
the horizon and reservations for hotel rooms being made, the 58th National
Federation of the Blind of Virginia's state convention is finally here. I am
sure that there are a multitude of sessions, activities, and opportunities
that you want to experience, but please do not forget about our fabulous
exhibit hall on Friday, November 11, 2016. For five hours (12pm-5pm), some
of the most talented, dedicated, and professional vendors and organizations
will be on hand to educate, network, and build lasting relationships with
the members of our affiliate. These exhibitors and sponsors come from
different parts of the region, including all over Virginia, Maryland, and
Washington D.C. in order to assist the affiliate in supplying each interest
and demographic with adequate and necessitated updates, information, and
even products that can help us live the life we want. One vendor is even
travelling all the way from New York to work with us. Please help me in
assuring them that their dedication to our convention is not in vain.

 

Among our long-time exhibitor friends are representatives of Freedom
Scientific and Humanware, as well as new exhibitor friends like Guiding Eyes
for the Blind, The Virginia Beach Special Services Library, and the Norfolk
Center for Independent Living. Also, as a special treat, the U.S. Bureau of
Engraving and Printing will be at the exhibit hall exhibiting and providing
attendees with brand new money readers for those who sign up for one. Don't
miss the chance to take advantage of this special opportunity.

 

Finally, please do not forget that the attendees that preregistered will
have an exhibit hall passport as a part of their preregistration packet.
Those members should visit every table that our exhibit hall houses in order
to be entered for the $50 cash prize on Sunday, November 13, 2016. Remember,
only those who have preregistered qualify for this incentive, so please do
not forget to register as soon as possible. A full list of every exhibitor
and sponsor will be provided at the registration desk in both print and
braille alongside their corresponding table numbers. When you approach a
table and engage in dialogue with them, ask if they would mind stamping your
passport in order to show proof that you visited their table. At the end of
your time there, find Jackie Brown and submit your passport for her to
verify and accept. The cash prize will be drawn on Sunday morning and you
must be present in order to claim your prize. I look forward to connecting
and celebrating with all of you in Virginia Beach.

 

Be Blessed  

 

Robert E. Parsons Jr.

Exhibit Hall Coordinator

 

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.

 



From tracy.soforenko at gmail.com  Fri Oct 14 19:07:16 2016
From: tracy.soforenko at gmail.com (Tracy Soforenko)
Date: Fri, 14 Oct 2016 15:07:16 -0400
Subject: [Nfbv-announce] Agenda for 2016 NFB of Virginia Convention
 (11/11-11/13)
Message-ID: <001e01d2264e$2e20c5d0$8a625170$@gmail.com>

                Please find below and attached the 2016 NFB of Virginia
Convention agenda. Do not delay, please act by October 18 to secure your
room reservation and obtain our pre-registration pricing

Details on hotel and registration can be found at:

http://www.nfbv.org/national-federation-of-the-blind-of-virginia-state-conve
ntion/

 

 

 



 

58TH ANNUAL CONVENTION

 

NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND OF VIRGINIA

Michael Kasey, President

 

November 11 - November 13, 2016

 

Wyndham Virginia Beach Oceanfront

5700 Atlantic Avenue

Virginia Beach, VA 23451 

 (757) 428-7025

 

HOSTED BY THE CHESAPEAKE BAY CHAPTER OF THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND
OF VIRGINIA

Theresa Willis, President




Table of Contents


Table of Contents                                                          1

The Federation Pledge                                                  2

Convention Registration & Information                        2

Meal Functions                                                            2

Door Prizes
3

Action Auction
3

Contact Table                                                              3

Youth Track
4

Childcare
4

Dog Relief Area                                                            5

Assistive Listening Devices                                          6

Presidential Suite                                                         6

Friday, November 11, 2016                                            7

General Session                                                          7

Friday Afternoon Concurrent Seminars                       10

Saturday, November 12, 2016                                      14

General Session                                                         14

Saturday Afternoon Breakout Sessions                       18

2016 Convention Banquet                                          21

Sunday, November 13, 2016                                        22

General Session                                                         22

Thank You to Our Sponsors                                        25


The Federation 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." 

 


Convention Registration & Information


Convention registration and information will be held in the Atlantic Foyer,
located in the meeting room area. The cost of on-site registration is $25.
Registration will be open:

 

*       Friday, November 11: 8:00 a.m. to 9:15 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. to 7:00
p.m.

*       Saturday, November 12: 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 2:00
p.m. 

 

Door prizes and auction items can be brought to the registration desk
beginning on Friday morning. 

 


Meal Functions 


Tickets for the banquet are available at the registration desk. Banquet
tickets must be purchased by 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, November 12. 

 

Banquet: Banquet tickets may be purchased onsite for $35. We will not have
reserved seating at the banquet this year. Seating will be open, so come
early to get seats together.

Box Lunch: Due to a limited number of box lunches, they were only available
through pre-registration.

 

Note: For more information about registration or meal functions, please
contact Brian McCann at (757) 472-2494.

 


Door Prizes


Door prizes will be drawn periodically throughout convention sessions on
Friday, Saturday, and Sunday and at the banquet. To be eligible for door
prizes, you must be registered for the convention and present in the room
when your name is called. Please contact Karen Brown at (757) 567-8224 for
more information.

 


Action Auction


Throughout the convention, we will be holding an Action Auction to raise
money for the affiliate. The auction will be great fun with many valuable
items up for bid. You will have a chance to preview auction items on Friday
afternoon in the Atlantic Foyer, located in the meeting room area. For more
information, contact Jacki Brown, Chairperson and Auctioneer.

 


Contact Table


If you need assistance from the NFB of Virginia (such as helping a blind
child get a good education, getting access to blindness skills training,
learning to use NFB-NEWSLINER, or resolving an employment discrimination
problem), please go to the contact table. After the convention, a member of
the NFB of Virginia will contact you. In addition, if you would like to sign
up to receive any of our publications or would like to get regular updates
about our programs and legislative efforts, please also visit the contact
table. The table will be open during the board meeting, after the opening
ceremonies on Friday, during General Session on Saturday, at the end of the
banquet, and all morning Sunday. For more information, please contact Alex
Castillo at (917) 532-7439.

 


Youth Track


Youth Track is coordinated by the Virginia Association of Blind Students and
will run parallel to the main convention program. The Youth Track will
connect students with positive role models and peers throughout the state;
challenge students to think about themselves and their role in the civil
rights movement; introduce students to our positive NFB philosophy on
blindness; educate students about their choices for blindness skills
training; and participate in a travel activity outside the convention hotel.
For more information, please contact Derek Manners at (903) 271-6494.

 


Childcare


Childcare will be available for infants through fifth graders throughout the
day on Friday and Saturday. Childcare will be located in Room 201. We will
have activities and games for the children. For more information, please
contact Mary Durbin at (757) 472-2495.
Childcare will be offered at the following times:

*       Session 1: Friday, 8:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.

*       Session 2: Friday, 12:15 p.m. to 5:15 p.m. 

*       Session 3: Friday, 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

*       Session 4: Saturday, 8:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.

*       Session 5: Saturday, 12:15 p.m. to 4:45 p.m. 

*       Session 6: Saturday, 6:45 p.m. to one half hour after the banquet
adjourns 

 

Snacks will be provided during Session 4 and Session 5. Even though
childcare will be open and fully staffed during lunch on both Friday and
Saturday, lunch will not be provided. Parents should pick their children up
for lunch at the end of Session 1 and Session 4. Also, dinner will not be
provided on Saturday evening. Parents should feed their children dinner
prior to bringing them to Session 6. The cost of childcare is $5 per family
per session. 

 


Dog Relief Area 


In the 3rd building, go out the beach access doors and turn to the right.
Follow that sidewalk to the grass straight ahead. This is where the "dog
friendly" rooms are located. They will have several trashcans throughout the
property if you cannot make it to the relief area. Please deposit all waste
in the trashcans provided. Contact Michael Valentino at (804) 513-6261 with
any questions. 




Assistive Listening Devices


A limited number of assistive listening devices are available during all
general sessions, the technology seminar, the career seminar, and at the
banquet. For an assistive listening device, please go to the contact table
located in the back of the room.

 


Presidential Suite


The Presidential Suite is Room 825.




Friday, November 11, 2016


 

8:00 a.m. to 9:15 a.m. Registration: Atlantic Foyer

 

9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. NFB of Virginia Board of Directors Meeting (Open to
All): Rappahannock Room

 


General Session


Rappahannock Room

 

10:00 a.m. to 10:25 a.m. Opening Ceremonies

*       Call to Order-Michael Kasey, President, NFB of Virginia

*       Invocation-Jessie Olds, Chesapeake Bay Chapter, Virginia Beach,
Virginia 

*       Presentation of the Colors-NAS Oceana Color Guard and NFB of
Virginia Veterans

*       The National Anthem-Danielle Trevino, Baltimore, Maryland

*       Pledge of Allegiance and Federation Pledge-Naomi O'Toole, Chesapeake
Bay Chapter, Virginia Beach, Virginia

*       Greetings from Our Host Chapter-Theresa Willis, President,
Chesapeake Bay Chapter, Virginia Beach, Virginia

*       Mount Olive Baptist Church Mass Choir, Virginia Beach Virginia

*       Convention Arrangements-Brian McCann, Chairperson, Convention
Arrangements and Activities

10:25 a.m. to 10:35 a.m. Celebration of Freedom: Veterans Recognized-Mary
Durbin, Corresponding Secretary, National Federation of the Blind of
Virginia

 

10:35 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. Welcome to Virginia Beach-Senator Bill DeSteph, 8th
District in Virginia Beach, Virginia

 

10:45 a.m. to 10:55 a.m. Surf and Spokes - Adventures in Adaptive
Sports-Evelyn Valdez, Potomac Chapter, Alexandria, Virginia

 

10:55 a.m. to 11:10 a.m. Engaging Members, Changing Lives-Danielle Trevino,
Coordinator for Social Media and Member Engagement, National Federation of
the Blind, Baltimore, Maryland

 

11:10 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. Action Auction

 

11:15 a.m. to 11:35 a.m. Structured Discovery in Orlando: Reflections from
Virginia's 2016 McDonald Fellows and Kenneth Jernigan Convention Scholarship
Fund Winners-Sandy Halverson, Chairperson, McDonald Fellowship Committee,
and NFB of Virginia Liaison, Kenneth Jernigan Convention Scholarship Fund
Committee

*       James Baker, Arlington, Virginia

*       Cynthia Brandon, Richmond, Virginia

*       Elsie Castleman, Williamsburg, Virginia

*       Earl Everett, Richmond, Virginia

*       Tracy Jones, Ashland, Virginia

*       Belinda Vann, Newport News, Virginia

 

11:35 a.m. to 11:40 a.m.  Fitness Break-Kiera Davis, Richmond, Virginia

 

11:40 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Residential Rehabilitation: Be Informed About Your
Choice-Pam Allen, Director, Louisiana Center for the Blind (LCB) and Melody
Roane, Director, Virginia Rehabilitation Center for the Blind and Vision
Impaired (VRCBVI)

 

12:00 p.m. General Session Adjourns 

 

12:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Registration: Atlantic Foyer

 

12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Exhibits: Atlantic Foyer, Robert Parsons, Exhibits
Coordinator

 

1:00 p.m. to 1:45 p.m. Joining Forces For Our Veterans: York Room, Mary
Durbin, Pam Allen, and Robert Byrd, President, Hampton Chapter, Blind
Veterans Association

The National Federation of the Blind and veteran organizations are joining
forces to ensure that our veterans can live full and independent lives.
Learn how we have partnered to serve the needs of blind and low vision
veterans. Together, we can make a difference and advance our cause.




Friday Afternoon Concurrent Seminars


 

2:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Microsoft, Apple, and Google - O My!: Rappahannock
Room, Christopher O'Meally, Chair

The battle of the Technology giants is real, but which one will you pick?
Join a host of presenters as they help you dive into all of the major
operating systems across computers and mobile devices.

*       2:00 p.m. Apple IOS 10 

*       2:30 p.m. Google Products

*       3:00 p.m. Macintosh OS

*       3:30 p.m. Windows 10 

 

2:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Back to Basics - Dating, Relationships, and Culture:
James Room, Uricka Harrison and Deepa Goraya, Co-Chairs

This seminar will explore a variety of topics surrounding blindness and its
intersection between dating, relationships, and culture. Through panel
discussions and breakout sessions, we will cover dating as a blind person,
challenges and experiences with dating a blind person versus a sighted
person, marriage and parenting as a blind person, issues surrounding
blindness and culture and how that affects how you view blindness and how it
is perceived by others, how culture and blindness affect your dating life
and relationships, experiences using online dating sites, dating as a blind
senior, experiences with traveling as a blind individual with your sighted
or blind partner.

2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Virginia Association to Promote the Use of Braille:
York Room, Patricia Droppers, President 

Discussion/Demonstration of the Orbit Braille Display and the BrailleNote
Touch; assessing interest in sponsoring/assisting in providing braille
instruction for adults in the Commonwealth; and a short business meeting.

 

3:15 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Resolutions Committee: York Room, Jennifer Shields,
Chairperson

We encourage the participation of all members in setting Federation policy.
Come help shape the policies of the NFB of Virginia. 

 

5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Public Meeting on Rehabilitation Services: James
Room, Susan Payne, Policy and Training Specialist, and Pam Hinterlong,
Director of Workforce Services, Virginia Department for the Blind and Vision
Impaired

 

6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. At-Large Chapter Reception: Presidential Suite, Suite
825, Rick Holley, Chairperson

 

6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Chapter Presidents and Treasurers Meeting:
Rappahannock Room, Mark Roane and Charles Brown

Chapter Presidents and Treasurers should attend this informative session to
understand the ever-changing guidance for managing the finances at a chapter
level.

6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. First Time Convention Attendee Meeting: Mariner B,
John Bailey, Second Vice President, National Federation of the Blind of
Virginia and Carolina Garrison, Herndon, Virginia

This is the 'must attend' event for all first-time conventioneers. Get help
with your questions so that you can get the most from your convention
experience.

 

7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Braille Carnival: Mariner A, Hosted by the Virginia
Association of Parents of Blind Children, Laurie Wages, President

Join us, with your children of ANY age, as you explore our Native American
themed Braille carnival. Go through the ABCs of Braille exploring our touch
and feel stations that embrace all your senses. Come check out a real
teepee, play games, do a craft and have a snack! We hope to see you there!

 

7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Guide Dog Users Interest Meeting: James Room, Michael
Valentino, Coordinator

The Virginia Association of Guide Dog Users a NEW division of the National
Federation of the Blind of Virginia is accepting new members. We will be
offering FREE juno walks so folks can experience what it's like to have a
guide and we will discuss legislative and other issues.   You don't want to
miss this event we're going to have a dog gone good time.




7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Convention Hospitality: Cape Henry-C, Hosted by the
Chesapeake Bay Chapter, Theresa Willis, President

All convention attendees are cordially invited to join in the fun at this
reception titled "Veterans at the Beach".

 

7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Student Social: York Room, 
Derek Manners, Coordinator

*       7:00 p.m. Icebreakers 

*       8:00 p.m. Overcoming Challenges 

*       9:00 p.m. National Association of Blind Students (NABS) 

*       9:30 p.m. Common Interests/Hobbies

 

9:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Comedy by Richard Peck: Rappahannock Room, A PG-13
fundraiser for the Merchants Division, 

Rick Peck is a comedian who has performed professionally over the past
twelve years. Much of his material is drawn from his somewhat bizarre way of
looking at his life's experiences. All proceeds support the Merchants
Division's efforts to ensure blind entrepreneurs have access to run vending
facilities within U.S. Department of Defense buildings. 

Admission $5 purchased at the door, Harold Wilson, President, Merchants
Division




Saturday, November 12, 2016


 

7:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. Student Breakfast: Presidential Suite, Suite 825

 

8:15 a.m. to 8:45 a.m. Student Mobility Coaching: Meet at Presidential
Suite, Suite 825

 

8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. Registration: Atlantic Foyer

 


General Session


Rappahannock & James Rooms

 

9:00 a.m. Call to Order-Michael Kasey, President, NFB of Virginia

 

9:00 a.m. to 9:05 a.m. Invocation-Mark Roane, Treasurer, National Federation
of the Blind of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia 

 

9:05 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. National Report-Pam Allen, First Vice President,
National Federation of the Blind and President, National Federation of the
Blind of Louisiana and Chairman of the Board of Directors, National
Federation of the Blind

 

9:45 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. Introducing Our New NFB of Virginia Leadership
Fellows 

*       Alexander Castillo, Arlington, Virginia

*       Earl Everett, Richmond, Virginia

*       Michael Kitchens, Portsmouth, Virginia

*       Domonique Lawless, Mechanicsville, Virginia

*       Sean McMahon, Vienna, Virginia

*       Christopher O'Meally, Richmond, Virginia

*       Joe Orozco, Woodbridge, Virginia

*       Robert Parsons, Richmond, Virginia

*       Evelyn Valdez, Alexandria, Virginia

 

10:00 a.m. to 10:05 a.m. Action Auction

 

10:05 a.m. to 10:10 a.m. Introducing the 2016 NFB of Virginia James F.
Nelson, Jr. Scholarship Finalists-Brian Miller, Chair

*       Tracy Jones, University of the Rockies, Ashland, Virginia

*       Sharon Jose, George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia

*       Robert Parsons, Randolph Macon College, Richmond, Virginia

 

10:10 a.m. to 10:25 a.m. NFB Philosophy in Action: From a Parents
Perspective-Sandy Halverson, Parent Liaison, Arlington, Virginia, Moderator

Laurie Wages, Fredericksburg, Virginia  

Zina Lewis, Chesapeake, Virginia

Learn how parents ensure the success of their children through educational
and community Involvement.




10:25 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. DBVI Update-Raymond Hopkins, Commissioner,
Department for the Blind and Vision Impaired

 

10:45 a.m. to 10:50 a.m. Fitness Break-Kierra Davis, Richmond, Virginia

 

10:50 a.m. to 11:10 a.m. Advancing Opportunities for the Blind: A Worldwide
Challenge-Dr. Fredric Schroeder, President, World Blind Union 

 

11:10 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. Action Auction

 

11:15 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Believing In Me-Kierra Davis, Richmond, Virginia

 

11:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Presidential Report-Michael Kasey, President, NFB
of Virginia

 

12:00 p.m. General Session Adjourns

 

12:05 p.m. to 12:15 p.m. Box Lunch Pickup: Atlantic Foyer

 

12:15 p.m. to 1:45 p.m. Blind Parents: Raising Kids as a Blind Parent:
Mariner A, Jessica Reed and C. J. Fish, Moderators

This luncheon will be a discussion to address the techniques blind parents
are using to raise their children throughout all facets of life. Come with
your questions and our panelists will be ready to answer them. 

12:15 p.m. to 1:45 p.m. Blind Seniors Interest Group Luncheon and Business
Meeting: Mariner B, Nancy Yeager, Coordinator

 

12:15 p.m. to 1:45 p.m. Blind Vendors Division Luncheon and Business
Meeting: False Cape B, Harrold Wilson, President, Merchants Division 

 

12:15 p.m. to 1:45 p.m. Virginia Association of Blind Students Luncheon:
Meet in main lobby by 12:15 p.m., Kimberly Valko, President 

 

12:15 p.m. to 1:45 p.m. Virginia Parents of Blind Children Luncheon and
Business Meeting: Cape Henry-C. Laurie Wages, President, and Sandy
Halverson, Parent Liaison, NFB of Virginia 

 

1:00 p.m. to 1:45 p.m. Virginia Industries for the Blind - New Job
Opportunities in Hampton Roads: York Room, Matthew Koch, General Manager,
Virginia Industries for the Blind 

Come learn about this growth and how you can be part of it. VIB has 21
existing locations and is ready to expand into the Hampton Roads area with a
significant investment to offer quality jobs to area residents who are blind
or vision impaired. VIB General Manager, Matt Koch, will discuss VIB's
present operations and potential future with you. Bring your resumes!

 

1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. Registration: Atlantic Foyer




Saturday Afternoon
Breakout Sessions 


 

2:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Take Charge: Strategies for Success - It's More than
Just about a Paycheck:

Rappahannock & James Rooms, Melody Roane, Coordinator

Whether you are pursuing your first job or you have been in your career for
thirty years, this seminar is for you. In a competitive job market, learn
about the tools that will empower you to take the next step toward achieving
the career you want! Through interactive engagement, you will hear from
presenters and other participants about their secrets for success. By taking
an active role in securing your first job or advancing in your career, learn
how to become the indispensable employee! Explore strategies to position
yourself to become the employer if that is your dream!

 

2:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Parent Track: Cape Henry-C, Laurie Wages, President,
Virginia Parents of Blind Children, and Sandy Halverson, Parent Liaison, NFB
of Virginia

What should you expect from your child and their school? Learn about the
alternative techniques that work including technology, fitness /recreation,
reading, and other ways our community can help you and your child. Join us;
try our hands-on techniques and see how they work and we'll do our best to
answer your questions.




2:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Virginia Association of Blind Students Business
Meeting: York Room, Kimberly Valko, President

 

2:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Senior Track: Staying In The Game: Mariner B, Nancy
Yeager, Coordinator

Learn about equipment and services available for seniors in Virginia.

 

2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Social Media for Beginners: Cape Charles A, Danielle
Trevino, Coordinator for Social Media and Member Engagement, National
Federation of the Blind, Baltimore, Maryland

This introductory session will help members understand how to use Facebook
and Twitter for both achieving personal and Federation goals. This is a
hands on session to get people started on these tools and explain why it is
important. 

 

Space is limited to the first 25 registered participants and individuals
must pre-register to participate. Register by contacting Deepa Goraya at
deepa.goraya at gmail.com

Include Introductory Social Media in the Subject Line.

Participants are highly encouraged to bring their tech to the session so
they can participate directly in the program. This introductory session will
not provide sufficient background to attend the advanced session.




3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Advanced Social Media: Cape Charles A, Danielle
Trevino, Coordinator for Social Media and Member Engagement, National
Federation of the Blind, Baltimore, Maryland

This advanced session will help members understand how to maximize their use
of Facebook and Twitter for both achieving personal and Federation goals.
This is an advanced hands on interactive session amongst sophisticated users
of Facebook. The goal of this session is to assist sophisticated Facebook
and Twitter users to take these tools to the next level.

 

Space is limited to the first 30 registered participants and individuals
must pre-register to participate. Register by contacting Deepa Goraya  at
deepa.goraya at gmail.com

Include Advanced Social Media in the Subject Line.

Participants will receive assignments in advance of the session that must be
completed to participate. Participants are highly encouraged to bring their
tech to the session so they can participate directly in the program.

 

6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Pre-Banquet Reception (Cash Bar): Atlantic Foyer




2016 Convention Banquet 


Rappahannock & James Rooms

 

7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Banquet Program-Charles Brown, Master of Ceremonies
and Past President, NFB of Virginia

 

Invocation-Rev. C. Jason Lewis, Virginia Beach Christian Church, Virginia
Beach, Virginia

 

2016 James F. Nelson Scholarship Awards Presentation-Brian Miller,
Scholarship Committee Chairperson

 

Banquet Address-Pam Allen, First Vice President,  National Federation of the
Blind,  President, National Federation of the Blind of Louisiana and
Chairman of the  Board of Directors, National Federation of the Blind

 

Action Auction-Jacki Brown, Chairperson and Auctioneer

Drawing for 2016 NFB of Virginia Raffle




Sunday, November 13, 2016


 

8:00 a.m. to 8:50 a.m. Devotions: False Cape B

 


General Session


Cape Charles A

 

9:00 a.m. to 9:05 a.m. Invocation-Rabbi Jeffrey Arnowitz, Congregation Beth
El, Norfolk, Virginia

 

9:05 a.m. to 9:35 a.m. That's Me: Exploring Our Common Bonds-Joanne Wilson,
Federation Leader

 

9:35 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Youth Track - Scavenger Hunt and Philosophy Chat:
Cape Henry C, Derek Manners, Coordinator

Youth will be divided into two groups based on age. The younger youth will
participate in the scavenger hunt first while the older youth have an
interactive philosophy chat. At around 10:15, the two groups will switch.
Participants in the scavenger hunt will navigate the hotel to find different
locations with mini-prizes. The first two to finish in each age range will
receive a grand prize. So bring your travel skills and win some fantastic
prizes.

 

9:35 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. Creating Change and Taking Action: A transformational
Journey That Built a Consulting Business-Jeremy Grandstaff, S & G endeavors,
Alexandria, Virginia

 

9:45 a.m. to 9:55 a.m. Connecting the Dots: Analytic Investigation at the
FBI-Joe Orozco, NFBV Leadership Fellow, Woodbridge, Virginia

 

9:55 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. Action Auction

 

10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Business Session

*       Audit Committee Report-Brian McCann, Chairperson

*       Treasurer's Report-Mark Roane, Treasurer

*       SUN Committee Report-Sandy Halverson, Chairperson

*       2017 Richmond and Washington Seminars-Jeannette Gholson and Deepa
Goraya, Legislative Directors

*       2017 National Convention, July 10-15, Orlando, Florida

*       2017 NFB of Virginia Convention-Brian McCann, Chairperson,
Convention Arrangements and Activities

*       Resolutions-Jennifer Shields, Chairperson

*       Nominating Committee Report-Charles Brown, Chairperson 

*       Elections

*       Report of Youth Track Activities-Derek Manners, Coordinator

*       Old and New Business

*       Closing Remarks-Michael Kasey, President, NFB of Virginia




12:00 p.m. General Session Adjourns

 

Thank you to our Chesapeake Bay Chapter for hosting the 2016 NFB of Virginia
State Convention. Your hospitality made us feel like family and it made the
convention one of our best ever.




Thank You to Our Sponsors


 

Platinum Sponsor:

S & G Endeavors, Ltd

Helping clients use collaboration to create change and take action!

S & G Endeavors delivers collaborative strategic planning, meeting
facilitation, and organizational development services to assist our clients
in strengthening collaboration and overall success. Differentiating us from
our competitors is our use of blended large-scale and collaborative change
methods. These methods are based on the guiding principle that bringing the
right people together with the right process allows the community or
organization to tap into the wisdom that leadership and stakeholders bring,
in turn, increasing ownership of new, actionable strategies. S & G is proud
that our clients report that through our work, they have used a successful
planning process that increases buy-in, allows for participative decision
making, and engages participants in capacity building dialogue. Check out
<http://www.SGEndeavors.com> www.SGEndeavors.com to find out how we can help
your organization or your chapter become stronger, engage more volunteers,
and create long-term change for all people, including those of us who are
blind.

Jeremy Grandstaff

(614) 519-3026

Offices in Washington DC, Ohio, Nebraska-We come to you

 <http://www.SGEndeavors.com> www.SGEndeavors.com 

Bronze Sponsor:

Advanced Vision

Advanced Vision aims to provide blind and vision impaired individuals with
technology and low vision equipment that assist in daily activities both at
home and in the professional setting. 

Allen Bareford

9197 Hunters Chase Dr., Mechanicsville, VA 23116

(804) 400-1151

 




 

The 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 Jacobs 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

NFB Jernigan Institute

lblake at nfb.org <mailto:lblake at nfb.org> 

(410) 659-9314 x2221

 

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From michaelgkasey at verizon.net  Sat Oct 15 17:19:26 2016
From: michaelgkasey at verizon.net (Michael Kasey)
Date: Sat, 15 Oct 2016 13:19:26 -0400
Subject: [Nfbv-announce] Introducing our 2016 Class of Leadership Fellows
Message-ID: <000c01d22708$487d5280$d977f780$@verizon.net>

We wish to share just a little about each Leader of our new class.

 

2016 Leadership Fellows biographies:

 

Alexander A. Castillo

Ask who I am and the reply will be that I am the son of Dominican
immigrants--someone who has struggled in finding their identity as blind, as
Dominican, and who has worked to understand how this has made for a unique
perspective and life.

 

In The Dominican Republic, where I lived until third grade, rarely did I
recall blindness as an issue. If there was anything atypical about me, it
was that I was a very social, mischievous child, and this meant that my
claim to independence came at quite an early age. We moved to the states
because my parents had found it increasingly costly to travel back and forth
from The Island to see my corneal specialist in New York. I went from having
everyone know me in my community, to only spending time with family in a
Northern Manhattan Neighborhood. New York City had not yet become Disney and
M&M stores. You stayed away from street corners, and did not set foot in
Brooklyn.

 

In school, Initially, I was not permitted to participate in gym and other
classes because of my vision. This created a strong aversion to identifying
as blind, as I didn't want to appear as a victim, or weak, and worst of all,
instilled a tremendous fear of using a cane: a fear which stayed with me
until my mid 20's. However blindness did afford me some opportunities which
I would not have otherwise had.

 

As a student who needed low vision services, the schools I attended, for
example, were very diverse, the teachers had good relationships with the
students, and I got an opportunity to experience the "big Apple" as I would
ride the yellow bus downtown.

 

My parents also made sure that my brother and I had an eclectic cultural
education. There were music lessons, martial arts, and hikes and my father
would sit us down and have us listen to Broadway Musicals. My brother and I,
thought the marionette scene from the "sound OF Music" was amazing, and
didn't quite get why the neighborhood kids didn't feel the same. We were
Dominican, but the other Dominicans saw us as different. Much of the other
people in our community had only come to the States out of financial need.
My parents had come for my health.

 

Like many, I was the only blind child in our family, and it felt like I was
the only blind person in Manhattan. There was no connection to blindness,
until I took a martial arts class in my mid 20's during which  A classmate
told me: If you ever attend an NFB convention, you're going to hear so many
canes, that the sound will be like heavy rain."  This martial arts class was
about the only thing I had ever done that was blindness related and
voluntary. He was right. It was a great sound and blindness, for the first
time was not a barrier, but a way to connect with others.

 

The first NFB convention I attended was in Detroit. I met so many students
which had the same struggles that I faced, even those feelings of
inadequacy, but more importantly, they had so many ways to adapt,
self-accommodate, and build and be part of communities in and out of
blindness. This really hit home. Along with others, I rebuilt the New York
student division and had the privilege of serving as president for two
years.

I also received another opportunity. The National Science Foundation was
concerned that minority students with disabilities had very little
representation in the STEM fields and centralized a program at Hunter
College where I attended. I was approached by the program director at a
psychology convention and asked to join the program. what caught the program
coordinator's attention besides good academic standing, was my long white
cane, which after many years of neglect, I was finally able to confidently
hold, and my ability to reach out to Spanish speakers, the ladder, being
something which until I began to volunteer as a tech instructor and work
with this population, I had not been comfortable doing.

 

These connections led to more volunteering, close friends, employment
opportunities and professional contacts.

 

Throughout the past 6 years, I have focused on developing a strong
background in direct services to individuals with disabilities of
marginalized communities. This is in large due to after many years, finally
having a strong identification as being Dominican, a New Yorker, and a
person who is blind.

 

Earl Everet:

I was born in Washington D.C. in the mid 50's, and it was discovered pretty
early on that I had congenital glaucoma. My family decided it was best for
me to stay with relatives in Franklin VA so I could attend the VA School at
Hampton for the Deaf and Blind where I learned Braille, Orientation and
Mobility and other life skills in addition to an academic curriculum. Upon
graduation I briefly attended Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond
VA as a music education major. Accessibility Services being what they were
in the mid 70's I was unable to obtain my degree and soon left the
University. I moved to Norfolk, VA and through VDBI I was able to obtain a
job at Old Dominion University in their Housekeeping Department where I
stayed for close to 10 years until I developed cataracts which hindered me
from successfully fulfilling my duties. I returned to Franklin for the next
few years until I was able to enroll in the Customer Service Program at the
VA Rehabilitation Center for the Blind and Vision Impaired. Upon completion
of the program I interned at the Lillian Vernon Corporation in VA. Beach, VA
where I was offered a position. After the company decided to close up
operations in VA Beach I developed an interest in the law and the legal
process. I enrolled in J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College and received
my Associates Degree in Paralegal Studies. I then went back to VA
Commonwealth University where I finally was able to obtain my Bachelor's
Degree in Political Science and Pre-Law. I am currently seeking employment
hopefully in the legal field and am even giving thought to taking the LSAT's
(Law School Admittance Test)) to obtain my Law Degree. I joined the National
Federation of the Blind of Virginia, Richmond Chapter in 2008. I was elected
Secretary of the Chapter in 2014, and in 2015 I was appointed as Chairman of
the newly formed Legislative Committee. I was able to attend my 1st National
Convention this past summer as a McDonald Scholarship winner and it was
truly an inspiring and enlightening experience. I look forward to this next
chapter of my life as a Leadership Fellow and am ready to embrace all the
promise and opportunities the future may hold.

 

Michael Kitchens:

My name is Michael David Kitchens, II, and I was born in Portsmouth, VA on
September 19, 1976.  I have a form of condition known as albinism, which
affects pigment in the skin and in the eyes.  I have myopia
(nearsightedness), light sensitivity and I sunburn very easily.

 

I graduated from Western Branch High School in Chesapeake, VA in 1994 as an
honor graduate.  I was included in the 1994 edition of Who's Who among
American High School Students.  I then went to college at Tidewater
Community College and then ITT Technical Institute to study Computer-Aided
Drafting and Design (CADD).  I have two Associate degrees in that field.  I
also graduated from ITT as the class valedictorian.  I studied CADD because
I first realized I could draw in that manner when I was 9 or 10 years old.


 

I currently work at the City of Chesapeake, VA Department of Public Works as
an Engineering CAD Technician II.  I have been there since May 2015.  

 

I am considered low-vision, to the point where I am currently unable to
drive.   I first joined the Federation in 2009, because I was inspired by a
former (now deceased) member of the NFB, Mr. Nelson Malbon.  When I was a
little boy, he helped my mom in getting access to assistance and services
that I needed.   Being part of the NFB is my way of giving back and paying
his help forward.  And now that I am a Leadership Fellow for 2016, I hope
that I can really make a difference.

 

Domonique Lawless 

I moved to Richmond in July, when I started working as an Orientation and
Mobility Instructor at the Virginia Rehabilitation Center for the Blind and
Vision Impaired. I grew up mostly in upstate New York and Nashville
Tennessee with a few places in between. I am a graduate of the Louisiana
Center for the Blind, and after my blindness skills training I obtained my
Master's Degree in teaching blind students and orientation and mobility. I
find that living in many places helps me appreciate people from all walks of
life and the stories they have to share. It also means that I am slightly
culturally confused. I miss corner bakeries where you can get good cannoli,
do not like southern sweet tea, and can almost eat my weight in crawfish at
a crawfish boil. 

 

In 2000, I was invited to a student seminar at the Louisiana Center for the
Blind. That moment forever changed my life. I was connected with other blind
students and adults who didn't let their blindness limit them, and those
people became my mentors and friends. I have been a member of the National
Federation of the Blind for sixteen years. During this time, I have served
on chapter, state, and national boards. I have also worked as an instructor
and mentor for many of our youth programs.

 

When I'm not working at the center, I spend my time creating new recipes in
the kitchen, reading, and crafting. I am excited to be a part of the
Virginia affiliate and can't wait to get to know my new NFBV family.

 

Sean McMahon:

Sean McMahon serves as the  treasurer for the Potomac chapter. He has been a
member of the Potomac chapter since moving to the D.C area 6 years ago to
take a job as a software quality control specialist at the Internal Revenue
Service.  As a Virginia Fellow, he hopes to help our membership meet their
individual accessibility challenges, learn legislative advocacy and spread
our great can-do spirit.  He enjoys live jazz and has an obsession for
watching sports.  He lives in Vienna with his Cantankerous cat Magic and
girlfriend Sarah who is also an active board member of their chapter.

 

Christopher O'Meally:

My Name is Christopher O'Meally, and I have lived in the Richmond Virginia
area all my life, besides my 9 month stay at the Louisiana center for the
blind.  I am currently pursuing my second degree in business information
systems management with a concentration in contract administration, and
currently work for the defense contract management agency. In my spare time,
I enjoy a bit of computer troubleshooting and repair, running my small data
recovery service, trying to convince people not to pay me to build custom
gaming computers because it would be entirely easier and cheaper to go to
best buy, and long walks on the beach.

 

                In my 10 years in involvement with the National Federation
of the Blind, my main focus has been with the students.  I have served in
every position on the board at least once, and now that I am back in school
again, will most likely be running this year.  Advocacy is very important to
me, and so when people come to ask me questions, I always mention my
federation family, as they have shown me much of what I know about my
blindness, the rights that our community is entitled to, and even who to
contact if I am not sure of what I am being asked.

Onto of that, I am a graduate of guiding eyes, and am currently in the
matching process for my second dog, so the equal treatment of handlers and
dogs is very near and dear to my heart.  People know me as the resident tech
guy around the state of Virginia.  I enjoy presenting at seminars at various
events in and outside of the federation, and even teaching a bit on the side
when I have time.

 

                I applied to be a leadership fellow so that our more
experienced members and leadership can mold me into the leader that many of
my friends and family members always say I am, and so that I can give back
to the federation in return.  I am not quite sure where my place is, but my
goal is simple, and to me, less means more in most situations.  I want to
make a difference somewhere.

 

Joe Orozco is an intelligence analyst with the Federal Bureau of
Investigation. On his spare time he runs a small freelance writing business
catering to small nonprofits and tech startups. He enjoys reading and
writing horror and young adult fiction, hiking, all genre of music, and
eclectic foods. Joe was introduced to the Federation in the Texas affiliate
and looks forward to making worthwhile contributions to his new home in
Virginia.

 

Robert Parsons:

My name is Robert Parsons and I am 27-years old. Originally from Brooklyn,
NY, I moved to Richmond, VA in 2012 in hopes of finding work and going back
to college. It was in Richmond that I went blind in 2013 by means of a
gunshot to the head during a robbery of my house. The attack left me with no
vision or light perception and I was left to pick up the pieces of my life
and decide what to do with myself. In 2014, I began my time as a student at
the Virginia Rehabilitation Center for the Blind and Vision Impaired, where
I learned, honed, and practiced my skills of blindness in preparation to
return to college. It was at the Virginia Rehab Center that I was introduced
to the Richmond chapter of the NFBV and became a member. I graduated from
the center 5 months later and began attending Reynolds Community College,
where I will be graduating from in December with an Associate's Degree in
Social Science to begin attending Randolph Macon College in Ashland,
Virginia In pursuit of a dual Bachelor's degree in Sociology and French

. I am extremely active in the Richmond chapter and Virginia affiliate,
serving as the first Vice President of the chapter, coordinator of the car
donation program, coordinator of the exhibit hall at state convention, and
Virginia table at national convention.

 

 

Evelyn Valdez:

I'd like to introduce myself as a transplant hailing from the Garden State
of New Jersey also known as Joe Ruffalo country. I am ecstatic to have been
chosen as the distinguished member of such an illustrious class of Virginia
Fellows for the 2016-2017 class.

Born in New York and raised in New Jersey, there was never a dull moment in
the Valdez household, from my brother playing baseball to me competing in
JROTC drill team competitions. It was not a farfetched idea that I would be
joining the Marine Corps and of course I knew what I was going to do. My MOS
(major/area of study) would be Communications in the Marine Corps and I
would have Uncle Sam pay for my higher education. Well, it's all good when
one is taken on an alternate route, but the big question was if I was ready
for the ride? I went blind at 17 and my military career took a permanent
backseat. I decided to become a teacher and so I did, not knowing too much
about blindness and all the resources that were available to me at first. I
began meeting go-getters like Ms. Ever-lee Hairston and slowly this "ride"
didn't seem too difficult. What turned it more exciting was when I attended
my first national convention as a national scholarship winner in Texas. That
was the seal of approval for me, it cemented everything into perspective.
After teaching inclusion in the Hillside school district in NJ for six and a
half years, I wanted more.so I went to polish my blindness skills at the
Louisiana Center for the Blind (LCB) in Ruston, Louisiana. A change in my
career path had been in the works for some time until it was finalized just
two months before I graduated from my blindness training at LCB, I was given
an employment opportunity at the Department of Veterans Affairs in
Washington DC. 

I have been an active member of the NFB for ten years now, serving as
co-founder of the NJ Association of Blind Students, affiliate board member,
second vice president of the Greater DC Chapter, and in my present role as
recording secretary for the Potomac chapter. I have recently embarked on a
cycling phase. I had been on a running phase not too long ago doing the
Marine Corps 10-K with an awesome marathon runner as my sighted guide! I am
working on becoming a stronger cyclist and feeling good that I have been
coached by a famous road racer, Jim Alvord from Pennsylvania. 

This ride has Never Felt Better!

 

 

We hope you now know a little  more about the new class.

Sincerely,

Michael

 

 

 

 

 

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.

 



From tracy.soforenko at gmail.com  Sun Oct 16 17:43:30 2016
From: tracy.soforenko at gmail.com (Tracy Soforenko)
Date: Sun, 16 Oct 2016 13:43:30 -0400
Subject: [Nfbv-announce] Direct Bus to Convention from Arlington, Woodbridge,
 Fredericksburg & Richmond for State Convention
Message-ID: <009f01d227d4$cef4deb0$6cde9c10$@gmail.com>

From: John Halverson [mailto:johnh50 at verizon.net] 



Greetings Colleagues and Friends:

 

The Potomac Chapter has arranged a bus to our state convention which will
simplify your travel plans to Virginia Beach.  Additionally, you will be
able to enjoy the full convention and travel with friends from across the
commonwealth.

The bus departs Thursday (11/10) afternoon with stops in Arlington,
Woodbridge, Fredericksburg, and Richmond before making its final stop
directly at the Wyndham Virginia Beach Oceanfront. The bus will return on
Sunday (11/13) afternoon with the same stops on the return.  

 

We will leave from the St. George's Episcopal Church at 915 North 

 Oakland Street, Arlington Virginia at 1:00 pm Thursday November 10.

We will make intermediate stops in Prince William County, 

 Fredericksburg,

and Richmond.

We plan to return north at 1:00 pm on Sunday November 13.  We will 

 drop-off at the same locations.  The exact times for these pick-ups 

 and exact locations are still tentative.  The tentative Prince William 

 County pick-up is scheduled for the rest stop at exit 156 off I95.

The Fredericksburg pick-up is scheduled for the Hospitality House 

 hotel off exit 130 and the Richmond pick-up will be at the Wendy's 

 restaurant at the Chamberlain exit off of I95.

 

 The cost is $80 per person round trip or $40 one way.  Our chartered bus is
equipped with 

 comfortable high backed seats and a rest room.

 

I hope as many persons as possible are able to take advantage of this
convenient and cost effective 

 opportunity.  Later today, we will send out details on other transportation
options including Amtrak, Greyhound and local transportation services in
Virginia Beach. For example, Amtrak service would include a train to Newport
News, a bus to Virginia Beach and a taxi to the hotel. If you can make the
timing work for your schedule, we believe it will be easier and perhaps
cheaper than the Amtrak/bus/taxi combination. 

Another great advantage of taking our bus is we have an opportunity to 

 visit and get to better know each other and enjoy the comradery of the 

 convention as we travel.

 

Please contact me if you have questions or need to make reservations 

 to join us on the convention bus. I would like to have reservations by

November 5.

Individuals are expected to pay as you get on the bus.  We accept cash or
checks payable to PCNFB. We cannot accept credit cards. 

 

Email: johnh50 at verizon.net <mailto:johnh50 at verizon.net> 

 

Cell: 703-867-6400

 

 Home: 703-379-1141

 

 

John Halverson, Ph.D. 

 

  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.

 

 

 

 



From tracy.soforenko at gmail.com  Mon Oct 17 01:32:40 2016
From: tracy.soforenko at gmail.com (Tracy Soforenko)
Date: Sun, 16 Oct 2016 21:32:40 -0400
Subject: [Nfbv-announce] Amtrak and Public Bus to Virginia Beach
Message-ID: <011801d22816$59d134c0$0d739e40$@gmail.com>

From: Brian Mccann [mailto:brnmccnn at gmail.com] 



While some may choose to take the bus arranged by the Potomac Chapter, if you wish to get to the Virginia Beach area via Amtrak or Greyhound, we have provided some details about your options.

I've also attached a list of transportation options in the Virginia Beach area in the attached document.

Amtrak to Virginia Beach
Amtrak offers two options getting you to Virginia Beach. You can take the Amtrak train into Newport News and then transfer to an Amtrak coach bus that will bring you to the Virginia Beach Oceanfront  area or you can take a direct train into Norfolk and then a 20-minute ride to the hotel in Virginia Beach. The Newport News option has two trains coming into the station everyday vs. Norfolk?s one train a day. Visit  <https://www.amtrak.com/home> https://www.amtrak.com/home 

 

or call 1 800 USA-RAIL to make a reservation.




Inbound to Virginia Beach


 


Newport News Option
You can take one of the two Amtrak trains into Newport News, wait approximately 15-20 minutes and transfer to a coach bus (price is included in your Amtrak ticket) that will drop you off at the Oceanfront. You will then need to take a $10 (approx.) Uber or taxi ride to the hotel. Arrival times to Virginia Beach include 1:30 pm and 8:30 pm. An Uber ride from the Newport News train station to the hotel is approximately $35.

Norfolk Option
The Norfolk station only has one train that comes directly into the station without any transfers. Once you arrive in Norfolk, you can take a $20 (approx.) Uber or taxi ride directly to the hotel. The arrival time in Norfolk is 8:38 pm and then about a 20 minute ride to the hotel.



 



Outbound from  Virginia Beach


 

We investigated the Sunday return options for this message:

 

Norfolk Option: the only train departs Norfolk at 6:15  AM.

 

Virginia Beach Bus to Newport News Amtrak: There are 2 departure options. The first is at 6:10 AM and the second is at 2:30 PM.

 


Greyhound:


We did not investigate the Greyhound options but Greyhound does provide limited service to Virginia Beach 

1-800-231-2222

https://www.greyhound.com/en

 

More details including taxi information and the addresses for the various stations are included in the attached document.


Brian McCann
(757) 472-2494
brnmccnn at gmail.com <mailto:brnmccnn at gmail.com> 

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From john_bailey17 at hotmail.com  Mon Oct 17 13:01:27 2016
From: john_bailey17 at hotmail.com (John Bailey)
Date: Mon, 17 Oct 2016 13:01:27 +0000
Subject: [Nfbv-announce] Video: How do blind people ride motorcycles?
Message-ID: <DM3PR15MB1066C0EFA73130C593CC60D18FD00@DM3PR15MB1066.namprd15.prod.outlook.com>

Hi,
Last Saturday, the Fairfax Chapter hosted a motorcycle ride around the city along with members from the local Harley Motorcycle club.

We had over 25 there and it was awesome. We even got a few new members.

I recorded the event and the link to the YouTube video is below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chk1hY-BC8M

Everyone wanted to do it again soon and you are invited to come along when we do.

John Bailey
703.994.2040
John_bailey17 at hotmail.com<mailto:John_bailey17 at hotmail.com>

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From michaelgkasey at verizon.net  Mon Oct 17 15:03:03 2016
From: michaelgkasey at verizon.net (Michael Kasey)
Date: Mon, 17 Oct 2016 11:03:03 -0400
Subject: [Nfbv-announce] Adult Rehabilitation and Employment Survey
Message-ID: <000001d22887$8fe32610$afa97230$@verizon.net>

We are looking for you!

 

If you are blind or visually impaired, reside in the United States, and are
at least 18 years of age, we cordially invite you to participate in this
survey. The purpose of this survey is to gain a better understanding of your
experiences as an adult who is blind or visually impaired, including your
experiences with education, employment, training, and vocational
rehabilitation. 

 

This survey should not take more than ten minutes of your time. If you
complete this survey, you will be entered into a drawing in which 5
individuals will win a $100 VISA gift card. We offer you three ways to
complete the survey: 




Go to:  <http://www.pdrib.com/ares> www.pdrib.com/ares

 

Or you may Email: 

 <mailto:pdrib2016 at gmail.com> pdrib2016 at gmail.com

 

Or you may call: 

318-257-2029

 

Thank you for taking the time to better help us understand the lived
experiences of adults with visual impairments. 

 

Questions or concerns about this survey may be directed to:

Edward Bell, Principal Investigator

Professional Development and Research Institute on Blindness

318-257-4554               <mailto:ebell at latech.edu> ebell at latech.edu

 

 

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.

 



From markwroane at gmail.com  Mon Oct 17 21:18:26 2016
From: markwroane at gmail.com (Mark W. Roane)
Date: Mon, 17 Oct 2016 17:18:26 -0400
Subject: [Nfbv-announce] 2016 VRCBVI Family Day Agenda
Message-ID: <000901d228bc$003a5030$00aef090$@gmail.com>

We have been asked to post the attached 2016 VRCBVI Family Day Agenda.

If you have any questions, please call Melody Roane, VRCBVI Director at
(804) 371-3323.

 

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From tracy.soforenko at gmail.com  Tue Oct 18 01:30:23 2016
From: tracy.soforenko at gmail.com (Tracy Soforenko)
Date: Mon, 17 Oct 2016 21:30:23 -0400
Subject: [Nfbv-announce] Hotel Rooms Nearly Sold Out
In-Reply-To: <CY4PR09MB14133F63F46D6D5E0977B0F787D00@CY4PR09MB1413.namprd09.prod.outlook.com>
References: <CY4PR09MB14133F63F46D6D5E0977B0F787D00@CY4PR09MB1413.namprd09.prod.outlook.com>
Message-ID: <023e01d228df$32f2b2b0$98d81810$@gmail.com>

Fellow Federationists

 

Our 2016 Convention should be both our best and largest. Our excellent rate
for standard rooms is a thing of the past. We have sold out of all of the
standard rooms in the room block. There are just a few of the more expensive
rooms at a negotiated higher price. If you do not have a room, act now to
secure your room at the Wyndham hotel by calling 

Wyndham Virginia Beach Oceanfront, 5700 Atlantic Ave, Virginia Beach, VA
23451

 

Call 1-800-365-3032 to make reservations and ask for the National Federation
of the Blind of Virginia (NFBV) group rate.

Once these rooms are reserved, there are no more rooms at the hotel. I doubt
these few remaining rooms will be available after tonight but they will not
be available after Tuesday, October 18.

 

One of our NFB of Virginia Leadership Fellows, Chris Walker, has agreed to
try to help people with rooms.

 

If you have a room and you are seeking a roommate, please contact Chris

. If you have a reservation and you no longer need it, please contact Chris.

If you are unable to make a reservation because there are no rooms left,
please contact Chris. 

 

Chris's contact information is:

 

chrisvinson1 at gmail.com <mailto:chrisvinson1 at gmail.com> 

(540) 303-0080

 

Chris will try to help but we are honestly out of rooms. Certainly, there
are other hotels in the area such as the Howard Johnsons (about 6 blocks
away) which might have room availability.

 

Tracy Soforenko

First Vice President, NFB of Virginia

 <mailto:Tracy.soforenko at gmail.com> Tracy.soforenko at gmail.com

202 285-4595

 

 



From markwroane at gmail.com  Tue Oct 18 02:53:54 2016
From: markwroane at gmail.com (Mark W. Roane)
Date: Mon, 17 Oct 2016 22:53:54 -0400
Subject: [Nfbv-announce] Convention Pre Registration Deadline is Tomorrow
 10/18/16 at midnight
Message-ID: <001e01d228ea$dde70990$99b51cb0$@gmail.com>

Hello all,

The Pre Registration Deadline is tomorrow, Tuesday, October 18, 2016 at
midnight.  Registering by the pre registration deadline will both save you
some money and register you for a $100 drawing.  If you are planning to come
to our convention, take advantage of these opportunities.  We hope to see
all of you in Virginia Beach.  Registration information may be found by
visiting www.nfbv.org <http://www.nfbv.org> 

 



From john_bailey17 at hotmail.com  Tue Oct 18 13:21:06 2016
From: john_bailey17 at hotmail.com (John Bailey)
Date: Tue, 18 Oct 2016 13:21:06 +0000
Subject: [Nfbv-announce] Have room looking for female roommate for state
 convention
Message-ID: <DM3PR15MB1066AF51EC52475C60601D028FD30@DM3PR15MB1066.namprd15.prod.outlook.com>

Hello,
Sharon  Jose has a room reserved for state convention and is looking for a roommate. If interested, contact me directly at:
sharonmjose101 at gmail.com<mailto:sharonmjose101 at gmail.com>


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From john_bailey17 at hotmail.com  Tue Oct 18 13:22:55 2016
From: john_bailey17 at hotmail.com (John Bailey)
Date: Tue, 18 Oct 2016 13:22:55 +0000
Subject: [Nfbv-announce] Have room,
 looking for male roommate for state convention
Message-ID: <DM3PR15MB1066520A4789CD442F0E3F238FD30@DM3PR15MB1066.namprd15.prod.outlook.com>

Hi,
I am John Bailey and I am looking to share my room at state convention. If interested, please contact me directly at:
John_bailey17 at hotmail.com<mailto:John_bailey17 at hotmail.com>


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From michaelgkasey at verizon.net  Tue Oct 18 17:04:27 2016
From: michaelgkasey at verizon.net (Michael Kasey)
Date: Tue, 18 Oct 2016 13:04:27 -0400
Subject: [Nfbv-announce] Meet the Blind report
Message-ID: <000d01d22961$b532d660$1f988320$@verizon.net>

Chris Walker shares this report through a Twitter blog:

Tuesday, October 18, 2016

>From the Editor:

Meet the Blind Month is more than just a chance to get together with our
fellow chapter members. It's the chance to get out in our communities and
show our fellow citizens that we can, and do, live the lives we want and
that blindness is not what holds us back. In this post, Christopher Walker,
a proud member of our Virginia affiliate explains why Meet the Blind Month
is so meaningful to him.

 

By Christopher Walker

I am a proud member of the National Federation of the Blind.  I am the
Outreach Chair for the Winchester Chapter of the NFB of Virginia.  I have
had many opportunities to go to local events in the community to educate
people and help to make them aware of blindness. Meet the Blind Month
provides a great opportunity to do outreach to the Winchester community.

Our chapter has participated in various activities around our city. On
October 15, 2016 we worked an informational booth where we distributed NFB
brochures and discussed the resources that are available in our community.  

We build relationships and get involved with the community by attending and
participating in local programs and festivals, such as, the Community
Wellness Festival.  The Winchester Chapter has also been invited to speak at
several of our local Lions Clubs.  For White Cane Safety Day, our chapter
went to the Mayor's office to witness the signing of the Winchester White
Cane Safety Day Proclamation.  

The Voter Registrar's Office has asked us to provide feedback to their
polling place workers on the voting experience with the ADA accessible
voting machines.  The Voter Registrar's office has also come to our chapter
meeting to provide hands-on training for the ADA accessible voting machines.
The relationship we are building with this office is one example of building
ties with the community.  

There are so many other activities that we are involved with and we are
always coming up with new ideas on how to reach out to our community.  For
me this has been a great experience. I think that Meet the Blind Month is
extremely important because it gives us the opportunity to educate others on
what it is to be blind. Since I joined the National Federation of the Blind,
I've learned that we can live the life we want and that blindness does not
hold us back.

 

 

 

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.

 



From tracy.soforenko at gmail.com  Tue Oct 18 17:26:41 2016
From: tracy.soforenko at gmail.com (Tracy Soforenko)
Date: Tue, 18 Oct 2016 13:26:41 -0400
Subject: [Nfbv-announce] Saturday (10/22) Social Media Training Session in
 Arlington Open to All
Message-ID: <CA+Pg6_Vd9Cm58D+tS7pM3iWTwCR0ZX4cndov5JkSMS5n2u5v2A@mail.gmail.com>

 The Potomac Chapter National Federation of the Blind of Virginia is
hosting an intensive seminar on social media on Saturday October 22.
Danielle Trevino, social networking expert at the National Federation of
the Blind will offer the seminar.



We will start at 9:00 am at the St. George?s Episcopal Church, 915 Oakland
Street, Arlington Virginia, room 207.



A bag lunch will be provided.  The cost is $20 covering lunch and room
rental.  There will be plenty of time for individualized instruction.
Please bring a laptop or smart phone.



Seating is limited to 15 and we still have spaces available.



For further information or a reservation, please email or call John
Halverson President Potomac Chapter.  Please let me know if you wish to
attend by Friday evening October 21.





Email: johnh50 at verizon.net

703-379-1141 (h)

703-867-6400 (mobile)



Thank you.



John Halverson


From michaelgkasey at verizon.net  Wed Oct 19 18:20:44 2016
From: michaelgkasey at verizon.net (Michael Kasey)
Date: Wed, 19 Oct 2016 14:20:44 -0400
Subject: [Nfbv-announce] Bring your ideas for Convention Resolutions
Message-ID: <000401d22a35$82151a20$863f4e60$@verizon.net>

Dear NFBV members,

 

On Monday, October 24, we will be having a conference call at 8 PM for those
who are interested to come present ideas for resolutions, especially those
that would affect our legislative agenda. Resolutions are very powerful, as
they can influence the policies of the affiliate. So this is a great way to
make your voice heard on an issue that is important to you. You do not need
to know how to draft a resolution to participate on the call. If your idea
is selected, you will be able to work with an experienced resolution drafter
and turn your idea into a resolution to be presented at the Resolutions
Committee meeting at our upcoming state convention. The call-in info is the
following:

 

712 432-0220

Passcode 9986460#

 

Sincerely,

 

Deepa Goraya

NFBV Legislative Committee Co-Chair

 

 

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.

 



From michaelgkasey at verizon.net  Thu Oct 20 14:08:02 2016
From: michaelgkasey at verizon.net (Michael Kasey)
Date: Thu, 20 Oct 2016 10:08:02 -0400
Subject: [Nfbv-announce] Winchester chapter announces 2017 officers and
 board members
Message-ID: <000001d22adb$5f5499b0$1dfdcd10$@verizon.net>

The Winchester chapter is pleased to announce the 2017 officers and board
members.

President, Shirley Guess
Vice President, Chris Walker
Recording secretary, Jim Green
Corresponding secretary, Sharon Huff
Treasure, Jim Walker
Board members
David Bagget
IVan McClure
Paula Kelsey



-- 

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.

 



From michaelgkasey at verizon.net  Thu Oct 20 14:14:58 2016
From: michaelgkasey at verizon.net (Michael Kasey)
Date: Thu, 20 Oct 2016 10:14:58 -0400
Subject: [Nfbv-announce] Advanced Vision - A sponsor of our convention
Message-ID: <000501d22adc$57988230$06c98690$@verizon.net>

from our Bronze sponsor,

Advanced Vision, 

 

Advanced Vision is the exclusive distributor for Enhanced Vision low vison
products for the past 14 years.
We pride ourselves in providing excellent customer care and the highest
quality electronic magnification and Text-to Speech products to visually
impaired individuals.   

Some of our popular products are DaVinci Pro, Merlin Ultra and Amigo HD.
Visit www.EnhancedVision.com <http://www.EnhancedVision.com>  to learn more
about the many products that will help you regain your visual independence.

Advanced Vision provides free in-home product demonstration.  For more
information and to arrange a no-obligation product demonstration, please
contact Allen Bareford at 804.550.0011 or email Bareford at comcast. 

 

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.

 



From michaelgkasey at verizon.net  Thu Oct 20 14:44:24 2016
From: michaelgkasey at verizon.net (Michael Kasey)
Date: Thu, 20 Oct 2016 10:44:24 -0400
Subject: [Nfbv-announce] FW: Advanced Vision - A sponsor of our convention
Message-ID: <000a01d22ae0$73b79e20$5b26da60$@verizon.net>

Correct email is

bareford at comcast.net <mailto:bareford at comcast.net> 

 

 

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.

 

From: Michael Kasey [mailto:michaelgkasey at verizon.net] 
Sent: Thursday, October 20, 2016 10:15 AM
To: Nfbv-announce at nfbnet.org
Subject: Advanced Vision - A sponsor of our convention

 

from our Bronze sponsor,

Advanced Vision, 

 

Advanced Vision is the exclusive distributor for Enhanced Vision low vison
products for the past 14 years.
We pride ourselves in providing excellent customer care and the highest
quality electronic magnification and Text-to Speech products to visually
impaired individuals.   

Some of our popular products are DaVinci Pro, Merlin Ultra and Amigo HD.
Visit www.EnhancedVision.com <http://www.EnhancedVision.com>  to learn more
about the many products that will help you regain your visual independence.

Advanced Vision provides free in-home product demonstration.  For more
information and to arrange a no-obligation product demonstration, please
contact Allen Bareford at 804.550.0011 or email Bareford at comcast. 

 

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.

 



From michaelgkasey at verizon.net  Thu Oct 20 23:17:54 2016
From: michaelgkasey at verizon.net (Michael Kasey)
Date: Thu, 20 Oct 2016 19:17:54 -0400
Subject: [Nfbv-announce] Equal Opportunity Publication's) Annual Career Expo
Message-ID: <000001d22b28$303d36d0$90b7a470$@verizon.net>

Billy Parker, Program Director, Employment Support Services at National
Industries for the Blind (NIB) sends along this note:

information about the Upcoming EOP (Equal Opportunity Publication's)  Annual
Career Expo where Fortune 500 Companies and Government agencies will be
looking to recruit new talent.  You can pre-register to attend this event.
This event is FREE to attend.    

 

Also, Billy Parker, Sandy Finley, NIB Human Resources Coordinator and other
NIB staff will be hosting the NIB booth at the event, too.

 

CAREERS & the disABLED Magazine's Career Expo-Washington, DC - November 18,
2016

Time: 10:00AM - 3:00 PM

Location: Ronald Reagan Building

1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

Washington, DC 20004

Here is the link if you would like to register for the event.

http://www.eop.com/expo

 

Here is a partial list of employers who are participating: Northrop Grumman,
TSA, U.S. Department of State, Capital One, Lockheed Martin, National Credit
Union Administration, WMATA, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, National
Institutes of Health, American University, NSA, SUEZ in North America, Navy
Civilian Careers, FAA, CIA, Navy Exchange Service Command, Sorenson
Communications, National Science Foundation, Bureau of Labor Statistics, The
EMMES Corp., U.S. Army Medicine Civilian Corps, George Mason
Mortgage/Cardinal Bank, Naval Intelligence Activity, American Institutes for
Research, United States Postal Service, Smithsonian Institution, U.S.
Department of Justice-Criminal Division, SSA, Intergraph Government
Solutions, National Industries for the Blind, plus many others...

 

About EOP: Since 1968, Equal Opportunity Publications, Inc. (EOP) has led
the way in diversity recruitment with a portfolio of seven national career
magazines, a diversity website, online job board, and Career Expos for
women, members of minority groups, and people with disabilities.

 

Please contact Billy Parker (bparker at nib.org
<javascript:_e(%7B%7D,'cvml','bparker at nib.org');> ) or me if you have any
questions about the event. Hope to see you there.

 

Liz Victor

Human Resources

National Industries for the Blind

1310 Braddock Place

Alexandria, VA 22314

703/310-0325

 

 

 

 

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.

 



From michaelgkasey at verizon.net  Fri Oct 21 17:38:16 2016
From: michaelgkasey at verizon.net (Michael Kasey)
Date: Fri, 21 Oct 2016 13:38:16 -0400
Subject: [Nfbv-announce] Audit Committee
Message-ID: <002c01d22bc1$e885a1c0$b990e540$@verizon.net>

Members of the NFB of Virginia,

 

, I hereby appoint the 2016 Audit committee.  They will present the result
of their audit of our accounts at our business meeting, November 13, 2016

 

The committee members are:

Brian McCann (Chair)

John Halverson

Jackie Brown

 

Sincerely,

Michael Kasey

President

National Federation of the Blind of Virginia

 

 

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.

 



From michaelgkasey at verizon.net  Mon Oct 24 17:28:49 2016
From: michaelgkasey at verizon.net (Michael Kasey)
Date: Mon, 24 Oct 2016 13:28:49 -0400
Subject: [Nfbv-announce] Derek Manners  passes Bar Exam!
Message-ID: <000401d22e1c$15847550$408d5ff0$@verizon.net>

Congratulations to Derek Manners, passing the Bar Exam.  He is a leader in
the NFB of Virginia.  His Biography appears below.

 

Derek Manners was born and raised in Oklahoma and Texas.  After starting his
undergraduate studies at the University of Oklahoma, he took two years off
to work on President Barack Obama's 2008 campaign for President. 

 

Returning to school at the University of Texas at Austin, Derek graduated
summa cum laude from UT in 2013 with a degree in political science,
economics, and business foundations. 

 

In May, 2016, Derek graduated from Harvard Law School and sat for the
Virginia Bar in July.  During that time, he also worked at the National
Office as an Advocacy and Policy Specialist. He's now working in Washington
DC at a law firm doing political law  

 

Derek was a 2014 NFB National Scholarship winner, served on the NABS board,
and was instrumental in relaunching the Massachusetts student division. He
currently serves on the NFB Virginia Scholarship Committee and is the Youth
Track Coordinator for NFB Virginia. 

 

 

 

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.

 



From michaelgkasey at verizon.net  Mon Oct 24 21:37:15 2016
From: michaelgkasey at verizon.net (Michael Kasey)
Date: Mon, 24 Oct 2016 17:37:15 -0400
Subject: [Nfbv-announce] Slate of Affiliate Officers from the Nominating
 Committee
Message-ID: <000601d22e3e$ca388f00$5ea9ad00$@verizon.net>

Friends,

 

I write to share with you the Nominating Committee report.  It will be
delivered to the Convention on Sunday, November 13 during our Business
session for Elections.  I thank the Nominating Committee for their efforts.

 

Michael

 

>From the committee:

 

Dear President Kasey,

 

I am pleased to transmit to you the 2016 National Federation of the Blind of
Virginia Nominating report. The Committee agreed to nominate the following
slate of candidates to be recommended for election at our upcoming State
Convention.

 

President, Tracy Soforenko

1st Vice President, Sandy Halverson

2nd Vice President, Uricka Harrison

Treasurer, Mark Roane

Recording Secretary, Jennifer Shields

Corresponding Secretary, Chris Walker

Delegate to the 2017 NFB Convention, Tracy Soforenko

Alternate Delegate to the 2017 NFB Convention, Sandy Halverson

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

Charlie Brown, Chair

Jeanette Gholson

Stewart Prost

Nancy Yeager    

 

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.

 



From tracy.soforenko at gmail.com  Wed Oct 26 03:37:37 2016
From: tracy.soforenko at gmail.com (Tracy Soforenko)
Date: Tue, 25 Oct 2016 23:37:37 -0400
Subject: [Nfbv-announce] Beginners Social Media Session: Sign up for the
 11/12 afternoon session
Message-ID: <01d801d22f3a$4c7cc660$e5765320$@gmail.com>

There are many exciting programs on Saturday (11/12) afternoon at the NFB of
Virginia Convention. The introductory Social Media sessions require advanced
sign up and some pre-work. Space is limited so please sign up if this
program is of interest.

 

2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Social Media for Beginners: Cape Charles A, Danielle
Trevino, Coordinator for Social Media and Member Engagement, National
Federation of the Blind, Baltimore, Maryland

This introductory session will help members understand how to use Facebook
and Twitter for both achieving personal and Federation goals. This is a
hands on session to get people started on these tools and explain why it is
important. 

 

Space is limited to the first 25 registered participants and individuals
must pre-register to participate. Register by contacting Deepa Goraya at
deepa.goraya at gmail.com

Include Introductory Social Media in the Subject Line.

Participants are highly encouraged to bring their tech to the session so
they can participate directly in the program. This introductory session will
not provide sufficient background to attend the advanced session.




 

Session Overview: 

In this session, we will be covering the following:

*         Signing up for Facebook and Twitter

*         Interacting with your news feed

*         Customizing your profile

In order to fully participate in this session, please have a Wi-Fi enabled
laptop computer or smartphone charged and ready to go and a pair of ear
buds. You may also want to bring something to take notes with. If you are
using your smartphone, please have the Facebook and Twitter apps downloaded.
They are free and accessible. 
Note: This is a beginner session. We will be covering basic tactical
information. If you are looking for more strategic advice regarding content
creation and analytics, the second session might be a better fit. If you
have signed up for both sessions and need to modify your reservation, please
contact Deepa Goraya.  

 

Tracy Soforenko

First Vice president, NFB of Virginia

Tracy.soforenko at gmail.com <mailto:Tracy.soforenko at gmail.com> 

202 285-4595

 



From tracy.soforenko at gmail.com  Wed Oct 26 03:40:56 2016
From: tracy.soforenko at gmail.com (Tracy Soforenko)
Date: Tue, 25 Oct 2016 23:40:56 -0400
Subject: [Nfbv-announce] Advanced Social Media Session: Sign up for the
 11/12 afternoon session
Message-ID: <01f301d22f3a$c299e580$47cdb080$@gmail.com>

There are many exciting programs on Saturday (11/12) afternoon at the NFB of Virginia Convention. The Social Media sessions require advanced sign up and some pre-work. Space is limited so please sign up if this program is of interest.

 

3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Advanced Social Media: Cape Charles A, Danielle Trevino, Coordinator for Social Media and Member Engagement, National Federation of the Blind, Baltimore, Maryland

This advanced session will help members understand how to maximize their use of Facebook and Twitter for both achieving personal and Federation goals. This is an advanced hands on interactive session amongst sophisticated users of Facebook. The goal of this session is to assist sophisticated Facebook and Twitter users to take these tools to the next level.

 

Space is limited to the first 30 registered participants and individuals must pre-register to participate. Register by contacting Deepa Goraya  at deepa.goraya at gmail.com

Include Advanced Social Media in the Subject Line.

Participants will receive assignments in advance of the session that must be completed to participate. Participants are highly encouraged to bring their tech to the session so they can participate directly in the program.

 

Session Overview: 

In this session, we will move past the nuts and bolts of the structure of social media platforms. We will be talking about content creation and analytics. 

We will cover:

*         Defining our audiences

*         Creating story lines

*         Post scheduling tools

*         Why analytics matter and how to track them

To take full advantage of the seminar, Please bring a wi-fi enabled laptop or smartphone that is ready to go and a pair of ear buds. You may also want to bring something to take notes with. 
Note: This is an advanced seminar. We will not be spending too much time on the tactical aspect of social media such as signing up or navigating a page. If you?d like to learn the basics, you might want to join us in the other seminar being offered. If you?ve signed up for both sessions and need to change your reservation, please contact Deepa Goraya.

 

Tracy Soforenko

First Vice President, NFB of Virginia

 <mailto:Tracy.soforenko at gmail.com> Tracy.soforenko at gmail.com

202 285-4595

 

 



From michaelgkasey at verizon.net  Wed Oct 26 17:49:19 2016
From: michaelgkasey at verizon.net (Michael Kasey)
Date: Wed, 26 Oct 2016 13:49:19 -0400
Subject: [Nfbv-announce] Reminder of our $2500 Raffle
Message-ID: <000501d22fb1$475deb60$d619c220$@verizon.net>

Friends,

 

I write to remind you that our upcoming convention is very soon.  Our $2500
Raffle will be drawn Saturday evening.  The funds we raise are important to
the two Leadership Fellows classes and their success.  These Leaders are
working diligently to sell at least one book of ten tickets each.  The funds
may be used to provide travel and living expenses for them to visit your
chapters, participate in Virginia and local events.

 

If each of the convention attendees (over 150) sells at least one book, then
we may have a fully funded program.  You may get tickets from Christopher
Walker or your Chapter President.  Turn in your money and tickets at
convention.

 

I recommend you use this fund raising event as an opportunity to talk about
the NFB, your experience with us and establish relationships with people for
the future.

 

I challenge all to sell a minimum of one book of tickets.  Even if you do
not attend convention, you can help by selling tickets and sending the money
and tickets to Mark Roane.  If you have questions, please let us know!

Sincerely,

Michael

 

 

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.

 



From john_bailey17 at hotmail.com  Fri Oct 28 12:44:08 2016
From: john_bailey17 at hotmail.com (John Bailey)
Date: Fri, 28 Oct 2016 12:44:08 +0000
Subject: [Nfbv-announce] Bus transportation available to and from state
 convention in Virginia Beach. Register now!
Message-ID: <DM3PR15MB106626AA6195920F73C63E7E8FAD0@DM3PR15MB1066.namprd15.prod.outlook.com>

From: John Halverson [mailto:johnh50 at verizon.net]







Greetings Colleagues and Friends:





The Potomac Chapter has arranged a bus to our state convention which will simplify your travel plans to Virginia Beach.  Additionally, you will be able to enjoy the full convention and travel with friends from across the commonwealth.



The bus departs Thursday (11/10) afternoon with stops in Arlington, Woodbridge, Fredericksburg, and Richmond before making its final stop directly at the Wyndham Virginia Beach Oceanfront. The bus will return on Sunday (11/13) afternoon with the same stops on the return.





We will leave from the St. George's Episcopal Church at 915 North



Oakland Street, Arlington Virginia at 1:00 pm Thursday November 10.



We will make intermediate stops in Prince William County,



Fredericksburg,



and Richmond.



We plan to return north at 1:00 pm on Sunday November 13.  We will



drop-off at the same locations.  The exact times for these pick-ups



and exact locations are still tentative.  The tentative Prince William



County pick-up is scheduled for the rest stop at exit 156 off I95.



The Fredericksburg pick-up is scheduled for the Hospitality House



hotel off exit 130 and the Richmond pick-up will be at the Wendy's



restaurant at the Chamberlain exit off of I95.





The cost is $80 per person round trip or $40 one way.  Our chartered bus is equipped with



comfortable high backed seats and a rest room.





I hope as many persons as possible are able to take advantage of this convenient and cost effective



opportunity.  Later today, we will send out details on other transportation options including Amtrak, Greyhound and local transportation services in Virginia Beach. For example, Amtrak service would include a train to Newport News, a bus to Virginia Beach and a taxi to the hotel. If you can make the timing work for your schedule, we believe it will be easier and perhaps cheaper than the Amtrak/bus/taxi combination.



Another great advantage of taking our bus is we have an opportunity to



visit and get to better know each other and enjoy the comradery of the



convention as we travel.





Please contact me if you have questions or need to make reservations



to join us on the convention bus. I would like to have reservations by



November 5.



Individuals are expected to pay as you get on the bus.  We accept cash or checks payable to PCNFB. We cannot accept credit cards.





Email: johnh50 at verizon.net<mailto:johnh50 at verizon.net> <mailto:johnh50 at verizon.net>





Cell: 703-867-6400





Home: 703-379-1141







John Halverson, Ph.D.





  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.











_______________________________________________

NFBV-Announce mailing list

NFBV-Announce at nfbnet.org<mailto:NFBV-Announce at nfbnet.org>

http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfbv-announce_nfbnet.org

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From john_bailey17 at hotmail.com  Fri Oct 28 13:06:09 2016
From: john_bailey17 at hotmail.com (John Bailey)
Date: Fri, 28 Oct 2016 13:06:09 +0000
Subject: [Nfbv-announce] First time at convention? No worries. Join us
 Friday at 6PM
Message-ID: <DM3PR15MB1066250A67347DFEB143CE428FAD0@DM3PR15MB1066.namprd15.prod.outlook.com>

Got convention questions? Email me and I will get the answers for you. John_Bailey17 at hotmail.com<mailto:John_Bailey17 at hotmail.com>


Hello Fellow Convention First-timers and Retreads,
If you had to choose one word to describe the annual state conventions of the National Federation of the Blind of Virginia, the word would be 'packed'.

A phrase used by many at convention is, 'If you have time to sleep. You aren't trying.' Which means that there is so much to do and learn at convention, it is challenging to know where to start. Don't worry. We got you covered.

Attend: 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. First Time Convention Attendee Meeting: Mariner B, John Bailey, Second Vice President, National Federation of the Blind of Virginia and Carolena Garrison, Herndon, Virginia
This is the 'must attend' event for all first-time conventioneers. Get help with your questions so that you can get the most from your convention experience.
If you have questions (and you will) come to the first-timers meeting. Those who attended previous conventions are also most welcome. A great time to not only learn what you will need. It is also an opportunity to meet new people and make new friends that will last for years.

Below is a copy of the convention agenda. Got questions? Email me and I will get the answers for you. John_Bailey17 at hotmail.com<mailto:John_Bailey17 at hotmail.com>



Please find below the 2016 NFB of Virginia Convention agenda. Do not delay, please act by October 18 to secure your room reservation and obtain our pre-registration pricing
Details on hotel and registration can be found at:
http://www.nfbv.org/national-federation-of-the-blind-of-virginia-state-convention/



[cid:image001.jpg at 01D230F8.9930F1B0]

58TH ANNUAL CONVENTION

NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND OF VIRGINIA
Michael Kasey, President

November 11 - November 13, 2016

Wyndham Virginia Beach Oceanfront
5700 Atlantic Avenue
Virginia Beach, VA 23451
 (757) 428-7025

HOSTED BY THE CHESAPEAKE BAY CHAPTER OF THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND OF VIRGINIA
Theresa Willis, President

Table of Contents

Table of Contents                                                          1

The Federation Pledge                                                  2

Convention Registration & Information                        2

Meal Functions                                                            2

Door Prizes                                                                  3

Action Auction                                                              3

Contact Table                                                              3

Youth Track                                                                 4

Childcare                                                                     4

Dog Relief Area                                                            5

Assistive Listening Devices                                          6

Presidential Suite                                                         6

Friday, November 11, 2016                                            7

General Session                                                          7

Friday Afternoon Concurrent Seminars                       10

Saturday, November 12, 2016                                      14

General Session                                                         14

Saturday Afternoon Breakout Sessions                       18

2016 Convention Banquet                                          21

Sunday, November 13, 2016                                        22

General Session                                                         22

Thank You to Our Sponsors                                        25

The Federation 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."

Convention Registration & Information
Convention registration and information will be held in the Atlantic Foyer, located in the meeting room area. The cost of on-site registration is $25. Registration will be open:


*       Friday, November 11: 8:00 a.m. to 9:15 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

*       Saturday, November 12: 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Door prizes and auction items can be brought to the registration desk beginning on Friday morning.

Meal Functions
Tickets for the banquet are available at the registration desk. Banquet tickets must be purchased by 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, November 12.

Banquet: Banquet tickets may be purchased onsite for $35. We will not have reserved seating at the banquet this year. Seating will be open, so come early to get seats together.
Box Lunch: Due to a limited number of box lunches, they were only available through pre-registration.

Note: For more information about registration or meal functions, please contact Brian McCann at (757) 472-2494.

Door Prizes
Door prizes will be drawn periodically throughout convention sessions on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday and at the banquet. To be eligible for door prizes, you must be registered for the convention and present in the room when your name is called. Please contact Karen Brown at (757) 567-8224 for more information.

Action Auction
Throughout the convention, we will be holding an Action Auction to raise money for the affiliate. The auction will be great fun with many valuable items up for bid. You will have a chance to preview auction items on Friday afternoon in the Atlantic Foyer, located in the meeting room area. For more information, contact Jacki Brown, Chairperson and Auctioneer.

Contact Table
If you need assistance from the NFB of Virginia (such as helping a blind child get a good education, getting access to blindness skills training, learning to use NFB-NEWSLINE(r), or resolving an employment discrimination problem), please go to the contact table. After the convention, a member of the NFB of Virginia will contact you. In addition, if you would like to sign up to receive any of our publications or would like to get regular updates about our programs and legislative efforts, please also visit the contact table. The table will be open during the board meeting, after the opening ceremonies on Friday, during General Session on Saturday, at the end of the banquet, and all morning Sunday. For more information, please contact Alex Castillo at (917) 532-7439.

Youth Track
Youth Track is coordinated by the Virginia Association of Blind Students and will run parallel to the main convention program. The Youth Track will connect students with positive role models and peers throughout the state; challenge students to think about themselves and their role in the civil rights movement; introduce students to our positive NFB philosophy on blindness; educate students about their choices for blindness skills training; and participate in a travel activity outside the convention hotel. For more information, please contact Derek Manners at (903) 271-6494.

Childcare
Childcare will be available for infants through fifth graders throughout the day on Friday and Saturday. Childcare will be located in Room 201. We will have activities and games for the children. For more information, please contact Mary Durbin at (757) 472-2495.
Childcare will be offered at the following times:

*       Session 1: Friday, 8:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.

*       Session 2: Friday, 12:15 p.m. to 5:15 p.m.

*       Session 3: Friday, 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

*       Session 4: Saturday, 8:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.

*       Session 5: Saturday, 12:15 p.m. to 4:45 p.m.

*       Session 6: Saturday, 6:45 p.m. to one half hour after the banquet adjourns

Snacks will be provided during Session 4 and Session 5. Even though childcare will be open and fully staffed during lunch on both Friday and Saturday, lunch will not be provided. Parents should pick their children up for lunch at the end of Session 1 and Session 4. Also, dinner will not be provided on Saturday evening. Parents should feed their children dinner prior to bringing them to Session 6. The cost of childcare is $5 per family per session.

Dog Relief Area
In the 3rd building, go out the beach access doors and turn to the right. Follow that sidewalk to the grass straight ahead. This is where the "dog friendly" rooms are located. They will have several trashcans throughout the property if you cannot make it to the relief area. Please deposit all waste in the trashcans provided. Contact Michael Valentino at (804) 513-6261 with any questions.

Assistive Listening Devices
A limited number of assistive listening devices are available during all general sessions, the technology seminar, the career seminar, and at the banquet. For an assistive listening device, please go to the contact table located in the back of the room.

Presidential Suite
The Presidential Suite is Room 825.

Friday, November 11, 2016

8:00 a.m. to 9:15 a.m. Registration: Atlantic Foyer

9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. NFB of Virginia Board of Directors Meeting (Open to All): Rappahannock Room

General Session
Rappahannock Room

10:00 a.m. to 10:25 a.m. Opening Ceremonies

*       Call to Order-Michael Kasey, President, NFB of Virginia

*       Invocation-Jessie Olds, Chesapeake Bay Chapter, Virginia Beach, Virginia

*       Presentation of the Colors-NAS Oceana Color Guard and NFB of Virginia Veterans

*       The National Anthem-Danielle Trevino, Baltimore, Maryland

*       Pledge of Allegiance and Federation Pledge-Naomi O'Toole, Chesapeake Bay Chapter, Virginia Beach, Virginia

*       Greetings from Our Host Chapter-Theresa Willis, President, Chesapeake Bay Chapter, Virginia Beach, Virginia

*       Mount Olive Baptist Church Mass Choir, Virginia Beach Virginia

*       Convention Arrangements-Brian McCann, Chairperson, Convention Arrangements and Activities
10:25 a.m. to 10:35 a.m. Celebration of Freedom: Veterans Recognized-Mary Durbin, Corresponding Secretary, National Federation of the Blind of Virginia

10:35 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. Welcome to Virginia Beach-Senator Bill DeSteph, 8th District in Virginia Beach, Virginia

10:45 a.m. to 10:55 a.m. Surf and Spokes - Adventures in Adaptive Sports-Evelyn Valdez, Potomac Chapter, Alexandria, Virginia

10:55 a.m. to 11:10 a.m. Engaging Members, Changing Lives-Danielle Trevino, Coordinator for Social Media and Member Engagement, National Federation of the Blind, Baltimore, Maryland

11:10 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. Action Auction

11:15 a.m. to 11:35 a.m. Structured Discovery in Orlando: Reflections from Virginia's 2016 McDonald Fellows and Kenneth Jernigan Convention Scholarship Fund Winners-Sandy Halverson, Chairperson, McDonald Fellowship Committee, and NFB of Virginia Liaison, Kenneth Jernigan Convention Scholarship Fund Committee

*       James Baker, Arlington, Virginia

*       Cynthia Brandon, Richmond, Virginia

*       Elsie Castleman, Williamsburg, Virginia

*       Earl Everett, Richmond, Virginia

*       Tracy Jones, Ashland, Virginia

*       Belinda Vann, Newport News, Virginia

11:35 a.m. to 11:40 a.m.  Fitness Break-Kiera Davis, Richmond, Virginia

11:40 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Residential Rehabilitation: Be Informed About Your Choice-Pam Allen, Director, Louisiana Center for the Blind (LCB) and Melody Roane, Director, Virginia Rehabilitation Center for the Blind and Vision Impaired (VRCBVI)

12:00 p.m. General Session Adjourns

12:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Registration: Atlantic Foyer

12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Exhibits: Atlantic Foyer, Robert Parsons, Exhibits Coordinator

1:00 p.m. to 1:45 p.m. Joining Forces For Our Veterans: York Room, Mary Durbin, Pam Allen, and Robert Byrd, President, Hampton Chapter, Blind Veterans Association
The National Federation of the Blind and veteran organizations are joining forces to ensure that our veterans can live full and independent lives. Learn how we have partnered to serve the needs of blind and low vision veterans. Together, we can make a difference and advance our cause.

Friday Afternoon Concurrent Seminars

2:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Microsoft, Apple, and Google - O My!: Rappahannock Room, Christopher O'Meally, Chair
The battle of the Technology giants is real, but which one will you pick? Join a host of presenters as they help you dive into all of the major operating systems across computers and mobile devices.

*       2:00 p.m. Apple IOS 10

*       2:30 p.m. Google Products

*       3:00 p.m. Macintosh OS

*       3:30 p.m. Windows 10

2:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Back to Basics - Dating, Relationships, and Culture: James Room, Uricka Harrison and Deepa Goraya, Co-Chairs
This seminar will explore a variety of topics surrounding blindness and its intersection between dating, relationships, and culture. Through panel discussions and breakout sessions, we will cover dating as a blind person, challenges and experiences with dating a blind person versus a sighted person, marriage and parenting as a blind person, issues surrounding blindness and culture and how that affects how you view blindness and how it is perceived by others, how culture and blindness affect your dating life and relationships, experiences using online dating sites, dating as a blind senior, experiences with traveling as a blind individual with your sighted or blind partner.
2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Virginia Association to Promote the Use of Braille: York Room, Patricia Droppers, President
Discussion/Demonstration of the Orbit Braille Display and the BrailleNote Touch; assessing interest in sponsoring/assisting in providing braille instruction for adults in the Commonwealth; and a short business meeting.

3:15 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Resolutions Committee: York Room, Jennifer Shields, Chairperson
We encourage the participation of all members in setting Federation policy. Come help shape the policies of the NFB of Virginia.

5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Public Meeting on Rehabilitation Services: James Room, Susan Payne, Policy and Training Specialist, and Pam Hinterlong, Director of Workforce Services, Virginia Department for the Blind and Vision Impaired

6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. At-Large Chapter Reception: Presidential Suite, Suite 825, Rick Holley, Chairperson

6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Chapter Presidents and Treasurers Meeting: Rappahannock Room, Mark Roane and Charles Brown
Chapter Presidents and Treasurers should attend this informative session to understand the ever-changing guidance for managing the finances at a chapter level.
6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. First Time Convention Attendee Meeting: Mariner B, John Bailey, Second Vice President, National Federation of the Blind of Virginia and Carolina Garrison, Herndon, Virginia
This is the 'must attend' event for all first-time conventioneers. Get help with your questions so that you can get the most from your convention experience.

7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Braille Carnival: Mariner A, Hosted by the Virginia Association of Parents of Blind Children, Laurie Wages, President
Join us, with your children of ANY age, as you explore our Native American themed Braille carnival. Go through the ABCs of Braille exploring our touch and feel stations that embrace all your senses. Come check out a real teepee, play games, do a craft and have a snack! We hope to see you there!

7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Guide Dog Users Interest Meeting: James Room, Michael Valentino, Coordinator

The Virginia Association of Guide Dog Users a NEW division of the National Federation of the Blind of Virginia is accepting new members. We will be offering FREE juno walks so folks can experience what it's like to have a guide and we will discuss legislative and other issues.   You don't want to miss this event we're going to have a dog gone good time.

7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Convention Hospitality: Cape Henry-C, Hosted by the Chesapeake Bay Chapter, Theresa Willis, President
All convention attendees are cordially invited to join in the fun at this reception titled "Veterans at the Beach".

7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Student Social: York Room,
Derek Manners, Coordinator

*       7:00 p.m. Icebreakers

*       8:00 p.m. Overcoming Challenges

*       9:00 p.m. National Association of Blind Students (NABS)

*       9:30 p.m. Common Interests/Hobbies

9:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Comedy by Richard Peck: Rappahannock Room, A PG-13 fundraiser for the Merchants Division,
Rick Peck is a comedian who has performed professionally over the past twelve years. Much of his material is drawn from his somewhat bizarre way of looking at his life's experiences. All proceeds support the Merchants Division's efforts to ensure blind entrepreneurs have access to run vending facilities within U.S. Department of Defense buildings.
Admission $5 purchased at the door, Harold Wilson, President, Merchants Division

Saturday, November 12, 2016

7:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. Student Breakfast: Presidential Suite, Suite 825

8:15 a.m. to 8:45 a.m. Student Mobility Coaching: Meet at Presidential Suite, Suite 825

8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. Registration: Atlantic Foyer

General Session

Rappahannock & James Rooms

9:00 a.m. Call to Order-Michael Kasey, President, NFB of Virginia

9:00 a.m. to 9:05 a.m. Invocation-Mark Roane, Treasurer, National Federation of the Blind of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia

9:05 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. National Report-Pam Allen, First Vice President, National Federation of the Blind and President, National Federation of the Blind of Louisiana and Chairman of the Board of Directors, National Federation of the Blind

9:45 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. Introducing Our New NFB of Virginia Leadership Fellows

*       Alexander Castillo, Arlington, Virginia

*       Earl Everett, Richmond, Virginia

*       Michael Kitchens, Portsmouth, Virginia

*       Domonique Lawless, Mechanicsville, Virginia

*       Sean McMahon, Vienna, Virginia

*       Christopher O'Meally, Richmond, Virginia

*       Joe Orozco, Woodbridge, Virginia

*       Robert Parsons, Richmond, Virginia

*       Evelyn Valdez, Alexandria, Virginia

10:00 a.m. to 10:05 a.m. Action Auction

10:05 a.m. to 10:10 a.m. Introducing the 2016 NFB of Virginia James F. Nelson, Jr. Scholarship Finalists-Brian Miller, Chair

*       Tracy Jones, University of the Rockies, Ashland, Virginia

*       Sharon Jose, George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia

*       Robert Parsons, Randolph Macon College, Richmond, Virginia

10:10 a.m. to 10:25 a.m. NFB Philosophy in Action: From a Parents Perspective-Sandy Halverson, Parent Liaison, Arlington, Virginia, Moderator
Laurie Wages, Fredericksburg, Virginia
Zina Lewis, Chesapeake, Virginia
Learn how parents ensure the success of their children through educational and community Involvement.

10:25 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. DBVI Update-Raymond Hopkins, Commissioner, Department for the Blind and Vision Impaired

10:45 a.m. to 10:50 a.m. Fitness Break-Kierra Davis, Richmond, Virginia

10:50 a.m. to 11:10 a.m. Advancing Opportunities for the Blind: A Worldwide Challenge-Dr. Fredric Schroeder, President, World Blind Union

11:10 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. Action Auction

11:15 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Believing In Me-Kierra Davis, Richmond, Virginia

11:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Presidential Report-Michael Kasey, President, NFB of Virginia

12:00 p.m. General Session Adjourns

12:05 p.m. to 12:15 p.m. Box Lunch Pickup: Atlantic Foyer

12:15 p.m. to 1:45 p.m. Blind Parents: Raising Kids as a Blind Parent: Mariner A, Jessica Reed and C. J. Fish, Moderators
This luncheon will be a discussion to address the techniques blind parents are using to raise their children throughout all facets of life. Come with your questions and our panelists will be ready to answer them.
12:15 p.m. to 1:45 p.m. Blind Seniors Interest Group Luncheon and Business Meeting: Mariner B, Nancy Yeager, Coordinator

12:15 p.m. to 1:45 p.m. Blind Vendors Division Luncheon and Business Meeting: False Cape B, Harrold Wilson, President, Merchants Division

12:15 p.m. to 1:45 p.m. Virginia Association of Blind Students Luncheon: Meet in main lobby by 12:15 p.m., Kimberly Valko, President

12:15 p.m. to 1:45 p.m. Virginia Parents of Blind Children Luncheon and Business Meeting: Cape Henry-C. Laurie Wages, President, and Sandy Halverson, Parent Liaison, NFB of Virginia

1:00 p.m. to 1:45 p.m. Virginia Industries for the Blind - New Job Opportunities in Hampton Roads: York Room, Matthew Koch, General Manager, Virginia Industries for the Blind
Come learn about this growth and how you can be part of it. VIB has 21 existing locations and is ready to expand into the Hampton Roads area with a significant investment to offer quality jobs to area residents who are blind or vision impaired. VIB General Manager, Matt Koch, will discuss VIB's present operations and potential future with you. Bring your resumes!

1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. Registration: Atlantic Foyer

Saturday Afternoon
Breakout Sessions

2:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Take Charge: Strategies for Success - It's More than Just about a Paycheck:
Rappahannock & James Rooms, Melody Roane, Coordinator
Whether you are pursuing your first job or you have been in your career for thirty years, this seminar is for you. In a competitive job market, learn about the tools that will empower you to take the next step toward achieving the career you want! Through interactive engagement, you will hear from presenters and other participants about their secrets for success. By taking an active role in securing your first job or advancing in your career, learn how to become the indispensable employee! Explore strategies to position yourself to become the employer if that is your dream!

2:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Parent Track: Cape Henry-C, Laurie Wages, President, Virginia Parents of Blind Children, and Sandy Halverson, Parent Liaison, NFB of Virginia
What should you expect from your child and their school? Learn about the alternative techniques that work including technology, fitness /recreation, reading, and other ways our community can help you and your child. Join us; try our hands-on techniques and see how they work and we'll do our best to answer your questions.

2:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Virginia Association of Blind Students Business Meeting: York Room, Kimberly Valko, President

2:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Senior Track: Staying In The Game: Mariner B, Nancy Yeager, Coordinator
Learn about equipment and services available for seniors in Virginia.

2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Social Media for Beginners: Cape Charles A, Danielle Trevino, Coordinator for Social Media and Member Engagement, National Federation of the Blind, Baltimore, Maryland
This introductory session will help members understand how to use Facebook and Twitter for both achieving personal and Federation goals. This is a hands on session to get people started on these tools and explain why it is important.

Space is limited to the first 25 registered participants and individuals must pre-register to participate. Register by contacting Deepa Goraya at deepa.goraya at gmail.com<mailto:deepa.goraya at gmail.com>
Include Introductory Social Media in the Subject Line.
Participants are highly encouraged to bring their tech to the session so they can participate directly in the program. This introductory session will not provide sufficient background to attend the advanced session.

3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Advanced Social Media: Cape Charles A, Danielle Trevino, Coordinator for Social Media and Member Engagement, National Federation of the Blind, Baltimore, Maryland
This advanced session will help members understand how to maximize their use of Facebook and Twitter for both achieving personal and Federation goals. This is an advanced hands on interactive session amongst sophisticated users of Facebook. The goal of this session is to assist sophisticated Facebook and Twitter users to take these tools to the next level.

Space is limited to the first 30 registered participants and individuals must pre-register to participate. Register by contacting Deepa Goraya  at deepa.goraya at gmail.com<mailto:deepa.goraya at gmail.com>
Include Advanced Social Media in the Subject Line.
Participants will receive assignments in advance of the session that must be completed to participate. Participants are highly encouraged to bring their tech to the session so they can participate directly in the program.

6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Pre-Banquet Reception (Cash Bar): Atlantic Foyer

2016 Convention Banquet
Rappahannock & James Rooms

7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Banquet Program-Charles Brown, Master of Ceremonies and Past President, NFB of Virginia

Invocation-Rev. C. Jason Lewis, Virginia Beach Christian Church, Virginia Beach, Virginia

2016 James F. Nelson Scholarship Awards Presentation-Brian Miller, Scholarship Committee Chairperson

Banquet Address-Pam Allen, First Vice President,  National Federation of the Blind,  President, National Federation of the Blind of Louisiana and Chairman of the  Board of Directors, National Federation of the Blind

Action Auction-Jacki Brown, Chairperson and Auctioneer

Drawing for 2016 NFB of Virginia Raffle

Sunday, November 13, 2016

8:00 a.m. to 8:50 a.m. Devotions: False Cape B

General Session
Cape Charles A

9:00 a.m. to 9:05 a.m. Invocation-Rabbi Jeffrey Arnowitz, Congregation Beth El, Norfolk, Virginia

9:05 a.m. to 9:35 a.m. That's Me: Exploring Our Common Bonds-Joanne Wilson, Federation Leader

9:35 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Youth Track - Scavenger Hunt and Philosophy Chat: Cape Henry C, Derek Manners, Coordinator
Youth will be divided into two groups based on age. The younger youth will participate in the scavenger hunt first while the older youth have an interactive philosophy chat. At around 10:15, the two groups will switch. Participants in the scavenger hunt will navigate the hotel to find different locations with mini-prizes. The first two to finish in each age range will receive a grand prize. So bring your travel skills and win some fantastic prizes.

9:35 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. Creating Change and Taking Action: A transformational Journey That Built a Consulting Business-Jeremy Grandstaff, S & G endeavors, Alexandria, Virginia

9:45 a.m. to 9:55 a.m. Connecting the Dots: Analytic Investigation at the FBI-Joe Orozco, NFBV Leadership Fellow, Woodbridge, Virginia

9:55 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. Action Auction

10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Business Session

*       Audit Committee Report-Brian McCann, Chairperson

*       Treasurer's Report-Mark Roane, Treasurer

*       SUN Committee Report-Sandy Halverson, Chairperson

*       2017 Richmond and Washington Seminars-Jeannette Gholson and Deepa Goraya, Legislative Directors

*       2017 National Convention, July 10-15, Orlando, Florida

*       2017 NFB of Virginia Convention-Brian McCann, Chairperson, Convention Arrangements and Activities

*       Resolutions-Jennifer Shields, Chairperson

*       Nominating Committee Report-Charles Brown, Chairperson

*       Elections

*       Report of Youth Track Activities-Derek Manners, Coordinator

*       Old and New Business

*       Closing Remarks-Michael Kasey, President, NFB of Virginia

12:00 p.m. General Session Adjourns

Thank you to our Chesapeake Bay Chapter for hosting the 2016 NFB of Virginia State Convention. Your hospitality made us feel like family and it made the convention one of our best ever.

Thank You to Our Sponsors

Platinum Sponsor:
S & G Endeavors, Ltd
Helping clients use collaboration to create change and take action!
S & G Endeavors delivers collaborative strategic planning, meeting facilitation, and organizational development services to assist our clients in strengthening collaboration and overall success. Differentiating us from our competitors is our use of blended large-scale and collaborative change methods. These methods are based on the guiding principle that bringing the right people together with the right process allows the community or organization to tap into the wisdom that leadership and stakeholders bring, in turn, increasing ownership of new, actionable strategies. S & G is proud that our clients report that through our work, they have used a successful planning process that increases buy-in, allows for participative decision making, and engages participants in capacity building dialogue. Check out www.SGEndeavors.com<http://www.SGEndeavors.com> to find out how we can help your organization or your chapter become stronger, engage more volunteers, and create long-term change for all people, including those of us who are blind.
Jeremy Grandstaff
(614) 519-3026
Offices in Washington DC, Ohio, Nebraska-We come to you
www.SGEndeavors.com<http://www.SGEndeavors.com>
Bronze Sponsor:
Advanced Vision
Advanced Vision aims to provide blind and vision impaired individuals with technology and low vision equipment that assist in daily activities both at home and in the professional setting.
Allen Bareford
9197 Hunters Chase Dr., Mechanicsville, VA 23116
(804) 400-1151



The 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 Jacobs 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
NFB Jernigan Institute
lblake at nfb.org<mailto:lblake at nfb.org>
(410) 659-9314 x222
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From john_bailey17 at hotmail.com  Fri Oct 28 13:20:37 2016
From: john_bailey17 at hotmail.com (John Bailey)
Date: Fri, 28 Oct 2016 13:20:37 +0000
Subject: [Nfbv-announce] Join us for the convention banquet. Everything you
 need to know!
Message-ID: <DM3PR15MB106692079F9AF6482ACFE3D18FAD0@DM3PR15MB1066.namprd15.prod.outlook.com>

Got convention questions? Email me and I will get you the answers -john_bailey17 at hotmail.com<mailto:-john_bailey17 at hotmail.com>

Tickets for the convention awards banquet are available at the registration desk during convention. Banquet tickets must be purchased by 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, November 12.

Banquet: Banquet tickets may be purchased onsite for $35. We will not have reserved seating at the banquet this year. Seating will be open, so come early to get seats together.

The where, when, and what of the banquet:
6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Pre-Banquet Reception (Cash Bar): Atlantic Foyer
2016 CONVENTION BANQUET
Rappahannock & James Rooms

7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Banquet Program-Charles Brown, Master of Ceremonies and Past President, NFB of Virginia

Invocation-Rev. C. Jason Lewis, Virginia Beach Christian Church, Virginia Beach, Virginia

2016 James F. Nelson Scholarship Awards Presentation-Brian Miller, Scholarship Committee Chairperson

Banquet Address-Pam Allen, First Vice President,  National Federation of the Blind,  President, National Federation of the Blind of Louisiana and Chairman of the  Board of Directors, National Federation of the Blind

Action Auction-Jacki Brown, Chairperson and Auctioneer

Drawing for 2016 NFB of Virginia Raffle

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From john_bailey17 at hotmail.com  Sat Oct 29 16:17:34 2016
From: john_bailey17 at hotmail.com (John Bailey)
Date: Sat, 29 Oct 2016 16:17:34 +0000
Subject: [Nfbv-announce] And now,
 an important word from one of our convention sponsors
Message-ID: <DM3PR15MB10662820B1E6237E8EDB9CE98FAC0@DM3PR15MB1066.namprd15.prod.outlook.com>

And now, a word from one of our convention sponsors
Hi,
my name is Jeremy Grandstaff and I am the owner of S & G Endeavors<http://www.sgendeavors.com>, a collaboration and strategic planning consulting firm helping our clients to create change and take action.  As a business owner, a consultant, and a blind person, I am so proud to be a Platinum sponsor for this year's NFBV convention.
For over 14 years, I have facilitated meetings. Whether working with clients to design collaborative meetings or working on long-term, engaging, change initiatives, I have worked with the sighted public, most times being the only blind person in the room, and have used a collaborative change process that could be seen as challenging for a blind person.

*         Our process results in written flip charts, which I don't have the ability to read when on the wall.

*         As our process divides people into small groups, I do not have the ability to hear every conversation and every idea in the room.

*         The room is always buzzing with conversation, making it challenging to easily navigate the room.

*         Knowing everyone's name can also be a challenge, as most of our events have more than 100 people in the room.
In short, the room is a constant buzz of conversations and is always changing and developing right before my "eyes".
Though the challenges exist, they've never even occurred to me as issues until recently, when someone pointed out these challenges and asked how I deal with them. I'm one that has always carved my own way, there was never a challenge that I considered insurmountable. My ability to overcome my obstacles never seemed like a big deal to me, they are a part of living; but, it's also up to me to be able to talk about them and to be able to show the sighted public how blind people do what we do. You can read more specifics that I did share about how I facilitate and how I overcome those above challenges in this blog post<http://www.sgendeavors.com/seeing-the-whole-picture-reflections-from-a-facilitator-whos-also-blind/>.
The NFBV family works together to help someone who is blind, or maybe even has lost their site, succeed. I've grown more and more proud of the leadership and especially of the up-and-coming officers that will continue to help NFBV serve its members and lead on relevant issues, approaches, and dialog.
This approach, this commitment to building the next generation of leaders, is one of the reasons that we're sponsoring this year's convention. Collaborating with others to find the needed solution is a key value to us at S & G, and we see more of this approach each day at NFBV and in its work.
I'll be sending another message along in a week or so with more about our company and our clients' successes, but in the meantime, I wanted to first take a moment to recognize the outstanding work of NFBV, to tell you about what I do, and to say that I'm looking forward to seeing each of you at this year's convention.
We hope you'll stop by our table, join me for a coffee and conversation, or check out more of my story on Sunday morning's panel. The convention is a tool to build your network, learn from others, and have the dialog that will enable you, in fact challenge you, to take it to the next level. If I can be helpful to you being able to have that moment, please don't' hesitate to reach out.
Jeremy Grandstaff, Collaboration & Organization Consultant, S & g Endeavors, www.SGEndeavors.com<http://www.SGEndeavors.com>
614-519-3026, jwg at sgendeavors.com<mailto:jwg at sgendeavors.com>

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From holleymanor at verizon.net  Sun Oct 30 18:25:36 2016
From: holleymanor at verizon.net (Rick Holley)
Date: Sun, 30 Oct 2016 14:25:36 -0400
Subject: [Nfbv-announce] At Large Meeting Nov.
Message-ID: <8E9A0A93EE1A4AF5AC97C91084725E73@LENOVO0A00C700>

Greetings,
While there won't be an offical meeting in Nov. I will be on the call line at 8PM on Nov. 1 for any last minute questions concernin the conventiong at 8PM.

Date: Nov. 1
Time: 8 PM
Conf no.: 877-394-5901
Passcode: 614 9670

From michaelgkasey at verizon.net  Mon Oct 31 22:31:54 2016
From: michaelgkasey at verizon.net (Michael Kasey)
Date: Mon, 31 Oct 2016 18:31:54 -0400
Subject: [Nfbv-announce] NFB Scholarship program now open!
Message-ID: <000001d233c6$954146b0$bfc3d410$@verizon.net>

NFB Scholarship Program:
We are accepting scholarship applications from November 1, 2016, to March
31, 2017. This annual program offers thirty scholarships worth from $3,000
to $12,000 to eligible students, from high school seniors beginning their
freshman year in the fall semester of 2017, up through graduate students
working on their PhD degrees. These merit scholarships are based on academic
excellence, community service, and leadership. In addition to the money,
each winner will receive assistance to attend the 2017 NFB annual convention
in Orlando, Florida, held during the second week of July, providing an
excellent opportunity for high-level networking with active blind persons in
many different professions and occupations. Go to www.nfb.org/scholarships
<http://www.nfb.org/scholarships>  for complete rules and requirements.

 

 

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.

 



