NFB Vigilant
National Federation of the Blind of Virginia WINTER 2008 “Voice of Virginia's
Blind"
In This Issue:
* From The President by Fred Schroeder;
* Virginia General Assembly Listens to the Blind by Seville Allen;
* 2008 Robert McDonald Fellowships to National Convention by Tracy Soforenko;
* Introducing the New Kid On the Block—the Greater Springfield Chapter by Jeanie
Wood;
* NFB Blog Started for New Technology and New Developments;
* Betsy's Gift by Jeanie Wood;
* Chapter Roll Call;
* Vigilant Report by John Bailey;
* How You Can Assist Us;
* State Officers;
* Vigilant Production Staff;
* NFBV Calendar of Events.
From The President
by Fred Schroeder
E-mail:
fschroeder@sks.com
Over the last several months we have been very busy, particularly in the area
of state and national legislation. In January we held our annual Richmond
Seminar. This year we addressed three important issues: The first relates to
the increase in the number of quiet cars. As more and more hybrid cars come
into use, their presence presents a growing hazard for blind people. We rely
on the sound of a car's engine to know when it is safe to cross a street.
Hybrid cars are nearly silent. We talked with members of the General Assembly,
and as a result, the impact of hybrid cars has been referred for further study.
This is the first step in seeking legislation to address this potential danger.
We also raised the need to fund teachers of blind children at the same level the
state funds other special education teachers, and we again voiced our objection
to a proposal that would combine blind services with other disability programs.
We are well-known and well-respected in Richmond as a result of many years of
bringing our concerns to the legislature. Our effectiveness shows the
importance of collective action. None of us can do it alone. Our success is
the result of blind people throughout the Commonwealth working together to
expand opportunities for blind people.
We now need to look forward to our national convention in Dallas, Texas. Our
convention will be held the first week of July, and it is very important that
we have as many blind people from Virginia in attendance as we can. Our
national convention is the place where we come together as a movement and
develop our priorities for the future. It is also a time of fellowship and
encouragement as we work collectively to change what it means to be blind.
Please plan to be in Dallas, and find someone in your community and encourage
him or her to attend as well. This is how we build our movement and how we make
a difference in the lives of blind people.
Virginia General Assembly Listens to the Blind
by Seville Allen
E-mail:
ceoallen@verizon.net
January 22, 2008, was the day the blind of Virginia visited with members of the
General Assembly. As we have done now for more than 20 years, we did our
homework and placed three issues before our elected delegates and senators.
This year we asked the lawmakers to, once again, turn back the idea of
consolidating the disability agencies. Delegate Robert Marshall had proposed
resolution hj80 calling on Governor Kaine to set out a plan for housing the
disability agencies under one umbrella. We were assured that this resolution
would die in the Rules Committee, and it did just that on February 8th.
Senator Mary Margaret Whipple patroned a quiet car bill on our behalf. She,
being a Prius driver, understands the need for a car to make a sound that would
alert pedestrians, cyclists and those winding their way through parking lots,
that a vehicle is moving. The Senate Transportation Committee passed this
concept on to the Technology Committee which will study how sound may be
produced in these quiet cars, and bring ideas back to next year’s General
Assembly. We plan to be a part of that study.
Our third issue concerns getting blind and visually impaired public school
students inserted into the Standards of Quality (SOQ) formula assuring that they
will receive adequate teaching assistance. Currently, with these students
excluded, the teachers of the blind in Virginia do not have caseload limits, and
cannot thus, work with all the students assigned to their caseloads. We have
been working on this for some time and will continue our efforts until the blind
and visually impaired students are a part of the SOQ formula. This year we had
five teams of Federationists fanned out throughout the General Assembly
Building. We enjoyed meeting with both those who have been representing
Virginians for some time and meeting the newly-elected legislators. Our 2008
Richmond seminar was a success, and we again realize the importance of focusing
on specific, well thought-out issues as we continue our work to improve the
lives of blind Virginians.
2008 Robert McDonald Fellowships
to National Convention
by Tracy Soforenko
E-mail:
Tracy.soforenko@verizon.Net
The McDonald Fellowship program was established in 1998 in order to: (a)
assist those who have never attended a convention of the National Federation of
the Blind (NFB) before, or (b) financially assist those who have demonstrated a
commitment to our organization and who are unable to afford the costs of
attending a national convention.
Many of those who have attended our national NFB convention are amazed at how
seeing, meeting, and interacting with over 3,000 other blind and low-vision
convention attendees has literally changed their lives. They not only
experience how the problems of vision loss can be overcome, but they also
experience the confidence that can come with it. Robert McDonald was the
founding father of our state affiliate. He and his wife, Marian, gave of
themselves tirelessly and selflessly to further the progress and better the
lives of those who are blind, visually impaired, and low vision in Virginia.
When Robert (Mac) McDonald established the fellowship program, he recognized the
personal benefits that come to people who attend a national convention for the
first time. In Mac’s memory, the National Federation of the Blind of Virginia (NFBV)
continues his legacy of education and empowerment to Virginia's blind citizens.
This year the goal of the McDonald Fellowship program is to issue three McDonald
Fellowship awards, each in the amount of $750. These funds will be awarded to
assist each fellowship recipient in covering the cost of attending our 2008 NFB
National Convention to be held in Dallas, Texas, the week of June 29 through
July 5. This event will take place at the Hilton Anatole Hotel in Dallas,
Texas. We will link-up each of our fellowship winners with a state mentor who
will assist each of them in getting the most out of the national convention
experience. Preference will be given to McDonald Fellowship applicants who have
not previously attended a national convention. As part of the Fellowship
application requirements, McDonald Fellowship winners are asked to attend the
entire NFB convention and write an article about their experiences for the
Vigilant (the newsletter of the National Federation of the Blind of Virginia)
upon their return from convention. Winners will also have an opportunity to
address our 2008 NFB of Virginia state convention.
Deadline for applications for the McDonald Fellowship is April 15, 2008.
Winners will be announced on May 15, 2008. We ask that applicants write a brief
letter of application outlining their reasons why they should be considered for
a Fellowship. Preference will be given to applications from those who have
never attended a NFB National Convention before, those who have demonstrated
commitment to the NFBV organization by their participation in either chapter or
state activities over the past year, and by those applicants who include
pertinent supporting information that will help in our selection process (e.g.,
letters of support from chapter presidents). E-mailed applications or
questions about the Fellowship program should be sent to Tracy Soforenko,
Chairman, McDonald Fellowship Committee, by e-mail at
tracy.soforenko@verizon.net or by phone at (703) 635-2085.
Introducing the New Kid On the
Block-- The Greater Springfield Chapter
by Jeanie Wood
E-mail:
jmwood777@cox.net
Thanks to the work of John Bailey, Fred Schroeder and the many members of Team
Springfield, The Greater Springfield Chapter of the National Federation of the
Blind of Virginia is now official. With a name like that, this third leg of the
Northern Virginia triangle is destined for greatness. We look to our
predecessors, the Potomac and Fairfax Chapters, for ideas and inspiration.
At the January 8th meeting, we adopted a constitution and the following officers
were elected: President, Joy Relton; Vice President, Bernie Werwie; Secretary,
Jeanie Wood; Treasurer, Mac Vandevander, and Board Members Bob Hartt and Pam
Johnson.
Bonnie O'Day has agreed to serve as program chair and has already compiled an
impressive list of ideas. Meetings will be held in the conference room of the
Richard Byrd Library located at 7250 Commerce Street in Springfield, (703)
451-8055. The meetings take place on the second Tuesday of each month from 7:00
p.m. to 9:00 p.m. We welcome all who are interested to join us and are certain
that you will experience and enjoy the special energy and enthusiasm that comes
with being part of a new fledgling chapter. For more information, contact Joy
Relton at (703) 971-0745 or Jeanie Wood at (703) 569-6676.
NFB Blog Started for New Technology
and New Developments
The Access Technology team at the NFB Jernigan Institute has been a resource for
NFB’ers and any other interested folks for quite some time. Because we follow
developments in Access Technology closely, we felt that we should be sharing our
experiences, as well of those of some of the people we work with. We have now
started a blog to talk about new technology and new developments in a faster,
more informal format. Have a look, you can find the blog at the following:
http://www.nfb.org/nfb/Access_Technology_Blog.asp?SnID=1332588961
We'd love to hear what you think.
Betsy's Gift
by Jeanie Wood
E-mail:
jmwood777@cox.net
Like everyone else, I was deeply saddened to learn of the untimely death of Dr.
Betsy Zabarowsky. I have always admired her from afar, this poised, intelligent
and well-spoken woman. She was a gifted leader and a role model who was
fearless and courageous. How she will be missed and remembered!
Not until the announcement of her illness last March did I know what the two of
us had in common. It was then that I learned with a shock that we shared the
same childhood eye condition, retinoblastoma (cancer of the eyes). I was simply
stunned to discover that this condition could put me and others at a greater
risk of developing other cancers in adulthood. I am so grateful to Betsy and
Jim for speaking honestly about her condition and making others, myself
included, aware of the potential dangers. Motivated by a need to know more, I
discovered that there is a clinic at Sloan Kettering in New York dedicated to
adult survivors of retinoblastoma. The doctor in charge is Kevin Oeffinger. I
traveled to New York in August to consult with Dr. Oeffinger, and I will see
him again in two years. Fortunately in my case, having survived well into my
60's with no other tumors, and having been screened regularly for breast and
uterine cancer, he felt my risk of getting cancer was very low. However, it
would be much higher had I been treated with radiation for retinoblastoma as a
child. I pass this information on in memory of Dr. Betsy Zabarowsky, hoping it
might alert others.
In the past I had been hurt by ignorance of this disease and its genetic
repercussions. Knowledge is empowering. I want to share this knowledge, this
gift, not to frighten others but to encourage them to investigate, if they feel
called to do so.
Chapter Roll Call
Fredericksburg Area Chapter
Michael Kasey, President
Please plan on participating in our walkathon on April 19th through historic
Fredericksburg. Our chapter celebrated St. Valentine's Day at the regular
meeting on February 14th with stories of romance from the 18th century from Miss
Jane Beale (lifetime member). We are looking forward to hosting the 50th
convention of the NFBV in Fredericksburg on October 24th through the 26th. In
February the chapter hosted an exhibit table and seminar at the Lions Club
Winter Conference. We urged Lions Clubs to contact their local NFB chapter to
begin joint activities. We continue to strengthen our relations with our local
elected representatives with visits to their offices and invitations to NFB
events. Hope to see you all on May 10th at the NFBV board meeting in
Fredericksburg!
Potomac Chapter
Tracy Soforenko, President
E-mail:
PotomacNFB@verizon.net
This Winter has been fun and active in the Potomac Chapter.
Outreach Programming: We are committed to sharing our Federation philosophy
whenever possible. In late December, Kris Lewis, Sandy Halverson and I spoke to
20+ students at the Columbia Lighthouse for the Blind to explain how the NFB can
assist students in achieving their professional and personal goals. The lively
and exciting discussion was extremely well received, and we anticipate further
partnership with the Columbia Lighthouse. In January we also presented our
positive philosophy on blindness to the Mount Vernon Rotary Club. In addition,
ten chapter members participated in the Richmond Seminar and many also
participated in the Washington Seminar.
Member Development: Based on the success of our fall member development
program, we are holding another member development event on Saturday, March 1st,
at the home of Sandy and John Halverson. These events allow new members an
opportunity to ask questions and learn about our Federation philosophy. In
March, we will be distributing a member survey to better understand interests
and identify opportunities for all chapter members to both teach and learn. By
providing everyone an opportunity to contribute to our community, we will
further build on our success.
Social Activities: We know how to have fun in the Potomac Chapter. In early
December, fifteen chapter members attended a local performance of “Avenue Q,” a
traveling Broadway Musical. Later in December, over fifty Federationists from
the Potomac, Fairfax, and Springfield chapters attended our holiday party. A
broad spectrum of songs across the diverse community of holiday traditions
filled the air of the Crystal City Sports Pub. In January, we held the first in
a series of movie nights at the home of Sue Povinelli. Finally, our annual
banquet will be held on Thursday, May 8th, at Joe Theismann’s Restaurant in
Alexandria, Virginia.
Fundraising: In order to fund our local activities, we need to actively
fundraise. In December, we completed our Entertainment Book fundraiser. In
January, over thirty Federationists and their friends joined us for an
afternoon seminar featuring fine wines, cheese, and chocolate. In February, our
annual Valentine’s Day auction actually occurred on February 14th. Jacki Brown
encouraged us to open our hearts and wallets to invest in our Federation
activities in the local community. In the late spring, we plan to hold a yard
sale. In all of these activities, we strive to pair an experienced
Federationist with someone who is new to our movement to provide growth to
both. The chapter’s busy schedule of activities is a testament to the success
of this model and the commitment of our members. We encourage you to join in
the fun.
Greater Williamsburg Chapter
Corlis M. Jones
E-mail:
cmjones153@verizon.net
Hello, all! The Greater Williamsburg Chapter is working hard to get out the
word that we are here. Some of our chapter projects included getting a booth at
our County Fair to pass out materials about the NFB with information about the
Greater Williamsburg Chapter. Another activity was contacting the local Library
for the Blind and Handicapped, and they mailed out our flyers to their patrons
for us. From these two events we gained five new members.
We had eight members attending the state convention in Virginia Beach. Thanks
to the Bay Chapter. We all had a wonderful time. In December, the chapter had
its first Christmas party. We invited organizations who had partnered with us
and those whom we wanted to get acquainted with. Dr. Schroeder was our special
guest. Jack and Patrice Rhein represented our chapter at the Richmond Seminar.
Happy New Year!
Vigilant Report
by John Bailey
E-mail:
john_bailey17@hotmail.com
The tape version of the Vigilant will no longer be available. Instead, the full
text of the Vigilant can be heard on NFB-NEWSLINE®. One reason for this change
is that the time and expense required to create each audio issue of the Vigilant
are very costly. A second reason is that many services that produce audio tapes
are switching over to alternative formats because technology is changing and
that change does not include the continued use of audio tapes. There are much
better alternatives.
NFB-NEWSLINE® is a free service available to all Virginians. It is as close as
your telephone and enables you to read not only the NFBV Vigilant, but over 200
other publications from around the country.
If you are not already a NFB-NEWSLINE® subscriber, signing up is easy. If you
have Internet access, go to
www.nfb.org, and follow the directions. You may also call toll free:
1-866-504-7300. Having the Vigilant available on NFB-NEWSLINE® means that you
will be able to read each issue as soon as it is available. You will not have
any more long delays while the tapes are being manufactured. You will also get
the great features that come with being an NFB-NEWSLINE® subscriber. For
example, being able to select the reading voice you want, having the ability to
read the articles as fast or as slowly as you want, the ability to read word by
word or character by character; and best of all, NFB-NEWSLINE® IS FREE.
Don’t hesitate to sign up for NFB-NEWSLINE® now and begin receiving the Vigilant
along with hundreds of other state and national publications!
How You Can Assist Us
The National Federation of the Blind of Virginia is a nonprofit organization
whose purpose is to improve the lives of the blind through education and
legislation. The NFBV is the blind speaking for the blind. Assistance from
those who share our mission is always welcome. If you can offer time, material
resources, or financial help, it would be greatly appreciated.
Another way to support the efforts of the NFB of Virginia is by means of
bequests. Simply include the following information in your will: "I give,
devise, and bequeath unto National Federation of the Blind of Virginia, 6001
Arlington Blvd.,#523, Falls Church, Virginia 22044-2702, a Virginia nonprofit
corporation, the sum of $___ (or "___ percent of my net estate" or "The
following stocks and bonds:___") to be used for its worthy purposes on behalf of
blind persons."
To learn of other ways in which you can support the organization, call Fred
Schroeder, President, NFBV, at (703) 319-9226.
State Officers
President, Fred Schroeder
First Vice President, Seville Allen
Second Vice President, Althea Pitman
State Treasurer, Lawrence Povinelli
Recording Secretary, Stewart Prost
Corresponding Secretary,
Gwen Beavers
Vigilant Staff
Chief Editor/Print Production, John Bailey
Braille Production, Alan and
Billie Ruth Schlank
NFBV Calendar of Events:
* May 10, 2008: NFBV State Board meeting at the Fredericksburg
Hospitality House and Conference Center;
* June 29 through July 5, 2008: NFB National Convention at the Hilton
Anatole Hotel in Dallas, Texas;
* October 24-26, 2008: NFBV Annual Convention and Quarterly Board
meeting at the Fredericksburg Hospitality House and Conference Center.
End of Document