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News from the Federation Family
Virginia Legislature Commends NFB on Seventy-Five Years of Service to the Blind:
INTRODUCED
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 914
Offered February 23, 2015
Commending the National Federation of the Blind.
Patrons––Cole, Howell and Minchew; Senators: Howell and Reeves
WHEREAS, in 2015, the National Federation of the Blind celebrates its 75th anniversary as the oldest and largest organization in the United States led by blind people, bringing them together to work collectively to improve their lives; and
WHEREAS, the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) was founded in 1940; its first logo featured the words "Security, Equality, and Opportunity," all of which were pressing needs for the nation's blind people; and
WHEREAS, in the early days, the leaders of the NFB focused on those three goals by working to help blind people live independently, have equal opportunity in employment, and have equal access to housing, transportation, and places of public accommodation; and
WHEREAS, the philosophy of the NFB is that a person's blindness should not be the characteristic that defines his future; the organization works to raise the expectations of the nation's blind people so that they can live the lives they want; and
WHEREAS, a network of local chapters, state affiliates, and nationwide divisions make up the NFB; the National Federation of the Blind of Virginia, which is one of fifty-two affiliates, has fifteen chapters throughout the Commonwealth; and
WHEREAS, the Virginia chapter of the NFB also consists of several divisions that focus on specific areas of interest to blind persons, including divisions for students, parents, and merchants; the Virginia chapter also has a deaf-blind division and additionally, it sponsors an association to promote the use of Braille; and
WHEREAS, as the leading force for the nation's blind people and the voice of the nation's blind, the NFB and its Virginia chapter improves lives through advocacy, education, research, technology, and programs that encourage independence and self-confidence; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly hereby commend the National Federation of the Blind on the occasion of its 75th anniversary as the oldest and largest organization in the United States led by blind people, bringing them together to work collectively to improve their lives; and, be it
RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Michael Kasey, president of the National Federation of the Blind of Virginia, as an expression of the General Assembly's respect and admiration for the organization's tireless work on behalf of blind people.
NFB-NEWSLINE Adds New Magazines:
For all those aspiring and accomplished cooks out there, NFB-NEWSLINE is happy to announce the addition of two magazines to our service. Meredith Corporation has recently provided access to Diabetic Living and Allrecipes magazines. And, for our technophiles, we have added AppleInsider and Android Central to Breaking News.
Diabetic Living is the largest and most active media brand for people living with diabetes. This magazine offers inspirational stories, heartfelt communications, encouraging information, and extraordinary advice for people diagnosed with diabetes and their loved ones. Food is at the heart of Diabetic Living because “what to eat?” is the number one question asked by people with diabetes and their caregivers. That's why all recipes are tested in the Better Homes and Gardens Test Kitchen and feature complete nutritional information including serving size, carb count, and diabetic changes. Guided by our independent advisory board of national health professionals, Diabetic Living is dedicated to providing action-oriented information to help consumers improve their quality of life.
In a world of unlimited recipe choices, Allrecipes magazine sifts through and serves up the best from Allrecipes.com, the world's largest online community of cooks. Combining our digital insights and editorial expertise, Allrecipes shares recipes from the people, for your people, with ratings, reviews and motivation to make it your own. It's guaranteed that, when you cook what they cook, you'll get your own five-star reviews.
To find these two exciting new magazines using the telephone access method, log into NFB-NEWSLINE, choose 7 for Magazines off the main menu, and search for them under All Magazines Alphabetically, or under General Interest. And remember, you can easily press #9 to email articles to your inbox, which is a great way to refer back to the recipes you'll find in these magazines. To find these publications using the web or your iPhone, you can search for them alphabetically under publications.
For those wanting to keep up with the ever-changing technology out there, we're also adding AppleInsider and Android Central. AppleInsider launched in 1997 and quickly grew to become one of the internet's premier sources of information for all things Apple. Each day you'll find the most in-depth coverage and analysis of the latest Apple rumors and insider news surrounding the company, its partners, and adversaries. Android Central was launched in September of 2008 under the guidance of Dieter Bohn (now with The Verge), with Casey Chan (now with Gizmodo) at the helm. A little more than a year later, current editor-in-chief Phil Nickinson left an eleven-year career with a daily newspaper in Pensacola, Florida, to head Android Central full-time.
The site saw exponential growth alongside Android and soon became the go-to resource for scoops, reviews, videos, and podcasts. In February 2010 Android Central was named one of PC World's "Fifty Smartphone Blogs to Watch."
Both of these dynamic technology publications can be found using the telephone access method by pressing 5 off the main menu and then selecting 1 for Breaking News, or alphabetically by name using the iPhone or web access methods.
Cancer Survivors to Meet at NFB National Convention:
The NFB Cancer Survivors Support Group will hold its meeting at the seventy-fifth National Convention in Orlando, Florida. We're looking forward to meeting all cancer survivors and supporters.
Join us in helping cancer survivors get well, stay well, share preventive measures, and provide accessibility to information that may enhance the lives of all cancer survivors.
Our meeting will take place on July 7 from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. in room W202B on level two of the convention center, across from the exhibit hall. We are here for one another—come, help, and be helped.
Pen Pal Wanted:
Hello everybody. My name is Valentina Ermolaeva. I am from Russia. I love English language. I want to learn and improve English. I would like to find pen friends from the USA. In return I can help them study Russian language. Please contact me on Skype: <Valya.80> or email me at: <[email protected]>.
In Brief
Notices and information in this section may be of interest to Monitor readers. We are not responsible for the accuracy of the information; we have edited only for space and clarity.
Now Accepting Applications for 2016 Ski Season:
Sierra Regional Ski for Light (SRSFL) <www.srsfl.org> is accepting applications for the 2016 ski season at Tahoe Donner Cross Country in Truckee, California. SRSFL offers guided cross country skiing and snow shoeing for blind and visually impaired children and adults. Each skier and snowshoer is matched with a trained guide. SRSFL welcomes beginners to advanced skiers. Scholarships are available. Call one of the leaders below for more information and to sign up.
2016 ski schedules:
Saturday Day Trips:
January 23, sign-up deadline January 16
February 6, sign-up deadline January 30
April 7, sign-up deadline March 26
Please contact Betsy Rowell by phone at (916) 362-5557, or by email at < [email protected]>.
Twenty-Fourth Annual Three-day Event (adults only):
Saturday, March 5 through Monday, March 7, 2016. Lodging will be at the Best Western in Truckee, California. Skiing will be at Tahoe Donner Cross Country, Truckee, California. We recommend lodging at the Fairfield Inn & Suites in Rancho Cordova Friday night for out-of-town participants. Please contact Cindy Quintana by phone at (510) 483-2948 or by email at <[email protected]>.
Resource Handbooks for Five States Available:
I have created five screen-reader-friendly resource handbooks containing resources pertaining to the blind and visually impaired for use by consumers and professionals. This handbook is for the residents of specific states and includes the many organizations for the blind and visually impaired covering areas such as employment, housing, transportation, and more. Currently the handbooks are for Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Florida, and Hawaii. The handbooks include contact information on the local, regional, and national level. For more information on pricing and formats please contact Insightful Publications by email at <[email protected]>, by phone at (808) 747-1006, or by visiting <http://www.in-sightful.com/orderpage.html> for more information on pricing, formats available, and state resource handbook order form.
New Newsletter The Blind Perspective:
Have you ever desired a newsletter where everything is from a blind perspective—a newsletter that is loaded with informative articles such as interviews with the movers and shakers of the blind community, modern and future technologies, book reviews on already existing audio books, or even crafts that are specifically tailored to being blind friendly?
You may need to search for a Braille device or sell an electronic gadget. We have the perfect venue to advertise the sale or the desire for such unique items. Wait no more! Here is a new and exciting newsletter. It will be distributed through email as an attachment at the beginning of each month. Even more exciting is that it will not cost you a penny. It is completely free to its subscribers. If you want to add your name to the email distribution list (and be assured we will not use your email for any other reason than to send you the monthly newsletter), send an email to <[email protected]> with the word “subscribe” in the subject line, and we will add you to the email list. Feel free to go to <www.theblindperspective.com> for periodical updates and developing news as it happens.
Be plugged into The Blind Perspective, where we aim to keep you entertained and informed!
Monitor Mart
The notices in this section have been edited for clarity, but we can pass along only the information we were given. We are not responsible for the accuracy of the statements made or the quality of the products for sale.
Trekker Breeze GPS for Sale:
This one-year-old Trekker Breeze made by HumanWare would be perfect for someone who has low vision or who is blind and finds it difficult to get to specific places independently, but does not want to get a smartphone. I am asking $400 Canadian plus shipping. For more information please email Matthew Hoare at <[email protected]>.
NFB 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.
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