Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Foundation for a Chapter Calendar
Appendix A: NFB Organizational Information
Affiliate Leadership List (combined)
Division Descriptions
NFB Background
Leadership in the NFB by Bruce Gardner
Recruitment and Membership by Allen Harris
The Art of Chapter Organizing by Parnell Diggs
Open Letter to Chapter Presidents
NFB publications
Appendix B: Useful Terms and Contacts
NFB Terms
Blindness Terms
Resource List
Appendix C: Proclamations and Public Relations Resources
White Cane Proclamation
Braille Literacy Proclamation
PSA's
Press Release Writing Tips
Appendix D: Organizational Policies and Procedures:
National Constitution
Ohio Constitution
NFB-O Committee Descriptions
Gavel documents
Check cashing policy
Diversity policy
Ethics policy
Reimbursement Policy
Expense Reimbursement form
Sample Voucher
Appendix E: Legislation and Regulations
Ohio Braille Law
Ohio White Cane Provisions
RSC Consumer Choice Policy
Free Matter Postal Regulations
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Foundation for a Chapter Calendar
All of the activities listed in this document require advance preparation. The amount of time needed to do planning, of course, depends on what you want to accomplish and how ambitious your plans are. If you plan to publicize your event in the media, you will need to build in lead time. Proclamations must get to governing bodies at least a month ahead so that they can act on them in time for you to have the proclamation in hand to circulate a press release about it or try to interest a reporter in the story.
This document includes only those activities that recur annually or more frequently. Your chapter should not limit its activities to the things listed here. There are lots of other things you can and should do, but many of the activities discussed here are initiated by the state affiliate.
January
1. The first week in January is Braille literacy week in Ohio. (Louis Braille’s birth date was January 4, 1809.) Suggested activities might include:
A. Obtain proclamations from local governmental officials. See the sample proclamation in the appendix.
B. Take the opportunity to read Braille books to children in schools and libraries.
C. Set up displays promoting Braille and the National Federation of the Blind in schools, libraries, and shopping malls.
2. January is a good time to begin promoting our scholarship programs. Both the state and national organizations offer valuable scholarships to blind students. The students want our scholarships, and we know what it takes to get one. We also know about the National Federation of the Blind, and we should educate others about our organization while making them aware of our scholarship programs.
A. Contact your BSVI office and offer to come and give counselors information about our scholarship programs.
B. Contact guidance counselors in area high schools to inform them about the programs. Offer to meet with high school seniors to talk with them about our scholarships. Make your telephone number available for students.
C. Contact financial aid administrators and those in charge of special services for the blind at colleges and universities in your area. They can and should download scholarship application information and the forms from our Website. Offer to meet with blind students if they would like to, and be prepared to give them the affiliate president’s name and contact information, which the student will need for getting a recommendation from the affiliate in the national program, and call attention to the contact information for the state scholarship chair on the Ohio form because applicants may need to contact him or her to get the name of someone to do an interview and provide an affiliate recommendation in the state program.
3. The first meeting of the NFB-O board of directors usually takes place in January. The date of the meeting will be announced shortly after the state convention. The meeting is open to the public, and chapter members are encouraged to attend. We will reimburse all chapter presidents for reasonable expenses associated with attending the meeting.
A. Arrange transportation for chapter members who plan to attend.
B. Let us know how many from your chapter plan to attend, and give us individual lunch orders when necessary.
February
1. The first Monday in February is usually when we meet with our members of Congress in Washington D.C. A seminar for blind students traditionally takes place the preceding Sunday. All Washington Seminar participants are expected to attend a 5:00 p.m. meeting on Sunday or Monday evening. Please see additional information on this topic in the December section of this notebook.
2. Begin planning for your members to attend the national convention. State convention assistance forms should be ready this month. Distribute them to members who wish to apply for financial assistance.
A. Be sure to encourage your members to adhere to the application deadline. Failure to meet this deadline will in all likelihood disqualify them from consideration.
B. Notify the affiliate president if you find someone particularly deserving of consideration. Conversely, notify the president if you believe an applicant will not benefit from participating in convention activities or assist the chapter more effectively afterwards.
3. During February you should receive tickets for the gourmet food basket drawing. This is a fundraiser for our Parents Division, and the division counts on chapter support for this event. If you need more tickets or have any questions about the drawing, please contact the president of the division.
A. Distribute these tickets to your members and encourage them to sell as many as possible.
B. You and your members should collect gourmet food items for the basket. See the sample letter.
4. February 15 is the deadline for submitting materials for the spring issue of the newsletter. These materials do not have to be professionally done. You and your members do not have to worry that someone will find out you are a poor speller or a better speaker than writer. The job of the newsletter editor is to make you look good.
March
1. Begin planning to attend the spring board of directors meeting. The meeting is opened to the public, and chapter members are encouraged to attend. We will reimburse all chapter presidents for reasonable expenses associated with attending the meeting.
A. Arrange transportation for those chapter members who plan to attend.
B. Let us know how many from your chapter plan to attend, and give us individual lunch orders when necessary.
2. Continue selling tickets for the food basket drawing and all other activities associated with that event.
3. Begin planning for White Cane Week activities. See the discussion for May.
4. March 31 is the deadline for national scholarship applications.
April
1. April is usually the month for the spring meeting of the board of directors. This also includes the drawing for the Parents Division gourmet food basket fundraiser.
A. Plan to attend the board meeting.
B. If you cannot attend, please be sure that all food items you have solicited, ticket stubs you have sold, and money you have collected for the food basket get to the meeting.
May
1. May 1 is the deadline for submitting state scholarship applications. If you have been asked to write a letter for an applicant, please be sure that the scholarship chairperson has it.
2. May 15-22 is National White Cane Recognition Week. This is a good time for public education activities and fundraisers.
A. Plan activities with school children. These could include reading to them from Braille books or just talking about blindness.
B. Set up informational displays in libraries and shopping malls.
C. This might be a good time for an early yard sale or bake sale to raise money for your chapter.
3. May 15 is the deadline for submitting materials for the summer issue of the newsletter. These materials do not have to be professionally done. You and your members do not have to worry that someone will find out you are a poor speller or a better speaker than writer. The job of the newsletter editor is to make you look good.
4. This might be a good time to consider having a booth at a local fair or some other community event. Although this event might not take place until later in the summer, you should begin to plan now.
June
1. This is the best month for selling Jernigan Fund tickets to chapter members. These cost $10 each. The winning ticket is drawn at the convention banquet, and the winner receives hotel and transportation for two to the convention the following year plus $1,000 to spend at that convention. Each chapter or division president is urged to take as many tickets as he or she thinks the chapter members will buy. Chapters are expected to pay for these tickets since the affiliate must purchase all of the tickets we have been assigned to sell. Chapter checks should be made out to the NFB of Ohio. Members can then pay the chapter treasury for the tickets they purchase. Collect the stubs of the tickets sold, and write the chapter or division name on the back. The affiliate, chapter, or division that has sold the winning ticket also wins a cash prize in the drawing, so don’t forget to get your group’s name on the back of each ticket you sell. Be sure to get the stubs of sold tickets to the affiliate president or to the convention yourself so that they can be turned in at the Jernigan Fund table in time for the drawing.
2. The end of June brings the convention of the National Federation of the Blind. If you are not attending the convention, be sure the affiliate president has all the contributions your chapter is making at the national convention.
A. The Imagination Fund
B. tenBroek Fund
C. White cane Fund
D. SUN contribution
E. Jernigan Fund
F. Cash door prizes
G. Child care
Please be sure that all checks are written to the appropriate entity. (For example, a check for the tenBroek Fund must not be made out to the NFB.) The other funds should be indicated in the check’s memo line, and the check should be made payable to the NFB. Contributions for door prizes should be made to the NFB of Ohio so that the president can take cash to the convention.
3. This might be a good time for a chapter picnic or another outing.
July-August
1. During these months the affiliate often conducts a leadership or chapter presidents’ seminar.
2. You will receive a mailing to solicit nominations for various state awards as well as the Gavel Award form. Whether or not your chapter or division chooses to compete in the Gavel Award contest, you must submit some sort of chapter report before the state convention.
3. August 15 is the deadline for submitting materials for the fall issue of the newsletter. These materials do not have to be professionally done. You and your members do not have to worry that someone will find out you are a poor speller or a better speaker than writer. The job of the newsletter editor is to make you look good.
4. In August you might begin planning for Meet the Blind Month and White Cane Safety Day activities. This, of course, depends on the plans you have for marking these occasions. See the information in the October section.
September
1. You will receive a copy of your chapter’s membership list as the Affiliate database shows it. A corrected version of this list and your chapter dues must be received by the affiliate for your members to vote at the convention.
A. Please verify that everyone on the list is a member of your chapter.
B. If someone is no longer a member but should continue to receive our materials, please note this.
C. Please verify that all addresses (including Zip code) and telephone numbers (including area code) on our list are correct. If your information is different from ours, please verify it with the member in question. Please make corrections directly on the list you were sent. Do not send us a clean list incorporating the changes we should make; it is nearly impossible to identify the corrections when they come on a new list.
D. Instruct your treasurer to write a check for your chapter dues. As stipulated in the affiliate’s constitution, dues are a flat fee of $10 per chapter or division plus 50 cents per capita. If your chapter has a membership of twenty people, for example, your chapter dues would be $20--$10 flat tax and $10 for the per capita tax.
F. Send your corrected membership list to the affiliate president.
G. Send your dues check to the affiliate treasurer. The check should be made payable to NFB-O and not to the treasurer.
2. Every member should receive pre-registration materials for the state convention. Urge members to complete them and return them to the appropriate individuals.
A. If you are paying the registration fee or banquet cost for all of your chapter members or for anyone other than yourself, please indicate which charges your check covers and for whom. The check should be made payable to the NFB-O.
B. Please be sure that chapter members understand the advantages of pre-registering and assist them to do so if needed. We give significant price breaks to those who pre-register. It is important that the names of everyone registering be written on the order form or in a list accompanying it. They should be in the form that the individual wishes to have it appear on the name tag. (“and wife” or “Penelope Marie” when the person goes by Penny are not helpful.)
C. It is important that you and your members pre-register for workshops, seminars, meals, or other events in order for us to plan successfully.
D. Distribute announcements of workshops, seminars, or other special events to interested individuals and agencies in your community.
3. You should receive convention assistance applications to duplicate and give to interested chapter members. Our funds are limited for this program, so discourage people from applying for assistance if they are able to cover the costs or the chapter can give them sufficient help.
4. September is often the month when the fall board meeting is held. The meeting is opened to the public, and chapter members are encouraged to attend. We will reimburse all chapter presidents for reasonable expenses associated with attending the meeting.
A. Arrange transportation for chapter members who plan to attend.
B. Let us know how many from your chapter plan to attend, and give us individual lunch orders when necessary.
5. Gavel Award reports and nominations for affiliate awards are usually due in September. Consult the materials you were mailed in July for the exact date.
6. This is a good time to begin working to obtain White Cane Safety Day proclamations from local officials. See the appendix for a sample proclamation.
October
1. October is Meet the Blind Month and the 15th is White Cane Safety Day.
A. Obtain proclamations from local officials and see about publicity.
B. Go into schools and talk to children about blindness.
C. Some chapters have hosted dinners and invited elected officials to present proclamations.
2. Be sure that all pre-registration materials for the convention have been completed and returned. Also be sure that your chapter membership list has been collected and returned and that your chapter dues have been paid. The board has imposed a $25 penalty on chapters and divisions that submit corrected lists, dues, or reports after the announced deadline, which is usually about a week before the convention.
November
1. The state convention is usually held in Early November. The convention begins with a Friday morning meeting of the board of directors.
2. November 15 is the deadline for submitting material for the winter issue of the newsletter. These materials do not have to be professionally done. You and your members do not have to worry that someone will find out you are a poor speller or a better speaker than writer. The job of the newsletter editor is to make you look good.
3. November 16 is the date of the founding of the NFB.
4. If you have not already done so, plans should now be made for a special dinner or other chapter activity during the holiday season. You might want to consider inviting another chapter to join you.
December
1. By December 1 we must have the names of the people from your chapter interested in attending the Washington Seminar. Room reservations must be turned in before the first of the year. There is no guarantee that, just because someone wants to take part, he or she will be selected to do so. Consult the winter issue of the Buckeye Bulletin for more information about the seminar.
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2009 NFBO Combined List of Presidents and Board Members
Albers, Sheri, 513-583-8697 (h), 513-886-8697 (c)
salbers1@cinci.
2680 Columbia Trail, Loveland, OH 45140
Board member
Anderson, Tom, 330-270-9860 (h)
2220 Canfield Rd., Apt. 1, Youngstown, OH 44511
President, At Large Chapter
Anderson, Annette, 216-381-1735 (h)
afanderson@
1623 Maple Rd., Cleveland Hts., OH 44121-1731
Board member; President, NFB of Cuyahoga County;
NAPUB of Ohio
Baker, Debra, 937-322-2340 (h)
lahm@
1107 Burt St, Springfield, OH 45505-3222
Board member
Booth, Rebekah, 740-944-4646 (h), 740-497-2062 (c)
beckbooth@
711 Etna St., Apt. 1, Ironton, OH 45638
President, Ohio River Valley chapter
Burghardt, Eric, 419-655-2402
sinat1@
7412 Mears Rd., Sygnet, OH 43413
President, Greater Toledo chapter
Conley, Cindy, 513-887-2583 (h), 513-608-1399 (c)
cconley@
7309 Dixon Dr., Hamilton, OH 45011
Parents Division president
Dressell, Paul, 513-481-7662 (h)
pmd@
2714 Ruberg Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45211-8118
NFBO Board Member; President, NFB of Cincinnati
Duffy, Eric, 614-562-5524 (c)
eduffy@
2543 Deming Ave, Columbus, OH 43202
NFBO 1st Vice President; President, Capital Chapter
Fohl, Barbara, 440-964-7824 (h), 440-812-8594 (c)
1116 Thayer Ave, Ashtabula, OH 44004
NFBO 2nd Vice President; President, Ohio Organization of
Blind Seniors
Freund, Linda, 440-428-8773
720 Coral Berry Ln., Madison, OH 44057
President, Lake County Chapter
Joseph, Mary-anne M., 704-287-0935 (c)
Mj210407@ohio.edu
24 Home St., Apt. 603, Athens, OH 45701
President, Southeast Chapter
Kendrick, Deborah, 513-321-2232 (w), 513-673-4474 (c)
dkkendrick@
2819 Victoria Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45208
NFBO Secretary
McClain, Crystal, 937-935-6188 (c)
1070 Twp Rd 181, Bellefontaine, OH 43311
mcmcclain@
Board member
McConnell, Richard, 740-452-9187
392 Bailey St, Zanesville, OH 43701
President, Muskingum County chapter
Payne, Richard, 937-298-6677 (h), 937 829-3368 (c)
rchpay7@
1019 Wilmington Ave., Apt.43, Kettering, OH 45420
Board member, President, Miami Valley chapter
Peters, Bruce, 330-865-8477 (h)
bruce.peters@med.
1670 Liberty Dr., Akron, OH 44313
Board member; President, Greater Summit County chapter
Pierce, Barbara, 440-775-2216 (w), 440-935-4511 (c)
bbpierce@
237 Oak St., Oberlin, OH 44074-1517
NFBO President Emerita
Pool, Mary, 330-455-2831 (h), 330-033-1830 (c)
131 5th St, N.E, Apt 315, Canton, OH 44702
Board member, President, Stark County chapter
Ruth, Sherry, 440-324-4218 (h), 440-281-6959 (c)
Babyruth2@
6922 Murray Ridge, Elyria, OH 44035
NFBO Treasurer; President, Lorain County chapter
Sloan, Wanda, 937-837-1878 (h), 937-580-1792 (c)
wandasloan1@
4419 Berquist Dr, Trotwood, OH 45426
President, Diabetic Action Network of Ohio
Smith, Dr. J.W., 740-592-6326, 800-396-6326 (NFBO office); 740-707-5114 (c)
jwsmithnfb@
P.O. Box 458, Athens, OH 45701-0458
NFBO President
Spangler, Robby, 937-474-7533
Spangler.robert@
3118C International House, 1730 W. Rocket Dr., Toledo, OH 46306
President, Student Division
Turner, William, 216-355-4577
william.h.turner@
1064 E. 167th St., Cleveland, OH 44110-1523
President, Cleveland chapter
Vincke, Steve, 937-882-9219 (h)
kwh7047661@
8642 Milton-Carlisle Rd., New Carlisle, OH 45344
President, Ohio Association of Blind Merchants
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Ohio Organization of the Senior Blind
The mission of the Ohio Organization of the Senior Blind is to educate seniors, their families, and communities so that seniors losing vision need not relinquish control of their lives and personal independence solely because of blindness. Its purpose is to serve as a support network for blind seniors and to be a source of information about the needs of blind seniors for local chapters; to facilitate adjustment to blindness for seniors losing vision; and to promote the general well being of blind seniors in this state and the nation.
We accomplish these goals by:
• Holding a division meeting at the state convention, where speakers discuss issues of interest and importance to blind seniors.
• Providing outreach in the form of inservices and consultation to senior centers in which we teach efficient guiding and other support skills, offre hands-on demonstrations of independent living aids for the blind, and discuss constructive ways to address the challenges of blindness.
• Conducting possibility fairs for seniors periodically at state conventions and in the community.
• Encouraging local chapters to reach out to seniors losing vision and advise members about the services and publications of the NFB Seniors Division, including its quarterly newsletter and the book So You Don’t See as Well as You Used to.
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Diabetes Action Network of Ohio
Mission Statement:
To educate and encourage diabetics, their families, and their communities about the realities of diabetes, the value of information and appropriate management, and the correlation with vision loss so that diabetics will have greater access to appropriate knowledge, tools, and a supportive environment that enhances their ability to manage their disease and lead a productive and fulfilling life, whatever happens.
Objectives:
1. Hold periodic meetings and conference calls to discuss current issues in diabetes management and answer questions.
2. Conduct public speaking engagements in which we educate the public about diabetes in general and the availability of help for blind diabetics in particular.
3. Offer one-on-one help for those who call us with questions.
4. Maintain resource lists including:
• The Braille Monitor, Bridging the Gap, and other literature available from our national office.
• NLS for Diabetes Forecast in talking book format.
• Recordings for the Blind&Dislexic for other tape recorded materials.
• National Resources like National Institutes of Health.
• Centers for Disease Control.
• American Diabetic Association.
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Ohio Association of Blind Merchants
The merchants division is made up of blind operators from the Randolph-Sheppard or Business Enterprise (BE) Program in Ohio with a goal of protecting, preserving, and expanding the program to keep and create more jobs for blind Ohioans.
How we do this:
• Serve as advocates for blind vendors in the BE Program in Ohio.
• Provide updates to blind vendors on changes and challenges to the BE Program.
• Work closely with National Association of Blind Merchants on national issues and participate in the BLAST conference, a training conference held each spring.
• Serve as members of the Blind Entrepreneurial Alliance (BEA) to educate legislators on the value and benefits of the Randolph-Sheppard Program.
• When possible, provide legal counsel when litigation is needed or grievances must be filed to protect operators or the program. OABM members serve as experts on the BE Program for these lawsuits and grievances.
Contact Information:
Steve Vincke
8642 Milton Carlisle
New Carlisle, Ohio 45344
Home phone–937-882-9219
Email–
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National Association to Promote
the Use of Braille of Ohio
(Ohio NAPUB)
This division is comprised of Braille readers and supporters dedicated to promoting the code and its public acceptance as an efficient method of reading and writing for nonprint readers and those who struggle to read print.
Ohio NAPUB promotes the use of Braille by:
• Giving Braille instruction at state conventions so blind adults and children can get a basic understanding of Braille.
• Matching adults and children who wish to learn Braille with blind people who are interested in teaching it.
• Going to schools to demonstrate to sighted students that Braille is a reading and writing method equal to print.
• Promoting Braille literacy by going to venues such as bookstores and libraries to discuss and demonstrate Braille and talk about Braille literacy and the Louis Braille coin.
• Promoting legislation favorable to Braille literacy and the teaching of Braille.
• Contributing to the Braille Readers Are leaders contest.
• Demonstrating Braille to blind seniors at senior fairs and senior centers.
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PARENTS OF BLIND CHILDREN DIVISION
In the Parents Division our goal is to help educate parents and their blind children about blindness skills, IEP and school issues, and social concerns. We are also available for emotional support and to act as a liaison for parents to meet and learn from knowledgeable blind adults.
The way we do these things:
We hold events such as the cane walk, Easter egg hunt, family campout, and fall retreat.
We provide canes for kids through our cane bank.
We sponsor and support activities like the Braille Readers are Leaders contest and the OSSB Christmas party.
We hold seminars at state conventions and attend Washington Seminars.
We provide information to parents through publications such as Future Reflections, the Braille Monitor, and the Buckeye Bulletin.
We maintain a mailing list of parents and send state and national information to them.
Contact information:
Cindy Conley
(513) 887-2583 (h)
Email: cconley@
7309 Dixon Dr., Hamilton, OH 45011
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BACKGROUND
Blindness does not discriminate. Anyone can be born blind, can become blind in childhood, or can lose sight later in life. Therefore everyone should understand blindness, know how to respond to its problems, and recognize the full capabilities of blind people.
The National Federation of the Blind (NFB), a consumer group of volunteers, founded in 1940 by Dr. Jacobus tenBroek, has well over 50,000 members; affiliates in every state, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico; and chapters in most major cities across the country. It deals with issues ranging from the integration of the blind into society to educating the public about blindness. Only blind people themselves, acting through their own organization, can speak for the blind. The NFB demonstrates that the blind are normal people who can participate fully in society.
Although public education is central, the organization also engages in self-help, mutual assistance, and concerted action to solve common problems of the blind. From its headquarters in Baltimore and through its members, the Federation reaches out to the newly blind to provide support, encouragement, and information. Through its network of local and state organizations the NFB monitors governmental and private agencies providing direct services. All programs can be improved by consumer input and participation by those served.
The National Federation of the Blind promotes and conducts research to develop new technology. To enhance these efforts, in 1990 the Federation established the International Braille and Technology Center for the Blind at the National Center for the Blind in Baltimore. There blind people, employers, and professionals in the blindness field can find examples of every Braille printer and computer speech-output program on the market.
In October of 2001 the NFB broke ground for the first and so far only research and training facility conceived and conducted by blind people themselves. Adjacent to the National Center for the blind in Baltimore, it is called the NFB Jernigan Institute. It houses a research library on blindness, and its staff develops and conducts training programs for seniors losing vision, parents of blind children, and blind children and teens interested in the STEM subjects of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The Institute encourages and advises on research to develop products and technology of genuine importance to blind people. The best known of these efforts is the knfbReader, software loaded into a cell phone that will read aloud printed text that it has photographed. This unit will also translate text from other languages into English and identify currency.
During the past thirty years the proportion of blind school-age children learning Braille in this country has fallen from about 50% to less than 10% despite technological advances that make Braille transcription of materials easy today. This crisis is partly due to inadequate Braille training for special education teachers. Partly parents are reluctant to have their children learn Braille because print is familiar and Braille involves admitting their children are blind. Moreover, because most people have never seen a blind person reading Braille at three or four hundred words a minute, they don't understand that Braille can be an efficient tool of literacy.
The National Federation of the Blind is working to pass federal and state legislation protecting the right of blind children to learn Braille. Members are also working to ensure that special education teachers of the blind actually know Braille well themselves. The National Organization of Parents of Blind Children, a division of the NFB, teaches parents how to advocate for the services their children need, and members of the NFB assist parents as advocates and advisors.
The NFB works to enhance awareness of the capabilities of blind people in the job market. Though blind people today work successfully as lawyers, psychologists, entrepreneurs, machinists, farmers, etc., over 70% of those able to work do not have jobs or work only a few days a month in sheltered workshops for as little as $1 an hour. In response to this staggering unemployment rate, the NFB in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Labor has developed its Job Opportunities for the Blind (JOB) Program, which provides intensive blindness skills training along with access-technology and job-search skills training. These courses are taught in three regional centers across the country.
The NFB publishes two magazines: a news monthly in the blindness field and a quarterly for parents of blind children. The Federation also offers scholarships to blind students and assists blind people who are the victims of discrimination or whose rights have been denied.
For more information about the NFB, please write to Marc Maurer, President, National Federation of the Blind, 1800 Johnson Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21230; or call (410) 659-9314.
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FACTS ABOUT BLINDNESS
• People are considered legally blind if they have ten percent or less of full vision.
• There are approximately 750,000 people in the U.S. who are legally blind; there are 50,000 new cases of blindness each year.
• The major causes of blindness are cataracts, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, and macular degeneration.
• Skilled Braille readers can read in excess of 400 words per minute.
• Blind people today enjoy successful careers as professors, reporters, judges, machinists, secretaries, hairdressers, etc.
• More than 70 percent of working-age blind people are unemployed or significantly under-employed.
• Although blind people’s other senses are not more acute, they have learned to gather more information using them.
• Today's technology has produced an extensive selection of Braille translation programs, speech synthesizers, audible screen review programs, reading machines (devices that scan a printed page and translate text into spoken words), Braille note-taking devices, raised-line drawing equipment, and much more.
• The International Braille and Technology Center, located at the National Center for the Blind in Baltimore, Maryland, is the only facility of its kind in the world. It houses one each of every type of Braille-producing, computer-driven printer currently on the market, as well as computers with refreshable Braille displays; raised-line drawing equipment; optical character recognition equipment; and a growing array of voice-output, computer screen-reading systems.
• NEWSLINE® for the Blind uses digitized speech and touch-tone phones to enable blind people to read the newspaper whenever and however they like. The NFB developed this technology and is working to make it broadly available. In addition to using the phone to read more than 250 newspapers, 5 magazines, complete wire service stories, and TV listings, NEWSLINE users can now have their favorite publications delivered to their email inboxes, can download papers directly to their book readers like Victor Stream, and can select specific stories to read from a special Website.
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Keeping Sight of the Vision
Leadership in the NFB
by Bruce Gardner
From the Editor: Bruce Gardner was elected last September as President of the National Federation of the Blind of Arizona. He is Senior Attorney with the Arizona Public Service Company. Bruce and his wife have six children, and he is very active in his church. In short, Bruce Gardner is a busy man. During the weeks preceding his first affiliate Board of Directors meeting as President, Bruce did a good bit of thinking about and planning for the organization under his administration. The following article is a distillation of his thinking and the discussion that took place at the October board meeting. It should be helpful to the members of every other Federation chapter and state affiliate. Here it is:
Dr. Kenneth Jernigan began his 1976 National Convention banquet address entitled, "Blindness--of Visions and Vultures," with the following story:
"Behold a king took forth his three sons to judge their fitness to govern the kingdom, and they stopped by a field, where a vulture sat in the branches of a dead tree. And the king said to the oldest son, 'Shoot--but first tell me what you see.'
"And the son replied: 'I see the earth and the grass and the sky...'
"And the king said, 'Stop! Enough!' And he said to the next son, 'Shoot--but first tell me what you see.'
"And the son replied, 'I see the ground and a dead tree with a vulture sitting in the branches...'
"And the king said, 'Stop! Enough!' And he said to the youngest son, 'Shoot--but first tell me what you see.'
"And the young man replied, his gaze never wavering, 'I see the place where the wings join the body.' And the shaft went straight--and the vulture fell."
Dr. Jernigan, referring to the National Federation of the Blind throughout his banquet address, said, "A vulture sits in the branches of a dead tree, and we see the place where the wings join the body." His message was clear: as members of the NFB we must keep sight of our vision of the future and not become distracted from our true purpose.
With this in mind, as the newly elected President of the NFB of Arizona, I decided that, in order to capitalize on the strength of past leadership in the state and help our affiliate reach new heights, it was important that we be united in our understanding of the purpose of the NFB and of basic leadership principles. Additionally it is important that we set goals and organize ourselves to reach those goals. Therefore our first Board meeting following our state convention was dedicated entirely to these topics. All members of the affiliate were encouraged to attend.
I have now been asked to share my notes of that meeting with other Federationists. With the addition of some further thoughts, here is what we discussed: (1) What Is the NFB and What Is its Purpose? (2) Leadership in the NFB; (3) Goals and Objectives; and (4) Specific Committee Assignments.
What Is the NFB and What Is Its Purpose?
What is the National Federation of the Blind? In order to understand the NFB properly, we must recognize that it consists of two parts: an organization and a philosophy.
The organization is made up of blind people working with and for blind people. That is significant. However, without the philosophy the organization would not be much different from the ACB or, for that matter, the Lions Club or dozens of other organizations. Without the philosophy it would simply be another group of volunteers who have come together for the common purpose of doing good. Fortunately, the NFB is not just another blind organization--it has a philosophy.
What is the philosophy?
• That blind people are normal people--simply a cross section of society--who just happen to be blind.
• Given real opportunity and effective training, the average blind person can do the average job in the average place of business as well as his sighted neighbor and can participate fully in the affairs of family, community, and nation.
• The real problem of blindness is not the lack of eyesight (because there are alternative ways to do what you would have done with eyesight if you had it), but the public's (and often the blind person's) attitude about blindness.
• With real opportunity and effective training, blindness can be reduced to the level of a nuisance.
In other words, NFB philosophy is nothing more or less than the truth about blindness. It is not speculation, wishful thinking, or fantasy. Tens of thousands of NFB members over the last fifty-nine years have proven the truth of this philosophy. Unfortunately, the truth is not widely known, and misconceptions about blindness abound. However, the truth is no less true for its relative obscurity, but rather more valuable.
What is the purpose of the NFB? The over-all purpose of the NFB is to help blind people to be successful and to enable them to live and manage their lives normally, independently, and freely. According to Dr. Jernigan, a blind person needs three specific things in order to be truly independent, self-sufficient, and successful:
• He must know the truth about blindness--that is, he must come emotionally as well as intellectually to believe that he can be truly independent and live a productive, normal life. It is much easier to learn the truth intellectually than it is emotionally, but the emotional belief is key.
• He must acquire competence in the alternative skills which enable a blind individual to be truly independent. These are skills such as Braille, independent travel, and personal management.
• He must develop a complete understanding of public attitudes about blindness and why those negative attitudes are what they are. And he must get to the point where society's attitudes (and the things which will happen because of those negative attitudes) do not bother or upset him so that emotions do not get in the way of success. You can't do what you need to do when you lose your temper.
How can the NFB fulfill its purpose of helping as many blind people as possible to become successful? Once we understand the NFB'S overall structure, philosophy, and purpose and once we understand the three ingredients which it takes for a blind individual to be truly successful, we can more easily envision how the NFB can fulfill its purpose. I believe it can do this by focusing its efforts in the three areas that constitute our three-fold mission. They are sharing our philosophy (the truth) about blindness, strengthening our members, and advocating for the blind.
• Sharing the philosophy: Although we of the NFB know the truth about blindness, we gain nothing by keeping it secret; it must be shared. Our first responsibility is to share it with blind people who do not know the truth about blindness or about the NFB. As we have already discussed, a critical need of any blind person is to come emotionally to believe the truth. Since we know it, we have a moral obligation to pass it on to others.
Second, we must share the truth with the general public. We of the NFB are seeking the complete integration of the blind into society, and in order for us to accomplish this objective, the general public must become aware of the normality and capabilities of the blind so that they can accept blind people and make a place for us once we have been trained and have emotionally accepted our own blindness.
• Strengthening our members: The members of the NFB are at different stages of development--society is continually eroding our understanding of and commitment to the truth about blindness. Therefore it would be as foolish to assume that a member of the NFB needs no additional philosophical help and support as it would be for a good Christian to assume that, because he read the Bible fifteen or twenty years ago, he does not need to read and study it any more. We should be constantly working to develop a deeper intellectual and emotional understanding of the truth about our blindness. Therefore we must constantly strengthen our own members.
• Advocating for the blind: Our third broad mission is advocacy. We must advocate for the protection of civil rights, for quality educational programs for our blind children, and for quality rehabilitation services for blind adults. This involves state and national legislation, grievances, hearings, and demonstrations.
Everything we do in the NFB should fulfill one or more of these major objectives or be a supporting activity (such as fund-raising) which leads to successful implementation of these three major objectives. Overemphasis on one of these objectives will result in insufficient emphasis on another. The NFB strives for a balanced approach to fulfill its three-fold mission.
Leadership in the NFB
In the management of any business or governmental or private organization there are four basic styles of leadership, which are helpful to understand. First, there is the command style. In this the administrator makes the decisions and tells others what will be done and who will do it. Second is the input or counsel style. Here after receiving input from others, the leader makes the decisions and announces them to others. Third is the democratic style. Here, the leader allows a majority vote to rule. And fourth is the consensus style. In this one the leader continues the discussion until all agree upon a plan--possibly a plan which was no individual's first or second choice, but something everyone can live with.
In an organization such as the NFB, each of these four styles is appropriate at different times, depending upon the circumstances and issues involved. It is generally understood that the consensus and democratic styles are effective in building unity, team spirit, and membership support. However, the more critical, far-reaching, or visionary the decision must be, the less effective the consensus or even the democratic style is likely to be. The role of a true leader is to have a vision of where the organization needs to go and the ability to employ a combination of the various leadership styles to make the vision a reality.
Three old adages can be instructive in illustrating the need for a mentoring approach to leadership in the NFB. (1) "A lazy mother does everything for her children." (2) "If you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. If you teach him how to fish, you feed him for a lifetime." And (3) "He who can do the work of ten men is great. But he who can get ten men to work is greater."
In the NFB leaders must be mentors. We must be willing to set the example and say, "Come, follow me," but we must also make sure that we strive to enrich and empower others to learn to do for themselves and to do their share of the organizational work. It is inappropriate for the elected leaders to think that it is their responsibility to do all of the work. Also it is important for us to tap all of the resources which we have available in the organization, and we must help all of our members develop their talents and potential (even when they think they don't have any) by giving each of them the opportunity to serve in some capacity in the organization. NFB leaders must delegate, spread the work, mentor, and follow up because members need to experience and live the philosophy, not just hear it.
Goals and Objectives
When a chapter or state affiliate is setting its goals and objectives for the coming year, conducting a brain-storming session with members can be very helpful. It is important to keep in mind the mentoring approach to leadership and the four leadership styles and to remember that our ultimate objective is to assist blind people. We should also keep in mind the three-fold mission of the NFB as we make our plans.
The major 1996 goals and objectives for the NFB of Arizona are 1) establishing NEWSLINE®; 2) getting a large Arizona attendance at the 1996 National Convention in Anaheim; 3) putting on a major fiftieth-anniversary state convention in September; and 4)strengthening our own members and the NFB of Arizona so that we can help more blind people be successful and also have more legislative clout.
Specific Committee Assignments
Once we understand the organization, its philosophy, the three things which every blind person needs in order to be successful, and the three-fold mission of the NFB, our work and the committees needed to do the work can be clearly envisioned. Most of the committees fall directly under the three main purposes, and several others support the basic mission.
(Note: It would not be wise or even possible to have each committee reporting directly to the State President. Accordingly, for efficiency of operation many of the following committees will report directly to other Executive Officers.)
Committees Charged with Spreading the Philosophy
Public Relations Committee: one major effort must be to reach the public effectively through the media. This includes airing radio and television spot announcements about the NFB, broadcasting our films on television, and placing articles and stories about the Federation in the print media.
Public Speaking Committee: Members of this committee give speeches at schools, civic organizations, employment or church groups, and teachers' or parent groups. This committee should prepare white papers to help rank-and-file members make effective presentations. The committee also conducts training sessions in successful public speaking.
Dissemination of Publications Committee: This committee sees that our literature--"Do You Know A Blind Person?" "What Is the National Federation of the Blind," If Blindness Comes, etc.--into to the hands of the public. We can also create our own local and state informational materials. All these materials should be placed in doctors' offices, libraries, bank lobbies, utility-company mailings, etc.
Information and Referral Committee: This committee will handle the NFB of Arizona's telephone message machines, return calls, make appropriate referrals, and identify potential new members.
(Note: The major purpose of these first four committees is to educate the public and to find blind people who need our help or who wish to join with us in our work.)
New Member Mentoring Committee: Once we have identified new blind people, we must have a way of retaining information about them so that they do not inadvertently slip away, and we must have a mechanism to communicate the truth about blindness to them. Whenever possible, the one-on-one approach is best. Give them copies of banquet addresses. Talk about their experience with blindness. Invite them to dinner. This committee should prepare new-member packets and assign an experienced mentor to each new contact.
NEWSLINE® Committee: This committee's task is to obtain the financial and public support necessary to make NEWSLINE® a reality in Arizona. Although NEWSLINE® will greatly benefit our own members, it is mentioned here under Spreading the Philosophy because establishing NEWSLINE® will require extensive outreach into the community.
Committees Charged with Strengthening Our Members
Philosophy Committee: This committee has two primary functions. First, it will conduct a statewide philosophy seminar at least once each year. Second, it will work steadily with local chapters to develop ways to get members to read and study NFB literature--banquet speeches, Federation periodicals, Kernel Books, Walking Alone and Marching Together, etc. One possible approach is to establish a contest with points and prizes for those who read NFB literature. Each chapter meeting should contain philosophical meat--substantive discussion about what distinguishes us from other organizations.
Telephone Committee: The state affiliate must help chapters and members stay well informed about NFB issues and develop a strong network of close relationships. This committee must get the word out quickly. Each chapter is encouraged to develop a similar plan so that information flows quickly and accurately throughout the organization.
New-Chapter-Organizing Committee: As we learn of new areas where organizing can be done or as existing chapters get so large that they should be split up into smaller geographic areas, this committee will be available to spearhead the work.
National Convention Arrangements Committee: One of the most important things we can do to strengthen our members is to get them to National Conventions. This committee has two main functions: to work out the logistics of getting members to the National Convention and to work with the Philosophy and other committees to help motivate and inspire members to want to go.
Convention-Planning Committee: This committee has one function each year: responsibility for organizing the state convention--finding the site; choosing the dates; and negotiating the rates for rooms, meals, equipment, etc. During anniversary years the Committee should also plan special activities and programs.
Braille Literacy Training for Adults Committee: This committee will participate in the Braille Literacy Training Project established by our national organization. The project matches Braille-using mentors with adults wishing to learn Braille and assists the mentors in their teaching.
Awards Committee: This committee identifies candidates for the affiliate's special merit awards, makes selections, arranges for plaques, etc.
Scholarship Committee: This committee circulates state scholarship applications, reviews candidates, makes selections, and arranges for the winners to attend and participate in the state convention.
(Note: A vital part of strengthening our membership is to encourage each chapter to hold discussions of NFB philosophy at each chapter meeting. Also each chapter should appoint a librarian to circulate NFB literature like the Kernel Books among members so they will have constant access to good training materials.)
Committees Charged with Advocating for the Blind
National Legislation Committee: This committee works with the National Office on needed action, contacts chapters or individuals to notify them of needed action, and participates in the annual Washington Seminar.
State Legislation Committee: This committee works on all facets of state legislation and plans and coordinates annual legislative events.
Grievance Advocate: The advocate handles complaints, grievances, and hearings involving problems blind people are having with either state or federal agency programs.
Governor's Council on Blindness: The NFB of Arizona holds three positions on the Arizona Governor's Council on Blindness and Visual Impairment. These three individuals represent the NFB of Arizona at Council meetings, advocate for NFB of Arizona positions, and remain vigilant to make certain that the Council does not take positions or actions harmful to the blind community.
Supporting Activities
Materials Inventory Coordinators: Just as modern business practice requires just-in-time inventory, we need to have the materials available from our National Office closer to home. Our state coordinators should have commonly requested and needed items on hand so that local members and committees don't have to keep their own stock pile of materials or contact Baltimore each time something is needed. The coordinators might also keep a few canes, cane tips, and other aids and appliances on hand.
Fund-Raising Committee: This committee will deal with two broad areas--preparing grant applications and traditional fund-raising projects such as walk-a-thons, yard sales, or other new projects through which our own members can help to raise funds for the organization.
Newsletter: This committee is responsible for writing and editing the state newsletter, gathering information from chapters and divisions, and producing and distributing the final product.
Computer Committee: This committee keeps track of membership and other computer lists, prepares mailing labels, and carries out similar organizational duties.
PAC, Associates, and SUN Committee: The chairman of this committee is responsible not only for reporting on the affiliate's rank in these National fund-raising programs, but also for devising ways of encouraging broader participation from all members of the affiliate.
(Note: Local chapters and divisions will need to appoint representatives to work with the state committee chairmen for many of the committees listed.)
Do we expect to staff all of these committees immediately and have them functioning efficiently? No. We do not intend to run faster than we are able or to take on so many things at once that we cannot do anything well. We know implementing this plan will take time, but we have a vision of how the NFB can and will operate in Arizona. "A vulture sits in the branches of a dead tree, and we see the place where the wings join the body."
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The NFB--Recruitment and Membership
by Allen Harris
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During my years in the Federation, people have asked, "Can I recruit new members into our Federation?" My response is always, "only if you will." Each of us in the NFB can recruit new members and can work with our members to strengthen their interest and participation in our organization. In fact, it is our responsibility to share our organization with anyone who may be interested and who may add to our collective strength.
I would like each of us to consider three points when thinking about recruiting new members and supporting them as they become part of our organization:
1. All of us can be effective recruiters of new members, and we should use our personal characteristics and strengths to be successful.
2. Recruitment need not be a daunting task. We should think of recruiting new members as the ongoing opportunity to find one person at a time.
3. We should remember that we have a common characteristic; we are blind. We should regard each person as someone who can benefit from and contribute to the success of the NFB.
I believe the success we have recruiting new members begins with an individual commitment to building our organization; recruitment is not reserved for a few leaders. Each of us knows other blind people or will meet them over time, and we should regard every blind person we know as a potential member. Each of us possesses certain strengths and characteristics that make us good recruiters. In fact my style may not be successful with one prospective member while you quite naturally work effectively with that person. So get started and work to develop your ability to help bring new people into the Federation.
It is important to approach recruitment as a one-at-a-time process. Though outreach campaigns can be effective, there is no substitute for very personal efforts to work with prospective members and help them learn about our organization. If each of us finds one person, each-one-bring-one, we will continue to bring new people into our organization. They in turn will bring talent to our efforts. Each time you meet a blind person or for that matter any person who you know is not a member of the NFB, begin to plan for his or her participation--the next chapter meeting, a fundraising opportunity, a public outreach event, and so on. If you are able to get a person to participate in an activity sponsored by the NFB, be sure to follow up to plan the next opportunity. If each of us takes on this responsibility one person at a time, we will change lives, increase our membership, and strengthen our organization.
Finally, it is important to remember that we all have blindness in common, and we should not limit our recruitment of new members to a certain few. The NFB is a diverse group of individuals who happen to be blind, and any attitude that restricts our efforts to bring new people into the movement is not consistent with our commitment to every blind person. We want to see everyone who is blind, without regard for his or her place in society, to benefit from and have the chance to contribute to our Federation. This has been and must continue to be a characteristic of the NFB that has made us strong, diverse, and representative in our work on blindness issues.
It is also important to remember that, while everyone should be seen as a prospective member, you should be able to recognize when it is time to move on. In other words, invest time and energy in individuals who show signs of interest and willingness to participate. When it is clear to me that my efforts to bring a person into the NFB have not been successful, I must move on. Joanne Wilson was one of those who helped me understand that our future depends on finding members who want to build the NFB and not to trouble about those who indicate that they would not or could not participate effectively. She told me, "There are more where they came from." We all have limits on our time and energy, so it is important to use these resources well.
Think carefully about how to recruit new members effectively, and develop a strategy that works for you. You may not find my approach to new members one with which you are comfortable, but you can develop an approach that is uniquely yours. Each of us is responsible for building our membership, and finding and developing new members one at a time will help us grow and become more effective at our work. Being inclusive in our recruitment efforts will insure our continued ability to be representative in our work and to benefit from the broadest range of ideas and possibilities. For me, the NFB is an easy gift to share with others because our success on behalf of blind people is extraordinary. I find it a joy to approach prospective members since everyone can benefit from and contribute to our strength as a movement.
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How to Share the Federation Message with Other Blind People
Most of us are active in the Federation today because NFB members reached out to us, befriended us, answered our questions, and said just the right thing that made us want to be a part of the organization. And, though we want in turn to reach out to other blind people, sometimes we find it difficult to know just what to say to someone who has reservations about the organization or even about blindness itself. Below are some suggestions for ways we can respond to the common questions and reservations we encounter as we extend a hand to other blind people.
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1. What does the NFB do?
• Our goal is to achieve full integration of blind people into all aspects of society. We work to make this happen through public education, legislation, programs for children, mentorship, scholarships for students, senior outreach, professional groups, and much more.
• We are the civil rights movement of blind people.
• We are a nationwide group of blind people who come together to provide support, encouragement, and practical advice to one another.
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2. I’m not a joiner.
• I know what you mean; I have never considered myself a joiner either. But the NFB helped me personally, and that’s what brought me into the organization.
• Our organization has room for all levels of involvement. You can even just join a listserv or come to an occasional meeting if that’s all you can do.
• By virtue of being blind, you are already part of a group. As group members we work together to see that all blind people have the chance to live their lives with dignity.
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3. I don’t get involved in politics.
• You can do many things in the organization, and you don’t have to participate in every activity. Holding an office is not the only way to get involved in the organization.
• The NFB doesn’t affiliate with political parties. We work to pass only legislation that will expand opportunities for blind people.
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4. I’m not blind.
• Most people in the NFB are not totally blind; you'll fit right in.
• Our focus is not on how much vision you do or don’t have. We focus on helping blind people figure out ways to get things done efficiently.
• We encourage people to use any tool that can help them get the job done as efficiently and easily as possible, whether it is a magnifier, a screen reader, a CCTV, or a cane.
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5. The NFB is radical.
• In the NFB we believe that blind people can lead fulfilling, productive lives. Does this sound radical?
• Because of society’s negative attitudes about blindness, many people might think that believing blindness isn't a tragedy is radical; but we are working together to change society's attitudes about blindness so that someday our belief in the capabilities of blind people won’t be considered particularly radical.
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6. The NFB opposes dog guides.
• We are not opposed to dog guides. We want blind people to use the tools that work best for them.
• A number of our national leaders and members are dog guide users.
• We even have a dog guide division so that you can meet other dog guide users.
• We have filed many lawsuits to protect the rights of dog guide users.
• All blind people are welcome in our organization.
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7. The NFB opposes audible traffic signals.
• We are not opposed to audible traffic signals in situations in which they are necessary; we just believe that blind people should have the chance to travel anywhere and not be limited to crossing only those streets with audible signals.
• You don’t have to agree with every policy of the organization. If you want to improve the lives of blind people, you belong with us.
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8. I can’t get to meetings.
• We want you to be a part of us, and we will be happy to help figure something out.
• If no meeting is close to you, you can start attending a meeting a little further away. Often members of a chapter help find a way to get someone to the meeting by finding a driver or asking another member to help the new person get there.
• You can also get involved through listservs. A number of email lists are sponsored by the NFB in which you can talk to people and exchange ideas.
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9. How do I join?
• attend local chapter meetings
• attend state convention
• attend national convention and Washington Seminar
• read the Braille Monitor
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Other Useful Tips
• Recruitment is an all-the-time, everywhere commitment. Don't let blind people or their family members pass you by.
• Make sure you get contact information so that you can follow up.
• Try to become a friend.
• Listen to their concerns about blindness, and go out of your way to help them.
• Don't scare them away by coming on too strong. Remember, you probably wouldn't appreciate a stranger’s telling you that you are doing everything in your life wrong.
• Find out their interests and introduce them to other Federationists who share those interests.
• Don't get bogged down trying to explain the nuances of our philosophy. Remember that coming to terms with blindness is a slow process.
• Go out of your way to make them feel welcome in the organization.
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On the Art of Chapter Organizing
by Parnell Diggs
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The National Federation of the Blind of South Carolina has sixty local NFB chapters, three of which are statewide divisions. South Carolina takes pride in our many chapters and high membership numbers, and we would like to share with other affiliate leaders some of the lessons we have learned about the art of chapter organizing.
South Carolina is a rural state, but we have never let that discourage us. A prolific chapter organizer is capable of clearing the mind of any preconceived notions about a given locality, such as how densely or sparsely populated it is or whether a good transit system exists in the area. If you think hard enough, you can always find an abundance of reasons not to organize and thereby deny a potential superstar a chance to learn of the National Federation of the Blind. In short, anywhere can be a good place to start a chapter.
Not all of our chapters have a hundred members, but they all have a president. The president is the most important component of a successful chapter. A supporting cast is helpful, but a chapter without a good president will soon die on the vine.
From time to time I receive phone calls from those seeking assistance or information about services or employment opportunities or from someone new in the area who just wants to get involved. Blind people in the state contact me about scholarships, discrimination, or custody issues based on blindness. I consider all of these people potential chapter presidents. This is so whether I am talking with someone in an area with a thriving chapter or no chapter at all.
If a chapter is in the area, you should put that person in touch with the chapter president. When no chapter is in the area, you should keep in touch with that person and begin cultivating his or her interest in the NFB. Even if the caller is not presidential material, he or she is still a potential member. I have never met a blind person who could not benefit from membership in the National Federation of the Blind. But don’t be quick to write anyone off as a potential leader.
You are looking for a chapter president, not a national leader. Some chapter presidents will ultimately become national leaders, but you do not have to make this determination during the first contact. When you set up an organizing meeting in the caller’s area, invite him or her to it. Do not discuss the chapter presidency until and unless you and that person have reached a threshold level of comfort; this may not occur until the first organizing meeting.
As for planning the organizing meeting, you should pick a time and place and send invitations to as many blind people in the area as possible. How do you find people? First and foremost, rely on the blind people you already know in the area to spread the word and encourage others to come. A personal invitation is the most effective way to get people to show up. Prepare a letter inviting local people to the meeting. In the letter discuss the NFB's mission and accomplishments. Enclose a reply card and keep track of responses.
It is usually good to have food at an organizing meeting; it is not required, but people will usually show up for free food. In your letter you can say that you are sponsoring a dinner for blind residents of the area. We recently had sixty-three turn out for a dinner at a popular restaurant.
You might want to give the letter (ready to mail) to your state rehabilitation agency or your state library for the blind and ask them to distribute it for you. Occasionally they will give you names confidentially. Do not breach this confidence. Begin a database of contacts in the area from the responses you receive. This is your information, and from then on you will not have to rely on others to put you in touch with blind people in the community.
In rural areas it is particularly easy to talk with the postmaster about who receives Free Matter for the Blind in the area served by that post office. Postal officials will usually be glad to help if you tell them about the programs and services we offer. Give them a Kernel Book or another publication of the National Federation of the Blind. Local Lions Clubs, churches, cab companies, and other transportation services may also be good referral sources. Remember, maintain your own file for later reference.
The state president or designated affiliate officers should conduct the organizing meeting. Be sure to encourage discussion and take note of those who ask good questions and appear genuinely interested in the proceedings. These people are your potential officers. I presided at a meeting a few years ago and noticed one woman sitting at the front of the room who responded to questions put to the audience, asked questions of her own, and offered solutions to the issues raised throughout the discussion. I had never met this woman before, and we had not talked on the phone. I did not know of her before she started speaking up at the meeting. I asked what her name was and made a mental note of it. She continued to contribute positively throughout the meeting. When the meeting was about to conclude, I recommended that she be elected president. She was shocked and unprepared, but she accepted. She is now a state leader and one of our best chapter presidents.
You must prepare for one other thing in organizing a chapter if you want your efforts to pay off; you need to plan for the second meeting. If you do not, it may not happen. While you are presiding at the organizing meeting, discuss a second meeting time and place with the new members. Food does not have to be involved at the second gathering, but snacks might be helpful. Keep in touch with the new president about the second meeting. When it is over, call the new president and ask how it went. Even thriving chapters are an illness or a re-location away from falling apart. You need to stay in touch with the president and help in any way you can. A good chapter is defined, not by its size, but by whether it meets regularly, conducts activities that educate the public and raise money for the organization, and sends representatives to national and state meetings.
Once the chapter has been organized, the real work begins. It is impossible just to start a chapter and forget about it. Keeping the chapter strong and active is an ongoing business that requires a continuous commitment from chapter and affiliate leaders. Geography and population do not a good chapter make. It all comes down to the chapter leaders and the support they receive from the state affiliate.
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Tips for Finding Future Federationists
One of the challenges we face as we try to organize new chapters and increase membership in the National Federation of the Blind is locating blind people. The following suggestions have proven effective for chapters across the country. We hope that they will help you begin to think creatively about how to find future Federationists.
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Personal Contacts
When looking for future NFB members, one of your best resources is personal contact with others.
• Current Federation members: One of the most effective ways to find future Federationists is through current Federation members. Most of us know other blind people, and current members are one of your most important resources.
• The blind people we locate: New blind people we find can also be a resource to find other contacts in the area, even if they are not interested in the Federation themselves. Often people are still willing to give you other names.
• Chance meetings: We often encounter blind people at the bus stop or in the grocery store. Don't let these opportunities pass you by.
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Blindness-Related Organizations
You may be able to obtain lists or have NFB mailings sent through the following blindness-related organizations:
• Braille Monitor, Future Reflections, NFB-NEWSLINE®, and other NFB lists
• Regional libraries for the blind
• Vocational rehabilitation agencies
• Adult orientation centers
• Paratransit
• Adaptive equipment distributors
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Other Organizational Contacts
You might also have some success locating individual blind people through the following organizations. It probably works best to make an appearance rather than a phone call. People will be more likely to share information with you in person:
• Post offices
• Churches
• Elementary and secondary schools
• Universities—office of the student government, the student newspaper, and other organizations
• Senior citizen centers
• Ophthalmologists’ offices and other medical facilities
• Cab companies
• Restaurants
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Open Letter to New Chapter Presidents
by Barbara Pierce
Recently the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio had occasion to organize a new chapter. The young woman who was elected president had no past experience as a Federation officer, so I wrote her a long letter setting forth ideas, projects, and principles that we in the organized blind movement have found useful in building our local chapters. Lots of good ideas are not mentioned here, but perhaps it is useful for new chapter presidents, and for us all from time to time, to spend a few minutes thinking about the fundamentals of chapter-building. Here, in significant part, is the letter I wrote:
Dear New President:
Sometimes in a burst of democratic zeal new chapters and their officers make the error of believing that every decision made for the organization must be considered (too often exhaustively) by the entire membership. Remember that the chapter as a whole does not need to make all the decisions that clamor for attention in the early weeks of the chapter's existence. There are some organizational matters that you or the board should decide without bothering the general membership. These are things that individuals can and should express opinions about but on which chapter meeting time should not be wasted. I am thinking of transportation arrangements and meeting location, for example. Such discussions will always expand to fill the available time, and when you are finished, the decisions are likely to be less satisfactory and more divisive than they would have been if a smaller group had been responsible for making the arrangements.
Generally speaking the meeting location should be central, free or inexpensive, and accessible by public transportation. If you are paying more than a few dollars a month rent, you are pouring money down the drain--money that we need desperately for Federation projects. I would discourage efforts to look for a place with kitchen facilities in order to serve elaborate refreshments. We do not gather in Federation meetings to eat and drink together, pleasant as that is. We have work to do, and every way that we can find to communicate this message to members should be taken.
Transportation problems must be worked out with an eye to the particular complications in a given situation. Obviously, getting someone who is already coming to the meeting to pick up people more or less on the way is the best solution. Service or church organizations may be able to find volunteers who would be willing to drive for you, or neighbors, family, or friends of one of the members in the area affected might do so. If necessary the people getting the ride could share the cost of the transportation, or the chapter could reimburse the driver for mileage, assuming there are funds available.
You should work these arrangements out as rapidly and efficiently as possible so that they do not drag on, consuming meeting time and energy. Chapter members will find it instructive to observe such problems being resolved quietly and efficiently. The important thing is to be seen to be taking the complications in stride. Too many blind people see such matters as constituting major problems in their lives instead of the logistical annoyances that they truly are. You can begin to teach them something about blindness as a nuisance by the way in which the Board handles these matters.
It is important to spend time at the beginning working with your officers and eventually your committee chairs on ways of making meetings run smoothly and interestingly. An inexperienced secretary may begin by writing minutes that are either too detailed or too brief. Minutes should record all decisions made by the organization and list all matters discussed. It is not advisable to expect the minutes to record what was said in the course of the discussion. The chapter needs a record of the substantive actions of the organization.
This record must be in print whether or not it is also maintained in Braille or on cassette tape. Auditors frequently wish to see minutes, and they mean print. For this reason also the treasurer must maintain records in print. Your written order to the treasurer to pay expenses must also be in print and must have the appropriate receipts attached to it for the treasurer's records. The secretary's and the treasurer's reports at each meeting should be relatively brief and as lively as they are capable of making them.
One ongoing responsibility, usually assumed by the chapter secretary, is notifying the National Office of the names, addresses, and phone numbers of new members whose names should be added to the Braille Monitor mailing list. It is critically important to mark such correspondence clearly as information for the Monitor list. Each name should also have the magazine format clearly marked. The choices are large print, Braille, e-mail, and cassette. Each member should have the Monitor available in a format which he or she will use. A sighted member should not necessarily be expected to read his or her spouse's recorded magazine just to save expense. On the other hand, a blind couple does not usually need two recorded editions.
Remember that the Braille edition is much more expensive than any of the others. People who will make good use of the Braille should not hesitate to request it, but we should all work to make our resources go as far as possible. so those who would be happy with the cassette edition, for example, should not order the Braille edition merely in an effort to demonstrate their love of the code. Individuals who are inclined to pay for their subscriptions should be encouraged to do so, but your aim should be to have every member of the chapter reading the entire magazine every month whether or not the family can afford the subscription cost.
Many chapters make a practice of presenting to each new member an NFB pin when he or she joins the Federation. Then when the roll is called at the beginning of each meeting, everyone who is not wearing a pin or other NFB insignia (jewelry, tie clasp, etc.) must pay a small fine. This kitty is then used for some special purpose for the whole group. Some chapters do a split-the-pot raffle at each meeting. People throw in their loose change or buy tickets for some nominal amount, and at the end of the meeting one name is pulled, and the proceeds in the pot are split between the chapter treasury and the winner. Sometimes members take turns in providing an object for an auction to be conducted during the meeting at a moment when a little lively activity would lift the spirits of the group. Again the proceeds go to the treasury or to some special project fund.
Before you arrive at the meeting, you should have planned your agenda. This of course should include old and new business so that other people can bring up things that they would like to discuss. You should run through the agenda at the beginning of the meeting so that people know what to expect. This may help them to refrain from time-consuming discussion early in a meeting that they can see will be packed with agenda items.
The first thing on your agenda (after the roll call, the reading of the minutes of the previous meeting, and the treasurer's report) should be playing the presidential release if you have one. As the chapter president your name has been placed on the presidential release list, so you should receive each one as it is mailed from the National Office. If you do not receive one within a month or so, call the National Office (410-659-9314) to inquire about whether or not your name is on the list. You should listen to the tape before the meeting so that, if there is information that you need to know more about, you can get a briefing from a state officer before people begin asking you questions you can't answer.
The release is very important because the chapter must feel itself to be an integral part of the whole tightly knit organization that reaches across the nation. Part of your job as president is to help every member of the Federation in your area understand that Dr. Maurer is a real friend. Everyone should recognize his voice and understand that the issues that affect the organization as a whole must be recognized as important in your city.
I must say a word here to you about finances. It is important that the chapter get started early raising money, but it is equally important that the habit be formed of passing the funds through the books so that it can do the most good. There is a strong temptation among us mortals to hang on to what we earn, but the Bible is right when it says, "Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." More than one chapter has contracted a terminal illness by acquiring a fat savings account. In my view a local chapter, if it is very active, can spend five to ten thousand dollars a year without trying very hard. But I mean that this much money can pass through its books. A chapter that has established this kind of record will be working hard at fund-raising and supporting state and national programs liberally in addition to contributing to the Washington Seminar and the national and state convention efforts and assisting local members to attend these events. The chapter will also be conducting various programs in the community: distributing literature; educating the public, including providing Braille cards to each child in the classes addressed; organizing seminars of various types for chapter members and the community; etc.
You will notice that I emphasized that such funds should be passing through the books. Pools of money at the local or state levels are not likely to encourage health in the Federation. People are less likely to scramble to make money if the savings account is significant and there are certificates of deposit squirreled away in the bank. They will be inclined to see efforts to vote contributions to the state or national organizations as attempts to "get our money away from us." Though it is certainly true to say that our organization, like most others, is only as strong as its local chapters, it is equally true that a dollar spent at the national level will do tenfold the good that the same dollar can do at the state level and one hundredfold the good that it can do at the local level. Money must, of course, be spent at the chapter level, and there are many programs that cannot work except at the grassroots, but if we want to change the climate of public opinion and the quality of life for blind people everywhere, we must work nationally. If we ever hope to improve services to the state's blind, we must work at that level, and such efforts must be undertaken by entities beyond the local chapter.
There are a couple of very useful projects that local chapters can undertake that provide good outlets for chapter funds and assist the organization in the most efficient way possible. The first is to have the chapter enroll in the Pre-Authorized Check (PAC) Plan. This project must be undertaken very carefully because it must not dissuade individual members from becoming PAC members personally. The PAC Program allows an individual or organization to have a specified amount automatically deducted from a checking account each month. The chapter should provide this service for members who wish to contribute on PAC but who do not have checking accounts. Individual PAC members should not be discouraged from contributing to the chapter PAC collection if they wish to, but it should be made clear that their personal PAC commitment is their primary focus. The chapter can decide how much money to contribute monthly to PAC, and then those who wish to do so can contribute at the meeting to cover the PAC contribution each month.
Two other extremely useful programs that chapters can participate in are Shares Unlimited in NFB (SUN) and the Jernigan Fund. SUN shares ($10 each) constitute a long-term investment in the National Federation of the Blind. These contributions in any amount over $10 are invested with the understanding that only the interest will be used for current operations unless the organization faces a true emergency. The Kenneth Jernigan Fund was established at the 1998 annual Convention and is dedicated to educational efforts like scholarships. Contributions to either of these funds should be made payable to the National Federation of the Blind and the name of the fund placed on the memo line of the check. You can receive further information about these funds or send contributions to National Federation of the Blind, 1800 Johnson Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21230.
One of your first tasks as president will be to appoint committees. Some of these should be standing committees, and some should be ad hoc. An ad hoc committee might look into notifying the appropriate state offices of the chapter's existence and preparing and filing the appropriate forms and documents. They might also take responsibility for notifying the libraries, social service organizations, and telephone company of the chapter and its services to the community. You might consider devising a small flyer informing them of the existence of the group and of its ability to help blind people and their families.
Typical standing committees include Ways and Means, to do fund-raising; Nominating, to recruit a slate of board and officer candidates when appropriate; Legislative, to work with the state organization on educating your local representatives in the Legislature and the Congress; Public Relations, to do local PR and to help with state and national projects; Associates, to encourage chapter members to recruit family, friends, and acquaintances as members at large who will become Associates of the NFB; and Membership, to build the organization by recruiting new members.
The chapter may need to establish standing committees to deal with local causes or organizations that involve the blind. For example, many chapters have a committee composed of those members who sit on the board of the local service-delivery agency. If you establish permanent fund-raising projects, you may wish to appoint standing committees to work with each of those rather than doing it all through the Ways and Means Committee.
I would not try to appoint all committees immediately. Like a juggler, you must get them launched one at a time and learn to keep the ones already appointed working well before starting another project. Your aim is to make everyone feel that he or she is playing an important part in the ongoing functioning of the chapter. Some will be more effective committee members than others. You must decide how to divide the chapter talent among the committees so that no group has too much weight to carry and too few people to carry it. Some people will be able to give good service on more than one committee; others will be happiest putting all their effort into one activity. You must balance the needs and the preferences as best you can. This task will get easier as you get to know the people with whom you are working. Try to establish the kind of relationship with your committee chairs that will enable them to turn to you with their problems for advice and encouragement. Your job as president is not to do everything but to enable others to get it done.
The question naturally arises of what kinds of projects would be best to begin right away. There are lots of things that cry out to be done everywhere. Again your job is to strike a balance for your chapter. Some projects at the beginning should be chosen because they are easy to do or because the starting point is obvious. Literature distribution is a good example. We have several pieces of literature that are ideal for distribution in local areas. You should have a rubber stamp made including the name of the organization, the chapter phone number, and an address so that these pieces of literature can be stamped (a good job for someone with some sight at a chapter meeting) and then distributed.
The pieces I am thinking of are "What is the National Federation of the Blind?" "Do You know a Blind Person?" and The Voice of the Diabetic. The first two are available from the National Center for the Blind, Materials Center. Sample copies of the third can be obtained from Ed Bryant, The Voice of the Diabetic, 811 Cherry Street, Suite 309, Columbia, Missouri 65201-4892. Doctors' offices, libraries, and public places of any kind where literature is available are good places to leave stacks of these pieces. Your state affiliate may also have brochures about the affiliate or local NEWSLINE® service that are also useful to circulate.
Other projects that come to mind include the following:
• Notifying the blind students at local institutions of higher education about the Federation's scholarship program and perhaps conducting a seminar for them in the application-writing process. They will be inclined to come because it is to their financial advantage to do so, and you will have a chance to educate them about the Federation and what we can do for people. You will then have names of blind students for your own chapter and for the student division.
• Chapter education. Members can take it in turn to lead a group discussion of one piece of Federation literature like a banquet address or an article from a recent Braille Monitor. Everyone should know beforehand what is to be discussed at the next meeting, and, if necessary, copies should be made and distributed so that they have a chance to read or reread it. This is an excellent way of encouraging people to read our information with attention and of familiarizing members with the reservoir of useful NFB literature.
• Fund-raising. It almost doesn't matter what you do here as long as you are doing something. You may have trouble persuading people to jump into this one. The chapter will need money immediately, but some of us instinctively feel that we are above such mundane things. Others are so conditioned as blind people to steer clear of anything that smacks of begging that they balk at pitching in to participate in projects that they would help with happily if it were for a church or community service club like the Lions. Try making the point that nothing is more important in helping blind people everywhere than the work of the National Federation of the Blind. We are experts in this field, and the fact that we are committed to helping blind people through the Federation is merely an indication of how justifiable our fund-raising is.
It may be advisable to set a special goal for some of the funds raised, like sending chapter members to the national convention next summer. The group as a whole had better discuss what they are most willing to do in fund-raising. Some chapters would rather sell tickets themselves than staff a booth to sell a product. Some like raffles, and others would rather tackle a big project like a hike-a-thon. Some groups buy blocks of tickets for a community theater production and sell the tickets at a profit. But the principle must be established early on that money must come into the organization if it is going to go out again, and you must do everything you can to teach each member to expect that the money will go out.
• Distributing our television and radio spot announcements to local stations. It is important for those folks to know who we are and what we stand for. Someone should go to visit the Public Affairs or Public Service Director to discuss the organization and to hand him or her the announcements and several small pieces of our literature. The person in charge of this project or the chair of the committee should maintain accurate records of each station's personnel, the spots they have taken, whether or when the spot announcements were aired, and what affirmative response the chapter has made to the station. A full discussion of this and many other important public relations responsibilities appears in the Federation's public relations handbook, The Media and the Message, available in print or Braille from our National Office for $6.
• Assisting chapter members with their personal problems. As people come to know and trust one another, they will volunteer their troubles. The newly blind have many issues to grapple with. Others will have problems with the state rehabilitation agency, Social Security, employers, schools, or over-protective family and friends. You may want to form a Human Rights Committee to work intensively with these people, or you may wish to use a general discussion of one person's dilemma (having previously checked with the individual to insure that he or she is happy to discuss it) to educate everyone about these issues and to bring the group together in a caring relationship with each other. This is tricky to achieve but valuable when it works.
• Establishing a Calling Committee. This is or can be different from the Membership Committee, which seeks to build the chapter by finding new members. The Calling Committee builds the chapter from within. Its members call everyone with a reminder about the coming meeting. The members keep tabs on who is ill, who is bereaved, who is just having a hard time for some other reason. Cards and calls can help at times like these. It is also nice to celebrate together graduations, births, marriages, and the other happy milestones in people's lives. We say we are a family because we really are one and because we care about one another. The Calling Committee makes sure that we don't let things slip between the cracks.
It is also a good idea from time to time to plan for presentations at chapter meetings. Talking with state or national legislators about matters of concern to the blind is a very good use of chapter time. Having a presentation by a teacher of visually impaired children and then talking about our concerns is also important. If members are unsure about the services of local agencies that purport to serve the blind, invite someone from the agency in to explain the programs and answer questions. Anytime a member has trouble with being denied service because he or she is blind, you have an excellent opportunity for a program devoted to that problem.
Arranging for exchange visits between the chapter and other Federation chapters is both fun and instructive. There are any number of program ideas floating around out there. But don't fall into the trap of thinking that you have to have a program item at every meeting. We have lots of internal business to conduct month in and month out, and if the chapter spends all its time dealing with outside issues, we will have trouble keeping the ongoing work moving along. The committees of a chapter are usually the hands and feet of the outfit. The chapter meeting is the time when everyone learns what people have been doing since the last meeting.
The board is charged with working out the details that will make everything move along smoothly, and the president has the day-to-day responsibility for seeing that glitches do not occur or are corrected as soon as possible and that people are working well together. You set the tone, listen with an open mind and a compassionate heart, and guide as wisely as you know how to. You should also make a point of keeping in touch with others in the state who can help and encourage you.
I am afraid that you may be feeling panic at the scope of what you have taken on. Spelled out, it takes a lot of paper, but much of this you probably already know. Much, too, you will have to initiate as you have time, energy, and bodies to do it. The most important part is always to take the next step. You can almost always see what that one step is, even if you don't know clearly what you should do after that.
We are all here to help each other. Our goal is the full integration of the blind into society on terms of equality. To do this we must support each other, the newly blind, the parents and families of blind children, and the public, which knows next to nothing about the capacity of blind people. If you stop to think about it, you know quite a lot about this whole subject. You will make a wonderful president. Everyone in the state and national leadership is here to help you. Good luck.
Cordially,
Barbara Pierce, President
National Federation of the Blind of Ohio
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Useful NFB of Ohio Publications
About the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio
Annual Report of the NFB-O
NEWSLING card
Promotional bookmarks
the Buckeye Bulletin, quarterly affiliate newsletter
Buckeye Update, periodic report to chapter presidents and board of directors
Useful NFB Publications
Books:
Walking Alone and Marching Together: A History of the Organized Blind Movement in the United States, 1940-1990, $30
The Man and the Movement, a brief biography of Dr. Jacobus tenBroek, Constitutional scholar and founder of the NFB, $5
Kenneth Jernigan: the Master, the Mission, the Movement, Compiled Writings of Dr. Kenneth Jernigan with Editorial Introduction and Notes on the Text, $5
Handbook for Itinerant and Resource Teachers of Blind and Visually Impaired Students, $20
Modular Instruction for Independent Travel for Students Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired: Preschool Through High School
Care and Feeding of the Long White Cane, $1
The World Under My Fingers, $1
The Bridge to Braille, $12
So You Don’t See as Well as You Used to: Advice and stories that will help you, $5
Bridging the Gap: Dealing with Blindness and Diabetes
Kernel Books: (free)
Thirty different books
Brochures:
"Diabetes Complications Options"
"Do You Know a Blind Person?"
"What is the National Federation of the Blind?"
Periodicals:
Braille Monitor, monthly magazine in large print, cassette, Braille, e-mail
Future Reflections, quarterly magazine for parents and educators of blind children
Films and Video Cassettes:
A number of videos; consult the NFB Website ()
“The Messages of the Movement: a two-CD set of sample brochures, articles, and speeches that represent the essence of the NFB philosophy.
Appendix B: Useful Terms and contacts
Terms in the Blindness Field
AER: Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and
Visually Impaired
AERO: Association for Education and Rehabilitation for the Blind and
Visually Impaired of Ohio
BDD: Bureau of Disability Determination
BEP: Business Enterprise Program
BSVI: Bureau of Services for the Visually Impaired
CAB: Cincinnati Association for the Blind
CAP: Client Assistance Program
CARF: Commission for Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities
CISAM formerly ORCLISH. A state agency that works with parents and
educators of students with disabilities to provide technical assistance
and information.
DD Planning Council: Developmental Disabilities Planning Council
EEOC: Equal Employment Opportunities Commission
GCOPD: Governor's Council on People with Disabilities
JVIB: Journal of Visual Impairment and Blindness
NAC: National Accreditation council for Agencies Serving the Blind and
Visually Handicapped
NLS: National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped
OCRC: Ohio Civil Rights Commission
OLRS: Ohio Legal Rights Service ORCLISH:
O & M: orientation and mobility
OSSB: Ohio State School for the Blind
OVRC: Ohio Vendors Representative Committee
RSA: Rehabilitation Services Administration
RSC: Rehabilitation Services Commission
SGA: Substantial Gainful Activity
SSA: Social Security Administration
SSDI: Social Security Disability Insurance
SSI: Supplemental Security Income
SERRC: Special Education Regional Resource Center
SILC: State Independent Living Council
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NFB Terms
Action Fund: Action Fund for Blind Children and Adults
DAN: Diabetes Action Network
IBTCB: International Braille and Technology Center for the Blind
NABE: National Association of Blind Educators
NABE: National Association of Blind Entrepreneurs
NABL: National Association of Blind Lawyers
NABS: National Association of Blind Students
NAGDU: National Association of Guide Dog Users
NAPUB: National Association to Promote the Use of Braille
NCB: National Center for the Blind
NFBCS: National Federation of the Blind in Computer Science
NOPBC: National Organization of Parents of Blind Children
NRTIB: National Research and Training Institute for the Blind
PAC Plan: Preauthorized Check Plan
SUN: Shares Unlimited in NFB
WAMT: Walking Alone and Marching Together
Resource List
NFB Resources:
National Federation of the Blind
1800 Johnson St.
Baltimore, Maryland 21230
(410) 659-9314
National Federation of the Blind of Ohio
P.O. Box 458
Athens, OH 45701-0458
(740) 592-6326
jwsmithnfb@
NFB NEWSLINE Contact Numbers:
Toll free (888) 882-1629
NFB-NEWSLINE local phone numbers:
330-247-1241 (Akron)
330-409-1900 (Canton)
513-297-1521 (Cincinnati)
216-453-2090 (Cleveland)
614-448-1673 (Columbus)
Toll-free Ohio Information Line:
(866) 391-0841
Adult Rehabilitation Centers
BLIND, Inc
(612) 872-0100
Colorado Center for the Blind
(303) 778-1130
Louisiana Center for the Blind
(800) 234-4166
Other Resources:
ADA Ohio, (800) 232-6446
American Foundation for the Blind, (800) 232-5463,
American Printing House for the Blind, (800) 223-1839,
Developmental Disabilities Planning Council, (800) 766-7426
Ohio Civil Rights Commission, (888) 278-7101
Ohio Legal Rights Service, (800) 382-9181
Ohio State School for the Blind, (614) 752-1359
Pilot Dogs, (614) 261-6367
RSC Central Office, (800) 228-4536
U.S. Dept. of Justice, ADA Info. Line, (202) 514-0301
U.S. Dept. of Justice, voice toll-free, (800) 514-0301
Regional BSVI Offices
BSVI Southwest
Cincinnati BSVI & BE
617 Vine St Ste 905
Cincinnati OH 45202-2423
Toll free: 800 686-3323, 513.852.3223, V 513.621.6043,
Field Fax 513.852.3267 TTY, 513.852.3265, Admin Fax 0136 SYSSP
BSVI Southwest
Dayton BSVI & BE
One Elizabeth Place West Medical Plaza G
DAYTON OH 45408; Toll free 800.582.1589
937.331.5000, V 937.331.5052 & 5053, F 937.331.5054, TTY 0142 SYSSP
BSVI Northeast
Cleveland BSVI Office (Cuyahoga)
113 St. Clair Avenue, Suite 600
Cleveland, OH 44114 Toll free: 800.251.2365
216.592.2900 V 216.592.6699 F 0100 SYSSP
BSVI Northeast
Akron (count with Akron/Akron BSVI/Portage-Medina) (Summit)
161 S High St Ste 101
Akron OH 44308-1615 Toll free: 800.251.2368
330.643.3080 V 330.643-3730 F 330.643-3090
BSVI Northeast
Youngstown (Mahoning)
242 Federal Plaza West, STE 403
Youngstown OH 44503-1210
330.797.9980 V 330.797.9455 F 330.797.9985
BSVI Northwest
RST 9300
Toledo BSVI (Lucas)
5241 Southwyck BLVD Suite 200
Toledo OH 43614 Toll free: 800.589.5811
419.866.5811 V/TTY Fax: 419-866-1669
BSVI Northwest
Lima (Allen County)
924 N Cable Rd
Lima OH 45805-1798 Toll free: 800.589.4270
419.227.4270
BSVI Northwest
Lorain County (BSVI) (counties: Lorain, Ashland)
2173 N Ridge Rd E. Ste E
Lorain OH 44055-3412, Toll free: 800.635.7194
440.240.1060
BSVI Northwest
Mansfield (Richland) (Count with Mansfield BVR)
2281 Village Mall Dr Ste A
Mansfield OH 44906-1159, Toll free: 800 257-9411
419.747.3040
BSVI Northwest
Tiffin Office (counties: Marion, Seneca, Hancock, Wyandot)
2550 S State Rt 100
Tiffin OH 44883-9709, Toll free: 800.892.4358
419.448.9492
BSVI Southeast
Columbus BSVI & BE (Franklin)
2200 W. Fifth Avenue, 1st Floor
Columbus OH 43215-1047, Toll free: 800 742-0570
614.466.7730
BSVI Southeast
BSVI Athens Office (Athens)
86 Columbus Rd Ste 103
Athens OH 45701-1312 Toll free 800.248.4378
740.592.4411
BSVI/BE Southeast
Canton Office (Stark)
401 Market Avenue North, Ste 200
Canton OH 44702-1543
330.438.0500
BSVI Southeast
Portsmouth (Scioto)
4304-B Old Scioto Trail
Portsmouth OH 45662-6642, Toll free: 800 548-9139
740.354.8803
BSVI - Southeast - Area 4
BSVI Zanesville General (Muskingum)
601 Underwood St Ste D
Zanesville OH 43701-3785, Toll free: 800.645.1094
740.453.0673
Ohio Radio Reading Services
Ohio Education Telecommunications Network Commission
(614) 644-1714
Akron, WCRS
(330) 784-3393
Athens/Cambridge, Ohio University
(740) 593-4949
Cincinnati, WRRS
(513) 621-4545
Cleveland, CRRS
(216) 791-8118
Columbus, CORRS
(614) 274-0765
Dayton/Greenville, WORDS
(937) 341-5210
Portsmouth, SRRS
(740) 355-8231
Toledo/Bowling Green, SCAN
(419) 241-1183
Youngstown, YRRS
(330) 759-0100
Libraries for the Blind
Cleveland Regional Library
(800) 362-1262
National Library Service
(800) 424-8567
Local Service Delivery Agencies
Cincinnati Association for the Blind
(513) 221-8558
Cleveland Sight Center
(216) 791-8118
Clovernook Center for the blind
(513) 522-3860
Toledo Sight Center
419-720-EYES (3937) or 1-800-624-8378
Fax: 419-720-3938
Vision and Vocational Services (Central Ohio)
(614) 294-5571
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APPENDIX C: Proclamations and Public Relations Resources
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WHITE CANE SAFETY DAY
FOR COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES
WHEREAS, the white cane, which all blind citizens of the (school name) community have the right to carry, demonstrates and symbolizes their ability to achieve a full and independent life and their capacity to work productively in competitive employment; and
WHEREAS, the white cane, by allowing all blind people to move freely and safely from place to place, makes it possible for them to participate fully in and contribute to the enrichment of our campus community; and
WHEREAS, motorists should be aware that the law requires that blind pedestrians using a white cane or a guide dog shall have the right-of-way; and
WHEREAS, this body recognizes that it is respectable to be blind and that the blind are equal in every way to their sighted peers, different only by the characteristic of not having the physical ability to see; and
WHEREAS, through the efforts of the (name of school) community and with the assistance of the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio, we can look forward to a continued expansion of educational opportunities for and greater acceptance of blind people in the competitive labor market; and
WHEREAS, the National Federation of the Blind has declared October as Meet the Blind Month and takes this opportunity each year to educate the public about the abilities of blind citizens:
Now, therefore, the Student Senate of (name of school) hereby proclaims October 2009 Meet the Blind Month and October 15, 2009,
WHITE CANE SAFETY DAY
for the purpose of bringing the (name of school) community to a greater understanding of blindness and what it means to be blind and calls upon every academic institution to offer full educational opportunities to all blind students.
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WHITE CANE SAFETY DAY PROCLAMATION
WHEREAS, the white cane, which all blind citizens of our (city/county) have the right to carry, demonstrates and symbolizes their ability to achieve a full and independent life and their capacity to work productively in competitive employment; and
WHEREAS, by allowing all blind people to move freely and safely from place to place, the white cane makes it possible for them to participate fully in and contribute to our society; and
WHEREAS, Ohio law calls upon employers, both public and private, to be aware of and use the employment skills of blind citizens by recognizing their worth as individuals and their productive capacities as employees; and
WHEREAS, the National Federation of the Blind has declared October as Meet the Blind Month and takes this opportunity each year to educate the public about the abilities of blind citizens; and
WHEREAS, through the public education and outreach efforts of the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio, citizens of this (city/county) can look forward to a continued expansion of employment opportunities for and greater acceptance of blind people in the competitive labor market:
NOW, THEREFORE, I, (name), Mayor/City Manager/Commissioner of the City/County of (name of city/county), do hereby proclaim October 2009 as Meet the Blind Month and October 15, 2009,
WHITE CANE SAFETY DAY
in the City/County of (name of city/county), for the purpose of bringing a greater understanding of blindness and what it means to be blind to the citizens of this city/county and call upon our schools to offer full opportunities for training to blind people; public and private employers to use the available skills of competent blind people and to open new opportunities for the blind in our rapidly changing society; and all citizens to recognize the white cane as an instrument of safety and self-help for blind pedestrians on our streets and highways.
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BRAILLE LITERACY WEEK
SAMPLE PROCLAMATION FOR CITIES AND COUNTIES
WHEREAS, all residents of the (City/County) of (name of city/county) must possess competency in reading and writing in order to be competitive, productive citizens; and
WHEREAS, the people of (name of city/county) believe in the basic right to quality education for all citizens of this (city/county); and
WHEREAS, Braille continues to be the most useful tactile reading and writing system for blind people; and
WHEREAS, the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio has always been in the forefront of efforts to demonstrate both the usefulness of Braille and the critical need for Braille instruction for blind and visually impaired people who cannot efficiently read and write print; and
WHEREAS, the National Federation of the Blind promotes the value of Braille through the National Association to Promote the Use of Braille, the Braille Readers Are Leaders Contest for blind children, and working with the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped of the Library of Congress; and
WHEREAS, Louis Braille, the inventor of the Braille code, was born on January 4, 1809:
NOW, THEREFORE, I (name), (Mayor/City Manager/Commissioner) of the (city/county) of (name of city/county), do hereby designate the week of January 4, 2010, as
BRAILLE LITERACY WEEK
in the (City/county) of (name of city/county), and urge all citizens to take this opportunity to recognize the contributions made by Louis Braille and the importance of Braille literacy for all blind citizens of our (city/county).
Signature
Date
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National Federation of the Blind of Ohio
PSA #1
Are you blind or losing sight? Does it scare you or make you feel inadequate?
You don't have to feel that way!
The National Federation of the Blind of Ohio is working to ensure security, opportunity, and equality for all blind people. We are changing what it means to be blind.
For more information contact the chapter of the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio, (phone).
Don't just curse the darkness; light your own candle by contacting the NFB.
PSA #2
Visual impairment and blindness can seem overwhelming, but they don't have to mean the end of the world.
The National Federation of the Blind is the largest organization of blind people speaking for themselves. It has more than 50,000 members in local chapters across the country.
If you have questions about blindness, call your local chapter at (phone)
The National Federation of the Blind can show you the way back to an active life.
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THE BASICS OF PRESS-RELEASE-WRITING
National Federation of the Blind
Public Relations Committee
The press release is a convenient way to provide the media with information about activities or people of interest to the public. You should respect several conventions if you want your material to be considered:
1. Supply contact information. A reporter must know whom to reach for more information.
2. Use correct spelling. Be especially careful to spell names consistently. If a reporter can detect variation in your spelling, he or she will be more likely to suspect the accuracy of other information as well.
3. Make an effort to present your information objectively. Be sure that the more recognizably controversial elements of your release are attributed to someone. This may be by direct quote or by the use of phrases like "according to Federation officials." It isn't necessary to put the case for the other side in a dispute, but it is helpful if you summarize in neutral terms the arguments that you wish to refute: "Area businessmen often fear that blind workers can't work as efficiently as sighted ones."
4. If you are faxing, mailing, or hand-delivering a release, it should be double-spaced with wide margins for making editing notes. When you use a service like PR Newswire, which drops your text directly into the computers of news organizations for a fee, or when you e-mail your release directly to a reporter, it should be single-spaced because the reporter can edit it directly. Today email is the generally preferred method of sending press releases.
5. Paragraphs should be kept short. Never mind keeping to the principle of developing a full thought in each paragraph. In press releases each one should be about four lines long. You can't always do that, but don't resist dividing your carefully constructed arguments in the middle. Reporters like lots of white space in which to scribble.
You should always try to keep your release as short as you can in order to get the job done. The material should be organized in an inverted pyramid, with the most important information at the top and the least vital at the bottom. The principle is that the editor will cut from the end. This means that your lead (the first sentence) is most important. The idea is both to provide the essential information immediately and to persuade the reporter to keep reading. Include who, what, where, and when. Why will probably take a little longer and is likely to be more complex and controversial, so following the lead with a quote from a distinguished person (President Maurer, Mr. Gashel, or the state president, for example) expressing the reason for the action or the nature of the injustice being addressed is usually the job of the second paragraph. Leads are hard to write because there is so much to cram in that it is difficult to provide zip as well. A lead that is not too lengthy followed by a crisp or startling second paragraph will usually do the trick. Another solution to the keep-reading requirement is to provide the punch in the slug (proposed headline) at the top: "Blind Activists Declare Hunger Strike." Then follow that with a lead that provides the 4-W details.
When you have covered the details of your story briefly, clearly, and simply, end your press release with general information about the National Federation of the Blind. This is likely to be cut from the printed story, but it will give the reporter helpful background information.
Try hard to write the press release clearly. You understand the complexities of the issues about which you are writing, but you will be safer if you presume that the reporter knows nothing about the problem or conflict. Resist the temptation to include all the nuances. You can get into those if you get an interview. For purposes of the release, simplicity is the byword.
One final word about quotes. You don't have to wait around for a Federation leader to say something quotable. As long as the quote is something that the person to which it is attributed would agree with, you can make up the precise words. Most of us sound pretty stupid when we are actually quoted. If you are quoting the opposition, however, be absolutely certain to get exact quotes or stay away from quotation marks and use the "according to" formula instead. If you are uneasy about making up quotes for the organizers of the project or the elected leaders of the chapter or state, call and read them the proposed quotes and ask if they are happy to have those words attributed to them. In short, the purpose of quotes from your own side is to tell the more biased parts of the story. If you are using quotes from opponents, choose ones that are accurate and of a character that will give you something to respond to.
Since many people are not aware of the services of PR Newswire, let me mention that any state affiliate can become a member of PR Newswire for a fairly nominal annual cost. After that, for an additional fee of a few dollars to several thousand, any release can be generated and circulated to a group or groups of news outlets from one small city to entire continents. The New York headquarters' toll-free number is 1-800-832-5522, and they will refer you to one of the other offices depending on your location. The glorious technology of fax machine and Internet makes all this possible.
In the summer of 2005 we can say that the plans for the redesigned NFB Web site include a pressroom, where reporters can find current releases and members can find material to download and customize for local or state use. Those with press responsibilities should make a point of keeping abreast of what is available in the pressroom.
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Appendix D: Organizational Policies and Procedures:
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Constitution
of the
National Federation of the Blind
as Amended 1986
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ARTICLE I. NAME
The name of this organization is the National Federation of the Blind.
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ARTICLE II. PURPOSE
The purpose of the National Federation of the Blind is to serve as a vehicle for collective action by the blind of the nation; to function as a mechanism through which the blind and interested sighted persons can come together in local, state, and national meetings to plan and carry out programs to improve the quality of life for the blind; to provide a means of collective action for parents of blind children; to promote the vocational, cultural, and social advancement of the blind; to achieve the integration of the blind into society on a basis of equality with the sighted; and to take any other action which will improve the overall condition and standard of living of the blind.
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ARTICLE III. MEMBERSHIP
Section A. The membership of the National Federation of the Blind shall consist of the members of the state affiliates, the members of divisions, and members at large. Members of divisions and members at large shall have the same rights, privileges, and responsibilities in the National Federation of the Blind as members of state affiliates.
The board of directors shall establish procedures for admission of divisions and shall determine the structure of divisions. The divisions shall, with the approval of the board, adopt constitutions and determine their membership policies. Membership in divisions shall not be conditioned upon membership in state affiliates.
The board of directors shall establish procedures for admission of members at large, determine how many classes of such members shall be established, and determine the annual dues to be paid by members of each class.
Section B. Each state or territorial possession of the United States, including the District of Columbia, having an affiliate shall have one vote at the National Convention. These organizations shall be referred to as state affiliates.
Section C. State affiliates shall be organizations of the blind controlled by the blind. No organization shall be recognized as an "organization of the blind controlled by the blind" unless at least a majority of its voting members and a majority of the voting members of each of its local chapters are blind.
Section D. The board of directors shall establish procedures for the admission of state affiliates. There shall be only one state affiliate in each state.
Section E. Any member, local chapter, state affiliate, or division of this organization may be suspended, expelled, or otherwise disciplined for misconduct or for activity unbecoming to a member or affiliate of this organization by a two-thirds vote of the board of directors or by a simple majority of the states present and voting at a National Convention. If the action is to be taken by the board, there must be good cause, and a good faith effort must have been made to try to resolve the problem by discussion and negotiation. If the action is to be taken by the Convention, notice must be given on the preceding day at an open board meeting or a session of the Convention. If a dispute arises as to whether there was "good cause," or whether the board made a "good faith effort," the National Convention (acting in its capacity as the supreme authority of the Federation) shall have the power to make final disposition of the matter; but until or unless the board's action is reversed by the National Convention, the ruling of the board shall continue in effect.
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ARTICLE IV. OFFICERS, BOARD OF DIRECTORS,
AND NATIONAL ADVISORY BOARD
Section A. The officers of the National Federation of the Blind shall be: (1) president, (2) first vice president, (3) second vice president, (4) secretary, and (5) treasurer. They shall be elected biennially.
Section B. The officers shall be elected by majority vote of the state affiliates present and voting at a National Convention. Section C. The National Federation of the Blind shall have a board of directors, which shall be composed of the five officers and twelve additional members, six of whom shall be elected at the Annual Convention during even-numbered years and six of whom shall be elected at the Annual Convention during odd-numbered years. The members of the board of directors shall serve for two- year terms.
Section D. The board of directors may, in its discretion, create a national advisory board and determine the duties and qualifications of the members of the national advisory board.
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ARTICLE V. POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE CONVENTION,
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, AND THE PRESIDENT
Section A. Powers and Duties of the Convention. The Convention is the supreme authority of the Federation. It is the legislature of the Federation. As such, it has final authority with respect to all issues of policy. Its decisions shall be made after opportunity has been afforded for full and fair discussion. Delegates and members in attendance may participate in all Convention discussions as a matter of right. Any member of the Federation may make or second motions, propose nominations, serve on committees, and is eligible for election to office, except that only blind members may be elected to the national board. Voting and making motions by proxy are prohibited. Consistent with the democratic character of the Federation, Convention meetings shall be so conducted as to prevent parliamentary maneuvers which would have the effect of interfering with the expression of the will of the majority on any question, or with the rights of the minority to full and fair presentation of their views. The Convention is not merely a gathering of representatives of separate state organizations. It is a meeting of the Federation at the national level in its character as a national organization. Committees of the Federation are committees of the national organization. The nominating committee shall consist of one member from each state affiliate represented at the Convention, and each state affiliate shall appoint its member to the committee. From among the members of the committee, the president shall appoint a chairperson.
Section B. Powers and Duties of the Board of Directors. The function of the board of directors as the governing body of the Federation between Conventions is to make policies when necessary and not in conflict with the policies adopted by the Convention. Policy decisions which can reasonably be postponed until the next meeting of the National Convention shall not be made by the board of directors. The board of directors shall serve as a credentials committee. It shall have the power to deal with organizational problems presented to it by any member, local chapter, state affiliate, or division; shall decide appeals regarding the validity of elections in local chapters, state affiliates, or divisions; and shall certify the credentials of delegates when questions regarding the validity of such credentials arise. By a two-thirds vote the board may suspend one of its members for violation of a policy of the organization or for other action unbecoming to a member of the Federation. By a two-thirds vote the board may reorganize any local chapter, state affiliate, or division. The board may not suspend one of its own members or reorganize a local chapter, state affiliate, or division except for good cause and after a good-faith effort has been made to try to resolve the problem by discussion and negotiation. If a dispute arises as to whether there was "good cause" or whether the board made a "good-faith effort," the National Convention (acting in its capacity as the supreme authority of the Federation) shall have the power to make final disposition of the matter; but until or unless the board's action is reversed by the National Convention, the ruling of the board shall continue in effect. There shall be a standing subcommittee of the board of directors which shall consist of three members. The committee shall be known as the subcommittee on budget and finance. It shall, whenever it deems necessary, recommend to the board of directors principles of budgeting, accounting procedures, and methods of financing the Federation program; and shall consult with the president on major expenditures.
The board of directors shall meet at the time of each National Convention. It shall hold other meetings on the call of the president or on the written request of any five members.
Section C. Powers and Duties of the President. The president is the principal administrative officer of the Federation. In this capacity his or her duties consist of carrying out the policies adopted by the Convention; conducting the day-to-day management of the affairs of the Federation; authorizing expenditures from the Federation treasury in accordance with and in implementation of the policies established by the Convention; appointing all committees of the Federation except the nominating committee; coordinating all activities of the Federation, including the work of other officers and of committees; hiring, supervising, and dismissing staff members and other employees of the Federation, and determining their numbers and compensation; taking all administrative actions necessary and proper to put into effect the programs and accomplish the purposes of the Federation. The implementation and administration of the interim policies adopted by the board of directors are the responsibility of the president as principal administrative officer of the Federation.
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ARTICLE VI. STATE AFFILIATES
Any organized group desiring to become a state affiliate of the National Federation of the Blind shall apply for affiliation by submitting to the president of the National Federation of the Blind a copy of its constitution and a list of the names and addresses of its elected officers. Under procedures to be established by the board of directors, action shall be taken on the application. If the action is affirmative, the National Federation of the Blind shall issue to the organization a charter of affiliation. Upon request of the national president the state affiliate shall provide to the national president the names and addresses of its members. Copies of all amendments to the constitution and/or bylaws of an affiliate shall be sent without delay to the national president. No organization shall be accepted as an affiliate and no organization shall remain an affiliate unless at least a majority of its voting members are blind. The president, vice president (or vice presidents), and at least a majority of the executive committee or board of directors of the state affiliate and of all of its local chapters must be blind. Affiliates must not merely be social organizations but must formulate programs and actively work to promote the economic and social betterment of the blind. Affiliates and their local chapters must comply with the provisions of the constitution of the Federation.
Policy decisions of the Federation are binding upon all affiliates and local chapters, and the affiliate and its local chapters must participate affirmatively in carrying out such policy decisions. The name National Federation of the Blind, Federation of the Blind, or any variant thereof is the property of the National Federation of the Blind; and any affiliate or local chapter of an affiliate which ceases to be part of the National Federation of the Blind (for whatever reason) shall forthwith forfeit the right to use the name National Federation of the Blind, Federation of the Blind, or any variant thereof.
A general convention of the membership of an affiliate or of the elected delegates of the membership must be held and its principal executive officers must be elected at least once every two years. There can be no closed membership. Proxy voting is prohibited in state affiliates and local chapters. Each affiliate must have a written constitution or bylaws setting forth its structure, the authority of its officers, and the basic procedures which it will follow. No publicly contributed funds may be divided among the membership of an affiliate or local chapter on the basis of membership, and (upon request from the national office) an affiliate or local chapter must present an accounting of all of its receipts and expenditures. An affiliate or local chapter must not indulge in attacks upon the officers, board members, leaders, or members of the Federation or upon the organization itself outside of the organization, and must not allow its officers or members to indulge in such attacks. This requirement shall not be interpreted to interfere with the right of an affiliate or local chapter, or its officers or members, to carry on a political campaign inside the Federation for election to office or to achieve policy changes. However, the organization will not sanction or permit deliberate, sustained campaigns of internal organizational destruction by state affiliates, local chapters, or members. No affiliate or local chapter may join or support, or allow its officers or members to join or support, any temporary or permanent organization inside the Federation which has not received the sanction and approval of the Federation.
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ARTICLE VII. DISSOLUTION
In the event of dissolution, all assets of the organization shall be given to an organization with similar purposes which has received a 501(c)(3) certification by the Internal Revenue Service.
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ARTICLE VIII. AMENDMENTS
This constitution may be amended at any regular Annual Convention of the Federation by an affirmative vote of two-thirds of the state affiliates registered, present, and voting; provided that the proposed amendment shall have been signed by five state affiliates in good standing and that it shall have been presented to the president the day before final action by the Convention.
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THE CONSTITUTION OF
THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND OF OHIO
Adopted November 6, 1987
Amended November 7, 1998
ARTICLE I. NAME
The name of this organization is The Ohio Council of the Blind Inc. It shall do business under the trade name of the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio.
ARTICLE II. PURPOSE
The purpose of the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio is to serve as a vehicle for collective action for the blind of the state; to function as a mechanism through which the blind and interested sighted people can come together in local and state- wide meetings to plan and carry out programs to improve the quality of life for the blind; to provide a means of collective action for parents of blind children; to promote the vocational, cultural, and social advancement of the blind; to achieve the integration of the blind into society on a basis of equality with the sighted; to take other action which will improve the overall condition and standard of living of the blind; to act as the Ohio affiliate of the National Federation of the Blind; and to support the National Federation of the Blind financially to the greatest extent possible.
ARTICLE III. MEMBERSHIP
Section A. Admission to Membership
At least a majority of the members of this organization must be blind. All members in good standing of local chapters or of divisions are automatically members of this organization with the right to vote, serve on committees, and speak on the floor.
Section B. Expulsion
Any member, local chapter, or division may after an opportunity is presented for a hearing be expelled for violation of this Constitution or for conduct unbecoming to a member of the Federation by a majority of the members present and voting at any regular business session of this organization, or by a two-thirds vote of the Board of Directors. If the action is to be taken by the Board, there must be good cause, and a good faith effort must have been made to try to resolve the problem by discussion and negotiation.
The state convention may reinstate any person, chapter, or division that has been expelled unless such expulsion has been confirmed by the National Convention or by the Board of Directors of the National Federation of the Blind, in which event the person, chapter, or division may not be reinstated except by the National Convention or by the National Board. Any person who believes that he or she or the chapter or division of which he or she is a member has been unjustly expelled from this organization may appeal to the Board of Directors of the National Federation of the Blind, which may in its discretion consider the matter and make a binding decision.
ARTICLE IV. LOCAL CHAPTERS AND DIVISIONS
Section A. Admission of Local Chapters and Divisions
Any organized group desiring to become a local chapter or division of the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio shall apply for affiliation by submitting to the President of the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio a copy of its constitution and a list of the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of its members and elected officers. When the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio either in convention assembled or by action of its Board of Directors shall have approved the application, it shall issue a Charter of Affiliation to the local chapter or division. Annually, on or before January 1, each local chapter or division shall provide to the Secretary of the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio a current list of the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of its members. At the same time, the Treasurer shall forward to the Treasurer of the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio the state dues for each member of the group. Upon written request by the President, a detailed financial report for the past year shall be provided within thirty (30 days). Each local chapter or division is charged a flat tax of $10. The financial year of this organization shall be the calendar year. As new members enter the local chapter or division, their names, addresses, and telephone numbers shall be sent without delay to the Secretary of the state organization, and their state dues shall be sent without delay to the Treasurer of the state organization.
Section B. Requirements for Affiliation
No group shall be accepted as a chapter or division and no group shall remain a chapter or division unless a majority of its voting members are blind, except in the case of the Parents Division. The President, the Vice President (or Vice Presidents), and at least a majority of the group's Executive Committee or Board of Directors, except in the case of the Parents Division, must be blind. In the Parents Division sighted members may assume any position of leadership. The President of the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio shall be ex officio a member of each local chapter and division.
Section C. Dissolution of Local Chapters and Divisions
In the event of the dissolution of a local chapter or division, or if (for whatever reason) it ceases to be a part of the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio, unless there is mutual agreement between the parties to do otherwise, its assets shall be given to the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio to be held in trust for a reorganized local chapter or division. If no chapter or division is reorganized in the area for a period of two years from the date of dissolution, the assets become the property of the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio.
ARTICLE V. OFFICERS AND THEIR DUTIES
Section A. Officers
There shall be elected at the regular annual convention during each even- numbered year a President, First Vice President, Second Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer. The terms of these officers shall begin at the close of the convention at which they are elected. Officers shall be elected by a majority of the members who are present and voting. There shall be no proxy voting. All of the officers except the treasurer must be blind.
ARTICLE VI. THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The Board of Directors of this organization shall consist of the five (5) constitutional officers and eight (8) additional members. Two (2) of the Board members shall be elected at the annual convention in even-numbered years, and six (6) shall be elected at the annual convention during odd-numbered years. The eight (8) Board members shall be elected in the same manner as that prescribed for the election of officers. The Board shall meet not less than twice a year, at the call of the President or on written call signed by any three (3) of the Board members. The Board shall advise the President and shall have charge of the affairs of the organization between conventions. Seven (7) members of the Board shall constitute a quorum for transacting business at any meeting. The Board may be polled by telephone or mail ballot on any question. All of the Board must be blind except that the Treasurer and one (1) member of the Parents of Blind Children Division may be elected to the Board even if they are sighted.
ARTICLE VII. MEETINGS
Section A. Annual Convention
This organization shall hold an annual convention, the time and place of which shall be fixed by the Board of Directors. Representation from two thirds of the chapters and divisions and forty (40) members in good standing must be present to constitute a quorum for transacting business at any annual
convention.
Section B. Special Meetings
The President of this organization may call a special meeting of the body at any time he or she, or a majority of the Board of Directors, deems such a meeting necessary. At such a special meeting, forty (40) members in good standing shall constitute a quorum for transacting business, and written notice must have been sent to the presidents of each local chapter and division and to each member of the Board of Directors at least ten (10) business days prior to the date of the meeting. Only business mentioned in the call of a special meeting can be transacted at such a meeting.
ARTICLE VIII. AFFILIATION
The National Federation of the Blind of Ohio shall be an affiliate of the National Federation of the Blind and shall furnish to the President of the National Federation of the Blind annually, on or before January 1, a list of the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of its members and elected officers. A copy of the Constitution of the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio and of all amendments shall be sent to the President of the National Federation of the Blind without delay.
The National Federation of the Blind of Ohio shall not merely be a social organization but shall formulate programs and actively work to promote the economic and social betterment of the blind. This organization shall comply with the provisions of the Constitution of the National Federation of the Blind and with the provisions of the contract appearing on the back of the Charter of Affiliation issued to state affiliates by the National Federation of the Blind. Policy decisions (whether made by the National Convention or the National Federation of the Blind's Board of Directors) are binding upon this organization, and this organization shall participate affirmatively in carrying out such policy decisions. As a condition of affiliation, it is agreed by this organization that the National Federation of the Blind (whether by action of the National Convention or the National Board) has the power to expel or discipline any individual member and to expel or reorganize this state affiliate or any of its local chapters or divisions. If the action is to be taken by the Board, there must be good cause, and a good faith effort must have been made to try to resolve the problem by discussion and negotiation. In the event of reorganization, the assets of the affiliate and its local chapters and divisions belong to the reorganized affiliate, and the former affiliate shall dissolve and cease to exist. The name National Federation of the Blind, Federation of the Blind, or any variant thereof is the property of the National Federation of the Blind; and the organization or any of its local chapters and divisions which cease to be a part of the National Federation of the Blind (for whatever reason) shall forfeit the right to use the name National Federation of the Blind, Federation of the Blind, or any variant thereof.
ARTICLE IX. DUES
Local chapters and divisions shall pay the state dues of their members annually. No one may vote whose dues have not been paid.
ARTICLE X. DISBURSEMENT OF FUNDS
The National Federation of the Blind of Ohio is a not-for-profit corporation under the provisions of the Internal Revenue Code, Section 501(c)3. The funds of the organization shall be deposited in a bank to be selected by the Treasurer with the approval of the President. The Treasurer shall be bonded. All financial obligations of this organization shall be discharged by check, issued on order of the President and signed by the Treasurer.
ARTICLE XI. DISSOLUTION
In the event of the dissolution of this organization, or if (for whatever reason) it ceases to be an affiliate of the National Federation of the Blind, its assets shall be given to the National Federation of the Blind to be held in trust for a reorganized affiliate in the state. In the event that no affiliate is reorganized in the state for a period of two (2) years from the date this organization ceases to be an affiliate of the National Federation of the Blind, the assets become the property of the National Federation of the Blind.
ARTICLE XII. AMENDMENTS
This Constitution may be amended at any regular meeting of this organization by an affirmative vote of two-thirds of the members present and voting, provided that the proposed amendment has been submitted in writing and read at a previous business session and provided that it is in compliance with the Charter of Affiliation received from the National Federation of the Blind and the policies and constitution of the National Federation of the Blind.
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2009 NFB of Ohio Committee Assignments
DEAF-BLIND COORDINATORS: Bernie Dressell and Lisa Hall
Charge: To provide assistance and information to those who are in this unique community and to serve as a vehicle to foster a positive relationship for the deaf-blind community.
AD HOC COMMITTEE: Bruce Peters (chair), Annie Donnellon, Crystal McClain,
Richard Payne, and William Turner
Charge: To evaluate and assess many aspects of our organization and to report their findings at the spring board meeting.
AWARDS COMMITTEE: Barb Fohl (chair), Debbie Baker, Paul Dressell, Eric Duffy, and Cathy Withman
Charge: To oversee the awards process, to provide information and feedback when necessary, and to make reasonable judgments about NFBO awards.
CONSTITUTION COMMITTEE: Deborah Kendrick (chair), Annette Anderson, Annie Donnellon, and Paul Dressell
Charge: To make sure that all NFBO constitutions are in compliance with the state and national constitutions, both philosophically and rhetorically.
CONVENTION PLANNING AND ARRANGEMENTS COMMITTEE: Mary Pool and Bruce Peters (co-chairs), Carol Akers, Cindy Conley, Deborah Kendrick, Crystal McClain, Wanda Sloan, and Jeanette Wade
Charge: To assist in the planning and functioning of our state and national conventions and to provide additional assistance in the selection process of state convention sites.
FINANCING THE MOVEMENT COMMITTEE: Sherry Ruth (chair) Annette Anderson (SUN coordinator), Everett Gavel (Imagination Fund coordinator), Mary Pool (Jernigan Fund coordinator), and Ron Williamitis (PAC coordinator)
Charge: To make members aware of these specific organizational fundraising opportunities and to implement strategies to increase participation.
FUNDRAISING COMMITTEE: Sherri Albers (chair), Carol Akers, Cindy Conley, Susan Day, Macy McClain, Bruce Peters, William Turner, and Brian White
Charge: To investigate additional opportunities to increase NFBO resources and to implement effective fundraising strategies and programming.
GUIDE DOG COMMITTEE: Debbie Baker (chair), Annette Anderson, and Diane Johnson
Charge: To serve as a vehicle for disbursing information and opportunity for interested guide dog users.
LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE: Eric Duffy (chair), Debbie Baker, Cindy Conley, Susan Day, Marilyn Donehey, and Robert Spangler
Charge: To increase the visibility and viability of the organization in the state legislature.
MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE: Richard Payne (chair), Rebekah Booth, Susan Day, Cheryl Fischer, Hannah Furney, Crystal McClain, David Perry, Barbara Pierce, and William Turner
Charge: To implement effective strategies to recruit, retain, and reinvigorate the members of the NFB of Ohio.
PERSONNEL COMMITTEE: J.W. Smith (chair), Eric Duffy, Barb Fohl, Deborah Kendrick, Crystal McClain, Barbara Pierce, and Sherry Ruth
Charge: To oversee and manage the personnel matters of the organization, especially with respect to the director of field services position.
PROMOTION AND PUBLICITY: Susan Day (chair), Sheri Albers, Vincent Fugate, Mary Anne Joseph, Crystal McClain, Macy McClain, and Barbara Pierce
Charge: To promote and publicize appropriate programs and events, and to acquire as much positive publicity as possible for such activities.
RESOLUTIONS COMMITTEE: Paul Dressell (chair), Eric Duffy, Mary Anne Joseph, and Jason Perry
Charge: To oversee the submission process and to write and distribute clearly articulated and philosophically sound resolutions.
SCHOLARSHIP COMMITTEE: Barbara Pierce (chair), Deborah Kendrick, Leslie Penko, Bob Pierce, and William Turner
Charge: To conduct the affiliate scholarship program and to develop and implement effective strategies to increase the visibility of the program and increase participation.
WEBSITE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE: Eric Duffy (Chair), Kyle Conley, Vince Fugate, Everett Gavel, Crystal McClain and, Macy McClain
Charge: To facilitate the development and maintenance of our Website and other related technological outlets.
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July 2009
Dear Chapter or Division President:
The 2009 convention of the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio will be held at the Ramada Plaza Hotel and Conference Center in Columbus from Friday morning, October 30, to Sunday noon, November 1. The next Buckeye Bulletin and future Updates will provide additional information. The deadline for getting award nominations and chapter reports to me for consideration by the awards committee is Friday, September 18, 2009. Please send all reports and nominations to me at the address or email address at the top of this memo. ???You can also fax your materials by using the NFB toll-free number 800-396-6326. No matter how you choose to send it, all material must be typed to be considered by the awards committee.
Some or all of the following awards will be given at our convention:
1. The Chapter Gavel Award will go to the outstanding chapter of the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio in 2009, and the Division Gavel Award will go to the most effective division. See the enclosed memo and questionnaire for detailed information about the award for your group. I have also enclosed the winning Gavel Award report from 2008 in the hope that you may find it helpful.
2. The Chapter on the Move Award is presented from time to time to a chapter that demonstrates significant growth in philosophy and fundamental Federation activities.
3. The Alfonso Smith Award is presented to the outstanding blind Federationist for service to the blind of Ohio. A letter describing the accomplishments of your nominee for this award must be sent to the awards committee by September 18 for its consideration.
4. The Ruth Garwood Award is presented to an outstanding sighted person for service to blind people across the state. This person need not be a Federationist. A letter describing your candidate's work with the blind must be sent to the awards committee by September 18 for consideration.
5. The Knall-Garwood Award is presented to a Federationist for long and loyal service to the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio. A letter describing your candidate's work with the organization must be sent by September 18 to the awards committee in order to be considered.
The Awards Committee makes the following requests to those preparing materials. Please type nomination letters and reports. When it is appropriate in answering the questions for either Gavel Award, please outline in the form of sentences. Only one question requires that the answers be in paragraph form. In completing your entry for the Gavel Award, please answer to the best of your ability so that your chapter or division will receive the maximum number of points available for each question. I recommend that you appoint a small committee to complete the form; a group effort often has an advantage.
Please call me if you have any questions or comments about the awards program. Again, all nominations and reports must be in my hands no later than Friday, September 18, 2009.
Good luck to all of you, and I hope to see you in Columbus.
Sincerely,
Barbara Fohl, Chair
Awards Committee
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DATE: July 2009
SUBJECT: Gavel Award Contest
TO: Chapter and Division Presidents
As you know, each year the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio requires all its chapters and divisions to make a written report covering the year's activities. This document must be in the hands of the board of directors prior to the annual convention in order to assure that chapter and division members have the right to vote during the convention. We invite, but do not require, all chapters and divisions to take part in the Gavel Award Contest conducted each fall to identify and recognize the best Federation chapter and division in the affiliate. (Note that a brief written report of every group’s year’s activities is required by our constitution.)
Because finding ways of encouraging growth and maturity among chapters and divisions is important to us all, the Gavel Award Contest is serious business. Please take time in the coming weeks to answer the enclosed questions and provide the requested information as clearly as possible. Reports must be in my hands by September 18. Where you find blank lines on the print questionnaire, please type or clearly print your short answer in that space. The longer, more complex questions should be answered on a separate sheet of paper, with the answer numbered to match the question being addressed. The information supplied on the questionnaire itself—group’s name, number of members, etc. —may be printed, but everything else must be typed.
Explanatory comments about some of the questions are probably in order. If, after reading the remainder of this memo, you still have questions, you may call or write to me for further information. Question #2 may puzzle some readers. The committee is not interested in the civic activities of chapter or division members or the group as a whole if they have nothing to do with educating the public about the capacities of blind people or furthering the goals of the National Federation of the Blind. For example, prevention-of-blindness projects are valuable civic activities, but they do not, as a matter of course, fall into the interests of the NFB; we work to help blind people function effectively rather than to prevent blindness. On the other hand, if chapter members took part in a political campaign because a candidate indicated interest in an NFB-sponsored piece of legislation, this is noteworthy, not only because we are making valuable friends through this effort, but because we are educating other campaign workers about the abilities of blind people.
Question #4 is an effort to understand what kind of fundraising each chapter or division is doing and how much of the work is actually completed by NFB members. It is also useful to know in what ways other organizations and individuals are brought into the fundraising process.
Question #5 seeks to identify and to promote inter-group activity as well as chapter support for division programs, division support for chapters, and assistance to other elements of the Federation.
Question #6 seeks to measure the proportion of chapter or division contributions to state and national work. It is possible that we have not yet found the best way to word these questions. If you have problems with them, please call and discuss the difficulties with me. Remember that funds used to assist chapter or division members to attend state or national activities are not eligible for counting in this question. If, on the other hand, the chapter made a contribution to the state or national organization in order to assist in important projects, like the Washington Seminar, those contributions do count for purposes of this question.
We are now requiring all groups to take a stab at answering Question #7. We should all be looking for the ways in which our members are becoming more sophisticated and experienced Federationists. This question requires chapter and division members to look at the larger picture. Answering it will increase your group’s score and will help chapter and division leaders chart a sound course in the coming year.
Please make an effort to answer the questions on this questionnaire, even if you do not believe your chapter or division is a serious candidate to win the Gavel Award. We have decided to honor the group that is most improved, as well as the Gavel Award recipients. All of us are capable of competing in the most improved category, so please get a committee together, look over your minutes and treasurer's reports from the past year, and make an effort to write a report that can be used in the Gavel Award Contest.
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Chapter GAVEL AWARD QUESTIONNAIRE
Chapter name:
Chapter president's name:
Current membership: Membership last year: ______
Number of new members joining this year: _______
Before September 1, 2009, how many business meetings will your chapter have conducted since September 1, 2008?
How many members are registered with NFB-NEWSLINE? ___________
How many new users have signed up this year? _______________________
(Members-at-Large only) How many newsletters has your chapter circulated during this period? __________
1. How does your chapter promote the goals, philosophy, and activities of the National Federation of the Blind among chapter members and the general public?
2. Remembering that the NFB strives to promote the vocational, social, and cultural advancement of blind people and to achieve their integration into society and that we believe that with proper training and opportunity blind people can work and play on equal terms with their sighted neighbors, the awards committee presumes that your chapter's members have been engaged in a range of civic activities during the past year. List the chapter activities that, in your opinion, demonstrate Federation commitment to the principles outlined at the beginning of this question.
3. In what forms of advocacy are your chapter members involved?
4. What fundraising projects has your chapter engaged in during the past year?
A. Describe the extent to which chapter members take responsibility for such projects.
B. What role do outside organizations or sighted volunteers play in these activities?
5. How has your chapter interacted with other NFB chapters or divisions during the past year?
A. List all activities in which your chapter has participated with another chapter or division; how many members took part in each?
B. List all state affiliate-sponsored activities in which your chapter has participated; how many members took part?
C. List all events sponsored by the national organization in which chapter members have participated this year; how many took part in each?
6. Funding the projects and activities of the National Federation of the Blind at the local, state, and national levels is vitally important work for all of us. Answering the following questions will assist the awards committee to compute the percentages of financial support of each chapter. This will enable the committee to make useful comparisons.
A. What was your chapter's bank balance as of September 1, 2008?
$ as of September 1, 2009? $ .
B. After subtracting all expenses associated with fundraising, how much money has your chapter raised during the year ending September 1, 2009? $ How much money came in from all other sources during this period? $ .
C. How much money has your chapter contributed to the state affiliate during this period? $________
D. How much money has your chapter contributed to the national organization during this period? $________
7. Take no more than two paragraphs to discuss the ways in which your chapter is a stronger part of the National Federation of the Blind today than it was a year ago.
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DIVISION GAVEL AWARD QUESTIONNAIRE
Division name:_____________________
Division president's name:_______________________
Current dues-paying membership:____ Membership last year: _____
Number of new members joining this year: ____
Total number of members and nonmembers on your mailing list:_______
Before September 1, 2009, how many division board meetings will your division have conducted since September 1, 2008?___
Before September 1, 2009, how many membership meetings or events will your division have conducted since September 1, 2008? ________
How many members are registered with NFB-NEWSLINE?___
How many new users have signed up this year?____
For the Parents Division only, how many children are signed up?____
How many have signed up this year?____
How many newsletters has your division circulated during this period? ____
1. How does your division promote the goals, philosophy, and activities of the National Federation of the Blind among division members and the general public?
2. Remembering that the NFB strives to promote the vocational, social, and cultural advancement of blind people and to achieve their integration into society and that we believe that with proper training and opportunity blind people can work and play on equal terms with their sighted neighbors, the awards committee presumes that your division's members have been engaged in a range of civic activities during the past year. List the division activities that, in your opinion, demonstrate Federation commitment to the principles outlined at the beginning of this question.
3. In what forms of advocacy are your division members involved?
4. What fundraising projects has your division engaged in during the past year?
A. Describe the extent to which division members take responsibility for such projects.
B. What role do outside organizations or sighted volunteers play in these activities?
5. How has your division interacted with other NFB chapters or divisions during the past year?
A. List all activities in which your division has participated with another division or chapter; how many members took part in each?
B. List all state affiliate-sponsored activities in which your division participated; how many members took part in each?
C. List all events sponsored by the national organization in which division members have participated this year; how many took part in each?
6. Funding the projects and activities of the National Federation of the Blind at the local, state, and national levels is vitally important work for all of us. Answering the following questions will assist the awards committee to compute the percentages of financial support for each division. This will enable the committee to make useful comparisons.
A. What was your division's bank balance as of September 1, 2008?_____ and as of September 1, 2009? _________
B. After subtracting all expenses associated with fundraising, how much money has your division raised during the year ending September 1, 2009?______ How much money came in from all other sources during this period? _________
C. How much money has your chapter contributed to the state affiliate during this period? ____
D. How much money has your chapter contributed to the national organization during this period?_________
7. Take no more than two paragraphs to discuss the ways in which your division is a stronger part of the National Federation of the Blind today than it was a year ago.
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NFB of Ohio Policy Summary
Requesting Funds and Cashing Checks
As a consumer organization of volunteers, the NFB of Ohio often reimburses its members for expenses incurred in doing Federation business. Because we often assist parents of blind children, members, and new blind people to get to state and national meetings that will be helpful and instructive, we sometimes advance funds to make attendance possible. But, if we are to be responsible stewards of the funds contributed to us, we must ensure that we can track the funds used in these ways and assure ourselves that they have been used for the purposes intended. For your convenience here is a summary of the policies and procedures developed by the NFB of Ohio board of directors, the treasurer, and the president. Chapter and division presidents should be sure that members understand what is expected of them when they use Federation funds.
If you wish to be reimbursed for out-of-pocket expenses incurred in the course of doing Federation work that you were assigned or given permission to do, you must complete and sign an expense reimbursement form, attach all appropriate receipts, and send it to the president as soon as possible after your return. If your food costs were within the established per diem amount as stated on the form, you do not need to attach meal receipts. Meals and tips are covered by this per diem rate. Transportation costs of all kinds, contracted services, and purchase of goods must be supported by receipts, however, if they are to be honored. Mileage at a rate established by the board is the usual way we reimburse for travel by car. If you have to pay a driver, the hourly rate must be settled before you begin, and we need to know if we are paying for the length of the entire trip or just the driving time. Discuss this with the president before you begin. We usually do not pay for gas as a separate item. Our mileage rate is intended to cover gas and wear on the car. Tolls can be reimbursed if you keep and submit the receipts with your form. Taxi fares and tips are reimbursed if receipts are submitted. Get the driver to write in the full amount you have paid, including tip. Remember that they usually hand you a blank receipt. You can write the date and amount on the receipt in Braille as a reminder to yourself to fill it out correctly.
If you are asking for an advance to cover food and incidentals at a Federation meeting, sign the blank expense reimbursement form you will be sent ahead of the event. We can fill in the amount of the advance on this signed form. We will then have a correct, signed document, and you will not need to submit receipts after the fact. If you do not use all the funds you were advanced, we expect that you will return the unused money. If for any reason you do not attend the meeting, you must return the uncashed check or send the treasurer your personal check in the full amount of the advance. Failure to do so will result in your not being given assistance in the future. If you find yourself in trouble and unable to return the funds immediately, contact the president right away so that a repayment plan can be worked out.
All requests for reimbursement must be sent to the president. He or she sends a voucher instructing the treasurer to write a check to cover all organizational expenses, including member expenses. Sending receipts to the president without a form or at least a memo explaining the expense slows the reimbursement process. Sending receipts or expense forms to the treasurer directly also slows the process since your form will be sent to the president for action.
When you receive a check from the NFB of Ohio for any reason, we ask you to cash it as soon as possible so that our bank records are not complicated by outstanding checks. You can assume that any time you request reimbursement you will have a check within two weeks unless something got lost. If you do not have it by then, check with the president or the treasurer about your check. If you fill in the address lines on the form, you will be more likely to get your check sent to the correct address, particularly if you have moved recently or are making a request for the first time. The financial program we use stores the last address for each person in the system. Readers working with the treasurer are not likely to know or remember that people have moved. Having your current address at hand speeds the process.
We have instituted the policy that checks written in December can be cashed through January. All others will be voided early in January so that we can close the books. Usually you will have three months before the treasurer begins checking on why a check has not been cashed. If it has been lost, it will be reissued. Please cash it promptly. We void checks that have not been cashed after four months. You cause great problems if you then cash a voided check. It should go without saying that, if we have reissued a check that you mislaid, you should not cash the original check when you find it.
These policies may sound draconian, but they have evolved through bitter experience. If you are confused, contact the president with questions. We intend to be humane, but following the rules is important, and they are really common sense.
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Diversity Policy
Because the NFB is a consumer organization of and for blind people, our focus is the disability of blindness, so we do not deal with other disabilities. We would never prevent someone with another disability from joining, but we would not divert our focus to other disabilities except as they might affect or be affected by blindness. From our beginnings we have incorporated into all policies the concept that we take stands, sometimes controversial ones, on blindness issues, but on nothing else. For this reason everyone regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, or any other area of difference is welcome, but as an organization we will take no stand or political position on anything but blindness-connected matters. Historically women have always found it easy to assume leadership in the NFB; For many years about half the state affiliate presidents have been women. Blindness caused by diabetes, glaucoma, and macular degeneration is significantly more prevalent in minority and older populations. The NFB’s membership has always reflected these demographic trends. Because we think of ourselves as a family, we prize respect, loving concern, and courtesy in all our interactions with everyone, within or outside the organization. No human being lives up to this standard all day, every day, but everyone in the NFB of Ohio would recognize this statement as our policy.
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Ethics Policy Statement
NFB-O Board of Directors
All officers and at-large members of the NFB-O Board of Directors shall serve without compensation. Expenses incurred in the course of carrying out board duties shall be reimbursed in accordance with the organization's reimbursement policy. All members of the board are required to disclose any material conflicts of interest as soon as they recognize that they exist. Members must recuse themselves from discussing or voting on any matter in which they have a material conflict of interest.
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August 6, 1999
To Whom It May Concern:
The reimbursement policy of the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio conforms in spirit, but is not absolutely identical, to the policy of the National Federation of the Blind. We reimburse those engaged in business on behalf of the NFB of Ohio for transportation expenses, including bus, taxi, train, airline, or personal auto. We require receipts for all tickets and fares in order to provide reimbursement. We pay drivers at the most advantageous hourly rate negotiable, tolls, and mileage at the rate of .48 per mile. Requests for reimbursement for drivers or for mileage must be made in writing over the signature of the individual being reimbursed.
We reimburse for hotel, room, and tax. We ask that those being reimbursed be as economical as they can in choosing hotel accommodation. We do not pay for cable TV; hotel services such as dry cleaning, fitness center fees, etc.; or room hospitality supplies in refrigerators. We will cover parking fees at hotels if the individual has driven in order to do NFB business.
We reimburse meals and gratuities at a rate up to $30 a day. This does not include alcohol or cigarettes. We also cover incidental expenses such as bell staff tips, business telephone expenses, etc.
The spirit of this reimbursement policy should be apparent from what I have written. We intend to cover the work-related expenses of those engaged in Federation business. The rates we have established to pay are moderate, but should cover the actual costs so that the individual does not incur hardship in volunteering his or her service. We believe it is inappropriate to spend our resources on overtly personal pleasures or indulgences. NFB volunteers are welcome to enjoy themselves during their free time, but not at Federation expense. Receipts for meals need not be supplied so long as the expense is less than $30 a day. All requests for reimbursement must be in the form of a clear, signed memorandum or a completed signed expense reimbursement form accompanied by all necessary receipts. Requests for reimbursement not accompanied by receipts are subject to presidential refusal to voucher. The organization’s president reviews all requests for reimbursement and instructs the treasurer to pay those which are deemed to be appropriate.
Very truly yours,
Barbara Pierce
President
#0000 Date, Year
THE TREASURER OF THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND OF OHIO
WILL PLEASE PAY
and no/100--------------------------------------------------------- DOLLARS
| AMOUNT CODE EXPLANATION |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
|$ | TOTAL AMOUNT |
J. Webster Smith, President
#0000, Date and Year
THE TREASURER OF THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND OF OHIO
WILL PLEASE PAY
and no/100--------------------------------------------------------- DOLLARS
| AMOUNT CODE EXPLANATION |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
|$ | TOTAL AMOUNT |
J. Webster Smith, President
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Appendix X: Legislation and Regulations
(120th General Assembly)
(Amended Substitute House Bill number 164)
AN ACT
To amend sections 3323-01 and 3329.01 and to enact sections 3319.232, 3323.011, 3323.031, and 3323.18 of the Revised Code to require the standards for teaching certificates to teach visually disabled students to include demonstrated competency,in the use of braille, to require an annual assessment of reading and writing skills in each medium determined to be appropriate for each visually disabled student, to define "students with visual disabilities" to include those medically predicted to become visually disabled in the future, to require IEP's for visually disabled ;students to specifically contain a requirement for instruction in braille reading and writing when that medium is appropriate for the student, to require integration of the use of braille reading and writing into a student's entire curriculum when braille is specified as an appropriate medium for the student, to require publishers wishing to offer schoolbooks for sale to Ohio schools to also offer for sale computer diskettes for translating the text into braille at a price no greater than the schoolbook price, to permit school districts and nonpublic schools to add time to the normal school day for any number of days to make up days missed for hazardous weather conditions in excess of the number permitted by law, and to declare an emergency.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Ohio:
Am. Sub. H. B. No. 164
SECTION 1. That sections 3323.01 and 3329.01 be amended and sections 3319.232, 3323.011, 3323.031, and 3323.18 of the Revised Code be enacted to read as follows:
See. 3319.232. The state board of education shall adopt standards for attaining a certificate of the type described in division (e) of section 3319.22 of the revised code that require any teacher certified to teach students with visual disabilities to demonstrate competency in reading and writing braille. The standards for demonstrating competency shall be consistent with those adopted for teachers by the national library service for the blind and physically handicapped of the library of congress.
Sec. 3323.01. As used in this chapter and Chapter 3321. of the Revised Code:
(A) "Handicapped child" means a person under twenty-two years of age who is developmentally handicapped, hearing handicapped, speech handicapped, visually handicapped disabled, severe behavior handicapped, orthopedically handicapped, multihandicapped, other health handicapped, specific learning disabled, autistic, or traumatic brain injured, and by reason thereof requires special education.
(B) "Special education program" means the required related services and instruction specifically designed to meet the unique needs of a handicapped child, including classroom instruction, home instruction, and instruction in hospitals and institutions and in other settings.
(C) "Related services" means transportation, and such developmental, corrective, and other supportive services as may be required to assist a handicapped child to benefit from special education, including the early identification and assessment of handicapped conditions in children, speech pathology and audiology, psychological services, occupational and physical therapy, physical education, recreation, counseling services including rehabilitative counseling, and medical services, except that such medical services shall be for diagnostic and evaluation purposes only.
(D) "Appropriate public education" means special education and related services that:
(1) Are provided at public expense and under public supervision;
(2) Meet the standards of the state board of education;
(3) Include an appropriate preschool, elementary, or secondary education;
(4) Are provided in conformity with the individualized education program required under this chapter.
(E) "Individualized education program" means a written statement for each handicapped child designed to meet the unique needs of a handicapped child, which statement shall include:
(1) A statement of the present levels of educational performance of such child;
(2) A statement of annual goals, including short-term instructional objectives;
(3) A statement of the specific educational services to be provided to such child, and the extent to which such child will be able to participate in regular educational programs;
(4) A statement of the transition services needed for such child beginning no later than age sixteen and annually thereafter (and, when determined appropriate for such child, beginning at age fourteen or younger), including, when appropriate, a statement of the interagency responsibilities and linkages before the student leaves the school setting;
(5) The projected date for initiation and anticipated duration of such services;
(6) Appropriate objective criteria and evaluation procedures and schedules for determining, on at least an annual basis, whether instructional objectives are being achieved, and whether current placement is appropriate.
(F) "Other educational agency" means a department, division, bureau, office, institution, board, commission, committee, authority, or other state or local agency, other than a school district or an agency administered by the department of mental retardation and developmental disabilities, that provides or seeks to provide special education or related services to handicapped children.
(G) "School district" means a city, local, or exempted village school district.
(H) "Parents" means either parent. If the parents are separated or divorced, "parent" means the parent who is the residential parent and legal custodian of the handicapped child. Except as used in division (I) of this section and in sections 3323.09 and 3323.141 of the Revised Code, "parents" includes a child's guardian or custodian. This definition does not apply to Chapter 3321. of the Revised Code.
(I) As used in sections 3323.09, 3323.091, 3323.13, and 3323.14 of the Revised Code, "school district of residence" means:
(1) The school district in which the child's parents reside;
(2) If the school district specified in division (I)(1) of this section
cannot be determined, the last school district in which the child's parents are known to have resided if the parents' whereabouts are unknown;
(3) If the school district specified in division (I)(2) of this section cannot be determined, the school district determined by the court under section 2151.357 of the Revised Code, or if no district has been so determined, the school district as determined by the probate court of the county in which the child resides. The school district of residence that had been established under this section on December 12, 1983, shall remain the child's school district of residence unless a district of residence can be determined under division (I)(1) or (2) of this section.
(4) Notwithstanding divisions (I)(1) to (3) of this section, if a school district is required by section 3313.65 of the Revised Code to pay tuition for a child, that district shall be the child's school district of residence.
(J) "County MR DD board" means a county board of mental retardation and developmental disabilities.
(K) "Handicapped preschool child" means a handicapped child who is at least three years of age but is not of compulsory school age, as defined under section 3321.01 of the Revised Code, and who has not entered kindergarten.
(L)"Transition services" means a coordinated set of activities for a student, designed within an outcome-oriented process, that:
(1) Promotes movement from school to post-school activities, including post-secondary education; vocational training; integrated employment, including supported employment; continuing and adult education; adult services; independent living; and community participation;
(2) Is based upon the individual student's needs, including taking into account the student's preferences and interests;
(3) Includes instruction, community experiences, the development of employment and other post-school adult living objectives, and, when appropriate, acquisition of daily living skills and functional vocational evaluation.
(M) "visual disability" for any individual means that one of the following applies to the individual:
(1) the individual has a visual acuity of 20/200 or less in the better eye with correcting lenses or has a limited field of vision in the better eye such that the widest diameter subtends an angular distance of no greater than twenty degrees.
(2) the individual has a medically indicated expectation of meeting the requirements of division (m)(1) of this section over a period of time.
(3) the individual has a medically diagnosed and medically uncorrectable limitation in visual functioning that adversely affects the individual's ability to read and write standard print at levels expected of the individual's peers of comparable ability and grade level.
(N) "student with a visual disability" means any person under twenty-two years of age who has a visual disability.
(0) instruction in braille reading and writing" means the teaching of the system of reading and writing through touch commonly known as standard English braille.
see. 3323.011. (a) the individualized education program required for any student with a visual disability under this chapter shall include the following, in addition to the statements required pursuant to division (e) of section 3323.01 of the revised code:
(1) a statement that instruction in braille reading and writing was carefully considered for the student and that pertinent literature describing the educational benefits of instruction in braille reading and writing was reviewed by the persons developing the student's individualized education program;
(2) a statement specifying the one or more reading and writing media in which instruction is appropriate for the student's educational needs;
(3) if instruction in braille reading and writing is specified as appropriate for the student pursuant to division (a)(2) of this section, a statement of the instruction in braille reading and writing that is to be provided to the student. This statement shall specify the date on which the instruction is to commence, the frequency and duration of instruction sessions, the level of competency in braille reading and writing expected to be achieved annually, and the objective assessment measures to be used. Whenever appropriate, the expected level of braille competency for the student shall be to enable the student to communicate effectively and efficiently with the same level of proficiency expected of the student's peers of comparable ability and grade level and the instruction in braille reading and writing that is to be provided shall be designed accordingly.
(b) if the individualized education program for any student with a visual disability does not specify instruction in braille reading and writing as appropriate for the student pursuant to division (a)(2) of this section, each annual review of that student's individualized education program, as provided pursuant to division (c) of section 3323.08 of the revised code, shall include a written statement specifying the reasons why instruction in braille reading and writing is not appropriate for the student.
(c)(1) no student with a visual disability shall be denied instruction in braille reading and writing pursuant to this section solely because the student has some remaining vision or because the student is to receive reading and writing instruction in another medium.
(2) nothing in this section shall be construed to require the exclusive use of instruction through the medium of braille reading and writing if other reading and writing media are appropriate to a student's educational needs.
(d) any instruction in braille reading and writing provided to any student with a visual disability pursuant to division (a)(3) of this section shall be provided by a teacher certified to teach students with visual disabilities.
See. 3323.031. The board of education of each school district shall annually assess the reading and writing skills of each student with a visual disability enrolled in the district in each medium in which instruction is specified as appropriate for the student pursuant to division (a)(2) of section 3323.011 of the revised code. The results of each assessment shall be provided in a written statement that specifies the student's strengths and weaknesses in each medium assessed.
See. 3323.18. If any special education program provided pursuant to this chapter or chapter 3325. Of the revised code serves a student with a visual disability for whom instruction in braille reading and writing is specified as appropriate pursuant to division (a)(2) of section 3323.011 of the revised code, the entity providing the program shall integrate the use of braille reading and writing into the student's entire curriculum and other classroom activities in such a manner that braille reading and writing becomes an effective learning tool for the student.
See. 3329.01. Any publisher of schoolbooks in the United States desiring to offer schoolbooks for use by pupils in the public schools of Ohio, before such books may be adopted and purchased by any school board, must--on or before the first day of January of each year, file in the office of the superintendent of public instruction, the published list wholesale price thereof. When any such publisher desires to offer for use a schoolbook after the first day of January, a supplement to the January list must be filed in the office of the superintendent of public instruction, showing the published list wholesale price thereof. No revised edition of any such book shall be used in public schools until the published list wholesale price thereof has been filed in the office of the superintendent. No publisher shall file the wholesale price of any schoolbook unless the publisher complies with both of the following: (a) at the same time as filing the wholesale price of the schoolbook, the publisher also files the wholesale price of a computer diskette that contains the text of the schoolbook in the american standard code for information interchange or in another computer language approved by the superintendent of public instruction for translating the text of the schoolbook into braille.
(b) the wholesale price filed for any specified number of computer diskettes for the schoolbook does not exceed the wholesale price filed for the same number of the printed version of that schoolbook.
SECTION 2. That existing sections 3323.01 and 3329.01 of the Revised Code are hereby repealed.
SECTION 3. Within ninety days after the effective date of this act, the State Board of Education shall adopt the standards required by section 3319.232 of the Revised Code. These standards shall take effect at the time specified in section 3319.23 of the Revised Code.
SECTION 4. (A) As used in this section, "length of the normal school day" means the average number of clock hours with pupils in attendance that a school day normally consisted of throughout the 1993-1994 school year prior to January 1, 1994.
(B) In order to make up days pursuant to division (C) of this section, a board of education or governing authority operating a school subject to the state minimum standards shall, not later than June 30, 1994, report to the Department of Education the length of the normal school day for each grade level and the length and number of extended school days for each grade level.
(C) A school district or nonpublic school shall not be considered to have failed to comply with division (B) of section 3317.01 of the Revised Code during school year 1993-1994 because a school was closed due to hazardous weather conditions for a number of days exceeding the number permitted under that section if, during school year 1993-1994, the length of the normal school day for that school was extended for the number of days necessary to make up all such excess days.
(D) For each day "made up" under division (C) of this section, the length of the normal school days must be extended such that pupils in grades one through six are in attendance for a total of five additional hours and pupils in grades seven through twelve are in attendance for a total of five and one-half additional hours.
SECTION 5. This act is hereby declared to be an emergency measure necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, and safety. The reason for such necessity lies in the fact that immediate action is necessary to provide an alternative way in which school districts and nonpublic schools can make up days missed for hazardous weather conditions in excess of the number permitted by law. Therefore, this act shall go into immediate effect.
[signed by:]
Vern H. Riffe, Jr., Speaker of the House
illegible, President of the Senate
Passed March 10, 1994
Approved March 21, 1994, 3:58pm
George V. Voinovich, Governor
The section numbering of law of a general and permanent nature is complete and in conformity with the Revised Code
Robert M. Shapiro, Director, Legislative Service Commission
filed in the office of the Secretary of State at Columbus, Ohio, on the 21st day of March, A.D. 1994.
Bob Taft, Secretary of State
File number 90, effective date March 21, 1994
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New Laws in Ohio Related to Use of Dog Guides and the White Cane
Approved by Governor Rhodes April 16, 1970
Effective Date July 16, 1970
Senate Bill No. 514
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Ohio:
Section 1. That sections 955.43, 955.99, and 4511.47 of the Revised Code be amended to read as follows:
Section 955.43 (A) When a blind person is accompanied by a dog which serves as a guide or leader for him, and he can show proof by certificate or other means that the dog leading him has been trained for that purpose by some special agency engaged in such work, the person is entitled to the full and equal accommodations, advantages, facilities, and privileges of all public conveyances, hotels, lodging places, all places of public accommodation, amusement or resort, and other places to which the general public is invited, and may take the dog into such conveyances and places, subject to only the conditions and limitations applicable to all persons not so accompanied, except that:
(1) The dog shall not occupy a seat in any conveyance.
(2) The dog shall be upon a leash while using the facilities of a common carrier.
(3) No person shall deprive a blind person of any of these advantages, facilities, or privileges provided in division (A) of this section, nor charge the blind person a fee or charge for the dog.
Section 955.99 (H) Whoever violates division (B) of section 955.43 of the revised code shall be fined not more than one hundred dollars or imprisoned not more than ninety days, or both.
Section 4511.47 (A) As used in this section "blind person" or "blind pedestrian" means a person having no more than 20/200 visual acuity in the better eye with correcting lenses or visual acuity greater than 20/200 but with a limitation in the fields of vision such that the widest diameter of the visual field subtends an angle no greater than 20 degrees.
The driver of every vehicle shall yield the right away to every blind pedestrian guided by a guide dog, or carrying a cane which is predominately white or metallic in color, with or without a red tip.
(B) No person, other than a blind person, while on any public highway, street, alley or other public thoroughfare shall carry a white or metallic cane with or without a red tip.
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Ohio Rehabilitation Services Commission
Informed Choice Policy
Informed choice means that the consumer has been provided information, using appropriate modes of communication, about the options available in terms of employment goal, objectives, goods and services (including assessment services), service providers/vendors, and methods used to provide services. The counselor also shares his or her opinions on these topics based on the counselor’s knowledge and judgement. It also means the consumer is provided information about any applicable Rehabilitation Services Commission (RSC) policies including least cost, buy Ohio, comparable benefits, licensure, and accreditation of service providers and vendors, and authorization and purchasing policy and procedures. The counselor and the consumer must follow agency policy.
First, a consumer’s employment goal is determined, based on the consumer’s comprehensive vocational assessment. If there is a disagreement between the counselor and the consumer about the choice of employment goal, the consumer’s choice must stand unless it: (1.) violates agency policy, (2.) poses a threat to the consumer’s safety or the safety of others, or (3.) is inappropriate. The last reason does not mean that the choice is borderline. However, if it is borderline, the consumer must be given a chance to succeed, such as through a term of training. The last reason does mean that there is every indication in the assessment and the counselor’s judgement that the choice is inappropriate. Examples of borderline goals are: (1.) a goal requiring a baccalaureate degree for a person with low normal intelligence but high motivation and determination, and (2.) a goal which requires working well with other people whose ability to do so is poor. Examples or inappropriate goals are: (1.) a goal requiring a baccalaureate degree for a person with moderate mental retardation, and with low motivation and determination, and (2.) a goal which requires working well with other people for a person who does not have the ability to do so. If the counselor and consumer disagree about choice other than regarding the employment goal, the consumer’s choice must stand unless it violates agency policy or would pose a threat to the consumer's safety or the safety of others.
Second, the objectives needed to reach employment goal are developed.
Third, the services needed to reach the objectives are determined, again based on assessment. For one consumer, the assessment, considering all of the consumer's unique strengths, may indicate that a goal of nurse would be appropriate, but that the appropriate training would be a two-year program. For another consumer, the assessment may show that of an attorney would be appropriate and that the consumer can participate in baccalaureate and graduate degree training.
Fourth, Once the service is determined, service providers are selected who are licensed or accredited if applicable, in Ohio if possible. Of those, the provider in an integrated setting will be used to the maximum extent appropriate. If that is not appropriate, they then select the provider by least cost. After the provider is selected, comparable benefits are used, as is the consumer's contribution, if any.
Private versus Public; Out of State verses In State; Local versus Non Local:
When a consumer chooses a private school, an out-of-state school, or vendor, or an in-state but non-local vendor, some issues must be considered. Services must be provided at the least cost consistent with the training needed to reach the vocational goal. If the closest Ohio state-supported school or local vendor is able to meet the disability and training needs of the consumer, but the consumer chooses to attend a private school, and out of state school or vendor, or an instate but a non local vendor, RSC will only pay the costs that would be charged by the state-supported school closest to the consumer's home, or local vendor unless the private school, out-of-state school or vendor, or in-state but non-local vendor is less.
Room and Board; Transportation and Maintenance Money:
If the closest state-supported school, local training or diagnostic vendor is able to meet the disability and training needs of the consumer and the consumer does not need room and board due to disability, RSC will not pay room and board. If the consumer needs room and board due to disability to attend the closest state-supported school, local training or diagnostic vendor but chooses to attend, as above, a private school, and out-of-state school or vendor, or an in-state but non local vendor, RSC will pay the cost of room and board which would be paid at the closest state-supported school, local training or diagnostic vendor, but not to exceed the actual costs.
If the closest state-supported school, local training or diagnostic vendor is able to meet the disability and training needs of the consumer and the consumer needs transportation and or maintenance money to participate, RSC will pay for these services. If the consumer decides however, to attend a private school, an out-of-state school or vendor, or an in-state but non-local vendor and needs transportation and or maintenance money in order to participate, RSC will only pay the transportation and or maintenance money that would be paid to the consumer to attend the closest state-supported school, local training or diagnostic vendor, whichever is less.
If the closest state-supported school, local training or diagnostic vendor is able to meet the disability ad training needs of the consumer and the consumer does not need transportation and or maintenance money to participate, RSC will not pa for these services. If the consumer decides, however, to attend a private school, an out-of-state school or vendor, or an in-state but non-local vendor and needs transportation and or maintenance money in order to participate, RSC will not pay any transportation and or maintenance money.
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Domestic Mail Manual E040 Free Matter for the Blind and Other Physically Handicapped Persons
E000 Special Eligibility Standards
E040 Free Matter for the Blind and Other Physically Handicapped Persons
Summary
E040 describes the standards under which mail may be sent to or from blind or physically handicapped persons free of postage.
1.0 Basic Information
1.1General
[8-8-02] Subject to the standards below, matter may be entered free of postage if mailed by or for the use of blind or other persons who cannot read or use conventionally printed materials due to a physical handicap. The provisions of E040 apply to domestic mail only.
1.2 Mail Classification
Matter mailed free under this standard is not considered part of any particular class of mail and is not protected against postal inspection. This matter is treated as First-Class Mail for the exclusive purposes of determining appropriate standards for processing and delivery and for handling if undeliverable.
1.3 Eligibility
[8-8-02] The following persons are considered to be blind or unable to read or use conventionally printed material due to a physical handicap for purposes of this section:
a. Certified participants in the Library of Congress National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS).
b. Blind persons whose visual acuity, as determined by competent authority, is 20/200 or less in the better eye with correcting lenses, or whose widest diameter of visual field subtends angular distance no greater than 20 degrees.
c. Other physically handicapped persons certified by competent authority as meeting one or more of the following conditions:
(1) Having a visual disability, with correction and regardless of optical measurement, that prevents the reading of standard printed material.
(2) Being unable to read or unable to use standard printed material as a result of physical limitations.
(3) Having a reading disability resulting from organic dysfunction and of sufficient severity to prevent their reading printed material in a normal manner.
(4) Meeting the requirements of eligibility resulting from a degenerative, variable disease that renders them unable to read or use conventional printed material because of impaired eyesight or other physical factors. These persons are eligible during the time in which they are certified by a competent authority as unable to read or use conventional materials.
d. Eligible participants must be residents of the United States, including the several states, territories, insular possessions, and the District of Columbia, or American citizens domiciled abroad.
1.4 Certifying Authority
[8-8-02] For purposes of this standard:
a. The postmaster may extend the free matter privilege to an individual recipient based on personal knowledge of the individual’s eligibility.
b. In cases of blindness, visual impairment, or physical limitations, “competent authority” is defined to include doctors of medicine; doctors of osteopathy; ophthalmologists; optometrists; registered nurses; therapists; and professional staff of hospitals, institutions, and public or private welfare agencies (e.g., social workers, caseworkers, counselors, rehabilitation teachers, and superintendents). In the absence of any of these, certification may be made by professional librarians or by any person whose competence under specific circumstances is acceptable to the Library of Congress (see 36 CFR 701.10(b)(2)(i)).
c. In the case of reading disability from organic dysfunction, “competent authority” is defined as doctors of medicine and doctors of osteopathy.
1.5 Qualifying Individuals
[8-8-02] The USPS may require individuals claiming entitlement to the free matter privilege to furnish evidence of eligibility consistent with the standards in 1.3 and 1.4, or verify by other means that the recipients are eligible to receive free matter.
2.0 Matter Sent to Blind or Other physically Handicapped Persons
2.1 Acceptable Matter
Subject to 2.2, this matter may be mailed free:
a. [8-8-02] Reading matter in braille or 14-point or larger sightsaving type and musical scores.
b. Sound reproductions.
c. Paper, records, tapes, and other material for the production of reading matter, musical scores, or sound reproductions.
d. Reproducers or parts of them for sound reproductions.
e. Braille writers, typewriters, educational or other materials or devices, or parts thereof, used for writing by, or designed or adapted for use of, a blind person or a person who has a physical impairment as described in 1.3.
2.2 Conditions
The matter listed in 2.1 must meet these conditions:
a. The matter must be for the use of a blind or other physically handicapped person.
b. Either no charge, rental, subscription, or other fee is required for this matter; or, if required, may not exceed the cost of the item.
c. The matter may be opened and inspected by the USPS.
d. [8-8-02] The matter contains no advertising. Advertising is defined as:
(1) All material of which a valuable consideration is paid, accepted, or promised, that calls attention to something to get people to buy it, sell it, seek it, or support it.
(2) Reading matter or other material of which an advertising rate is charged.
(3) Articles, items, and notices in the form of reading matter inserted by custom or understanding that textual matter is to be inserted for the advertiser or the advertiser’s products in which a display advertisement appears.
(4) An organization’s advertisement of its own services or issues, or any other business of the publisher, whether in display advertising or reading matter.
2.3 Letters From Sighted
Letters prepared in any form by sighted individuals, to be sent to a blind or other physically handicapped person, or empty shipping materials for mailing matter described in this section, may not be sent free and must bear the full applicable postage.
3.0 Matter Sent by Blind or Other physically Handicapped Persons
3.1 Acceptable Letters
[8-8-02] Only letters in braille or in 14-point or larger sightsaving type or in the form of sound recordings, and containing no advertising, may be mailed free, and only if unsealed and sent by a blind or other physically handicapped person as described in 1.3.
3.2 Other Letters
Letters that are handwritten, or printed or typed in a type size smaller than 14 points, may not be sent free. These letters must bear the full applicable postage.
4.0 Preparation
4.1 Basic Standards
All matter mailed under this standard:
a. Must be marked “Free Matter for the Blind or Handicapped” in the upper right corner of the address side.
b. Must meet the minimum and maximum dimensions in C010
and C700, respectively.
c. Is subject to the mailability standards in C020 and C030.
4.2 Special Services
Insurance is the only special service that can be added to mail sent under this standard. The fee for insurance must be paid by the sender.
DMM Issue 57 with changes through Postal Bulletin 22097 (3-6-03)
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