Fellow Federationists,
National Convention is Fast Approaching
It is very important for all convention attendees to be present at the Maryland Caucus on Friday, July 1 at 9pm. The meeting will take place in Suwannee 11. Be sure to bring your banquet ticket for banquet exchange. Bring money for Maryland snack bags and be ready to volunteer at the Maryland table in the exhibit hall and be ready to tell us when you will volunteer. For your reference and so you can stop by, especially to purchase instant lottery tickets, the Maryland exhibit table will be C8.
Everyone can use a little extra cash at convention. Once again this year, Judy Rasmussen will be chairing our ambassador’s committee. She needs mentors for first timers so be sure to help with this important project.
Come to the caucus and meet our scholarship winners and renew other friendships from our NFBMD family.
The national convention agenda may be found at https://nfb.org/convention. You may also listen to the agenda on NFB Newsline. There are always new happenings at national convention, for instance: the Independence Market will be rolling out a brand new feature at this year’s national convention: the Three Items or Less Cash Only Express Lane! Need to grab a replacement cane and run off to your next meeting? Want to buy that signature guide you forgot to purchase during your last visit without all the hassle? Just need a deck of Braille playing cards to keep you occupied on that long flight home? No problem! To help keep our checkout line in check and to cut down on waiting time for all of our customers, all cash transactions for three items or less will be directed to a separate express order processing window. To take advantage of this new time-saving feature, simply collect your product tags as usual and join the main checkout line. When you reach our line marshals, let them know that you are purchasing three items or less with cash and they will direct you to the proper window. Getting in and out of the Independence Market has never been so easy!
If you cannot attend national convention, be sure to listen to the stream of the convention on the internet. Watch the listservs for the link to live streaming.
Did You Know?
NFB-NEWSLINE® has added USA JOBS to the job listings feature in addition to the over one hundred thousand listings currently provided to subscribers by CareerBuilder.com. USAJOBS.gov is a free, web-based job board enabling federal job seekers access to thousands of career opportunities across hundreds of federal agencies and organizations, providing public notice for federal employment opportunities. As the federal government's official source for federal job listings and employment opportunity information, USAJOBS.gov provides a variety of opportunities. Now, in addition to NFB-NEWSLINE’s existing job listings, subscribers can set up profiles to include opportunities offered byUSAJOBS.gov. Visit https://nfb.org/nfb-newsline%C2%AE-expands-feature-allowing-independent-job-searches-blind for more information.
The NFB of Maryland Deaf/Blind committee will conduct a workshop on June 18 at the National Center for the Blind from 1-4 pm. The featured speaker will be Alice Eaddy, president of the Deaf/Blind division of the National Federation of the Blind. She will describe a very successful SSP program in New Jersey. This seminar is open to anyone who is losing hearing and interested family and friends.
A Big Thank You
Many thanks to everyone who walked, ran, or volunteered at the Dot Dash for Braille Literacy. It was a very successful event. Twenty four of the participants were 15 and under. Some of the NFB members included in this category were; Nadiya and Jia Min, John Albrecht, Amyah and AunyaAnderson, Tianna and Naudia Graham, Grant and Miranda Mehl, and Nia Phipps. There were five participants seventy and over. A special word of thanks to all of the participants on Team Sharon.
We are continuing our community outreach efforts, many thanks to Aloma Bouma, Lou Ann Blake, and Maurice Peret for manning our exhibit at the foundation Fighting Blindness event at Latrobe Park on June 11. Many thanks to Melissa Riccobono, Amy Mason, and Joel Zimba who represented NFBMD at the Technology Expo at the Deaf/Blind camp in West River, Maryland on June 13.
Dates to Keep in Mind.
June 18. Seminar presented by the Deaf, Blind and Hearing Loss Committee. For further information contact Janice Toothman,janice.toothman@verizon.net
June 30-July 5. National Convention, Orlando, Florida.
July 18-29. excluding weekends. Salisbury NFB BELL Program.
July 25-Aug 5. excluding weekends. NFB BELL Programs in Baltimore and Glenn Dale.
August 4. Diabetes Conference Call, 7 pm. Call 641-715-3272. The access code is 720125#.
August 5. Annual Crab Feast, Columbus Gardens, Baltimore, Maryland.
August 18. Possibilities Fair for Seniors Losing Vision at BISM.
August 20. Maryland Parents of Blind Children Back-to-School Picnic, for further information contact Melissa Riccobono at mdpobc@nfbmd.org.
August 27. NFBMD Board of Directors Meeting, time and place TBD.
October 1-31. Meet the Blind Month.
October 1. Bid for opportunity dinner and auction to benefit John T. McCraw scholarship fund. For more information, contact Debbie Brown atdeborahb14@verizon.net or Michelle Clarke at mcikeyc@aol.com.
October 15. National White Cane Safety Day.
October 28-30. NFBMD 50th State Convention, Baltimore Marriott Inner Harbor at Camden Yards Hotel, Baltimore, Maryland.
Sharon Maneki, President
National Federation of the Blind of Maryland
410-715-9596