2010 NFBC State Convention Agenda

National Federation of the Blind of California

Annual Convention Agenda

October 21-24, 2010

Crowne Plaza, Irvine, CA

“Six Dots Can Illuminate the World”
A Campaign for Braille Education

Mission Statement: The goal of the National Federation of the Blind is the complete integration of the blind into society on a basis of equality.  This objective includes the removal of legal, economic, and social discrimination and the education of the public to new, and more accurate, concepts concerning blindness.  It means the right of the blind to work along with their sighted peers in the professions, skilled trades, and regular occupations.

Convention Information

Registration – Mezzanine Level  – Fee – $15.00.
Co-chairpersons: Tiffany Manosh and Ever Lee Hairston.

Convention Attendees

All those attending their first NFB of California convention are invited to stop at the literature table in the registration area Friday afternoon to pick up a first-timer’s ribbon and to have their names entered for a special door prize drawing.

Door Prizes

Door prizes should be labeled in Braille and print on a 3 x 5 card stating the value, the donor or chapter.  Turn in door prizes to either Robert Stigile or Jana Littrell.

Banquet – Catalina I, II, and III – $35.00
Diabetes Action Network Luncheon – Avalon III – $25.00
Chapter Interaction Breakfast – Avalon Ballroom – $15.00
“Blind, Sealed, and Delivered, I’m Yours” A play presented by the Diamond Club – Catalina III – $10.00
Kids Camp – San Clemente – $10.00

There will be a few meal tickets available at the Registration Table for those who did not purchase one in advance. They will be sold on a first come, first serve basis.

Hotel Information

The Crowne Plaza front door faces Von Karman Avenue.  When you walk in the front door, the gift shop is on the right.  The front desk is on the left.  From the front door, walk straight, about twenty feet to find the elevators.  From the front door, walk forward approximately five feet and make a right, enter the hallway that leads to the Paradise Restaurant.  Go straight ahead for approximately 30 feet, and on the left will be the restrooms, and on the right side just before the restaurant, will be a doorway to the Parking lot.  Dog guide users, exit this door for the relief area—the grassy area is on the right.  The receptacle will be at the end of the grassy area before entering the parking lot.  To use the stairs to get to the mezzanine level, turn into the restaurant hallway for about fifteen feet and the stairs are on the right.  Once at the top of the stairs, convention registration is on the right.  Walk straight ahead to the meeting rooms.  Catalina III comes first where the board of directors will meet.  Next, Catalina II is the exhibit room.  From the elevator alcove, turn left to the registration area, then left again to the meeting rooms.  Avalon and San Clemente rooms are to the right when you exit the elevator alcove.

Exhibits

The Exhibit Hall (Catalina II) will be open Friday October 22, 2010 from 9:00 A.M. to 9:00 P.M. Please stop by. Visit with the vendors and see their products which are designed to assist blind people to be independent. There will be a table in the Exhibit Hall where you can purchase Whozit Polo Shirts and Socks. Free NFB Literature will also be available at the table.

Drawing Tickets

Drawing tickets will be available for purchase throughout the convention. The drawings that will be held at the banquet are: Parents of Blind Children – ($5.00 apiece or 3 for $10.00) for a gourmet food basket, tactile quilt with Braille dots on it, and a spa basket; Netbook – ($5.00 apiece or 3 for $10.00).

Thursday October 21, 2010

4:00 P.M. – 5:30 P.M. – NFB of California convention registration – Mezzanine Level

6:00 P.M. – 7:30 P.M. – Board of Directors Meeting – Open to the public – Catalina III

7:30 P.M. – 9:00 P.M. – WII Nintendo Game Tournament. Come join the fun.  Catalina III   Federationists will attempt to outscore each other in virtual games such as bowling, golf, and other sports.

Friday, October 22, 2010

8:00 A.M. – 12:00 P.M. – Registration – Mezzanine Level

9:00 A.M. – 9:00 P.M. – Exhibits – Catalina II

9:00 A.M. – 10:30 A.M. – Resolutions Committee, Chairperson, Jim Willows – Catalina III

10:30 A.M. – 12:00 P.M. – Chapter on Aging, President, Patricia Munson – Avalon II and Avalon III

10:30 A.M. – 12:00 P.M. – California Association of Guide Dog Users, (CAGDU) – President, Shannon Dillon – Avalon I

1:00 P.M. – 2:00 P.M. – Education Committee, Chairperson, Karen Steele – Avalon I

1:00 P.M. – 2:30 P.M. – Legislation Committee, Co-chairpersons, Angela Fowler and Shannon Dillon – Catalina III

2:00 P.M. – 6:00 P.M. – Registration – Mezzanine Level

2:00 P.M. – 3:00 P.M. – Library Committee, Chairperson, Joy Stigile – Avalon II and III

2:30 P.M. – California Association of Blind Students (CABS) Registration – Catalina III

3:00 P.M. – 5:00 P.M. – CABS Business Seminar and Business Meeting, President, Angela Fowler – Catalina III

4:45 P.M. – 9:15 P.M. – NFB Kids Camp (Child Care) – San Clemente

5:00 P.M. – California Parents of Blind Children – Registration – Avalon II and III

5:00 P.M. – 7:00 P.M. – Parents of Blind Children Meet and Greet, President, Kathleen Church – Avalon II and III

5:00 P.M. – 6:00 P.M. – California Orientation Center for the Blind Alumni Association Inc., a statewide chapter of the NFB of California. President, David Chan – Avalon I

7:00 P.M. – 8:30 P.M. – Diamond Club presents “Blind, Sealed, and Delivered, I’m Yours”, an original play written and directed by Rochelle Houston.  A young blind woman, recently divorced, looking for love again – Catalina III

8:30 P.M. – 10:00 P.M. – California Parents of Blind Children Business Meeting President, Kathleen Church – Avalon II and III.

Saturday, October 23, 2010

8:00 A.M. – 8:45 A.M. – Registration – Mezzanine Level.

8:30 A.M. – 12:15 P.M. and 1:45 P.M. – 5:15 P.M. and 6:15 P.M. – 9:15 P. M. Kids Camp – San Clemente.

9:00 A.M. – General Session call to order, President, Mary Willows, Catalina II and III.

9:05 A.M. – Invocation – Rochelle Houston, President – The Pathfinder Chapter.

Pledge of Allegiance – Pam Chase, President, North Riverside County Chapter.

9:10 A.M. – National Anthem – Nancy Angwin, member,  Central Valley Chapter.

NFB Pledge – Angela Fowler, President, California Association of Blind Students.

NFB PLEDGE:

I pledge to participate actively in the efforts of the National Federation of the Blind; to achieve equality, opportunity and security for the blind; to support the policies and programs of the Federation and to abide by its constitution.

9:15 A.M. – Welcoming Comments – Mayor Sukhee Kang, Mayor, Irvine, California.

9:20 A.M. – National Report – Dr. Fredric Schroeder, First Vice President, National Federation of the Blind.

9:45 A.M. – “The Education of Blind Children in America, a National Perspective”, Stuart Wittenstein, Ed.D., President, Council of Schools for the Blind (COSB).

10:10 A.M. – Pre-Authorize Check (PAC) Plan Report – Geraldine Croom, Co-Chairperson, PAC Plan Committee.

10:15 A.M. – Youth Panel “The Fifth Generation Benefits from NFB Youth Programs”, Moderator: Ever Lee Hairston, Second Vice President, NFB of California. Panelists: Henry (Hoby) Wedler, Instructor, Junior Science Academy, 2010; Serena Olsen, California Youth Slam Coordinator; Kia Vaca, Counselor/Instructor, Summer Training and Employment Program (STEP) Louisiana Center for the Blind.

10:55 A.M. – Questions from the Audience.

11:00 A.M. – Turning the Page on Library Services, Henry C. Chang, Ph.D., Director of Library Services, Braille Institute, Library Services, Recipient National Medal for Museum and Library Services.

11:20 A.M. – Challenging America to learn Braille – Leslie E. Stocker, President Braille Institute of America.

11:40 A.M. – Having Fun at Junior Blind – Jay Allen, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Junior Blind, Los Angeles.

12:00 P.M. – Adjourn.

12:15 P.M. – 1:45 P.M. – Registration, Mezzanine Level.

12:15 P.M. – 1:45 P.M. – Diabetes Action Network Lunch and Business Meeting, President, Joy Stigile – Avalon II and III.

2:00 P.M. – Call to Order – Catalina II and III.

2:05 P.M. – Presidential Report; President, Mary Willows, NFB of California.

2:30 P.M. – Washington Seminar 2011, Tiffany Manosh, Coordinator, Washington Seminar, Member Board of Directors, NFB of California.

2:40 P.M. – Educating our Blind Children in California with a Full Continuum Of Program Options, – Linda Wyatt, Ed.D, Consultant, Special Education Division, California Department of Education.

3:00 P.M. – California Department of Rehabilitation Panel  – “Beyond SB 105, Where Do We Go From Here?”.  Panel Moderator, Bryan Bashin, Member Blind Advisory Committee.  Panelists: Joe Zavier, Deputy Director, Specialized Services Division; Catharine Bailes, District Administrator, Blind Field Services; Deb Meyer, Program Manager, Business Enterprise Program and all Supervising Staff from the Blind Field Services Division.  This topic will be presented in a respectful and yet questioning forum. Clients are invited to submit questions in advance so the Supervisors can address the needs of clients.

3:55 P.M. – Reports and Resolutions.

4:00 P.M. – Living in the Working World Panel.  Moderator: Robert Stigile, First Vice President, NFB of California.  Panelists: Bryan Quintana, Middle School Teacher, San Jose, California; Adam Shaible, National Orientation and Mobility Certification (NOMC) World Access for the Blind, Long Beach, California; Jason Holloway, Collections Representative, Internal Revenue Service, Oakland, California; Melissa Haney, Rehabilitation Counselor.

5:00 P.M. – Adjourn.

BANQUET EVENT and SCHOLARSHIPS

6:30 P.M. – No host bar – Mezzanine Level Foyer.  Visit with old friends and make some new ones while you wait for the Catalina Ballroom to be opened for the banquet.

BANQUET

7:00 P.M. – Mistress of Ceremonies – Ms. Ever Lee Hairston, Second Vice-President, NFB of California and recently elected member of the National Board of Directors.

Invocation – Kia Vaca.

Keynote Speaker – Dr. Fredric Schroeder, First Vice-President, National Federation of the Blind.

Presentation of Charters – President, Mary Willows.

Presentation of Scholarships.- Chairperson, Karen Steele.

Auction.

After the banquet party.  The California Association of Blind Students will host a Karaoke party until 10:30 P.M.  All are invited to join the fun.

Sunday, October 24, 2010

7:30 A.M. – Chapter Interaction breakfast – Robert Stigile, First Vice-President, National Federation of the Blind of California – Avalon Ballroom.

9:00 A.M. – Call to Order – President, Mary Willows – Catalina II and III.

9:05 A.M. – Invocation – Geraldine Croom, Member Board of Directors, NFB of California, President, Guiding Lights Chapter.

9:10 A.M. – “The Future is Ours” – Michael Hingson, President, The Michael Hingson Group Inc., “Speaking With Vision”.

9:30 A.M. – “Why the NFB?” – meet  Rick Watson, Nancy Angwin and Veshon Khan and hear their stories about how they found the NFB of California.

9:45 A.M. – “Braille Literacy Through Tactile Maps”  Lisamaria Martinez, Director,Community Affairs, San Francisco, Lighthouse for the Blind.

10:00 A.M. – Resolutions – Chairperson, Jim Willows.

10:15 A.M. – Elections – This year the five Officer positions are up for election. They are: President, Mary Willows; First Vice President, Robert Stigile; Second Vice President, Ever Lee Hairston; Secretary, Shannon Dillon; Treasurer, Gail Paulson; and three members of the Board of Directors: Lisamaria Martinez, Tiffany Manosh, and Melissa Haney.

10:35 A.M. – “The Blind Driver Challenge – On to Daytona” – Ever Lee Hairston, Member Board of Directors, National Federation of the Blind.

10:50 A.M. – Newsline for the Blind – Jason Holloway, California Newsline Coordinator, Member Board of Directors NFB of California.

11:05 A.M. – Financial Report.

11:30 A.M. – Adjourn.

Thank you to all of the people who helped make this convention a success.

A special thanks to our sponsors: the Michael Hingson Group Inc.

2010 Committee Chairpersons

Convention Coordinator:  Robert Stigile
Registration:  Tiffany Manosh and Ever Lee Hairston
Scholarship Committee:  Karen Steele
Exhibits:  Joy Stigile
Race for Independence:  Tina Thomas
Fundraising:  Gail Paulson
Library:  Joy Stigile
Education: Karen Steele
Legislation:  Shannon Dillon and Angela Fowler
Resolutions:  Jim Willows
Pre-Authorized Check Plan:  Geraldine Croom and Jim Willows
Washington Seminar:  Tiffany Manosh
Membership:  Lisamaria Martinez
Door Prizes:  Jana Littrell and Robert Stigile
Youth Slam:  Serena Olsen
Newsline:  Jason Holloway

Mary Willows, PresidentNational Federation of the Blind of California
39481 Gallaudet Dr.  Apt # 127
Fremont, CA 94538
Phone: (510) 248-0100
Toll Free: (877) 558-6524
Web Site – www.sixdots.org

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