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December Bulletin

by NFBCal

Greetings Fellow Federationists:

I hope this bulletin finds you well. The Willows’ Family has a lot to be grateful for. We just learned that Jim is cancer free. May you also have a very Happy Holiday Season and Happy New Year, good health, good luck, and good fortune.

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE SAN FERNANDO VALLEY CHAPTER. I have received a good report on the 2012 Best in Tech Conference which was held on November 17 in Culver City, CA. San Fernando Valley Chapter Secretary Raquel Decipeda reports that 200 people participated in the event. The proceeds will go to the chapter for future events. We pride ourselves in public education about blindness and would like to see more chapters hold similar events, so for more information call Raquel @ 818-770-0182.

Call Senator Feinstein and Senator Boxer Immediately
Please call our California senator’s offices in Washington D.C. to ask for their vote on the treaty which forbids discrimination against people with disabilities. To learn more about the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, go to: http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/santorums-new-cause-opposing-the-disabled/2012/11/26/9ab0605a-3829-11e2-b01f-5f55b193f58f_story.html?wprss=rss_todays-opeds .
This issue is time sensitive so please make the call as soon as possible. Members can be connected to the switchboard by calling 202-224-3121 or 866-727- 4894.

The Tri-Valley Chapter Holiday Party
On December 8 at 1 p.m. the Tri-Valley Chapter will host a holiday lunch get-together at Shari’s Restaurant & Pies located at 1116 E. Stanley Blvd in Livermore, 94550. There will be a gift exchange during the luncheon. Gifts should be under $10. For more information, call President Carl Martin @ 925) 449-9362.

Wine Tasting Sunday December 9 @ 2:30
Come enjoy an afternoon of fun and fellowship, wine, appetizers and conversation at Peirano Estates, 21831 N. Hwy 99, Lodi. Taste 14 of the winery’s finest wines, and learn about the fine art of wine appreciation from wine enthusiast Hoby Wedler. Tickets are $25. Transportation is provided from Sacramento or Pleasanton BART. MSG or email Angela Fowler to RSVP @ 530) 902-0987 or fowlers@syix.com. Have a good time and support a good cause!

The NFB Visits Amazon Headquarters in Seattle, Washington
Amazon.com is undertaking a massive effort to incorporate inaccessible Kindle books into K-12 schools across the United States. They have built a system called Whispercast that allows teachers and school administrators to distribute Kindle content to devices other than Kindles. The problem with all of these plans is that the Kindle books are not accessible to students who are blind. Since school districts have an obligation under federal law to purchase or deploy only accessible technology and content, Amazon must either make Kindle books accessible or cease and desist from its efforts to have them used in the classroom. A protest will be held outside Amazon headquarters between 11 and 1 p.m. on December 12, 2012. California will be sending a few members to represent blind children in our state. If you wish to join the protest and are available to travel on December 11 & December 12, please call Mary Willows @ 925) 462-8575.

Update on Goodwill Industries International
We continue to educate the public about the despicable practice of paying sub-minimum wages to disabled workers. Goodwill Industries is the most familiar company name which continues this discriminatory employment practice. Goodwill will asserts that section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards act affords disabled workers an opportunity to learn employment skills; however, we know that the training never ends so workers are paid as low as 22 cents an hour for the rest of their working lives. This is not employment. To keep apprised of this issue and developments, read more at the NFB.org website.

Happy Holidays! See you next year.

Mary Willows, President
3934 Kern Court
Pleasanton, CA 94588
925) 462-8575
mwillows@sbcglobal.net

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