NFB of Massachusetts logo

National Federation of the Blind of Massachusetts, Inc. FIFTY-FIFTH ANNUAL STATE CONVENTION APRIL 25, 26 & 27, 2008 CROWNE PLAZA - WORCESTER
10 Lincoln Square
Worcester, MA 01608
(508)791-1600

About The National Federation of the Blind

National Federation of the Blind of Massachusetts, Inc.
140 Wood Street
Somerset, MA 02726
Telephone: (508) 679-8543
Fax: (508) 646-2802
E-mail: nfbmass@earthlink.net
Website: www.nfbmass.org

National Center for the Blind
1800 Johnson Street
Baltimore, MD 21230
Telephone: (410) 659-9314
Website: http://www.nfb.org

NFBM STATE OFFICERS

PRESIDENT: Dr. David Ticchi, Cambridge, MA
FIRST VICE-PRESIDENT: Priscilla A. Ferris, Somerset, MA
SECOND VICE-PRESIDENT: William Cuttle, Swampscot, MA
SECRETARY: Mika Pyyhkala, Boston, MA
TREASURER: Gloria Evans, Winthrop, MA

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

William Braese, Springfield, MA
Kristina Constant, South Hadley, MA
James Daley, Brockton, MA
Al Evans, Winthrop, MA
Sunish Gupta, Watertown, MA
Theresa Jeraldi, Watertown, MA

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Registration: Registration will begin at 4:00 pm, NOT BEFORE, outside the Rhode Island/Connecticut Rooms. Everyone, regardless of arrangements made by your chapter, must register in order to be eligible for our special convention room rates, ensure proper enrollment for your membership benefits (newsletters, etc.) and to take part in voting for affiliate elections. Also, registration will insure that your name will be in the running for our many door prizes that will be given throughout the convention. You must be IN THE ROOM when your name is called to be eligible for your prize.
Registration Fee: $10.00 per person
Registration Times:
Friday, April 25, 2008, 4:00pm to 7:00pm
Saturday, April 26, 2008, 8:15am to 8:45am

NFB Literature: NFB literature will be available for your convenience. Please take whatever you need, it will save our treasury some funds if we do not have to mail. But, remember to be considerate of others.

Convention Sessions: All convention sessions will be held in the Rhode Island/Connecticut Rooms. The Banquet will be held in the Rhode Island/Connecticut Rooms. Religious Services: Services will not be held Sunday morning, April 27th. If interested, services are held within the local community. All Guide Dog Users: If information on "parking areas" for Guide Dogs is needed, inquire at the registration table. Exhibits: There are no exhibits scheduled for this year. Watch this web page for any updated information.. Raffle Tickets: Tickets must be purchased before Saturday’s banquet. No tickets will be sold after that time. Monies from ticket sales must be turned in to Joy Reis, Ticket Chairperson, before the banquet. Banquet Tickets: Banquet tickets will be collected at the table, so please have them handy!! “WE ARE ALWAYS MOVING ON”

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

FRIDAY, April 25, 2008

The Following three technology events to be held in Suite 305. Please register in advance by sending an email to
convention@nfbmass.org
or by calling
(617) 202-3497
1:00-3:00 p.m. Learning how to manage your computer with JAWS. Scott Hegle, Freedom Scientific
3:15-5:15 p.m. Learning how to use JAWS and the Internet. Scott Hegle, Freedom Scientific.
7:00-9:00 p.m. Kurzwiel NFB Reader and Freedom Scientific products. Demonstrated by Steven Booth, Baltimore, MD and Scott Hegle, Freedom Scientific.

4:00-7:00 p.m. Convention Registration; outside Rhode Island/Connecticut Rooms.
7:00-9:00 p.m. Students will meet in the Director’s Room. Please ask for directions. It is located on the 1st floor between the Men’s and Ladies Powder (oops!) Rest Rooms.
7:30 p.m. Nominations Meeting, Room 105; Chairperson, James Daley. This is the only closed meeting we conduct. Only delegates are asked to attend.
8:30 p.m. Resolutions Committee meeting, Rhode Island/Connecticut Rooms, Chairperson, Albert Evans
9:00- 11:00 p.m.! Hospitality Room Open. Please stop by to meet old friends and make new ones. No alcohol served. Bar and Restaurant open for your pleasure.

SATURDAY, April 26, 2008

** Talking Information Center will be broadcasting our convention sessions throughout the entire day.**
MORNING SESSION: 8:15- 8:45 a.m. Registration, hall outside Rhode Island/Connecticut Rooms
9:00 a.m., Opening Ceremonies- Invocation, Kobena Bonney, Cambridge Chapter; In Memoriam, Honoring our deceased members. Announcements to follow.
9:15 a.m. remarks from Talking Information Center (TIC). Robert Daley, TIC representative
9:25 a.m. Questions and Discussion
9:30 a.m. National Report. National representative: Joanne Wilson, National Director of Affiliate Action
10:10 a.m. Questions and Discussion
10:30 a.m. March on Washington Report, Mika Pyykhala, Cambridge Chapter
10:40 a.m. Questions and discussion
10:45 a.m. NFBM Presidential Report, Dr. David Ticchi, President
11:10 a.m. Questions and Discussion
11:15 a.m. Perkins Regional Library News, Kim Charlson
11:30 a.m. Questions and Discussion
11:45 a.m. Special Announcements; Recess.
12:15 p.m. MAGDU Luncheon, Room to be announced, MEMBERS AND PREREGISTERED GUESTS ONLY. Al Evans, President; Guest, Ann Gobi, State Representative 5th District, Worcester: Election year for the President and Secretary/Treasurer positions. It is time for new members to take over the Harness and Leash of our MAGDU Chapter.
Please pick up your banquet tickets. See Gloria Evans.

AFTERNOON SESSION: 2:00 p.m. Announcements
2:05 p.m. Guest: Ann Gobi, State Representative 5th District, Worcester
2:15 p.m. Supporting our Imagination Fund; Singala Inkala, State Fundraiser
2:25 p.m. Meet our New MCB Commissioner”; Janet LaBreck, Commissioner, MCB
2:45 p.m. Questions and discussion
2:55 p.m. Information and Comments from Kobena Bonney, MA Rehabilitation Council (MRC)
3:10 p.m. Questions and discussion
3:15 p.m. News from the Colorado Center for the Blind; Guests: Kimberly Johnson and Brenda Mosby,
Representatives 3:35 Question and discussion
3:45 p.m. Panel, “Youth Slam Conference in Review”. Moderator, Dr. David Ticchi; Guests: Robert Baran (adult volunteer), Three student attendees, names to be announced.
4:40 p.m. Questions and discussion.
4:45 p.m. Announcements and Adjournment

EVENING SESSION: 7:00 p.m. Fifty-Fifth Annual Banquet of the NFB of Massachusetts, Invocation: Albert Evans; MC, William Cuttle; Banquet Address: Joanne Wilson, National Representative; Presentation of Scholarships, Awards and Raffle Drawings.

SUNDAY MORNING April 27, 2008

Check with Front Desk for local religious services 10:00 a.m. Opening Session. Invocation: to be announced Announcements
10:15 a.m. State Board of Directors meeting, all board members are asked to be prompt.
10:45 a.m. Annual Business meeting, State Treasurer's Report, Committee reports, etc., Election of three Board positions. You must be present if you wish to run and THERE WILL BE NO PROXY VOTING. To be eligible to vote you must be registered as a member in good standing. Any old or new business to follow.
12:30 p.m. Adjournment

OUR THANKS

Thanks to all who appeared on the agenda, who served on committees, or worked in registration. Thanks to all who contributed door prizes, you helped make this convention a success. A very special thank you to Frank Pasquarello, whose help this weekend and throughout the year has been invaluable. And thanks to Linda and Kevin Brown for their great job with the door prizes. I wish to thank Joanne Wilson for her contributions as National Representative. The national prospective you brought to us is so important to our achievement of equality, security, and opportunity. Thanks to Paula Lawrence from the hotel for all the help and assistance in planning this weekend. Last, but certainly not least, I wish to thank all of the individuals who have contributed to our convention program. It is vitally important that we continue to receive your support. Your interest helps us to progress and achieve first class citizenship for all blind people. This is our goal as members of the largest organized blind movement, The National Federation of the Blind.

IN CLOSING:

The NFB of MA has, in the past, printed a print program book filled with advertisements purchased in the interest of aiding our organization with the cost of the annual convention. This year we are breaking with that tradition. Because of lack of interest in the standard print format and increased popularity in the Braille and large print forms we will no longer will be printing personalized messages or commercial ads. We will however still accept contributions. The following are names of financial contributors / sponsors: Greater Boston Chapter
Greater Brockton Chapter
Greater Cambridge Chapter
Greater Fall River Chapter
Greater Springfield Chapter
Greater Worcester Chapter
Venus de Milo Restaurant, Swansea, MA
Harold Jones and Nevin Daly
Frank Dodge
Peter Passalaqua & Isabel Leslie
Linda & Kevin Brown
Sandy Cassidy
Erin & Jim Daley
Priscilla Ferris