The 1994 annual convention of the National Federation of the Blind of Minnesota was held over the weekend of November 4‑6, in North Mankato, at the Best Western Garden Inn.  Representing our national office was Diane McGeorge, member of our National Board of Directors and Executive Director of the Colorado Center for the Blind.  Our River Bend Chapter, ably lead by chapter president Chris Cuppett, hosted the convention, enlivening the program with many door prizes and generally making Federationists from throughout the state feel welcome.  Our traditional bake auction raised over $2,300 for the NFB of Minnesota treasury.  The convention passed three resolutions.

Convention activities began promptly at 2:00 p.m., Friday afternoon, with a Job Opportunities for the Blind seminar entitled Techniques for the Successful Job Seeker Who Happens to be Blind.  Other meetings that took place Friday afternoon and evening included:

Minnesota Association of Blind Students (MABS), Jenny Koch, president

National Association to Promote the Use of Braille in Minnesota, Jennifer Dunnam, president

Resolutions Committee, chaired by Curtis Chong.

During Friday evening, there was also convention hospitality, where Federationists could meet old friends, discuss issues pertaining to the convention, and meet new members.

Early Saturday morning, convention attendees gathered to participate in a Consumer Forum, the BLIND, Inc. Breakfast that has become a tradition at NFB of Minnesota annual conventions.  Everyone was pleased to hear about the tremendous progress being made by Blindness: Learning in New Dimensions, including the joint acquisition, with NFB of Minnesota, of the new building at 100 East 22nd Street in Minneapolis.

The first general session of the convention began in earnest at 9:00 a.m., Saturday morning, with welcoming remarks from NFB of Minnesota President Joyce Scanlan, River Bend Chapter president Chris Cuppett, and Diane McGeorge, our national representative.

Elaine Sveen, Superintendent of the Minnesota State Academy for the Blind, updated the convention concerning developments at the Academy since last year.  Currently, sixty students attend the Academy for the Blind.  Some improvements have occurred at the Academy in the athletic program.  The Academies for the Blind and Deaf will be a joint cooperative, with separate superintendents and site councils that will play an advisory role.  The Site Council for the Academy for the Blind will be comprised of:

one administrator from the Academy,

three teachers and three other staff members from the Academy,

one teacher from the public schools who works with blind children,

one student,

two parents of blind children, and

four community representatives‑‑one from NFB of Minnesota. 

The Council will advise the Academy on a variety of issues ranging from staff development to curriculum planning.  Ms. Sveen discussed the concept of "shared decision making," saying that this concept is important for the Site Council to function properly.  Consensus through collaboration will be the decision making process, she said.  Ms. Sveen said that she does not anticipate that the group will engage in any voting.

The convention next had an opportunity to view a video tape promoting Braille, developed by the National Federation of the Blind.  Entitled That the Blind May Read, the video provides graphic proof that the opportunity to read and write Braille is indispensable in the life of any blind child.

The next program item was a panel entitled Implementation of the Braille Literacy Law.  The panel was chaired by Jean Martin from the Resource Center for the Blind in Faribault.  Participants on the panel included Ann Godwin from the Minnesota State Academy for the Blind and Kathy Grafsgaard from the Anoka‑Hennepin School District.  All panel members tried to promote the virtues of Braille and were generally upbeat about it.  However, subsequent discussion with the audience revealed that the slate and stylus are still not given the prominence it deserves in the Braille training provided to young children.

A progress report for 1994 regarding Services for the Blind in Minnesota was next presented by Richard Davis, Assistant Commissioner, who heads the agency.  Mr. Davis reported that during the last fiscal year, State Services for the Blind (SSB) has experienced significant growth in the number of blind people placed in competitive employment as well as in the number of total persons helped to achieve their individualized rehabilitation plans.  Although on the face of it, this would appear to show positive developments within SSB, Mr. Davis cited an alarming trend away from full-time adjustment‑to‑blindness training in favor of part-time training.  Other developments at SSB include an enhancement of the Radio Talking book to read local newspapers in Fergus Falls, Duluth, and Rochester and a newly‑initiated mentoring and training program for older blind Minnesotans funded by a federal grant.

Mr. Davis told the convention of other issues that are being addressed by SSB.  These include:

the "One Stop Shop" concept and the necessity to protect the unique and distinct services provided to the blind

electronic information kiosks and the ability of members of the public who are blind to use them

the push by private agencies to have rehabilitation services provided through the national health care system

the struggle by sheltered shop employees of the Lighthouse for the Blind in Duluth to receive equitable treatment from lighthouse management

the implementation of the Freedom of Choice provisions of the Rehabilitation Act.

The Saturday afternoon session began with the National Report, presented by Diane McGeorge.  Ms. McGeorge announced that the 1995 Washington Seminar and the student seminar that traditionally accompanies it will be held from Saturday, January 28 through Wednesday, February 1.

Ms. McGeorge then discussed our continuing struggle to eliminate "detectable warnings" from regulations carrying out the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).  Prospects look good for these truncated domes to be eliminated, except as they relate to platform edges in train and subway stations.

Reading, Writing, and Construction was the title of the next program, presented by Nancy Walton, Librarian, Minnesota Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped.  Ms. Walton updated the convention concerning construction activities at the library.  The construction work is nearly over, she said.  Ms. Walton invited everyone to the grand opening, scheduled for April 12, 1995.  Ms. Walton then explained what happens when a patron orders a book over the telephone.  Ms. Walton pointed out that although the library can make extra copies of books on cassette, additional Braille and disc copies need to be borrowed from another library through an interlibrary loan.

Kids, Canes, and Independence was the subject of the next program item.  This was presented by Judy Sanders and Jennifer Dunnam.  Judy recounted her experiences growing up and trying to travel without the benefit of a cane.  Jennifer discussed the Buddy Project operated by BLIND, Inc. last summer for children from ages nine through thirteen.

A Model for All Ages: How It Works for the Senior Blind in Southern Minnesota was presented by Chris Cuppett.  Besides serving as the able president of our River Bend chapter, Chris also operates a program designed to teach independence to older blind Minnesotans in Southern Minnesota.  The Southern Minnesota Model, as it has come to be called, has at the core of its program a positive and uplifting attitude toward blindness.  In addition to the usual training in Braille and basic blindness techniques, the program now exposes blind seniors to some hands on cooking techniques, teaches them some memory enhancement skills, and strongly emphasizes the positive virtues of using a white cane.

The banquet, held Saturday evening, was the highlight of the convention.  Diane McGeorge presented a stirring and thought provoking keynote address.  This, combined with a significant increase in contributions to our national Pre‑Authorized Check (PAC) plan, the many baked goods auctioned with tremendous gusto, and the many door prizes sprinkled throughout, made the banquet one that Federationists will find hard to forget.  Immediately after the banquet Federationists gathered to show their singing talent by accompanying popular sound tracks played on a Karaoke machine.  Just about everyone jumped on stage to sing along with well known tunes by popular artists.

Federationists were back in session bright and early Sunday morning.  The session was devoted largely to the general business of the organization.