By Richard Strong, Director, Minnesota State Services for the Blind

(Editor’s Note: This presentation was given at the Annual Convention of the National Federation of the Blind of Minnesota on October 24, 2009. At the time, he was acting director and was appointed to the permanent position on December 23, 2009.)

By Catherine Durivage, Director, Minnesota Braille and Talking Book Library

(Editor’s Note:  This presentation was given at the Annual Convention of the National Federation of the Blind of Minnesota on October 24, 2009.)

By Sheila Koenig

(Editor’s Note:  Sheila is a 9th grade English teacher at South View Middle School in Edina.  She is also First Vice-President of our Metro Chapter and a newly elected member of the NFB of Minnesota Board of Directors.)

Or Somebody’s Girl Scout Moment

By Jane Harlan-Simmons

(Editor’s Note:  The following article was posted on the website of ArtsWORK Indiana on November 3, 2009.  Adam Perry is a member of the NFB of Minnesota Metro Chapter and a graduate of Blindness: Learning in New Dimensions (BLIND).)

By Mark Erickson

(Editor’s Note:  This is the winner of the 2009 Metro Chapter essay contest.)

By Jennifer Dunnam, President

Volume 76, Number 1

Quarterly Publication of the

National Federation of the Blind of Minnesota, Inc.

100 East 22nd Street

Minneapolis, Minnesota 55404

Many people are involved in getting this issue to you. The writers can write and the editor can edit, but until the material is printed, brailled, recorded, and distributed, it is just a computer file. Therefore, we owe great thanks to the following people for the work they do in producing this publication.

Tim Aune duplicates the cassette tape edition and makes the master copy for the compact disc edition.

Metro Chapter — Twin Cities area; meets at 2:00 p.m. on the third Saturday of every month at NFB of MN Headquarters, 100 East 22nd Street in Minneapolis

Riverbend Chapter — New Ulm area; meets at 9:00 a.m. on the third Saturday of every month in New Ulm; contact Monica Buboltz at 507-354-5680 for meeting location

Exciting times are coming in NFB conventions. Keep these in mind as you plan your activities throughout the coming year.

The Semiannual NFB of Minnesota Convention will be May 8, 2010 at the NFB of Minnesota building in Minneapolis. Members have received a letter with details, and the letter is on our website at www.nfbmn.org.