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 in April or May 2011 at the NFB of Minnesota building in Minneapolis. Members will receive a letter with details about a month before the convention, and the letter will be on our website at www.nfbmn.org.

The NFB Scholarship Program application is now available online. This national scholarship program is available solely to persons who are legally blind and living in the United States or Puerto Rico. There are 30 awards, from $12,000 to $3,000. In addition, each winner will be assisted to attend the NFB Annual Convention for 2011 in Orlando, Florida. The annual contest began the first week of November 2010; all documents required from the applicants must be postmarked by the March 31, 2011, deadline.

By Tom Scanlan

Every October the National Federation of the Blind conducts a nationwide series of events and informational activities to increase public understanding of blindness and the true capability of blind people. In Minnesota, we obtained government proclamations from the state and several cities. Here is the state proclamation.

Lifelong friends talk of many changes

By Kevin Allenspach, St. Cloud Times

(Editor’s Note: This article appeared in the St. Cloud Times as part of our Central Minnesota Chapter’s promotion of Meet the Blind Month in October.)

By Kristin Oien, Blind/Visually-Impaired Specialist, Minnesota Department of Education

(Editor’s Note: This presentation was given at the Annual Convention of the National Federation of the Blind of Minnesota on November 6, 2010.)

 Good morning!

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 November 6, 2010.)

By Jon Benson, Director, Administrative Services Unit, 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 November 6, 2010.)

Good afternoon!

By Ryan Strunk

(Editor’s Note: This is the winner of the 2010 Metro Chapter essay contest. Ryan grew up in Fremont, Nebraska. He is a Communications Instructor teaching braille and computer at Blindness: Learning In New Dimensions (BLIND), is a past president of the National Association of Blind Students division of the NFB, and a is member of the Metro Chapter of the NFB of Minnesota. We are glad to have him in Minnesota.)

Report to the 2010 Annual Convention

By Jennifer Dunnam, President

I would like to take a few moments to talk with you about the accomplishments of the NFB of Minnesota during the last year, our 90th year of existence! We have been making progress in many areas.

Advocacy