Volume 77, Number 1
Quarterly Publication of the
National Federation of the Blind of Minnesota, Inc.
100 East 22nd Street
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55404
Voice:  (612) 872-9363
Website:  www.nfbmn.org
Tom Scanlan, Editor
E-mail tom.scanlan@earthlink.net
WE ARE CHANGING
WHAT IT MEANS
TO BE BLIND

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.

Dave Andrews marks up and posts the NFB-NEWSLINE® 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 21, 2011 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.

By Tom Scanlan

I recently had a discussion with a couple of our members who are entering middle age in which I learned that they had never heard an un-popped kernel of popcorn called an Old Maid, nor knew the same term was used for a never-married woman (although not to her face). How times change.

By Judy Sanders, Secretary

"CELEBRATING 90 YEARS: LOOKING BACK, LOOKING FORWARD" was the theme for a very special 90th annual convention at the Best Western Kelly Inn in St. Cloud on November 5-7, 2010.

Friday Afternoon

By Trudy Barrett

In 1982 when I lived in Idaho, I was picked for federal jury duty. I was picked like everyone else, at random through the telephone, census, and voting registration. My husband and I were going through the mail one night after dinner as we always did at that time. We ran across a letter and form saying I was called for federal jury duty. I felt honored and surprised at the same time. We filled out the form and returned it.

By Cathy Jackson, President, National Federation of the Blind of Kentucky

(Editor’s Note: The following article is reprinted from the Winter 2010 issue of the Kentucky Cardinal, a publication of the NFB of Kentucky. As well as Kentucky state president, Cathy is a member of the national board of directors.)

By Joyce Scanlan

Andy Virden, one of our longtime and very active members of the National Federation of the Blind of Minnesota, was on his way home from a Friday night fish fry shortly after 8:00 on March 11, when he was struck by a car and killed instantly. Details of the accident are still under investigation. Andy was 83 years old.

On The Importance of Training for the Experts

By Jennifer Dunnam