By Carey Scouler

(Editor’s Note: Carey Scouler is an active member of the Metro Chapter of the National Federation of the Blind of Minnesota. She gave this presentation at our fall convention which highlights how fun braille can be and how rewarding she found it to teach the kids in our BELL program. There is even a birthday surprise in this story.)

By Ryan Strunk

(Editor’s Note: Our state President gave the following report on Saturday morning at our fall convention held in St. Cloud. The energy and excitement in the room were obvious as Ryan Strunk recounted our many achievements this past year and inspired us to keep moving forward in the year ahead.)

(Happy 2020! In this issue, you will find some of the presentations made at our fall state convention, a story about how one of our members started their own business, and the essay that won our annual contest. As you read this issue, I think you will be amazed at all of our notable accomplishments in 2019. I also hope you will join me in resolving to continue working together with us to help ensure all blind Minnesotans can live the lives we want!)

Volume 87, Number 1

A 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

Ryan Strunk, President

e-mail president@nfbmn.org

Kathy McGillivray, Editor

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.

Tim Aune duplicates the cassette tape edition and makes the master copy for the Compact Disc edition.

Jennifer Dunnam transcribes the braille edition.

The purpose of the National Federation of the Blind is two-fold — to help blind persons achieve self-confidence and self-respect and to act as a vehicle for collective self-expression by the blind.  By providing public education about blindness, information and referral services, scholarships, literature and publications about blindness, aids and appliances and other adaptive equipment for the blind, advocacy services and protection of civil rights, development and evaluation of technology, and support for blind persons and their families, members of the NFB strive to educate the publi

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

Rochester Chapter — Rochester area; meets at 7:00 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday of every month at Peace United Church of Christ in Rochester 

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 19, 2012 at the NFB of Minnesota building in Minneapolis.  Members will receive a letter with details, and the letter will be on our website at www.nfbmn.org.

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

(Editor’s Note:  This presentation was read by Kathy McGillivray on behalf of Ms. Oien at the Annual Convention of the National Federation of the Blind of Minnesota on October 8, 2011.)

Greetings Minnesota Federationists,

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 8, 2011.)

Thank you, Jennifer.  Hello.  My name is Catherine Durivage.  I am the Library Director at the Minnesota Braille and Talking Book Library. Thank you for extending an invitation to me to speak at your annual conference again this year.