There's Always More to Learn
By Brook Sexton
(Editor’s Note: At our annual convention, the Metro chapter sponsors an essay contest. Here is this year’s winning essay. No doubt many of us will resonate with the experiences Brook had at a national singles retreat.)
The Radio Talking Book at 50
By Carol Pankow
Director, State Services for the Blind
(Editor’s Note: I can still remember receiving that first Radio Talking Book machine when I was about five years old. I eagerly looked forward to Saturday mornings when I could listen to “Stories with Auntie Jo," a children’s program created by Joni Jonson Kilde, one of the original volunteer readers. As I grew older, I took a secret pleasure in staying up late at night to listen to some books that were not necessarily intended for ten-year-olds.
President's Column
By Ryan Strunk
(Editor’s Note: In this thought-provoking piece, our state President shares the importance of realizing the truth about oneself, the freedom found in asking for help, and the power in being a real team member.)
Editor's Note
(In reviewing the articles for this issue, a theme of learning seemed to emerge. Our state President shares how he learned an important lesson about himself and about blindness as he considered becoming a high school debater. Carol Pankow, director of MN State Services for the Blind, shares some interesting tidbits about the history of the Radio Talking Book and we learn just how invaluable this service has been for blind Minnesotans.
Spring 2019
Volume 86, 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
Acknowledgements
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.
Background and Purpose
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
Chapter and Other Meetings to Remember
Metro Chapter — Twin Cities area; meets at 10:00 a.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
Convention Alert!
Exciting times are coming in NFB conventions. Keep these in mind as you plan your activities throughout the coming year.
The Annual NFB of Minnesota Convention is October 25-27 in Bloomington. 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.