IF NOT YOU, THEN WHO?!
LIVE THE LIFE YOU WANT!

Announcing

The 47th Annual Convention of the

National Federation of the Blind of Nebraska

October 13-15, 2017

Divots Norfolk Lodge and Suites, 4200 West Norfolk Avenue, Norfolk, NE 68701
“It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves.” – William Shakespeare 
Too many blind people are not living the life they want. They think their destiny is not in their hands. Are you one of them? It’s easy to blame other things (situations, other persons, the universe, God, etc.…) for what is happening in our lives. It’s hard to take responsibility, but as William Jennings Bryan said, “Destiny is no matter of chance. It is a matter of choice. It is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved.  You are the creator of your own destiny!” Or As Jack Welch said, “Control your own destiny or someone else will.”

You are warmly invited to join the National Federation of the Blind of Nebraska and see how, with love, hope and determination, we can turn your dreams in to reality. Blindness is not the characteristic that defines you or your future. Come be a part of the fun and fellowship, stay for the education and empowerment. You won't want to miss the most influential gathering of Nebraska's blind this year!

HOTEL RESERVATIONS

Phone (402) 379-3833

Mention NFBN for reduced rate of $93.00 per night + 14.3% tax.

Conveniently located just two miles west of Norfolk with countryside views on Hwy 275 at 4200 West Norfolk Avenue, Divots is a full-service hotel and conference facility comprised of the Divots Conference Center, the DeVent Center, Norfolk Lodge & Suites, the SandBar & Grill, and the Divots Brewery.
The Norfolk Lodge & Suites includes large, comfortable guest rooms, an indoor atrium-style pool, whirlpool, exercise room, guest laundry and 18- hole miniature golf. The hotel offers a complimentary expanded hot and cold breakfast buffet, 24 hour coffee service, gift shop, guest laundry facility, free high speed wireless internet, and granite wet bar with microwave, refrigerator, coffee maker, and bottled water in each room.                                                        
The hotel is connected to Norfolk's only brew pub, the SandBar & Grill and Divots Brewery, serving Certified Angus beef steaks, prime rib, burgers, sandwiches, soups and salads. The SandBar features large screen TVs, outdoor patios, a covered beer garden, sand volleyball courts, and indoor and outdoor fireside gathering areas. The Divots Brewery onsite makes handcrafted beers with ten on tap and carries Norfolk's largest selection of regional microbrews. Growlers are available to take your favorites home with you.

CONVENTION PRE-REGISTRATION

Register by October 9th and save yourself a little cash.
Prices listed below will increase by $5.00 per item after October 9th.

Advance Registration Prices per Person
Convention Registration: $20
Friday Lunch and Learn: $15
Banquet: $45
Sunday So Long Box Lunch: $15

REGISTRATION

Register and make a secure on-line payment by visiting:  http://ne.nfb.org/2017

If you prefer to pay by check or money order with a paper registration, print out the form from our website or contact Cheryl Livingston, NFBN Treasurer, at (402)488-2509.
“There is no chance, no destiny, no fate that can circumvent or hinder or control the firm resolve of a determined soul.” – Ella Wheeler Wilcox
NATIONAL REPRESENTATIVE

We are pleased to welcome back Mr. Anil Lewis, Executive Director of the National Federation of the Blind Jernigan Institute, as our national representative. Dynamic, full of wit and wisdom, Anil brings passion and commitment to each endeavor of life. Mr. Lewis has racked up many accolades and accomplished much.  He’s a tireless champion for fair wages, equality and accessibility for the blind, but Anil says his proudest accomplishment came in 1997 when his son, Amari was born. He says: “My personal mission is simple: I want to make a difference in the lives of others."

Born in 1964 in Atlanta, Anil was the first member of his family to attend a four year college. As a sighted man he fairly easily found respectable employment with wages high above the minimum wage. Then, in 1989, while pursuing his bachelors of business administration in computer information systems at Georgia State University, he became blind from retinitis pigmentosa. "All of a sudden doors that had been open to me slammed shut." At that point, although he had always considered himself socially aware, he became personally acquainted with actual social injustice and discrimination.

In his pro-active way, Lewis received blindness skills training while completing his course requirements for his BBA at GSU. He quickly learned the alternative skills of blindness, including Braille, activities of daily living, assistive technology, and use of the white cane, and capitalized on them to graduate from Georgia State with his BBA in 1993. "It was a struggle to regain the life that blindness had appeared to take from me. Almost everyone who had once respected me now pitied me, but I was determined not to be redefined by my blindness." Armed with these new skills and this new determination, he quickly became committed to ensuring that others in similar situations could get appropriate training and unlimited opportunities. He began as a Braille and AT instructor but has also managed job placement programs for individuals with disabilities, represented individuals with disabilities as an advocate, ben appointed by the Governor as a Board member for the State Independent Living Council of Georgia, and currently serves as the Executive Director of the National Federation of the Blind Jernigan Institute.

TRANSPORTATION

The National Federation of the Blind of Nebraska has again arranged for a bus to this year’s State Convention in Norfolk. The bus will depart Omaha on Friday, October 13, 2017, at approximately 6:40 am. The first pick-up point will be in Omaha at the College of St. Mary, and the second one will be in Lincoln at approximately 7:35 am at the Commission for the Blind offices. There will be another stop in York, which will be at approximately 8:50 am at the Super 8 Motel. The final pick up will be in Columbus at approximately 10:05 am, the location for this pick-up is yet to be determined. The bus should arrive at the Divots Convention Center in Norfolk at approximately 11:00 am that morning. The trip, including the passenger pick up points in Lincoln, York, and Columbus should be approximately four and a half hours. Following the convention, the bus will depart at approximately 1:00 pm, following adjournment on October 15th, 2017. The bus should arrive in Omaha by early evening.
The price for the round trip will be $70.00 per person. In keeping with the company policies of Fontenelle Tours, any reservations cancelled before October 1, 2017, are fully refundable; however, there will be a $30.00 fee for any reservations cancelled after this date. The bus is being arranged by your state affiliate of the National Federation of the Blind of Nebraska, and the excellent rates for travel are made possible through the generosity of Fontenelle Tours, Arrow Stage, and the National Federation of the Blind of Nebraska. 
Reservations can be made when registering for the convention online at: http://ne.nfb.org/2017
If you are not able for any reason to reserve your seat on the bus using the online link, or if you need additional information regarding the locations of boarding sites, please contact Jeff Altman directly at debandjeff@allophone.com, or by calling (402) 489-9458 to make other arrangements.
To insure that possible problems at any of the pick up points along the route on or before the day of departure can be managed effectively, all passengers are asked to provide their home address, a cell or home telephone number where they can be reached, and their personal or work e-mail address if available. Should an individual be late arriving to the scheduled pick up point, and we do not have a means by which to contact the person directly, it will not be possible to delay the bus for more than a few minutes. Please help us to assure that you will have every opportunity to successfully meet the bus.
Please remember that seating is limited. To insure yourself a seat, make your reservations early. Some seats may still be available after the deadline due to cancellations, so you are certainly encouraged to check if you are running late in making your reservations, but remember that the bus tends to fill up very quickly. 

We have a packed agenda full of innovation, empowerment, tech savvy and more for the blind of all ages and their families, teachers and professionals. Make plans now to join us inNorfolk!

If you have questions, please contact:

President Amy Buresh
president@ne.nfb.org
(402)477-7711