RE: Support of VIPS Groups in Nebraska

WHEREAS; according to the 1990 Census there were 21,429 blind Nebraskans who were 55 years of age or better and 1,725 persons below age 55 who were blind; and

WHEREAS; Nebraska Services for the Visually Impaired reports that 872 people received independent living services in 1992; and

WHEREAS; in that same year 542 blind Nebraskans participated in one of a network of 30 support groups across the state known as "Visually Impaired Peer Support" (VIPS); and

RE: Creation of a Separate Commission for the Blind in the State of Nebraska

WHEREAS, the National Federation of the Blind, the largest organization of the blind in the United States, has a long history of supporting the concept of "separate" agencies or commissions for the blind; and

WHEREAS, it has been consistently demonstrated over a period of time that blind persons, as clients of these separate agencies or commissions, receive better services and thus, following training, compete, to a far greater degree, on an equal basis with their sighted peers; and

RE: Support a Residential Option for the Education of Blind Children

WHEREAS; the National Federation of the Blind of Nebraska (NFBN) has long supported the concept of a residential school for the blind as an essential option for the education of blind children; and

WHEREAS; the existence of alternative education options, combined with the relatively small population base of Nebraska continues to diminish the numbers taking advantage of the residential option; and

RE: Negative Advertisements by the Tobin Eye Institute

WHEREAS; the Omaha Tobin Eye Institute portray blind persons in a negative manner in their television advertisements; and

WHEREAS; these advertisements imply that blind people cannot enjoy or participate in life without "no stitch cataract surgery"; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind of Nebraska, in convention assembled this 17th day of October, 1993, in the city of Columbus, that we call upon Omaha Tobin Eye Institute to cease and desist this negative advertising; and

RE: Hosting Events for Nebraska School for the Visually Handicapped

WHEREAS, the National Federation of the Blind of Nebraska has a long history of reaching out to the Nebraska School for the Visually Handicapped; and

WHEREAS, the Federation's outreach efforts have included: career fairs, informational seminars and "fun night" events, which have been mutually beneficial to NSVH students and NFBN members; and

WHEREAS, in recent years, these activities have ceased; Now, therefore,

RE: Opposition to Audible Traffic Signals

WHEREAS, for the past two years, the city of Lincoln has had an audible traffic signal located at 11th and O streets in downtown Lincoln; and

WHEREAS, this signal is not necessary for blind travelers, and only serves to irritate the public, blind and sighted alike;and

WHEREAS, the city of Lincoln, in its wisdom and in response to the voice of the National Federation of the Blind of Nebraska, decided to remove this audible traffic signal; Now, therefore,

RE: Television Crawlers

WHEREAS, the average blind person watches television as often as does the average sighted person; and

WHEREAS, television stations frequently broadcast significant information, including but not limited to: sports scores; community calendars; weather information; school closings and public service announcements in print only; and

WHEREAS, this practice denies blind people equal access to this important information and violates the spirit of the ADA; Now, therefore,

RE: Asking RTBS to support Newsline

WHEREAS, The National Federation of the Blind operates Newsline for The Blind, making it possible for blind persons to read: “USA Today”, “The New York Times”, and “The Chicago Tribune”, every day, simply by using a touch-tone phone; and

WHEREAS, Establishing local service centers in Nebraska, to carry the Newsline signal into our communities, would enable blind citizens living in our state to dial into Newsline without incurring a long-distance telephone bill, making the daily newspaper truly accessible to blind Nebraskans; and

RE: Encouraging SVI to provide Administrative Leave for Any Staff Wishing to Attend a NFB National Convention

RE: Condemning the State of Nebraska for its Plans to Combine SVI with the General Rehab Agency

WHEREAS, The Nebraska Partnership for Health and Human Services significantly affects rehabilitation services to Blind Nebraskans by absorbing the Department of Public Institutions (the umbrella agency under which services for the Visually Impaired is now located) into the newly created Department of Health and Human Services; and