Welcome to NFB Ohio.org

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Contents

From the President’s Desk

Up

by Paul Dressell

2008 Resolutions of the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio

NFB-O Awards Presented in 2008

by Barbara Fohl

Affiliate Reports from around the State

by Barbara Fohl

My First Convention

by Mary-Anne M. Joseph

Mentoring at the Convention

by Deborah Kendrick

The Blind Leading the Blind—and the Sighted

by Annie Donnellon

The Blind Go to Washington in 2009

by Eric Duffy

Editor’s Musings

by Barbara Pierce

Don’t Dis his Abilities

by Brianna Dransfield

technology

by Eric Duffy

Buckeye Briefs

Activities Calendar

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From the President’s Desk

by J. Webster Smith

Transitions are rarely easy, but they can be very exciting. In fact, I recently read something that said roughly, every exit is an entrance for new opportunities and adventures. I was so touched by this statement that I have put it on my cell phone message.

I sat with some ambivalence as Barbara Pierce delivered her valedictory address at the end of our convention on Sunday, November 2, 2008. Thankfully, Barbara will be with us both physically and in spirit for years to come, but her exit from the presidency does usher in a new era of leadership. Like many of you I have observed her leadership and marveled at her ability to perform the duties of this office, often apparently effortlessly. We have been blessed to have her guidance and love for twenty-four years, so I know that some of you who are reading this are experiencing ambivalence as well. First, I know you join me in thanking Barbara for her years of service to this organization and for her attention to detail in performing the duties of this office. More important, however, let’s thank her for doing it with graciousness and love and genuine concern for our Ohio Federation family.

I have big shoes to fill, but I hope that I do not sound conceited when I say I believe I am ready for the task. Whenever I have needed the right people in my life and whenever I have been prepared for the right assignment, God has made it possible. I’m sure some of you are wondering who I am and, more important, what I bring to the table at this critical time in our movement.

Who Am I?

I am a father and a family person, and I love my wife and two daughters with all my heart. I’ve been married since 1986, and because of my wife Regina I am who I am today. She keeps the home fires burning, provides stability, and allows me to travel and do what I feel I’ve been called to do. She has always been a quiet, reserved individual who detests the limelight, but I think the statement “still waters run deep” best characterizes her personality and her perspective on life. Through the years you’ve read much about my daughters Ebony and Joshelyn. Ebony is in her first year at Ohio University, majoring in interior design, and Joshelyn is in her first year of high school, majoring in anything she can get into. These women are the joy of my life and the center of my world.

I am a fighter and a futurist. I was a wrestler in high school, and I had a reputation for being tenacious and one who fought till the bitter end. I will bring that same tenacity to the office of president. I will fight for what is right for blind Ohioans, and I will fight for those who either have lost their fight or don’t feel empowered to fight. I don’t intentionally go looking for fights, but I am a futurist in that I like to see the big picture and I like to move the ball down the field. I love to play chess and checkers, and as you know, to be successful at those games, one must anticipate as many future moves as possible for both oneself and one’s opponent. My futuristic tendency allows me to be far-sighted, trying to be proactive rather than reactive.

Finally, I am a performer, a professor, and a partner. By performer I mean a musician, public speaker, and preacher. I’ve been a professor at the university level since 1983 and since 1993 at the Ohio University, where I teach in the School of Communication Studies. By partner I mean I’m a team player, and I have no interest in being a lone ranger leader or dictator.

What Do I Bring to the Table?

I bring continuity and commitment. I want to continue the consistency that our movement in Ohio has enjoyed through the years. As first vice president since 1994, I have been a part of that consistency, and I want it to continue. I want to ensure that the NFB of Ohio is a place of stability and strength and that our positions are communicated effectively and persuasively. I want to continue our presence and prowess in the disability community in general and the blindness community in particular. We have established a reputation for integrity and credibility and the ability to get things done thanks to Barbara Pierce and Eric Duffy, and I want to keep that going.

I am committed to our philosophy and principles. We are changing what it means to be blind every chance we get, and I’m committed to the idea that blind people can do anything they want to do with proper training and opportunities. I’ve been a Federationist since 1990, and I’ve never been more committed than I am today. I attended my first national convention in Charlotte, North Carolina. in 1992, and I made up my mind then that I would give my life to this movement, so I am here for the duration, and I’m committed to our programs and our policies. My leadership style may be different from Barbara’s, but my commitment to all that is the NFB of Ohio will be the same.

I bring education and enthusiasm. By education I mean both formal and informal. I don’t want to be snobbish here, but I think that I have been able to use my years of formal education effectively in the real world. My formal education has taught me to be a facilitator and a problem solver. I think these skills will come in handy in this new job. I am enthusiastic about the capacity of blind people to do anything in life they want to do. I’ve traveled a great deal, and I’ve met a lot of people. In short, I have had and continue to have an exciting life that I think allows me to convince other blind people that they can have the same kind of experience. Research demonstrates that communicating enthusiastically and energetically can be contagious. Because I believe in this movement and the limitless capacity of blind Ohioans, I won’t have any problem communicating all things NFB-O enthusiastically and energetically. Of course I will want to make sure that this excitement and enthusiasm are balanced by substance and purpose.

I bring organizational skills and an opportunity-friendly leadership style. I value organization and efficiency, and I take great pride in putting it all together. I also enjoy creativity and innovativeness. It’s often difficult to keep the interest of this new generation, but I think that, as a movement and organization, we must try. My predecessor has made this job easier for me because of her meticulous attention to detail and superb organizational skills. I want to build on those and add my own creativity. I am one who likes to delegate tasks, and you might say that I enjoy discipling others. Discipleship requires time and commitment and a willingness to step in and not just pull people along but walk with them every step of the way. I want to give our members opportunities to work in our movement, but I want to make it clear that I will expect them to seize those opportunities and be positive contributors to our purpose and mission. For example, I want committees that get things done, and I want an infusion of new blood and faces.

That’s who I am and what I believe I bring to this office. I am not perfect, and I will depend on the efforts of my board of directors and other leaders in this organization to ensure our success as a family. This is a we operation, and we need as many committed individuals as possible to help make our collective strength that much more evident. For the next two years I will try to be the best CEO I can be. I will try to guide with love and affection and genuine concern for all of you. I pledge to be the best president I can be. I pledge to continue our success, to be committed to our philosophy and programs, to educate others about who we are and what we want, and to provide opportunities for leadership and input that will be in the best interests of the NFB of Ohio. Together we can make it work, and I might add, work very well.

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