Who We Are
The Middle TN chapter of the NFB is a group of blind and sighted people who are
committed to the ideals of security, equality and opportunity for blind people
and who seek to achieve these ideals through changing what it means to be blind,
both for society in general and for individual blind people specifically. The
chapter is organized and maintained by blind people and is part of the TN state
affiliate which is part of the national organization - The National Federation
of the Blind.
The membership is diverse, as blindness effects people from all walks of life,
of all ages and from all professions. Though the chapter is still less than 50
members strong membership already includes parents, grand-parents, high school
and college students, musicians, song-writers, a recording engineer, teachers,
salespeople, a nurse, a computer network administrator, a chiropractor, a radio
station owner, a disabled persons program coordinator and several small business
owners. There are single people, married people, blind people and seeing people,
diabetics, Australians, guide-dog users and cane users, smokers and non-smokers.
In short, our chapter is representative of society in general.
Click
here to
read the bio's of the officers of this chapter.
Who Can Join?
All are welcome to join irrespective of gender, race, age, religion, political persuasion, amount of sight and choice of mobility aids.
No special qualifications or talents necessary. If you would like to contribute positively to your community and to make a difference in our world through touching lives with the truth about blindness, then come and join us, because that's what this chapter is all about and we need people like you to join.
What We Do.
The activities of this chapter include, but are not limited to, the following:
-- Monthly meetings of the chapter membership.
-- Advice and active support for members of the community dealing with blindness personally or in the family.
-- Providing informed advocates for blind people seeking appropriate services.
-- Proactive community outreach to find and inform blind people, teachers and parents of blind children.
-- Collective representation to the legislature on issues, such as education funding, rehabilitation services and text-book availability, that directly effect the lives of blind people.
-- Public education about the competence of blind people through:
* Providing speakers to schools, clubs, conferences/conventions, churches, etc.
* Acting as role models and mentors for blind children, teens and newly blinded
adults.
* Holding interactive displays, at public libraries, shopping malls etc., of
the equipment and techniques, such as braille and talking computers, used by
blind people in daily life.
* Providing printed material to ophthalmologists,
optometrists and doctors on the truth about blindness and the opportunities for
training and rehabilitation available to blind people through the NFB.
* Maintaining a web site which provides information and contact details.
Please
contact us if you would like more information,
would like to attend a
meeting,
or if we can be of assistance as outlined above.
Members of the Board.
President: Sharon Treadway
Vice President: Brian Wooten
Treasurer: Ryan Smith
Secretary: Briley Pollard
Board Members: Venus Wooten & Roxie Chamberlain
BIOGRAPHIES OF CHAPTER MEMBERS.
President : Sharon Treadway
Vice President: Brian Wooten
Treasurer : Ryan Smith
Recording Secretary : Briley Pollard
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