----- Original Message -----
From: [email protected]
To: mcblist
Cc: Missouri Chat
Sent: Friday, June 29, 2012 4:13 PM
Subject: [Missouri-l] Announcement Letter
Patricia, (Patti), Schonlau
5521 Sutherland Avenue
St. Louis, Missouri 63109
June 29, 2012
Dear MCB friends,
The next several years are important ones for people who are blind in Missouri
and for MCB. We have just turned back the State Legislature's attack on our
health care and it is likely that similar ones will come in the future. We
face the need to secure a dependable funding source for our organization.
In addition, there are important battles that need to be fought such as the
need to increase the number of staff who are blind at Rehabilitation Services
for the Blind. Also there is a critical need to expand the Business Enterprise
Program which will result in additional employment opportunities for people who
are Blind in Missouri. Furthermore, there is a need to improve educational
opportunities for children who are blind. I have considered these challenges,
and I have concluded that I would appreciate the opportunity to play a
significant role in leading the Missouri Council of the Blind, (MCB), in
confronting them. Therefore, I want to announce that I will be a candidate for
MCB President at our State Convention in October.
I believe that my experience working in the field of blindness both as a
rehabilitation teacher with adults and as a teacher with children who are blind
has given me the broad background that I need to understand the needs and
strengths of the blind community. My work on state and local governmental
committees has given me a knowledge of the workings of the agencies that make
policies that effect our lives. I have been a member of MCB for nineteen
years. I have held leadership roles in both the United Workers for the Blind,
(President, Vice President, Member at Large, State Convention Chair in 1995,
and numerous Committee Chairs including the 100th Anniversary Celebration of
U.W.B 2012), and the MCB, (Affiliate Board Representative, attended Legislative
Days in Washington D.C., Personnel Committee Chair, 401 Blind Task Force
Committee, (BTF), Representative since 2004). While holding the position of
the BTF Chair, I orchestrated the speakers, the planning, the overall
organization for the Children's Vision Summit in 2007 and 2008. Currently, I
serve as a MCB Board Director. I know most of you very well. I am committed
to an aggressive program which can protect our hard-earned rights, advance our
opportunities, and promote the growth of our organization.
We have recently found a talented Executive Director. I want to take advantage
of his skills to expand our outreach throughout the blind community in Missouri
and to make our advocacy on behalf of blind persons even more dynamic than it
already is. We face many difficult challenges, but I believe with our quality
staff and our dedicated membership we can successfully meet those challenges.
I ask for your support for my candidacy and your partnership in our battle to
improve the lives of all Missourians who are blind.
Thank you for your consideration.
Patricia, (Patti), Schonlau
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A special interest affiliate of the Missouri Council of the Blind
http://moblind.org/membership/affiliates/adaptive_technology
