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When: May 15 – May 18, 2025 in Jacksonville
Where: Southbank Riverwalk; 1515 Prudential Drive, Jacksonville, Florida 32207
Room rates: $109.00 per night plus tax. See hotel reservation information below.
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GET READY FOR FCB CONVENTION 2025
72nd ANNUAL CONVENTION
Still keeping it live in 2025
Down by the river back in Jacksonville
FCB WOULD LIKE TO THANK ALL OUR GENEROUS SPONSORS. ALL OF OUR SPONSORS WILL BE LISTED IN THE CONVENTION PROGRAM.
Down in Duval!
On the road again, I can't wait to get on the road again. Up the road to see all my family and friends. For a weekend of conventioning, I can't wait to get on the road again.
It's amazing to believe that once again, it's that time, culminating another great year of living the good life with vision loss. Embracing the dreams, hopes and intentional actions of every member as we continue to forge forward while overcoming all our challenges. Flying high in 2025, gathering for at least 72 reasons why we're resilient and continue to learn, living and loving each other. Pursuing fulfillment and persevering through every issue, initiatives and moments of independence.
Join your Florida community for an exciting weekend that kicks off with a fun night of fellowship with a live DJ, Karaoke and Carnival games.
Come ready to be educated on the latest Legislative Initiatives, DBS's goals & mission, What's new with Spectrum and updates from our FCB Executive Committee. Explore informative sessions on Online Security, Adaptive recreational games, and Transformative Artificial Intelligence. Be empowered through various panel subjects such as Safe Cooking Techniques, Guide Dogs, Managing Daily Health Situations, Braille Displays, Employment, Town Hall and more. Gaining knowledge and becoming even more motivated to get involved as Saturday night FCB’s banquet ends with a closing message from motivating speaker, Jeff Bishop.
Another fantastic convention, full of shared experiences and encounters, is awaiting that will leave us excited about this year's call to action by collectively working together in the initiatives, advocacy efforts and the taking up of a renewed perspective that we are all invested in the impact of change that is needed and necessary for all of those who are blind or low vision and a member of the Florida Council of the Blind.
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Dear Friends and Members of FCB,
The Florida Council of the Blind, Inc. (FCB) warmly welcomes you to our 72nd annual convention scheduled May 15 – May 18, 2025 in Jacksonville. The convention hotel is the Southbank Riverwalk; 1515 Prudential Drive, Jacksonville, Florida 32207.
HOTEL RESERVATIONS:
Room rates are $109.00 per night plus tax. Call
904-396-5100 or to reserve online
Book your group rate for Florida Council of the Blind
Please reserve your room now to guarantee our special convention rate.
Self-parking is $8.00 per day. Give the front desk your car’s license information and the daily rate will be charged to your room.
At check-in, each person will be given a $15 breakfast coupon which must be used in the hotel’s restaurant. If you spend $15 or more, pay for the difference and use this coupon.
The FCB Convention will be exciting and educational, full of varied and informative programs and of course, time for visiting and fun! There's something for everyone here, don't miss it!
This year our convention will be a hybrid convention. This means that you can attend in person at the hotel or participate on Zoom. ACB Media is donating two of their Zoom rooms for our use. One Zoom room will stream programming with camera and audio. The other room will be audio only. All zoomed sessions will be formatted into podcasts shortly after our convention. The Zoom links will be sent out a few days before the convention starts. Our thanks and deep appreciation are extended to Rick Morin and the ACB Media team for streaming our convention because we will be heard nationwide and around the world.
The registration cost for the hybrid convention is thirty-five dollars. After you register, your name will be submitted to the list for door prize winners. Online registration is now availablel.
Convention Schedule
THURSDAY, MAY 15, 2025
7:00 – 10:00 PM
Come one, Come all!
It's a Convention Carnival planned with you in mind. So, step right up and join us for a festive night filled with lots of fun for all to enjoy. As we welcome you to the "Sunshine State" and to the greatest party on earth we're excited to greet each of you.
Starting our 72nd Annual FCB Convention off on Thursday night with our FCB Got Talent Karaoke and a Carnival for a donation of $20, complete with games like our Boozie Ring Toss, Basket Toss, Kisses Game of Chance and Bowling, to name a few, lots of music and some tasty treats, too. One set to kick off a weekend packed with more activities throughout our convention.
Your $20 donation will include a sandwich, potato salad and dessert. Check the registration form to select your sandwich.
We will also host additional activities that include two Happy Hour events after each night's banquet that will feature the Battle of the Sexes Game Challenge, classic parlor games and Entertainment Trivia for your enjoyment.
FRIDAY, May 16, 2025
8:30 – 9:30 AM
Braille Revival League of Florida (BRLF)
Program from Braille Revival League of Florida
Presenters: Paul Edwards and Elizabeth Bowden
For those of you who have always wanted to explore using a braille display, the program from Braille Revival League of Florida is made for you. After our business meeting when new officers will be elected, we’ll be delving into using the two braille displays distributed for free by the National Library Service. If you have considered getting a display, or have one but shiver when thinking about unboxing, now is your chance! Experience instant book download, and get the braille translation options you want with just a few settings. Find out how easy it is to get yours.
All attendees of the program will get to examine the Zoomax eReader personally. We’ll explain the basics and explore the Humanware version of the reader as well. Come explore with us, it’s sure to be entertaining and informative.
9:30 - 10:30 AM
Guide Dog Users of Florida (GDUF)
Following a brief business meeting, where elections will be addressed, in-person and virtual attendees will hear from a panel of experienced guide dog handlers about guide dog transitioning. Panelists include: experienced dog guide users Doug Hall and Debbie Grubb, and Chelsea White from The Seeing Eye.
Are you seriously thinking of obtaining your first guide dog or have you lost your previous loyal guide companion and are thinking of whether or not to get a new one? The first question is why or why not get a guide dog? What are the emotional, physical and mobility factors that must be considered? How about grieving the loss or retirement of previous or current guides? How would losing or retiring a previous guide impact acceptance, training and work? These and many other concerns will be addressed by a panel of knowledgeable guide dog handlers. Questions from the audience, whether in person or via Zoom, are welcome.
9:45 – 10:45 AM
FCB Employment Committee Program
Barbara Brown will facilitate this session.
The Employment Committee will discuss the topic of Why I Love My Job. Legally blind employees will discuss this and welcomes audience participation.
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Coalition for the Concerns of the Totally Blind (CCTB)
This year, The Coalition for the Concerns of the Totally Blind will have a program featuring Hans, founder and CEO of Be My eyes, who will inform us of the many things they are doing for the blind and low vision community. Be My Eyes is one of the world’s largest networks for blind and low vision people that provide digital accessibility tools to blind and low vision people worldwide. Some of these tools include:
- Being able to call a volunteer for general assistance
- Be My AI: Being able to take a picture and get back a detailed description.
- Being able to call a company or organization to receive specialized assistance with a product or service.
- And being able to use your Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses for additional ways to gain knowledge and information.
So, we hope you will join us this year in what we think will be a very informative and interesting program, learning about the many ways Be My Eyes can help you become more independent and self-sufficient!
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Project Insight Committee
Presenters: registered nurse Margaret Mosher (Paul Edwards daughter) and Dr. Stella Hayes
Come join Project Insight as we continue our outreach to the blind and visually impaired community with a topic of common interest that affects everyone. We all have our own health concerns, and we know to contact health care providers in an emergency, but what about those everyday things that need immediate First Aid attention. How do we manage these things for ourselves and for those for whom we provide care and support? We welcome our special guest presenters, Ms. Margaret Mosher, a registered nurse, and Dr. Stella Hayes who will share their medical knowledge, and most of all, practical suggestions for managing those everyday health situations.
1:00 - 2:30 PM
Legislative Seminar
Moderated by Debbie Grubb
Come join us for the 2025 FCB Legislative Seminar.
Once again, the FCB legislative team will bring interesting, informative and insightful thoughts regarding the reception by the Florida Congressional delegation of the 2025 legislative imperatives set forth by ACB.
The 2025 legislative imperatives confront the issues of lack of access to home use medical devices and outpatient equipment; access to websites applications and online services; access to media, video user interfaces and video conferencing services.
The perceptive thoughts shared by the 2025 FCB Legislative team and honored guest, Jeff Bishop, accessible technology expert and President of BITS, will serve us well as we determine next steps in this organization's advocacy agenda.
Won't you make attending this event one of your convention priorities so that you can play a role as we continue the history of the meaningful advocacy that has been undertaken by the Florida Council of the Blind since its founding?
1:15 – 2:15 PM
Demystifying Self-Publishing
Presenter Lynn Chantale Mapier
Have you written a book but don’t know what to do now? Or maybe you have a collection of family anecdotes you’d like to hand out as gifts, or maybe you’d just like to see your name in print. Author Lynn Chantale will provide you with the tools to self-publish your manuscript. From editing to cover art, Lynn will demystify the publishing process.
Lynn Chantale is an accomplished author with over 30 titles under her belt. She’s self-published as well as traditionally published.
Come in, take a seat, and be prepared to peek behind the veil of self-publishing.
2:45 – 3:15 PM
Credentials Workshop (Not on Zoom)
Register your onsite delegates for the convention. Each chapter or affiliate must be represented in person by an FCB member to receive your credentials.
3:00 - 4:00 PM
Democracy Live
Building Bridges through Accessible Voting
Presenter Charlie Kinnune, Director of Education
What should unite us, now divides us. Some of the most successful advocacy organizations in our country disapprove of accessible absentee electronic balloting. What has proven to be a game changer in accessible voting is not accepted by some organization's that historically supported accessible voting in the past. How do we engage these groups to discuss this very pressing issue?
3:30 – 4:15 PM
First-timers Workshop (Not on Zoom)
Is this your first time attending an FCB Convention? WELCOME! We have a special workshop just for you, co-hosted by long-time members and FCB experts: Sally Benjamin, Mark Lear and Cassandra Jessie. This workshop will tell you who we are, what we do and what we have to offer. Come check it out and let us get to know each other.
4:30 – 4:50 PM
Executive Committee Meeting
4:50 – 5:15 PM
Pre-Convention Board Meeting
7:00 PM
Awards and Scholarships Banquet
Join us on Friday evening to celebrate and recognize FCB leaders and deserving students at a special dinner hosted in their honor by Mary Tyson and Sheila Young, the committee chairs of the Awards, and Education, Leadership and Scholarships Committees. Select advocates and leaders will be recognized with prestigious awards and deserving students will be presented with valuable scholarships.
The cost of this year's Awards Banquet is $50.00. If you are attending the FCB Banquet and Live Auction, the cost for both banquets is $95.00. Select your meal choices and mark your registration form accordingly.
Saturday, May 17, 2025
8:00-10:00 AM
Opening FCB Convention Ceremony
Empowering Through AI: Presented by Jeff Bishop and moderated by Debbie Grubb
Jeff Bishop is a prominent figure in the field of accessibility and assistive technology, dedicated to enhancing digital experiences for individuals with visual impairments; President of Blind Information Technology Specialists (BITS); serves on the Board of Publications and is influential in the ongoing efforts of ACB’s overall information technology, (IT) infrastructure.
A Training for Assistive Technology Users and Professionals is an engaging multi-hour event designed to explore the transformative potential of artificial intelligence in the realm of assistive technology. Participants will learn about AI-driven tools and techniques that enhance accessibility, independence, and productivity for individuals with disabilities. This hands-on training will provide actionable strategies for integrating AI into daily workflows, empowering both users and professionals to unlock new opportunities. The session will include practical demonstrations, real-world applications, and interactive discussions to ensure attendees leave with a deeper understanding of AI’s role in shaping a more inclusive future.
TWO CONCURRENT WORKSHOPS 10:15 - 11:05 AM
10:15 - 11:05 AM
Jeff Bishop’s interactive session will continue.
The demonstrations, discussion and amazing insights into AI will continue. Don’t miss a moment of this potentially life changing presentation.
10:15 - 11:05 AM
The Blind Kitchen
Presenter Debra Erickson, MS
Executive Chef and Founder of the Blind Kitchen
Welcome to The Blind Kitchen where adaptive tools, helpful strategies, and specialized knowledge are provided to blind and vision-impaired people who want to cook safely, confidently, and independently. Chef Debra will discuss safe cooking techniques and products that The Blind Kitchen sells to make your culinary experience meaningful and provide you with confidence. Please come join us.
TWO CONCURRENT WORKSHOPS: 11:15 AM-12:05 PM
11:15 AM - 12:05 PM
FCB’s Technology Committee Program
Learn online security information
Are you worried about online security? Have you ever wondered how to keep yourself safe while shopping or visiting websites, or responding to emails? What about scams, or phishing, or captchas, and are you a robot? And what do these words even mean?
Come to the Technology Committee session to learn some tips about how to avoid online problems. We will just barely touch on the subject, but it will help you think about avoiding security breaches along with threats and perhaps lead you to a few ways to learn how to protect yourself while online.
11:15 AM - 12:05 PM
Join Petr Kucheryavyy, Sr. Manager with Spectrum’s Accessibility team.
He will present an informative look at all of Spectrum’s Accessibility offerings. Find out what’s new with the Spectrum FREE Access app, Spectrum TV app, accessible self-support and more. Additionally, learn about the all new Xumo Stream Box with a voice control remote, available now.
12:00 - 3:00 PM
OneBlood Blood Drive
Be a part of an essential part of saving lives and improving the health of others. The Florida Council of the Blind is sponsoring a blood drive with OneBlood at this year's State Convention at the Southbank Hotel on May 17, 2025 from 12pm - 3pm via the mobile bus outside the back entrance. Join us as we save lives and impact our community one donation at a time.
What You'll Need To Know:
- Schedule your appointment time prior to arrival for convention check-in via the donor appointment link (which will be posted to FCB-L and sent out to Presidents to distribute when the link is made available).
- Eat a good meal prior to donating
- Arrive on time for pre-screening and donation
- Donor incentives will be provided after giving blood.
1:30 - 2:45 PM
FCB Annual Town Hall Meeting
Plan to attend this exciting and informative meeting moderated by President Mikey Wiseman. You will hear from the Director of the Division of Blind Services, (DBS) Robert Doyle, regarding the current status of the goals and mission of the agency including specific news that he wishes to bring to us. After his presentation, questions will be entertained from the audience.
TWO CONCURRENT WORKSHOPS: 3:00 - 4:00 PM
3:00 - 4:00 PM
Florida Council of Citizens with Low Vision (FCCLV)
Florida Council of Citizens with Low Vision will conduct its annual meeting and program. FCCLV 2025 program presenters will be Cachet Wells and Greg Lindberg, co-chairs of the FCB’s Activities Committee. As a special interest affiliate, FCCLV members reside in many communities throughout the state. The Activities Committee plans, organizes, and announces events and happenings all over the state. What a great way to get together with fellow visually impaired FCCLV members in your community and meet new/other individuals of the low vision community.
To the surprise of many, with little preparation to any activity, game or skill, you can rework your favorite to be accessible and inclusive to those who are Blind and Low Vision. Join FCCLV and the Activities Committee as we help you navigate and explore new ways to enjoy outdoor and indoor activities.
3:00 - 4:00 PM
Easy Chair Yoga with Leslie Spoone Certified Aerobic and personal Trainer
Not on Zoom
Come and enjoy easy chair yoga. Leslie will teach you some easy moves for yoga and get your body stretched, giving you relaxation from your busy schedule. You will even be able to do some of these moves when you go back home. Yoga is a wonderful way to elongate your muscles and keep your mind stress free from all of the world’s problems. So, I hope you stop by at convention to get some mind and body experiences!
7:00 PM
FCB Annual Banquet and Live Auction
Attend FCB'S Annual Banquet: hosted by FCB President, Mikey Wiseman. FCB’s Banquet speaker is Jeff Bishop who is a prominent figure in the field of accessibility and assistive technology, dedicated to enhancing digital experiences for individuals with visual impairments. Jeff is President of Blind Information Technology Specialists (BITS), serves on the Board of Publications and is influential in the ongoing efforts of ACB’s overall information technology (IT) infrastructure and outlook
He lives in Phoenix, Arizona and will tell us his life story providing us with entertainment.
The cost of this year's FCB Banquet is $50. If you are planning to attend the Awards and Scholarships Banquet, then the cost for both banquets is $95. Choose your meal choices and mark your registration form accordingly.
John Richards’ tunes and more... Directly following the banquet, don't miss tunes from the vast library of DJ extraordinaire, John Richards. Come dance, sing, socialize, or enjoy yourself while getting supercharged for the suspense and excitement of FCB's annual live auction, the drawing of the winning tickets from the Chapter Revenue Program, and door prizes.
SUNDAY, May 18, 2025
8:30 AM: Convention Business Meeting
Bright and early on Sunday morning, you can claim your right and responsibility as an FCB member by participating in the organization's annual business meeting. Hear from leaders about progress made and work yet needing to be done and discover what important role you can play in advocacy.
FCB 2025 Constitutional Amendments
These amendments will be read at the opening convention ceremony on Saturday morning and voted on at the business meeting on Sunday morning.
FCB Constitution, Article III, Membership
Proposed amendment by the FCB Membership Committee
Article III, Membership
Current wording:
C. Any organization having at least five (5) members, the majority of whom are blind, may apply for affiliation.
Proposed wording:
Any organization having or maintaining at least eight (8) members, the majority of whom are legally blind, may apply for and retain affiliation.
Following is the Proposed amended wording to Article V, of the FCB Constitution. In short, the words “and Assessments” is deleted from the heading of Article V, as well as the text.
Current wording:
ARTICLE V, Dues and Assessments
Dues and Assessments shall be paid on an annual basis as set forth in the By-Laws.
Proposed wording:
ARTICLE V, Dues
Dues shall be paid on an annual basis as set forth in the By-Laws.
Article VI Officers and Board of Directors
Section I: Employees, contractors, and family members as FCB officers and members of the FCB Board of Directors:
4. Current wording: There is no restriction on family members concurrently serving as FCB officers or members of the FCB Board of Directors.
Proposed Wording: 4.
A. Family members are strongly encouraged to not concurrently serve as FCB officers or members of the FCB Board of Directors nor in their local Chapters.
B. Officer Liaisons along with a member of the Membership Committee are strongly encouraged to work with the Chapter to train eligible candidates to fill the position within two years.
**PRE-CONVENTION REGISTRATION**
Forms and payment as well as online registration and payment must be postmarked no later than Thursday, May 8, 2025 to guarantee the Early Bird registration discount of $35.00 for attendees who will be in the hotel meeting rooms and those attending on Zoom. Registration at the door will be $40 paying with cash or check only. Online convention registration can be found at https://fcb.org/convention2025.
QUESTIONS
Contact Kati Lear at our Project Insight Office with any questions or requests for assistance regarding convention registration at:
(800) 267-4448 or
(386) 763-3836 or
email floridacouncil@comcast.net.
To reserve assistive listening devices, (ALD) please call by May 8, 2025.
If you are paying by check, your choices will not be honored until Sally receives your check. Please do not staple your check to your registration form. Please make check payable to FCB and mail to:
Sally Benjamin
1009 Concord Road Apt. 116
Tallahassee, FL 32308