Throw Back Thursday: Lois and Elsie Visit the National Federation of the Blind of Colorado

Throw Back Thursday: Lois and Elsie Visit the National Federation of the Blind of Colorado

9-9-14

On Tuesday, September 9 we were honored to have two former employees of the National Federation of the Blind of Colorado stop in for a visit.  Lois and Elsie were employees of the National Federation of the Blind of Colorado in the late 70s and 80s. 

Lois worked with us from 1978-1983. Before leaving the Federation, she trained her replacement Elsie. Elsie worked for the Iowa Commission for the Blind for 10 years before coming to Colorado where she worked from 1983-1989. Their brief transitional period together at the National Federation of the Blind of Colorado served as a platform for a deep and lasting friendship.  While Elsie was visiting Lois on vacation, they decided to come by the National Federation of the Blind of Colorado for a visit.

Lois and Elsie reminisced of their time working for the National Federation of the Blind of Colorado.  They both worked with the Braille book project, which was a program that sent Braille books to other countries.  Richard and Barbara Moon, Ray McGeorge, and many other key Colorado Federationists cared very deeply about this project. Elsie and Lois did a lot of work on our telephone fundraising campaign, which was huge in the 70s and 80s and still exists today. Besides these projects they performed secretarial duties, assisted chapter presidents with questions, attended meetings and conventions, and like everyone else in our Federation family chipped in to make sure that our work got done.

Diane McGeorge was working with seniors and took a break to visit Lois, Elsie, and Julie Deden.  Julie is Executive Director of the Colorado Center for the Blind and long time Colorado Federationists.  Julie, Diane, Lois, and Elsie sat around talking and laughing about the past.  Lois remembered a time when a man pulled up to the building, got out of the drivers seat of the car, and unfolded his cane.  She was completely shocked.  Elsie remembered helping with some of the initial planning of the Colorado center.  She was amazed at how much it has grown and everything we have done with the new building. 

They talked of people like Sandy Halberson who was Sandy Kelly at the time and president of our Denver Chapter.  Both Lois and Elsie remembered Ruth Ashby’s cinnamon rolls.  Diane said she only ever lost one election. She was running for president of the Denver Chapter and Ruth Ashby was supporting another candidate.  After that Diane said she learned to count her votes!  Julie remembered a lovely woman named Jeanie Marie who first gave her a cane.  Julie’s first convention was in 1978 while Lois was working for the Federation.  Diane and Ray were late to this convention in Grand Junction because a flight attendant tried to force Diane to sit in the bulkhead seat with her guide dog and Diane refused. They remembered a board meeting when Diane got furious at someone for standing on their head in the corner while the meeting was taking place. These and many other fun stories were exchanged all morning long. 

Why would two ladies take time out of their fun filled vacation to come visit a place where they worked 30 or more years ago? The answer is love. The National Federation of the Blind of Colorado has a rich foundation of love and respect that encompasses everything we do.  Everyone who is intimately involved with the National Federation of the Blind of Colorado experiences this close-knit bond that is so critical to our success. 

Julie says “sometimes people wonder why the Colorado affiliate has been so successful. The answer is the love and respect we have for one another. It not only allows us to accomplish great things, but it also encourages the kind of lasting relationships that bring former employes back for a visit nearly 30 years later This love and respect built our past, and will ensure our continued success and prosperity.” Regardless of our bank account balance, days like this one leave no doubt that the National Federation of the Blind of Colorado is an extraordinarily rich affiliate.