1           HZ                                                                                                         FOCUS ON NFB CONVENTION
  Get your reservations in for our National Convention.  Write the
Westin Hotel, Renaissance Center, Detroit, MI 48243, attention: 
Reservations or call (313)568-8000.  A deposit fee of $45 is
required; you may use a credit card.  Rates are $38 single, $43
double or twin, $48 quad - all plus tax.  Children may stay with
their parents at no additional charge if no extra bed is required.

  Our division will conduct a seminar on Friday, July 1, on Tax Law
and Planning for Retirement.  The sessions will run from 9:30 a.m.
to 12 noon and from 1:30 to 4:00 p.m.  The cost is $30, payable at
the door at 9:00 a.m.

  Sunday, July 3, brings our Division meeting which will begin at
1:00 p.m. with registration and displays.  We will start our usual
meeting at 2:30 p.m.  One of our speakers will be Priscilla Hudson
who will give us some ideas about using our public libraries.  We
will hold the election of officers and some of our board members. 


  Get your tickets and money for our $1,000 drawing to Ben Snow by
Friday, June 17.  His address is 31 Sherbrooke Avenue, Hartford, CT
06106.  Try to sell your tickets before you come to the convention,
but if you have some left, bring them to Detroit.  We will be
selling tickets and flowers at our booth.  We also hope to be
giving away Pepsi products.  

We are pleased to announce the marriage of Priscilla Simmons and
Don Hudson, May 27, 1994, with Homer Page officiating. 
CONGRATULATIONS AND BEST WISHES TO OUR COLORADO FRIENDS!
                
SUMMARY OF MID-YEAR CONFERENCE
by Kevan Worley


  On a cool, crisp April morning, several groups of blind business
people began  a walking tour of downtown Louisville vending
locations close to the Galt House East.   The mid-year conference
of the National Federation of the Blind  Merchants Division was not
officially scheduled to begin until  one o'clock Friday afternoon
April 8, 1994, this did not stop the early arrivals.  Many of the
delegates from across the country wanted to start their networking
and idea gathering early.  There were five to six vending locations
within an easy walk of the Galt House East.  Kentucky vending
managers welcomed their blind colleagues enthusiastically.  We
exchanged information about everything from fat free snacks to
working with building management, to how to end the outdated
practice of forced partnerships which still exists in the Kentucky
Vending Program.  

  By 1:00 p.m. we were loading into vans for a trip to the American
Printing House for the Blind,  Kentucky Industries for the Blind
and the vending locations.  Many said they enjoyed the tour of the
American Printing House for the Blind very much.  Almost all blind
people in this country and many throughout the world benefit from
the services of APH.  An added treat for many was an opportunity to
not only hear live the reading of one of the most popular talking
book readers, Mitzi Friedlander, but to meet and speak with her. 

  At Kentucky Industries for the Blind we received a tour of their
manufacturing operation.  As you can imagine, when Federationists
come to call at a workshop there were pointed questions about their 
system and KIB's participation in that system.  According to the
workshop managers and what we saw, this seemed to be one of the
better shops.  They said all workers made more than the minimum
wage.  When one of our members asked if they were affiliated with
NAC the response was a fine one - "I'm sorry, what is NAC?"  The
plant was neat, clean and industrious.

  Friday night brought registration for the mid-year conference of
blind merchants.  It also brought an interesting food and equipment
display combined with a reception.  As with many business related
meetings, some of our most important work  was actually done at the
reception.  We came together to exchange ideas, discuss problems
and seek solutions to those common problems.

  Saturday morning was down to business.  The Americans with
Disabilities Act affects businesses managed by the blind as much as
it does businesses managed by anyone else.  We took some time in
our agenda to discuss with Ms. Sharon Fields, the Kentucky
Governor's ADA Special Advisor how we should be  implementing the
Americans with Disabilities Act.

  We heard from blind business people in Kentucky, not only the
blind who are in the vending program, but also from those who are
in other small businesses.  We heard from a fascinating gentleman,
Lloyd Agnew, who has run his own tire retail outlet in Henderson,
KY for fifteen years.


Dr. T.V. Cranmer, Chairman, Research and Development Committee,
NFB, spoke with us at length about the activities of the R & D
Committee and with particular emphasis on how technology can be and
should be used by blind business people.

  We spent part of the day discussing the National Council of State
Agencies for the Blind (NCSAB) Conference.  At that conference
vendors and agency people came together from throughout the country
to discuss the problems and plan a course of action to reform and
rejuvenate our Business Enterprise Program.  

  James Gashel, Director of Governmental Affairs for the National
Federation of the Blind, gave us an update on the many cases that
the NFB is directly involved in to defend the rights of blind
vendors.

  One of the most interesting presentations of the day was given by
Dr. Betsy Zaborowski.  Dr. Zaborowski a blind clinical psychologist
from Baltimore, discussed ways to reduce stress when dealing with
authority figures.  Role playing was used to demonstrate the
relevance of stress reduction for blind vendors.  Don Morris played
an obnoxious, overbearing BEP supervisor and Dr. Zaborowski took
the role of a blind vendor.  It was at the same time humorous and
all too real for many of us.

  As with most NFB Conventions, the banquet was the highlight of
the weekend.  The food was delicious!  Our Kentucky hosts had
arranged with the Galt House to serve a Kentucky country feast,
buffet style.

  James Gashel gave a stirring and informative banquet address.  He
spoke of how important it was for all blind people and particularly
those who are protecting their rights under the Randolph-Sheppard
Act to be informed, to be active and to be organized.

  From time to time the NFB Merchants Division presents awards to
those who have led with distinction.  This year was particularly
special.  Both recipients who were honored were surprised and
deserving.  Larry Posont who is currently our treasurer and was a
long-time president of our division was given an award for his
singular effort on our behalf.  Shirley Morris, who, in this
writer's opinion, is an unsung heroine of our Division, was also
honored.  This night we did sing her praises for her work on
newsletters, registration, correspondence and so much more that she
has brought to our group.

  Sunday morning our agenda was packed with the business of the
division: Discussion of NFB Coffee Day on October 15, raffle ticket
sales for the drawing to be held in Detroit at the National
Convention, our newsletter and its funding, and flower sales which
we will do again at the convention.  Donna Posont requested HELP
with flower sales.  This activity is a big help with funding in the
Merchants Division. Please, please, see Donna to sell flowers in
Detroit! 

  In upcoming newsletters you will read about many of the
activities and plans from this year's mid-year conference.  I can
only urge all of you to attend our conference at the National
Convention in Detroit.

FROM THE EDITOR
by Kevan Worley


  The past few months have seen the retirement of two NFB Merchants
Division leaders.  Ben Snow of Connecticut and Andy Virden of
Minnesota have retired from their businesses but not from our
movement.  These two stalwarts have been members of our Division
for many years.  They have toiled for years, not only to make their
businesses the best they could be, but also to increase
opportunities for blind people all across this nation.  
Last week at the annual meeting of the licensed blind vendors of
Colorado I thought of Andy and Ben.  I listened around the room to
the discussions of our long-time Colorado vendors.  I noticed the
lack of participation and enthusiasm from many of those who were
new in our program.  I wondered, without vendors like Ben and Andy
and others, where our program would be today.  Even though Ben and
Andy are no longer directly dependent on the Randolph-Sheppard
program they still remain as active as ever.  But I wonder who will
carry the torch?  How can we give some of the spirit and fortitude
that Andy and Ben have displayed for years to these young blind men
and women who are directly benefitting from the work and the vision
of men like Ben and Andy?  In the thirties, forties, fifties and
sixties blind vendors had little.  But they took what they had and
they created much opportunity for people like me and those of my
generation.  We should thank them and their colleagues and we must
take what they have given us and make more opportunities for those
who will follow.

SOUP IN A BUN
by Wendy Bybee

  [Wendy Bybee is the treasurer of the National Federation of the
Blind of Utah.  She is a long-time Federationist and is active on
her state's elected committee of blind vendors.  Wendy manages a
cafeteria in downtown Salt Lake City.  She has sent along the
following special which she says works well for her.]

  At J and Kay's Place we have always done a good business with our
soups whether we make them from scratch or use a quality frozen
soup.  One of our most popular daily specials is Soup in a Bun.  We
run this every two to three weeks.  You take a five ounce sour-
dough bun and cut about a half inch lid off of the top.  Then you
carve out the bun and pour in six to seven ounces of soup.  Put the
lid back on the bun and serve on a seven by nine platter with the
bread that has been carved out on the side with butter.  A thick
soup  works best:  corn chowder, potato bacon, black bean and rice
work well for us.  The five ounce sour-dough bun is available at
most bakeries.  Sisco now sells a par-baked bun.  All you do is
thaw and heat for four to five minutes for that fresh baked taste. 
Give it a try and let me know how it works at your place.

VICTORY IN MINNESOTA!!!!!

  Dennis Groshel, supported by the NFB, has won a seven-year battle
to require the Department of Veterans Affairs to award a Randolph-
Sheppard vending permit at the VA Medical Center in St. Cloud,
Minnesota and to prevent the VA from collecting any commission from
him.

  This is the first case to establish that the Randolph-Sheppard
Act applies to VA Hospitals.  To its shame, the VA has fought hard
to keep the Randolph-Sheppard Program out of its hundreds of
facilities.  The medical center in St. Cloud will be the first, but
we hope not the last, in which the VA is required to issue a permit
for a Randolph-Sheppard vending facility.

  The case turned on a seemingly obvious interpretation of the law. 
The Randolph-Sheppard Act states that its priority for blind
vendors applies to any and all federal agencies.  The Department of
Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Veterans Canteen Service (VCS)
nonetheless argued that the Randolph-Sheppard Act did not apply to
them.  They were wrong, and first an arbitration panel, then a
federal district court judge, and now the United States Court of
appeals for the Eighth Circuit all found that the Randolph-Sheppard
Act means what it says and applies to VA hospitals along with all
other federal facilities.  

  Since 1977, the Minnesota Department of Jobs and Training (DJT)
has run a vending facility consisting of numerous vending machines
throughout the multi-building medical center in St. Cloud.  Mr.
Groshel has operated the facility since 1985.  Although operated
under the auspices of the minnesota Randolph-Sheppard program, in
past years the VA and VCS required the program to bid on a contract
and required payment of 17.5% commissions, commissions so large
that in some years the vendor paid more in commissions than he
earned in net income.

  In 1986, Minnesota rightly insisted that the vending facility was
covered by the Randolph-Sheppard Act.  The VA refused to issue a
permit, and the State filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of
Education and obtained an injunction to allow it to keep operating
the facility.

  The Department of Education convened an arbitration panel, which
held hearings and issued a series of decisions in September 1988,
November 1989, and July 1991.  While the panel held that the
Randolph-Sheppard Act applied to the VCS and that the VCS could not
install its own vending machines, it wrongly held that the VCS
could require a five-year contract (rather than a permit terminable
only for cause) and could charge a 17% commission.

  In 1991, the State of minnesota and Mr. Groshel, for whom the
National Federation of the Blind retained lawyers from the
Baltimore law firm of Brown, Goldstein & Levy, appealed to the
United States District Court for Minnesota, challenging the
requirements of a contract and a commission as violating the
Randolph-Sheppard Act.  In a lengthy and thoughtful opinion, Judge
MacLaughlin of that court agreed with us in every respect and
ordered the VA and VCS to follow the Randolph-Sheppard Act and
issue a permit with no commission charges at all.

  But the VA and VCS refused to abide by Judge MacLaughlin's
decision and appealed to the Eighth Circuit.  again, the NFB funded
Mr. Groshel's defense of this appeal.  And on March 11, 1994, the
Eighth Circuit affirmed Judge MacLaughlin's opinion in all
respects, holding that "the [Randolph-Sheppard] Act clearly applies
to the VCS" and that "the VCS must comply with the regulatory
scheme for implementing blind vendor operations on VA property. 
Neither the Act nor the regulations permit the VCS to pick and
choose which of the Act's governing regulations to follow." 
Although the time for asking the Supreme Court to review the case
has not passed, there is little chance that the Supreme Court will
review it and even less that the supreme Court will reverse it.

  Dennis Groshel continues to operate the Vending facility at the
VA Medical Center in St. Cloud, but he no longer has to pay any
commission to the VA, and the VA will soon have to issue a proper
Randolph-Sheppard permit for the facility.

RANDOLPH SHEPPARD/NATIONAL COUNCIL OF STATE AGENCIES FOR THE BLIND
CONFERENCE
UPDATE

This first national meeting of vendors, state agency personnel and
federal agency personnel from the U.S. Department of Education
attracted the participation of 252 participants from 46 states. 
Ninety-six of those participants were vendors.  The NFB Merchants
Division was well represented.  When we broke up into our seventeen
discussion groups, many of us served as a facilitator or a
reporter.  Our voice was clearly heard in general sessions.

  Of extreme importance was our united presentation of ten issues
affecting vendors in the 90's.  We delivered print copies of our
issues to all discussion groups.  We left copies (in Braille, print
and on cassette tape) of our position paper on a table in the
primary meeting room so that all participants could have access to
our information.  Sixteen of the seventeen discussion groups
reported one or more of our issues stated in some way.

  The final report which was sent out included four issues agreed
upon in the general session by general consensus or by majority
vote.  they are:
  a) That a formal training plan be established on a national basis
for SLA staff and operators/managers of the Randolph-Sheppard
program.

  b)  That it be recommended to all states that active vendor
committee participation be the norm to resolve program disputes
with SLA's.  

  c)  That an ad hoc interim implementation committee be
established immediately.  The makeup will be three NCSAB, three
ACB, and three NFB and its chair shall be elected by that group. 
The committee shall serve as a strong national voice for the
Randolph- Sheppard Program and will serve to facilitate programs
which will improve the overall operation and expand it.

  d)  That forced partnerships and salary caps on vendor earnings
in the Randolph Sheppard Program be eliminated.

  The final report listed a fifth item although no consensus or
vote approved its inclusion.  In fact, some strong positions
against it were expressed.  We have protested its inclusion.  It
is:

  e)  That a national central non-profit program be developed for
the purpose of representing the private development of new
employment opportunities and purchasing involvement, as well as
insurance and national programs which would be adaptable for all
state licensing agencies.  This program would not take the place of
current systems.

  The results of the conference will be reported to the entire
National Council of State Agencies for the Blind meeting in May,
1994.  

NFB President, Marc Maurer appointed Charles Allen, Wayne Shevlin
and Don Morris to serve on the Ad Hoc Committee .  

Following are the issues we took to the conference.

MONETARY MUSINGS
by Charles Allen

  Van Den Bergh Foods offers Mrs. Butterworth's Muffins in three
flavors:  lemon poppyseed, banana walnut and blueberry.  They have
KRUMFINS (flat, round muffins with a crumb topping) in cream cheese
and blueberry.  All five pastries are 4.5 oz.  The cream cheese
KRUMFIN and the blueberry muffin can be ordered with Country Crock. 
All are packed 24 to a case and are shipped frozen.

  To their wonderful line of pastries, Haas has added 99% fat free
pastries in three flavors - cheese, apple and cherry.  They are
also packed 24 to a case and arrive frozen.

  Both the Van den Bergh and the Haas items are good for sale in
vending machines or in cafeterias.

  Nelson Candy, from Canada, has four excellent bars:  Mr. Big,
Sweet Marie, Crispy Crunch and Malted Milk.  Each bar's wrapper has
a maple leaf pictured on it.  It is appropriate for us to visit
Windsor Canada, in July.  

  M & M/Mars has changed their M & M Peanut Butter.  Their
representatives told me they were "new and improved."  My customers
agree.

  Skinny Snacks are low in fat and calories, 1 gram and 60 calories
per serving, 1 1/2 servings per bag.  They come in four flavors -
Original, Nacho, BBQ, and Sour Cream and Onion.  They have an
interesting cup shape and are crunchy.

Frito-Lay has added to their cracker snacks.  They offer a Golden
Toast and Cheddar Cracker, a Graham Vanilla Creme and a Graham
Peanut Butter.  Those attending our mid-year conference got to
sample these in person.

  From Brownie Pop, Inc., are three items for your customers on the
move.  There's the Brownie Pop Chocolate - their original item on
a stick.  New are the Brownie Poppers, with either raspberry or
peanut butter centers.

  Carefree is now offering a new 5-stick gum, Alpine Mint Sugarless
Gum.  Cool!

  From Breath Savers is a new flavor - Vanilla Mint.  It's a sugar-
free peppermint with a taste of vanilla.

  Life Savers has super holes in Red Hot Cinnamon and Sour and
Sweet.  Each pouch has 130 tiny candies with a pouch weight of 1.4
oz.

  Do you know of a new item?  Do you know of equipment?  We welcome
contributions of information helpful to vending facility or
cafeteria operations.  Contact Kevan Worley or me.

DO YOU WISH YOU WERE READING THIS ON CASSETTE TAPE?
WRITE D.J. MORRIS
16547 OLD EMMITSBURG ROAD, EMMITSBURG, MD 21727-8927 AND TELL HIM!
CALL HIM AT - 301/447-6380 (home) or
301/447-2795 (work).

LOST AND FOUND

[We have LOST the following people due to an incorrect address. 
The last MERCHANTS MESSENGER was returned as "Undeliverable".  If
you know the correct address for any of these people, or if you
have a change of address, please write    to D.J. Morris, 16547 Old
Emmitsburg Road, Emmitsburg, MD 21727-8927.]

ALABAMA
  Dominic Kountz, Mobile

ARIZONA
  Edwin Wilde, Phoenix
  Clif Bigelow, Phoenix
  Fran Davis, Phoenix
  Edward Valenzuela, Tucson

COLORADO
  Michael Rush, Denver
  Paul Pichardo, Colorado Spgs.

CONNECTICUT
  Victor Lopez, New Haven

IOWA
  Kevin Slayton, Des Moines

IDAHO
  Mr. & Mrs. Manuel Navarro, Boise

INDIANA
  Donald Edwards, Gary
  Joe Higdom, Indianapolis
  Carolyn Roe, Indianapolis
  Tab Roehrs, South Bend

LOUISIANA
  David Morris, Baton Rouge
  Stephanie Norwood, Baton Rouge
  Danna Tyronne, Denham Spring
  Kerry Mendel, Gretna
  Paul Hebert, Lake Charles
  Dwayne Zuppardo, Metairie
  Robert Shafer, Morgan City
  Evelina Boudreaux, Morse
  Donald Ellis, Shreveport

MASSACHUSETTS
  Harold Carver, Boston
  Frank Masone, Boston
  Basileous Montsios, Watertown
  Helen Curtis, Waltham

MICHIGAN
  Larry Keeler, Ann Arbor
  Allen Robbins, Ann Arbor
  Rouger Houghtaling, Ann Arbor
  Geraldine Ford, Detroit
  Lloyd Gregg, Grand Rapids
  Robert Spear, Lansing
  Ruth Johnson, Lansing
  Virginia Hamlet, Lansing
  Terry Eagle, Lansing
  Douglas Bacon, Lansing
  John Wyatt, Lansing
  Darrell Sylvester,Muskegon Ht
  Mary & Larry Ball, Troy

MINNESOTA
  Eleanor Cloutier, Minneapolis
  Jean Kempainen, Minneapolis
  Donald Kazar, St. Paul
  Larry Robertson, St. Paul

NEBRASKA
  Douglas Elliott, Sparks

NORTH CAROLINA
  Wayne Yelton, Concord
  Linda Campbell, Greensboro
  Barbara Batton, Fayetteville
  Wayne Elder, Hickory
  Mark Smith, Raleigh
  Wayne Davis, Winston-Salem
  Lucy Brantley, Zebulon

NORTH DAKOTA
  Janet Holtz, Fargo

NEW MEXICO
  Tony Castillo, Albuquerque
  ___?___ Bean, Albuquerque
  Judy Anderson, Albuquerque

New York
  Dorothy Beyer, Albany
  Simeon Drits, Forest Hills

OHIO
  Kay Bowen, Cincinnati
  Walter Bassett, Cincinnati
  Charles Case, Cleveland
  Jerry Rose, Cleveland

OHIO
  Stephen Vincke, Columbus
  Paul & Grace Ingram, Loveland
  Debra Preble, Toledo
  Edward Parr, Toledo
  Charlotte Kenst, Willoughby

OREGON
  David Hyde, Salem

SOUTH CAROLINA
  Jerry Bryant, Florence
  Padgett McKenzie, Greenville

TENNESSEE
  Steve Baker, Memphis
  James Broadnax, Memphis
  Milton Weaver, Memphis
  John McAmis, Morristown

VIRGINIA
  Susan Cook, Roanoke
  S.L. Witt, Dublin

WASHINGTON
  James Fischer, Olympia

WISCONSIN
  Nick Slevert, Oshkosh

WEST VIRGINIA
  Bill Radcliff, Parkersburg
  Ron Custer, Martinsburg


                
                                
                  
                  
                
                

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P  P  .P  GP  ^P  {P  }P   }P  P  P  P  P  P  P  P  P  Q  Q  Q  <Q  >Q  GQ  _Q  {Q  Q  Q  Q  Q   Q  Q  Q  R  6R  SR  pR  R  R  R  R  R  R  S  )S  BS  DS  NS  iS  S  S   S  S  S  S  T  ,T  DT  ^T  uT  T  T  T  T  T  T  U  5U  7U  AU  \U  ^U   ^U  nU  U  U  U  U  U  V  ,V  .V  <V  RV  TV  `V  ~V  V  V  V  V  V  V   V  V  W  W  ;W  VW  oW  qW  wW  W  W  W  W  X  X  X  !X  #X  3X  MX  mX   mX  oX  zX  X  X  X  X  X  X  Y  Y  Y  (Y  BY  DY  OY  hY  jY  yY  Y  Y   Y  Y  Y  Y  Y  Y  Z  $Z  6Z  8Z  JZ  Y  (Y  BY  DY  OY  hY  jY  yY  Y  Y   
   Arial      
                
                

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a stick.  New are 