Dear FDBA members,

President Rose here

Happy Autumn! May this season bring you new opportunities and a fresh perspective. Enjoy the beauty of the changing leaves! I am grateful for all your continuous support for our DeafBlind Community with love.

The Tactile Art Show at the St. Augustine Art Association (STAAA) will be displayed October 4 through 27, 2024 at 22 Marine Street, St. Augustine, Florida 32084. October is National Sensory Processing Awareness Month and the STAAA is once again hosting the Tactile Art Show. Unlike most art exhibits, viewers—blind, visually impaired, or sighted are invited to touch the artwork! 

DeafBlind Artists Maria Marquez, Tracie Inman, and Winfield Sainpreux are participating in the Tactile Art Show this year. Let’s get together on Saturday, October 19th at 1-4 PM to support our DeafBlind Artists. Looking forward to see/touch you there. 

FDBA Board is planning to host a booth at  Florida ASL Festival in St Augustine and enjoy a midway featuring over 60 booth vendors, ASLingo games, food, music and entertainment, booth exhibitions and competitive exhibits, and so much more. Come celebrate the community and make lifelong memories with your family and friends! The address is at 80 Orange St, St Augustine, Florida 32084 on Saturday, February 22 at 10 AM to 5 PM. Come and join us.

FDBA State Meeting 2025 will be at Drury Inn & Suites Hotel at 1690 Raymond Diehl Road,Tallahassee, Florida 32303 on Thursday April 3 to Sunday April 6, 2025.

FDBA Board and I will arrange the Field Trip, Cable Tournament, Exhibitions, Workshops and many more fun things to do. Anyone who is interested in volunteering to help with State Meeting. Please feel free to contact me. Looking forward to see/touch you all there in Tallahassee.

To make reservations, please click on the link below.

https://www.druryhotels.com/bookandstay/newreservation/?groupno=10119151

Please make your reservations by Sunday, March 2, 2025 to receive your group rate. Reservations made after this date will be subject to prevailing rates and availability. 

Stomp, Stomp, Stomp, I am so excited to share with you all about the FDBA Committee Team hosting Carnival Vista Cruise for the National Carble Tournament and FUN getaway together.

It is a 6 Day Cruise - Eastern Caribbean on April 26 - May 2, 2026 - Leaving Port Canaveral (Orlando), Florida to Celebration Key (Bahamas), Half Moon Cay (Bahamas) and Amber Cove (Dominican Republic).

For more information or to book your reservation, please click here: 

https://fdba.infinitegetaway.com/

Carnival has built a lot of ships over the years, but for a truly unique experience at sea, clients have to check out this ship. It is only natural they will want to start outdoors, so we all want to.  Their attention will go directly to, wait, are those flying bicycles? Pretty much! SkyRice at SportSquare is a twin-track suspended bike course. You can strap in and race around for a win or just cruise for a great pleasure.  Hope you all can join us to have a BLAST! PT Stomps

I am still looking for new FDBA representatives to set up DeafBlind Social events in each major city such as Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Orlando, Pensacola, Tallahassee, Tampa, and etc.  If you are interested, please contact the FDBA President.

I would LOVE FDBA Members and Sponsors to come and help us as a volunteer for fundraising programs and support FDBA.  Please email me if you have any new ideas to raise money in 2024.  It would be greatly appreciated!

Our FDBA Motto - “You make the difference! Together we make an amazing difference!” ~ Rose

Respectfully yours,

Lara “Rose” Wall

FDBA President