Fellow Federationists:
We have returned rejuvenated from the NFB National Convention in Austin, Texas, and we jumped right back into our local work here in Maryland. We have completed another successful year of the NFB BELL Academy in Baltimore, we are halfway through our reimagined NFB BELL Academy Rockville (formerly Glendale), and we shortly kick off our NFB BELL Academy in Salisbury. We held a day-long leadership retreat for the Board of our Greater Prince George’s County Chapter. We are working hard to prepare for the Give A Hoot Comedy Night fundraiser in August and the NFBMD Crab Feast in September.
Read on for information about our important activities and plans.
Give A Hoot Comedy Night Fundraiser!
Come out for a night of laughs and support the National Federation of the Blind of Maryland! Give A Hoot Comedy Club generously gives its proceeds to deserving nonprofits doing work in the local community. Please plan to support the important work of the oldest organization of and for blind and low vision Marylanders while enjoying an award-winning comedian at the same time.
Featuring Comedian Johnny Watson
Location: 16143 Shady Grove Rd, Gaithersburg, MD 20877
Date: August 22, 2026
Time: 8PM (Doors open at 7PM)
Admission is $22.50 per person including fees. Tickets should be purchased in advance. Parking is free.
Full La Mexicana Restaurant menu available in club (food and drinks not included in admission price)
To purchase your tickets, please click on the link below.
NFBMD Night at Give A Hoot Comedy Club Tickets
Those interested in affiliate transportation from Baltimore should contact Ellen Ringlein. For more information, contact Debbie Brown.
Crabbing for Student Scholarships
Please purchase your tickets today for the NFB of Maryland Annual Crab Feast. This fundraiser supports the John T McCraw Scholarship Program, which provides scholarships to blind post-secondary education students.
When: Friday, September 18, 2026 - 7:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.
Where: Rosedale Gardens – 8037 Philadelphia Road - Baltimore, MD 21237
Tickets are $85 each if purchased before August 31, or $95 afterword’s. Children 6 and under are free.
Special Promotion: Buy or Sell 25 or more tickets and get your ticket FREE!
Dancing, 50 / 50 Raffle, Door Prizes, and more.
Menu Includes:
Steamed Crabs, fried chicken, beef Bar B Que – All You Can Eat!
Plus a Buffet of Entrees Including Maryland-style crab soup, corn-on-the-cob, other sides, salad, fruit, cake…
Yuengling and Miller beer
Carbonated Beverages, iced tea, and Coffee
To purchase tickets, visit http://www.nfbmd.org/crabs.
For additional information contact Chair Millie Rivera at (202) 494-5687 or email TLCChapter@nfbmd.org.
Seeking Donations for Crab Feast Auction!
We are seeking donations of experiences, gift cards, and items for our 2026 Crab Feast Silent Auction. This auction will raise funds for student scholarships. Bidding will open via our online portal this summer and will close the evening of the Crab Feast on September 18, 2026, when the winning bidders will be announced.
We are asking members to reach out to restaurants, hotels, travel agents, shop owners, sports teams, and providers of experiences to ask that they donate gift cards, items, and experiences. We will create auction packages with one or more of the donations provided.
For additional information, contact Chair Millie Rivera at (202) 494-5687 or email TLCChapter@nfbmd.org.
Change to Zelle Contact Information!
NFB of Maryland has changed its Zelle contact information. Those sending payments should use the email address Payments@nfbmd.org moving forward. We have made this change in order to improve financial and operational efficiency. Please be sure to notate what the payment is for, e.g. general donation, crab feast ticket, etc. in the notes section. When adding Payments@nfbmd.org to your Zelle contacts, you may see either “NFB of Maryland” or “Ronza Othman” come up, depending on your bank. Either is accurate.
If you have questions, please contact Leah Mattern at Treasurer@nfbmd.org.
Pay Your 2026 Dues!
NFBMD maintains an online portal for individuals to pay their chapter and division dues. We are asking members to pay their 2026 dues by December 31, 2025 so we can ensure that our rolls are accurate for State Convention voting.
Individuals may use NFBMD’s Dues Portal to pay their 2026 annual dues and/or lifetime membership dues for those chapters that have lifetime membership. The portal lists all NFBMD chapters and divisions and their dues amounts. Individuals may pay for as many chapters and divisions as they wish. The portal is located at http://nfbmd.org/dues. Alternatively, individuals may mail a check to their chapter or division treasurer.
Individuals may also pay their chapter dues at the Membership Table at the State Convention, but we strongly encourage individuals to pay dues prior to convention.
Please note that those paying via the online portal will incur a small processing fee.
Important Upcoming Dates
- July 27 – August 7, 2026 – Rockville NFB BELL Academy, Rockville, Maryland
- August 3 - 7, 2026 – Eastern Shore NFB BELL Academy, Salisbury, Maryland
- August 22, 2026 – Give-A-Hoot Comedy Night Fundraiser, Gaithersburg, Maryland
- September 5 – 10, 2026 – NFBMD Cruise to Bermuda, Baltimore, Maryland
- September 18, 2026 – NFBMD Crab Feast, Rosedale, Maryland
- October 1 – 31, 2026 – Blind Equality Achievement Month
- October 15, 2026 – White Cane Awareness Day
- November 14, 2026 – NFBMD Scholarship Dinner and Auction, College Park, Maryland
- November 15, 2026 – NFBMD Winter Market, Baltimore, Maryland
- January 21, 2027 – NFBMD Day in Annapolis, Annapolis, Maryland
- February 1, 2027 – Washington Seminar Great Gathering In, Washington, DC
- February 2, 2027 – NFB of Maryland Day on the Hill, Washington, DC
- February 11 – 14, 2027 – NFBMD 2027 Convention, Pikesville, Maryland
July 2 – 7, 2027 – NFB National Convention, Austin, Texas
- July 26 – 30, 2027 – NFB YouthSlam, Baltimore, Maryland