<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"><head><meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=us-ascii"><meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 15 (filtered medium)"><style><!--
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--></style></head><body lang=EN-US link="#467886" vlink="#96607D" style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Please find, attached, and below the November 2025 secretaries report.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Don Mitchell<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><a href="mailto:Donmi1949@gmail.com">Donmi1949@gmail.com</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>360.281.0187<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style='mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in'><p class=MsoNormal style='border:none;padding:0in'><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>OF CLARK COUNTY<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>NOVEMBER 2025 MEETING MINUTES<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Meeting called to order by President Chris Higley at 10:06 AM on the Washington State School for the Blind campus.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>•Members present: Chris Higley: President, Doug Trimble: Treasurer, Beth Greenberg, Bob Sellers, Don Mitchell: Secretary, Betty Fitzpatrick, Norm Larkin, Teresa Freeby, Angie Rodrigus, Lilly Esper, Patricia Maddix, Art, Tina. Note: (some persons who introduced themselves were not clearly recorded, so some persons present were not acknowledged.)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>•Minutes presented for approval: Motion to approve presented by Betty and seconded by Beth. Motion approved.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>•Doug presented the treasurers report: Current balance: $3025.38. Bob moved to except the report and Don seconded. Motion passed.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>•Bob requested that wee send a thank you letter to Al and Laura for their entertainment at the wine and cheese event. (Bob will send Don contact information.)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>•Bob asked if any plans have been made to work with hospitals for blindness sensitivity training. The committee has not met since the last meeting, so the answer is no.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>•Beth reminded the group of our Washington State School for the Blind social activity, Karaoke night, in January of 2026. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>•Chapter holiday party December 13 11:00 AM at Round Table Pizza on Mil plane.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>•Chris and Cory met with Maria Perez to discuss our legislative initiatives focusing on education. The meeting went well, but they only talked to staff and staff can make no promises. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>•Washington State convention Feb 26-march 1 2026 in SeaTac. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>•Doug Trembel moved that we donate up to $900, at the discretion of the president, for supporting member state convention expenses. Seconded by Bob Sellers& Teressa. The motion passed. Look for a financial assistance form on the listserv. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>•Don Mitchell asked if the state, or local affiliate has an archive to save meeting secretary reports. Chris said she would talk to our state President Marcy Carpenter about this. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>•Bob asked if it would be possible to rent a van to transport members to the state convention. Chris said it could be considered when we know how many members plan to attend. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>•Chris announced that Washington Seminar will take place January 26-29, 2026. A financial assistance form is available on the listserv. Forms are due by November 17, 2025. •Don Mitchell suggested that we give a brief description of Washington Seminar and its function for new members and visitors. Washington Seminar is a time when representatives of state affiliates travel to Washington DC an meet with congress and senate persons, or their office staff to present and talk about our legislative actions to try to obtain sponsorship and signatures on bills, or to encourage the creation and submission of new bills to the national legislature. She gave, as examples, bills concerning making medical appliances accessible to the blind and making other kinds of technology accessible to the blind for their use.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>•Doug Trembel moved that the chapter provide $600 to the state to apply towards Washington Seminar expenses. Motion seconded by Doug and Betty. Motion passed. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>•Chris announced that we will be doing a “STEM to you” program in Washington this year. The theme will be Forensic science. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>•Chris opened the “chapter chat” to the group for questions or other general blindness discussion points to be brought up. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Doug brought up Microsoft copilot and Google Gemini software to be used to learn about things around us. Both have a voice interface so you can have conversations with the applications about a point of interest. Chris said that you can set up a practice job interview and then have your responses to the interviewer critiqued by the software. Don told about asking about a piece of music and being able to learn the title of the music, who was the composer and performer and when it was released. Doug reminded us that Clark County’s C-tran has made Ira available to riders for travel related assistance. We need to use it or we could loose it. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>•Doug gave a C-tran update. Go to <a href="http://c-tran.com">http://c-tran.com</a> to learn about c-tran programs, services and current status of routs ETC. Some fair increases will occur in January to try and get the fairs back up to pre-pandemic levels. Students at Clark and Washington State can now get a free pass that will work on c-van. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Doug announced that at all of the new Vine stops just to the left of the bench as you face into the shelter below a video screen is a button that, when pressed, will announce the time of the next arrivals at the stop. Chris reported that c-tran has updated their bylaws so that now you can apply for more than one position at a time. Meetings are on the last Thursday of the month and the public can attend via zoom. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>•Chris opened a philosophy discussion focusing on specialized treatment for the blind. How can we be equal and at the same time ask for special kinds of assistance for the blind? A vibrant discussion followed. It appeared that the group felt that the most important thing is that blind people be involved, as much as possible, in all walks of life. Because of our individual situations we may need help at times. Some people need more help than others, so assistance should be available and individuals should make the best choice for themselves and their situation. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>•The question was asked about a gift exchange at the holiday party. The motion was made: If you want to participate in a gift exchange bring a gift card with a value of $20 or less to be a part of the gift exchange. The motion passed.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Doug announced the NFB of Washington is offering scholarship’s for students Talk to a board member if you are interested. Visitors were invited to join the chapter. Dues are $5.00 per year and if you join in November your membership will be good through 2026.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Don Moved that the meeting be adjourned. The motion passed. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>•Members then listened to Presidential release 554 for November 2025.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div id="DAB4FAD8-2DD7-40BB-A1B8-4E2AA1F9FDF2"><br /><table style="border-top: 1px solid #D3D4DE;"><tr><td style="width: 55px; padding-top: 13px;"><a href="https://www.avast.com/sig-email?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_campaign=sig-email&utm_content=emailclient" target="_blank"><img src="https://s-install.avcdn.net/ipm/preview/icons/icon-envelope-tick-round-orange-animated-no-repeat-v1.gif" alt="" width="46" height="29" style="width: 46px; height: 29px;"/></a></td><td style="width: 470px; padding-top: 12px; color: #41424e; font-size: 13px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">Virus-free.<a href="https://www.avast.com/sig-email?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_campaign=sig-email&utm_content=emailclient" target="_blank" style="color: #4453ea;">www.avast.com</a></td></tr></table><a href="#DAB4FAD8-2DD7-40BB-A1B8-4E2AA1F9FDF2" width="1" height="1"> </a></div></body></html>