[Iabs-talk] Minutes for August 2011 meeting

[David Meyer]

NFBI CHICAGO CHAPTER MEETING
August 13, 2011
Exchequer Pub and Restaurant
226 S. Wabash, Chicago

CALL TO ORDER

Chicago Chapter President Dave Meyer called the meeting to order at 1 PM. 
Forty-two people were in attendance, including several first-timers. Denise
Avant thanked everyone for their condolences upon the loss of her father in
June.

PROGRAM

President Dave Meyer presented a program about barbecuing. He described
charcoal, gas, and wood grills. He passed around some items that blind and
sighted people use to make barbecuing easier, including a long-handled
spatula and a set of barbecue tongs. He also described a two-sided rack that
makes it easy to flip the meat. Gloves and a stopwatch are also very useful.

Barbecue gloves are generally available in stores. Welding gloves, which are
very strong, can also be used. Dave talked about safety considerations, such
as not lighting the grill when there is a smell of gas. Today there are
electric starters that can be put in the charcoal. Dave's presentation was
followed by a lively discussion in which several people asked questions and
described their barbecuing techniques.

SECRETARY's MINUTES

The secretary's minutes from the meeting of June 11, 2011, were posted on
the Il-Talk and IABS-Talk listservs and on the Information Channel of NFB
Newsline. The minutes were corrected and approved.

TREASURER's REPORT

Chicago Chapter Treasurer Steve Hastalis read the report for the second
quarter of 2011 covering April, May, and June. The chapter had an opening
balance on April 1 of $6,098. Income for the quarter came to $3,061.01. 
Expenses totaled $4,778, including $1400 in contributions to national funds.

The closing balance for the quarter was $4,381.01. The treasurer's report
was approved.

PRESIDENTIAL RELEASE

NFB President Dr. Marc Maurer announced that there has been no federal
default and it looks as though there will be no problem with Social Security
checks in the near future. We are working to remove Section 511 of the
Workforce Reinvestmen Act, which has provisions for the payment of
subminimum wages to workers with disabilities. We held more than twenty
public demonstrations to inform the public that people with disabilities can
receive below the minimum wage in the 21st century. We are now looking for
someone to sponsor legislation to overturn the subminimum wage provision in
Section 14C of the Fair Labor Standards Act, which goes back to 1938. We
secured more than 2000 signatures on our petition at convention. Signed
petitions are coming in from many affiliates. We need to keep the momentum
going with our representatives in Congress. Dr. Maurer read an announcement
from Wanda Sloan of the Diabetes Action Network, encouraging affiliates to
start DAN divisions. For more information, contact Wanda at
wsloan4 at roadrunner.com. October is Meet-the-Blind Month, a chance to
increase awareness about blindness. All chapters and affiliates are welcome
to join the challenge to come up with innovative events. Contact Melissa
Kobelinski at mkobelinski at nfb.org. Some 150 students took part in Youth Slam
2011 at Towson State University and the Jernigan Institute. Hobey Wegler
created a chemistry camp for blind youth in California. A group of educators
from Mongolia observed a day of our Youth Slam program. A presidents and
Treasurers meeting will be held at the National Center, chaired by Charley
Brown and Bridget Burke. Dr. Maurer will attend the American Bar Association
in Toronto. Dr. Maurer and Daniel Goldstein will be receiving an award.

STATE REPORT

NFBI President Patti Chang announced that the Independence Market now sells
sturdy, lightweight folding canes. Regarding the minimum wage issue, a group
of Illinoisians picketed in Springfield--Mary Grunwald, Bill Reif, Charlene
Elder, Cathy Randall, and Carolyn Nelson. Two other disability groups joined
us. Our representatives went in and talked with one of Senator Kirk's aides.

Unfortunately, despite our many calls and emails, we have not received a
statement about how he will vote on 511. The senator is well aware of us and
knows what we want. Patti urged everyone to call the Springfield office,
speak to an aide named Brad, and ask that the senator convey his position on
Section 511 of WIA. We deserve an answer. Jemal suggested that we find out
if Senator Kirk has town meetings.

Our state convention will be held October 7-9 in Rock Island. Rooms will be
$72 per night. Our national representative will be Pam Allen. 
Pre-registration will be $5, and registration at convention will be $15. 
Registration forms should go to Kelly Doty. Anyone interested in performing
at IABS Idol should contact Dale Sczweck at iabs at nfbofillinois.org. The
number for hotel reservations is 309-794-1212, and our block of rooms is
being held until September 23. George Villa chairs the Resolutions
Committee, and resolutions are due by September 23. Chappell Fund
applications for financial assistance are due to Patti by September 5. 
Denise Avant encouraged people to donate door prizes. Get them to her before
or at convention, or send them to Bob Gardner.

Because the Changs had a flooded basement, Oktoberfest will not be held at
their house as originally planned. Oktoberfest will be held at the home of
Debbie and Dick Stein instead. People will be picked up at the Harlem and
Higgins station on the Blue Line. The address is 5817 N. Nina, and tickets
cost $30. Food will be included and there is a minimal charge for wine and
beer. Oktoberfest will be held on September 17 from 4 to 8 P.M.

Target is now on the Manna Gift Certificate list. Certificate orders should
go to Joe Monti. Mary Lou Grunwald encouraged people to sell or buy mugs and
T-shirts.

The NFBI board met on August 6 and decided to hold a combined teacher and
parents seminar in the spring. It will be a two-day event.

VAN GALDER BUS

We only have twenty people signed up for the bus to Rock Island so far. We
very badly need to have more people sign up. Other transportation options to
Rock Island are very limited, so people really need to buy bus tickets. The
bus is $50 round trip and $30 one way.

CONVENTION SCHOLARSHIPS

The Chicago Chapter is providing three convention scholarships in the amount
of $150 each. Applications are due by August 21.

FUNDRAISING

On September 12 we will have a fundraiser at the Slovenian Catholic Center,
14252 Main Street, Lamont.  Tickets will be $12 per person and include a
full meal. Dinner will begin at 1 P.M. Denise and Dave will give a
presentation about the parent-teacher seminar and will show a video about
Youth Slam. The center puts on one event each year to support a nonprofit
organization, and the NFBI has been selected for this year.

OUTREACH

The Wright College Health Fair will be held on September 22 from 9:30 to 2
at the Campus Events Center at Montrose and Narragansett. Bruce Paul, Pam
Gillmore, Howard Wilson, and Dave Meyer volunteered to staff an information
table. We will give a presentation on NFB Newsline at Blind Services
Association on September 20 or 21. The Enlightenment Conference (formerly
the Discovery Conference) will be held at the Schaumburg Convention Center
on November 3-5. We used to get an information table for $100, and this year
the price has risen to $150. Last year there was not much traffic at our
booth. The chapter voted not to participate. Edwin Rodriguez offered to hand
out NFB literature at the Access Living table.

COMMITTEE REPORTS

Membership: Committee Chair Bob Widman welcomed all of the new members and
members who have not come in a while. He urged people to pay their $5
membership dues and to attend the Membership Tea at 11:30 on September 10.

Fundraising: Co-chair Ken Staley announced that there are still tickets
available for the Sox game. The committee will determine whether we should
sell World's Finest Chocolate or Fannie May for our fall 2012 candy sale. 
The profit margin is about the same for each, as long as we have a minimum
order of around $1250. We will hold Games Night at Exchequer on November 5
from 5 to 9 P.M. Tickets will include pizza and will be sold for $25.

OLD BUSINESS

The Chicago Chapter participated in the Disability Pride Parade on July 23. 
Thanks to Debbie Pittman and the Concerned Citizens for Paratransit, we had
the luxury of a table. We passed out petitions and fliers about the
subminimum wage issue. Dave will appoint a committee to plan a
Meet-the-Blind Month activity.

NEW BUSINESS

Dave raised the question of whether we should have an October chapter
meeting. Convention will be held on the second Saturday. The chapter voted
to hold a meeting in October, depending on availability of Exchequer. Sights
Unlimited in Chicago Heights holds a Braille class on the first and third
Monday of the month at 10:30 A.M. at the public library. Bruce Paul would
like to hear from anyone who is interested in accessible data from the City
of Chicago. Contact him at brucecpaul at gmail.com.

ADJOURNMENT

The meeting was adjourned at 3:28 P.M.

Respectfully submitted,
Debbie Stein, Secretary