[Iabs-talk] Chicago minutes may 2012

[David Meyer]

NFBI Chicago Chapter Meeting
May 12, 2012
Exchequer Pub and Restaurant
226 S. Wabash, Chicago

CALL TO ORDER, HEALTH CONCERNS, AND FEDERATION FUZZIES

Chicago Chapter President David Meyer called the meeting to order at 1:02
PM.  He announced the birthdays of Bob Widman and Patti Chang.  Patti called
the Montis so everyone could welcome Mary home from the hospital.  Gina
Falvo has finished her chemo and will have surgery at the end of the month. 
Ryan Kwaak has a job prospect in Macon, Georgia.  Eileen Truschke is about
to celebrate her thirteenth year at Our Lady of Resurrection.  Roberta
Glickman is facing further vision loss.  Ronnie Pittman has been treated for
blood clots and is much better.  Howard Wilson won a bronze medal in a
Paralympic judo competition.  Vandana Chaudhry completed her PhD and will be
moving to New York to take a job at Staten Island University.

INTRODUCTIONS

There were approximately thirty people in attendance, including first-timer
Hilda Sandiford.  The Villas and the Gillmores are back from winter getaways
in Florida.

PROGRAM

Denise Avant, Byron Lee, and Marco Giannotti presented a program on
accessible apps for the Apple products.  The iPhone comes with several apps
that are accessible with VoiceOver.  Denise described the Look Tell Money
Reader.  It will read a bill no matter what the condition.  She explained
how to download books to the iPhone from Audible, Learning Ally, and
Bookshare.  Newsline and NLS are working on apps.  Byron Lee spoke about
radio apps.  He explored Pandora and iBlink Radio.  Marco demonstrated
travel apps.  Around Me shows the locations of places of interest in the
vicinity.  Syed Yousufuddin talked about iFly, which has information such as
the location of shops, restaurants, and counters for about 700 US airports. 
Denise said that AppleDis in the Apple Store lists accessible apps, and
National Braille Press has a new book out on accessible IOs as well.  The
presenters agreed to put information on IL-Talk.

MINUTES

The minutes from the meeting of April 7, 2012 were approved.

PRESIDENTIAL REPORT

NFB President Marc Maurer urged people to pre-register for the 2012 national
convention in Dallas.  Darian Smith has started a group to encourage blind
people to take part in community service.  He can be reached at
dsmithnfb at gmail.com. The 2012 LAW Program and the tenBroek Law Symposium
were very successful.  Carl Jacobsen will chair the new committee that
manages the Imagination Fund.  Carl explained that we will have a dream
machine at convention, where people can put in ideas for the years ahead. 
The Imagination Fund will raise the money to make those dreams come true. 
The Scholarship Committee has selected thirty 2012 winners, and the Jacob
Bolotin Award Committee has met.  Axis 360 is a new accessible book
borrowing system that uses KNFB Reading technology.  Paul d'Angio, a
doctoral student from Virginia Tech, has written his dissertation on blind
drivable vehicles.  Twenty-six senators signed a letter to Secretary of
Education Arne Duncan, calling for more access to Braille instruction.  The
Braille Monitor and Future Reflections are now available on NFB Newsline.

STATE REPORT

NFBI President Patti Chang announced that Rose Sloan is the winner of a
national scholarship.  Mary Grunwald thanked everyone who sold tickets for
the Book Sense raffle.  The winner was Ronnie Pittman.  Illinois now has
four sponsors for the Fair Wages for Workers with Disabilities Act, HR3088. 
They are Quigley, Manzullo, Jackson, and Gutierrez.  We need to thank the
sponsors so they don't back off.  Steve Hastalis visited Jan Schakowski's
office this week.  Schakowsky will not sign on unless the bill protects
workers through features such as job coaching services.  Patti pointed out
that Schakowsky has been very supportive of our bills in the past and even
sponsored one, so we should handle her gently on this issue.  We are taking
bids for the 2013 state convention.  Patti thanked everyone who helped with
the teachers and parents seminar.  We had twenty-four teachers in
attendance.  There was a lot of hands-on activity, including drawing,
chemistry, and technology.  The Blackhawk Chapter is planning to do a
transitions club similar to Chicago's Freedom Link.  The NFBI has been given
a bequest of $42,000 through the Johnson estate.  We must still keep up our
regular fundraising! The At Large Chapter is now official, with Leslie
Hamric as president.  Members come from all over the state.

COMMITTEE REPORTS

Fundraising: Ken Staley announced that we are ordering sixty-two White Sox
tickets for August 11.  We are buying them for $16 and selling them for $25.

He urged people to turn in their spring candy money as soon as possible. 
George and Linda Villa got a big hand for delivering the candy.

Membership: Bob Widman welcomed the new members and encouraged people to
listen to Newsline.

NEW BUSINESS

Dave Meyer raised the possibility of a 2012 Chicago Chapter picnic.  The
chapter voted to have a picnic on July 13 instead of a regular meeting. 
Jemal Powell will explore locations.  Dave also suggested that we take part
again in the Disability Pride Parade, which takes place on July 21.  Ryan
Parrey, Jemal Powell, and Ryan Kwaak volunteered to sit at tables. Denise
Avant and Ken Schad will march. Gina Falvo, Glenn Moore, & Howard Wilson
offered to march or staff a table, whichever is most needed. Eileen Truschke
also will help if she is not working that day.  Gary Jones invited everyone
to a Joliet ADA group for a picnic on June 2.  Gary will staff a booth if
someone volunteers to help him.

ADJOURNMENT

The meeting was adjourned at 3:22 PM, followed by the annual Meal Appeal
Auction.

Respectfully submitted,
Debbie Stein, Secretary