[Iabs-talk] chicago minutes for march 2016

Tue May 10 18:34:34 UTC 2016

Please find the minutes pasted below my signature. If you see any
corrections, please let me know.

David Meyer, NFB of Illinois

Coordinator and Channel Administrator, NFB-NewsLine

National Federation of the Blind of Illinois Chicago Chapter

Minutes for Meeting of March 19, 2016

The meeting was called to order by Chapter President Debbie Stein at 1:10
P.M. President Stein began by thanking everyone who made fanout calls for
doing so, noting that she thought there were a lot more in attendance than
in previous months.

Introductions and Federation Happenings

The original count revealed that 24 members were present.

Several members had good news and health concerns to share. Steve Hastalis'
Aunt passed away during the previous month. He is also making a name for
himself as a musician, having appeared on a nephew's albumn as a floutist.
Robert Hansen featured Federationists Howard Wilson and Steve Hastalis in
separate radio events. Gina Falvo is now teaching knitting at Second Sense.
Glenn Moore served as an election judge in Cane County. Denise Avant has an
upcoming vacation in Norway, as she was selected by Ski for Light. David
Meyer announced that his wife Teresa is continuing to do well receiving
chemotherapy treatments. Melissa Fuller has been accepted to attend a
Saturday business course in commercial real estate. Howard Wilson competed
in a Judo tournament, winning two and losing two  fighting against advanced
Black Belt participants. Eileen Truschke is celebrating 40 years in the
National Federation of the Blind. She also voted without assistance for the
first time. Byron Harden is beginning a new class as an instructor at his
vocational School, teaching Audio Production.

Program

Jemal Powell and Steve Hastalis demonstrated via electronic recordings,
several different audible traffic signals. A discussion followed in which
several from the audience shared their opinions both positive and negative
about Audible Traffic signals.

We now have 26 members present.

Secretaries Minutes

It was moved and seconded to approve minutes for the February 2016 meeting.
The minutes were approved with the following correction. The TIME ?Act is
HR188.

Presidential Reports

National Presidential Release

National Federationof the Blind President, Mark Riccobono reported on the
following items. We have a Read Across Americaa video which is now available
on the National website. We now have an agreement with the Amazon
corporation. We will be working with Amazon to assist them in making all of
their educational content and platforms accessible for blind people.
President Riccobono cautioned that this is not something that will happen
over night. It will take time to implement all necessary changes. As a part
of this process, we need to be vigilent in monitoring how well they are
progressing in their efforts to make materials accessible. We need to
remember that it has taken a long time for our relations to come to the
point they have with Amazon. We have experienced major legal victories in
the past month. The most recent of these involved a member of the National
Federation of the Blind of Maryland, Yazman Rayozeeden. She has spent the
last five years fighting to get equal access in her job as a call CENTER
AGENT. The jury ruled that simply having a job was not a reasonable
accommodation.

Preregistration for the 2016 Convention is now open. The preregistration fee
for the convention is $25 with the banquet costing $60. If one chooses to
register and buy a banquet ticket at the convention, fees will be higher.
Preregistration will take place through May 31.

Applications are now being taken for Kenneth Jernigan convention
scholarships. These awards are usually given to first time attendees of the
convention. If you are a first time attendee and wish to receive assistance,
please reach out to your state president as soon as possible. Applications
for Jernigan Convention scholarships are due April 15.

Ramona Walhoff has edited a book entitled the Power of Love, How Kenneth
Jernigan changed the World for the Blind. This book is on sale as a
paperback for $8.99 with an electronic version available for $9.99. This
book is available through Amazon.

On February 18, Nathan Spiers son of Sean and Jennifer Spiers, both of whom
work for the Colorado Center for the Blind. The family is now doing well.

State Presidential Report

NFBI President Denise Avant reported on the following. The National
convention will take place at the Rosen Shingle Creek Resort Hotel in
Orlando Florida, June 30-July 5. If one needs financial assistance to attend
the convention, there are a couple of ways to apply. If you are a first time
attendee, you may apply for a Kenneth Jernigan Convention Scholarship. If
you choose to do that, you must write to President Avant explaining your
activity in the Federation as well as how the convention might benefit you.
Those letters must be received by March 31. One may apply regardless of how
many conventions he/she has attended to the Chappell-Dennis fund. Those
applications must be into President Avant by May 1. This application can be
downloaded from our website, www.nfbofillinois.org. The deadline to apply
for either a National or a State scholarship is March 31. Please get
applications in as soon as possible. We have been asked by the National
Office to contact our US senators and ask that they vote for a quick
radification of the Marrakesh Treaty. This treaty will make books available
to all blind people from anywhere in the world. We are also asked to call to
have the Space Available bill included as part of the National defense
Authorization act. Plcase call the Capitol switchboard at 202-224-3121. Our
Picnic in the Park fundraiser in Springfield will occur onSaturday, June 4.
The cost will be $30. You will be entitled to a catered lunch and a boat
ride on Jesse Rogerg' pontoon. Those Interested in attending   should make
their payments to Patti Chang, NFBI Treasurer. Our face-to-face board
meeting will occur at the Naperville Marriott Hotel on Saturday, August 27.
The Blast Conference will occur in Chicago on May 17-20. This conference
will be at the Lowes Hotel in Rosemont. A training by the Disney Institute
will occur from 8:00-4:00 on May 17. Ed Birmingham went on to detail the
agenda for this conference. Our Spring Seminar will occur at the Midway
Marriott on April 15-16. The Teacher Seminar will be April 15, with seminars
for parents and students on April 16. Carlton Walker from the Jernigan
institute will be the key presenter at this conference. The registration fee
is $30 which will include lunch. The next state board meeting will occur on
March 21 at 7:00 P.M. All are invited to call in. 

Committee Reports

Fundraising:  Ken Staley, fundraising chairman reported the following. The
annual beggars Fundraiser will occur on Wednesday, April 20 at beggars
Pizza, 310 South Clinton, Chicago. One must turn in a prepared flyer when
paying for their order. We will receive 20% of the bill, minus tax and
gratuity. Our White Sox fundraiser is down to two dates. Either Saturday,
July 23 or Saturday, August 6. Following considerable discussion, it was
decided to do the White Sox VS. Baltimore on August 6.

The following people made commitments for tickets. Robert Hansen, 5, Gregg
Rosenberg, 10,Steve Hastalis 12, Glenn Moore 5,  Debbie Stein, 8, David
Meyer, 20, Jemal Powell 4Glenn Moore will put together a flyer for this
event.

There will be a chapter board meeting on March 23. Call 641-715-3273 and use
the code Chicago, (2442246.)The meeting will begin at 7:00 P.M.

In old business, Jemal Powell inquired about the possibility of the chapter
getting business cards. Glenn Moore and Jemal will work on this project.
President Stein suggested 1,000 cards as a minimum.

New Business: Glenn Moore inquired about voting experiences from chapter
members in the primary. Experiences were for the most part positive. Things
were not so smooth down state.Jemal Powell inquired as to whether or not we
will have a chapter picnic again this year. It was moved, seconded and
passed to schedule the picnic on July 23 from 12:00-3:00 P.M. Jemal will
coordinate. We will not meet in April due to the Spring Seminar. The next
meeting will occur in May, when general elections will take place.

The meeting was adjourned at 3:50 P.M.