[il-talk] Chicago Chapter Minutes, May 9, 2009

[Edwin Rodriguez]

Does anyone have more information about the Yoga tapes that were mentioned 
in Debbie's posting?
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Deborah Kent Stein" <dkent5817 at worldnet.att.net>
To: "Multiple recipients of NFBnet il-talk Mailing List" 
<il-talk at NFBnet.org>
Sent: Friday, June 12, 2009 12:26 AM
Subject: [il-talk] Chicago Chapter Minutes, May 9, 2009


>
>
> National Federation of the Blind, Chicago Chapter Exchequer Pub and 
> Restaurant 226 South Wabash, Chicago May 9, 2009
>
> CALL TO ORDER President David Meyer called the meeting to order at 1:01 
> P.M. He welcomed everyone who attended the Membership Tea, including 
> several scholarship applicants.
>
> PROGRAM
>
> Leeanne Mayne and Wilbert Poindexter arranged for this month's program. 
> Leeanne introduced the speaker, Jonathan Williams from the Election 
> Department of the Cook County Clerk's Office, who spoke about accessible 
> voting machines.  He gave some background on the Help America Vote Act and 
> described the Sequoyah Voting Machines that are now used in Chicago and 
> the suburbs.  The suburban polling places are now 95 percent accessible 
> and his department is aiming for 100 percent.  Mr.  Williams offered to 
> help people register to vote during our meeting.  He then took a series of 
> questions.
>
> INTRODUCTIONS AND HEALTH CONCERNS
>
> There were forty people at the meeting.  First-time attendees included 
> Clarence Jones, Chris Jeckel, Susan Hatch and Ashley Hatch, Michal Nowicki 
> and Kathy Nowicki, and Glenn Moore.  Several members spoke of health 
> concerns.
>
> SECRETARY's MINUTES
>
> Secretary Debbie Stein read the minutes from the April 11 meeting, 
> prepared by Steve Hastalis.  The minutes were corrected and approved.
>
> TREASURER's REPORT
>
> Treasurer Steve Hastalis reported an opening balance of $4340.23 on April 
> 11.  Income amounted to $2668.28, including candy sales, Bulls tickets, 
> donations, and dues.  The April collection brought in $128.28, and the 
> Meal Appeal Auction raised $207.  We paid Exchequer $180 for the May 9 
> membership reception.  The ending balance on May 9 was $6828.51.  The 
> report was accepted as read.
>
> GIFT CERTIFICATES
>
> Joe Monti announced that an order is coming up in June.  The food court 
> next to the Detroit Renaissance Center has many vendors that will accept 
> our gift cards.  To purchase certificates email Joe at 
> jlmonti at sbcglobal.net or put your order on Il-Talk.
>
> PRESIDENTIAL RELEASE
>
> NFB President Marc Maurer urged people to pre-register for national 
> convention online or by mail.  To make room reservations call 
> 800-266-9432. Scholarship Committee Chair Anil Lewis said that the 
> committee met to select this year's thirty winners.  Free yoga tapes are 
> available from the Independence Market.  The Blind and Visually Impaired 
> Voters Guide, prepared by the Jernigan Institute, will be available on the 
> NFB website and at national convention.  Two Louis Braille coins will be 
> part of the cargo on the next space shuttle.  The second Jacobus tenBroek 
> Law Symposium on disability law was held at the national center. 
> Representatives of the NFB attended the Los Angeles Book Fair to talk 
> about the need for blind people to have access to books via text to speech 
> on the Kindle II.  If you would like to take part in a research study on 
> the use of insulin pens, contact Ann Williams at ann.s.williams at case.edu 
> or 216-368-1704.  Senators John Kerry and Arlen Spector have introduced a 
> senate bill on quiet cars and pedestrian safety.
>
> STATE REPORT
>
> NFBI President Patti Gregory-Chang urged members to register for the March 
> for Independence.  She noted that a former Chicago alderman who has a 
> company called New West Real Estate is proposing a mixed-use development 
> that would include housing for visually impaired and blind people.  He has 
> asked the Chicago Lighthouse for feedback.  We need to call the Lighthouse 
> at 312-666-1331 to explain that we do not need or approve of separate 
> housing.  We need to sell Jernigan Fund raffle tickets, which go for $10 
> apiece.  Syed Yusufuddin received a letter from Senator Durbin's office 
> announcing that he has signed onto S841.  Dan Lupinski has signed onto 
> HR734. This is very exciting, since last year he wouldn't talk to us until 
> we went to the press.  We now have nine representatives from Illinois on 
> HR734, and half of the cosponsors on the Social Security bill are from 
> Illinois.  Patti praised the fine work that Syed and all our members are 
> doing on legislation, and said that the national office is very impressed 
> by our achievements.  We all need to urge Senator Roland Burris to sign 
> onto S841.  Wilbert Poindexter and Howard Wilson are planning a statewide 
> membership drive on a date in June.  Chicago mestbers will call people in 
> this area and also people who live in places where there are no chapters, 
> with the plan to form an "at large" chapter.  Kelly Doty explained that we 
> will take part in the Disability Pride Parade on July 25.  We will march 
> with a banner and our "Blind Is Not a 4-Letter Word" T-shirts, and will 
> have an information table.  Wilbert Poindexter, Howard Wilson, Steve 
> Hastalis, and Joe Monti volunteered to march, and Leeanne Mayne, Dave 
> Meyer, and Jemal Powell will work the table.  Christie Dennis will work 
> the table and march. Kelly also reported on our Braille Promotion 
> Committee.  We will give Louis Braille coins to the three most improved 
> Braille readers at ISVI.  We are trying to set up another event at Barnes 
> and Noble in Chicago.  The next board meeting will be a conference call at 
> 7 P.M. on Wednesday, May 27. State Convention will be held October 9-11 at 
> the Holiday Inn O'Hare.  The number for room reservations is 773-693-5800. 
> Make sure they quote a rate of $73 per room.
>
> TRIBUNE LETTER
>
> Dave Meyer read a letter that was printed in the May 3 Chicago Tribune. 
> The author of the letter claimed that she had been rudely rebuffed when 
> she tried to help a blind man on the street.  The editor responded that 
> the author should bite the man's ankle and scream "Rabid dog!"  The letter 
> led to a lively discussion about dealing with unwanted help on the street. 
> Dave then read the letter he wrote to the Tribune in response.
>
> COMMITTEE REPORTS
>
> Fundraising: Ken Staley reported that next month we will take our tenBroek 
> and White Cane Fund collections.  The White Sox/Indians game will occur on 
> August 8.  Anthony Thomas agreed to sell 25 tickets, bringing the total to 
> 70 tickets sold.
>
> Membership: Carmen Dennis thanked all of the new people for coming and 
> invited them to pay $2 to become members.  There was a round of applause 
> for the Exchequer staff for setting up the reception.
>
> OLD BUSINESS
>
> Joe Monti announced that there are two ways to chec' out the list of 
> vendors for certificates.  The list is available on our NFB of Illinois 
> website, and also by going to mannaexpress.com.
>
> Dave Meyer read off the names of the new members who have joined in March 
> and April.  Rosie Abdullai, Alex Misheikis, Victor Olwualu, FeShondra 
> Nixon, Vandana Chaudhry, Clarence Jones, and Niko Carpenter were all 
> officially voted into the chapter and given a grand welcome.
>
> NEW BUSINESS
>
> Jemal Powell reported that he gave a presentation for Disability Awareness 
> Day at Chicago State University on April 15.  Kelly Doty and Debbie Stein 
> reminded everyone to bring in used cell phones, laptops, and printer 
> cartridges to be recycled by EcoPhones.
>
> Dave Meyer described two outreach opportunities that are coming up. 
> Visual Awareness Day will be held at the College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn 
> on Wednesday, June 17.  Dave will attend and needs someone else to 
> volunteer. On the weekend of August 20-22 the Discovery Conference will be 
> held at the Holiday Inn Mart Plaza Hotel in Chicago.  We need people to 
> help with all three days of that conference.
>
> Sam Chou pointed out that people on SSI are entitled to a one-time payment 
> of $250 which is part of the stimulus package.  The funds will be 
> distributed until June 4.
>
> Jemal Powell reported on his exploration of places for the chapter picnic. 
> The chapter voted to plan a picnic at Lincoln Park.  The zoo is a draw, 
> especially for families.
>
> Eileen Truschke announced that she is receiving a service award for ten 
> years working at Our Lady of Resurrection.  Debbie Stein announced that 
> she will serve as the new editor of Future Reflections Magazine.
>
> ADJOURNMENT
>
> The meeting adjourned at 3:37.  Following adjournment the leftover 
> reception items were auctioned off for a total of $26.
>
> Respectfully submitted, Debbie Stein, Secretary
>
> _______________________________________________
> il-talk mailing list
> il-talk at nfbnet.org
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/il-talk_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for 
> il-talk:
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/il-talk_nfbnet.org/conibodyworks%40gmail.com