[il-talk] FW: Draft of Chicago Chapter Minutes, March 2012

[David Meyer]

  _____  

From: Deborah Kent Stein [mailto:dkent5817 at att.net] 
Sent: Sunday, April 01, 2012 2:27 PM
To: datemeyer at sbcglobal.net
Subject: Draft of Chicago Chapter Minutes, March 2012


 
 
 
NFBI Chicago Chapter Meeting Minutes
March 10, 2012
Exchequer Pub and Restaurant
226 S. Wabash, Chicago
 
CALL TO ORDER
 
Chicago Chapter First Vice President Denise Avant called the meeting to
order at 1:01 PM. Twenty-four people were in attendance.
 
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS
 
Secretary Debbie Stein read two proposed amendments to the Chicago Chapter
Constitution, both of which had also been posted to the Il-Talk listserv.
Article VI, Section A, states that at least fifteen members must be present
to transact business at a regular meeting. This amendment reduces the number
of members required to transact business from twenty to fifteen. The chapter
voted to pass the amendment. Article VI, Section B, states that at least
fifteen members must be present to transact business at a special meeting.
This amendment also reduced the number from twenty, and it also passed. Both
amendments must be ratified by the NFBI board.
 
FUNDRAISING
 
Howard Wilson announced that the Chicago Chapter will host its second annual
fundraiser at Beggar's Pizza on Wednesday, April 11. Beggar's Pizza is
located at 310 S. Clinton Street. We receive 20 percent on any order for
delivery or on location that is placed with a voucher. Vouchers are
available online and have been posted to Il-Talk. Patti also distributed
vouchers at the meeting. We need to take advantage of the delivery option
this year. The delivery zone reaches from North Avenue to Cermac, and from
Damen to the lake. Many blindness organizations fall into this area. Group
lunches can be organized by people who work downtown.
 
PROGRAM
 
Camille Caffirelli spoke about the founding, purpose, and programs of
Horizons for the Blind. Horizons began with the mission to make cultural
institutions accessible to blind people. It has been located in Crystal Lake
since 1999. They sell about 200 books in Braille, publish a monthly magazine
called Seeing It My Way, and produce Braille restaurant menus. They also
produce billing statements and bank statements in Braille and large print,
ensuring blind people the same privacy that sighted people are accorded.
Directions for Me is an online database of package directions for thousands
of products. Horizons sells over a thousand tactile illustrations of
animals, plants, sports fields, and much more.
 
SECRETARY's MINUTES
 
The minutes of the January 2012 and February 2012 Chicago Chapter meetings
were approved.
 
HEALTH CONCERNS
 
Denise announced that Teresa Meyer had hip surgery yesterday and expressed
our wishes for her speedy recovery. Our prayers go out to George at
Exchequer, who just lost his father. Jemal said that his twin sister has
begun chemotherapy for Stage I breast cancer. Ryan Kwaak's grandfather is
losing vision due to macular degeneration. Gina Falvo remains in our
thoughts and prayers as she undergoes chemotherapy treatments.
 
PRESIDENTIAL RELEASE
 
NFB President Marc Maurer encouraged everyone to make reservations at the
Hilton Anatole Hotel for Convention 2012. You can pre-register for the
convention online at <www.nfb.org/registration>. If you need specific
accommodations, contact Patricia Miller at pmiller at nfb.org. The CARS
Division has changed its name to the National Association of Blind
Automobile Enthusiasts. It will host an exhibit of antique automobiles at
convention. Since the fall of 1972, presidential releases have been sent out
on cassette tape. Beginning in April, releases will be sent out on USB thumb
drives. The presidential release can also be downloaded from the NFB
Website. To request the release on thumb drive, contact Marsha Dyer at (410)
659-9314, Ext. 2344. Mark Riccobono recently visited NASA headquarters to
look into the participation of blind people in scientific experiments. He
took several simulated flights at zero gravity. The BELL Program is
expanding around the country as a way to help teach Braille to blind
children. Contact Ed Moorman to learn about grants through the 2012-13 NFB
Hazel tenBroek Research Grant Program. The Michigan Commission for the Blind
has been disbanded by executive order of the governor. This action will be
quite damaging to blind people in the state, and the Michigan affiliate is
working to prevent the Commission from being eliminated.
 
STATE REPORT
 
NFB of Illinois President Patti Chang encouraged everyone to sell BookSense
raffle tickets and to turn in the money. Mary Grunwald has the tickets. She
also has mugs and a few small T-shirts. Orders for Manna gift certificates
need to reach Dave Meyer by April 1. Certificates will be distributed at the
April 7 chapter meeting. State and national scholarship applications are
available, and the deadline is March 31. We need people to help with the
upcoming parent and teachers seminar, April 13 and 14. We especially need
help with the Teen Scene and Kids Camp. Mary Grunwald and Ryan Kwaak
volunteered for Teen Scene and Debbie Pittman for Kids Camp. Hotel rooms
will be provided for people who work. Assistance for national convention is
available through the national Jernigan Fund and the NFBI Chappell Fund.
Jernigan Fund applications are due by April 15 and Chappell applications by
May 1. The 2012 NFBI convention will take plaace October 5-7 at the O'Hare
Holiday Inn. A proposed US Senate amendment to the Surface Transportation
Act, S. 1742, would allow states to commercialize vending stands at rest
stops. This would be very bad for Randolph-Shepard vendors. Contact Emily
Sullivan in Senator Durbin's office. Durbin is down as opposing the
amendment, but we need to contact him to make sure he remains opposed. Steve
Hastalis noted that another aspect of the Surface Transportation Bill would
remove the use of gasoline tax revenues to support public transportation. We
also need to get more reps in Congress to sign on to the Fair Wages for
People with Disabilities Act. Mike Quigley and Luis Gutierrez have signed
on. Some people who have signed on as cosponsors have taken themselves off,
so we must thank the representatives who have signed on.
 
ELECTIONS
 
Chicago Chapter elections will be held on April 7. All of the current
officers plan to run again. Jemal Powell will run for second vice president
and Patti Chang will run for Jemal's board seat. Anyone else who wants to
run is welcome to do so.
 
CHAPTER YEAR IN REVIEW
 
Via recording, Chicago Chapter President Dave Meyer reported on chapter
activities over the past year. We have worked to bring in new members and to
help existing members become more active. From May through December we
conducted the Louis Braille Commemorative Coin Contest, encouraging people
to bring in new members. Two new members have contributed significantly on
the state and chapter levels. We have worked to expand the fanout system to
let people know about chapter events. Our spring candy sale was especially
successful. We have taken part in several community activities, including
health fairs at Wright Community College, Blind Services Association, and
the Homewood Community Center. Chicago Chapter members took part in the
Disability Pride Parade. Members of the student chapter have become involved
with several of the Chicago Chapter's activities. Dave thanked everyone who
has helped to sustain and strengthen the chapter this year.
 
MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE 
 
Bob Widman encouraged new members to give their contact information to
Treasurer Steve Hastalis and Membership Chair Connie Davis. The spring
membership tea will be held on Saturday, May 12. Anyone who isn't sure
whether he/she is paid up on dues should check with Steve. In December Steve
accepted a dues payment from someone but has lost track of the person's
name, so please check in with him if you paid that month.
 
NEW BUSINESS
 
Ken Staley announced that he has certificate letters for the Meal Appeal
auction. The auction will be held after the April meeting.
 
ADJOURNMENT
 
The meeting was adjourned at 2:35 PM.
 
Respectfully Submitted,
Debbie Stein, Secretary