[il-talk] Chicago chapter minutes january 2013

[David Meyer]

NFBI CHICAGO CHAPTER
January 12, 2013
Exchequer Pub and Restaurant
226 S. Wabash, Chicago

CALL TO ORDER

Chicago Chapter President David Meyer called the meeting to order at 1:02
PM. Thirty-two members were in attendance, including first-timers Sean
Zietti, Kathy Reese Anna, Kurt and James Dickman, and Debbie Pittman's
sister Barbara. Pam Gillmore reported that Don has had a bit of a setback
and is back in the hospital, but is doing well. She thanked everyone for
their thoughts and prayers. Blair Alpert is still undergoing tests. Leeanne
is doing better. Eileen Truschke lost her nephew to suicide. Rob Kaiser is
still having trouble with his leg but plans to go to Leader Dog. Mary
Grunwald said that one of her employees has been diagnosed with breast
cancer. Don Jordan lost an uncle.

MEMORIAL

Dave Meyer explained that long-time Federationist Connie Davis passed away 
on Thursday, January 3. Connie had edited the state newsletter and 
maintained our membership list.  Teresa Meyer read her obituary from the 
Mattoon paper. Many members shared their memories of Connie, recalling her 
kindness to new members, her enthusiastic support of our projects and 
programs, and her buoyant personality. Dave closed with a moment of silence.

SECRETARY's MINUTES AND TREASURER's REPORT

The minutes for the meeting of December 8 were approved. The fourth quarter 
treasurer's report was tabled until next month.

PRESIDENTIAL RELEASE

National Scholarship Chairman Patti Chang urged all students to apply for 
NFB scholarships. The application deadline is March 31. NFB President Dr. 
Marc Maurer announced that the International Convention on the Rights of 
People with Disabilities was not approved in the US SENATE. Passage required

65 votes, and it received only 61. We will work for passage in the coming 
Congressional session. At Washington Seminar we will again work for support 
of fair wages for workers with disabilities. We will have a new bill number 
because we're starting with a new Congress. There will be a joint planning 
meeting on January 15 of representatives from many and varied disability 
organizations. Washington Seminar begins with the Great Gathering In on 
February 4 at 5 PM. Anil Lewis, Jesse Hartle, and Lauren McClarney spoke 
about the three issues we will work on this year. In addition to the Fair 
Wages Act, we will work to ensure that those disabled in military service 
can participate in the program that allows retired military personnel to 
travel on military transports. This bill was initially sponsored by the late

Sen. Daniel Inouye, himself a disabled veteran. We will also call for 
accessible postsecondary instructional materials through the TEACH Bill. The

TEACH Bill is a brand-new issue and needs a strong start. John Paré will 
talk about Washington Seminar on Joe Ruffalo's Thru Our Eyes radio broadcast

on January 16. The San Fernando Chapter of the NFB of California sent a 
report of its annual holiday party. The chapter adopted a local blind child 
and her family, and encourages other chapters to do the same. The Harbor 7 
foot race will take place in Baltimore on June 11. Blind runners are 
strongly encouraged to take part. Room reservations are now available at the

Rosen Center Hotel for our national convention, which will be held July 1-6,

2013. Plan to attend this summer's convention, and get your reservations in 
early.

STATE REPORT

Denise Avant presented the state report, in the absence of NFBI President 
Patti Chang. She urged everyone to get their reservations in for national 
convention. Nine people from Illinois will attend Washington Seminar from 
February 4 to 6. Our Parent-Teacher Seminar will take place in Chicago on 
May 9 and 10. It will be held at the Holiday Inn Express near O'Hare. Denise

urged everyone to get involved. This summer Illinois will host a BELL 
program from July 29 to August 9. The program will serve children from 
grades three to nine, giving them Braille training and offering a variety of

adjustment to blindness activities. We will hire two teachers, but also need

a number of volunteers. The 2013 state convention will probably take place 
in Bloomington, where Cary Supalo is trying to start a new chapter. It is 
scholarship application time, so students should get in their state and 
national applications. For the state application, visit our website at 
www.nfbofillinois.org.

FUNDRAISERS

Dave said that the next order for Manna Shopping Certificates will be due in

March, followed by an order in June. Several businesses near the Rosen 
Center Hotel in Orlando will honor them. Dave posted the list on IL-Talk, 
and it is also on NFB Newsline. You can give Dave your orders by phone at 
7 0 8-6 0 6-7 0 9 1 or by email at datemeyer at sbcglobal.net. Ken Staley
reminded 
everyone that Games Night will begin after the chapter meeting. He announced

that there will be a Fundraising Committee meeting next Thursday, January 
17.

MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE

Bob Widman noted that 2012 was a hard year for us as far as illnesses and 
deaths. He urged us all to be kind to one another.

OLD BUSINESS

Debbie Pittman said she discovered that her Newsline account had been 
canceled, although she uses the service regularly. Dave asked all 
subscribers to check their service. If you have been deleted, notify Dave 
and also contact Debra Hurley at the library. We thought we had this problem

resolved, but apparently not. We have lost about six hundred users in the 
past year. Some people are being deleted who didn't complete the user 
survey, but some people who completed the survey have still been deleted. At

one time we had about 7200 subscribers in Illinois, and now we're down to 
about 900. If you want Newsline, contact Sharon Ruda at sruda at ilsos.net or 
Debra Hurley at @dhurley at ilsos.net. You can call the library at 
8 0 0-6 5 5-5 5 7 6, and press options 1 and 5 to reach the Talking Book
Library. 
Send Dave a bcc of the email. Subscribers can no longer be monitored based 
on telephone usage. Denise pointed out that users are not surveyed about any

other service through the library. In fact, you will receive books unless 
you actively request not to receive them. With Newsline you are considered 
an active user if you use the service once a year.

NEW BUSINESS

Ken Staley said that if you haven't paid for your ticket for Games Night, 
give your twenty-five dollars to Teresa. The Changs are coming to Games 
Night directly from their cruise. He asked us all to keep the families of 
Newtown, Connecticut, in our prayers. Sarah Chung announced that she 
recently graduated with her undergraduate degree.

ADJOURNMENT

The meeting was adjourned at 3:09 PM and Games Night began at 4.

Respectfully submitted,
Debbie Stein, Secretary