[Nfb-krafters-korner] To all members

[ncbootman at gmail.com]

Joyce,

First, I want to applaud you for the hard work you have done all of these 
years. You have worked tirelessly to create and grow a Division. You have 
helped many people to learn that they can craft again after blindness and in 
spite of it.

Over time, all things change. Cell phones are a method of connecting by 
phone. Paypal is a way of transacting money and so on. As I see it, Joyce, 
since you plan to run for President for 2 more years, you and the Board have 
some choices to make. I hope that they will be seriously considered and not 
dismissed as that's not the way we do things. Continuing to do things the 
same old way will surely mean the end of this Division.

If we have to have ten paying members present at Convention to even hold a 
meeting and conduct business, then the focus has to be on membership. For 
one thing, instead of setting what you feel is a reasonable amount for 
membership of $20, reduce that amount to $5. Yes, that is correct. Five 
dollars. People won't be as apt to consider spending five dollars for 
membership. You might even sign up some new members at the craft show or 
exhibit hall with a very low membership. They pay that for a raffle ticket. 
It is numbers you need for members. Many of us simply cannot go to 
Convention every year or even most years. While it would be wonderful if I 
could go and stay the entire time, President Riccobono is not really 
understanding all of his constituents if he feels we should be at 
Convention.

Also, the attitude of the group will have to change. The notion that I 
should be thankful to take all these classes for $20 is not very member 
friendly. I shouldn't need to be thankful for the privilege of being in this 
group. My thanks is a gift I may give but not an obligation. The notion that 
we do things this way and if you don't like it then keep your opinions to 
yourself is not working. Listen to members. Hear why we say the things we 
say. There is this big issue over patterns and you have to come to class and 
you have to go through this ordeal to create and an ordeal to sign up and 
take a class. Leadership is making these tasks harder way harder than they 
have to be. If a member decides they want to teach a class, have them 
contact the person who does scheduling and ask is there any time slot open 
next Tuesday for example. Then, allow that person to ask on list if anybody 
wants to come to a class on face painting and when. If interest is there, we 
know it right up front. There's not even a need for a website that's always 
lagging behind due to the nature of things. The class is held and if 
statistics are sought, have the instructor send in a list of names. Also, 
publish a directory that can be sent to the instructor of who is paid 
member. Much easier. Make patterns available to any member and don't worry 
if they were or weren't in class. It is sharing accessible information. It 
builds confidence and shows how that member can go and find or create 
patterns of their own. Simply get rid of the attitude of it's our way or the 
highway.

I know that many will not agree with my opinions on these matters. They are 
not ideas set in stone. But, they do point out different ways of thinking. 
At this point, the Division has a choice. We can embrace change and move 
forward and focus on membership or we can stay stuck in some real sticky mud 
and ultimately fall apart and give our resources to National and be known as 
the group that didn't make it. It seems to me that Joyce has two years to 
take the group she has worked so hard for and move it to the next level or 
see it fizzle away. I personally vote for change and moving forward with 
growth. How about the rest of you? If there is a real commitment to forward 
movement, I am happy to help. If we stay stuck, then my time here is 
finished.

Greg
-----Original Message----- 
From: Joyce Kane via Nfb-krafters-korner
Sent: Thursday, June 23, 2016 12:25 PM
To: 'List for blind crafters and artists'
Cc: blindhands at aol.com
Subject: [Nfb-krafters-korner] To all members

I have spoken to President Riccobono and I had hoped to speak to those who
had some questions and comments on Monday Night Chat.  Only a few folks
showed up and it wasn't the ones that were making the most comments.

I will try to give you the basics of what he had to say.

Our Constitution was created in 2008.  It was read at our first NFB Krafters
Division and was voted on and accepted by the 30 plus people that was
present at that meeting.

Since the people that was running for our board and those who went and
attended that meeting it had been decided that we wanted this to be a
division.  We were given a copy of a constitution of our National board and
that is the example we used.  We had to turn in our Constitution and list of
elected board members before the end of that Convention to Dr. Mauer's
assistant.  That was done.  The division and officers were accepted and
approved by the National board and that is when we became a division.  I had
worked on starting this, organizing it for 10 months prior to that first
meeting.

When I spoke to President Riccobono and my first concern was having enough
people to hold a meeting at Convention and to be able to vote.  President
Riccobono told me that we needed 10 paid members at the meeting in order to
run the meeting and have elections.  We didn't need 4 of them to be
Officer's of our board.  His comment was out of 2000 expected people we
couldn't get at least 10 people to show up for the meeting?

We did have a discussion on being able to vote if we were not physically
there.  He told me that is in the Constitution.  I asked about doing an
Amendment and sending it to our members 10 days prior to our meeting and
questioned him if it could be voted on at our meeting at Convention.  His
reply was we can do that, but it would need to be sent in to National and
voted on to be accepted.  He told me, National would not vote it in as that
is why they put it in the Constitution of National, they want blind people
coming together and that is why they have an annual convention.

I asked him about other options instead of a division.  He told me [as I
asked about: Group status] and he told me Groups do not have an elected
board and they do not have a treasurer.  So if we switched to a group status
we wouldn't have to vote, we would have to give National all our money and
we wouldn't have any "say" on anything.

At this point there is not enough time to do much of anything except go
through with what is planned for Convention.  The Craft Show will take place
on June 30th.  They are trying to get people to help out at the Braille Card
table and spread the word about our meeting.  They are trying to get people
on Friday & Saturday to sit in the exhibit hall to spread the word and
encourage folks to come to our meeting on July 2, Saturday 7 PM to 9 PM.  I
have a feeling this meeting will not last 2 hours.  We just need enough
people to come to the meeting.

Lisa Maria is stepping down from the board, so there is an open spot on the
board.  I had sent an email regarding some folks on the board wanting to
reposition their spots on the board and if they decide to stay where they
are or move   There will be a list of nominations as soon as I touch base
with Ramona and Jill and Cathy as  they are the ones that might be switching
around.

Joyce
We will deal with that.

I will plan a meeting via telephone the end of July or in August, no later
then mid September.

I will be at Monday Night chat so if you would like to come and chat I will
be there.

Joyce



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