[Nfb-krafters-korner] To all members

Thu Jun 23 19:28:46 UTC 2016

I want to save this division!
I love our craft show.  I am just a beginner at sales and have very few ways of selling my works.  I learn a lot from this group!
I hope we can find a way to solve our problems and stay a float.  This has been a hard year for many.  I just went to the doctor, to get some medication, so I can still come to convention.   I think I pulled some muscles lifting paper.
I will do the best I can to help.

Terry P.

-----Original Message-----
From: Ramona Walhof via Nfb-krafters-korner [mailto:nfb-krafters-korner at nfbnet.org] 
Sent: Thursday, June 23, 2016 2:45 PM
To: 'List for blind crafters and artists' <nfb-krafters-korner at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Ramona Walhof <walhoframona at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [Nfb-krafters-korner] To all members

I agree that we won't have any trouble gathering ten members for the annual meeting at convention.  I further agree that there is not enough time to make changes before this year's convention.  However, there are some other things.  I think we can have a conference number to bring in members who want to participate in the meeting but are not in Orlando.  This is not an ideal way to participate because it is hard to hear and be heard.  And people on the conference call will not be able to vote in the election.  I will be conducting the meeting as the rankingofficer there. I will do my best to recognize those who want to make comments if the group in the room will tolerate it.  Probably a cell phone is the only connection we will have, and that is not ideal.  I will do my best to repeat what is said so it can be heard, but it will need to be relatively brief or those in the room will talk over it or leave.  That is the nature of people I am afraid.  

Further, I will invite President Riccobono to come to the meeting. He is very busy and may not be able to do so, but he may have some interesting
things to say to us if he can come.   

We will not have a discussion at that time about conference call elections or constitutional amendments because it won't work.  We have a whole year before anything of that kind can be done.  I will ask the NFB national Board to take a look at it.  As costs are higher and divisions are more active, we are not the only division that has a lot of members who cannot attend conventions.  We want to be fair.  We will find a way for the majority to make decisions.  We want to have discussions and not offend others with a lot of complaints.  Still, sometimes change is desirable.  

I am very sorry that Joyce and Theresa have health problems and cannot attend the convention this year.  For that matter, I am sorry that all of you cannot attend.  

Perhaps we need to do a better job of reporting to the membership on what occurs at convention.  It is always written up extensively in the Braille Monitor which is a monthly magazine available free of charge available to everyone on NFB Newsline, by email, in print, in Braille, and on the NFB Website.  I would certainly urge everyone to read it, and especially the convention issue.  If you are not aware of some of the things that are done by the NFB, you should be.  Our work is affecting every single blind person in the country whether they know it or not.  I like knowing what is happening and feel obligated to help if I can.  But that is my choice, and I fully understand that everybody should make his or her own choice, but I hope each takes the time to know what there is to know. 
I believe somebody put the announcement about streaming the convention on this list, so it is possible to follow the general sessions and the banquet if you have a computer.  There may be only space for a limited number of people to receive the stream at any given time, but I know a lot of people do get through.  It would be impossible to stream all of the small groups, because there are always several going on at the same time.  
 As ccrafters and artists, we have something special among ourselves.  I know that we have been helpful to each other in this division, and what we do is a very good thing. 
I wish you all a good Week and a good holiday.    

Ramona

-----Original Message-----
From: Nfb-krafters-korner [mailto:nfb-krafters-korner-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Joyce Kane via Nfb-krafters-korner
Sent: Thursday, June 23, 2016 10:26 AM
To: 'List for blind crafters and artists' <nfb-krafters-korner at nfbnet.org>
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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