[NFB-of-Delaware] Northern Chapter Minutes 1/27/25

[George Reid]

Please see attached.
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NFB Northern Chapter Meeting 1-27-2025 

Date: 1-27-2025
Time: 6:30 PM
Location: Zoom 

Roll call: Carol king-Ries, Sylvia Reid, Shannon Britt, Art Cohen, Jim Steele, Wayne Marsh, Dave Eppler, Michael Goodhand, Wanda Smith, Verita Turner, Tricia Williams, June Hunter-Hardy, Nakeya Robinson, Anthony Borreggine, Catrina Gosine, Henry Greene. 

Approval of minutes: Wayne moved, Art seconded, unanimous.  

Art read Pledge.  
Carol led, all enthusiastically repeated, one-minute message.  

Michael Goodhand and Wanda Smith introduced themselves.  Michael has joined, Verita has rejoined.  Wanda is joining and is not blind.  All 3 from Dover. 

Treasurer's report (Nakeya) Members, please write your dues checks to the NFB of DE not to Nakeya.  balance: $3,963.23 Withdrawals:  Dec: $35 PAC, $160 Braille Family Fun Day food.  No deposits in Dec.  Jan. deposits (all dues) $180. Pending $10.  Paid members: Jim Steele, Mike Steele, Ken Rolph, destinee Hardy, June Hunter-Hardy, Miracle Hardy, Bryant Ries, Carol King-Ries, Nakeya Robinson, Darryl Garner, Catrina Gosine, Dave Eppler, George Reid, Art Cohen, Henry Greene, Anthony Borreggine, Lynn Borreggine, Shannon Britt, Tricia Williams, Michael Goodhand, Wayne Marsh (lifetime), Sylvia Reid (lifetime).  Verita and Wanda coming.   Carol will send note to those who were members last year but who haven't paid yet.  Jim will call Gordon.  Sylvia will send Carol Michael and Wanda's info.   Wayne moved, Anthony seconded to approve treasurer's report, unanimous.  

Continuing Business:

book talk: (Carol) 2-17 facilitated by Verita, book Walk through Fire by Sheila Johnson.  Please join us, some join even if they haven't read the book.    

Chapter updates: (Carol) 
 - Thank Nakeya and crew for wonderful Braille Family Fun Day, it's becoming one of our signature events, a way of bringing new people in.  Jamie Townes came.  Anthony's family was there.  Catrina's friend Andrea brought her husband, they had a date.  
- Membership dues: please follow up.  

 - Chapter board meeting highlights: (Carol) Board meeting 1-21.  Quarterly cycle of meetings: NFB philosophy, tech talk, speaker.  Possible speakers: Hadley school, NFB centers, BEP or IRI dolphin tank, Hadley has entrepreneurship, SBA Score program with mentors.  Wayne will get with Michael who wants to start a business.  Michael volunteered to talk about small businesses; he had 2 companies in DE 20 years ago.  2 tech talks: feb. AI apps.  apple has chat GPT and android has Gemini.  May Meta glasses: Shanon and Darryl.  Apple store has VR glasses.  Meta glasses $300 - $700.  

Next Braille Family Fun Day (Carol and Keya) second Sat. in May 5-10, looking into Ronald McDonald House and inviting the kids to play.  It's in Wilmington off Concord Pike right next to duPont Hospital.  Nakeya and Carol will get permission; if not, we'll go back to library or Amanda Childcare Center owned by Tricia.  Tricia says let her know to put date on the calendar.  Sylvia moved, Shannon seconded, to ask Ronald McDonald House for permission to host Braille Family Fun Day, Unanimous. Wayne moved, Sylvia seconded, to ask Amanda Childcare as backup.  address: 2101 Lancaster Ave. wilm., DE 19805. 

Board member expectations: (carol) In June we'll elect a new board.  Attendance to meetings: if you're unable to attend please let someone know.  All-hands-on-deck events for all board members: Braille Family Fun Days (2 a year), State Convention (1 a year), state advocacy day in Dover (1 a year) .  We have to have high expectations of ourselves.  

Fundraisers: (several) Boscov's more of a challenge because more organizations are participating.  Do we want to try Double Good Popcorn sale?  June and Verita have done it.  You set up on a Website, tell your friends, the store delivers directly to them, you put no money out and get 50% of sales; many varieties popcorn not cheap but tasty, you need 100% participation, only 4 days to sell, everything is through email.  Catrina says 2 weeks, she'll look into it.  We'll try for first weekend in May.  Shannon: check and see when kids are doing fundraisers so we don't clash.  We could do a Chipotle fundraiser at another store, the store we used wasn't well organized, Nakeya gave out flyers while we were there which wasn't exactly kosher, but it brought us business.  

Washington Seminar: (Carol and Sylvia)  in DC Tue.  2-04.  Meeting schedule: 11:00 AM Sen. Lisa Blunt-Rochester, 1:00 PM Sen. Chris Coons, 2:30 PM Rep. Sarah McBride.  Practice prep tomorrow 1:00 PM Wayne, Shannon, Sylvia, Carol, and Bryant.  Coons is now senior sen., has been in office since 2010.  

Affiliate update (Sylvia and June) regular Monthly meeting for affiliate board on third Thursday.  Next one 2-20.  Sylvia talked about Pres. Mark Riccobono's order that DE affiliate pay for its president's trips to Washington Seminar and National Convention.  Wayne asked where the national shortfall came from.  Sylvia will send Riccobono a note, he's a quick responder.  June will send out flyers for state scholarships, she's going to Newark Senior Center 2-10 with Henry for membership presentation.  Modern Maturity in March, trying for one in April.  

New Business:
We welcomed new members: Michael, Miracle, Tricia, Shannon. Wayne moved, Sylvia seconded, to vote members in.    

Philosophy discussion postponed till april.

Next Presidential Release 2-03 at Great Gathering In; what time?   

Announcements: 
Shannon: NAGDU board reaching out to states whether or not they have a state division;  request Shannon be liaison.  Sylvia and Shannon will get together.  
Carol: To all who use BARD, if you can, download your favorite books to thumb drives so you have them.  Better safe than sorry.    
Sylvia: David Goldfield announced that the disability accessibility statement has been removed from the federal government's website.    

Adjourned 8:00 PM.  


To-do list: 
- Sylvia: Send carol Michael's and Wanda's information.             
- Carol: send note to those who were members last year but who haven't paid yet.  
- Jim: Ccall Gordon.  
- Wayne; Call Gary P., 
- June: Check with Marina.  
- Sylvia: Get speaker about blind people's relationships with sighted helpers. 
- Wayne: Get with Michael who wants to start a business. 
- Tricia: Put date for Braille Family Fun Day on Amanda Childcare's calendar 
- Carol and Nakeya: See if Ronald McDonald House will host Braille Family Fun Day
- Catrina - Check out Double Good Popcorn as fundraiser
- Sylvia: Find out details of NFB National budget shortfall
- June: make membership presentations to senior centers
- June: Send out state scholarship info
- Sylvia and Shannon: Get together about NAGDU
 
Calendar: 
2-04 - Washington Seminar in Washington DC. 
2-15 - 5-15 State scholarship application period 
2-17 - 6:00 PM Book Talk Walk Through Fire by Sheila Johnson facilitated by Verita Turner
2-20 6:00 PM NFB DE Affiliate meeting (minutes read 5:30)
2-24 6:30 PM Northern Chapter meeting tech talk AI apps (minutes read 5:30)
3-20 - 6:00 PM NFB DE Affiliate meeting (minutes read 5:30)
3-31 - 6:30 PM Northern Chapter meeting with speaker TBA (minutes read 6:00)
4-17  - 6:00 PM NFB DE Affiliate meeting (minutes 5:30) 
4-28 - 6:30 PM Northern Chapter meeting NFB philosophy discussion SSI and SSDI (minutes read 6:00) 

Respectfully Submitted, 
Sylvia W. Reid, Northern Chapter secretary