[NFBF-Tampa] Minutes for Tampa Bay Chapter Meeting 20190727

Fri Aug 23 16:37:14 UTC 2019

So sorry to hear you are in so much pain.  You will be missed but you need to take good care of yourself.

Hugs,

Merry

From: NFBF-Tampa <nfbf-tampa-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Ineko Gary via NFBF-Tampa
Sent: Friday, August 23, 2019 10:39 AM
To: NFB of Florida Tampa Chapter List <nfbf-tampa at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Ineko Gary <rubiigary at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [NFBF-Tampa] Minutes for Tampa Bay Chapter Meeting 20190727

I don’t know if I’m going to make it tomorrow. Because all this week I’ve been stuck with needles. In my hips, legs, arms, and so my body is just really really sore from all of this over the last 4 daysAnd the noodles have not been a little they have been big needle stuck in my hips legs and my back my lower bac and arms. So my whole body just really really sore my sister Tee result of me wanted me to try and go. But I told her I was going to get steak again today and it’s going to make me more sore so I told her I don’t think I’m going to be waiting at the meeting this Saturday. I know I have until 5 o’clock to book my right.

Lots of love always 

Ineko 🤗❤️

Sent from my iPhone

On Aug 23, 2019, at 7:26 AM, Merry Schoch via NFBF-Tampa <nfbf-tampa at nfbnet.org <mailto:nfbf-tampa at nfbnet.org> > wrote:

Thank you Dan! See you tomorrow.

Sent from my iPad

On Aug 22, 2019, at 10:43 PM, Dan Hicks via NFBF-Tampa <nfbf-tampa at nfbnet.org <mailto:nfbf-tampa at nfbnet.org> > wrote:

Just in case you missed them the first time, or just want to refresh your memory, I am sending out last meeting’s minutes, again. 

Minutes of Tampa Bay Chapter Meeting

July 27, 2019

The meeting was held at O’Brien’s Irish Pub, 701 West Lumsden Road, Brandon, FL 33511

The meeting was called to order at 12:00 Noon by Chapter Vice President Merry Schoch. President Miranda Kilby was not feeling well, so she was absent. In the absence of Secretary Sherrill O’Brien, Treasurer Dan Hicks will take the minutes for the meeting.

Chapter Board Member Marion Gwizdala made a motion that we send Miranda a bouquet of flowers. The motion was seconded by Noe Vileda and was passed. 

President Miranda Kilby and Paul Martinez called in to the meeting via phone. Everyone wished her well.

The Minutes for our meetings in April and June were had been sent out by Secretary Sherrill O’Brien. Louise Peyton made the motion, seconded by Board Member Jeanette Torrez, to approve the minutes as emailed. The motion passed.  

Dan Hicks read the Treasurer’s Report. Marion moved, seconded by Janice Butler, to accept the report as read. The motion passed. 

Merry introduced guests from the Metropolitan Planning Organization. 

Wanda West from MPO introduced those persons she had brought with her to help her with her presentation, which was the Long-Range Transportation Survey. 

Wanda told us that there has been an appeal to the Florida Supreme Court regarding the transportation surtax which was voted in by Hillsborough County residents. She said they hope to have a ruling within six months. She also suggested contacting the Board of County Commissioners to express our opinions, as the board is going ahead in the drafting of ordnances in anticipation of the release of the funds. 

Marion asked when the next BOCC meeting?

Wanda said that the meeting dates are posted on the county’s website. Merry Schoch said that she will distribute that information on the chapter’s email list. Later is was determined that the next BOCC meeting 8/7 at 9 am.

The next topic was the Long-Range Transportation Survey. 

This is a survey for which the BOCC is seeking 10,000 responses from county residents. Surveys are available in print and electronically. After some discussion it was decided that the best process would be for our visitors to survey the meeting participants all together, at the same time. The survey addressed such topics as where we would like to see bus corridors, bus rapid transit, what major investments should be prioritized, and what we would like to see done with the downtown interchange. It went very well. 

Merry called for Old Business.

One of the things that we do as a group outside of meeting is arrange for various recreational activities. Our most recent such event was horseback riding in April. 

Jeanette Torrez, who chairs this committee, said that visiting a Comedy Club had been suggested. The group voted and It was decided we try to do that in September.

Merry called on fundraising chairpersons Board Members Gloria Mills Hicks and Marion Gwizdala. 

Marion said that we are looking at doing a New Orleans Mardi Gras-related fundraiser. We would have Mardi Gras-type food and would raise money by charging admission and by having an auction.

Gloria mentioned that our treasury is down about $1,000 from where it was a few months ago. She said we need to raise money, but was concerned about the overhead cost of such an event.

Marion said he will put together a budget. He said that we also need to come up with other ideas. He said the last time our chapter did a car wash, which was years ago, we raised almost $500.

Merry asked for volunteers for the Fundraising Committee?  She and Dan will join the committee. She will also talk to Miranda and Paul to see if they are interested in joining. 

Gloria suggested that we combine New Orleans fundraising activity in conjunction tieh meet the blind month activities in October. A fundraiser is a way to get our ideas and name out to the public.

Merry asked that everybody be on the NFBF-L email list. One reason is that this is how legislative priorities are distributed. Our area is weak about getting our representatives to sign on to our legislative initiatives. Everyone is invited to attend the NFBF Legislative Committee teleconferences. They are usually the third Tuesday of each month, but are announced on the NFBFL and NFBF-Tampa email lists. 

The HART board of directors meeting is the first Monday of each month at 9am. This month it will be August 5. The public can make three minute comments. We greatly appreciate it when our members can take part. 

Merry said that we have been offered a meeting location in downtown tampa. It would be at Crystal Bay Café, which is not open, but we would be able to use the location, courtesy of Debbie Heitala, the owner of the Café. Marion and Merry would be willing to prepare and bring a main course to the meeting. Members would be asked to bring small food items. This would open the door to people who could not afford to purchase a meal to attend a meeting. 

Our 2020 state convention will be at the Embassy Suites on the USF campus over Memorial Day Weekend, Friday May 22 thru Memorial Day May 25. This is going to be a very special convention, as it will be the 50th Annual convention of the NFBF. She said that there was a chance we could have Jane Castor as a guest.

White cane safety day is Tuesday October 15. Merry called for suggestions. 

Marion said that some of our street crossings have been more successful than others. We have been talking about having them at some of our busier intersections. We did not get coverage last year at Dale Mabry and Cypress, but the Downtown crossings have been quite successful. He would like to investigate doing one out of Chillura Park.

Merry suggested that we get a proclamation She asked if we have ever had a proclamation from a mayor of Tampa.

Dan said yes, Pam Iorio gave us a proclamation while she was mayor.

Gloria said that if we are going to go to the county commission to organize this, let us also ask the county commission members to walk with us. Let them see what it is like to be a pedestrian.

Louise Peyton suggested  that we kill two birds with one stone and combine the white cane safety day and meet the blind month activities.

Dan agreed that combining the two made sense.

Merry asked for volunteers for white cane and meet the blind blind month committee. Marion will chair and Yvonne Rosanelli will co-hair. Carlos Montes will also serve.

There was a roll-call of those in attendance. There were several first-time attendees.

Merry said that the Bell program was a lot of work, but it was a great success. She said there were lots of volunteers, but that was a good thing. We only had two blind children as students, but they were very challenging. 

We had food and other donations from several members, including Gloria, who came and bought McDonald’s food for the kids and the volunteers on two of the days the program was held. The hamburgers were a huge hit with the kids.  

We were able to make a difference in the lives of both of the students, but it will also be necessary to keep in contact with the parents.  

Marion suggested that we do fundraising at places where there is a natural group of people. He suggested that we might combine our Meet the Blind Month with the food truck rally which is held about once a month.

Yvonne asked if we had anyone in charge of publicity. The chapter’s Facebook page is how one of eh BELL parents found us.

Marion admitted that our media lists are very out of date and that we can do a lot more to get the word out.

Merry said that we have PSAs produced by the National Office available to us. If anyone has contacts in the radio or television industries, please let us know. We can get the word out of eye doctors and other counsellors. She will be teaching a course at USF that will have to do with community involvement. 

Gloria said that she uses Uber and Lift from time to time. She has found that one can compare prices from both services before actually ordering a ride. Sometimes there is a significant difference in the potential prices charged by the two services. She said that Uber and Lyft drivers sometimes have difficulties finding the customer. Blind customers sometimes cannot find their rides. Do you tell the driver you are blind so they can find you?

Marion said that we might tell the drivers where we are and that we have a cane and that I am blind. 

Jeanette said she has been denied rides because she uses a long white cane. The drivers say they are afraid that the cane will damage their vehicles. 

Merry suggested, when such things happen, one should send the details out via the chapter email list. She said that she takes screenshots when her ride is picked up and when she sends a text message to the driver. If the ride is denied, she takes a screenshot. If the ride is accepted then she has her phone ready to start taking a video. She does all of this to document her being denied, if that happens. 

Marion said that we need documentation when we go before the state’s attorneys and judges. 

Dan gave the group instructions on how to take a screenshot on most iPhones. 

Marion said that you can tell Siri: “Record Video,” the phone will be ready to record video. Then, to start recording, press either of the volume buttons. 

The 50/50 drawing was held. The winner was Linda Mumford, who chose to donate half the prize back to the chapter. 

Lynn Reynolds, Linda Mumford, and Joy Relton were all voted in as new members and paid dues. 

The motion to adjourn was made by Marion, seconded by Gloria. The meeting was adjourned at 1:55 pm.

Respectfully Submitted

Dan Hicks

Treasurer

Tampa Bay Chapter

National Federation of the Blind of Florida

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