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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72"><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><b><span style='font-size:16.0pt;color:#002060'>Minutes of Tampa Bay Chapter Meeting<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><b><span style='font-size:16.0pt;color:#002060'>April 22, 2017<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The meeting was held at Beef O’Brady’s Restaurant and Sports Bar, 8810 N Himes Ave Tampa, FL 33614.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The meeting was called to order at 12:44 PM by the President, Miranda Kilby. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Miranda announced that Chapter Secretary Sherrill O’Brien is not with us today. She is with her mother in Illinois. Her mother, Irma, is 102 years old and is not doing very well. Miranda asked us all to keep Sherrill in our thoughts and prayers. Dan Hicks will take minutes for this meeting in her absence. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Miranda asked all in attendance to introduce themselves and to tell something about themselves that the rest of the group might not know. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>This was followed by the NFB Pledge. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The minutes from the previous meeting, taken by Sherrill, were approved as emailed. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Chapter Treasurer Dan Hicks gave the Treasurer’s Report. Current bank balance is $2,451.77, although some of this money has been earmarked for the upcoming NFBF State Convention. Merry moved that the Treasurer’s Report be accepted, seconded by Lloyd. The motion passed. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Miranda gave her President’s Report. She mentioned that she had sat in on the Senior Concerns Committee conference call. These meetings are held on the first Thursday of the month. The committee is chaired by Tampa Bay Chapter Vice President Gloria Hicks. The committee is planning things for its workshop at the upcoming NFBF State Convention. She took part in the Events Committee, which is the committee that plans the convention. Paul Martinez is in charge of the Ambassadors for the convention and is looking for volunteers. There is an issue with transportation to the convention for those using the convention. Most of our members will probably be traveling by Greyhound. She is the chair of the Agenda subcommittee. They hope to have the agenda out and distributed by the first of next month. If it is not the final version, but it should be a pretty complete draft. She attended the Chapter President’s Committee, which she chairs. They discussed the State Convention and the new Communications Committee. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The MegaBus was brought up as a way to get to convention. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Miranda answered that it was a bit tricky to use and some of our members have had complications, bus breakdowns, wrong luggage given to passengers, etc. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Other people have taken it with good results. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>There was also a discussion of Red Coach. One problem with them is that their website is inaccessible to screen readers. Their fares can be very low. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Old Business. The deadline for registering for a room for the convention is fast approaches. The chapter will be donating $150.00 as door prizes. Please send descriptions of auction items you plan to donate to Miranda ahead of time, so that descriptions of the items can be printed in large print and Braille. We have donated a scholarship for the upcoming convention. We need to decide in whose honor to give our donation. Miranda is open for suggestions. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Gloria mentioned the Senior Concerns Committee and how one of her challenges has been getting publicity for the upcoming seminar. Janet Beyer has made a nice flyer announcing the event and that has been distributed. But, we have so many seniors in Florida, we really want to get the word out as far and wide as we can. This applies to the entire convention, not just Senior Concerns. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Miranda mentioned that the upcoming NFB 411 call will be Sunday, May 2. We will talk about the upcoming convention, answering questions for those who may not have attended an NFB convention before. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Those who register early will receive a free lunch on Saturday and Sunday. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The NFB is promoting a movie called <i>Dreaming in Colors.</i> We can show that movie at our June meeting, if everyone is interested. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Merry Schoch asked if we would be inviting the general public to the screening?<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Miranda replied that this showing would be for the chapter, so that we can see it first. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Gloria said that she had been in touch with the hotel about showing the <i>Bottom Dollars</i> movie at the upcoming state convention. This will depend partly on the cost to us for the showing. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Merry asked about door prizes.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Miranda mentioned that door prizes should be labeled in print with that the door prize is and who or what group is donating it. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Merry Schoch mentioned some music boxes and mugs that she has bought and is donating. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Miranda asked Merry about HART Board Meetings. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Merry has not been to a meeting lately. She will send out some information about HART via the chapter email list. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Gloria reported on looking for a more central location to hold our meetings. She has not had a chance to do much checking. One place that she tried to contact turned out to be closed. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Chapter Board Member Barbara Gaw suggested checking restaurants up and down Kennedy Blvd. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Merry said that she knows of five to nine people in East Hillsborough who may attend if we hold our meetings downtown. There is a wine and cheese bar downtown and there are other restaurants, which should not be very busy on a Saturday morning or afternoon. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Some Denney’s locations were brought up. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Chapter Board Member Lloyd Matthews said that he feels it is important that we have our own room, rather than just trying to use a part of a restaurant. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>He reminded us that we have tried using a general area of a restaurant before and found it difficult to hear each other, etc. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Merry said that are people in Sun City Center who might come if our location were more central. She said they have a driver, but the driver is not willing to drive all this way. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Gloria said that when our chapter had the most members, our meetings were Downtown. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Janice Butler said taking HARTPlus to the meetings can be challenging. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>There was discussion of several meeting places. Miranda asked everyone to keep the question on mind and give her any suggestions. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>New Business: The new NFBF fundraiser is called Lucky-7s. The winner will receive $777.00. The tickets are $5.00 each or three for $10.00. The drawing will be held at the NFB National Convention. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Miranda announced that our chapter will soon be celebrating our 30<sup>th</sup> anniversary. She found, from looking at the Tampa Bay Chapter webpage, that the chapter was organized in October, 1987! We want to do something special to celebrate our 30<sup>th</sup> anniversary. We will want to do something special for Meet the Blind Month this year. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>We will not meet in May because of the State Convention. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Barbara Gaw said that a group of USF student would like to come and talk with the chapter. They are working to design an accessibility device for the blind.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Dan said that this is a good opportunity for us to talk to developers of such a device. We can give them feedback to try to make sure the device has features that are useful and does not have features that won’t be useful. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The group agreed that Barbara will talk to the group and try to get them <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Merry announced that the NFB is starting a project in May to monitor the experiences of service animal users who take Uber, following the settlement agreement between the NFB and Uber. There will be an online survey available. The project kicks-off on May 8. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>She also announced that she is PAC Plan Chairperson. Anyone wanting to start or increase a PAC Plan donation should see her. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Miranda distributed tickets for the Lucky-7 Fundraiser. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Gloria made the motion to adjourn. It was seconded by Barbara Gaw and others. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The meeting adjourned at 2:04 PM<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Respectfully Submitted<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Dan Hicks<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Treasurer<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>NFBF Tampa Bay Chapter<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>“Justice will not be served until those who are unaffected are as <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> outraged as those who are.” ¯ Benjamin Franklin<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>