<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"><head><META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=us-ascii"><meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 14 (filtered medium)"><style><!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:purple;
text-decoration:underline;}
span.EmailStyle17
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:windowtext;}
span.EmailStyle18
{mso-style-type:personal-reply;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
font-size:10.0pt;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
--></style><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Hello Chapter members and friends,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>The September minutes are pasted below.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>I look forward to seeing everyone at Beefs this Saturday!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal>Sherrill<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Tampa Bay Chapter <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>National Federation of the Blind of Florida<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Chapter Meeting Minutes<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>O’Brien’s Pub and Grill<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>701 W. Lumsden Road<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Brandon, Florida<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>September 22, 2018<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The meeting was called to order by President Miranda Kilby at 11:35am.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>She introduced our guest speakers, Sandy Sroka and Christine Bright, from the Hillsborough County League of Women Voters. We had invited them to speak to us on the important topic of the Florida Constitutional amendments which will appear on the midterm elections ballot in November. Sandy gave a brief history of the League of Women Voters. Following the information about all of the amendments, time was allowed for questions. Miranda thanked our speakers for coming.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The business meeting then began at 12:20.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>All introduced themselves. There were a total of eighteen members and two guests in attendance. The guests were George Rosanelli, Yvonne’s husband, and Tammy Alleyn, Merry’s intern. Merry led us in saying the NFB pledge.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Secretary and Treasurer’s Reports<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The August minutes were tabled, and we agreed to approve them via email.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Dan reported our treasury balance at $3,025.78. A motion was made by Merry, seconded by Marion, to approve the treasurer’s report as read. The motion passed.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>President’s Report<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Miranda said NFBF President Valkema has emailed out the complete list of NFBF committee and group conference calls, including contact information and meeting times. Miranda said it would be a good idea to have a chapter representative for each of the groups. She said our chapter has purchased a Square chip reader. She then called for reports. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Chapter polo Shirts<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Marion said that in addition to the chapter polo shirts he brought for members at this meeting, he will take orders for more shirts. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Social Activities<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Jeanette reported on our successful bowling event in September in Brandon. We decided to table our next event, which will probably be attending a comedy club, until the beginning of 2019. Janette will get details about a dinner/detective mystery event.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Meet the Blind Month Events<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Merry suggested our White Cane Safety Day event include meeting for breakfast or lunch at Denny’s. After discussion, a motion was made by Merry, seconded by Marion, that we hold our White Cane walk on Saturday, October 13, at 10:00am at the intersection of Dale Mabry and Spruce. The motion passed. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Merry announced that we will hold a Meet the Blind event on November 10 from 10:00am till 3:00pm at her church, East Tampa Christian. Vendors have been invited to participate. We will show the documentary Do You Dream In Color at 11:00 and again at 2:00 <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Vandelon Holland invited everyone to a cookout and white cane walk to be held at the Lighthouse on October 12.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>State Fundraiser<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Miranda said that this year our Holiday Calendar Raffle will be held in December, with the big drawing on New Year’s Eve. The tickets and money will need to be turned in some time in November. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>HART Concerns and Participation<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Miranda announced the HART board will have a budget meeting on September 24 at 5:30 and encouraged members to attend. Merry said anyone having issues with Yellow Cab needs to attend and speak on the record about their concern. Merry urged us not to accept the preferential treatment which many riders are accepting because of Yellow Cab’s poor response time. She said Yellow Cab should be providing all HART customers fair and equal access. Jeanette said that the concerned she has expressed to HART have not been addressed. She said they need to be accountable to us. Vandelon said she would like HART to revisit their contract with United Cab. Marion said it would be best to go to the October HART board meeting and request that they reinstate the contract with United Cab. He said we all need to file complaints with HART’s customer service, and not with Yellow Cab, if the cab we call does not arrive within the half hour window…or not at all. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Legislative Report<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Merry said that next week she will be accompanying Marion to Baltimore, where he will be meeting with Delta officials on behalf of NAGDU. On Tuesday and Wednesday she will travel to Washington to meet with our Florida representatives and senators <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>She asked those who are on our listserv to be on the lookout for her emails with instructions on calling their senators and representatives regarding support for the Access Technology Affordability Act and the Marrakesh Treaty Implementation Act. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Holiday Party<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>We discussed skipping our November meeting and holding a holiday party in early December, as we have done the past few years. We will talk about it further at our October meeting.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Vandelon Holland won the 50/50 drawing in the amount of $23. She generously donated it back to the chapter.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Our next meeting will be held on October 27 at Beef O’Brady’s in Tampa.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The meeting was adjourned at 1:05pm.<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>Sherrill O’Brien, Secretary<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Tampa Bay Chapter<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>National Federation of the Blind of Florida<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Phone 813-935-0474, cell 813-767-1890<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>email <a href="mailto:Sherrill.obrien@verizon.net">Sherrill.obrien@verizon.net</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise expectations because low expectations create barriers between blind people and our dreams. You can live the life you want! Blindness is not what holds you bac<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>