[NFBNJ] National Federation of the Blind of New Jersey Braille Committee Minutes and Agenda and Diabetic Committee Minutes and Agenda--All are welcome to join

Wed May 26 17:21:01 UTC 2021

Greetings All,

Please consider joining the National Federation of the Blind of New Jersey
(NFBNJ) Braille Committee Meeting on Wednesday, June 2 at 8:00 p.m.

And/or the NFBNJ Diabetic Committee Meeting on Thursday, June 3 at 7:00 p.m.

If you need more information please contact:

Mary Jo Partyka, Chair Braille Committee at  <mailto:choirnfb at gmail.com>
choirnfb at gmail.com or

Ed Godfrey, Chair Diabetic Committee at  <mailto:edgodfrey1957 at gmail.com>
edgodfrey1957 at gmail.com

Minutes and Agendas Below!

*****

>From the Desk of Mary Jo Partyka, Chair, National Federation of the Blind of
New Jersey Braille Committee

Submitted by Ellen Sullivan, Affiliate Secretary

National Federation of the Blind of New Jersey Braille Committee Meeting
Minutes

Date of Meeting: February 16, 2021

Start Time: 7:03 p.m.

1. Roll Call:

There were 16 in attendance, attendees included:

Linda Melendez, NFBNJ President

Mary Jo Partyka, Braille Committee Chair

Members:  Tracy Carcione, Shay Collazo, Linda DeBerardinis, Michael Halm,
Brian Keane, Bea Oliveti, Andrew Rees, Darlene Scannell, Jessie Scannell,
Andy Smith, Sue Tillett, Ruth Williams, and Jonathan Zobek 

Guest: Eileen Levin

2. Tentative goals for the Braille Committee

Our goals for the Braille Committee include strengthening and making
affiliate members aware of the Braille Mentoring Program, conducting
appropriate training so that mentees can read, write, and understand
Braille, making Braille agendas and other materials available to affiliate
members at  state conventions, so that they will have access to the same
information as everyone else.

3. New Jersey Braille Challenge

The second Braille Challenge, which is being held virtual this year, will
take place on March 6. Linda Melendez explained that the NFBNJ is working
with Monique Coleman from Vistas Education Services who is organizing and
running the event. We, at the NFBNJ, are helping her in the following ways:
informing blind students in grades 1 through 12 about the dates and
procedures for the Braille challenge, proctoring and scoring.

3. Braille Mentoring Experience

Sue Tillett started helping  Ruth Williams with Braille after the state
convention. Ruth doesn't have a Braille writer but is using a Braille board
which she purchased from Amazon with a pen which illustrates what the
letters look like. Linda DeBerardinis pointed out that there are tools which
can aid those losing their vision to learn Braille such as a Pop-a-cell
which consists of six keys which can be felt and formed into Braille
letters. Sue asked if the NFB Independence Market had any tools and Tracy
stated that they have books available which are not very expensive. Andy
Smith, who is a Braille teacher with the New Jersey Commission for the Blind
and Visually Impaired, (CBVI) suggested the following tools: a swing cell
which is composed of pegs which can be pushed up to resemble Braille
letters, the McDuffy Reader, books in the Illinois Braille series. Andy will
send links about these products to Mary Jo.  Linda Melendez suggested that
Andy should be the  chairperson of the Braille Mentoring Program and we all
agreed. Linda Melendez told the  group that the Braille Committee has some
money which can be used to purchase supplies for  the trainers. The trainees
will be responsible for paying for their own materials. Eileen Levin said
that when she was teaching Braille to her students, she would teach them
letters in sets of  5 and mail a message to them. She asked them to send her
some words that began with the letters she had taught them. Eileen also said
she bought a Braille Dymo labeler for her friend which is another effective
way to learn both Braille letters and contractions. Brian Keene said he made
up flash cards for himself and wrote the answer on the back. Sighted and
blind people can work together on this activity. Shay Collazo talked about
the egg cartons we used for the BELL students. The golf or ping-pong balls
represented the letters in the egg cartons. Shay offered to store materials
which the trainers can use. Linda Melendez reminded everyone that the NFB
gives away free slates and styluses to those who request them.  

4. NLS E-reader

Andy, Tracy, Bea, and I are testing the NLS E-reader and Bea suggested that
we form a subgroup. NLS established a listserv but it would be good to talk
informally about this project. Bea also said that she noticed in the
e-reader and other places that everything is in United English Braille
(UEB). She suggested that we form a subgroup to get assistance with this.
Tracy said that there is a book on BARD about UEB.

Linda Melendez suggested that instead of creating subgroups, it would be
better for the Braille Committee to request a listserv where peoples'
questions can be answered. This is done by Dave Andrews from National.  

5. Braille Screen Input

Mary Jo told the group that Eileen Levin has been teaching her Braille
screen input as part of the Verizon Project established by Jane Degenshein
and Ellen Sullivan. She explained that people can write messages in Braille
which can be sent and read by the receiver as print messages from the
iPhone. She also explained that Braille screen input is a vertical process,
unlike what is done on the Braille writer or slate and stylus. Your fingers
are actually in the position of a Braille cell when you are writing. The
Brailing fingers must be the only things on the screen. You use the iPhone
gestures to control the phone. Linda Melendez told the group that in order
to be a member of any committee, you must be a member of a chapter or a
division.

6. Next Meeting

Mary Jo mentioned that she and Linda Melendez came up with the specific goal
of having Braille committee meetings on the fourth Thursday of each quarter.
However, some members indicated that this date would not work for them. The
meeting date will be  changed to the first Wednesday of each quarter,
starting in June with the meeting date being June 2 at 8:00 PM on the main
conference call line.  The call-in number is 605 468 8005, participant code
460994.

7. Adjournment

The meeting was adjourned at 7:43 PM.

Motion: Darlene Scannell

Seconded: Linda DeBerardinis

Minutes respectfully submitted by Mary Jo Partyka

*****

Agenda: NFBNJ Braille Committee

Date: June 2,2021

Time: 8:00 p.m.

Call: 605 468 8005

Code: 460994

1. Roll call and check-in

2. Review and approval of minutes

3. Membership

4. BELL in-home Edition

5. Braille Challenge

6. Braille Mentoring

7 Braille E-Reader testing

8. Braille screen input 

9. National Convention

10. State Convention

11. Technology Workshop

12. Senior/deaf-blind Possibilities Fair

13. Braille Committee listserv

14. Round the phone

15. Next meeting

Agenda submitted by Mary Jo Partyka, Chair, Braille Committee

NFBNJ

****

>From the Desk of Ed Godfrey, Chair of the Diabetic Committee, National
Federation of the Blind of New Jersey

Submitted by Ellen Sullivan, Affiliate Secretary

Greetings to All!

Here are the minutes from the May 6, 2021 Diabetic Committee Meeting and
Agenda for the upcoming meeting on Thursday, June 3, 2021. All are welcome
to attend.

Call:  605 468 8005

Code: 460994

1. NFBNJ Diabetic Committee meeting was called to order at 7:07 p.m. by
Committee Chairman Ed Godfrey. 

2. Roll Call: There were 10 members and guest in attendance.

Officers:

Ed Godfrey, Chair

Angela Perone, Co-Chair 

Members: Ward Biondi, Lori Demarco, Teresa Hillman, Cynthia Jones, Harvey
,and Linda Levine

Guest speakers Dr. Alex Cohen and Dr. Jason Barrett from Accessible Pharmacy

The following issues were discussed.

1.   Ed and Angela welcomed everyone to the call. Ed thanked Angela for
making the thank you calls. 

2.  Ed and Angela reminded everyone to register for the National Convention
before May 31 to be eligible for voting and door prizes.

3.  Angela gave an update on Joe Ruffalo.  She told us that Joe is not out
of rehab and is doing very well.

4. Angela introduced Drs. Alex Cohen and Jason Barrett from Accessible
Pharmacy.

Accessible Pharmacy is A Home-Delivery Pharmacy for The Blind and Visually
Impaired.

Drs. Barrett and Cohen explained to us that the purpose of Accessible
Pharmacy is designed to help bridge the gap between the non-sighted and
sighted worlds by bringing services to the blind that are not always
provided via traditional pharmacies in an accessible format.

You can contact Accessible Pharmacy via the Be My Eyes app on your smart
phone.  By using this app.  A sighted worker would assist with tasks such as
reading medicine bottles, reading results from your meter and other tasks
that would require sighted assistance.  In addition, Accessible Pharmacy
offers prescriptions in Audio, large print, and braille so the blind can
read the prescriptions independently. If you don't have a smart phone, you
can contact Accessible Pharmacy at  <tel://215-799-9900> 215-799-9900. The
web site for Accessible Pharmacy is  <http://www.accessiblepharmacy.com/>
www.accessiblepharmacy.com. 

Our guest speakers answered questions regarding the services they provide.
Teresa asked a question about script talk.  She said that her local pharmacy
would take a couple of weeks, however, Accessible Pharmacy could offer these
same services within a couple of days.  Ward asked about contacting his
doctor and insurance company.   Our guests explained that Accessible
Pharmacy contacts the doctor, insurance company and ships the medication and
supplies directly to the person.

5. Adjournment:

The meeting was adjourned at 7:59 P. M.

Minutes submitted by Ed Godfrey Chairman, Diabetic Committee, NFBNJ

*****

Agenda Diabetic Committee

Thursday, June 3, 2021 Meeting at 7:00 P. M.

Call:  605 468 8005

Code: 460994

1.  Welcome Angela Perone (Ed will be unable to attend the call).

2.  Roll call

3.  Update on national and state information and events.

4. Open forum discussion regarding diabetic management and other issues that
members may have.  .  

5. Joining the national and state listservs.  Links are provided at the
bottom of this email.

6.  Adjournment

Agenda submitted by Ed Godfrey Chairman, Diabetic Committee, NFBNJ

 *****

Here are the links for the New Jersey and national listservs.

New Jersey diabetic Listserv

 <https://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nj-diabetes-division_nfbnet.org>
https://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nj-diabetes-division_nfbnet.org

National Diabetic Action Network

 <https://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/diabetes-talk_nfbnet.org>
https://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/diabetes-talk_nfbnet.org

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