[NFBSea] NFBW State Board Meeting

bjprows at comcast.net bjprows at comcast.net
Sun Mar 10 15:11:14 UTC 2024 

I'll try to send the minutes from the two meetings not written before now. I am having trouble with Outlook. The minutes will be in this email. Hope to get them to you before tonight's meeting.
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               National Federation of the Blind  of Washington State Board Meeting



January 14, 2024





Respectfully Submitted,

Bennett Prows, Secretary

National Federation of the Blind of Washington



The Zoom meeting was called to order at 7:00 PM by President Marci Carpenter. Present were Marci Carpenter, Kris Colcock, Nikki Palm, Bennett Prows, Corey Grandstaff, Chris Higley, Amandeep Kaur and  Robby Nichols. Susan Spigle Prows  was a participant in the meeting.  Jim Portillo was absent settling in Portland for his new job. He said he will be at the state convention in February.



The minutes for the meeting of December 10, 2023 were approved as read.



The treasurer had distributed the monthly report for December 2023, through January 14 2024, and the balances were: Baird Investment Account $46,026.47; the savings account had $10,123.27; and the checking account had $17,305.72.  The treasurer’s report was approved unanimously.



Marci then told the board that May Tran, one of our students in Washington state has an internship job with Senator Maria Cantwell’s office in Washington, D.C. She wasn’t  sure about coming to our February state convention, and will be returning  to Washington sometime in May. Then this summer, she has another internship with the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD).



Marci said that we will have a large group of people in Washington, D.C. for the Washington seminar this year. She listed the board and other members going mentioning the four teachers of tomorrow, board members Kris Colcock, Chris Higley, Amandeep Kaur, Marci Carpenter,  and also Suzi Prows our legislative director, Jerrad Huffaker, and Sherri Pablo. After summarizing the current status of legislation we want passed, she said we could find all we need to know before the Washington seminar by going to NFB.org/Washington-seminar.



Then Corey updated the board on the plans for the state convention to be held from February 29, through march 3, 2024 in Vancouver. He listed several convention sponsor organizations who have signed up, and said a number of exhibiters are coming on Friday too. He talked about some of the activities scheduled during the convention. The Clark County Chapter will be providing some swag bags for the convention. He  and the chapter are  urging conventioneers to   participate in the offsite Go Ball activity on Friday evening. Transportation will be provided by C-Tran, and   pizza will be served at the event as well. He is working on possible audio description of the go ball event. Registration for the convention and hotel is open and he urged all to sign up. All but one of the speakers for convention sessions have been confirmed, but still looking for the presenter to take the session planned for self-defense. Marci is still receiving applications for some state assistance for coming to the convention as well. Corey thanked all of the convention committee for the work done for this year’s weekend. Marci said that Sean Callaway will be with us as the national representative. Additionally, we will have a representative from the National Association of Blind Students, (NABS) Amar Karen, from Arizona. Later in the meeting, Marci and Corey reminded us that our board meeting will be held at the state convention on February twenty-ninth  , from 6 to 7 O’clock PM. And she reminded us that later that evening, the resolutions committee meeting will take place.  Marci also said that she has almost finished getting people in place for this year’s state scholarship committee.



Next, Marci talked about the Washington Seminar. All the information about the issues and legislators, ETC, can be found at NFB.org/Washington-Seminar. The Washingtonians Federationists will be working to get more cosponsors on some bills, and help with the new issues too.



Suzi Prows  then explained the three issues that are being emphasized in meeting this year, and also noted the additional fact sheets being distributed about other issues we want Congress to move on as well.



Then Kris Colcock updated the board on the progress for the BELL program this summer. The state Talking Book and Braille Library has confirmed its participation in the  program coming for

a presentation, along with other organizations and agencies such as the Northwest Association of Blind Athletes, and she is talking with the Center for Assistive Technology Training CATT program and other possible participants as well. The parents will get information about these presentations and the organizations. The promotion fliers are being prepared and Kris is putting the correct dates for the program, and price information in them. The charge per child has gone up $10 from last year to $85, and the program is another day longer. If there are multiple children in a family, that issue will be further examined. She said that Chris Higley will be flying with her to Baltimore in February for the Bell training, after they get back to Seattle after the Washington Seminar. They will be getting all the national information for the summer program at the February meetings in Baltimore. The forms to participate as a volunteer are going out to all the chapters in Oregon and Washington, since there are volunteer opportunities in all areas of the program.



Next,  Marci reported that our efforts to get electronic ballot return in place haven’t gone very far  with the secretary of state’s office. A number of groups including the NFB have met with the Secretary’s office and strongly pushed for the electronic ballot return program to be put in place, but the secretary of state’s office has only written a draft report that she has read and it is more like an update on organizational positions on the issue. The secretary of state in opposed to providing electronic ballot return for those who need that is a matter of private voting.

She then reported about the progress on accessible prescription labels, and the pharmacy commission is working on reports about the impact on various groups of businesses  affected and a proposed rule will be drafted and there will be time for comments before a final rule is adopted.



Marci then moved to talk about financial assistance opportunities for state convention, and then about the Jernigan fund for people who would be first time participants at the national convention in July. The national scholarship program is also open with all applications from students and documentation required in by march 31, 2024 for the committee to consider for the awarding of the scholarships this summer. The Jernigan fund applications with appropriate documentation for a person who wants money to be used at national convention should be in by April 15th. Those who want to apply for the Jernigan fund grants can talk with board members for any help needed.



Then Marci held a discussion of plans for a fund-raising Alaskan cruise to be held in summer or early fall of 2025. She’s working with a travel agent from the NFB of Arkansas on the details, and we’ll discuss it again at our state convention. Costs, places of the stops in the cruise, and other details are still to come.



Kris said she is talking with a Cidery “Sisters Cidery” on Bainbridge Island about a potential fundraiser possibility for the NfB there. More to come.



Nikki then suggested that we provide a gift basket for the auction at the state convention. Marci gave her the assignment to have that done.  Corey said that there will be some baskets donated for the auction.



The meeting was adjourned at 7:51 P.M.





The next board meeting was scheduled for the state convention on February Twenty-ninth 2024.








               National Federation of the Blind  of Washington State Board Meeting



February 29, 2024



Respectfully Submitted,

Bennett Prows, Secretary

National Federation of the Blind of Washington



The meeting, held in the Lewis and Clark room at the Heathman Lodge in Vancouver was called to order at approximately 6:15 P.M. and was held in conjunction with the NFB of Washington 2024 state convention. Board members present were: Marci Carpenter, Kris Colcock, Nikki Palm, Bennett Prows, Corey Grandstaff, Chris Higley, Amandeep Kaur and Robby Nichols. Jim Portillo was joining us later from Portland for  the weekend activities.



The minutes for the January 14, 2024 board meeting were not read because they were not available after some liquid accidental damage to the secretary’s computer  requiring major repairs. The board members tabled them until the next meeting.



The annual treasurer’s report would be read on Sunday morning during our business meeting.



Marci and Corey then reiterated the convention arrangements and logistics for the weekend. The arrangements for transportation to the Go Ball extravaganza were listed, and there were announcements about some other events during the convention.



Then Nikki Palm introduced the 2024 scholarship winners. They were announced as follows: Colin Wong, Amandeep Kaur and Michael McClean. Each receives scholarships of $3000.00. Each of the winners gave us a minute about there goals in school, and  their thoughts about being the winners of this year’s scholarships.



Marci introduced our national NFB representative, Shawn Callaway, who brought us a welcome from President mark Riccobono, and said his report later in the convention will update the organization about the national programs.  .



Marci then said that following this meeting, the resolution committee would meet and consider at least three resolutions. The committee consisted of Christin Geary, Chris Higley, Robby Nichols, Suzi Prows and Colin Wong as the chair. Kris Colcock was the reader for the committee.



The meeting was adjourned at approximately 6:45 PM. The convention business meeting would be held on Sunday morning, march 3.



The next virtual board meeting will be held on march 10, 2024.




________________________________
From: Kris Colcock <kris at colcock.com>
Sent: Saturday, March 9, 2024 10:31 PM
To: Amandeep <aman85handa at gmail.com>; Ben Prows <BJProws at comcast.net>; Chris Higley <chrishigley13 at gmail.com>; Corey Grandstaff <corey.grandstaff at gmail.com>; Greater Seattle Chapter List NFB of Washington State <nfbsea at nfbnet.org>; Marci Carpenter <mjc59 at comcast.net>; nikkirae83 <nikkirae83 at gmail.com>; Robby Nichols <robby.nichols at denaliwater.com>; s.colin.wong at gmail.com <s.colin.wong at gmail.com>
Subject: NFBW State Board Meeting

We may change future dates due to holiday observances. However, this
is what we have at the moment:

Marci Carpenter  She/her is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: NFBW State Board Meeting
Time: Mar 10, 2024 07:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
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