<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;" class="">The meeting was called to order at 7:05 p.m. and 19 members were present, including 12 who participated in person and 7 who participated via Zoom. This is the first time in two years when the in-person group was larger than the Zoom group. </span><div class=""><font face="Calibri, sans-serif" class=""><span style="font-size: 14.666666984558105px;" class=""><br class=""></span></font><div><blockquote type="cite" class=""><div class="WordSection1" style="page: WordSection1; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; line-height: 15.546667098999023px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><o:p class=""></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; line-height: 15.546667098999023px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">The icebreaker was, “What is one word you associate with Valentine’s Day?”<o:p class=""></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; line-height: 15.546667098999023px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">The minutes from the January 13 meeting were approved without correction.<o:p class=""></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; line-height: 15.546667098999023px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">The treasurer’s report was approved. Current balances are $1,978.15 in the general fund and $1,750.00 in the youth fund.<o:p class=""></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; line-height: 15.546667098999023px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Sean announced that dues are due for 2022. Dues must be paid before March 17 in order to be eligible to vote in the April elections. Dues are $5 and can be paid by cash, check, PayPal from a bank account, or Square with a credit card. Please put “dues” in the transaction notes. Christine will distribute an email about this.<o:p class=""></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; line-height: 15.546667098999023px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><o:p class=""> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; line-height: 15.546667098999023px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Smithsonian outing:<o:p class=""></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; line-height: 15.546667098999023px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">We will be going to the Future exhibit at the Smithsonian, Arts and Industries Building, on Saturday March 5 at 10:30 a.m. We will have a private tour with the theme: Innovation, a Double Edged Sword. The exhibit is a free AIRA access location. We may meet beforehand for breakfast or afterward for lunch. An email will be distributed shortly to collect RSVPs.<o:p class=""></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; line-height: 15.546667098999023px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><o:p class=""> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; line-height: 15.546667098999023px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Committees:<o:p class=""></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; line-height: 15.546667098999023px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">The nominating committee will consist of Patty Droppers, Karin Jernberg, and Sandy Halverson. If interested in running for the board, contact one of these individuals.<o:p class=""></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; line-height: 15.546667098999023px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">The audit committee will consist of John Halverson, Billie Ruth Schlank, and Gary Grassman.<o:p class=""></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; line-height: 15.546667098999023px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><o:p class=""> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; line-height: 15.546667098999023px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">The presidential release was played. Highlights included:<o:p class=""></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; line-height: 29.333335876464844px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">*NFB is pushing to make at-home COVID tests accessible to blind people. The national office has written letters to the FDA and contractors who handle COVID tests. NFB staff are now in productive conversations with White House officials about this issue. Out of 13+ FDA-approved tests, only one so far, from Q Health, is fully accessible with a smart phone. More information will be forthcoming.<o:p class=""></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; line-height: 29.333335876464844px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Check out<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.nfb.org/covidtests" style="color: rgb(5, 99, 193); text-decoration: underline;" class="">www.nfb.org/covidtests</a><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>for more information.<o:p class=""></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; line-height: 29.333335876464844px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">*In the meantime, AIRA is providing free COVID test access. More information is available at<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.nfb.org/covidtests" style="color: rgb(5, 99, 193); text-decoration: underline;" class="">www.nfb.org/covidtests</a><o:p class=""></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; line-height: 29.333335876464844px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">*Federationists are encouraged to share experiences with inaccessible at-home tests on social media (tag NFB and the White House) or on our survey at<a href="http://www.nfb.org/legal" style="color: rgb(5, 99, 193); text-decoration: underline;" class="">www.nfb.org/legal</a><o:p class=""></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; line-height: 29.333335876464844px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">*NFB is in the initial phases of planning a blindness civil rights museum. Share your feedback on what you would like to see in a blindness civil rights museum through an online survey at<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.nfb.org/" style="color: rgb(5, 99, 193); text-decoration: underline;" class="">www.nfb.org</a><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>or call 229-632-7878 before February 18.<o:p class=""></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; line-height: 29.333335876464844px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">*2021 was our most successful year to date on the PAC plan and our first year exceeding $500,000 total.<o:p class=""></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; line-height: 29.333335876464844px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><o:p class=""> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; line-height: 29.333335876464844px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">National convention:<o:p class=""></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; line-height: 29.333335876464844px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Funding is available for people who want to attend their first NFB national convention. Individuals can apply for the national Kenneth Jernigan scholarship as well as the NFBV McDonald fellowship. Find more details at<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.nfbv.org/mcdonald" style="color: rgb(5, 99, 193); text-decoration: underline;" class="">www.nfbv.org/mcdonald</a><o:p class=""></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; line-height: 29.333335876464844px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">NFBV will pay for banquet tickets for all members attending national convention. More information about the logistics of that process will be finalized and announced by February 28.<o:p class=""></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; line-height: 29.333335876464844px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><o:p class=""> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; line-height: 29.333335876464844px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Silver Bells:<o:p class=""></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; line-height: 29.333335876464844px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Sandy has been meeting with low-vision support groups and retirement communities. In addition to the weekend programs planned for this year, we would like to bring the programming directly to these retirement communities for shorter visits in the future. Our first weekend will be over St. Patrick’s Day weekend in Sterling, VA. At a recent retirement community visit, Sandy talked about the value of choosing your own food in a buffet line. One person who was at that presentation shared that she was inspired to get her own buffet breakfast. Another person shared that she gave up a week at the beach in order to attend Silver Bells. Silver Bells participants in the area will be invited to our chapter meetings.<o:p class=""></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; line-height: 29.333335876464844px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><o:p class=""> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; line-height: 29.333335876464844px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Miscellaneous:<o:p class=""></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; line-height: 29.333335876464844px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Chapter members are encouraged to submit ideas for chapter fund-raising, programming, and to sign up to serve on chapter committees.<o:p class=""></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; line-height: 29.333335876464844px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">We also need to think about the best way to invest our youth funds from the Kiwanis grants.<o:p class=""></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; line-height: 29.333335876464844px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">The national office will be conducting a BELL virtual program this summer for 100 participants nationwide.<o:p class=""></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; line-height: 29.333335876464844px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Christine suggested having a Toastmasters speaker at an upcoming chapter meeting.<o:p class=""></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; line-height: 29.333335876464844px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">We also discussed the limited accessibility of local museums and accessibility barriers in the workplace.<o:p class=""></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; line-height: 29.333335876464844px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">There is a Chinese restaurant near the St. Georges church where we may consider having dinner before future meetings.<o:p class=""></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; line-height: 29.333335876464844px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">The meeting was adjourned at 8:45 p.m.<o:p class=""></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; line-height: 29.333335876464844px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><o:p class=""> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; line-height: 29.333335876464844px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Respectfully submitted,<o:p class=""></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; line-height: 29.333335876464844px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Arielle Silverman, Secretary, NFB Potomac Chapter<o:p class=""></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; line-height: 15.546667098999023px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><o:p class=""> </o:p></p></div></blockquote></div></div></body></html>