[NJTechDiv] Fw: NFBNJ: Minutes for the Technology Division Meeting for February 10, 2020 and Agenda for the Technology Division Meeting on Monday, March 9, 2020
Jane Degenshein
jdegen16 at comcast.net
Mon Mar 9 23:26:08 UTC 2020
Hey guys
Just a reminder that Denny Huff is our guest tonight and he is speaking echo
amazon and answering questions
woo hoo
see ya there
From: Ellen Sullivan
Sent: Wednesday, February 26, 2020 7:46 PM
To: macbiggers at yahoo.com ; rysteve at comcast.net ; 'Dan Facchini' ; 'Richard
Fox' ; 'Phil Harrison' ; 'Carol Castellano' ; 'Jonathan Zobek' ;
mbhrr15 at gmail.com ; mostelloworks at comcast.net ; katiemaunder at comcast.net ;
'Zoraida Krell' ; debbiebloomer at comcast.net ; jferrn at aol.com ;
amyralbin at gmail.com ; 'Vee Gaspa' ; ljdeber3 at comcast.net
Cc: Joe Ruffalo ; 'Linda Melendez' ; Jane Degenshein ; Mary Jo Partyka ;
ems553 at comcast.net
Subject: NFBNJ: Minutes for the Technology Division Meeting for February 10,
2020 and Agenda for the Technology Division Meeting on Monday, March 9, 2020
>From the Desk of Jane Degenshein, President New Jersey Association of Blind
Technology Users (NJABTU)
Submitted by Ellen Sullivan, Affiliate Secretary
Hello All,
Below you will find our minutes from the Tech Div. meeting held on February
10, 2020 and the Agenda for our Tech Div. Seminar featuring Denny Huff who
will share all things ECHO and the Amazon line of products with us.
This conference will be recorded and posted to our technology seminar page
on the nfbnj.org website.
National Federation of the Blind of New Jersey's Technology Division
NJABTU
Minutes from the Technology Division Meeting held on Monday, February 10,
2020
Dial: 1 515 604 9570
Code: 612068 pound
1. Jane welcomed all to the call.
Thanks to Misty for making the reminder calls.
Quick refresher on the conference call etiquette for a better listening
experience.
2. Roll Call: Mary Jo Partyka
There were 35 members on the call.
Attendees included:
Officers:
Jane Degenshein, President
Tony Santiago, Vice President
Mary Jo Partyka, Recording Secretary
Misty Hagan, Corresponding Secretary
Anne Marie Cooke, Treasurer
Board Members:
Anne Marie Harris, Andy Smith
Members:
Linda Anderson, Pat Bunce, Cathy Butzler, Ada Crandle, Laurie DeMarco,
Laurie Falk, Chris Franz, Clark King, M. Kothari, Zoraida Krell, Reggie
Lancaster, Ken Lawrence, Marian Lee, Brian McGrath, Leroy Nash, Laurie
Neidhart, Jay Patel, Angela Perone, Cecilia Ragland, Andrew Rees, Jocelyn
Santiago, Marie Sawyer, Ellen Sullivan, Jennifer Uchanow, Anthony Vece,
Jimmy Vonderlinden, Ruth Williams
Guest:
Aneesh Karuppur
3. NFB pledge
All recited together.
4. Secretary's Report: Mary Jo Partyka
Mary Jo asked if all received the minutes.
Motion: Ellen Sullivan
Seconded: Jimmy Vonderlinden
Discussion
All voted favorably.
5. Treasurer's Report: Jane Degenshein for Annemarie Cooke
2/10/2020
1/1/20 OPENING BALANCE $1262.95
Deposits
Jan. 3 $5 dues from Ruth Williams
Jan 16 $5 dues check from Geri McGinty
Jan. 17 $10 dues (my check for cash dues from Betty Herman and Donna Myrick)
TOTAL CREDITS: $20
WITHDRAWALS
1/13/20 $10 (PAC)
1/23/20 $100 (donation to Fontenelli Fund for BELL Academy approved by
members at 1/13 meeting)
TOTAL DEBITS: $110.
CLOSING BALANCE as of 1/31/2020
$1,172.95
Respectfully submitted by Annemarie Cooke, Tech Division Treasurer
Motion: Tony Santiago:
Second: Zoraida Krell:
Discussion
All agreed.
6. Dues Reminder: Jane Degenshein
Kindly get in your dues to Annemarie Cooke at:
7 Mayfair Road
Southampton, NJ 08088
Make the check payable to: NFBNJ Technology Division
Dues are $5 per year and in the memo: dues for 2020
We need this by February 29 as our list needs to go to National for their
connection data base.
If not paid, those will be marked lapsed on our data base.
Thank you for your cooperation in this matter.
7. Guest: Aneesh Karuppur
Aneesh was a presenter for the Tech Seminar on Thursday at our state
convention and demonstrated the Louie app for the blind with use on android
devices.
Updates to the Louie assistant app. will be highlighted. Below are the links
from Aneesh’s correspondence with Jane.
To download the free Louie beta for Android, the link is
tinyurl.com/LouieVoice .
If you want to listen to the YouTube video demos of WhatsApp and Uber, go
to:
found at tinyurl.com/LouieVideos
Jane asked him to keep in touch as he is very busy as a junior at the Pingry
School.
All thanked Aneesh for a great presentation and applauded his involvement in
trying to get this app out to the blind community.
8. Old/New Business: All
A. Donations to the affiliate liability insurance:
Jane mentioned to the group that the State Affiliate had renewed its
liability insurance for the coming year. She explained that this insurance
covers the affiliate and its members who attend NFB state and local
functions such as chapter meetings. She asked if someone might make a motion
to contribute $50.00 toward this expense.
Motion: Angela Perone
Second: Cathy Butzler
All agreed.
B. Jane mentioned to the group that the State Affiliate is sponsoring its
second comedy event which will be held on March 28 at the Knights of
Columbus Hall in Bellville. The money would be put toward the purchase of
prizes for the auction and the tricky tray. An amount of $50.00 from the
various Divisions was suggested.
Motion:
Ellen Sullivan
Second: Chris Franz.
C. Discussion of our next 2 speakers.
Jane told the group that our very special guest on the March meeting will be
Denny Huff who started the iDevices list serve.
He had spoken on one of our previous conference calls and Jane said that his
topic for next month’s call is Everything about the Echo. Jane asked if the
group would consider including members of the state affiliate and/or NFB
members throughout the United States should be invited to this conference
call. Everyone agreed that others should also benefit from receiving this
information. This conference call will take place on March 9.
9. Did you know/Round the Phone: All
Focus on podcasts that membership will bring to the meeting.
Ken Lawrence described the Blind Bargains podcast and website where games
can also be played. Mary Jo Partyka talked about the Mystic Access podcast
which discusses relevant blindness topics. Subscribers can also take free
and paid classes offered by the hosts of this podcast. Mary Jo also talked
about the Stiritup podcast hosted by Cliff Miller where subjects like
technology and sports are discussed and guest speakers are featured.
10. Adjournment
The meeting of the Technology Division was adjourned at 9:00 P.M.
Motion: Chris Franz
Second: Clark King
Next meeting of our Technology Division will be held on Monday, March 9 at 8
PM
Respectfully submitted by Mary Jo Partyka
Reviewed by Jane Degenshein, President of the Technology Division
***
Agenda for our Monday, March 9, 2020 Technology Division Meeting
This Technology Division session will be a full hour of learning about the
ECHO and the amazon line of products and will be recorded for the technology
seminar page on our website.
Dial: 1 515 604 9570
Code: 612068 pound
1. Welcoming remarks
2. Conference call etiquette
3. Guest: Denny Huff and all things ECHO
We will run this in an interview style and a Q and A will follow.
Janie met up with Denny Huff in 2014 and his iDevices list has been
invaluable since.
Below is a little bio for your edification.
Denny Huff lost his sight in a work-related accident in 1974 and is now
totally blind.
He first used a computer in 1995 and fell in love with it. He began training
other visually impaired people that same year and a few years later landed a
contract with Columbia Lighthouse for the Blind in Washington DC. With CLB
he began traveling nationwide training visually impaired employees of IRS
and SSA. He still does some national work today but most of his time is
spent locally in Missouri.
In 2001 he formed his own company called, Gateway for the Blind and
contracted with the Missouri Rehab Services for the Blind and in 2006 with
Missouri Assistive Technology. He continues to hold those contracts today.
He currently employs seven trainers, two staff people and a driver. Five of
the trainers are visually impaired as well as one of the staff people.
Fortunately, his driver is sighted.
He has served as President of the Missouri Council of the Blind for 8 years
and is currently President of the MCB affiliate, St. Charles County Council
of the Blind, President of the Board of the MCB Thrift Stores in Springfield
MO, vice president of the board of the Heartland Independent Living Center
in Owensville MO and now the Public Relations Director for the Missouri
Council of the Blind.
Denny Huff can be reached at, 636-428-1500 or email,
denny at GatewayForTheBlind.com.
Gateway FT Blind LLC.
4. Adjournment
The next meeting for our technology division will be held on Monday, April
13, 2020 at 8 PM
Respectfully submitted,
Jane Degenshein
President, Technology Division
Keep Smiling,
Janie Degenshein
Happiness isn't having what you want, but wanting what you already have!
Facilitator of ECHO (Eyes Closed Hearts Open)
state affiliate board member
President of the senior division of the National Federation of the Blind of
New Jersey
to join the senior list serve:
https://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfbnj-seniors_nfbnet.org
President of the Technology division of the National federation of the Blind
of New Jersey
To join the tech div list serve:
http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/njtechdiv_nfbnet.org
NFBNJ Newsline Co-ordinator
jdegen16 at comcast.net
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