[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

Tue Mar 10 21:47:22 UTC 2020

Hi All, 

Sorry I missed the meeting on Monday!  Would someone provide me with the web address for this division? 

Steve Cook

Click here to view the PSA for the National Federation of the Blind of SC <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LddWwCJNPHI> 

www.nfbofsc.org <http://www.nfbofsc.org> 

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From: NJTechDiv <njtechdiv-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Jane Degenshein via NJTechDiv
Sent: Monday, March 09, 2020 7:26 PM
To: new jerseytechdiv <njtechdiv at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Jane Degenshein <jdegen16 at comcast.net>
Subject: [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

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 <mailto:ems553 at comcast.net>  

Sent: Wednesday, February 26, 2020 7:46 PM

To: macbiggers at yahoo.com <mailto:macbiggers at yahoo.com>  ; rysteve at comcast.net <mailto:rysteve at comcast.net>  ; 'Dan Facchini' <mailto:danfb at verizon.net>  ; 'Richard Fox' <mailto:richardfox1 at comcast.net>  ; 'Phil Harrison' <mailto:pbharrison39 at comcast.net>  ; 'Carol Castellano' <mailto:blindchildren at verizon.net>  ; 'Jonathan Zobek' <mailto:jrzobek at gmail.com>  ; mbhrr15 at gmail.com <mailto:mbhrr15 at gmail.com>  ; mostelloworks at comcast.net <mailto:mostelloworks at comcast.net>  ; katiemaunder at comcast.net <mailto:katiemaunder at comcast.net>  ; 'Zoraida Krell' <mailto:krellbz at gmail.com>  ; debbiebloomer at comcast.net <mailto:debbiebloomer at comcast.net>  ; jferrn at aol.com <mailto:jferrn at aol.com>  ; amyralbin at gmail.com <mailto:amyralbin at gmail.com>  ; 'Vee Gaspa' <mailto:veegaspa at gmail.com>  ; ljdeber3 at comcast.net <mailto:ljdeber3 at comcast.net>  

Cc: Joe Ruffalo <mailto:Nfbnj1 at verizon.net>  ; 'Linda Melendez' <mailto:lindamelendez220 at gmail.com>  ; Jane Degenshein <mailto:Jdegen16 at comcast.net>  ; Mary Jo Partyka <mailto:choirnfb at gmail.com>  ; ems553 at comcast.net <mailto: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 <mailto: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 <mailto:jdegen16 at comcast.net> 

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