[Oabs] Fwd: Gavel Award Form (Newly Revised)

Fri Sep 4 00:25:51 UTC 2015

Hi OABSTERS!
I hope that everyone's semesters are off to a great start!
With Kaiti's permission, I am forwarding the email that contains the newly revised Gavel report from a few weeks back. If you have any additions or corrections to make, please send them to Kaiti as soon as possible. Her email is kaiti.shelton at gmail.com
Thanks! Have a happy Friday, and a great Labor Day weekend! :-)
Macy

Sent from my iPhone

Begin forwarded message:

> From: Kaiti Shelton via Oabs <oabs at nfbnet.org>
> Date: August 20, 2015 at 8:30:18 PM EDT
> To: Ohio Association of Blind Students list <oabs at nfbnet.org>
> Cc: Kaiti Shelton <kaiti.shelton at gmail.com>
> Subject: [Oabs] Gavel Award Form (Newly Revised)
> Reply-To: Ohio Association of Blind Students list <oabs at nfbnet.org>
> 
> Hi all,
> 
> Thanks to Macy and Aleeha for helping to further complete the Gavel
> Award tonight.  I know Emily is moving in to her apartment tonight and
> intends to send along her answers as well.  Please do send me any
> additions, corrections, or suggestions you might have for the form at
> your earliest convenience.  Thanks.
> 
> Notes about specific questions before reading:
> . Question #2 may puzzle some readers. The committee is not interested
> in the civic activities of chapter or division members or the group as
> a whole if they have nothing to do with educating the public about the
> capacities of blind people or furthering the goals of the National
> Federation of the Blind of Ohio. For example, prevention-of-blindness
> projects are valuable civic activities, but they do not, as a matter
> of course, fall into the interests of the NFB; we work to help blind
> people function effectively rather than to prevent blindness. On the
> other hand, if chapter members took part in a political campaign
> because a candidate indicated interest in an NFB-sponsored piece of
> legislation, this is noteworthy, not only because we are making
> valuable friends through this effort, but because we are educating
> other campaign workers about the abilities of blind people.
> 
> Question 4 seeks to identify and to promote inter-group activity as
> well as chapter or division programs, division support for chapters,
> and assistance to other elements of the Federation.
> 
> Question 5 is an effort to understand what kind of fundraising each
> chapter or division is doing and how much of the work is actually
> completed by NFB members. It is also useful to know in what ways other
> organizations and individuals are or were brought into the fundraising
> process.
> 
> Question 6 seeks to measure the proportion of chapter or division
> contributions to state and national work.  For example, if the chapter
> made a contribution to the state or national organization in order to
> assist in important projects, like the Washington Seminar or for
> members to attend the national convention, those contributions count
> for purposes of this question.
> 
> We are now requiring all groups to answer Question 7. We should all be
> looking for the ways in which our members are becoming more
> sophisticated and experienced Federationists. This question requires
> chapter and division members to look at the larger picture. Answering
> it will increase your group's score and will help chapter and division
> leaders chart a sound course in the coming year.
> 
> Please make an effort to answer the questions on this questionnaire,
> even if you do not believe your chapter or division is a serious
> candidate to win the Gavel Award. We have decided to honor the group
> that is most improved, as well as the Gavel Award recipients. All of
> us are capable of competing in the most improved category, so please
> get a committee together, look over your minutes and treasurer's
> reports from the past year, and make an effort to write a report that
> can be used in the Gavel Award Contest.
> 
> 
> 
> DIVISION GAVEL AWARD QUESTIONNAIRE 2015
> 
> Division name: The Ohio Association of Blind Students
> 
> Division President's name: Kaiti Shelton
> 
> Current dues-paying membership:  (Check with Emily for official roster
> of dues-paid members).  Educated estimate: 13 (including Dr. and Mrs.
> Maurer).
> 
> Membership last year:  11 members.  Last year dues were not collected.
> Membership was defined by a person's subscription to the list serve
> and their participation in at least one phone meeting.  (from last
> year’s form).
> 
> Number of new members joining this year: (worth 1 pt. each):  6
> members (we’ve had some exchange.  The 6 I have are Brennen, Mike
> Welty, Jonathan Thomas, Stephanie Claytor, Dr. Maurer, and Mrs. Maurer.
> Double check with Emily for accuracy here as well).
> 
> Total number of members and non-members on your mailing list:  Minus 4
> from my original count.  (Jonathan, the two Maurers, and Mike Welty do
> not appear to be on the list).  There are a total of 44 addresses
> subscribed, 6 addresses account for our NABS rep Michael Ausbun, Eric
> Duffy, NABS president Sean Whalen, Deborah Kendrick as our student
> division liaison, and two addresses from David Andrews).  The
> remainder are addresses from past division members or members who
> intend to join in the coming convention year.
> 
> Before September, 2015, how many division board meetings will your
> division have conducted since September, 2014? (worth 1 pt. each):3
> (January, May, and July as of now).
> 
> 
> Before September, 2015, how many membership meetings or events will
> your division have conducted since September, 2014? (worth 1 pt. each)
> :  Will double check old minutes for accurate number.
> Email Shelbi for clarification on membership.
> 
> How many members are registered with NFB-NEWSLINE?  5 (Kaiti, Emily,
> Lillie, Macy, and Aleeha).  Please let me know if you are also registered
> and are not already accounted for.
> 
> How many new users have signed up this year? (worth 1 pt. each):  0 I believe.
> How many have signed up this year?
> 
> How many members have purchased gift cards through the NFB Ohio Scrip
> Program? (worth 1 pt. each): 1.
> 
> How many newsletters has your division circulated during this period?
> (worth 1 pt. each):  0.
> Web site?  Ask for Shelbi’s clarification.
> 1.      How does your division promote the goals, philosophy, and
> activities of the National Federation of the Blind among division
> members and the general public? (worth 10 pts.)
> Our division promotes the philosophy and objectives of the National
> Federation of the Blind and the National Association of Blind Students
> in a number of ways: monthly conference calls which alternate between
> business conduct and membership featuring speakers of interest on a
> variety of topics; fundraisers which contribute to the Ohio BELL
> Program; engagement in letterwriting campaigns such as the one for the
> TEACH/SMART Act and fair wages; encouragement for members to join
> other divisions/local chapters; providing information about the NFB’s
> scholarship opportunities at the national and state levels to members
> and non-members; and participation in a variety of community events
> and other NFB programs which impact public perception of blind people
> or the way other blind people perceive their own capabilities.  OABS
> has increased its presence with its first fundraiser conducted on a
> national scale in Orlando this year, and it has also been an active
> and financially contributing division of the Ohio affiliate.  Perhaps
> most important is that our students participate actively on their high
> school and college campuses in educational programs, clubs,
> fraternities, and other aspects of typical student life.  This is
> demonstrative of our philosophy and tagline in the truest sense.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 2. Civic Activities: Aside from participating in local, state, and national
> Federation activities, in what community programs have your division members
> been involved? Examples: social or political causes, religious
> institutions, civic organizations, or student activities. (worth 10
> pts.)
> 3 members served as cabin monitors/mentors at a perceptual mobility
> camp called The Road Lies Ahead in MI.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 3. In what forms of advocacy are your division members involved?
> (worth 10 pts.)
> 1 member advocates for music therapy.  1 member has worked with
> another blind student to establish a student organization for disabled
> students and allies on her college campus.  1 member participates on a
> youth suicide prevention counsel.  1 member advocates for education as
> co-president of her Future Educators of America chapter.  1 advocates
> against drunk driving by coordinating rides home for intoxicated
> people through a church program.  1 member volunteers for the
> information and advocacy hotline to provide assistance for members of
> the National Association of Guide Dog Users.  1 member serves on
> legislative committees for NABS and OAGDu, as well as the education
> committee for OAGDU.  One member advocates for improved integration of
> deafblind people into the NFB membership.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 4. Please note this question has three parts so that we can determine
> how closely our chapters and divisions are working together and how
> much we see ourselves as part of the larger organizations at the state
> and national levels. Be sure to answer each part of this question. How
> has your division interacted with other NFB chapters or divisions
> during the past year?
> 
> 
> A. List all activities in which your division has participated with
> another division or chapter; how many members took part in each?
> (worth 10 pts.)
> Emily and Lillie Pennington attended the Cincinnati chapter’s game day.
> Kaiti Shelton participated in the Cincinnati chapter’s Braille-a-thon.
> Kaiti Shelton spoke at the Human Services Division meeting in Orlando
> about Music Therapy.
> Kaiti Shelton was elected to the Performing Arts Division board.
> Aleeha Dudley was elected vice president of OAGDU at our 2014 convention.
> Aleeha went to the Jernigan Institute with the Cleveland chapter.
> I don’t know any more so please do fill me in on your personal activity…
> 
> 
> 
> B. List all state-affiliate-sponsored activities in which your
> division participated; how many members took part in each? (worth 10
> pts.)
> 1 member bought a gift card through the scrip program.
> 1 member bought an E-gift card from Shwans Cares.
> Mallies?  Possibly the Penningtons.
> 5 attended the Beatles fundraser gala last year (Emily, Lillie,
> Aleeha, Macy, myself.  Please do fill me in if you were there and I
> failed to count you).
> All but one of our current, dues-paid members attended state convention.
> Aleeha volunteered at the BELL Program for 2015.
> 1 member is on the membership committee as a co-chair.
> 1 member is on fundraising and the vehicle donation committee.
> 1 member is on the awards committee.
> 1 member is on the scholarship committee.
> 1 member holds an elected position on our state affiliate board.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> C. List all events sponsored by the national organization in which
> division members have participated this year; how many took part in
> each? (worth 10 pts.)
> Lillie Pennington took part in Stem 2U as an apprentice.
> 5 division members attended our National Convention (Kaiti, Lillie,
> Emily, Aleeha, and Macy).
> Kaiti was a national scholarship winner.
> Aleeha attended Washington Seminar.
> Aleeha spoke on a panel for parents at Stem 2U.
> 
> 5. What fundraising projects has your division engaged in during the
> past year? (worth 10 pts.)
> The division held a split-the-pot at our last convention, as well as a
> gift card drawing to benefit OABS and the BELL Program in a 50-50
> split.
> 
> A. Describe the extent to which division members take responsibility
> for such projects.
> Responsibility for the projects was improved over last year.  All
> brailling of tickets was done by division members manually using
> Perkins braillers.  Social media was better in promoting the project
> this year through Facebook and email, and PayPal along with electronic
> purchase confirmations emails were handled well.  We had difficulty
> selling at convention, which the president attributes to it being our
> first sale at that scope.
> 
> B. What role did outside organizations or sighted volunteers play in
> these activities?
> We had no outside or sighted help in preparing for the split-the-pot.
> Gift card donations came to us from the Capital and Lorraine County
> chapters, as well as from Kaiti’s parents for the drawing.
> 
> 6. Funding the projects and activities of the National Federation of
> the Blind at the local, state, and national levels is vitally
> important work for all of us. Answering the following questions will
> assist the awards committee to compute the percentages of financial
> support for each division. This will enable the committee to make
> useful comparisons.
> 
> 
> 
> A. What was your division's bank balance as of September, 2014?
> Emily.
>         Balance as of September, 2015?
> Emily.
> B. After subtracting all expenses associated with fundraising, how
> much money has your division raised during the year ending September,
> 2015? How much money came in from all other sources during this
> period?
> Emily.
> 
> C. How much money has your division contributed to the state affiliate
> during this period? How much financial assistance did your chapter
> contribute to members to attend the state convention in the form of
> grants? (worth 10 pts.).
> $25 for National Convention door prize, plus check for next year’s BELL.
> 
> D. How much money has your division contributed to the national
> organization during this period? How much money did your chapter
> contribute for members to attend the national convention in the form
> of grants?  (worth 10 pts.).
> $0.
> 
> 
> 
> 7. Take no more than two paragraphs to discuss the ways in which your
> division is a stronger part of the National Federation of the Blind
> today than it was a year ago. (worth 10 pts.)
> Communication is often the key to success, and this year OABS has
> significantly improved in this area.  The board has become a more
> cohesive unit, and our work on this year’s fundraiser at National
> Convention was a test of our teamwork.  Not only was it the biggest
> fundraising endeavor the division has ever undertaken, but it was also
> a chance to further develop our group dynamics.  Overall, the project
> was significantly more organized for our efforts, and a lot less
> stressful for us.  We acknowledge that there is still room to grow,
> and any organization can always improve on communication, but we have
> even more tools to help us now than ever.  Our most recent change in
> this regard is the establishment of a group for board member on What’s
> App, a messaging program for the IOS platform that allows for the
> sending of audio and text messages.  We have been able to have a few
> discussions between meetings which can address minor problems or just
> provide each other with personal updates.
> OABS has also sought to improve itself from last year in several ways.
> We were more ambitious in our fundraiseing, and have started to
> contribute to the affiliate.  Last year we did not have dues
> collection, and now we have taken $5 dues from our membership at last
> year’s convention.  We also went from being financially poor and
> unable to contribute to Money for the Movement, to a division that
> steps up to the plate when a need is presented.  We donated for
> National Convention door prizes and will likewise make a contribution
> to Money for the Movement at this year’s convention.  We have also
> continued our investment in the Ohio BELL Program and intend to
> support this initiative for as long as possible.  In the spirit of
> continued improvement, we have goals and objectives we would like to
> achieve soon.  We are always working on something, and have big
> aspirations which are becoming ever closer at hand. These include
> retreats for our membership, collaborative efforts with student
> divisions in the surrounding states, and the establishment of a
> scholarship or convention grant fund for members.  We are thankful for
> the support of our affiliate and look forward to helping it build the
> Federation in bigger and better ways.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> -- 
> Kaiti Shelton
> University of Dayton 2016.
> Music Therapy, Psychology, Philosophy
> President, Ohio Association of Blind Students
> Secretary, NFB Performing Arts Division
> Sigma Alpha Iota-Delta Sigma
> 
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