[PACapitalChapter] Lets bring ideas to the table!

[Elizabeth Medina]

Hello! 

Thank you to all the members present on Saturday October 20,2018 monthly NFB PA Capital Chapter’s meeting. As we are bringing this chapterback to life and the NFB moves forward into the future working hard to createnew opportunities, to ensure equity and equality, and to provide the supportand services we need; we should define and organize our goals. Goals that willbest address the needs of our local community members as part of the NFB. Our chapterwill do wonderful things for our community members keeping in mind the NFB’sPLEDGE. 

“I pledge to participate actively in the effort of the NationalFederation of the Blind to achieve equality, opportunity, and security for theblind; to support the policies and programs of the Federation; and to abide byits constitution.” (www.nfb.org)

With that in mind, I put together an outline with some ofthe elements that we could keep in mind when defining our goals as a chapter. Iinvite all of you to read this outline carefully, write down your ideas orsuggestions, email back your list, and maybe we can go over some of them as agroup during our next meeting, if our Chapter President Anna Walker will agree.Furthermore, keep in mind that whatever we decide to do with our chapter willbe keeping in mind the NFB’s mission 

“Themission of the National Federation of the Blind is to achieve widespreademotional acceptance and intellectual understanding that the real problem ofblindness is not the loss of eyesight but the misconceptions and lack ofinformation which exist. We do this by bringing blind people together to sharesuccesses, to support each other in times of failure, and to create imaginativesolutions.” (www.nfb.org)

Also, for those of you going to the State NFB Convention, wemight be able to set up a meeting with Mr. Jim Antonacci sometime on FridayNovember 2nd (not on Saturday) as he is willing to meet with us andhelp us with the development and organization of our chapter. However, I ratherhave us prepare ahead of time so we can take the best out of this meeting ifpossible. 

Goal:   Setting goals will help us to better use ourtime, resources, and energy in order to be efficient and as active as we can inour community.  Think about some needs,improvements, new services, or existing gaps related to services, education,employment, or social issues we will love to address. Bring your ideas and thenwe can chose on those that best will address our needs. Sometimes what we thingmight be a small task, could develop into a big project if we do not defineclearly the objective. 

Communication:  As a chapter, we should think ofcommunication taking in consideration the fallowing elements. First, we shouldidentify the best way for the chapter members to be in communication.  Also, if there is not an existing list, weshould have a spreadsheet with names, addresses, phone numbers, and emails. I startedthe format for one so we just fill in the information. Only one chapter membershould have this information accessible unless all members agree to share theinformation. Second, the chapter might want to have a social media of choice inorder to post pictures or share information on upcoming events with othermembers of the community who are not blind or visually impaired.  An email database (contacts) forinstitutions, small businesses, agencies, families, or individuals in ourcommunities should be available to promote events or to facilitate thecommunication. Third, we should put together a calendar (with a copy onwhatever social media we decide to us) that will include: 

·       Chapter Meeting Dates

·       Upcoming Events and Activities in our Community 

·       Holidays to Celebrate

·       Relevant Dates for the NFB Community

·       Fundraising Events

Educational/Training/Employment:  As chapter members, we all have differentexperiences, needs, concerns, and questions; therefore, we should identify andprioritize our needs or gaps within our communities. I suggest we create a listto then develop workshops, presentations, educational or bring speakers toshare with us knowledge or training. There is no need to reinvent the wheeljust to identify our needs. For example: 

·       Address issues related to education/school/college

·       Parents and kids with blindness

·       How to communicate effectively with socialservices providers and take the best out of existing services available?

·       How to talk effectively with professionals ineducation about blindness 

·       Awareness on new federal and state policies 

·       Technology and our community

·       How to conduct a job search or effectively do aninterview 

·       Learning the language of discrimination 

·       Skills need to travel 

·       Why to fear the unknown is a positive thin

·       Time management, organization skills, and myblindness 

·       How to address others fears and lack ofeducation about blindness? 

·       Learning how to be a competitive and strongprofessional

·       My family, my life, my future

Fundraising:  We should decide if we will like to have oneor two fundraising events a year in order to create some funds for specificevents or goals that the chapter will like to accomplish. Specific dates shouldbe set as well as specific goals to reach.  Also, I will like to know your thoughts on having or creating somesponsors willing to support and help with some of our educational events orpromoting our mission and goals as the Capital Chapter.  We should be specific in order to start theorganization process and implementation of the events. 

Recreational Event:  Let’s think of a one recreational event thatwe can do as a chapter for all members and families get to know each otherbetter and have some fun. 

Finally, On Monday October 22, 2018, I spoke with Nick andCordelia Peters who advised me that they will be mailing me the information andaccount documents that I need to finally put the treasury account under my name.I will be waiting for that information hoping that I can do the changes beforeour next meeting. I will keep you all inform on that matter. Thank you fortaking the time to read this document and sharing your ideas and thoughts. Mygoal is not to complicate things rather to create some clarity and make sure wemove forward as a stable, strong, diverse, and organize chapter.  Please do not hesitate to tell me the best way to approach things as I am relative new to the organization. Let’s have fun!