[PACapitalChapter] NFBP Capital Chapter meeting this Saturday, March 16

Wed Mar 13 18:03:38 UTC 2019

Good Afternoon Awesome Capital Chapter Members, 

When choosing a meeting place, I believe that several things need to be considered.

First, is the meeting place easy for people to get too?  Will it cause a financial hardship to any member?  Is it convenient to public transportation so blind individuals can attend independently on their own?

Second, Why not a public space?  There are 3 chapters in PA who meet on either a regular or intermittent basis at a restaurant.  These chapters also use a conference line and also play the Presidential release.  

Third, Are we concerned that a passerby hear our National Presidential Release?     What better PR for the organization than to see blind people getting together to do business.  Maybe this public place would spark business owners to the need of accessibility.  Maybe, this would encourage the City of Harrisburg to improve their public transportation system.  

I am not saying that any of these things would happen overnight, but it is food for thought.

Lynn     

From: Anna Walker <missannawalker at gmail.com> 
Sent: Wednesday, March 13, 2019 10:25 AM
To: Capital Chapter NFB of PA <pacapitalchapter at nfbnet.org>; riderman5 at earthlink.net; mshore4977 at comcast.net; missannawalker <missannawalker at gmail.com>; Carlton Anne Cook Walker <attorneywalker at gmail.com>; hmcfadden920 at gmail.com; ely26m at yahoo.com; gmkpickens at gmail.com; cacruise at comcast.net
Cc: Lynn Heitz <lynnelaine2 at verizon.net>; Drenth, Joe <Joe.Drenth at jbtc.com>; marsha.drenth at gmail.com
Subject: NFBP Capital Chapter meeting this Saturday, March 16

Hello,

I am writing regarding our upcoming meeting this Saturday. There have been some ideas throw out for making the meeting in-person. I completely agree that we should meet in person when we can. However, I believe that having a regular date and time for our meeting and holding our meeting in an appropriate space are very, very important.

I have spoken to some members, and here is what was decided:

1. Our March chapter meeting will be held this Saturday at 10:00 a.m. 

2. Mark Pickens is attempting to secure keys to the building where we met last year (where Marsha Drenth helped us to get started). 

3. If Mark can get the keys, members are welcome to meet there for the meeting.

4. Regardless, the meeting will be available on our conference call number also.

5. Our April meeting will be held in the Community Room of the Giant Food Store located at 3301 Trindle Road, Camp Hill, PA. This is in the Camp Hill Shopping Center, and there is bus service (regular fare is $1.75 each way) from Harrisburg to this mall very regularly on Saturdays.

6. We can keep discussing this issue. if necessary. I have put this as an item on the attached agenda (which is also at the end of this email).

Here are the the reasons for this decision:

1. Strawberry Square is a very open, public space, and it is not appropriate for a chapter meeting of the NFB of Pennsylvania. 

1a. Even if there are not many people there on Saturday morning, the acoustics of the high ceilings will make it difficult to hear one another, especially for people attending on tour conference call number.

1b. At earlier meetings, we discussed other places to meet, and Gerry did a great job of securing a location at the  Giant Food Store Community Room in Camp Hill for the months of April and from June on. Gerry also looked into the community area at Barnes and Noble in Camp Hill. Our chapter decided that we were not interested interested in holding our meeting where the public would be walking by, so we voted to wait for the Giant Food Store Community Room  (which has walls and a door to provide us the privacy we wanted). 

1c. As an organization, we want to be seen as professional and organized. Meeting in an open public place may cause others in the community to believe that we are not very organized. 

2. Elizabeth noted the expense she must pay in order to attend our meetings. 

2a. This was one of the main reasons we changed our meeting place from the place where Marsha works. 

2b. While Marsha's office is a great space (quiet, private, etc.), there is not good public transportation to it. This is why Elizabeth (and maybe others) must  pay so much to Uber to get to and from that building.

2c. I researched spaces near the Harrisburg bus line to address the expense issue. Gerry researched options at the Camp Hill Shopping Center, a place that is on two different bus lines (Route D and Route M--both operate regularly on Saturday) that  that has meeting space available for the public.

2d. Starting next month, we will have a meeting place that Gerry secured for every month in 2019 except for May.

3. Consistency is important.

3a. We are a new (revitalized) chapter. 

3b. Getting ourselves into a consistent routine is important for us and for potential new members.

3c. While in-person meetings are terrific, consistent meeting times are, too.

3d. Our conference call meeting line is always available for anyone who wants to use it, so that provides consistency.

3e. Securing a private location which is accessible to mass transit also builds on the consistency we are establishing.

Again, I thank everyone for their input on this matter. I love the energy and creativity shown. These are great topics for a meeting when we can talk back and forth. I look forward to hearing these and other ideas at our Chapter meeting on Saturday. The agenda is both attached and in this body of this email below.

Anna

Capital Chapter of the National Federation of the Blind of Pennsylvania 

Board Meeting Agenda

Saturday, March 16, 2019 

10:00 a.m. EST

Conference Call, our conference call-in number is (605) 472-5521. After dialing in, press the access code, 661198, followed by the pound sign (#)

Note: We may also have the option of meeting in person at MAYBE at 207 House Avenue, Suite 107, Camp Hill, PA, 17011

*       If we do, I will send out an email to everyone.

Attendees: 

Welcome/Personal Updates: 

Secretary’s Report: 

Treasurer’s Report: 

Previous Balance: $ 

Total Income: $

Total Expenses: $

Current Balance (as of March 16, 2019): $

NFB Presidential Report:

https://nfb.org/sites/default/files/audio/presidential-releases/2019-03-english.mp3 

*       President Riccobono announces that preregistration for the  <https://nfb.org/get-involved/national-convention> 2019 National Convention is now open. He also discusses the  <https://nfb.org/programs-services/scholarships-and-awards/dr-jacob-bolotin-awards> Dr. Jacob Bolotin Awards, the  <https://nfb.org/sites/default/files/publications/bm/bm19/bm1903/bm190308.htm> Marrakesh Treaty, a new series of  <https://nfb.org/resources/publications-and-media/nations-blind-podcast> blind parent podcasts, our latest  <https://nfb.org/programs-services/advocacy/policy-statements> policy statements,  <https://nfb.org/programs-services/summer-programs> NFB summer programs, the national  <https://nfb.org/programs-services/scholarships-and-awards/scholarship-program> scholarship program, the  <https://nfb.org/programs-services/legal-program/jacobus-tenbroek-disability-law-symposium> Jacobus tenBroek Disability Law Symposium, and the  <https://nfb.org/get-involved/ways-give/planned-giving/dream-makers-circle> Dream Makers Circle.

Old Business: 

*       Presidential Report—Anna Walker

*       Update on securing locations for BELL

*       Meeting in State College

New Business: 

*       Any discussions regarding our Chapter’s meeting place

*       Discussing potential volunteers for BELL

*       Discussion of upcoming Poster Session for NFB BELL Academy at the AER Conference in April in Harrisburg

*       Other ideas for outreach

*       Fundraising discussion

Motion to Adjourn: 

Next Meeting: 

Saturday, April 20, 2019 at 10:00 a.m. EDT at the Giant Food Store Community Room, 3301 Trindle Rd Camp Hill, PA 17011

Future meeting dates and times: 

*       Saturday, April 20, 2019 at 10:00 a.m. EDT

*       Saturday, May 18, 2019 at 10:00 a.m. EDT

*       Saturday, June 15, 2019 at 10:00 a.m. EDT 

-- 

Anna C. Walker

President, Capital Chapter of the National Federation of the Blind of Pennsylvania

Secretary, Pennsylvania Association of Blind Students

101 Kelly Drive

Carlisle, PA   17015

Cell: (717) 658-9239