[Rose_City_Chapter] Minutes for January Rose-City Chapter Meeting

Fri Feb 13 22:10:34 UTC 2026

Minutes from January 17th, 2026, NFB Rose City Chapter of the National
Federation of the Blind Oregon

meeting took place at Capital One Caffe  on January 17th at 10:30 am

In attendance: president Rod Barker, Vice President Tracy Boyd, treasurer
joy Relton,Abby Griffith, Alice Campbell, Carolyn Brock, Cody Hermaling,
Desmond Boyd, Jeff Anderson, Kirk Wagner, Lindsay Dorn, Myra Gonzalez,
Osmond, Rick Hammond, Ryan McBee, Uriah Gonzalez, special guest state
affiliate president Stephanie McGarry  

?         president Barker started the meeting the NFB pledge and belief
statement which was read by Vice President Boyd  .

?         President Barker followed with an icebreaker  How many states have
you been in and what state is your favorite?

?         President Barker addressed the minutes from November's meeting
Motion made by Tracy to accept  except November's Minutes as presented by
emailed by secretary Jerry Hathaway, motion seconded by Desmond Boyd;
discussion took place, by members who previously paid dues and were listed
on the minutes as guests. Kirk noted that all dues paid during convention
will be updated. A motion presented a second time by Tracy, to accept the
minutes as emailed, motioned seconded  by Desmond Boyd; motioned passed.

?         President Barker announced the treasure's report was postponed
until February's meeting.

Members discussed the fact that secretary Jerry Hathaway was not present.
Vice president Boyd offered to take minutes from recording.

President barker passed the floor to State affiliate President McGarry, who
announced member seminar taking place weekend of March 6th through March 8th
in Cottage Grove OR. Room rates $105 per night not including taxes does
include breakfast. Stephanie noted assistance offered for those who may need
or want assistance for the hotel room. Members who would like assistance
will need to have a roommate  as the assistance will only cover half of the
total room.

Please contact chapter president Barker cell phone , (503) 329-1249

 To request assistance with rooms and or contact president McGarry 

 president at nfb-oregon.org <mailto:president at nfb-oregon.org>  Transportation
currently in the process of being arranged two vans will be coming from
Portland Beaverton area and a charge of $25 per person for transportation
will be collected day of departure on March 6. Time and location of
departure to be announced. President McGarry mentioned icebreaker activities
getting to know each other activities will take place, discussions about
blindness, how we live our lives being blind etc as well as a business
meeting on Sunday will take place during the member seminar. A meal packet
will be on the registration page. Meal packets will cost $50. Registration
is $10. Registration for member seminar should be available on the NFBOR
website by February 1st.

President Barker started activity- breaking up chapter members into small
groups of 3 or 4 where he hopes ideas will form for diverse types of
committees what committees are needed for the chapter, future NFB work
including outreach and fundraising. Chapter members break up into small
groups discussing committee ideas. Small group sessions end and committee
ideas including topics were presented by one spokesperson from each small
group. Online group: Ryan McBee spokesperson.

Outreach and membership: growing members and reaching out to members that
have not been seen for a while.

Fundraising committee Legislation and advocacy committee, resource
committee, transportation committee

Abbi's group: transportation committee investigating accessibility service
cuts changes on fixed routes, keeping members up to date on accessible
transit social groups committee organizing outings online connections that
would take place in between chapter meetings. Visibility committee, where
chapter members would come together volunteer providing supports where
needed in the community such as food banks and other ways to bring chapter
members

Rick's group: outreach committees and activity committees, partnering with
Nwaba or other organizations doing box lunch outreach to the Oregon
Commission for the blind engaging folks who are interested in learning about
the National Federation of the blind and the local chapters membership
committees, fundraising committees partnering with restaurants and gaining
portion from profits collected.

Kirk's group:

?         Membership: revamping the transition from a guest to a member
providing additional follow-up.

?         Revitalizing the Rose city chapter constitution updating
constitution bringing updated information into the Rose City's constitution.

?         And lastly focus group committee Focusing on parents of blind
children, blind parents, seniors, students coming along the side and
supporting and focusing on specialized groups, providing support to those
specialized groups allowing the chapter the opportunity to provide help to
many diverse groups.

Carolyn discusses specialized groups such as book clubs not specifically
centered around blindness being membership criteria rather than joining
existing groups

?         book club mentioned Meads at the Multnomah northwest library: 2030
northwest petty Grove St. Portland OR 97209  

Meets on the fourth Tuesday of every month at 6 or 7 pm

President Barker offered suggestions for a

?         location committee as the chapter is always looking for a new
location that can hold more chapter members.

?         As well as a podcast committee, looking for a great podcast such
as Walking alone marching together.

?          Kirk offered    two other podcasts:

?         access on podcast

?         the nation's blind podcast.

?         Cody suggested preparing a list with helpful apps, tricks tools
and podcasts

?         President Barker asked each chapter member to think about the
committees and ideas presented and find ones that you would personally be
interested in serving on and being a part of. This topic will be revisited
during march's chapter meeting.

?         President Barker started a discussion surrounding the online phone
in option for chapter meetings encouraging chapter members to attend in
person following hopes to reconnect chapter members through face-to-face
meetings and engagements. A lengthy discussion occurred between chapter
members noting reasons why the phone option may be valid for members who are
not able to attend due to mobility challenges.

?         Pros and cons discussed are observed as to why the phone in option
is a challenge as it's hard to hear in the open space when you're not in
person. Are there reasons why folks might need to join via phone call rather
than coming in person were discussed options were discussed around allowing
special permission to folks to join chapter meetings via virtual connection.
The zoom option was discussed

?         Parameters around zoom options were discussed folks who would like
to run the zoom meeting were identified :  Mayra, Osmond Kirk, and Joy

?         Zoom option will begin in March

?         February meeting still on Free Conference call.

?         Zoom host will be placed on the agenda each month.

Respectfully submitted by Tracy Boyd on behalf of Jerry Hathaway, Secretary
Rose-City Chapter.

?         Link to the agenda for each month.

?          

<https://docs.google.com/document/d/1n2pOS9y1Y_RFo7idop7FuU_3iV0x1JqhQyFHq2R
WXfQ/edit?usp=sharin> Meeting Agenda: Rose City Chapter

<https://docs.google.com/document/d/1n2pOS9y1Y_RFo7idop7FuU_3iV0x1JqhQyFHq2R
WXfQ/edit?usp=sharin> docs.google.com

?          

?         Breakfast of the month:

?         Each month  a breakfast treat will be provided by a chapter member

?         Mayra- offers to setup a sign-up sheet for the Breakfast treat
provider.

?         Linsey-discussed an option of a app that may be accessible for a
signup options.

?         Tracy will provide February's breakfast treat

?         Discussion  around the google link for the agenda.

?         Washington seminar happening January 20 6 through 28th   an online
link available to attend the great gathering  virtually on NFB.org

?          

Washington Seminar

Monday, January 26, through Thursday, January 29, 2026. 

At Washington Seminar, our members convene to learn about and advocate for
legislative initiatives that will improve the lives of blind Americans.

These initiatives, which form the Washington Seminar priorities, are based
on the official positions of the NFB adopted at the national convention and
can address concerns related to civil rights, educational programs and
services, rehabilitation of the blind for competitive employment, the
operation of vending facilities by blind persons on public property,
specialized library services for the blind, the organization and funding of
federal programs, Social Security Disability and Supplemental Security
Income programs, and other timely topics.

Protecting Education, Employment, and Independent Living Programs for the
Blind 

Access Technology Affordability Act 

Blind Americans Return to Work Act 

If you didn't get the chance to join live, follow the link below to relive
the Washington seminar of 2026.

 https://www.youtube.com/live/FWJeIRa5C78?si=b3N4EVyRuk9jiz5X

https://www.youtube.com/live/FWJeIRa5C78?si=b3N4EVyRuk9jiz5X

Chapter listens to the presidential release.

Joy Relton (She/Her/Hers)

Joy.relton at icloud.com <mailto:Joy.relton at icloud.com> 

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