 |
|
|
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Present: Heather Field (president), Joe Shaw (vice president) Ryan Smith (treasurer), Keith Anderson (secretary), Ruth Hollingsworth, Gayle Prillaman, Nikki Lawless, Marc Vargas, Elizabeth Vargas, Sara, and baby Jameson.
Call to order.
Minutes from Aug 7, 2004 meeting were read and approved.
-TAX I.D. Obtained by Keith Anderson!!
-Constitution was approved and forwarded to state NFB Board.
-Several “Meet the Blind Month” activities for October were discussed. NFB Highlights from Presidential Release tape.
Treasurer's Report:
-Douglas Dunlap $6 Membership dues.
-National Dance Club $70 donation.
-Marc Vargas Paid his $6 dues for the year.
Treasurer's Report is incomplete. $286.13 is in the account. An accurate account will be reported next meeting.
Business arising out of minutes:
A. Raffle – status.
-Forms must be submitted to the State Secretary of Solicitations, then the legislature reviews each request one time each meeting. Approval is for only one event. We can start the process for next year.
-Joe Shaw shared information from Hickory Hollow, Cool Springs an Rivergate Malls. They only allow solicitation two times a year – Fall and Spring . The Fall event has already happened. They do have a preferred Shopper day in November that we could do this – sell the wrist bands.
-Ryan also introduced the idea of contacting Walmart to see about soliciting there.
B. NFB packets are ready to be labeled – at this meeting – to be shared.
Meet the Blind month activities:
1. “Blind Buddy” activity each month in Williamson County. Heather Field will meet with Braille students.
2. Media contact ideas:
--Press Release – Heather Field will get it out to newspaper (Tennessean).
--Gayle will call the Review Appeal.
--WMTS – MT's Radio Show, 30 sec. Public Service announcement. Joe will contact them.
--Heather will contact WMOT – Jazz station (Contact: Mr. John Egly).
--Post something on our Web site for October.
3. NFB Material. Heather will investigate PSA's from NFB. If available chapter Will target our approach to Media – announcements on radio and articles in the newspaper.
4. Public outreach event. Suggested event at the Library on October 9th before our regular meeting. Heather will investigate and make necessary arrangements if event is possible.
5. White Cane Safety Day is also in October.
6. Officers scheduled phone meeting “Conference Call”, Monday evening 7:30 September 27th.
New Business:
A. Students: Nikki Lawless, working with April and Amanda Jones in Chattanooga to start a student NFB division. They cannot have an official meeting until the state NFB meeting in Spring (March). They will have an unofficial meeting in October. Plan to meet once every 2 months. They plan to make out a roster. Will have TN Library for the Blind send out their subscriber list. Interested Students number 10 right now. TN student division is planning to include high school students.
B.The Student Division Development committee was formed: Dominique Lawless, Joe Shaw and Marc Vargas.
C. Fastweb.com – a source for scholarship information.
D. Mrs. Prillaman will send a Thank You note to National Dance Club next meeting.
E. Mrs. Vargas took several labeled packets to give out a VA Eye Clinic and Vanderbilt Eye Center.
Fund Raising: Members were encouraged to bring ideas for annual events to our next meeting.
NFB Philosophy discussion. Ms. Field presented two articles:
Discussion followed; should blind people demand adaptation of the world to keep blind people safe or are blind people safe if they have proper training in the skills of blindness?.
Discussion; When is it help and when is it interference? Do blind people have the right to make bad lifestyle choices?
How is the independence cited by the agencies compatible with the concerned parties perception of blind people needing help.
Next meeting Saturday: October 9th, 2004
Meeting adjourned.
Respectfully submitted by Keith Anderson - Recording Secretary.