May 2010 Promoter
From the President
Gebhard Greetings
Constitution and By-Laws
Paid Your 2010 NDAB Dues?
Williston Awaits Your Arrival
From Your Nominating Committee
NDAB Board Meeting, 10-10-09
NDAB Board Meeting, 1-17-10
2010 Black Hills Ski for Light
My Week at The School
2010 NDAB Summer Camp
NDAB Summer Camp Guidelines
Calling All Jewelry Lovers
NDAB Family News
Bismarck Area News
Fargo Area News
Grand Forks Area News
Minot Area News
Williston Area News
ACB Convention 2009
Candy’s Corner
Donations and Memorials
In Memory of Lester Ketterling
Legislative Report, Spring 2010
From the President
Greetings to all NDAB members;
It is time for another quarterly issue of the Promoter! Spring is
definitely here which means many of our member’s “to do” lists include deep
household cleaning and starting gardens. I have a few tomato seeds left to
place into their peat pots under the grow lights. You already know my history
with household cleaning so I will just skip that subject.
Allan and Zelda had a productive trip to the ACB Legislative Seminar
which you can read about later in this issue. Although I did not fly to D.C.; I
participated in the President’s Meeting via the internet. It was very
interesting. Explanations were given regarding how the new policies recently
passed by the
Our last NDAB Board Meeting was held via teleconference. We used a
consent agenda during the meeting. See the January Board meeting minutes in
this issue to learn more about a consent agenda. All agreed they enjoyed having reports ahead
of time to review and this tool saved time. The teleconferencing calls also are
a great way to come together without the expense of traveling long distances
for a spring meeting.
Hopefully, many of you were able to find time to participate in the NDAB
Walkathon. This annual event is the major fundraiser of NDAB and its success
ensures NDAB has the finances to provide programs such as Summer Camp and the
Family Adjustment Seminar. Kathy, your dedication as Financial Chairperson over
the past 25 years is admirable and much appreciated.
The next opportunity to meet with one another will be at the convention
in Williston, June 11th – 13th. Make sure to thank Loris, our convention
chairperson, for the time she and the crew have put forth in preparing for our
arrival. Most assuredly all in attendance will have an enjoyable time at the 74th
NDAB annual convention.
Immediately following the convention, Adult Week will be held June 20
through July2 at the North Dakota Vision Services/School for the Blind in Grand
Forks. This is a back to back session where individuals can attend training for
one or two weeks. If you are interested or would like more information, call
Ken Dockter at 1-800-421-1181. I
believe the longer session provides a special opportunity to concentrate on
learning new skills or enhancing skills you already possess.
You definitely will not be bored as there are many new activities to
experience during your stay besides technical training. One activity I enjoyed
was throwing a clay pot on a potter’s wheel. Another new experience was yoga. I
liked it so much that I bought a 5 CD set of instructions especially designed
for individuals with little to no eyesight. If you are interested in purchasing
a set via the ACB Store web site; it is titled, “Beginners Yoga Exercises for
the Visually Impaired.”
Several in attendance tried out the new digital audio book players from
the National Library Service. See Candy’s Corner for more information if you
are interested in using one. The sound quality is wonderful and it is very easy
to use. Now, to rearrange my schedule
to include some of these activities at home!
I will close for now. Enjoy the summer!
Michelle
Gebhard Greetings
Due to limited space, I will just say Hi and direct your attention to
the article I wrote “My Week at School” in lieu of my column this issue.
Have an enjoyable summer.
Zelda
Constitution and By-laws
At the April 11th meeting, the board decided to have the
proposed Constitution and By-laws and Standing Rules published in the
Promoter. This is your official
notice and is being handled this way to save printing costs but mostly
importantly so it will be delivered to you in your choice of format. Both of these documents are printed below. You have time prior to the state convention
to review them. Please do so.
CONSTITUTION of the NORTH
DAKOTA ASSOCIATION OF THE BLIND, INC.
Article I.
Name
Section 1. The name of this organization shall be the
North Dakota Association of the Blind, Incorporated. Hereinafter this
organization shall be referred to as NDAB.
Article II.
Purpose
Section 1. The purpose of NDAB shall be:
A. To
promote the educational, social and cultural betterment of individuals who are
blind or visually impaired, particularly for those persons who reside in North
Dakota.
B. To
encourage and assist persons who are blind or visually impaired, especially
those with recent sight loss, to develop their abilities and potentialities so
that they can assume their rightful role in the community.
C. To
promote public understanding of vision loss and of the capabilities of persons
who are blind or visually impaired.
D. To work
with organizations and agencies in the interests of individuals who are blind
or visually impaired.
E. To strive
to enhance the way of life for persons who are blind or visually impaired.
F. To
improve opportunities for employment for persons who are blind or visually
impaired.
Article III.
Membership
Section 1. Any person 18 years of age or older shall be
eligible for membership in this organization.
Section 2. A majority (more than 50%) of the membership
shall be comprised of persons who are “legally” blind or visually impaired.
Section 3. Junior Members. A person under the age of 18
may apply for membership. They shall be considered junior members of NDAB and
may not hold office or have voting rights in the organization until the age of
18 has been attained. However, junior members of NDAB may serve as committee
members and shall have the right to participate in deliberations of the
organization while it is assembled in Convention.
Section 4. Honorary Members. The title of Honorary Member
may be conferred on any person at any convention by a majority vote. Persons,
so entitled, shall not hold office, vote or be required to pay dues.
Recognition as an honorary NDAB member may be conferred on any person outside
the organization whose service to the community has in some manner benefited
people who are blind or visually impaired.
Section 5. Lifetime Membership. The title of Lifetime
Member may be conferred on any worthy person at any convention. Persons, so
entitled, shall not be required to pay dues, but shall retain their full
membership rights. The recognition as a lifetime member shall be based upon
accumulated years of service to NDAB and the person so honored shall have
demonstrated a consistent dedication to the purposes for which the organization
was established.
Section 6. Application for Membership. Any person wishing
to become a member of this organization shall make application to the executive
board. The executive board reserves the right to approve the worthiness of
individuals who seek to become members of NDAB. An applicant seeking membership
shall not be excluded solely based upon their age, gender, race, religion,
sexual orientation nor for their membership in another consumer organization of
the blind.
Section 7. Dues. Membership dues shall be established or
changed at the annual convention by a two-thirds vote of the members present.
Members shall pay annual dues each year. Payment of annual dues shall be a
pre-requisite for the right to vote or hold office in NDAB. Members shall be
considered delinquent if current dues are not paid during that calendar
year.
Section 8. Delinquent members. Delinquent members may be
re-instated upon payment of current dues during a calendar year. If a member
does not pay current dues for more than one year, the person is no longer
considered to be a member and must reapply for membership.
Section 9. Suspension and Expulsion of Members.
1. A member
may be suspended or expelled for any of the following reasons:
2. Flagrant
violation of the constitution, by-laws or the rules of the organization.
3.
Unauthorized activity in the name of the organization.
4. A member
acts in such a manner that the individual’s activities relative to NDAB are
considered to be detrimental to the organization or the person in question
encourages such acts in others.
B. After due
notice, an accused member shall be entitled to a fair hearing by the executive
board, which upon proof of guilt shall suspend or expel the member.
1. The
decision of the executive board may be appealed to the convention by filing a
signed notice with the secretary thirty days in advance of the convention. A
two-thirds vote of the convention shall be required to reverse the ruling of
the executive board.
2. Members
who have been expelled for cause may apply for reinstatement.
3. A
two-thirds (2/3) vote of the executive board shall be required to reinstate
such a member.
Article IV.
Officers
Section 1. NDAB shall have the following officers:
president, vice president, secretary, treasurer and three directors. Other
officers may be added by a two-thirds vote of the convention. The president and
vice president and two of the directors must be legally blind or visually
impaired.
Section 2. Election of Officers
A. Officers
shall be elected for a term of two years and until a successor is elected or
appointed.
B. Directors
shall be elected for a term of three years and until a successor to that
directorship is elected or appointed. One director will be elected at each
annual convention.
C. The
president and vice president shall not be elected for a third consecutive term.
D. The Three
(3) directors shall not succeed themselves in that office.
E. Whenever
an office or directorship is vacated, the person who is appointed to fill that
position shall serve until the next Convention when an election for that office
must be held.
F. All
elected officers and directors shall reside within the State of North Dakota
during their terms of office.
G. To avoid
conflict of interest officers shall not hold office while serving as an officer
in another consumer organization of the blind.
H. Payment
of annual dues shall be a pre-requisite for the right to hold office in
NDAB.
I. Unless a
candidate is unopposed, all elections shall be by ballot and a majority of all
the votes cast shall be required for election.
J.
Installation of officers shall be made the last order of business of the convention
prior to adjournment.
Section 3. The president shall have the following duties:
A. To be the
chief administrative officer of the organization.
B. To
preside at all conventions and meetings of the executive board.
C. To be a
voting member of the executive board. As its presiding officer, the president
votes whenever a tie vote occurs, a secret ballot is cast or a poll of the
board is taken.
D. To be
informed as to the proper rules and procedures for conducting meetings in an
efficient and harmonious manner.
E. To
appoint a sergeant at arms and a parliamentarian for each convention. Duties of
the parliamentarian shall be to interpret and to clarify the Constitution,
By-Laws, standing rules, and rules of order at the request of the chair. Duties
of the sergeant-at-arms shall be to help maintain order and to insure that
voting is done in accordance with the standing rules of the convention.
F. To make
appointments to all vacancies not otherwise provided for.
G. To appoint
the members of all committees not otherwise provided for by the convention or
by the executive board and to replace vacancies that occur.
H. To serve
as ex-officio member on all committees with no voting rights.
Section 4. The vice president shall have the following
duties:
A. To
preside at meetings of the executive board when the president is absent from
the chair.
B. To
succeed to the office of president in case of death, resignation or
disqualification of the president.
C. To serve
as a voting member of the executive board.
Section 5. The secretary shall have the following Duties:
A. To take,
record and keep all minutes of meetings of the executive board and proceedings
of the convention and be prepared to present them upon request.
B. To submit
the minutes of board meetings and convention proceedings for publication in the
quarterly newsletter. Minutes taken while the board is in executive session for
the purpose of discussing matters that are of a sensitive nature may not be
submitted for publication.
C. To keep
on file records of all official transactions of the executive board and other
committees.
D. To call
the roll of the membership when requested by the chair. The response to roll
call shall determine whether a quorum has been established.
E. To keep a
roll of voting members at convention from a classified list. This list should
correspond to the one that which is kept by the treasurer.
F. To take
care of mailing and official correspondence when required to do so.
G. To serve
as a voting member of the executive board.
Section 6. The treasurer shall have the following Duties:
A. To be in
charge of collections of dues and special assessments.
B. To make
all disbursements authorized by the convention or the
executive board.
C. To be the
official custodian of all monies and commercial papers. In this capacity, the
treasurer is to receive all moneys paid to the account of NDAB and is to keep
an accurate record of the same.
D. To be the
official custodian of all property not otherwise provided for.
E. To keep
an accurate record of each financial transaction, and to procure an annual
audit of the books for presentation to the convention by a qualified auditor.
F. To
collaborate with an accountant or another qualified person to prepare the
organization’s 990 report to the IRS and insure that this report is submitted
before the filing deadline.
G. To keep a
classified list of all members that includes their status as to payment of
current dues.
H. To be
bonded at the expense of NDAB in an amount no less than is sufficient to
protect the assets of the organization at any given time.
I. To serve
as a voting member of the executive board.
Section 7. The directors shall have the following duties:
A. To
regularly attend meetings of the board and be knowledgeable about the business
that needs to be discussed and acted upon.
B. To be
actively involved in the activities of the organization and to provide leadership
on the committees of NDAB.
C. To serve
as voting members of the executive board.
Section 7. General. Each officer shall perform all duties
normally associated with the office according to Roberts Rules of Order Revised
and any additional duties assigned by the convention or the executive board.
Article V.
Executive Board
Section 1. Composition of the executive board.
A. NDAB
shall have an executive board composed of the president, vice president,
secretary, treasurer and three (3) directors. A majority of all members of the
board shall be legally blind.
B. The past
president and financial chairperson shall be ex-officio members of the
executive board.
Section 2. Duties of the Executive Board.
A. The
executive board shall serve as the governing body of NDAB between conventions.
B. The board
shall present a report of its meetings and activities to the convention. All
minutes of meetings of the executive board are to be published in the Promoter,
the official publication of NDAB.
C. The board
shall carry out the policies and programs of NDAB as adopted by the convention.
D. The board
shall supervise the planning of all conventions and set the dates of the annual
convention if not decided upon by the convention.
E. The board
shall review all applications of prospective members and shall vote on their
acceptance.
F. The board
shall share the information it has regarding the qualifications of new members.
G. The board
shall remove from service any inactive, inefficient or uncooperative committee
personnel.
H. The board
shall present a yearly report of its official acts at the annual convention.
Such acts are actions that have been taken in the name of NDAB and are not a
part of the policies and programs that have been adopted by the convention.
I. All
official actions taken by the executive board shall be subject to review by the
conventions of NDAB.
J. The
meetings of the executive board may be held in person or by telephone
conference call. The board members may be polled in writing and the secretary
shall keep a record of the votes cast.
K. The
executive board shall be called into session at the discretion of the president
or upon request of ten (10%) of the members of NDAB, or upon request of any
three (3) members of the executive board. The secretary shall notify the
members of the meeting at least fourteen (14) days prior to the scheduled
meeting by written notice to the mailing address of the member or e-mailing the
member or notifying them by telephone. Any member may object to the sufficiency
of the notice in writing or by appearing at the meeting. If a member does not
object to the sufficiency of the notice the member shall have waived the right
to object.
L. The
executive board shall hold a meeting at the time and place of the convention of
NDAB. To maintain organizational continuity, the executive board is instructed
to hold a minimum of 4 quarterly meetings per year and that an interval of 3
months should not pass between each executive board meeting. A quorum for the
business meetings of the executive board of directors shall be six (6) members.
All meetings of the executive board shall be open to all NDAB members and
others that are invited by the president. The only exception to this open
meeting rule is if the president is to convene the board in executive session
for the purpose of considering and discussing sensitive matters, issues and
information of a financial nature that are confidential to the parties
involved.
M. The board
shall hear charges brought against members and decide whether the member should
be suspended or expelled. Any board decision may be appealed to the convention.
N. The
executive board shall receive resolutions and present them to the convention.
O. Between
conventions the executive board shall have general supervision of the Promoter,
the official publication of NDAB.
Article VI.
Conventions
Section 1. The primary authority of NDAB shall reside
with the membership whenever it is assembled in convention and shall herein be
referred to as the convention.
Section 2. NDAB shall hold a regular annual convention
and may hold special conventions.
Section 3. The convention shall fix the time and place of
the next convention. If the convention fails to perform this duty the executive
board shall set the time and place for such.
Section 4. A notice of each convention shall be given to
all members at least thirty days prior to the meeting.
Section 5. A majority of the membership present at any
convention shall constitute a quorum.
Section 6. Roberts Rules of Order Revised shall govern on
all parliamentary questions not covered by this Constitution or the By-Laws of
NDAB.
Article VII.
Amending the Constitution
Section 1. This Constitution may be amended by the
following procedures:
A. The
executive board shall place the petition on the agenda of the next convention and
shall include a copy of the proposed amendment with the notice of the
convention mailed by the secretary.
B. A
two-thirds vote of all members present and voting shall be required for the
adoption of any amendment.
Section 2. A motion to amend the Constitution may be made
and considered at a regular convention.
A. The said
motion shall require a simple majority.
B. If the
motion to consider passes, the proposed amendment shall be placed on the agenda
of the next convention and a copy of the proposed amendment shall be included
with the notice of the convention mailed by the secretary.
C. A
two-thirds vote (2/3) of those present and voting is required to pass all
proposed amendments.
Article
VIII. Dissolution
Section 1. Upon the dissolution of this organization, the
executive board after paying or making provisions for the payment of all of the
liabilities of NDAB, shall dispose of all the assets of this corporation to
such organizations which have been organized and operated exclusively for
charitable, educational, religious, or scientific purposes qualifying under
section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code and any future tax code.
Article IX.
Miscellaneous Provisions
Section 1. NDAB is organized and located in the state of
North Dakota as a not for profit corporation under the laws of North Dakota and
501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue code or any future tax code.
Section 2. North Dakota Association of the Blind is a
state affiliate of the American Council of the Blind (ACB). Through this
affiliation, all members of NDAB are also members of the American Council of
the Blind and have all the rights and privileges so conferred by such
membership.
BY-LAWS
AND STANDING RULES
of the NORTH
DAKOTA ASSOCIATION OF THE BLIND, INC. (NDAB)
ARTICLE I –
MISSION STATEMENT.
Section 1. The intent of the mission statement is to
serve as an abbreviated version of the purposes for which North Dakota
Association of the Blind (NDAB) has been established. A complete list of
purposes can be found in the NdAB Constitution.
Section 2. The mission of NDAB shall be: We strive to
enhance the way of life for persons who are blind and visually impaired, to
improve their opportunities for employment and to create greater public
awareness about the needs and capabilities of persons with sight loss.
ARTICLE II -
MEMBERSHIP
Section 1. Members shall pay annual dues by February 1 of
each year. Payment of annual dues shall be a pre-requisite for the right to
vote or hold office in NDAB.
Section 2. Members shall be considered delinquent if
current dues are not paid by March 15.
Section 3. Delinquent members may be re-instated upon
payment of current dues. If a member’s current dues are not paid during a
calendar year, that person’s membership is forfeited and they must reapply to
become a member.
Section 4. Membership dues. Current annual general
membership dues have been set at $15. Unless any duly assembled convention
chooses, membership dues will not change from one year to the next. Dues are
established by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of any assembled convention. Dues that
are changed by an assembled convention shall take effect the following year.
Junior membership in NDAB shall be $3 per member, unless any convention takes
action to change dues for this membership class.
Section 5. While conventions are in session, members
shall be respectful of others and shall be attentive to the business at hand.
Section 6. Members shall not engage in activities in the
name of NDAB which are determined to reflect negatively on the good name of
this organization or to engage in activities that are determined to be
detrimental to its mission.
ARTICLE II –
OFFICERS
Section 1. Election of officers shall be conducted on the
last day of the convention and their installation shall be made the final order
of business prior to adjournment.
Section 2. A complete list of the qualifications and
duties of officers and board directors are outlined in the Constitution of this
organization.
Section 3. Election for the offices of president, vice
president, secretary and treasurer shall be conducted at conventions held in
the even numbered years.
Section 4. The vice president shall be a permanent
chairperson of the membership committee.
Section 5. The secretary shall issue notices of
conventions and other meetings as instructed by the executive board.
1. Notices
of meetings shall be issued not less than thirty (30) days prior to such
conventions or meetings.
2. The text
of proposed amendments to the Constitution, By-Laws or Standing Rules may be
included with notices of meetings.
Section 6. The treasurer shall pay the expenses that are
incurred by the organization which have been approved by the board or have been
included as a part of the annual budget that was enacted by the convention.
These disbursements shall be made by bank check.
The
treasurer shall prepare an annual financial report that is subject to audit by
a qualified auditor.
ARTICLE III
- EXECUTIVE BOARD
Section 1. The president, vice president, secretary,
treasurer, and three (3) directors shall constitute the executive board of
NDAB. The past president and financial chairperson shall be ex-officio members
of the executive board.
Section 2. The executive board shall receive and act upon
petitions by members if such petitions carry the names of at least ten percent
(10%) of members in good standing.
Section 3. The executive board may suspend a member and
present the case to the next convention with recommendations for probation,
expulsion, or acquittal.
Section 4. The executive board shall fill vacated offices
for the period of the unexpired term.
Section 5. The executive board shall make an annual
report to the convention.
Section 6. Members of the executive board shall be
reimbursed for the necessary expenses they have incurred on behalf of NDAB.
Section 7. The executive board shall be kept informed of
matters of business concerning NDAB by the president and/or the secretary.
Section 8. For voting purposes, the executive board may
be polled by postal mail, electronic mail or telephone call. The secretary
shall keep an accurate record of such polls. The executive board shall be
called into full executive session at the discretion of the president or on
petition by ten (10%) of the members of NDAB or upon petition of any three (3)
members of the executive board.
ARTICLE IV -
COMMITTEES
Section 1. The standing committees of NDAB shall be:
Executive, Membership, Public Relations, Finance, Legislative/Liaison, Summer
Camp for Adults, Scholarship, Family Adjustment Seminar, and Sports and
Recreation.
Section 2. Special committees may be appointed by the
president if deemed necessary.
Section 3. A committee chairperson may be granted the
privilege of appointing their preferences for committee or sub-committee
members.
Section 4. Members of any committee who incur expenses on
behalf of NDAB shall be reimbursed, subject to approval by the executive board.
ARTICLE V -
RULES OF ORDER
/Section 1. Robert’s Rules of Order, Revised shall
govern on all parliamentary questions not otherwise provided for in the
Articles of Incorporation or in the By-Laws.
ARTICLE VI -
AMENDMENTS TO the BY-LAWS
Section 1. Any proposed amendment to these By-Laws shall
be submitted in writing to the executive board at least 60 days prior to the
convention.
Section 2. A motion to amend the By-Laws may also
originate from the floor of a regular convention. A motion to consider the
amendment shall be entertained. The said motion shall require a simple
majority. If the motion to consider passes, the proposed amendment shall be
placed on the agenda of the next convention.
Section 3. A two-thirds (2/3) vote of those present and
voting at a convention is required to pass all proposed amendments.
STANDING RULES
Section 1. The PROMOTER shall be the official publication
of NDAB.
Section 2. Official notices shall be published in the
Promoter.
Section 3. The policies of the Promoter shall be
determined by the convention of NDAB.
Section 4. The executive board shall be responsible to
the convention for the approved policies of the Promoter.
Section 5. The convention shall annually elect an editor
for the Promoter.
Section 6. The secretary shall have a copy of the By-Laws
and Standing Rules at hand during conventions.
Section 7. Members in good standing entitled to vote
shall wear during elections, a mark of identification such as a tag, colored
ribbon or other token which identifies their eligibility to vote.
Section 8. Those qualified to vote at conventions of NDAB
shall be members in good standing and have paid their membership dues.
Non-voting members include those who have been recognized as honorary members,
junior members, guests and delinquent members who haven’t yet paid their dues
prior to the time of convention.
Section 9. A secret ballot may be called for by any
member when controversial matters are being considered.
Section 10. The president shall appoint three (3)
tellers for all secret balloting.
PAID YOUR 2010 NDAB DUES?
If
you have forgotten to pay your dues, and you would like to remain a member,
please send $15.00 to NDAB Treasurer:
Renae Huseby, 3926 Dakota Drive, Grand Forks, ND
58201.
Williston Awaits Your Arrival!
The Airport International Inn in Williston is the site for our 2010
state convention June 11-13. If you haven’t received your convention packet
yet, it will be coming soon. Don’t delay in sending in your registration form
and calling for your hotel reservations! Sleeping rooms are very limited in
Williston and we feel fortunate that a block of twenty rooms was set aside for
us. Once the deadline has passed, the chance of finding a place to stay is slim
to none.
Our convention theme is “True Vision Goes Beyond Sight”. A fun,
informative weekend is planned. As NDAB members, it is our responsibility to
take part in the business of our organization. We look forward to seeing you!
Loris Van Berkom, Convention Chairperson
From your Nominating Committee
It would be nice to have a little competition in the upcoming election
to be held during our state convention.
If anyone is interested in running for any of the offices listed here,
please feel free to stand up and have your say.
President:
Michelle Zentz
Vice President:
Milissa Miller
Secretary:
Susan Jorgenson
Treasurer: Helen
Baumgartner
Board Member:
Lola Huwe
Editor:
Zelda Gebhard
NDAB BOARD MEETING, 10-10-09
BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT: Michelle,
Milissa, Karlyn, Kathy, Mavis, Shereen, Mark, Renae
ABSENT: Rick
GUEST: Stan Larson
President Michelle called the
board meeting to order on Saturday, October 10th at 7:15 pm following the
Family Adjustment Seminar and Staff meeting held at the Airport International
Inn, Minot.
Michelle reviewed the meeting agenda.
One item, that being Liability was added to the agenda. Shereen moved to approve the agenda as
read. The motion was seconded and
carried.
SECRETARY’S REPORT
Karlyn read the minutes from the 8-23-09 Board Meeting. There were no additions or corrections. Mavis moved to accept the minutes as
read. The motion was seconded and
carried.
TREASURER’S REPORT
Renae Huseby reported on the income and the expenses, along with the
bank balance to date.
FINANCIAL REPORT
Kathy Larson reported that she'd be sending letters to all the Lion's
clubs at Christmas.
MEMBERSHIP REPORT
Kathy moved to accept the name of Val Shell as a new member of
NDAB. The motion was seconded and
carried. Missy reported that total
membership is 188 including Val. Missy
has received a few more calls due to the PSA regarding NDAB. She reported that an artist from Grand Forks
had called her and said he'd create a logo for NDAB. The Board agreed she could find out more
about this, what it would cost us, the details etc.
CORRESPONDANCE
Michelle has the DVD that was replaced and will give it to Loris for
summer camp use.
COMMITTEE REPORTS
1. Constitution and ByLaws: No further action has occurred. Lester is waiting on Al Peterson.
2. Family Adjustment Seminar: This was discussed at the staff meeting prior
to the Board Meeting.
3. Public Relations: Actions have been taken to recognize White
Cane Safety Day and the data base has been restored.
4. Sports and Recreation: Ski For Light is scheduled for January
24th-29th and there is a cost increase to attend. It is $250 per person or with a Scholarship
$125, but it may be reduced by the sale of raffle tickets. Jesse and Amy will be making arrangements
through SFL and NDVSSB.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
1. The Delegate's Manual,
Editor's Manual, and Scholarship Manual all have been completed and approved by
the Board via e-mail.
2. Michelle received more
information from Linda Madsen regarding the project of Placemats from NDCPD
publicizing NDAB. They are generic for
public use. No further action will be
taken.
3. High-Performing Boards-
Mark, Missy, Michelle and Allan all attended the “Governing for Superior
Results” workshop. The attendees agreed
that it was very informative.
4. Strategic Planning Meetings
next week-several NDAB members plan to attend.
The brainstorming discussion was tabled until after these events.
NEW BUSINESS
1. Next Board Meeting: Missy moved to hold the next meeting January
17th, 2010. The motion was
seconded and carried.
2. Family Adjustment
Seminar and Robert John LePage Manuals:
These manuals have been completed and will need final approval via e-mail.
Additional recommendations made by Janelle Olson will be added to the Seminar
Manual, following the Seminar. The Seminar
Chairperson/s will call family members who will be attending the
Seminar one week prior to the Seminar, to review the particulars
related to lodging and accommodations.
3. A.T. Expo April 15th: Speakers are being sought for this
event. If an organization has an
individual present a 50 minute segment, the $75 fee is waived. It was tabled for now.
4. Fundraiser: A discussion was held on whether the Board
would support selling homemade items at a craft show. One of the Board Members volunteered to make
the items. The Board didn't recommend
that we try this as they didn't feel it would be as profitable as it is during
the summer camp auction. Selling Papa
Murphy's coupons will be checked out by Shereen, and she will get back to
Kathy. Organizations keep $4.00 of the $5 cost.
5. Liability:
There was discussion on what protocol NDAB should follow if and when an
individual has an incident at an NDAB function, that could require emergency
medical attention and the family says “no”. Renae will contact Lester
Ketterling for his advice.
6. Missy agreed to collect any
NDAB money and deposit it, if Renae goes south this winter.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
1. There weren't any announcements.
The meeting adjourned at 8:25pm.
Respectfully Submitted,
Karlyn Frantsen, Secretary
10-18-09
NDAB BOARD MEETING 1-17-10
BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT: Michelle,
Milissa, Karlyn, Kathy, Mavis, Shereen, Mark, Renae. Rick
President Michelle called the board meeting to order on Sunday, January
17th, 2010 at 7:05pm. Members
were connected via a teleconference.
Karlyn read the meeting agenda.
Mavis moved to approve the agenda as read. The motion was seconded and carried.
SECRETARY’S
REPORT
Karlyn read the minutes from the 10-10-09 Board Meeting. There was a question asked regarding an item
in the minutes, but there were no additions or corrections. Shereen moved to accept the minutes as
read. The motion was seconded and
carried.
TREASURER’S
REPORT
Renae Huseby reported on the income and the expenses, along with the
bank balance to date. She thanked Missy
for her assistance with collecting the dues etc. while she is out of state.
FINANCIAL
REPORT
Kathy Larson reported on the Papa Murphy Coupon sales which have seen
$1,945. collected thus far. There is
some money yet to be collected. Letters
were sent to the Lions, and $250 has come in thus far. There was $400 that came in after the year
end last year, so the total to date is $650. from the Lions. Kathy is starting to work on the packets for
the Walk-a-thon which is scheduled for April 24th. She will get them sent out in February.
MEMBERSHIP REPORT
Missy reported our membership count is 189, with four new members
approved via e-mail since the last meeting.
They are as follows: 10-20-09
Ervin Bohrer, Bismarck, 11-2-09 Geraldine Florence, Velva, 11-21-09 Ethel
Halvorson, McVille, and 1-14-10 Dawn Freemont, Minot. She had received dues from a member and also
for his wife (who isn't a member), and she will send her an application
form. Missy stated that the dues are
coming in fairly well.
CORRESPONDANCE
Karlyn read a statement from Midcontinent for the months of July 2009
through September 2009. The NDAB PSA
aired 22,586 times in that period, for a value of $136,616.00 which is paid in
full. Michelle stated she also had a
more recent statement.
It was noted that one very negative comment was received by e-mail
regarding this PSA. Michelle had
responded to her e-mail and asked for specifics, but no further response was
received.
A thank you note was read from the family of Don Neal.
COMMITTEE
REPORTS
5. Camp: Rick reported that August 8th-15th
are the dates for the 2010 camp. The
banquet theme will be “Birthdays”, with campers urged to dress in outfits for
the year they were born. Mary Stip is
charge of the banquet.
6. Convention: Kathy reported on the preparations made thus
far for the 2010 Williston Convention June 11th, 12th,
& 13th. The theme will
be: “TRUE VISION GOES BEYOND
SIGHT”. Other plans that have been made,
were shared with the Board, for their final approval to be made in April once
the agenda has been finalized.
7. Constitution and
Bylaws: Al and Lester are working on it
and have the rough draft of the revisions completed. It will go to Zelda next.
8. Legislative: Michelle reported that both Allan and Zelda
plan to attend the ACB Legislative Forum which is scheduled for February 20th-23rd.
9. Public Relations: Mavis reported briefly on the news clips she,
Dick Veal and Mike Beck were featured in on October 23rd and
November 27th. Michelle
reported that five cities signed proclamations of the 18 that were sent to
Mayors. There was a Williston radio
promotion by Janelle and at least three newspapers published the article
regarding White Cane Safety Day which was written by Janelle. A City Councilman met with the Low Vision
Group in Minot and The Fargo mayor met with NDAB members at the library with
proclamation.
10.
Scholarship: Applications have
been sent out by Tammy and she has not received any back.
11.
Robert John LePage Committee: ND
Lion has received the article to be published this month, and Kathy sent out
110 letters to the Lions clubs.
UNFINISHED
BUSINESS
5. Papa Murphy coupon sales
received an o.k. to proceed via telephone by Shereen.
6. Approval of the Robert John
LePage Service Manual and the Ed Christensen Award Manual was received by
e-mail from the Board Members.
7. The Family Adjustment
Seminar and the Camp Director Manuals are in production.
8. Following the last meeting,
Renae had contacted Lester Ketterling regarding the question we had regarding
NDAB being liable for any incidents at NDAB functions that could require
emergency medical attention. She sent
this information to the Board members.
No further action needs to be taken.
We have general liability insurance, as well as the Good Samaritan Law.
9. Missy hasn't seen the logo
that was created by “Jessie” from Grand Forks for NDAB. He said he would donate it to us, but no
further communication was made between the two regarding the details. No further action will be taken by the Board
at this time.
10.
A decision was made before the meeting, that we will not have a speaker
from NDAB at the A.T. Expo. Renae will
mail the check with the required amount.
11.
Mavis spoke to the Strategic Planning workshop which she attended. She stated that Strategic Planning is a
general road map to where we are going, with short term goals and long term
goals needing to be determined. She
asked the Board what three aspects of NDAB that needs help, with Membership,
Fund Raising, and Financial being mentioned in response to her question. After much discussion by the Board and
recommendations made by Mavis, the Board approved of forming a Task Force
Committee for Strategic Planning.
Michelle appointed Mavis as the Chairperson, and Mavis will find 5-7
members to serve with her on this committee.
This committee will report back to the Board.
NEW
BUSINESS
7. Next Board Meeting: It was decided to hold the next
teleconference Board Meeting on April 11th at 7pm. Rick will set up the call, and Michelle
thanked him for coordinating this conference call.
8. It was questioned if the
winner of the Ed Christensen Award should be notified ahead of time, so he/she
would be prepared for a verbal response at the time of the presentation. The Board agreed to leave it as we have been
doing it and to leave it as a surprise for everyone.
9. The Historian Manual was
reviewed by the Board at an earlier date by e-mail. Renae moved to approve the Manual as
written. The motion was seconded and
carried.
10.
The Dubbing Machine needs to be repaired- it does work, and will record
two tapes instead of three. Michelle
informed the Board that the Methodist Church in Edgely has an identical machine
that is not being used, along with 200 cassettes, which they will give to us
for a donation. There was a discussion
on what amount would be acceptable, and some figures were stated that would be
fair. Rick moved to donate $100 to the
Church. The motion was seconded and
carried. It was agreed that it would be
alright to have Michelle check with Zelda to see where our machine could be
fixed, if it could be fixed and the cost.
11.
After discussion, Shereen moved to allow $40 instead of the current $25
a day for the ACB Legislative Forum meals.
The motion was seconded and carried.
The Board in April 2009 allowed the same for the ACB convention meals.
12.
Information was given to the Board prior to the meeting about
advertising in the Giving Magazine, which will be launched in January across
the Dakotas and western Minnesota. It is
the first industry specific magazine in the region. The Board will take no action on this.
13.
It was also decided not to take any action on Braille Brand Ribbons for
a fund raiser.
14.
No action, as well, will be taken for the Beta Testing opportunity for
Membership Certification.
15.
Kathy noted that a member, who is a Tupperware dealer, inquired if we'd
be interested in sponsoring parties, of which NDAB would receive 40% of the
sales. After some discussion, it was
decided that the board will notify this member, and suggest she place an
article in the Promoter to inform members of this opportunity if they would be
interested to host parties on an individual basis.
16.
A discussion was held on Consent agendas which was learned about at the
Hi Performance Board Meeting workshop, to see if the Board would be interested
in trying this. A Consent Agenda is a
bundle of items that is voted on, without discussion, as a package. It differentiates between routine matters not
needing explanation and more complex issues needing examination. The main purpose of a consent agenda is to
liberate board meetings from administrative details, repetitious discussions,
and misdirected attention. Kathy moved
that we give this a try for the April meeting, and then decide after that if we
want to continue using the Consent Agendas.
The motion was seconded and carried.
Board members will need to have their reports etc. in to Michelle by March
28th, which is two weeks prior to the April meeting, and at which
time she will get all the information sent to the Board for their review, and
in preparation for the meeting.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
There weren't any announcements.
The meeting adjourned at 9:20pm.
Respectfully Submitted,
Karlyn Frantsen, Secretary
4-11-10
2010 Black Hills Regional Ski for Light
By Dave Sundeen and
Jesse Shirek
Ski for Light is a program of cross-country
skiing benefiting blind, visually-impaired, and mobility-impaired individuals.
The Black Hills Regional Ski for Light has evolved over the years to include
cross-country skiing, downhill skiing and snow shoeing. The event takes place
at the Terry Peak Ski Resort for downhill skiers and Wharf Resources Area for
cross-country and those who snowshoe.
This
year inclement weather delayed our departure until Tuesday, January 26th.
The charter bus left Fargo at 7 a.m. It made stops in Jamestown, Bismarck,
Dickinson and Bowman before arriving at the Mineral Palace Hotel for
registration. The bus brought a group of eager skiers, guides, and volunteers
to South Dakota. This year the weather cooperated temperatures were between 25°
and 35° all week. The area had received a sufficient amount of snow during the
winter with temperatures staying near freezing, this produced near-perfect
conditions for skiing.
This
year the Ski for Light board decided to continue with an extra day of skiing.
The dates for the event were from January 25th through the 30th,
with hotel check-in beginning on Sunday, January 24th. Cross-country
skiers were fed at the Warf Resources site. With meals consisting of barbecued
pork sandwiches, turkey sandwiches, buffalo chili and homemade soup, which made
for a great outdoor picnic and refueling station for the skiers and their
guides.
The evenings
were filled with a flurry of activities starting with an all-you-can-eat
meatball buffet, on Monday night at Saloon #10, with a band and dancing after
the meal. Tuesday night was spent at the Lucky Nugget for a Texas Hold’em Poker
Tournament as well as live musical entertainment. On Wednesday there was a
picnic for lunch at the wharf area for all the guides, volunteers and
participants, with time for everyone to socialize all afternoon. At 4:00 pm
there was a bonfire and the evening’s activity was karaoke at the Lucky Nugget.
Let us tell you this about the karaoke; it was clearly not a requirement to be
able to sing on key, in order to participate in the fun. On Thursday there was
a slot tournament at the Mineral Palace. Friday brought the race day for all
skiers and those who snowshoe culminating in an awards banquet at the Golden
Hills Resort. Congratulations to the North Dakota winners: Brian Burlingame 2nd place in the 1K
Men’s Under 35 Partially Sighted, Kenny Meyers 1st place in the 1K Men’s Over 35 Partially Sighted & 1st place in the
Rally Race, Krista Doubek 2nd place
in the 5K Women’s
Under 35 Partially Sighted, Tammy Winn 2nd place in the 5K Women’s Over 35 Partially Sighted & 3rd
place in the Rally Race, Dave Sundeen 1st place in the 5K Men’s Over 35 Totally Blind and Dave McCloud with
a blazing fast speed of 22 minutes to take 1st place in the 5K Men’s Over 35 Partially Sighted.
On
Saturday morning January 30th the bus returned to North Dakota; all
participants, guides and volunteers happily tired and ready to go home to share
their stories of new found friendship and old acquaintances with their family
and friends at home.
The
participants, guides, and volunteers would like to extend a special “thank-you”
to North Dakota Association of the Blind (NDAB), Judy Iten of Judy’s Leisure
Tours of Fargo, Schuck Bus Company of Moorhead, the North Dakota School for the
Blind Foundation, Gateway Lions Club of Fargo and North Dakota Vision
Service/School for the Blind for all their help in planning and organizing the
trip from North Dakota to Deadwood, South Dakota.
Make
sure to mark your calendars for the 32st Black Hill Regional Ski for
Light January 24-28th, 2011 (date subject to change).
My Week at the School
By Zelda
Gebhard
In December, I had the opportunity to spend a week at the North Dakota
Vision Services/School for the Blind in Grand Forks. I was there for an “adult week”. There are
six such weeks scheduled each year.
You may be asking yourself, “Who should attend? What do you do when you get there? Who is responsible for the cost?” Since the
answers vary from person to person, I won’t attempt to answer these
questions. For the answers to these and
other questions you may have, I suggest that you call the staff at NDVS/SB at
701-795-2700.
I am going to attempt to explain why I won’t try to answer your
questions in this short article. Even
though we, as individuals with sight loss, have that in common, we are as
varied and unique as any other individuals in society. We come from different backgrounds, education
and experiences. Even that which we have
in common, vision loss, varies greatly.
Our vision loss may be partial, total, with us from birth or resulting
very recently. Our vision loss might be
slow and gradual or sudden and dramatic.
What the staff at the school does (and they do it very well) is help you
evaluate your current needs and then start addressing those needs. They accept
you as the unique individual you are and go from there.
What I would like to do is share my experience with you. Keep in mind though, that your experience
would be similar but uniquely yours because you and I have different needs and
different goals.
Many of you know I have fundus flavimaculotus which is a genetic eye
disorder that affects the retina in a fashion similar to macular degeneration. Because of the progressive nature of this
disease, I find myself having to continually adjust to advancing sight loss as
time goes on. Because of this, I
regularly need to add new “trinkets and tricks” to my life to help me function
as well as I can at work and at home. I
have been adjusting and readjusting to this vision loss all of my life.
Last fall, I called Amy Brunner, Vision Specialist with NDVS/SB. Amy lives in
I had previously had the privilege of meeting many of the staff. Quite a number of them are fellow NDAB
members, some like Pat Hill and Candy Lien I met at the AER Convention two
years ago. I met Paul Olson and Carmen
Suminski when I testified at a Senate Appropriations Committee Hearing at the
capitol. I serve on the ND Vision Work
Group with Ken Dockter, Paul, Amy and Carmen.
As a member of the NDVS/SB Advisory Council member I have had the opportunity
to tour the physical building and meet more of the staff. Others like Katrina Wendel have been to NDAB
Summer camp as guests during our guest day or like Jesse Shirek as a fellow
camper (and canoe paddler). Though I
have had an opportunity to meet and get acquainted with many of the staff, I
had not seen them in action, at work, on their turf!
What I found during my week was that this is an amazing group of
dedicated individuals with one common goal – getting me where I need to be by
evaluating, training, teaching, counseling, and encouraging. As they are doing all this, they are doing
something important but probably not listed on their job descriptions –
caring. This is apparent in so many ways
such as in the cooperation of staff to adapt my schedule to accommodate
unforeseen requests like the morning I decided I would like to spend more time
in technology with Tracy Wicken. Amy
then rearranged her plans so I could do that.
At the beginning, each individual attending has a daily schedule: time spent in Daily Living Skills, Braille,
Technology, Orientation and Mobility, Group Therapy, and Leisure
Activities. The good news is though they
have a plan and a schedule they are flexible.
The individual is more important than the schedule.
My husband, Steven drove me to Grand Forks on Sunday afternoon. When we arrived, we were greeted by Amy and
one of the “houseparents”. During the
evening hours and overnight when the rest of the staff has gone home for the
day, there is someone present in case you need them. I found most of them were young,
predominantly college students who were friendly and very helpful. There is an area for attendees to stay while
at the school. That was a big relief to
me as staying somewhere else and then arranging for transportation would be a
cause of anxiety and stress for me. The
accommodations were clean and comfortable. There is a cluster of rooms around a
common area equipped with a big screen television, couches, tables and chairs
and a kitchenette. The suite I stayed in
had two bedrooms joined together by a shared bathroom. Each bedroom was equipped with two twin beds,
closet and sink. The bed linens and
towels were provided.
Each morning began with breakfast, eaten together with the other
individuals attending that week. Meals
were a great time to get acquainted.
After breakfast, it was off to class.
My first class was technology with Tracy Wicken. Throughout the week I had the opportunity to
try out the new CCTV’s, magnifiers and other low vision aids and get some hands
on experience with two of the software programs that have magnification and
speech for the computer.
Next was braille with Candy Lien.
Though I was interested in braille, I did not anticipate that it would
be so much fun! I felt like a first
grade student as I learned the first 11 letters of the alphabet and was then
able to read (limited to those letters, of course) and write with the help of a
manual brailler and even try out a stylus too!
At this point in my vision loss, I am not sure whether I will take the
time to learn the rest of the alphabet and then practice enough so braille
would be efficient for me to use on a daily basis or not. What I do know now is that reading braille is
something I can do. Before this
experience I hadn’t had the exposure to it and when I had felt the raised bumps
I had little hope of being able to distinguish one group of dots from
another.
After braille, I had daily living skills with Amy and/or Ken. Quite often we would prepare lunch as we
practiced low vision kitchen skills. I
was exposed to many techniques and tricks from how to sweep the floor (and not
miss areas); marking measuring spoons and cups, and marking cans to prevent
“surprises” while cooking.
Following lunch we had a group session which was led by Katrina and
Jesse. This was a time to share, to
listen and to contemplate. This was a
good opportunity to get acquainted with each other and to look at things in a
new perspective.
Orientation and Mobility with Paul followed group. After a very thorough discussion and
evaluation of some of my abilities and also my challenges I face getting from
place to place, we decided to take the plunge and get a cane. I chose a little folding cane that will
easily fit in my purse. This cane will
help me at night to find those curbs and steps.
The cane will also be beneficial in letting others know that I have
vision loss and hopefully they will understand why I am hesitating and unsure
at times. My cane will also remind the
bus driver that he should announce the bus stops. Yes, my new cane gave me the courage to try
riding on the city bus in Grand Forks!
This country girl had never had an opportunity to ride a city bus so
this was an adventure for me! Not a
scary one though because I knew Paul was going to meet me at my previously
approved destination. If I didn’t arrive
there he would backtrack and eventually find me. My successful bus ride gave me confidence and
a feeling of independence that is difficult for me to describe but it sure felt
good!
Throughout the week I had the opportunity to do several other
things. As a part of Leisure skills,
Jesse took us to a pottery shop called Muddy Waters and we were introduced to
the world of clay. We spent two sessions
with a wonderfully patient potter who led us through the formation of hand
formed pieces and we even got to try our hand at the potting wheel. The instructor made it look so easy! It wasn’t easy for me but it was definitely
fun!
What did we do in the evenings?
What we did in the evening was our choice. There were a couple planned events. We went to a concert by the Air Force at the
Chester Fritz Auditorium. It was truly
awesome! The music was great with
amazing lighting and props. It was
hosted by the Grand Forks Air Force and we were able to attend absolutely
free! One evening Amy arranged for
public transportation and she and I went Christmas shopping. I spent another evening with my son, his wife
and my two granddaughters. We ate,
played and then went for a drive to enjoy the Christmas lights and made a stop
at Dairy Queen for ice cream before returning to the school for the night.
Time was also spent listening to music, watching TV, visiting with one
another or resting in our rooms. I spent
some time sewing names on Christmas stockings for my grandchildren.
During the week I took a few minutes here and there to: Shop at the
“Store” with Pamela Hesse. There is a
collection of very helpful aids like needle threaders, jumbo playing cards,
check writing guides, computer keyboard labels and much more.
I also expressed interest in the library and was given a very thorough
tour by Donna Metzger, the librarian. I
offered her a copy of the Promoter to add to the other newsletters and
periodicals they keep in the library and she gratefully accepted my offer. There are some great resources housed in this
library! Check it out!
It doesn’t matter whether you are currently working with a vision
specialist with the Older Blind program or a counselor from State
Rehabilitation Consulting and Services (VR) in your region or an adult vision
specialist with NDVS/SB (Amy or Jesse)
or maybe you aren’t currently receiving services from any of the above, give
someone a call today. If you are from the western part of the state, call Amy at
701-857-7634 and if you live in the eastern part, call Jesse at
701-795-2731. To find the number of the
vision specialist or counselor from VR that serves your region, call
800-755-2745. The next adult weeks are in June and July and after that there
will be two weeks in September.
Whether you need to learn new skills or brush up on some old ones, I
believe attending an adult week would be beneficial for you. It sure was good for me!
2010 NDAB Summer Camp
The 40th annual NDAB Summer Camp will be held August 8-15 at
the Elks Camp Grassick. Plans are underway for another week of fun and great
fellowship. The banquet theme this year is “Birthday Party”. Come dressed like
the styles that were popular in the decade of your birth or just come ready to
celebrate birthdays.
The camp information letter and application form will be mailed out
towards the end of June. The application form will be due back by July 15.
Below are the camp guidelines. If you have any questions or have a
prospective new camper in mind, contact me at (701) 774-3399 or e-mail at loberkom@dia.net. Any prospective new
campers will need to meet the guidelines before being sent the camp information
packet.
NDAB SUMMER CAMP GUIDELINES
PURPOSE
1. To provide an opportunity for persons who are visually impaired to
come in contact with persons with similar impairments and share a common
concern.
2. To help in the process of adjusting to blindness.
3. To provide an opportunity to learn new skills, techniques, and
leisure time activities to enhance the quality of life.
ELIGIBILITY
1. Must be at least 18 years of age with vision loss as the primary
disability.
2. Must be capable of participating in the program set-up for camp.
a. Must be able to care for
ones personal needs including bathing, dressing, eating, etc.
b. Must be physically able to
get oneself around the camp grounds, with the exclusion of difficulty with
mobility due to vision loss.
3. Must be cooperative and demonstrate willingness to abide by the
regulations of camp.
a. Alcoholic beverages and/or
unauthorized drugs are not allowed on the camp grounds. Any violators will be
promptly sent home at their own expense.
b. All campers must remain
overnight at camp.
c. Campers must attend the
entire week of camp unless other arrangements have been made with the co-camp
directors, or a situation arises, such as an illness or a family emergency.
d. Participants must notify one
of the directors if leaving the campus for any reason.
4. Must demonstrate respect for authority.
5. Must display consideration for fellow campers.
GEOGRAPHICAL ELIGIBILITY Guidelines
1. Any adult who is visually
impaired and not a North Dakota resident but is attending a North Dakota
college or university will be eligible to attend the NDAB Summer Camp at no
cost.
2. One member of ACB leadership
will be eligible to attend the NDAB Summer Camp annually as a camper at no
cost.
3. Any adult who is visually
impaired and who lives in another state other than North Dakota could attend
camp but must pay for their room and board, which is set by the Elks Camp
Grassick Director. At this time, the cost is $200. Any adult who is visually
impaired and lives in a border town may attend at no cost. Border towns include
East Grand Forks, Moorhead, Breckenridge and West Fairview.
4. Camp capacity, which is set by
the Elks Camp Grassick Director, is 60 people. Residents of North Dakota would
be given preference to out of state campers if the camp capacity were
reached.
5. Any member of NDAB who moved
out of state but continued to pay their annual dues would be eligible to attend
camp at no cost.
Submitted by Loris Van Berkom, Co-Camp Director
Calling All Jewelry
Lovers…Brailed Alphabet Bracelets for Sale
Our latest fund-raiser
for NDAB is the sale of pewter brailed bracelets. They will be available for
purchase at our annual NDAB Convention in Williston in June. The cost is $25,
normally selling for $30. They are beautifully handcrafted with a braille
letter on each pewter piece, so plan to bring along some extra cash and buy one
for yourself or for a friend.
NDAB
Family News
Bismarck Area News
By Mavis Anderson
Dr. Michael Ranum was the featured speaker at the Senior Low Vision group
meeting in February. He is a low vision
specialist who came with many bells, whistles and gadgets to show us. The industry is coming up with many new
products. Although Dr. Ranum is
affiliated with the Dakota Eye Institute, the plan is to make his services
available to various eye clinics in town.
March found us looking at Mike Beck’s sample case and suddenly we were
conducting our own exchange of ideas and offering help to one another as to how
we manage various problems.
We visited the Crescent Manor for our April meeting. It is a high rise facility for older
residents. There were only five of us who ventured over there but there were
many residents who came in for a ‘look-see’.
It always amazes me that some people don’t know what exists out there
that could help them to deal with their problems.
I have taken my “dog and pony show” on the road and I visited low vision
groups at the Waterford and Primrose.
Both of them are independent/assisted living facilities. What a novel concept to have someone who HAS
a vision problem visit with a low vision group.
Any resemblance to a mini Family Adjustment Seminar was purely
coincidental.
Meanwhile the Meetin’ and Eatin’ Group have been meeting at the China
Star, Steak Buffet and April will find them at Pizza Ranch.
Bob Westemeyer plans to fly off to Las Vegas to visit his dad. I’m sure he doesn’t plan to let his coins
just rest in his pocket. Hopefully, he
will come back with more than he went with.
It has been a sad time for LaVonne and Randy Tank. They had to put their dog down. He had been their friend for thirteen
years.
Denise Kirsch has been called for jury duty on April 15th. What is it they say about death and taxes?
|
Grand Forks Area News
By Ruth
Phalen
Isn’t it great to have spring?
It’s hard to believe how nice it has been since the end of
February. Here in Grand Forks we have
not had any snow since then and our snow is finally gone. More than that, it’s been awhile since we’ve
had ice. The ice is a big thing that
keeps us inside during the winter.
Between the ice and the cold most of us have only been out when we
needed to be and there have been very few occasions to be with others in our
group.
Renee and Gary Huseby are back from their winter stay on South Padre
Island. Now Renee, Rom Thielman and Olga
Neal are working on the walk-a-thon here in Grand Forks on April 24. We hope to see many of our area members then
and will find out how they have ‘wintered’.
I am planning to walk and hope I can do the whole course – it will
depend on the weather.
Our senior support group has met every month. In February we heard from the nurse at the
Senior Center about the services they provide there. The importance of taking good care of our
feet was stressed. When you can’t see
you can’t take care of your toenails and many with vision problems are
diabetic. In March there was an open
session with a time to discuss anything those present choose. Most have a good sense of humor and the
banter is very light and good. In April
we will have Elaine Legg, Talking Book Coordinated at North Dakota Vision
Services/School for The Blind who will give us a demonstration and any other
information she has available. I really like the new machines and will hear
others opinions about the services and reading suggestions.
Easter Sunday was such a nice day for me and I hope all of you enjoyed
the day, too. Happy spring to all of
you!
Minot Area News
By Connie
Springsted
Marilyn Nelson journeyed this spring with her son Todd for a trip to
Disney World. One day it was threatening
rain. She started walking across the
street to buy an umbrella. Before she
got there, the rain came down in buckets and soaked her to the skin. Otherwise, they had a wonderful trip.
We had nine people meet to talk about the walk-a-thon which was held on April
24. We walked at Arrowhead Mall from
noon until 2 pm. Some stayed and had
lunch at the mall.
The third Thursday support group had a speaker from the Animal
Shelter. She spoke of a finding of 20
dogs in a trailer north of Minot. The
dogs had no water. The neighbors came
and broke the windows to throw food in to them.
The dogs were not socialized at all.
And they had to work to get them so they would trust humans again. Four of the dogs were pregnant. They were all
Pekinese/Pomeranian mix. She also talked
about companion dogs. Shirley Brennan
was at the meeting with her companion dog, Molly. She spoke of people being
able to have companion dogs in an apartment if they get a prescription from
their Dr. saying that they would benefit from a companion animal.
Several of us have been sick.
Ernie Yuzicapi was ill but feeling better now. I was hospitalized with atrial fibrillation,
pneumonia and bronchitis. I am using a
nebulizer twice a day at home and feeling much better.
For Sale: A (Jordy), a device
that enables you to read, write and see in any environment. Contact Connie Springsted in Minot
701-838-3909. Would like about $1500.
Delivery could be made to the state convention in June.
Williston Area News
By Loris
VanBerkom
No one was sad to see the winter snow disappear as it felt like it had
been a very long winter. We are all rejoicing the coming of spring with all the
signs of new life.
We extend our sympathy to Eunice Ketterling and family on the loss of
Lester Ketterling. He was a long time NDAB member and he will be greatly
missed.
Our vision support group continues to meet at noon on the second
Saturday of the month at Gramma Sharon’s Family Restaurant. Following the April
meeting, Audrey Anderson invited everyone to her home for pie and coffee. I was
out of town but had reports from those in attendance that I had missed some
very delicious pie!
Brenda Bruins’s mother, Gen Bruins, who is also an NDAB member, had
triple by-pass surgery in Bismarck the middle of March. Since then she has been
in and out of the hospital dealing with complications including fluid around
her lungs. Our thoughts and prayers are with her for a speedy recovery.
Audrey Anderson is heading up plans for a class reunion for the classes
of 1946-1950 for her home town of Westby, Montana. The reunion will be held
this summer. Her granddaughter Kirsten, who was an instructor at camp last
summer, still loves her work in Ameri-core in the San Juan Islands.
Dan and Sheryl Gerhardt will be going to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester
the end of May, still searching for answers and help for Dan’s headaches. Then
they will be heading to Kentucky to attend their granddaughter’s high school
graduation.
Kathy and Stan Larson spent five days in Orlando with their oldest son
Bryan and his 11-year old twins. They enjoyed the magical world of Disney as
they visited all four theme parks.
Susan Jorgenson will be going to Italy June 14 on a fantastic twelve day
tour that will include attending the Passion Play in Oberammergau, Germany. Oberammergau Passion Play is a play that has been
performed by the residents of Oberammergau since the year 1634. The
inhabitants of this small Bavarian Village vowed that if they would be spared
from the effects of the bubonic plague, that they would perform a play
depicting the life of Jesus. It is performed only once every ten years,
for the course of the summer, and the 2000 performers taking part in the play
are all required to be residents of the village. We will look forward to
hearing about Susan’s trip at camp this summer.
I spent a week in Orlando the beginning of April, visiting my son and
his family. The orange trees were in full blossom and there is nothing sweeter
than the scent of orange blossoms. I was there to help my middle grandchild
celebrate his 5th birthday. We spent lots of time enjoying the
Florida sunshine while at the beach, at Epcot, playing in their back yard and
sitting on their deck by the pool. It was hard to come back to our constantly
changing weather!
Our mother will celebrate her 100th birthday on April 20.
That is quite a mile stone! We hope to
see many of you June 11 here in Williston for our state convention.
ACB Convention 2009
By Evelyn
Hildebrand
Florida-nice to think about the warm temps today as it’s been close to 0
for a few of us. All the fun activities
with the snow will too soon come to an end for the season. We’ll welcome the rain, sun, green grass, and
flowers.
My first event was to Kennedy Space Center and it was as memorable as we
expected. Our volunteer guide didn’t
arrive so we had a NASA guide-better for us!
We explored the grounds, a wonderful museum; we had a great box lunch,
and took a simulated space ride. We went 17,000 miles per hour-pretty hard to
imagine, but it did feel like it. We
heard a live astronaut from SD, my home state, so I got to shake his hand and
thank him for his service. He spoke for
50 minutes and then took questions. The
young people had such intelligent questions.
We took a bus trip to a launch pad-we were 100 ft. from the gate (most
visitor sites are 3 miles away). The
guide asked questions and was impressed how knowledgeable our bus group
was. He gave all of us info about NASA
and the space program.
Our trip to Magic Kingdom was so well received our group went for the
safer rides. What an honor to do a
merry-go-round ride with Burl Coffey, who had been the tour bus director for ACB. All of us laughed and cried at the memories
it brought back and the joy of doing it again.
Hearing David sing all the songs in “It’s A Small World”-keeping the
dogs quiet in the boat-they like music too!
Our Holy Lord experience was quite interesting. We watched portrayals of Biblical
events. The crucifixion portrayal (sound
effects were unbelievable) was so real-a young (10 or 12) girl became really
upset at the whipping of Jesus and hearing the nails being pounded in on the
cross; several of us around her with her family tried to convince her that the
actors were portraying the story. She
said “It shouldn’t have happened.” It left all of us to ponder the event. It was amazing. The actors, workers, ticket takers, were
dressed in canvas, linen and burlap long sleeves and long robes. The young people said it was a good job to
pay for college. The temps were in the
90’s. One of the suggestions for future
planners was to let us know how much walking was needed. Our walk back to the ferry was a marathon (at
least it felt like it) and we did make it.
We visited with Juan Carlos, a blind wheelchair mountain climber. He did wheelies for us and told of his
climbing experiences and he left us all in awe.
The NIB 7am breakfast (National Industries for the Blind) is early,
great food and inspiring. It really is
about networking for employment opportunities.
Many successful issues are offered as well as time to address the new or
hard to solve problems.
The Women’s Concern group had a great informative presentation on breast
health, cancer issues, and after care. These
were well attended.
The Lawyers group had an auction of used CD’s and audio books with
spirited bidding. We had a lot of
original oldies which were really popular.
If you have CD’s and audio books to donate, do let me know.
The ACB auction was held in 2 areas.
There was a silent auction which was well attended and had volunteers to
describe the articles, which was great.
The live auction event went well also.
Some of us were disappointed by the bids, however all totaled we came
out ahead of last year. Besides
Shareen’s terrific basket, I had obtained a feather painting from Andy Knutson
of Towner, California Jams from Rugby, wine from Off the Vine in Minot and 2
cases of pasta plus a variety of other products from Dakota Growers, so ND was
well represented.
It is a privilege to represent ND-great to have 9 others attending this
year. I do my best to get Alan to all of
his functions. Thanks to Eunice and
Lester for helping out when conflicts arise.
Thank you for the support. Thank
you also for the phone calls, e-mails, cards, and letters during my
recovery. They were much appreciated.
We mourn the loss of Lester Ketterling, our mentor, our encourager, and
our friend who challenged us to do more, truly appreciated all the efforts we
made and taught us how to laugh and move forward with all the events in our
life. Rest in peace, special friend.
Coming up: NDAB Convention in
June in Williston. You don’t want to
miss it. ACB Convention in Phoenix in
July. Make your plans now. Your voice counts.
Candy's Corner
By Candy
Lien
In her column, President Michelle Zentz refers to the new Digital
Talking Book player that is now available through the National Library Service
for the Blind. If you are interested in receiving one of these free players, be
sure to call the State Library at 1-800-843-9948 to request one of these
machines. You will be put on a waiting list. When a machine becomes available,
you will then receive a letter asking you if you are still interested in
receiving one of the new digital talking book players. If so, you can reply in
the affirmative and then one will be shipped to you. I also wanted to let you
know that if you would like to purchase a customized protective case for the
new players, they are available through Perkins Products for $39.95. Go to www.perkinsproducts.org and look
under “Talking Book Accessories.”
Here is a recipe for a quick, easy-to-make one-dish meal that is very
healthy, too. A nutritionist from the NDSU Extension Service shared this recipe
with us at one of the staff meetings at NDVS/SB. It is low-sodium, low-fat,
high-fiber, but high in flavor and satisfaction!
Taco Soup
1 lb lean ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 can beans, drained (use either black
beans or pinto beans)
1 can corn, drained (or you can use
some frozen corn)
1 can diced tomatoes, with liquid
1 small can chopped green chilies
1 package taco seasoning mix
1 to 2 Cups water, depending on how
thick you want it to be
Brown hamburger and onion. Add
rest of ingredients, stir, bring to boil and simmer 15 minutes. Serve
with desired toppings, such as sour cream, tortilla chips, etc.
DONATIONS
AND MEMORIALS
NDAB
received the following memorial gifts during the past quarter:
In
memory of Don Neal from Elton and Shereen Faber, Cassel Everson, Karen Dahlgren
and Tim Usher, Ann and Murray Johnson, Ruth Phalen, Lyle and Irene Nelson, and
Allen and Judy Peterson.
In memory of George Schumacher
from Stan and Kathy Larson, and Loris Van Berkom.
In memory of Albert Morlock from
Doranna Robertson.
In memory of Lester Ketterling
from Candy and Terry Lien, Gary and Renae Huseby, Loris Van Berkom, Stan and
Kathy Larson, Clint and Milissa Miller, Elton and Shereen Faber, and
Allen and Judy Peterson.
Thank you for remembering NDAB
with your gifts.
Note: NDAB is a nonprofit
organization which promotes the interest of blind and visually ND
residents. As a nonprofit organization, we welcome donations to help in
advancing the cause of blind and visually impaired persons.
Renae Huseby, NDAB
Treasurer
In Memory of Lester Ketterling
Funeral services for Lester
Ketterling, age 69 of Bottineau, were held on Saturday, March 13 at 10:00 am at
the First Lutheran Church in Bottineau.
Burial was in the Oak Creek Cemetery also in Bottineau. Officiating at the service was the Reverend
Glenn Berge and Desiree Uhrich. Special
music was provided by Three Part Harmony.
Shelly Berge was the organist. Casket
bearers were Noel Sand, Larry Orke, Richard Skarperud, Doug Bremner, Glen
Hatlestad and David Liebold.
Lester, a son of August and
Katherina Ketterling, was born on October 5, 1940 at Wishek, ND. He attended school at the School for the
Blind at Bathgate, ND. After his
graduation he attended UND and received a Degree in Law. He began his career in Westhope as a
lawyer. On October 12, 1974 he was
married to Eunice Foss at Hazen. Lester
became the County Justice and in 1987 he was elected to be the Bottineau County
Judge. In 1991 they moved to Bottineau
and Lester was elected in 1994 to be the District Judge. He retired in December 2005.
He was a member of the Trinity
Lutheran Church in Westhope and after moving to Bottineau became a member of
the First Lutheran Church. We will all
miss Lester’s sense of humor and his hardy laugh.
Lester passed away on Saturday,
March 6, 2010 in Mesa, Arizona.
Lester is survived by his wife
Eunice of Bottineau; a son, Jeremy Ketterling of Bottineau; brother, Allen
Ketterling and his wife, Korrine of Quebec, Canada; sister-in-law, Mary
Ketterling of Brainerd, MN; brother-in-law, Ken Foss and wife, Cheryl of Hazen
and Sylvia Foss of Reeder, ND and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his
parents; brothers, Arnold and Maynard.
Do Not Wait
By Phillipe Vernier
“Do not wait for great strength
before setting out, for immobility will weaken you further. Do not wait to see very clearly before
starting: One has to walk toward the
light. Have you strength enough to take
this first step? Courage enough to
accept this small act… the necessity of which is apparent to you? Take this step? Perform this act! You will be astonished to feel that the
effort accomplished, instead of having exhausted your strength, has doubled
it. And that you already see more
clearly what you have to do next.”
Report from the 2010 ACB Legislative Seminar
By: Allan
Peterson
My first thought, in writing this report, is to express my gratitude and
appreciation to NDAB and its Executive Board for helping to make possible the
trip that Zelda and I were able to make to attend this year’s American Council
of the Blind Legislative Seminar that was held in Washington, D.C. from
February 21st thru the 23rd. I believe that our trip was one that
was very successful and eventful.
There is no better way to say it other than we lucked out with the
weather and flights from DC and back. You may remember that the East Coast had
a huge snowstorm in February and then another one again in late February - early
March. We arrived just after most of the snow had melted from the snowstorm in
early February and left before the next snow event hit the East Coast .
On a personal note, I want to thank Zelda for being willing to take the
time to make this trip and her help as a “partially” sighted assistant! It was
truly enjoyable to have been able to share the Seminar experience with Zelda
this year! As Zelda probably will attest, the trip to D.C. is a quick one and a
lot is packed into the three days that are spent there.
The Seminar is a two and a half day event that always begins on a Sunday
afternoon. ACB participants who attend the Seminar come from the many corners
of our country and represent many states and political viewpoints. However,
there is general agreement among all participants on those policies that will
improve the lives of persons who are blind and visually impaired.
In general, the theme that seems to run through most of the issues that
we continue to advocate for are access to communication devices & new
emerging technologies, access to the internet, safety on our streets,
rehabilitation training specific to blindness, employment and employment
programs and the right to participate in all aspects of daily life on an
equivalent footing with our sighted brethren.
We are always fed a lot of information at the Seminar on Sunday
afternoon and all day Monday before we go off to Capitol Hill to call on our
congressional delegation. This year was no different regarding the amount of
information provided but I felt that the presentersr were particularly
informative.
On Tuesday, February 23rd, we made those all important
Capitol Hill visits to meet with our North Dakota congressional delegation! We
actually made nine Hill visits – not only to Senators Dorgan and Conrad and
Congressman Pomeroy but also to the South Dakota and Montana congressional
delegations, because no one from those states were available to attend the
Seminar. The Hill visits with other states were cleared in advance with the
South Dakota and Montana affiliates.
I felt
that we did have very productive meetings on Capitol Hill, particularly with
our own North Dakota congressional delegation. In Senator Conrad’s office we
had an audience with three of his DC office staff people besides the Senator
himself. During our visit in Senator Conrad’s office, we were briefly joined by
his pet dog, Dakota, a puppy that he had recently rescued from the pound. For
the pet lovers among us, Dakota is a Bichon; the Bichon is a small breed of
dog, no larger than a large domestic cat. We were told that Dakota has been a
big help to the Senator in coping with the hectic demands that have been placed
upon his time during this session of Congress.
Shortly
after returning from our meeting with Senator Conrad, he did, as he had
promised, signed on as one of the co-sponsors for Senate Bill 841, the
Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act in the Senate. He also agreed to have his
staff work with other Senators and their staff people to draft a bill similar
to the House Bill that is championed by Congressman Ed Markey , which is called
the 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act.
Among our
other Capitol Hill highlights, was a personal visit with Congressman Pomeroy
and two of his staff . Also, we met with three staff in Senator Dorgan’s office. In each case we
were warmly received and they were very receptive to the legislative
initiatives that we were advocating for and the reasoning we offered why this
legislation should receive the attention of Congress.
Our visits
to the offices of the Montana and South Dakota congressional delegations also
went very well. We had a very pleasant visit with Montana Congressman Dennis
Rehberg and two of his staff people. The Hill is a rather challenging place to
negotiate, so coordinating 9 Hill visits is about all that we could have done
in one day.
Our two
primary legislative priorities were the 21st Century Communications
and Video Accessibility Act and the Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act. Both of
these initiatives have been addressed in earlier articles that I have written
for the Promoter. In the interest of space and time, I won’t go into why they
are so very important to the wellbeing of people who are blind and sight
impaired.
I had
indicated earlier in this column that the speakers who provided background
material at the Seminar were very informative. I felt that three of these
presentations were of particular interest. One was given by Daniel Goldstein,
the Managing Partner from the law firm of Brown Goldstein and Levy; he spoke
about the settlement with Arizona State University and Amazon regarding the
Kindle Reader. The other two interesting presentations were made by staff
people from the congressional offices of Congressman Ed Markey (D-Massachusetts
and Adolphus Towns (D-New York).
Congressman
Markey is the prime sponsor of the 21st Century Communications Video
Accessibility Act And he together with his staff have led the effort to seek
enactment of this bill. Congressman Adolphus Towns is one of the prime sponsors
of the Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act in the U. S. House of Representatives.
As many of
you are aware, ACB joined the lawsuit against Amazon and Arizona State
University because the Kindle Reader isn’t accessible to students who are blind
and visually impaired. The Kindle Reader, which is a new digital reading
device, holds much promise for all people who cannot read standard print. The
problem is that the Reader’s controls and menus are accessible to those who
cannot read print. Because of this lawsuit, a tentative agreement as been
reached with Amazon to make the Kindle Reader accessible for people with print
disabilities.
After spending much time to update the NDAB Constitution and By-laws, I
cannot help in making a strong connection between the purposes for why our
organization was established and our advocacy, together with ACB, for these and
other issues that will improve the lives of people who are blind and sight
impaired.
A note from Zelda:
Once again, Allan has done a very thorough job of reporting about the
Legislative Seminar so I will just finish the page with a comment or two. Thanks for allowing us both to go. I feel privileged to watch someone as
experienced as Allan execute the Capitol Hill visits. It is truly an amazing place. I was prepared to just go along and take
notes but I did get an opportunity to add some information to the
conversations. We even got home with a
picture of Conrad ,Dakota, Allan and me.
That’s one for the historian’s manual.
The trip was a valuable learning experience for me!