Serving the blind and low vision population of South Central Kentucky
A chapter of the Kentucky Council of the Blind
SCKCB Minutes of March 19, 2008 Meeting
The meeting started at about 7:20 p.m. at the Alive Center in Bowling Green, KY. Members present were Nancy Imran, Ron and Palma Milliman, Sam Moore, Justin Spencer, Max and Sue Robinson, Kimberly and Michael Parsley, Erika and Braden Cutright, and Andrew Head. David Welch also joined us, via Ron's cell phone.
Our guest speaker was Gay Pannell, Rehabilitation Administrator with the Office for the Blind. She spoke to us about their state wide vocational rehabilitation and independent living services. She also brought a pair of magnifying glasses for everyone to try, and gave us a web site address where these glasses and other low vision aids could be obtained. The web site was: www.visionaidsystems.com, and their 800 phone number is: 800-765-7483. Ms. Pannell also informed us about the See World Store at the McDowell Center in Louisville, KY. The store manager is Kerstin Schmidt, and their phone number is 800-346-2115. Anyone needing or wanting more information about the Office of the Blind and their services may visit their web site: http://blind.ky.gov , or call 270-746-7479 or 800-222-1215.
Our business meeting commenced after Gay Pannell's presentation. Secretary, Palma Milliman, read the minutes of our February meeting. Max Robinson made the motion to accept the minutes as read. Ron Milliman seconded the motion. The motion passed. Max Robinson read the Treasurer's report. Our current balance in our checking account is $652.72. Max also reported that he and Ron purchased a 2-year CD at 3.5% APR with our bank in the amount of $11,500.00. The interest from this CD is to be used to support our SCKCB Grant Program. Ron Milliman moved to accept the Treasurer's report, and Palma Milliman seconded the motion. The motion was approved.
Old Business: Max Robinson made a motion to begin accepting SCKCB Grant applications on April 1. Justine Spencer seconded to open the motion fordiscussion. After considerable discussion, Max amended his motion to say that we would begin accepting grant applications effective April 1, and to fund the grant program immediately, our treasury should lend the Grant Program $400, plus one half of any new funds that were received would also go toward our SCKCB Grant Program. The $400 is approximately the amount of our anticipated first year's interest earned from our CD. Ron moved to accept the motion and Palma seconded. The motion passed.
Ron mentioned that other people in our organization needed to step up and help with fundraising. He stated that so far the only person who had volunteered to help with fundraising was Andrew Head, for which he was extremely grateful. Ron tossed out several other possible fundraisers such as golf tournaments, fishing tournaments, cell phone donations, and pooling all of our unwanted items from our houses and apartments and selling them on eBay as a fundraiser and/or selling some limited line of merchandise on eBay as a fundraiser. Ron also mentioned that he picked up another grant application from Wal-mart.
Ron also said that he found a source for brailing the Community Action Bus Schedules. As soon as the new schedules come out, he will send the information to a source in Florida to get some rate quotes, and depending on the amount of those quotes, he thought we could submit a proposal to Community Action that would generate some additional funds for SCKCB.
Ron and his assistant are also working on redesigning our ACB Brochure. He will keep us updated and provide a draft copy as soon as it is available.
New Business: Nancy Imran announced that she is involved with one of her classes to sponsor a walk-a-thon for a non-profit, and the donations from this project will be given to SCKCB. A brief discussion followed about new funds/new members. Andrew Head suggested that perhaps we should entertain the possibility of "associate memberships" to allow people such as Bradens grandparents to participate by being a paid member, but not necessarily having to attend meetings. Everyone agreed that this is a great idea. Ron announced that SCKCB had been nominated as the most emerging non-profit organization in Bowling Green, an award given by the American Humanics Program at WKU. There will be a Nomination Reception on April 1, at 5:30 p.m. at the L&N Depot where the winners will be announced.
Our next meeting will be on April 16, 2008.
The meeting was adjourned at 9:12 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Palma Milliman, Secretary