Board Minutes

NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND OF UTAH

May 2025

Board of Directors Meeting

www.nfbutah.org

(801) 631-8108

You can live the life you want; blindness does not hold you back

 

 

Wednesday, May 6, 7:30 – 8:40 PM.

No motions were made or passed

 

Minutes

 

  1. Roll call:

Everette Bacon:                          President:                       present

Cheralyn  Johnson:    1st Vise President:       Not present

Karl Smith:                      2nd Vise President:      present

Mark Turley:                   Treasurer:                       Present

Barbie Elliott:                Secretary:                       present

Laura Vincent:                             board Member:            present

Kenn Duke:                    board Member:            present

Ned Lindholm:                            Board Member:            present

Willie Black:                   Board Member:            Not Present

Jessie Kramer:                             Board Member:            present

The public was invited, 22 participants including board members were present.

 

  1. National News:
  2. A call for Advocacy for Digital rulemaking by Department of Justice email your experiences with inaccessible websites, especially government ones to stories@nfb.org
  3. Make sure to listen if you haven’t already to the presidential release.

 

  1.  National Convention and stipend:
  2. Convention registration closes on May 31st.                             need to be mailed to Everette to get a  $500 stipend for attendees.
  3. The hotel is full and so are some of the overflow hotels. There are 4 hotels in Austin this year that are designated for attending the convention, and rooms are still available but get them while you can.

 

  1. The Salt Lake Disability Film Festival:
  2. Barbie will send the attachment about the film with Audio description in this email.
  3. This disability Film festival only has 1 audio-described film available. The tallest dwarf. Wed. May 13, at 4:00 PM.

 

  1.  Fundraising ideas:
  2. Promoting trust funds to name the NFB of Utah as a charitable organization to give funds to. Distribution opportunities available. Zacharias has funeral director friends and is going to give brochures to him to share. Karl has ties with funeral directors, Kirt, Melissa, and Laura also asked for brochures to share.
  3. We are always looking for fund-raising ideas. One possibility is selling JAZZ game tickets with Dan and Jennifer.
  4. We also have a Focus 14 braille display. We want to make  $500 or more.
  5. Email Everette with ideas nfbutah@gmail.org
  6. Convention feedback:
  7. Ron Roberts wanted to know what next year’s hotel and cost would be because he wants to play piano.
  8. Kirt loved and hated the hotel layout, small and easier to navigate, but small meant less room. Fewer people also meant people coming with one another in new ways.
  9. Karmalynn said she thinks convention costs in Utah are super economical compared with California. She liked the hotel; she had struggles with Front runner and was grateful for the help of a conductor.
  10. Ulvia mentioned putting together a list of interesting things to do in the area, Ogden has ghost tours and the old train museum for example, possible future convention sites could have lists of things to do in close proximity. Everette reminded everyone of the free night for Friday and not to leave during general sessions.
  11. Everette reminded everyone that next year is our 70tgh year anniversary.
  12. The escape room got a lot of positive complements for the work done there.
  13. Email Everette at nfbutah@gmail.org with any other feedback.

 

7 chapter and division updates:

  1. Utah valley. On May 8, they have a movie activity plan to watch inside out outside in Kirt’s back yard. They will also  have fund raising activities. They want to  gather in July for the national banquet. They want to go back to serve at the Ronald McDonald house in the fall.
  2. Red Rocks  had a meeting yesterday one of the convention venders “I’ve got you” came to speak, unfortunately, there isn’t very much available for people in Southern Utah though. They are planning their “BEAM” activities. At their last meeting, they used introductions about ways to advocate, and learned interesting facts about one another.
  3. Northern Utah. They made treat bags for convention as the host chapter. They have a business meeting planned for May. BBQ in June. They will connect for the banquet in July. Farmer’s market and ice cream in August. Hike in September. BEAM in October that hasn’t been planned yet.
  4. Salt Lake, May 23rd, memory walk in Liberty Park. They also plan to have summer fun and possible banquet gatherings.
  5. Students. Lots of new energy!  Exciting times. They will hold their first board meeting with new board members on May 13th. This Friday May 8th is their next meeting joining with Utah Valley chapter. A lot of emphasis is on including scholarship winners. Annual hike will be in the late summer or early fall before school starts to include new blind students.
  6. Spanish division, they are  meeting on June 26th at 7PM. They want to meet during banquet again this summer.
  7. Science without sight is May 16th at DSBVI. There are 5 students registered. Tina and Ned are planning CSI NFB, blind adaptive forensics.
  8. BELL is progressing well. They have students registered but it is still available if you have friends who want to join let them know. Somehow people always wait to get registered at the last minute.

 

8. Other business:

Kenn has been asked to email people about how to sign up for EZ texting.

 

9. Adjourn:

The meeting was adjourned at 8:40 PM.