The Board of Directors for The American Council of the Blind of Indiana met on November 10, 2001 at the Columbia Club in Indianapolis, IN. Those present were:

Dolly Sowder, President
Gerry Koors, Vice-President
Anne Elliott, Secretary
Don Koors, Treasurer

Directors:

Deanna Austin
Maurice Brockman
Benny Demaree
Edie Huffman
John Huffman
Don Osburn
Josephine Price

Guest:

Mike Sowder

Mike Sowder read the agenda. Additions to the agenda; included, lunch from 12:00-1:00, flyers, and Brock’s fund raising item.

Gerry Koors read the secretary’s report from the June 9, 2001 meeting.

Don Koors read the treasurer’s report.

Questions and clarifications about the Treasurer’s report consisted of the following:

• $483 in receipts is the Hofstetter Grant, not part of the $5,000 Zurich account. The $483 is not reflected on the back of the report because it has not been transferred over. $250 would go into the scholarship annual distribution. $233, which was collected at the convention would go into the Endowment. The State and Indianapolis Chapters still have to contribute. We have North and South Central’s contributions.
  
• The Bank One and Zurich accounts are not generating the interest they have in the past. It did not cost the organization to do the convention.
  
• Under grants and donations is where we sent a contribution for Dr. Trubey.

  All were in favor of accepting the treasurer’s report.

Legislative information:

The amount of money allocated to the older blind under the Rehabilitation Act has gone up substantially. The Indiana Rehabilitation Services gave out some grants effective October 1, 2001. The Independent Living Council and the State do not have an approved Independent Living Plan. Therefore, we cannot draw on the money. Edie Huffman read the summary of facilities receiving grants, counties covered and services provided. We discussed the need in under served counties and services not provided.

What the national will have as priorities at the legislative meeting is unknown.

The topic our organization wants to be brought up at the President’s national conference in Houston is mass ground transportation

Topics for the upcoming state convention:

• Speaker on traumatic brain injury, Karen May
• Crime watch and safety

Don Koors brought Indiana Reading and Information Service brochures and he read the insert, “Cities currently on the IRIS dial up service.”

Report from the vehicle donation program:

Mike Sowder reported the net revenue plus advertising was $8947.95. The advertisement in The Indianapolis Star cost $348 for Sundays and $296 for Wednesdays. We have been sending thank you letters to those people, who showed up on the new donations list each month

Historically, 20% of what shows up on the donations list does not get sold. We don’t have an inventory of what cars have been picked up and are ready to be sold. Mike will add the word “offered” to the thank you letters and continue sending the letters to those on the new donations list. Also, Mike will call the vehicle donation place for additional information regarding an inventory list.

Focus:

We would like contact information, names and E-mail addresses of the board members for the web site.

Items that we would like to see in the Focus are

1. Brock’s letter,
2. IRIS sheet, and
3. Advertisement to plan ahead for the convention in Columbus.

2001 Convention:

The doctor that spoke sent a thank you.

2002 Convention; September 27 and 28 in Columbus, IN:

• Brock will write the Focus article.
• Topics of interest are crime prevention and traumatic brain injury.
• Edie is going to check with someone from the Lions Club in Mishawaka and Library Services in Columbus about doing a presentation at the convention.

2003 Convention:

Dolly will poll some hotels in the South Bend/Elkhart area for prices and what they have to offer.

Lunch Break

Committees:

Mike Sowder read list of committees. Dolly will send a copy of the committee members to each board member, after checking with Earlene, Jim, Debbie, and Jeff.

Fund raising:

1. Brock read a letter he received from Marsh. If you register for a Marsh Fresh ID card and choose to support your organization, Marsh will donate 1% of the purchase price of Marsh Brand products. Brock will get our organization’s express code and reproduce the enrollment form to give to Pat for the next Focus. Individuals fill in their Marsh Fresh ID card and telephone numbers; and return the form to the customer service counter at their local stores. A motion was made seconded and all were in favor.
   
2. The fund raising letters will be in the mail in the next 2-3 weeks.
   
3. The South Central Chapter voted a couple months ago, to have their names and addresses deleted from the mailing list for the fund raising letters. Dolly will talk to them and get back to Don. Mike Sowder read the letter for the benefit of the new board members. 60% of the money goes to the State and 40% of the money goes back to the chapter. We are going to do an insert with the board members names. The deadline for submitting names and addresses is continuous. It was left up to the individual member whether they could put someone’s name on the mailing list.

   The money that comes to the organization, unless specifically designated, goes to the general fund.

By-Law Amendment.

By-Law #5, add section D as follows: The President shall appoint a Hank Hofstetter Opportunity Grant Fund Committee consisting of three members from the State Board of Directors, one of which shall be designated as Chairperson. Additional consultative members of the Opportunity Grant Fund Committee may be added at the discretion of the Committee.

Edie offered to do grant writing.

The logo on the pamphlet is fine. Edie and Brock will be working on the brochure.

Goals for 2002:

1. Membership development; measurable objectives including
2. Getting the brochure completed and new member packets.
3. Fund Raising: Marsh, letter, and car project

Dates for upcoming Board meetings:

January 26, 2002.

• April 27, 2002
• July 27, 2002
• State Convention; September 27 and 28, 2002
• November 16, 2002

Meeting was adjourned.

Respectfully Submitted,

Anne Elliott, Secretary