4 October, 2017

2017 ICB Convention Report

2017 CONVENTION REPORT

Friday, September 29:

9:30 AM – Breakout Session 1: One-Touch Self Defense (was held in the Missouri Room)

Participants had the opportunity to learn from a certified instructor, our very own, Allison Slaughter, a member of the mcab since August 2017. She demonstrated to all those present, easy but affective self-defense techniques.

9:30 AM – Breakout Session 2: Technology Talk (Ohio Room)

Ray Campbell shared his knowledge of technology. We talked about different apps for the iPhone, such as seeing AI, uber, the Orr cam, and the google glasses.

At 1:00 PM ––ICB President Rachel Schroder introduced the President of the MCAB Terry Heltsley. He welcomed everyone to the convention, then we had the Invocation, then we had the Introduction of First Timers I believe there was a total of 10 first timers to attend a convention,, Karen Campbell read the Credentials Report, followed by the First Reading of the Nominations, then we had Nominations From The Floor there was 4 positions for board membership, and the 3 delegate positions for the ACB convention, Ray Campbell read to us the First Reading of the changes to the Constitution and Bylaws Amendments. The ICB wants to add a life time membership to its bylaws. With a set amount of 500 dollars, you can pay 5 consecutive payments of $100 annually, once all $500 is paid in full you will be a lifetime member. The ICB office manager Maggie Mogged read to us the Proposed 2018 Convention Bids

  1. The crown plaza, Springfield, $99 Oct. 5-6-7 no breakfast, no microwave, small fridge, $750 deposit.

  2. President Lincoln hotel, Springfield, $109, no breakfast, sept 28-29-30, no fridge or microwave.

  3. The Windom, Springfield, they have continental breakfasts, Oct. 19-20-21, $112 a night.

  4. The Hilton, lisle Illinois, $99 sept 28-29-30.

At 2:00 PM – we heard about the Future Directions of the Illinois Bureau of Blind Services (BBS) – John Gordon, Bureau Chief, shared what he has been able to accomplish during his first two years on the job and what plans he has for the future.

Then we heard from Sharon Ruda, Director, Illinois Talking Book and Braille Services discussed the recently completed transition of all services to Springfield, and other events happening within NLS. Sharon informed us all that we need to return any and all big yellow 4 track tape players. She let us know the nls library only handles books, not any of the magazines. There is a new player coming soon, it is half the size of the current digital player. You insert a cartridge into the player and download the books wirelessly from the satellites, she says.

At 4:00 PM – Leadership across the Generations. Paul Edwards, From Florida is the Past ACB President and Katie Frederick, from Ohio is the ACB Board of Directors delegate, they discussed leadership

Paul Edwards grew up in the Caribbean’s from the age from 13-21 years of age. He was the first blind student to attend the university in the Caribbean’s he moved to Florida he was one of the first blind teachers in the state of Florida .he took advantage of all the training that was offered here in the United States.

Katie Frederick got involved in the ACB, she was a college student looking for scholarship moneys she looked up a local chapter to become a member, she was into technology she went to a convention and learned more about the AcB and went as a delegate to her first national convention, in Birmingham, Alabama in2003.

At around 4:45 PM The Candidates nominated for offices of board positions got to speak to all of us for 2 minutes each. Then we broke out for Dinner. .

At 7:30 PM the ICB had an auction off some exciting things, a lot of technological devices, some hand bags, designer purses, and wallets with RFID techno stuff so people can not steal your identity from your credit and debit cards inside of the wallets and purses.

After the auction at 9:00 PM some of us went into the hotels Mississippi Room, Where we had Beer and Wine School & Tasting. I am more of a beer drinker, but I personally liked the wines that were offered over the yucky beer. then we had Music and Karaoke in the Great Rivers Tap & Grill Restaurant inside the hotel)

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Saturday, September 30:

At 9:00 AM – we accepted and had the Final Approval of Illinois Braille Affiliate, IBRIL, Welcome the New IBRL Illinois Affiliate, Paul Edwards is the President, of the Braille Revival League which is the national organization, honored and accepted the new Illinois Braille Affiliate, IBRIL.

From10-12 PM there were around 15 different exhibiters selling their merchandise. There were things such as, Avon, Tupperware, pampered chef, homemade craft items, gadgets from Illinois adaptive technologies, Linc, and impact had representatives there, massage therapy, etc.…

After lunch, Members of the Missouri Council of the Blind host committee discussed plans for ACB’s 2018 National Conference and Convention that will be held in St. Louis, june30-july 6, 2018.

Katie Frederick, ACB Board of Director and ICB Affiliate Liaison talked to us about what is going on in the ACB, and seeing if we would want to start having multiple state conventions.

At 4:00 PM State Senator William Hayne from the Alton area spoke to us about his work in the Illinois legislature. He was the states attorney before being elected into the senate. He grew up here in Alton, his mother was blind, he helped to establish the door to door bus (ACT bus) he has 7 children, 2 boys and 5 girls he has 32 grandchildren. He is a veteran served in Vietnam, he said he is74, he is old, he is fighting off cancer, he is losing his vision due to macular degeneration, and he will not run for the senate again.

We took a long break until 6:00 PM we had a Social Hour with drinks before we started the banquet dinner in the Mississippi Room.

At 7:00 PMwe began being served the Banquet Dinner. After finishing dinner Paul Edwards spoke once again as our banquet speaker. Then we had the presentation of awards, the 50-50 raffle was won by Rich Jones, tom joneses brother, he won $140.

The Memorial Service followed next. We then took time to remember those ICB members and friends who has passed on over the past two years.

Sunday, October 1

At 9:00 AM we started with the ICB Business: Maggie read the roll call, Karen Campbell read the affiliate votes. They are currently 1. ACBMC13 votes, 2. Madison County 11 votes3. Mary Bryant home association 9 votes, 4. Springfield district association 9 votes. Next convention there will be 5 affiliates, the 5th being the newly added IBRL. Next up was the Elections; the newly elected ICB board members are, 1. Jimmy Krawl, 2. Ray Campbell, 3. Terry Heltsley, 4. Jackie Darnell. The elected delegates are 1.Rachel Schroder, 2.Larry Turnbull, 3. Terry Heltsley. The alternate delegates are 1.Albert Anderson, 2.Debbie Watson, 3. Ann Brash.

Next up was the Reading and Voting on Constitution and Bylaws Amendments; the vote passed, there will now be lifetime membership awarded to those who pay a dues amount of $500. When a member pays all at once, or you can pay in 5 consecutive payments.

After the passing of the newly added bylaw, Ray and Karen Campbell paid in full for them both so they could be the first lifetimers in the ICB.

This year there were 5 Resolutions; 1. They want to send a thank you letter to all state offices and legislators , for passing the law house bill 2626 the government cannot take away a blind persons children.2. ICB not happy with John Gordon, he wrote a letter asking for help to the president of the nfb, but not to the president of the ACB.3. Asking government to make PDF files easier for blind users to fill in on the internet.4. Write a thank you letter to the hotel. 5 write a thank you letter to Madison county association of the blind.

The Final Vote on Convention Bids; and the winner is The Hilton, lisle Illinois, $99 a night sept 28-29-30, no continental breakfast, no fridge, no microwave .

Terry L Heltsley

President, Madison County Association of the Blind.