May 2023

Meeting Minutes – Monday, May 8th 2023, 8 pm

Call to Order: Tammy Kitterman 8:01 PM

Conflicts: none listed 

Present: Molly Black, Sandra Salerno, Gordon Boe, Jessica Lynch Coffin, Tammy Kitterman, Dixie Stachnik, Juli Baumgarner, Lisa Lopatofsky, Johnine Bickauskas

Absent:  Megen Meyers, Julia Murray

Approval of March, 2023 Minutes  
Motioned - Gordon Boe
Seconded –  Lisa Lopatofsky - All in favor, the meeting minutes were approved.

TREASURER'S REPORT:  - 
Full report available upon request.

Gordon Boe -  The ending balance was $8,293.65. Membership fees received $125 for the month, and marketing expense of $118.99 for purchase of new table runner.

Full report available to general membership upon request.

Approval of March/April 2023 Treasurer’s Report
Motioned – Molly Black
Seconded- Johnine Bickauskas
All in favor, the treasurer’s report was approved.

COMMITTEE UPDATES: 
*All committee action plans are saved in the shared drive



Membership Tammy Kitterman, Jessica Coffin, Patti McGowan, Sandra Salerno = No new updates, will meet in the off month to discuss plan.

Outreach (Patti McGowan, Molly Black, Sandra Salerno, Johnine Bickauskas, Dixie Stachnik) 

1. Update from each Region
   

1. Central - Strausburg Railroad  - Sandra reported that 5 families attended for a total of 21 participants and it was an enjoyable experience for all.
   
2. East - waiting for Overbrook School Pool to be rehabbed.  
   
3. West - Aviary - Tammy/Juli/Molly reported 8 families in attendance with 22 people total, and the experience was enjoyed by all! * Molly to work with Sandra to write a thank you note to “Grange” Liberty for lunch.
   

         2.      Patti and Molly exhibited at PEAL Health Matters Day 3/23 in Lancaster virtually and on 4/20/2023 in Pittsburgh.  They had to cancel exhibiting at Dan Miller Mental Health & Disability Summit on 5/11/2023 due to illness.

Fundraising (Gordon Boe, Johnine Bickauskas, Lisa Lopatofsky, Julia Murray)  

1.  50/50 Raffle at FLC - they will plan to put together per usual. Molly has a Helen Keller doll that can be raffled as well as some Helen Keller books.
   
2. Gordon has submitted an application for a  50k "Gather for Change" grant to host a statewide conference of students and adults who are deafblind and their families.  The purpose of the conference would be to educate and train the participants to advocate for the implementation of the National Advocacy Agenda (not lobbying, but advocating).  He will keep the board updated on the progress of the application.
   

Advocacy (Lisa Lopatofsky, Meg Meyers, Johnnie Bickauskas Gordon Boe)                     
1.  Report out on Day on the Hill  On April 19, PPDB members Patti McGowan, Molly Black and Gordon Boe participated in the “Day on the Hill.”  The event was organized by the National Family Association for Deaf-Blind (NFADB).  The purpose was to meet with Congressional delegations to advocate for the passage of the Cogswell-Macy Act as well as encourage them to support the National Advocacy Agenda (developed by NFADB and 11 other family organizations).  
Patti and Molly visited with Senator Casey and his staff via Zoom.  Gordon was able to travel to DC to meet personally with the staff of Senators Casey, Fetterman, and Representative Madeline Dean. NFADB members from at least four other states also visited their delegations:  Texas, Virginia, Tennessee and Louisiana.  The day was an incredible experience. Participants were able to tell personal stories, which led right into discussing how Cogswell-Macy and the National Agenda could improve their children’s lives.  Key issues included accurately identifying students who are DeafBlind in the child count, explicitly including interveners in the list of related services, requiring States to develop State Plans for adults who are DeafBlind, and mandating that States adopt a Deaf-Blind Medicaid Waiver for adults. It was a good start, and we need to keep working!. 

OLD BUSINESS: 8:30-8:40   None discussed


NEW BUSINESS: 8:40-8:50

Nominations  - Meg Myers & Molly Black, Co-chairs, and Sandra Salerno and Julia Murray committee members
    A vote vote was conducted to accept the nomination of: 
        Danielle Ciepley - Voted in 8* YEA,  0 NAY
        Kristina Kezmarsky - Voted in 8 YEA,  0 NAY
Abby Denis - Voted in 8 YEA, 0 NAY

• The 8 members voting in favor of the nomination were as follows: Molly Black, Sandra Salerno, Gordon Boe, Jessica Lynch Coffin, Tammy Kitterman, Dixie Stachnik, Lisa Lopatofsky,  and Johnine Bickauskas
  
• No one voted against the nomination.
  

    Vote on Executive Committee members: 

1. Lisa Lopatofsky - complete one term left of Tammy Kitterman’s Presidency - Lisa was voted in as President with an 8 in favor, 0 opposed vote.
   

1. Molly Black was voted in as Vice-President  with an 8 in favor, 0 opposed vote.
   

1.  Julia Murray and Meg Meyers have accepted a 2nd Term
   

1. Voted on Dr Elizabeth Foster as Special Advisor for 1 yr. term. She was voted as a special advisor with an 8 in favor, 0 opposed vote.
   

Family Learning Conference -

    1.    Sponsored Entertainment -  Discussed the possibility of hosting an ice cream social evening of FLC.​


Website -
Dixie Stachnik will be taking over

GOOD OF THE ORDER:  

Thank you Tammy Kitterman FOR YOUR YEARS OF SERVICE TO THE BOARD! We will miss you and wish you the best of luck in your future endeavors.


ADJOURNED: 8:59 PM

Respectfully Submitted,
Sandra Salerno
PPDB Secretary