Happy Fall! So far, we have had beautiful weather but colder days ahead are inevitable. By the time you read this, we will be heading into the holidays. I would really like to slow down time because it is speeding by much too fast!

The board and some of the committee leaders met via Zoom September 22 to complete the Affiliate Strengths Scorecard sent to us from ACB. The purpose of completing this activity was to take a look at how we are functioning as an organization and what improvements we need to make to continue to be successful in the future. It really wasn’t as painful as we all thought it would be and we were pleased to see that we are doing quite well. Each of the six sections were given a score of 1 to 5 with 1 needing immediate attention and 5 being exemplary. Five of the sections received a 4, which is strong, working well and efficiently and one scored 3, which is adequate, basic structures in place. The sections scoring 4 dealt with leadership, finances, mission and purpose, communication, and programs and services. The section scoring 3 dealt with membership engagement which included recruiting, retaining, and supporting people. We were aware that membership and public relations was an area that we needed to work on because it was discussed at our last convention. A committee is being formed to deal with these concerns, and if you are interested in serving on it, please let me know. We welcome your involvement.

I will leave you with a quote from Benjamin Franklin: “Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.” Please consider getting more involved in NDAB. Our longevity of 90 years is a testimony to strong, committed members, and we need your involvement to keep NDAB growing and viable for the years to come.

Loris Van Berkom
NDAB President

2026 Calendar

November 15 – 20 NDVS/SB Adult Training Week*

December 15 Ski for Light Transportation deadline (see article by Lexee on page 9)

January 11 NDAB Board Meeting

January 24 – 29 Ski for Light, Deadwood, SD

February 1 Membership Renewal Deadline

February 11 Giving Hearts Day

February 28 – March 5 NDVS/SB Adult Training Week*

Coffee Chat is held every Wednesday at 10 a.m. on Zoom.

*Contact Ken at NDVS/SB for more info on Adult Training Weeks at NDVS/SB (kdockter@nd.gov, (701) 795-2724)

NDAB Monthly Book Club

Submitted by Mary Lou Stip

Join us at NDAB Book Club on the first Wednesday of the month at 10:00 a.m. on Zoom. Here are the books we are reading for the next few months.

November 4

The Correspondent by Virginia Evans. DB 129105. Led by Emily Brown.

December 2

A Land to Call Home: Book 3 of the Red River of the North Series by Lauraine Snelling. DB 68095. Led by Christina Powell.

January 6

Belles On Their Toes by Frank B. Gilbreth and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey. DB 102199. Led by Candy Lien.

February 3

When Animals Rescue: Amazing True Stories About Heroic and Helpful Creatures by Belinda Recio. DB 139766. Led by Carol Marshall.

March 3

The Shootist by Glendon Swarthout. DB 55309. Led by Doug Stip.

April 7

The Walk by Richard Paul Evans. DB 71348. Led by Mary Lou Stip.

May 5

TBD

June 2

The Grass Dancer by Mona Susan Power. DB 42305. Led by Michele Willman.

Welcome to Our New Members!

Kathi Runge of Mandan, ND

Daniel Offerdahl of Grand Forks, ND

Kristen Offerdahl of Grand Forks, ND

Robin Gates of Bismarck, ND

Bemnet Gebregiorgis of Bismarck, ND

Sandra (Sandy) Marcellais of Mandan, ND (returning member)

Note Our New Address!

With our new treasurer, our address changed. Please send all future correspondence to:

NDAB
P.O. Box 104
Rugby, ND 58368

Thank you!

2027 Membership Renewal Notice

A membership renewal form will be finding its way to you very soon! I will NOT be mailing out hardcopy forms to those of you with email addresses again this year. An exception will be made for those of you who have already informed me that you are unable to access your email. If you have a functioning email address, please watch your inbox and/or spam folder as I will send you an email with a Word document attached and a link to the online form. You may either fill out the Word document and send it back to me as an email attachment or complete the form on the NDAB.org website. You will still be able to pay your membership dues either by sending a check to NDAB’s new PO Box: NDAB, PO Box 104, Rugby, ND 58368, or via PayPal. Please do not send dues to my personal address. Dues are $15 for adult members and $3 for junior members. If you do not have an email account or have already let me know you are not able to access your email, don’t worry! You will still get a printed membership renewal form in the mail. You can return it with your dues in the enclosed envelope. If you are a new member who joined after January 1, 2026, or if you are a Lifetime Member and none of your information has changed, you will not need to fill out a membership renewal form or pay dues for 2027. If you are a returning member who renewed their membership after May 31, 2026, you are required to renew your membership and pay dues if you wish to remain a member of NDAB. All completed forms and dues are due no later than February 1, 2027. I would very much appreciate receiving all completed forms and dues before the deadline. If you have any questions or concerns, or if you do not receive a membership renewal form by January 10, 2027, please contact me directly at lexee@ndab.org or (701) 260-8914. I hope you all have a wonderful holiday season, and I look forward to your continued membership!

Respectfully submitted,
Lexee Steffan, Vice President/Membership Chair

Thank You, Friends

A personal highlight from this summer’s American Council of the Blind (ACB) Convention was the Lifetime ACB Membership that I was awarded. Thank you so much to the NDAB and ACB members that donated the money necessary to make this happen. It means a lot to me that you felt that I am worthy of this honor.

For those who may not know, Lifetime Memberships in ACB can be bought for $1,000. Anyone can “buy” a membership; in many cases that is what a member chooses to do. Alternatively, someone can buy the membership for a person they wish to honor. It is special when this happens.

The Lifetime Memberships are awarded as a part of the opening in-person sessions of the ACB Convention; this year this happened at the Convention in St. Louis. The award I was given was a complete surprise. It had been kept a secret so much so that I did not know until I was on the stage where it was announced. A very special thank you to Zelda Gebhard for organizing this endeavor and to Jim Schwartz for his role in getting the ball rolling. A little help from my friends? Actually, it was a lot! THANK YOU SO MUCH, FRIENDS!

Sincerely,
Allan Peterson

Minot Minutes from Elizabeth “Betty” Fedorchak

Editor’s Note: Thank you to Elizabeth “Betty” Fedorchak for signing up to be the local news reporter for the Minot area! Those of you who live in that area can expect a phone call from Betty prior to the submission deadline for each Promoter. Please consider sharing any news with her. “News” does not have to be big or life-changing; what Betty and the other local news reporters do is keep us connected. You can share a personal win, family updates, a recipe, or anything else that’s important to you. Thank you to Betty and to our other local reporters – Janelle in Williston, Mary Lou and Doug in Fargo, and Bobby in Bismarck – for filling these roles. It is appreciated!

I talked to Diane Giessinger, and she said to greet everyone. Nothing exciting to report due to health issues, and she would appreciate prayers.

As for myself, I have taken on this new role and hope to do better as time goes on. I wish all of you a great holiday season and good health. And thank you for the help and advice along the way. I’m remembering so many of you from the great opportunity of attending the School for the Blind. I think of you often. I hope some of you had the opportunity to enjoy the video I shared on Facebook. It was so well done by Tara. It was about those of us with RP. Worth seeing. How we all hope for miracles.

Wishing everyone good health, a Happy Thanksgiving and a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all!

Bismarck & Other News from Robert Westermeyer
The Bismarck Supper Club had its annual picnic in August. They met at Olive Garden in September and the Mandan Pizza Ranch in October.

If you’re like me, in spite of your best efforts, your medication list is not shrinking. Spoken Rx is an audible service that reads your prescription information out loud to you. A sticker is placed on the bottom of your container which is then set on a platform. Press the button with the raised dot and it will read the information out loud for you. This service will greatly enhance your safety and may make the difference between staying independent and moving into an assistive living facility. For more information, contact the Bismarck CVS at (701) 255-1335 or your local pharmacy.

As the first flakes begin to fly, it is not too early to think about next summer. Sporting Chance is an organization that provides two main events.

Fishing – the Adam Geyger Fishing Event is scheduled for Saturday, June 5 from 8 a.m. to 12 noon at Grainer Bottoms near Mandan. A fish fry will immediately follow. For more information, contact JR Casper at (701) 226-6578.

Water Skiing – Escape to the Lake, an adaptive water-skiing event for people with disabilities, is scheduled for Saturday, June 19 at Nelson Lake near Center. For more information, contact Leslie at NDAD (701) 775-5577.

Ski for Light Transportation

Submitted by Lexee Steffan

The 48^th annual Ski for Light will be held from January 24 – 29, 2027, in Deadwood, SD. Craig and Shari LeNoue from Fargo have graciously agreed to be our drivers to and from the event again this year and have room for 10 passengers. If you need a ride to and from Ski for Light, reserve your spot as soon as possible. To reserve your seat with the NDAB group, you must both pay a $30 transportation fee and contact me, so that I can put you on the list before December 15, 2026. You can pay online by clicking on the “Donate” button on our NDAB.org website, or you can send a check to NDAB, PO Box 104, Rugby, ND 58368. Please write “Ski for Light Transportation,” in the memo line of the check or in the note for the online transfer. No late fees will be accepted, and all members must be in good standing to get a ride. Paid NDAB members in good standing will be given first priority over non-members. Those who are not members of NDAB will be considered if space permits, and if they have gotten in touch with me and paid their $30 fee before the deadline. Contact me at (701) 260-8914 or lexee@ndab.org to reserve your spot, or if you have any questions. See you in January!

2026 Camp Wrap-Up

Submitted by Missy Miller and Lexee Steffan

Our 56^th NDAB Adult Summer Camp was held August 16 -23 at Elks Camp Grassick. We welcomed three new campers: Kathi Runge of Mandan, Dan Offerdahl of Grand Forks, and Bemnet Gebregiorgis from Bismarck. We were also fortunate to have Sandy Marcellais from Mandan, and Robin Gates from Bismarck helping out this year. In total, we had 36 campers and staff. A variety of fun and educational classes were held this year; thank you to all our instructors for sharing your knowledge and talents with us. Our banquet was a big birthday party complete with noise makers and party hats as we celebrated NDAB’s 90^th! Thank you to Allan and Gerald for planning the banquet and sharing NDAB’s history with us. A dance followed the banquet as music from DJ Marv of Mandan filled the air. We had a wonderful week with beautiful sunny weather, engaging classes, fun evening activities and great conversations! Thank you to all who attended camp and to all who taught, planned activities or worked behind the scenes to ensure that the week ran smoothly. Thank you to Paul Olson and Cindy Williams for providing camp O&M. As always, thank you to Jenny for allowing us to come back year after year and for all you do for us. We are grateful to our amazing kitchen staff friends for the delicious food and their kindness. Thank you to Bobby and Janelle for leading flag raising; Tim for hosting Family Feud; Kathy and Helen for hosting casino night; Jenny and Chloe for the hayride and campfire; and Mark for hosting the talent show! Last, but certainly not least, thank you to our new campers for having the courage to come out to camp; it was great meeting all of you! We can’t wait to see all of you again next year!

The camp committee is already planning next year’s festivities. We’ve enlisted Brant from NDAB’s Communications Committee to create a Google Group email list to share useful camp updates. In January, we plan to use the group to announce next year’s camp dates and banquet theme. Until then, take care and cherish your warm camp memories.

Captions: Top Left: Angela, Bobby, Janella, Mark, and Danny marching in cadence. Top Right: Paula and Mary Lou playing Bingo. Bottom Left: Brant, Lexee, and Nick celebrating 90 years during the banquet. Bottom Right: Allan smiling as he sports 90^th birthday glasses.

Fall Sports and Rec Retreat Wrap-Up

Submitted by Trampes Brown

A fall Sports & Rec Retreat was held October 2 & 3 in Grand Forks. We had a small but mighty turnout, with 10 participants. The group bowled on Friday night, met at ND Vision Services/School for the Blind on Saturday morning, went to a pumpkin patch on Saturday afternoon, and enjoyed a local production of The Wizard of Oz on Saturday evening. We also had some fabulous discussions about vision loss and all that comes with that. Our next retreat is scheduled to take place next summer. Watch your email and future editions of the Promoter for more information.

Giving Hearts Day 2027

Submitted by Allan Peterson

IT’S A REALLY BIG DEAL! This is so true when it comes to the importance of NDAB’s involvement in Giving Hearts Day! The reality is that Giving Hearts Day (GHD) is the major way in which we raise the funding resources we need to meet our financial obligations. With this preface, the good news is that we have been approved to be one of the more than 600 charitable causes that will take part in the next Giving Hearts Day event in 2027.

Wahoo! Cheers! Giving Hearts Day in 2027 is the 11^th year that we, NDAB, will be taking part in this event.

Giving Hearts Day in 2027 will be held February 11, 2027. In the time interval that leads up to that day, we will be busy preparing for our participation in the event and making the case as to why donors should make donations to NDAB.

The next issue of the Promoter will be published close to when many activities that promote Giving Hearts Day will be in full swing. Below is a review of how Giving Hearts donations can be made. Please share this information widely with friends and family.

First, online: Giving Hearts Day donations can be made online beginning on Monday, January 11 through Thursday, February 11, 2027. The giving period ends at 11:59 p.m. on February 11. Donations received after this date will not be considered as an eligible GHD donation. To make a secure online contribution, go to www.givingheartsday.org and click on the Giving Hearts Day Donate button and then select North Dakota Association of the Blind from among the listed charities. Donations can be made by credit or debit card. Donations must be at least $10 to qualify for the match. All donations are eligible for a tax deduction.

Second, by check: Donations can be made by check prior to February 11, 2027. Make payable to North Dakota Association of the Blind or NDAB. Please write “Giving Hearts” on the memo line, and mail donations to our treasurer Dondi Sobolik at the following address:

NDAB Treasurer
PO Box 104
Rugby, ND 58368-0104.

Checks should be in the mail at least by February 1 so they can be counted as a Giving Hearts Day donation.

Please keep in mind, beginning Monday January 11, 2027, is when online donations can be made and will be counted as if they were made on Giving Hearts Day itself. This choice continues through Giving Hearts Day on February 11, 2027. Beat the rush and stress of donating at the last minute by making an online donation in advance between January 11 and February 11, 2027.

Presently, we are working on the task of setting up a Match Fund of at least $20,000 for Giving Hearts Day in 2027. When achieved, our goal will then be to match this amount by Giving Hearts donations that are made from January 11 through the end of the day on February 11, 2027.

If you have any questions, call or text me at (701) 429-7209 or email me at allan.c.peterson@gmail.com.

Development Director’s Report, Fall 2026

Submitted by Allan Peterson, Development Director

Since the beginning of NDAB’s fiscal year (June 1), $4,765 has been generated from the following funding streams:

Charitable Gaming $4,750
Other Donations $15
Walk For Vision in process, results not yet available

Notes:

Walk for Vision will be held in conjunction with observance of White Cane Awareness Day. Letters to help sponsor this event have been sent to potential sponsors. Results of this effort are pending.

NDAB will receive half of our participation in ACB’s Brenda Dillon Memorial Walk held at this summer’s ACB Convention. NDAB should receive $1,605 from the ACB Walk.

NDAB has been approved to be one of the charitable organizations that will take part in Giving Hearts Day in 2027. An article about our involvement in Giving Hearts appears elsewhere in this newsletter.

Legislative & Advocacy Report, Fall 2026

Submitted by Allan Peterson and Zelda Gebhard

Plan to vote. It is not only your right but also a hard won privilege. Critics say if you don’t bother to vote, you’ve done nothing to change the situation. Like it or not, reality is that there will always be some form of government that makes the laws that will influence our lives, and decisions made should work to better the lives of everybody, not just the few.

Thankfully as people with sight loss, we do have independent access to the ballot. All polling sites in North Dakota should have the ExpressVote machine available for voters to mark their ballot. This machine allows people who are blind or visually impaired to cast an independent secret ballot that they can verify for accuracy. The ExpressVote machine is equipped with a keypad and headphones that gives someone who doesn’t have functional eyesight the ability to mark their ballot independently. Many of us with limited or no eyesight who have used this machine verify that this equipment works very well! As a reminder, these machines are available to us as a consequence of our advocacy for passage of the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) in 2002. These machines are designed to be used by anyone. People with low vision can change the contrast and magnification on the machine’s screen to suit their needs for visual access.

Thankfully, as a consequence of our advocacy, since 2024, we do also have the choice to vote via a secret independent absentee ballot.

To apply for an electronic absentee ballot, go to the direct link to the absentee application on the North Dakota Secretary of State’s website:

https://vip.sos.nd.gov/absentee/Default.aspx.

Complete the form, print, and sign. A signature is vital; if it is not signed, it will not be processed. After the application is signed, it is ready to FAX, email, mail, or be hand delivered to your county auditor. Your auditor will then process your application and send you a unique voting PIN number. This number will give you access to the online ballot for your precinct.

Voting on the absentee ballot is similar to voting using the ExpressVote machine. After your ballot is loaded onto your equipment, you are then ready to make your selections, review them and verify, and then hit the submit button.

A Zoom meeting to discuss the absentee voting process and answer questions was held. You can access the recording via this link:

https://youtu.be/bgCGag9-8DI

This November’s ballot has two statewide initiated measures:

Measure One is a constitutional measure that if approved would raise the threshold for passage of constitutional measures from 50% plus 1 to 60%. A “yes” vote approves this change, and a “no” vote denies the proposed change.
Measure Two is an initiated measure that, if approved, provides the funding necessary to give free breakfasts and lunches to students kindergarten through seniors in high school. A “yes” vote approves this funding, and a “no” vote denies this funding.

This November’s ballot has a single election for Congress; it is for the House seat that Congresswoman Julie Fedorchak currently holds. She and three other candidates are vying for this position as North Dakota’s lone seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. North Dakota’s two U.S. Senators are not up for election during this cycle – Senator Hoeven has 2 years left on his term and Senator Cramer has 4 years left on his term.

There are eight statewide offices on November’s ballot, they are: ND Secretary of State, ND Attorney General, ND Commissioner of Agriculture, Public Service Commissioner, Public Service Commissioner (unexpired term), ND Tax Commissioner, Superintendent of Public Instruction, and ND Justice of the Supreme Court. Because these are statewide races, they will appear on every ballot in the state regardless of location.

Due to elections in local communities, the ballot is not the same for every address in the state.

To check out what is on any particular ballot, the League of Women Voters have a web site where you can go to find out what is on the ballot for your specific address, that site is:

www.vote411.org.

When a postal address is entered using this site, the sample ballot for that address will be shown.

On January 5, 2027, the newly elected state legislature, including those who had unexpired terms of office and weren’t up for election in this cycle, will compose the makeup of the 70^th session of the North Dakota Legislature and the 120^th session of the U.S. Congress. Whatever the outcome, the need to advocate for policies that help people with sight loss to lead independent and fulfilled lives is imperative. In that regard, we do invite and welcome your participation with us as we will be following legislation considered by the next ND Legislature and the next session of Congress!

Donations July – September 2026

Submitted by Dondi Sobolik, Treasurer

Total $11,750.68

In memory of Dorothy Clark $175.00

Michael & Victoria Wheeler – $25

Glendlin & Lori Clark – $100

Rollin & Michelle Herman – $50

Fundraising & Donations $3,790

Drake Columbian Club Knights of Columbus $100

Schwandt Goodman Post 9050 $200

AmVets Post 7 Fargo $200

Enderlin Alumni $500

Oaks Lions Club $200

Jamestown Knights of Columbus $500

Am Legion Post 91 New Salem $500

Jamestown Vets Club $750

Plaza Community Club $100

Jerald & Mary Petersen $15

Wishek Lions Club $200

Thrivent Financial $25

Gourmet Chef $500

North Dakota Association of the Blind, Inc. Board of Directors Meeting Minutes

August 3, 2026

BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT: Loris Van Berkom, Lexee Steffan, Dondi Sobolik, Helen Baumgartner, Gerald Byron, Elias Youngblom, Mary Stip, Allan Peterson and Trampes Brown

GUESTS: Michelle Zentz and Janelle Olson

CALL TO ORDER: Loris called the meeting to order at 7:32 pm via Zoom. Roll call was taken.

REGULAR AGENDA: Loris read the agenda. Mary made a motion to accept the agenda as read, seconded by Gerald. MC

PUBLIC COMMENT: None

BUSINESS AGENDA:

Secretary: On July 2^nd, Dondi made a motion to approve the Convention and Post-Convention minutes, seconded by Allan. MC On July 9^th, Elias made a motion, seconded by Allan, to amend the Convention minutes to reflect who the new signers are at 1^st International Bank and Trust and who will be removed. MC. A request was made to amend the following 2026 Convention minutes:

First Time Convention Attendees: Elias Youngblom made a motion to add a line item to the budget to subsidize the cost of NDAB members who attend the convention for the first time in the amount of $2,000, to pay for all costs of their weekend, seconded by Kaity Young. MC This item will be amended as follows: Elias Youngblom made a motion to add a line item to the budget in the amount of $2,000 to subsidize the cost of NDAB members who attend the state convention for the first time to pay for all costs of their weekend, seconded by Lexee. MC

Treasurer: Dondi now has access to the 1^st International Bank and Trust account after the transfer from Rebecca. Dondi updated the board on the balance of the checking account. A discussion was held regarding the current P.O. Box. For now, it will be kept in West Fargo until renewal time in October. At that time, Dondi will have pursued getting a P.O. Box in Rugby. A motion was made by Allan, seconded by Lexee to accept the May and June Treasurer’s reports. MC

Finance: A donation from the Hepper family was received at the convention and another from Cooking in the Dark. NDAB has been approved for GHD 2027. There are plans to have a Walk for Vision event on October 15^th for White Cane Safety Day. Letters will be sent out to Charitable Gaming organizations in the next few weeks. Allan did the ACB walk, so donations will be coming in from that event.

Membership: Lexee made a motion to approve a new member: Nancy Pichardo, Bismarck, sighted; and a returning member: Betty Fedorchak, Minot, blind. Allan seconded the motion. MC

COMMITTEE REPORTS:

Sports & Rec: A retreat will be held in Grand Forks the first weekend in October. Activities are still being finalized. Most activities and meals will be held at NDVS/SB.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS:

Grandpa’s White Cane: The Bismarck/Mandan and Dickinson schools will receive their books soon. Other books will be mailed to the schools that still do not have one.

Updating Manuals: Mary made a motion to accept the Memorandum of Understanding between NDVS/SB and NDAB manual as revised, seconded by Elias. MC

NEW BUSINESS:

ACB Convention Volunteer Guidelines Committee: Gerald volunteered to chair the committee. He will get members to help him with the guidelines and bring them back to the board.

Improving Membership, Public Relations and Convention Attendance: Loris will talk to Zelda about being on the committee. Lexee and Dondi volunteered to be on the committee. Loris will talk to Missy about volunteering as she is interested in having a video made. Elias has a list of things he wrote down from the ACB Convention that he can share which may be helpful.

Scorecard Project Meeting Date: September 22^nd from 7:00 – 9:00.

Public Comment: None

NEXT MEETING: October 19, 2026, at 7:30

ADJOURN: Allan made a motion to adjourn, seconded by Lexee. MC The meeting adjourned at 8:49 pm.

Respectfully Submitted,
Helen Baumgartner, NDAB Secretary

North Dakota Association of the Blind, Inc.
Board of Directors Meeting Minutes

October 19, 2026

BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT: Loris Van Berkom, Lexee Steffan, Dondi Sobolik, Helen Baumgartner, Gerald Byron, Elias Youngblom, Mary Stip, Allan Peterson and Trampes Brown

GUESTS: Missy Miller, Michelle Zentz, Elamin Abaker, Brant Adams and Janelle Olson

CALL TO ORDER: Loris called the meeting to order at 7:30 pm via Zoom. Roll call was taken.

REGULAR AGENDA: Loris read the agenda. Mary made a motion to accept the agenda as read, seconded by Lexee. MC

PUBLIC COMMENT: Michelle requested a status update on the archiving of the Talent Show.

BUSINESS AGENDA:

Secretary: On August 5th, Dondi made a motion to purchase a P.O. Box at the Rugby Post Office for an annual fee of $132, seconded by Helen. MC On August 6th, Gerald made a motion, seconded by Dondi, to approve the August 3^rd board minutes. MC On August 10^th, Lexee made a motion to accept the Secretary Manual as corrected, seconded by Mary. MC On August 30^th, Gerald made a motion to accept the Treasurer’s Manual as corrected, seconded by Lexee. MC

Treasurer: Dondi updated the board on the balance in the checking account. A CD will be maturing on October 25^th. Dondi made a motion to renew the CD for 13 months at 4%, seconded by Allan. MC Dondi researched a money market savings account at First International Bank for some of the funds in our checking account. Dondi made a motion to transfer $100,000 into a new money market account at the variable rate of 2.10%, seconded by Allan. MC Allan made a motion to approve the August and September Treasurer’s Reports, seconded by Lexee. MC The P.O, Box in Fargo will be closed on October 22^nd and the mail will be forwarded to Rugby.

Finance: We have received $4,750 from Charitable Gaming letters that were sent out. We will receive $1,600 from the ACB Walk. NDAB is signed up for GHD, which will be February 11^th. Online giving begins January 11^th. The minimum matching funds for GHD is $3,000. There will be a Walk for Vision in Fargo October 21^st.

Membership: Lexee made a motion to approve 5 new members: Kathi Runge of Mandan is visually impaired; Daniel (blind), and Kristen (sighted) Offerdahl of Grand Forks; and Robin Gates, (sighted) and Bemnet Gebregiorgis (visually impaired) of Bismarck; along with 1 returning member: Sandra (Sandy) Marcellais, sighted from Mandan. Allan seconded the motion. MC We now have 130 paid up members. Some members who pay dues do not have a PayPal account and do not want to pay by check. Lexee suggested we should have another option for paying their dues. Brant informed the board that there is another option called Stripe, which allows the processing of a credit card. PayPal charges .79 per transaction. Using Stripe, there is a .73 charge. Another option would be to use Google Forms, which would have all the information to make a payment which goes into a spreadsheet showing who has paid their dues. This would cost $1.23 per transaction. Helen made a motion to change the online NDAB program payments from PayPal to Stripe, seconded by Lexee. MC Google Forms will be discussed at another time.

COMMITTEE REPORTS:

Camp: Missy reported there were 36 people who attended camp. There were 3 new campers and 2 new assistants. O&M was provided Sunday afternoon by Paul Olson and Cindy Williams. The theme for the banquet was NDAB’s 90^th birthday. Thanks to everyone who made the week a success.

Convention 2027: The convention will be held June 11-13 at the Fargo Holiday Inn. There are standard rooms available for $155, which have 2 queen size beds or a King Standard for $145. The cut off date for reservations is May 11^th.

Sports & Rec: A fall retreat was held in Grand Forks. There were 10 attendees. There was a tour of NDVS/SB, some activities were held there, along with visiting the Pumpkin Patch and going to a show. The next retreat is planned for next summer.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS:

Scorecard Report: Loris thanked everyone who took part in the process. There will be an article in the Promoter explaining the process and the outcome.

Grandpa’s White Cane: Loris has 5 more schools in the Dickinson area that need a book. Gerald and Dondi will send books to Marissa Chavez for her to distribute.

Public Relations & Membership: Loris is looking for someone to chair this committee. Trampes volunteered to start a discussion with those who are interested in serving on the committee and possibly co-chairing the committee with someone.

ACB Convention Volunteer Guidelines: The word “volunteer” will be changed to “helper” to clarify the purpose of the person being there. A discussion was held and some changes will be made to the guidelines and brought back to the board.

NDAB First-time Convention Policy: Some changes were suggested. They will be made and the policy will be brought back to the board.

NEW BUSINESS:

Ski for Light: Craig and Shari LeNoue will be providing transportation to SFL again this year. NDAB members will be given a seat before nonmembers. Lexee made a motion to approve Shari and Craig LeNoue as drivers for 10 passengers to SFL and give them the $30 collected from each rider for transporting, seconded by Gerald. MC

Zoom Account Request: Amy Osvold requested using our Zoom account to have an Ophthalmologist give a presentation and invite NDAB members to attend. Allan made a motion that Amy be given permission to use our Zoom account, seconded by Gerald. MC Zoom use is no longer being recorded due to the Cloud being full. Loris asked Trampes and Brant to work on getting it fixed.

ACB Holiday Auction Request: Lexee made a motion to send $100 to ACB for the Holiday Auction, seconded by Allan. MC

Archiving of Talent Shows: Elias will be getting the tapes to David Olson in Grand Forks.

Public Comment: None

NEXT MEETING: January 11, 2027 at 7:30

ADJOURN: Allan made a motion to adjourn, seconded by Lexee. MC The meeting adjourned at 9:26 pm.

Respectfully Submitted,
Helen Baumgartner, NDAB Secretary

Communication Connections:

Website: www.ndab.org

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NoDakAB/

Communication submissions: comms@ndab.org

Address: NDAB, PO Box 104, Rugby, ND 58368

All members are encouraged to submit items of interest to the editor at promoter@ndab.org for publication. Deadline is the 10th of the month prior to quarterly publications of February, May, August, and November.

NDAB is a nonprofit organization which promotes the interest of ND residents who are blind and visually impaired. As a nonprofit organization, we welcome donations to help in advancing the cause of persons who are blind and visually impaired. For more information about NDAB, visit www.ndab.org.

From the President