Michigan Blind Athletic Association

Board of Directors’ meeting minutes

May 14, 2008

Directors present: Tom Vance, Sherry Gordon, John Hulsebus, Frank Wolf, Sue Fluri, Mike Branch, Mary Lou Brooks, Tyler Merren, Tom Coyne, Bill Welke and Richard Hodges

Vance called the meeting to order. Minutes from the April 2008 Board meeting were approved as distributed.

Branch presented a funding request for the National Blind Bowling tournament, being held in St. Louis, Missouri on May 23-25. Ten bowlers will be attending and they will share a charter bus with two other bowling teams from Michigan. Total funding request is for $1890. This amount was approved unanimously.

Vance suggested the possibility of extending our MBAA sponsorship to other entities around Michigan—so that our name of “Michigan” Blind Athletic Association would truly encompass Michigan, rather than just Kalamazoo. Merren asked if this type of sponsorship would be so that the MBAA would need to seek out individuals or organizations or just how that might be managed. Hodges noted that for the Sports Ed Camp and Hulsebus noted that for the goalball teams, there is definitely representation from a number of different locations around Michigan. This fact satisfied the Board with outreach to other areas of Michigan. Merren also noted that with these outreach efforts, we might also find other sponsors who might be willing to contribute to the MBAA.

Treasurer’s report. Hodges reported we received interest last month of $5.32. Some bills have started coming in from the Sports Ed Camp. There will also be an additional $250 invoice from the Traverse Bay School District, for the SEC, to assist in paying costs for an interpreter for an athlete who was both deaf and blind. This athlete very much benefited at the SEC! This leaves $25,920 and $1955 in checking for a total of $27,875. This report was approved as presented.

Brooks reported she felt the coolest thing at the SEC was Saturday at the track—where the Portage Lions’ Club was present and volunteered a good deal of time. These folks had indicated they were very much interested in involving other Lions clubs around Kalamazoo in the SEC and in fund raising efforts for the SEC. The Lions members thought they could get restaurants and other businesses in the area to “buy” space on the back of the SEC t-shirts. Another idea they had was to make a video of all the different activities MBAA sponsors so that they would have a device to utilize as they went out into the community to solicit funds. Nancy is the contact person for the Portage Lions’ Club and she is the incoming president for 2008-09.

There was discussion regarding the video which was made a few years ago which highlights the USABA, the MBAA and WMU. Comment was that this video would be good to share with the Portage Lions. The Portage Lions were also very enthusiastic about raising money to fund the SEC, to provide a “cook out” for lunch, etc. They are interested in growing the size of the SEC—to include more visually impaired/blind athletes.

We spoke regarding some things we might let the Lions Club know they could participate in…the young kids’ goalball, sledding, pizza parties, etc., security during the nights in the dorm at SEC, resources for volunteer athletic trainers, assistance with the bowling league, volunteering at the Kazoo goalball tournament, etc. Suggestion to invite Nancy and Nancy (one is the outgoing president and the other is the incoming president), from the Portage Lions’ Club to one of our meetings to discuss with them some of our needs so the club is aware of how they might assist us. Brooks will contact both the incumbent president and the incoming president and will invite them to our June 11 meeting. Brooks was asked to let Vance know if these ladies could attend this meeting; Vance will let Boes know about this agenda item.

Vance indicated he had spoken with Chuck Comer, the photographer at the SEC. Chuck has already put Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday’s photos on a DVD. On a different DVD, he will put Thursday, Friday and Saturday’s photos. Chuck had indicated to Gordon that he would be interested in putting his photos on some type of a web site and then the photos could be purchased by athletes, family members, etc. Chuck had indicated the proceeds from the sale of these photos would be his fund raising contribution to the MBAA. Coyne indicated he would talk with Chuck, regarding getting an invoice to Hodges and would get Hodges Comer’s mailing address. MBAA had authorized up to $500 to Chuck for taking photos.

Coyne suggested the thought of having one of the really good photos which Chuck took—one of an athlete and a volunteer together—framed and we could give one of these framed photos to each of our respective donors…Gilmore, Upjohn, the Michigan Braille Transcribers Fund and Hal Wolf’s group.

Coyne also indicated the book that Paul and Sue Ponchillia are writing about sports may use photos which Chuck took in order to illustrate their book.

Hulsebus suggested that we might want to pull out some pictures for the public domain that we may want to put on our web site or to be put on the front cover of the annual report. Hulsebus indicated he could put these pictures on the web site and we will want to decide if we want the pictures on the home page or whether we might want to have a separate page for the SEC.

Discussion was held on how any of these “web vendors” might sell photos on-line. Is there an upfront cost to MBAA? Would having these pictures on a web site only cost us a commission if we sell pictures? Chuck had indicated he had information on a web site where photos could be sold.

Coyne suggested that since our next meeting is a month away, Vance be given the “go ahead” to select a picture to be given to our major donors and go ahead and get those framed. Motion was made to give Vance the okay to spend up to $500 for the four framed photos for our major donors. Motion was unanimously approved.

Gordon explained that a concern and an idea that Sue Ponchillia had was that when the letter is sent to the SEC athletes’ parents which indicates the athlete needs to be a USABA member in order to attend the SEC, many times donations are received from the parents; the problem with this is that the parents are making the donation check out to USABA as opposed to MBAA. Ponchillia indicated that is happening every year…and these donations should be coming to the MBAA. Ponchillia suggested the MBAA get pre-printed donation envelopes which would be sent out to SEC athletes. Ponchillia has a source for obtaining these envelopes where we could get 1000 envelopes for $248. Vance suggested we should look at these envelopes for our 2009 SEC.

Brooks indicated there are a large number of athletes whose parents are not able to pay the $25 for the USABA membership. Often, it is the teachers who end up paying the $25 out of their own pockets. Welke suggested the possibility of having a “scholarship” for these athletes whose teachers are paying their USABA membership—with the possibility that the MBAA could give scholarships to these athletes so the teachers would not need to pay the membership fee of $25. Board members thought this a good idea. Vance suggested looking further into this at another meeting since we were nearing 5:00 p.m. and he wanted to go around the table to see if members had anything else to report or request.

Fluri reported the first tandem ride is scheduled for this coming Sunday. Riders are hoping for good weather.

Merren reported that he and Stephen Denuyl have both made the USA mens’ goalball team and will be playing in the Paralympics in Beijing! Asya Miller and Robin Theryoung have been named to the womens’ USA team! Merren also reported there is a documentary video being done around all the events the USA mens’ team are doing. Merren will be sure to put in as many “plugs” for MBAA as possible!

John Kusku, the athlete who ran the 2008 Boston Marathon with some financial assistance from the MBAA—did well in the marathon. John qualified to run the 2009 Boston Marathon!

Welke indicated he came to this meeting to say “Good-bye”. Welke will not be able to attend our June 11 meeting. Welke had previously announced his plans to not serve another term on the MBAA Board. A big round of applause was given to Welke! Thanks, Bill, for your many years of service on the MBAA Board and for all the contributions you have made!! Welke will still remain on our MBAA mailing list for monthly minutes.

Branch reported that this weekend, all the teams from every bowling league in Kazoo are having a tournament for the first place team in each league. Two of the blind bowlers will be participating in that tournament.

Meeting was adjourned. Our next meeting will be held on Wednesday, June 11 at 4:00 p.m. at the Michigan Commission for the Blind Training Center.

Respectfully submitted,

Sherry Gordon, MBAA Secretary