Perhaps you’ve guessed by now that February was a very busy month for us here in the office. A number of tasks were time-sensitive, so there were deadlines to meet. We did it! Therefore, there was no February Office News, and you are receiving a combined issue.

Updated Membership Lists: Many thanks to all affiliates for getting in their updated affiliate membership lists by February 1. That was important in order for us to prepare the updated membership list for ACB. Well, that task is finished and was emailed to ACB on February 27. That deadline is March 15. We have a total of 709 members which includes eleven lifetime members. That total also includes the member-at-large members.

Summer Camp Materials: Summer camp letter, guidelines and applications were prepared and mailed to all affiliates by February 15. This is so that all affiliates have the materials for their March meeting.

Better Business Bureau: We had learned that the BBB had some erroneous information about the Missouri Council. A total of two days were spent gathering and submitting electronically information about the Missouri Council. Needless to say, this was quite involved and lengthy. In addition, a packet of hard copy materials was assembled and mailed to the BBB.

Legislative Days: By way of a teleconference call the affiliate legislative reps met and decided which bills MCB would support and approve. The office prepared in preferred reading formats the summaries of the bills. One was an appropriation for two more blind skills specialists. The other four bills were: SB 8, SB 16, SB 222 and SB 238. In a position paper distributed to all legislators we let them know that MCB supports all but one of those issues. That one, SB 222 (referred to as the dedicated fund sweep bill, is opposed by MCB. Affiliate legislative reps visited their assigned legislators on February 21, distributed the position paper, and presented them with a very nice leatherette notepad and pen with the MCB logo and contact information for MCB.

Due to sickness of a number of our affiliate legislative reps and the death of Meta Hunsicker (Rose Ledford’s mother), some of us were wondering if we were going to manage our mission. If that wasn’t enough, our Education and Welfare chairman, Mary Pendleton, became ill on Feb. 20 and was hospitalized, having to have emergency surgery.

All in all, those attending felt everything went well.

Seven people from Missouri attended the ACB Legislative Seminar Feb. 25-27. I have only heard positive things about their trip.

Spring Board Meeting: The spring board meeting is April 13-14 at the Holiday Inn in Joplin, Mo. There will be the usual hospitality time on Friday evening.

Building Use: The MCB building has been used by two groups during February. The Harmony Lions held a bingo on Feb. 3. On Feb. 24 the St. Louis Council of the Blind held a fundraiser bingo. Harmony Lions has scheduled another bingo for March 10.

Of course it would happen on one of the coldest days of the winter. We have two furnaces in our building—one heats and cools the east side of the building and the second one heats and cools the west side of the building. The furnace that heats the east side of the building went out. Fortunately, we were able to get a repairman to come the next day.

Blind Pension Lawsuit: The Blind Pension Lawsuit trial will be held on March 15 at the Cole County (Jefferson City) court house in Circuit Court Judge Patricia Joyce’s court. The starting time is ten a.m.

January 27 Board Minutes: The office will be preparing and mailing the minutes for the January 27 Board meeting. Since the winter Board meeting and the spring board meeting are so close together, the minutes for the January 27 meeting will be mailed with the agenda and notice for the spring board meeting.

Upcoming Events: The Children’s Vision Summit will be held April 9-10 at the Capitol Plaza in Jefferson City. The theme is transitioning from high school to post secondary education. MCB is sponsoring the Tuesday morning breakfast for this event.

The Power Up Conference will take place April 23-24 at the Holiday Inn Select in Columbia, Mo. MCB is one of the sponsors and will have a booth for handing out information.

Don’t forget that the ACB convention is scheduled for June 30-July 7. It’s not too early to make those plane and hotel reservations. The convention site this year is Minneapolis. The Convention hotels are the Hyatt Regency and the Millennium. The Hyatt’s 800 number is: 800-233-1234. The Millennium 800 number is: 800-522-8856.

Kathey: Kathey has been moved to a nursing home in Raytown, Mo. Her new address is: Cedar Valley Health Center, 6124 Raytown Road, Raytown, Mo 64133-4095. Once she is able to do three hours of rehab in a day’s time, she can be moved to a rehab center.

Reminder: The office will be closed on Good Friday, April 6.

Nominees for MCB awards: It is not too early to send in nominations for our MCB awards—the Nathaniel Johnson Award, the Ellis M. Forshee Award and the Darrell Lauer Outstanding Leadership Award. The officers of the Board meet in closed session to make these selections. You may send any nominations for these awards to the office.

Sandi was out of the office for six days, having had carpal tunnel surgery on her left hand. Since she is left-handed, she was rather limited for a while.

Four deaths: MCB lost four members during the month of February. They were: Lucille Fierce, Meta Hunsicker, Senator John Bass and Jim Lee.

I feel safe in saying that we are all ready for spring. We’ve had our fill of ice, snow and cold. By the time you receive the next Office News we will be thinking about planting flowers.