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<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;" align="left"><big><font size="4"><big><small>Below
is the final draft of the minutes of the May Accessibility Committee
meeting.</small><b><br>
</b></big></font></big></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;" align="center"><big><font size="4"><big><b><br>
Minutes of
the UUCE Accessibility Committee Meeting</b></big></font></big><br>
<big><b>May 6, 2008</b></big></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br>
</p>
<font size="3"><b>Present:</b> d. maria,
Leslie Gilbert, David Gilmartin, Jeanne-Marie Moore, Mary Otten,
Cindy Pitcairn, Ken Ross</font>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><font size="3"><b>Chalice lighting and a
reading</b> by Leslie Gilbert were followed by brief check-ins. The
agenda was amended at maria's request to include a consideration of
problems with the handling of hearing-assistive devices.</font></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"> </p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><font size="3"><b>Liaisons with Other
Committees</b><br>
Ken Ross reported that the
Facilities Council had completed painting white stripes along the
edges of the concrete pathway leading to the lower level. The paint
includes tiny glass crystals that add sparkle, making for greater
visibility at night when the path is lighted. maria reported that
the Committee would be included with the proposed Social Justice
Cluster quarterly meetings. Leslie Gilbert and David Gilmartin said
that they had nothing to report from the RE and BPOC committees,
respectively. </font>
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><font size="3"><b>Taboo Game Night Plans</b><br>
Leslie
Gilbert and Jeanne-Marie Moore, with help from Dick Loescher, have
come up with ideas for 40 disability-related cards to be used for the
Taboo game night scheduled for Friday, May 16<sup>th </sup>. These
will be printed in large type and Braille. As Fred Schultz had
offered to help with the game night, maria offered to call him about
helping out. maria also offered to provide some “white elephant”
door prizes.</font></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><font size="3"><b>Access Checklist for
UUCE Events</b><br>
The draft of a checklist
written by Cindy Pitcairn was discussed, and it was agreed to rewrite
the items dealing with placement of walkers and with space around
tables. Upon approval of the subsequent draft by e-mail, it will be
distributed to the Coordinating Council at their meeting on Saturday,
May 10<sup>th</sup>, as part of the Committee's report. It will also
be linked to the Committee's web pages and sent out on the UUCE “Biz”
listserv.</font></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><font size="3"><b>Hearing-Assistive
Devices</b><br>
Two
of these were missing and one was left turned on after the second
Sunday service. The Committee discussed ways to prevent them from
straying in the future. One idea was to ask people to deposit their
driver's licenses in order to borrow one. Another suggestion was to
have a sign on the welcoming table and the basket in which they
belong clearly marked.<br>
Although
the handling of these devices is overseen by the ushers and the sound
group, it is also an accessibility issue, as are other items that are
dealt with primarily by the ushers, such as removal of a chair to
allow placement of a wheelchair or walker and having Braille hymnals
easily available. The Committee felt it would be good to ensure that
awareness of such items was included in usher training sessions in
the fall.</font></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><font size="3"><b>Future of the Committee</b><br>
The
Committee discussed continuing and future directions for the coming
year. Possibilities include a workshop, a Sunday service with a focus
on accessibility issues, a panel with other area churches, applying
for membership in the National Organization on Disability's
Accessible Congregations Program, and continued development of our
web page as a resource.</font></p>
<br>
<font size="3"><i><b>New Officers</b></i></font><font size="3"><br>
The
following have agreed to serve as officers for the coming year: <br>
Leslie Gilbert, Chair; Mary Otten, Recording Secretary; Cindy
Pitcairn, Corresponding Secretary.</font>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><font size="3"><b>Next Meeting</b><br>
The Committee agreed to
hold its next meeting <u>on Wednesday, June 11</u><sup><u>th</u></sup><u>
at 7 pm</u> so that the Rev. Landale can attend. We considered some
of the things for which we would like to have his input, mostly
concerned with how we, and he as our minister, can make our
congregation more aware of, and knowledgeable about, ableism. Seven
of our members and friends use wheelchairs, three are blind--that's
about 2.5% of our congregation with obvious accessibility issues. Add
in those who have less obvious, but more common disabling
conditions, such as hearing loss, diabetes, severe arthritis,
obesity, and various stages of major diseases (cancer, heart disease,
Parkinson's, Alzheimer's) and you have a far greater
percentage.<br>
<br>
Although we have made some progress in terms of
architectural modifications, childcare provision, an excellent
sound system, and the establishment of this Accessibility Committee,
there has been no major thrust against ableism. In fact, many in the
congregation are only vaguely, if at all, aware of the concept.<br>
<br>
We
have several ideas of ways to improve this situation and would like
Rev. Steve's ideas about their potential effectiveness: <br>
</font></p>
<ul>
<li><font size="3">a worship service focusing on ableism, </font></li>
<li><font size="3">a full- or half-day workshop on it,</font></li>
<li><font size="3">official affiliation of our church with other
churches
pursuing accessibility (such as the National Organization on
Disability's Accessible Congregations Program) </font></li>
<li>clarification that our committee's role in the church structure,
and, by extension, that of accessibility, does not fit neatly into one
category, such as Social Justice, Facilities Council, Events, or
Membership, but is an over-riding concern</li>
<li>outreach to other churches in the area, perhaps a panel
discussion on the issue of accessibility</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"> </p>
<font size="3">The meeting was adjourned
at 9 pm.</font>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><font size="3"> Respectfully
submitted,</font></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><font size="3"> Cindy Pitcairn,
Scribe</font></p>
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