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<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
class=812080003-22052008>What an excellent job, as usual...</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
class=812080003-22052008>j-m.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV><BR>
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<FONT face=Tahoma size=2><B>From:</B> access-bounces@uueugene.org
[mailto:access-bounces@uueugene.org] <B>On Behalf Of </B>Cindy
Pitcairn<BR><B>Sent:</B> Wednesday, May 21, 2008 3:33 PM<BR><B>To:</B>
Accessibility group; Martha Osgood; Suzanne Whaley<BR><B>Subject:</B> [Access]
Minutes of the Accessibility Committee meeting, May 6,
2008<BR></FONT><BR></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>
<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><FONT size=3>a full- or half-day workshop on it,</FONT>
<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>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>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></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>