Speaking Differently
An Organization for Persons with Disabilities
who Communicate in Different Ways

About Speaking Differently




MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS OF SPEAKING DIFF

MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS OF SPEAKING DIFFERENTLY CORPERATION

Date: January 12, 2006
Place: 500 University Ave., Toronto
Time: 6:30pm-8:00pm
Members Present: Anne Abbott, Nina Wright, Mabel Lam, Sarah Green

Regrets: Urszula May, Verna Abbott, Pippa Wennberg, Tony Diamanti, Perry Redlick, Bern O’Keefe, Aaron Shelbourne, Carmen Robitaille-Brown, Paul Marshall

Guests: Janice Giavedoni, Jane Pater, Kerr Wattie, Gail Fisher-Taylor, Sam Reid


Previous minutes:

NW moved and AA seconded that the minutes of November 11, 2005 be accepted as circulated, Carried 4-0-0. 

 

Treasurer’s Report:

General account $695.51 + petty cash

Trillium funds $650.00

 

Membership Committee:
SG suggested striking a subcommittee to brainstorm membership drive ideas. Discussion deferred until the next meeting. ML to forward the contact information for two new Hamilton members to SG.

 

Publications Committee:
PW and the Publications Committee has done a great job with the latest newsletter. PW has asked that comments and suggestions regarding Loud ‘N Clear and/or contributions to upcoming editions of the newsletter be e-mailed to her at pippa.wennberg@gmail.com.

 

Publicity Committee:

ML has been in contact with CRB regarding social receptions and reports that there are two new members from Hamilton. There is no update yet about the upcoming social receptions in Ottawa and Toronto.

 

Website Report (www.speakingdifferently.org):

PM reported that two important Toolkits have been added to SD’s website, “A Visit to the Dentist” and “A Visit to the Pharmacist”. SG has sent some website update feedback to PM. Request to BOK and UM for feedback to PM regarding the toolkits.

 

ICE Report:

NW reported that the next ICE Conference will be held in March 2007. SD's role is not yet defined and brainstorming is still to be done.

 

Broken Speech status: Arizona, other:

No update at this meeting. NW will bring copies of DVDs to the next meeting.

 

Social Receptions:

Please see Publicity Committee Report above. It was reported that the SD Holiday Party was a great success, with 22 people in attendance. Suggestions were made for a summer BBQ or party at Harbourfront or Toronto Islands.

 

Toolkits update:

Please see Website Report above.

 

Elections requirements and procedures:

SG reviewed the elections requirements and procedures with the group. Elections of Director and Officers are held every two years. Results are to be ratified at the annual meeting in May.

 

Bloorview-MacMillan Centre telecommunication study request:

Bloorview MacMillan Children's Centre in partnership with Bell Canada are exploring the role of telecommunications in Augmentative and Alternative Communication. They are seeking AAC users to participate in a half-day focus group on February 3. The information was passed among the group and interested persons we asked to contact Rose Nishiyama at rnishiyama@bloorviewmacmillan.on.ca.

 

Think Tank Review:

Think Tank ideas were reviewed and augmented during the meeting. An updated list will be forwarded to members along with the minutes of this meeting. The membership is encouraged to write in with further ideas and suggestions.

 

Other Business:

The Ontario Library Conference is being held in Toronto on February 3, 2006.  Tracy Sheppard from the OLA has volunteered to write an article about the conference for inclusion in the next newsletter. AA will be participating in role-playing activities at the OLA conference to demonstrate the use of these devices.

 

The dates of the upcoming 2005/2006 meetings are as follows:

Thursday, February 16, 2006

Thursday, March 16, 2006

Thursday, April 13, 2006

Thursday, May 18, 2006

Thursday, June 15, 2006

 

Place: Metro Hall
Room: Meeting Room 313A (room subject to change)
Time: 6:30-8:00 pm
 
Please contact us:
Members and other interested parties are invited to contact any member of
the executive council. Email addresses are below. Questions, comments, and your
experiences with AAC are all welcome. We would also be most pleased if you
were to submit letters or articles to Loud 'N Clear
(speakingdifferently@gmail.com)


Board of Directors and Officers of Speaking Differently:

President and Chairman of the Board: Anne Abbott

aabbottÆ@rogers.com

Vice-President and Member of the Board: Tony Diamanti

dan7@sprint.ca

Treasurer and Member of the Board: Bern O'Keefe

bernard.okeefe@sympatico.ca

Acting Secretary and Member of the Board: Sarah Green

sarah.green@utoronto.ca

Publicity Chair and Member of the Board: Mabel Lam

mabel.lam@utoronto.ca

Members of the Board:

 

·         Verna Abbott

 

·         Urszula May

u.may@utoronto.ca

·         Perry Redlick

 

·         Carmen Robitaille-Brown

carmen.brown@westpark.org

·         Aaron Shelbourne

 

Editor of the Association: Garth Foote

speakingdifferently@gmail.com

Assistant Editor: Nina Wright     

baneena72@yahoo.com

Web master: Paul Marshall

paulmarshall@cogeco.ca

 

 

SD Web Site:

www.speakingdifferently.org