TBI-Houston E-News April 2, 2001 No. 04-01

WELCOME This is the first edition of the TBI-Houston electronic
newsletter! We are glad to have you, and hope you will find this an
excellent source of information about Taping For The Blind, Inc.

NEW OFFICERS Here are the officers for the Board of Directors for 2001:
President - Chris Kiersted; Vice President Planning - John Deming; Vice
President Development - Sam Bertron; Secretary - Nadine Saffel; Treasurer
- Sarah Braham; and Past President - Betty Sanders. Thanks to each of them
for their commitment to the organization.

COMMITTEES A large share of the work of the Board of Directors is done by
committees. Here is a list of the committees and the 2001 Chair for each:
Planning - John Deming; Development - Sam Bertron; Personnel - Robin Rice;
Nominating - Jim Wood; Listeners - Ed Bradley; Outreach - Bill Gordon; and
Endowment Formation - Bob Bartlett. If you would like more information
about any of the committees, contact the Chair for that committee. I
expect each is more than willing to have more help.

RECEPTION COMING Our annual Volunteer Recognition Reception is scheduled
for Sunday, April 22, 2001 from 2-4 p.m. at Taping (3935 Essex Lane). Plan
to attend - this is always a fun event. Postcards have been sent to all
volunteers announcing this event and we will talk it up here, as well.

CONTEST Since you are among the most talented and creative people in the
southeast Texas area, we want your help. This publication needs a name.
We invite you to offer your suggestions and send them to the editor
(rlb19@...). There will only be one winner so in the event of
duplications, the earliest entry is the one that counts. We don’t have a
grand prize yet, but expect we can come up with a gift certificate of some
sort. The real prize is getting credit for naming this publication.
Entries must be received by May 15, 2001. The editor and his better half
will judge the entries, and we reserve the right not to award a prize or
accept any of the suggestions.
Those who are "computer challenged" may submit suggestions (in writing) to
Cynthia Franzetti, but the same deadline holds.

GOOD LUCK Volunteer reader and Advisory Director Chris Bell has announced
his candidacy for Mayor of Houston and has taken a leave during the
campaign. Good luck Chris!

RODEO I have to believe that we are unique in the work we do with the
Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo and we want to thank Ted Pfister and John
Borrowman for the work they did describing the Rodeo Parade from downtown
Houston (much of which was simulcast on HTBR), and more thanks to Ted and
John as well as Bill White and Avery Bonnee for the work they did
describing six rodeo performances - well done! Just one more illustration
of how TBI is extraordinary.

UP ON THE ROOF No, I am not about to break out in song. We want to
spotlight John Deming for the work he did as our general superintendent of
the project which put a new roof on our building. The Fondren Foundation
funded this project, and we can all rest easier knowing we can put the
buckets away. Thanks again, John!

CONGRATULATIONS We are proud and happy for Kandace Shyer ("People"
magazine reader) on the birth of son, Grant. Now the lovely and elegant
Madison has a little brother to pick on (although I am certain she is much
too sweet to do so).

GLAD YOU’RE BACK Welcome to volunteers who have had recent surgeries and
are back with us where they belong: Margaret Anderson, Sam Bertron, Gwen
Heiger, and Joe Laughlin.

SYMPATHY The sympathy of the entire organization is offered to Charlie Boyd
for the loss of his wife, Helen ("Cooking Potpourri" reader), as well as to
Judy Minshew who lost her mother recently.

RLB