by Vivian Younger, CCB Membership Committee Chair

The COTY Award

Is your Chapter/Affiliate getting ready to make a run for the prize?

COTY is in the wings waiting for a CCB Chapter or Affiliate to claim it! The Chapter of the Year (COTY) Award is presented to the CCB chapter that conducts a group effort to make a significant difference in the life of an individual or community.

The Fresno Council of the Blind Chapter was presented the COTY Award during the 2017 CCB banquet for its extraordinary combined fund raising and community outreach activities around National White Cane Safety Day (now officially known as Blind Americans Equality Day). The appearance of chapter members in costume with their dogs and canes along with prize drawings and general informal public interaction netted the chapter over $3,000 and a lot of good feelings in celebration of this special and successful day.

The COTY award is given to the chapter with the best overall project for the previous year. The CCB Membership Committee will be accepting letters from chapters for projects developed and completed in 2017. Please submit letters to the CCB state office by February 15, 2018. In the letter, please explain the following:

What was the purpose of the chapter project, who benefited from the group effort, when did the project time-line occur, how was the project accomplished, and what was the ultimate outcome.

The CCB Membership Committee is looking forward to presenting the COTY award during the upcoming spring 2018 CCB Convention and Conference.

The CCB Membership Incentive Awards

How about winning one of the CCB Membership Incentive Awards in 2018? These awards are presented at every CCB conference and Convention, one to the chapter or affiliate having the highest membership growth and the other to the chapter or affiliate having the largest percentage of membership growth. We sincerely urge all of the CCB chapters and affiliates to come together for the purpose of boosting overall CCB membership. Inviting prospective members to chapter and affiliate holiday and special events can be a means for capturing new CCB Members.

The Braille Revival League of California achieved the highest percentage of membership growth and the California Library Users of America brought on board the most members in 2016.

The CCB Membership Committee is looking forward to reading about your chapter or affiliate accomplishments as well as membership growth. So let's make a dash for it!