20230209-1 SAGEBRUSH 2024 20230209-1 Morning Session Day 4

SAGEBRUSH 2023 CELEBRATING OVER FIFTY YEARS OF ACHIEVEMENT AND ADVOCACY

BETTING ON A BETTER Future

Moderator: Linda Alison (TN), A+ Vending, Sagebrush Committee Member

• How to Move Past the Bureaucracy to get Things Moving o Alan Risk (FL), Compliance Officer, Division of Blind Services, Bureau of Business Enterprise, Florida Department of Education o Karen A Blachowicz (NY), Karen’s Express Vending This panel cited instances where BEP managers and staff have worked together to move things forward quickly and responsibly.

• Questions and Answers

• Food Trucks- Beat Them or Join Them? o Patrick Martin (FL), Live Better, Inc. o Jim Hemmen (WA), Business Enterprise Program Manager, WA State Department of Services for the Blind Speakers described the problems with food trucks running into or near RS facilities and how they have worked to make the situation better.

• Questions and Answers

• United States Blind Golf Association “You don’t have to see it to tee it o Curt Jones (MN), USBGA Curt shared how he became involved in the US Blind Golfers Association and how being involved has helped him. He explained the Friday Golf outing opportunity to learn while interacting with others.

• Questions and Answers

• How Military Dining Lawsuits have prevailed on the side of the RS Program o Jeff Thom (CA), Retired attorney and advocate for Randolph-Sheppard This session highlighted the recent wins by the RS Program in Texas and Hawaii.

• Questions and Answers

• Toastmasters- How it can assist you in Leadership o Sandra Bensen (NV), Summerlin Toastmasters Club Toastmasters has training levels which help people feel more comfortable communicating to others and speaking to audiences.

• Questions and Answers

• Social Security and Medicare Questions Answered o Annie Walters, SSA Public Affairs Specialist Participants learned about the latest updates and changes in Social Security and Medicare. Attendees learned how vendors can use deductions differently for SSA. They received information on retirement.

• Questions and Answers

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