GRADS will meet on November 9th, 2023 at 6:30 p.m. in the Middlebrook Circle Community Room at 902 E Milbank Ave, Milbank, SD.

If interested in joining the meeting please use the website contact form or email info@gradisabilitysupports.org.

GRADS Meeting July 15, 2023

Middlebrook Community Room 11:30 a.m.

 

Three people were present for the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) celebration planning session. Rachael has received a Thrivent Action Team grant to pay for Subway sandwiches and some supplies. She will check with Subway on prices and will order the sandwiches before our event. Rachael, Char, MaryLou, & Diane S. will bring bars. Char will make coffee and lemonade. She has already purchased chips. We will all bring Bingo prizes and Char will get the Bingo game.We will use tablecloths on dessert and regestration tables. Vases with flowers will be on guest tables.Tentatively our speakers will be Char Athey (GRADS), Laura Maag (LifeQuest), Diane Stewart (Grant County Arc), Rachael Johnson (Voc Rehab), Amanda Peterson or Lana Smith (ILC) and Mayor Rafety (city of Milbank). MaryLou Bullert will be our MC. Rachael will put news stories in the Sisseton Courier, The Grant County Review and The Valley Shopper. She will ask Cheryl P. to place information prominenly on the GRADS website. Char will make and distribute posters. Rachael will send an email to GRADS as a reminder of this event. Katrina has sent letters out and has RSVPs from 11. We will need to be at the Milbank Visitor Center before 5:00 p.m. on July 31 to set up. We will serve food from 6-6:30, have speakers, and play Bin

GRADS Meeting June 8, 2023

Middlebrook Community Room 6:30 p.m.
Four members were in attendance at the June meeting of Grant Roberts Area Disability Supports.

NDEAM/Sisseton
The theme of the 2023 National Disability Employment Awareness Month is Advancing Access and
Equity. The Sisseton event will be on Thursday, October 5, 2023 at the Family Life Center, 404 West
Hickory Street, Sisseton. Dinner will be served at 6:00 p.m. followed by guest speaker, Dan
Card/Think 3D. The evening will end with the recognition of local employers/employees. Please RSVP
by September 29 to Rachael Johnson by phone, 605-698-7445 or email, striping@venturecomm.net.

ADA /Milbank
The Americans with Disabilities Act celebration will be on Monday, July 31, 2023 at the Milbank
Visitor Center, 1001 East 4th Avenue, Milbank. Subway sandwiches, chips, bars and beverages will be
served from 6:00- 6:30 p.m. A short program will follow. The evening will conclude with BINGO.
RSVP by July 17 to katrina.koeppe@state.sd.us. Rachael Johnson will apply for Thrivent Action Team
funds to pay for sandwiches, etc. Charlotte Athey will purchase chips, bottled water, coffee, and paper
products. She will bring the BINGO game and a large thermal coffee server. Rachael will arrange for
people to bring bars. We will all bring BINGO prizes. Speakers will be Laura Maag (LifeQuest),
Charlotte Athey (GRADS), Diane Stewart (Grant County ARC) Mayor Pat Raffety (City of Milbank),
Rachael Johnson (Voc Rehab for Katrina Koeppe), and perhaps someone from Independent Living
Choices. Rachael will put ads in the Sisseton Courier, The Grant County Review, & The Valley
Shopper. Charlotte will contact Tidbits and have posters done before July 15.

Benefit Rummage Sale
There will be a benefit rummage sale on Saturday, July 15, 2023 starting at 9:00 a.m. at the
Middlebrook Community Room, 902 E. Milbank Avenue, Milbank. We will set up late afternoon/early
evening on Friday, July 14. Some item to be sold are counter stools, a water purifier, a humidifier,
puzzles/games, books/magazines, household goods, and some clothes/shoes. If you have things to
donate please reply to this message. Rachael Johnson will place ads in papers and Charlotte Athey will
do posters.

Project Update
Laura Maag (LifeQuest) can use free state park entrance passes from the library. She will also look into
Reading Squared, the summer reading program for adults that they offer. Laura wants to encourage
LifeQuest participants to drink more water. We authorize her to purchase incentives such as movie
passes or pizza certificates for meeting specified goals of drinking water at sponsored activities.

Financial Report
The checking account balance in First Bank &Trust in Milbank was $3,685. on 5/31/23.

Next Meeting
We will have a meeting on July 15 at the rummage sale to finalize plans for the ADA celebration.

Grant Roberts Area Disability Supports (GRADS) is sponsoring a fun-filled event! The Americans with Disabilities Act Celebration will be held on Monday, July 31, 2023 at the Milbank Visitor Center, 1001 E. 4th Avenue, Milbank. Free Subway sandwiches, chips, and dessert will be served from 6:00-6:30 p.m. A short program and Bingo with prizes will follow. Everyone is welcome.

Please RSVP with number of people attending. Call or text Charlotte at 605-949-1424 by July 27.

GRADS Annual Meeting April 11, 2023

Middlebrook Community Room 6:30 p.m.

 

The annual meeting of Grant Roberts Area Disability Supports was called to order by President Charlotte Athey.

 

An election of officers was held. Laura Maag made a motion to elect the same slate of officers. Matthew Athey seconded the motion. All voted in favor via voice vote with none opposed. The officers are: Charlotte Athey-president, Matthew Athey-vice president, Rachael Johnson-secretary/treasurer.

 

The election for Board of Directors was held. Rachael Johnson nominated Katrina Koeppe for the 3 year term. Laura Maag seconded the motion. All were in favor via voice vote with none opposed. The directors are: Brenda Teske (1 yr.), MaryLou Bullert (2 yr.), Katrina Koeppe (3 yr.).

 

Rachael Johnson will file the annual report with the South Dakota Secretary of State. She will pay the $10. fee which will be reimbursed by GRADS.

 

The treasurer’s report was given by Rachael Johnson. The GRADS checking account balance in First Bank and Trust in Milbank was $3,716.52 as of March 31, 2023.

 

Rachael Johnson made a motion to adjourn the annual meeting. Charlotte Athey seconded the motion. All voted in favor. The meeting was adjourned.

 

Respectfully submitted,

Rachael Johnson

Attendance: Charlotte Athey, Matthew Athey, Laura Maag, Katrina Koeppe, Rachael Johnson