[Massachusetts-NFB] At-Large Chapter Zoom Link, September Minutes

Tue Oct 13 15:39:20 UTC 2026

Hi Everyone,
Looking forward to seeing everyone at our At-Large Chapter meeting tonight at 7:00 PM. Here is the Zoom link, along with the minutes from last month.
Cullen
NFBMA At-Large Chapter Minutes, September 8, 2026

The September 8, 2026 meeting of the At-Large Chapter of the National Federation of the Blind of Massachusetts was called to order at 7:00 PM.
In Attendance:

Stephen Yerardi, President
Liz Lesperance, Vice President
Cullen Gallagher, Secretary
Allen Larkin, Treasurer
ElizabethAnn Johnson, Board Member
Shara Winton, Affiliate President
Kristina Constant
Brian Langlois
Shirley Dorris
Mike Karsok
William O’Donnell
Gina Quintanilla
Sengil Inkiala
Connection Question: If you were stranded on a desert island, would you rather be alone or with your worst enemy, and why?
NFB Pledge

Liz led the NFB Pledge.
Secretary’s Report

Shara moved acceptance of the August minutes; the motion was seconded by Liz and passed unanimously.
New Member

Gina Quintanilla expressed interest in becoming a member of the At-Large Chapter.
Shara moved that Gina be accepted as a member of the At-Large Chapter; the motion was seconded by Allen and passed unanimously.
Welcome, Gina!
Affiliate President’s Update

Shara provided several affiliate updates.
UPCOMING WALKS AND EVENTS

The Cambridge Chapter Walk would take place at Fresh Pond on October 4, beginning at 10:00 AM. More than $3,000 had already been raised. This year’s walk letter included short testimonials from members about what the NFB meant to them.
The Massachusetts Association of Blind Students would hold a walk on the Boston Common on October 3.
The Wicked Good Chapter would host an affiliate outing to the Topsfield Fair on October 7.
Members were also encouraged to participate in Walking Across New England as a part of the Coast to Coast challenge. The six New England affiliates would collectively attempt to record at least 692.5 miles of movement, representing the approximate distance between the New England state capitals. 
CONVENTION SPONSORSHIPS

Shara was working to secure corporate sponsorships for the 2027 State Convention to help reduce costs for members. Possible examples included companies sponsoring meals. Members with ideas or connections to potential sponsors were encouraged to contact Shara.
The 2027 State Convention would be held February 26–28 in Peabody. The hotel rate would be $139 per night. Although the room rate was slightly higher than in Woburn, the affiliate would not be charged for meeting space, reducing some convention expenses.
SCHOLARSHIPS

The Scholarship Committee held its first meeting, with Gene Kim serving as the new chair. The affiliate planned to award three academic scholarships and one trade school scholarship. If there were no eligible trade school applicants, four academic scholarships could be awarded.
FUNDRAISING

Members were reminded about the ongoing Instacart fundraiser. Purchasing Instacart gift cards through the affiliate allowed the NFB of Massachusetts to receive a percentage of purchases.
Shara also announced the new NFBMA Bonfire store. Shirts and sweatshirts designed by a professional designer featured “NFB: Who Are We? Ask Me” on the back and “National Federation of the Blind of Massachusetts” on the front. The shirts were intended as a way to encourage conversations about the organization.
Who Are We NFB Bonfire Store <https://www.bonfire.com/who-are-we-nfb/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=thanks_page_share_modal&utm_campaign=who-are-we-nfb&utm_content=default&utm_id=97757_v0_s00_e0_tv2_a1demoo4b98r67>
GIGGLE GALA

The Giggle Gala would take place December 3 in Saugus. Mike agreed to serve as an MC during the event. Additional advertising and promotional materials would be forthcoming.
Chapter Coast to Coast Planning

Liz led a discussion to finalize the At-Large Chapter’s participation in the October movement initiative.
The chapter had previously considered climbing the stairs of the John Hancock Tower. However, the privately owned building did not permit groups to use its stairs for this purpose. The Bunker Hill Monument was also considered, but its narrow staircase and limit of 25 people at a time presented logistical concerns.
Liz presented several alternatives, including walking Blue Hill in Milton, collectively climbing 250 flights of stairs during October, or having members walk 20 miles during the month to represent the approximate distance of Paul Revere’s ride.
Members discussed holding an in-person activity in Concord because of its connection to the American Revolution and the nation’s 250th anniversary. Walden Pond was suggested as an accessible location with walking opportunities and space for a picnic. Concord was also confirmed to be within The Ride service area and accessible by commuter rail.
The chapter agreed to hold its in-person Coast to Coast event at Walden Pond in Concord on Saturday, October 31, from 10:30 AM to 2:30 PM. The event would include walking and a potluck picnic, allowing members who could not walk significant distances to participate socially.
Liz would check whether a permit or other arrangements would be required at Walden Pond before details were distributed. Gina agreed to contact the Concord Lions Club to explore whether members could assist with the event.
The chapter’s fundraising goal for the Coast to Coast initiative would be $250. Liz would prepare information for the chapter email list, including the donation link and a request for members to indicate whether they planned to attend. Food contributions for the potluck would be coordinated once attendance was known.
Presidential Release

The September Presidential release <https://nfb.org/sites/nfb.org/files/2026-08/presidential_release_september_2026_chapter_version_final.mp3> was played.
Adjournment

The meeting was adjourned at 9:29 PM. The next meeting was scheduled for October 13.

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