[NHLakesChapter] NFB of NH Lakes Region Chapter June 2026 Meeting notes

[Melissa & Todd Abbott]

Good morning Randi,

Thank you for your feedback, happy Friday!

Kindly,
Melissa

On Fri, Sep 18, 2026 at 6:16 AM randi62 via NHLakesChapter <
nhlakeschapter at nfbnet.org> wrote:

> Hi, Melissa!
>
> This all looks good to me! Looking forward to hearing everybody on
> Saturday morning!
>
> Randi Wilson
> Sent from my Galaxy
>
>
> -------- Original message --------
> From: Melissa & Todd Abbott via NHLakesChapter <nhlakeschapter at nfbnet.org>
>
> Date: 9/17/26 12:04 PM (GMT-05:00)
> To: NFB of New Hampshire Lakes Region Chapter List <
> nhlakeschapter at nfbnet.org>
> Cc: Melissa & Todd Abbott <modeanit at gmail.com>
> Subject: [NHLakesChapter] NFB of NH Lakes Region Chapter June 2026 Meeting
> notes
>
> Hello Everyone!
>
> Hoping you all are enjoying the last few weeks of your summer season. Our
> annual picnic was wonderful this year and it was so nice to see everyone in
> person! I look forward to seeing you this Saturday, September 19 at 10:30
> for our regularly scheduled chapter meeting. It will be nice to catch up on
> all NFB objective and intitatives.
>
> Please be advised that I was absent for the June meeting so some meeting
> objectives are not included and the format will be slightly different for
> this meeting report. For example, who did the prayer, pledge of allegiance,
> who read the belief message, philosophy statement, my secretary's report
> and fundraising report, etc. Please let me know if you have any questions
> or concerns.
>
> Have a great rest of your day!
>
> Kindly,
>
> Melissa
> Secretary
> NFB of NH Lakes Region Chapter
>
> NFB of NH Lakes Region Chapter
> June 20th, 2026 Secretary Meeting Notes
>
> Members in Attendance, 19
>
> NFB NH Lakes Region Chapter Board Members
> President, Deanna O’Brien
> Vice President, Sheryl Dutton
> Treasurer, Dennis O’Brien
>
> NFB of NH North Country Chapter Board Members
> Richard Chabot
> Jackie Gagne
>
> Carolyn Corrigan, Christine Demers, Deb Moore, Andrew Harmon, Dana Trahan,
> Fred Fournier, Lillian Leroux, Lucille Leroux
> Joanne Jordan, Randi Wilson, David Brownell, Nancy Downing, Dan Levesque,
> Kelley Snyder.
>
> Treasurer’s Report:
>
> May 2026 Beginning Balance: $3,744.20
> Checks/Debits $100.00
> Interest $0.03
> May 2026 Ending Balance: $3,644.23
>
> Meeting Summary Quick Recap:
> 1) Bay Bridge Run/Walk Across New England initiative, where the six New
> England states will collaborate to raise funds for the national office. The
> affiliate agreed to participate by having members log individual miles
> through walking, treadmill exercise, swimming, or other movement activities
> between October and November, with Randi taking the lead role as champion
> and forming a committee with Andrew and Christine to coordinate the effort.
> 2) The group also decided on August 15th as the date for the annual
> picnic, with an August 1st deadline date for RSVP's and food sign-ups.
> 3) The group discussed challenges with the recent May 2026 convention at
> the Grappone Center regarding the breakfast service and scheduling
> conflicts with a prom.
> 4) The meeting ended with a brief mention of a disability pride parade in
> July and a corporate matching fund donation from Kelley's employer that
> needed follow-up.
>
> Meeting Summary Quick Recap Details:
>
> Andrew
>     • Volunteer to help Randi and the committee identify suitable
> locations (parks) for potential group walk events and assist with logistics
> as needed.
>     • Email information about the July 18th Disability Pride Parade to the
> listserv and coordinate with interested members (including Christine) about
> possible NFB table/representation.
>
> Christine
>     • Join the Walk Across New England planning committee and assist with
> brainstorming and organizing participation, especially around community
> engagement ideas.
>
> David
>     • Communicate with Deanna about his possible contribution to the Walk
> Across New England fundraising.
>
> Deanna
>     • Communicate with Shara Winton and other New England state presidents
> to clarify event dates, mileage, and logistics for the Walk Across New
> England; share updates and materials (flyers, QR codes) with the chapter
> when available.
>     • Communicate with Grappone Center to address issues with breakfast
> service and prom scheduling, and inquire about room rates for the last week
> of April and first week of May for the 2024 state convention; report
> findings to the chapter.
>     • Put out information on the listserv regarding possible 2024 state
> convention dates and hotel options for chapter feedback.
>     • Provide Christine's email address to Andrew and ensure she receives
> chapter communications until she is added to the listserv.
>
> Deb
>     • Confirm picnic date of August 15th with the park and ensure the 22nd
> is held as a rain date; communicate final details to Deanna and the chapter.
> Collaboration
>     • Randi, Andrew, Christine: Meet (using affiliate Zoom if needed) to
> develop a plan for individual and collective participation in the Walk
> Across New England, including tracking miles and engaging community members.
>     • All members: Begin tracking individual movement/miles (walking,
> swimming, treadmill, etc.) as of the date set by the committee, and report
> to Randi or designated committee member for tallying.
>     • All members: RSVP to Deanna by August 1st regarding attendance at
> the August 15th picnic and indicate what dish or item they will bring.
>     • Deanna and Dennis: Follow up with Raytheon regarding the status of
> the corporate matching fund donation for Future Insight and ensure funds
> are properly directed to Fred (Treasurer).
>
> Summary
> New England Walk Initiative Planning
> The meeting began with a belief statement from the National Federation of
> the Blind and a prayer led by Lillian. The group reviewed and accepted both
> the Secretary's report and the Treasurer's report, with Andrew and Lillian
> making the necessary motions and receiving unanimous approval. Deanna then
> discussed a new initiative called the "Walk Across New England," where six
> New England states will collaborate to raise funds through a walk or run
> event, though details about implementation and coordination are still being
> determined.
>
> Coast to Coast Challenge Planning
> Deanna announced that New Hampshire must participate in the Coast to Coast
> Movement Challenge despite the late planning, as all six New England states
> are participating. The group discussed how to approach the challenge given
> their geographic spread across the state, with Deanna proposing that
> members track individual miles through walking, treadmill exercise, or
> walking guide dogs, with the collective miles representing the distance
> between state capitals. Randi volunteered to be the champion for the
> initiative, and the group explored ideas including community involvement,
> potentially incorporating Halloween costumes for October events, and using
> local parks for group walks.
>
> October Movement Challenge Planning
> The group discussed organizing a movement challenge event in October, with
> Deanna suggesting a week-long walking event where participants could log
> various physical activities including walking, swimming, and gym workouts
> toward a total mileage goal. Christine and Andrew agreed to join a
> committee led by Randi to plan the event, with the committee needing to
> determine a specific location and accommodate different participation
> levels including those with mobility limitations. The group clarified that
> registration should be done under affiliate rather than chapter status, and
> they acknowledged this would be their first year participating, with plans
> to improve the event in future years.
>
> Bay Bridge Run Planning Meeting
> The meeting focused on planning New Hampshire's participation in the Bay
> Bridge Run/Coast to Coast walk event. Deanna explained that the event will
> have both group and individual components to accommodate participants
> across different regions of the state. The committee discussed coordinating
> local activities and keeping track of participation, with plans to clarify
> the fundraising purpose and receive official information after the national
> convention. Dana suggested using Google Gemini to research the event's
> fundraising mission, and the group agreed to share this information once
> available.
>
> August Picnic Planning Meeting
> The group decided to hold their picnic on August 15th with August 22nd as
> a rain date. Deb will contact the park to confirm the 15th date and keep
> the 22nd as a backup. Attendees must confirm their attendance by August 1st
> and bring their own drinks, chairs, and food items like desserts, salads,
> or side dishes, while the chapter will provide meat, buns, and plates. The
> meeting also noted that Kevin will not be able to help with grilling this
> year due to being out of work and health issues.
>
>
> State Convention Planning Discussion
> The group confirmed that the picnic date would remain the 15th and
> discussed issues with the recent state convention, including problems with
> hotel breakfast service and a prom being held on the same day. While some
> members expressed interest in returning to a multi-day convention format,
> they agreed to stay in Maine and consider the same hotel, pending
> discussions about resolving the issues encountered. The group also
> discussed the success of having Maggie Goodlander attend the convention and
> explored strategies for inviting other congressional representatives to
> future events, though they acknowledged the challenges in scheduling due to
> legislative breaks and busy schedules.
>
> Convention Scheduling and Venue Issues
> The group discussed scheduling the next convention, with consensus to keep
> it in April or May rather than continuously moving the date. Deanna
> expressed concerns about issues at the current venue, the Grappone Center,
> including breakfast service problems and conflicts with prom scheduling.
> The group agreed to let Deanna first address these issues directly with the
> hotel before considering forming a convention committee or changing venues.
>
> State Convention Date Change Discussion
> The group discussed moving the state convention from late May to late
> April due to Memorial Day conflicts on May 31st. Deanna explained
> challenges with securing hotel rooms for overnight stays, noting previous
> attempts to guarantee room blocks failed due to affiliates backing out at
> higher rates. The group agreed to explore both late April (April 24-30) and
> early May dates, with Deanna committing to contact the hotel for rate
> comparisons and potentially calling an emergency chapter meeting to
> finalize the decision before the next regular meeting in September.
>
> State Convention Planning Meeting
> The group discussed planning for an upcoming state convention, with Deanna
> emphasizing the need to select a date early and requiring board members
> like Richard to prioritize attendance over other commitments. Deanna agreed
> to work with the hotel to determine room rates and will share information
> on the listserv, while noting they may need to find a new venue if the
> current hotel doesn't work out.
>
> Andrew brought up a disability pride parade on July 18th outside the State
> House in Concord, and Christine offered to help coordinate attendance at
> the event, with Deanna providing her contact information to the group.
>
> New Investigator Welcome and Updates
> Deanna welcomed Christine as the new investigator and expressed pride in
> having her join the NFB. Randi requested a moment with Deanna after the
> meeting to complete a form and exchanged contact information with
> Christine.
>
> David inquired about the national fund drive timeline, and Deanna
> indicated they would discuss it further, suggesting they focus on finding
> community and business donors rather than affiliate members.
>
> Jackie announced a road toll event in North Country on July 18th, which
> raised $800 last year. Jackie also will discuss the Walk Across New England
> event at the next North Country chapter meeting and coordinate local
> participation and mileage tracking.
>
> Kelley raised concerns about Raytheon's corporate matching fund donation
> process, which Deanna promised to follow up on.
>
> Dana Trahan Legislative Director Report:
> Thank you to Randi, our second VP, for embracing the Bay Bridge Run
> project.
>
> Bay Bridge Run
> Is an annual 10K walk or run across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge in Maryland.
> The National Federation of the Blind (NFB) participates in it as a major
> charity partner alongside their nationwide "Coast-to-Coast Movement
> Challenge."
> While the actual in-person bridge crossing typically takes place in early
> November, with fundraising virtual events kick into high gear in October,
> which is Blind Equality Achievement Month.
> The funds raised from the event directly support the NFB's core mission to
> help blind and low-vision individuals live independent, fulfilling lives.
> Specifically, the money goes toward education and literacy programs such
> as the Braille Reading Pals, NFB BELL Academy (Braille Enrichment for
> Literacy and Learning) to help blind children develop critical reading and
> writing skills.
> Advocacy & legal defenses protecting the civil rights of blind Americans,
> ensuring equal access in the workplace, and fighting for digital
> accessibility (like making medical devices and websites compatible with
> nonvisual screen readers).
> Employment resources by hosting virtual career fairs and career mentoring
> networks to connect blind job seekers with employers and combat high
> unemployment rates in the blind community.
> Free White Cane Program and manufacturing and distribution of high-quality
> fiberglass white canes to any blind person in the US who needs one,
> completely free of charge, to promote independence and mobility.
> Essentially, it's all about "shattering barriers" and creating
> opportunities so that blindness doesn't hold anyone back from their dreams.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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