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

Fri Sep 18 14:17:10 UTC 2026

Check plus for me see you tomorrow

Carolyn Corrigan

On Fri, Sep 18, 2026, 8:32 AM Melissa & Todd Abbott via NHLakesChapter <
nhlakeschapter at nfbnet.org> wrote:

> 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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