News Archive

Merrimack County Savings Bank and the Bagan Foundation Support Technology for the Blind

The Bagan Foundation and the Merrimack County Savings Bank Foundation each recently awarded funding to purchase two Closed Circuit Television Electronic Readers (CCTV) to be used by visually impaired Board members, clients serving on committees as well as visitors to the McGreal Sight Center who are visually impaired.

Association forms Seacoast Advisory Committee

A group of residents from the seacoast area have formed a special Advisory Committee to support the New Hampshire Associaiton for the Blind. The purpose of the Committee is to create awareness around the issues of blindness and to spread the word about the services the Association provides.

Led by Beth Forgione the group is currently looking forward to developing strong partnerships with local individuals and corporations.

If you are a resident of New Hampshire’s seacoast region, have an interest in issues facing the blind and are willing to work as an ambassador, please contact the Association at 1-800-464-3075. Meetings are held on the first Monday of each month in Portsmouth.

Association’s VP Receives Prestigious Award

December 17, 2009 – Concord, NH Guy Woodland, Senior Vice President for the New Hampshire Association for the Blind recently received the prestigious Thomas Caulfield Award at the annual meeting of the Northeast Chapter of the Association for the Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired (NE/AER). The Thomas Caulfield Award is awarded every other year to someone who demonstrates outstanding personal efforts in assisting persons with visual impairment to adjust to their disability and to attain responsible goals in their communities. Mr. Woodland has been with the Association since 1999 and is responsible for the oversight of the rehabilitation and education services that are provided by the New Hampshire Association for the Blind. It was under his leadership that the Association started a formal program to provide services to school-age children who are blind and visually impaired. He saw that there were many unmet needs of children who were visually impaired in NH, so he did something about it. “One of Guy’s great strengths is his leadership with the staff at The Association. He’s not only one of the greatest role models and mentors in his tireless efforts to advocate for the needs of persons who are visually impaired, he also offers great support and guidance to those he supervises. He inspires others to be creative in their work with clients.” - Nancy Druke, Director of Social Work at the New Hampshire Association for the Blind and President of NE/AER.

Previously, Woodland had worked for 28 years at the Canadian National Institute for the Blind, traveling from the Maritime Provinces to the Northwest Territories. Blind since age 20, Guy was the first consumer to be appointed to the Atlantic Provinces Special Education Authority. While in Canada, he has worked on joint projects with the Canadian Council of the Blind, the American Council of the Blind, the National Federation of the Blind and the American Federation for the Blind. He was also involved in special projects with the Canadian Ophthalmology Society, Canadian Association of Optometry, and the World Blind Union.

Board of Directors elects new board chair and secretary

At the The New Hampshire Association for the Blind’s Annual Meeting in November 2009 the Board of Directors elected Michelle M. Arruda, Esq. of Contoocook as their new Board Chair. Ms. Arruda has been an active board member for the past 6 years. An attorney with Cleveland, Waters and Bass, P.A. in Concord, NH Ms. Arruda specializes in trusts and estates. In addition to her work with the Association, Ms. Arruda is affiliated with many professional and charitable organizations.

Also elected at the Association’s annual meeting the Board of Directors elected Susan Manchester of Amherst as their new Board Secretary. Ms. Manchester has been an active board member for the past 3 years. Susan holds a JD from Boston University School of Law and specializes in commercial real estate and lending with Sheehan Phinney Bass + Green in Manchester, NH.

Board of Directors elects two new board memebers at its annual meeting

Michelle Arruda, Board Chair of the New Hampshire Association for the Blind announced at the Annual Meeting of the Association in November 2009 the election of Robert Boucher of Bedford, to its Board of Directors. Robert holds a BS from Northeastern University and has served 25 years on the National Ski Patrol. Boucher, a vice president for Spectrum Marketing, will bring his expertise in marketing and advertising strategies to support the Association in its fundraising activities. Ms. Arrruda also announced the election of Steve Shurtleff of Penacook, to its Board of Directors. Shurtleff, the Chair of the House Criminal Justice Committee and Concord City Councilor, has been a consistent supporter of the Association’s Advocacy Committee. Shurtleff holds a degree from the City College of Chicago and currently sits on numerous local boards. Steve’s expertise is these areas will strengthen the Association’s interaction with city and state agencies.

Chelsey Duranleau

Walking down the Appian Gateway at Keene State College you are likely to come across a young woman walking purposefully. She is a senior, majoring in Spanish and a very skilled white cane user. Born blind from Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP), Chelsey Duranleau will graduate from Keene State in May.

While Chelsey is hard-pressed to pick one single experience to highlight her college years, she admits that spending a semester abroad in Spain was unbelievable and probably “one of the best things about coming to Keene.” She also enjoyed attending the last two annual conferences of the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) in Detroit and Washington, DC. As New Hampshire’s NFB student chapter president, Chelsey is a strong voice for New Hampshire’s young blind community and hopes more young people will become self-advocates.

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Great News - Extension of IRA Charitable Rollover Included in Financial Rescue Bill!

Make a gift to the New Hampshire Association for the Blind and take advantage of this renewed giving opportunity! On October 3, 2008, the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 was passed by Congress and signed into law by President Bush. One of the last minute additions to the Senate version of the bill was an extension of the charitable IRA rollover provisions that had expired at the end of 2007. The new legislation extends the charitable IRA rollover provisions of the Pension Protection Act of 2006, making them applicable to rollovers made in 2008 (retroactive to January 1) and 2009. Read more.....

Volunteer Opportunities

Your skills and experience can make a difference. Volunteer opportunities are available statewide, withing the volunteer's own community and at the McGreal Sight Center.
Click here to read a story from one of our volunteers.