President Marilyn rang the bell and called the meeting to order at 12:00 p.m. Recitation of the "4-Way Test of the Things We Think Say or Do" was led by
Songs. With Dr. Ernst back tickling the ivories, we sang the Rotary “Welcome Song,” and “The Camptown Races.”
PRESIDENT’S THOUGHT OF THE DAY: The Rotary Foundation is celebrating National Immunization Week. The Rotary Club of Lebanon has received an End Polio Now Certificate of Appreciation from the Rotary Foundation. Rotary clubs that donate $1,500 or more within a Rotary year receive this certificate.
WEEKLY STATISTICS:
Guests: Meredith Cashman (Dean’s wife).
Visiting Rotarians: Jimmy Brock (Remote); David and Linda Underhill, Portsmouth NH. Dave is the incoming Endowment Major Gifts Advisor for Zone 32 (which includes our District 7850). Rotary International is divided into 34 geographic zones, each containing approximately 18 districts, designed to have roughly equal membership numbers worldwide. Zones are paired to elect 17 directors for the Rotary International Board, ensuring equitable representation. These zones are reviewed every eight years, with a new structure approved in early 2026.) Our Zone 32 covers a large area including Canada, Bermuda, and parts of the USA.
Birthdays: George Wenz, April 27; Lori Fortini (Bruce P’s partner), April 30.
CIVIC MEMORIAL PARK PLAYGROUND PROJECT:
President Marilyn passed around a thank-you card signed by a group of young children who have found joy in the new playground that our club helped finance for Civic Memorial Park.
PROGRAM:
Nenia (Nee-nah) Ballard, Ms. Wheelchair New Hampshire 2026.
Police officer locally for ten years—Canaan and Hanover. Contracted Long Covid and was recently named Ms. Wheelchair New Hampshire. She experiences brain fog and word search problems, so she delivered her talk with prepared written remarks. Her goal is to expand access to the outdoors to all persons. Husband and two children. Nenia will go to Michigan in August to compete for Ms. Wheelchair America.
It’s not a beauty pageant. Its purpose is to give voice to disabled women, advocate for girls’ rights, accessibility, and inclusion.
Nenia’s first 30-ish years were lived as a fairly healthy and able-bodied individual. She moved to the Upper Valley in her early 20’s and loved it: she hiked, paddled, camped and “farmers-marketed” her way through the area. She worked as a police officer, during which time she developed community events such as the coffee with a cop in Hanover and a Night Out in Canaan.
She came down with Covid; then was diagnosed with disabling Long Covid, which caused her to turn in her badge as the symptoms worsened. Now, Nenia uses a wheelchair to navigate the world not friendly to persons with disabilities.
There are barriers to access—even one or two stairs to a store, a curb in front of an accessible port-a-potty, a paper towel dispenser fastened to a wall above her reach. People wrongly assume that the wheelchair is the issue, that using a WC is a shameful, weak, thing. Abe-bodied persons tend to look down at WC users with pity, making incorrect assumptions about their other abilities. In actuality, the WC and other aids are tools built for independence. Her WC allowed Nenia to be here today. “WC is great for me, but world isn’t prepared for me.”
“Accessible” beach—cannot be one where the sand mat ends 100 feet into the sand.
“Accessible” trail—cannot be one covered in gravel that’s notoriously difficult to manage.
Many spaces labeled “accessible” aren’t really if they are blocked by gates, by mud, rocks, etc. If it’s accessible to you, you might not notice that it isn’t accessible for everyone. This can make one start to distrust “accessible” labels, maybe to the point where one stops going out at all. It takes a lot of energy to get to a place only to find that 6” separates us from using the facility. Wheelchair users are overlooked or forgotten, especially when an easy fix could make a site accessible.
26% of all individuals in the US have a disability. Every day, formerly able-bodied adults join that group.
The key to all this is to start with “Universally designed accessible spaces.” Some argue that making a path accessible will ruin nature. That’s not true! No one is asking to pave over nature. What helps are “accessibility features,” like replacing stone steps, boardwalks, etc., that accommodate and help able-bodied people but not people with mobility disability.
Why does it matter if the outdoor spaces are accessible? First, Nenia says, “Why not make them accessible? How can we justify ignoring a quarter of the population?” Accessibility allows everyone to enjoy the benefits of being outside, exploring nature. Nenia noted, "Being pushed along the Rail Trail would never have replaced my former activity; now, having the tools to access the Trail, I feel freed. But I still feel 'broken' when I hit a barrier."
Accessibility needs to be intentional, part of the why and how of decisions, materials and designs. It needs to be part of the initial and continuing conversations, not added as an afterthought.
“Is it possible to make EVERY outdoor space accessible?”
Not every trail in NH is accessible, even to all able-bodied persons. When we build elements, it makes sense to take access into account. Make the space accessible to as many people as possible. Ex) Create a hard-packed tail with a seamless transition into a boardwalk over a sensitive area. Add guide ropes and braille markers for persons with vision impairment. We have the tools; we just need the world to be designed so we can use them.
Rotary can help. "You have connections with government, not-for-profits, and businesses. Carry this message to your other meetings."
Nenia thanked Jake’s Market and Deli for making a generous donation to her continuing Ms. Wheelchair campaign, now on the national level. For more information or to donate to help her trip to Michigan:
Mswheelchairnewhampshire2026.org.
Question: Dave Underhill—Does a day spent in a program where participants are deprived of a sense help awareness?
N: Such programs have benefits—people notice things they wouldn’t have before. But, if you are going to try a wheelchair, you need to be careful if you have no experience.
Q Phil Bush—In France, we arranged for a WC for Judith to get through Charles de Gaulle; I was offered one and took it. It was a new perspective from which to see the world.
Q Steve Grant—There’s an old Washington D.C. proverb: “If you’re not on the table, you’re on the menu.” Administrations need to include persons with disabilities in the accessibility process.
N: I agree.
Q John Stalvey—Are there places in Lebanon that you find could use accessibility improvements?
N: Almost everywhere! Some places need a little help, but others need to be completely revamped.
Angela—Send us a list, let us help you!
Q Ron Michaud—What do you do when you face someone who assumes you cannot do anything?
N: I face that situation every day and go through it, trying to interact with courtesy.
SPEAKER RECOGNITION BOOK:
I Got You—A Brother’s Promise.
Rasheed has the best big brother in the world! Anthony has been his hero from day one, making him feel safe during storms and included in all kinds of fun activities. Thanks to Anthony, Rasheed knows all about worms, mud pies, puddles, and how to fly on a swing. And now that Rasheed is getting a little older, Anthony is teaching him how to do big-boy things, like button his own shirt, and ride a bike. And most importantly, that there will be times when Anthony needs his own space and time with his buddies. At first Rasheed feels crushed not to be included full-time with his brother, but fortunately, Anthony reassures him that even when they're not together, he still loves Rasheed and nothing will ever change that. And when Momma and Daddy share the big news that soon both of them will be big brothers, Rasheed knows—thanks to Anthony—just what kind of big brother he wants to be.
SERVICE AND OTHER ACTIVITIES:
- The Rotary Foundation report—Ron Bedell
We’ve raised $8k toward this year’s goal of $12 k.
- GOLF
- We have 27 teams registered, a record!
- We still have some sponsors who’ve given in the past but haven’t yet been contacted; we are following up.
- We provided lists of cold contacts and are accepting raffle prize. donations which should be made during the next couple of weeks.
CLUB SOCIAL EVENTS COMING UP SOON!
- Lebanon Club Changeover, June 18th 5:30 p.m., Dwinell Room at Harvest Hill (No meeting that day at noon).
ROTARY DISTRICT 7850 COMING EVENTS:
- June 12-14, 2026, Friday-Sunday: District 7850 Conference at Hotel Estrimont, Magog, Quebec. Widen and deepen your Rotary friendships and network! Lebanon Rotary Club will provide stipends up to $400 to attend; actual amount to be determined based on the number of members who want to attend.
CLUB FUNDRAISERS—ALL HANDS ON DECK NEEDED TO MAKE THESE SUPER SUCCESSFUL!
- June 3, Wednesday: Bedell Classic Golf Tournament. It’s time to make your approach to potential sponsors or donations of raffle prizes. Also, there are volunteer opportunities galore, starting with possible setup assistance the afternoon of June 2, Tuesday. We can also use your donated raffle items – new, unused things you may have at home!
- September 5, Saturday of Labor Day Weekend: 2026 Brew Fest
HAPPY DOLLARS:
Steve Grant: Always fascinated with Densmore Brick Co., which at one time made the hardest brick in the USA. He saw that the area around the original honeycomb kilns had been opened up to a fine view from Lebanon High School when he went to the 5 Colleges Book Sale.
Phil Bush: Rotary magazine has an article on “conservation burial,” a form of natural burials on land in conservation easement. In Lebanon, natural burial is possible in 2 cemeteries—at the top of the Old Pine Tree cemetery, and in West Lebanon. Judith Bush and Sara Riley are part of a group within Sustainable Lebanon that got changes made to cemetery bylaws to make it possible. There is a group working on getting a conservation area set aside.
Dean: "$1 to thank Nenia for always exceeding expectations."
Marilyn: "I had a major nosebleed Tuesday morning, and the Lebanon ambulance crew was great—they got me out without leaving a blood trail. At APD’s ER, they quickly stopped the flow."
Dave Crandall: "My mother-in-law died at her home at age 96. We were with her when she passed, a profound experience."
Ron Michaud: "My experience during the 5-year period when my wife, Hilary, used a wheelchair is reflected in a lot of what Nenia said." One memory Ron shared from before they had an accessible commode in the house: the two of them ended up spending 3 hours on the floor to crawl to the bathroom—they started to laugh halfway through and kept on laughing.
Dave Clarenbach: "Nenia gave us a great talk. Let’s not let this be 'Hey, we’ll get together some time.' Rotary wants to help your cause. Give Dean a list and we’ll get out and start getting things done."
CARD AND CAR WASH RAFFLE:
- Dean’s number was called and the Jack of Clubs was drawn.
- The fix was in! Dean drew his wife, Meredith’s, card for a free Enfield Car Wash, courtesy of Bruce Bergeron.
President Marilyn rang the Rotary bell at ~1:20 p.m., and we ended the meeting with a recitation of RI’s motto:
