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Annual Meeting Shows Power of Connecting

Published on 1/4/2023

Northampton Neighbors had much to celebrate in 2022 and even more to look forward to in the coming year, Board President Rainey Millman told those gathered on Zoom on November 14 for NN’s annual meeting.  Read more. Programs have expanded in exciting ways, membership has grown, and we are financially sound. Rainey said people have made this progress possible in many ways—by volunteering in a variety of ways, asking for services, expressing their interests and creativity, serving on committees, coming to events, and giving generously of their time and money.

The group viewed videos in which several members highlighted the ways they engage with Northampton Neighbors. These included serving on board committees, helping to shape programs and events, and coming up with ideas for new initiatives such as the Laptop Program.

Among the comments:
    •    Both giving and receiving NN services feel good for all concerned and can expand members’ circle of acquaintances, sometimes leading to new friendships.
    •    Partnering with the UMass undergraduate public health course about loneliness has been powerful medicine, helping both younger and older participants feel known.
    •    It takes a village to make a parade and it takes fun to bring in funds. So some members worked doggedly (while having great fun and enjoying the camaraderie) for more than six months to make Mark Karpel’s inspiration, the DoozyDo Parade, a reality.

Members then met in small groups so participants could hear directly from one another. When the groups reconvened, three common themes emerged: connection is vitally important to members, participants had shared really good ideas for making NN even better, and many felt that their time together was too short!

You can watch the entire annual meeting here.