Page 22 - 2020 Winter CMTA Report

BRANCH NEWS
(continued from page 20)
5 BRANCHES ADDED TO THE Volunteers and supporters of this active

group raised close to $22,000 for STAR
CMTA FAMILY TREE IN 2019
research. After a delicious buffet, the group
held a 40/20/20/20 raffle, and two out of
three winners donated their winnings back
he CMTA added five new branches and seven new branch leaders to the CMTA. Funds also came from
and co-leaders in 2019. The branches—volunteer-driven support
Tand education groups—are a vital component of the CMTA’s
education and awareness mission. Guest speakers provide education
about the disease and best practices for therapeutic intervention to
help manage disease symptoms.
The new branches and leaders are:
• JACKSONVILLE, FL: Tim Nightingale and Stephanie Burkhalter
• NEWBURY, NH: Jacinta Gantz
• SYRACUSE, NY: Mike Casey Westchester
• SOUTHWESTERN VIRGINIA: Karen Brown
• TULSA, OK: Lonna Henry and Natasha Morgan
donated gift cards from various vendors
This amazing group of new branch leaders hit the ground
and restaurants and a silent auction that
running by building their branches, planning fun and informative included a pre-owned mink coat. The after-
meetings and taking time to support the CMT community in their noon also included a “Big Hat Contest”
with the winner receiving a donated gift
areas. card.
Two of the new branch leaders—Tim in Florida and Jacinta On November 9, 2019, CMTA Board
in New Hampshire—expressed surprise at the number of people Member Elizabeth Ouellette spoke to the
Westchester group via Skype. She stressed
(aka potential members) in their vicinity who have CMT. According the benefits of keeping active and sug-
to Tim, they share a thirst for knowledge and information about the gested that members check out board
disease. Jacinta said her peak experience since taking on the new role member Steve O’Donnell’s new exercise
video series on the CMTA website. She
has been meeting so many others with CMT who also felt alone and also gave a STAR research update.
were excited to meet others just like themselves. h
Mike from Syracuse, who held both his first meeting and his WILMINGTON, NC
The Wilmington Branch welcomed foot and
first fundraiser in 2019, said he was most surprised by the turnout ankle surgeon Dr. Tyler Gonzalez to its
for his branch’s walk, which raised almost $4,000 and made him feel meeting on November 9, 2019. Dr. Gonza-
lez, from the University of South Carolina,
that “We are NOT alone.” One of those people was a 6-year old specializes in CMT. He shared information
with purple braces who had never seen another human being about therapeutic interventions that can
wearing AFOs before Mike. obviate the need for surgery. He also dis-
cussed options for CMT patients when
Karen from Southwestern Virginia said that while she was ner- surgery becomes necessary. Twenty people
vous about leading a new branch all by herself and imagined she’d attended and after the presentation Dr. Gon-
zalez spent time answering questions and
be begging people to help her, the complete opposite was true, a
talking with them one-on-one.
“welcome and wonderful surprise.” Out of a total of three CMTers h
at her first two meetings, two were “all-in” with helping grow CLEVELAND, OH
Nine Cleveland Branch members came out
the branch and planning a fundraising event. “I did on September 26, 2019, for the first
not anticipate such willing help and great ideas right branch meeting under the new leadership
away and from such small numbers, but my of Shelly McMahon. After Shelly thanked
Heather Hawk Frank for her years of lead-
people are as excited as I am to have a regional ership, she laid out meeting dates for 2020
presence, and I have a real team already,” she says. and members discussed prospective guest
speakers and fundraising ideas and got
SEARCH OVER 70+ BRANCH LOCATIONS acquainted.
NATIONWIDE TO FIND ONE NEAR YOU: h
www.cmtausa.org/branches/. TULSA, OK
The newly formed Tulsa branch had a great
If you don’t find one, consider starting one! first meeting in 2019. Branch Leaders
For more information, contact CMTA Director Lonna Henry and Natasha Morgan wel-
comed a couple of families and shared
of Community Outreach Laurel Richardson information about the CMTA and what’s
at laurel@cmtausa.org. going on in research and in the commu-
nity. The branch is looking forward to
meeting regularly and growing.
22 THE CMTA REPORT WINTER 2020