Minutes

Meeting Minutes 1/7/26

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New Hope Improvement Association

NHIA Board Meeting Minutes

President: Walter Fowler

Vice President: Sue Andersen

Secretary: Craig Drake

Treasurer:  Shannon Tostanoski (for 2025)

BOARD MEMBERS

Walter Fowler, Sue Andersen, Cliff Carroll, Amelia Drake, Craig Drake, Steve Herman, Deana Nelkin, Ed Tostanoski, Shannon Tostanoski

UNFINISHED BUSINESS

Item #1: Building Maintenance

Details: Discussion concerning building path and planting ground cover

Item #2: Drainage

Details: Plan for outdoor drainage to be developed with Fire Dept.

Item #3: Emergency Shelter Designation

Details: New Hope Fire Department will partner with NHIA to develop next steps on creating this designation and implementing said steps

Item #4: Building Transfer to New Hope Fire Department (NHFD)

Details: NHFD to draft agreement for transfer.  Will circulate to Board and discuss at next Board meeting (Feb. 4).  Consider vote by NHIA membership to finalize.

Item #5: Rental Policy

Details: General agreement that current Policy is working as planned

Item #6: Pruitt Health Care

Details: NHIA members will continue involvement if a point person can be identified

NEW BUSINESS

Item #1: NHIA Website

Details: Board agreed that Lindsay Carroll is managing website effectively. No action needed

Item #2: Shannon T. presented Treasurer’s Report; Ed T. will be Treasurer for 2026

Item #3: Social Media

Details: Discussion around the need to create more of a web presence. Facebook account exists and needs to be maintained – will check with current sponsors Gail Boyarsky and Meg McCann about transferring to Shannon T.  Need a knowledgeable volunteer to set up Instagram account

Item #4: Membership Renewals, Drive

Details: NHIA events will be used to drive membership.  Sue and Shannon are sending membership dues notices

Item #5: 2026 NHIA Events –  need point person in charge of each event (volunteers needed)

Details: Events under consideration:

– Duke Forest presentation (Walter F. will organize)

– Fire Safety presentation (Cliff Carroll will organize)

– Local history, nature presentation – Wildflower Hike with Dr. Bob Peet already set for Apr. 11

– NC DOT presentation

– Building Workday (Steve H. will organize)

– Ice Cream Social (Ed T. and Shannon T. will organize)

– Whitfield Road Clean Up

– Hollow Rock Store Talk and Fundraiser (Gail Boyarsky and Judd Edeburn to organize)

– Game Nights (Deanna to organize)

– Floral Arrangement Workshop – Fall event, may require honorarium to cover cost of materials.  (Amelia Drake to organize)

Item #6: Board Meeting

Details: Board prefers in-person meetings

Item #7: Membership Meeting

Details: Next Membership Meeting: March 4th

Item #8: Next Board Meeting

Details: Next Board Meeting: February 4th

Item #9: Work Day

Details: Work day to be scheduled (Steve Herman)

Events

New Year’s Day Hike to the New “Concrete Bridge” in Duke Forest

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Did you wonder what all that noise was down on New Hope Creek for the past several months?  The old concrete bridge was being replaced and the new bridge was dedicated (see photo above) and opened to the public earlier this month.  It’s a marvel and you need to see it and hear how it all happened.

Please join us for the first NHIA event in 2026.  Meet at Duke Forest Gate 25 (Concrete Bridge Rd on some maps) on Whitfield Rd right across from Wisteria Dr.

The hike will be from the gate and out and back is a little over a mile with some hills.  We’ll get started at 10 am and I won’t push the pace!  We should be back at the gate around 11:30.  Let’s start the new year off right.  Hope to see you there.  

Announcements

Thanks for supporting the 2025 NHIA PruittHealth-Carolina Point Christmas Benefit!

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Thanks to the generous support of donors and the work of volunteers, the NHIA was able to provide gifts for all residents and staff of PruittHealth-Carolina Point again this year. A note from Activity Director Abria Wilds:

 I just wanna say thank you again for everything you and your group did for us. Everything turned out beautifully. Both the residents and healthcare workers were so grateful. Happy holidays.

Thank you again to everyone who supported this effort, and best wishes for a happy holiday and a bright New Year!

Announcements

2025 NHIA PruittHealth-Carolina Point Christmas Benefit

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For the past five years, since the COVID pandemic, the New Hope Improvement Association has provided personalized gifts for all residents and gift cards for patient-care staff at this nursing home.

The majority of PruittHealth-Carolina Point residents are Medicaid recipients. The dedicated hard-working staff are truly an inspiration. The facility has just recently gotten over another COVID outbreak. We have seen firsthand that without our gift bags very few would have any gift at all on Christmas. Our hope is to continue giving this year what we have given in past years.

There are 90 residents and we give gifts totaling $20 to each person. The requests the residents make are for things like blankets, slippers, candy or snack crackers, clothing, and hygiene items. There are also 60 patient-care staff members and we have given each one a Food Lion Gift Card, for which they have been very grateful.

We hope our members and friends will participate in this Holiday Benefit for the PruittHealth residents and staff. In the past, no other church or other organization is involved with this home. The facility is located on Mt. Sinai Rd., so close to home.  

Donations may be made securely online at:  https://www.newhopeimprovement.com.

Checks can be made out to: New Hope Improvement Association, PO Box 16013, Chapel Hill NC 27516-6013. Please put “Pruitt” in memo line.

We thank you & Happy Holidays to all!