Our Beginnings

Seated left to right are Chairwoman Lynne Doyle and Julie McCain; standing left to right are Gretchen Hunter, Bridget Barber, Rhonda Schember and Maureen Barber-Carey. Also on the committee are Shelly Cacchione, Jennifer Dulabon, Nancy Gary, Emily Hutchinson, Diane Keim, Susan Sullivan and Jeanne Baker.

Dear Friends,

We invite you to be with us as we celebrate the mission of the Dr. Gertrude A. Barber National Institute in serving children with disabilities and their families. The successful fulfillment of Dr. Barber's vision has been possible because of the tremendous support from our community over the years.

The Ladies Only Luncheon is another Barber National Institute success! We began this event in 2003, when one of our parents, Amy Borden, came to me with an idea of a fundraiser - an afternoon of fun and relaxation just for the ladies. Amy had participated in a similar activity at her daughter's school in Boston and was enthusiastic about bringing the event to Erie. So she gathered a few friends - Marilyn Freeman, Jennifer Dulabon, Heidi Myers along with Daren McCullough, Susan Sullivan and Rhonda Schember - and the Dr. Gertrude A. Barber National Institute Ladies Only Luncheon was born!

In the past six years, we have raised more than $240,000 to benefit programs for our children. Equally as important, the Luncheon gives us an opportunity to gather with all of our friends and supporters who strongly believe as we do that children with disabilities should be provided every opportunity to grow and develop to their fullest potential. We deeply value your friendship and support, and thank you on behalf of the children and families in our community who benefit from this event.

We hope you will mark your calendar now for our seventh annual Ladies Only Luncheon on Saturday, November 21, 2009. Your support helps us continue to make dreams come true for children with disabilities.

Sincerely,

Maureen Barber-Carey, Ed.D
Executive Vice President