Ten years as the top individual fundraiser for the Blind Awareness Walk-a-thon has pushed Frank Haley’s total raised over $45,000.

Frank is celebrating 10 years as the top individual donor to the New Hampshire Blind Awareness Walk-a-thon, which took place this year on June 7. The Walk-a-thon is a 3K walk throughout Concord’s historic district to the State House. This year, because of the help of the people in the community and beyond, he was able to raise $6,834, bringing his 10-year total to $45,524.

Frank wishes to thank his family, The Andover Beacon, and supporters from the Andover community and beyond who donated money and time to help support the New Hampshire Association for the Blind in this endeavor.

Every year prior to the walk, Frank and his wife Ann spend time driving around to meetings, to businesses, and to friends and acquaintances seeking donations for this worthy cause. Frank said, “People are usually pretty generous, and this year many people said, ‘Oh, yes, we read about that in the Beacon,‘ so thanks to the Beacon for making people aware of this very worthy cause, and thanks to the community for their donations and support.”

Frank and Ann were accompanied on this walk by their daughters-in-law Norma Haley and Vickie Haley and by their granddaughters Katie, Mariah, and Shannon Haley. Frank, who has a brace boot on his left foot and ankle from an injury, says he enjoys the walk and the food provided to the walkers by the New Hampshire Association for the Blind and their supporters.

The Blind Awareness Walk-a-thon has been produced each year for the past 11 years by the New Hampshire Association for the Blind (NHAB), which provides vision rehabilitation services for New Hampshire people of all ages who, like Frank, are blind or visually impaired.

Some of the services provided by NHAB are rehabilitation therapy, which helps an individual maintain his or her independence; orientation and mobility instruction to help an individual develop safe independent travel skills and learn new routes and environments; and low vision services, which assist people who are partially sighted to use their remaining vision more effectively. NHAB also provides educational services, adaptive technology services, volunteer services, and public education.

For more information about the New Hampshire Association for the Blind or to make a donation, contact them at 224-4039 or Services@nullSightCenter.org.