By Journal Staff
The Revere Commission on Disabilities (COD) held its regular monthly meeting on Tuesday, September 9, via Zoom. On hand for the session were chair Ralph DeCicco, vice-chair Pauline Perno, Jason Barone-Cichocki, Mario Grimanis, and Ellie Vargas.
The guest speakers for the evening were Lisa Tulipani and Maria Riley, the co-founders of Lynnebago LLC. According to its website, “The Lynnebago is an accessible event trailer/community engagement hub providing dignified toileting options, multilingual/multimodal communication aides, and private space for sensory respite at outdoor events.”
Tulipani, whose young son son has spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy and requires a high level of care, noted the specific issue that the Winnebago is designed to solve: “The disability community is left out of living a connected life due to structural barriers in outdoor spaces and systemic barriers to civic engagement.”
Tulipani and Riley entered a competition with their idea and were awarded a grant with which they created the Lynnebago. The bathroom features an award-winning design that creates accessibility for a wide range of individuals with disabilities. It features a large space with a changing table that can accommodate individuals up to 330 pounds.
It is estimated that the disability rate in Massachusetts is 11.5 percent. Revere’s rate is 13.5 percent, which is the same rate as across the United States.
Although their business is not in operation yet, Tulipani and Riley are in the process of raising funds from investors and hope to be producing Lynnebagos by the middle of 2026.
In the meantime, their prototype Lynnebago is available for municipalities to rent on a per diem basis for special events, which includes a staff of volunteers who operate and sanitize it.
“This is the most wonderful thing that’s ever come down the ‘pike — no pun intended,” said Perno. Tulipani and Riley answered several questions from the COD members before concluding their presentation.
DeCicco provided an update regarding the upcoming workshops for the Music Therapy Program in collaboration with the Revere Parks and Recreation Department that will be offered on September 30, October 14, and October 28 from 4:00-5:30.
Those who wish to participate in the workshops, which will be conducted by board-certified music therapists from the Community Music Center of Boston, should contact Jen Duggan of the Parks and Rec. Dept. at [email protected].
The workshops are open to all families with a child with a disability who are looking for ways in which music can support their child’s development. The workshops are designed for family members and caregivers to learn about how to use music to address non-musical skills.
DeCicco provided an update of the September 3 meeting of the Commissions on Disabilities Alliance (CODA) that he attended:
— The Disabilities Policy Consortium (DPC), which hosts the CODA meetings, mentioned that there will be an upcoming hearing on September 17 at the State House regarding a bill that would make the cost of hearing aids covered by Insurance companies; and
— The Arlington COD member discussed the progress of their adaptive bike program. They currently have two adaptive bikes and have recently opened their storage shed for them. However, they are still waiting for their Parks and Rec. Center to acquire the necessary pedals for their bikes.
Perno concluded the meeting by reading the COD’s monthly reminder:
“The Commission on Disabilities office number is 781-286-8267. Residents can also call Revere 311 directly and speak to their staff Monday through Friday. They will answer most questions, but if they are unable to assist you or if you prefer to talk with the commission directly, please ask to be transferred to the Commission on Disability direct number. Please leave a detailed message, and we will respond to you shortly.
“As always, please don’t hesitate to contact us if you would like something discussed or added to our monthly meeting agenda. You can also let us know if you want to discuss any concerns. The commission is here to help and assist all disabled residents and their families in Revere.”
The next meeting of the COD (via Zoom) will be held on Tuesday, October 14, at 6:00. The guest speaker will be Revere Health Director Lauren Buck, who will discuss vaccines for the upcoming winter season among other topics.
