Community Food Pantry serves Growing Numbers

By Larry Favinger
Staff Columnist

SOMERSWORTH—
In the month of October the Community Food Pantry provided about 12,000 meals to families in Somersworth and Rollinsford, N.H., and Berwick, Maine.
What the pantry does for those who qualify is to provide enough food for three meals a day for five days when they visit the distribution center in the basement of First Parish United Church of Christ at 176 West High St.
That’s the norm for the pantry but during this holiday season there’s a little extra work done by a multitude of people with the support of the local community.
Just last Saturday the pantry provided its version of Thanksgiving Baskets, as more than 275 families filed through the line to collect a turkey and all the fixings for a Thanksgiving dinner.
The pantry has no paid staff, according to Tom Brown, who with his wife, Diane, serve as co-directors of the pantry. Over 60 volunteers do the work, he said, and they, along with what he terms tremendous community support, make it all happen.
Although hosted by the First Parish United Church of Christ, the pantry is nondenominational and supported by six area churches. These include the host church, the Berwick United Methodist, Dormition of the Virgin Mary, St. Ignatius of Loyola, and Our Lady of the Angels.
According to the pantry’s history, it was started at the invitation of Rev. Mark Rideout of First Parish to allow the area churches to join in an effort to relieve hunger and to consolidate the services of each of those churches.
This action was started in 1991. Each participating church is represented on the Board of Directors, and each church provides volunteers and food.
Mr. Brown said a pantry was rotating between the churches until The Rev. Mr. Rideout “brought people together and pooled their resources,” forming the current version of the pantry.
Originally “if we got 60 families a month we were doing good,” Mr. Brown said, but there has been a steady increase over the years.
There are 275 regulars now, Brown said, and that includes an increase of 20 percent a year in each of the last two years.
Recently, he said, there has also been a change in the type of people using the service. There are now some self-employed and contractors included. “That was not the norm in the past,” he said.
Due to the growth of the pantry, the space generously allowed by the church is becoming inadequate.
Mr. Brown continually spoke of the community support and how important it was from communities in both Maine and New Hampshire. Due to a lack of storage area at First Parish, the pantry has turned to the housing authority that has allowed space in the Old Queensbury Mill building.
Mr. Brown said the pantry is looking for larger quarters in the near future.
According to its web site the Community Food Pantry serves canned, frozen, dry and ready-to-serve foods for a variety of meals that are planned to provide enough meals for five days.
It also provides extras that help stretch the food supply over the month as those items become available. Most of the food is donated.
The pantry does receive items from USDA foods and also orders from the Good Shepherd Food Bank in Auburn, Maine. The foods from Good Shepherd have a very small maintenance fee of 16 cents a pound. This food must be transported from Alfred, Maine.
In addition, the pantry receives food monthly from the Food Rescue Program in Sanford, Maine. This food is provided at no cost.
The pantry also receives bread and pastries from Shaw's and Hannaford Supermarkets of Dover, and baked beans and other goodies from B & M in Portland, Maine.
The pantry uses USDA guidelines for eligibility to use the pantry. Brown said there is some extra paper work to do because of the operation in two states.
Community groups in all three towns are active in helping the pantry stay stocked with sufficient food to do its job. Students in the Somersworth Youth Connection at Somersworth Middle School provided the equivalent of three Thanksgiving baskets for the pantry and scouts from the communities also collect food.
The pantry is open Monday from 10 a.m. until noon, Wednesday from 6 to 8 p.m. and Thursday from 3 to 5 p.m.
Information is available by calling the pantry at (603) 692-2907 or the church at (603) 692-2057.
Photo caption: Volunteers at the Community Food Pantry filled boxes of food to be distributed for Thanksgiving in the basement of the First Parish Church of Christ in Somersworth. The group included, left to right, Lorraine Couture, Lu Bachelder, Helen Garneau and Carol Cavanaugh. (Larry Favinger photo)

Open Studios Weekend attracts Thousands

By Larry Favinger
Staff Columnist

ROLLINSFORD—
Thousands of art lovers visited Open Studios 2009 at the Salmon Falls Mills over last weekend. The twice a year event drew more than 3,000 people a year ago and it was expected a like number from Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts and beyond would visit the studios this year.
“It was a nice and busy day,” Sam Goodall, who has a studio in the lower mill, said Sunday afternoon. “It was a nice turnout of people.”
Goodall does custom art tiles for insulation along with mixed media sculpture and “lots of things ceramics related.” Her tiles are used for many things including to surround a fireplace and to decorate kitchens.
She has had a studio in the mill for over two years, moving to Rollinsford from Portsmouth.
Diane Minuti moved to a studio in the upper mill six months ago so was involved in her first open studio activity.
“I love it,” she said. “I’ve met interesting people.”
Ms. Minuti, who lives in Candia and commutes to her studio daily, said it gave her an opportunity to meet other artists as well. “It’s incredible,” she said.
Robert Nichols of Eliot was a guest at the upper mill and was working on caning a chair. He said the concept is great in that it gives people an opportunity to see an artist work, talk to the artist about it and also learn how it is done.
He said many people know what caning is but “it’s nice to see it done” as well.
“We’ve had a very good crowd,” Nancy W. Fulton, who formerly had a studio in the mill and was another artist invited to display their work, said. She and her two partners do work in jewelry and other aspects of art.
The open studio program included woodworking and fine furniture making, photography, pottery making, weaving and much, much more. Over 100 artists displayed their wares during the two-day event.
The Open Studio is organized by the artists themselves and held twice a year, the weekend before Thanksgiving, and Mother’s Day weekend in the spring.
Parking was at a premium both days with on street parking and the mill’s parking lots near capacity.
Activities and entertainment were also part of the celebration. There were magic shows, and kids’ craft projects at the library.
There was live music, performances by an actors’ company, and face-painting performances for children.
There were also live demonstrations by some of the resident artists.
Photo caption: People visiting the lower mill during the Open Studio celebration at the Mills at Salmon Falls had a lot to look at during the two-day festivities. More than 100 artists displayed their art last weekend. (Larry Favinger photo)

Portsmouth Tea Company in Somersworth announces its 1 Year Anniversary

SOMERSWORTH—

Portsmouth Tea Company, a gourmet tea company in Somersworth, began selling teas 5 years ago on the Internet and in specialty shops all over the U.S. It was formally located in the mill building downtown and later migrated north to a more visible location at 475 High St, where it added a café and retail shop. Portsmouth Tea Company was recognized in Real Simple Magazine in 2007.
“We are honored to still be around in this tough economy and grateful to all of our customers, new and old, for being so loyal to our wonderful tea line,” says Marshall Malone, store proprietor. “Our café was an experiment, created to give people a wonderful opportunity to experience good tea done well – then take it home with them.”
Malone says that the mill was a wonderful place to begin his business, but did not provide enough contact with customers who had trouble locating them. “Now I can serve tea all day and watch the smiles. The reactions we see here are remarkable!”
Portsmouth Tea distributes their teas in shops, restaurants and inns all over the U.S. with the heaviest concentration in New England and the South East. They carry over 80 gourmet teas and sell them in 3 sizes (small tin, large tin, pound) at the shop and online at www.portsmouthtea.com. These teas range by category; black tea, green tea, white tea, oolong tea, herbal tea, Rooibos (Red Tea) and fruit tea.
The tea industry was a $1billion business in 1991 and is now approaching $10 billion in 2010, with over 80% being served iced or in bottles. The bottled tea market is growing at 25% per year and the specialty tea market, like Portsmouth Tea, is growing 15% per year. Though the economy has suffered recently, the tea industry has held fast due to the large number of health claims due to tea.
“If coffee is iconic of the fast paced unhealthy lifestyle, tea is the cure,” claims Malone. Our café was designed to provide “comfort, life and beauty,” with no drive-through but comfortable food - rich in discovery.”
Portsmouth Tea begins its Holiday Campaign on Black Friday (day after Thanksgiving) by modifying its hours for two days on Friday and Saturday to 7 a.m. – 7 p.m. During the remainder of the holiday season they will be open Monday – Saturday 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. “We are either a great place to shop or a great place to take a break from it,” says Malone.
For more information on Portsmouth Tea Company, call 877-397-9541, follow on Twitter.com/portsmouthtea or become a friend on Facebook.

Artists of Salmon Falls Mills to hold Open House

By Larry Favinger
Staff Columnist

ROLLINSFORD—
Most of the Artists of Salmon Falls Mills will open their studios to the public this weekend.
The studios will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. “The doors are open and the artists are present,” Chris Volpe, one of the artists said in his shared studio recently while hanging landscape paintings in preparation for the event.
“The artists will be happy to talk about what they do and how they do it,” Volpe said.
There are 105 artists housed in the upper mill, Leanne Pellerin, a spokeswoman for Cutter Family Properties, owners of the mill, said. She said over 3,000 people attended the open house last year.
There are two open houses each year, one the weekend before Thanksgiving and the other in May around Mother’s Day.
Volpe, who came here from New York over two years ago, said the open house allows people to “experience the art in a low pressure environment.”
Volpe, who shares a studio with his wife, Anna Birch, said the activity is “a great way to meet people who are interested” in art. “You meet all kinds of new people,” he said.
Volpe came to New Hampshire from New York to take classes at the University of New Hampshire in Durham, became interested in visual arts and began teaching. He said there is “a healthy arts community in the Seacoast,” making this a good place to be.
He said another positive aspect of the open house is that it provides “an opportunity for artists to meet each other” as well as the public.
For the public, it provides an opportunity to ask questions about the art and the artist and to buy art directly from its creator.
There are many activities scheduled in the lower mill as well. These include magician B.J. Hickman performing at the library at 11 a.m. Saturday and a kids’ craft project at the library both days.
There will be live music in the Elysium Folk Club both days and live performances by the Touring Actors Company both days in the mill lobby.
Also in the lobby will be face painting by Squirrel Cat Design both days, complimentary seated massage Saturday afternoon, and children’s performer Jules Fogg both days.
Activities at the upper mill include live demonstrations by resident artists, live music by Stuck in Time, Lotus Rising Belly Dancing, and children’s art stations.
Activities to help local charities include stuff the truck with canned goods for the local food pantry.
There will be a golf cart ferrying guests to and from the mill buildings from the lower mill parking lot all day, both days.
Pellerin said she thinks this is the sixth year for the activity that was organized by the artists themselves. The Cutter Family provides support in promotion and advertising.
The mills were built in 1848, she said, and were purchased by the Cutter Family from Damart in 2000. Renovations began in 2001 with the first artist moving in that year.
In past years the mill served as a shoe factory and before that it was a woolen mill.
Photo caption: Chris Volpe, one of the artists whose studio will be open this weekend during Fall Open Studios at the Salmon Falls Mills positions one of his landscape paintings in preparation for visitors. The artists will display their work to the public Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 1 Front St. in Rollinsford. (Larry Favinger photo)

Innovative After School Program at Somersworth Middle School

By Larry Favinger
Staff Columnist

SOMERSWORTH—
Imagine an after school program for middle school students that is made up of a supervised study hour to complete homework and then gives its participants choices to do things like cooking, fly tying, knitting, golf, jewelry making, and volunteering within the committee to mention just a few.
Well there’s no imagination needed in Somersworth, because that’s just what the Somersworth Youth Connection does.
“It’s an after school learning program,” Maureen Jackman, the program’s director said, sitting in her office at the Somersworth Middle School. “It links the school day to the after school day. It’s an extended learning opportunity.”
Jackman said the activities include physical, social and academic pursuits, “a combination of all those things wrapped up” in one.
This year, the third year of the program currently funded by the Department of Education’s 21st Century Community Learning Center project, the 50 students involved have 68 enrichment activities from which to choose and all have been “generated by the youth” themselves.
Many of the activities offered are a result of the “involvement of the community” and volunteers, Jackman said. Most of the activities are taught by volunteers who have experience in the given fields.
As an example, the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department provides volunteers for the fly tying course and a former chef at the New England Center on the campus of the University of New Hampshire works with the cooking class.
And, Jackman said, that class includes deciding on all elements of a meal, the purchasing on a budget all of the ingredients, a plan to prepare the meal and to clean up after it.
So during the two-hour session once a week students have to utilize mathematics skills as well as culinary ability. “It’s the most popular class we have,” Jackman said.
One of the community service segments of the program has the students putting together three Thanksgiving food baskets with foodstuffs for a family of six that are presented to the community food pantry.
Last year the students put together 100 stockings for the Toys for Tots program run by the Somersworth Fire Department.
Concern with the environment is also part of the overall concept. Last year the students in the program managed to get two liberty elm trees that are now planted in front of the middle school.
“We take part in our community,” Jackman said, adding that the projects have “raised awareness” within the community. “We want to take care of our community.”
Jackman, who has lived in Somersworth for 24 years, took over the Youth Connection three years ago after spending 12 years as assistant recreation director for the city. Working with her as program coordinator is Ashley Lagasse.
The grant from the Department of Education was for five years; the first three are 100 percent funding, the fourth at 75 percent and the fifth at 65 percent. By that time the object is for the program, which also has a summer component, to be self-sufficient or be funded locally.
“We’re looking for community support,” Jackman said, when it sees the “impact and benefit we have on the community.”
The cost of the program is $40 per week but Jackman said, provisions are made for those who cannot afford the cost.
The program runs from 2:15 to 5:30 p.m. five days a week, covering the time shown to be critical for middle school aged children, a time when they are most apt to become victims of bad influences.
Photo caption: Maureen Jackman,, left, director of the Somersworth Youth Connection, checks the day's schedule with Ashley Lagasse, the program coordinator, at the Somersworth Middle School. The after school program runs five afternoons a week. (Larry Favinger photo)

PCA Students Give Thanks and Honor Veterans

DOVER—

Portsmouth Christian Academy celebrated Veterans Day by hosting an assembly to thank veterans for their service today – at the eleventh hour on the eleventh day of the eleventh month – the same moment 91 years ago that World War I officially ended. A total of 19 veterans from the community were present. Seventh grade students coordinated this event and honored the attendees with a slideshow presentation giving a brief history of each individual’s service to their country.
“This was a very touching moment for me,” stated Loretta Madden-Holman, PCA parent and former U.S. Navy nurse. “I am very impressed that the school emphasizes the importance of this day by honoring the men and women who serve our country.” Mrs. Holman’s son, Connor, recited a few words to the audience about his mother’s military experience.
“Our school is in session on this day [while many others are on holiday] so that the students can put actual faces to the people who have served our country,” said Dr. Connie Lawrence, PCA Lower School Principal. “We want our students to know that others had to give up their freedom to fight to protect the freedom that we enjoy today.”
Portsmouth Christian Academy is located at 20 Seaborne Drive, Dover, N.H. PCA offers a challenging academic curriculum from preschool through high school along with competitive athletic programs and other stimulating extra-curricular activities. For more information, please call 603.742.3617 or visit the school’s web site at www.pcaschool.org.
Photo caption: Portsmouth Christian Academy honored 19 veterans from the community today during their Veterans Day Assembly. Seventh grade students coordinated this event and honored the attendees with a slideshow presentation giving a brief history of each individual’s service to their country. (Courtesy photo)

Granite State Icon honored by New England Ski Museum

By Scott Andrews
Staff Columnist

NEW HAMPSHIRE—
One of the Granite State’s most beloved men was recently honored with the New England Ski Museum’s “Spirit of Skiing” award, recognizing a lifetime of dedication to the sport, our community and our nation.
The honoree was 89-year-old Herbert Schneider, who began schussing in his native Austria in 1923 (at age three) and has been a pivotal figure in the sport and the New Hampshire ski industry since his 1939 arrival in North Conway. Schneider was owner/general manager of Mount Cranmore for many years.
Bo Adams, president of the Franconia-based Museum, made the award before a sold-out crowd of 125 at the organization’s annual banquet. I’m a Museum member and I’ve known and admired Schneider for nearly a quarter-century. Naturally I was thrilled to be part of this joyous affair.
In his presentation remarks, Adams noted that Schneider and family arrived in North Conway as refugees from their Nazi-dominated homeland. His father, the famed Skimeister Hannes Schneider, had been arrested and deported by the Nazis for disobeying their orders.
The young Schneider joined the U.S. Army’s famed 10th Mountain Division ski troops and served with distinction in defeating the Germans in Italy.
After the war, he co-founded the Professional Ski Instructors of America and owned and operated Mount Cranmore, supervising its transition into a modern resort. Under Schneider Cranmore installed snowmaking and built a network of chairlifts to supplement the mountain’s famous and iconic Skimobile.
“Herbert did a masterful job of continuing the prominence of Mount Cranmore, and he did it with style and he did it with grace,” said Adams.
In the late 1980s, Schneider retired from day-to-day management and sold the mountain. Under three subsequent owners, Cranmore continued its leadership among Granite State resorts, while Schneider served on the sidelines as “Director of Skiing,” a largely symbolic job.
Today’s owner is Booth Creek, a California-based chain of top-tier destination ski resorts.
Other speakers delivering tributes included Ben Wilcox, the current general manager, who cited Schneider as the source of “Cranmore Pride,” a defining quality that still pervades the resort.
In his humble acceptance speech, Schneider recalled his family’s first days in the U.S. ─ spent in New York City shortly after disembarking from the Queen Mary. He joked that he had never believed that so many cars could exist in the whole world; his home town possessed only two.
Among all his possessions, Schneider said that he most treasures the Bronze Star he earned while fighting in the 10th Mountain Division’s Italian battles in 1945. He added that serving in the Army was his way of saying thanks to this country for providing a new home and a welcoming embrace for his family.
“How happy my family was to be able to come to America!” he said.
A standing ovation followed. We all felt the same way about him.
Photo caption: Herb Schneider (left) and Bo Adams with the Spirit of Skiing award. (Scott Andrews photo)

Somersworth Chamber offers Trip to China

SOMERSWORTH—

Last year’s trip to China was so popular that the Greater Somersworth Chamber of Commerce is once again offering the nine-day, seven-night return trip.
The trip is scheduled for three departure dates in March.
Last year more than 65 people from several New England states signed up through the Chamber. The all-inclusive cost of the trip is $1,999.
Some ask: “what’s the catch?” but the fact is there is none, Jennifer Soldati, executive director of the Chamber, said.
“The trip was fantastic,” Paul Edgar of Somersworth, said. “It was actually good beyond the power of words to describe. I would highly recommend this trip for others.”
“I had a great trip,” Cathy McGuire of Dover said. “I think it was actually an excellent value for all we saw and learned. I have recommended this trip through the Somersworth Chamber to many friends and relatives.”
Travelers do not have to be members of the Chamber, and all are welcome to join others from the region for an adventure. The price (based on double occupancy) includes transportation to and from JFK Airport in New York; round-trip international and domestic airfare, including taxes; five-star and four-star hotels; three full meals each day; English-speaking tour guides; and admission tickets to all the scheduled tourist attractions.
During the seven days of touring travelers stay with the same tour group of approximately 25 people.
The trip's itinerary includes visits to the Great Wall, Beijing, the Forbidden City, Shanghai, and much more.
A $200 per person, non-refundable deposit is required, and the Chamber has had such a great response again this year that the deposit deadline has been extended through Nov. 20. The deposit is included in the total cost of the trip.
For more information call the Chamber at (603) 692-7175 or visit the Chamber's website www.somersworthchamber.com to download the brochure and a detailed itinerary with the registration form.
Photo caption: Travelers from Dover, Somersworth and Rollinsford visit the Great Wall of China during last year's trip to China sponsored by the Greater Somersworth Chamber of Commerce. (Courtesy photo)

From the Publisher's Notebook

The Granite State Sentinel
says “Hello Neighbor”

It is with great pleasure and pride that we bring you the first edition of The Granite State Sentinel, serving the communities of Somersworth and Rollinsford entirely and initially offering partial coverage of Dover, with full coverage coming within a few short weeks. Your newspaper will begin arriving in your mailbox this Friday and every week thereafter. Many years of newspaper experience coupled with months of resident interviews have given us the ideas for the type of stories you want to read. While it is true large daily newspapers serve this area and they do a very good job in reporting the national and regional news, it also remains true the area is underserved with stories that are most interesting to the residents of your towns.
Residents of Somersworth, Rollinsford and Dover will begin receiving their copies of The Granite State Sentinel in the mail weekly while the residents of other surrounding towns may pick up copies at a number of convenient store locations until we can add these towns to our weekly mailings within the very near future.
It is our primary mission to become your neighborhood newspaper providing news about town issues, school activities, including sports profiles, business profiles and any category of events ranging from bean suppers to town parades. On occasion we will report events that are taking place in neighboring communities only if we feel it is of interest to the majority of our readers. That restriction will hold true about any statewide issue that we feel fits the same profile. We feel it is our job to be informational rather than confrontational and in doing so provide you with the “good” news about the “fine” towns we serve.
Thank you again for accepting us into your homes and please e-mail or call us with any news about upcoming events and we will see that the message gets in to the hands of our readers.

Mark J. Wilcox
Publisher

Photo captions: Left — Somersworth City Hall. Right — Rollinsford Town Hall (Granite State Sentinel photos)

Somersworth Chamber’s Annual Auction on Tap

By Larry Favinger
Staff Columnist
SOMERSWORTH—
The 11th annual Holiday Auction of the Greater Somersworth Chamber of Commerce will be held Friday, Nov. 13.
“It’s a lot of fun,” Jennifer Soldati, executive director of the Chamber said.
The live and silent auction will be held at the Great Bay Gallery Foundation Facility at 25 Willand Drive. Doors open at 6 p.m. with the auction beginning at 7:30. An online portion of the event is already underway. It can be accessed at somersworthchamber.com.
The auction is one of only two fund-raisers for the Chamber. The other is a golf tournament.
This year the auction is underwritten by Public Service of New Hampshire, D.F. Richard Energy and Profile Bank as major sponsors and WTSN 1270 as the media sponsor.
On the list of items up for sale is included a Singing Valentine. Ms. Soldati said the group that will deliver the Valentine would be on hand to entertain during the auction.
Also on the list is an oceanfront home for a vacation in El Salvador and a one-hour comedy magic show for a special party. The star of that show will also be on hand to demonstrate some of the show’s content “so you can see what you’re buying,” Ms. Soldati said.
For sports fans there are 2007 World Series baseballs autographed by Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz, Red Sox starting pitcher Jon Lester and former Red Sox outfield, now Los Angeles Dodger, Manny Ramirez, and a team -autographed UNH hockey shirt.
Special items include a half-hour real fire truck ride with Santa Claus and a two-hour ride- along in a Somersworth Police Department cruiser.
Also on the docket is a $250 gift certificate toward heating oil from Webber Energy, and a home furnace cleaning.
Tickets for the auction are available at the Greater Somersworth Chamber of Commerce office or at the door. Tickets are $15.
Tickets include light entrees, hors d’oeuvres and soft drinks. A cash bar is available.

St. Mary’s Holiday Fair on tap Saturday

By Larry Favinger
Staff Columnist

ROLLINSFORD—
The annual Holiday Fair to benefit St. Mary’s Church will be held tomorrow (Nov. 7) at the American Legion Hall on Foundry Street.
“Basically it’s a church fair,” Gail St. Hilaire, the event’s chairwoman said. “It’s like a family affair. Everybody gets involved,”
The auction/fair has a long history. Ms. St. Hilaire has been heading the event for 11 years and, she said, “It was going on way before that.”
The fair will run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and includes a silent auction table with items for everyone.
Features at the annual event include a country store with homemade pies, jellies, pickles, beans, and cheese and a penny table with a variety of hand crafted and new items.
There are craft and ornaments including jewelry, holiday decorations, knitted items, personalized ornaments, homemade baked goods, specialty baskets, and a white elephant table.
Specialty baskets for pets, movie enthusiasts, chocolate lovers, gardeners and others are also featured along with antiques, gently used items, books, toys and attic treasures at the White Elephant table.
Activities especially for children include games, crafts and a candy wheel.
Lunch will be served and includes homemade soups, sandwiches, hot dogs, chili, and assorted pies.
The fair-auction benefits St. Mary’s Catholic Church. The church structure is over 150 years old, Ms St. Hilaire said. The parish is, she added, the oldest continuously active Catholic Church in New Hampshire.
For information call (603) 742-8198.