Avis Goodwin Community Health Center Breaks Ground for New Somersworth Facility

By Candi Enman
Staff Columnist
SOMERSWORTH –
A cloudless blue sky was the order of the day and Mother Nature didn’t disappoint for the Thursday, May 20th official groundbreaking of the new Avis Goodwin Community Health Center. Donned in bright yellow plastic “hard hats,” with champagne toasts in hand, more than 100 staff, volunteers, patients and community officials gathered to celebrate the event.
“The weather is cooperating,” said Lara Willard, communications manager for AGCHC. “This is a great day for the people who’ve worked for years to see this dream come to reality.”
The new healthcare facility, slated for completion in 2011, will consolidate three existing medical care locations in Rochester and Dover, and Dover administrative offices into one 32,200 square foot facility along the Medical Mile on Route 108 in Somersworth. The new building will ultimately employ 130 medical and support staff. The consolidation will reduce overhead costs for the agency by an estimated $200,000 annually.
Avis Goodwin Community Health Center’s mission is to provide integrated, comprehensive, quality healthcare, serving all in our community, payment for which is based on ability to pay. The center provides care for adults, teens and children; including obstetrical, gynecological and prenatal care, as well as family planning, dental, nutrition and mental health services. Chronic disease management, sexually transmitted disease/HIV screenings, and immunization clinics for children and adults are also offered.
In the current economy demand is growing dramatically, said AGCHC Executive Director Janet Atkins. The expanded facility will enable the center to provide medical, dental and mental health care to an additional 3,500 patients each year, making services accessible to more than 10,000 community members annually.
Atkins thanked the center’s staff for their commitment, the board of directors for their vision and persistence, and the project team.
Prior to picking up a shovel, Somersworth Mayor Lincoln Soldati congratulated Atkins and the AGCHC board. Commenting on the growth of the Route 108 corridor, he said, “I know this will prove to be a great benefit to the agency, as well as the City of Somersworth.”
As chair of the health center’s board of directors, Janice Silver is committed to the agency’s future because, as she stated, “Avis Goodwin Community Health Center saved my life.” Twice as a patient - first as a teen mother in crisis in the 1970’s and later a survivor of Stage II breast cancer - Silver is grateful for the compassionate care she personally received from AGCHC providers.
The $6.4 million project has received local, state and national support and funding. The groundbreaking ceremony to mark the beginning of construction was a major milestone for the center that had modest beginnings in 1969 as the country’s first prenatal clinic for uninsured and underinsured mothers-to-be. “We wanted healthy babies born,” commented Avis Goodwin, the center’s 91-year old founder. “A dream we didn’t have came true.”
To learn more about Avis Goodwin Community Health Center, its services and providers, visit www.avisgoodwinchc.org.
Photo caption: Mayor Soldati Welcomes Mrs. Avis Goodwin to Somersworth. Also pictured, Valerie Goodwin – Daughter of Avis and Board Member, Janet Atkins – Executive Director, Marc Bollinger – Board Treasurer, Kerri Turgeon Board Vice-Chair, Janice Silver – Board Chair. (Ann Morrisette photo)

Dover Dines Restaurant Week: Take a Bite Out of Dover

DOVER—
Dover has claimed its place on the map as the place to find fine dining at a reasonable price. In an effort to promote the fabulous restaurants Dover has to offer, Dover Main Street and the Greater Dover Chamber of Commerce, in conjunction with PortsmouthNH.com, Reverie Designs and WXGR, are very excited to announce Dover Dines ’10! June 5-12th will be a week of fine dining at a great fixed price with each participating restaurant offering a 3 course prix fixe dinner for $15.95 or $21.95, many restaurants will also offer a $7.95 two course lunch. “This is a great opportunity for people to get out and rediscover a restaurant they might not have been to in awhile or to support a few of their favorites without breaking the bank.” says Carrie Eisner, program director for Dover Main Street.
With 10 local restaurants participating, from a full range of cuisines and tastes, event organizers and Dover Main Street board members, Mike Cartelli and Martha Mason are looking forward to a successful event. “There really is something for everyone being offered this week. We hope people will take advantage of the event and try a couple of different places throughout the week.”
Restaurants participating are Alexander’s Italian Restaurant, Blue Latitudes, Cartelli’s Bar & Grill, Christopher’s Third Street Grill, Harvey’s Bakery & Coffee Shop, La Festa Brick & Brew Pizzeria, Orchard St. Chop Shop, Smiley’s Pizza & Subs, Three Chimney’s Inn and The Weathervane Seafood Restaurant. With participation from most of Dover’s fine restaurants, you are bound to be treated to a great meal at a great price.
Kirt Schuman, Executive Director of the Greater Dover Chamber of Commerce notes “It’s the perfect week to come to Dover for dinner with family and friends - or lunch with co-workers. The fixed price menu gives you the opportunity to sample all the unique and interesting restaurants in the city at a very affordable price. Now more than ever, it is important for everyone to be supporting locally owned businesses in our community.”
For more information visit the Dover Dines website dedicated to the event through www.WeShopDover.com or by calling the Greater Dover Chamber of Commerce at 603-742-2218 or Dover Main Street at 603-740-6435.
Dover Main Street is a not for profit downtown revitalization organization of volunteers who operate under the auspices of the National Main Street Center, a program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The Dover Main Street Mission is to preserve the past, promote the present, and facilitate the future. Volunteers are always welcome and needed to assist in planning and completing their many projects. To find out more information, to sign up as a volunteer, or to donate to the Dover Main Street Program, please contact the office at 740-6435 or email director@dovermainstreet.org.

Fine Art Auction at UNH on June 19

DURHAM—
Original works of art by many of the region’s top artists are among the more than 100 drawings, paintings, photographs, prints, jewelry, and sculpture that will be up for bid at Raising the Bar: A Fine Arts Auction being held at the Museum of Art, University of New Hampshire on Saturday, June 19 beginning at 7 p.m. in the Paul Creative Arts Center, 30 Academic Way, Durham. Advance reservations are recommended ($35 per person), as space is limited. Reservations may be made by calling (603) 862-3712 or online at www.unh.edu/artauction .
Among the highlights of this special fundraising event are six important works of art by four renowned American artists including: The Writer by Mary Bradish Titcomb (1858-1927); View of Portsmouth by Gertrude Horsford Fiske, (1879-1961); Tiger Lilies in Black Vase, and White Roses, by Hermann Dudley Murphy (1867-1945); and Landscape #35, and Summer Day by William Jurian Kaula (1871-1953).
Additional artists whose works will be available for sale include: Sigmund Abeles, Jayne Adams, Barbara Stevens Adams, James Aponovich, Carol Aronson-Shore, Arthur Balderacchi, Tim Beavis, Amy Brnger, Holly Brooks, Karen Bushold, Sam Cady, Mary B. Call, Diane Jackson Cole, Eve Corey, Theresann D’Angelo, Arthur DiMambro, Grant Drumheller, Anne Dubois, Victoria Elbroch, Linda Wood Feldman, Tom Glover, Adeline Goldminc-Tronzo, Don Gorvett, Beverly Hallam, Dewitt Hardy, Conley Harris, John W. Hatch, Julee Holcombe, Craig Hood, Sean Hurley, Robert Indiana, Marion James, Jane Kaufmann, Dustan Knight, Carol Lummus, Frederick Lynch, Lyn Mayewski, Maryse Searls McConnell, William Mitchell, Jennifer Moses, Frank Moulton, James Mullen, George Nick, Tom Paiement, Caroline Parent, Shawn Pelech, Alan Peters, Jack Pollard, Lauren Pollaro, Douglas Prince, Langdon Quin, Jim Reagan, Monique Sakellarios, Gail Sauter, Patricia Schappler, Scott Schnepf, Matthew Smith, Gary Haven Smith, Anne Smith, Edna Smith, Paul St. Denis, Rose Sielian Theriault, Lucie Therrien, Galeazzo Tonini Von Morl, Molly Doe Wensberg, Don Williams, Sumner Winebaum, Grace Youngren, and Melvin Zabarsky, among others.
The reception for Raising the Bar takes place from 5 - 7 p.m., and the auction will begin at 7 p.m. Free parking is available in Lot B, located off Mill Rd. between Arts Way and McDaniel Drive. Cash, checks, or credit cards (Visa and MasterCard only) will be accepted for successful bids. (No debit cards will be accepted.)
Guest auctioneer for this special event is Devin Moisan of Devin Moisan Auctioneers, Inc., Dover, N.H. (N.H. Lic. # 2922).
Raising the Bar is organized by members of the Museum of Art’s Board of Advisors and volunteers, and is a “No Buyer’s Premium” fundraising event. All funds secured from this special event will be used by the Museum of Art for exhibitions and educational programs, to support the acquisition and conservation of select works of art, and to upgrade Museum infrastructure (storage and lighting capacity).
Raising the Bar: A Fine Art Auction is made possible by the generous support of the Friends of the Museum of Art, and a grant from the Office of the Dean of the College of Liberal Arts, UNH. The Museum of Art, UNH, would also like to thank the following sponsors for their valuable support of this art auction: Premier Aviation at Portsmouth; Charter Oak Capital Management; Sam and Paula Reid; Debra Holloway and Scott Marion; and Anna Grace and Paul Holloway.
All works to be auctioned may be viewed online at www.unh.edu/artauction. For more information, or to make reservations for Raising the Bar: A Fine Art Auction, visit www.unh.edu/artauction or www.unh.edu/moa or call 603/862-3712.
Photo caption: Mary Bradish Titcomb, The Writer, c. 1912, oil on canvas, 30” x 25”, donated by Thomas Haas. (Courtesy photo)

U.S. Ambassador to Saudia Arabia Visits Berwick Academy

By Larry Favinger
Staff Columnist
SOUTH BERWICK –
There was a lot of information revealed to Berwick Academy students last week by James B. Smith, a retired Air Force general, now the United States Ambassador to Saudi Arabia.
One of the most unexpected is the increasing role of women in that oil-rich country and their impact on the country’s daily life and future.
Ambassador Smith, who served as assistant deputy commander for operations of the 4404th Provisional Wing stationed at Dhahran Air Base in Saudi Arabia, flying several combat sorties during Desert Storm during the Gulf War, noted that more than 60 percent of that country’s college enrollment is women, and last year more than 50 percent of the college graduates were women.
In addition there are more than 27,000 Saudis attending colleges in the United States.
“Young women want to contribute to the stability of their country,” he said, noting the growing influence of women. He said King Abdullah is especially influenced by his wife and daughters as he “drags his country kicking and screaming into the 21st century.”
A prime example of this trend is the establishment of a Women’s Empowerment Center in the middle of one of the most conservative towns in the country.
Ambassador Smith, a native of Salem, N.H., whose niece attends Berwick Academy, talked about a wide range of topics including the need for stability in the Middle East.
He told the students to learn about Yemen. That country is, he said, beset by internal unrest while at the same time out of both oil and water. “Your generation will know Yemen,” he said.
Smith, who was appointed to his position by President Obama, said the United States will continue to “stand up for Israel” but added that the Palestinians also “deserve a homeland.”
The basic problem, he said, was that the Palestinians want a homeland and Israel wants security and one will never happen without the other. Agreements in this area must be based on “respect and trust” and in order for that to occur “the people of the region have to recognize the right of the others to live there.”
Settlement is possible, he said, but the window will not last forever.
“I must be the new guy,” Ambassador Smith said, “because I’m still optimistic.”
The nuclear issue in Iran is also a front burner item because if Iran manages to become a nuclear power, five or six other nations in the region will follow that lead. The ambassador noted that President Obama is working for a nuclear free world and that makes the negotiations with Iran so important.
Ambassador Smith said the relationship between the Saudis and the United States began years ago and was based on oil for security, but over the intervening years that relationship has become “infinitely more complicated.”
He and his family have found the Saudis to be “a wonderfully warm people” and he stressed the “need for a close relationship” with them. One of his goals on his current trip is to establish a student exchange program which would have American students traveling to Saudi Arabia and living there for a specific period of time while the Saudi counterparts are living and learning in the United States.
Despite their vast resources of oil, the Saudis are extremely active in the areas of alternative fuels and have had about the same progress as the United States.
“They are deeply committed to an alternative energy program,” he said, noting the government there wants to reduce the use of oil so it can be conserved and sold to other countries.
“We need an energy dialogue” with the Saudis, he said.
Ambassador Smith concluded by telling the students they “are much better (prepared) to face the world than I was. Involve yourself in something to make a difference.”
Photo caption: (Courtesy photo)

Hollywood Exposed

By Chip Schrader
Book Review Editor
Bestselling author Chuck Palahniuk is best known for his novel “Fight Club,” which was adapted into a cult film fueled by gratuitous violence shot at a dazzling pace. His signature style is disjointed and involves characters living lives of depravity and profanity, so it was only a matter of time he’d be tackling the golden era of Hollywood. “Tell-All” is Palahniuk’s latest release set in a Hollywood when everything is left up to the imagination, including the lives of the stars. Those unfamiliar with his work might have seen his name during his stop at Portsmouth’s River Run Books two weeks ago reading from this book.
The first chapter depicts bizarre imagery that establishes the grotesque tone and characterization that resonates throughout the book, it is a scene from the play that is to reignite the career of the main character. The narrator Hazie Coogan is actress Katherine “Miss Kathie” Kenton’s assistant, who insists her life’s purpose is to preserve the actress’ glamour and glitz, although the reader might find the assistant herself has objectified this woman into a sort of walking and breathing shrine. The Chanel No. 5, cosmetic surgery addictions, and spouse hopping brings the reader to recall Mommy Dearest, Sunset Boulevard, and Elizabeth Taylor.
As with all social criticism, this book uses yesterday to put a mirror to today’s climate. As we see the nauseating use of pills, cosmetics, eating disorders, and promiscuity, we see clearly the reigning Queens of the TMI (or TMZ) generation: Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan, and Britney Spears, to name a few.
As this book review generously drops names, Hazie and Miss Kathie drop names like a German blitzkrieg. Palahniuk’s name dropping continually jars the reader from catching the torrid storyline revealing that the best weapon in a speaker’s arsenal is distraction. All through, there are little goings on and descriptions that are worthy of shudders and cringes, but the bold referencing of Walter Winchell or Lillian Hellman immediately jerks the mind away from the unsavory imagery.
The second half of the novel focuses on the graphic love affair depicted in Webster Carlton Westward’s own tell all book that Miss Kathie seems to find handily as each revision shows a different grizzly demise for Miss Kathie. As her paranoia ensues, her career seems to get a second wind with the bizarre play of Miss Kathie playing Lillian Hellman fighting in WWII. All the while, Webster goes ragged with the ongoing domestic battles.
The prose is rugged with ideas and side notes interjected with a kaleidoscopic narration that weaves between a personal account and a faux screenplay that plays heavily with symbolism, wordplay and satire. This is not unusual for Palahniuk as he carries on the legacy of Kurt Vonnegut’s brand of shock satire, as his style and influences are best likened to Fusion Jazz. The wrongly attributed quotes and mistranslations are hilarious as the words seem to mock everything, including themselves, but also construct a very serious dialog about the roots of contemporary culture.
Photo caption: Cover of “Tell All” by Chuck Palahniuk (Courtesy photo)

Local Childcare Center Gives Back to the Community

SOMERSWORTH—
Children at the I Can Be Me Preschool & Childcare, Inc. program, Route 108 in Somersworth, wanted to do something to give back to the community during the NAEYC’s (National Association for the Education of Young Children) Week of the Young Child April 11 – 17, 2010. So on April 12th, the children participated in a Hop-A-Thon fundraiser to raise money for the N.H. Chapter of the Muscular Dystrophy Association to help children, like themselves, but who have muscle weakness.
The MDA Hop-A-Thon combined fun activities and disability awareness teaching that “everybody’s different, nobody’s perfect.” Children raised pledges and collected donations based on how many hops they could complete in a two-minute time period.
Logan C. was the Top Hopper with 291 hops and Elisabeth G. was the top donation raiser.
I Can Be Me Director, Janice Silver, would like to thank the children, their families, friends, and community members who participated and pledged or donated to help Jerry’s kids.
Photo caption: Children at the I Can Be Me Preschool and Childcare program held an MDA hop-a-thon recently. (Courtesy photo)

Dover to Hold Forum on Impact of the Arts

DOVER—
Join local business leaders, artists and others on Thursday, May 20 at a forum on the Impact of the Arts on Local Economic Development. The forum, which will be broadcast live on Channel 22, will begin at 7 p.m. in City Hall Council Chambers at 288 Central Avenue.
Designed to explore the critical role that the arts play in all areas of life, including economic development, education, and health services, the forum is presented by the Dover Arts Commission, the Dover Business & Industrial Development Authority, Dover Main Street, The Children’s Museum of New Hampshire, and the Greater Dover Chamber of Commerce.
The forum features the following panelists:
City of Dover Economic Development Director Dan Barufaldi will describe the often overlooked role that the arts play in revitalizing the downtowns of small cities and towns, in tourism, and in attracting new business.
Dover Main Street Director Carrie Eisner will speak to the direct impact of the arts and art-related events upon downtown Dover merchants.
Jane Bard, the associate director of the Children’s Museum of New Hampshire, will speak about the Museum’s work and its efforts to engage downtown merchants, the business community, and the public at large.
Jane Hamor, a founding member of the Dover Arts Commission who also handles community relations for Community Partners, will speak about the critical connection between the arts and healthcare, including the way that art can be used to address behavioral health challenges.
After the panelists’ introductions, the forum will be opened up to the public for an extended question-and-answer period.
“Art is an essential part of life,” said Dover Arts Commission Chair Joyce El Kouarti. “The process of thinking creatively is woven into the way we live, the work we do, and the activities that we enjoy.”

Granite State College Expands Presence in Rochester

ROCHESTER—
Following two years of historic growth, Granite State College (GSC) is pleased to announce plans to double its space in Rochester, with a move into newly-refurbished space at Technology Park on Industrial Way.
GSC has served thousands of students at its 6,000-square-foot location at Merchants Plaza at 1 Old Dover Road in Rochester, but student enrollments have soared over the last two years and are up 18 percent over just last year. With the influx of students continuing and the Rochester center the largest center college-wide, GSC’s move will more than double its space in Rochester to 12,000 square feet, providing additional capacity for students, classrooms and technology.
“We are very enthusiastic about our new Rochester location,” said Dr. Karol A. LaCroix, president of Granite State College. “We have seen huge increases in enrollments institution-wide and Rochester is no exception. We watched those trends closely and knew it was time to increase our capacity to teach, empower and support our students.”
The new location boasts six instructional spaces or classrooms, a student lounge, a resource center and testing center. GSC’s full- and part-time regional staff, about 17 in all, will be well-equipped to serve the increasing student traffic.
GSC’s Rochester location serves students from Rochester, Farmington, Dover, Barrington, Somersworth, Milton, Wakefield and Sanford and Berwick Maine. Granite State College also offers classes in Portsmouth, at its location at the Pease trade port.
Manchester-based Brady Sullivan Properties completed the long-term lease with GSC at 35E Industrial Way, the former Cabletron Systems building. The building currently houses a variety of technology companies, including Anseri Corp, Measured Progress and Smart Assistive Technology. The building contains approximately 210,000 square feet of class A quality office/engineering space, according to Charles Panasis of Brady Sullivan.
“We look forward in having Granite State College and its dynamic education program join the Brady Sullivan portfolio of properties as we continue the Rochester site’s redevelopment,” said Panasis.
That dynamic programming centers on GSC’s students, many of whom are adult learners juggling families, full-time work and military duty both here and abroad. The flexibility, affordability and real-world experience offered at GSC create a winning proposition for students.
GSC prides itself on providing real-world experiences and expertise, drawing adjunct faculty from the state’s business and professional communities. Strong relationships with the business community translate to graduates who are well-positioned to grow or re-position their careers.
“We are particularly pleased to expand our institution’s ability to serve Rochester and the surrounding towns,” said Dr. LaCroix.
For more information, visit www.granite.edu.

Seacoast Irish Festival Tickets on Sale

DOVER—
Tickets to the June 12th return of the Seacoast Irish Festival, underwritten by Centrix Bank, are now available online at www.seacoastirishfestival.org. The tickets are $15 in advance and will be $20 at the gate on the 12th. The festival will feature over a dozen performers over the course of the afternoon during a rain or shine celebration of Dover’s Irish Heritage. Tickets may be purchased in person or phone 603/742-2218 after May 6th from the Greater Dover Chamber of Commerce Visitor Center.
For those individuals and families looking to further support the Festival, the committee is offering a “Friends of the Festival” $100 ticket package that includes 2 tickets to the Festival, 2 commemorative Festival t-shirts, a listing in the Festival Program and more. Friends of the Festival packages are available online or through the Chamber Visitor Center after May 6th.
Last held in the summer of 2005, the popular Festival drew thousands of attendees. The Greater Dover Chamber of Commerce has teamed up with Dover Main Street to resurrect the event, which was formerly put on by the Dover Police Charities.
“People have made it very clear that they want the festival back,” noted Chamber Executive Director Kirt Schuman, “not just Dover residents, but people from all over. We are very happy to have Centrix Bank step into a major role as underwriter. Their commitment to the community is unparalleled.”
The Committee has secured the services of renowned local musician Eugene Byrne, one of the Festival’s Founding Fathers, who is not only assembling the entertainment lineup for the event, but who will also be performing himself.
“Dover has a great Irish heritage,” said Byrne, “and I’m very pleased to be playing a part in the revival of the Seacoast Irish Festival. We’ve been talking about bringing it back for quite some time now, and since we finally seem to have the pieces in place, it made sense to do it.”
The Seacoast Irish Festival will be held in a new, highly visible downtown location at the Rotary Arts Pavilion. Confirmed performers include Bradigan, the Shaw Brothers, Patsy Whelan, The McTaggarts, Schooner Fare, Eugene Byrne and many other special guests.
The event will culminate with a rousing musical tribute to Tommy Makem and the Clancy Brothers by many of the Festival performers and some very special guests.
“Since the last time the Festival was held, we lost Tommy in 2007, and Liam, the last of the Clancy Brothers just last year,” mused Byrne. “Without them, Irish music wouldn’t be the same. Making the event a tribute to their memories and to their cultural contributions was an easy decision, especially considering Dover is Tommy’s hometown.”
Newly–hired Dover Main Street Executive Director Carrie Eisner agreed, adding, “Holding the event in Dover’s historic downtown should really add to the cultural feel of the Festival. Dover has so much history, and this is a great opportunity for the City to showcase that history, as well as its rich Irish heritage.”
Kelley’s Row of Dover is exclusively providing the food and beverages. Crafters and artisans will be selling Irish art and jewelry, along with a full slate of music, dancing and other traditional Irish entertainment.
According to Chamber Marketing Manager Aaron Wensley, sponsorship packages are still available for the event.
“So much of what the Chamber and Dover Main Street do for the community involves things that are unseen by the general public,” added Wensley. “The Irish Festival is a cultural event that provides sponsors with a highly visible platform for promotion, so we’re very optimistic that local businesses will join Centrix and our other sponsors in supporting something so clearly beneficial to the community.”
Sponsors include Centrix Bank as the event’s exclusive underwriter and Shaheen and Gordon as a presenting sponsor. Event Supporters include Dennis Munson Plumbing and Heating, Celtic Crossing and One Washington Center. Patron sponsors include Mr. Electric - Dennis Burke.
For more information on ticket sales, sponsorship opportunities and entertainment schedules, please visit www.seacoastirishfestival.org. Proceeds from the event support the Chamber’s and Main Street’s economic and business development programs, which are critical to keeping Dover’s economy strong and preserving its quality of life. (Courtesy photo)

Greater Somersworth’s Grand Sports Raffle Winner Announced

SOMERSWORTH—
This year’s prize winner of the Greater Somersworth’s Grand Sports Raffle is Ron Currier, owner of Hilltop Chevrolet in Somersworth. Ron is a longtime member of the Chamber and has supported many of the Chamber’s fund raising efforts over the years. His winning ticket was drawn from hundreds of raffle entries from the general public and Chamber members at the Chamber’s Annual Awards Dinner on April 30th. Ron won a total of six tickets: a pair of tickets to games of the Boston Red Sox, the Boston Bruins and the UNH Wildcats Hockey.
The raffle was sponsored by Chamber members Eastern Propane and Oil, TD Bank, and Seacoast Orthopedics and Sports Medicine.
Photo caption: Ron Currier won this year’s sports raffle. (Courtesy photo)