Friday, January 15, 2010

Greater Dover Chamber of Commerce Names Citizen and Business of the Year Honorees


DOVER—
The Greater Dover Chamber of Commerce announces Phil and Donna Rinaldi as Citizens of the Year. Dover Rotary Club is named Non-Profit of the Year, Jewelry Creations is named Small Business of the Year and Liberty Mutual is named Mid/Large Business of the Year.
The Citizen of the Year Award, presented by Citizens Bank, recognizes individuals who have made major contributions of time and energy to the progress and betterment of the Dover community. The Business of the Year Award, presented by Public Service of New Hampshire, recognizes companies and organizations who have demonstrated leadership in the business community, have made substantial contributions to the quality of life in the greater Dover area and embody excellence, not only in their line of business, but through their daily interactions within the community. The recipients were selected from nominations submitted to a committee of Chamber, Business and Community Leaders.
The awards will be presented formally at the Chamber’s Annual Awards Dinner, sponsored by Liberty Mutual, featuring entertainment, cocktails, dinner and the award presentation from 5:30 p.m. on the 21st. The Picker Building at One Washington Center serves as the venue for the event, marking the first time it has been held in Dover in a number of years. Tickets can be purchased online at dovernh.org or by calling 603/742-2218. Individual tickets are $55, couples for $100 and tables of eight for $400. Additionally, individuals or companies interested in being listed as a ‘friend’ of the Citizen of the Year may purchase an upgraded ticket for $250 that includes admission for two, name in the program and the opportunity to sign a commemorative picture frame for the Citizen of the Year.
Additional sponsors of the Annual Awards Dinner include, Laconia Savings Bank, The Businesses of One Washington Center, D.F. Richard Energy, Federal Savings Bank, Wentworth-Douglass Hospital, Primary Residential Mortgage and Sono-Bella Spa & Salon. Support is provided by Great Mills Management, Mister Oz Graphics, Sweet Meadows Florists and Designs by You.
Citizens of the Year, Phil and Donna Rinaldi, owners of Dover Secretarial Services, were called ‘loyal and all-encompassing volunteers,’ who are usually the first to show up and the last to leave from their volunteering duties. Nominations came from friends, neighbors, community leaders and business leaders, one nomination stated “I don’t know of an organization in Dover that has not benefited from the service of Phil and Donna.”
“For over 30 years, the Rinaldis’ involvement in the community has made all of our lives a little bit better, their humility, good humor and persistence is an inspiration to us all,” commented Executive Director Kirt Schuman.
Phil was on the Chamber’s Board of Directors from 2002 through 2007, serving as chair in 2006. Donna served on the Chamber’s Board of Directors from 1998 to 2003, serving as chair in 2002.
The non-profit organization of the year, Rotary Club of Dover, has made a permanent and visible impact on all of the residents of Dover over their 86 year history. Their contributions to the community range from quiet assistance, like the shoe and boot fund and the milk and meat program for families in need, to lasting community projects like the Rotary Arts Pavilion, the summer home of the Cochecho Arts Festival.
Small Business of the Year, Jewelry Creations, owned by Linda and Joe Hagan, has been in operation for over 25 years in downtown Dover. Known for innovative marketing programs that always find a way to give back to the community, Jewelry Creations is a leader not only in the Dover business community, but is held in high-regard by the jewelry industry. The Hagans have been involved with Rotary Club of Dover, Wentworth-Douglass Hospital, Cochecho Valley Humane Society, the Greater Dover Chamber of Commerce, the Boy Scouts of America and UNH Athletics in many capacities during their tenure in Dover.
Liberty Mutual is the recipient of the Mid/Large Business of the Year Award. Since 1912, Liberty Mutual has committed themselves to providing broad, useful and competitively priced insurance products and services to meet their customers’ ever-changing needs.
Their delivery on this commitment is the reason they are now the 5th largest property and casualty insurance company in the United States, why they’ve earned an A.M. Best Co. ‘A’ (Excellent) financial strength rating, and why they have the breadth, depth and financial strength that you can always depend on - in the United States and around the world.
Closer to home, this Fortune 100 company has made a lasting commitment to the Dover community by establishing a home office campus on Sixth Street with three state-of-the-art office buildings. Recently, Liberty Mutual donated the land for Dover’s Liberty North End Fire Station. Liberty Mutual’s steadfast support of community events like the Dover Holiday Parade and the Cochecho Arts Festival Children’s Series makes it evident that they are proud to call Dover and the seacoast of New Hampshire, home.
Photo caption: Kathleen Lewis from Public Service of New Hampshire, Executive Director Kirt Schuman, Marion Cheney, President of Rotary Club of Dover (Courtesy photo)

History in the Making – PCA Students Build 3-Dimensional Models


DOVER—
Freshmen students at Portsmouth Christian Academy took a hands-on approach to learning as they studied the Hebrew tabernacle – the worship sanctuary outlined in the book of Exodus in the Bible. The students crafted miniature models of the historical furniture, recorded the materials used to build their models, noted their scale, and their spiritual significance.
The tabernacle was a portable structure where the Israelites worshiped God after the Exodus. Following God’s precise instructions, craftsmen created furniture to be used for worship that was full of symbolism. PCA students created 3-dimensional models to scale to help them understand how the sacrifices, utensils, and even the structure of the tabernacle were designed to reveal the nature of God.
“When holding these objects in real life, the students begin to realize the historical significance in a more tangible way,” stated Dr. Susan Pleticha, PCA Bible Teacher. “By studying what each piece of the furniture symbolized, we understand more about God and how he relates to his people.”
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: While studying the Hebrew tabernacle – the worship sanctuary outlined in the book of Exodus in the Bible, Portsmouth Christian Academy students crafted miniature models of historical furniture, recorded the materials used, noted their scale, and their spiritual significance. (Courtesy photo)