Volunteers Sought for Coastal Cleanup

PORTSMOUTH—
Last year, over 1,000 volunteers cleaned beaches along the NH Seacoast in September as part of the NH Coastal Cleanup, held in conjunction with the International Coastal Cleanup. Those volunteers picked up over 7,000 pounds of litter on NH beaches.
The Blue Ocean Society for Marine Conservation is seeking groups, individuals and students and teachers to participate in this year’s cleanup in September.
There are 3 ways to get involved: teachers can sign up their classes to participate in the Student Cleanup Day on Friday, Sept. 24, members of the public can participate in the regular Coastal Cleanup Day on Saturday, Sept. 25, or groups, businesses, clubs and Scout troops can arrange a cleanup anytime in September for a group of 10 or more. The Society’s goal is to involve over 1,500 volunteers in the NH Coastal Cleanup.
During the cleanup, volunteers will spend 1-3 hours cleaning a local beach and recording their findings. The data is used locally and also gets sent to the Ocean Conservancy for use in studying trends in marine pollution and helping in educational programs.
Through their participation in the cleanup, volunteers will have a hands-on experience with scientific data collection. The data generated will contribute to ongoing research concerning the worldwide sources of marine debris. Ultimately, the litter collected collect will help Blue Ocean Society and other organizations to learn how we can prevent more from showing up in its place.
To learn more about the cleanup or to schedule a presentation on marine conservation, call (603) 431-0260 or visit www.blueoceansociety.org.
Photo caption: NH Coastal Cleanup 2009. Volunteers from Coca-Cola at Foss Beach in Rye, NH. (Ralph Morang photo)

The Great New Hampshire Pie Festival Coming Soon

MILTON —
Plans for the Second Annual New Hampshire Pie Festival at the New Hampshire Farm Museum on October 3rd from noon to 4pm are well underway and it is looking like a great event! Below is an outline:
The Amateur Piemaking Contest is open to nonprofessional piemakers. Prizes include a custom pie plate from Salmon Falls Stoneware and baking items from King Arthur Flour. The judges this year are NH humorist Rebecca Rule, author of Live Free and Eat Pie; portsmouthnh.com blogger Eryn EpiCurious, food critic and restaurant judge for NH Magazine; and self-proclaimed dessert connoisseur Gary Reynolds, producer at WMUR who admits he is always hungry.
The Professional Piemakers Contest is open to professional bakers. Enter your signature pie and win the People’s Choice Award! Attendees to the festival will taste-test your creation and vote for their favorite pie in two categories: fruit and nonfruit.
For guidelines to either contest, email the museum at info@farmmuseum.org and state in the subject line which contest guidelines you are requesting. Or call 652-7840.
Festivities for the day include the ever-popular kids’ pie eating contest, a silent auction of cooking-related items, tractor hay rides to visit the museum farm animals, guided tours of the historic Jones Farm and tavern, and much more.
The tents will be up so the Great New Hampshire Pie Festival happens rain or shine. Admission is $10 for adults; $5 for children. Sponsors include Salmon Falls Stoneware, Dover; Independent Color Press, Ossipee; and King Arthur Flour, Norwich, Vermont.
All the pie you can eat—how can you go wrong?
The New Hampshire Farm Museum is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to promote the preservation of New Hampshire’s agricultural heritage. The Museum is located at 1305 White Mountain Highway, Milton, NH 03852.
Photo caption: Judging of the Amateur Piemaking Contest, 2009 Great New Hampshire Pie Festival. (NH Farm Museum photo)

Prevention Coalition Up and Running

SOMERSWORTH—
The Somersworth-Rollinsford Prevention Coalition is inviting all interested community members to attend a coalition planning retreat on Friday, Sept. 24th from 9 a.m.-noon at the Sumner Country Restaurant (formerly known as the Gateway) on route 108 in Somersworth. The mission of the newly formed coalition is to create and support projects and initiatives that promote positive, healthy, safe and drug-free lifestyles for youth and families. At this meeting, attendees will discuss the coalition’s goals and plans for preventing drug and alcohol abuse among youth in the Somersworth and Rollinsford communities.
The coalition works with parents, business leaders, professionals in healthcare and law enforcement, city and state government, and faith based organizations in the Somersworth-Rollinsford communities. The coalition will explore ways to achieve a cooperative approach to form consistent strategies and messaging about alcohol, tobacco and other drugs.
The coalition’s coordinator, Lisa Paone encourages citizens of Somersworth and Rollinsford to attend this open retreat so the community at-large can be more informed and engaged in the responsibilities of keeping our kids safe.
“Our two communities have all the necessary elements for a strong and united partnership to keep our youth safe. When we work together we can prevent substance abuse and teach our kids and parents how to be safe by giving them strategies to be healthy and avoid the pressures of using drugs and alcohol.”
Paone added that the coalition is expanding its base and is asking interested community members to attend the retreat to explore ways they can become more involved in supporting the coalition’s mission.
The Somersworth-Rollinsford Prevention Coalition is funded through ONE Voice for Southeastern New Hampshire, which envisions an alliance of communities that are well equipped to overcome and diminish substance abuse. ONE Voice supports youths, families, educators, and communities that are committed to the prevention of alcohol and drug abuse.
For more information about the Somersworth-Rollinsford Prevention Coalition please contact Lisa Paone at 749-9755 X 10. For information about ONE Voice for Southeastern New Hampshire, go to www.onevoicenh.org.