‘Good Morning, Strawbery Banke’ Wins New England Museum Association Book Award

PORTSMOUTH—
Strawbery Banke Museum has won first place in the 2011 New England Museum Association Publication Award Competition for “Good Morning, Strawbery Banke.” The 40-page, full-color book aimed at readers aged 4-8 was written and illustrated by Wickie Rowland. The book won its category of volumes priced at $10 or less. NEMA received 206 entries from 64 organizations competing in 16 categories for the 2011 awards.
Dan Yeager, President of NEMA said, “Your publication design puts you in very good company at the top ranks of our region’s institutions. The judges were extremely impressed with the high quality of all of the entries and expressed pride to come from a region that produces such high caliber work.” The award-winning publications will be exhibited at the NEMA Annual Conference in Hartford, CT in November. This is the second time a Strawbery Banke Museum book has won NEMA honors. In 2008, J. Dennis Robinson’s history, “Strawbery Banke: A Seaport Museum 400 Years in the Making” also won.
The book has won an enthusiastic audience for the story and its real-life hero, J. D., the black cat who roams the 10-acre living history museum in downtown Portsmouth. On each page, J.D. walks through different perspectives and ways of life, from historic to modern at Strawbery Banke. Watercolor pen drawings depict J.D.’s tour through time. One reviewer of the book commented, “Wickie Rowland is an exquisite illustrator and the text is easy enough reading for younger history buffs to grasp, yet interesting enough for all ages to get involved in. This book should be required reading in grade school history classes, as it gives a wonderful, tangible experience of life in early New England.”
“I am particularly pleased that Strawbery Banke Museum has earned a New England Museum Association Award for a book aimed primarily at children, as we constantly work at bringing the story of life in Portsmouth we tell here approachable for all,” said Museum President Lawrence J. Yerdon. “J.D. the cat is an ideal ambassador and we very much appreciate Wickie Rowland’s success in giving him such a delightful letter of introduction on our behalf.”
Published in 2010 by Publishing Works in Exeter, NH with funding from Piscataqua Savings Bank and designed by Anna Pearlman, “Good Morning, Strawbery Banke” is available in the Museum Store and from booksellers. Publisher Jeremy Townsend congratulated Strawbery Banke and author Rowland on the award, saying, “It is a pleasure to be the publisher of such a wonderful, wonderful book. Everyone who sees it is charmed and apparently the New England Museum Association judges were no exception. Congratulations to Strawbery Banke Museum and Wickie Rowland!”
Established in 1959, Strawbery Banke Museum (www.strawberybanke.org) is a 10-acre living history campus that presents nearly 400 years of New Hampshire history through the stories, artifacts and buildings of Portsmouth families. With a backdrop of 16 historic buildings and gardens, role-players, working craftspeople and interpreters reflect the evolution of Portsmouth from the early Colonial period of maritime trade through its 1950s neighborhood of Puddle Dock.
Photo caption: (Courtesy book cover image of “Good Morning, Strawbery Banke”)

Greenland Celebrates 21st Annual Summer Fun and Jason’s Run

GREENLAND—
On Saturday, July 16, the town center of Greenland will come alive with a full day of activities for all ages and interests. The town’s traditional Summer Fun celebration features food, music, games, crafts and more, topped off by the 21st Annual Jason Hussey 5K Road Race.
Since 1976, Greenland has held a summer celebration on the third Saturday of July with festivities centered around the town green. Community groups and non-profit agencies participate by offering activities, information, and fundraising for their causes. No commercial vendors are allowed to sell their products at this event.
Summer Fun activities begin at 8 a.m. with a Community Pancake Breakfast at the Greenland Parish House, with proceeds benefiting Community Congregational Church. Also beginning early are town-wide yard sales. Maps of all the yard sale locations will be available at the Greenland bandstand and all the yard sale sites.
Michael Sullivan’s Tales Told Tall Chess Club is always a big hit with a Chess Tournament and Renaissance Man Challenge starting at 10:00 a.m. in the Parish House. This is a three-round U.S. Chess Federation-Rated Chess Tournament. A Renaissance Man trophy will be awarded to the player with the highest combined finish in the tournament and the 5K road race.
Next door to the Parish House, the Weeks Public Library will hold a book sale and offer craft activities for children.
Live music is scheduled at the Greenland Bandstand all afternoon. This year’s entertainment line-up includes Gary and the Serfs, Jimi G and the Re-Sceptors, Five Pitches, and Crab Shack.
Other special events throughout the day include Zumba, Mad Science, a puppet show, Hillbilly Golf, crafts, face painting, laser tag, frozen tee shirt contest, carnival games, games by Sportsmouth Tennis, and activities by the Seacoast YMCA.
There will be hamburgers and hot dogs for sale at noon time. From 4:00 to 7:00 p.m., there will be a BBQ hosted by the parents of students at Greenland Central School. Proceeds from the BBQ help fund the students’ trip to Environmental School in the fall.
The big event of the day is the annual Jason Hussey 5K road race at 6:00 p.m. Registration for the race is open from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. There is a kids’ fun run at 5:00 p.m., followed by Luther’s Walk at 5:30 p.m. Announcement of race awards and raffle prizes will take place following the race at 7:00 p.m. at the bandstand to close out the day.
To see the complete schedule, register for the race, or make a tax-deductible donation, visit www.summerfunandjasonsrun.org or call Marie at 603-431-0056. Summer Fun and Jason’s Run is sponsored by the Town of Greenland Recreation Committee.

7th Annual Seacoast Concert For A Cure Returns to Rye

RYE—

This year’s Seacoast Concert for a Cure, an annual music festival that raises funds for local breast cancer support programs, will feature a unique lineup of local favorites. The event, to be held Thursday, August 4, 2011 at the Seacoast Science Center in Rye, NH, will feature Truffle, known for their upbeat and masterfully crafted music, and Bliss, a highly appraised all female blues, folk, country and bluegrass band.
“We’re very excited to once again be hosting the Seacoast Concert For A Cure at Seacoast Science Center,” said concert co-founder Katie Delahaye Paine. “Our mission is to raise funds for organizations that help breast cancer survivors. Since we began this effort in 2005 I am proud to say the we have raised more than $100,000 to support local non-profit organizations who provide much needed support programs to women and men right here in our own seacoast communities. And what better way to do that then to enjoy great music and dance the night away, all while overlooking the sunset on Odiorne Point!”
Past events have provided funding for: mammograms to those who can’t afford them; support weekends for survivors as well as children of those affected by cancer; an online support community where women can share their stories and get support from others going through a similar experience; and Dana Farber’s Survivorship Program – a program that helps more and more people survive cancer every year.
This year the money raised by the event will help the following non-profit organizations:
Betty J. Borry Breast Cancer Retreats: Providing adventure retreat weekends for women living after breast cancer.
BreastCancerStories.org / My Breast Cancer Support: Providing non-medical grants, travel scholarships, home assistance and additional support for local patients and their family members here in the greater seacoast area.
On Belay: Supporting children of those suffering from cancer or other life-threatening diseases. The organization was started by SCFAC founder and New Hampshire Volunteer of the Year, Crescentia Healy True, who sadly lost her battle with breast cancer in 2006.
Once again, Seacoast Science Center will host the event, continuing its Thursday night series for an extra week. There will be a large silent auction and food available for purchase. Attendees are welcome to bring their own picnics as well (alcohol may not be brought into the park – beer and wine will be available for purchase).
Tickets are $12 advance and $15 day of show (children ages 4-12 are $1, paid at gate only) and will be available at each of the Seacoast Science Center’s Music by the Sea Thursday night concerts as well as online at www.seacoastconcertforacure.com.
Sponsors of this year’s event include LWynn Sound, 92.5 The River, Measured Progress, WERZ, Hampshire First Bank and Exeter Health Resources.
Further details about the musicians, the recipient charities and the organizing team are also available on the web site, www.seacoastconcertforacure.com. For information on the Music by the Sea concert series go to www.seacoastsciencecenter.org.
Photo caption: All-female blues, rock, country and bluegrass band, Bliss, will perform along with Truffle at the 7th Annual Seacoast Concert For A Cure. (Courtesy photo)