Hundreds Run in Whale of a 5K Race

RYE –
Six hundred and ten runners hit the trails to participate in the Seacoast Science Center’s fourth annual Whale of a 5k Trail Race, held Saturday, April 21, in Odiorne Point State Park. The scenic route brought them through the forest, by the rocky shore, on the sandy beach, and up (and down) the hills over military fortifications of Odiorne Point State Park.
Race winner, Chris Ritchie, 28, of Exeter, crossed the finish line with a time of 17:52. Stephanie Crawford, 34, of Dover, was female overall winner with a time of 20:03. Second place winners were Andrew King, 36, of York, Maine, at 17:54 and Nataliya Tereshchenk, 35, of Nottingham at 20:36.
The Kid’s Fun Run gave the 100 of the youngest of athletes the option to run a 100-yard dash or a 1/2 mile run. In honor of Earth Day, each participant was awarded with a packet of sunflower seeds to plant at home.
The Center combined their Earth Day celebration with the event, which added to the festivities. The crowd enjoyed music, face painting, programs, information stations, and eco-friendly crafts and activities.
According to Race Director, Nichole Rutherford, “We are so pleased with the results of the day. We had more runners than ever, which helped up to raise $11,500 to support our environmental education efforts. Special thanks go to the more than 70 volunteers who put in countless hours to make the event possible.”
Prizes for the top two male and female winners in each age category were awarded for 5k runners and were presented by Councilor Chris Sununu.
Male age group top winners were Eric Degregorio, 23:53 (12 and under); Andrew Verville, 20:29 (13-17); Chris Ritchie, 17:52 (18-29); Andrew King, 17:54 (30-39); Jeff Kelly, 18:21 (40-49); John Webber, 20:47 (50-59); Ron Newbury, 20:13; (60-69); and Gary Reuter, 26:10 (70-99).
Female age group top winners were Michaela Jones, 21:02 (12 and under); Haley Markos, 24:24 (13-17), Margot Popecki, 21:44 (18-29); Stephanie Crawford, 20:03 (30-39); Heather Fabbri, 26:04 (40-49); Geri Clifford, 26:06 (50-59); Janet Parkinson, 26:51 (60-69), and Mary Harada, 36:56 (70-99).

Photo caption: The Kid’s Fun Run included one hundred young athletes. (Photo courtesy of www.seacoastsciencecenter.org)

Record-Setting Writer to Speak at Music Hall

PORTSMOUTH –
The Music Hall’s Writers in the Loft series welcomes author Susan Cain with her bestselling book, “QUIET: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can’t Stop Talking,” on Tuesday, May 1. The 7 p.m. event will be held at the Music Hall in Portsmouth.
A former Wall Street lawyer, Cain has captured the attention of critics, business and opinion leaders, and introverts and extroverts worldwide with her sudden bestseller. Her recent presentation at TED2012 drew a record 1.6 million viewers in its first month online. Cain’s eye-opening research and game-changing conclusion:
“Did you know that nearly half of Americans are introverts? If you’re not an introvert yourself, you are surely raising, managing, married to, or related to one. Cerebral, quiet, perceptive to nuance, and emotionally complex, introverts are often discounted or undervalued. Yet many of the greatest achievers of the 20th century have been introverts: Eleanor Roosevelt, George Orwell, Rosa Parks, Marcel Proust, Warren Buffett, Larry Page, and Mahatma Gandhi, to name just a few. Without introverts, the world would have missed out on the Apple computer, the theory of relativity, van Gogh’s sunflowers, and The Cat in the Hat,” according to Cain.
A self-proclaimed introvert, Cain challenges what she calls the Extrovert Ideal. Our culture, she argues, overvalues the alpha personality—gregarious and highly verbal—while ignoring the subtler strengths of the introvert, such as reflectiveness, persistence, and sensitivity. Based on five years of research, Cain explores the physiological aspects and psychological advantages of being an introvert.
In Part One of “QUIET,” Cain charts the rise of the Extrovert Ideal, illustrating how it permeates our culture—taking the reader on a journey from Dale Carnegie’s birthplace to Harvard Business School to a Tony Robbins seminar to an evangelical megachurch. She questions the dominant values of American business culture, where forced collaboration can stand in the way of innovation, and where the leadership potential of introverts is often overlooked.
In Part Two, Cain explores the neurobiology and psychology of temperament. She looks at hereditary traits, examining the nature-vs-nurture debate and the role of free will in personality.
In Part Three, she examines whether all cultures have an Extrovert Ideal, specifically looking at the differences between Western culture, where the individual is paramount, and Eastern culture, where the success of the group is often valued above that of the self. She speaks with Asian-American students who feel alienated from the brash, backslapping atmosphere of American schools.
In Part Four, Cain offers practical advice about everything from networking if you hate small talk, to being a “pretend extrovert” when it’s advantageous, to better negotiating introvert-extrovert relationships, to helping an introverted child navigate school and friendships.
Most inspiringly, Cain introduces the reader to successful introverts—from a high-octane public speaker who recharges in solitude after his talks, to a record-breaking salesman who taps into his “soft power.” Passionately argued and superbly researched, “QUIET” shows how dramatically we undervalue introverts, and how much we lose in doing so.
Susan Cain will be in dialogue with Margaret Talcott, associate producer of the Writers in the Loft series. “I worked for ten years in the land of extroverts, at the brokerage and investment firm Merrill Lynch in New York City, and, like so many others, have experienced the extrovert trend firsthand. I look forward to hearing more about Ms. Cain’s research and taking questions from her readers, who are coming out in force. Her Writers in the Loft event is one of most popular ever – the topic has struck a chord with so many.”
For more information, call 603-436-2400 or visit www.themusichall.org. The Music Hall is located on Congress Street in Portsmouth.

Photo caption: Susan Cain, author of “QUIET: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can’t Stop Talking” (Courtesy photo)

Dover Adds Session to Visioning Process

DOVER –
What will Dover be like in the year 2023? More importantly, what do Dover residents want it to be? These questions have been the central focus of a community-wide public engagement process that began on March 10. The “Dover 2023 – Building our Tomorrow” effort is designed to get the community thinking about where it is now, where it has come from in the past few decades and where it wants to get to in the future.
Christopher Parker, the director of Planning and Community Development, feels strongly that “developing a vision for our City is the key first step to building the community that we want to become.” This longer term perspective is particularly appropriate since Dover will be celebrating its 400th anniversary in 2023, and serves as the cornerstone to the city’s master planning efforts.
A series of neighborhood meetings were held in March to get the community’s ideas about what Dover should be like in the year 2023. A second series of neighborhood workshops are being held in April in order to refine and prioritize the long-term vision for the City. Kirt Schuman, Planning Board member and chair of the Master Plan Steering Committee, remarked on the importance of the community’s role in developing the vision “The Planning Board recognizes that the city’s vision must, at its core, reflect the community’s values and concerns, not just those of the Planning Board and staff.”
Recognizing that the March and April workshops were held in the evening, an additional Dover 2023 workshop has been scheduled for Tuesday, May 1, from 8 to 10 a.m. in the Lecture Hall at the Dover Public Library.
“We want to ensure that as many residents, business owners and property owners are able to participate,” said Tim Corwin, assistant city planner. “Having a weekday morning session is a great way to provide an opportunity for those people who want to participate but who are not available in the evenings.”
The May 1 workshop will provide those who have not yet had an opportunity to participate in Dover 2023 with a chance to hear about the city’s long-term vision and to provide their insights and perspective on where Dover should be headed in the next 10 years.
The Dover 2023 visioning process will wrap up with a final community-wide event to be held on Saturday, May 5, at 9 a.m., at the Dover Middle School cafeteria.
“Everyone is encouraged to attend,” said Corwin. “Even if you weren’t able to make to any of the previous meetings, the May 5 meeting is the perfect opportunity for you to participate in the process and tell us what you want Dover to be.”
For more information, visit www.dover2023.com or contact the Planning Department at (603) 516-6008.

Dover Clean-Up Day set for April 28

DOVER —

The volunteers at Dover Main Street, along with Dover Community Services and event underwriter Centrix Bank are busy planning another project-filled day to get downtown Dover in shape for our residents and summer visitors. This year’s date is Saturday, April 28.
Last year, over 300 bright, sunny, energetic volunteers raked, pruned, swept, mulched, weeded, painted and planted their way through 12 sites in the downtown area. Their efforts helped make the downtown area green and beautiful throughout the spring and summer. As always, community volunteers are the key to the success of the projects, so whether you can spend just an hour or come for the morning, email director@dovermainstreet.org to sign up.
The April 28 event will be the 13th year of Dover Pride / Downtown Clean-Up Day and as usual, Dover Kiwanis Club members will be dishing up a hearty pancake breakfast for the volunteers in the Cocheco Mills Courtyard on Central Avenue staring at 8am. From there, volunteers will be assigned to a work site for the morning. It is recommended that volunteers wear loose comfortable clothing. Extra rakes, shovels, and wheelbarrows are always welcomed, but they should have the owners name on them. If you have a special green thumb or landscaping experience, we are also always in need of project supervisors.
A special award, “The Golden Pitchfork”, will be bestowed upon the organization or business team that shows the most spirit that day. Last year’s winners were from the Dover Police department.
The day will wind up at 11:30am with a pizza lunch in the Cocheco Mills Courtyard provided by Kendall Pond Pizza. Other generous supporters include Wentworth Greenhouses, Rebel Chef Café, Seacoast Coca-Cola and Reverie Designs. Don’t forget that Dover Pride/Downtown Clean-Up Day is a rain or shine event.
Dover Main Street is a not for profit downtown revitalization organization which operates 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. Dover is celebrating its 12th year as a fully accredited National Main Street Program.
Volunteers are always welcome and needed to assist in planning and completing projects. To find out more information, to sign up as a volunteer, or to donate to the Dover Main Street Program, contact the office at 740-6435 or email director@dovermainstreet.org. (Courtesy logo)

Seacoast Mourns the Loss of Police Chief Maloney

Guinta Makes a Statement on Shooting Incident in Greenland

WASHINGTON D.C. —
Congressman Frank Guinta (NH-01) recently released the following statement regarding the death of Greenland Police Chief Michael Maloney and the wounding of four other law enforcement officials during the shooting in Greenland which occurred Thursday, April 12.
“My thoughts and prayers, along with those of my wife Morgan, are with the family of Greenland Police Chief Michael Maloney. Chief Maloney was a beloved figure in Greenland and throughout the New Hampshire law enforcement community. He will be deeply missed and our condolences go out to his family, friends, and colleagues.
“We also continue our prayers for the four officers who were injured in the incident: Detective Eric Kulberg of the University of New Hampshire Police Department, Detective Gregory Turner of the Dover Police Department, Detective Scott Kukesh of the Newmarket Police Department, and Detective Jeremiah Murphy of the Rochester Police Department. We are hopeful for their full recovery.
“Thursday’s incident reminds us of the dedication displayed by all of New Hampshire’s first responders. Day in and day out, they serve us with the upmost professionalism and dignity. In the wake of yesterday’s tragic events, we remind all members of our law enforcement community that all Granite Staters stand behind them in full support and appreciation of their bravery and sacrifice.”

Obituary of Michael P. Maloney

GREENLAND —

Greenland Police Chief Michael P. Maloney, 48, passed away Thursday, April 12, while protecting his community and brother police officers. Chief Maloney was a 26-year law enforcement professional who was well-respected by all in the law enforcement community as well as his local community.
Chief Maloney was a graduate of Winnacunnet High School in Hampton. He joined the Army Reserve, where he served as a drill instructor, and then joined the Rye and North Hampton police departments as a part-time officer. A year later, he was hired as a full-time officer in North Hampton. Michael worked his way through the ranks to police chief before being hired as Greenland’s police chief for the past 12 years.
Chief Maloney was a graduate of the 76th New Hampshire Police Academy and received a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Hesser College.
Michael is survived by the “love of his life,” his wife Peg; his father, John and wife, Jane; his mother, Joan, and husband, Rich Buchanan. He is also survived by his brothers, Kevin, Dennis and Tim and his wife, Jessica; sisters Carolyn and Kathleen and her husband, Bill Lahey. Michael leaves behind his children, Michael Jr., Serena, stepson Ryan Vickers, and grandson Michael Jacob “MJ”, and many nieces and nephews. Chief Maloney also leaves his “Second Family” the officers of the Greenland Police Department.
Services will be held at noon Thursday, April 19 at Winnacunnet High School Athletic Field, 1 Alumni Drive, Hampton (weather permitting) or Winnacunnet High School Gymnasium. All are respectfully invited.
Interment will be private. Family flowers only. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Chief Michael Maloney Trust Fund, c/o Optima Bank, 26 Lafayette Road, North Hampton 03862 or any of their branches.
Additional parking for the public is being made available adjacent to the funeral home by the Best Western Hotel behind their Conference Center. For more information, visit www.RemickGendron.com. (Courtesy photo)

Somersworth Chamber Calls for Nominees

SOMERSWORTH—
The Greater Somersworth Chamber of Commerce is currently accepting nominations for Citizen of the Year, Business of the Year and Teacher of the Year for the five-town region that includes Somersworth, Rollinsford and the Berwick’s of Maine. This year’s awards are sponsored by the Spence & Mathews Insurance agency of Berwick. The deadline for submission of nominations for the three awards is Monday, April 23, and the winners will be announced on April 26. Winners will be publicly honored at the Chamber’s 2012 Annual Dinner & Awards event in May. Criteria and nomination forms may be downloaded from the Chamber website at www.somersworthchamber.com.
This year’s Annual Dinner, “Sundown at the Red Barn,” takes place on Friday, May 18, at The Red Barn at Outlook in South Berwick, ME. Underwriters for the annual dinner are Kennebunk Savings Bank, D. F. Richard Energy and Public Service of New Hampshire. Tickets to the dinner may be purchased at the Greater Somersworth Chamber of Commerce located at 58 High Street in Somersworth.
To be eligible for nomination, a teacher must work full-time in grades K-12 in the public school systems of any of the five communities served by the Chamber. Teachers in any Chamber member private school are also eligible for nomination. Current private school Chamber members include Tri-City Christian Academy and St. Thomas Aquinas High School.
Chamber Annual Dinner Committee Chair, Tony Lemmo of Sevigney Lyons Insurance announced that, “The public is encouraged to get involved with this important community event by nominating the people and businesses that truly stand out through their substantive contributions and commitments to the betterment of the Greater Somersworth area.”
For more information, contact the Chamber at 603-692-7175 or info@somersworthchamber.com.

NH Seacoast Prepares for World Book Night

By Sydney Jarrard

Staff Columnist

PORTSMOUTH—

On Monday, April 23, book-lovers from across the country will unite for World Book Night, an entire day organized to encourage “the reluctant readers” of America to pick up a good book. If you’re in downtown Dover, on the UNH Campus or in Market Square in Portsmouth that Monday, you may just find yourself a part of the biggest book giveaway event this country has ever seen.

Inspired by World Book Night in the United Kingdom, World Book Night U.S. boasts a total of 25,000 book givers signed up to give out free books in 5,962 towns across all 50 states, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and Bermuda. Givers will receive 20 copies each of the book of their choosing, one of 30 titles made available to them, and will hand them out in an approved public place on April 23. The titles run the gamut from “The Hunger Games” to “Little Bee” to “The Kite Runner,” and from authors including Stephen King, Maya Angelou and Jodi Picoult. Volunteers aim to engage with people who don’t have access to books by reason, or with those who simply don’t read.

April 23 is the International Day of the Book, as declared by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). It is celebrated as a holiday in the Catalan region of Spain, where loved ones give a book and a flower to one another, and is also Shakespeare’s birthday. In the United Kingdom and Ireland, World Book Day, with the focus on children’s books, and World Book Night, geared for an adult readership, were initiated to continue the celebration on reading. This year is the inaugural year for World Book Night U.S.

Coordinated by Carl Lennertz, Executive Director of World Book Night U.S. and all-around publishing guru, the program has been supported in droves by publishers, printers, book distributors, booksellers, libraries and the general public. Lennertz put the word out at a series of publishing conferences throughout 2011, and there was no question about the interest. “Everybody just totally got it,” says Lennertz.

At Winter Institute, a national gathering of publishing and book professionals in January, Lennertz announced the big deadlines for the program. He needed thousands of people to sign up as book givers within the next three weeks, so he asked bookstores to reach out to their customer bases to get the buzz going. The bookstores ran with it. “It was a crash schedule, but it’s been working great,” explains Lennertz.

Each of the 25,000 givers will receive a case of the book they have chosen. The designated World Book Night books have been specially printed with a white border around the cover art, and a special letter from Lennertz and author and supporter Anna Quindlen is inside of each. The books were printed without barcodes, since they are to be handed out for free and not sold, and the traditional jacket copy has been replaced with information on World Book Night and its mission. The cost of printing and shipping the books has been shared among publishers, printers and shipping companies, and each author is foregoing royalties on their respective title.

The locations chosen by givers to hand out books have been varied: local parks, subways, low-income schools, hospitals, yoga studios, tattoo parlors, bars, prisons and more. The Wichita police department in Kansas is taking Michael Connelly’s “Blood Work” with them on rounds, while Vernon Legakis, a surfer in Santa Cruz, will be taking plastic-bagged copies of Patti Smith’s “Just Kids” out on his board to hand out in the water.

It’s not just metropolitan areas that have climbed on board, either. In smaller towns and cities like ours on the Seacoast, the response has been great. Because of the struggling economy, which can affect smaller areas more than urban cities, there’s a need for this community-charged event. Assures Lennertz, “There are more givers per capita in small towns and there’s a bigger need in small towns.”

And givers have the Seacoast covered. The excitement is at a fever pitch on the national level, but our local bookstores and readers are just as fired up for this day of giving.

Amy Sterndale of Durham will be picking up her book, “Bel Canto” by Anne Patchett, at RiverRun Bookstore in Portsmouth. Her plan is to station herself outside of the McConnell Community Center in Dover, which attracts a variety of people throughout the day. “It’s going to be a really interesting experience handing out books to strangers,” says Sterndale, an avid reader herself. But she’s very happy to be a part of the program. “One of my favorite jobs ever was working in bookstores and connecting somebody with an author they didn’t know yet. To feel like I’ve opened up a world for somebody else is something that I really enjoy. In a way, it’s very selfish, but I hope it gets more people reading.”

Water Street Bookstore in Exeter is the distribution point for other local givers, with an entire book pick-up party planned for givers to meet and greet and share ideas about locations and plans for the day. Stefanie Kiper, the store’s events coordinator and marketing manager, was instantly on board with the program when she heard about it at Winter Institute in January. “I hope it’s successful,” says Kiper. “I’m excited to be a part of a program that brings our community together over books.”

In Concord, Gibson’s Bookstore has more than 20 people signed up to get their cases during a pick-up party. Michael Herrmann, the store’s owner, is a fan of just about all the titles on the list, and is hoping they will entice some new readers. “Our business is to seek out people who are already self-identified as readers,” says Hermann, but being that World Book Night is a way to reach new ones, they’re very happy to participate. Gibson’s also features an entire window display of the World Book Night titles.

Jena Gregoire, who is picking up her books at Gibson’s, will spend time in the Concord Main Street community and at Steeplegate Mall with “Q is for Quarry” by Sue Grafton. A self-proclaimed “die hard book lover,” she has been promoting the event through her book review blog, as well as through Facebook and Twitter, with the hope of getting people excited about the event.

The entire World Book Night buzz has been self-generated by enthusiastic participants. While World Book Night has been covered by local and national media outlets, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest have played indispensable roles in spreading the word through bookstores, authors, givers and publishing professionals. “This is all about the givers. They’re the marketing campaign. They’re going to do it all themselves with their enthusiasm,” says Lennertz.

With the anticipation building toward an entire day of celebrating books; givers and bookstores are also looking forward to what comes next. A live Flickr stream will allow participants to upload photos during pick-up parties a week prior to the event, and they will continue to upload photos as the day gets underway. A documentary is in the works to record the day’s events, and after-parties are planned for givers to share their experiences.

At the heart of World Book Night is the enormous community of readers and book professionals who simply want to get books into the hands of reluctant readers. Gregoire, who comes from a long line of readers, sums up her hopes for World Book Night. “I know entirely too many adults that have said ‘I don’t read,’” she says. “I can’t understand how someone can ‘not read.’ Reading keeps you sharp, keeps you entertained and gives you some down time that most adults don’t get nearly enough of in their lives. I am hoping to see more adults discover (or rediscover, as the case may be) a love for reading.”

(Courtesy Photo)

St. Thomas Aquinas High School Students Build Cardboard City

DOVER—

Recently, 37 St. Thomas Aquinas (STA) students gave up a Friday night to share, in a small way, the experience of the 1.6 million homeless teens in America by becoming “homeless” themselves. Sponsored by the school’s Campus Ministry Team, the students built a “Cardboard City” in the STA parking lot, where they spent the night.

"Cardboard city was one of the hardest things I’ve done. Not because it was cold, or hard sleeping in a box for the night, but because it showed me how hard some people have it in life. Not knowing where you will eat your next meal, or even if you will have a next meal is very sad," explained senior Hannah Schwoerer.

Before participating in this meaningful event, each student raised a minimum of $100. Together, this group of committed students raised over $5000. Of that amount, $1000 will be used to support the work of local homeless shelters, while the remainder goes to support St. Thomas’ work this summer with Young Neighbors in Action (YNIA).

In many ways, YNIA was one of two guiding forces behind the St. Thomas Aquinas’ efforts to gain a deeper understanding of the plight of the homeless. The other is the school’s effort on behalf of Lazarus House Ministries, which also serves the homeless.

When engaged with both programs, students provide labor, tutoring skills and yard work; they serve food and work with children. STA students who have participated in these programs have called it a “life-changing experience.”

Walter Hutcheson, a junior at STA explains, "As I lay in my cardboard box that night, I felt the cold, discomfort and loneliness that many must suffer through every night. However, I had something that many homeless do not. Though I was physically hurting, the knowledge that I had a warm breakfast, loving family and comfortable bed awaiting me in the morning warmed me. It was this hope that made my experience much more bearable than the suffering that many homeless must endure."

Because of those efforts, students realized that they needed to know more about the struggles and hardships of the lives led by the homeless. So, when the idea of a Cardboard City was first proposed, there was an enthusiastic response.

Spearheading the project were senior Emily Keane and junior Meaghan Flynn. Additionally, a dozen adult volunteers chaperoned through the night, and many students came in to cook and serve dinner and breakfast. For 37 committed, caring students, it was the perfect opportunity to learn, serve and grow as a community.

Located in Dover, St. Thomas Aquinas High School is a coeducational, Catholic high school community where young people are challenged academically, to stretch their hearts spiritually and to embark on a journey to make a difference. For more information, visit us at www.stalux.org or call 603-742-3206.

Economic Revitalization—What’s happening in your Community?

EXETER—

The Exeter Area Chamber of Commerce’s Economic Development Committee is launching a series of breakfast forums—entitled “Economic Revitalization–What’s happening in your Community?” These forums will provide current information on some of the Economic Development and Revitalization initiatives in the communities served by the Chamber.

The first in the series will take place in Exeter on Wednesday, April 25, at The Rinks at Exeter from 7:30 to 9am. A continental breakfast will be served. Topics for the Exeter forum include updates on: the Train Station/Baggage Building purchase, the Plan NH Design Charrette, the Economic Revitalization (ER) Zone designation for the Epping Road corridor, and initiatives of the Town of Exeter’s Economic Development Commission. The forum is free and open to the public. The business community is encouraged to attend.

The Exeter Revitalization Forum is presented by The Provident Bank and sponsored by THA Architects, Donahue, Tucker & Ciandella and The Rinks at Exeter.

The second in the series will take place in Stratham in late May or early June. Details will follow on this and subsequent forums.

Seating is limited. Please RSVP to events@exeterarea.org to reserve your seat.

Community Grows With Garden

By Sydney Jarrard

Staff Columnist

ROLLINSFORD—

The Rollinsford Garden and Local Sustainability Club (RGLSC) is reaching out to the seacoast community to help families and friends come together over good, clean and fresh garden food. It may not sound easy for the many of us who lack a garden space and whose produce is limited to what we find in the grocery store, but it’s now possible to pick fresh veggies from the garden in the morning and have them on the table for dinner.

While owning a nice plot of land on the Seacoast isn’t a realistic goal for all of us, the RGLSC is making home gardening easy for community members. The Club’s large garden space, located on Foundry Street in Rollinsford, is in its third year of providing raised garden beds, outfitted with soil and organic compost, for residents, for only $25 for the entire growing season. Members have the opportunity to grow all kinds of produce—from lettuce to tomatoes to peppers—while meeting neighbors, learning about sustainability and improving those green thumbs.

The inception of the community garden began in 2008, when a group of friends came up with an idea that would allow them to grow fresh produce all summer, even though they didn’t have the space to build their own gardens. Some may say it was Michele Small who had the first inspiration, but it was a team effort among Patrick Gale, Jameson Small, Jaclyn Giordano, Jenny Connerty, Matt Anderson and Roy Small, that got the plan moving. They began working with the town of Rollinsford to see what small land areas might be available for purchase, and they were lucky enough to find a beautiful 14-acre space to use on the Salmon Falls River. What they didn’t know was that the land ran deep with clay, and a garden wasn’t possible to build. In order to use the land, they would have to construct the garden differently—they had to build the garden upwards, on raised pallets. By 2009, the garden had 23 raised beds that the friends made available to the public, and has grown to 28 with plans for family-sized beds in the near future.

It’s not without the public’s help that this garden project has grown to its current size. “Facebook has become a large part of the way we communicate with the fans of the RGLSC and our gardeners,” says Jeanette Gagne, secretary for the RGLSC board. “We share photos of the gardens, upcoming events and see what other people are interested in.” They also share with community members to remind them of Club meetings, which take place twice a month at the Rollinsford Public Library. With the 2012 goal of increasing membership and generating community awareness, the garden actively recruits people who want to get involved by donating time or resources, be it teaching the group a craft, sharing garden secrets or helping keep the space green.

The community has been very responsive, with many of the beds already rented—and one even being rented and then donated back. Captain Tim Pinkham and June Whittier Pinkham of Rollinsford donated a raised bed for the 2012 growing season for the members of the Rollinsford Community Garden to share as an herb garden. Whittier Pinkham explains, "Community gardening—what’s not to love? It is good exercise, produces nutritional, delicious food, brings people together and it’s good for the environment. We should all know where our food comes from.”

The RGLSC has also thrown some great events for the community’s participation in the past, from Rollinsford’s Got Talent in the summer to the Haunted Gardens in the fall. “Hay Down, Hoe Down in August is the most fun,” says Gagne. “The food is all organic, healthy and delicious! The bands are great and we host some of the very best vendors around. The garden is at its most beautiful and people stroll throughout with their fresh corn on the cob, while the children laugh and play, the live music is on stage and people hula-hoop in the green grass. It’s an event enjoyed by all.”

It may only be the start of spring, but the garden already has a plan for April with the second annual Duck Race on Sunday, April 29, where people from all over the area meet up at the falls behind the Rollinsford Mill Building to watch 100 yellow rubber ducks race down the falls to the finish line. The race is followed up by an egg hunt and bunny-petting at the garden site.

New plans for the garden are in the works every week, with the help of the local community and an exciting summer right around the corner. In just three years, the garden’s success has exceeded all expectations, but Gagne and the garden team are eager to continue growing and educating the community. Says Gagne, “Our goal for the garden is that the community may continue to have a place to garden together on this beautiful site.”

Dover Chamber Sweepstakes Event Set for April 27

DOVER—

$10,000 Grand Prize Highlights a Night Packed with Entertainment

The Greater Dover Chamber of Commerce will hold their 11th Annual Sweepstakes and Auction, underwritten by Federal Savings Bank, on Friday, April 27 at 6pm at the Dover Ice Arena. This year, Sweeps will “Swing into Spring” with a golf theme, complete with a mini golf course and an Optishot simulated golf range that will have attendees swinging the night away.

Tickets are now on sale at the Chamber of Commerce or online at www.dovernh.org. Each ticket, which could win the $10,000 cash grand prize, is $100 and admits two people to the event. Only 250 tickets are sold and ten cash prizes will be awarded, giving attendees a 1 in 25 chance of winning at least $200.

In addition to the sweepstakes, the event will feature a sampling of delicious food from local restaurants, a wide-array of auction prizes, a live DJ and cash bar.

“People always come out to Sweepstakes for a chance at the $10,000 cash grand prize,” comments Event Committee Chair Toby Arkwell, of RW Insurance, “but we focus on making every aspect of the night entertaining, so even if you don’t win a cash prize, you still go home having a great time at the event.”

As is tradition, many Dover restaurants will be present at Sweeps as food service providers. The Orchard Street Chop Shop, Liberty Lane Catering, Kelley’s Row, The Meat House, Harvey’s Bakery, The Weathervane, Strafford Farms, UNOs and The Spaghetti Stain will all offer attendees a taste of delicious entrees and appetizers from their menus.

“The participation from local restaurants is a great aspect of the event,” commented Chamber Community Events Manager Michael Mengers. “Every year there are people who attend Sweeps simply to get a taste of all the great restaurant cuisine. This event would not be possible without the consistent support from the Dover restaurateurs.”

Don Briand of WOKQ will return as Sweepstakes emcee and will guide attendees through a night of live, silent and penny sale auctions. Auction items include a Boston Red Sox Package—Two Red Sox tickets, a Darnell McDonald autographed baseball and two Downeaster Train tickets to the game—a big screen flat panel television, movies for a year at Barnz’s Barrington Cinema, golf packages from the Links at Outlook, The Ledges Golf Club, Cochecho Country Club and much more.

Sweepstakes attendees are encouraged to dress in golf themed attire.

“Having guests dress for the occasion always adds another element to the event,” said Arkwell. “I hope everyone coming out to Sweeps searches the back of their closet for an old pair of knickers, argyle socks and a golf cap.”

For more information on Sweepstakes, please contact Greater Dover Chamber of Commerce Community Events Manager Michael Mengers at 603-742-2218.

Frisbie Memorial Hospital’s Rachel Eichenbaum Awarded

ROCHESTER—

Frisbie Memorial Hospital recently announced that Community Educator Rachel Eichenbaum, RN, as a recipient of this year’s Better Choices, Better Health Chronic Disease Self-Management Program Champion Award. The New Hampshire Chronic Disease Self-Management Program Network presents the award to Better Choices Better Health Leaders and/or Master Trainers who have demonstrated leadership and have acted as a motivating force to engage individuals and organizations.

Eichenbaum, who joined Frisbie Memorial in December 2011, has been instrumental in successfully launching the hospital’s Better Choices Better Health Chronic Disease Self-Management program (CDSMP). The CDSMP is a six-week class designed to help those living with or caring for a person with a chronic health condition, such as diabetes, asthma, back pain or any other persistent health condition.

Frisbie Memorial recently wrapped-up its first CDSMP class series, and has scheduled four additional series through June 2012. According to Jo~Ann Vatcher, RN, BSN, MS, director of education at Frisbie Memorial Hospital, “the evaluations from the [first class’] participants were ‘glowing.’” In fact one of the participants, who successfully completed the six-week class, expressed, “Frisbie Memorial Hospital has ‘hit one out of the park’ with the Better Choices, Better Health workshop!” and that “[The instructors] have a ‘wicked good’ sense of humor!”

According to the NH CDSMP Network, awards are bestowed upon those Program Leaders and/or Master Trainers who have assisted with the development and implementation of the Program, mobilized community workshops, mentored other leaders and/or facilitated practice change in their health care organization.

Eichenbaum has presented an overview of Frisbie Memorial’s Better Choices, Better Health Chronic Disease Self-Management Program to area community organizations and is scheduled to present a free Better Choices, Better Health Community Health Education Lecture on April 19 at Frisbie Memorial’s Community Education and Conference Center located on the hospital campus.