World Class Triathletes Jarrod Shoemaker and Sarah Groff to Ride in Krempels King of the Road Challenge

PORTSMOUTH—

Event organizers are pleased to announce that Jarrod Shoemaker, the top ranked American triathlete in the world and current national champion, and Sarah Groff, World Championship Series athlete and 2012 Olympics-bound triathlete, will join other riders at the inaugural Krempels King of the Road Challenge to be held October 15.
In 2009, Jarrod won the Duathlon World Championship and Hamburg World Championship Series race. After attending Dartmouth College (‘04) – where he ran cross country and track and won an Ivy League Cross Country Championship – Jarrod turned his attention to triathlon, and in 2005, won the Under 23 World Championship. He followed that up by finishing 18th at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. He currently lives in Maynard, MA.
Sarah Groff is an internationally-ranked triathlete and a member of the US Elite National Team. In early September she won the Bronze Medal for the overall 2011 World Championship Series in Beijing, China. This caps an incredible year for Sarah as she has proved herself to be the top American triathlete. This year, Sarah has posted five top 10 finishes in World Championship Series races, the first ever podium finish by an American woman in a WCS race, qualified for the 2012 London Olympic Games and earned the first ever American medal for the overall World Championship Series.
Sarah was a double major in conservation biology and studio art at Middlebury College, graduating cum laude and with highest honors in art. When finished with triathlon, she plans on going into environmental law. She lives in Hanover, NH.
The Krempels King of the Road Challenge is a fundraising ride to benefit the Krempels Center, a Portsmouth-based nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of people living with brain injury from trauma, tumor or stroke. This event has a special connection to the King family, through the local cycle-racing legends Robbie and Teddy King, who are actively involved with supporting the event. Riders of all abilities are welcome to participate.
More information about the Krempels King of the Road Challenge can be found at www.kingchallenge.org.
Photo caption: Jarrod Shoemaker, world champion and Olympic triathlon participant, will participate in the Krempels King of the Road Challenge on October 15. (Courtesy photo)

Efforts Raise Funds to Support Operation Christmas Child

HAMPTON FALLS—

Local volunteers with Operation Christmas Child (OCC) took to the raceways on a recent summer weekend when they trekked to New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon for a unique fund-raising opportunity.
“It was great,” said Larry Marshall, a self-described “die-hard race fan” and OCC volunteer who was instrumental in arranging the effort.
A total of 14 volunteers, most of them from Hampton Falls First Baptist Church, traveled to Loudon in mid-August, having undergone a training session at the popular race track just a week earlier.
Once there, they served as screeners, welcoming guests at the gates to the speedway and making sure that no unauthorized objects, such as glass bottles and umbrellas, were brought into the stands.
According to Marshall, the fundraising came in the form of each volunteer “earning” seven dollars per hour in their capacity as screeners. The group put in an approximate 10-hour day.
Each hourly wage that was earned will help to process and ship a gift-filled shoebox that will eventually be given to a hurting child through Operation Christmas Child, a ministry of Samaritan’s Purse.
Since 1993, OCC has hand-delivered shoebox gifts to more than 86 million hurting children overseas. To make this ministry work, participants fill shoeboxes with an assortment of school supplies and toys which are then shipped and distributed to kids in some 130 countries.
Marshall’s group of volunteers earned enough funds to process and ship a couple hundred shoeboxes, which they plan to fill with hundreds of donated items at their annual “Packing Party” in October.
“The real blessing in our eyes is more than just the money,” said Marshall. “It’s the fellowship – getting to know people from this church that I didn’t know before, and getting a new couple to join us. We also gave away some OCC material.”
That material included information about OCC’s shoebox ministry and how to pack a gift-filled shoebox; details can be found at www.samaritanspurse.org/occ.
The OCC team got rave reviews from their fund-raising partners at NH Motor Speedway.
“The track loved us,” said Marshall. “The supervisors told us we did a really good job, and invited us back for the September race.”
As far as the volunteers were concerned, “Everybody had such a great time – they really want to go back again,” said Marshall. “Something tells me this might become an annual thing.”
Filling shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child is also “an annual thing” that everyone can do – families, churches, scout troops, community groups and businesses can all take an active part.
Once the items have been purchased, simply fill the shoeboxes (cardboard or plastic) with an assortment of school supplies, toys, personal items (comb, toothbrush and toothpaste, facecloth, etc.) and, if desired, a letter of encouragement.
Then, when National Collection Week comes around (this year it’s November 14-21), drop off the gift boxes at a collection site near you. The local collection site in this region is at the Hampton Falls First Baptist Church, located at the junction of Routes 1-88 in Hampton Falls, across from the town common.
Detailed step-by-step shoe-
box packing instructions are available at www.samaritanspurse.org/occ. For more information on how to participate in Operation Christmas Child, call (800) 353-5949 or visit www.samaritanspurse.org/occ.
Photo caption: Members of the Southern New Hampshire Area OCC Team gathered for photos before welcoming guests to the NH Motor Speedway. Pictured here is part of the group of 14 volunteers who took part in the fund raising effort. (Courtesy photo)

Farmers’ Market Food and Fun

ROLLINSFORD—
A Farmers’ Market Breakfast, a Farmers’ Market, and a daylong celebration of fall fun, tailored to the whole family, will be held at The Wentworth Greenhouses in Rollinsford this weekend.
In addition to the weekly Farmers’ Markets, held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays, a special Farmers’ Market Breakfast will be served from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, October 8. Both the Farmers’ Market and Farmers’ Market Breakfast will be held indoors in the Greenhouses.
Breakfast will be served, courtesy of Want Waffles, Inc. and will feature a choice of sweet crepes (stuffed with caramelized apples, and topped with whipped cream, and a side of homemade sausage), savory crepes (filled with ground sausage, red onions, oyster mushrooms, a white sauce and 6 Italian cheeses), or Traditional Belgium Waffles (served with whipped cream, a blueberry compote, and a side of breakfast sausage links). Coffee, tea, and fresh apple cider is included in the breakfast.
Seventeen vendors, food producers, and craftsmen will be participating in Saturday’s Market. Those vendors contributing breakfast ingredients in direct support of the breakfast include Lasting Legacy Farm (farm fresh sausage), The Root Seller (red onions and home made Maple Sugar), Pawtuckaway Mushrooms (Oyster Mushrooms), Hackleboro Orchard (blueberries, apples, and apple cider), Anderson’s Mini Maples (NH Maple Syrup), Want Waffles, Inc. (the preparation and serving of the Crepes and waffles), and Greenleaf Farms (providing fresh cut flowers and table arrangements). The full gourmet breakfast is priced at $10, with $1 off coupons available to anyone wishing one through Wentworth Greenhouses prior to the breakfast.
Special guest artist and face painter Linda Weiser will also be part of Saturday’s Market, and will offer her face painting services throughout the duration of the Market.
Visitors to the Market will also be able purchase hand spun wool and dyed yarns from Patti Parrott of Green Parrott Designs, from Wendy Berry of Lasting Legacy Farm, or from Jon and Heidi West, who once again will be bringing their llamas to the Market for visitors who may have questions about raising llamas or wish to learn about the process of harvesting wool. Other farm animals slated to be part of Saturday’s Market include angora rabbits and a pig, as well as perhaps even a sheep or goat.
Additional activities scheduled throughout the day include workshops on Pumpkin Vase Flower Arranging with Deborah Sousane of Greenleaf Farms, and Learning to Make Scarecrows. A Pie Baking Contest that is open to the public will also be held. Pies must be submitted by Saturday, October 8 at noon. The winner will be awarded a $75 gift card good at Wentworth Greenhouses.
For guidelines about the Pie Baking Contest, or for more information about the Breakfast, the Farmers’ Market, or any of the day’s many scheduled activities, please call the Greenhouses at 73-4919, or visit www.wentworthgreenhouses.com.

Hannaford Donates $250,000 to Support New Nursery

DOVER—
The Hannaford Charitable Foundation recently awarded Wentworth-Douglass Hospital (WDH) the largest private gift in the history of the Wentworth-Douglass Hospital & Health Foundation. Hannaford’s gift of $250,000 over five years will support the multi-level nursery in the new WDH Women & Children’s Center opening in early 2013. In honor of this significant gift, the nursery will be named the Hannaford Special Care Nursery at Wentworth-Douglass Hospital.
According to Donna Boyce, charitable giving specialist at the Hannaford Charitable Foundation, Hannaford awards grants for initiatives that have long-lasting benefits to communities and fill a significant need. Over the past years, a few New Hampshire hospitals have closed their birth centers, creating a critical need for obstetric and newborn care facilities. Seacoast community birth rates are some of the highest in NH and WDH has led local hospitals in the number of births for several years.
At the heart of the Hospital’s new addition is a state-of-the-art Women & Children’s Center that will house the Hannaford Special Care Nursery. “It is a great example of the kind of healthcare projects of lasting value that the Hannaford Charitable Foundation works to support,” said Boyce.
The Hannaford Special Care Nursery’s family-centered model of care will facilitate bonding and attachment between parents and newborns, and prepare the family for the transition to home. Designed for multiple levels of care, the Nursery will feature a five-bed, well-baby area for newborns rooming-in with mom most of the time, a stabilization care area for infants awaiting transfer to or from a neonatal intensive care unit, and an eight-bed special care area for preterm or other babies having difficulty transitioning to life outside the womb. Four private special care rooms are equipped with state-of-the-art monitoring systems, radiant warmers, bassinets and a day bed for parents to stay with their baby. A specially-designed family suite with kitchen and laundry facilities will offer private space for the family’s comfort while staying with their baby for as long as is needed to stabilize the infant for transition to home.
According to Karen MacDonald, RN, Nurse Director for Maternal and Child Services at WDH all of the staff of Women & Children’s are really excited about the Hannaford Special Care Nursery. MacDonald said, “The Hannaford organization understands families are best served in a center that supports the privacy parents need to get to know their infants. This is especially important for high-risk infants.”
The Hannaford Charitable Foundation is the charitable giving arm of Hannaford Supermarkets of Scarborough, Maine. The Hannaford Foundation provided $1.3 million in grants in 2010 to 130 non-profit organizations that serve communities where Hannaford Supermarkets does business and where its associates live. Hannaford Supermarkets operates 178 stores in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, New York and Massachusetts.
Photo caption: Pictured is a rendering of the Wentworth-Douglass Hospital addition, which will house the new Hannaford Special Care Nursery. (Courtesy image)

Zero Waste Portsmouth to Roll Out Unique Recycling Stations

PORTSMOUTH—
This week marks the official launch of the Downtown Portsmouth Zero Waste Project, a community-wide effort to establish the city’s first public recycling program.
On Tuesday, September 27, the first four colorful recycling stations were placed throughout the downtown area, along with a fifth in Prescott Park. The recycling program hopes to boast 15 stations throughout Portsmouth when it is in full swing.
The initiative’s official rollout was followed by a brief gathering and ribbon cutting in Market Square. Afterwards, attendees, supporters and participants of the program joined the Zero Waste Portsmouth team for a celebration at the nearby Portsmouth Brewery.
A strategic partnership of the Islington Creek Neighborhood Association, Tim Gaudreau Studios, and EcoMovement Consulting and Hauling, Zero Waste Portsmouth has over the last two years spearheaded efforts in and around Portsmouth to reduce the amount of waste being dumped into Rochester’s Turnkey landfill through creative recycling and composting alternatives.
Karina Quintans, Zero Waste’s Director says the project began with a simple brainstorming session amongst neighbors, all of whom harbored a keen interest in helping speed up Portsmouth’s push towards sustainability. By the end, it had become clear that “zero waste” sat atop the list of priorities.
Specifically, the group envisioned recycling stations – placed throughout the town – as eye-catching as they were practical. A few months later, during a green homes tour, Quintans met Tim Gaudreau, a self-proclaimed “eco-artist” and one of the Green Alliance’s first ever Business Partners. Needless to say, Quintans had found the ideal partner for the job.
“It was the perfect alignment,” recalls Quintans. “It was obvious that Tim’s passion for art and the environment would help transform the project into something unique.”
Gaudreau, with the help of students at Portsmouth’s Middle and High Schools, as well as the Robert Lister Academy, designed the resulting colorful bins with region-specific themes intended to draw the attention of passersby, including Portsmouth architecture, sea creatures, trees, and Piscataqua River scenes.
No less than seven Green Alliance Business Partners (Little Green Homes, Simply Green, Minute Men Painters, Cornerstone Tree Care, ReVision Energy, Middleton Building Supply, and EcoMovement Consulting and Hauling) provided funds, building materials or logistical support for the project, with many having their logos or contact information emblazoned on the bins themselves.
For Middleton Building Supply Manager Andy Carberry, the partnership – and sponsorship – was in sync with the company’s continued trending towards green.
“We first were introduced to this project through our partnership with the Green Alliance – they brought the Zero-Waste folks to a Green Alliance Business Partner meeting and encouraged some of the businesses to get involved and we could see right away the synergy between our company and this worthy effort,” says Carberry. “We are really working to offer more green options in our stores and collaborating with such a group on a very visible project such as this one was a perfect fit, and we knew we had a lot to contribute in terms of materials and equipment.”
Tuesday’s roll-out festivities were a welcome vindication for Quintans and the rest of the Zero Waste Portsmouth team, who have been hard at work on the initiative for just over two years. Still, the work is far from complete.
“We look at this as one of many steps forward in achieving zero waste here in Portsmouth,” she says. “The city has had a fairly low recycling rate of 22%, so it’s going to be a process. But hopefully with the rise of single-stream recycling and these new public recycling stations, we can make more of a difference, and strengthen our profile as an Ecomunicipality.”
This article was submitted by Jim Cavan.
Photo caption: Andy Carberry of Middleton Building Supply delivers new recycling stations to downtown Portsmouth. (Photo by Karina Quintans, Director, Zero Waste Portsmouth)

Hampton Readies for Second Annual Art Show and Sale

HAMPTON—
Mark your calendars for Artwalk 2011, the 2nd Annual Hampton Art Show and Sale, October 6-7, 4-8 pm. The Hampton Arts Network (HAN), in partnership with the Town of Hampton’s Department of Recreation, has greatly expanded the offerings from last year. In addition to the display and sale of artwork by talented HAN members, Artwalk 2011 features poetry, sculpture, a book signing. live entertainment, activities for both children and adults, balloon twisting, pumpkin carving and historical re-enactors strolling throughout downtown Hampton telling stories from the past.
New this year is a Seacoast first: the Edible Art Contest! Here is your chance to create a work of art made from edible materials. This is a People’s Choice contest and prizes will be awarded. Contact Karen at hanmembership@gmail.com for further information or to obtain an application form.
And, by special request, professional area chefs will create some fantastic new pumpkin-based recipes. Their amazing creations will be showcased during the event.
You are invited to help HAN artists complete a community mandala drawing, where you can add your personal contribution. We anticipate displaying the completed mandala somewhere in downtown Hampton.
Look for the bright blue, red and orange Artwalk flags that identify venues where artwork can be found. Luminaries will line the sidewalks, and maps and guides (wearing scarves) will also be available to help direct you.
Want to know more? Visit www.hamptonartwalk2011.word
press.com.

Apple Harvest Day 5K and Festival Returns to Dover

DOVER—
Based on last year’s success, the Apple Harvest Day 5k is back this year with an improved course and enhanced experience. The event will take place on Saturday, October 1, beginning at 8:30 a.m.
This year’s race includes the popular Apple Harvest Day 5k T-Shirt for the first 400 runners, a USTAF certified 5k downtown course (changes pending), cash prizes for top three male and female runners, age group prizes for the top three finishers in each division, awards presented in the heart of festival, and more. Registration is available online, priced at $17 for adults and $12 for children under 12. On the day of the race, registration costs $20 for adults, $15 for children under 12.
The race proceeds benefit the Greater Dover Chamber of Commerce’s community programming such as Apple Harvest Day and Cochecho Arts Festival. In 2011, the Cochecho Arts Festival brought 30 free concerts to Dover over a 7-week period. In addition, it helps support educational initiatives such as Teacher of the Year Awards and Chamber Scholarships.
After you run the race, stay in Dover for a full day of family fun at Apple Harvest Day underwritten by Federal Savings Bank. The Harvest Day committee has brought some significant enhancements to the festival including “Orchard Alley” along Orchard Street, which will feature a half dozen farms and orchards showcasing their fall harvests. There will also be family-friendly amusement zones in Henry Law Park and the Cocheco Courtyard and the new Northend Rocks Stage on Third Street.
In addition to these new features, patrons will find the streets lined with local artists and crafters displaying and selling their work, non-profits spreading the word about their various charitable causes, and a wide variety of local businesses, many of whom are offering Festival Specials and other attractive discounts. There will be food, music, dancing and entertainment, a petting zoo, a pie baking contest, raffles and giveaways, carnival rides and amusements, and of course, lots and lots of apples and apple products ranging from fragrant baked goods to freshly made cider.
Over the years, Apple Harvest Day has truly become a signature event here in Dover, and its broad appeal and timeless charm underscore the genuine sense of community that permeates our extraordinary city. Steeped in tradition, Apple Harvest Day is always a cheerful and energizing occasion for citizens of all ages, and on this, the 26th year of the event, we are sure that it will be the most memorable one yet.
Enjoy the celebration, and most of all, enjoy the precious company of friends and family and the simple delights that make Dover a great place to live, work and visit. We hope to produce the Festival for many years to come, and continue to showcase our community in all its New England splendor.
For more information, contact the Chamber office at 603/742-2218.
Photo caption: Dover will host its 26th annual Apple Harvest Day on October 1, including the second annual 5k event. (Courtesy photo)