The ick season
The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services is encouraging Granite Staters to talk to their health care providers about immunizations to protect themselves from serious illnesses related to flu, Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) and Covid-19, especially high-risk populations “including older adults, infants and young children, pregnant mothers and individuals with weakened immune systems,” according to an Oct. 9 press release. “The best way for people to protect themselves against the flu and other respiratory illnesses this season is to get recommended immunizations,” said State Epidemiologist Dr. Benjamin Chan. “Staying home when you are sick and washing your hands frequently are also important measures….” New Hampshire residents can get a sense of the respiratory virus levels in specific communities at wisdom.dhhs.nh.gov; click on “Wastewater Surveillance” under the “Infectious Disease and Immunization” category. To find locations to get vaccinations in your area, go to vaccines.gov.
Give blood, get a treat
To restock blood products after recent hurricanes the Red Cross is urging people to give blood, according to a press release from American Red Cross of New England. Go to redcross.org/nne to find donation times and locations near you. Through Oct. 31, donors will receive an emailed $10 Amazon gift card for donating and be entered to win one of three $5,000 gift cards, according to the website.
Help for helpers
Easterseals NH has received a state grant to train “direct support professionals working for organizations across New Hampshire,” according to an Easterseals press release. “Easterseals NH will be offering courses that provide direct support providers a pathway to advancement and certification through the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals (NADSP),” the release said. “Professionals who earn NADSP certification are acknowledged for their exemplary work in supporting individuals with intellectual disabilities or acquired brain injuries.” Online and in-person courses will be available and the courses will begin in November. See eastersealsnh.org/training-center-of-excellence.
Loons & lakes
The Loon Preservation Committee has two talks on the October calendar. On Thursday, Oct. 17, at 7 p.m. Iain MacLeod, executive director of the Squam Lakes Natural Science Center, will talk about “what has been learned by attaching satellite trackers to several ospreys migrating from New Hampshire to South America. Iain has been studying ospreys for decades, including monitoring the growing breeding osprey population in New Hampshire’s Lakes Region since 1997,” according to a Committee newsletter. The event takes place at the Loon Center, 183 Lees Mill Road in Moultonborough. On Thursday, Oct. 24, at 4:30 p.m. the Loon Center will host a session with Bree Rossiter from the Lake Winnipesaukee Association about the basics of cyanobacteria (the talk will also be posted online afterward), the newsletter said. See loon.org.
Eats for a cause
The Northeast Organic Farming Association of New Hampshire will hold its sixth annual “Share the Bounty Weekend” on Saturday, Oct. 19, and Sunday, Oct. 20, when shoppers and diners at participating locations will help raise money for the Farm Share Program, according to a NOFA-NH release. Participating eateries include Revival Kitchen & Bar and The Works Bakery Cafe in Concord; The Works locations in Durham, Keene and Portsmouth; Witching Hour Provisions in Hopkinton; Kearsarge Food Hub & Sweet Beet Market in Bradford, and Black Trumpet Bistro in Portsmouth, the release said. “The Farm Share Program connects community members with limited incomes to low-cost Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) shares, also known as farm shares, from local, NOFA-NH member farms,” according to the release. See nhofanh.org for more.
Sports news
NHTI — Concord’s Community College has appointed Annie Mattarazzo as the college’s new athletics director, according to an NHTI press release. “Mattarazzo comes to NHTI from Bishop Brady High School, where she served as its athletic director, media and communications coordinator, and math and leadership teacher,” the release said. In the release, NHTI President Patrick Tompkins said, “Annie is extraordinarily well known, respected, and loved in the Concord community and athletics more generally. Just as Paul Hogan essentially created NHTI’s athletics program over the last two decades, Annie will shape our women’s and men’s sports for the next chapter.”
Mattarazzo is a Concord resident, a graduate of Manchester’s Trinity High School and an alumnus of Plymouth State University (for undergrad) and Southern New Hampshire University, where she earned an M.S. in Sports Management, the release said. NHTI has 13 women’s and men’s sports, the release said. Mattarazzo will start her job at NHTI on Nov. 1, the release said.
Put your carved pumpkin on one of the four pumpkin towers in downtown Laconia during the upcoming NH Pumpkin Festival. Register your pumpkin participation at nhpumpkinfestival.com, according to a festival email. Pumpkin Drop-Off is Tuesday, Oct. 22, through Friday, Oct. 25. See nhpumpkinfestival.com.
Temple Adath Yeshurun Brotherhood will hold its annual candidates forum on Sunday, Oct. 27, at 9 a.m. at the temple, 152 Prospect St. in Manchester. Doors open at 8:45 a.m. and the forum will be moderated by George Bruno, former U.S. ambassador to Belize. Candidates slated to attend include gubernatorial candidates Joyce Craig and Kelly Ayotte; congressional candidates for House District 1 Chris Pappas and Russell Prescott and for House District 2 Maggie Goodlander and Lily Tang Williams, the release said.
The Bedford Historical Society will hold a Harvest Gala to support the Stevens-Buswell Community Center, a project that is rehabbing the town’s original two-room school house for use as a community center, on Friday, Oct. 18, at 6 p.m. at the Manchester Country Club in Bedford. Enjoy music, dancing and food. Tickets cost $100. See bedfordhistoricalnh.org.
University of New Hampshire in Durham announced the addition of Aaron Gray as assistant coach for women’s lacrosse, joining UNH first-year head coach Taylor Bastien. Gray comes to UNH from UMass Lowell, where he was an assistant coach for the 2023 and 2024 seasons, according to a press release. See unhwildcats.com for updates on the lacrosse season.
Sunday, Oct. 20, is the final Sunday of the season for the Nashua Farmers Market, which takes place on Sundays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 6 Hartshorn Ave. in Nashua. See downtownnashua.org.