Author: Angie Sykeny

Policing and building community with horses and a pony

Officer Kelly McKenney of the Manchester Police Mounted Patrol, honored last month as the 2023 New Hampshire Horseperson of the Year by the New Hampshire Horse Council, shared her thoughts and experiences on serving as a mounted police officer.

How did you become a mounted patrol officer?

I’ve been riding since I was 6 years old. … I was on the UNH equestrian team and lived at the UNH horse barns for my last two years there. After college … I became a police officer in Manchester, knowing that Manchester had a mounted patrol, with the intention and the hope of being put on that division. It took 13 years; I did my time, then finally got put on.

Tell us about the horses.

We have two big horses named General Stark and Bruno. General Stark is a Clydesdale cross and has been with the patrol for a while, while Bruno is a Percheron cross and relatively new. Right now we keep them at the Youth Detention Center in Manchester, because that used to be a county farm. … For almost two years I was alone — there are usually two riders, but we didn’t have the manpower to spare — but I finally got a partner this past summer. That helps a lot, so we can ride together and share the chores, and horses are herd animals, so they prefer to have a partner. … I’ve ridden General Stark for a long time, and we have a great partnership, but I’ve been letting my new partner ride him because he’s such a steady horse; he’s been doing [patrol riding] for a long time and has been exposed to everything. Bruno, however, is still new and can be a bit anxious about things. … Then, there’s Eddy, the pony …

OK, so what’s the story with the pony?

Our horses are huge. Kids go to pet them and it’s like, ‘OK, well, that’s a leg.’ So, I had this idea. … I asked the chief, ‘Can we get a pony? I want to bring a pony to the schools,’ and he was like, ‘… a pony? Uh, alright,’ so I found this little pony, and it just exploded. I did over 120 events with the pony just last year. We brought him to schools, day cares, senior centers, nursing homes, mental health facilities — who doesn’t love a pony, right? … And the comfort dogs are great, too, but every kid on the planet has seen a dog; it’s not every day you get to see a pony in Manchester.

What kind of police work do you do on mounted patrol?

Mostly we ride downtown, on Elm Street or throughout the parks. When we were having homelessness issues, I would monitor the parks and make sure people were behaving. I actually formed quite a few bonds with the homeless [individuals] out there. A lot of them would talk to me when they wouldn’t talk to [other officers], because they see that I’m a human, too. The horse kind of brings that out. I’ve also stopped cars and made arrests from horseback.

Do tell how you pull someone over while on horseback.

I use the traffic lights to my advantage. I stand at the corner, and when the cars are stopped at the light, if I see [a driver] on their phone or an expired inspection sticker or registration, I ride up to the car while they’re waiting for the light, and I say, ‘Hey, when the light turns green, I want you to pull over up there.’

Who picks up the horse poop?

I do! It’s so funny —I bring trash bags, and it’s basically like, the biggest dog-doo pickup in the world. … And Eddie, when we bring him places, wears a little diaper that catches his poo. Seriously. There are pictures on our Facebook page.

Why is the Mounted Patrol an important part of the police department?

At the end of the day I’m still a police officer doing police work, but working with horses is so much more community-oriented than just being in a cruiser … and allows for a better face-to-face interaction with the public. When I’m riding, people walk up to me and flag me down to talk, which opens up a dialogue, and that is just awesome. Nobody ever flagged me down to talk about my cruiser or bicycle when I rode them; most people tried to go the other way. But having the horses, it’s so nice to be able to actually talk with people instead of being something that people want to avoid. … It helps to show people that police officers are human beings and give people a positive experience with law enforcement.

Featured photo: Officer Kelly McKenney of the Manchester Police Mounted Patrol and Eddy the comfort pony visit Manchester Head Start. Courtesy photo.

The Nashua Center gets a director of development

Meet Marianne Gordineer, the new and first Director of Development for Nashua Center, a nonprofit that serves individuals with disabilities by providing specialized care and support and promoting their growth and independence.

What led you to Nashua Center?

My background is in fundraising and communications. I transplanted from New York about a year ago. When I lived in New York — I grew up in New York and New Jersey — I was actively involved with fundraising in a variety of roles. It started first as a volunteer role, working with my community and my children’s schools, doing fundraising. When I went back to work, I went into the nonprofit sector as a fundraiser, and that became my career. I’ve been working for over a decade in fundraising and communications. When we moved to New Hampshire, I started looking at different director of development opportunities. I really wanted to work with an agency that was aligned with my own personal values and experiences. When I saw the Nashua Center advertising for this position, it really hit home for me. I’m a parent of a young adult who is on the spectrum, and I know firsthand the challenges that are faced by this community. It fuels my passion for working toward positive change … and motivation to make a meaningful impact on the lives of individuals with disabilities and their families. Nashua Center just felt like a match.

What does your job entail?

My primary responsibility is to develop and implement effective fundraising strategies so we can secure the financial resources necessary to support the programs we offer. Fundraising strategies could involve conducting research on donors, developing different campaigns, hosting events and leveraging technology and social media to expand our reach. Part of my fundraising strategy is to cultivate relationships with donors and supporters. I spend a significant amount of time doing that. It’s essential to the success of a fundraising … and to secure ongoing support. The other piece of my job is donor communications … through newsletters, emails and social media updates, collaborating with one of our creative content writers.

What are some of your short-term and or long-term goals? What would you like to accomplish?

[The goal of] my first 90 days in the development world is to really sit back and observe and see what’s going on in the organization, to absorb as much as I can, to learn about the donors and what motivates them to give, and to learn about what makes Nashua Center successful. My long-term goal is to do what I was hired to do — to bring in funding and to continue promoting the Nashua Center in a positive way that’s aligned with our donors and our stakeholders.

What are some of the biggest challenges in fundraising for a nonprofit?

One of the biggest challenges is the competition from other charitable organizations. There are so many worthy causes and limited resources. It’s really difficult to stand out and secure the funding we need to continue providing crucial support and services. Additionally, the fundraising landscape is always evolving; donors and supporters are becoming more discerning and selective in where they donate their money. It can be a challenge to keep up with their changing preferences and expectations.

How do you address those challenges?

We have to stand out with a clear and compelling message about the impact of the Nashua Center and the importance of the work we do. Another way is to collaborate with other organizations and form strategic partnerships, specifically with ones that work with the same community. That helps us to increase our visibility and expand our reach. … With our donors, it’s very important that we remain innovative and adaptable to ensure we’re meeting their needs and desires. Communication is key. … We need to take the time to maintain those relationships, to regularly update the donors on the impact of their contributions and show appreciation for their support.

How would you describe your leadership style?

Collaborative and inclusive. … I love to hear new ideas, new perspectives, I believe that everyone has valuable insights and contributions. I make a conscious effort to ensure that everyone’s voice is heard. By listening to one another, we can make better decisions and really achieve greater success.

What do you find rewarding about this work?

The most rewarding aspect is knowing that my efforts directly impact the lives of those we serve. Seeing the positive impact that Nashua Center has on individuals with disabilities and their families and caregivers is incredibly fulfilling … and seeing how the community and people who are passionate about our cause come together to support the organization is really inspiring. — Angie Sykeny

Featured photo: Marianne Gordineer. Courtesy photo.

Meet a new member of the Manchester Proud team

Meet Lauren Boisvert, who recently became the first community communications coordinator for Manchester Proud, a community-based movement committed to celebrating and strengthening the successes of students attending Manchester’s public schools. Visit manchesterproud.org.

What is Manchester Proud?

Manchester Proud is about championing student success [by] celebrating the amazing things that our students are doing, from sports games to band practices to science fairs … and providing opportunities [for student success]. We work very closely with the district and with community partners such as the Boys & Girls Clubs, the YMCA and Gear Up to amplify the things they are doing to help families, community members and students have access to resources. … We also have something called the Compass, which is basically a tool where our community partner organizations can post what resources and opportunities they offer. Then, community members can log into that portal and see who offers day care on a snow day, or who offers mental services, things like that.

What led you to Manchester Proud?

They needed somebody who could be the liaison for communication to make sure that families know about this organization and its resources. … I think my background fits well with the mission of Manchester Proud. I graduated from the New Hampshire Institute of Art, got a degree in education and art, and I taught for a while. Having educational experience in the K-through-12 school setting really helps me understand the different groups of people we’re appealing to — the parents, the students, the teachers — and how to support them.

What does your job as community communications coordinator entail?

I maintain our social media accounts and our website, and I create flyers and send out newsletters. I’m part of meetings and planning committees, and I work with the district staff to execute their communication and strategic plans. There are also random things that pop up; for example, right now we have a student scholarship opportunity that we’re advertising, so I’m working with our community partners to get the word out about that.

What would you like to accomplish?

The biggest challenge for Manchester Proud — and the whole reason they brought me on board — is to make sure people know about us and to get more community involvement. … My goal is for Manchester Proud to be more active on social media, because that’s the best way to reach the most people. Previously we only had a Facebook and a Twitter page. I created an Instagram and LinkedIn page, because I want to make sure we’re on all of the platforms so that we can appeal to the community members’ different preferred platforms. I’m also making sure that we’re posting consistently. … Finally, I’m talking with students, families and community members directly to find out what are the best ways to reach them and get them involved.

What would you like people to know about Manchester Proud?

That we want to give as many opportunities as possible to as many different students as possible. … The scholarship opportunity that I mentioned, for example, is not just for students who are going to college; it’s also for students who may be going into the armed forces or students who are taking a gap year.

What do you enjoy most about this work?

The biggest thing for me is making a difference by bringing a positive to the district; helping out the students by making sure they know [about] and have access to all these resources and tools; and making sure that the students and all the amazing things that are happening in the district are celebrated.

Featured photo: Lauren Boisvert. Courtesy photo.

New program seeks to help dancers get on stage

Joan Brodsky, founder of New Hampshire Dance Collaborative, talked about a new program to expand opportunities for New Hampshire dancers.

What is New Hampshire Dance Collaborative?

I’m a former dancer, and when I retired I opened a Pilates studio in Bedford. I’ve always felt that dance is a very vital part of the human condition, and it was always a really important part of how I did my Pilates work. As time went by, I became increasingly worried about the fact that, although we have some nice dancers in the state, we have no real vehicle for them to dance — not a big audience, and not a lot of financial support. … I ended up doing this really fun pop-up art show with [other artists]. We had photography and sculpture and music, and I brought in dancers. I saw the audience really tune in [to the dance performance], and I found that exciting. I thought that maybe this is the ingredient that has been needed — a small dose of dance in a social setting, where it’s intimate and real. I went on to form a nonprofit, New Hampshire Dance Collaborative. … We bring dance to artistic venues and cultural and educational institutions … [like] the Currier {Museum of Art], the gallery at SNHU and Canterbury Shaker Village … with the goal of providing fun, creative gigs for dancers, and exposing people who would otherwise be pretty limited [in exposure to dance] to all ranges of dance, from contemporary to ballet to hip-hop.

What is the New Hampshire Dance Accelerator program, and how did you come up with the idea?

In August I started thinking that I really needed a more developed, concrete product to strengthen and formulate my goals … and [facilitate] marketing and donations, because the arts can feel very esoteric to many people. That’s how I decided to do this accelerator. … For the accelerator, New Hampshire Dance Collaborative will invest up to $10,000 directly in accelerating [dancers]. … I’m also going to be providing dancers with artistic coaching and mentorship, help with grant writing, help with ticket sales and things like that.

What kinds of costs will the Accelerator help to offset?

These dancers have so much energy to create dance [and can] pay for the studio and rehearsal time; they just can’t afford the theater rentals, and paying dancers is very expensive. Up until now, I’ve been assuming some of those costs. … You could pay, like, $2,500 to rent a [performance] space. Then you have to pay the dancers; many of these dancers are so hungry for an opportunity that they will dance for very little [compensation]. They should be paid for rehearsals, but if they aren’t paid for rehearsals, then at the very least they should be paid $500 for their performance. If you have 12 dancers, and you’re paying $500 per dancer, plus the $2,500 for the theater, plus the costs of having social media and marketing done, you can see how cost-prohibitive it is.

Are there any other programs like this for dancers?

I did some looking around and Googled “dance accelerators,” and as far as I know, no, there’s nothing, at least not in New England.

Who is a candidate for the program?

I’m working on developing the eligibility requirements and creating an application now. … It could be dance companies or solo artists. They should be based in New Hampshire; all dance companies travel, so I will help to support that a little bit, but my main focus, because I have limited resources, is to build the dance environment in New Hampshire. … They should have an established product that’s ready for market — for a dance company, that means having a repertory of original choreography and a group of dancers who know the work well, and for a solo artist, that means having an established style of dance and a target audience — and a rudimentary business plan.

What is your long-term vision for the program?

New Hampshire is still ripe grounds for dance; there are few opportunities for dancers here. I used to look at that as a bummer, but now I look at it as an opportunity to create a really unique ecosystem of dance here. I want [to accelerate] dancers who are doing interesting and transformative things. Some are using dance for political or social activism work. Some are bringing dance into schools. Those are the dancers I want to work with. I’m interested in fostering innovative ideas. We have many new Americans throughout the state … who have cultural dance forms. … In 10 years from now, if I had my dream, there would be more dance in New Hampshire on all kinds of levels: dance supported by the state, dance in schools, therapeutic use of dance, dance companies having regular seasons at theaters.

To make a donation to support the New Hampshire Dance Accelerator program, or if you are a dancer who is interested in applying, visit nhdancecollaborative.com/accelerator.

Featured photo: Joan Brodsky. Courtesy photo.