Carrie Williams of Contoocook is the owner and chef of the Flannel Tavern (345 Suncook Valley Road, Chichester, 406-1196, flanneltavern.com), a casual eatery on Route 28 that opened in April and offers scratch-made comfort foods. The menu features everything from burgers and sandwiches to appetizers, fresh salads, and plated entrees, like fish and chips, baked haddock, chicken fingers, lasagna rolls and macaroni and cheese. Beer and wine selections include both domestic and local options, with craft cocktails also available. Williams, who worked as a caterer for more than a decade, said the restaurant’s concept is based on many different types of comfort foods she grew up eating.
What is your must-have kitchen item?
I would be lost withoaut aluminum foil, and then obviously a chef’s knife. I have one that I use all the time, with an orange handle.
What would you have for your last meal?
Prime rib and mashed potatoes.
What is your favorite local restaurant?
I would have to say the Lakehouse Tavern in Hopkinton. They are really good. A lot of times, I’ll get The Bird Man, which is a huge sandwich.
What celebrity would you like to see eating at your restaurant?
Someone I’ve always wanted to meet is Van Morrison. We listen to him in the kitchen all the time.
What is your favorite thing on your menu?
The chicken bacon ranch sandwich. It [has] chicken tenders with mozzarella sticks, bacon and our homemade buttermilk ranch on a kaiser roll. It’s our No. 1 sandwich.
What is the biggest food trend in New Hampshire right now?
What I’m seeing across the board, especially with so many restaurants that have been closing, is that people are more going back to home-cooked meals and things that are just really comforting during such a stressful time.
What is your favorite thing to cook at home?
Thanksgiving dinner is one of my favorite things to put on. It’s always been a big deal in my family. We do turkey, boiled onions, sweet potatoes, my grandma’s cranberry relish and an apple sausage stuffing.
Carrie’s coconut cream pie From the kitchen of Carrie Williams of the Flannel Tavern in Chichester 9-inch pie shell, baked and set aside 1 cup shredded coconut, toasted to golden brown (1 to 2 minutes at 450 degrees) 3 cups heavy whipping cream ½ cup flour ¾ cup sugar 2 eggs, beaten 1 teaspoon vanilla Add heavy whipping cream, flour, sugar and eggs to a saucepan, turning on to medium heat and stirring constantly until thickened. Remove from heat and add ¾ cup of the toasted coconut and vanilla. Add mixture from cream, flour, sugar and eggs to the pie shell and cool for two hours. Top with whipped cream and the last ¼ cup of coconut.
While looking for a commercial property to start his own coffee roastery, David McLaughlin came across a vacant storefront in East Concord — the old Quality Cash Market, which closed more than two years ago. In July, he and partner Tiffani McIntosh decided to check out the space and see what they could do with it.
“One of our biggest visions … was that it needed to be a place for the locals, in a comfortable, neighborhood setting,” McIntosh said.
McLaughlin’s Country Market, which opened on Nov. 17, features fresh coffees roasted onsite, in addition to groceries, beer and wine, and a diverse selection of locally made products — and coming soon, a Nadeau’s sub shop. McLaughlin is a longtime friend of franchise owner Jeremy Nadeau, who has five other locations in the state.
McIntosh said the market has already had a tremendous amount of support.
“Even before we opened, people had been coming to the door and asking us when we are opening and what’s going to be here, so we’ve been developing relationships for two months,” she said.
Freshly roasted in house under the name Second Love Coffee, the coffees at the market are part of a passion project for McLaughlin. With varying flavors and degrees of sweetness and acidity, each blend is available for self-serve pouring, or you can get any of them as small batches of bean or ground coffee for home use, prepared fresh on the Java Master roaster in real time.
“You can generate all kinds of flavors out of one bean, just by roasting it differently,” said McLaughlin, who has been home-roasting on and off for several years and gets his green coffee beans from Colombia and Costa Rica. “The Java Master is nice because you can roast one to six pounds at a time, so you could come in and say, ‘Can I get three pounds of this bean,’ and then have it roasted while you’re waiting, or [you could] pick it up the next day.”
While McLaughlin’s doesn’t have a butcher shop like its predecessor, a variety of pre-packaged sliced meats are for sale out of the market’s grocery area, as well as basic items like milk, eggs, bread, cheeses, produce, snacks, sodas and pastries. There is also a special section dedicated to products made in New Hampshire — McIntosh has worked with local purveyors of barbecue sauces, doughnuts, maple syrups, goat milk soaps and other items to stock the shelves with.
You’ll find the new Nadeau’s order counter near the back of the building. While that is expected to be fully operational very soon, according to McIntosh, Nadeau’s in the meantime has provided the market with cold sandwiches for sale and is currently training employees at other shop locations to come work in Concord. She said plans will likely be in the works soon to arrange a joint takeout service of items between Nadeau’s and McLaughlin’s.
“Let’s say you’re out of milk, and you want to pick up a sub for dinner while you’re here. We can collaborate and you can get whatever grocery items you need,” she said.
McLaughlin said he and McIntosh have already seen their fair share of repeat customers in just a short period of time being open.
“It’s definitely more of a little shopping market for the neighborhood versus a lot of transient business coming and going and you might not see them again,” he said.
McLaughlin’s Country Market Where: 11 Eastman St., Concord Hours: Monday through Saturday, 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., Sunday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. More info: Find them on Facebook @mclaughlinscountrymarket or email mclaughlinscountrymarket@gmail.com
Yellow Submarine, classic cartoons animator visits Manchester
Relive the golden age of Saturday morning cartoons with legendary animator Ron Campbell, who has planned a three-day stop in the Granite State as part of his Beatles Cartoon Art Show Tour.
Campbell will be at Creative Framing Solutions in Manchester from Friday, Dec. 4, through Sunday, Dec. 6, exhibiting and selling around 70 original works of art he has created during his retirement from his 50-year career in television cartoons.
The collection of watercolor and ink cartoon paintings is largely focused on Campbell’s work as an animator for The Beatles’ 1968 animated feature film Yellow Submarine and as director of The Beatles’ Saturday morning cartoon, The Beatles, which aired on ABC from 1965 through 1969.
“You can buy all kinds of Beatles [fandom merchandise], but it’s very rare to be able to get a piece of artwork by one of the people who helped present the [Beatles] cartoons you watched when you were a child,” Campbell said.
In addition to The Beatles paintings, the show will feature paintings inspired by some of the other cartoons Campbell contributed to, which include Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!, Rugrats, The Smurfs, The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, The Flintstones, The Jetsons, George of the Jungle, The Yogi Bear Show, Captain Caveman and the Teen Angels, Ed, Edd n Eddy and more.
“This isn’t a serious art show; it’s not Picasso or Rembrandt,” Campbell said. “These are bright and colorful paintings that are very fun to look at and bring back a lot of nostalgic memories for people.”
Each person who purchases a painting will receive a certificate of authenticity along with a custom drawing done by Campbell on site.
“I’ll do The Beatles, Fred Flintstone, Scooby-Doo — whatever cartoon character the customer would like,” he said.
Originally from Australia and now residing in Arizona, Campbell has been bringing his Beatles Cartoon Art Show to cities across America for several years now, but has been exhibiting and selling his artwork in some capacity since he retired in 2008. Only when he started meeting his audience in person, he said, did he realize the “enormous impact” that his cartoons had on the American citizens who grew up with them.
“I’ve learned now from my experiences talking to people that those Saturday morning cartoons were some of their happiest memories from their childhood,” he said. “They would rush down the stairs on Saturday morning, screaming, because it was the one time where they had total control of the TV. It was a special, magical time for them.”
Campbell, who turns 81 years old this month, said he “never gets tired of meeting the audience” and has no plans to stop touring. He’s bringing the show to Kennebunk, Maine, next weekend and hopes to return to a more regular tour schedule once Covid restrictions are loosened.
“Sometimes, when I’m just sitting in my chair, I get a bit drowsy and grouchy, but as soon as I know I’m going to be leaving and doing a show, that gets me up and working and planning,” he said. “It keeps me young.”
The Beatles Cartoon Art Show with Ron Campbell Where: Creative Framing Solutions, 89 Hanover St., Manchester When: Friday, Dec. 4, from 4 to 8 p.m.; Saturday, Dec. 5, from noon to 6 p.m., and Sunday, Dec. 6, from noon to 4 p.m. Cost: Free; RSVPs recommended More info: Call 320-5988 or visit creativeframingsolutions.com or beatlescartoonartshow.com
Art
Exhibits
• “SLEIGHBELL STUDIO” Exhibit features a curated collection of fine art and crafts affordably priced for holiday gift giving. Twiggs Gallery (254 King St., Boscawen). On view now through Dec. 12. Gallery hours are Thursday and Friday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. Visit twiggsgallery.wordpress.com or call 975-0015.
• “MOMENTS IN NATURE” The New Hampshire Art Association presents oil paintings by BJ Eckardt. Concord Chamber of Commerce Gallery, 49 S. Main St., Concord. On display now through Dec. 17. Visit nhartassociation.org or call 431-4230.
• “UNSEEN LIGHT” The New Hampshire Art Association presents infrared photography by Mark Giuliucci. 2 Pillsbury St., Concord. On display now through Dec. 17. Visit nhartassociation.org or call 431-4230.
• “AN EXTRAPOLATION OF CLOSE OBSERVATION” The New Hampshire Art Association presents prints and paintings by Kate Higley. 2 Pillsbury St., Concord. On display now through Dec. 17. Visit nhartassociation.org or call 431-4230.
• “SMALL WORKS – BIG IMPACT” Creative Ventures Gallery’s annual holiday exhibit featuring small works of art in various media, priced affordably for gift buying. Virtual. On display now through Dec. 31. Visit creativeventuresfineart.com or call 672-2500.
Fairs and markets
• VIRTUAL HOLIDAY SHOP The Warner Historical Society presents an online shop at warnerhistorical.org/store featuring hand-painted holiday ornaments, calendars, mugs and drinking glasses, T-shirts, books, jigsaw puzzles and more, plus a holiday raffle. Curbside pickup on Sat., Dec. 5, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sat., Dec. 12, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the Upton Chandler House Museum (10 W. Main St., Warner). Call 456-2437 or email info@warnerhistorical.org.
• “HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS: AN ART SHOW & SALE Features all kinds of art, including oil and watercolor paintings, ceramics, tapestry, woodworking, wearable art, book making and more, created by local artists and artisans. Up now through Dec. 20. In person at the Bates Building (846 Main St., Contoocook; masks required) on a drop-in and by-appointment basis and virtually at shop.twovillagesart.org. Show hours at the Bates Building are Tuesday through Friday from noon to 4 p.m., and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.Visit twovillagesart.org.
• THE CRAFTWORKERS’ GUILD HOLIDAY FAIR Virtual shop features seasonal decor, photography, fine art and prints, cards, gourmet treats, woodworking, fiber and fabric, stained and fused glass, mixed media, jewelry and more by more than 40 juried artisans and craftspeople. Now through Dec. 22, with curbside pickup at the historic Kendall House (3A Meetinghouse Road, Bedford) daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visit craftworkersguild.org.
Special events
• NHAA 80TH YEAR ANNIVERSARY New Hampshire Art Association hosts a silent art auction fundraiser. Bidding runs through Dec. 11. Visit nhartassociation.org or call 431-4230.
• PAINT NITE a 21+ event featuring the creation of a “Starstruck Snowman” light-up wine bottle at Chunky’s Cinema Pub (707 Huse Road, Manchester, chunkys.com) on Sat., Dec. 5, 7 p.m. On Sat., Dec. 12, at 7 p.m., Chunky’s Nashua (151 Coliseum Ave.) will feature a “Birch Buddies Wine Bottle With Lights” project. Tickets $37 and $35, respectively (follow link through Chunky’s website to buy).
Featured photo: Ron Campbell. Photo by Alex Lowy Photography.
Helping families keep their pantries stocked and more ways Granite Staters are supporting each other
This year’s need for volunteers has been next-level, with shelters, food pantries, healthcare facilities and other nonprofit organizations dealing with increasingly higher numbers of people seeking not only the basics, like food and housing, but also masks and other personal protective equipment, plus in-home services due to stay-at-home orders and quarantining. Meanwhile, nonprofits have had to get creative in order to provide those services safely, and to continue raising the money that supports their programs. Gretchen Stallings, executive director of Volunteer NH, said Granite Staters have really stepped up. “Volunteers quickly engaged, helping with tasks such as distributing food and checking on neighbors during the pandemic,” she said. “Organizations across the state acted nimbly, mobilizing technology and establishing safety protocols.” Here, we asked some all-star volunteers — several of whom will be honored with Volunteer NH’s 2020 Spirit of NH awards during a virtual ceremony on Dec. 9 — to tell us via email what they’ve been doing, how the pandemic has affected their work, and what you can do to help.
Jennifer Kidwell
Meals for Manchester, Fuel Our Families
What is your role in the organization?
As a volunteer, I helped distribute over 93,000 meals to the Manchester community during the spring of 2020, and 19,500 meals in summer and fall of 2020 to families in Manchester with the Fuel Our Families program.
What kinds of things do you do?
With the Meals for Manchester program, I helped pack buses with food and milk at Southern New Hampshire University first thing in the morning, and then would distribute the lunches to Manchester families in person at the Manchester Police Athletic League and at different locations across the city. I help pack fresh fruit and healthy nonperishable items for the Fuel Our Families program that are distributed by different organizations to families across the city of Manchester.
Why did you get involved?
My colleague, Steve Thiel, helped create the Meals for Manchester program in the spring of 2020, and I was fortunate enough to be able to volunteer and connect with members of the Manchester community. My favorite part of volunteering was being able to personally meet Manchester families, talk with them and make sure they were doing OK, and give them healthy and delicious lunches. I am currently volunteering with the Fuel Our Families program, a collaboration between SNHU, Granite United Way, Granite YMCA, and the Manchester School District, packaging up fresh fruits and vegetables as well as other healthy nonperishable items to be delivered to families this fall and winter.
How has the pandemic affected your efforts, both personally and within your organization?
The opportunity to volunteer and give back to the Manchester community in the midst of a pandemic has been one of the greatest experiences of my life. Volunteering fills up my heart and soul, and I was shocked and honored to be awarded the Chairman’s Award/Volunteer of the Year from the Granite YMCA last week.
What can others do to help?
Donate by texting ‘Manchester’ to 41444 and see if your company is able to donate, too!
Isabel Povey
Seeds of Hope, based in Hampstead
What is your role?
I am the president and founder. [She’s also a 17-year-old junior at Pinkerton Academy.]
What kinds of things do you do?
Seeds of Hope is a nonprofit organization that works to end hunger on both a local and global scale. We provide vegetable seeds to schools, churches and orphanages overseas to serve as a reliable source of nutrients. Here in New Hampshire, I work every weekend in various food pantries throughout the state and focus on keeping their shelves stocked for those who need it. One example of this would be the ‘Povey Power’ virtual 5K I organized back in April, which raised enough to feed nearly 9,000 New Hampshire families after just a few days! Aside from eliminating food insecurity, it is my biggest goal to spread hope and ignite change in others, as noted from the Seeds of Hope motto, ‘From the smallest of seeds grow the mightiest of trees,’ because we all have the power to make a difference!
Why did you get involved?
I have been working to end hunger since I was 7 years old, after giving my dinner leftovers to a kind homeless man. Immediately after I met him, I was determined to help others who were struggling and visited my local soup kitchen. There, I was turned away for being ‘too young’ to help, so instead I decided to go home and decorate placemats with positive messages for everyone getting served! I then began initiating food drives and it wasn’t too long until I watched this simple hobby turn into a passion, then ultimately my true purpose. I decided to start my own organization with the goal to help more people and make change everywhere.
How has the pandemic affected your efforts, both personally and within your organization?
As soon as there was talk at school of a potential shutdown, I started spending my lunch periods in our campus food pantry, preparing take-home bags for the kids of food-insecure households. Then, once the switch to remote was announced, I immediately spearheaded a food drive to help out another local school take-home program and continued to work hard to keep multiple food pantries stocked. … Now, every Saturday I work at a mobile food pantry and we serve more than 350 families right in Manchester, and I am always helping with other organizations throughout the state. With the unprecedented need that surfaced along with the Covid pandemic, this has truthfully been the busiest I’ve ever been!
What can others do to help?
Food insecurity can impact anyone; it might be your friends, neighbors, or even family members who must decide between paying the bills or paying for groceries. It is incredibly important that we work together and share our strength especially after we have all been through so much this year. For information on how to help those struggling around you, visit isabelpovey.com. Giving back means so much more than raising thousands of dollars. It can be as simple as holding the door for someone. Sharing a meal, a smile, an hour, or donating some of your allowance to a food pantry … it all helps.
What are you doing to take care of your own well-being during this crazy time?
Like so many others, I have been taking advantage of our beautiful state and spending lots of extra time outdoors! I have been hiking a lot and am on my way to climbing all 48 of New Hampshire’s 4,000-footers. I even incorporated a new project I like to call ‘Kindness Rocks’ and have left painted rocks with inspirational messages on each peak.
Jillian Schucart
Representing the volunteers of St. Joseph Community Services Meals on Wheels in Nashua
What is your role in the organization?
Assistant program director
What kinds of things do you do?
I assist the Program Department in overseeing the daily operations of multiple sites throughout Hillsborough County. I love that each day is different in my role. A core aspect of my position is to oversee our volunteer program. I spend a lot of my time recruiting and onboarding new volunteers, which includes conducting driver trainings. I also follow-up on client concerns, and sometimes I have the opportunity to deliver meals to our homebound clients, which is definitely a highlight!
Why did you get involved?
I joined the Meals on Wheels team in 2018 when I was looking to make a career change. I knew I wanted to work for Meals on Wheels when I learned of the significant difference that the agency makes in the lives of our clients. Not only do we provide clients with nutritious meals, we also combat social isolation through our friendly visits and wellness checks!
How has the pandemic affected your efforts, both personally and within your organization?
The biggest change has been the transition from our traditional hot lunch program to providing all frozen meals to our clients. Our administrative team has been working remotely when we can, and of course we are socially distancing and wearing masks when we are in the office or at nutrition sites. I am proud that our agency has continued to deliver meals throughout the entire pandemic. We could not do it without all of our staff and volunteers! We are taking the necessary precautions and screening processes to ensure that everyone is as safe as possible. The pandemic has definitely impacted the way we think about everything we do.
What can others do to help?
Help us deliver meals to homebound individuals in Manchester and Nashua! If you are interested in learning more, call me at 603-424-9967 or email volunteer@sjcsinc.org.
Sarah Heard
Concord Coalition to End Homelessness
What is your role in the organization?
I am a weekly volunteer at the Resource Center.
What kinds of things do you do?
I serve coffee, snacks and supplies to guests; I monitor shower, laundry and computer use; I sort, distribute and sometimes help decipher mail, and I try to provide an open ear for guests.
Why did you get involved?
I got involved shortly after moving to Concord because I wanted to get to know my new community.
How has the pandemic affected your efforts, both personally and within your organization?
The pandemic has really just moved my daily volunteer routine from inside to outside. The staff at CCEH have adapted the Resource Center remarkably well. I know it’s taken a lot of work on their part to make the changes seem so smooth to me and to guests, and it gives me confidence that the Resource Center will be able to weather the winter months.
What can others do to help?
CCEH is working to end homelessness by creating more affordable and supportive housing. Their website, concordhomeless.org, suggests a number of ways we can work toward that goal, including volunteering our time, donating specific supplies, and, of course, financial support.
Christina Melanson
Friends of the Manchester Animal Shelter
What is your role in the organization?
I am a cat care volunteer, and also help the vet tech in the clinic once a week.
What kinds of things do you do?
Volunteers are given an orientation, then choose from a variety of duties they are comfortable with, including dog walking, cat or dog care and feeding, adoptions, restocking, cleaning, handling donations or simply spending time keeping the animals company and playing, the fun part! I chose to volunteer one morning a week, and what I do is feed the kittens and cats waiting for adoption, clean and sanitize their “houses,” provide each one the opportunity for some free-roaming exercise and play, restock, sweep and mop their rooms. We make sure there is classical music playing to help soothe them. There are several spaces housing cats; the adoption room and community room are open to the public, an intake room where strays await being medically evaluated by the veterinarian, and an additional building housing cats in isolation being treated for illness, plus two large rooms housing cats that may be free-roaming but not ready for adoption. There are always blankets and bedding to be laundered, donations to organize and put away, participating in fundraisers such as the annual plant sale, dog wash days, auctions, golf tournaments and fun runs. One Saturday we installed engraved memorial bricks in the courtyard commemorating beloved pets. Groundskeeping is also a need. We also get guinea pigs, rabbits, parakeets, even roosters and snakes from time to time! I’ve volunteered 327 hours since 2018.
Why did you get involved?
On retirement, I knew I wanted to give back to my community in some way. My background is surgical and post-anesthesia nursing, but I was burned out with hospital work. The Volunteer NH website listed the shelter, and as I am animal-lover, this was a good fit. What is especially important to me is that this is a no-kill shelter, and every animal that comes through our doors is spayed or neutered to further zero-population growth of stray and abandoned animals; they are also vaccinated and microchipped, placed for adoption here or at PetSmart and Petco, or if socialization is not an option such as for feral cats, tagged and placed in available barn housing in the warm weather or released back to a neighborhood with feeding stations. Abandoned kittens too young for neutering are cared for by ‘foster parent’ volunteers. Also impressive is the Fix-a-Pit program. Plus, it was obvious the staff care deeply about what they do.
How has the pandemic affected your efforts, both personally and within your organization?
Our hours have been arranged to minimize the number of people in the building at one time, and masks are required. From March through the summer, only staff were allowed in the buildings and handled all the work. Adoptions are presently by appointment only. Personally, I actually had a mild case of Covid-19 in April, and my mother in law, also infected, passed away while living with us. So we have postponed our planned visiting our grandchildren on the West Coast and annual backpacking trips and are acutely aware of the guidelines.
What can others do to help?
Visit Friends of the Manchester Animal Shelter website, discover all this organization offers, and investigate the opportunities to get involved. Ask how you might contribute. Help is needed every day of the year. There is currently such limited space, I would say badly needed is an updated facility for a city of this size; donations are always welcome.
Jay Schumacher
Granite United Way
What is your role in the organization?
I serve on the Community Impact Committee, as a Community Grant Reviewer and volunteer with various other projects.
What kinds of things do you do?
As one of several Community Impact Committee members, we meet monthly with staff members of Granite United Way to receive program … updates that the organization has undertaken or is considering. We are fortunate to hear directly from community leaders with organizations such as the Friendly Kitchen, the Concord Coalition to End Homelessness, the Concord Police department, Health and Human Services and Concord Hospital. They share insight regarding trends, challenges and success that they are experiencing and how these are impacting our greater Concord residents. Often during these meetings we are asked for our input and ideas, as well as brainstorming and vetting of the action plans GUW is considering for action.
Why did you get involved?
Several years ago I wanted to provide more volunteer support within the Concord area. Granite United Way has been a longtime partner with my employer and it seemed like a natural fit when one of the GUW representatives asked if I would like to participate with the annual Grant Review Committee process. After that initial experience I was hooked! … The organizations seeking funding during these times are truly doing all they can to support residents in every corner of our community. … It’s nice to be able to offer some of my time to this imitative in particular because I can quickly understand and see the results of our efforts, helping these wonderful organizations help our community members in our local area.
How has the pandemic affected your efforts, both personally and within your organization?
Very quickly we shifted to all remote for meetings and … have taken strides to find creative work-arounds for all of our volunteerism. We recently took on a part of the Concord Reads initiative to build and install several Little Free Libraries with Granite United Way providing leadership. Several of us met virtually, discussed and planned the required actions and who would take on each one. Normally we would have gathered in person for these sessions and we probably would have assembled the libraries together as a team. Instead we have all worked remotely and in very small groups of only two or three people. This is surely different than normal, but nonetheless I believe we have been effective, installing our first of four Little Free Libraries just recently.
What can others do to help?
The best suggestion I can offer is to visit the Granite United Way website at graniteuw.org … [which] provides quick links to how anyone can give, advocate or volunteer. A little help from everyone goes a long way and the information from within these links provides several ways that we can all contribute!
Ajay Rana Bhat
Everest Centennial Lions Club, based in Nashua
What is your role in the organization?
I am the secretary for the Club.
What kinds of things do you do?
I communicate the mission and the success of the club, and I help with projects, including two recent Covid-19 projects that I coordinated: masks for health care workers and public workers, and one month of food for youth affected by Covid-19.
Why did you get involved?
After the tragic earthquake in 2015 Nepal, I got myself super active in helping the needy and poor, from building shelters to distributing medical supplies. … My volunteering services were not just limited in Nepal but when I moved to the United States in 2019 I immediately joined the Everest Centennial Lions Club as secretary and began contributing my time for the needy.
How has the pandemic affected your efforts, both personally and within your organization?
To be honest at first we were confused on how and what we should do during this pandemic but after we knew more about this virus and the guidelines, it helped us make a path to help the needy. The Everest Centennial Lions Clubs provided masks for health care workers and public workers, and one month of food for youth affected by Covid-19. … We were able to distribute 1,000 masks for health care workers of Rochester Manor Nursing Home, some staff of the National Visa Center and needy families. We also distributed 100 pieces of medical safety glasses during this project. … We have [also] delivered … groceries for 20 international students from different countries and two national students of the different states of the U.S.A. who came to study in New Hampshire who are in a tough situation and having a hard time meeting needs. … I took a challenge to deliver a one-month grocery [supply to] their home with help of Umesh Koirala and Alina Karki.
What can others do to help?
You could help in your neighborhood, online or in other countries. To start helping you’ll need a passion as well as time, and don’t expect anything back.
What are you doing to take care of your own well-being during this crazy time?
We need to have strong mental health, and since I have experienced a similar situation during the 2015 earthquake in Nepal, I made sure that … I kept myself engaged with different activities and didn’t give enough time to myself to think about this pandemic. In my free time, I made sure that I listened to the news once a day, practiced yoga, gardening and photography.
Terri McGrew
Representing the volunteers of YMCA of Greater Nashua
What is your role in the organization?
Volunteer coordinator
What kinds of things do you do?
I recruit volunteers to share their time and talents at our three local branches located in Nashua and Merrimack to support our staff members and enhance our membership experiences and our community partnerships. Our volunteers help advance our mission and they make an important contribution in our communities.
How has the pandemic affected your efforts, both personally and within your organization?
Our Program and Policy Volunteers started the year strong with nearly 400 individuals contributing 6,100 hours of volunteer service before the Covid-19 statewide shutdown in March caused us to pause our volunteer opportunities. As the YMCA opens more programs and activities at our branches our volunteers are returning to share their time and talents with our community. At the start of our year the YMCA offered over 50 different volunteer opportunities, including fitness instructors, coaches, early childhood education helpers, homework helpers and YMCA Togetherhood volunteers. … To address the Covid-19 pandemic and offer assistance to local families, we partnered with the United Way of Greater Nashua to provide volunteer drivers for a Covid Relief Food and Produce Distribution Program. The YMCA provided volunteer drivers Monday through Thursday to pick up food and produce at the Nashua Soup Kitchen and deliver it to eight different outdoor pop-up pantries around Nashua. The YMCA volunteer drivers delivered food and produce to 6,675 clients through the end of October. As the winter months and colder weather set in we transitioned to delivering food and produce to two indoor pop-up pantries located at the Nashua YMCA and First Church in downtown Nashua in early November. … Another proud accomplishment is the contribution our Annual Campaign Volunteers make to help raise money during the pandemic for the Y Cares program to provide scholarships to local children and families in need so they can experience Y programs and services such as child care, day camp, dance and arts, sports, swimming and more. The Y Cares Financial Assistance Program provided $456,000 in financial assistance in 2020 to ensure the Y is accessible to all.
What can others do to help?
Individuals and families can share their time and talents at the YMCA of Greater Nashua and make a fundamental difference in many lives. Check out our website for current volunteer opportunities at nmymca.org
What are you doing to take care of your own well-being during this crazy time?
Having a wonderful position at the YMCA and being an engaged volunteer with the Brookline Lions Club and Camp Allen is very rewarding and keeps me busy. I always remember there are many opportunities to help others and make a difference in the world.
Jaimie Adams
Seacoast Medical Reserve Corps/Central New Hampshire Medical Reserve Corps
What is your role in the organization?
My role in the organization is to respond to requests for help as a licensed EMT or any other duties that fall under my scope of practice, whenever available.
What kinds of things do you do?
A request was put out asking for LNAs to work in an Assisted Living Care Facility for a couple weeks with the possibility of being extended, as they had active Covid cases within the facility. I volunteered to help out, with the agreement that the State could get me housing so I didn’t pass Covid on to anyone else in the event I became infected. I worked anywhere between 8- to 12-hour shifts, filling the role of an LNA and helping out wherever I could. At times I had to jump into EMT mode as residents started to destabilize and the nurse and I would do everything in our power to get them stable again.
Why did you get involved?
I got involved because I have skills and training that were in high demand (and still are) and I couldn’t just stand by and do nothing. I believe in leading by example and I hope my actions will inspire others to do the right thing, even if it’s scary. I am a stay-at-home mom with a 2½-year-old, at the time, and my mother was able to take care of my daughter while I was gone and my husband worked. I try to take care of people and help out whenever I can — it’s just who I am.
How has the pandemic affected your efforts, both personally and within your organization?
The pandemic has taken a normally slow organization, business-wise, and increased the workload exponentially. There are limited amounts of people to help and a lot of help is needed right now so resources are thin. I started out early in the pandemic volunteering for the Metropolitan Medical Response System, conducting testing, and training others on how to do the testing. I did this before I began my work in the nursing home and also a few times while working in the nursing home. Being gone for so long had a negative impact on my daughter, which has been [difficult] to overcome. I just pray as she gets older she will understand what I did and why I did it. I was a hospice volunteer and volunteer firefighter prior to the pandemic and I have had to give everything up because I simply do not have the time any longer. This was tough for me because I absolutely loved volunteering in both organizations.
What can others do to help?
Others can help by signing up for NH Responds and see if you have any of the skills that are desired: doctors, nurses, LNAs, paramedic, EMTs, the list goes on. Even if you don’t have any medical background you can still be an active member in a support role. If you have the time, please take that step because everyone is already exhausted and we are just hitting wave 2.
What are you doing to take care of your own well-being during this crazy time?
I am just trying to keep a toddler alive, entertained and learning and support my husband as much as I can as he works long hours. My well-being? Sleep would be nice but I will just enjoy whatever life [my toddler] throws at me day by day. I met some amazing people through this, and for that I will always be grateful.
Team Bronze Award Project
Ginger Koslowski, representing the Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains
What is their role in the organization?
This is a team of Girl Scout Juniors (those in grades 4 and 5), who stepped up to provide personal protective equipment and other items to help out during the pandemic. A team of 103 Girl Scouts, 67 of them from across New Hampshire, formed the team to work on this project. It is called the Team Bronze Award Project because each girl earned Girl Scouting’s Bronze Award, the highest achievement for a Girl Scout Junior, for participating in this effort.
What kinds of things do they do?
The Girl Scouts chose to make face masks, ear savers, face shields, hand sanitizer and care packages. They also created websites and tutorials on how to make PPE and the best way to wear a face mask. They worked remotely but together.
Why did they get involved?
Girl Scouting is all about making the world a better place, and as soon as the pandemic hit girls got busy trying to help. Our council decided a team project would make a significant impact.
How has the pandemic affected your efforts?
The pandemic has definitely forced changes in the way Girl Scouts meet and conduct activities, but our girls are resilient and determined, and they always find a way to meet new challenges.
What can others do to help?
Girl Scouting is open to any girl — and adult volunteers — and provides many ways to not just help during the pandemic, but to make their community a better place in which to live at any time. See girlscoutsgwm.org.
David Crespo
Manchester Rotary Club
What is your role in the organization?
President
What kinds of things do you do?
Rotary is the largest nonprofit organization in the world. Our club is focused on children. Every year we hold the Cruising Downtown car show, which draws 30,000 people and 1,000 cars and we raise about $70,000. Every dollar is put into programs through organizations like the Boys & Girls Club, MPAL, Camp Allen, YWCA, Catholic Charities, Manchester Mental Health Center and Waypoint, to name a few.
Why did you get involved?
I was a single dad raising two daughters; my whole life was about providing for them and raising them to be good and successful people. I learned that many of their friends did not have the foundation I had provided and many did not have the means. I wanted to help in a small way at first and joined Rotary. During my time here I realized that I can do so much more. With all the crazy in the world it’s great working with good people who just want to help make a difference. Our motto is ‘Service Above Self.’
How has the pandemic affected your efforts, both personally and within your organization?
Unfortunately as a club we were not able to hold our big fundraiser, which was heartbreaking but we knew it was in the best interest and we also know that we will adapt and overcome. Like many organizations we have gone virtual and recently [have had] hybrid meetings. We have done many service projects such as renovations at Camp Allen, working at New Horizons feeding the homeless, making face masks for Amoskeag Health and are in the process of a renovation project at Girls Inc. We held a Mask Up program in April and handed out about 30,000 face masks to the general public. In conjunction with Rotary International we put together grants for PPE and distributed checks to YWCA, Manchester Mental Health Center and Amoskeag Health. Personally my biggest challenge is making sure for the safety of my children — as a dad you never outgrow that!
What can others do to help?
I believe that you need to find something you are passionate about! One of my biggest passions is homeless veterans. As a veteran I understand the challenges returning home so I wanted to get involved with The Liberty House. Once you find that passion go and volunteer. Many people do not know that Rotary International cured polio. We now have a clean water initiative. Maybe you want to help internationally — there are so many opportunities out there just waiting for a few good people to make a difference and you could be one of them!
Information from the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services
Covid-19 news
On Nov. 21, the New Hampshire Department of Health & Human Services issued a notice of potential community exposures connected to positive cases of Covid-19 at Grumpy’s Bar & Grill in Plaistow. According to the notice, the exposures likely occurred in the eatery’s bar and pool table areas on the evenings of Nov. 10 and Nov. 14. State health officials have identified three positive cases of the virus associated with Grumpy’s, and the state Attorney General’s Office is investigating multiple violations of food service guidelines.
New Hampshire surpassed 20,000 positive tests of Covid-19 over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, according to a Nov. 28 report from WMUR — these included a two-day total of 702 cases on Thanksgiving Day and the following day. WMUR also reported that state hospitalizations from the virus also reached a new high, of 160 as of Dec. 1.
Because people can begin experiencing symptoms of Covid-19 within two days of being exposed, state health officials say now is the time when you will see any direct links between the virus and Thanksgiving celebrations you had, according to WMUR’s Nov. 29 report. The incubation period of the virus can last anywhere from two to 14 days.
On Nov. 30, DHHS issued a notice of potential community exposures connected to positive virus cases at the Stumble Inn Bar & Grill in Londonderry, which occurred between Nov. 11 and Nov. 23. At least 11 positive cases have been reported so far at the Stumble Inn, which is currently closed, according to the notice.
New council
Last week, members of the newly established Council on Housing Stability were announced. According to a press release, the council is a “revamped effort of the State’s Interagency Council on Homelessness” and has been tasked with updating the state’s plan for addressing homelessness, including broader issues related to housing affordability and stability. The council is made up of dozens of members, including city mayors, representatives from several state departments, building and landlord association representatives, experts in the areas of homelessness and housing instability, and people who have experienced housing instability. The Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Business and Economic Affairs, and the New Hampshire Community Development Finance Authority will lead the council, according to the release. A preliminary plan is due from the council no later than Dec. 14; its first meeting is scheduled for Dec. 4.
NH-JAG awarded
New Hampshire Jobs for America’s Graduates has earned the national 5 of 5 Award, according to a press release. NH-JAG, which provides support for youth in the state who face significant academic, emotional and economic challenges, has met or exceeded JAG’s national standards. The program offers mentoring, employability skills instruction and leadership development activities and is available at eight New Hampshire high schools and one out-of-school health care training program. NH-JAG has served more than 300 students this year, and more than 19,000 students since its inception, according to the release. “In New Hampshire, JAG boasts an impressive 100 percent graduation rate and 76 percent full-time job placement rate, even amid a pandemic. We applaud the NH-JAG Specialists [teachers] for their hard work and unwavering support of their students, which helped NH-JAG achieve the 5 of 5 Award this year, despite the unprecedented challenges of Covid-19,” Ken Smith, president of JAG, said in the release. Smith presented the 5 of 5 Award to Gov. Chris Sununu during a virtual ceremony on Nov. 30.
Voluntary services
The New Hampshire Division for Children, Youth and Families announced last week that it has partnered with two social service agencies to provide community-based voluntary services for at-risk children and families. The partnerships with Waypoint, based in Manchester, and the Family Resource Center, based in Gorham, will bridge the gap between initial contact with DCYF and community-based voluntary services. According to a press release, voluntary services provide tools to families that are struggling with health and safety concerns that do not currently meet a finding of abuse or neglect today but could meet that standard without intervention. “Voluntary services help strengthen and preserve families, keep children safe at home and foster environments in which they will thrive,” DCYF Director Joseph E. Ribsam said in the release.
The Concord Regional Visiting Nurse Association has been named Nonprofit of the Year by the Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce, according to a press release. The award was presented virtually during the Chamber’s annual Pinnacle Awards last month.
The New Hampshire Food Bank will bring its drive-through mobile food pantry to Manchester on three Fridays in December: Dec. 4, Dec. 11 and Dec. 18. According to a press release, truckloads of food will be distributed to people in their vehicles in the Comcast parking lot at 676 Island Pond Road, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on those days.
Merrimack County Savings Bank is now holding its annual Mitten Tree drive at its locations in Bow, Concord, Contoocook, Hooksett and Nashua. Each branch will have a decorated box where community members can drop new handmade or store-bought mittens, hats, gloves and scarves; the bank will also contribute $2 to local food banks for every donated item, according to a press release.
The Upper Room, a family resource center based in Derry, is offering a series of free parenting and stress management workshops, according to a press release. The pre-recorded videos are available for viewing at URteachers.org.
Being a local merchant before the pandemic was hard. The tides were against us — from competition from Amazon to the rising cost of rents and labor, it was hard to be a small business in New Hampshire.
But that didn’t stop many people from taking up the challenge, and for that I’m grateful. Small independent businesses — your local restaurant, bakery, gift shop, pet store, salon and music shop — give our community part of its character. It’s the basis for Hippo’s annual Best of Readers Poll. And as we’ve talked about for the past 20 years, these small businesses are what help make this region what it is.
Those small businesses also employ a lot of local people and more of the money you spend with us stays in the area; 73 percent of money you spend at an independent small business stays local versus 43 percent of money spent at a non-locally owned business, according to one recent study. I would guess even less stays local when spending money with Amazon or another out-of-state e-tailer. Locally owned businesses also contribute a lot more money to local charities and pay a lot more in local taxes. This keeps your taxes lower. Spending local makes sense for your community and yourself.
That in-person connection of a Toadstool Bookshop or a Manchester Music Mill or an Alapage or the Bakeshop On Kelley Street or Granite State Candy Shoppe or Palace Theatre or Cheers Bar and Grill has been severely impacted with the limiting of in-person contact throughout the pandemic. It’s like the very thing that gives these businesses their special sauce was yanked right away from them. At the very same moment, their chief competitors like Amazon, Walmart and UberEats got a huge boost by people stuck at home. This is understandable — Amazon is easy and makes a lot of sense when we’re trying to reduce our in-person contact.
What we can do, though, is make an effort to spend some of our money at these local businesses. Since many of our local businesses can’t afford some of the online shopping tools or their service can’t be sold online, our efforts might require us to pick up the phone or if we feel safe enough go down there and use their service. Support your local restaurant by buying a gift certificate or ordering takeout.
Just as we need to make the effort, small businesses need to as well. Consumers can recognize when businesses aren’t reasonably supporting local businesses around them. Just as with consumers it isn’t always easy but with some effort the rewards can be tremendous.
Though it can seem a bit overused, the saying “we’ll get through this together” has the right sentiment. We’ll get through this together by supporting each other.
