Newsletter
The Chamber Office will be closed to visitors until further notice. I can be reached by phone (603-543-1296) or email and will continue working enhance, promote and support economic stability and growth in our community. In addition to standard phone service the Chamber also has Zoom to allow for video conferencing if you'd like to chat face to face while still practicing social distancing. Please don't hesitate to contact me if I can be of any assistance.

Thank you,
Elyse Crossman
Executive Director
Business Information Survey
To assist ALL area businesses that have been impacted by COVID-19 we have created a simple survey to collect pertinent information. This information (operating hours, gift certificates, orders, etc.) will then be posted to Facebook as well as the Chamber's Facebook page. This is available to all area businesses regardless of Chamber membership. Please complete the survey online here.
Valley Regional Hospital COVID-19 Testing
Valley Regional Hospital now has a dedicated COVID-19 Testing Center and Screening Hotline. The Testing Center is located outside Claremont Urgent Care on the Dunning Street side of the Valley Regional campus, and will open on Wednesday, March 18 at 8AM.

Before being tested, it is required that patients call our designated COVID-19 hotline for prescreening at 603-542-7850. This number connects you with a healthcare professional that will screen you by phone if you feel that you are exhibiting the signs and symptoms of COVID-19 but do not feel that there is a medical emergency that requires immediate intervention.

If it is determined that testing is indicated, you will be directed to the VRH Campus and park in the COVID-19 designated parking spots which are located near the Claremont Urgent Care Center where healthcare professionals will care for you outside of the hospital building. Only individuals who meet criteria for testing will be tested in an effort to conserve supplies.

Please make every effort to call ahead to be screened. This will enable us to provide care quickly and in an orderly fashion.

COVID-19 Hotline: 603-542-7850
Hours: Monday-Friday 8AM-7PM, Saturday & Sunday 8AM-4:30PM

In light of this news, and to better care for our community, VRH has made the difficult decision to temporarily close the Charlestown Urgent Care Center. The staff of Charlestown Urgent Care will be relocated to the Claremont Urgent Care Center to assist with the COVID-19 Outside Testing Center and COVID-19 Hotline. Our goal is to keep our community safe and utilize our resources effectively during this difficult time. We greatly appreciate the understanding of the communities affected by the temporary closure of the Charlestown Clinic and we thank everyone for their continued support.
Vital Communities Update
Effective immediately we have closed Vital Communities' offices to the public. Our staff will primarily work remotely, but we will continue to be reachable and responsive via email and phone—we will receive voicemails remotely, so please reach out if you need us at 802-291-9100.We are also reformatting or canceling upcoming events.

Fortunately, some of our events lend themselves well to online presentation, so please find the details below on upcoming webinars you can attend from the comfort and safety of your home:
Upper Valley Local Energy Showcase  — In lieu of our annual Upper Valley Energy Committee Roundtable this week, please join us for a one-hour Local Energy Showcase webinar THIS Wednesday, March 18. We'll feature five ​brief, inspirational stories from across our region, including EV charging lessons from Bethel; progress toward a multi-town energy coordinator; interior storm windows in Thetford, Strafford, and surrounding towns; a townwide survey about climate change in Windsor; and an Upper Valley e-bike lending library.  Get the details.

Climate and Community Resilience: Lessons from the Soil Webinar Series  — This series of six programs will unpack the science of whole-systems landscape function, explore how land and society change together, and offer practical ways to engage with the land around you for community resilience and social justice. Six webinars from March 22-May 17.  Get the details.

Business Leaders Housing Breakfast Webinar  — Our Spring Business Leaders Housing Breakfast is shifting from an in-person event to a webinar on April 30. Stay tuned for details.

Leadership Upper Valley  — Participants in the April session of Leadership Upper Valley will attend online. 

However, some events have been canceled or postponed:
  • Flavors of the Valley — We're sad to miss our annual spring celebration of local food and farms. Stay tuned for other ways we'll highlight vendors and support our local food providers throughout the year!
  • ​Farm to School Forum: Trauma and Nutrition
  • Clean Energy & Affordable Housing Forum
  • Heroes & Leaders Celebration

The staff and Board of Vital Communities are actively thinking about how we can support Upper Valley communities being healthy, resilient, and vital.

Please contact us if you have questions.

Thanks for all that you do to take care of yourself and your neighbors at this important time. We look forward to connecting with you virtually!

- Your Friends at Vital Communities
Did you know that West Central Behavioral Health
puts out a regular newsletter?
Click the image above to read the current issue.
Newsletter Content
If you'd like to have an item appear in the newsletter please email it by noon on Monday to appear in that week's regular issue. If you've previously submitted an item you didn't see in this issue please resend it. With many cancellations we decided to not include any items that were not received in the last five days. We apologize for the inconvenience but hope you can understand that we only want to share current up to date information.
‌