We would like to invite you to attend a  Ribbon Cutting & Plaque Presentation  ceremony of the new Sullivan County Unity Campus Gazebo:

 

Monday, October 21, 2019, 2:00 PM

103 County Farm Road

Unity NH 03743

 

where Sullivan County Board of Commissioners, Department of Corrections Superintendent David Berry Jr., and invited guests will gather to officially open the gazebo that was constructed by participants in the TRAILS program during their summer construction and building trade classes at the Sugar River Valley Regional Technical Center in Claremont. 

 

Please RSVP me by email if you are able to attend or feel free to call (603) 863-2560. Hope you’re able to make this event – the fall foliage this time of year at the campus is spectacular! 

Farmer-Directed Gatherings Will Focus on Mitigation and Adaptation in a Changing Climate

 

Join Upper Valley farmers for the kickoff of the  Upper Valley Farmer Climate Network on Monday, October 21, from 5 pm to 7 pm at Skinny Pancake in Quechee. The gathering will include refreshments, conversation, planning, and an overview from UVM Extension Climate Program Coordinator Joshua Faulkner. The event marks the start of a two-year, farmer-directed series of events to build a more resilient farmer network in the region.

 

“Upper Valley farmers are already facing the impacts of climate change in our region—and they’re responding with a range of mitigation and adaptation techniques, educational efforts, and political advocacy,” said Nancy LaRowe of Vital Communities. “Vital Communities is bringing people together to share best practices and plan for a strong, resilient local food system in the Upper Valley even as the impacts of climate change continue to unfold.”

 

With funding from Northeast SARE, Vital Communities will convene monthly climate-focused farmer events beginning this month and wrapping up in 2021. These gatherings will focus on farmer-to-farmer learning, visiting experts, on-farm models and demonstrations, and sharing resources that could improve farm and community resiliency. Farmers will explore together how to mitigate the risks and take advantage of the opportunities that a warming climate will bring.

 

The Farmer Climate Network is open to all farmers, from aspiring to long-time farmers. It is not necessary to attend every event to be involved. For more information, visit  vitalcommunities.org/valleyfoodfarm/climate or contact Nancy LaRowe at 802-291-9100 x106 or  [email protected].

 

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Vital Communities  cultivates the civic, environmental and economic vitality of the Upper Valley. We bring people together, bridging boundaries and engaging our whole community to create positive change. Learn more at  vitalcommunities.org .

SCORE has announced its Fall 2019 workshop series where area residents and those seeking empowerment in business can enroll.

 

The workshops sponsored by Mascoma Bank are held at the SCORE office, 20 West Park Street, Suite 316, Lebanon, NH are offered on Thursdays (and one Wednesday) from 5-8 p.m. The workshop presenters at bring years of experience to the job. As well as being knowledgeable in the workshop subject, they have a down-to-earth approach based on their experience in counseling small businesses.

 

The fee for each workshop is $30. If you invite your spouse or business partner to attend as your guest, the fee for the two of you would be $40. Veterans are FREE.

Writing a Business Plan ,  Thursday, October 24, 2019 from 5:00 - 8:00 PM 

Before seeking business financing from a bank, relatives, or other sources, creating a business plan is a must. This workshop covers a step-by-step guide for putting together the seven basic sections required for a good and effective business plan. Specific time will be spent discussing what bank loan officers are looking for in a business plan.

Optimizing Internet Marketing , Wednesday, October 30, 2019 from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM  

Choosing the right Internet Marketing options can be a daunting task for a small business. This workshop will start with website fundamentals and then delve into blogging, email marketing, Pay per Click, and newsletters - all intended to help you focus on producing cost-benefit marketing results.

 

Social Media Marketing , Thursday, November 7, 2019 from 5:00-8:00 PM

This workshop will provide an overview of the major social media marketing channels – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube and LinkedIn. Various tools will be examined to help you not only chose the correct channel for your marketing efforts, but also reduce and streamline your workload. Social media marketing content will also be presented.

 

For more information about the workshops or to reserve a spot, visit Upper Valley Score www.uppervalley.score.org  or call (603) 448-3491.

 

ABOUT SCORE:  a nonprofit association dedicated to educating entrepreneurs and helping small businesses start, grow, and succeed nationwide. SCORE is a resource partner with the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), and has been mentoring small business owners for more than forty years.  Upper Valley SCORE  was founded in 1967 as Chapter 184 and currently has more than 30 volunteer mentors who are all experienced business owners and managers. SCORE offers experience and knowledge to help small business owners and potential small business owners achieve success. Services include confidential, free face to face counseling, email counseling, business workshops

United Way of Sullivan County is pleased to be collecting warm clothing again this year for area residents.  There are currently drop off locations throughout Newport, Claremont and Sunapee.  They include:  Claremont Savings Bank, Broad St and Washington St locations, Bar Harbor Bank and Sugar River Bank, Newport and Sunapee locations, Valley Regional Hospital, Sullivan County  Homecare, and Sturm Ruger. 

Hubert’s Department Store will be participating by donating again this year.    Steve Smith, WCNL will be doing a live broadcast at each location of Free Coat Friday.  Those wishing to donate can also call the SCUW office at 543-0121 and arrange drop off at our office on 169 Main St in Claremont.  Any  gently used warm articles of clothing are accepted and appreciated.  We find  the greatest need is for children’s clothing from newborn through grade school age and larger adult coats and sweaters, Ranney said. 

This is a community service that SCUW has been pleased to offer those in need of coats, boots, hats, mittens and blankets during the cold winter months.   Free Coat Friday will be held in Claremont at Claremont Savings Bank Broad St location on Oct 18 th  and in Newport on the Town Common on Oct 25th,  from 8-2:30.   Donations will also be accepted at Free Coat Fridays.  

On behalf of United Way of Sullivan County I want to extend my thanks all of those who make this community endeavor possible with their outpouring of  support and caring, Dawn Ranney, Executive Director. 

Rebecca Gagné has joined Bar Harbor Bank & Trust as Assistant Vice President, Treasury Support Manager. In this role, Rebecca leads the Bank’s Treasury Support team in meeting the day-to-day needs of cash management customers. This team provides technical support and training for electronic banking services to commercial customers. They onboard new customers and provide timely responses to customer service requests. 

 

For the last two years, Rebecca has worked at People’s United Bank as AVP, Treasury Analyst Officer. She has over 10 years’ experience in Treasury Services, spending the majority of her career at Bangor Savings Bank as a member of their Treasury and Payment Services team assuming positions of increased responsibility.

 

In the community, Rebecca has been an active member of Sanford Maine Police Families. She enjoys singing in local choirs and acting in local community theater. Rebecca runs in road races raising money for worthy causes. She loves to travel, watch movies, and attend live music concerts. Rebecca earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Southern Maine. She lives in North Berwick, with her husband, Matthew and their Maine Coon Cat. 

 

Bar Harbor Bankshares (NYSE American: BHB) is the parent company of its wholly owned subsidiary, Bar Harbor Bank & Trust. Operating over 50 locations across Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont, Bar Harbor Bank & Trust is headquartered in Bar Harbor, Maine and has more than $3.6 billion in assets. As a leading Northern New England community bank, Bar Harbor Bank & Trust offers a full range of personal and business banking services, as well as wealth management services through its subsidiaries Bar Harbor Trust Services and Charter Trust Company. For more information about Bar Harbor Bank & Trust, visit  www.barharbor.bank  or call 888-853-7100. Member FDIC.

On November 2 ^nd,  Takin it to the Streets, a Doobie Brothers Experience,  covers all of The Doobie's great hits and an occasional deep track or two with stunning accuracy. CBS, NY stated, “It was one of the best tribute concerts we've seen."

Comedian  Bob Marley  returns for his annual visit, this time on a Thursday, November 14 ^th with an all new show sure to have friends laughing with tears rolling down their faces.

Wanting something a little heavier?  Dirty Deeds-an ACDC Experience  on November 30, is a great holiday gift for anyone that's in to heavy metal!  

Comedian Paul D’Angelo and Nashville recording artist Lexi James will be co headlining a “ Yee Haws and Ha Has” event for a night of hilarious stand-up comedy and sensational country music on January 25 ^th .

“ The World’s Greatest Tribute to Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers!” according to Katie Daryl, Mark Cuban and Ryan Seacrest of AXS-TV, will rock the stage on February 15th.

RentaComic brings 2 nights of comedy to chase away the winter blues to the Opera House stage on February 29 ^th and April 25. Scheduled comedians can be found on the COH website. 

On March 14th, for the Irish in all of us, Wood’s Tea Company performs bluegrass, Celtic tunes, folk songs, and sea chanties.

After standing ovations, back by popular demand , Tusk, "The World's #1 Fleetwood Mac Tribute" , returns on April 3 ^rd .  

Moondance, the ultimate Van Morrison Tribute Concert, captures the Van Morrison concert experience like no other on May 2nd.

Don't forget to check out  www.claremontoperahouse.org  for more information! For your convenience, a link is there to sign up for email notices to get breaking news on shows that have been added at the last minute as well as the chance to be in a drawing for free tickets.

Tickets make great gifts. With print at home option, tickets can be purchased online at www.claremontoperhouse.org , by phone at 603-542-4433 or in person at the Opera House Box office in City Hall Complex at 58 Opera House Square.



We look forward to seeing you soon at the Claremont Opera House! 

Bar Harbor Bank & Trust is hosting their 31 ^st  Annual Food for Good Food Drive beginning October 21 through November 22, 2019. Non-perishable food items are being collected at all bank branches to benefit local food pantries throughout Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. Join us is helping our neighbors in need by visiting your local branch with a donation for the collection bin. Cash donations are not being accepted. 

 

“As a community bank, we prioritize giving back to the people in the places we call home,” said Joseph Schmitt, SVP, Chief Marketing Officer at Bar Harbor Bank & Trust. “We are proud to continue the tradition of our fall Food for Good food drive for the 31 ^st  year to help stock the shelves of our local food pantries.” Interested to know which organization will receive your donation? Ask your banker the next time you visit your local branch!

 

Bar Harbor Bankshares (NYSE American: BHB) is the parent company of its wholly owned subsidiary, Bar Harbor Bank & Trust. Operating over 50 locations across Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont, Bar Harbor Bank & Trust is headquartered in Bar Harbor, Maine and has more than $3.6 billion in assets. As a leading Northern New England community bank, Bar Harbor Bank & Trust offers a full range of personal and business banking services, as well as wealth management services through its subsidiaries Bar Harbor Trust Services and Charter Trust Company. For more information about Bar Harbor Bank & Trust, visit  www.barharbor.bank  or call 888-853-7100. Member FDIC.

November 1 Event Features Presentation of Housing Demand Study by Dartmouth and D-H, Keys to the Valley Framework and Local Housing Market Update

 

Upper Valley business, municipal and nonprofit leaders are invited to the fall  Business Leaders Housing Breakfast , co-hosted by Vital Communities and Twin Pines Housing on November 1. The event will include presentations about a recent housing demand study conducted by Dartmouth College and Dartmouth-Hitchcock and a ‘Keys to the Valley’ framework from the Upper Valley’s regional planning commissions.

 

This year’s fall Business Leaders Housing Breakfast is set for Friday, November 1, from 7:30 to 9 a.m. at the Fireside Inn in West Lebanon. Those interested in attending can find details and register at  vitalcommunities.org/housing .

 

The semiannual Business Leaders Housing Breakfast brings leaders together to better understand the housing market in the region, the role of workforce housing in vibrant local economies and communities, and how businesses and municipalities can help develop thoughtful solutions.

 

“It’s great to see our region’s largest employers working together to measure local needs and consider investments to create homes,” said Mike Kiess, workforce housing coordinator at Vital Communities. “It shows that we all have a role to play in meeting this regional challenge. Homeowners, municipalities, and employers can all create places to live, and we need that for a vibrant future.”

 

“We’re so pleased to have Josh Keniston from Dartmouth College and Sarah Currier and Tom Goins from Dartmouth-Hitchcock here to speak about housing demand in the Upper Valley. The studies conducted by the college and hospital, along with the work done by the regional planning commissions, will be helpful tools in meeting the region’s housing needs,” said Andrew Winter, executive director at Twin Pines Housing.

 

The breakfast event will also include an update on the Upper Valley housing market from Buff McLaughry of Four Seasons Sotheby’s International Realty.

 

Registration for the fall Business Leaders Housing Breakfast is free thanks to generous sponsorship from Bar Harbor Bank & Trust and the Vermont Housing Finance Agency. A $20 donation is suggested to support Vital Communities’ workforce housing initiatives. Learn more at  vitalcommunities.org/housing .

 

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Vital Communities  cultivates the civic, environmental and economic vitality of the Upper Valley. We bring people together, bridging boundaries and engaging our whole community to create positive change. Leadership Upper Valley, a program of Vital Communities, inspires, educates, and engages leaders to better serve their communities. Learn more at  vitalcommunities.org .

 

Twin Pines Housing is the leading developer and provider of affordable housing in the Upper Valley region for individuals and families with low to moderate incomes. Its mission is to increase access to quality housing and supportive services to meet the pressing and long-term needs of the Upper Valley Community .  Twin Pines Housing currently owns 471 rental apartments with another 72 rental and four homeownership units in development.   To learn more visit  twinpineshousing.org .

November 8th will mark the second collaboration between Amplified Arts , A collaborative arts venue in Downtown Claremont and TLC Family Resource Center, a nonprofit serving children, youth, and families with a wide range of free programming.

Back in the Spring of 2018, AMP and TLC partnered to produce The Laramie Project, a theatrical piece about the Matthew Shepard murder and its effect on the community of Laramie, Wyoming. The event included a panel discussion following the live production by AMP’s Teen Academy program. The production would go on to be nominated for three New Hampshire Theatre Awards and would win for Best Actor In a Youth Production in 2019.

This time, AMP and TLC are working together to bring the story of the community that was impacted by the Sandy Hook School Shooting in 2012 with a stage reading of 26 Pebbles to be followed by a community conversation. 6 actors from AMP’s adult Company will take on 19 roles in a stripped down version of 26 Pebbles written by Eric Ulloa. Similar in style to The Laramie Project, the playwright conducted interviews with members of the community in Newtown, CT, and crafted them into an exploration of the impact of gun violence and a small town shaken by a horrific event.

“This is an important piece of theatre that AMP is honored to bring to our small stage. Our goal is to start a conversation about mental health and the impact this kind of violence has on a community as well as finding resilience and hope in the face of such violence. We are looking forward to working with TLC again through a program that brings our community together to see impactful arts at work. The unpacking of what this production means to us as artists and as a community that has struggled with mental health, drug and community violence issues, is an important conversation to have as a community,” says Shelly Hudson Producing Artist Director of Amplified Arts.

TLC Executive Director Maggie Monroe-Cassel says, “I am pleased for another partnership in which we use an art form to have a community conversation about the serious public health issue that gun violence creates and its impact on families.”

26 Pebbles by Eric Ulloa and presented through an arrangement with Samuel French, opens Nov 8th at 7PM and Nov 9th at 4PM at Amplified Arts intimate theatre space in downtown Claremont. Tickets are $12 General Public, $10 for AMP Members and will be on sale midOctober. Members of the panel will be announced on social media so make sure to like Amplified Arts and TLC on Facebook and Instagram. You can visit www.amplifiedartsnh.com or www.tlcfamilyrc.org for more information and to purchase tickets.

Taverne on the Square is now offering a 15% discount for lunch to all business members of the Claremont Chamber of Commerce. Lunch is served from 11:00am to 4:00pm

For your convenience you may consider calling an hour ahead of your desired pick up time. Then simply pick up your lunch order to go. If you prefer, we will be happy to have it ready to serve to you!

Simply mention promo code: Jasper56

JDRF - Development Coordinator

The Upper Valley Land Trust has an exciting opportunity to offer Upper Valley businesses and employees! Now in its second year of operation, the Corporate Volunteer Program puts your employees to work in the community, volunteering with our local environmental nonprofit to make a difference socially and ecologically. This offering is designed to provide an opportunity for your Upper Valley business to spend time volunteering in the outdoors and strengthen bonds between your team members. This program will benefit your business in many ways:

 

·         Engaging employees in team building activities in a beautiful environment outside of the typical workplace

·         Involving your group with our local social and natural communities

·         Providing a philanthropy opportunity for a business and its employees

·         Reenergizing and resetting a team dynamic before diving back into work projects

 

We are ready to create a volunteer experience tailored to the needs of your company! Contact Paul Blazevich ( (603) 643-6626 x 201) for program offerings, more information on CVP, or to begin customizing your own volunteer experience. UVLT’s current project offerings for CVP are attached below, which also includes program logistics and a recommended packing list for participants.

 

The Upper Valley Land Trust is a 501c3 nonprofit organization, committed to preserving natural areas, working farmlands, and priority habitat so residents and visitors alike can enjoy the scenic landscapes that make the Upper Valley so special.

Holiday Crafters and Vendors Fair sponsored by St. Mary Parish - Claremont NH

Saturday - November 2, 2019 St. Mary Gym - Main St. - Claremont NH

9:00 AM - 1: 00 PM

Featuring ...

   Area Crafters and Vendors

   Cookie and Sweet Breads Sale

   50 / 50 Raffle

   Food Concession