The
Greater Pittsfield Chamber of Commerce will host a Business
Showcase on Saturday, September 12, 2009, from 10:00-2:00 at the
Pittsfield Elementary School Gymnasium (doors open at 9:30 for
participants). Businesses from member towns of Barnstead,
Chichester, Epsom, Gilmanton, Loudon, Northwood and Pittsfield
are welcome to display their business to the public. Concessions
will be available as well as Ident-a-kid photo ID cards for
kids. Free Admission and Grand Prize Drawing of a Nintendo Wii.
For more information or to get an application visit our website
at
www.pittsfieldchamber.org or call Lyn at 435-7170.
Applications are due by September 4, 2009.
Out with the old, and in with the new. Have you ever thought
you would like to try this? We are a support group that may help
you with this. Do you need help in maintaining a lifestyle
change in diet, try TOPS, meeting Tuesdays at 6:30 p.m. at St.
Stephen’s Undercroft, Main Street, Pittsfield. We would like to
see you, or call one of us, Pat at 435-5333, or Sandy at
798-5658, with questions. TOPS is a non-profit org.
Celebrating Birthdays are: September 2, Faith Wittier; September
3, Norman Gagnon, Jacob Gray; September 4, Abigail Mousseau,
Sylvia Wallace, Nathan Kennedy; September 5, Tonia Snedeker,
Angie Spradling; September 7, Arthur Harnden, Jr., Shane
Boudreau.
A Very Happy Birthday to one and all.
Best Wishes to Tom and Ruth Huckins who will celebrate their
Wedding Anniversary on September 3rd.
Help Us
Celebrate Our 230th Birthday of the Loudon Center Freewill
Baptist Church, Clough Hill Road, Loudon, NH, on Saturday,
September 19, 2009.
A Pot Luck Supper will be held at 6 p.m.
Please bring your favorite meal or dessert to share.
A Free
Musical Concert will be held at 7 p.m.
For further
information, please call Henry at 783-4540.
Loudon Center Freewill Baptist Church, Clough Hill Road, Loudon,
will hold their Annual Sunday School Rally on Sunday, September
13th, 2009, at 10 a.m.
Food and Fun, Games and Prizes will be
included.
Care provided for parents upstairs in the
Sanctuary.
For further information, please call Stephanie at
848-2080.
The Bensons In Concert will be held at
the Loudon Center Freewill Baptist Church, 433 Clough Hill Road,
Loudon, on Saturday, September 19, 2009, at 7 p.m.
School Lunch Menus
Sept. 7-11, 2009
EPSOM
Monday
- No
School - Labor Day Weekend
Tuesday - Homemade chicken
noodle soup, salad, bread sticks, milk or yogurt tray, no salad.
Wednesday - Rib-O-Ques with roll, cole slaw, pickles, fruit,
milk or yogurt tray, or egg salad.
Thursday - Baked macaroni
& cheese, bread and butter, veg., fruit, milk, or yogurt tray,
or chicken salad.
Friday - BLT wrap, pretzels, pickles,
fruit, milk or yogurt tray, no salad.
PES
Monday
-
No School
Tuesday - Hot dog, beans, fruit, milk.esday - Mac and cheese, veggie, fruit, milk.
Thursday -
Taco salad, chips, lettuce, tomato, salsa, fruit, milk.
Friday - Pizza, veggie, fruit, milk.
PMHS
Monday
- No
school
Tuesday - Pizza, veggies, fruit, milk.
Wednesday -
Pasta, salad, fruit, milk.
Thursday - Chicken, veggies,
fruit, milk.
Friday - Sausage patties, roll, mac and cheese,
veggies, fruit, milk.
CHICHESTER
Monday
- No School -
Labor Day
Tuesday - Nachos with cheese and salsa, French
fries, carrots, pears, milk.
Wednesday - Chicken patty
sandwich, pasta salad, veggie, chocolate cake, milk.
Thursday
-
Hot dog with roll, baked beans or veggie, blueberry cake, milk.
Friday - Cheeseburger with roll, tater tots, corn, pudding,
milk.
Community Partner And Business Showcase At The Annual Greater
Pittsfield Area Senior Center Open House
Everyone over 18 is
cordially invited to our Annual Open House, Thursday, September
17th from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., at the Pittsfield Community
Center, 74 Main St., and Entrance off of Broadway. Businesses in
our communities will be here with displays and presentations of
their business. The seniors will display their art work created
during the past year. This is a great opportunity to learn
firsthand what is happening in the communities you live in.
Lunch will be served at 12 p.m. following the Pledge of
Allegiance and a prayer. The menu of the day boasts Pot
Roast with gravy, boiled potatoes and carrots, with a dessert
buffet and ice cream. Please call 435-8482 for
reservations required by 9/10/09.
We have entertainment
planned for your pleasure during the lunch hour from 12 p.m. to
12:45
Ending presentations and demonstrations will begin at
12: 45 during dessert.
Concord Regional Crimeline To Host 10th Annual Golf Tournament
The Concord Regional Crimeline will host the 10th Annual Golf
Tournament on Thursday, September 17th, at the Plausawa Country
Club in Pembroke, NH, with a rain date of Friday, September
18th. The net proceeds from donations will be used to
support ordinary Crimeline activities such as providing cash
awards for tips that result in the arrest of those who commit
crimes. At this time, the effort is on for sponsors.
At this time, the effort is on for sponsors. There are four
levels of Sponsorship: $2,000 Platinum, Foursome, ad/logo
on the back of the program, tee/hole signs/banner display;
$1,000 Gold, Foursome, banner display, holes/tee signs; $600
Silver, Foursome, hole/tee signs; and $100, hole/tee signs.
Single players will pay $100. For more information, you
can go to www.concordregionalcrimeline.com.
Secretary Shinseki Moves To Simplify PTSD Compensation Rules
Submitted By Merrill A. Vaughan
Commander, American Legion
Peterson-Cram Post #75
Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K.
Shinseki announced the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is
taking steps to assist Veterans seeking compensation for
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
“The hidden wounds of
war are being addressed vigorously and comprehensively by this
administration as we move VA forward in its transformation to
the 21st century,” said Secretary Shinseki.
The VA is
publishing a proposed regulation in the Federal Register
to make it easier for a Veteran to claim service connection for
PTSD by reducing the evidence needed if the stressor claimed by
a Veteran is related to fear of hostile military or terrorist
activity. Comments on the proposed rule will be accepted over
the next 60 days. A final regulation will be published after
consideration of all comments received.
Under the new rule,
VA would not require corroboration of a stressor related to fear
of hostile military or terrorist activity if a VA psychiatrist
or psychologist confirms that the stressful experience recalled
by a Veteran adequately supports a diagnosis of PTSD and the
Veteran’s symptoms are related to the claimed stressor.
Previously, claims adjudicators were required to corroborate
that a non-combat Veteran actually experienced a stressor
related to hostile military activity. This rule would simplify
the development that is required for these cases.
PTSD is a
recognized anxiety disorder that can follow seeing or
experiencing an event that involves actual or threatened death
or serious injury to which a person responds with intense fear,
helplessness or horror, and is not uncommon in war.
Feelings
of fear, confusion or anger often subside, but if the feelings
don’t go away or get worse, a Veteran may have PTSD.
VA is
bolstering its mental health capacity to serve combat Veterans,
adding thousands of new professionals to its rolls in the last
four years. The Department also has established a suicide
prevention helpline (1-800-273-TALK) and Web site available for
online chat in the evenings at
www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/Veterans.
Concord, Music, Open Sing
The Suncook Valley Chorale will
begin its 28th fall concert season with two non audition, open
sings for new and current members on Monday, September 14th and
Monday, September 21st, 7 PM, at the Pleasant View Retirement
Center Theatre, 227 Pleasant St. in Concord. This is a
noncommittal opportunity for YOU to try US out. If you love to
sing, come and join us to sing a wide variety of folk music from
Africa, Eastern and Western Europe, South America and American
Spirituals as we prepare for our concert in January. Visit our
website at SVCNH.ORG or call 774-3751 or 774-1919 for additional
information.
New
Pittsfield Elementary School Web Site:
www.pittsfield-nh.com/pes
Please visit Pittsfield
Elementary School’s new web site at
www.pittsfield-nh.com/pes
for the most up-to-date information on school events. The new
website, which launched just last week, is part of the town’s
web site and was created with the help of P.E.S. parent and
Pittsfield town web manager, Clayton Wood. Mr. Wood volunteered
his time during the spring and summer to plan the site with
staff and meet with teachers on the site-development project.
The Pittsfield Elementary School staff will work to update the
content of the site and improve it throughout the coming months.
Your feedback is welcome.
Letter
Thank you, Mr. DePoutot, for your letter regarding the
awesome Balloon Rally fireworks, and for your contribution to
making this great event happen for Pittsfield every year.
I
wholeheartedly support your point of view on this. I personally
believe, as most residents do, that the location of the
fireworks for the past 20 years is exactly as it should be. It
is so unfortunate that the shameful disrespect of a few, out of
thousands who would never, ever, consider sitting on a
gravestone or eating pizza on a blanket at a gravesite, would
bring us to this point. While I can only speak for myself, I
sincerely believe that the members of the Rotary and the
residents of Pittsfield do not intend to ignore this
unacceptable behavior. I’m sure additional measures will be
discussed to help prevent this behavior in the future. I would
much prefer our community come together to rectify a security
issue that involves a handful of thoughtless onlookers rather
than put an end to a 20 year tradition where the vast majority
of participants exhibit completely appropriate respect for the
living as well as the dead.
God Bless Our Troops,
Rachel
Wood
Pittsfield
Child Safety Day With Ident-A-Kid Sponsored By The Greater
Pittsfield Chamber Of Commerce
The Greater Pittsfield Chamber
of Commerce is hosting a Business Showcase on Saturday,
September 12, 2009, from 10:00- 2:00 at the Pittsfield
Elementary School Gym. Businesses from member towns of
Barnstead, Chichester, Epsom, Gilmanton, Loudon, Northwood and
Pittsfield will be on display to the public. FREE Admission -
Concessions available-NINTENDO WII GRAND PRIZE DRAWING.
This
year the Chamber is also sponsoring Ident-a-Kid at the Business
Showcase. Indent-a-Kid provides driver’s license-size
cards which contain a comprehensive and current physical
description of a child including a full-color photograph and a
fingerprint using a special electronic touchpad that meets
national standards. The FIRST 100 children will receive 1 card
compliments of the Greater Pittsfield Chamber of Commerce!
Parents can purchase 2 additional cards for $5 or 4 for $10 for
the 1st 100 children! For more information visit our
website at www.pittsfieldchamber.org or call Lyn at 435-7170.
Another’s Point Of View
In no way is this writing a rebuttal
to the many negative responses I have read in the newspapers
since Balloon Rally Weekend. Everyone is entitled to his or her
opinions or feelings, and I respect those.
However, I do want
to share another side of people’s feelings and thoughts which
appeared in the July/August issue of Yankee Magazine entitled
“Under The Exploding Sky.”
The writer tells of a neighboring
town where the 4th of July show is hosted and paid for by a
private club. Going on to say - people drive down the road and
park near the cemetery where their ancestors have always enjoyed
the best view of the lake and a mountain. They walk the rest of
the way with folding chairs and blankets into the grave yard to
join the many spectators already gathered there among the
stones, some dating back before the Revolution. Comfortably
they sit and talk, waiting for the first flare.
“Around us,
the entire cemetery has suddenly come to life, with excited
families exchanging news, sitting between headstones and under
the beautiful trees surrounding the lake. The noise resembles
that of any theater audience awaiting the show.”
Darkness
descends, everyone is silenced as colors blossom the sky and
booms shake the earth below for the next half hour. As the
finale comes with explosions, whistles, retorts and bombs
bursting in air, people are whooping, laughing and shouting
approval.
“We’ve come to equate these warlike sounds with the
end of a war and the birth of our nation.”
Amen! Joan Riel
Letter
After 10 years of providing the best service I could,
I am excited to announce that I have decided to close the doors
at Hair Advantage, and move up the road to Cindy’s Hair Affair.
I would like to thank all of my loyal patrons for your
business, and hope that you continue to visit me at my new place
of work. Please call 435-6711 to schedule your next appointment
with me.
Sincerely,
Melissa Duquette
VA
Pledge to Women Veterans on Women’s Equality Day
Secretary of
Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki pledged today on Women’s
Equality Day that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) will
work to ensure the nation upholds its obligation to meet the
needs of our Veterans – including women Veterans.
“Our
Veterans deserve the very best care. Anything less is
unacceptable,” Secretary Shinseki said. “If we are to
transform VA into a 21st century organization, we need to
continually improve our services to women Veterans.”
Although
VA has long provided equal benefits to women Veterans, the
Department has embarked on new initiatives to meet their unique
needs. These initiatives include:
• Comprehensive
primary care and specialized medical care at every VA medical
center;
• Enhanced mental health care specifically for women
Veterans;
• Staffing every VA medical center with a women
Veterans program manager;
• Creating a mini-residency on
women’s health for primary care physicians;
• Supporting a
multifaceted research program on women’s health;
• Improving
communication and outreach to women Veterans; and
•
Continuing the operation of organizations such as VA’s Center
for Women Veterans and the Women Veterans Health Strategic
Healthcare Group.
“During this observance we should remember
the special contributions and sacrifices of the 200,000 women
currently serving in the armed forces and 1.8 million who are
Veterans,” Assistant Secretary L. Tammy Duckworth said.
Women Veterans are one of the fastest growing segments of the
Veteran population. They comprise 7.5 percent of the total
Veteran population and nearly 5.5 percent of all Veterans who
use VA health care services.
VA estimates women Veterans
will constitute 10 percent of the Veteran population by 2020 and
9.5 percent of VA patients.
For more information about VA
programs and services for women Veterans, please visit:
www.va.gov/womenvet/
and www.publichealth.va.gov/womenshealth.
