Those Celebrating Birthdays are: October 28,
Jennifer Boisvert, Steve Fife; October 29, Aimee Adams; October 30,
Robin Derby; October 31, Rich Plante, Fern Bond; November 1, Michael
Argue.
A Very Happy Birthday To One and All!
Celebrating Anniversaries are: October 28, Ray and
Diane Lammott.
Best Wishes!
Pittsfield Boy’s Basketball 9th Annual Holiday Fair
at Pittsfield High School gymnasium, Saturday, November 19, 2011,
from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm.
For more info on registering, contact: Jason Darrah,
Varsity Boy’s Basketball Coach at 608-6840.
Free Thanksgiving Dinner at the Epsom Fire Station
12-2 pm Nov 24th.
Looking for food donations and volunteers to help
serve. Open to all. Call Karen at 603-736-9954.
Winners in the September drawing at the
Peterson-Cram Post No. 75 American Legion Post were: Heidi Parker,
Lucia Metcalf, David Hartley, Gloria Monahan, Barbara Martin.
Winners in the October drawing at the Peterson-Cram
Post No. 75 American Legion Post were: Richard Weeks, F. Chester
Adams, Bonnie Chagnon, Alan Enario, Clarence Schmidt.
The Sunrise Farmer’s Market in Pittsfield is now
closed for the season and we all wanted to thank the community
members who came out and supported us in our new location. We loved
seeing those of you that we knew from our Dustin Park location and
we loved meeting those who came to visit us for the first time. We
also would like to send a special thank you to Scott and Donna Ward
of Exit Reward Realty who allowed us to set up on their property -
hopefully those who visited the market appreciated the new location
as well as the vendors did. We would love some feedback from the
community regarding the market, any suggestions or comments can be
sent to
[email protected] Thank you all and have a blessed
winter.
Christmas Fair
Mark your calendar for the Dorcas Guild’s Christmas
Fair -- Saturday, November 19, 9-2, at the First Congregational
Church, 24 Main Street, Pittsfield.
Letter
Dear Citizens of Pittsfield, Epsom, and Allenstown:
Please be aware that State "representatives" Dan and
Carol McGuire have a personal agenda. They say they represent you
the 99% but they do not. They represent the 1%. They represent the
wealthiest Americans and corporations that are attempting to hijack
our New Hampshire democracy. They are not job creators but job
destroyers from out-of-state. They are masterful political
manipulators, which as recently described in Carol McGuire’s letter,
are now manipulating students and their professor at the University
of New Hampshire to do their dirty work for them. It is very ironic
that these students, that have suffered from the recent cuts to UNH,
led by the McGuires and their ilk, are now helping the McGuires find
more ways to cut the government services and education funding that
they need to continue their education and careers. Dan and Carol
McGuire are ultra right wing anti-democracy carpetbaggers that are
in NH to destroy our democracy. Citizens of Pittsfield, Epsom, and
Allenstown, please vote out Dan and Carol McGuire, they do not
represent you the people!
Owen David
Pittsfield NH
The Pittsfield High School Class of 1945 recently
had a mini reunion at Johnson’s Restaurant in Northwood. Pictured
above from left to right are Charles Green, Vice President, Arnold
Stock, Jeanne Eastman, Dave Clark, Class President, John and Alma
Herndon, Barbara Gilman, and Joseph Rogers. A good time of
reminiscing about school days was enjoyed by all. We plan to get
together next year, and hope others in our class will be able to
join us.
Letter
I read the Pittsfield Town Clerk’s letter. It
prompted me to write and thank Pittsfield for stepping up to help
Chichester.
I drove to Pittsfield to register two vehicles.
There were two windows and right away they asked me if I was from
Chichester. The woman on the left said she could help me. She
greeted me with a smile and made me feel welcome. It’s exactly the
type of community spirit that makes living here so enjoyable.
There are other ways this same cooperative spirit
can help our struggling communities. I read where Boscawen, Andover,
Salisbury, and Webster joined to buy items in bulk saving money. How
far can this go? It’s almost without end. These are difficult times,
budgets in crisis, many towns lack money for simple basic services
and are barely able to meet safety margins. It doesn’t have to be.
Like the examples above, I believe our towns should immediately form
committees to find ways our towns can work together to meet these
challenges. It’s a win-win situation.
I’ve seen where ambulance services are shutting
down, double digit increases in health insurance and public employee
retirement costs, services being cut, libraries cutting services or
closing, heated town hall meetings over budget concerns, maintenance
costs, rising taxes, etc. It doesn’t have to happen. This is 2011
and it’s not like the old days when travel was difficult. It now
takes only minutes to reach another town. If it meant saving money
and having increased services, everyone should embrace it.
Town leaders should take up this subject immediately
and each town should create a committee to find ways
services/resources can be combined. Make legal commitments! Get
public input! Yes, making some of the needed decisions are
difficult, but these are difficult times and it calls for nothing
less. Getting to know your neighbor, now that’s community spirit...
sounds pretty good, huh.
Doug Potter
Chichester NH
VA Outperforms Private Health Care in Breast Cancer
Screenings
Submitted By Merrill A. Vaughan, Commander
American Legion Peterson-Cram Post 75Pittsfield, NH
03263
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is
recognizing Breast Cancer Awareness Month this October by asking all
female Veterans to talk with their health care providers about
appropriate breast cancer screenings, such as regular mammograms.
"The Department of Veterans Affairs has an
outstanding breast screening program," said Secretary of Veterans
Affairs Eric K. Shinseki. "I urge all women Veterans to talk to
their providers during Breast Cancer Awareness Month about receiving
the appropriate screening."
Both men and women can develop breast cancer, though
male breast cancer is rare. In women, breast cancer is the second
most common cause of cancer death and the odds that a woman will be
diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime are one in eight.
The good news is that the overall five-year survival
rate from breast cancer is nearly 90 percent. If the cancer is
caught while it is still located only in the breast, the survival
rate increases to nearly 99 percent.
A regular mammogram, or x-ray of the breast, is one
of the most effective ways to detect breast cancer early. VA excels
at breast cancer screenings, outperforming private health care
systems, with 87 percent of eligible women receiving screening
mammograms. However, VA is concerned that every woman get
appropriate screening.
Veterans can talk with their VA health care
providers. The VA directory,
www.va.gov/directory, helps Veterans find their nearest
facility.
Non-Veterans can find local screening resources
through the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s early
detection program at
www.cdc.gov/cancer/nbccedp.
"Mammograms can detect breast cancer early, and
early detection makes a big difference in a woman’s chance of
surviving," said Dr. Stacy Garrett-Ray, VA’s deputy director of
comprehensive women’s health. "If you’re over 40 years old, talk
with your provider about the best screening methods for you."
In line with national guidelines, VA encourages all
women between ages 50 and 75 to get mammograms every two years.
Women ages 40 to 50 and those older than 75 should talk with their
providers about the risks and benefits of having mammograms and make
a decision based on their individual risk factors.
Although rare, a younger woman can also get breast
cancer. Any change from normal should be checked out by a health
care provider.
Breast cancer risk factors include getting older,
having a close family member with breast cancer, being overweight or
obese, previous radiation therapy/exposure to the breasts or chest,
not exercising, and having certain gene mutations. Having these risk
factors does not mean that a woman will develop breast cancer, but
they should be brought to the attention of her health care provider.
Although October is Breast Cancer Awareness month,
VA wants women to focus on their health all year round. For more
information about women’s health topics, visit
www.womenshealth.va.gov; and click on "Wellness & Healthy
Living."
Women Veterans are one of the fastest growing
segments of the Veteran population. Of the 22.7 million living
Veterans, more than 1.8 million are women. They comprise nearly 8
percent of the total Veteran population and 6 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.
A Women Veterans Program Manager is designated to
assist women Veterans at each VA Medical Center nationwide. They are
available to help coordinate all services, from primary care to
medical services to Mental Health and Sexual Abuse Counseling.
To learn more about breast cancer, please visit:
www.cdc.gov/cancer/breast and
www.healthline.com/health/breast-cancer.
For more information about VA programs and services
for women Veterans, please visit:
www.va.gov/womenvet and
www.womenshealth.va.gov.
TOPS News
Submitted By Terrie Azotea
Well, it sure was an awesome meeting at TOPS; our
weight loss was great. Kudos to those who lost. We talked about the
KOPS Honor Society that some members went to. I heard some awards
were handed out and it was a really good time. We had one of our
members make it to being a KOPS, which is an honor. KOPS stands for
Keep off Pounds Sensibly, once you have gotten to your goal weight.
So Great Job!!
We talked about some different exercises that people
could do if they have a sit down job. Different ways of stretching
in the office and ways to help our bodies feel better.
Apples are in season right now so go grab a nice
juicy apple and get outside and enjoy some sunshine before the cold
weather comes. The leaves are beautiful to see with a nice walk
threw the woods. Well, I hope everyone has a great week!
If anyone is interested in joining us, we meet on
Tuesday nights at the St. Stephen’s Church on Main Street in
Pittsfield. Please call Laurel Tiede at 269-8721 or Pat Smith at
435-5333 and they would be glad to answer any questions. We would
love to see you there.
"Nobody can lose weight for you. TOPS can open the
door."
See you lighter next week!
VA Announces PSA About Women Veterans
Nationwide Release Encourages Public To Join VA
Culture Change
Submitted By Merrill A. Vaughan, Commander
American Legion Peterson-Cram Post 75Pittsfield, NH
03263
The Department of Veterans Affairs is taking its
internal culture-change message to the public with a new video about
the vital role women play in the military and the importance of
providing women Veterans with high quality health care.
VA’s Women Veterans Health Strategic Health Care
Group recently completed a 60 second public service announcement
(PSA) that challenges viewers to rethink pre-conceived notions about
women Veterans. This dynamic video features images of women in
service to our country: they drive supply trucks, participate in
reconnaissance missions, walk safety patrols, and operate helicopter
machine guns.
"When these brave women complete their service and
become Veterans, we want them to know that VA is there to meet their
health care needs," said Dr. Patricia Hayes, Chief Consultant of the
VA’s Women Veterans Health Strategic Health Care Group. "At the same
time, we want the public to recognize the contributions of women
Veterans and the benefits they have earned through their service to
the Nation."
The PSA is available for viewing on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_profilepage&v=BOP5DCgjxPE
and www.va.gov. Broadcast organizations interested in obtaining a
broadcast-quality version of the PSA should contact VA’s Office of
Public Affairs (202-461-7600).
The number of women using VA has doubled in the past
decade, and that increase is expected to continue into the next
decade.
More than half of the women using VA health care
have a service-connected disability. These range from combat PTSD to
missing limbs. The PSA gives a sampling of the service-connected
disabilities women Veterans must cope with on a daily basis.
The PSA was developed for nationwide release from a
new employee orientation video-available at
www.womenshealth.va.gov-created as part of VA’s ongoing efforts
to change its culture to be more understanding and accommodating of
women Veterans and honor the important service they have given our
country.
"VA’s goal is to provide the highest quality care
for every Veteran, regardless of gender. Part of this initiative has
been educating staff so they understand and appreciate that it is
their job to make sure women Veterans receive the best care
anywhere," said Hayes.
In addition to new employee orientation, VA is
spreading its culture-of-change message to current employees through
posters, conferences, and e-mail messaging. VA health care providers
are all given the opportunity to participate in a ground-breaking
mini-residency program in Women’s Health for Veterans. This program
has already educated more than 1,100 VA providers on the latest
knowledge in gender-specific health care.
For more information about VA programs and services
for women Veterans, please visit:
www.va.gov/womenvet and
www.womenshealth.va.gov.
Dorcas Guild
The Pittsfield Congregational Church Dorcas Guild
held its regular meeting on October 11th with twenty in attendance.
Nella Hobson, president, opened the meeting and welcomed Vivian
Horne. Devotions were given by Nancy Fogg and included a reading
"The Inviting Colors of Fall", which spoke of a person’s warmth and
character, linking them to the fall colors and Christian behavior.
Along with each color mentioned, a verse of Scripture was read,
relating to the color. All joined in the Lord’s Prayer.
Joan Riel, secretary, read her minutes of the
previous meeting, read correspondence and circulated several cards
for signing. Reny Boyd, treasurer, gave her financial report.
The food basket, brought by Arlene Weeks, was taken
by Gail Ann Newton and will go next to Evelyn Richard. The apron was
taken by Elsie Morse and will travel next to Sue Case. The mystery
package, brought by Shirley Bleckmann, was won by Gail Ann.
Mary Jo Powelson and Nancy Fogg reported on the
annual Christmas Fair status, to be held on November 19th. Freda
Jones and Louise Kenney will handle the food table, Audrey Moore,
the luncheon while Joan Riel and Nella Hobson are in charge of
publicity. The final work meeting will be held November 9th. Set-up
will be done November 16th. Joan and Nella are co-chairs of the
Craft Fair featuring area craftsmen, to be held December 3rd.
Contracts will be in the mail soon.
The service project of warm clothing items for the
needy has begun and will continue through the fall and winter
months. All donations are welcome. Material samples for vestry
tableclothes were shown and discussed. It was voted to buy four new
ones the same as the current, or buy material for four to be made.
$250 was voted to the Pittsfield Secret Santa Program. Information
and a quote was presented for an AED system. Discussion was tabled
until after the fairs. A monetary gift was voted to Rev. Dave in
honor of Pastor Appreciation Month.
Mary Jo Powelson, Nancy Fogg and Cindy Cyr offered
to serve on a nominating committee, to bring a slate to the November
meeting for a vote. The Guild will host the Sunday Fellowship Hour
on November 6th.
Delicious refreshments of homemade pies and ice
cream, crackers and cheese and beverages were served by Nancy Fogg,
Freda Jones, and Elsie Morse. A game of "charades" was enjoyed.
The next meeting will be held on November 8th with
Kathy Bergeron and Joan Riel, as hostesses. This will be the annual
"Sock Hop" meeting when members are asked to bring "new socks for
charity" and Prayer Partners (secret pals) will be drawn.
Pittsfield School District CAC Hosts
Celebration/Thank You Dinner
The Pittsfield School District Community Advisory
Council (CAC) hosted a Celebration / Thank You Dinner on Tuesday,
October 11, 2011, in the PMHS cafeteria. This event celebrated the
year-long planning process for the redesign of the Pittsfield School
District and provided an occasion to thank some of those who have
been involved in this process.
When the School District received a one-year
planning grant in December 2010 from the Nellie Mae Education
Foundation, the newly formed Community Advisory Council accepted the
challenge of developing a long-term plan for the transformation of
PMHS to a truly student-centered learning environment.
Following a welcome from CAC Chairperson Scott
Brown, the approximately eighty attendees enjoyed a dinner prepared
by Café Services, which has been operating the district’s food
service since August, and sponsored by the Nellie Mae Education
Foundation.
Each of the six sub-teams that contributed to the
planning process – Best Practices, Communications, Data, Logic
Model, Performance Management, and Policy – provided a brief report
on its work as well as a brief preview of the next steps in the
process. Updates on two major recent events – community involvement
in a strategic planning process and in a review of the
superintendent’s job description – were also provided.
It was announced that Volunteer NH, a statewide
clearinghouse for voluntary service in New Hampshire, has selected
Pittsfield Listens as a winner of a Spirit of New Hampshire award
for its outstanding voluntary service to Pittsfield. Pittsfield
Listens will be recognized at an awards ceremony on November 8 at
the Capitol Center for the Arts in Concord for conducting a series
of listening meetings in August that focused on strategies for
school improvement in Pittsfield. Supported by the Nellie Mae
Foundation and the Carsey Institute, Pittsfield Listens will
continue to serve as a vehicle for community conversations about
important issues.
Several special guests praised the planning work of
the CAC in support of the PMHS transformation to student-centered
learning, including Nick Donahue, president and CEO of the Nellie
Mae Education Foundation; Mary Sylvia Harrison, vice-president of
the Foundation; Virginia Barry, New Hampshire commissioner of
education; Paul Leather, deputy commissioner; Zach Powers, executive
director of the Pittsfield Youth Workshop; and Ed Vien, chairperson
of the Pittsfield Board of Selectmen.
The district’s six-year transformational plan
focuses on six key areas for school development: student ownership
of learning, academic achievement, 21st Century skills, adult roles,
and community involvement. The plan will be submitted to the
Foundation by the end of October; the Foundation is expected to
announce awards by the end of December. Pittsfield is one of seven
New England schools in the running for a long-term grant; the
Foundation will award grants to no more than four candidates.
The Pittsfield community can be proud of the
contributions it has made towards this major effort. Moving forward,
the school district recognizes that the success of such an
initiative relies heavily on the support of the community it serves.
Behind The Scene At The Pittsfield Players’
Man Of LaMancha: Set Design
Scott Aubertin, Set Designer for The Pittsfield
Players’ production of Man of LaMancha.
The Pittsfield Players’ fall production of Man of
LaMancha faces the same challenge as every Players’ production – how
to design a set with maximum impact on one of the smallest stages in
the state. Director John Charron has chosen Scott Aubertin to design
the set for this show, which recreates a dungeon from the days of
the Spanish Inquisition.
Man of LaMancha will run at the Scenic on Friday,
Saturday and Sunday, November 11, 12 and 13, and again the following
week on Friday and Saturday, November 18 and 19. Tickets, which are
$15 per person, are on sale now and can be reserved by visiting the
Players’ website www.pittsfieldplayers.com and clicking on the TicketLeap button,
or by calling 435-8852.
Scott and John began formulating ideas for the set
design by attending another production of the show in the Lakes
Region. What they saw did not impress them, and they both felt that
the Pittsfield Players could do much better with their set design.
In the 1976 Players’ production, the cast performed in front of
plain black flats and director Roland Charron used the aisles of the
Scenic Theater for grand entrances, intead of a staircase. Scott,
who was in the cast of that original show, wanted to put the entire
stage area to use for this revival, and so he envisioned moving
stairs and a look of a subterranean prison with stones and timbers.
He later reconsidered the moving stairs, but stuck to the idea of
stairs as necessary to the mood of the set.
Once he had sketched a basic plan, the sketch was
put into an Illustrator computer program, giving a real color
picture of how the set would actually look. That picture was then
scaled and transferred into a floor plan that was taped out onstage,
ready for the set crew to build.
Master Carpenter Bob Charron then went to work with
his crew to build the staircases and platforms, bringing the picture
to reality. Assisting Bob in the building were Steve Aigner, Al
Solberg, and Clayton Wood. The result has been a multi-dimensional
set which includes many angular walls as well as an incredible
curved wall. As Scott said, he "decided to shoot for the moon in his
design and figured if he got 60% of what he wanted, it would be
great. But Bob and his team gave me 100% of what I wanted, and
that’s fantastic." He added that the design will allow for many
special lighting effects which will include backlighting and
projections, adding to the mood of the program.
Stay tuned for more Behind the Scene next week, when
we’ll learn more about the lead actors in the show and their
thoughts on Man of LaMancha. And be sure to reserve your tickets now
for this spectacular show.
Letter
Dear Pittsfield Residents:
On October 6th the Planning Board met. We reviewed
the Ballot Articles and planned for the Public Hearing on these
ordinance changes - November 3rd, 7:00 pm at the Town Hall.
Sincerely,
Ted Mitchell, Chairman
Pittsfield Planning Board
|