REMINDER
PYBA Baseball Tryouts
The signup dates to be held in the
Pittsfield Community Center are: March 9th, 5:30 to 8pm and March
12th, 10am to 12pm.
Please help the Pittsfield School District apply for the 21st
Century Community Learning Center grant! Take our brief survey and
give Pittsfield students a chance at five years of funding for
before school, after school, and summer programs. The survey can be
found at the following link -
https://goo.gl/MWnl53 and hard copies at these locations around
town – the Town Hall, Josiah Carpenter Library, Bell Brothers, Town
Pizza, and the Pittsfield Youth Workshop.
The Pittsfield Food Pantry is need of a
replacement upright freezer. Any help by way of donation would be
appreciated. Please contact Carl O’Brien of the food pantry at
496-8345.
Letter
To the Voters of Pittsfield:
This is to announce that I am a Write-In
Candidate for the office of Town Of Pittsfield Moderator in the
elections to be held in March of 2016
Having lived in Pittsfield for 24 years
and being active in town affairs for over 20 years, I feel that I am
well qualified to fill the position. In that time, and before, I
chaired many meetings of different organizations and gained valuable
experience in organizational leadership.
I feel that I can serve the Town
effectively and impartially and so ask for your support. Please
write me in for Moderator on Election Day.
Thank You,
Fred Okrent
Letter To The Editor
VOTE ON MARCH 8th
I fully endorse both Carole Richardson and Carl Anderson for the two
3-year Selectman positions. They are not only very competent
and qualified; they also possess the impeccable qualities of honesty
and integrity. You can trust that every word they expressed in
their recent SVSun letters will be carried out as promised and in
the absence of secrecy. What Carole Richardson and Carl
Anderson will provide is desperately needed in this town – BUDGET
MANAGEMENT and TRANSPARENCY.
Several hundred home and business owners received a welcome reprieve
this year on their tax bill. They were fortunate enough to see
their property valuations decrease with the recent tax assessment.
Any decreased valuation is justified because we all know what
properties around us are selling for – that is when they sell at
all. Accepting a loss to sell your property has become the
status quo.
Several hundred home and business owners did NOT receive a reprieve
on their tax bill. Amazingly, their assessments went up!
They’re the ones who know firsthand that Pittsfield’s tax RATE
increased 4% from last year. This 2016 rate increase is easily
ignored when property assessments decrease. That temporary
break for some is short lived, however, given the history of tax
rate increases in Pittsfield. Our 2016 tax rate of $30.28 is
listed as the 15th highest tax rate out of all the towns and
municipalities in the state of New Hampshire. I looked back 10
years ago and our tax rate has increased a whopping 34% since 2006!
These tax increases are unsustainable. We need people like
Carole Richardson and Carl Anderson to scrutinize town spending and
find ways to balance an out-of-control budget, and do so with
transparency not secrecy.
I hope you will consider voting for both
Carole Richardson and Carl Anderson for Selectmen.
God Bless Our Troops,
Rachel Wood
Congratulations to Coach Uhouse and the
PMHS Middle School Boys Basketball Team for winning the 2016 Suncook
Valley Middle School Boys Basketball Championship.
Letter
Dear Pittsfield Voters,
Please consider voting for James Hetu for
zoning board of adjustment (ZBA) on March 8.
The ZBA’s main function is to decide
whether to permit land uses that the zoning ordinance normally
prohibits. The zoning ordinance or the state law defines the
conditions for permitting such uses, and the ZBA’s function in such
cases is to explain how the normally prohibited use will or will not
satisfy each defined condition. Such an explanation is crucial to
ensuring objective, fair decisions.
But our ZBA decides cases without giving
reasons, and some recent ZBA decisions look very unfair to me.
Our ZBA does not merely fail to do what it
should; it also does what it should not. The ZBA has no lawful
code-enforcement authority, but the ZBA sent a property owner a
letter questioning that property owner’s (First Amendment
protected!) right to conduct a public-interest web site. The ZBA has
no lawful town-planning authority, but the ZBA spent this past year
planning how to uproot property rights by extensive rezoning. These
unlawful activities waste taxpayer money and may prejudice the ZBA
when it decides whether to permit some normally prohibited use. Such
potential for prejudice is why state law gives the ZBA no
code-enforcement or town-planning authority.
James Hetu has personal experience with
the ZBA’s practices, and he is running to change the direction. He
has read zoning treatises and law to understand what the ZBA should
do and why, and what the ZBA should not do and why. Please consider
voting for James Hetu because a properly functioning ZBA benefits
the town by protecting property values and because it’s nice to be
treated with fairness and respect if you have to appear before a
town board.
Thank you,
Jim Pritchard
Dorcas Guild
The February meeting of the Dorcas Guild
of the First Congregational Church of Pittsfield began with a call
to order and welcome by President Mary Jo Powelson.
Nancy Fogg began with devotions reading
“Some Keep the Sabbath by Going to Church,” and “Hope Is the Thing
with Feathers,” both by Emily Dickinson, from The Best Loved Poems
of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. All joined in “The Lord’s Prayer.”
Correspondence was read. Both the
secretary’s report and treasurer’s report were accepted. The food
basket brought by Nancy Fogg, went to Gailann Newton; the mystery
package brought by Linda Towle was won by Linda Stasiak.
We next discussed our missions, with
explanations by Linda Stasiak, including: Heifer International,
“Operation New Hope,” Seafarer’s Friend, Gideon’s International,
Holy Joe’s Café, and missions supported by the NACCC. Motions were
made and approved to donate to Heifer International for clean water
programs and “Operation New Hope.”
Our 2016 service project was discussed
with updates on: the VA in Manchester, Liberty House, and the VA
Home in Tilton. A motion was made and approved that we would select
the VA in Manchester to provide twin-size blankets and spreads, hats
and mittens.
We next discussed the replacement of the
heavy wooden tables in the vestry and Pilgrim Room. A motion was
made and approved that we would purchase eight plastic replacement
tables.
It was reported that this year’s “World
Day of Prayer” would be held Friday, March 4, 7 p.m. at the
Congregational Church of North Barnstead with the focus on Cuba.
Gloria O’Connor-Biron reported on the
needs for the Easter Breakfast. Besides the various food items, she
really needs servers and clean-up help. Easter is March 27.
Refreshments featuring banana splits were
served. The next evening meeting will be March 9 at 6:30 p.m. with
Elaine Coffey and Bev Murdough as hostesses. Please bring along a
toiletry item for the Pittsfield Food Pantry.
Pittsfield’s Ice Industry
Submitted By Larry Berkson
Now that the cold weather is upon us, it
seem appropriate to write about one of Pittsfield’s forgotten
industries, the ice industry. It thrived during the first century
and a half of the community’s history but has long passed out of
existence.
In colonial days and the subsequent 19th
and early 20th Centuries, a major concern was keeping food from
spoiling. The solution was to pickle produce, and dry, salt or smoke
meat. However, there was a need to keep other products, such as
milk, from spoiling quickly. The solution was to cut ice from the
ponds in the winter, place it in warehouses, and distribute it for
use during the long hot summer.
When the first ice cutting operations were
started in Pittsfield is not known but certainly it was very early
in the community’s history. Apparently no records exist mentioning
the industry until references were made to it in local newspapers
after the Civil War.
By that time ice cutting and harvesting
was thriving in several areas of Pittsfield. None of them were very
large operations, probably employing just a few men to cut the ice,
haul it to storage sheds, cover it with sawdust, and then wait for
the summer to arrive for distribution.
In the early days workmen cut ice with a
hand saw after the ice became about 12 inches thick. By the end of
the 19th Century it was cut with large power saws. The blocks were
of varying sizes. Generally, the storage facilities were adjacent to
the body of water from which ice was being taken. If not, it was
hauled to ice houses further away by horse and wagon.
During the summer the ice man delivered door-to-door. He lifted the
large cakes out of the wagon with huge tongs and slung them over his
shoulder, which was covered with a large leather apron. He then
brought the block of ice into the house and placed it in an icebox.
I remember as a kid waiting anxiously for the ice man to deliver ice
to Harry Leavitt’s Place next door in the 1940s. He would pick off
small chunks and give them to us kids.
Some of the ice boxes were very ornate, while others were plain and
simple. The walls were lined with lead or zinc and packed with
insulation. At the top was a large compartment for the ice. A small
tube ran from there to a pan under the box which collected melted
water. The middle section was used for storing products to keep them
cool. The ice generally had to be replaced on a weekly basis.
Ice harvesting in Pittsfield took place on
the river and nearly all of its ponds. The major exception was
White’s Pond which was man made in 1899. No record has been found of
an operation on Berry Pond but it well may have had one prior to it
becoming a water supply for Pittsfield in 1884.
Yeaton and Huse was the earliest ice
company in records for Pittsfield. It was doing business in 1868.
Joseph Yeaton was born in Pittsfield in 1826 but lived in Seabrook
from 1847-1866. Returning to Pittsfield at age 21, he joined with
Thomas Huse in the ice business. Later in life Joseph went blind.
Mr. Huse was born in Vermont in 1812, but
moved to Barnstead in 1850. A miller by trade, he was a lieutenant
during the Civil War, returned to Barnstead after being disabled,
and became Post Master. At about age 56, he joined with the younger
Mr. Yeaton and went into the ice business. How long their enterprise
lasted and where they cut and stored their ice has been lost to
history.
The Suncook River was a major supplier of ice in the early years. On
October 10, 1882 William Tasker rented land next to the river on
what today is Smith Street and built an ice house. The building
burned in December of 1883. It was insured for $300 but the loss was
$800, $18,608 in today’s currency. There had been ice enough in the
building to supply his customers for the rest of the season.
In 1883 several companies cut ice on the
river. The building at the end of Chestnut Street as shown on the
1884 map of Pittsfield may have served as a storage place for one of
them.
Apparently Mr. Tasker rebuilt his ice
house because in 1885, he harvested 700 tons of “remarkably clear”
ice 18 inches thick from the river. In 1886 he cut 4000 cakes of ice
from there, each weighing about 300 pounds, making a total of 600
tons. Mr. Tasker was a farmer at the time and this was his winter
work. The following year he likely stopped his ice business, for he
was appointed superintendent of the Merrimack County Farm, remaining
in that position through 1895.
In 1888 and 1889 George Johnson harvested
ice commercially in Pittsfield. He was a farmer born about 1830 who
lived on Tucker Hill above Jenness Pond. It is quite possible that
he harvested ice there as well. Nonetheless, in June of 1890 he
acquired property in the Smith Street area along the river, perhaps
for an ice cutting operation. If so it was not to be, for in
September he sold it to the Brockton Ice Company. Strangely, the
company was comprised of eight people, none of whom apparently lived
in Pittsfield. They did not own the property long, for they sold it
to Clinton M. Green less than a month later.
An 1892 map of Pittsfield shows that Mr.
Green’s ice house was on Smith Street between what used to be the
Terry Robinson Place and the St. George home. Mr. Green continued
his business at least through 1898. Notably, he was employed on the
first milk car ever run on the Suncook Valley Railroad. Later he
operated a meat market in town and then turned to the lumber
business. He died in 1915.
In later years the river became polluted and the harvest likely
declined. The state put a stop to it entirely in 1939. The Board of
Health prohibited selling any ice harvested there. The penalty for a
violation was a fine of not more than $50 or six months
imprisonment.
Eaton Pond
Another source of ice was Eaton Pond. In 1888 Edgar Brown cut his
ice from there. Edgar was the father of Freeman Brown, and
grandfather of well-known Dolores Gilman who ran the Knit and Needle
Shop on Catamount Street near its intersection with Oneida. Edgar, a
farmer, lived in the old Eaton Place on Thompson Road. He was about
59 years old at the time, not passing away until 1901.
In 1889 Reuben T. Leavitt harvested ice
from Eaton Pond. He lived nearby across from the intersection of Old
Colony and Tan Roads. He was the renowned veteran who was seriously
wounded at Chancellorsville during the Civil War and later served as
Department Commander of the New Hampshire Grand Army of the
Republic. Mr. Leavitt was the great grandfather of Reuben Leavitt
who lives on South Main Street today. He likely stored his ice in a
shed near his house. It may have been only for personal use but some
of it may have been sold throughout the South Pittsfield and
Catamount areas.
Blake Pond
If Mr. Leavitt sold ice in his neighborhood, he may have had
competition. Five men that year cut ice in nearby Blake Pond: W. T.
Batchelder, Francis Peaslee, E. C. Emerson, George R. Drake and C.
E. Peaslee. The ice was great for harvesting that year. It was about
11½ inches thick and extremely clear. Probably most of it was for
home consumption but likely some of it was sold to provide
additional income to these farmers.
Like Mr. Leavitt, William Tenney
Batchelder was a Civil War veteran and wounded at Chancellorsville.
He continued in the service and was seriously wounded at the Battle
of Cold Harbor. Recovering, he later was wounded yet again at
Gettysburg. What he did in addition to ice cutting after the war has
not been learned but he probably farmed. He lived on the Tan Road.
Francis Peaslee built the house now
occupied by Paul Metcalf, Jr. on Dowboro Road. He was noted for
having the first large chicken farm in Pittsfield. By 1927 he had
2,000 hens which produced 40,000 chicks for sale. The farm was kept
in supreme sanitary condition. His son Charles also participating in
the ice cutting in 1889, served as pastor of the Friends Church at
Gonic for 30 years.
Edwin C. Emerson, the son of Advent
minister Charles S. Emerson, was a farmer who lived in the old Allan
Barton Place on Dowboro Road near the intersection of Tan and North
Roads. George R. Drake, who lived in the present John Barto Place on
Dowboro Road, was a local educator, and in 1890 moved to Manchester.
Within a few years devoted his life to efforts of the Grange,
serving as secretary of the state Grange from 1903-1933.
Blake Pond was used as a source for ice
for many more years. In the forenoon of February 2, 1914, for
example, Silas Dow helped John F. Bateman cut ice there. They
returned the following day and gathered a small load, most likely
for home consumption.
Mr. Dow, a farmer, lived in a house, since
removed, across the street from the old Buffum Place, the house
located at the southwest corner of Dowboro and Webster Mills Roads.
In more recent times it was occupied by the Valentyn Family. Silas
had the distinction of being the last Dow Quaker when he died in
1917.
Mr. Bateman lived near Silas. About this time, 1914, he was a
sawyer in a lumber mill. Sometime after 1920 he moved to Barrington
and by 1940 owned one. He died of a heart attack while moving his
portable mill from Gonic to Dover in 1945.
Lilly Pond
No evidence has been found that ice was
harvested commercially from Lilly Pond. However, its shallow depth
made it ideal for individuals to cut ice there and haul it to small,
private ice houses on their farms. Richard Foss recalls that Louis
French, who lived at 89 Eaton Road, former home of the Clattenburgs,
obtained his ice there and believes that his folks did also. They
stored their ice in a small building behind what is now the red
apartment building at the northeast corner of Leavitt Road and
Suncook Valley Highway.
Clark’s Pond
Clark’s Pond, now the town swimming pool,
was used the longest as a source of ice in Pittsfield, perhaps
because it was clean, of good quality, and was close to the village.
When harvesting began has not been learned but it was certainly at
an early time. Theodore Clark originally built the dam on Berry
Brook to power a wheel that ran a cloth dressing mill. He also built
some type of shop there. In 1830 the buildings, water privilege and
dam were sold to Reuben Cram, in 1842 by him to Levi Tilton, and by
Levi in 1872 to Charles Lane and John Waldo. In addition to the
dressing mill and shop, the only other buildings mentioned in the
various deeds were “the Copper Kettle and Bark Mill.” An 1875 deed
mentions a planning mill and box factory. An ice house was never
mentioned.
After 1875 the deeds mention only land and
buildings, with no reference to specific types of structures. Thus,
it is believed that sometime later an ice house was erected. It was
located on the northeast side of the Gas House Brook coming out of
the pond. Whether it initially had an ice slide from the pond
connected to it has not been established, but clearly by 1909 it
did.
A lift ran up to a height of 14 feet,
pulled by a horse, later replaced by an engine, using a pulley
system. A chute then ran across and above the road, now abandoned,
at a downward angle so that the ice would gravity feed into the
building, which was doubled walled, the center being filled with
sawdust for insulation. The ice was then covered with sawdust and
preserved for summer use.
That year William W. Gould, Jr. fell off
the top of the overpass and sprained his ankle. The mishap was
repeated about 1936 by Harrison Leduc, a young lad living in what
today is the Norman Gagnon Place on South Main Street. He was
playing on the chute and fell, but managed to avoid serious injury.
In 1883 Frank Cram cut a large quantity of ice from Clark’s Pond
reported to be of “excellent quality. Where he stored has not been
learned, but likely in an ice house at the end of the pond. Frank
was a farmer and direct descendant of town founder John Cram. He
lived on Tilton Hill in what is today the Florence Freese Place.
Henry W. Bachelder was another person
cutting ice in Clark’s Pond in 1883. It was reported that he cut
several tons. Again, where he stored it is not stated. Henry was
about 52 years old at the time, and was a blacksmith by trade.
Apparently, ice harvesting was a side occupation for him, as for
most who participated in the business. He died in 1903.
In November 1883 the firm of “Page and
Grove,” run by two milkmen, began building an ice house near the
woodshed of the railroad near the depot. It was obliquely across the
road and railroad tracks from what is today the building housing The
Suncook Valley Sun newspaper at the corner of Broadway and Cram
Avenue. It was torn down many years ago.
In 1884 about 800 tons of ice was put into
it. Four, two-horse teams and 14 men were employed to do the work.
Most likely, the ice came from the Suncook River but possibly from
Clark’s Pond.
In 1896 Joseph T. Langley and Jackson
Freese, Pittsfield’s famous stage coach driver, cut ice there that
was 14 inches thick and free of “sap” or impure ice. Mr. Langley was
a carpenter for many years and then turned to farming. He died five
days after his wife in 1907 and is buried in Floral Park Cemetery.
In 1897, William Evans and Albion Page,
owners of the land, dam, water privilege and buildings at Clark’s
Pond, sold the property to John A. Goss (see picture). That year Mr.
Goss had a dozen or more men cutting ice at the pond. He used four
horses to move it to his ice house, but where it was located has not
been learned.
Mr. Goss had come to Pittsfield in 1876 to
accept the job as cashier of the Pittsfield National Bank. In 1895
due to ill health, he and his wife Electa, later that bank’s
president, went to California. When they returned Mr. Goss sought a
more outdoor life, and among other businesses, established an ice
cutting operation. He had competition that year from two other
dealers, Charles Lougee and Clinton M. Greene, more about whom is
presented below.
Mr. Goss continued harvesting ice for
several years. In 1900 he harvested about 1,500 tons of fine ice
about 15 inches thick. The following year he was at it again,
cutting 15 inch blocks that were “perfectly clear.” Mr. Goss is
reported as an ice and coal dealer in 1902, but not thereafter. He
died the following year.
Clark’s Pond remained the main source of
ice for commercial purposes during the 20th Century. In 1904, Frank
E. Cram, mentioned above, apparently took over Goss’ operation, and
continued it through about 1915. For part of that time he joined in
partnership with a man named Barker, for a company by the name of
Cram & Barker was running an operation in Pittsfield during 1909.
Mr. Cram was a selectman, tax collector, member of the school board
and representative to the General Court. He died in 1924.
During Mr. Cram’s operation, the pond,
water privilege and dam were still owned by the heirs of John Goss.
However, in 1913 John’s wife, Electa, sold everything to Martin W.
Purtell and Harry C. Green.
Harry Green was born in Pittsfield and for many years served as town
policeman, and fire warden. He passed away in 1955 leaving three
sons and two daughters.
Martin Purtell was Canadian born and
immigrated to Pittsfield in 1913. He was the grandfather of Kenny,
Mike, Walt, and Glenna Purtell, all graduates of Pittsfield High
School. Mr. Purtell was a teamster in the coal and wood industry.
The partners operated the business until
1924 when Mr. Purtell sold his half of the operation to Mr. Green.
Records indicate that Mr. Green continued the operation in 1926, and
1929. No records have been found to indicate exactly how long he
stayed in business after 1929, but it was clearly throughout the
1930s and into the 1940s. He finally sold the land, buildings, water
privileges, and dam to Donald Farnham and Ezra O’Barton in 1945. The
following year Mr. O’Barton sold his half interest to Mr. Farnham.
The building was later torn down and a new one erected for use as a
slaughter house.
Other Ice Dealers And Peddlers
There were other ice dealers in
Pittsfield, but the source of their ice harvesting and storage has
yet to be located. In 1895 Charles Lougee was working as an ice
dealer in Pittsfield. There were several people by that name in the
Pittsfield area at the time and thus he cannot be identified
further.
Richard Foss remembers Ralph Pickering
delivering ice, and Betty (Farnham) Gould believes Charlie Drew, who
lived on Mountain Road, did so as well. After World War II William
Rogers delivered ice obtained from Concord about 1947-48. People
placed a sign in their window when they wanted ice delivered (see
picture). In 1949 his son Joseph Rogers took over and delivered
during 1949-1951.
Conclusion
Today, harvesting ice from ponds is a
novelty although it is still done in a few places. For example, the
13th Annual Ice Harvest and Winter Carnival was held in Tamworth on
February 16 of this year. But in the old days before refrigeration,
it was a necessity. Commercial operations thrived. They provided
cold storage in the summers and additional income for farmers and
others who were willing to work during the cold winters. Many
farmers cut and stored ice for themselves. Unfortunately all
vestiges of the industry in Pittsfield have long since disappeared.
Party Time à la Murder
Pictured are two of the cast of “The Game’s Afoot” —
Margot Keyes, left, portraying Madge Geisel, and Kevin Guimond,
playing Felix Geisel.
Rehearsals are in full swing for the March presentation of “The
Game’s Afoot” coming to the Scenic Theatre in Pittsfield. This
rollicking mystery/farce, written by Ken Ludwig, promises to keep
the audience guessing “whodunit” as the plot gets thicker and
trickier.
A couple of the invited party-goers, Madge and Felix Geisel, arrive
at the Gillette mansion for a festive time and find themselves in
the midst of several murders with no known culprit. Madge,
played by Margot Keyes, is a smart-mouthed-gal-about-town member of
Gillette’s acting company. She instinctively pairs up with
husband Felix, a devoted friend of Gillette, to solve the mystery
that has begun to plague their good times party. Fortunately,
or unfortunately, there are others at the mansion trying to solve
the mystery at the same time, such as a police inspector and William
Gillette himself, who slips into his alter ego Sherlock Holmes.
Can order be made of chaos? Will the real murderer be
identified before any other guests meet untimely demise? It’s
all to be seen and heard in “The Game’s Afoot.”
The Pittsfield Players’ production of “The Game’s Afoot” will be
performed March 11, 12, 18 and 19 at 7:30 pm and March 20 at 2 pm at
the Scenic Theatre, 6 Depot Street, Pittsfield, NH. Tickets
will be available in March.
Letter
Dear Pittsfield Voters,
My name is Ted Mitchell and I’m running
for a three year position on the Pittsfield School Board. Currently,
I’m filling a vacancy on the board.
I was born and raised on South Main Street in Pittsfield. Graduated
from Pittsfield High School in 1968. Joined the Navy right out of
school, retiring after 21 years of service. Returned to Pittsfield
in 2005. I am currently Chair of the Economic Development Committee
and Secretary of the Master Plan Committee.
My involvement in the School District
includes:
- A member of the Good To Great Team
(GTGT) that replaced the CAC. The GTGT’s purpose is to ensure PMHS
continues to improve and not stagnate.
- Was a member of Safe Routes To School
Task Force (grant was received for Pittsfield sidewalk project -
ground breaking planned for this year).
- Member of the PMHS Site Council -
3 years. (recently reappointed).
- Participated in the Pittsfield
Elementary School (PES) development of their logic model which will
provide continuity for students when advancing from PES to PMHS (has
been approved by the School Board).
- Member of the Community Wellness
Coalition.
- Member of Pittsfield High School Alumni
Association Executive Committee - 6 years.
I am levelheaded, even-handed, logical,
practical, creative and a good problem solver.
I ask for your support in electing me to
the School Board. Thank you!
Ted
Epping Well & Pump Welcomes Kathy Kelley
To Pittsfield Office
The Pittsfield Office of Epping Well & Pump welcomes our new
Pittsfield Office Manager, Kathy Kelley. In this role, Kelley
will support our local customers, both residential and commercial,
with their water testing, water treatment, irrigation, and pump and
well needs. She will work to increase our community
involvement through local Chamber of Commerce, Rotary, and other
group functions.
“Even though I’ve been a home owner for 20 years, I didn’t realize
how quickly your water quality can change, or the importance of
regular testing to ensure you’re supplying your family with clean
water. I couldn’t be happier or prouder to join such a great
team with such an important mission,” says Kelley.
Kelley comes to us after working 25 years for Pitco in Bow in their
Scheduling, Engineering, IT, Customer Service and Accounting
Departments; serving most recently as Staff Accountant. This
varied experience and knowledge will help her serve our Pittsfield
region customers with their water needs. Having lived in
Barnstead for 20 years, she is very excited to have the opportunity
to work with her neighbors.
Please feel free to stop by our office at
26 Main Street and welcome her.
About Epping Well & Pump:
Epping Well & Pump is a leader in
providing quality service for a wide range of water needs including
pump replacement, system repair, water treatment, irrigation, and
has a state accredited laboratory for water testing. With 30 years
of experience, your water system will be in good hands with Epping
Well & Pump. Many of our technicians have been working in the
industry for over 15 years and are ready to listen to you and
provide a solution to your water problems.
For more information, contact: Abby Fopiano,
[email protected],
603-679-5299
American Legion Loudon Post 88 News
Submitted By Commander Shawn Jones
We held our February meeting on the 17th
with 11 members present. We heard a presentation from our building
committee regarding bid proposals for the renovation of our new
building. After much discussion a vote was taken to award one of the
two local contractors the bid. The vote was 10 in favor and 1
abstaining. I signed the contract and renovations will begin soon
once we receive the necessary permit(s) from the town. Thanks again
to the time and effort that Stan Prescott and Gary Tasker put into
this endeavor. We will be holding off on seeking a grant from Home
Depot due to certain restrictions they have. Thanks to Shane Labonte
for gathering the information and making contact with Home Depot. In
the future we maybe able to apply for a grant once we have a known
project that will meet their criteria. Shane was also able to help
one member obtain hearing aids from the Manchester VA.
Please come to our March meeting where we
will be accepting nominations for post officers. If you want to run
for one of the many positions let it be known so that you can be
nominated from the floor. If you want to continue to serve in your
present position we will need to know that as well. Swearing in for
all officers will be at the April meeting. We’d love to see some
support from our membership. Our Post is moving in the right
direction with our new post building and our supporting of Legion
programs and community service, so why not be a part of it.
We need approximately six members to make
100% for 2016. Our membership as of 2/11/16 is 91.78%. We have six
members that had not renewed for 2016 according to Department
figures but by the time you read this a few of those members will
have renewed. Thanks to the effort of Larry Hemphill for talking to
these members. I’ve also have heard from a couple of our members
that they have individuals who want to join. With any luck we will
exceed 100% membership and grow our post roster.
Our Americanism Chairman Michael Hartt has
been hard at work promoting the High School Oratorical program. On
February 6th District Five held its first HS Oratorical contest in
two years. The contest was held at Faith Community Bible Church in
Loudon and the winner was Sophomore Hana Testerman of Chichester.
She has advanced to our state competition to be held on February
27th at Saint Anselm College in Manchester. She did an excellent job
with her oration on a section of the US Constitution and one of its
Amendments. For her efforts she was awarded $200.00 from the
District. We all wish her well on the 27th. We would like to thank
State Representatives Dan and Carol McGuire for coming over and
judging the contest and to people who turned out to watch. We’d like
to thank FCBC for allowing us the use of the church for the morning.
We received two letters from the Loudon
Food Pantry for our financial donations in November and December.
The NH Veteran’s Home in Tilton also sent us a thank you letter for
our December donation. I brought in a large number of thank you
letters and drawings from the third grade students at Loudon
Elementary School. The students wrote personal letters thanking the
Legion for the donation of dictionaries that we made possible
working with the Loudon Lions Club. Your letters of thanks where
very much appreciated.
I reported that I sent a letter to the Loudon Selectman thanking
them for supporting our post and the veterans we serve. I am selling
this years NH Department Legion convention pins for $3.00 each. They
feature the Old Man of the Mountain with the emblems of the
AL,SONS,AUX & ALR. If you would like to purchase one please contact
me. I am also helping out the Department’s 100th Centennial
Committee by offering for sale raffle tickets for $10.00 each or
three for $25.00. Prizes are as follows. $2500, $1000 & $500 to be
awarded at the Legion’s convention in May. Contact me if you are
interested in purchasing tickets. I have a limited number available.
Our Commanders Fund Raffle winners where:
$50-H.Stevens, $25-R.Morin, $10-K.Hart, $10-J.Sweeney & $5-G.Laforo.
Congratulations to this month’s winners.
Our next meeting is scheduled for March
16th at 1900, at Charlie’s Barn. Think Spring!
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