Ryen’s Benefit 2012 A Great Success

“Ryen’s Benefit” 2012 was a weekend long softball tournament that was held for Ryen Blackey. Seven teams played the entire weekend of August 10-12th in rain and sun to raise money for Ryen.

Ryen, being born with brain and spinal tumors has had 43 surgeries. At Ryen’s request, the money raised was donated to the Ride for Kids, a program that supports the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation. All that Ryen asked for was his own personal laptop.

We are happy to say that Ryen’s wishes were fulfilled. He left the tournament with a brand new Dell laptop and a certified bank check for $700.00 that he will personally deliver to the Ride For Kids Center in Massachusetts.

We would like to thank the following coaches and their teams for playing the entire weekend for Ryen; Carroll Hodgdon Jr. and the “Slammers”, Jason Mayotte and “Cindy’s Boys”, Frank Kelley and  the “Bombers”, Andrew Morse and “Team Morse”, Vlad Hormis and “BLS”, Scott Perkins and the “Patriots”, and Ralph Blackey and the “Blackeys.”

Congratulations to Cindy’s Boys for taking 1st place, The Bombers for taking 2nd place, and Team Morse for taking 3rd place!

Thank you to the town of Chichester for allowing us use of the ball field, the Barnstead Elementary School for the use of the school field, and to Kenny Thoroughgood for use of the 126 field.

We would also like to thank the following people/companies for their part in the tournament; Carroll and Brenda Hodgdon, Dan and Kristina Schram, Kenny and Dixie Thoroughgood,  Ross from the Suncook Valley Sun, the Concord Monitor, the Baysider, Sports Authority in Manchester, Custom Ink.com, and Crown Trophy. Thank you to everyone in the community who donated money to the collection jars that were placed at various locations. This money was used for backpacks and school supplies for Ryen and his younger brother Robert.

In closing, we would like to say it is an amazing  feeling to see people come together and do such a positive thing for someone that some of them didn’t even know. It is also amazing to see Ryen have such a big heart and want to help others. Thank you Ryen for being the person you are and for teaching us all that  life is worth living no matter what our circumstances.  You truly are amazing!

Craig and Jamie Thoroughgood

Barnstead Firefighters Association 5K Road Race/Fun Walk

There is still time to register for the Barnstead Firefighters Association 5K Road Race and Fun Walk on August 25th at 9 am.

The course is an “out and back” that follows the Suncook River from the Parade to the intersection with Rt. 126 and then returns to the Parade along the same route for the Finish.  The race course is USATF certified for accuracy and is considered flat and fast.  Refreshments will follow the race along with a Fun Race for the Kids at the Barnstead Parade grounds. 

Registration forms are available at www.bfr06.com; email [email protected] or call 603-312-5648. Online registration is also available at www.running4free.com. Race Day Registration at the Barnstead Parade grounds is $20.

The race is part of Run for Food Race Series.   Please join us and show your support by bringing a non-perishable food item on race day for donation to the Barnstead Food Pantry.  Hope to see you at the races!

Letter To The Editor

Dear Editor:
I write this letter in support of two great candidates for the New Hampshire House of Representatives.

Guy Comtois is running for re-election in the Town of Barnstead. True to his word, Guy has kept every promise made to his constituents. He has been a friend to the farmer, small business person, and to the working families of his district. Honest, principled and determined to bring positive change to Concord, Guy is a fighter against the tax and spenders. We need to re-elect him.

Jane Comier is an unabashed conservative who will stand for fiscal restraint and smaller government. In speaking with her, I have come to understand the true meaning of the word conviction. Jane’s core principles and obvious enthusiasm show that Alton, Barnstead and Gilmanton would be fortunate to have such representation.

I am proud to support Guy Comtois and Jane Comier for office.

Respectfully submitted,

Don Walker
Barnstead

Reflections On The Past Year Of Travel
Submitted By Jess Emory

And now, it is all over. My year of travel, adventure and research started over two years ago when I applied for the Watson Fellowship, a grant from a foundation originally founded and funded by Thomas J. Watson, the founder of the computer company IBM. For over forty years, this organization has funded a number of students from small schools across the US to go out into the world for a year and research a topic of their interest. In their words: “to provide graduating seniors of ‘unusual promise’ the opportunity to build the year of their dreams.” I was lucky enough to be one of those graduating seniors.

I grew up here, in Barnstead, and watched as society became more and more disconnected from the traditional crafts of the area (spinning, weaving, knitting...) and wondered if something similar was happening to traditional craft communities across the globe. I proposed my project under the title: ‘A Dy(e)ing Breed? Traditional Fiber Artists in the 21st Century.’ On July 5th 2011, I got on a plane and never looked back.
From Iceland and glaciers in the midnight sun, a place where even sassy skateboarding youth wear hand knit sweaters and appreciate the work to Romanian farms and tzuica with goulash, through South East Asia and the wool abundance of New Zealand, to the textile capital on Shaoxing, China and north to Mongolia and in and out of felt houses and across the Steppes on horseback, chugging through Siberia to Finland before returning home, I explored, discovered, wondered, questioned, spun, wove, dyed, got lost, got found, hoped, dreamed, and continued to be completely amazed that this was my life.

After returning from my year out, I attended the returners conference hosted at Lawrence College in Wisconsin. I walked out of the airport in Appleton to find three other fellows getting picked up. We met with hugs, huge smiles, and an immediate awareness that these were ‘our people.’ Writing it now, even after having spent four non-stop days with these people, it still sounds hokey, but it’s the absolute truth. I was putting faces with the projects I had read about on the website. I heard about surgeries in the jungles of South America, sword dances stepped across Europe, food chains fractured across the globe. Even though I’d never met these people before, had only dreamed of them as faceless strangers wandering the back streets of the world just as I was doing, I had no doubt that they were my family.

We spent the next two days each giving ten minute presentations, glimpses into the worlds that we all lived, alone and uniquely isolated, for the past twelve months. There was a man who lived so far north that his year was snowcapped, as he traversed the wild wilderness of northern Canada and Europe, learning to hunt and live off the land. Another followed the gay rights movement and legalizing gay marriage. Still another did Jewish history and cane glass work.

We broke down into discussion groups and talked about challenges, realizations, and life changes. Around a table with ten faces that, only days ago, I had never seen before, I heard my own realizations being spoken by my peers. The mind numbing loneliness of a year of solo travel, the appreciation that the only things in life really worth striving for are people, that is what our lives are really all about. We talked about our different challenges- one fellow nearly lost his leg after a motorbike accident, another had Dengue Fever. Some of us fell in love, some of us had our hearts broken. Some of us lived with prostitutes, were seduced by hosts, challenged to face parts of ourselves we may not be proud of. We were broke, won marathons, rocked poetry slams, ate camel. We made friends, made do, made memories, and moved on.

By the last morning, we were a family, a family of the kindest, most creative and interesting people. I met dancers and singers and performers, biologists studying yogurt cultures, people interested in creating safe spaces to deal with social issues. Many people are blessed with a family bound by blood that will stand behind them. I am not only blessed with that, but with a life rich with friends, and now the wealth of a second family, one that will stand by me because they believe in me and share my history.

Many of us talked about not knowing what to do next. For some, it was literal. There are a few of us bound for graduate school in the coming weeks, and others have no hard plans. The question of what comes next applies to all of us. As we talked over meals, in the dorms, between presentations, well into the night and as the sun rose in the morning, we all figured out that we are ready for whatever comes next. We don’t have it figured out, we don’t have the pieces to fit together, and that is okay. We are strong and vibrant and resilient. We are survivors, the future doctors and teachers and creative spirits. We did it. We are Watsons.

Barnstead Historical Society

August Meeting/Summer Picnic

The Barnstead Historical Society will hold its August Meeting on August 23rd at 6:00 pm.

The Meeting will be held at the Home of Ken and Sandy Burt, Neva Dun Farm, at 77 Peacham Rd. in Center Barnstead. The Pot Luck Supper/Picnic will start at 6:00 pm. Beverages will be provided.

A short business meeting will follow. All are welcome.

The Barnstead Historical Society will have a space at ‘The Gathering on the Green’ on Saturday, August 25th. We look forward to seeing you there. For more information call Sandy at 776-7000.

Coaches Needed For Barnstead Soccer Teams

The town of Barnstead is gearing up for it’s annual season of fall soccer. Children from Kindergarten through 8th grade have signed up and excitement is mounting. Schedules are being set by the newly appointed Soccer Coordinator, Hollie Kelley, who is sure to do a fabulous job arranging schedules, deciding teams, and keeping everything on track to have a fun-filled season.

Coaches are in short supply this year. We’re hoping local parents, teachers, soccer lovers, and anyone else interested in supporting a wonderful activity through coaching a child’s team will step up and fill the vacancies. All ages are sure to have a blast participating in this great game.

For more information, interested parties can contact the Barnstead Parks and Rec Commission at [email protected] or call 603-269-4071 and leave a message on extension 8.

Barnstead Parks And Rec Commission Thanks Past

Volunteers For Their Dedication
Submitted By Scott Eaton, Chair, Amy Kerr, Vice Chair,

Rebecca Eaton, Treasurer, Lyla Adkins, Secretary

On behalf of the people of the town of Barnstead, the newly formed Barnstead Parks and Recreation Commission extends a heartfelt thank you to Judy and Dan Chase, Peg and Rick Simoneau, Chris Carazzo, Bob Laroche, Hollie Kelley and Bill Kriete for their years of dedication and devotion to Barnstead Parks and Rec.  Without them, the programs and events enjoyed by our citizens today would not exist.

Countless duties and responsibilities are carried out behind the scenes, unbeknownst to most, which are crucial to the success of Parks and Rec. We are truly grateful for their time and service.

Parks and Rec is about so much more than summer concerts and youth sports.  Did you know we are also responsible for maintaining and staffing the town beach, maintaining and equipping the ice rink, playground, basketball courts and riverfront at the Big River Recreation Area, overseeing the Parks and Rec budget, and developing and implementing programs and activities for Barnstead residents, young, old and everywhere in between?

Commission members are seeking input on program ideas, and we invite the public to attend our monthly meetings. Help from townspeople is vital to facilitate the programs and activities we set up. We can’t do this without you, and we are currently compiling a list of willing and able volunteers.  If you have time to donate, a little or a lot, toward one of more of our programs, please contact us and let us know your interests, skills and availability.  All volunteers are required to complete an application process. 

We’ve got some great ideas already, and together we can make them a reality.  Help us make Barnstead an even better place to live and play for all. 

The Commission holds a public meeting the first Thursday of each month, at 6:30 pm at the Barnstead Parade Fire Department.  Email us at [email protected] and be sure to like us on Facebook to keep up with current events and announcements.  Thank you and we look forward to hearing from you.

Men’s Breakfast

Center Barnstead Christian Church is hosting a free Men’s Breakfast this Saturday, August 25th from 7:30-8:30 am. All men are invited to come and enjoy breakfast. Our guest speaker this month is Jonel Arcedera. Jonel and his wife are missionaries serving with Word of Life Philippines. “Faithful is He who calls you and He will surely do it.”  1 Thessalonians 5:24 

Come hear what he has to share and bring a friend, too! The Center Barnstead Christian Church is located on Route 126, next to the Town Hall. For more information contact the church at 269-8831.

Arcedera Adventures

This Sunday, August 26, Jonel Arcedera will be speaking at the Center Barnstead Christian Church.  Jonel, and his wife, Eunice, are missionaries with Word of Life Philippines. In 2006 Jonel became the Word of Life Bible Club Director, and oversees five full-time Bible Club missionaries and is working with over 50 Bible club churches. They have two beautiful daughters and live on the WOL camp property.

Their desire is to reach more young people with the gospel of Jesus Christ and to train them how to reach others, as well. They share the gospel through evangelistic sporting events, and teaching seminars in schools. Their heartbeat for ministry is to involve, engage and invest. They want to involve teens in evangelism, engage them in discipleship and invest in the lives who are considering full time ministry. 

Jonel will be speaking more about his ministry and his adventures during our 9:00 am Sunday School and 10:00 am morning Service.

The Center Barnstead Christian Church is located on Route 126, next to the Town Hall. For more information, please call the church at 269-8831.

Crafters, Artists And Farmers Wanted

Barnstead Elementary School PTO will host its second annual Craft Show and Fall Festival on Saturday, September 22, 2012 at the Barnstead Elementary School. We are currently looking for talented crafters, artists and farmers to showcase their wares to the community.

Farmers, bring a friendly animal or two with an enclosure and your outdoor slot is free! Last year’s event was a rousing success. Don’t miss your opportunity to be a part of this year’s show.

Indoor and outdoor spaces are available. To reserve your space or for more information, please send an email to  [email protected].

Suncook Valley Art And Artisan Tour A Big Success

Wow! The first annual Suncook Valley Art and Artisan Tour on July 21st was a resounding success.  The weather was great, the visitors were enthusiastic and the event spotlighted the vast amount of talent in the greater Suncook Valley area.

Every successful event has numerous behind-the-scenes supporters who make things come together. Our event was no exception. Sincere gratitude goes to Pastor Gower of the Center Barnstead Christian Church and the Town of Barnstead for providing exhibitor space. Thanks to Brett Tiede, Dave and Eileen Murley for coming through at the 11th hour with outdoor tents. Thanks to Denise and Terry Robinson of Granite Image for their invaluable help in providing beautiful print media to promote the event. Thanks to the Suncook Valley Sun, the Baysider, the Concord Monitor, the Union Leader and the Hippo for event coverage. And we can’t forget the many local libraries, restaurants and businesses for displaying our ad posters. The generous support of these and so many others cannot be under-appreciated.

For information about next year’s show please call (603) 269-2720 or e-mail [email protected].

Sincerely,

Joanne Balcom, Edie Weiler, Liz Winchester-Larson, Harriet  Winchester, Irene Derosier, Roberta Rayno, Bev Lussier, Carolyn Hughes, Janice Metzger, Steve Winchester

Belknap County Conservative Rally

The upcoming elections are spurring some interesting events throughout Belknap County. On August 25, from 12:00 pm – 3:00 pm at Sticks and Stones Farm in Barnstead, House of Representative, Guy Comtois and District 8 candidate, Jane Cormier, will host a rally to showcase some local conservative candidates in upcoming elections. Speaker of the New Hampshire House of Representatives, William O’Brien, will also be in attendance at this event.

This rally will offer a fun but informative event regarding the importance of upcoming elections. In addition to food, entertainment, and hay rides, a round table style discussion will be held where candidates and visitors can discuss political platforms. Granite Grok, a popular New England political blog will moderate the round table and stream live from the rally.

Sticks and Stones Farm is at 107 White Oak Road in Center Barnstead.

This event is free and open to the public. For more information regarding the rally, contact Jane Cormier at 781-5695 or Guy Comtois at 776-8989.

Letter To The Editor

Dear Barnstead voters:
I am writing this letter in support of Elaine Swinford who is running for re-election for State Representative for our Town.

I am not a Republican, but I feel Elaine Swinford is the best person for the job. Not only is she extremely competent and experienced, but she also has a proven track record. She has been representing this district since 2008 and in 2010 also became the Chairman of the State Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee. Having been Overseer of Public Welfare in Barnstead since 2008, she has worked tirelessly to meet the needs of the people without burdening the town budget. Since the tornado of 2008, she has harvested the downed wood and had it cut, split and delivered to supplement those who heat by wood and did not have enough for the winter. This was a net savings for the taxpayers of Barnstead.

Elaine is not warm and fuzzy, but her brusque manner hides a huge heart. Just look at the Thrift Shop, Food Pantry and the Senior Funspot.

Elaine is hard working an gets the job done. She works many hours in Concord at the State House,  works with the people in town to meet their needs, is a member of several groups and committees in Barnstead, and the most important to our families, Elaine is the cofounder of the Thanksgiving and Christmas Assistance Program.

Her degrees in Substance Abuse Counseling and Mental Health enables her to handle complicated and delicate family situations in a professional and kind manner.

Make no mistake Elaine is not a push over, before parting with taxpayers’ money she makes sure that the need is both legitimate and necessary.

We could not elect a more efficient, hard working and dedicated Patriot.

Please vote to re-elect Elaine Swinford.

Respectfully,