Celebrating Birthdays are: June 3, Sakima Riel, Sandy Higgins;
June 4, Autumn Munn; June 6, Brandee Dunne, Matt Ward; June 7,
Martha Keene, Meggin Dail, June 9, Maureen McLaughlin, Jennifer
Elliott.
A Very Happy Birthday to one and all.
Celebrating Anniversaries are: June 5, Herman and Sheila Fries,
Daniel and Sabra Welch; June 7, Milton and Wendy Locke.
Best Wishes.
Winners in the May Drawing at the Peterson-Cram Post No. 75
American Legion were: #75, Joe Fullen, $50; #154, John Kost,
$25; #357, Jean Jelley, $10; #150, Chris Durkin, $10; #349,
Tawny Halloran, $10.
Pittsfield Citizen Of The Year 2009
It is time again to honor a deserving person as Pittsfield’s
Citizen of the Year. Please send us a note listing your nominee
and a brief explanation as to why that person/persons deserve to
be Citizen of the Year. Send your nominations to:
Citizen of the Year
c/o Pittsfield Historical Society
PO Box 173
Pittsfield, NH 03263
Saturday, June 6th is the Pittsfield Town-Wide Yard Sale. St.
Stephen’s Episcopal Church will have restrooms available to
everyone throughout the day and will also be selling Yard Sale
Maps, breakfast and lunch. In the morning coffee, breakfast
sandwiches and assorted pastries will be for sale. For lunch
Joe’s famous hotdogs, pulled pork sandwiches, chips, sodas and
baked goods from the bake table will be available for purchase.
Lots of quality yard sale items, plants and homemade baked goods
will be for sale. Raffle tickets for a $100 gas card will also
be sold. We look forward to seeing you around Pittsfield on June
6th.
The following area student was named to the Dean’s List for the
Spring 2009 semester at Quinnipiac University:
Meghan Brown of Pittsfield , NH.
Save the Date - Pittsfield Old Home Day is Sat. July 18. The
theme is “Down on the Farm...Off to the County Fair”. Floats,
bands, tractors and groups are needed for the Parade. More
details to come. For more information, call Louie Houle at
435-6938 or Andi Riel at 435-6346.
American Legion Peterson-Cram Post 75 Memorial Day
Observance
The American Legion Peterson-Cram Post 75 held their annual
Memorial Day observance on May 24, 2009 by attending Mass at Our
Lady of Lourdes church with Father John Loughnane. Under
threatening skies the observance began. Post Commander Merrill
Vaughan gave the presentation of “What is Memorial Day” to
roughly 125 in attendance, where he centered on the importance
of Memorial Day and the history of paying respect to those that
have given up so much in the name of freedom and defense of
their country. Special attention was made to those who died in
battle overseas and were buried in those countries.
One of Commander Vaughan’s initiatives is to get the community
more involved with the observances; and in this he was able to
have the various scout units represented, and the music of
members of the Pittsfield Middle High School band and chorale
under the direction of Ms. Susan Hipkiss provided some
selections before and during the observance. He paid
special tribute to the Gold Star Family, Mr. & Mrs. John Dunne
with comments on the loss of their son on Oct 14, 1994 and the
Blue Star Family, Mr. & Mrs. Stephen Adams on their support of
our troops, no matter where they are.
Many thanks go out to all who supported us in our observance,
from those who help put flags on the cemetery graves, both
Pittsfield Fire and Police to the group of volunteers who put
the flags up along our streets to those who attended our
observance.
What is Memorial Day?
Submitted By
Merrill Vaughan
Memorial Day is not about shopping trips, backyard barbeques, or
the first day on the lake, rather Memorial Day is a time to
reflect on those who gave their lives in battle or in service to
their community, state and nation, for all that we hold dear to
our hearts.
Memorial Day, in the strictest sense of the
word did not begin after the Civil War, as most of us think it
started. As far back as 431 BC, during the Peloponnesian
War, some of the dead soldiers from Athens were brought home for
public burial; and on that winter day, and with much pomp and
circumstance, the speaker was Pericles which would become known
as “The Funeral Oration of Pericles”.
Pericles gave great testimony on why they served in the defense
of their country. “They gave their lives for the common
good and thereby won for themselves the praise that never grows
old and the most distinguished of all graves, not those in which
they lie, but where their glory remains in eternal memory,
always there at the right time to inspire speech and action”.
He describes what might be on a monument for the fallen as “…not
only does the epitaph inscribed on monuments in their native
country commemorate them, but in lands not their own”.
Pericles then said, “Now it is for you to emulate them, knowing
that happiness requires freedom and freedom requires courage; do
not shrink from the dangers of war”. It is quite evident
that from the names on the panels behind me, that the citizens
of Pittsfield do not evade the dangers of serving our Town,
State and Nation.
It was almost 2300 years later that on May 5, 1868, General John
A. Logan, as Commander in Chief, of the Grand Army of the
Republic, issued General Order No. 11 which proclaimed that “The
30th of May, 1868, is designated for the purpose of strewing
with flowers, or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades of
the late rebellion, and whose bodies now lie in almost every
city, village, and hamlet church yard in the land. In this
observance no form of ceremony is prescribed, but posts and
comrades will in their own way arrange such fitting services and
testimonials of respect as circumstances may permit.”
General Logan also made a statement that I find very intuitive.
In his General Order, he stated “If other eyes grow dull, other
hands slack, and other hearts cold in the solemn trust, ours
shall keep it well as long as the light and warmth of life
remain to us.”
Between 1868 and 1966, several towns both in the North and the
South laid claim to being the first official community to hold
the title of the “Birthplace of Memorial Day.”
In 1966, the Federal Government made the decision that the
birthplace of Memorial Day was Waterloo, NY, which held the
first “Memorial Day” on May 5, 1866 - because the town had made
Memorial Day an annual, community-wide event during which
businesses closed and residents decorated the graves of soldiers
with flowers and flags. As time went by, the date of May 30th
would soon become the traditional date for paying respect for
those who had borne the cost of battle; that sacrificed their
very future to ensure that our nation remained free.
Not long afterwards the U.S. Congress changed Memorial Day to
the last Monday of May. No doubt they realized a three day
weekend would appeal to voters and would give them more time off
from their jobs, and hopefully, visit our National Parks.
Now, we have sales that state “Memorial Day Mattress sale”;
“Memorial Day auto sale” etc, nothing carries forth the true
meaning of this day, no longer do all know the importance of
this special day.
The names on the panels behind me reflect the true grit and
determination of our small community and others like us across
our land, of responding whenever our nation put out the call
from the early days of our War for Independence to the present
conflicts. I know that future names will be added, some
with a little star to show they died in battle; some might even
be reflected by a small mark to show they might be a Prisoner of
War or listed as Missing in Action. Do we not owe them
some time to reflect on their sacrifices? Do we not owe
the family members of those that no longer have a loved one at
home respect and reverence for their sacrifice?
Each of us who has put on a uniform whether it was in peace or
war understood the hazards it entailed. We take time to
honor those who came before us and thank those that have
returned home for their courage and self sacrifice.
Earlier, I spoke of Pericles’ words of “Not only does the
epitaph inscribed on monuments in their native country
commemorate them, but in lands not their own”. I echo
these words here so that we can remember those that did not come
home, they lie in foreign lands where they fought and died in
such places as England, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, and
Luxembourg. We should always remember the Sailors and
Marines who lie in the tomb of the USS Arizona in Pearl Harbor,
HI. And let us not forget the loss of Pittsfield’s own Lt. John
James Dunne Jr.; while flying an A-6 Intruder aircraft as a
Naval Flight Officer in support of Operation Southern Watch off
the Aircraft Carrier USS Independence on Oct. 14, 1994. If
you still want to know what Memorial Day is all about, there is
the answer. Thank You.
Letter
In response to a letter by R. Lincoln Burns of 20 May, 2009, on
the topic of Freedom and Liberty. First, know that, to me,
freedom and liberty are more than being free. The free rat lives
in the sewer because it doesn’t have the freedom to choose
something else just like a pack of free wolves isn’t free to
live in New York’s Central Park... for long anyway.
It is the quintessential essence of liberty to be free from
promises, guarantees and abuses of government and business. It
is this lack a guarantee that forces freedom and liberty to walk
hand in hand with independence and responsibility and therein
lies their beauty.
Mr. Burns said it “does not save the man dying from cancer”
without acknowledging that freedom cannot. It can only allow a
person to search for a cure... or not, since it is equally
unable to force one to labor for another. Much like a bridge,
freedom has no morals, only limits; ending where it meets the
freedom of another.
The problems of society, whatever they be, require solutions
that bear no excessive weight on any minority nor provide any
minority with excessive privilege. All too often government gets
it wrong by trying to balance the scales with freedom and
liberty on one side and a perceived need on the other or by
taking from tomorrow’s scale to balance it today. In the long
run, it becomes a trade of freedoms and the question will be one
of how much, if any, freedom is left for our progeny.
I say: Peril lives everywhere and I welcome the risks that lie
on the other side of the one door to freedom... if I could only
find it.
Just my thoughts,
Tim Duggan
Induction Into Hall Of Fame
On Thursday evening, June 11 at 7:00 in Pittsfield Historical
Society Headquarters on Elm Street, Edmond J. Stapleton will be
inducted into Pittsfield’s Hall of Fame. Coming to Pittsfield in
1924, he was involved in many of the community’s major
accomplishments prior to his death in 1965. He was not only
dedicated to the survival of the “Blue Berry Express” Railroad,
but an active businessman, politician, judge, devoted Catholic
and contributor to many local organizations and causes. Larry
Berkson will review the many accomplishments of this man who
meant so much to his adopted town.
Women Of Rotary
The last meeting of the 2008-2009 year of Women of Rotary was
held in the Centennial Room of the Pittsfield Community Center
with twenty in attendance.
The new slate of officers was installed: President, Margie Lank;
Vice President, Fred Okrent; Treasurer, Florence Freese;
Recording Secretary, Sue Bleckmann; Corresponding Secretary,
Alice Lunde.
A delicious supper was served by the Pittsfield Players, Meggin
Dail, Lisa Fries, Jan Pinard, Deborah Gauthier, and Jon Martin.
Good Job! Thank you.
During the Business Meeting plans were discussed for Old Home
Day, The Balloon Rally, and meetings for the coming year.
Pittsfield Fiddle Contest Results
On Friday, May 15, 2009, Pittsfield Youth Workshop (PYW) held
the 7th Annual Pittsfield Fiddle Contest at the Scenic Theatre.
All proceeds from this event will benefit the Pittsfield Youth
Workshop’s Music Enhancement and Appreciation Program!
In the Youth Division 1st place was won by Audrey Budington of
Sanbornton, 2nd place by Madeleine Stewart of Epsom, and 3rd
place by Micah Pollak of Laconia. In the adult division
1st place was won by Teresa Wyman of Canterbury, 2nd place by
Jeff Fetter of Concord, and 3rd place by Suzanne Hearn of Dover.
Other participants included Camille Pollak of Laconia, Callie
Patterson of Strafford, Rylan Tuttle of Nottingham, Charlotte
Hardy of New Durham, Ian Macalpine of Raymond, Chris, Emily and
Joe Garcia of Strafford, Kellyn Flanagan of Northwood, Sierra
Landel of Milford, Pat Therrien of Sanbornton, Miranda Perlupo
of Pittsfield, Peter Yarensky of Barrington, Joyce Eseyelt of
Strafford, and Paul Delnero of Rochester.
PYW would like to thank all the participants and volunteers for
their support. A big thanks to our volunteer judges Kim Lachance,
Burt Feintuch, and Amanda Stickney to Wayne Summerford for
coordinating the sound system for the evening and to the
Pittsfield Players for allowing us to use the Scenic Theatre!
We would also like to thank Maximum Results Realty, and
Pittsfield Rotary for the prize money donations and to Sue
Sanborn, Route 28 Bakery, Salty Dog Pottery, Mrs. Beasley’s Dog
Treats, Northwood Naturals, Corrections Creations, Maxfield’s
Hardware, Round To It Jewelry, Circle of Home and Family,
Longaberger Baskets Lisa Wickman, Designing Treasures, Harris
Family Furniture, Chichester Massage, The Jelly Cupboard, Knots
by Rachel, Jewelry Queen, Sweet Bouquets n More, and That’s My
Bag for the donations toward PYW’s silent auction.
School Lunch Menus
June 8-12, 2009
EPSOM
Monday -
Hot dogs with roll, fries, veg., fruit, milk or yogurt tray,
chicken salad.
Tuesday -
Cheesy eggs with sausage, blueberry muffins, fresh fruit, milk
or yogurt tray, egg salad.
Wednesday -
Homemade pizza, tossed salad, fruit, milk or yogurt tray, no
salad.
Thursday -
Baked beans, ham, roll, fruit, milk or yogurt tray, ham salad.
Friday -
ECS BBQ - Rain Date June 15th
Hamburgers and hot dogs, chips, pickles, watermelon, drink.
CHICHESTER
Monday -
Macaroni and cheese, peas, mixed fruit, milk.
Tuesday -
Hot dog with roll, baked fries, corn, milk.
Wednesday -
Spaghetti with meatsauce, garlic bread, green beans, diced
pears, milk.
Thursday -
Variety of hot sandwiches, potato salad or veggie, brownie,
milk.
Friday -
Donuts For Dads. Come and enjoy a donut and juice with your
child(ren). Chicken noodle soup, toasted cheese sandwich,
carrots with Ranch dressing, fruit, milk.
PMHS
Monday -
Pizza, corn, fruit, milk.
Tuesday -
Burgers, chips, veggies, fruits, milk.
Wednesday -
Pasta salad, bread, fruit, milk.
Thursday -
Chicken, veggies, fruit, milk.
Friday -
Make your own grinders, fruit, milk.
PES
Monday -
Cheeseburger, chips, fruit, milk.
Tuesday -
Chicken nuggets, veggie, fruit, milk.
Wednesday -
Spaghetti with meatsauce, mozzarella sticks, fruit, milk.
Thursday -
Tuna sandwich, chips, pickles, fruit, milk.
Friday -
Pizza, fruit, milk.
Dora Raymond’s Poetry Book Is Finally Published
Submitted By
Nancy St. Laurent
Dora Raymond, a long time Pittsfield resident, wrote poetry all
her life. After her death in 2008, we searched for poems and
pictures of her to include in the book. I want to thank all of
those who sent them to us and for their contributions to this
wonderful book.
The book “Aunt Dora’s Legacy”
Memories of New Hampshire has finally been completed, is
published and available for sale. For those of you with
computers, it is available at
www.authorhouse.com
Once you go to this site you can search for Aunt Dora’s Legacy
and the book will come up for sale. It is available for sale at
Author House for $15.00. It is also available on Amazon and
Barnes and Noble for $20.00.
www.amazon.com
www.bn.com
If anyone would like me to order for them, please send a check
for $15.00 to Nancy St. Laurent at the following address and I
will see that they are ordered and sent directly to you. My
address is:
Nancy St. Laurent
15807 Howard St
Omaha, NE 68118
Phone 402-321-0088
Again, thank everyone for their help in making this book a
reality.
Tim and Ella Stickney are extremely pleased to announce that
their son, Michael Stickney, graduated from Wentworth Institute
of Technology in Boston with a Masters Degree in Architecture.
Michael currently resides in Boston and intends to pursue his
work in Architecture in either the Boston or New York City metro
areas. Michael is a 2004 graduate of Pittsfield Middle High
School.
Pittsfield Old Home Day Scarecrow Contest
The Pittsfield Old Home Day committee will Sponsor a scarecrow
contest on Old Home Day, July 18. Just bring your scarecrow to
Dustin Park by 9:00 a.m. They will be judged later in the day
and the winner will be announced at the beginning of the parade
and then you can pick up your scarecrow to take home. So get
creative, get the kids involved, get out the sticks, straw, old
clothes and whatever else you will need and make up a scarecrow.
They will be judged on three criteria and prizes awarded for:
1. The scariest
2. The funniest
3. The one made of the most “green” materials.
For information or questions, please contact Linda Rafeal at
435-6366.
Letter
Dear Friends and Neighbors:
My name is Denise Patterson. I am writing to you today about the
Pittsfield/Barnstead Lions Club. The Lions Club will be holding
an informational meeting at St. Stephen’s Episcopal
Church. It will be held on June 8, 2009, at 7:15 p.m. This is a
Monday evening.
I would like to personally invite all Lions from the past back
to this wonderful and desperately needed organization. I also
would like to welcome anyone who would like to check things out.
With our economy I have had requests for help with eye care.
This is just one area that the Lions Club assists with.
Our P/B Lions Club will be backed
by a group of 1.4 million members in over 44,000 clubs in more
than 185 countries. The Lions Club was established in 1917.
Their web site is:
www.lionsclubs.org.
Please consider our great need for the P/B Lions Club to be
reestablished.
For more information or answers to your questions, please call
Denise Patterson at 435-5162.
Thank you,
Denise Patterson
Pittsfield, NH
What’s Happening at PYW?
By Paula Driscoll, Program Director
The Pittsfield Youth Workshop is currently finalizing the 2009
summer schedule. We are planning a summer filled with fun and
exciting trips. Just for example: Hilltop Fun Center, York Wild
Animal Kingdom, Canobie Lake Park, Kayaking, a Fisher Cats and
Wolves game, Water Country, Deep Sea Fishing and eight weeks of
Out Door Rock Climbing just to name a few. We will also be
starting a Wise Guys boys group, continuing a Full of Ourselves
girls group, and going on several biking trips.
PYW’s drop-in center is open every Monday, Wednesday and Friday
from 2-6 PM during the summer. On some Friday afternoons, PYW
will hold special activities, including Boys Only and Girls Only
afternoons.
On Tuesday, June 9th, PYW will be holding an Open House from
5:00 to 8:00 PM for new youth and parents to check out the
Drop-In Center, and for everyone to sign up for summer trips
and/or activities. Although this will not be the only time to
sign up, we are suggesting that everyone who is interested in
the summer programs stop by. Some trips fill up fast! PYW trips
and activities are open to youth in grades six and up (that
means youth who just finished 5th grade), from Pittsfield and
the surrounding towns. We hope you all can make it to our Open
House. There are a lot of great opportunities this summer and we
can’t wait to get started.
Please feel free to contact Paula
Driscoll or Zach Powers with any questions or to make a donation
at 435-8272 or at
[email protected].
Make sure to check out our greatly improved and expanded website
at
www.pittsfieldyouthworkshop.org.
Funding for PYW services is provided in part through the N.H.
Division of Public Health Services, Bureau of Prevention
Services, Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drug Prevention Section,
Merrimack County Savings Bank Foundation, and from donations and
fundraisers.
Cassin – Witham
Carl and Carol Cassin of Pittsfield announce the engagement of
their daughter, Amanda Cassin to Eric Witham, son of Kenneth and
Donna Witham of Northwood. Cassin graduated from Pittsfield
Middle High School and is currently employed at Wal-Mart in
Concord. Witham graduated from Coe-Brown and attended NHTI. He
is a salesman at Holmes Carpeting in Chichester.
A September 25th wedding is planned.
TOPS #38 NH
The lettuce is up, and so are the radishes. How have you put
them to use in your new way of life? Has your new way of life in
TOPS helped? You say what is TOPS? What is it, and how can it
help me? We meet on Tuesdays at St. Stephens Church in the
Undercroft at 6:30 with weigh ins. If you joined and are already
on the way to a healthier you. If not, why not try a free
meeting. Remember, we are a non-profit organization, and offer
support, caring, and understanding. Feel free to call P. Smith
at 435-5333 or S. Gilmore at 798-5658. Perhaps we can answer
some questions, do not be embarrassed any longer.
Obituaries
Frank C. Volpe
Barnstead - Mr. Frank C. Volpe, 81, died Wednesday, May 27,
2009, at his home on Province Road after a period of failing
health.
Born on April 12, 1928, in Manchester, Mr. Volpe was the son of
Frank and Beatrice (Osnier) Volpe.
A 1946 graduate of Pittsfield High School, Mr. Volpe joined the
U.S. Army during the time of the Korean Conflict. He worked for
Seward Construction, and owned and operated Volpe’s Store in
Pittsfield and Volpe and Argue Real Estate and Property
Management also in Pittsfield.
Mr. Volpe was a man of varied interests. He enjoyed the outdoors
- hunting, fishing, spending time at his camp on Moosehead Lake
in Maine, and just viewing nature in general. He also liked war
movies and books, Westerns, and good cigars.
Members of his family include his wife of 58 years, Clara
(Smith) Volpe of Barnstead; 4 children, Dennis Volpe and Jeff
Volpe, both of Pittsfield, Linda Volpe of Alstead, and Gary
Volpe of Barnstead; 9 grandchildren; 2 great-grandchildren; a
sister, Denise Engle of Cape Cod, MA; cousins, and his best
friend and beloved Labrador, Katie.
Friends and relatives may share remembrances at the Still Oaks
Funeral & Memorial Home, 1217 Suncook Valley Hwy, Epsom, on
Friday, June 5th from 4-7 PM.
Family and friends may sign an on-line guestbook by visiting
stilloaks.com.
Pauline F. Barton
Pittsfield - Pauline Frances (Stockman) Barton, 94, of Dowboro
Road, died May 28th at her home.
She was born in Pittsfield, the daughter of Everett and
Josephine Stockman and had been a lifelong resident. She was a
lifetime member of the South Pittsfield Community Club. She also
was a member of the Friends Meeting House Quaker Church. Her
life was her family. She was an avid fisherman, and seldom
missed watching or listening to a Red Sox Game. She also always
attended the Deerfield Fair. She attended the Higher Ground
Ministries Church in Barnstead.
She was the widow of Allan P. Barton who died in 1981. Members
of her family include, 3 sons, Allan L. Barton of Loudon, Lewis
P. Barton of Florida and Kenneth E. Barton of Pittsfield; 4
daughters, Patricia A. Clattenburg of Pittsfield, Frances J.
Newman of Northwood, Mary G. Corliss of Barnstead and Linda R.
Martin of Pittsfield; 20 grandchildren; 29 great- grandchildren;
and 6 great-great- grandchildren; a sister, Ruth Connor of
Epsom; and many nieces; nephews; and cousins.
A Funeral Service was held Tuesday, June 2, 2009,
in the Higher Ground Ministries Church, So. Barnstead.
Pastor John Newman, her son in law, and the Rev. Henry Frost,
Pastor of the Free Will Baptist Church in Loudon, officiated.
Burial followed in the Floral Park Cemetery, Pittsfield.
Donations in her memory may be made to the South Pittsfield
Community Club, C/O Pauline Wheeler, Treasurer, 592 Tilton Hill
Road, Pittsfield or to the CRVNA Hospice House, PO Box 1797,
Concord, NH 03301-1797.