Pittsfield Community Impact Awards 2014
Congratulations to all the nominees and awardees of the 3rd Annual
Pittsfield Community Impact Awards, hosted by Pittsfield Listens! It
was a packed house for Awards Night at The Scenic Theater on the
snowy evening of Thursday, December 11th. From the beautiful stage
decked for the holidays, to being joined by the 2012 or 2013
Community Impact Awardees to help present the awards to this years
recipients, it was surely a wonderfully special celebration of
Pittsfield.
The festivities continued with food and friends for a post-ceremony
celebration at Jitters Café. Thank you to everyone who joined to
celebrate the incredible people and many efforts that are having a
positive impact on the Pittsfield Community!
The Community Impact Awards recognize individuals, groups and
organizations that have made a positive impact in Pittsfield in
2014. The nomination period was open for a couple of months this
fall, where anyone could make a nomination in the 15 awards
categories. There were over 60 nominations received from community
members- a true testament to the incredible spirit in Pittsfield of
movers and shakers helping to make Pittsfield a great place for
everyone to live, learn, work, and play!
The 2014 Pittsfield Community Impact Awardees are as follows:
Outstanding Youth Grades K-5: Amber Peterson
Outstanding Youth Grades 6-8: Courtney Butler
Outstanding Youth Grades 9-12: Ryan Marquis
Outstanding Civic/Community Group: Women of Rotary
Outstanding Youth Group: The Justice Committee, for their work in
implementing Restorative Justice.
Outstanding Friend of Student Centered Learning: Christie Dunlavey
Outstanding Individual: Marion Pouliot
Outstanding Neighbor: Reny Boyd
Outstanding Town Employee: Sargent Rick Walter
Outstanding Community Event: Jason Darrah and the Pittsfield Police
Association for organizing National Night Out
Outstanding Local Business: Joe Darrah Enterprises
Outstanding Teacher or Staff Person at Pittsfield Elementary School:
Lindsey Bickford
Outstanding Teacher or Staff Person at Pittsfield Middle High
School: Anne Banks
Outstanding Coach: Mark Tobin
Pittsfield Volunteer of the Year: Donna Keeley
The ceremony also included time to share a special thanks to
Pittsfield Listens and Pittsfield Youth Workshop partners.
Youth Organizing & Action Committee Primary Facilitators of 2014:
Nathaniel Jackson, Heather Cole, and Cierra Pharr
Pittsfield Listens Steering Committee Members: Jen Cole, Ross Morse,
Deb Godin, Jen Cheney, and Susan Bradley. A special thanks went to
Ross Morse, founding member of Pittsfield Listens, who is stepping
down from the Steering Committee and continuing on in volunteering
with Pittsfield Listens in a different capacity.
The Pittsfield Youth Workshop Board honored PYW Staff members Paula
Martell, Jeff Martell, and Zach Powers. Zach was also honored for
his 10 years with PYW.
Pittsfield Listens Program Assistant Kathy Bleckmann, for her 6
months working with Pittsfield Listens, including her energy to
coordinate the Community Impact Awards.
A special thanks to everyone who helped make the 3rd Annual
Pittsfield Community Impact Awards a wonderful success. To name a
few: Photographer Bob Legg; Laura Isabelle, Cierra Pharr, Michelle
Hill, Lori Tobin, Ed Vien, and Peter Dow for support in the planning
process and selection committee; The Pittsfield Players for use of
the Scenic Theater; Jitters Café for welcoming us to host the
post-celebration; The Suncook Valley Sun, The Town Hall, Pittsfield
Middle High School, Pittsfield Post Office, Village Pizza, Ping
Garden, Jack’s Pizza, and others for helping to advertise about
Awards Night and distribute nomination forms; and a big thank you to
the Nellie Mae Education Foundation for their generous support of
Pittsfield Listens.
Letter To The Editor
Dear Pittsfield Voters:
I write in response a recent letter to the editor concerning a
single individual’s opinion of the Pittsfield Planning Board.
People have different opinions. Don’t form your opinion based on
these letters to the editor, or on phone calls or emails to certain
people; instead, please come to a Planning Board meeting on the
first and third Thursday of every month and see the Board in action.
The Planning Board is central to the success of Pittsfield, and the
Planning Board needs your support!
Thank You,
Larry Konopka
Candlelight Christmas Eve
Join your friends and neighbors and bring the whole family to a
wonderful traditional candlelight service Christmas Eve, 7 p.m., at
the First Congregational Church, 24 Main St., Pittsfield. The
program includes beautiful music by the Chancel Choir and the
JuBellation Handbell Choir, scripture lessons, the story of the
first Christmas, the sanctuary bathed in candlelight and the singing
of “Silent Night.” Include this lovely evening service in your
plans. Parking and wheelchair accessible entry are available at rear
of church. For more information, call the church office at 435-7471.
Cry-baby’s Story
Submitted By Tania Martineau
If you have been to Danis Market on Water St. in Pittsfield, chances
are you have seen a black and white cat sitting outside. Her name is
Cry Baby and she lives next door. She has become the unofficial
mascot for the store and loves the attention that she gets by
standing out front. What you may not know is that she actually has a
very heartwarming story to her.
Most people think that she is sitting outside just to get attention,
but that isn’t the whole story. Part of the reason she sits out
front is that she is waiting for one of her owners. Her original
owner’s name was Debbie Hewitt and she worked for Danis Market for
12 years.
Crybaby would sit outside of the store waiting for her to get out of
work. Sadly, Debbie passed away in March. Crybaby now belongs to her
sister, Donna. But most days you will still see Crybaby sitting out
in front of the store, waiting for Debbie to get out of work.
There are many people who come into the store thinking that Crybaby
is a stray, and they try to feed her or take her home, but she has a
home, a very loving home. Not only does she live next door, she is
part of the store. The employees of the store keep a close eye on
Crybaby when she is outside. Too often they walk her home only to
have her come back a few seconds later.
There was a time when Crybaby was taken, and through a lot of
facebook posts, and flyers she was returned. The person thought she
was a stray and they brought her home, but once they realized she
was missed, they returned her right away.
Now yes, she may be out there waiting for her owner, but at the same
time she loves the attention that she gets. She sucks it up. She
even picks up her paw, acting like it is hurt, just to get
attention, but I assure you, her paw is fine.
TOPS News
Submitted By Terrie Azotea
Well, we had a great time this past week at our Christmas Party. The
night started off with a wonderful dinner hosted by the Berekah. We
enjoyed sitting and spending time with our TOPS friends. I would
like to say again, thanks, to the ladies that prepared the dinner
for us!
Afterwards we went back downstairs and played some Christmas games,
which is always a good time. Some cards and gifts were exchanged,
and then an exchange of gifts.
It was a very nice evening. As we all know, this time of the year is
hard with all the Christmas parties and all the different foods at
them. Here are some tips I have heard about: one, eat something
before you go to the party, that way you are not feeling so hungry
and eat anything and everything on the table; two, wear tight
clothes, that way you are conscious of what you are putting in your
mouth; three, just enjoy being with friends and family.
Well, on that note, I hope that everyone has a Merry Christmas!! If
anyone would like to join us, we meet on Tuesday nights at the
Berekah on Fairview Rd. in Pittsfield at 5:30 for weigh-in and at
6:30 for our meeting. We always welcome new faces.
Any questions please call Janis White at 491-5532 or Claire Coll at
435-7271. Hope everyone has a good week and Merry Christmas to All
from all of us at TOPS.
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