“Lincoln Noel Typifies Spirit of Volunteerism and

Citizenship” The more things change, the more they stay the same. On August 12, 1989 Mr. Lincoln Noel was saluted in the Old Home Day booklet for his “spirit of volunteerism and citi-zenship that makes the system work.” Six-teen years later Mr. Noel was again recog-nized for his many contributions to the Town of Belmont during a celebration at this year’s Old Home Day where Mr. Noel was awarded the Boston Post Cane. A lifelong resident of Belmont, Linc has been one of the most ac-tive volunteers in the community. For more than fifty years he served with both the Lions Club and the American Legion Post #58. He was also chairman of the town beautification campaign for four years, a library trustee for six years and chairman of the Old Home Day Com-mittee for twelve years. A look into the story of the Boston Post Cane reveals an interesting piece of New England history. The cane-presenting tradition dates back to the turn of the century. In August 1909 Mr. Edwin A. Grozier, Publisher of the Boston Post , forwarded a gold-headed ebony cane to the Board of Selectmen in 431 towns in New England. He requested that the cane be presented to the oldest male citizen of the town with the compliments of the Boston Post to be used by him as long as he lived (or moved from the town), and at his death the cane would be handed down to the next oldest citizen of the town. The cane would belong to the town and not the man who received it. In 1930, after considerable controversy, eligibility for the cane was opened to women as well.

The idea of having New England’s select-men and mayors pay tribute to their eldest citizens by ceremoniously awarding them the canes was originally conceived as an advertising gimmick. Sparing no ex-pense, Grozier reportedly hired a leading cane manufacturer in New York to craft the canes out of African-imported wood and to gild the tips of each with 14 carat

gold. Grozier also specified that only the finest French varnish be used to coat the Post canes, each of which took nearly a year to produce from start to finish.

(Information found at www.hooksett.org & http://web.maynard.ma.us)

Volume 11, Issue 3 Belmont, NH Fall 2005

October’s Party October gave a party;

The leaves by hundreds came - The Chestnuts, Oaks, and Maples,

And leaves of every name. The Sunshine spread a carpet, And everything was grand,

Miss Weather led the dancing, Professor Wind the band.

~George Cooper

The “Belmont Better Times” is a quarterly community newsletter

written and edited by volunteers.

It is distributed by bulk mail to all residents with the

Belmont zip code 03220.

Articles are accepted by individu-als, organizations, town depart-

ments and our schools. Letters to the Editor, comments, suggestions and ideas for articles are welcome.

Please contact editor, Jacqui McGettigan, at

jacquimc@metrocast.net with your information.

The deadline for our winter issue

will be November 18, 2005

Belmont Better Times

Photo by Daryl Carlson courtesy of the Laconia Citizen

WAKE UP CALL FOR BELMONT The headline in the July 7, 2005 Citizen “Belmont Sees Building Spree” underscores that Belmont has been experiencing the fastest growth in the Lakes Region. In March 2004 the people of Belmont voted unani-mously for a temporary Growth Management Ordinance to study growth patterns and their potential impact on the Town’s services, economic development and quality of life. Following the one year study, in March 2005, the Planning Board put forth to the voters a Growth Management Ordinance that allowed growth while maintaining a viable rural community. Voter turnout was pathetic and the Growth Management Ordinance was shot down. Perhaps it was not perfect, however, it was a tool to help manage a burgeoning growth spurt. If it wasn’t perfect, then, we citizens have the voting power to change it. Belmont is attractive. But, with the current rate of growth, how long will it remain desirable? Our current patterns for development are mostly bor-rowed from the places people wanted to leave to come here! Our trail systems are in danger of closing, more wildlife is being squeezed into backyards and the streets are becoming more congested with noise and traffic. The provision of fire, police and school services will become more of a challenge. I support smart growth, a concept that bolsters our local economy, pre-serves critical environmental areas and provides recreational opportuni-ties. Studies have shown that owners of small companies ranked rec-reation, parks and open space as the highest priorities in choosing a new location for their business. Networks of preserved open space and waterways help frame new development in the most cost-efficient places where roads, sewers, water lines and other utilities currently exist. Smart growth can increase local property values, provide tourism dollars and reduce the need for local tax increases by reducing the need for construction of new infrastructure. Belmont citizens need to ask questions now about what we want in the future. A city? A village? A suburb? A strip like Exit 20? We must chal-lenge ourselves to examine our current tools for zoning and subdivision. Is it best to see each lot in terms of its economic potential and not in terms of its connection to the landscape? Do we want development to spread out across the landscape? Do we want to center new develop-ment around traditional villages where people can walk from homes to shops and other services? Where are the places we should have more people? Where are the places we should keep open? What will those different choices cost? We are facing an unprecedented population and building boom that is altering Belmont’s landscape and impacting public services. Do you know where your town leaders stand on these issues? Should a new Growth Management Ordinance be placed on next year’s ballot? Citizen participation and keeping informed are essential to address these chal-lenges. Denise Naiva, Belmont

P A G E 2

Letters To the Editor Thanks For A Job Well Done

Appreciation is due for several special and renewed efforts that showed special care and ap-preciation for Belmont's heritage. For the second year, a partner-ship of local business and youth helped create and maintain an impressive floral display at the Belmont Mill. Garden Artisans, a business founded and owned by local resident Ginger Wells-Kay, generous l y dona ted and placed the colorful plants. The planting was done by youth from the Belknap County Restorative-Justice Program, led by another Belmont resident Brian Loanes. Both are master gardeners and a credit to the Belknap County Ex-tension program. Also for the second year, Diane Marden showed singular initia-tive, both spearheading and staffing the Old Home Day His-toric Trolley Rides. Her efforts brought great publicity and in-creased awareness of the earliest days and sites of Belmont Village. Diane continues to bring initiative and ideas to many Belmont com-munity projects. As officers of the Belmont Heri-tage Commission, we applaud these generous, good and volun-teered works. Wallace Rhodes, Chairman Linda Frawley, Vice Chairman Margaret Normandin, Secretary

The Belmont Historical Society once again of-fered Historical Trolley Tours of the Belmont Village District during Belmont Old Home Day. This year Belmont pa-

trons rode for free, visited twenty historical sites within the district and took home a little information about their home town. Upwards of 175 people rode the trolley throughout the day. Enthusiasm for the event was high as both young and old rode the trolley. The trolley tours were sponsored by the following local busi-nesses: Al’s Auto Service-Laconia, Al’s Used Part’s-Belmont, Andre’s Drywall, Annie’s Country Treasures, Art’s Power Equipment, Belmont Hardware, Belmont NH Heritage Website, Belmont Salvage, Bert & Ernies Used Cars, Cari-gan Watch Company Inc., D&D Country Market and Deli, David Fontone & Sons, DC Builders, Energy Shield, Fecteau Electric, Four Corners Company, Healing Touch, Hillcrest Pizza, Jordan’s Ice Creamery, Lake’s Region Jewelers, Lakes Region Seamless Gutters, Lakeview Bed & Breakfast, New England Fiberglas, Norm’s Auto Body, Northeast Tire Service, Paramount Press Laconia Offset Inc., Peterson Auto Repair and Machine, Pine Garden’s Mobile Home Park, Power Sports Plus, Silver Lake Park Campground, TKL Handyman, Vacman & Bobbin and Wynot Realty. Property owners also allowed the Historical Society to place old photographs of their homes in front of the properties for those who preferred to walk the historical tour. Volunteers throughout the day included Karen Gilbert, Heather LeBrun, Samantha Farracy, Christopher Brake, Arianna McLean, Benjamin Phillips, Linda Frawley, Ray-mond Brake Jr. and Wallace Rhodes, Town Historian. The Trolley was provided by Distinctive Transportation Ser-vices owned by Tracy Scott out of Chichester, NH. The His-torical Trolley joined the parade and received a Blue Ribbon for the event. The Historical Society in all raised $991.98 to put towards the restoration and stabilization of the Province Road Meet-ing House located on Province Road (Rt. 107) in Belmont.

Trolley Rides Once Again Successful at Belmont Old Home Day

Submitted by Diane Marden

P A G E 3

Letter From The Editor

To all of our readers:

As we all watch the horrific images of events taking place after hurricane Katrina, I find many people searching for ways to help the victims. Some feel helpless because they cannot travel to the devastated areas to pro-vide support. Others feel that they cannot offer enough financial assistance to make a difference. There will be donation centers, blood drives and other community sponsored events that will provide you with an opportunity to be in-volved. Seek these out and do what you can. I challenge all of our readers to find ways to be involved in this recovery effort as well as other areas in our town, country and world that need our help. This is also a good time for all of us to take stock of our lives and ask ourselves a few questions. • Do we take the time to appreciate all that

we have rather than lamenting about the things we wish we had?

• Do we take the time to appreciate all of the people in our lives? This tragedy certainly showed us all how quickly we could lose all that we love.

• Do we share our skills and talents with others by volunteering our time with agencies to help others?

As you reflect on your own lives, perhaps you can identify ways that you can make a difference in the lives of others. There are many community, school and civic organiza-tions that are always seeking volunteers. If each person found one way to get in-volved, I truly believe our town, community, country and world would be a better place. The gifts of your time and energy are often the best gifts you can give. Sincerely, Jacqui McGettigan, Editor Belmont Better Times

So many of the special events in our lives are influ-enced by music. We've lived through Swing, Doo Wop, The Beatles, Elvis, Disco, Rap, the 60's, the 70's and the 80's, With that in mind, the theme for this year's Old Home Day was "A Lifetime of Music". On Saturday, August 13th, the Old Home Day Committee provided three very unique bands which spanned the genera-tions and brought smiles to many faces. The Bomb-ers brought back memories of decades past, Sanus gave us a glimpse of the present teen scene and the US Air Force Band Afterburner filled in the gaps with a little bit of country, rock and pop! In addition to our musical events, many of the tradi-tional elements of Old Home Day took place through-out the day. The ten-mile road race saw fewer runners than usual; however, the course continues to be a chal-lenge to all who ran. Cheering fans gave the run-ners a wonderful send-off and were eager to cheer once again as each runner crossed the finish line. Shortly before the Old Home Day race, several ser-vicemen reported to Police Lt. Mark Lewandowski. They announced that they were in Belmont with a Humvee to help in any way possible with the security and safety of the race. One of their own, Vincent Rhatigan, was running in the race as he has done seven or eight times in the past. (They also joined in the parade as a part of our salute to the troops.) The children’s races and activities were a hit as usual. Congratulations to the following children for

their success in the Pedal Tractor Pull: Winner of 3-4 year old contest: Nick Spradudo; Winner of 5-6 year old contest: Brian Sliva (Brian and Tom Bickford were so close we needed a tie breaker pull!) Winner of 7-8 year old con-test: Justin Taylor.

We hosted twenty-two vendors this year, with thir-teen non-profit organizations using the day to raise funds and/or share information about their organiza-tion. Our vendors offered a wide-variety of food, jewelry, sports memorabilia, raffles and information about area offerings. In the afternoon, Main Street became a solid wall of people as residents and visitors gathered to watch the pa-rade. Mini maracas, flutes, disco balls and peace sign necklaces were tossed into the crowd to coincide with our mu-sic theme. Several families as well as school, sports and civic organizations participated in the parade by march-ing, riding on floats or driving antique cars and trac-tors. The parade line-up coordinators Barbara Bi-nette and Tony Brown; announcer and assistants Roy Roberts, Brian Loanes, Dave Wilder; and judges, Don McLelland Sr, Doreen Sheppard, and Carolyn Hunt all worked tirelessly to make this one

of our best parades yet! Congratulations to the following partici-pants who were awarded trophies for their outstanding floats: Belmont High School Class of 2009—

Heart of the Community Trophy for Community Spirit/Pride/Theme Float theme: Phantom of the Lake Winnisquam Opera Boy Scouts Troop #65—Received: Charles H. Kilborn American Legion Post #58 Trophy for Patriotism/Allegiance/Respect Belmont Baseball Organization—Selectmen's Award for Best Overall Float theme: Celebrating the Boston Red Sox 2004 Word Series Win Lake City Cheer Gym— Albert Akerstrom Trophy for Commercial Entry After the parade, many peo-ple stayed to enjoy the Ama-teur Talent Show on the bandstand. Shawn Chase and his band "Our Life" co-ordinated the show and per-formed between acts.

Old Home Day Once Again a Wonderful Celebration for Young and Old Alike!!

Submitted by Gretta Olson Wilder

P A G E 4

By 8:00 pm, Bryant Field was full of people, lawn chairs and blankets. Ven-dors lined the perimeter, while friends gathered to listen to the Air Force Band and waited in anticipation for fire-works. The fireworks were definitely worth the wait. Special thanks to:

♥ Bob Bennett and his crew for helping wherever and whenever needed

♥ Young's Auto Sales for providing vehicles for the parade

♥ Belmont Hardware for the use of your building as a billboard each year

♥ Chief Baiocchetti, Lt. Lewandoski, Officer Sullivan and Police Explorers for keeping us safe and ensuring the events stay on track;

♥ Chief Siegel and his crew for being there just in case and for continuing to sponsor the chicken BBQ

♥ Doug Ellis and the School District for providing the stage and the field for our evening events

♥ Pete Romano for his electrical creativity, Eddy Binette for his willingness to help where ever he was needed. Even though this event is only one day each year, planning for our Old Home Day starts in February and takes many volunteer hours. For the past few years, we have had a core committee of committee volun-teers including Tony Brown, Greta Olson Wilder, Naisa Chase and Shawn Chase. Several of these people will be stepping down and we need to fill their shoes. I encourage you to step forward to volunteer on the Old Home Day Committee as it is a great way to give back to the community. Anyone interested can call Gretta Olson-Wilder at 524-2782 or Sue Roberts at 267-8135 for more information.

Tioga Fun Run and Ten Mile Road Race Results

Jeffrey A. Roberts is the new director of the Old Home Day Ten Mile Road Race. He took over in July, from Joe and Sherri Merriam who have re-cently moved from Belmont after managing the race for the past two years. Roberts credits the Belmont Police Department as well as the Belmont and Winnisquam Fire Depart-ments for continuing to protect the safety of the run-ners and spectators along this rugged course. For many years the Belmont Girl Scouts have served at the six watering stations, scattered along the ten miles. Kayleigh Brown and Matt Buckle (2005 Good Citizen Award winners), Tom Murphy, Leslie Ann Roberts, Alison Roberts and Sue Rob-erts also helped with the race day events. Twenty four runners crossed the finish line in the seventeenth running of the Fun Run. Runners in the twelve and younger age division in-cluded Kelsey Brown, Caleigh Laughy, Joy Roberts, Katie Reinhholz, Kyle Bjelf, Kyle Chalifoux, Scott King, Tom Rhatigan, Cody Roberts, Mike Rhatigan, Sam Ley, Justin Zangol, Kevin King, Cameron Robets and Trevor Fairchild. In the thirteen to thirty-nine division Tabatha Beauchesne, Sarah Chalifoux, Trudy Philbrick, Adam Boehner, Bob Bjelf, David Hunt and Kevin Bjelf completed the field. In the over thirty division Nan Brown of Gilmanton took First Place for the females and Tom King of Belmont was the First Place male runner. Fifty-eight runners took on the challenging ten mile course for the running of the 37th Annual Old Home Day Road Race. Nathan Huppe of Berwick, ME was the overall winner with a time of 59:46. Congratulations to the following Lakes Region run-ners: BRENDAN COLLINS, LEONARD STOCKWELL., JEFFREY LORING, AARON HAYWARD, ANN RAMUS-SEN, JOHN GOEGEL, JULES SPILL, THOMAS WOR-STER, LILY CENNAMO, JENNIFER GAGNON, RONALD POITRAS, ZACHARY ROBICHARD, EMMETT COLLINS, BRIAN COLLINS, SCOTT MCGUFFIN, BILL WEST, ELIZABETH TARDUGNO, MATTHEW SULLI-VAN, KERRIE REDMAN, PATTI CLIFFORD, DONALD SHAW, MATTHEW ANDERSON, ROY ROBERTS and JANE GOODMAN.

Belmont Good Citizen Award Recipients

Kayleigh Brown and Matt Buckle were chosen as this year's recipients of the Belmont Good Citizen Award at a reception hosted by the Old Home Day Committee. Each year the award is given to a graduating senior of Belmont High School in recog-nition of their involvement in the community, volun-teerism, academic achievement, participation in sports and willingness to help others. Kayleigh will be attending Daniel Webster College in Nashua to study Aeronautical Engineering. Matt will be attend-ing Ohio State to study Chinese and International Affairs. Congratulations to both of you! Also, a spe-cial thank you to our guest speaker, Trudy Brown, and judges Doreen Plimpton, Linda Frawley, and Tina Fleming.

P A G E 5

P A G E 6

“Hello Muddah! Hello Faddah!”… It has been a great summer at Belmont Public Li-brary’s Camp Wannaread! Over sixty children signed up to be campers and read an estimated 511 books over a six week span. An average of forty children and fifteen adults at-tended the programs that were held on Tuesday af-ternoons throughout the summer. Excited campers won prizes each week for reading books and visiting the Library. Our summer activities included the following events: ♦On July 12th Mr. Phil presented In-Tents Magic on the back lawn of the Library . He had an amazing flag making machine and a disappearing rabbit. He explained how magical library cards are.

♦Jen Shaw led us in song and dance at the Corner Meeting House on July 19th. While thunder rumbled outside, campers were dancing and singing “Singing in the Rain” inside. ♦On July 26th Steve Blunt camped out with us for an hour at the bandstand in the park. Everyone enjoyed playing music along with him on shakers as he sang for us. ♦Campers were creative on August 2nd and made a camping mural to decorate the Library. They also made sock puppets, and strung necklaces of cheer-ios and lifesavers (yum, yum). Several campers crafted hand-made paper medallions with visiting art-ists Gay Ferland and Claudette Varney.

♦ Smokey The Bear put in a very special appear-ance on August 9th to celebrate his real birthday. We are not going to reveal his true age – you’ll have to look it up yourself! Forest Ranger Lee Gardner and Firefighter Ryan Gile accompanied Smokey on his visit. Evan, Jonathan and Liam Hankins-Hull and Kelly and Thomas Hayes, with the help of their moms, made birthday cup cakes and the campers sang “Happy Birthday” to Smokey. Camp officially ended on August 16th when the Camp Wannaread campers were treated to ice-cream cones and received certificates of participation. Many community volunteers helped make Camp Wannaread successful and fun for the children of Belmont. Heather Morse, Nicole Pratt, Ryan Gile, Donna Hankins-Hull and family, Judy Hayes and family, Denise Hutchins, Benjamin Hutchins, Jeffrey Hutchins, Claudette Varney and Gay Ferland gener-ously shared their time and talents with the children. Special thanks also goes to Jordan’s Ice Cream and Belmont Village Store for the resources that they shared with the program. Tents are folded, and camp has ended. Next year’s Summer Reading Program will bring all new adven-tures for Library visitors. Story time for preschoolers will resume on Septem-ber 14th, on Wednesday mornings at 10:00. Pre-school aged children, parents and caregivers will lis-ten to several stories and enjoy a simple craft pro-ject. Additional story times will be added later in the fall. The dates and times will be posted or available by calling the Library at 267-8331, after October 3rd.

We look forward to seeing you at the Library.

It’s Been a Great Summer at Belmont Public Library

Submitted by Jackie Gardner

"Magician "Mr. Phil" delighted dozens of children on the first day of the Belmont Public Library's "Camp Wanaread"

summer reading program, Tuesday, July 12, 2005." (photo/Alan MacRae)

P A G E 7

We would like to take this opportunity to thank retiring Town Administrator Donald McLelland for his years of service to the Town of Belmont.

Cpbse!pg!Tfmfdunfo!Our new Town Administrator began her duties on Au-gust 1, 2005. She and her staff have begun preparation of the 2006 budget. The budget will be submitted to the Board of Selectmen for their consideration before it is sent on to the Budget Committee in late October. In an effort to open the lines of communication and better serve the residents of Belmont, we have been working closely with the Planning Board on numerous issues. We have a number of projects on tap for this fall includ-ing drainage on Concord Street, the Concord Street sidewalk project, Route 3 water line relocation and pos-sible expansion, the status of private roads and oppor-tunities for economic development in Belmont.

Cfmnpou!Sjeftibsf!Opx!Pqfo!The Belmont Rideshare is now open and we encourage everyone to take advantage of this great way to car pool and conserve energy. We would like to thank the Public Works Department, Land Use Office and Town Administrator’s Office for the great work they did on this project. !

Xbufs!Efqbsunfou!The Water Department continues to work on replacing broken water meters in town and completing necessary repairs to the pump station on Shaker Road. David McLelland was recently promoted to Water Department Manager and can be reached at 267-8301. The Town is continuing to investigate the expansion of water ser-vice in the Route 3 area and recently sent letters to area businesses inquiring about their interest in assist-ing the Town with the project. We anticipate a positive response and look forward to working with the Route 3 businesses on this exciting project. Xjoojtrvbn!Gjsf!Efqbsunfou!The Board of Selectmen met recently with representa-tives of the Tilton-Northfield Fire District, Chief Stephen Carrier, Sanbornton Fire Department Chief Jerry Busby, Belmont Fire Department and the Winnisquam Fire De-partment to further discuss the transition of the Winnis-quam station, its firefighters and other assets to the Town of Belmont. The meeting was very productive and we anticipate the process to move forward smoothly. If you have any questions on the process please feel free to contact Town Administrator Jeanne Beaudin or Fire Chief Richard Siegel. Please be as-sured that the safety of our community and our neighboring communities is foremost in our minds as we restructure the Department.

FROM THE SELECTMEN’S OFFICE

. Qbslt!'!Sfdsfbujpo!–!!

Mftmjf!F/!Spcfsut!Sfdsfbujpo!Bsfb!The Parks and Recreation Department through its volunteer committee has been very busy this sum-mer. They recently sponsored a steel band concert by Mango Grove at the Leslie E. Roberts Recrea-tion Area as well as the band “The Bombers” dur-ing Belmont’s Old Home Day. The Board of Se-lectmen will be advertising the Part-Time Director’s position again this fall and anticipate that the posi-tion will be filled before year’s end. Please watch for the position notice in the Citizen and Daily Sun.

Pme!Ipnf!Ebz!The Old Home Day Committee did a great job again this year and the event, whose theme was “A Lifetime of Music” was a great success and we thank everyone who participated in the organiza-tion and planning of this wonderful celebration of our Town. Thank you!!

Tpmje!Xbtuf!Psejobodf!We are continuing to work on implementing the changes authorized by the voters at Town Meeting relative to commercial waste in Belmont. We are working with the transportation companies, i.e., Bestway, Waste Management and others to estab-lish a procedure for effecting this change. We wish to remind you that the change will become effective January 1, 2006. If you have any questions re-garding this issue, please contact the Town Admin-istrator’s office.

We encourage you to participate in the upcoming budget process. Budget Committee meeting no-tices are posted at Town Hall and the Post Office. The Committee typically meets every Tuesday at 6:30 pm, at the Corner Meeting House in Belmont

beginning in early November.

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Sfhjobme!Dbmexfmm-!Wjdf!Dibjsnbo!Spobme!Dpsnjfs-!Ks/-!Tfmfdunbo!

Visit our Web Site at “belmontnh.org”

Remember school is back in session, please drive safely!

P A G E 8

Susan Flanders, a Belmont resident and a petite grandmother of five, hasn’t always been as focused and productive as she is today. As a teenager and a young mother she was once trapped in the maze of alcohol and drug addic-tions, dropping out of school, neglecting her children and unable to hold a job. Three years ago in 2002, she decided to openly disclose her journey of recovery from the disease of addictions that she had begun almost ten years earlier. “While it was scary to admit what I was,” Susan felt it was time to “give back to others” in the same way that she had been supported and nur-tured. Today she is an active volunteer in the recov-ery movement in Belmont and the Lakes Region. Susan is a mentor to others in their first steps in re-covery and often transports them to treatment and other meetings. She coaches, shares from her own experiences and, most important, she listens. “For me, it was such a great feeling knowing some-one was there to hear me and not judge me for what I was saying. I know what it is like to feel so useless and powerless,” says Susan. In addition to volunteering at Horizons Counseling Center, Susan has also spent time with the resi-dents at the Odyssey Family Center, a residential treatment program in Canterbury for substance-abusing women and their young children. Recognized for her achievements and courage, Susan recently received a scholarship to attend a one-week training at the New England School of Addictions in Bridgewater, Massachusetts. She also completed the Leadership Training Program spon-sored by New Futures, a New Hampshire based non-profit organization promoting effective strate-gies that reduce alcohol, tobacco and other drug problems. This preparation led her to advocate before NH leg-islators in Concord for continued funding for treat-ment programs. And this summer she completed

Belmont Resident Assists With Countywide Recovery Initiative Submitted by Judith Buswell, M Ed

Planning and Research Coordinator & Belknap County Citizens Council on Children and Families

the Leadership Initiative Program, a sixteen-hour training sponsored by the NH Task Force for Women and Addictions. Currently, Susan is a member of the large steering committee that is organizing Belknap County’s month-long observance in September of National Alcohol and Drug Addictions Recovery Month. Says Susan, “This month is all about letting people know there’s help out there and that those of us in recov-ery can live a life of happiness, work and pay our taxes.” “You know,” she continues “last year was the first year I ever voted! I just didn’t think I was important enough.” Susan’s life is now full and rich. She is employed full time at the Martin Lord, and Osman Law Firm in Laconia and, as a grandmother of five children in the Belmont School system, is an active member of the Belmont PTA. “I have chaperoned just about every field trip the kids have taken over the last seven years.” While she acknowledges the stigma often associ-ated with the disease of addictions and even with those who are successfully in recovery, she says “everyone in Belmont, at the schools and else-where, has been wonderfully accepting of me. But like others in recovery, I can be – and I am now a contributing member of society.” For more information on Belknap County Alcohol and Drug Addictions Recovery Month, one may call the Belknap County Citizens Council on Children and Families at 528-3185.

P A G E 9

News From The Belmont Senior Center

For more information or to enroll in these programs please contact the Belmont Senior Center at 267-9867.

Agile Up We are excited to announce the beginning of a six-week exercise program. This collaborative effort is sponsored by the Community Action Program Belknap-Merrimack Counties, The Belmont Senior Center and the Racquet Club of Concord. This class is designed to improve muscle strength, balance and flexibility. Hour long Sessions will be held on Tues-day’s and Friday’s at 8 am The discounted cost of the six week program: $30 ($2.50 per class) due at registration. We need a minimum of 15 people to hold the class, which is open to the public.

Tai Chi An exercise that is over 700 years old, Tai Chi is cer-tainly making the news in the health and fitness headlines. This Chinese martial art was originally thought to be developed as a method of self defense for monks centuries ago. Over the years it has de-veloped into an art that exercises the body and the mind. Recent studies have shown this art form helps with many chronic medical conditions. By participat-ing in a regular Tai Chi program you will significantly see better balance, postural stability, arm movement control and flexibility. Studies have shown Tai Chi to be just as effective as moderate aerobic exercise in reducing blood pressure among older adults. Geor-ganne Verigan of the Holistic Care Center will pro-vide a six-week session every Monday morning at 9 am for an hour.

Senior Outdoor Adventure Series Do you enjoy the great outdoors? Do you have an active lifestyle? Do love a good adventure? If so this is the group for you. Each month we will travel throughout the state appreciating the great outdoors and everything it has to offer. We’ll enjoy nature walks, hiking, kayaking and much more...

Timeless Treasures Scrapbook Class Do you have pictures stored away in a box, or better yet, do you have pictures in the photo package from the store? Would you love to have everything organ-ized and displayed in an album? Scrapbook classes provide creative techniques displaying all of your timeless memories. For more information please contact our Center.

Computer Classes in The Computer Lab Facilitator: Melissa Atherton Registration is required.

Telephone Reassurance Program This program has been designed to provide the comfort and security needed to help maintain older adult’s independence while living in his or her own home. It also provides peace of mind for family members and friends. Telephone calls are provided Monday through Friday to the homes of participating individuals. Volunteers provide friendly calls each morning. If the phone is busy or is not answered, a follow up call will be made. If our volunteers are unable to reach the individual, designated emergency con-tact members will be notified or the Belmont Po-lice Department will be contacted and an officer will be sent to the home. This program reassures family and friends that in emergency situations their loved ones will be safe and help will be on the way. An individual can subscribe to this free program on an on-going basis or for a short period, such as a few weeks after a hospital stay.

Fall Foliage Trip to The Balsams Grand

Resort Tuesday October 4, 2005

Join us as we travel to the Great North Woods of scenic New Hampshire. The Balsams Grand Re-sort has been welcoming guests for over 130 years now. Located in Dixville Notch, we will get to experience dining at this luxury resort. Dinner will be served in the main dining room of the ho-tel. Chef Learned’s Grand Buffet Luncheon of-fers a variety of delectable entrée’s to suit your pallet. After dinner, we will explore this lovely resort with all that it has to offer inside as well as on the 15,000 acres that it is situated on. Tour includes: Transportation, Independent Tour of the Balsams Grand Resort, Lunch, Dining Room Gratuities, Driver’s gratuity, and Taxes.

Rate: $58.00 per person Non-Refundable Please make checks payable to

Royal Tours LLC

Departs the Belmont Mill at 9:00 am sharp. Approximate return arrival 6:00 pm.

P A G E 1 0

Shaker Regional School District Serving the communities of Belmont and Canterbury

September BES Open House --------------- September 20 & 21 BMS Open House -------------- September 27 College Information Night (BHS) --------------- September 28

October BHS Booster Club —October 4 BEST Meeting ---- October 5 CES PTO----------- October 5 BHS Parent Advisory Committee --------------- October 6 NO SCHOOL------ October 10 BMS PTO ---------- October 11 Harvest Concert -- October 12 Fall Family Festival October 29

November BEST Meeting ---- November 2 CES PTO----------- November 2 BHS Fall Sports Awards ------------------------ November 7 BMS PTO ---------- November 8 NO SCHOOL------ November 10 NO SCHOOL------ November 11 BEST Movie Night--November 18 Thanksgiving Recess ------------------------ Nov 23-Nov27 College Financial Aid Info Night ------------------------ November 30

December BES Drama -------- December 1 BEST Meeting ---- December 7 CES PTO----------- December 2 BMS PTO ---------- December 13 BMS Holiday Concert ------------------------ December 13 CES Holiday Concert ------------------------ December 15 BHS Holiday Concert ------------------------ December 20 Feel free to check the master calen-dar at www.shaker.k12.nh.us for ad-

ditional information about these events.

Please join us for the following events:

SRSD Welcomes New Director of

Student Services

It is our pleasure to announce that Tonyel Mitchell-Berry has joined the Shaker Regional School District as the Director of Student Services. In this role, she will oversee all Special Education programs in the district. Ms. Mitchell-Berry has replaced Stacy Buckley, our previous Director of Special Education, who has ac-cepted an administrative position with the Goffstown School District. Tonyel joins our district following five years of post-secondary experience at Hesser College which will be in-strumental in the implementation of reauthorization of IDEA 2004. She is a graduate of Florida State University, having earned her Bache-lors in English and will be completing her Master’s Degree in Education this year in Administration and Su-pervision. Ms. Mitchell Berry lives in the town of Belmont with her husband and sev-enteen month old son. She can be reached at 267-9222 or tmitchell-berry@shaker.k12.nh.us.

Shaker Regional Students will Benefit From Couple’s

Generosity

During a recent school board meet-ing, those in attendance were de-lighted to receive a donation in the amount of $273,600. Dave Case presented the check to the board on behalf of the estate of Quentin and Mary Hutchins, who prior to their deaths lived in Canterbury. The money is to be used for schol-arships to enable graduating sen-iors to further their education. While the scholarship fund is in ex-istence, the district will award a minimum of two scholarships of at least $1,000 each. Scholarship recipients will be se-lected by the high school principal based on demonstrated academic excellence in the discipline which they plan to pursue in college. When Mr. Hutchins died last year, he left over one million dollars to various charitable organizations and schools. In addition to the do-nation to the Shaker Regional School District, a gift in the same amount was also given to Syracuse University for scholarships for New Hampshire students attending that school.

Would you like to be notified when we post our schedule for this year’s

community computer classes? We are developing an email database

which will allow us to share information as soon as it becomes

available. To be included on the list, please send an email to Jacqui McGettigan at

jmcgettigan@shaker.k12.nh.us

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Shaker Regional School District News From Mr. Cozort’s Corner

From the Superintendent September 2005

2004-2005, Another Banner Year for Shaker! ♦ Belmont High School mathematics teacher, Randy

Wormald, was selected as the New Hampshire Teacher of the Year and was also selected Na-tional High School Teacher of the Year by the Dis-ney Corporation.

♦ Belmont Elementary School teacher, Patte Sarausky, was selected as the NH Junior Achieve-ment Teacher of the Year.

♦ Belmont High School English teacher, Brian McNabb, was selected as the Treat Award Winner for Excellence in the Teaching of Humanities.

♦ Belmont Middle School Assistant Principal, Timo-thy Saunders, was selected to receive the New England League of Middle Schools Administrator’s Award for 2004-2005.

♦ The Belmont Middle School received accreditation by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges. This makes BMS one of only seven schools in the state who have been so recognized.

♦ Belmont High School students, Rachel Eades and Patrick McGettigan, were selected to participate in the prestigious St. Paul’s Summer School Pro-gram.

♦ Belmont High School students, Kaitlin Tuthill, Jaqui Tuthill and Trask Roberts, won the Northeast Re-gional and National Transportation and Civil Engi-neering (TRAC) competition.

♦ Belmont High School student, Brendan Collins, was honored with the 2004 NH High School Heis-man Award and classmate, Annie Clock, was a finalist for the same award.

♦ Belmont Middle School students, Ben Winchell and Becky Caron, were selected as New England Mid-dle School (NELMS) Scholar Leaders.

♦ Parents, relatives and community members volun-teered almost 20,000 hours in our schools during the 2004-2005 school year! Volunteer programs at both elementary schools and the middle school received the New Hampshire Partner’s in Educa-tion Blue Ribbon Award for their outstanding pro-grams.

As we begin the 2005-2006 school year, I am confi-dent that we will have many more student and staff honors and recognition to announce! Way to go Shaker!

Who’s Who at the SAU?

Michael Cozort, Superintendent of Schools Responsible for day-to-day operations of our schools including planning, budgeting, leadership of the ad-ministrative team, curriculum development and as-sessment mcozort@shaker.k12.nh.us

Debbie Gay, Business Administrator Day-to-day budget management, requisition ap-proval, budget development and projections, Federal Projects. dgay@shaker.k12.nh.us

Linda Murphy, Personnel Manager Manages employee benefit programs, worker’s com-pensation, advertising, and personnel issues. lmurphy@shaker.k12.nh.us

Diane Clary, Bookkeeper Provides bookkeeping services, including accounts payable and receivables. Processes and maintains payrolls. dclary@shaker.k12.nh.us

Jacqui McGettigan, Administrative Assistant Provides secretarial services, maintains professional development records, home education, and substi-tute teacher list. jmcgettigan@shaker.k12.nh.us

Doug Ellis, Director of Buildings & Grounds Responsible for the care and maintenance of school district facilities and grounds. Email: dellis@shaker.k12.nh.us

Tonyel Mitchell-Berry, Director of Student Services Responsible for student services in the area of spe-cial education, 504 plans and English as a Second Language. tmitchell-berry@shaker.k12.nh.us

Heather Cummings, Curriculum Coordinator Responsible for directing the revision, implementa-tion and evaluation of the District’s K-12 curriculum as aligned with the New Hampshire Department of Education’s Standards and Accountability System hcummings@shaker.k12.nh.us

David St. Cyr, Technology Coordinator Responsible for the district’s technology, including hardware, software and network administration. dstcyr@shaker.k12.nh.us

We look forward to providing support to the students, parents, educators and community members of our district as we build a learning environment among the best in New Hampshire.

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Tips to Start the Year Off Right v Make sure your children get enough sleep.

Children who are tired from lack of sleep can-not do their best in the classroom.

v Make sure your children eat breakfast. Re-

search shows that children who do not eat breakfast don’t do as well in school as those who do.

v Communicate with your child’s teacher. If

you have a question or concern, call your child’s teacher. Communication is a two-way street and you need not wait until your child’s teacher calls you.

District Website Looking for important information about our school district or your child’s school? Don’t forget to check out the Shaker Regional School District’s website: www.shaker.k12.nh.us It is filled with useful information such as: • 2005-2006 School Year Calendar • School Staff Directories • Master Events Calendar • Shaker Strategic Plan • Shaker School District Policies • Shaker District Professional Development Plan • School Board Meeting Schedule and Minutes • Job Opportunities in Shaker • Links to: Each school’s website Transportation Services NH Weather and School Closings Special Services links And much, much more! Check it out…it may save you some time and aggravation.

District Report Card We have once again issued our district report card, which includes student data such as enroll-ment, class size, discipline and drop out rates, and student assessment results. Other statistics pro-vided include staff information such as the number of staff, their years of experience and their educa-tional attainment. Financial information such as per pupil costs, budget expenditures, revenues and tax rates are also included. If you would like a copy, please ask for one at your child’s school or call our office (267-9223) and we would be glad to send you a copy.

Parent Surveys Our annual parent surveys will be mailed out this month. They are designed to elicit opinions about our school district and the responses will guide the administration and faculty as we plan for the future of our district. If you did not receive one and wish to participate, please call my office at 267-9223 and we would be happy to send you one.

2005 Summer Maintenance Projects

The Shaker Regional School District has sustained its commitment to upgrading the physical condition of its facilities. In

addition to routine maintenance and cleaning, sev-eral larger projects have been addressed in our schools this past summer.

Canterbury Elementary School: 1. Replaced tile floors in lower hallway 2. Replaced classroom lighting/ceilings in hallway 3. Corrected drainage on back soccer field 4. Replaced computer counters

Belmont Elementary School 1. Completed the replacement of windows 2. Replaced worn carpets with floor tiles in two rooms 3. Paved roadway around the back of the building

Belmont Middle School 1. Continued adding heat and ventilation controls 2. Put in staircase from lower parking lot in front 3. Irrigated Bryant Field 4. Completed replacement of all cafeteria tables 5. Replaced tile in two classrooms 6. Replaced computer counters

Belmont High School 1. Resurfaced the track 2. Purchased curtains for cafeteria alcove 3. Irrigated softball field 4. Painted upstairs lockers 5. Installed cabinets in six classrooms

District-wide 1. Set aside funds for replacement of elementary school roofs 2. Purchased landscaping equipment If you have a concern about our buildings or grounds or, even better, a compliment please call Doug Ellis at 267-9223.

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Xibu!Ibt!Cffo!Ibqqfojoh!Jo!Pvs!Tdippmt@!Shaker Regional School District faculty members have been learning to create web pages. In the very near future all SRSD teachers will have a

web page up and running. You will be able to access their pages through links set up on each schools indi-vidual sites. Watch for this exciting change soon.

“We are Scientists” is the CES 2005-2006 school-wide theme. Children will be discovering how the scientific process can help them learn about the

world around them. They will be asking questions such as, What do scientists do? What do the best problem solvers do? What is proof? The inquiry ap-proach to learning will be used throughout the curricu-lum and will be demonstrated through special pro-jects, special events and guest speakers.

Measures of Academic Progress is a computer-ized assessment program developed by the Northwest Evaluation Association. Each test is

custom designed as the students are answering the questions to provide accurate and immediate meas-ures of their achievement. The results are reported immediately and offer specific information about indi-vidual students’ learning achievements that can be used to focus instruction. Shaker Regional students in grades 3, 5, 7, 8 and 9 will take the reading, lan-guage usage and mathematics sections of the test.

Welcome to the following new SRSD staff mem-bers: Belmont High School—Jessica Alward, Special Education Assistant; Mary Durocher,

Food Service Assistant; Sarah Hils Hickey, Busi-ness Teacher; Stephen Reeve, Science Teacher Belmont Middle School—Mary Berry, In School Suspension Monitor; Don Nelson, Jr, Custodian; Margo Racicot, Library Assistant; Bonnie Miner, Classroom Assistant; Kristine Van Dyke, Classroom Assistant; Heidi Conlon, Grade 7 teacher; Heidi King, Gifted and Talented Teacher; Elizabeth McGovern, Grade 6 Teacher; Kerry Sangster, Grade 5 Teacher. Belmont Elementary School—Jon Baker, Custo-dian; Heidi Donovan, Preschool Assistant; Amy Fanning, Special Education Assistant; Ruth Malavet, Special Education Assistant; Ruth Puleo, Special Education Assistant. District-wide—Christina Corrigan, Speech/Language Pathlogist; Paulette Palombo, Speech/Language Pathologist; Tonyel Mitchell-Berry, Direc-tor of Student Services. The follow staff members have returned to new po-sitions: Jennifer Charleston is now teaching third grade at Belmont Elementary School and Cathy Clairmont will be a special education assistant at Belmont Middle School.

Girls Soccer (JV and Varsity)

9/12/05 Newport 4:00 pm

9/17/05 Gilford 10am/12pm

9/21/05 Littleton 4:00 pm

9/30/05 Newmarket 4:00 pm

10/14/05 Interlakes 4:00 pm

Boys Soccer (JV and Varsity)

9/14/05 Littleton 4:00 pm

9/17/05 Gilford 1pm/2pm

9/22/05 Winnisquam 4:00 pm

9/27/05 Franklin 4:00 pm

10/3/05 Prospect Mtn. 4:00 pm

10/11/05 Mascoma 4:00 pm

Volleyball (JV and Varsity)

9/14/05 Prospect Mtn. 5pm/6pm

9/17/05 Gilford 5pm/6pm

9/21/05 Newfound 5pm/6pm

10/3/05 Campbell 5pm/6pm

10/11/05 Mascoma 5pm/6pm

10/17/05 Laconia Christian

5pm/6pm

Cross Country

9/16/05 Homecoming Race

10/4/05 Belmont Invitational Race

10/21/05 Capital Area Championship Race

Golf —All matches will be held at the Canterbury Country Club at 3:30.

9/16/06 Lisbon, Derryfield & Lin-Wood

9/20/05 Sunapee, Franklin

9/22/05 Prospect Mtn, Camp-bell

9/26/005 Newmarket, Campbell

9/28/05 Franklin, Sunapee

9/30/05 Lisbon

Homecoming activities will take place on

September 16 & 17 Please support our teams

and booster club!

Fall Sports Home Schedules

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Belmont Baseball Organization enjoyed a very busy summer this year. The eight and nine year old All Stars participated in the annual invitational tournament in Laco-nia, and held their own against some tough teams from Laconia, Franklin, Gilford and Bow. Al-though eliminated early in the

tournament, they gained some valuable experience that should prove useful in future contests. The nine and ten year olds re-turned to Little League tourna-ment play also, following a three year absence. The Belmont team did very well considering their inexperience, finishing with a re-cord of 2-4. They earned a fifth place finish overall, with seven teams participating in the tourney.

Behind the scenes, many volun-teers worked hard through the summer to support and promote our local baseball program. Par-ents and league officers worked the concession stand during the Nor’Easter Softball Tournament in late July. B.B.O. also sold hot dogs, hamburgers, chips and

drinks during the Belmont Parks and Rec. Beach Concert, held at the Leslie E. Roberts Town Beach on August 7th.

The crowning achievement of B.B.O.’s summer activities came during Belmont Old Home Day. The organization’s float entry was voted best overall in the annual parade and was awarded the Se-lectman’s Trophy. Many players rode on the float, which featured a detailed replica of Fenway Park’s “Green Monster”, including light towers, an intricate scoreboard, Coke bottle and Citgo sign. Dur-ing the evening activities, ham-burgers, hot dogs, snacks and drinks were again sold, as well as steak and cheese subs with all the fixings. Many people have donated goods, services, labor, time and knowl-edge to the league this year, and B.B.O. extends thanks to all those that helped in any and every way. We would also like to thank the twenty-one sponsors who continue to support baseball in Belmont. B.B.O. will be working throughout the fall and winter to prepare for the 2006 season. Public meetings will be announced on the league web site at www.eteamz.com/bbo starting in September. We hope that anyone who would like to help will come and see what B.B.O. is all about!

B.B.O. Winds Up a Busy Summer Submitted by Dave Wilder, Information Officer

Belknap United Soccer Association To Hold Registration

Submitted by Pat Manning Belknap United Soccer Associa-tion(BUSA) will be holding regis-trations for the first winter indoor soccer session. Games will be played at Fieldhouse Sports. Registration will be held on Sept. 17th at Belmont Middle School in the cafeteria from 10 am to 1 pm for groups U-8 to U-16. A $7 fee must be attached to each player’s registration form. Team costs will be determined later when we know how many kids are playing on each team. If you have any questions please contact Jim White at (524-3342).

News from B.R.A.T.T. Submitted by Dave Nielsen

The Town of Belmont has re-ceived the grant for Phase I of the bicycle trail. A small group of dedi-cated volunteers have continued to work on the current and future plans for the trail. We have ap-plied for Phase II of the grant plan. Decisions regarding Phase II grant funds will be announced later this year or in January of 2006. As we continue our fundraising efforts, businesses in the greater Belmont area will be receiving a visit from a member of B.R.A.T.T. seeking ways that we can work together on this project. We will be hosting a Barbecue/Fundraiser in September and are looking for things that we can use as raffle prizes. We would appreciate any help that you might be able to give us. If you would like to work with us on this exciting project, please join us on the first Wednesday of each month at 6:30 pm at the Corner Meeting House.

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A leadership training series open to parents who reside in Belknap County will begin on Saturday, October 15th and continue for four additional Satur-days through March 18, 2006. The P.A.L.S. Series (Parents As Leaders in Soci-ety) is modeled after Leadership New Hampshire and the New Futures Community Leadership Insti-tute. This interactive training provides non-partisan informa-tion and skill development for parents interested in the prob-lems and challenges facing children and families in Belknap County. The P.A.L.S Series, funded in part by a grant from the NH Children’s Trust Fund and by the Belknap County Citizens Council on Children and Fami-lies, is sponsored by a collaboration of parents with the Citizens Council, UpStream, Lakes Region United Way and Laconia Project EXTRA. “We are looking for parents from throughout Belknap County to apply,” says Alan Robichaud, Executive Director of the Citizens Council and the Facilitator of the P.A.L.S. series. “Ideal applicants are those parents who are interested in boosting their leadership abilities and in applying their new skills right in their own neighborhoods and commu-nities.” Robichaud explains that the long-range goals of the program include building local networks of par-ents and community citizens who are knowledge-able and comfortable as advocates for children and families. “Grassroots community activity that comes from the unique strengths of each community is a far more effective change agent than top-down edicts,” con-tinues Robichaud. “We have numerous parents throughout this county who want their communities to be safe places where children and families can thrive. These are the folks we hope will enroll,” he says, explaining that applicants don’t have to be “super famous leaders in their communities”, but rather “just regular citizens interested in helping out where they can.”

The P.A.L.S. Series begins on the third Saturday of October with an UpStream–sponsored, parent confer-ence featuring keynote speaker and Havard Professor Julie Wilson. The afternoon P.A.L.S. session will begin immediately following the conference luncheon break. Led by more than a dozen presenters from around the Lakes Region and New Hampshire, the five-session

seminar will cover such topics as community-building skills, the political process, family dynamics in the 21st century, communication skills, youth in school-a guidance perspective, available resources for children and families, and leadership skill develop-ment. Each participant will be given reading materials to review and small assign-ments to complete in their communi-ties. Participants will have ample op-

portunity at every session to share their experiences and reactions as they carry out these tasks. 2005 P.A.L.S. Graduate Kathy Calvin rated this series as “top notch”! Calvin explained, "Being a participant in this series gave me opportunities to learn more about my community, resources available to help chil-dren and families, and networking with others con-cerned with making our communities safe and healthy places for our children. I found readings particularly rewarding and have recommended a book I read as part of this series to more friends than any other book I've read. It really caught my attention!" There are no registration or tuition costs for partici-pants and lunch will be provided. Limited childcare assistance is also available. According to Robichaud, “We do not want any motivated parent to pass up this opportunity because of unmet childcare or transporta-tion needs or due to any reason that we may be able to help resolve.” Applications and further information can be found at the Council’s website, www.bccj.org, at the Citizens Council office in the Busiel Mill in downtown Laconia, at UpStream’s office at 95 Water Street in Laconia or website www.upstream.org or by calling Kathy Calvin, 2005 PALS Graduate, at 527-9182.

Leadership Training for Belknap County Parents Submitted by Upstream

BMS PTO UPDATE Submitted by Doreen Plimpton

With the entire board of directors returning for a second year, the PTO can start work immediately. One of the biggest goals of the BMS PTO is to encourage BMS school clubs, programs and sports teams to utilize the PTO conces-sion stand and pop corn machine to raise money for their groups. The goal is to reduce the cost of the programs to the families. The BMS PTO will be host to some wonderful speakers. On September 13, 2005 the Belmont Police Department will share infor-mation about Pre-teen Safety & Drug Awareness and BMS teacher Linda Otten will talk about the Ka-zakhstan Book Project. Other speakers throughout the year will include SRSD Director of Technol-ogy, David St. Cyr discussing Computer Safety and How to Track our Kids on Line as well as BMS nurse Gerry Harvey speak-ing about AED Machine Training. Members of our community are invited to join us for these speak-ers. Any one is welcome to volunteer at BMS. Volunteers must submit a BMS PTO volunteer form and complete a background check. PTO volunteer forms can be picked up at the BMS Office. Fin-gerprints and background checks can be done by appointment for free at the SAU office. Their num-ber is 267-9223.

News From The Belmont Heritage Commission Submitted by Linda Frawley

Belmont's newest initiative continues its work. A statement of purpose was adopted several months ago which describes both focus and oppor-tunity for the five member Selectmen-appointed Commission. The Belmont Heritage Commission will "promote the proper recognition, use and protection of the unique historic and natural resources of Bel-mont, and also integrate preservation planning as a partnership with in-dividuals, businesses, Town boards and other appropriate groups." Its advisory and review authority is established and outlined in State of New Hampshire regulations including RSA 674:44 Local Land Use Planning and Regulatory Powers. According to Heritage Commission Chairman Wallace Rhodes, "Citizen interest is the first and most important reason for our existence. Belmont residents decided some ten years ago that the Town's heritage, through efforts to save and reuse part of the Belmont Mill, was worth saving. To-day's interest, from new members to the Belmont Historical Society - to the number of Historic Trolley Car riders at Old Home Day - has very definitely increased.” The Belmont Heritage Commission has a list of accomplishments since Selectmen completed appointments in fall 2003. The group recently nominated Christopher P. Williams, Architect, for the Governors Arts award in the Lotte Jacobi "Living Treasure" category. The Belmont nomi-nation was supported by photographer Bill Finney and organizations in-cluding the Meredith Public Library, NH Music Festival, American Insti-tute of Architects, New Hampshire Chapter, NH Preservation Alliance, Squam Lakes Natural Science Center, Canterbury Shaker Village, Plan NH, Greater Meredith Program and the Belknap Mill Society. Williams was the architect of record for the Belmont Mill project and also a leader in the PlanNH effort with Belmont residents in 1996 that devel-oped a blueprint for the Belmont Mill and Village future. Another current project for the Heritage Commission is a grant applica-tion for guidance on the Province Road Meetinghouse. The Route 107 building is 300+ years old and was the first house of worship for the Lakes Region. Assessment of the building - both historically and struc-turally - and development of a phased action, preservation and reuse plan - are among objectives of the request. The Belmont Heritage Commission welcomes interest and questions. Original citizen appointees included Wallace Rhodes, Linda Fraw-ley, Diane Marden and Margaret Normandin. Selectmen Representative appointees began with Doralyn Harper and also included Roy Roberts and currently Ron Cormier.

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The Belmont Better Times is always seeking new vol-unteers to join our staff. If you would like to be in-volved with future issue of

the publication, please contact Jacqui McGettigan at

jacquimc@metrocast.net

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DONALD McLELLAND JR. MORTGAGE PLANNER

603-232-9660 DIRECT 800-684-8346 EXT 117 TOLL FREE

603-218-6339 FAX 603-387-3185 CELL

dmclelland@nymc.com www.donmclelland.com

273 South River Road, Suite 1 Bedford, NH 03110

Belmont Box & Moving Supplies Celebrated New Store with Ribbon Cutting Ceremony and Open House

Submitted by the Greater Laconia/Weirs Beach Chamber of Commerce

On July, 21, Belmont Box and Moving Supplies

celebrated their new business and new mem-bership in the Greater Laco-nia/Weirs Beach Chamber of Commerce with a ribbon cutting a n d o p e n house. Located in Belmont at

the intersection of Routes 106 and 140, they are a locally owned and family operated retail moving box and packaging supply store with outstanding friendly, personal service. Owners David and Teresa Malone have many years of experience in the moving and corrugated box supply industry as they are also the owners of Central Lakes Region Movers of Belmont, also a member of the chamber. Included in their line-up of necessary moving sup-plies are a full line of professional quality moving and packaging boxes as well as bubble wrap, packing supplies, tape dispensers, markers, labels and devices designed to make the moving experi-ence a pleasant and efficient experience. Profes-sional quality moving pads are available for rental as well as hand trucks and appliance dollies. The Greater Laconia/Weirs Beach Chamber of Commerce is proud to have them as a new mem-ber and celebrate with them in the opening of their retail store. Stop by or give them a call at 603-267-6200 and let them show you how easy moving can be!

Greater Laconia/Weirs Beach Chamber of Commerce Calls for

Historic Lakes Region Photos! The 2006 Travel Guide is coming! This brochure is the Greater Laconia/Weirs Beach Chamber of Com-merce’s premier guide to the Lakes Region. We print 100,000 copies for distribution throughout the state and direct mail purposes. This year we are also printing 100,000 double-sided, full-color rack cards for distribution throughout the New England states to promote the Travel Guide and our website as a great visitor re-source. We are currently looking for historic photos of the Lakes Region to place into the brochure to entice visitors to enjoy this area all year around and bring back happy memories. If you are interested in donating a photo, the deadline is September 30, 2005. Credit will be given next to the photo if it is selected for the brochure. Photos must be in .pdf or .tif format and be 300 dpi resolution or better. So, start digging through your historic (1980 or be-fore) Lakes Region photos! For more information, please call Beth Maltzie at 603-524-5531.

ALLSTAFF CONTRACT SERVICES WELCOMES NEW RECRUITER

The Regional Director of Allstaff Contract Services, Bonnie Kelley, welcomes Susan Amiss to her staffas a recruiterfor her Belmont office located at the corner of Route 106 and 140, 930 Laconia Road. Susan Amiss recently joined Allstaff and brings many years of administrative, marketing and public rela-tions skills. She is a volunteer with the Circle Pro-gram, a girls’ mentoring program in Plymouth, a board member of Kidworks Learning Center in Mere-dith and a committee member for the American Can-cer Society Making Strides Walk in October. Allstaff can relieve employers of many liabilities as-sociated with hiring and offers a variety of employ-ment options to meet the needs of many businesses. If you are an employer with staffing needs or an em-ployee looking for work call Susan at 267-7492, email at sue@allstaffbelmont.com or log onto www.allstaffbelmont.com.

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Belmont Girl Scouts Prepare for Another

Busy Year

♦ Registrations have begun for membership with the many Girl Scout Troops in Belmont. Belmont spon-sors Brownies, Junior, Cadette and Senior level troops. The number of troops will be limited by the number of adults who are willing to volunteer to be troop leaders. For more information on how you can volunteer with the Belmont Girl Scouts, please contact Donna Shepherd at 528-3569.

♦ The fall Senior Suppers will begin on September 30 at 5:00 pm and will be held at the Belmont Senior Center. We will be serving stuffed peppers with rice, vegetables, rolls, and dessert. Please call the Senior Center by September 28th to make a reser-vation.

Belmont Parks and Recreation Tina Fleming

Parks and Recreation Committee Chair On Sunday, August 8, Belmont Parks and Recrea-tion held a beach concert at the Leslie E. Roberts Town Beach. Mother Nature cooperated and gave us a beautiful summer afternoon. The sounds of steel drum music by Mango Groove echoed over Lake Winnisquam. The Belmont Baseball Organi-zation sold hot dogs and hamburgers to the beach goers. It was a wonderful event that was enjoyed by all that attended. We hope to make this an an-nual event.

On Wednesday nights you can find pick up basket-ball games in Sargent Park. We hope to carry this play indoors at one of the schools. On Sunday, October 30, we will be holding Hallow-een in Sargent Park. There will be pumpkin paint-ing, face painting, games, a costume contest and of course snacks. Look for more details to come. We would like to develop more programs for mem-bers of the community but need your input and as-sistance. Please contact one of the following com-mittee members if you can assist or have input—Tina Fleming, Brian Loanes, Rob Court, Teri Ward-ner, Phil Wardner, and Gretta Olson-Wilder.

Belmont residents enjoy limbo dancing at the beach party sponsored by the Recreation Committee.

Community Health and Hospice to Offer Hospice Volunteer Training

The next training for those who would like to become Hospice volunteers will begin Wednesday, September 14 and end October 19 and will be held at Community Health & Hospice, 780 North Main Street, in Laconia. The training is scheduled for Wednesday afternoons from 1:00 to 5:00 PM and registration is required. Hospice is a special kind of caring for people of all ages who are living with a life-threatening illness. Be-coming a Hospice volunteer requires twenty-one to twenty eight hours of this training. It includes discus-sion of death & dying, exploring spirituality, the role of the hospice staff, palliative care, interacting with the hospice family, and the art of listening. Hospice volun-teers work with the CH&H Hospice team to provide care, comfort, and support to persons at the end of life and to their families and caregivers. For more information, please call Julie Belfontaine, Hospice Training Coordinator at 524-8444.

The Belmont Better Times staff is seeking seasonal photos of our town taken by community

members to include in future issues.

Have you taken a beautiful photo featuring our area that you would like to share with our readers?

(All photos will be printed in black and white).

Please email all photos to jacquimc@metrocast.net.

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Baby Threads Continues To Help Those In Need

Submitted by Daryl Hoitt Baby Threads recently participated in a "Day of Shar-ing" in the Northern part of New Hampshire. A few of our hardworking volunteers made their way up to Colebrook, NH with a caravan of vehicles, including a twenty-four foot rental truck packed to the brim with clothing, toys, children's furniture and house wares. Volunteers from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints packed the truck with the hundreds of boxes of supplies gathered for this trip. Other volun-teers packed over 200 backpacks with school sup-plies which we added to fifty+ backpacks and sup-plies donated by Building 19 employees of Nashua. On Sunday, the United Trinity Methodist Church donated their overflow room for a huge give away event. Local volunteers assisted in laying out the stacks of items we had brought with us. Area agency workers were the first to arrive and were able to gather needed items for clients located all over Coos County. After that approximately 200 Coos County residents bustled through gathering clothing, backpacks and toys for their families. What a fantas-tic event ! One woman took us aside and exclaimed, "Wow isn't this wonderful, these blankets are handmade!", as she admired and bagged up one of the many fleece blan-kets stitched by Baby Thread's volunteers. Baby Threads famous Newborn Layette Bags, Hygiene Kits and Children's Activity Kits were also brought up for the local agencies to distribute. The church pastor, Priscilla Hull, stated, "I had no idea you had this much available for our local communities." As we readied our caravan to return home, one of the local agency volunteers, Salena, stated, "From now on when we hear your name mentioned [Baby Threads] we will know what to expect." We are always in need of VOLUNTEERS and what fun we have even when working hard. To volunteer for the Out of Closet Thrift Shop on Route 28 in Chichester, please call Ruthi True at 435-8163. To volunteer for sewing opportunities call Dorothy Foley at 267-8554 and for many other varied opportunities call Bonnie Champagne at 279-9922. If you would like to knit, crochet or sew at home for Baby Threads we can provide you with supplies for these projects. Thank you again for all your support.

Partners in Health Looks for Special Volunteers

Submitted by Jackie E. Bonafide Director of Development

Community Health & Hospice

The Lakes Region office of the New Hampshire Partners in Health program, located at Commu-nity Health & Hospice at 780 North Main Street in Laconia, is seeking energetic volunteers to assist the Lakes Region Partners in Health (PIH) program. PIH helps families of children with a chronic health condition to advocate, access resources, navigate systems and build capacity to manage the chronic health condition of their child. The Lakes Region office serves Alexandria, Alton, Ashland, Barnstead, Belmont, Bridgewater, Bris-tol, Campton, Center Harbor, Ellsworth, Gilford, Gilmanton, Groton, Hebron, Holderness, Laco-nia, Meredith, New Hampton, Plymouth, Rum-ney, Sanbornton, Thornton, Tilton and Wen-tworth. Prospective volunteers should possess inde-pendence, excellent personal relations skills, flexibility and the ability to multi-task. Other qualifications include basic computer skills, in-cluding familiarity with Microsoft applications. Responsibilities may include a variety of office tasks as well as networking within the commu-nity. Maintenance of confidentiality and a non-judgmental view are essential. This position of-fers the opportunity to change the lives of fami-lies with children suffering from chronic health conditions throughout the Lakes Region.

Using a family-centered approach, PIH staff and volunteers work within the community to facilitate and enhance the care and services which families feel they need. PIH works with schools, medical provid-ers, churches, social services and other community institutions to cre-ate a setting that will enhance the quality of life of the families they serve. For more information, please con-tact Elena Morrison, PIH Family

Support Coordinator at Community Health & Hospice at (603) 524-8444, ext. 344 or e-mail: pih@commhlth.org.

Malm to Chair United Way Fundraising Drive Submitted by Judi Taggart,

LRUW Community Outreach Director & UpStream Program Coordinator

John Malm, VP Meredith Village Savings Bank, has agreed to chair this year's United Way fundraising drive. Two years ago, Malm was a loaned execu-tive for the Lakes Region United Way and last year he served as co-chair of the campaign. This year's goal of $850,000 is the most ambitious goal in the history of the Lakes Region United Way. According to Randy Eifert, VP at Melcher and Pres-cott and volunteer director of resource develop-ment at the Lakes Region United Way, the goal is a challenge to the Lakes Region community. "We believe that our Lakes Region community can respond posi-tively to this call for help. Under the energetic leadership of Mr. Malm, we think we can get this United Way achieving the results we feel are necessary to maxi-mize our impact in the region. But it truly will take a community wide effort. We are fortunate to have dedicated people like John to help guide us to our goal." Malm has been influential in the recent successes of the Lakes Region United Way, and his dedica-tion to the community extends beyond just his ser-vice at the United Way. His involvement in the community is substantial. In addition to chairing the resource development team for the United Way, he serves on the board of directors of the chamber of commerce among other civic duties.

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John Malm, Vice President of Commercial Lending for Meredith Village Savings Bank, left; and Randy Eifert, Vice President of Melcher and Prescott Insurance Agency, strike a pose in front of the new MVSB office construction on South Main Street in Laconia.

Malm takes his role in stride. "I have learned a lot about the community over the last few years with my involvement with the Lakes Region United Way and other organizations, and I have seen first hand the dif-ference a strong community group like the United Way can make in the community. In fact, I believe a strong, well supported United Way is a direct reflection of the health and well being of the community in which it op-erates. To get to where we need to be, we need an additional 1800 donors in the Lakes Region. We are going to need all the help we can get to achieve this, so I am in hopes that the community will come forward

when it is time to roll up our sleeves to get the job done. It is my privilege to serve in this posi-tion as chairman, and I look for-ward to the challenges ahead." Malm is seeking volunteers to help achieve the goal. There are many ways in which someone can help, and Malm would be happy to dis-cuss options with those people who might like to get involved.

Interested citizens can call 524-6864, ext 102 and leave a message and Malm will be sure to call back. The Lakes Region United Way has been serving the Lakes Region since 1957, investing well over $10 mil-lion in the programs and initiatives that build better communities. The mission of the Lakes Region United Way is to mobilize and invest social and financial re-sources to impact lives throughout the region and to create positive change in our communities. Visit our website www.lruw.org to learn more about the Lakes Region United Way and how you can be in-volved.

The mission of the Lakes Region United Way is to mobilize

and invest social and financial resources impacting lives throughout the region and

Creating positive change in our communities.

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Bonnie Kelley, Regional Director Allstaff Contract Services, Inc.

930 Laconia Rd., Suite 6, PO Box 288 Belmont, NH 03220

www.allstaffcorp.com Email: bonnie@allstaffcorp.com Specializing in Temp, Temp-Perm and Permanent placements in a wide

variety of industries. Phone: 603-267-7492 Fax: 603-267-8745

There are two locations in Belmont that are associ-ated with the Gale family. Today’s Belknap County 4-H Fairgrounds occupy the Gale farm first occupied by Stephen Gale, who, according to Lancaster’s His-tory moved to the site on May 18, 1780. Lancaster knew the exact date because it was the day before what was known as the “Dark Day” when the sky darkened, birds went to roost and lights were needed for the remainder of the day. This event was re-ported throughout New England and was thought to have been caused by smoke from forest fires. Stephen Gale had previously lived in Raymond, al-though he is also reported to have built the first saw-mill in Laconia, then Meredith, in 1775 when there was but one dwelling in the area. His 1779 deed to the farm property states that he was from Raymond, so it is possible that he continued to live there while he had other interests in this area. He was some-times referred to as Major Stephen Gale because of his military service during the French and Indian War. The second location in Belmont associated with the Gale family is the Gale School. Napoleon Bonaparte Gale, a grandson of Stephen Gale died in December 1894. In his will he left $5,000 to the town of Bel-mont. Around the same time the town was in the process of building a new village schoolhouse which was to cost the taxpayers in excess of $6,500, a very modest sum by today’s standards. It is not clear when the new school was named Gale School. The

1909 town report con-tinues to refer to the village school but the 1911 town report refers to the Gale School. Napoleon Bonaparte Gale was the grandson of Stephen Gale, and the son of Daniel Gale

who was a Selectman for twenty years, representa-tive to the legislature and Associate Judge of the Court of Sessions. Other than these duties he was a farmer and carried on the Gale farm after his father’s death in 1813. The farming duties were later as-sumed by the three Gale sons, none of whom ap-pears to have married; however, the oldest brother Hazen is the only one to stay on the farm for his whole life. The middle brother Daniel M. pursued a banking career in Laconia, but died at the age of forty-four.

Bit of Belmont History THE GALE FAMILY Submitted by Wallace Rhodes

In turn Napoleon Bonaparte Gale moved to Laconia and assumed his brother’s duties in banking and spent the rest of his life in the industry, accumulating considerable wealth. The oldest brother Hazen Gale was reportedly a man of marked eccentricities. It is told that he, for some unknown reason, acquired a strong aversion to Laconia and vowed he would never visit the town again. He kept his pledge for more than thirty years with one exception when he was required by the sheriff to appear in court as a wit-ness. The farm is about a mile from the Laconia line.

In addition to his bequest to the town of Belmont, Napo-leon Bonaparte Gale left the bulk of his estate to the City of Laconia for the purpose of

building a public library.

Remember to use the new Belmont Ride Share...It’s a

great way to conserve fuel and care for the

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Members Visit

New York City

Forty-two dele-gates from the New Hampshire 4-H program headed to New York City to explore the clothing and textiles in-dustry and its many careers. The Fo-cus on Fashion Career trip is held every four years and is a four day ex-perience in one of the world’s top fash-ion centers. Highlights of the trip in-cluded seminars with Lynda Johnson, a children’s fashion editor with Fairchild Publications; Linda Pagan of the Hat Shop in the Soho area; George Simon-ton, a tailored suit designer of LPS Ap-parel; and Robin McGee of Tricorne Studios who designs costumes for TV shows, plays and Broadway musicals. Workshops at the Fashion Institute of Technology focused on their historic costume collections and the textile and accessories preservation area. Other dimensions of the program included the Radio City Music Hall tour to learn about the history and see the stage, the lifts, the costumes and dance stu-dios. The group also visited The Met-ropolitan Museum of Art and took in the special exhibit on “Matisse, His Art and His Textiles: The Fabric of Dreams”. The participants also had time to visit the Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island and saw Ground Zero. The following 4-H members repre-sented Belknap County on this incredi-ble trip: Patricia Fougere, Center Barn-stead; Laura Romero, Lisa Romero and chaperone Kay Romero from Northfield.

Belknap County Youth Awarded Top Trophies at Belknap County Fair

4-H Youth Development is part of Cooperative Extension, the outreach program for the University of New Hampshire. Boys and girls between five and eighteen years old are encouraged to join a local group or complete projects of interest independ-ently. The Belknap County 4-H Fair offers opportunities for these young people to showcase their projects and skills learned. Fourteen year old Kaitlyn Benton of the Carter Mountain 4-H Goat Club of New Hampton received the Jesse Wiggins Dairy Trophy for her outstanding achievement in her Dairy Goat pro-ject. At her first show six years ago the judge stated, “Your ani-mal should be on a meat truck.” He also pointed out the goat’s good points so Kaitlyn could work to improve her herd. She started at the bottom with her fitting and show classes, and with careful breeding and training she was soon awarded trophies. The Robinson W. Smith Livestock Trophy was awarded to six-teen year old Jennie Fogg of Gilmanton for the outstanding quality, depth, and variety of her animal science projects. Jennie started her 4-H career three years ago in Horse Sci-ence and excels in hippology and quizzes. She scored among the top 4 in the state 4-H Horse Show and will be attending the 2005 National 4-H Horse Roundup in Kentucky this Novem-ber. She also received the high score trophy for her dog Henry

at the 2004 Belknap County 4-H Fair. Senator Johnson from Meredith awarded the Governor’s Trophy to Jenny Fogg for her dedicated leader-ship and community service work in Belknap County. Jenny secured a loan to purchase a horse trailer. She is required to submit reports to the bank on a regular basis. She teaches horse riding lessons to youth in her

community and ran a pony camp for five days to help repay the loan. Younger riders and parents reported that their children’s negative behaviors have stopped and they have increased their self-confidence as a result of Jenny’s exemplary work. She also serves as secretary and journalist of her local 4-H Club. Jenny has a natural ability to handle multiple priorities and enjoys each one. Congratulations to these young people that have demonstrated leadership, community service and critical thinking skills through their animal science projects!

4-H Program Continues to Provide Wonderful Opportunities to Local Students

Submitted by Becky Levesque, Cooperative Extension Education

Community Calendar of Events September 19 Board of Selectmen Meeting Corner Meeting House 5:00 pm

September 20 & 21 Open House Belmont Elementary School 6:00 pm

September 27 Open House Belmont Middle School 5:30 pm

September 26 Planning Board Meeting Corner Meeting House 7:00 pm

September 28 College Information Night Belmont High School 6:30 pm

September 28 Zoning Board Meeting Corner Meeting House (1st Floor) 7:00 pm

October 3 Board of Selectmen Meeting Corner Meeting House 5:00 pm

October 4 BHS Booster Club Meeting Belmont High School 6:30 pm

October 5 Conservation Commission Meeting Corner Meeting House 7:00 pm

October 5 BRATT Meeting Corner Meeting House (1st Floor) 6:30 pm

October 10 NO SCHOOL

October 11 Bogie Buster Meeting Corner Meeting House 7:00 pm

October 12 Harvest Concert Belmont Middle School 7:00 pm

October 12 Belmont Baseball Organization Mtg. Corner Meeting House 6:30 pm

October 17 Board of Selectmen Meeting Corner Meeting House 5:00 pm

October 17 Planning Board Meeting Corner Meeting House 7:00 pm

October 24 Planning Board Meeting Corner Meeting House 7:00 pm

October 26 Zoning Board Meeting Corner Meeting House 7:00 pm

October 29 Fall Family Festival Belmont Elementary School 10—2

November 2 Conservation Commission Meeting Corner Meeting House 7:00 pm

November 2 BRATT Meeting Corner Meeting House 6:30 pm

November 7 Board of Selectmen Meeting Corner Meeting House 5:00 pm

November 7 BHS Fall Sports Awards Belmont High School 6:30 pm

November 8 Bogie Busters Meeting Corner Meeting House 7:00 pm

November 9 Belmont Baseball Organization Corner Meeting House 6:30 pm

November 10 & 11 NO SCHOOL

November 14 Planning Board Meeting Corner Meeting House 7:00 pm

November 21 Board of Selectmen Meeting Corner Meeting House 5:00 pm

November 23—27 NO SCHOOL

November 28 Planning Board Meeting Corner Meeting House 7:00 pm

November 30 Zoning Board Meeting Corner Meeting House 7:00 pm

November 30 College Financial Aid Night Belmont High School 6:30 pm

PLEASE NOTE THAT THESE TIMES AND DATES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE. FEEL FREE TO CONTACT THE INDIVIDUAL GROUPS TO CONFIRM MEETINGS.

PLEASE CONTACT JACQUI MCGETTIGAN AT jacquimc@metrocast.net TO HAVE AN EVENT LISTED ON THIS CALENDAR.

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Come In and See Your Neighborhood Salesman

Belmont Better Times P.O. Box 1089 Belmont, NH 03220

PRESORTED STANDARD U.S. POSTAGE-BELMONT, NH

PERMIT #19

ECRWSS

POSTAL CUSTOMER BELMONT, NH 03220

Dave Nielsen

Alan Beard

Alan F. Young