2014 Dublin Town Meeting
By Ramona Branch
Town meeting lasted a whopping four hours this year. The Warrant included 29 articles, seven of which were voted on by ballot at Town Hall on March 11. They did away with drive-ins but allowed three gas pumps [not “tanks”] instead of two as a matter of principle. The remaining 22 articles were expedited at Town Meeting on March 15.
Eleven town officers were elected for three-year terms each with the exception of Supervisor of the Checklist, which is a term of six years. Our new Selectman is Paul Delphia. Continuing in their jobs are Jeannine Dunne, Town Clerk/Tax Collector; Connie Cerroni, Library Trustee; Loring Catlin Jr., Cemetery Trustee; Charlie Champagne and Rich Scheinblum, Budget Committee; Brian Barden, Measurer of Wood and Bark and Memorial Day Committee and Bill Goodwin, Trustee of Trust Funds. Rusty Bastedo will be joining the Library Trustees. Incumbent Suzan Macy was re-elected and John Morris will be joining the Planning Board. Sarah Sangermano is a new Supervisor of the Checklist.
The amount of $100,000 to be withdrawn from the town’s unreserved fund balance in Article 15 was changed to $250,000. The repairs needed for the Library roof in Article 19 were changed from $42,000 to $30,000. Article 26 seeking to create the position of Public Works Director was tabled as was Article 28 seeking to abolish the Recycling Special Revenue Fund.
All of the remaining articles passed (details on last month’s cover of the Advocate) including reconstruction of four roads and a new tanker for the fire department. Dubliners also added our name to the list of New Hampshire towns calling for Congress to move forward a constitutional amendment to overturn the 2010 Citizens United Supreme Court decision.
Ramona Branch is on the staff of The Dublin Advocate.
Citizen of the Year 2014: Mike Walker
He loved Dublin and served it well.
Michael V. Walker (August 1938-September 2012) was posthumously awarded the Citizen of the Year for his lifetime of dedication and service to the town of Dublin.
Mike was a Selectman for nine years, from 1997 to 2006. He served on the Conservation Commission for 17 years, three as Chair. He was deputy forest fire warden for 39 years from 1974 to 2012. He served five years on the solid waste committee (1973-1978). Mike was a volunteer fireman for 25 years.
From 1962 to 1968, he served as a cemetery trustee. In addition, he served on the recreational facilities committee, which oversaw the building of the DCS playground.
In Selectman Champagne’s speech to honor this man who served Dublin so well and so long, he said, “Mike loved Dublin. He lived here all his life. His parents and grandparents lived in Dublin.”
He added, “Mike’s wife, Pat, always referred to Mike as Mr. Emergency, as he could fix anything and was always on call for kids, grandkids, and the town he loved.”
For a remembrance about Mike, see the Advocate (November 2012, p. 9).
Dublin Public Library
There is so much to learn about trains, and the Dublin Public Library will have a wonderful display of train-related books at the beginning of April. During story time on April 2nd, we will read How to Train Your Train and Freight Train. The children will also have a lesson in shapes as we put together colorful cutouts and make our own trains. Maybe we’ll even a dance around the library to the song “Do The Locomotion”!
On April 9th, we will use the colors of spring to cheer our mood as we talk about green grass, yellow flowers and robins with red breasts. We will make a basket for Easter eggs on April 16th and celebrate Earth Day on April 23rd with a fun “dirty” craft. Everyone will leave April 30th with their own dancing wand, streaming with bright colored ribbons to celebrate May Day. We always welcome new friends on Wednesday mornings at 9:30, and refreshments are served around the table. Please join us for one or all of these fun programs.
Do you visit the library on Saturday mornings? Join us in the children’s section for a story around 10:30. In addition, the craft table will have supplies ready for creating something special to make and take home.
Time to start thinking gardens, flowers, bugs, birds — the library has books on all. Some of the books available will be on display throughout the library.
New Books
Gemini by C. Cassella
The Meat Racket by C. Leonard
My Age of Anxiety by S. Stossel
Un-remarried Widow by A. Henderson
Anastasia by V. Megre
The Wily O’Reilly by P. Taylor
I Am Abraham by J. Charyr
The Museum of Extraordinary Things by A. Hoffman
After I’m Gone by L. Lippman
DCF Calls for Applicants
Dublin Community Foundation is accepting scholarship applications from 2014 graduating high school seniors who are Dublin residents. A limited number of scholarships are available for students planning to continue their studies at a college or university, technical or business school.
The deadline for applying is May 15, 2014. Notification of awards will be made by June 15th. Applications are available from guidance counselors at ConVal, Dublin Christian Academy, the Dublin School and Fairwood Bible Institute. DCF welcomes applications from those Dublin students who have been home schooled. We can also send applications by email on request.
Completed applications may be returned to us by USPS (DCF, PO Box 1036, Dublin, NH 03444) or electronically to our email address: dublincommunityfoundation@nullgmail.com.
Special Musical Performance of Lyric Poems
John Perrault, former Poet Laureate of Portsmouth, NH, will bring his guitar and “urge the Lyric Tradition back into Song” at the Dublin Public Library on Saturday, April 26th, at 10:30 am. He will perform works by Blake, Burns, Whitman and others, up to and including Dylan, Lennon and McCartney. An FDPL presentation, free to all.
Our New Police Chief Arrives
By Margaret Gurney
Surrounded by many family members and several former colleagues who traveled up from his hometown of Portsmouth, RI, to witness his swearing in as Dublin’s new Chief of Police, Stephen Sullivan reported for duty March 10th.
A former Marine, Sullivan received his BS from Roger Williams University in Bristol, RI and his police training from the Rhode Island Municipal Police Academy, Class of 1995-1 (the “1” signifies Academy class), where he is still a Certified Instructor. Chief Sullivan recently retired from the Portsmouth, RI, Police Department after 20 years of service.
According to Lance Hebert, former Chief of Police in Portsmouth who attended the event, worked with Sullivan, and knew him growing up, “Sullivan has done his homework,” referring to hours of research he has put in on Dublin already. Further, Chief Sullivan has been well briefed by the former chief and the transition will be ongoing.
Speaking for family and friends, Hebert acknowledged that “we are all proud of Sullivan, he was instrumental in our department, and to work with him day to day” was a privilege. Plus, he called our new Chief “a jack of all trades.”
Keen to move north and eager to make a difference in the lives of those he encounters, Chief Sullivan will clearly meet his responsibilities well. Both his father (deceased 20 years) and his brother were/are policemen, so such service runs in the family. Here in Dublin he joins Tim Suokko and Dan Cheshire already on the force.
Currently, while he and his wife Lana look for a home in Dublin to buy, Sullivan is living in an RV with their three dogs. Be sure to introduce yourself to the Chief, who has already found Dubliners to be very friendly.
Margaret Gurney is editor of the Advocate.
Dublin’s 2014 Easter Egg Hunt
The Dublin Recreation Committee invites you to hop on over to the annual Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday, April 12th, at 10 am at the Dublin Public Library.
We will begin promptly at 10 am – so arrive early! All Dublin children are invited to participate. Please enter the Library through the lower-level entrance and gather in the multipurpose room prior to 10 am. Then get ready to search! Don’t forget to bring your own baskets or bags for the goodies you collect. Come join us for an “egg-cellent time!”
For more information, contact Recreation Committee Member Jennifer Bergeron at 563-8308 or jberge@nullmyfairpoint.net.
Oxbow Farm on Chicks
By Kimberly Graham
I am often asked what breeds of laying hens we have here on Oxbow Farm in Dublin. With chicks, we started out with Rhode Island Reds, then we tried Barred Rock and really early on we purchased Golden Comet pullets (birds almost ready to lay). Somehow along the way we managed to acquire a small flock with a little bit of everything. Either of the two breeds mentioned above would be perfect for the backyard flock. A lot of people also enjoy Buff Orpingtons and Black Australorps. Breeds are a personal choice, however, I would suggest choosing a medium to heavy breed as these birds are better suited to our cold winter climate. 
Keeping around six to ten layers is perfect. In the height of their production, each layer will typically produce one egg a day. After they are a year old, their production becomes less reliable. Now is the time to investigate the breeds you prefer, where you will house your birds, what equipment is needed and where you will purchase your chicks or started pullets. Talk to a local Ag-store or a neighbor who raises chickens and ask as many questions as you can. We are always willing to answer any questions you may have on raising your own chickens.
Kim Graham, and her husband Jim, and their two children own Oxbow Farm, specializing in eggs, chicken and pork. Contact Kim through www.oxbowfarmnh.com.
Town of Dublin Public Notice
Effective March 17 through May 1, 2014, all town roads will be closed to all vehicles over 6 tons. For exceptions please contact the Road Agent, Brian Barden at 398-8546.
Internships & Apprenticeships
Farmer John’s Plot, a nonprofit working farm, seeks applicants for internships and apprenticeships. Positions will offer the opportunity to learn hands-on what it takes to run a working farm and a sustainable agricultural nonprofit. Working alongside Farmer John and staff one can gain experience with laying hens, sheep, goats, broiler chickens, turkeys, maple syrup, vegetables, herbs, greenhouses, CSA and farm stand. For details, contact Farmer John at farmerjohnsplot@nullgmail.com or 603-289-5927 or visit www.farmerjohnsplot.org.
DCS at Children & the Arts Day
By Carol Storro
Elementary school students from DCS will be making artworks to carry in the parade down Main Street in Peterborough this May during Children & the Arts Day. (It turns out a few students marched last year with their parents. It was wonderful to see DCS represented.)
This year, each student will also have an artwork on display in one of the window exhibits in downtown Peterborough. Some 5th graders create the traditional mug board from DCS to match the 2014 theme for Children & the Arts, which is “Dragons, Fairies and Other Mythical Creatures.”
Carol Storro teaches art for the ConVal school district.
News from the Dublin Consolidated School
By May Clark
It’s nice to finally get to April! As I write this, we are anticipating yet another foot of snow — I may be the only person in the country who’s not sick of it! But as for snow days, we’ve had enough of those! The snow has been wonderful on the playground, and sledding has been super this winter. Even when it was so cold that the snow was rock hard, the kids enjoyed sledding on their bottoms without sleds!
So perhaps by now we will be seeing signs of spring. Our students have been working hard, completing units ranging from the study of sound to the human body to Egypt to the State of New Hampshire. We had two fabulous book donations from an anonymous donor: each child received a book, and each teacher was able purchase a set of multiple copies for group work. What kind hearts we have here in Dublin!
We are getting ready for spring testing this month on computers — it’s the last go-around for this year with the NWEA/Map test. April also brings our Talent Show on April 4 (6:30 pm), as well as our annual Read-a-thon.
Turn Off TV Week, April 14-18, along with Literacy Night on April 23rd or 24th, will wind up a big celebration of reading. Our students have racked up as many as 50,000 minutes in two weeks before — we’ll see how they do this year!
We always have a lot going on, and the community is always welcome — come and see what’s happening in our little school!
May Clark is Teaching Principal at DCS. You may reach her at 563-8332 or mclark@nullconval.edu.
The Default Budget
By Fiona Tibbetts
As I’m sure you’ve heard by now, the vote is in and the proposed school budget was defeated. The vote in Dublin was as close as it could be with the article going down by only three votes, but in the district overall the vote was more definitive. Thanks to everyone who took the time to vote; turnout was terrific.
The Board has yet to formally meet to discuss the results as of this writing, but already I’ve heard dire predictions about the impact of the vote. The fact is that the default budget has already been defined; in my pre-vote article I tried to explain the differences. To recap, the default budget cut the funds for the proposed technology program, summer camp, and curriculum development.
The default gross budget of $45,022,549 is still over $3,000,000 higher than what the district actually spent in the 2012-2013 school year. Please keep all this in mind as you listen to what I fear will be a somewhat histrionic debate about the impact of lower spending associated with the default plan.
I recognize that the vote in Dublin was incredibly close and that many of you are disappointed in the lower spending levels. My intention is to make sure the School Board and the Administration adhere to the guidelines of the default plan rather than to try to redefine spending priorities. I trust that the Administration has already reduced operational spending as much as possible, so I will resist calls to shift spending from default accounts in order to fund priorities voted down by the majority of the district.
As always, I’m anxious to hear from you as we move forward. Let me know what you think!
Fiona Tibbetts is Dublin’s rep to the ConVal School Board, SAU1.
Dublin Women’s Club News
By Nancy Campbell
The Women’s Club annual meeting will be held on Tuesday, April 29th, at Del Rossi’s Trattoria. A social hour begins at 5:30 pm and dinner will be served around 6 pm. The cost will still be $32, which includes a limited selection of entrees, salad, bread, dessert, coffee or tea (9% meals tax and gratuity is included).
One doesn’t have to be a Women’s Club member to join us; we welcome guests. Members will receive notification either by USPS mail or email. Invitations to join The Dublin Women’s Club will be mailed in the end of April. Anyone who does not receive an invitation and who wishes to join may contact me at 563-8480.
Dues for both the club and beach are $125. If one wishes to only join the club without beach privileges, the fee is $25. Anyone needing financial assistance may contact Jill Lawler (924-7675), Nancy Campbell, Emily Johnson, Shannon Carpenter, Rebecca Oja or Connie Cerroni.
Nancy Campbell is Treasurer of the Dublin Women’s Club.
Don’t Forget Your Pet!
Dog licenses are due by April 30th each year. This year we have little purple bell shapes to decorate your best friend’s collar. Please call or stop by the Town Clerk’s office for more information, 563-8859.
Young Orator to Compete
By Mary Loftis
Zachary Letourneau, a senior at ConVal, will travel to Indianapolis, Indiana, in early April to represent New Hampshire in the American Legion High School Oratorical Contest. Zach has already won at the Post, District and State levels, taking home scholarship money for his freshman year at Montana State University. Now up to $18,000 is at stake as he competes against 59 other contestants from across the U.S.
Zach recently explained that the competition consists of two parts: an eight-minute prepared oration in which each contestant expounds without notes on an aspect of the U.S. Constitution, and a three-minute speech on one of four Constitutional amendments.
Many people dread public speaking, but Zachary Letourneau is certainly not one of them! He is known as “the voice of ConVal” because he leads the Pledge of Allegiance and reads the morning announcements over the intercom every morning.
In addition, he serves as the ConVal Student Council representative to the School Board, delivering news from the high school with poise and gusto.
To prepare for the competition in Indiana, Zach has enlisted retired English teacher (and talented communicator) Tim Clark for coaching. According to Zach, Mr. Clark has advised him to flesh out his Constitutional interpretation with more details, which he will work on in the next few weeks. Zach hopes to stand out from the competition, as he did to get this far, by really connecting with his audience. He says that he doesn’t memorize his speech word for word, but instead delivers it extemporaneously, which allows him to communicate more authentically.
The best wishes of his hometown of Dublin will follow Zachary Letourneau as he competes in Indiana next month.
Mary Loftis is on the staff of the Advocate.
Nurture. Train. Grow
By Kevin Moody, Head of School
Dublin Christian Academy (DCA) is launching a new awareness campaign. It may seem strange that a school that has been in Dublin, NH, for 50 years should need an “awareness campaign.” But we are often surprised to meet people from our area who don’t know much at all about DCA. We want the community to know that DCA provides a nurturing environment for children to grow and to be challenged in all facets of their life.
The kick-off for the awareness campaign took place at our recent spring Open House. Hopefully, you will notice the bright new banners as you drive by campus, and also see signs and bumper stickers, “Nurture. Train. Grow” with our new logo. Newspaper ads and radio commercials have been designed to direct people in the community to DCA’s new landing page, www.dublinchristian.org/growwithus. Both the image of a plant in various stages of growth and the slogan “grow with us” were chosen to help us emphasize DCA’s family atmosphere, high academic standards and opportunities for developing individual talents that our students receive.
Whether you’ve known about Dublin Christian Academy for years or you’d like to know more about what’s going on over here today, check us out — again or for the first time!
Kevin Moody is Head of School at DCA.
Dublin School Art Show / Fundraiser
“Himalaya Visions: Art that Changes Lives,” the next exhibition at the Putnam Gallery at Dublin School, runs through May 9th. It features the encaustic landscapes of artist and Dublin School art teacher Earl Schofield, his interpretation of the majestic mountain terrain of the Himalayas.
For the past three years, the Himalayan Education Foundation (HEF) — under the direction of founder Jay Hardikar of Peterborough — and Dublin School have co-sponsored a two-week trip by Dublin students to the Himalaya Public School in Chakouri, India. During those visits, students from both schools live together, share stories, and work and study together. Mr. Schofield will be donating 50 percent of the proceeds from the sales of the art to the joint venture of the HEF and Dublin School. His artwork can also be viewed online at www.dublinschool.org/Himalaya-visions-art-that-changes-lives.
A Well Deserved Retirement for June Brening
By Mary Loftis
Another friendly face will soon be leaving our Post Office. June Brening, who has worked for the United States Postal Service for 28 years right here in Dublin, will retire on March 31.
In recent years, June has mostly worked in the afternoons, but since Dan French retired earlier this winter, she has been putting in both morning and afternoon shifts to provide continuity and help Officer in Charge Walter Ayres learn the ropes. June says her job has changed (mostly due to computers) over the years, but each day still begins with sorting the mail. Dublin mail is separated according to whether it’s being delivered or placed in a box, and all outside mail is dispatched to Manchester for processing. Because she sells us stamps and handles our outgoing and incoming packages, June knows most everyone in town, and she says that when she retires, she’ll “miss the people.” She’ll also miss her friend and fellow employee Margaret Schillemat.
When I asked her what her retirement plans are, she responded with a characteristic little smile, “a little bit of nothing.” She then added that she will be staying home and enjoying her newly renovated house, which has been freshly painted inside and out. Eventually she may take a little vacation, but for the time being she will appreciate having a more flexible schedule to spend time with her granddaughters, Ava and Lydia, who live in Peterborough. June’s family also includes her son Matt and his wife Angela (the parents of the girls) and her daughter Jessie, who is director of the Kid’s Club in Jaffrey.
The residents of Dublin have been so lucky to have June Brening behind the post office counter over so many years. Now we wish her well as she starts doing a little bit of nothing!
Mary Loftis is on the staff of the Advocate.
Conversation Café: Preparing for a Good End of Life
How we want to spend the end of our life is the most important conversation many people never have. Planning ahead leaves more room for peace of mind. The Conversation Café is an opportunity for family members to begin the conversation about what is a good end of life.
Jennifer McCalley, MSW, a palliative-care social worker with Home Healthcare, Hospice and Community Services (HCS), will facilitate the exploration.
The next “Preparing for a Good End of Life” conversation is Wednesday, April 30 from 5 pm to 6 pm at HCS, 312 Marlboro St., Keene. Refreshments will be available. Reservations are necessary, and can be made by calling 352-2253.
Attention to 2014 College Graduates
Announce your graduation from college or graduate school in the May issue of the Advocate. Please send your photo and short paragraph about your plans no later than April 15 to DublinAdvocate@nullgmail.com. Thanks, and congratulations.
Important Valuation Update:
The yellow insert in this month’s Advocate
explains the new property valuation.
Remembering “Mr. Mac”
By Jill Lawler
I first met Bob McQuillen in the fall of 1968 when I was a substitute teacher at the old Peterborough High School.
The most dreaded duty for a sub was to oversee the raucous study hall in the old high school cafeteria and only one teacher could quiet down the room—Mr. Mac. He came to my rescue that year more than once.
Bob McQuillen died on February 4th at age 90; he had suffered a massive stroke the previous Sunday and had been in the hospital for three days. While he lay in his hospital bed, he was surrounded, in person and through phone calls, by friends and musicians.
Bob taught Industrial Arts at both PHS and ConVal and worked with lots of otherwise disaffected students; he also started a successful weightlifting club. He was a larger than life presence in all areas of the school. He loved his students and colleagues and they loved him back.
But teaching was not his only gift or passion. He became a fixture in the local contra dance scene, playing the accordion and piano. He began writing tunes in honor of people; the first in 1973 was “Scotty O’Neil” written as a tribute to a Dublin School student who died in a traffic accident. The school still gives an annual award in Scott’s honor. Of local interest is a tune he wrote called “The 16 Sarah’s” referring to the abundance of local young women with that name. Dublin Sarah’s included (maiden names given/married names supplied if known) Sarah Bauhan, Sarah Elder (Hale), Sarah Meath, Sarah Hammond, Sarah Cornog, Sarah Carleton, Sarah Johnson (Doenmez), Sarah Wenigmann (Clough) and Sarah Woodward (Sangermano). Sarah Franklin of Peterborough who now lives in Dublin was another. At the time of his death Bob had written 1,500 original tunes.
Bob lived in Peterborough when he died, but for a long time he was a Dublin resident. Bob and his family lived in a big blue house at Bond’s Corner, most recently the site of Country House Corner. He marched each year in the Memorial Day Parade in his Marine dress uniform that still fit him perfectly. He remained loyal to people and programs in Dublin, continuing to support the Women’s Club Beach in memory of his late wife, Priscilla Scribner McQuillen, who had been a Women’s Club President.
Plans are underway to celebrate his life on Saturday, May 3rd. A memorial in the CVHS gym at 2 pm will be followed by a reception at the Monadnock Country Club. Beginning at 7 pm there will be a contra dance in his honor at the Peterborough Town House including many of the musicians and callers from near and far who played with Bob for more than 50 years.
Jill Lawler taught English at CVHS for 40 years, retiring in 2011.
Community Center Update
We’re still not sure when work will be done, but it is very close. The downstairs is getting the final coat of paint and the upstairs apartments are being primed.
If anyone is interested in renting one of the apartments please call Bruce at 563-8471 or Nancy at 563-8021. The front apartment has two bedrooms, It’s very quiet. The rear apartment has one bedroom. No pets, no smoking. Please call for other details, or to see.
As soon as we can, we’ll be offering Senior Yoga. A highly qualified instructor has asked if she can give lessons at the Center. Her name is M. Beverly Miller, MA, DMT. Beverly received her Master’s Degree in Dance/Movement Therapy from Antioch University/ New England Graduate School. She was also certified as a fitness instructor with the International Dance-Exercise Association. In addition, she received training in Yoga and Danskinetics from the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health in Lenox, MA. Beverly lives in Dublin. Please contact her for information on classes at 802-275-2944 (cell) or bevermont@nullgmail.com.
Peter’s Ponderings
By Peter Hewitt
The Trunk Room
The back room of my parents’ three-story duplex house in Cambridge was always known as “The Trunk Room.” There was only one window, to the North, and the ceiling was sloped in such a way that you could only stand up straight in the middle of the room.
It soon became the place where stuff got put if it met four qualifications: (1) too good to throw away, (2) could be damaged by cellar dampness, (3) small enough to be lugged upstairs with room enough to store it there, (4) no one else wanted it.
The contents of the trunk room included huge old wardrobe trunks and leather suitcases, a bridle (as in horse) hanging from a nail, a croquet set, an electric heater which we called a “sun bowl,” a 1900-era set of golf clubs, a milking jacket hanging from a door knob and several mouse traps, one still retaining a guest.
Perhaps the most interesting object was an unbelievably fancy leather hat box, which contained a silk top hat.
Peter Hewitt sent this to the Advocate prior to his death on February 16, 2014.
PIERRE
Peter. The rock,
The man was so well named.
Although his humble presence
Would never seek acclaim.
And though abhorrence of a vacuum
Begs that solace might rush in,
Time itself is forced to wait
While we remember him.
In truth his mortal presence
Required little space,
And yet he always filled the room
With gentility and grace.
Unassuming as he seemed
He was always in control,
Guiding all around him
Towards honorable goals.
When it came to music
He was the leader of the band,
Playing the Hallelujah Chorus
With the finger of one hand.
Instead of wounds and wailing
For the absence of a friend,
Let’s share a cup of kindness
As he would recommend.
Daniel Parish has frequented and resided in Dublin for most of his life and had the blessing of Peter Hewitt’s friendship for the last 20 years.
[Editor’s note: The Advocate ran an article on Peter Hewitt’s life by Rusty Bastedo in the September 2013 issue.]
Spring Rummage Sale
Dublin Community Church
May 2 and May 3, 2014
Help is needed April 28, 29, 30 and May 1 sorting and folding clothes donated to the sale. If you have an hour to spare, do stop in to help anytime between 9 am and 2 pm any of those days. This is a time of work, conversation and laughter!
Bring a sandwich and relax for lunch. Assistance is also needed to
refold merchandise, assist customers, and pack up sales.
For more information, contact Betty at 563-7475.
Donations to the Rummage Sale may be left in
the designated sheds beside the church.
Remember When…
By Shelby Bourgoine
I remember when I was almost five years old and was a student at Dublin Community Preschool. At that time, the preschool was located on the Dublin School campus in the downstairs of the Health building.
I loved having my big sister Hilary there with me. Since she was two years older than me, she already knew the ropes. She always kept me out of trouble (or maybe it was the other way around).
We loved exploring. There was a hammock somewhere on the campus that we often visited with our teacher, Karen Newell. Such fun memories!
During my preschool years, I met many people I still call my friends today. Lauren Mackey was my first friend and has remained my best friend throughout the years (14 and counting)!
We did lots of fun activities like growing spring grass in a recycled container. Lots of our art projects were displayed at an annual art show.
Hilary and I both remember tagging along while our parents, Emily Brnger and Larry Bourgoine (both Board members) volunteered long hours at the Keene Pumpkin Festival — the preschool’s biggest fundraiser. We all share many memories working together in the cold fall weather. Just ask my dad if you want some pretty funny details!
Now, 14 years later, I am so happy to be back at Dublin Community Preschool as an Assistant Teacher helping the teachers that once helped me.
Shelby Bourgoine grew up in Dublin and attended Dublin schools.
New Salon in Town
By Mary Loftis
Heidi Kennedy and Emily Dexter were classmates at ConVal more than a decade ago, and now these two young mothers have opened a salon called Amaryllis Beauty in the Dublin Village Park. The freshly remodeled space in the back of the complex on Rte. 101 is sunny and stylish with big windows that overlook the Dublin Community Preschool playground, where Heidi can occasionally catch a glimpse of her younger son Haven at play as she works at one of the two stations.
Amaryllis’ services, which include cuts, coloring and styling, are offered by appointment only, three days a week. This part-time schedule allows Heidi and Emily to accommodate the needs of their children. Both women studied and worked in related fields before attending Keene Beauty Academy. Emily was a stylist at Moda in Keene before renting a chair at another salon to explore being an independent proprietor. Heidi previously worked at James Thomas Salon in Peterborough. Opening a business together was an easy choice, they both said, because of their long friendship, similar life experiences, and common business vision. Heidi says she enjoys the creativity of her profession and the friendly “chitchat” with her clients, and Emily adds that Amaryllis Beauty is “a dream come true.”
Emily is currently on maternity leave after the birth of her second child. She will be back at Amaryllis on April 1, but won’t be accepting new clients until May 1. She can be reached by email at ehd.dexter@nullgmail.com. Heidi is taking appointments on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 603-315-0137.
Mary Loftis is on the board of the Advocate.
Monadnock Rotary
Please come as a guest of the club.
The Monadnock Rotary Club invites you to its weekly breakfast meetings, open to the public, from 7:30 to 8:30 am most Tuesday mornings at the Dublin Community Church, on Rt. 101 (Main Street). Meetings end promptly.
Guests are invited to attend free of charge, to meet and mingle with friendly Rotarian members and other guests, eat a delicious breakfast made by the Dublin General Store, and enjoy one of the presentations below.
- Tuesday, April 1 – Club Assembly (club business, no presentation).
- Tuesday, April 8 – Ben Robinson, Artistic Director of Raylynmor Opera, will talk about the mini-opera, “Giannni Schicchi” by Puccini.
- Tuesday, April 15th – Robert Goodby, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Anthropology at Franklin Pierce University, will speak on the archeological dig at the Keene Middle School.
- Tuesday, April 22nd – Jennifer McCalley, MSW, of Home Healthcare, Hospice and Community Service, will speak about an important new tool in “Palliative Care and POLST (Provider Ordered Life Sustaining Treatment).”
- Tuesday, April 29th – Pete Cross and Andy Peterson of the Peterborough Rotary Club will present “ConVal Camp Quest” to build on the model and the success of the Jaffrey-Rindge Rotary Club’s Camp Quest program at Franklin Pierce University with the Jaffrey-Rindge School District.
If you have questions, feel free to call Laura Keith King at 827-3743.
The Bobcat
By Tom Warren
Bobcats are being seen increasingly in the Dublin area despite their shy nature and natural camouflage.
Size can be deceptive, as bobcats can appear very large in an open field or quite small when observed in thick cover. They weigh between 20 and 40 lbs. with the males being larger and heavier. Their distinctive coloring and marks help to identify this cat. The tips of their tails and the backs of their ears are black and their bodies are generally buff and brown with dark brown or black stripes on parts. They have a stubby or “bobbed” tail from which they get their name.
Rarely seen in the daytime, bobcats are quite active between sunset and sunrise. They have large eyes, which help them to hunt small mammals such as rabbits, squirrels and mice but they can also bring down a deer trapped in deep snow. In our area, they will also capture turkeys and pheasants.
The breeding season occurs in late winter or early spring and the kittens are born 50 to 70 days after. The usual number of kittens is three, but where prey is plentiful there can be as many as six.
The female bobcat teaches the young to hunt until autumn when the young ones find their own territory.
In wet snow, a bobcat’s track shows a footpad and four toes, but not the fifth toe on its front paws.
As bobcats increase in the Dublin area, one other animal is decreasing, the fisher, often prey of the bobcat. Bobcats are sometimes confused with lynx and mountain lions, which are not known to occur in New England today.
As recent area photos show, perhaps you will see a bobcat on your deck or in your yard.
Tom Warren is Dublin’s resident ornithologist, and serves as a trustee of both the Harris Center and the Audubon Society.
6th Annual Men Who Cook
for Monadnock Family Services
Sunday, May 18th at 6:00 pm
The Shattuck Ballroom in Jaffrey
A fabulous feast prepared by local men!
To be a chef or for tickets, call Lucy Shonk: 283-1568
Offerings from the Monadnock Conservancy
By Katrina Farmer
Woods Forum: Thursday, April 10, from 7 to 9 pm
Join us for an informal gathering that’s designed to give you and other landowners a chance to learn more about woodlot management. Free and open to the public; bring a friend! Presented by Monadnock Conservancy and UNH Cooperative Extension. Location: Pilgrim Pines, 220 West Shore Road, Swanzey, NH. Please RSVP by April 9 as space is limited: Email Emily Hague (Emily@nullMonadnockConservancy.org) or call 603-357-0600, ext. 104.
Vernal Pool Project volunteer trainings: Wednesday, April 16, from 7 to 9 pm or Thursday, April 17, from 7 to 9 pm plus Saturday, April 19, from 10 am to noon or from 3 to 5 pm
We’ll cover the building blocks of vernal pool ecology in indoor training sessions. Then, we’ll venture outside for hands-on instruction in either Keene or Peterborough. Registration is required. Presented by Monadnock Conservancy, Harris Center for Conservation Education, Peterborough Conservation Commission and Keene State College, with support from the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation. Location: Peterborough Town House, Peterborough, or Putnam Science Center, Keene State College, Keene. Email Brett Amy Thelen (thelen@nullharriscenter.org) or call 603-358-2065.
“Bag It” film showing: Thursday, April 24, from 7 to 8:30 pm
Here in the Monadnock Region, plastic is the most common type of litter found in our parks and on our conserved lands. Across the country, Americans use 60,000 plastic bags every five minutes — single-use disposable plastic bags that we mindlessly throw away. This feature-length, award-winning documentary film starts with simple questions and what we can do about the problem. Presented by Monadnock Conservancy, Harris Center for Conservation Education, Monadnock Food Co-op and Keene State College. Location: Putnam Arts Lecture Hall, Redfern Arts Center, Keene State College, Keene. Email Brett Amy Thelen (thelen@nullharriscenter.org) or call 603-358-2065.
Katrina Farmer, Communications Manager at Monadnock Conservancy, is a resident of Dublin.
Only published online:
Art Show in Jaffrey from Hollis
The Jaffrey Civic Center will be “Alive” this spring with 26 juried members of the Hollis Arts Society’s colorful and electric works of art being shown from March 28th through April 26th.
The artists will be in attendance in the second floor Cunningham Gallery at the reception evening of March 28th from 6 pm until 9 pm, to provide insight and stimulating conversation.
The mission of the Hollis Arts Society of Hollis, NH is to support the creative arts and performance environment for emerging and professional artists.
The Jaffrey Civic Center is at 40 Main St., Jaffrey, NH, next to the Jaffrey Library, with parking in rear. Admission is always free.
For information, call 532-6527, e-mail us at jaffreycntr@nullaol.com, or visit www.jaffreyciviccenter.com.
Discover Wild New Hampshire Day in Concord
Saturday, April 19, will be the 25th annual Discover WILD New Hampshire Day, an Earth Day celebration the whole family will enjoy. Admission is free. The event runs from 10 am to 3 pm on the grounds of the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department, 11 Hazen Drive, Concord, NH.
This annual festival brings together exhibits and demonstrations from environmental and conservation organizations from throughout the state. See live animals, big fish and trained falcons. Try your hand at archery, casting, fly-tying and B-B gun shooting. Count on lots of hands-on crafts activities for the younger kids, too.
Discover WILD New Hampshire day is a place to find new ways to get outside and enjoy New Hampshire’s great outdoors. Explore new trends in recycling, environmental protection and energy-efficient hybrid vehicles. Due to public safety concerns, no dogs except official service animals will be allowed.
Watch for more details at http://www.wildnh.com.
Discover WILD New Hampshire Day is co-sponsored by the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department and the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services.
Clipped from the Web:
Number of young farmers on the rise in New Hampshire
WMUR Manchester, Written by Paula Tracy (3/6/14)
The 2012 Agriculture Census numbers for the country are coming out and a snap shot provided by the federal government last week shows New Hampshire has increased the number of farmers aged 25-34 years by 31 percent since the last census in 2007.
http://www.wmur.com/escape-outside/number-of-young-farmers-on-the-rise-in-new-hampshire/24822378