Portrait of Beech Hill Founder John Supple Returns to Dublin
By Russell Bastedo
On April 28, 1948, John “Johnny Appleseed” Supple and a partner purchased a large manor house on Beech Hill, above Dublin Lake. Two days later Beech Hill Farm, Inc., was formed as a retreat where recovering alcoholics could come to stay, and the development of one of America’s premier alcohol treatment centers began.
John Supple had been involved with alcohol treatment since 1942. He had been a student at Yale School of Alcohol Studies and had managed several alcohol treatment centers prior to founding Beech Hill Farm, Inc.
Supple was also a friend of William G. Wilson, co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous, and according to the Beech Hill Hospital newsletter (“Looking Up,” April 1983) Wilson in 1951 appealed to several of AA’s more affluent members for funds to help the new Dublin, NH, facility succeed. Beech Hill Farm Associates, Inc. offered a private plan, and it had no formal alliance with AA. Supple was a well-known and respected figure in the alcohol treatment world, and he was to be the first administrator and manager of the new facility.
The John Supple portrait was painted by Stoddard, NH, artist Richard Whitney and presented at the Hospital’s 30th anniversary, in 1978. Three other Richard Whitney portraits of important figures in Beech Hill Hospital’s history were also presented at the festivities; but when the Hospital closed in 2001, the portraits disappeared from view. All four portraits were purchased at auction, and their donation to the Cheshire Health Foundation was celebrated in December. The Foundation has given the portrait of John Supple to the Dublin Historical Society, which is pleased to add the work to its collections of Dublin history. It will be on display at the Dublin Archives building from January 2014.
The Story Behind the Beech Hill Portraits
By Russell Bastedo
In 1975-76 Richard Whitney was a young artist living on Court Street, Keene, in a house inherited from his deceased parents, and trying to establish himself professionally.
In January 1978 Whitney signed a contract with Beech Hill Hospital in Dublin to paint three portraits of men important to the history of the Hospital. The portraits were to be prepared for presentation at the 30th anniversary of the Hospital, September 16, 1978.
Whitney’s first portrait for Beech Hill was of Harry Lichman, his second was of Michael Mann, and the third was of John Gurnsey, the latter two from photographs. All three portraits had been commissioned by Beech Hill, and were ready in time for anniversary celebration. But just days before the celebration, John Supple, founder and first director of Beech Hill, appeared in Dublin. Richard Whitney recalls John Supple as “a remarkable man” who had spent years on Skid Row as a homeless alcoholic before turning his life around.
Whitney painted the Supple portrait “from life,” between September 11-13, 1978. The paint was drying on the canvas as the day of the celebration began. It is this portrait that has been brought back by donation to the Dublin Historical Society and it is now on view at Town of Dublin Archives.
Russell Bastedo was New Hampshire State Curator from 1997 to 2009, and serves on the board of the Dublin Advocate.
Dublin Public Library
Happy New Year!
This year we encourage everyone, adults and children alike, to read one book at least every two weeks. The library collection has something of interest to everyone. Books to increase your knowledge, books to let you dream about your garden, biographies to see how others have lived their lives and books to put a little mystery into your life. So come in and be good to yourself.
The library fax machine has finally stopped functioning, so a new fax machine will soon be available.
2014 starts with an easy resolution: plan a visit to the Dublin Public Library Story Time! We meet Wednesday mornings from 9:30-10:30 and the children enjoy stories, songs and a craft. It’s a wonderful place to introduce your child to new friends. After a snack, the children enjoy sitting on the floor and choosing their own books or piecing a puzzle together. January may be cold outside, but that only offers opportunities to learn about what winter offers.
Please join us in Story Time for one or all of the following weeks: January 8 we answer the question, What do you know about snow? On the 15th, we cover winter clothing with, “I have to wear what?” On January 22, we explore if penguins get cold on the ice? And on January 29, we ask, “Do Polar Bears swim or skate?”
New Books:
Killing Jesus by B. O’Reilly
The October List by J. Deaver
The Supreme Macaroni Company by A. Trigiani
Philomena by M. Sixsmith
Command Authority by T. Clancy
Dublin Advocate Changes Ad Sizes
Advertisers have been notified that — effective with the February issue —
our advertising format will offer only two sizes. All advertisement copy must
be printed within the size of one business card ($25 for 2” x 3.75” horizontal)
or two business cards ($45 for 4”x 3.75” vertical or 2”x 7.5” horizontal).
Please email DublinAdvocate@nullgmail.com with any questions.
Town of Dublin – Planning Board
Public Notice
In accordance with RSA 675:3 and 675:7, the Dublin Planning Board will hold a public hearing on proposed amendments to the Dublin Zoning Ordinance at 7:00 p.m. on January 7, 2013 at the Dublin Town Hall, lower level. The proposed amendments would:
• Add a definition of the term “Commercial Use.”
• Increase the maximum size of an accessory living unit from 25% to 50% of the finished living area of the primary living unit and allow them without the requirement of a special exception.
• Establish that membrane enclosures of 1,000 square feet or greater shall be considered structures, and that all membrane enclosures must meet setback requirements.
• Increase the allowed fence height from 5′ to 6′ and make other minor changes regarding fences.
• Reduce the size of the buffer from 100′ to 50′ from the edge of water bodies or wetlands and make minor changes to the activities allowed there.
• Allow drive-through windows in the Neighborhood Commercial District and by Special Exception in the Village District.
• Allow gas stations to have up to three gasoline pumps; any more would require a special exception.
The full text of the proposed amendments is on file with the Dublin Town Clerk and is available for public inspection.
By Direction of the Dublin Planning Board.
Neil R. Sandford is Secretary of the Dublin Planning Board, PO Box 227, Dublin.
Out-of-Towners Need Advocate Mail Subscriptions
Due to the need to streamline both our efforts and costs, out-of-town recipients will need to subscribe in order to continue receiving hard copies of the Advocate after this January 2014 issue. This only pertains to all First Class mail recipients of stamped and labeled, folded and stickered newsletters.
If you wish to be kept on the list to receive the actual newsletter, please subscribe for the year by sending $10 to the Advocate at PO Box 24, Dublin, NH 03444 before 1/20/14.
The issue can always be viewed online at DublinAdvocate.com or at the TownofDublin.org. To be reminded in a private email when the issue is live, request that from us at DublinAdvocate@nullgmail.com.
Dublin’s Ivon Clough to Pitch for U Maine Black Bears
By Rusty Bastedo
Ivon Clough began playing baseball for the Town of Dublin in the Cal Ripken League, a baseball league for area towns’ children up to 12 years of age. Ivon learned the game from his parents, Jeff and Sarah, and from long-time Dublin Baseball coach Chris Gallagher.
Ivon has wanted to be a baseball pitcher from a very early age. When he entered ConVal High School as a freshman he had four years to pursue his dream, and to work on his pitching motion and physical “mechanics.” Ivon spent summers at baseball camps, and worked with AAU coach Bob Caswell and others to develop his baseball skills.
ConVal baseball coach Mike Marschok said that Ivon has been working on his hitting abilities for six to eight years, and that Ivon has — throughout his ConVal career — always sought out better competition and better coaching in order to improve his baseball skills.
Ivon went to 2013 Area Code baseball tryouts, held at Bentley College, Boston. Both college and professional baseball coaches and scouts attended the tryouts, and it was there that the University of Maine’s baseball coach first saw Ivon pitch and hit. The Maine coach asked Clemson University’s coach to keep an eye on the young man while the 18-year-old played in a tournament in South Carolina, and to report back on how Ivon’s season went.
Ivon Clough had a .377 batting average and a 1.58 ERA during the 2013 ConVal baseball season, and he improved on that record during the tournament in SC.
One thing led to another, and Ivon has now signed a letter of intent with the University of Maine. He will enter the university on a baseball scholarship as a freshman this coming academic year. The Maine Black Bears are a Division One college baseball power, and they want to play for the College World Series championships in the near future; Ivon wants to be there when they do.
Rusty Bastedo has been on the staff of the Dublin Advocate since its inception.
Weld Forest Timber Harvest
By Jack Lewis
On November 14 several landowners and townspeople met with a representative of the New England Forestry Foundation and the forester for the Weld Forest, which is a 100-acre property that is owned by the New England Forestry Foundation. It runs from Old Troy Road to the Great Swamp and is bordered by lands owned by the town and the Forest Society.
The Forestry Foundation had invited townspeople, town officials and nearby landowners to meet at the Weld Forest to find out about the Foundation’s planned timber harvest there. The forester noted that the current timber harvest was the fifth on the property over the last 30 years, each one providing a good deal of wood and a sizable amount of firewood. In each case, mature wood was taken out and trash trees (those without much value as saw logs) were cut for firewood. The current harvest, which will include most of the mature pines on the property and more culling of trash trees, will provide space for the growth of the young hardwoods coming up on the property. As the group walked the property, the forester noted that this would probably be the last harvest in the Weld Forest for 30 years.
In addition to showing the group what would be happening, the forester described the three standard methods for timber harvesting in forests like the Weld Forest and discussed the economics of the timber business in New Hampshire and the impact of the growing popularity of pellet boilers on the industry. While the weather was cold and damp, the session was enjoyable and fascinating for those able to attend.
Jack Lewis is chair of the Dublin Conservation Commission.
A Citizen’s Eye View
By Edie Tuttle
My corporate career taught me that sometimes it’s helpful to step back and look at the trend of things in order to figure out how to manage the future. So, having lived in Dublin for eight years now, I thought I’d take a look at how the town’s property taxes are trending. Here’s what I came up with:
Since the “Great Recession” started in December 2007, the town portion of Dublin’s property tax rate has increased by a total of 35.1%, averaging +5.8% over the past six years. During that time, the nation’s inflation rate increased by 10%, with a relatively flat average of +1.7% per year. This means that wages, for those who have continued to have jobs (and except for the lucky few who have done well with investments), have stayed relatively flat each year as well.
As you can see in the table below, the increase in the town portion has been especially pronounced since 2010. Here’s the recap:
Year Town portion of property tax rate ($s) % Increase from previous year
2013 6.50 + 6.9%
2012 6.08 + 6.5%
2011 5.71 + 2.1%
2010 5.59 +13.6%
2009 4.92 – 3.0%
2008 5.07 + 5.4%
2007 4.81 + 3.7%
2006 4.64 NA
Average increase per year for 2010 to 2013 = +7.3%
Average increase per year for 2007 to 2013 = +5.8%
We know that our town management has been under pressure from rising insurance costs and other needs, but my hope is that the above information will help people in town when making decisions during Town Meeting this year. The trend of our property taxes can have a significant impact on all of us as we try to plan and manage our future in town.
Edie Tuttle lives on Windmill Hill Road with her husband, Peter.
Editor’s Note: Budget Committee meetings are Tuesdays at 7 pm in the Town Hall and are open to the public. The next meeting is on January 7th. People who are interested in town budget development are encouraged to attend.
2013 Tax Rate Calculation
2012 2013
Town Rate $ 6.08 $ 6.50
School Portion/Local School Rate $10.73 $11.84
Education Tax/State School Rate $2.40 $2.19
County Portion $2.94 $3.11
Total Rate $22.15 $23.64
Equalization Rate 110.4%
Update from the Budget Committee
By Dale Gabel
The Dublin Budget Committee is hard at work developing the 2014 budget, which will be presented for approval at Town Meeting in March. Interviews with Department Heads and Committee Chairs have for the most part been completed, and a preliminary budget and draft warrant articles have been reviewed. In January, the Budget Committee will review 2013 actual expenditures and then compare a five-year moving average of actual expenditures to the preliminary budget amounts. Committee members will then move and vote on appropriate changes to the preliminary budget and prepare a final operating budget for Town approval. On Tuesday, February 11, 2014, the Budget Committee will present the operating budget and warrant articles at a Budget Hearing. More details on the Budget Hearing will be forthcoming at a later date.
Dale Gabel is Chair of the Budget Committee. Members include Nancy Campbell, Judy Knapp, Tom Warren, K Horgan, Rich Scheinblum and Charlie Champagne (Selectman’s Rep).
Our Postmaster Looks Ahead
By Mary Loftis
Part of the happy rhythm of small town life is a daily trip to get the mail. Although most of us don’t find much “personal” mail in our boxes these days, visiting the Dublin Post Office affords an encounter with our friendly and efficient Postmaster, Dan French. But not for much longer! Dan, who has worked for the United States Postal Service since 1985 after four years in the military, plans to retire on January 31.
Everyone who hears this news says two things: “Oh, no!” and “He’s way too young!” I certainly agree with both assessments, but recently Dan told me about his post-retirement plans, which do not include sitting in a rocking chair. He’s looking forward to more leisure time to have fun with his grandsons, Jack and Logan – as well as time to hunt, fish and ride his motorcycle. He’s also planning to travel back and forth to South Carolina, where his younger son Daniel lives. Daniel works as a pilot but also runs a lawn-maintenance business (a year-round endeavor in that state), and Dan plans to help him out.
Dan and Marlene French, who have been married for 34 years, built their comfortable home on Dooe Road where I interviewed him. Both are southern New Hampshire natives and wanted to live in close proximity to Dublin Christian Academy so that their daughter Sonja could start Kindergarten at the school. In addition to Sonja and Daniel, their family includes Erik, who lives with his wife and two young sons in Londonderry. All three French children graduated from DCA.
During his career, Dan has worked at various post offices in the area, including New Ipswich, Peterborough, Fitzwilliam, Lyndeboro, Antrim and Jaffrey in addition to Dublin, where he worked for two years before being asked to fill in for four months in Jaffrey. That assignment lasted seven years!
But everyone in Dublin greeted Dan with open arms when he returned as Postmaster two years ago. He is the consummate professional: courteous, efficient and friendly. He knows his customers and their “mailing habits” and always has time for a little chitchat! Dan told me that he is retiring from a “great job” that has allowed him to provide for his family while serving his community.
Luckily for our town, the Frenches are staying put, at least most of the time. Marlene serves as Treasurer for the Town of Dublin and has worked as a personal assistant and companion to residents at RiverMead for 15 years. Dan was active as a coach as his children were growing up and currently serves on Dublin’s Zoning Board of Adjustment. He said that he hopes to serve on that Board as an Alternate in the future.
Dan French has helped make Dublin the wonderful town it is, and he is not the only person who is retiring from serving Dublin this winter. Though we are happy for him as he makes exciting plans for the future – we sure will miss him!
Mary Loftis is on the staff of the Advocate.
Town of Dublin
Public Notice
Filing Period for Town Offices
Residents interested in declaring their candidacy for the following town offices
may do so at the Town Clerk’s office beginning Wednesday, January 22, 2014,
and ending on Friday, January 31, 2014. For those residents wishing to file
for office on January 31st, the clerk’s office will be open from
3:00 pm to 5:00 pm.
Selectman: 1 position, 3 years
Supervisors of the Checklist: 1 position, 6 years
Town Clerk/Tax Collector: 1 position, 3 years
Library Trustees: 2 positions, 3 years
Budget Committee: 2 positions, 3 years
Cemetery Trustees: 1 position, 3 years
Planning Board: 2 positions, 3 years
Trustee of Trust Funds: 1 position, 3 years
Jeannine Dunne is Dublin’s Town Clerk.
Calling All DCP Alums!
By Cathy Carabello
Whether you are five or 55 or anywhere in between, if you attended Dublin Community Preschool, we want to hear from you!
2014 marks our 50th year of providing quality early education to children of the Monadnock Region. We want to hear your stories. We want to know what made an impression. Perhaps you remember especially enjoying a certain theme. Maybe you met your first or best friend at DCP. Maybe a certain teacher touched your heart or inspired you somehow. Maybe a funny incident stands out when you think back. No memory is too insignificant to share.
For those of you alumni that are grown up and out in the world, let us know what you are up to and where you live now.
Former staff members, we want your stories and memories too! Every one of you helped to shape what DCP is today.
We want to compile your anecdotes and create a larger story – a memory board to share. We are gearing up for a big celebration this summer at Dublin Day in July. Since we are still in the planning stages for possible events and activities for our 50th celebration, your input is welcome. Alumni, this event is for all of you! Let us know how you want to celebrate.
We ask parents of alumni who may live out of the area to please forward this message!
Here’s how to get in touch: e-mail us at cathy@nulldublinpreschool.org or mail your story to: DCP, 1281C Main Street, Dublin, NH 03444 Attn: Cathy.
Cathy Carabello is the director/lead teacher of the Dublin Community Preschool.
News from the Dublin Consolidated School
By May Clark
The run-up to the holidays went fast this year — only three short weeks of school between breaks. We squeezed a lot in though and the children had a great time. Unfortunately, what I have been (not so) fondly calling the “vomit comet” hit us in December, so not all the children enjoyed all the events! Some had to stay home, and we were busy disinfecting doorknobs and desks each day. For those who managed to avoid the bugs in the air, the PTO arranged our annual Holiday Shop, where the students get to choose surprise gifts for their families and wrap them at school. We all enjoyed a morning of crafts too, organized beautifully by Vicki Brown. We had a special visit from Steve Lechner, who worked with all the classes, as an introduction to his new Science Club, which will start after the holidays. Finally, our holiday concert went off without a hitch on the 13th. Jessica Harrison, our band teacher, and Lucius Parshall, our music teacher, presented a lovely evening of music and dancing by all our students. Dublin’s Fire Department showed up in force, with our annual round-bellied special guest, who handed out gifts to all the children in town, from infants through fifth graders. How lucky are we!
January brings the ski program, running at Crotched Mountain for five Thursday afternoons. In addition, we are introducing two new after-school clubs: Science Club on Tuesdays, for children in grades 1-5, will be run by Steve Lechner of Temple, as mentioned above. Spanish Club, for everyone in K-5, will begin on Wednesdays, thanks to Emily Bennett, a Dublin teacher and mother of Maya in Kindergarten. It’s going to be so fun to see these efforts get under way, and to watch the children enjoying these new opportunities!
May Clark is Teaching Principal at DCS. She can be reached at 563-8332 or mclark@nullconval.edu.
Local Film Company Records Music
By Steve Hooper
Rabbit Ear Films, the local nonprofit film company in Keene responsible for the documentary film “Monadnock: The Mountain That Stands Alone,” recently completed a collaboration with Apple Hill Center for Chamber Music in Nelson. The Apple Hill String Quartet recorded music by composer Lawrence Siegel of Westmoreland, for the film.
“Monadnock: The Mountain that Stands Alone” will be a feature-length documentary film that will tell the history of the mountain through photographs, archival footage, poetry, quotations and stories from the people who have studied, cared for and worked to preserve the mountain for all. This film will be the first comprehensive documentary film about Mount Monadnock, one of only 13 mountains in the U.S. listed in the National Register of National Landmarks.
Executive Producer Steve Hooper can be reached at (603) 762-3071 or e-mail him at shoop4@nullgmail.com.
Our Civics Trip to Washington, DC
By Allie Hutt
Museums, monuments, walking, a Capitol tour, visiting our senators, walking, a White House tour, oh… and did I mention walking? These things could only mean one place —Washington, DC! The Senior Civics class of Dublin Christian Academy learned so much on the trip to our nation’s capitol, from how our government works, to what life was like for the Jews during the Holocaust.
On our tour of the Capitol building, we got to see many things. The tour guide took us in a secret underground train to get to the different parts of the building. One of the rooms had really strange acoustics. If you stood at a certain spot and whispered, everyone could hear you from the other side of the room! We were given a class assignment to personally go find each of our state senators. Although it took a bit of persuasion from our teacher, Miss Jan Roberts, it was nice to meet them in person.
Another highlight was seeing the Mall at night. With all the monuments lighted, it was so peaceful and beautiful. It was really interesting to think that some of America’s greatest leaders had once stood in the same spots as our class. I was surprised by the heavy security we had to go through to get into the White House. We even had to pass by a specially trained dog! Even though we didn’t get to see the President, we did hear that he was there that day.
One exciting thing that happened on our trip was that our teacher and classmate, Zach Wullbrandt, were interviewed by PBS for a news special. They even both made it on TV! Although we did have a few minor hurdles such as someone losing a license and a few getting left behind at a metro stop, I think I can speak for my whole class when I say that it was truly an unforgettable trip for us all!
Allie Hutt is a senior at Dublin Christian Academy.
Reminder:
Open House at DCS in honor of
Chief Jim Letourneau’s 25 years
serving our community on
January 12th from
1 to 5 pm.
ConVal Budget Deliberations
By Fiona Tibbetts
Budget season is in full swing at the SAU, and the School Board is facing a number of decisions over the next month. Overall, the Board is wrestling with the need to control costs while trying to address a number of desirable new initiatives.
The Board requested both a “baseline” and an “all-in” budget from the administrators at the SAU. The primary initiatives included in the “all-in” are:
• A $300K investment in technology
• New Band uniforms ($30K)
• A new summer learning opportunity in partnership with the Rotary Club ($40K).
Significant work remains to finalize the “baseline.” Discussion to date has focused on staffing levels, transportation costs and possible cost savings through outsourcing. The $45M budget has lots of moving parts, and I have tried to push the Board to explore savings opportunities throughout the budget. While I would personally like to establish a baseline that is lower than last year, at this point it looks like the best we’ll be able to do is hold the spending increase to less than 1%.
Regarding the “all-in” extras, the Board has already voted to support both the new uniforms and the new summer learning opportunity. Personally, I supported the new uniforms but did not support the summer program expansion. While I saw the benefit of the proposed program, I was not convinced this was a “one-time” spend and didn’t feel we could afford a new program expansion.
The big-ticket item is the new technology request. The administration is requesting the purchase of iPads and Chromebooks for the middle schools and iPads for the high school in addition to upgrades to existing technology. My support (or lack thereof) for this initiative will depend on how the administration intends to measure and report on any benefit they claim this investment will bring. I will not support a program that promises great things with no way to measure if in fact those great things are achieved.
Fiona Tibbetts is Dublin’s representation to the ConVal School Board, SAU 1.
Dublin School Presents Jeff Badger
Putnam Gallery from January 10 to March 6.
“Perfect Lawn Forever” is the title of an art installation by conceptual cartoon artist, Jeff Badger, which opens January 10 at the Putnam Gallery at Dublin School. Mr. Badger, a multimedia artist based in South Portland, Maine, has exhibited nationally and internationally in solo and group exhibitions. He performs original music and curates exhibitions with the Tetra Project.
Badger is Chair of the Department of Fine Arts at Southern Maine Community College and was recently nominated for the Best Visual Artist in the Phoenix “Best of 2013” competition. He received a Ping Faculty Development Fellowship to attend the “Contemporary Art World in Context” seminar in Guanajuato, Mexico. Mr. Badger just concluded a performance at the Portland Museum of Art, entitled “Drawn and Cornered.”
He holds a B.S. in Studio Art and English from Skidmore College and a M.F.A. from the Art Institute of Boston at Lesley College. His work has been shown in Russia, Spain, Greece; and Iraq.
“Perfect Lawn Forever” will open with a reception from 6 to 8 pm on January 10 in the Putnam Gallery in Gillespie Hall on the Dublin School campus, and the show will run until March 6. The public is welcome.
Broadband Committee Update
By Kate Albert
The Town of Dublin has been nominated by the Southwest Regional Planning Commission (SWRPC) to participate in the New Hampshire Broadband Mapping and Planning (NHBMPP) Ready Community Program and receive assistance with community assessment, planning and decision-making regarding broadband.
We have completed the Broadband Readiness Assessment Tool that will assess the current status of broadband readiness in our community. There are no right or wrong answers as we encourage all communities to work on broadband. The Community Resource Team seeks to select three communities in NH with varying states of readiness.
All assessments submitted will be reviewed and an announcement of the three communities that will work with our Community Resource Team be made by December 20, 2013.
Kate Albert (katea@nullwivalley.net ) is chair of Dublin’s Broadband Committee.
Peter’s Pondering
Going Up/ or Down?
By Peter Hewitt
Maybe both — and at the same time.
As you rise to your destination in some fancy high-rise office building, you are brought down by the piped-in music — “elevator music,” such as we hear in hotel dining rooms, reception areas, hospitals, and department stores.
It is music that is written and played in such a way that it won’t offend anyone. No dissonances, mostly syrupy major chords, no surprises, no excitement.
For me, it is irritating in that it is so darned dull and watered-down.
If they can’t come up with real music, “let’s call the whole thing off.”
Peter Hewitt retired to RiverMead from Dublin several years ago.
Labor of Love
By Mary Loftis
When I asked Phil Cayford if I could interview him about his 11 years of volunteer trail maintenance in the White Mountains, he agreed but added that he was “not fond of publicity.” This is a characteristic understatement! Most people probably don’t know that Phil is a nationally recognized stamp dealer — as well as a competitive lumberjack who once held a world record for crosscut sawing.
Although he spends hours at his desk and travels all over the country for business, his passion is hiking. He has climbed all 48 of New Hampshire’s 4,000 foot mountains, as well as many in Vermont and Maine, so when he learned about the Appalachian Mountain Club’s Adopt-a-Trail program in 2002, he jumped at the chance to take on the annual maintenance of a two-mile section of the Hancock Loop off the Kancamagus Highway. This section of trail is part of more than 1,000 miles of trails in the White Mountains, many of which are maintained by volunteers.
Phil’s commitment involves two or three trips a year during hiking season. To access “his” stretch of trail, which begins at a trail junction and ends at the summit of North Hancock Mountain, it is necessary to walk in more than two miles carrying an ax, hoe, hand clippers and big branch loppers. The first trip of the year involves inspecting the trail and dealing with washouts and blown-down trees. Later in the season, he returns to trim brush.
More than a decade ago Phil completed AMC trail-maintenance training, which focused on such things as how high and wide to clear branches and how to sculpt drainage so that water runs across the trail rather than down it. In the intervening time, he has recruited family members and friends to join him in the annual maintenance of his adopted trail.
Although his trail is not a busy one (he encounters between 5 and 25 hikers during a work day), almost all of the hikers acknowledge what he’s doing and express appreciation. Phil said he chose to work in the White Mountains, rather than closer to home on Monadnock, because there seemed to be plenty of people already caring for the trails on our much-climbed mountain.
Phil first climbed Mt. Washington as a 12 year old. Now he expects to continue this labor of love in the White Mountains as long as he can. A few years ago, he had to take some time off to recover from knee surgery, but last summer he was back on North Hancock Mountain as strong as ever.
Mary Loftis is on the staff of the Advocate.
Update from The River Center
* Safe Sitter babysitting course — Monday, January 20 (Martin Luther King Jr. holiday – no school) from 9 am – 4:30 pm. Ages 11-13. Fee is $65 per student. Advanced registration is required.
* Free Tax Preparation from IRS certified tax preparers. You could be eligible for tax credits designed to help people with moderate and low incomes. Call after January 15.
* Local author Birute Regine will be speaking about her book, Iron Butterflies: Women Transforming Themselves and the World. Tuesday evening, January 21. RSVP.
Contact the River Center at 924-6800 or email info@nullrivercenter.us
The Junco
By Tom Warren
In 1831, Audubon said, “there is not an individual who does not know the little Snow-bird.” And now in many parts of the Monadnock Region, he is known as the “snowbird” today.
The junco is often described as “leaden skies above, snow below,” owing to its blackish upper half of its body contrasted with its whitish breast and belly. White outer feathers flash when it takes flight.
It is a common bird with a population of more than 650 million ranging from Alaska to Mexico, especially in higher elevations.
In migration it moves from north to south and from higher altitudes to lower ones. Here in Dublin the birds you see at feeders and dooryards probably spent the summer higher up on Mt. Monadnock.
Through banding studies it has been noted that groups of juncos reappear in the same location in successive years. The group probably formed on the Mt. Monadnock breeding ground and remained together for several years here in the Dublin area.
In the summer it feeds mostly on insects, spiders and small invertebrates. In winter it feeds on seeds, usually on the ground, but will use a feeder during heavy snowstorms. Cold temperatures and snowstorms result in a diet of seeds raising their fat level to keep warm.
The nest is usually on the ground, under roots and in rock crevices, but occasionally will use an old nest on a building or shed. They usually lay four eggs, which have a whitish base with reddish-brown markings. The eggs hatch in 12-13 days and the young juncos leave the nest after 10 days.
During severe cold and snow they seldom stray far from feeding stations. Sprinkling mixed seed and cracked corn under feeders will bring them close to your windows for close observation while you are baking cookies.
Tom Warren is Dublin’s resident ornithologist, and serves as a trustee of both the Harris Center and the Audubon Society.
January’s Speakers for Rotary
By Ruth Clark
The Monadnock Rotary Club invites you to its weekly breakfast meetings, open to the public, at 7:30 am most Tuesday mornings at the Dublin Community Church, on Rte. 101 (Main Street).
On January 14, the speaker will be Michelle Veasley, Executive Director of the New Hampshire Businesses for Social Responsibility (NHBSR). She will be talking about NHBSR’s mission (www.nhbsr.org), which is to build and support a network of businesses committed to adopting socially responsible business practices, recognizing that people, principles and profits are inseparably linked.
On January 21, the speaker will be Jeff Brown, an applied human factors practitioner research and risk mitigation initiatives in high-hazard domains ranging from border security to transplant surgery. The presentation (“Safety Management in High-risk Systems: Implications for Our Local Healthcare”) will discuss safety management in high-risk systems and the implications for our local healthcare systems.
On January 28, the speaker will be Christine Laclair, Marlborough School Guidance Counselor, who will share the programs they have implemented as a School Champion in the Healthy Monadnock 2020 program. Marlborough won the HEAL (Healthy Eating Active Living) Award presented by Healthy Monadnock 2020 this fall. This award is presented to the school for exemplifying healthy eating and active living behaviors within their school community.
The Monadnock Rotary Club is based in Dublin and is dedicated to community service. The Club’s primary interests are youth development and health advocacy for people of all ages in the Monadnock region and around the world. The Club is part of Rotary International, a worldwide service organization of more than 1.2 million members.
For questions or details, please call Ruth Clark 924-9505.
Save the Date for Winterfest: Feb. 8
Rec Committee hosts annual snowy celebration.
Winterfest (sponsored by the Dublin Recreation Committee) will be Saturday, February 8, 2014, at the Dublin Consolidated School from 11 am to 2 pm.
Join us for snowmobile tow rides, sledding, music, hot cocoa, chili, and the famous box sled races!
Start building your box sleds (made of cardboard and duct tape only) now and be there to cheer on the racers! Look for more details soon.
Any questions, contact Jen Bergeron, 563-8308 or jberge@nullmyfairpoint.net.
Winterfest is sponsored by the Dublin Recreation Committee.
HCS Offers Foot Care Clinics
Home Healthcare, Hospice & Community Services is offering foot care clinics to residents of all area towns. A nurse will be on hand to offer basic foot care.
There is a $20 charge for foot care services, which are offered in Peterborough at HCS (45 Main St., Suite 316) from 10 am to 2 pm on January 7, January 8, and January 22. Appointments are necessary and can be made by calling 1-800-541-4145, ext. 118 or 352-2253.
YogaWeekend to Benefit Hospice at HCS
YogaWeekend is a two-day event set for Saturday and Sunday, January 25 and 26, at HCS in Keene (312 Marlboro St.). It offers an opportunity for those new to yoga, as well as more experienced students, to try a variety of yoga styles first-hand.
Doors will open at 8 am each day, with classes beginning at 9 am; the last class will start at 3 pm. Online registration will be available after January 1.
Massage and Reiki will be available throughout each day. Breakfast and lunch are sponsored by the Works Bakery and Café. A raffle with items donated from area businesses will be available both days.
All classes, massage, Reiki, and breakfast and lunch are by donation, with proceeds benefiting Hospice at HCS, the local nonprofit hospice providing end of life care to people at home, in assisted living facilities and in long-term care facilities in southwestern NH.
For more information, call HCS at 352-2253 or visit HCSservices.org.
2014 New Hampshire Fishing and Hunting Licenses Available
New Hampshire fishing and hunting licenses for 2014 are now available for purchase. A hunting or fishing license — or a “combo” license — are good from January 1 through December 31, 2014 and can be purchased at www.wildnh.com, in Concord, or from any Fish and Game license agent statewide.
For state residents, an annual freshwater fishing license is $35; the basic hunting license is $24.50; and a combination (hunting and freshwater fishing) license is $48.50. Nonresidents pay a good deal more. Residents can buy a one-day freshwater fishing license for $10. Coastal anglers need an $11 N.H.
Beginning with the 2014 license year, regular hunting and fishing licenses will be computer-generated and printed by the agent on regular paper.
Fishing and hunting license revenue directly supports wildlife and fisheries management, law enforcement and conservation education in New Hampshire. Visit http://www.wildnh.com.
NH Audubon Launches Centennial
In 2014, New Hampshire Audubon will turn 100 years old. Beginning in the New Year, the organization will be holding a variety of events and programs to mark the occasion.
To keep track of these events and celebrate nature for the whole year, a 2014 calendar has photographs of Audubon sanctuaries, local wildlife and people enjoying time outdoors. Short stories about conservation milestones and Audubon’s role in protecting the natural environment of the state complement the images.
The calendars can be purchased at the Toadstool or via nhaudubon.org/nature-store/product-listing.