August 2018 Newsletter
Well, it seemed like Summer would never arrive and then it did! We have had some wonderfully sunny and hot days! As the summer joined us in full force, our area was host to and continues to host many fun and entertaining fairs, festivals, shows and concerts! In addition, the Chamber was busy participating in the Woodsville/Wells River 4th of July festivities, hosting our Annual Garden Tour & Tea, hosting our Annual Farm Tour and hosting workshops and other social events in our region. As of this writing, we are also preparing for our Annual Rubber Ball River Race fundraiser, getting ready to launch another Cohase Cash contest and preparing for our upcoming 48 Hour Film Slam. There is no shortage of things to do in our region!

We hope you are enjoying the summer. We are enjoying promoting our region to our visitors and residents alike and doing all we can to help stimulate our local economy on many fronts!

Sincerely,






Erik Volk
Executive Director
In This Issue
  • Upcoming Area Events Listing
  • Member Moment - K & R Portable Restroom Services, LLC
  • New Tax Law Member Survey
  • Recent Chamber Events
  • Rubber Ball River Race Tickets
  • Business Advisors Needed
  • Cohase Cash Contest Resumes
  • Our Newest Members
  • Member News
Upcoming Events
Don't let anyone tell you there is nothing going on in our region! So many events and activities! Only some are listed below!

Please visit our WEB page at www.cohase.org for more details on any of these events and a listing of other events in our area.

August 25 - 6th Annual Freddie's Car Show, River Meadow Campground, North Haverhill, NH
August 25 - The Rocking Chairs Firefighter Benefit Street Dance,Bath, NH
August 26 - The Uncommon Jam, Newbury Common, Newbury, VT
August 28 - Concert on the Common - The Party Crashers, Fairlee Common, Fairlee, VT
August 30 - Music on Main Street - Kind Bud's Kind Dubs, Denny Park, Bradford, VT
September 1 - So Long Summer Hello Fall Festival, Wells River, VT
September 1 - Town Wide Yard Sale & Food Truck Festival, Haverhill, NH
September 1 - Banjo Dan Railroad Concert, Veterans Park, Groton, VT
September 5 - The Canvas Collective & The Summer Ends, Room 111, Woodsville, NH
September 7 - Tirade, Lake Morey Inn, Fairlee, VT
September 8 - Parker Hill Road Band, Railroad Park, Woodsville, NH
September 9 - Tour de Taste - A Pedaling Picnic, Morey School, Fairlee, VT
September 9 - History of Tucker Mountain, West Newbury Congregational, West Newbury, VT
September 9 - Peyton Place Music Experience - Joel Cage, Peyton Place, Orford, NH
September 14-23 - As Long As We Both Shall Live, Old Church Theater, Bradford, VT
September 16 - Cohase 48 Hour Film Slam Public Viewing, Bradford Academy, Bradford, VT
September 19 - Mac & Cheese Challenge, Woodsville High School, Woodsville, NH
September 22 - Hogwarts Homecoming, Court Street Arts, Haverhill, NH
September 23 - Rivendell Ramble, Cross Rivendell Trail, Fairlee, VT
Member Moment - K & R Portable Restrooms, LLC
We were pleased to speak this month with Zach Conley, owner of K & R Portable Restrooms, LLC.. K & R provides portable restrooms and toilets for construction sites, camps, schools, events and more. They are located at 85 Dame Hill Road in Orford, NH. You can reach him by phone at (603) 353-4106, by email at krportabletoilet@gmail.com and also on Facebook .

How did you get started in this business?

I started working with Kevin Ricker, who was the original owner back in 2010. We partnered up in 2012 and the whole process was geared towards me buying the company and taking it over. I bought it and took ownership of it in the latter part of 2015 and have been running it ever since.

How many employees do you have at K & R?

Right now, not including myself, I have three employees. This includes two service people and one part-time who helps in the office.

How many units does your company have and how widely distributed are they?

Right now, I have 386 units. All of them are out at the current time. We have a pretty big service area and go on both sides of the Connecticut River in both New Hampshire and Vermont. Our service area is about 100 miles North to South and about 60 miles East to West. Dartmouth College is one of our big customers as is Hanover High School and Hanover Parks & Recreation. We have a really solid client list and serve construction sites, schools, stores and we provide units for many special events like graduation parties, birthday parties, anniversaries, etc. 

Other than portable restrooms, does your business provide any other services?
People have asked me if we would diversify and go into other areas like providing tents for events but we have no plans to do so. I feel like the company is focused on one thing and we provide a very good service doing that one thing. I came into a business that was well established. The reputation of the business and word-of-mouth has really been our best source of new business. Over the past few years, the business has continued to grow and I have worked to make the business even better moving forward. Since portable restrooms is all we do and focus on, I feel like we provide an even better service in the industry. We offer a variety of unit styles including units that have flushing toilets and sinks. Our event units are typically brand new each year and they all have lights and hand sanitizer.

OK. I have to ask..what happens to the contents?

The contents get transported to a water treatment facility in Hanover. All of the chemicals we use are biodegradable and really not much different than dish soap. There’s no longer formaldehyde in the chemicals which used to be the case for portable toilets.  Human waste is not even considered hazardous waste in the form that we take it away in. So, it’s all safe but I would not advise drinking it!
Do You Know How New Tax Laws Will Affect Your Business?
The Cohase Chamber of Commerce is considering organizing a seminar for our greater business community in the upcoming weeks and would like to get a sense of the need/desire for such a session. The Tax Cut and Jobs Act of 2017 (TCJA) will have an impact on your 2018 taxes in many areas relative to entity type, depreciation, qualified business income deductions, meals and entertainment, employee reimbursement/awards programs and withholding taxes.

Please take a few moments to complete the survey at the link below to let us know your thoughts, interest and concern with the new TCJA law.

Recent Chamber Events
Garden Tour 2018

This year's theme was "Art In The Garden" and our Annual Garden Tour & Tea did not disappoint the approximately 120 visitors who toured gardens in Bradford, Newbury and Haverhill on Sunday, July 15, 2018. Visitors ended their tour with a delicious and festive tea hosted by Court Street Arts. The weather was perfect and the event was well-attended drawing local visitors as well as quite a few visitors who traveled hours to attend.

A special thanks to the amazing Anne Dall who continues to oversee and manage all aspects of this annual event. Without her guidance, talent and leadership, the event would not exist.

Many many thanks to our garden hosts Judy Longto; Robert Chapla & Lenice Cicchini; Gail and Dale Bromley; Louise & Marvin Harrison and Phyllis & Timothy McKenna for inviting the public to tour their beautiful gardens. Thanks also to all the artists who gave up their time and displayed their artistic talents for our visitors. Many thanks to Anne Dall, Keisha Luce and all the other volunteers who provided wonderful food and beverages in the beautifully decorated Alumni Hall and to all our Chamber volunteers including Erin O'Dell, Lisa Hervey & Monique Priestley. Without all of you, this event would not have been possible.
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Cohase Farm Tour

The Cohase Chamber once again welcomed the public to visit a selection of diverse area farms in the Cohase Region on Sunday, August 19, 2018. The weather was perfect and lots of folks visited. Although attendance at individual farms varied, some farms received over 100 visitors. Attendees learned about organic crop production, animal husbandry, dairy operations and animal rescue and sanctuary efforts in our region and had the chance to meet the farmers that work hard to preserve our agricultural traditions and products. Participating famrs this year included Root 5 Farm (Fairlee), The Robie Farm (Piermont), Peaked Moon Farm (Piermont), Macwilham Farm (Bradford) and Tomten Farm & Sanctuary (Haverhill.)
Business After Hours -
"Space on Main Sneak Preview"

A crowd of over 40 Chamber members and friends gathered on July 18, 2018 at The Space on Main in Bradford, Vermont to tour the new 7000 square foot community-based non-profit co-working and makerspace site which is scheduled to open in October. The Space on Main President and Founder Monique Priestley gave a tour of the site and answered many questions about how the space will function and its various planned uses. For more information about the space, visit https://thespaceonmain.org . The ribbon cutting ceremony for The Space on Main is scheduled for Friday, October 12 from 11-12. Come join us and celebrate this exciting new and much needed addition to our region!
SEO Workshop

15 students joined us on August 9, 2018 for an informative and timely seminar on Search Engine Optimization (SEO) which covered the basics on how to get your business or organization higher up in the Google search results rankings, which is a key element to being found on the WEB. Many thanks to Kim Dixon of Insights, LLC for presenting and sharing her expertise and for River Bend Career & Technical Center for hosting us.

We are constantly looking for new topics of interest to our members. We are currently planning to reschedule the Data Security workshop that was previously cancelled due to low enrollment at a more convenient time in the near future as well as exploring interest in a Tax Planning Workshop to address the impacts of the new Tax Cut and Jobs Act of 2017.
Rubber Ball River Race Tickets
Don't miss your chance to purchase your Rubber Ball River Race tickets for our Annual Fundraiser at the Wells River So Long Summer Hello Fall Festival on Saturday, September 1, 2018! 1st prize is $300, 2nd prize is $200 and 3rd prize is $100. Tickets are $10 and only 100 tickets will be sold.

The first three balls to cross the finish line will be the winners. Depending on rainfall and other weather factors, it could be a speedy or a slow race down the Wells River but nevertheless exciting! The balls will enter the water beside Wells River Chevrolet and the Finish Line will be located behind the Wells River Welcome Center. Launch time is scheduled for 11:00 AM.

To purchase a ticket, contact a Board member, email us at cohasechamber@gmail.com or click here to purchase a ticket online. Online purchasers will receive an email with their assigned ball number. Online ticket sales will be subject to an additional $1.00 processing charge.
Would You Be An Informal "Small Business Advisor?"
The Cohase Chamber of Commerce in conjunction with the newly formed Haverhill Entrepreneurial Encouragement Committee (HEEC) is working to create an "Entrepreneur Welcome Packet" for aspiring entrepreneurs in our region and businesses who wish to expand in our region. Our vision is to provide a listing of local and regional resources as well as a more "localized" resource directory with a listing of local business people and/or retirees with experience in one or more industries that can act as informal resources for new entrepreneurs in our area. Can you help us create this local connection? Your participation would be strictly voluntary and not compensated, and the extent you choose to become involved with an interested party is up to you. Answering questions via phone or email would be the minimum expectation and the degree you wish to become more involved is strictly your choice.

If you would be interested, please complete our Small Business Advisor Resource form by clicking here .
Cohase Cash Contest Resumes!
Due to the success of our past Cohase Cash contests, we will once again be offering the contest to encourage local buying and to reward individuals who make an effort to shop locally and specifically at Chamber member businesses.

The current contest will run through Saturday, September 29th. with the winner being drawn on Saturday, October 6th.

Participants are allowed to enter as many times as they like as long as each receipt is from a different Chamber member business. The winner will receive $100 to spend at one or more members businesses of their choice. Winnings are provided via gift cards/gift certificates from selected businesses or via account credits at the selected business(es). Our last contest which concluded on June 30, 2018 had over many entries with receipts from over 25 member businesses including retail businesses, camps, non-profit organizations, restaurants, business service providers, utilities, fuel providers, farms, transportation services and banks. Our winning entry for our June contest was from Laura Tucker of Fairlee, VT.

We are asking member businesses to help us encourage people to enter and have provided two different flyers you can post at your business or in other areas you think would be useful. Please help us spread the word and encourage local buying.

For more information about the contest, please click here.

For a business specific flyer to post at your business, please click here.

For a more general flyer to post in other areas around your community, please click here.

We appreciate your support and hope to continue the program into the future.
A Warm Welcome to Our Newest Members!
A warm welcome to our newest members! We are so happy that our Chamber keeps growing. Our membership currently is at 168 members and continues to expand!

Our newest members include:

  • AK Chix Coffee (Fairlee, VT)
  • Webster Designs (Bradford, VT)
  • Margaret Pratt Assisted Living and Memory Care Community (Bradford, VT)
  • Ryan Ackerman (Piermont, NH)

Member News

  • Alarmco in Bradford, Vermont has a new WEB site! Check out their new site and lots of information about the services they provide. Visit www.alarmcovt.com for more information!
  • Dr. Maria Ryan, CEO at Cottage Hospitalin Woodsville, NH was once again named as one of Becker Hospital Review’s “50 Rural Hospital CEOs to Know!” That is five years in a row! Congrats Dr. Ryan!  
  • Housewright Construction in Newbury, Vermont is proud to announce that Charles Chandler has become the fourth Housewright employee to complete the Future Leaders in Construction (FLiC) Program. This eight-month leadership program is offered by the New Hampshire and Vermont Chapter of Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) through their partnership with Vermont Technical College office of Continuing Education & Workforce Development. Charlie will graduate in July. Their previous graduates include Craig Hervey, Jeff Page and Dan Bartlett.
  • Gary Goodwin and the Hyro and Aquatic Therapy Studio (HATS) recently celebrated the arrival of their new Aquatic Mobile Unit which allows people to receive aquatic therapy without having to travel great distances. The details are still being worked out but they are now selling pre-opening packages to the unit and price sheets are available on request.  Contact Gary at ga44ry@yahoo.com or at (802) 243-0100 for more information.
  • Merry Meadow Farm in Bradford, Vermont has changed its name and branding and will now be known as Averte. The therapeutic residential mental health community is only changing their name and branding. The facility will still have the same great team and owners. Check out their new WEB site at http://averte.com.
  • North of the Falls in Bradford, Vermont has announced they will be closing their doors on September 1, 2018. We are sad to see them close their doors after 13 years but wish Nikki, Dick, Mick and Becca the best in their future endeavors. Please stop by their store before they close forever to say goodbye and get some great deals!
  • Woodsville, New Hampshire has two new businesses. Be sure to visit Gather Together Café at 2 Pine Street and Bossman Outdoors at 24 Railroad Street!. We are always happy to see new businesses in Woodsville and hope they will be joining us at the Chamber!
  • Peaked Moon Farm in Piermont, NH has announced that they plan to open a new restaurant in the space formerly occupied by Ariana's Restaurant in Orford, NH. The new restaurant will be called Isaac B's.
  • River Meadow Campground in North Haverhill, NH will be hosting its 6th Annual Freddie’s Antique/Classic Car Show in memory of Fred Derosia. The event will be held on Saturday, August 25th from 1-3. Trophies and other non-cash prizes will be awarded. To register a car for the show, call (603) 787-6700.
  • Shiloh’s Restaurant in Woodsville, NH now has a pet waiting room for patrons with dogs! If your pooch is with you or you know of someone travelling through the region, this is great news! Rather than contemplating whether it is too hot to leave your dog (or other pet) in the car, take advantage of this unique and much-needed amenity!