Weekly Newsletter
Chamber Member News & Events
Sullivan County Health Care Renovation Project
Sullivan County Health Care Administrator Ted Purdy, Facility & Operation Director Mary Bourque & County Manager Derek Ferland are scheduling six presentations around the region at Select Board meetings & the Claremont City Council to provide a 15-minute presentation about the  Sullivan County Health Care Renovation Project  and to hold a 15-minute Q & A.
 
We’d like to invite Select Board members, City Council members and town administrator/managers to catch this presentation on any of the following three dates that have currently been confirmed:
 
  • Wed. Nov. 13th 6:30 p.m., Claremont City Council (on agenda @ approx. 7:45 p.m.)
  • Mon. Nov. 18th 8:00 p.m., Sunapee, 23 Edgemont Road 03782
  • Mon. Dec. 2nd 7:00 p.m., Acworth, 13 Town Hall Road 0360
  • Wed. Dec. 4th 6:00 p.m., Plainfield, 110 Main Street, 03770
  • Mon. Dec. 16th 6:30 p.m., Newport, 15 Sunapee Street, 03773
 
 
We encourage public to attend and urge municipality leaders where we have not scheduled a presentation, to attend one of the presentations. 
 
You may also view a current summary of this project on our County Programs page here:   http://www.sullivancountynh.gov/1220/SCHC-Renovation
 
Questions regarding the project may be directed to  Facilities & Operations Director  Mary Bourque at  mbourque@sullivancountynh.gov  or you may reach her at 603-542-9511 Ext. 273. 

Community Initiatives Launch Crowdfunding Campaigns through The Local Crowd Upper Valley
Exciting community initiatives will launch crowdfunding campaigns in November through a new community-based crowdfunding program,  The Local Crowd (TLC) Upper Valley , hosted by Vital Communities. The campaigns run through December 20 to reach funding goals for projects that build community and economy in the Upper Valley.
 
Community members can get details on all the projects and how to contribute to their crowdfunding campaigns at  vitalcommunities.org/tlc . Campaigns launch November 4 through November 20 and run about 30 days each, with the final campaign ending December 20. Campaign goals range from $5,000-$12,000 for specific projects that strengthen our communities.
 
The six projects seeking crowdfunding in November and December are:
  • Friends of Mascoma Foundation, Canaan – to expand its Friends Feeding Friends program, combating food insecurity in the Mascoma Valley Regional School District
  • Whaleback Mountain, Enfield – to invest in energy efficiency improvements in the base lodge
  • Puppy Junction, White River Junction – to create an adoption, volunteer, and education center
  • Willow Tree Community Compost, Wilder – to help grow its community compost operation and a partnership with Sunrise Farm
  • Sunrise Farm, White River Junction – to build the physical infrastructure needed to compost food scraps from the community to build healthy soil on the farm, divert food waste from the landfill, and strengthen the connections between the farm and community
  • The Growing Peace Project, Topsham – to improve infrastructure in their free-food teaching garden and increase transportation capacity to get food to community members who need it

“We’re so excited about the range of projects that are part of this pilot crowdfunding effort,” said Nancy LaRowe, who coordinates local economy initiatives at Vital Communities. “Each project contributes to the health of our communities and economy in unique ways. TLC gives Upper Valley residents the chance to learn about innovative things happening in their backyard AND the ability to invest in the projects that build community!”
 
Vital Communities is one of five sites nationwide selected to participate in the National Science Foundation grant-funded project with Wyoming-based company The Local Crowd. This initiative is designed to uncover the best ways to support social enterprises—mission-driven organizations that use business principles to make their communities and the world a better place.
 
Crowdfunding is the process by which an entrepreneur, business, or organization asks a large number of people (usually through the Internet) to contribute a certain amount of money for a specific project. By leveraging the power of crowdfunding, TLC Upper Valley’s fundraising platform offers an innovative way for community members to support the businesses and organizations they care about right here in our region. Learn more at  vitalcommunities.org/tlc .
Places we LOVE in
Sullivan County
Choose your favorite outdoor place, building, restaurant, business or historical site. Any place where others can visit is perfect to share. Use your smart phone to snap a photo, then visit bit.ly/LoveSullivan to upload and describe what makes it special to you!
Bar Harbor Bank & Trust - 31st Annual Food for Good Food Drive
Bar Harbor Bank & Trust is hosting their 31 st  Annual Food for Good Food Drive beginning October 21 through November 22, 2019. Non-perishable food items are being collected at all bank branches to benefit local food pantries throughout Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. Join us is helping our neighbors in need by visiting your local branch with a donation for the collection bin. Cash donations are not being accepted. 
 
“As a community bank, we prioritize giving back to the people in the places we call home,” said Joseph Schmitt, SVP, Chief Marketing Officer at Bar Harbor Bank & Trust. “We are proud to continue the tradition of our fall Food for Good food drive for the 31 st  year to help stock the shelves of our local food pantries.” Interested to know which organization will receive your donation? Ask your banker the next time you visit your local branch!
 
Bar Harbor Bankshares (NYSE American: BHB) is the parent company of its wholly owned subsidiary, Bar Harbor Bank & Trust. Operating over 50 locations across Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont, Bar Harbor Bank & Trust is headquartered in Bar Harbor, Maine and has more than $3.6 billion in assets. As a leading Northern New England community bank, Bar Harbor Bank & Trust offers a full range of personal and business banking services, as well as wealth management services through its subsidiaries Bar Harbor Trust Services and Charter Trust Company. For more information about Bar Harbor Bank & Trust, visit  www.barharbor.bank  or call 888-853-7100. Member FDIC.
Community News & Events
Business & Industry Survey
The  New Hampshire State Workforce Innovation Board , which has oversight of the  NH Works system , is in the process of updating its Strategic and WIOA State Plan for workforce development services in the state and will be gathering input from a variety of leaders and stakeholders across New Hampshire. Through this planning process we hope to ensure that our system of services is providing the best value possible to our customers, and that is where you come in. We would like to hear from businesses across the state to understand your employment trends, challenges, and opportunities, and how you currently utilize the public workforce system. 

This survey contains 8 questions and should take no more than 10 minutes to complete.
Upper Valley Land Trust - Corporate Volunteer Program
The Upper Valley Land Trust has an exciting opportunity to offer Upper Valley businesses and employees! Now in its second year of operation, the Corporate Volunteer Program puts your employees to work in the community, volunteering with our local environmental nonprofit to make a difference socially and ecologically. This offering is designed to provide an opportunity for your Upper Valley business to spend time volunteering in the outdoors and strengthen bonds between your team members. This program will benefit your business in many ways:
 
·         Engaging employees in team building activities in a beautiful environment outside of the typical workplace
·         Involving your group with our local social and natural communities
·         Providing a philanthropy opportunity for a business and its employees
·         Reenergizing and resetting a team dynamic before diving back into work projects
 
We are ready to create a volunteer experience tailored to the needs of your company! Contact Paul Blazevich ( (603) 643-6626 x 201) for program offerings, more information on CVP, or to begin customizing your own volunteer experience. UVLT’s current project offerings for CVP are attached below, which also includes program logistics and a recommended packing list for participants.
 
The Upper Valley Land Trust is a 501c3 nonprofit organization, committed to preserving natural areas, working farmlands, and priority habitat so residents and visitors alike can enjoy the scenic landscapes that make the Upper Valley so special.
‌