July 2019

Henniker's Lois Fitch is Boston Post Cane Recipient...

May 21, 2019: On her 101st birthday, Lois Fitch is presented the Boston Post Cane by Henniker Selectman Peter Flynn

SUMMER OF SPACE at the Tucker Free Library! Great happenings all July with our Summer Reading Program! Story Time for the younger crowd and Thursday programs for older ones.

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Fire on the Mountain Chili Fest Sunday, August 18, 2019 Take the Henniker Chili Challenge! Local restaurants face off in the professional chili-making category, while dedicated home chefs from New Hampshire and beyond go toe-to-toe for best amateur chili chef. You get to sample as many of the nearly 40 chilies as you can throughout the afternoon (and cast your Peoples’ Choice award vote) while enjoying the fest’s offerings, including: Car Cruise In, KidZone, live music and Vendor fair featuring more than 20 specialty food and craft purveyors. Children 12 and under: $6, Adults: $12. Noon to 4:30 PM., Pats Peak Ski Area, 686 Flanders Rd., Henniker. Sponsored by the Henniker Rotary Club to benefit local, regional and international charitable and humanitarian services. For more information and to download a chili maker or vendor application go to: www.chilinewhampshire.org .

On a sunny afternoon in early June, a sizable crowd celebrated the opening of the new and safe entrance to Azalea Park. The Community School Band performed in the tradition of the 1902 celebration of the park’s opening. Ron and Martha Taylor, donors of the historic arch replica, did the honors of cutting the ribbon. Walking to the music of the band, we all gathered in the park by the river for refreshments. The celebration was a chance to thank all who donated their time, talents and funds to make this new entrance to Azalea Park a reality.

Azalea Park Ribbon Cutting Ceremony Ron and Martha Taylor

Summer Concert Series The summer concert series began on a high note with our first ever Brews and Blues Fest on June 11. We had a great crowd for this first concert with perfect weather after a rainy morning. Many thanks to Dave Currier and Henniker Brewery for partnering with us in this great event and to the Henniker Rotary “Fire on the Mountain” Chili Fest for sponsoring the concert. Food and drink were plentiful and BAZA Blues, our featured band, was awesome. Tuesday night concerts will continue throughout the summer through August 20. July’s line-up includes a special Independence Day celebration with the Newmont Military Band, a dramatic reading of the Declaration of Independence and holiday fare provided by local non-profits, all beginning at 6:00 PM, with the concert starting at 7:00. We then travel south to Nashville with the Twangtown Paramours and follow that up with some country with Canyon Run, followed by an evening of classic rock with the Blacklite Band and then finish off the month with Just Because and their special brand of Americana covers and originals. See the attached schedule to see who is on tap each week. The Henniker Concert Committee greatly appreciates the help and support of the Town of Henniker, all the residents and visitors who come out each week to help us build our vibrant community and especially to the following: Henniker Septic, Darron at the Bike Shop, Peter and Kathy Flynn, Rotary Club of Henniker, Henniker Family Dentistry and the Angela Robinson Music Fund, NH Charitable Foundation. For more information: If you are interested in serving on the Henniker Concert Committee, please get an application at Town Hall. For more information about this fun committee, go to hennikerconcerts@henniker.org

BAZA Blues Band

Dave Currier, Henniker Brewery and Melinda McGrath

Henniker Rotarians Cathy Dias, Nancy Annis, Mary Krotzer and George Mobley serving three types of chili

HENNIKER ROTARY NEWS June has been a busy month for Rotarians, beginning on June 1 st with the 5 th  Annual Rush Square Planting Day. Rotarians and other community volunteers and master gardeners including Hopkinton Rotary president, Gayle Kimball, Sachie Howard and Libby Howell helped 25 residents plan and then plant their garden plots with a variety of annuals and also planted two large raised bed community vegetable gardens. Rotary President Steve Neuhoff built an additional raised planter this year for a new resident and Henniker Rotarians Heather Shaw, Judy Miller and Ruth Zax all participated in the project. June also saw Rotarians sponsoring the Brews and Blues Fest to kick-off the Henniker Summer Concert Series on June 11. A great crew of Rotarians was on hand serving up chili and encouraging attendees to consider competing in the Amateur Chili Maker competition this year on August 18 th . There is still time to fill out an application for this year’s competitions. Go to www.chilinewhampshire.org to download an application or contact Mary Krotzer mskrotzer@yahoo.com Speaking of Chili Fest – a new event is being planned this year, the Some Like It Hot Chili Pepper Eating Challenge. Contestants will be presented with two plates of jalapeno and habanero peppers and the person who eats the most peppers and garners the most points wins the challenge. More information will be available soon on the Chili Fest website.  As we do each year, the Rotary Club awarded scholarships to deserving students who are going on to advanced education or technical training. We welcomed three of the four award recipients to a recent June meeting and presented them with their scholarship checks. Tyler Descoteau, John Stark Regional High School (Brooks Burt Scholarship). Tyler will be attending Wentworth IT for Bioengineering. Cathy Aubrey, Hillsboro Deering High School (Vocational Scholarship) will attend NHTI to become a dental technician and Owen Payeur, John Stark Regional High School, (Rosenbleeth Scholarship) is off to UNH for Mechanical Engineering.

Scholarship recipients with Rotary Scholarship Committee Chair, Gene Fox. From left: Gene Fox, Owen Payeur, Tyler Descoteau and Cathy Aubrey

Volunteer crew at Rush Square Planting Day

Fire Permits Permits are available at the Henniker Fire Station on Maple Street (Rte. 114) Monday - Friday, 7am - 5pm or you can access permits on our website at the following link. Visit our website

John Stark Regional High School School News

Scholarship and Awards Night at John Stark Regional High School

Just under $100,000 in scholarships and 11 book awards were presented to students at John Stark Regional High School as graduating and rising seniors and their families and friends gathered for the Annual Scholarship and Awards Night on June 11. Some of the many highlights from the evening included the presentation of several new scholarships and awards. New scholarships this year were the Eric Chapman Memorial Scholarship, NH Chapter 42 Vietnam Veterans of America, and the Hesser College Alumni Association Scholarships, which were awarded to 14 students. Additionally, eight John Stark faculty members donated vouchers from their Running Start work with the NH Community College System and presented 9 John Stark students with nearly $3,000 in NH Community College credit vouchers.

Photos from Scholarship Night

BEST BUDDIES PROGRAM AT JOHN STARK REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL

The Best Buddies Chapter at John Stark Regional High School participated in Slide into Kindness Day at the NH Fisher Cats game on June 9. Best Buddies International and the Chapter at John Stark is a student-run friendship club which creates buddy pairs between students with and without disabilities. Best Buddies helps to create an inclusive school climate for students and a community with a culture of acceptance. An entire section of the Delta Dental Stadium was filled with Best Buddies and their supporters and friends for the game.   Two JSRHS Best Buddy Chapter buddies, Brian McGinnin and Caroline Wetherbee were selected to throw out a pitch prior to the game.