Weekly Newsletter
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Chamber Member News & Events
Celebrate NH Eat Local Month with Vital Communities
This August, Vital Communities joins more than 70 partners throughout the state to highlight NH Eat Local Month—a month-long celebration of local food and New Hampshire farmers and food producers. Find Upper Valley farms, farmers’ markets, and foods using  Vital Communities’ Food & Farm Online Guide  at vitalcommunities.org/guide , and join the celebration!
 
“New Hampshire residents and visitors, alike, are showing unprecedented interest in local food, and this month-long celebration offers a great opportunity to feature New Hampshire grown foods and farms,” said Gail McWilliam Jellie from the New Hampshire Department of Agriculture, Markets & Food.
 
As part of the NH Eat Local Month festivities, stop by the historic town centers of Lebanon, Newport, Claremont, Wilmot, Canaan and Hanover during a weekly farmers’ market and taste the freshest, yummiest farm products. Pull over when you see a New Hampshire farmstand and find a treat for dinner. Keep an eye out for native-grown products at your local grocer. When you choose New Hampshire grown, you support a local family business. Increased interest in local food benefits us all by positively affecting the health of the economy, communities and environment.
 
“Nothing gives me the feeling of summer in New Hampshire like stopping at a market or farmstand to grab some fresh food for a picnic or fruit for the kids’ breakfast. Of course, sometimes the fruit doesn’t make it to breakfast!” said Beth Roy, Food & Farm program manager at Vital Communities. “I’m happy my family can support our local farms so easily.”
  
NH Eat Local Month also coincides with National Farmers’ Market Week, honoring farmers’ markets all across America. The celebration also includes a virtual scavenger hunt, buy local campaign, story sharing from farmers and businesses and events hosted by NH Eat Local Month partners. Find more information at  nheatlocal.org  and  facebook.com/nheatlocal . To become a NH Eat Local Month partner, contact Samantha Cave at  samantha.cave@unh.edu .
 
Promotion of this year’s NH Eat Local Month is in collaboration with the NH Food Alliance, the New Hampshire Department of Agriculture, Markets & Food, Seacoast Eat Local and the Monadnock Food Co-op.  
Monday Morning Children's Theater Returns to Claremont
10am, Monday mornings from July 8 through August 12 five professional adult actors from Jean’s Playhouse Children’s Theater Company from Lincoln, NH perform original musical adaptations of popular fairy and folk tales on the historic stage of the Claremont Opera House to an enthusiastic group of children with area summer schools, daycares, parents and grandparents.  Shows run approximately 40 minutes.   IMPACT (Imagination and Music – Professional Artistry in Children’s Theatre) is the professional children’s performance company of Jean’s Playhouse. Children will love the catchy original songs and wacky characters, all performed by the professional IMPACT actors!

The performances finish with a cast meet and greet with autograph signing and picture taking immediately following the performance.

  • August 12th - Jack & The Beanstalk
 
Tickets are $6 and can be purchased at the door the day of the show at the Claremont Opera House. Seating is general admission.   Groups are advised to call ahead and ask for a section to be reserved for them.  Show descriptions for upcoming shows can be found at www.claremontoperahouse.org . 
Phone: 603-542-0064.
Group Rides are Rolling at Claremont Cycle Depot
Monday Nights:
No drop road ride from the shop. Departs at 6pm.

Tuesday Nights:
MTB group rides (intermediate-advanced) announced weekly on our Facebook/Instagram pages.

Saturday Mornings:
The DONUT GRAVEL RIDE departs the shop at 7am. Always a good time and covers around 30 miles/3k feet and of course, donuts!

Volunteer Opportunity
Children’s Community Lunch is looking for responsible individuals over 18 to supervise our meal sites throughout the summer. (Teens and children are welcome to assist a parent or guardian who has signed up).

  • Volunteers are needed form June 24th-August 23rd, excluding weekends and July 4th.
  • The time commitment is about an hour and 45 minutes each day staffing a site.
  • Volunteers receive coolers of food and an activity box at the site approximately half an hour before meal time, serve meals to children and accompanying adults for an hour, keep track of the required paperwork, do minimal cleanup and return the cooler and activity box to the Claremont Soup Kitchen at close. Meals are served from 11:30am to 12:30pm.
  • A background check is required.
  • Training is offered and required for all volunteers.

For More Information or to Sign up,
Contact Cindy Stevens at (603) 543-3290
or via email.
Bar Harbor Bank & Trust First Annual School Supply Drive Begins
Bar Harbor Bank & Trust invites you to participate in their first annual School Supply Drive from July 22 thru August 16, 2019. Collection boxes are available at all branch locations across Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont! Please visit your local branch to make a contribution of new school supplies such as: notebooks, folders, glue sticks, pencils, and crayons. No cash donations are being accepted. All donations support students and educators in the communities we call home. Want to know which local school will receive your donation? Just ask a branch employee! 
 
“We are introducing the School Supply Drive so local schools will have the supplies students need to actively participate in classroom learning.” said Joseph Schmitt, SVP/Chief Marketing Officer at Bar Harbor Bank & Trust. “Through the simple act of donating school supplies, we can make the educational experience better for both students and teachers. Thank you in advance for giving what you can to help local children with their education.”
Sullivan County Invitations for Bids
Sullivan County NH government has released an   Invitation for Bids  for Rehabilitation Services , with proposals due no later than Friday, August 30, at 2:00 pm. This request for proposal, as well as any updates/addendums, may be viewed on the County’s website.    

Questions regarding the request for proposal may be directed to the Sullivan County Nursing Home Administrator, Ted Purdy  or via T. (603) 542-9511 Ext. 217. 
Kids Learn to Love Local Food with Power of Produce Clubs
All kids ages 5-12 are welcome to participate this summer in  Power of Produce (POP) Clubs —a fun, free way to learn about and enjoy fresh local food every week at 13 Upper Valley famers’ markets! In 2018, over 1,300 kids participated in Upper Valley POP Clubs and spent $6,400 in free “POP Bucks” at farm vendor booths.
 
Power of Produce (POP) Clubs are simple, fun, and free. Families sign up at the market’s POP table and start the day’s fun activity—a farmers’ market scavenger hunt, a vegetable quiz, an art project or other produce-related fun. Kids get to explore the market, talk with farmers, learn, taste new vegetables and fruit, and share their knowledge. The POP host is there to help. Once they complete the activity, participants return to the POP table to receive their $3 in POP Bucks: market money just for kids to spend on fruits and vegetables. There is no need to sign up in advance, and families are welcome to participate once or many times throughout the summer at one market or many. In 2018, over 1,500 kids joined POP Clubs in the Upper Valley.
 
Vital Communities is supporting  POP Clubs at 13 Upper Valley farmers’ markets  this year from June 24 through August 18:
 
·         Ascutney Farmers Market , Ascutney, VT, Saturdays, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
·         Canaan Farmers and Artisans’ Market ,   Canaan, NH, Sundays, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
·         Chelsea Farmers’ Market , Chelsea, VT, Fridays, 3-6 p.m.
·         Claremont Farmers’ Market ,   Claremont, NH, Saturdays, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
·         Greater Falls Farmers’ Market ,   Bellows Falls, VT, Fridays, 4-7 p.m.
·         Hartland Farmers’ Market ,   Hartland, VT, Fridays, 4-7 p.m.
·         Hanover Farmers’ Market ,   Hanover, NH, Wednesdays, 3-6 p.m.
·         Lebanon Farmers’ Market ,   Lebanon, NH, Thursdays, 4-7 p.m.
·         Newport Farmers’ Market ,   Newport, NH, Fridays, 3-6 p.m.
·         Norwich Farmers’ Market ,   Norwich, VT, Saturdays, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
·         Randolph Farmers’ Market , Randolph, VT, Saturdays, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
·         Royalton Farmers’ Market ,   South Royalton, VT, Thursdays, 3-6 p.m.
·         Wilmot Farmers’ Market ,   Wilmot, NH, Saturdays, 9 a.m.-12 p.m.
 
Most of the markets accept SNAP EBT cards. In fact, at many markets, shoppers who use SNAP EBT can double their benefits and receive up to $10 to spend on fruits and vegetables. With POP Clubs, kids and parents using SNAP both get extra market money to spend. Many markets also accept the Vermont Farm to Family Coupons. Details are available at  vitalcommunities.org/pop .
 
Vital Communities is supporting POP Clubs to increase Upper Valley fruit and vegetable income both this year and in the future when POP Club members become adults. Farmers’ markets are an important sales point for Upper Valley produce farms; customers can get to know farm vendors, ask questions about their products and taste and buy the freshest possible foods for their families. Teaching children about local foods helps all of us grow up healthy and take care of our working lands.
Taverne on the Square is now offering a 15% discount for lunch to all business members of the Claremont Chamber of Commerce. Lunch is served from 11:00am to 4:00pm

For your convenience you may consider calling an hour ahead of your desired pick up time. Then simply pick up your lunch order to go. If you prefer, we will be happy to have it ready to serve to you!

Simply mention promo code: Jasper56
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!
Community News & Events
Community Development Block Grant Program Listening Sessions
The Community Development Finance Authority (CDFA) administers the Statewide Community Development Block Grant program in New Hampshire and is seeking input from municipalities and other stakeholders to help inform the development of the 2020 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Annual Action Plan. This Action Plan describes how CDBG resources will be applied for, distributed and utilized to address New Hampshire's housing, homeless, community development and economic development needs during calendar year 2020.
 
As part of this initiative, the agency will be holding community listening sessions relative to the CDBG Program.  The intent of these sessions is to gather input that will help the agency t o better understand the needs and priorities of New Hampshire communities and our partners to create  a system of distributing funds that responds to those priorities.
 
Listening sessions will be held on the dates and locations detailed below. Please register via the links provided for each location.
 
CDFA has also developed a brief survey to collect your insight and help guide this process. We kindly request you fill out the survey by Thursday, August 15 :  https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/STBCFPD . 
 
Monday August 19, 2019
Colonial Theater, Bethlehem – 10:00 AM –  REGISTER HERE
Attendees are invited to arrive by 9:40 AM for a brief tour of the Colonial Theater.
 
Tuesday August 20, 2019
Northeast Delta Dental Conference Center, Concord – 1:00 PM –  REGISTER HERE
 
Wednesday August 21, 2019
Hannah Grimes Center, Keene – 10:00 AM –  REGISTER HERE
 
Claremont Visitor Center, Claremont – 2:00 PM –  REGISTER HERE
 
Friday August 23, 2019
Belknap Mill, Laconia – 1:00 PM –  REGISTER HERE
Attendees are invited to arrive by 12:40 PM for a brief tour of the Belknap Mill.
 
For more information or to provide comments, please contact Shelley Hadfield, Director of Housing and Community Development at CDFA, via  shadfield@nhcdfa.org  or 603-717-9112.
An Opportuniity from our friends at the Lake
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