Ellie Shaw called to ask if I could include the following information that was actually written by Chuck Shaw.  I am happy to help. – Lil

The origins of the First Congregational Church, UCC can be traced to the early meetings of the settlers in 1761.  Through the years there were several religious divisions within the town.  Meeting houses were moved, new ones built.  On November 20, 1832 a new religious group called the “First Congregational Church and Society in Walpole” was formed.  Around 1833 or 1834, the Church on the green, that today we know as the First Congregational Church, UCC, was built.

The Church on the green has become a fixture of our community and is integral to many who live here today and those who have passed through Walpole over the past 175 years.  It is a resource for our town and its people for worship and outreach with children’s events, rummage sales, food pantry contributions for North Walpole, Alstead and Bellows Falls, Mistletoe Mart Christmas bazaar, CROP walks, chicken barbeques, winter clothes for orphans, blankets and supplies for the homeless shelter in North Walpole, and more.  We are the host church for large weddings and funerals.

Whether you’re a regular attendee on Sunday or an occasional visitor you may have noticed a “bounce” upon walking down the center aisle in the upstairs sanctuary.  That is not a good thing.  In addition, the ceiling in the Fellowship Hall underneath the sanctuary floor seemed to be sagging.  We have a structural and a safety problem.

Contractors and a structural engineer have investigated these problems.  They made holes in the ceiling and found that years ago the primary support posts of the timber joints in the center floor of the sanctuary were missing.  They had been moved from their original position.  In addition there are six layers of ceiling material and five layers of flooring.  The seating capacity of the sanctuary was placed at around 150 people but we know that over 200 people attend events in it.

To address the immediate problem, temporary steel support posts were inserted at the weakened timber joints.  The more permanent repair will be difficult and complex.  The estimated cost is $106,162.00 and will give us the opportunity to upgrade the out-of-code electrical and plumbing problems.

Our church and our town have been blessed for many years with benefactors who come forward financially when urgent needs arise.  We have received an anonymous gift of $50,000.00 which will be put toward the project.  We are looking for contributions to help match this gift so we don’t draw down our limited reserve funds.

Walpole is a generous town.  Our churches are anchors of our community.  Our strength comes from our people.  Thank you for sharing in this appeal.

Contributions may be made to:

First Congregational Church UCC

Building Fund

P.O. Box 393

Walpole, NH  03608

Dale Woodward

Chuck Shaw

Dave Westover

Peggy Pschirrer sent this news that was “asking” to be shared ASAP.  Thanks for the up-date, Peggy. – Lil

On Monday, November 18,2013, the Walpole Town Attorney filed In Re: George L. Hooper Trust, Petition For Permission to Encumber and/or Sell Real Estate with the Probate Court of Cheshire County. The Interim Director of Charitable Trusts approved the petition and Terry Knowles urged us to file the petition as soon as possible.  We cannot, at this point, predict when the Court will hear our request, but we expect, with the Charitable Trust Units strong support, we will have a positive outcome!

The Hooper Study Committee has renamed itself the Hooper Preservation Fund Committee because we have now entered the fund raising phase so that the Monadnock Conservancy can buy the Conservation Easement on the Hooper Property.

We have received a 2-1 $50,000 challenge grant from a friend who wishes to be anonymous.  It became effective October 12,2013.  Prior to that point we had pledges of approximately $114,000.  Any gift after that date will count toward the pledge so that for every two dollars we raise we will receive another dollar.  consequently, when we raise $100,000 we will receive another $50,000.

Our goal is to raise $450,500.00 for the rest of the easement plus the costs for the Trustees expenses. These administrative costs will total close to another $100,000.00.  The Hooper Preservation Fund Committee is working without funds at this point.

When you are asked to give please do so so that we can protect the Hooper Property in perpetuity.  Give what will make you comfortable and proud that you have participated in Saving Hooper.

Gifts and pledges may be sent to Monadnock Conservancy, PO Box 337, Keene, NH 03431.  Designate your gift as a gift for Hooper Conservation Easement.  Gifts are tax deductible.  If you have questions feel free to contact me: Peggy Pschirrer, 756-4138 or em-mail: dpschirrer@aol.com or call the Conservancy, 357-0600.

It’s on the tip of my tongue to say, “be there or be square” but I fear that it would date me too much, so let’s just say that The Common is the place to be this Saturday.  Please adhere to the signs and don’t park on the common, though. – Lil

The Thanksgiving Market, on the Common this Saturday from 9 am to 2 pm, will provide a great opportunity to load up on fresh, local ingredients for your Thanksgiving meal and for winter storage. It will also provide a good opportunity to start your gift shopping.

We expect to see an abundance of fall crops, from green veg like kale, cabbage and Brussels sprouts (line forms behind me) to all manner of root vegetables like potatoes, carrots, celeriac, and of course winter squash. The folks from Pete’s Stand will be joining our veggie vendors for this market.

For something different for your holiday meal, try duck or make coq au vin from heritage breed chickens for flavorful, old time taste. Our meat vendors also expect to offer all manner of beef, pork, chevon, and lamb.

Look for great breads, maple treats, baked goods (weather permitting), jams, relishes, pickles, dilly beans, salsas, and candied maple nuts from a new vendor.

Pleasant St Soaps expects to return after a long absence. Kristie Kinson will also be returning with balsam greens.  Get a jump on cheering up the house with holiday decorations.

The non-profit Cocoa Farmers Future Initiative, a non-profit that helps cocoa growers in Grenada clear and re-establish their hurricane damaged forest gardens, add value to their crops, encourage the next generation of growers, and maintain the island’s biodiversity on which the cocoa crop (and thus my happiness) depends. They’ll be selling spices, chocolate, and spice cakes to raise money.

The Walpole Bits and Bridles 4H Club plans to join us with their annual pie sale fundraiser.

This market is part of a multi-venue Holiday Fête in Walpole. St. John’s Episcopal Church’s “Christmas on the Green” holiday bazaar, and the First Congregational Church’s “Mistletoe Mart” both run during the same hours, at the respective churches. This year The Orchard School’s 18th Annual Craft Fair and Cafe will also be held on the same day, from 9:30 am to 4 pm in the Walpole Town Hall. You’ll find a number of our craft vendors participating in this Fair. All four venues are within an easy walk of each other.

Again – “Be there ….

It may seem like a long time away but we all know, “time flies when you are having fun”!  Kelley wanted to make sure we have this on the calendar so we can make plans and develop our great ideas! – Lil

Save the Date!!!

Walpole Old Home Days 2014

June 25^th – 29^th

Event Sponsors Needed!!!

email Kelley Hicks Kelley@hicksmachine.com or Cindy Westover cindy@gallowayservices.com

NOTICE

THE

TOWN OF WALPOLE

 PLANNING BOARD

HAS CANCELLED

THEIR

WORKSHOP SESSIONS

FOR

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2013

And

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2013

(Walpole, Bellows Falls, Brattleboro, Springfield/November 22, 2013) – The Board of Directors of Meeting Waters YMCA is launching its annual Community Support Campaign to ensure that everyone in the Brattleboro, Bellows Falls, Springfield and Fall Mountain regions has access to vital community programs and resources that support youth development, healthy living and social responsibility.

Every day, Meeting Waters YMCA works to support the youth, adults, families and communities that need it most by addressing community issues such as the achievement gap, chronic diseases, summer learning loss, and food insecurity.

“As part of our year-long strategic planning process, we have been meeting with people throughout our vast service area,” according to Board President, Dr. Vernon Temple. “On our ‘listening tour’ it became very clear that when most people think of ‘The Y,’ they think of a facility with programs inside its walls. That’s not what we are! We are a ‘Y Without Walls’ that makes its impact out in more than two-dozen communities up and down the Valley. So, part of our outreach is simply to educate people about who we are and what we do to live our cause of strengthening the foundations of community.”

According to Executive Director Steve Fortier, “Every day, year-round, Meeting Waters YMCA’s lives its cause by weaving together our three areas of focus—youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. For example, in the past year, we provided out-of-school care for 376 youth and their working parents through one or more of our youth development programs.”

“While that number makes us the largest provider of child care in the region, even greater impacts lie behind those numbers,” Fortier adds. “While mom and dad are working, all those young people are developing vital skills to help them learn, grow and thrive. Our caring and highly-qualified staff lead activities that build community, self-esteem, relationships and character. They model and support healthy lifestyles. They build skills, memories and friendships for life.”

“Then there are the impacts for the parents, businesses and communities throughout our service area. By providing care after-school for all 180 days of school as well as full-day care on all teacher in-service days, school vacations, snow days, during the summer break and even on most holidays, we are helping hundreds of area parents to work full-time. This, in turn, lets them contribute to—and participate in—the local economy. Over 50% of all the youth we serve are living in poverty or on the edge of poverty. By supporting their parents’ ability to work, we are helping these families meet their basic needs of food, shelter and clothing which contributes to decreasing the need for them to depend on other community and state agencies to do that for them. We are not a homeless shelter or food pantry, yet we prevent and reduce food insecurity, poverty and homelessness,” Fortier says with pride.

Temple concludes by saying, “We are taking the lead on some of the most pressing issues being faced by our communities, businesses, families and youth. We are working collaboratively with others to address complex community and family challenges. While working with many of our region’s most vulnerable youth and their families, we are not only supporting their basic human needs but also giving them the tools and resources to reach their full potential. To do this—and more—we need the strong support of the communities we serve. We thank people in advance for that support.”

Meeting Waters YMCA is a charitable, non-profit, social service organization founded in 1895. Its services strengthen community through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility throughout the Brattleboro, Bellows Falls, Springfield and Fall Mountain regions. To learn more about their services or how to make a donation, visit them at http://www.meetingwatersymca.org or contact them at 802-246-1036 (Brattleboro region), 802-463-4769 (Great Falls region) or 802-885-8131 (Springfield region).

Mark your calendars for these upcoming events at out local library. – Lil

Giftwrapping Workshop at the Walpole Library – 12/3/13

Ever wonder why some people’s presents look like works of art – and others like the cat has been at them?

On December 3^rd, Susan Tollett will be hosting a giftwrapping workshop at the Walpole Library.  Starting at 6:30 p.m., Susan and Chris Burchstead will also help you create your own festive paper and tags. All materials supplied.

The workshop is free, but participants need to register ahead of time to make sure there are enough materials.  To sign up, call Mary or Chris at 756-9806.

Poetry Reading Planned for January – 1/10/14

Four local poets will be reading at the Walpole Library on January 10^th at 7 p.m.   The poets include:

James Fowler, a 25-year Navy veteran, first became fascinated with Japanese poetry forms while stationed overseas.  Fowler, who now teaches poetry at the Village Bookstore in Bellows Falls, will be reading works that reflect various Japanese poetic traditions, including prose poems, free verse and strict iambic forms.

Martha Carlson-Bradley has published five collections of poetry.  She’ll be reading from her most recent book, Sea Called Fruitfulness (WordTech Editions, 2013), which was inspired by a 1651 map of the Moon.

Patricia Fargnoli,  the New Hampshire Poet Laureate from 2006-2009,  has published seven collections of poetry.  She’ll be reading selections from her latest book , Winter (Hobblebush Books, 2013) which explores the nature of winter, a time of looking to the beauties of nature, of memory, of spiritual contemplation.

Kathleen Fagley’s chapbook, How You Came to Me, was published in July 2012 by Finishing Line Press as a finalist in the New Women’s Voices Series.  She has had poetry published in The Stillwater Review, Memoir Journal, Cutthroat, The Comstock Review and others.

The reading is free and open to the public.  Refreshments will be served.  For more information, call the library at 756-9806.

Jennifer Palmiotto wanted to share this update on the Community Initiative to Support Walpole Youth.  The progress is great to hear.  There remains more to be done so if you’d like to be involved, I am sure she would love to hear from you. – Lil

Greetings!

It has been a year since the Walpole Youth Initiative held a Community Meeting to discuss ways to support and enrich support for the area’s youth and families. This well attended meeting resulted in a number of good ideas. Since last October, two of the ideas discussed during this forum have come to fruition.

1. Meeting Waters YMCA has started an after school program at the Walpole School.

2. A committed group of Walpole Volunteers has initiated a Big Brothers Big Sisters program at the Walpole School. The Director of BBBS praised the success of Walpole’s mentoring group acknowledging how difficult it is to start a new program. There are a number of Big Brothers Big Sisters signed up and meeting with their Little Brothers and Sisters. If you would like to become involved or even be a substitute BB/BS, please contact Sheila Lennon or Natalia Goraski for more information. Their email addresses are: ngorawski@chroma.com and smlennon57@hotmail.com

A third idea was the creation of a website and FaceBook page which would provide information about local activities and resources for youth and families. Last January a group of community volunteers and students from the Fall Mountain Regional High School began work to create the website.

A contest was held to name the site, some content has been collected, and quite a bit of time and resources have gone into building a site. This project has been put on “pause” because one of our key players, Chuck Bingaman, has moved to California. We hope to reactivate this committee in 2014 and welcome any interested volunteers.

Many thanks go out to everyone who helped to organize the Community Meeting. Too many names to list here… but you know who you are. A special thank you to Principal, Sam Jacobs and Glenn Stan for attending the event, providing important feedback and for their roles in making the after school program and Big Brothers Big Sisters program a reality.

Best wishes for a wonderful Thanksgiving Holiday.

Jen