Granite State Times

Visiting Angels of Claremont, a member of the Greater Claremont Chamber of Commerce, is proud to announce its celebration of two years in operation. Technically, the in-home care provider met its first clients in April 2019, but the anniversary festivities were delayed a few months due to COVID-19 precautions.

Visiting Angels is a non-medical, in-home provider of senior care. The company’s stated goal is to help their clients live in their own homes for as long as it is safe. Garrick Hoadley, the Owner/Operator, says it is a great joy to help his clients live as much of their lives as possible in the homes in which they raised their families.

Before Hoadley brought Visiting Angels to the Upper Valley, many elder care services in the area were arranged and paid for under the table. Bringing an accountable, professional approach to senior care in the region is a key part of their mission.

“Success for us is dependent on building the best pool of Caregivers in the area,” said Shannon Maher, client care coordinator at Visiting Angels. “We have been blessed to have built a team of wonderful, skilled caregivers.”

She added that the best Caregivers have two qualities: a passion for helping others and an understanding that this is a profession and that they are professionals.

When Visiting Angels first opened their doors in 2019, Garrick had 8 caregivers on his bench and one office manager. Today, he employs 28 caregivers in addition to an office scheduler and Shannon, the care coordinator. The team attributes that rapid growth to the quality of their services and passion of their caregivers.

As a franchisee of Visiting Angels, Mr. Hoadley operates a territory that runs from the Massachusetts border south of Keene to north of Hanover in New Hampshire and from Brattleboro to White River Junction in Vermont. Throughout that territory Visiting Angels offers services from light housekeeping, food preparation, errands, companionship as well as help with hygiene, bathing, and dressing. To learn more, you can visit https://www.visitingangels.com/upperctrv/home

Are you interested in hosting a summer or fall networking event this year? Email Elyse to talk about specifics today!

Mascoma Bank Celebrations National Nonprofit Day

August 17th is National Nonprofit Day. 

Mascoma Bank wants to celebrate all the work

nonprofit organizations do for our communities, and once again, the Bank will be donating $500+ to an area nonprofit. On Tuesday, August 17 at 7:00 am, we will 

announce the details on the "Mascoma Bank" Facebook page. 

 

For every share of the original post, the Bank will donate an additional $1. So, if 47 

people share the post, we will donate $547. And so on.  

 

We will also ask people to nominate nonprofits to receive the funds in the comments of the post. The nonprofit with the most votes in the comments section receives the funds.  

 

To recap: every share of the original post generates an extra dollar and every vote in the original post helps to choose the winner of the funds.  

 

We invite you to spread the word to your colleagues, friends, and community. 

Boards, Committees, and Commissions play an integral role in the community. They are comprised of citizens who generously volunteer their time and expertise. Being a city volunteer is a way to participate in community affairs, to work with interesting people, and to aid in Claremont's development. 

Anyone who is a Claremont resident and would like to offer their services is welcome to apply for a seat on the Board, Committee, or Commission of their choice. The City Council, Mayor, or City Manager appoints new members according to the method dictated by city policy.

Invitations for Bids/ RFPs

Sullivan County NH government has released a Request for Proposal for Roof Replacement, with sealed bids due no later than Tuesday, August 10, 2021 at 2:00 pm. This request for proposal, as well as any updates/addendums, may be viewed on the County's website at the following link: http://www.sullivancountynh.gov/163/Request-for-Proposals 

Questions regarding the request for proposal may be directed to the Director of Facilities and Operations, Mary Bourque at mbourque@sullivancountynh.gov or via T. (603) 542-9511 ext. 273. A one-time tour is scheduled on this project for Thu. July 29th at 8AM in Newport NH, Woodhull County Complex, 14 Main Street.

Sullivan County "Doubles Up" on USDA Grants

August 9, 2021, Newport, NH.  Sullivan County was recently awarded a total of $52,000 from USDA Rural Development through the Rural Business Development Grant (RBDG) program. The county applied for the two available types of grants in February 2021 under the RBDG umbrella—Opportunity and Enterprise—to fund projects that support the County’s ongoing Regional Economic Profile project with UNH Cooperative Extension. USDA RD notified county officials recently that both grant proposals were successful. 

  

The $27,000 Rural Business Opportunity Grant will help support the county’s destination development efforts to build a visitor economy and attract new residents and businesses while also helping current residents “rediscover” Sullivan County. Managed by the recently established Sugar River Region Destination Council, the grant funds will help support website development, technical assistance, content development, and marketing materials, such as signage, maps and brochures to highlight points of interest and recreational opportunities. “Community members have been really excited about the Sugar River Region branding initiative,” said Penelope Whitman, UNH Cooperative Extension field specialist for community and economic development in Sullivan County. “The support of USDA RD affirms the significance of our project and its potential to enhance the many great things going on in the County.” USDA RD Opportunity grants are extremely competitive—only one such grant is awarded each year. 

 

Whitman works closely with County Manager Derek Ferland on the regional economic and destination development projects, who shares the excitement about the positive momentum. “There is so much energy surrounding the Sugar River Region branding work and this Opportunity Grant will accelerate our efforts to move things forward,” Ferland said. “I want to thank USDA RD for their support. We are excited about the projects these grant funds will help us accomplish.”  Acting State Director of USDA Rural Development in New Hampshire, Cheryl Ducharme said that USDA RD business programs are designed to implement proven strategies for economic development within rural communities. “The Sugar River Region has strong leadership, dedicated workers and students, and robust small businesses with promising outlooks, so we’re confident this funding will deliver the positive impact it is meant to provide,” she said. 

 

 The Rural Business Enterprise Grant (RBEG) provides $25,000 to fund four additional adult education classes at the Sugar River Valley Regional Technical Centers in Claremont and Newport.  This tuition-free program is designed to connect local adults with better career opportunities through training, education, and networking with local businesses through a temp staffing agency. RBEG funding is also quite competitive: "There were 18 applications in this cycle and only about half were funded, so we are grateful to USDA RD for believing in our programs and our people so we can continue what we started with this adult ed program,” Ferland said. “Finding qualified people is our region's No. 1 challenge as we emerge from COVID, and we are trying to do our part to support our local employers.” 

 

Each SRVRTC facility will offer one class this fall. Previous classes funded by Sullivan County through this program have been in machine tool, plumbing and heating, welding, and an LNA course. About 20-40 percent of graduates of each class have gone on to find work in a similar field, and the adult ed program managers think there is room to grow. According to Dr. Alex Herzog, director of Claremont's SRVRTC facility, this is about building on the program's very promising foundation. "What we learned from our previous offerings was that this model will work. We partnered with a staffing agency to help connect students with employers and make sure we find the best fit for both. That sets everybody up for success down the road. I'm optimistic we can get the majority of our graduates hired by local employers."   

 

"Expanding our pool of qualified employees starts at home, said Jennifer Opalinski, director of Newport’s SRVRTC facility. “We need to find those who are unemployed, underemployed, or simply looking to make a career change into a new field that offers greater opportunity for themselves and their families. Our technical centers are amazing resources and we must continue to leverage them to support our businesses and help our communities grow." 

  

Ducharme explained USDA RD’s support for the county’s proposals: “Through both initiatives—creating new marketing to attract visitors and creating job opportunities for residents, this community is showing its forward-looking character, and we’re proud to be its partner.” 

  

  

About USDA Rural Development 

USDA Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities, create jobs and improve the quality of life for millions of Americans in rural areas. This assistance supports housing, infrastructure improvements, business development, high-speed internet access, and community facilities such as schools, public safety and health care. For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov. 

  

About Sullivan County, New Hampshire 

Sullivan County, New Hampshire, is a rural county with approximately 44,000 people from 14 towns and the city of Claremont.  It is located just west of Lake Sunapee and extends along, above and below the Sugar River and its branches to the Connecticut. Founded in 1827, the county has a diverse business environment with a thriving arts and manufacturing sector and offers a wealth of recreational resources. Learn more at https://www.sullivancountynh.gov/. 

 

Press Release Contact: 

Derek Ferland, County Manager 

manager@sullivancountynh.gov         603-863-2560 

Penelope Whitman, Community & Economic Development Field Specialist 

penelope.whitman@unh.edu  603-863-9200 

The Dartmouth-Hitchcock Norris Cotton Cancer Center would like to hear from employers and supervisors from throughout New Hampshire and Vermont as part of a research study. They are interested in understanding the challenges employers face when an employee is being treated for cancer or comes back to work after cancer treatment. They would like to hear from employers of different sizes, ownership models, and industries. Please email Kali.J.Morrissette@hitchcock.org or by calling 603-653-9901 to learn more about the study and to see if you are eligible to participate. If you are eligible, you will be asked to share your experiences during an interview, and you may also be asked to participate in a group discussion with other employers. You will receive up to $100 for being in the study.

Saturday, September 11, 2021 from 8am-2pm using the gymnasium entrance on Main Street. 

Donations will be received in the gym as follows:

Monday 8/23 from 3-7pm

Wednesday 8/25 from 3-7pm

Saturday 8/28 from 9am-1pm

Monday 8/30 from 3-7pm

Wednesday 9/1 from 3-7pm

Saturday 9/4 from 9am-1pm

Accepted Items: tools, small furniture, small appliances, glassware, china, dishes, pots/pans, Christmas items, crafts, toys, jewelry, pictures/frames, movies, CD's, puzzles, linens, home decorative items, etc.,

Not Accepted: books, large appliances, large furniture, mattresses, luggage, broken items, rugs, carpeting, clothes, shoes, exercise equipment, skis/poles, typewriters, computers, VHS, and TV's.

Please contact Norma Limoges at (603) 542-2916 with questions.