nelson grapevine march 2015
DESCRIPTION
Community newsletter for Nelson, NHTRANSCRIPT
GRAPEVINE-2 News for Nelson and Munsonville
March 2015 Volume 32, No. 1 Winter Issue
NELSON’S OWN CLAIM TO
CHESHIRE COUNTY FAME by Kathy Schillemat
D id you know that the second
highest peak in Cheshire Coun-
ty is in our own back yard?
Osgood Hill (elevation: 2254 feet) be-
tween Old Stoddard Road and Tolman
Pond Road is that peak. Did you also
know that the town of Nelson owns 11
acres of land at the top of Osgood Hill
(also called City Hill)? The land was
given to the town by the Forest Society
many years ago, and thanks to an Eagle
Scout project organized by Ryan Schil-
lemat a few years ago, there is a trail to
this lovely piece of land and a bench just
a few feet from the benchmark on Os-
good Hill.
The trail can be accessed from Brick-
yard Road, by parking at the beginning
of Greengate Road (before the gate) and
walking in from Brickyard Road or one
can bushwhack a short distance from the
end of the new Kulish Ledge trail (the
trailhead is just off Old Stoddard Road,
near the beginning of the Bailey Brook
Trail.) and connect with the "Black Top"
trail.
While the view from the top of Osgood
Hill is overgrown considerably from the
days when Sid Partridge climbed it in
his youth, it is still a pleasant place to sit
and rest. Old apple trees compete with
spruce, hemlock, and a variety of hard-
wood trees for space and sun, and ferns
and bindweed carpet the ground. The
THE 150TH ANNIVERSARY OF
THE END OF THE CIVIL WAR
A new exhibit has opened in the
History Corner case that is lo-
cated in the entry way of the
Town Office in Nelson to mark this
year as the 150th anniversary of the end
of the Civil War.
One hundred years ago, Nelson cele-
brated the 50th anniversary of the end of
the Civil War. During Old Home Day
on August 18, 1915, a bronze tablet
bearing the names of 124 volunteers
from Nelson who had served their coun-
try was placed on the front of the Town
Hall. The day was marked by speeches,
songs, a march of the school children,
and music provided by the Keene City
Band and the Nelson Cadet Fife and
Drum Corps.
An important focus of the celebration
was the Posterity Box, which was set
inside the wall behind the bronze tablet
containing records and photographs of
Nelson soldiers, and other items that
would present a picture of life in our
town in the early 1900s. The Box was
opened 20 years ago during Old Home
Week on Reminiscence Night and its
contents were exhibited for a week be-
fore it was added to the Nelson Town
Archives for protection.
Items from the Posterity Box and photo-
graphs from Reminiscence Night are
now on display including a published
history of Nelson’s Civil War soldiers
continued on page 6 continued on page 2
Sid Partridge at left.
PAGE 2 GRAPEVINE-2 MARCH 2015
FROM MY ROCK Kalle, the Fisher and Me by Don Bennett
N eighbors up the hill on Old Towne, Rd. had a lovely male Black Lab dog.
Their home looked down and across a large lawn to the shore of Granite
Lake and the gravel road I walked most days to reach “My Rock”.
Often Kalle was in his yard when I passed on the road below and would offer his
“woof” greeting or warning. Then I began giving him a whistle or calling his name
and one morning he responded and started down across the lawn to greet me. I waited
for him and held out a hand for him to sniff and he let me pet him. Usually, when I
went on my way, he would wander off and eventually back up the hill and home.
One morning he changed the routine and started walking beside me when I left to
continue my walk. He was a real gentleman, walking beside me, stopping if I
stopped. When we reached “My rock” I climbed to my sitting spot and he climbed up
and sat beside me to enjoy the early morning warm sun, the sights, smells and sounds
around us. When I left, he followed at my side back to the trail leading to his home.
One morning later that summer, Kalle had joined me at the foot of his hill and after a
warm greeting we resumed our treck towards the Shinbone Shack Rd. (Aten Rd.) and
“our” Rock.
The gravel road was just about to begin it’s ascent toward the trail to my “Rock” and
the power line. There was brushy cover on the right side of the road and several me-
dium sized hemlocks on the left side. Suddenly, from the brush on our right, burst a
bushy, black Fisher. These critters are often misnamed “Fisher Cats” but that is a
misnomer since they are not cats but a member of the weasel (Musteudae) family.
They move like a weasel, are larger than a weasel and are followed by a large, mag-
nificent black, bushy tail.
The Fisher was as surprised as we were and bolted for the far side of the road and the
cover of the woods beyond. His black, furry coat glistened in the early morning sun
as he made his dash for the sheltering trees. However, my friend Kalle had spotted
Mr. Fisher at the same time I did and reacted immediately, dashing after him.
Fortunately for all, the Fisher, recognizing he had two choices, run or seek shelter in
the nearby hemlock tree. Realizing he could probably not outrun the large dog on
open ground, he wisely elected the latter option and up he scooted. Kalle reached the
foot of the tree at about the same time, threatening the Fisher with his intimidating
bark. His tail, switching excitedly, telling me the Fisher was treed.
When I reached the hemlock the Fisher had landed on the first substantial branch
which was only about twelve feet above the ground and Kalle. The Fisher was pacing
back and forth on that branch bearing and snapping his teeth and snarling threaten-
ingly at the two and four legged creatures below blocking his passage. He chattered
angrily at us for forcing him into this embarrassing position.
I considered the possi-
ble scenarios for what
might happen next
and none seemed too
pleasant. So, calling
Kalle away from the
tree and the frightened
and angry Fisher, we
went back to the road
and on to the peace
and quiet of “My
Rock” to enjoy the
early morning sun,
sights and sounds of
the wild.
The only other time I
have seen a Fisher
was many years ago when deer hunting
in Center Ossipee, N.H. I didn’t know
what it was at the time but, I recall it
moved like a weasel. It was darker col-
ored than a weasel and larger with a
magnificent, bushy tail. They are now
quite common in our area and probably,
along with the coyotes account for the
greatly reduced numbers of squirrels
and other small animals, including pet
cats, in our neighborhoods.
called “Names and Services: of those,
born or sometimes resident in Nelson,
New Hampshire, who, as Volunteers,
answered the call to arms for the preser-
vation of the Union 1861—1865.”
Recognition and gratitude is still owed to
the large number of patriotic Nelson resi-
dents who left their farms and families to
serve our country. There were many who
died in battle or of disease far from their
homes and others who returned bearing
the scars of war.
–Roberta Wingerson
Nelson Town Archivist
George Granville Hardy—died in 1863
leaving an invalid wife and five young
children.
——————————————————
PAGE 3 GRAPEVINE-2 MARCH 2015
NELSON SCHOOL NEWS
J anuary was another very busy month for the students and staff at Nelson
School. Grades 3/4 and 5/6 enjoyed their trip to the Colonial Theatre to see
The Lightning Thief, a musical adapted from a book which many students had
read. They enjoyed this presentation very much. Students in these grades also par-
ticipated in the Geography and Spelling Bees with the whole school attending both
bees to support our students.
Students and parents from the Kindergarten class, Cindy Benner, Emilia Whippie
Prior, Michelle Normand, and my husband and I, along with many others, put on a
delightful and fruitful Pancake Breakfast on January 17. This wonderful event
brought many community members as well as families of our students from all the
classes into the school. Funds raised will be set aside for students when they have
their grade 6 trip in years to come.
As part of SAU29, Nelson School will join all others in participating in state assess-
ments this spring. Students in grades 3-6 will be engaged in the new state assess-
ment, Smarter Balance, in reading and math. This computerized assessment will be
administered starting in mid-
March for grades 3 and 4, and
continuing into April for grades 5
and 6. Staff will be trained in how
to proctor this new assessment
and we will be working on com-
pleting accommodations, etc., in
preparation for supporting our
identified students. Many details
are yet to be worked out at the
state level, but we are approach-
ing this task with a positive attitude, the only attitude we want to have displayed for
our students. The Science NECAP will be given again to grade 4 students in May.
These results, along with the Dibels and Kindergarten Literacy Assessment, have
provided us with sources of data that, along with the teachers' assessments and ob-
servations, will help us better understand and target instructional and curricular
needs for whole classes as well as for individual students.
The Principal Search Committee is hard at work selecting a new Principal for Nel-
son School starting in July. Nelson and Sullivan Board members and our Nelson
School staff are participating in the search process. Meetings are held at Nelson
School to keep all focused on the special place that Nelson School is. All staff, par-
ents and students will have an opportunity to meet and interview prospective candi-
dates over the next few months.
The PTO is preparing for the annual auction to be held on May 2. Funds raised will
support the updating of classroom libraries for each of our four classrooms, kinder-
garten through grade 6. With 64 students now enrolled at Nelson School, having
multiple copies of literature at various reading levels is critical and assures students
access to needed fiction and non-fiction material.
We thank all for your continued support of Nelson School.
Barbara S. Tremblay, Interim Principal
2015 Nelson School District Budget
T he Nelson School District
Meeting will be held on Friday,
March 6 at 7:00 p.m. at the
Nelson Town Hall in Nelson Village.
The proposed Nelson School Budget for
the 2015-2016 school year is
$1,750,924, which is down $258,739
from last year’s budget of $2,009,663.
Major drivers of this reduction are; low-
er special education costs and fewer
students being tuitioned to Keene Mid-
dle School and Keene High School. As
of February, there are currently 64 stu-
dents at the Nelson School. Only three
students will graduate from 6th grade to
the Middle School, and 12 incoming
Kindergarteners are anticipated for next
year, resulting in an elementary school
attendance of over 70 students. The
budget for the Elementary School por-
tion of the budget is down slightly, even
with the anticipated increase in students.
The school board meets the first
Wednesday of every month at the Nel-
son School at 4:30 p.m. We welcome
public attendance and questions. Our
agendas and minutes are posted under
Nelson School District on the SAU 29
website.
PAGE 4 GRAPEVINE-2 MARCH 2015
Kitchen
Fire and Life Safety Compliant
Additional refrigeration and freezer
storage
Dishwasher
More counter space
Food Prep area
Larger Range
Storage for afterschool & breakfast
programs
Small Group Instruction
Former Kitchen space repurposed to
small group instruction space
Restrooms
2 Handicapped Compliant Restrooms
Hand washing sink adjoining eating
area
Financing:
State Aid is not available for this pro-
ject. However, due to extremely unu-
sual special education underruns this
current year, we are projecting a sur-
plus large enough to fund this project
with no additional taxes being raised.
Dan Scully projected a budget of
$275,000 will be required, including
contingency.
There will be a special warrant article
at the March 6 district meeting to vote
to expend the surplus from this current
2014-2015 school budget to fund this
much needed addition.
Your support for this project is greatly
appreciated. Any questions will be
gladly answered by your School
Board.
Kelly French 847-3276
Sara Marean 847-9750
Jessica Walker 847-9007
T he Nelson School Board is requesting your support for a special article at
this year’s school district meeting to put an addition on the back of the
Nelson School in order to add two handicapped bathrooms and a full size
Kitchen
Background
At the District Meeting in March 2014, the School Board presented that the Nelson
School kitchen is not compliant to life safety code and failed an inspection by the
State Fire Marshall because there is not a fire suppression hood over the range in
the kitchen.
The Board hired an engineering firm who spec’d out a hood unit and drafted an
installation plan.
Unfortunately, the size of the hood required, and the necessary installation would
consume the entire ceiling of the kitchen, including pot storage, block most of the
natural light, and require external duct and ventilation that would destroy the
“engine” look of our beloved school train design.
That hood installation would have rendered us compliant, but would have reduced
kitchen functionality and sacrificed a the external look of our school.
Our new SAU 29 Business Administrator, Janel Swanson negotiated a temporary 1
year extension for limited kitchen use from the NH State Fire Marshall allowing us
to examine better options.
History
25 years ago when the school was designed, the kitchen was one of the areas that
the committee had to make sacrifices to meet the budget. The current kitchen that
serves 64 students every day is smaller than most home kitchens.
The School’s original architect, Dan Sculley was hired to examine the option of
putting a fully functional kitchen along the back side of the multipurpose room.
Dan analyzed the roof lines, the school structure and the impact to the multi-
purpose room. He also added two handicapped bathrooms, resolving another com-
pliance issue. Dan consulted with Keene Food Services to insure that the layout of
the proposed kitchen is efficient for an elementary school.
PAGE 5 GRAPEVINE-2 MARCH 2015
TOWN MEETING MARCH 10, 2015
I f you missed the Town Caucus on February 11, below is a brief description of
some of the major warrant articles. so you can be better informed about items for
discussion at the Town Meeting. There are some important items to discuss and
your input and votes are always important. A copy of the draft warrant can be obtained
at the Town Offices.
The highway department is seeking a $240,000 bond to purchase a gravel pit in
Gilsum.
The fire department is seeking a bond of $495,000 for new construction of the Granite
Lake Station and $300,000 bond for a new tanker truck.
The article for the town operating budget calls for approval of a budget of $380,223.
The rest of the articles are general maintenance articles included every year.
Remember, this is just the draft of the warrant presented at caucus and wording and
amounts may change. The final warrant will be posted prior to Town Meeting Day and
after approval from the Municipal Association.
If you are not already registered to vote in town affairs, you may do so with the Town
Clerk during regular business hours and then again only while the polls are open. Once
the polls are closed on Town Meeting day you will not be allowed to register to vote
and will not be able to vote on warrant articles during the meeting.
Nelson School’s 8th Annual Live PTO
Auction
Saturday, May 2, 2015
Nelson Town Hall
Preview beginning at 10:00 a.m. with
refreshments
Free children’s auction 4:30 p.m.
Live auction 5:00 p.m.
Art, local crafts, services galore! Some-
thing for everyone!
Supports the PTO budget for the 2015-
2016 school year!
Have an item, service, piece of art, or
talent that you would like to donate?
Give us a call!
Volunteers welcome!
Joy Birdsey
Nelson School PTO Treasurer
847-9533
Nelson Town Meeting
Tuesday, March 10, 2015
Nelson Town Hall
Polls will open at 11:00 a.m. and
close at 7:00 p.m.
Business Meeting will start at 7:00 p.m.
Come sing with us!
T he Sacred Harp shape note
group in Nelson is always happy
to have friends and neighbors
come and try out this musical form that
we've come to enjoy so much. With
roots in colonial New England, the songs
have stood the test of time and the four-
part harmony turns out to be something
everyone can sing.
We will be singing in March on Thursday, March 5th and Thursday, March 19 at
7 p.m. at the Sandberg's house, 820 Nelson Road, Nelson. If you'd like more infor-
mation, send us an email at [email protected] or give us a call at 847-9156.
Italian Extravaganza April 25th, 2015
Nelson Congregational Church
Two seatings: 5:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.
Gourmet Italian Buffet
$10 Adults
$6 Children under 10
Come! Eat! Enjoy!
Sponsored by Cub Scout Pack 530 and
Nelson Congregational Church
PAGE 6 GRAPEVINE-2 MARCH 2015
sturdy bench provides a wonderful spot
to enjoy the peace and quiet. Osgood
Hill, though it is the second highest peak
in Cheshire County, is never crowded
like Mount Monadnock to the south
(which one can glimpse from some
points on the hill). The top is not covered
with blueberry bushes and a fire tower
like the third highest peak to the north,
Pitcher Mountain. So if you choose to
climb Nelson's own pinnacle, you will
find solitude and beauty away from the
crowd.
For more information about the trails in
Nelson or to help out with trail develop-
ment and maintenance, contact Rick
Church, chairman of the Nelson Trails
Committee. To find out more about the
history of the town-owned land at the top
of Osgood Hill, contact Kathy Schil-
lemat, chair of the Nelson Conservation
Commission.
Nelson Trail Group Hikes
March 14th: Hike along the newly
completed Murdough Hill Meander
Trail. This 1.5 mile loop starts at an
old grist/saw mill near Granite Lake
Road just down the hill from the cen-
ter of Munsonville. The trail follows
the brook, on the opposite side from
the road, from the mill site past the
Nelson School and the Munsonville
Cemetery to a point near the route 9
bridge and returns to the mill site
through the upland forest between the
brook and Murdough Hill Road.
Meet at Kathy Schillemat’s at 221
Murdough Hill Road , Nelson at
1 p.m.
March 29: A leisurely walk across
the ice of Nubanusit Lake, through
the isthmus of Louis Cabot Preserve,
across pristine Spoonwood Pond to its
1859 vintage 12' high x 280' long dam
& spillway and back. Round trip: 4
miles. Total elevation gain: 0 feet.
Depending on conditions, bring ice
walkers (such as STABILicers or
Yaktrax), boots, snowshoes or cross
country skis - your choice.
Bring a bag lunch. Hot chocolate will
be freely provided.
Meet at Dave Birchenough's at 162
Nubanusit Road, Nelson at 11 a.m.
We should be back by 1:30 p.m.
Nelson Phone Book
I t's time to update the little yellow
Nelson phone book. The Nelson
Welcome Committee is willing to
take on this task, but we need your
help.
Please contact us if you
*have changed your phone number or
your address
*want to add a cell phone number or
an email address to your listing
*aren't currently in the Nelson phone
book but would like to be included
*have any other changes to names,
numbers, or other details
Please get in touch with one of us by
March 11. Betsey Church: betsey-
[email protected], or Joy Birdsey:
[email protected], or Sara Sand-
berg: [email protected].
Would you be interested in helping out
with this project? If you are willing to
take a short list of approximately a
dozen names to contact, we'd love to
have your help in confirming every-
one's details! Contact any of us at the
emails listed above.
Dog Licenses Dogs must be registered by April
30th of each year at the town office.
A $1/per month late penalty will be
charged. A rabies certificate is re-
quired. Rates:
Spayed or neutered $6.50 (proof
required)
Not spayed or neutered: $9.00
Puppies (3 – 7 months): $6.50
Owners over 65 are allowed one dog
at $2.
PAGE 7 GRAPEVINE-2 MARCH 2015
tiful photographs, sounds, and a sincere,
enthusiastic presentation style, this pro-
gram is of interest to anyone who ap-
preciates nature.
All programs are free and open to the
public. For more information
call 847-3214 or email
The library has books, magazines,
books on CD, DVD's (over 1,000),
The Keene Sentinel, downloadable
audio books and ebooks, computer use
and internet. All services are free for
town residents.
The Monadnock
Pony Club
L ove horses? Do you like to
meet new friends? Do you
want to have fun? Come see
what the Monadnock Pony Club is all
about!
The Monadnock Pony Club invites new
members from age 6 to 25 to join the
fun in 2015! Members of the club meet
throughout the year for instruction in
horse care and riding skills including;
dressage, show jumping, eventing,
games, foxhunting, and tetrathalon. Un-
mounted meetings are held on Sundays
throughout the winter months, and
Mounted meetings begin in the spring.
The French Farm in Nelson, NH hosts
the club and has a large outdoor ring
area abutting scenic Center Pond.
The Monadnock Pony Club was found-
ed in the 1960’s and is part of the Unit-
ed States Pony Club, the largest non-
profit youth equine organization in the
world. Many members of the US Olym-
pic Team formed their riding founda-
tion through Pony Club and several
renowned National riders spent their
formative years with the Monadnock
Club. Pony Club competitions are team-
based, and Monadnock has sent several
successful teams to compete at national
competitions in the past several years.
The club encourages members to have
access to an appropriate pony or horse,
tack, equipment and transportation to
attend the mounted lessons, but interest-
ed children without a horse can partici-
pate in all un-mounted activities. Year-
ly cost is approximately $150 for new
members, with a discount for multiple
members from the same family. This
includes 12-15 weekend meetings
throughout the year and preparation for
local, regional, and national competi-
tions. For information contact Kathy
Blaudschun at 603-847-9082 or Bud
French at 603-THS-FARM (847-3276).
Events at the Nelson Library
Story Time at the Library every Tues-
day after school at 3:15 p.m.
Nelson Knitting Group at the Library
every Thursday at 4 p.m.
Coffee Hour at the Library every Sat-
urday at 10 a.m.
Black Bear Happenings in NH
March 7, 11a.m.
A presentation by Mike Morrison that
will offer a chance to learn about the
natural history of our native wildlife,
related research and management activ-
ities in New Hampshire, and the federal
Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration
Program that makes the work possible.
Book Group
March 16th, 10:30 a.m.
State of Wonder by Ann Patchett
The Eastern Bluebird
April 15th, 6 p.m.
A presentation by John Rogers that
includes the life history of the East-
ern Bluebird, other birds that nest in
bluebird boxes, nest box management,
and more. The focus definitely is on
bluebirds, but John also shares his pas-
sion for the natural world in hopes the
audience will take in some broader and
deeper messages about nature—and
life. The program has variety, feeling,
and is thought provoking. Sprinkled
throughout are just a few wildflowers,
butterflies, and quotes by some of the
great naturalists of the past. With beau-
Save the Date! Nelson Congregational Church
1st Annual Artisans Craft Fair
Saturday, July 18, 9-3
NCC lawn and MacKenzie’s field
Reasonable booth space rates!
Book your space soon!
PAGE 8 GRAPEVINE-2 MARCH 2015
The Game of Village
T he Game of Village is planning
its fifth year back in Nelson.
“What is Village?” you wonder.
It is a daytime adventure for homestead-
ers ages 10 to 14. Village is quite simp-
ly the best part of the summer! Village
’15 will run from June 29 to July 31, 9
a.m. to 4 p.m.
Through the course of five weeks an
acre is transformed into a tiny village.
Homesteaders make little people (peeps)
to play the game and learn about scale
so everything fits into a tiny new town
that is coming to light. The goal of the
game is to build a community. This in-
cludes the peeps, the dwellings, the
businesses, the government, communi-
cations, transportation, and entertain-
ment. What do you think brings value to
a town? What do you think a town
simply can’t be without? These deci-
sions are all made by the peeps.
At Village '14 we had peeps from all
over the world put down roots in the
town known as Littleleaf. Some came
to hide from their past, some came to
build a better future; some were not sure
why they were there at all, “Where am
I?” All interactions taking place be-
tween peeps allow the inner thespian to
shine. A peep can behave however it
sees fit, conflicts between peeps stay
between peeps, victories by peeps are
shared by us all. In addition to the “hard
work” of community building, home-
steaders make plenty of time for fun!
Every day that is not thundering, we
walk to Center Pond and enjoy a nice
swim, often we play games like Capture
the Flag in the afternoon , every morn-
ing we SING!
A great feature to Village ’15 will be the
Campfire program on Friday afternoons.
This is where we act out skits, play
group and theater games, perform vari-
ous musical instruments, recite poetry—
anything that might be entertaining!
In Village ’15 we are looking forward
to having 22 boys and girls to create
Village magic. What are you doing
this summer? Would you like to play?
Would you like be the editor of a
newspaper? A DJ on the radio? A
monarch? A plumber? A quarry own-
er? A zookeeper? A high fashion
designer? A hobo? Applications for
these positions and many more may be
sent to The Game of Village, 178 Cen-
ter Pond Road, Nelson, NH 03457.
The location this year is Great Poten-
tial Farm (Michael and Alouette Isel-
in's home). The cost for this program
is $650.
For the past two years the Town of
Nelson has generously supported the
Game of Village with three scholar-
ships for Nelson kids to play the game.
This support is invaluable and has
made Village possible for several Nel-
son kids! Thank you for your contin-
ued support!
For more information visit
www.thegameofvillage.org or
call 847-3227.
The Monadnock Folklore
Society in Partnership
with the Monadnock
Center for History and
Culture
A s part of the ongoing exhibit at
the Monadnock Center, 19
Grove Street in Peterborough,
there are several free weekend events.
March 14th, 10 a.m.: Dudley Laufman
speaking on “Contra Dancing in New
Hampshire: Then and Now”
April 11th, 10 a.m.: Allison Aldrich
Smith and Hunt Smith speaking on
“Dance Music, Sedition and Maple Syr-
up: The Musical Roots of Old New
England”
May 2, 5:30 p.m.: Film and Conversa-
tions: Country Corners by Robert Fiore
and Richard Nevell, Q&A following the
film with Richard Nevell of Hancock.
May 8, 6:30 p.m.: Family Dance with
Amy Cann and Gordon Peery
The exhibit “Gents Bow, Ladies Know
How: Traditional Dance and Music in
the Monadnock Region 1750 to 2015”
is open from Wednesday - Saturday, 10
a.m. - 4 p.m. through May 23rd.
Admission is $3.00
PAGE 9 GRAPEVINE-2 MARCH 2015
CHURCH NEWS
Nelson Congregational
Church
On February 22 we had our second
annual “Cheese Cake Sunday”. It
was such a success last year that we
brought it back this year and added
chocolate to it. There were home-
made cheese cakes to sample and
cheese cakes and chocolates to pur-
chase and take home. This looks to
be a new tradition in February to help
break us out of “Cabin Fever”.
The Middle School Youth Group will
clean the sanctuary on March 1.
They will take the cushions off the
pews and take them outside to bang
out the dust and wash all the pews
with Murphy’s Oil soap. Thanks to
our custodian Galena Walker for
helping with this project.
The group had such a good time
helping to serve at Keene Communi-
ty Kitchen last month that they have
signed up to help again on Sunday
March 15. Thanks to Jane Beaure-
gard and Melanie Everard who chap-
eroned on February 8 for our kids’
first experience serving the hungry in
Keene.
Dawn has prepared a Lenten Devo-
tional booklet with inclusions for
friends and members. If you would
like a copy of the booklet, contact the
church at 847-3280.
Holy week will begin with Palm
Sunday service at 9:30 a.m. on
March 29. Maundy Thursday,
April 2, soup and bread supper is at
6 p.m. followed by a Tenebrae ser-
vice at 7 p.m. This will be a shared
event with the Chapel-by-the-Lake
congregation. Good Friday, April 3,
the church will be open for prayer and
reflection. Easter Sunrise service,
April 5, will be at 6:30 a.m. on the
front steps of the church followed by
the Pancake Breakfast and family
worship service
at 9:30. An
Easter Egg
Hunt for young
children will
follow the ser-
vice.
We continue to enjoy 1st Tuesday
Teas at 10 a.m. throughout the year
hosted by varied families and individ-
uals at their homes. The March tea
will be at the home of the Lothrop’s.
This is a wonderful way to build com-
munity. All are welcome.
The NELL’s meet for lunch at various
restaurants in Keene on the second
Wednesday of the month. All are wel-
come to share in this gathering. Reser-
vations are requested so please contact
Bert Wingerson 847-9945 or Priscilla
Walter 847-3264 if you would like to
meet for lunch.
Save the Dates: Looking ahead, we
are planning the Italian Extravaganza
with the scouts for April 25. On July
18 we will hold a Craft Fair inviting
all local and area crafts people to pur-
chase space to show and sell their cre-
ations.
.
Chapel-By-The-Lake
Worship services are at 11:00 a.m.
with Bible Study following the Wor-
ship service.
Knitting Club meets every other
Thursday from 10 a.m. to noon. For
more information and to confirm
meeting dates, call 446-7857 or 847-
3231 During the winter months we
meet in individual’s homes.
Events leading up to and during Holy
week have not been planned at the
time of this printing but please keep
your eyes aware for signage about any
and all upcoming events.
Easter service on April 5, will be at
11 a.m.
DANCES Monday Contra Dance
The Nelson Monday Night Dance
takes place every week from 8-10:30
p.m. at the Nelson Town Hall. Admis-
sion is $3.00 and volunteer musicians
and dance callers will provide teaching
and entertainment as usual. Featured
performers include Harvey Tolman
and Gordon Peery.
Peterborough Contra Dance The First Saturday Peterborough con-
tra dance takes place in the Peterbor-
ough Town House every
month.
March 7th: Dave Eisen-
stadter calling with Rod-
ney Miller and Jeremiah
McLane
April 4th: Play Ball
dancing from 6 p.m. to
Midnite with Steve Zakon
-Anderson, Perpetual
e-Motion and Maivish.
$15.00 admission
May 2nd: Techno Contra
with Brendan Carey
Block
The dances begin at 8 p.m., with a
workshop available at 7:30 p.m.
Admission is $10/$7 for students and
seniors.
English Country Dance Third Sundays 2-5 p.m. Admission is
$10.00.
March 15: Bass Hall at the Monad-
nock Center for History and Culture,
19 Grove Street Peterborough, Brad
Foster with lydia ievins and Peter
Barnes
April 19: Dublin Town Hall, Allison
Aldrich Smith with Mary Lea
May 17: Nelson Town Hall, Adina
Gordon with lydia ievins and Peter
Barnes
CONCERT The Short Sisters. Fay Baird, Kate
Seeger, and Kim Wallach have been
singing and performing together since
1979. They return to the Nelson Town
Hall on Sunday, March 15 for a 7:00
p.m. concert. Admission is $12/$9 for
senior, youth, or in advance.
PAGE 10 GRAPEVINE-2 MARCH 2015
Local Services & Classifieds
——————————— FOR SALE
————————————— Custom Wooden Jigsaw Puzzles – From
your artwork, photos, prints, etc.
Call David Beffa-Negrini at Fool's Gold®,
827- 9825 or email:
Granite Lake Maple Products – Pure NH
Maple syrup by Nick Barrett, 66 Old
Towne Road, Nelson, NH, 03457.
847-3457 or email:
Nelson grown yarn, fleece and roving
from our flock of Romney sheep. Also
available are knitting kits and finished
products: scarves, hats, mittens, blankets,
etc. Call Susan Weaver 847-9763.
Hidden Birch Farm - Chevon (Goat Meat)
raised on our farm, choice of cuts; meat
chickens & Thanksgiving turkeys. Farm
fresh eggs; livestock fence installation.
96 Nubanusit Rd - Tiger & Gigi Batchel-
der. 827-2950 or email
www.hiddenbirchfarm.com
—————————————
PERSONAL SERVICES
———————————- Talented young woman will help you with
your childcare needs, office needs, clerical
needs, housecleaning needs, or other mis-
cellaneous projects. Call Gwyneth
Tolman 827-4194.
————————————————
OTHER ————————————————
Harrisville Children's Center - year-round
programs for children 6 weeks to 6 years
old. 827-3905
Writing Lessons -Will teach you, child or
adult, to write better than you do now.
Ph.D. Tufts, taught writing at Tufts and
Harvard Extension. Elizabeth Chapman
Hewitt. 847-3118 or 401-2666
For Rent – Granite Lake summer cottage.
Call Mable Bergeron 363-8086.
For Rent – Seasonal Cottage on
Granite Lake. Call 520- 5615 or
304-594-3539.
Art Lessons - for children and adults.
Watercolor, oil, composition, and
drawing. Summer/Fall. Beginner thru
advanced instruction. Marylise Reilly
Fajal, 847-3382 or 355-7337.
———————————————
BUILDING, ETC. ———————————————-
Ethan Tolman - Excavating, bulldozer,
truck, loader/tractor work. Field, drive-
ways, building, moving. Years of expe-
rience. 827-3414
New homes, decks, kitchens, and baths
- remodeling our specialty. Nubanusit
Building and Remodeling.
Ron Trudelle 827-3251
Excavation - Septic Systems, drive-
ways, site work, and foundations,
trucking, plowing and sanding. Phil
Hamilton 847-3288
Additions, renovations, remodeling,
barns. Steven Reilly 847-3382 or
355-7337
Residential Painters - Interior, exterior.
Experienced, reasonable, reliable.
Heidi Tompkins and Tal Gregory
847-0000
———————————————-
HOME SERVICES ———————————————-
Rubbish removal - Granite Lake
Services. Ed Schillemat 847-3290
Will sit your pets and home while you
are away, also sewing and repair work.
Call Judi Lang 603-520-5615 or
SPComm Starpower - Home TV and
Satellite Systems, High Speed Internet
access, 2-way radio, sound reinforce-
ment, home theatre.
www.STARPOWER-satellite.tv or
Yard Work - Will do yard work for you.
Call Marcus Bean, 847-3042.
———————————————–
MUSIC ———————————————-
Music Lessons - Allison Aldrich & Hunt
Smith - Voice, Fiddle, Guitar, Ukulele,
5 String Banjo, Mandolin, Recorder, Be-
ginning Piano, Accordion, Concertina,
Flute. A relaxed, friendly atmosphere
where you can learn to sing or play the
instrument you have always wanted to
master. Call 209-3304 or email:
www.huntandallison.net
Munsonville Audio - Location & Studio
Recording / Sound Reinforcement. Pro-
grade mixing, high resolution digital re-
cording, microphones & signal processing
coupled to custom monitor mixes and an
extremely powerful yet well mannered
FOH sound system. High quality record-
ings expertly mixed, mastered & made
ready for distribution. Demo recordings a
specialty. 499-2904 Web:
www.MunsonvilleAudio.Com
Email: [email protected]
Music Lessons - Banjo, Bass, Electric
Guitar and Acoustic Guitar. Rock and
Roll, Bluegrass, Country Western, Folk.
All levels. Ages 12 to 112. Teaching
music for 20+ years. Jonathan Smith
827-3036
Note: Grapevine ads are free to local
residents. Please inform us if you need to
change or delete an ad.
————————————————--
NOTE FROM THE EDITOR
We are looking for people who would
like to receive the link to the full color
online version of the Grapevine instead of
the paper copy in the mail. It will save on
paper and cost. If you are willing to do
this, please email Dawn Garrett-Larson at
Thank you for your support!
PAGE 11 GRAPEVINE-2 MARCH 2015
NELSON DIRECTORY
———————————— Emergency (Mutual Aid) . . . . . . . . . 911 All fire, illness, and accident calls
Selectmen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 847-0047 [email protected]
Old Brick Schoolhouse;
Alternating Wed., 3:00 p.m.
David Upton, Maury Collins,
Susan Hansel
Town Clerk/Tax Collector. . . . 847-9043
Old Brick Schoolhouse,
Tues., 9 a.m. - 12 noon & 4 p.m.- 7 p.m.
Thurs., 9 a.m. - 12 noon
Or by Appointment
Julia Lennon, Town Clerk
(Notary Public)
Karen Castelli, Deputy Town Clerk
Town Administrative Asst. . . . 847-0047
Tues., 9 a.m. - noon & 4 p.m.- 7 p.m.
Thurs., 9 a.m. - noon
Or by Appointment
Edie Drinkwater, Admin. Asst.
Anita Treloar, Financial Clerk
Planning Board
Old Brick Schoolhouse
2nd Thurs., 7 p.m.
Eric Sandberg, Chair . . . . . . . 847-9156
Zoning Board-Adjustment
Old Brick Schoolhouse
1st Tues., 7 p.m.
John Cucchi, Chair. . . . . . . . . 847-9001
Highway Department . . . . . . . . 847-9705
Town Barn
Mike Tarr, at Town Barn
Fire Chief
Bud French . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . call 911
Police. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 355-2000
Richard C. Pratt, Jr. . . . . . . . . . . . Chief
Building Sexton
Wayne Fulton. . . . . . . . . . . . . 847-0047
(Emergencies only, 209-4855)
Cemetery Board
Town Offices, 3rd Tues., 4:00 p.m.
Patricia Jones, Chair. . . . . . . . 847-9681
State Representatives, District 3:
Dan Eaton
State Senator, District 10:
Molly Kelly
Supervisors of the Checklist . . 847-3206
Betsey Church, Chair,
Carol Newcombe
Hope Lothrop
Olivia Rodham
Memorial Library . . . . . . . . . . 847-3214
Kris Finnegan, Librarian
HOURS
Monday 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Tues., Wed., Thurs. 3:00 - 7:00 p.m.
Saturday 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Library Trustees
Linda Cates, Chair
Nelson School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 847-3408
School Board - Nelson School
1st Wednesday, 4:30 p.m.
Kelly French, Jessica Walter, Sara
Marean
Conservation Commission
Kathy Schillemat, Chair. . . . 847-9995
Agricultural Commission
Nelson Library
1st Wednesday, 7:00 p.m.
David Voymas, Chair . . . . . 847-3137
Old Home Day Committee
Nelson Library
2nd Monday, 6:30 p.m.
Kathy Blaudschun, Chair. . . 847-9082
Youth Groups:
Cub Scouts, Elaine Giacomo.847-9019
Civil Air Patrol, Marcus Bean
. . . 847-3042
NCC Teen Youths. . . . . . . . 847-3280
————————————–
GRAPEVINE-2
———————
Grapevine-2 is a quarterly newsletter serv-
ing the Nelson/Munsonville community
and is sponsored by the Nelson Congrega-
tional Church. It is made possible mostly
by voluntary donations from readers, with
some supplementary assistance from the
church. Should donations exceed costs, the
surplus goes to the church. Contributions
of articles, ideas, photos, or art are always
welcome.
To contact the Grapevine-2,
call Mare-Anne Jarvela at 847-3244,
or email [email protected],
or send regular mail to:
Grapevine-2
Mare-Anne Jarvela
26 Old Towne Rd.
Munsonville, NH 03457
———————————————
The Grapevine-2 is printed by Prospect
Communications.
———————————————
The Grapevine-2 Committee and
friends: Hope Lothrop, Kelly French,
Susan Hansel, and Bert Wingerson
———————————————
Please visit our Town of Nelson
website at:
www.townofnelson.org
This newsletter is published by volun-
teers and is supported solely by dona-
tions from you, our readers. Our
costs are paper, printing and postage.
If you enjoy receiving the Grapevine,
please help us keep this Nelson main-
stay running. Send a contribution to:
Grapevine-2
830 Nelson Road
Nelson, NH 03457
Thank you in advance for your
generosity!
-The Grapevine-2 Committee
No matter how long the winter, spring
is sure to follow.
-African Proverb
It's spring fever. That is what the name
of it is. And when you've got it, you
want—oh, you don't quite know what it
is you do want, but it just fairly makes
your heart ache, you want it so!
-Mark Twain (1835-1910)
It was one of those March days
when the sun shines hot and the
wind blows cold: when it is summer
in the light, and winter in the shade.
-Charles Dickens (1812-70)
March 8: Daylight Saving Time be-
gins, 2:00 a.m. Don’t forget to “spring
forward”.
March 14th: Nelson School Pancake
Breakfast, starts at 8 a.m.