At home is the safest place to be during winter weather, but those who must travel during storms 
can rest assured that their local highway teams and state DOT are working hard to maintain roadways 
for winter travel. This year, many public works teams will be working even harder, with longer 
shifts and additional demands because of a snowplow driver shortage.

Current estimates suggest the trucking industry is short 80,000 drivers nationally‐ a record high. 
A lack of individuals with Commercial Drivers’ Licenses is being felt across the country, including 
in New Hampshire where many local highway agencies have struggled to fill temporary seasonal 
positions for snowplow operators and other snow and ice‐ fighting positions.

Despite these challenges, public works teams are working hard to be ready for whatever winter might 
throw at usThis Winter, Public Workers are Doing More with Less
, and to always live up to the motto that Public Works Makes It Happen. They’re thinking 
creatively about how to minimize  any impact to Levels of Service, such as shifting team members 
within municipal departments, and recruiting Fire and Medical Responders, retired public servants, 
and contractors to fill critical snow operation roles. Some crews are adding new tools to their 
winter response toolbox this year, including innovative liquids and treated salts to prevent and 
treat icy roadways more efficiently while often simultaneously reducing costs, impact to the 
environment, and Spring clean‐ up time. We’re proud of the many New Hampshire highway departments 
that joined UNH T2 this year to learn about the latest materials and options for addressing snow 
and ice.

In addition to reviewing your community’s Level of Service plan to understand your highway agency’s 
strategy for winter clean‐up, take a moment to sign up for available service alerts, such as 
through email, phone, website, or social media. And if you have a question about how your streets 
are being maintained, give your public works director or road agent a call. Community service teams 
take pride in their supportive role to our municipalities and are happy to talk about their 
activities and efforts.

Want to lend a helping hand? It’s slow‐going when cleaning up sidewalks after a snowstorm; there’s 
specific equipment needed to do the job, and from a logistics perspective, this is often the final 
step in the snow removal process. Shoveling the sidewalk in front of your home and keeping the 
hydrants cleared helps not only your public works team, but also pedestrians and your neighbors.

Public works professionals work tirelessly, often behind the scenes, to maintain our roadways and 
public infrastructure, and despite the unique circumstances and challenges they’re facing this 
winter, they remain committed to promoting safe travel. When the snowflakes start falling, please 
don’t forget to slow down and move over for the snowplow, and to extend any additional courtesy 
possible to the dedicated men and women that maintain our public roadways. This winter, although 
they may be doing much more with less, they will be giving their best for our towns and cities.

Know someone who might be interested in a career or part‐time job, and wants to work with a 
dedicated team that makes a difference every day in the lives of New Hampshire’s citizens and 
drivers? Encourage them to check out the great opportunities available with our state and local 
highway teams and public works departments.

The UNH Technology Transfer Center fosters a safe, efficient, and environmentally sound surface 
transportation system by improving skills and increasing knowledge of the transportation workforce 
and decision makers. As the site of the state’s Local Technical Assistance Program, it works  to 
enable local counties, cities, and towns to improve their roads and bridges by supplying them with 
a variety of training programs, an information clearinghouse, new and existing technology updates, 
personalized technical assistance, and newsletters.
For more information about UNH T2 visit https://t2.unh.edu/ or contact Marilee Enus at 
marilee.enus@unh.edu
UNH Technology Transfer Center
33 Acad                       Durham NH, 03824
Phone: 603.862.1362

​Merrimack County Savings Bank Donates $11,000 to Local Food Pantries in Time for Holidays

Merrimack County Savings Bank (the Merrimack) has donated a total of $11,000 to local food pantries. The Merrimack made contributions to the New Hampshire Food Bank, Capital Region Food Program, Hooksett Community Food Pantry, Hopkinton Food Pantry, Nashua Soup Kitchen & Shelter and Twin Rivers Interfaith Food Pantry in Franklin ahead of the holiday season. 

“We continue to be very grateful for the services and care our food pantries provide to the local communities we serve,” said Linda Lorden, President of the Merrimack. “We hope that these gifts can assist in a small way to bring comfort to others, especially as we head into the holidays.”

The New Hampshire Food Bank, a program of Catholic Charities New Hampshire, supplies nutritious food and resources to the hundreds of thousands of New Hampshire residents that are food insecure. The Food Bank provides millions of pounds of food annually to more than 400 partner agencies, including food pantries, homeless shelters, soup kitchens, children’s programs, senior centers and more. Visit nhfoodbank.org for more information.

The Capital Region Food Program is a private, not-for-profit, all volunteer organization whose mission is to help reduce hunger in the Greater Concord community through the distribution of food to individuals, families and local agencies. They collect, purchase and distribute approximately 100 tons of food annually at no cost to participating agencies and recipients. Visit capitalregionfoodprogram.org for more information.

The Hooksett Community Food Pantry helps local residents who are hungry with non-perishable food items. They are located at the Hooksett Town Offices on 35 Main St. in Hooksett Village. Visit hooksettkiwanis.org/community-food-pantry for more information.

The Hopkinton Food Pantry provides nutritious food on a weekly basis to eligible households in the town of Hopkinton. They are supported by the Capital Food Program, Government Surplus Foods, NH Food Bank and many local contributors including schools, churches, organizations, businesses and individuals. The food pantry is located on the lower level of the Slusser Center on 41 Houston Drive in Contoocook. Visit hopkinton-nh.gov/human-services/pages/Hopkinton-food-pantry for more information.

The Nashua Soup Kitchen & Shelter was founded in 1981 to provide shelter and food to those in need. The shelter works to end homelessness and alleviate poverty as well as the conditions that force individuals and families with children into hunger and homelessness. The food pantry is located at 2 Quincy St. in Nashua. Visit nsks.org for more information.

The Twin Rivers Interfaith Food Pantry of Franklin provides non-perishable food items, fresh produce, frozen meat, dairy and baked goods to local residents in need. The food pantry is located at 2 Central St. in Franklin. Visit their Facebook page or call 603.934.2662 for more information.

It was December 7, 1941.
Eighty years later, veterans and staff of the New Hampshire Veterans Home in Tilton remembered Pearl Harbor. They honored the 2,403 service members and civilians who were killed during the Japanese attack, and the 1,178 people were injured.
 
First photo, “NHVH Pearl Harbor Ceremony”:
Left to right: (seated) Elaine Baker, Korean Conflict Navy Veteran; (standing) Stanley Piper, WWII Army Veteran; and Roger Cabana, Vietnam Navy Veteran; join for the Pledge of Allegiance for the New Hampshire Veterans Home Pearl Harbor Remembrance Ceremony on Tuesday.
 
Second photo, “NHVH Paul Tilden – Pearl Harbor”:
Paul Tilden, WWII Army Veteran, reads the New Hampshire Veterans Home daily program sheet in preparation to attend the Pearl Harbor Remembrance Ceremony.
 
Community members are invited to view the Veteran Home’s “day that will live in infamy” ceremony at: https://bit.ly/2ZYuhrY
​

​Annual Mitten Tree Drive Kicks off at the Merrimack

With cold weather moving in and the holidays approaching, Merrimack County Savings Bank (the Merrimack) is collecting cold weather essentials for their annual Mitten Tree drive. New handmade or store-bought mittens, hats, gloves and scarves can be dropped off at Merrimack branch locations. Nonprofits in need of these items should contact the Bank office closest to them. A complete list of offices and hours are available at themerrimack.com. 

“The Mitten Tree is a simple way for community members to get in the spirit of the holidays by helping those in need of food and warm clothing,” said Linda Lorden, President of the Merrimack. “We look forward to contributing to food pantries and organizations throughout in Concord, Bow, Contoocook, Hooksett, Nashua and beyond.” 

A donation of $2 for every item collected through December 31 will be evenly divided and awarded to:

• The Friendly Kitchen, Concord, NH. Providing meals for the hungry in a warm and caring, non-discriminating environment. For more information, go to thefriendlykitchen.org. 

• Franklin Twin Rivers Interfaith Food Pantry, Franklin, NH. Providing food to Franklin, Tilton, Northfield, Hill, Andover, and Salisbury. They are located at 2 Central St. in Franklin and can be reached at 603.934.2662.

• Hopkinton Food Pantry, Hopkinton, NH. Assists local households in Hopkinton and Contoocook with nonperishable food items as well as special food allotments during the holidays. For more information, visit hopkintonfoodpantry.org.

• The Hooksett Community Food Pantry, Hooksett, NH. A community project of the Hooksett Kiwanis Foundation, helping those of the local community who are hungry by providing food items. For more information, visit hooksettkiwanis.org/community-food-pantry.

• The Nashua Soup Kitchen & Shelter, Nashua, NH. Provides shelter and food to those in need within the Greater Nashua community. The organization works to end homelessness and to alleviate poverty, as well as the conditions that force individuals and families with children into hunger, homelessness and poverty. For more information, visit nsks.org. 

Merrimack style is treating everyone – customers, employees and community members – with dignity, care, respect and compassion. Founded in 1867, the Merrimack has served the people, businesses, non-profits and municipalities in central and southern New Hampshire for over 150 years. In 2021, the Merrimack was recognized as “best bank” by both the Union Leader voters, and for the 11th year in a row by the Capital Area People’s Preferences. Merrimack County Savings Bank is a mutual savings bank that benefits local depositors, borrowers, and surrounding communities instead of stockholders on Wall Street. To learn more, visit any of their local offices in Bow, Concord, Contoocook, Hooksett, and Nashua, call 800.541.0006 or visit themerrimack.com.

​Intown Concord’s Midnight Merriment event kicks off the holiday shopping season!  
 
CONCORD, NH –Intown Concord is happy to announce that the 28th Annual Midnight Merriment event presented by New Hampshire Federal Credit Union is returning to downtown Concord, Friday, December 3rd from 5:00 pm - Midnight.  
 
As the “unofficial” start of the holiday season, the return of Midnight Merriment signifies a hopeful time for both downtown businesses and shoppers. The festivities will be kicked off by the one and only, Nazzy of WJYY at City Plaza, and will include holiday music, lights, strolling carolers, s’mores, and hot cocoa stations. Many of the downtown shops and restaurants will be open until midnight and offer special discounts and promotions throughout the evening.  
 
New this year will be the Concord Arts Market Winter Giftopolis Art Walk happening throughout the downtown area. You can find a map with participating artists and supporting business locations on their Facebook page. 
 
Once again Santa Claus and his helpers will be making an appearance at New Hampshire Federal Credit Union located at 47 N. Main Street. This year to maintain the health and safety of Santa and attendees his workshop will be outside, and he will be masked. Socially distant photo opportunities will be available from 5:30 pm – 8:30 pm. In addition, his helpers will also be collecting gift cards in any denomination and homemade holiday cards for the Santa for Seniors donation drive. This is an easy way to deliver hope and holiday cheer to seniors in our community, many of whom have not been able to see their families regularly in the last 18 months. 
 
All activities are FREE to the public courtesy of our many supporters. Masks are strongly encouraged at this event whenever social distancing is not possible. Parking is available and recommended at the Storrs Street, State Street, or School Street Garages.  

** Please note Main Street will be closed from Pleasant Street to School Street during the hours of 4:30 pm- 9:00 pm to accommodate the anticipated crowds. ** 
 
Midnight Merriment is presented by Intown Concord and New Hampshire Federal Credit Union, with additional support from Shaheen & Gordon, NBT Bank, Century 21 Circa 72, Granite State Candy Shoppe, Summit Title Services, Concord Food Co-op, and NH Doughnut Company. 
 
Visit www.IntownConcord.org for more details or check out their Facebook Page. 

​Join Us, for an Evening of Experiential Dance
"the dysfunction of social practice"
Thursday, December 2, 2021 5:30-7:30PM

An evening to remember, join Joan Brodsky and Kelley Stelling Contemporary as they bring together dance and art with hors d’oeuvres and drinks in the historic Kimball Jenkins mansion. Dancers Kelly Diamond, Alyssa Desruisseaux, Anthony Bounphakhom and Sallie Werst embody the humor, awkwardness and tenderness of "the dysfunction of social practice." 

This event is a fundraiser for Kimball Jenkins. 
All attendees must be vaccinated to attend. 

​HOLIDAY ARTISANS AT THE UPTON CHANDLER HOUSE
Holiday Open House Features Locally Made Gifts for Sale

On December 3, 5pm-7pm and December 4, 10am-4pm, the Warner Historical Society throws open the doors to the Upton Chandler House Museum for its annual Holiday Artisans shopping event.  The rooms will be full of artwork, wall hangings, table runners, notecard, ornaments, gourds, turned bowls, jewelry, baskets, bags, maple syrup, baked goods and many more locally made, unique gift items.  The Museum Store will be open with Mt. Kearsarge items, our 2022 calendar featuring scenes from the Mink Hills, hand-painted ornaments of Warner scenes and raffle tickets.  The barn sale will feature holiday decorations and items from the barn to fill your last-minute holiday needs!  

The Museum Store and Barn Sale will also be open on Saturday December 11th and 18th, 10am-1pm at the Upton Chandler House.

The Upton Chandler House is located at 10 West Main Street, Warner, NH.  Call 603-456-2437 or email info@warnerhistorical.org.

The Warner Historical Society formed over 50 years ago to preserve, educate about and keep alive Warner’s heritage.  The Society has yearly exhibits and programs in the Upton Chandler House Museum on Main Street and maintains the Lower Warner Meeting House which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.