Both Cioffredi & Associates and Lucky’s Coffee Garage give generously – in time and money – to local community organizations. However, if there’s one thing that unites these two companies in our first “Business as a Force for Good” segment, it’s the way they care for and invest in their teams of employees. Whatever’s on the menu – whether it’s coffee or physical therapy and wellness – the values and cultures developed within their respective businesses ripple outward, making a positive impact on the communities they serve.

Cioffredi & Associates

When Billy Cioffredi got his start in physical therapy more than four decades ago, the idea of being a “good boss” wasn’t exactly on his radar.… Read More

Here in the Upper Valley, we are very lucky to have access to a wide range of resources, especially those that are found in unexpected places. The Lebanon Libraries are of course known for the literary resources that they offer, but now, the library has also become a destination for those who are most in need within our community.

A partnership between Dartmouth Health and Lebanon Public Libraries transpired from a direct need that the library staff found themselves facing on three separate occasions, during which a series of drug overdoses occurred outside of the library building. Both libraries – Lebanon Library and Kilton Library – are located near a frequently used Advanced Transit bus stop, so when these incidents arose, library staff didn’t know how to best handle the situation in this public setting.… Read More

It’s easy to imagine a time when silver, streamlined diners speckled the granite landscape – but it seems only a few of these American relics remain open in Vermont and New Hampshire today. It’s one reason why there’s been so much buzz around the “For Sale” sign outside the Four Aces Diner in West Lebanon. The question on everyone’s mind seems to be: will it remain open? And, if so, will it stay the same diner we know and love?

Although the diner was likely named for the 1950s pop quartet – The Four Aces – its history is summed up by the contemporary singer-songwriter, Martin Sexton.… Read More

When career educators Jennifer and Carl Chambers first met in New York City twenty years ago, they shared a passion for an experiential style of teaching and for life’s great adventures. These mutual interests eventually led to their marriage and a move to the Upper Valley to continue their teaching careers in both public and private school settings – Jennifer in music and Carl in English and administration. Now the couple is dedicating themselves to an exciting new venture – realizing their dream of opening their own school on the mall in Lebanon this fall.

The New England School of the Arts (NESA) will offer an integrated curriculum of science, technology, engineering, math, languages, physical education, and humanities, all with an arts focus.… Read More

Lebanon police officer and percussionist, Tim Cohen, has been a member of the Upper Valley community for almost thirty years.

Cohen, 55, studied music during college and then went on to work in the radio industry for several years. His job as a radio broadcast announcer is what originally brought him to New Hampshire to work on a local morning show. 

His move to Claremont from Cape May, NJ in 1993 led to the discovery of the Lebanon Police Department and their dedication to the community of Lebanon. Cohen’s past experiences with police officers in larger cities such as Cape May, where he grew up, were less influential on his present career than the officers who he’s engaged with in the Upper Valley. … Read More

Each year, drug and alcohol problems among employees result in the loss of productivity, profits, and a positive working environment for businesses and organizations. In the past, employees dealing with these issues might incur severe consequences from their employers, frequently resulting in termination, which often led to a further downhill spiral in their lives. However, in recent years, many forward-thinking companies and organizations are trying different approaches to support employees facing addiction problems.

One such company in the Upper Valley is the well-respected Hypertherm Associates. Stacey Chiocchio, the community citizenship manager at Hypertherm Associates, explains how this move towards assisting employees with addiction issues, termed a “recovery-friendly workplace”, began at the firm.… Read More

In 2021, the City of Lebanon commissioned the West Lebanon Revitalization Advisory Committee to make recommendations to the City Council on priorities for improvements in West Lebanon. West Lebanon has been thoroughly studied and surveyed over the years, so the committee built on this work with a plan for action. (Read the Action Plan for West Leb on the City’s website or at westleb.org). 

Out of this committee grew an informal collection of residents and business owners who work in an upbeat and positive way towards the goals outlined in the Action Plan. The West Leb Civic Action group began meeting a few months ago and we are excited about the possibilities for beautification and improvements in our neighborhood, and we’re committed to making those plans a reality. … Read More

The holiday season is upon us, and for millions of Americans, that means food, friends, and family – and sometimes uncomfortable conversations deftly avoided by offering another serving of apple pie. In Lebanon, the City government is bucking that trend: a recent visit to City Hall by Braver Angels – a nonprofit dedicated to bridging partisan divides and finding common ground – is part of a series of moves meant to help the City come together during a time of increasing polarization.

When former state legislators Doug Teschner and Patricia Higgins sat down with Lebanon’s City Councilors and other City officials in late September, it was as a part of an initiative called “Braver Politics.”… Read More

Since 2018, Sustainable Lebanon (SL) has been making positive environmental change through an informal network of 300 local members. SL’s number one goal is to address Climate Change. The organization’s efforts help City residents to meet their needs while allowing future generations to thrive. 

As the warming planet we live on has made sustainability ever more urgent, SL’s leaders decided to make changes to strengthen the organization’s efforts in 2021. They secured 501c(3) nonprofit status from the IRS in August of 2021. In 2022, they hired the organization’s first employee, local leader Jennifer Grant, who brings a deep knowledge of the Upper Valley and years of nonprofit management experience to her role.   … Read More

When Lebanon was chartered in 1761, West Lebanon was the initial locus of most early activity. In 1765, the oldest surviving home in Lebanon – the Dana House (originally known as the Hall-Cody House) – was built, situated near the current Powerhouse Mall, and facing the Connecticut River.

The home was first inhabited by Jonathan Dana’s family, and in the 1780s, it was the home of Dr. Ziba Hall, Lebanon’s first resident physician. The Dana House was moved to Seminary Hill at 3 Elm Street West in 1988 after the City Council purchased it for $15,000 to save it from demolition.… Read More