My passion for journalism and photography has carried me down a long, winding road filled with adventures (and misadventures) that I will cherish forever. As much as they mean to me it’s always so delightful to share them.

Once again, thanks to Kimball Union faculty member, Darrell Beaupré, I was offered the opportunity to share precious moments from my career when he invited me to speak to two of his classes. Darrell explains the concept:

“One course is titled Baseball in Literature and Film. I started it as a senior elective about five years ago. I also had Mr. Nelson attend my Voices from New England class which deals with local writers and speakers. I usually teach both classes each spring.”

Having been a sports writer, sports editor and photographer, the baseball class was a natural. In addition, I was offered an opportunity to expound on the later part of my career involving feature stories about unique individuals in the region for Greater Good Media and other publications.

There was an obvious generational gap to be overcome, but that quickly disappeared! Here I was face-to-face with the ‘new millennials’ and it was a delightful experience. Basically, the visit once again reinforced my faith in this generation of students. I came away convinced our future has been placed in good hands. The questions they asked were well thought out and at times had me pausing to formulate a good answer. Overall, it made me wish I could go back in time and join them!

I wanted to extend a huge thank you to Darrell and Kimball Union Academy. Here are two student essays…

Kyle Penney

David Nelson: Born a Journalist

Kyle Penney

David Nelson, from the beginning, found passion in his life through sports writing and photographing. After speaking with the writer himself, I learned that it was not just given to him, but that he had to work hard to earn himself a respected spot in the sports journalism and media world. This was easy for Nelson, however, as he told of how sports journalism never seemed simply like a job to him because of how much he enjoyed his time at it.

Not everything about a job can be perfect – even if you do love it – we learned as Nelson described a few of the challenges that come along with sports journalism. In particular, he told our class a story about how he did a column that referred to field hockey as a “boring sport.” His own daughter in law, a field hockey player, was incensed at the article and demanded he learn how difficult field hockey really is. Nelson recalls that she brought him out on a field, gave him a field hockey stick and ball, and tried to teach him the sport. In the field of journalism and media, some opinions and questions asked will always offend some others, and Nelson understands that; however, he also understands that interviews go by much easier when a connection is made with the person being interviewed. Nelson described a time in which he made a connection with Hall of Fame baseball player, Ted Williams, about fishing before he got to asking sports related questions. Nelson explained how these famous athletes are regular people with regular people feelings, and how easy interviewing is after making that personal connection.

Today, Nelson does freelance articles for a local paper in which he is able to write about whatever he wishes. After a long career in sports writing and photography, Nelson enjoys his time being able to write about what he pleases, and his hard work from when he was younger has earned him this opportunity to finish his career with a happy ending.

Scout Beaupré

Scout Beaupre

“I’m old school. I don’t believe in making up stories. I believe in telling real stories” says retired sports reporter, Mr. David Nelson, seated at the far end of the Harkness table. Dressed in a Kimball Union baseball cap, Nelson speaks of his diverse experiences within the sports journalism world. Having been a professional in the industry, he recounts numerous interactions, dilemmas, and highlights of his career ranging from ethical decisions of whether or not to run the intriguing yet forbidden story that was captured “off the record,” to harsh realities of the job and victorious triumphs captured on his Canon camera.

While he no longer works for a large company, but rather is a freelance journalist for Greater Good Media, with the freedom of picking and choosing his stories, he reveals his inside perception of the current media status. He speaks to the idea of “sensationalism” seen in today’s media as littered with tabloids and propaganda. He notes the somewhat ethically-declining progression of the industry, as the majority of today’s reporters are “looking for out-of-character comments” rather than focusing on telling the story as a whole. He continues by saying “everybody has their own approach” and “some do all they can to get the story” because that is their job after all, but Nelson sees modern media as a platform for distorted stories and unfair exploitation.

After telling of numerous encounters with celebrities and professional athletes such as Paul Newman, Ted Williams, Aerosmith lead singer Steven Tyler, and the famous recluse, J.D. Salinger, Nelson goes on to say that, with experience, eventually “you get over the fact that they’re celebrities and realize they’re just people, just like you and me.” He is thankful for the places the job has taken him. As an avid Red Sox fan, one of his favorites has been his trip inside the locker room at Fenway Park where he got to sit down and have a beer with Carl Yastrzemski.

While addressing a classroom of high school seniors in their last trimester, about to embark on their own life journeys, he says “work transcends age if it’s what you love.” He continues to say “journalism to me was not a job” but merely a passion he was paid to pursue. His love for photography, sports, and meeting new people has brought him all across the globe, but he says one of his most notable interviews took place in rural Cornish, New Hampshire when he was fortunate enough to meet the world-renowned author, J.D. Salinger. Nelson says how he “would’ve loved to sit down with Mr. Salinger and ask how he came up with his stories” such as Catcher in the Rye, but Salinger was a guarded man, and the conversation was both informal and off the record. This impromptu conversation speaks to the underlying meaning of journalism: to broaden one’s perspective of the world through meeting others. Yes, the story and the headline are important, but the deeper truth is that we are all human and all going about life together.

At the tender age of 77, Quail Hollow Senior Living Community resident Dorothy (Dot) Plume has launched a mission of love and caring that nearly defies description with its passion and dedication.

In recent years the entire country has been caught up in honoring military veterans and first responders. As the song lyric states: “A grateful nation turns its eyes to you!” Dot Plume not only got swept up in the veteran’s tributes, but the delightful lady contributed all her talents and energy to make sure veterans received a proper and emotional thank you.

Dot is simply known as the Quilt Lady by those veterans she has honored. Dot is a talented artist who handcrafts quilts especially designed for each person she honors. Simply stated, each quilt is considered a true work of art and she makes a point to touch the hearts of the recipients with each masterpiece. How did this all come about?

“I was always interested in making quilts, but after awhile I really wanted to do something with mine,” Dot explained. “I came up with the idea of making quilts and giving them to veterans and first responders as my personal tribute. I was especially struck by the plight of the Vietnam veterans who were treated so badly when they returned home.”

Quilt in honor of Sgt. Ronald F. Audette

Once the Vietnam War was finally over and the military members could come home, they were exposed to a hostile environment by those who bitterly opposed the involvement in the war by the United States. That was a great shock to the military members and a sad one to think they had come back not only with broken bones, but broken spirits, as well.

Dot has been doing her very best to make amends and the results have unleashed a whole new wave of emotion. To date she has crafted some 50 quilts that were distributed all over the United States to deserving recipients, each quilt especially designed for that individual.

How does she accomplish this mission of thanks?

“Oh, I seek them out!” Dot exclaimed with a warm smile. “I will track them down. If I see a veteran’s hat or license plate I will stop them and get their names and history. I go over to the Veterans Hospital in White River Junction and get as much information as I can. The reaction by the people is interesting. They look at me and wonder just what I am doing at first!”

The results of her quest have returned countless, emotional benefits beyond her wildest hopes.

Quilt in honor of Sgt. Lester

“Once a veteran receives his or her quilt, they are almost entirely overcome with gratitude and the tears start flowing. It is hard to explain

what those quilts mean to these vets. One prime example is the Vietnam vet, a nurse, who requested to hold her quilt when she passed away. She was granted that wish!”

Another remarkable aspect of her dedicated work is that although the quilts are individually designed and crafted for each veteran, they are considered valuable collectors items. Dot has borne the cost of the entire project.

“There is no way you can establish a true value of these quilts,” Dot stated. “What they mean to each person is priceless. However, I have been told that they may have a retail value of between $600-800. I have been buying the materials on my own, but recently have received donations to help with the expense. My most recent project was donating quilts to the Harley Davidson Dealership in Lebanon to raffle off to benefit veteran’s groups.”

Stay alert, you veterans. Dot Plume will indeed track you down! You will be grateful she did.

For the past 3 years, Carline Roberge and her husband Balvin have been offering take-out Haitian and Jamaican specialty foods and Haitian art next door to the former Hirsch’s clothing store. Together, they own and operate Karibbean Coffee Shop, sharing delicious authentic Caribbean dishes at the shop and in season at the Lebanon Farmers’ Market. The regularly changing menu takes you clear to the Caribbean with oxtail, curry goat, pork griot (chunks of citrus marinated pork shoulder with Scotch bonnet chiles), and Caribbean beverages and side dishes.

So how did Carline, a native Haitian, and her family land in Lebanon, bringing with them the spicy flavors of the Caribbean? As Carline explains with a laugh, “It’s a long story!”

Carline (left) and her mother Clotilde at
Carline’s shop

On a recent sunny morning, Carline and the new owner of the Hirsch’s building, Sam Altaf, explained their respective journeys. Carline met her first husband, New Hampshire native John Roberge, in Haiti while he was doing missionary work. Carline was in nursing school when the couple decided to relocate to New England, and she eventually continued her studies at River Valley Community College in Claremont, graduating in 1997. For a time, Carline worked at Alice Peck Day Hospital before pursuing her dream of having her own food establishment. John has a background in social work and is employed at Headrest in Lebanon, while Balvin and Carline’s brother work locally as well.

Carline learned to prepare Haitian dishes from her parents and Jamaican cuisine from her husband Balvin, so when the couple moved to West Lebanon, she began vending at the Lebanon Farmers’ Market. From the start, it was a family affair, with Carline’s parents and her brother pitching in to help. The Farmers’ Market fare became so popular that customers encouraged Carline to open a shop, and Karibbean Coffee Shop was launched to good reviews. I recently enjoyed some jerk chicken and pork griot over rice – highly recommend!

Carline considers her family and friends her top priorities in life, along with providing support for organi­zations in her native Haiti. For example, proceeds from the sale of artworks and crafts in Karibbean Coffee Shop support tuition payments for Haitian school children, and for purchasing much needed supplies for the general hospital in Haiti. Carline regularly hosts her children’s friends, serving up whatever food fits the bill for the day. “My door is always open for friends and family to visit and share a meal. No appointment needed!”

Speaking Haitian Creole, the dominant language of Haiti, with her relatives keeps her in practice as she travels back and forth to Haiti, and

Some of the Jamaican and Haitian art and crafts sold in Carline’s shop

Carline is fluent in English as well. When Carline and John lived in Maine, they arranged for the local hospital to ship needed supplies to a clinic in Haiti. Carline and her son take trips to Haiti so he will learn about his Haitian heritage, and become involved in the Haitian educational system, experiencing both American and Haitian schools.

Culturally, Carline has taken the approach of learning to adapt to the practices and customs of her adopted home. She coaches her children, “This is who you are, be proud of who you are, and learn about where you live.” She recounts a story of walking down a street in the Upper Valley, and being greeted by two men who exclaimed, “Excuse us Miss, but who are you? We never see any black people here!” One of the men, Balvin, would go on to become Carline’s husband.

When she and John parted ways, it was important for them to continue co-parenting their children, and maintain a positive and supportive relationship with each other. As Carline notes, “Why put the children and ourselves through such stress? It’s better to be good friends.”

How does a native Haitian like the New Hampshire winters? Carline and her family enjoy sledding with relatives in northern New Hampshire and she has fallen in love with the clam chowder at the Littleton Diner. Yes, it’s considerably colder than Haiti, but Carline says, “I’m happy, so that’s OK.”

One of Carline’s longtime friends is Sam Altaf, who recently bought the Hirsch’s building. Sam was born in Pakistan and earned a degree in textile engineering in England. After graduating, he was hired by a Canadian woolen mill company to manage a new mill, and was then transferred to Maine to continue operating textile mills throughout the ‘70s and ‘80s, eventually landing in Swanzey at Homestead Woolen Mills. At the height of its operation in the ‘60s, the Homestead employed 350 people.

When the the U.S. textile industry began its decline in the late ‘80s (news reports suggest American companies struggling to compete with China, India, and Pakistan left the U.S. and moved overseas), Sam decided to move to the Upper Valley. Once in town, he founded Carpet King, citing the Upper Valley as a “…vibrant center of commerce, and close to Dartmouth College.” Sam began selling machine loomed carpets from companies in Dalton, Georgia, which now comprise many of the world’s leading carpet manufacturers.

Sam considers owning the Hirsch’s building to be an enjoyable retirement activity. He intends to make improvements to the building to attract additional renters, and Ed Hirsch stops in from time to time to advise both Carline and Sam on how to develop a thriving Upper Valley business.

For her part, Carline is ready to receive customers who yearn for a taste of the Caribbean, and has plans to evolve Karibbean Coffee Shop to a sit down restaurant after making the necessary improvements to pass NH state health regulations, which she says is no small feat. Supported by her family and friends, and served by her commitment to supporting Haitian humanitarian causes and persistent personality, Karibbean Coffee Shop is bound to succeed.

Cindy Heath founded the Lebanon Farmers’ Market while serving as the Director of Parks & Recreation in Lebanon.

When J. Barrie Sellers received a call in 1974 from an old Sheffield University friend, Ivor Hawkes, inviting him to come to New Hampshire from his job at Terrametrics in Colorado, he jumped at the opportunity to co-found a new company for the manufacture and sale of vibrating wire devices. Though the company the two men (along with a third, mathematician David Wright) established on Parkhurst Street lasted only three years, Barrie’s subsequent project, GEOKON, has survived and thrived, and is this year expanding its modest footprint on Spencer Street with a new office complex currently being constructed across the road from their current location. Given GEOKON’s reputation as a great company to work for, buy from, and live near, this is undoubtedly good news for Lebanon and the Upper Valley as a whole.

GEOKON employee group photo

Even if you’ve lived in Lebanon as long as GEOKON has been here, there’s a chance you don’t know about the company. Of course, if you read the article that appeared in these pages a year ago, you know that it’s a world leader in vibrating wire technology – it’s exactly what it sounds like, and it can be used to measure force, pressure, temperature, and so on with a high degree of accuracy and stability – with international renown. You also know about the new construction, and you met Director Chuck Chamley, who shared his excitement for the project along with some statistics, including the low employee turnover rate the company enjoys, with more than a third of their 110-plus employees celebrating 15 years or more of service. Unsurprisingly, Chuck is still at GEOKON, and he’s still excited about the company and its faithful employees. Sitting in a conference room whose large window provides a clear view of the new construction, Chuck shares this optimism with fellow Director Colin Judd and Manager of Sales and Marketing – Clayton Gould. “After so many years,” Chuck muses, “you just sit back and ask yourself, how can you improve? We realized when we asked this that we were running out of space.”

Craig Lavalla (Welder)

The company, which in 1986 outgrew its Central Avenue location in West Lebanon and moved to its current address, has expanded its premises five times in the last 33 years. The latest addition – the two-story “L” that comprises a decent chunk of its current footprint – has been in place for a decade now and is filling up. GEOKON’s team began looking for other property to purchase, noticing what they and many other locals likely already know: land in the Upper Valley is expensive. They didn’t want to leave the area, though, because there’s a reason for that price tag: it’s a great place to live and work. The aforementioned long-term employees are mostly concentrated in the area (though a few drive as much as an hour for the opportunity to work at GEOKON), and many have families here – some even work with them at the company! City Councilor and Mayor-at-the-time Suzanne Prentiss met with GEOKON to offer another proposal, and before long they were purchasing the property adjacent to the current building , which had once been the site of the city’s Department of Public Works.

The new property acquisition is a boon for both GEOKON and Lebanon. “In the Master Plan, Spencer Street is highlighted as an area for growth,” says Colin. “We want to be a part of that.” In addition to showing that a high-tech company can survive within the city limits – and especially so close to the center of downtown Lebanon – Colin sees this expansion as an opportunity to confirm GEOKON’s stance as good stewards of the community, and also of the environment: the new building will be covered in solar panels. “At this point, it’s a no-brainer,” he muses.

Clayton agrees: “We’re excited to serve as an anchor for the revitalization of Spencer Street.” The building will adhere to the company’s new look: bright, sustainable, modern, minimalist. It will house a training center, too – not just for employees and partners, but for local school groups. GEOKON provides something of a “vibrating wire 101,” complete with information on the education and experience needed to work for them, and how to get it. They also hope to host the Chamber of Commerce for their successful Business After Hours series.

A rendering of GEOKON’s new building

Perhaps one of the greatest assets GEOKON has is its employee-centric environment. Clayton interviewed employees throughout the company in preparation for the recent rebranding project , asking them what GEOKON meant to them and what they hoped to see. “It’s not just a handful of us in the room deciding what to do,” he says. “We rely heavily on collaborative decision making.” Per Barrie’s wishes, there are no time clocks: the company relies on the honor system, and the tradition of honest New England work ethic, to ensure work gets completed. “Our advantage is our culture, our people, their dedication to the customers. If we don’t have the people, we don’t have this. We’re growing, but we still try to bring in people who share the same values we have.”

In keeping with these values, GEOKON provides its employees with paid time to venture outside its campus and engage in community service work. From volunteering at the humane societies to Dartmouth-Hitchcock’s annual CHaD HERO event to the Prouty, employees are taking advantage of this program to support initiatives that matter to them. “It’s a chance

Jack Taylor (Director), Adam Webster (Quality
Assurance Manager) and Tommy Bauch
(Manufacturing Process Engineer)
in support of the CHaD Hero

for employees to give back,” says Chuck, “but it also puts GEOKON on the radar. It’s a form of recruitment.” It also serves as a catalyst for employees who may not otherwise be considering volunteer work to explore options. There’s no defined list, either: employees are free to seek out their own charities, or to solicit ideas from colleagues, or to build volunteer teams – for races, golf tournaments, even building birdhouses!

Jon LaFlam (Mechanical
Designer) helping build a
children’s play structure on the
Lebanon Green with Lebanon
Recreation and Parks

What’s next for GEOKON? “We plan to be in the new building by November,” says Clayton – or maybe it’s Chuck, or Colin: at this point the three are united in their aspirations for the future of the company they believe in. Sales, marketing, and a few other departments will move over to the new building, but the lunch room will stay in the current building, to reinforce the cohesiveness of GEOKON as a single, unified community. As phase two of the expansion, the existing building will be renovated and the current lot in front of the building will be turned into a green space. And they’re eying other underused parcels nearby for their next expansion.

“Ultimately, sensor tech is very low tech,” says Colin. “The changes are on the tech around the vibrating wire.” This is why GEOKON forms partnerships with other high-tech companies for some of its work, quality sensors. “Even when they have their own system, customers will still go out of their way to find a GEOKON sensor.” The sensors are reliable, but so are the people. When a failure happens (it’s rare, but it happens with every type of tech), GEOKON’s team don’t argue. “We fix it. Sometimes the customer is 4 hours from their

Coreen Macie (Assembler, Electronics)

site, and if they need a part in hand, we send it. The customer is what’s most important.”

“The environment is changing,” adds Chuck. “There are more competitors getting more sophis­ticated. We need to change too, but not lose the culture of who we are. The people are proud to work here and proud of the work they do.”