Those who have heard Ali Grace Rapetti sing and play her guitar will tell you she has the voice of an angel. Many will also point out that she very well may be heaven sent with her soothing and comforting offerings. As we all seek connection and solace during these socially-distanced times, Ms. Rapetti’s music therapy mission has earned her wings, as well.

Ali Grace Rapetti is a registered music t herapist who offers her services free of charge to those often overwhelmed by depression, sadness, loneliness or living in fear of contracting Covid-19 as the pandemic continues. You will see her often at senior living communities, hospitals, private homes and hospice settings around the Upper Valley.

“The Sunapee Visiting Nurses Association allows me, as part of my job, to complete community outreach. When used clinically, music has the ability to provide emotional comfort, spiritual support, family connection and acceptance and can even ameliorate physical symptoms. The direction we take is up to the patient and his or her needs and the songs we utilize are based on a patient’s personal preferences. Being able to provide therapeutic presence and a patient’s preferred music at the end of his or her life is an honor I don’t take lightly.”

Having Grace appear in a local venue can also amount to just a ‘plain old fashion’ outdoor or indoor concert for senior citizens such as her recent appearance at the Quail Hollow Senior Living Community in West Lebanon. A light hearted performance where she seeks song requests from days gone by to invoke pleasant memories is the goal in those settings. “Music therapy isn’t about performance – it isn’t music for music’s sake – it is using music to achieve a non-musical goal like coping with a terminal diagnosis, providing a safe space for emotional expression or reviewing significant memories, to name a few. I have been able to perform on national tours and in hallowed music concert halls, but there is nothing as rewarding and meaningful to me as being able to provide music therapy to a hospice patient.”

When you review this singing angel’s background, you may be more than impressed. It may take a while to list her qualifications so bear with it.

Grace Rapetti is the founder and director of Starling Creative Arts. She actively practices music therapy, teaches music lessons and performs music weekly around Massachusetts and New Hampshire. She holds graduate degrees in music from the Berklee College of Music and the University of Colorado at Boulder and has written and performed with legendary artists. She has sung and shared stages with Willie Nelson, Carole King, Bobby McFerrin, The Eagles, Annie Lennox and Western African sensation Angelique Kidjo. Grace was featured as the U.S. representative of the International Ensemble Women of The World. She has sung on the legendary stages of Carnegie Hall and the Blue Note in New York City. She has been featured in Rolling Stone magazine and on National Public Radio for her version of the Beck’s “Old Shanghai.” In June of 2016, she performed the National Anthem at the Democratic National Convention. Grace was also a five-year member of the remarkable Boston-based ensemble Women of The World. She is also co-founder of the non-profit organization Arts Education International. That organization offers community-based arts programs for orphaned, abandoned, and traumatized children.

That should give you a sense of a fraction of her accomplishments to date, but just how did this all come about? She has followed an amazing path along life’s journey. Grace explains: “I was born in Houston, Texas and bounced around between Colorado, Florida and Massachusetts and now New Hampshire. I currently live in a cottage on Lake Sunapee, NH and hope to remain there for the long haul. My interest in music dates as far back as my first memory listening to “Puff The Magic Dragon” by Peter, Paul and Mary. I was never classically trained and no one ever told me I couldn’t sing or play, so I found solace, identity and fun in music. It wasn’t until I was sixteen that I picked up the guitar and started writing songs.”

So with all that musical background over the years selecting songs to comfort and entertain others, what does Grace consider her favorite song? What song would she like to hear when the end nears? The answer is a bit ironic! “I would like to hear “Angel” by Jimi Hendricks. It’s a journeying song and so comforting and beautiful to me. Another song I would select for comfort and beauty and joy is the Eva Cassidy version of “Fields of Gold.” Cassidy’s voice is a sonic catharsis – it calls forth deep emotion. My favorite current band is Wilco. Jeff Tweedy’s songwriting never fails to amaze me and the band has become so solid after decades of transition.”

So don’t forget, Upper Valley residents, as this pandemic continues to alter life styles and impacts all aspects of our lives, never forget the soothing benefits of music. Rest assured Grace is prepared to pick up her guitar and show you the way. Angels do exist.

One dominant common theme that links the people who make the Lebanon community so vital and prosperous is a shared love for the history of this beautiful city, combined with looking ahead to building a bright future. Perhaps no other quote covers it better than this: “If we don’t care about our past, we cannot hope for the future.” – Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.

Chet Clem serves as President of Lyme Properties which acquired the old West Lebanon library and blended its complete restoration with the development of the River Park Project. By completing that task, they honored Lebanon’s past while ensuring controlled future growth. A delicate balancing act in these times of tight regulations. Chet explains how this came about. “Lyme Properties has been committed to the future of downtown West Lebanon since we purchased the former Bailey Brothers property in 2007 and began what would become River Park West Lebanon. When the former West Lebanon Library was advertised for public auction, we saw an opportunity to solve our office needs and further our commitment to West Lebanon, but most importantly to save and re-purpose an important building that had fallen into disrepair.”

The River Park Project will include over 850,000 SF of life science office and research space, service retail, restaurants, single family homes and multi-family housing in a pedestrian friendly environment. Currently the riverside trails are open to the public as a preview of the much anticipated development along the Connecticut River. That represents a promising future, but Chet felt honoring the past had equal importance. “Adaptive re-use of historic buildings has been part of our DNA since my father, David Clem, Chairman of The River Park Project, headed up restoring One Kendall Square in Cambridge, MA. in the 1980s. We have always strived to save, protect and re-purpose the historic structures that make neighborhoods special. Same reason we saved the Westboro Rail Station and moved it to River Park in 2017. We actually tried to save and re-use the former Bailey Brothers building on the site that is now River Park, but couldn’t get permission from the ZBA and had to tear it down. The former Library was an important part of downtown West Lebanon’s history and community, just as the new Kilton Library continues to be a key fixture on Main Street. It needs a new chapter and we felt we were equipped to write it.”

As with all restoration projects, much care and regulations will govern the final outcome to respect all historic values. The old Library was designated a Lebanon Historic Landmark by the Lebanon Historic District Commission. Chet indicated that strict regulations mandated what path they would follow in restoring the beloved building. “We worked with local architects Jay Barrett of White River Junction and Dan Winny of Lebanon who are experienced in historic buildings with adaptive re-use. The resulting plan preserved the exterior and endeavored to save as much of the interior detail and woodwork as possible while bringing systems up to modern standards.”

Chet was careful to point out that not only was the old West Lebanon Library transformation allowing Lyme Properties spacious and elegant office facilities, they were incorporating multi-purpose uses to aid other businesses nearby to enhance that downtown section. “The building has been a great home for us, but we renovated it in a way that would allow for plenty of uses including a retail use on the ground floor. With everything that the West Lebanon Feed & Supply and others have done for downtown, we thought that this location was a key corner for downtown. We had actually tried to convert the Westboro Rail Station into a craft beer bistro, but the local operators ran into permitting problems and moved their operation to Norwich. Maybe someday the ground floor of the old library can become an ice cream shop or another retail business to further revitalize Main Street.”

What kind of impact on the community has Lyme Properties’ efforts at revitalization, combined with extensive plans to establish River Park, delivered? “We’ve been touched by the amount of positive comments this project has received along the way. Whether its residents who grew up reading books at the library, or other downtown businesses who have been working to revitalize downtown, I believe people recognize and appreciate the effort. We’ve given a lot of impromptu tours of the building to interested neighbors, although sadly we don’t get to do that now during the Covid pandemic.”

Moving beyond the restoration projects, Chet and Lyme Properties turn their attention to the River Park development. “We remain cautiously optimistic, if not bureaucratically perplexed! All the studies that have been done over the past 15-20 years have the same findings: a walkable downtown, access to the river and a mix of uses. We like to think the former Library building represents a positive example of what can be done to reinvest in downtown West Lebanon. We’ve added preliminary trails at River Park and are working to connect MRG (Mascoma River Greenway) and other trail networks.”

The current Covid pandemic has slowed and stalled future plans for all communities over the entire United States, but rest assured Lyme properties will continue their mission to revitalize downtown West Lebanon.

The Connecticut River sparkles in the Sunday morning sunshine as members of Cancer Recovery Through Rowing (CReW) lift their sculls from the water at the Kendall Riverfront Park in Hanover after the final outing of the August session. CReW is part of the Upper Valley Rowing Foundation’s slate of programs, including the Lebanon Middle & High School Crew, a Masters team, and a variety of learn-to-row community rowing programs. Throughout the month of August, CReW coaches and participants ventured onto the river to learn to row, and to discover renewed strength and energy amidst their challenges with cancer.

The CReW program was founded in 2019. It is a free program and open to anyone who has been diagnosed with cancer. Carin Reynolds, a world champion rower, Maureen Stannard, an oncology nurse, and Susan Brighton, a nurse practitioner came together to create the program. The inaugural event was a four-woman shell rowing in the 2019 Prouty with just three weeks of practice. During the winter and spring, rowers used the basement of Burnham Boat Slings in Lebanon for indoor rowing sessions in advance of the on-water practices.

Volunteer coaches, including some who have earned National, Olympic, and World Championship honors, provide expert instruction. Head Coach Carin Reynolds began her rowing career at Dartmouth, and earned a spot on the US Lightweight Women’s National Rowing Team, winning a gold medal at the World Championships in 1984. She has competed and medaled nationally and internationally in both sweep and sculling boats at Nationals, Worlds, the Goodwill Games, the World University Games and the Royal Canadian Henley Regatta. Carin told the group gathered by the water, “My daughter had cancer. She couldn’t row, but she was a coxswain. It helped her get through the process, and it was crew that helped her have confidence.”

As a coach, Carin inspires confidence in the CReW program rowers. As one participant noted, “When Covid happened, everything shut down, but not Carin. I lost my other communities, but she got us on the ergs. (‘Erg’ is short for rowing ergometer or rowing machine). She was our cheerleader and got us out on the water when most of us thought it was crazy.” Carin agrees that the rowing community is a special one. “The rowing community will become your permanent community. Rowing brings lifelong bonds.”

Coach Linda Muri is a three-time world champion rower, former collegiate rowing coach, and six year breast cancer survivor. “Rowing helped me get through the whole process.’’ In addition to founding a rowing consulting company and coaching for the foundation, Linda is still an active competitor, posting a first place win at the 2018 World Indoor Rowing Championships in the Master’s Division.

For some participants, the CReW experience was their first time rowing a single scull boat. When survivor Catrina Nuite heard about the program from Susan Brighton, her response was “Why not? Life can be stagnant when you’re dealing with cancer, and this was something new I could try.” Coming from Brattleboro each week was not a problem for Catrina. “I came 5 days a week for radiation, so I later decided I could come up 3 times a week for rowing. It was a good feeling to drive right past the hospital exit.”

The Byrne Foundation awarded a grant that allowed the Upper Valley Rowing Foundation to purchase 15 ergometer rowing machines from Concept 2 in Morrisville, VT, Carin notes, “We’re really grateful that we got the Byrne grant and were able to purchase ergs before the pandemic. I managed to buy 15 in early February, and now there’s an eight-week waiting list.” The ergs were distributed to members of CReW to use at home, and indoor rowing sessions were conducted virtually by Zoom during the pandemic.

In order to transition to the on-the-water rowing sessions, CReW participant Ellen Gitomer taught herself to tread water watching YouTube videos in preparation for the swim test. She had not ventured into a body of water in 25 years. “It was totally outside anything I could ever imagine doing in my life, and it was such a thrill to have gold medalists coaching us. To be in a boat on the water was extraordinary after all these years.”

According to coach Susan Brighton, a breast cancer survivor, rowing is one of the most physically demanding sports, and can help cancer survivors live longer. Rowing requires endurance, strength, and extreme mental focus, and the benefits include increased heart and lung capacity and improved muscle strength throughout the body. Indeed, CReW rowers report feeling more energized, emotionally and physically stronger, and having more confidence as a result of being in the program. “My hope is that the program can be used as a model for a clinical research trial in the future.”

In closing out the post-row gathering, Carin celebrated the experience, the coaches, and the rowers.”Thanks to all of you for stepping up and trying something different, especially when you might not be feeling so well. One thing that’s awesome about this group is how you have supported each other when you’re experiencing things that are challenging.”

To learn more about CReW, join the program, or make a financial (tax deductible) contribution, email Head Coach Carin Reynolds – carin.reynolds@gmail.com. For more information about the Upper Valley Rowing Foundation, visit http://www.uppervalleyrowing.org.

Long before Mink became famous, naturalist Mary Holland had the privilege of accidentally encountering and spending time with this enchanting bear. Named after the nearby Mink Brook tributary to the Connecticut River, Mink was beautiful and courageous, having spent most of her 30 years at the mercy of humans whose ultimate decisions guided her destiny until her untimely death in August 2020. During the time we came to know her, she not only exhibited her charisma as an individual but, also her goodness as a mother, leaving behind many offspring, several of whom continue to live in the Hanover/Lebanon area.

Seen often about town or its outskirts, this black bear became a local symbol of confidence and strength, agility and authority. She modeled the kind of perseverance and courage we long for in this dystopian age. Her fearless year-long return journey from the edge of Canada to Hanover as a result of relocation in 2018 became her trademark, the vehicle by which she stood her ground. Through woods, across highways and rivers, in the rain and snow, Mink never gave up her drive to return home. And so, her arrival in the spring of 2019 brought more press, fame and fortune. After all, it not only gave her the comfort of a familiar place but also three new cubs.

She thrived for awhile, photographed and videotaped by local residents who shared their delight in having her home again. But it was not to last. In a busy, bustling area filled with garbage dumpsters, she was bound to face danger – similar, ironically, to the one she unwittingly tackled as a youngster, nibbling on human food handed to her on a daily basis, assuring a lifelong pattern of need that she would pass to at least one set of cubs.

In essence, this magnificent creature was a hostage of human culture, her ability to survive bombarded by the people who ultimately were the conduit of her fate. She became a zoo-like curiosity, even though she was simply a bear whose life sadly had morphed to adhere to the mores of her human neighbors.

She is at peace now and euphemistically back where she belongs, where Holland first met her, isolated from human interruption amidst the coniferous and deciduous forests where she can forage on acorns, tree nuts, and berries to her heart’s content.

Proceeds from writing these articles will be donated to the Kilham Bear Center in Lyme, NH.

First Encounter: The Magic of Mink

by Mary Holland

It was early April, and, although it was melting fast, snow was still on the ground. Friends had alerted me to the fact that the bears that regularly were seen in their back yard had appeared after a winter of being absent. Hibernation had come to an end for Mink, their frequent visitor, and her family. The year was 2017, and I had caught an occasional glimpse of Mink in years past and photographed her at a distance. I knew more than to count on seeing her family when I was spending just a few hours in the middle of the day, where she had been recently spotted. My hope that morning was simply to find some good tracks and photograph them.

I arrived and headed into the woods where I soon encountered multiple black bear tracks, some large, most a bit smaller. With camera and tripod in hand, I decided to follow the tracks to see if I could find the perfect print as well as where they led me and what they told me about the bears’ activity. After I had followed them a relatively short distance, I came to a very large white pine tree that was surrounded by bear scat. Lots of bear scat.

The saplings in the vicinity of this tree had all been chewed on, scratched, broken and bent. Bear hair was evident on many of them. At the base of the white pine there were several shallow indentations roughly four to five feet wide. I was thrilled to have found what I knew must be the location where this family of bears spent a considerable amount of time. The tree had to be a “babysitter” tree – a place of refuge and rest for the bears. When a mother bear goes foraging, or when danger threatens, she sends her offspring up this tree and they remain there until she signals them that they may come down. Much of a bear family’s time is spent in the vicinity of such a tree.

Although my day had already been made by this discovery, I continued to follow the tracks, more in hopes of learning about bear behavior than actually seeing the bears, although that was always in the back of my mind. After an hour or so I decided to turn around and retrace my steps as I headed home. As I neared the babysitter tree, I looked and there, at its base, was a large pile of furry black bodies all huddled together, fast asleep. During my absence, Mink and her three yearlings had returned to the site and decided to take a nap. It probably hadn’t been many days since they emerged from their den, and they were resting.

I immediately set up my tripod and camera, not quite believing I had been presented with this amazing opportunity. Within a short amount of time, they all woke up, and, while they were very aware of my presence, they seemed unperturbed. As they watched, I slowly moved as close to them as I felt was in my best interest. Mink let me know exactly how close that was. Soon the cubs became active and engaged in all kinds of fun and games with each other and with their surroundings. Mink passively observed their behavior as they “boxed” with each other while standing on their hind feet, wrestled on the ground, chewed on all matter of things, from branches to acorns, climbed on their mother, and last but not least, investigated the human who had invited herself into their territory.

Although every encounter I had had with black bears until then had confirmed that they are far more afraid of humans than humans are of them, these bears had been raised near houses, and were somewhat acclimated to the two-legged creatures – so much so that I repeatedly had to discourage one of the cubs from getting too close to me for fear that I was pressing my luck with Mink’s parental tolerance. I knew that I had succeeded in proving my good will toward them when Mink lay down, rested her head and back against the pine tree, and invited all three cubs to nurse.

Never have I felt so privileged to witness wildlife behavior. Of all the experiences I’ve had with wild animals, this is by far the most memorable. Little did I know when I headed out to photograph bear tracks that morning that I would have the most intimate wildlife experience of my life. The magic of that day will never fade.

Naturally Curious blog: www.naturallycuriouswithmaryholland.wordpress.com.