Editor’s Note: After a short-lived reprieve, with just enough time to regroup in the wake of the effects of the Covid-19 virus, many individuals and organizations shifted the way they used to do things in order to meet the needs of the people they serve. Here at the Lebanon Times, we reached out to the Lebanon Senior Center and the main Arts organizations in Lebanon to hear what they are doing differently.

Senior Power to the Rescue!

While Covid-19 continues to rear its ugly head, Lebanon citizens and organizations are rising up and pivoting in its face!

It has been the case that the virus has taken a toll on seniors more than other age groups.… Read More

Fresh out of Plymouth State University with a bachelor’s degree in acting, Sam Clifton was, well, reveling in the chance to play a lead role in his debut at the Christmas Revels.

And, between his own moments in the spotlight at the Lebanon Opera House last December, the 2015 graduate of Lebanon High School was paying close attention to the Mummer’s Dance – the number that every year interrupts the main storyline of Revels North’s long-running celebration of the solstice.

“While I was standing by as a spectator, I got an idea of the basic plot, and the importance of Saint George,” Clifton recalls.… Read More

Community engagement can mean many things, from taking an active role in governance to connecting with neighbors. For one group of Lebanon residents, it means that and a whole lot more. For more than a year, the Welcoming Lebanon Ordinance has been a substantial focus of their time and energy. Following up on the city’s 2019 Resolution for Inclusiveness denouncing “all ideologies based on hatred and intolerance,” and affirming a “commitment to protecting its citizens, residents, and visitors against discrimination,” the ordinance clearly and explicitly rejects discrimination and protects those in the city who may be vulnerable to harassment by unjust federal immigration policies.… Read More

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.… Read More

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.… Read More

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.… Read More

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.… Read More

We are sad to write that our friend and Lebanon Times columnist Donnie Perkins died on May 1 at the age of 64, leaving behind a daughter, five brothers, and countless friends and acquaintances from all over the Upper Valley and no doubt well beyond.

Donnie graduated from Lebanon High School, where his interest in writing for local papers began. I worked with him and got to know him years ago at the Connecticut Valley Spectator, where he sometimes covered local sports, and it was a pleasure to bring his unique voice to the Lebanon Times when we launched the paper seven years ago.… Read More

Residents at Wheelock Terrace in Hanover, NH, were in for a special treat in early May when the sounds of brass and woodwinds wafted through the outside air, bringing a fleeting pause to the accompanying distress of the 2020 pandemic.

The music was generated by seven out of over 60 members of the Upper Valley Community Band (UVCB) in the parking lot of the assisted living facility. The musicians, playing instruments including clarinets, trumpet, trombone, and tuba, entertained the residents with polka, waltzes, and ragtime favorites.

“We’re glad we could work with the UVCB to give residents a safe opportunity to spend time outside their homes and enjoy a swing of music therapy in this refreshing outdoor scenery.”… Read More

“But we are strong, each in our own purpose, and we are all stronger together.”

During the Covid-19 Pandemic, there hasn’t been an individual in the entire world who has not been affected. Fear has enveloped us all regardless of age or status, but no other group stands directly in the path of this invisible monster than senior citizens. When the pandemic was announced, it was made crystal clear that the elderly were among the greatest at risk for suffering the worst of the virus’ negative health effects.

How did the elder community react? The residents at the picturesque Quail Hollow Senior Living Community in West Lebanon, consisting of 50 condominiums and three apartment complexes that are nestled in a wooded area teaming with wildlife, had their world turned upside down.… Read More