100 Years and Still Going Strong

I sat down recently with Paul Boucher, President of the Lebanon Chamber of Commerce, who spoke at length about his 17 years at the “helm.” But, the first thing he said was startling! “When I retire in June, I hope the next president has as much passion for the job as I feel I had!” I guess we assumed he would be at the helm for a very long time. However, even though retirement was looming, his heart, mind, and energy were still very enthusiastically engaged with Chamber activities.

First, he wanted us to understand the solid foundation upon which the Chamber had been built and how it remains strong today.… Read More

More Than Just a Grocery Store

Imagine the year 1936. The average annual salary was $1,730, if you were fortunate enough to have a job. You could buy a loaf of bread for 8¢, a pound of hamburger for 12 ¢, and rent was $24 per month. The Great Depression was in full swing, and times were hard. There was no television, only newspapers and radio.

Yet here in the Upper Valley, a collective of 17 Dartmouth professors and their spouses found the inspiration to establish the Hanover Consumer’s Club in an effort to save money by cooperatively purchasing food and fuel.… Read More

Those of us who have visited or read about wild animal rehabilitation centers generally understand that the people behind the scenes are doing some pretty incredible work. The amount of training these individuals have to undergo in order to be able to care for wild animals is intensive. There is often the dangerous potential for animals to react fearfully if they are not used to humans. There are sad stories that go along with the work, and sometimes it’s hard to let those stories go.

What is often forgotten is the part played by everyday citizens, the ones who take time out of their busy schedules to bring in these injured animals.… Read More

I’d been thinking about Haiti even before the [2010] earthquake, looking for avenues to do something useful down there,” says Lebanon’s Janet Hall. “The earthquake just broke my heart.” Before long, she made her way to the island nation, to the village of Sous Savanne, near the epicenter of the quake. “People were living under blankets and tarps, because they were afraid that what was left would fall,” she recalls. Janet was inspired to organize the Regenesis Project, a non-profit whose “goal is to work alongside of hardworking individuals to help them develop a sustainable income.”

With the encouragement and participation of her Christian community in Lebanon, Janet, whose career has largely been in food service, is finding a market for crafts produced by a handful of Haitians.… Read More

A Photographer to the Music Legends

At age 71, professional photographer John Lee is now retired and living at the Quail Hollow Senior Living Community in West Lebanon, NH. When he sits down to reminisce about his fascinating career as a professional photographer, musician and graphic designer, he not only invokes fond memories, but shares stunning photographs of some of the giants of the music industry.

After working in Nashville, Tennessee for 37 years John had established himself as the “go-to guy” when it came to photographing the national music scene and its giant super stars. Who else could state that they had lunch with the late Elvis Presley and his manager Colonel Tom Parker?… Read More

The recent closing of Lebanon College was a blow to Lebanon, and the Upper Valley.  For over 50 years, area residents enrolled in a wide range of courses through the now-closed school. Whether taking a class for personal enrichment, or to enter a program of study for a change of career, Lebanon College was a good, local alternative for prospective students.

Despite the school’s expansion in the late 2000s with the purchase of the former Shoetorium building downtown, recent years saw a slowdown in enrollment at the school. With a debt level of over $2 million, the decision to close down operations became unavoidable in the summer of 2014. … Read More

Dennis Luttrell is Focused on the Future

The late, great baseball legend, Yogi Berra, was attributed with the following quote: “If you come to a fork in the road, take it!”

Dennis Luttrell took over as the new City Manger of Lebanon, NH on September 1, 2015 replacing Greg Lewis. Part of his decision-making process to take that position involved a life altering choice. At age 66, Dennis was contemplating the lure of retirement vs. extending a rewarding career that had brought him much satisfaction and success. He had resigned his position as Town Administrator in Somerset, MA after serving in that capacity for seven years.… Read More

Editor’s Note: Over the next few issues, the Lebanon Times’ “Community Impact” page will feature some of the many civic organizations that make a positive, local and global impact on our shared community.

All around the world, people with the vision that life can be improved, are working to make it happen. But, they also understand that they cannot accomplish change alone. So they join with like-minded people in organized groups where much can be accomplished.

One such organization that is working to improve lives locally and around the world is Rotary. The Rotary Club of Lebanon and Lebanon-Riverside Rotary have separate officers, members and projects, but the two clubs join forces many times during the year to work as a team.… Read More

The popularity of bicycling has reached an all-time high in this country both as a form of exercise and a form of transportation. The Lebanon Police Department has responded to the increased bicycle traffic on our local highway and byways with a two-wheeled task force of their own. Lebanon Police Captain, Timothy Cohen, heads up that division and notes that, while the number of bicycle patrolmen has increased, his two-wheeled patrol has been in existence since 2008. It is an elite group.

“You don’t just ask an officer to get aboard a bicycle and go on patrol,” Cohen explained. “If selected, the officer has to go through a rigorous 40-hour training session that is quite demanding.… Read More

When Livability.com named Lebanon, NH the #1 Best Small Town in America for 2015, Recreation & Parks Director Paul Coats revealed to the website’s editors one of the City’s little known charms, “Winters are tough up here, but I think most people embrace it.” As hard as it is to admit, the summer’s 90 degree days are becoming a distant memory, and embracing all forms of play on snow and ice is one way outdoor recreation enthusiasts survive the long, chilly winters in the Upper Valley.

Opportunities for winter fun and fitness are literally everywhere in Lebanon, a fact echoed by Coats to Livability.com.… Read More