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.

Lebanon-Riverside’s Listen food drive

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.

Rotary International is a worldwide service organization consisting of over 1.2 million Rotarians who volunteer their efforts on local and international service projects. It is non-political, non-sectarian, open to men and women of all businesses and professions, all faiths, and all walks of life.

In 1905, Paul Harris organized the first Rotary Club in Chicago, “in fellowship and friendship,” with three clients: Silvester Schele, Gustavus Loehr, and Hiram Shorey. His initial goal was to create a club of professional and businessmen for friendship and fellowship, but he soon realized that Rotary needed a greater purpose. During his presidency in 1907, the club initiated its first public service project, the construction of public toilets in Chicago. This step transformed Rotary into the world’s first Service Club. And, in 1989 the Council on Legislation voted to admit women into Rotary clubs worldwide.

Locally, the 40 active members of the Lebanon Club work hard year-round, holding events that help provide funding for a variety of organizations, and working on projects to benefit the area.

This year’s 36th Annual Rotary Auction on September 19, will benefit The Upper Valley Haven’s Backpack Program which sends a pack of nutritional food home with students for the weekend.

Another local event is the bi-annual Mascoma River Cleanup, headed up (for over 30 years) by Rotarian Dr. Ernst Oidtmann. Volunteers of Rotary and the public wade right into the river and pull out all kinds of things that are collected and sent for recycling.

The “String of Pearls” project was envisioned as a community-wide initiative to preserve and enhance several areas along the Mascoma River for public recreation and enjoyment. It includes building a riverfront trail system connecting the public parks along the Mascoma. A few of the “pearls” that presently exist on this trail include Baker’s Crossing Conservation Area, Glen Road Skate Park, Centennial Fountain, Canillas Park walkway, and Twin Rivers.

The annual All-You-Can-Eat Pie Buffet is held on July 4th at the Senior Center in Lebanon to benefit the on-going fight against Polio. Rotary, along with its partners, has reduced polio cases by 99 percent worldwide since the first project to vaccinate children in the Philippines in 1979. Only two countries presently have polio cases: Pakistan and Afghanistan. Rotarians have helped immunize more than two billion children against polio in 122 countries. At the same time, Rotary has been the largest private sector donor to polio eradication, committing over $600 million to the effort.

Knowing that dirty water brings ill health to so many around the world, Rotary has undertaken projects to bring clean water to many of the villages in Ghana, Africa. Members of the Lebanon Club have gone to Ghana twice to work with members of their Rotary Clubs. Just having clean water would help eliminate 10% of diseases worldwide!

Rotary Club of Lebanon river clean-up

The Lebanon Club meets every Thursday from 12:15 – 1:30 p.m. in the Dwinell Room at Harvest Hill on the Alice Peck Day Memorial Hospital grounds. This includes lunch and a brief business meeting often with speakers. Visitors interested in learning more about Rotary and membership are welcome to attend a meeting.

The Lebanon-Riverside club gathers at 7:15 a.m. on Tuesdays, also in the Dwinell Room, for a breakfast meeting.

To learn more about the Rotary Club of Lebanon, please visit www.rotarylebanonnh.org, or call Don MacMeekin, this year’s president, at 603-667-6161. For more complete information about Rotary in general, please go to www.RotaryInternational.org.

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. They face constant reviews of that training and are in excellent physical shape. During that training session, they have to ride 25-30 miles per day in all kinds of terrain including uphill courses on pavement and dirt.”

Three of the Lebanon “Road Warriors,” Nick Alden, Adam Leland and Greg Parthum, who have a combined 25 years experience on two wheels, all agree that it is a rewarding and unique way to serve and protect the community.

“I just love it. Great exercise and a way to stay in top physical condition. The best part for me, however, is being able to be out meeting the public and getting the opportunity to talk with the residents of Lebanon one-on-one.”

Captain Cohen could not agree more. The veteran officer pointed out that contact with the public was a key element in forming the roving patrols.

“Number one, it’s a great job for these officers and we really put an extra effort into putting them on the road. We really enjoy that dialogue with the public and hearing their concerns. It’s very important to get the feedback. Remember, these officers access places where a police cruiser cannot and can blend right in with the community at large.”

Officer Adam Leland feels his presence inspires the youth of Lebanon, as well.

“It gives me a great opportunity to stop and talk with the kids on a daily basis and I love that. It also gives me a chance to talk about and teach bike safety such as helmets, lights and the general rules that apply.” Leland said.

The co-existence between automobiles and bicycles on public highways has often been a contentious issue. Right-of-way issues along with rules of the road concerns are often misinterpreted. Captain Cohen was adamant on the subject.

“Everyone has to remember that the same traffic laws that apply to motorists apply to bicycle riders on the open highway and back roads. Stopping for red lights, stop signs and yielding the right of way all apply and carry the same penalty if ticketed. Bicycle riders also have to remember that they must have all the proper lights when riding at night.”

Off-road and trail riding are extremely popular in Lebanon with the establishment of the Northern Rail Trail, which starts in downtown where hordes of bikers arrive daily. That is where you are likely to meet up with Officer Greg Parthum.

“Riding along the Rail Trail is one of my favorite patrols.” Parthum said. “You really get an opportunity to stop and chat with many people from all over. I feel that public contact is very important as well.”

Martha Neary, Paul Coats, Kristin McGee, Bart Guetti

Opportunities for winter fun and fitness are literally everywhere in Lebanon, a fact echoed by Coats to Livability.com. “In big cities you have to seek out these special parks that offer an oasis in the middle of a lot of sprawl. Here, most places are available for people to go and explore.” It’s true – snowshoeing and cross country skiing on the City’s many conservation properties, downhill skiing, sledding, and ski jumping at Storrs Hill, and indoor skating at the Hanover Improvement Society’s Campion Rink, have all been part of Lebanon’s rich winter sports history.

Now the thrill of skating outdoors under the full moon or on a bright, sunny day is getting a boost thanks to an energetic group of Lebanon citizens who want to help sustain Lebanon’s four season appeal. Members of the newly formed non-profit, Friends of Lebanon Recreation and Parks (FOLRP), have been working with Coats on designing fund raisers and identifying projects to improve Lebanon’s recreational amenities, starting with an upgrade to the City’s outdoor skating rink at Pat Walsh Park. “The Recreation and Parks Department has wanted to get a Friends group off the ground for a number of years, and we have finally rallied a few key people,” said Coats.

For decades, City staff and volunteers have provided outdoor skating rinks at various locations throughout the City, including Smith Field in West Lebanon, and Colburn Park. Hearty souls have used powerful fire hoses to flood the frozen turf after dark and throughout the day in sub-freezing temperatures, only to have the ice surface melt down during the annual January thaw. This has frustrated skating enthusiasts and the City. FOLRP hopes to change this pattern by raising funds to purchase a commercial ice rink system to provide more consistent skating opportunities throughout the winter season and reduce maintenance expenses in the department’s tight budget.

The $10,000 fundraising effort aims to provide a plastic liner to contain the ice, making it stronger and less likely to break down. A reusable set of rink-boards and protective kickboards surround the rink, and resurfacing the ice with a Zamboni-style machine will enhance the quality of ice. A warming hut may follow in the future. More than $3,000 has been raised to-date, primarily to honor the memory of Robert Harris, the former Chair of the Lebanon Recreation Commission, and a longtime sports enthusiast.

Kristin McGee, one of the group’s founders, says she got involved because she is committed to helping Lebanon provide more year ‘round recreation opportunities for kids. McGee hopes others will come forward with their own ideas to rally around. The former Dartmouth runner has three active children, and says there is growing interest in the new ice rink plan, which will be large enough to accommodate pick-up hockey games and open skating.

Last winter, FOLRP held a Community Skating Party to showcase its efforts and get children and families out on the ice. Providing hot chocolate, music and snacks made the frigid weather more bearable to the 60 skating enthusiasts who showed up. McGee, who is the group’s secretary, along with fellow Friends members, Joanne Oscadal, Bart Guetti, Tom O’Quinn, Frank Gould, and president Dave Hoskinson, hope to raise the balance of the funds in time to install the new rink system for the upcoming winter.

FOLRP was conceived as a way for Lebanon residents to get involved in ‘continuing the rich recreational opportunities’ in the City. Opportunities to participate include submitting ideas, joining the board, joining a work crew, and providing financial assistance or in-kind services. To learn more, visit the FOLRP website, Friendsoflebrec.org.

The kind of community involvement FOLRP is offering may be one factor that inspired Livability.com to cite engaged citizens who volunteer as one of the reasons for Lebanon’s #1 livability ranking. So, as we bid goodbye to another fabulous Upper Valley summer, now is your chance to step up and help FOLRP achieve its ambitious goals. And don’t forget to get your skates sharpened!

Getting around Lebanon was a different process 80 years ago. “We walked everywhere,” says Regis Jette, smiling alertly as she tells stories from her life. Her sunny personality shines through the tales she tells. Though her life had difficulties, she recalls things with a smile. She brings the word ‘chipper’ to mind.

Regis Heath was born in 1920. Her unusual name came from a friend of her mother. Her family, which came to include two younger brothers, lived in Canaan. Her father delivered ice with a horse-drawn wagon. He eventually moved to Lebanon for work, and drove a milk truck to Boston, then the local bus that carried people from town to town.

“We always had a trip” at Canaan school’s eighth grade graduation, recalls Regis, “and of course we walked because no one had a car. We went up Mt. Cardigan,” about five miles one-way from town. By then, of course, it was the depths of the Depression, though Regis does not speak of particular problems. “We were generally careful about money,” she remarks. “We always had a big garden, and what I remember from that is picking potato beetles. My dad grew a big potato patch, and us kids had to pick potato beetles,” she repeats with feeling, but still with a twinkle in her eye.

What scarred her more than the Depression was the death of her mother from a sudden illness when Regis was nine. “Even at the early age of nine, she was helping to run the house,” says her daughter Anne. Relatives offered homes to Regis and her brothers, Earl, known as “Boze,” about six, and John, then about three. But their father was firm about keeping his family together, and family rallied round in other ways, hosting kids during summer break, and helping at home.

For graduation from Canaan, Regis received a present from one of her aunts: a train ticket from Canaan to Lebanon (her father’s new location) on the Boston and Maine Railroad, so that she could finish 8th grade and graduate with her Canaan friends. She’d never been on a train before, but the young teenager boldly set off on this new adventure. Ghostly traces of the B&M’s presence can be seen in the Rail Trail, but in Regis’s day, trains were real and utilitarian.

In 1938 Regis married Adrian Jette, whom she knew from Lebanon High School, then on Bank Street. The couple had four children: Earl (known by his middle name as Bob, since there were several other relatives named Earl), Marguerite (Peggy), Anne, and Jim. The family lived on West Street, then on Hanover Street, where they were living in 1964 when the most recent great fire destroyed much of the city’s downtown. “Cinders from downtown were flying on our lawn,” says Anne. Adrian was a fireman, and he came down Mt. Support road, back from work in Hanover, telling the person driving to take him right to the fire station. Regis was in the auxiliary. “While the fire was going on, all the women were in the kitchen,” she says. “I remember walking towards Enfield with a big jug of lemonade.” Bob drove around with his uncle Earl. “The firemen had the perimeter under control,” he recalls, “but it was too intense to put out.”

Regis got an administrative job at Hitchcock Hospital, then on Maynard Street in Hanover. She worked for different doctors, doing what was needed, including checking in patients. She had excellent organizational skills. “I was always glad I did that,” she says, and so were her colleagues, who would say, “Ask Regis where the doctor put that.” She worked at the Hitch for 26 years, often going in early to meet up with coworker friends for a cup of coffee. At lunchtime she would usually walk uptown – that habit of walking was strong! She would do errands for coworkers on these trips. She also gave her organizational talents and sociability to many civic groups – the Cub Scouts, the Hartford Elks Auxiliary, the Catholic Daughters of America, and city elections, to mention a few.

One of the great sorrows of Regis’s life was the loss of her brother John in World War II. He had joined the Navy, and was reported missing in action. When, years later, she traveled to Hawaii, she found his name on the memorial wall. “I think it gave her a kind of closure,” says Anne.

After retirement from the Hitchcock, Regis began volunteering at the Lebanon Senior Center, originally at the Carter Community Building, though the stairs were a problem for some. She wanted to continue an active social life, and help the community. She realized gathering for meals would be an ideal format. She participated in numerous activities, encouraged others, and was Team Captain at Monday meals for 25 years. She continued to run and encourage the Senior Center for many years. One memorable occasion was a dress-up fashion show with unusual items loaned to the Center. Regis modeled a black feathered wrap with great style and enthusiasm.

In later life Regis was also able to pursue an interest in travel, beginning with a trip to celebrate her fortieth wedding anniversary. “I love San Francisco,” she says. “I wouldn’t mind living there! —going up and down those hills. My husband was in front of me and I held on to his belt” as they rode the streetcars. She’s been to Las Vegas, Cape Cod, Maine, the Blue Ridge, Quebec, and Florida, among other places. “You know,” she says, with her smile spreading, “I’m trying to think of places to go while I’m still healthy.”.

While many Lebanon residents have felt for a long time that their fair city is simply a wonderful place to call home, those same folks can stroll through downtown with their heads held a little higher. It’s official. Lebanon has been named the Best Small Town in America out of 100 competing communities.

The award was presented by the website Livability.com that showcases America’s best places to live based on an intensive rating system. Livability officials describe themselves in the following manner: “For 25 years Livability has worked with hundreds of communities developing content marketing programs showcasing why they are a great place to live with one simple goal: help cities attract and retain residents and businesses. Today we are one of the leading online resources used for researching communities.”

Lebanon Recreation Director, Paul Coats, played a huge role by working with the Livability staff directly. His reaction to the award was off the charts and outfitted him with a smile from ear-to-ear.

“I am simply ecstatic about it,” Coats responded. “Being involved in the interviewing process while working with Livability and seeing how it all came out was very exciting. By the way, last year it got very little attention, but Lebanon finished in the top 10 in that same poll. We should all be very proud.”

What criteria placed Lebanon as number one out of 100 Best Small Towns in America?

“There was a long list that Livability used for posting this rating, but I think affordability was very important. That was key because there was very stiff competition. The rating was based on populations up to 20,000,” Coats explained.

The praise for Lebanon was highlighted by a statement from Livability’s Matt Carmichael who serves as the company’s Vice President and Editor.

“This quintessential New England community might just be the perfect small town. Lebanon is more than just a pretty place to visit. The city is a cultural and business hub as well. This discussion starts with its close proximity to Dartmouth College in neighboring Hanover means a constant influx of young adults and cultural draws for the region. Alongside that comes the economic stability of having solid institutions like Lebanon’s Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, the area’s largest employer.”

When first asked about Lebanon’s qualities from a complete stranger calling from Livability, Coats set the tone with the following response.

“Close your eyes and picture a New England town green.”

That mental image was matched by Carmichael’s assessment following the conversation.

“As Coats paints the picture for us, it’s easy to imagine the families picnicking and children dancing around the bandstand during one of many free concerts on the green. City Hall shares a building with the Opera House at one end of the green. Restaurants like the Salt hill Pub and Three Tomatoes line another side. Neighborhoods surround this district providing walkable access to the town center, and a couple of blocks away, residents can ski at Storrs Hill.”

While there has been some skepticism over the award, especially from other picturesque New Hampshire and Vermont small towns, Livability explains why the award carries much credibility.

“Livability explores what makes small-to-medium sized cities great places to live. Through propriety research studies, engaging articles and original photography and video, we examine topics related to community amenities, education, sustainability, transportation, housing and the economy.”

For Lebanon residents raising children, Livability noted a huge sidebar declaring that the town offered “a highly rated” school system along with one of the area’s best recreational programs. When it’s all said and done, it’s time to start sporting “I Love Lebanon” buttons for the world to see. In the final poll the top five towns in the Granite State were: 1) Lebanon; 2) Portsmouth; 3) Concord; 4) Laconia; 5) Nashua.

Lebanon resident Kelley Gage (left) and colleagues at the mosque

“We wondered if we’d have to cancel [interfaith] camp,” said Kids4Peace New Hampshire and Vermont regional director, Jeff Mandell. Kids4Peace is a youth movement of more than 1,800 Palestinian, Israeli, and North American members, with a recently formed NH chapter. “But every summer has tension no matter what. Just because you take the kids out of the country doesn’t mean the politics stop.”

The role of Kids4Peace in children’s lives focuses on just that: how to acknowledge the politics, race, religion, history, and gender of a person, without letting those things affect your treatment of him or her. Through peace dialogues and conflict resolution, the organization’s goal is for children to emerge from the six-year program with an understanding of tolerance to bring back to their own communities.

Teaching Tolerance, Learning Peace

Kelley Gage, Bishop Rob Hirshfeld and Hagop Sivzattian

Founded in Jerusalem in 2001, Kids4Peace was created in response to concerns about the future of the area’s children. The program is based on a six-year model with Jewish, Muslim, and Christian children entering the program at age 11 or 12 and continuing through age 18 if they choose. Kids4Peace includes chapters in Jerusalem, Canada, and United States.

The camps are the focal point of the program for many children – with two weeks each summer dedicated to learning about other faiths, developing relationships outside one’s normal circle, resolving conflicts, learning to listen and share peacefully, and of course all the beloved camp mainstays: swimming, crafts, yoga, sports, songs, and campfires. The New England regional camp, which runs August 12-23 at the Barbara Harris Camp and Conference Center in Greenfield, NH, includes children from both New Hampshire and Vermont chapters.

Lebanon resident, Kelley Gage, who is a classroom clinician in The Wilder School’s middle school classroom, and who worked previously at Hanover Street School, is a Christian faith advisor for the local K4P summer camp. Last summer was her first year at the camp, and she was apprehensive about what she could offer this diverse group of children.

“I’m not a political person, and my knowledge of geography is pretty bad, and here’s this program that brought kids from three different religions,” Gage said. “I knew nothing about the Muslim faith and Islam, and very little about the Jewish faith. I was raised Catholic and will be the first to tell you I should’ve been paying more attention in Sunday School. But I know kids and I know teenagers.”

Dick Dutton, who was one of the founders of the NH chapter of K4P, recruited Gage to be a camp advisor, reassuring her that “kids are kids no matter where they come from,” Gage said.

Dutton, the former pastor at the First Baptist Church in New London, NH, became interested in starting a local K4P program after successfully running a similar camp for children from Ireland. He, along with a Catholic priest from New Hampshire, brought 13 kids from Belfast to the U.S. for a 10-day camp with 13 American children to teach religious tolerance. “That was a very healthy experiment,” Dutton said of the camp, which ran for five years.

When Dutton retired from the church, he thought it would be exciting to form a program for Christian and Muslim children, and soon found out about Kids4Peace from Rabbi Robin Nafshi at Temple Beth Jacob in Concord, NH.

Kelley Gage and Dick Dutton

Two years ago, Dutton and Nafshi co-founded the New Hampshire chapter of Kids4Peace, raising the necessary funds from grants, individual donations, churches, mosques, and synagogues. The money raised – about $45,000 – covered the travel expenses of bringing children and staff to the U.S. from Jerusalem, which includes a male-female balance of six Jewish children, six Christians, six Muslims, and several counselors and faith advisors from each religion. The group is matched with an equal number of children and staff from VT and NH chapters. In addition to camp, the children of the program are committed to 3-4 community programs throughout the year, such as working with Habitat for Humanity or assisting people in poverty, Dutton said.

The focus of the New Hampshire camp is conflict resolution, learning to respect another’s background, and working through issues that might separate one another, said Dutton.

“[The children] are able to talk and feel and bring themselves to a place where they’re not only accepting of each other, but celebrating each other’s faiths and cultures,” Dutton explained.

During camp, the children visit each other’s places of worship, – a mosque, a synagogue, and a church – which can be a rather moving experience, according to Gage. She recalled being with the children in St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Concord, NH.

Christian, Jewish and Muslim Faith Advisors

“To be in that church, standing beside Muslims and Jews…,” Gage said, her voice trailing off in remembrance. “The kids all went up as a group to sing a song, and to see them in front of the altar singing to the congregation… a lot of people were crying; it was very powerful.”

The singing was followed by a question-and-answer period translated into both Arabic and Hebrew, where, Gage said, the work of the previous week – learning to dialogue peacefully, breaking down stereotypes, questioning and listening – came to life.

As a faith advisor, Gage’s role is to head peace dialogue groups, help campers maintain their journals, answer questions, and check in on a day-to-day basis on their feelings and basic needs. Trained camp counselors are there to offer similar support but on a more intimate level as they spend most of each day right there with the children. Gage was quick to admit the campers are not the only ones learning during the two-week program.

“I always thought I was a tolerant person; you think you’re a kind, forgiving person,” she said, “but I’d never been tested on tolerance. In New Hampshire, I’ve never really been tested on my beliefs. Kids from Jerusalem live a whole different life than we do.”

Gage explained that before camp began last year, staff watched a TED Talk on tolerance. “I realized I was not the person I thought I was,” she said. “Until you have to flex that muscle, you don’t really know.”

A poignant moment for Gage was when she sat with a young camper in the hospital. The girl, Khadija, was receiving care for an injured wrist. From Palestine, Khadija told Gage about how, just the month before, her brother could not go to work because the burned body of the 16-year-old Muslim killed by the Israelis was found near his place of employment.

“Her family was so close to this chaos and this war, and to hear her talk about that – this little 12-year-old girl with curly hair and a little splint – talking about finding a burned body.”

New Friends, New Community

Bunk mates

Dutton said part of the excitement for campers – as at any other camp – is simply that kids are getting to meet other kids. “They make friends, they fall in love, they get to see something different,” he said.

But at Kids4Peace camps, Dutton said he hears children say, “I’ve never known” or “I want to know more about that person’s experience.”

“There is a sense of community. We’re overcoming stereotypes and misconceptions – there are lots of those,” Dutton explained.

With camp comes a two-fold mission. One is that the children continue to work on community and peace-based projects throughout the year. The second part is that the children will go home and talk to their peers, parents, and their parents’ friends, said Dutton.

Moving from camp to the world beyond can be daunting, but Kids4Peace works on building the bridge between the two.

“Part of the exercises they do each morning includes addressing resistance,” Dutton said. “How do you overcome that? You don’t just say ‘you’re wrong.’ You build relationships and out of that comes trust. From there they can share what they know.”

Mandell, who attends the camp as regional director, said the tension that exists along religious lines tends to manifest in different activities, for example, soccer.

“They may get into an argument that’s not really about soccer,” Mandell said. “So what we do in those situations is teach conflict resolution skills used on the playing field that they can take home and use when they’re learning to talk about bigger issues.”

Camp, Mandell added, is “not all roses, but it is in some ways a haven in the sense that we provide a great, safe environment.”

Beyond what the campers experience, Mandell said he has noticed profound moments happening among the staff, who are a mix of Muslim, Christian, and Jewish.

“Observing the support that they give each other is revealing of the challenging work of being a peace worker in such a violent and tense time and place,” Mandell explained. “Joining Kids4Peace can often mean being excommunicated from your own community. Kids4Peace has created a new community where non-violence and hope can be fostered.”

The children benefit from this “new community” as well, he said.

“Everything can be going well during the camp, but as soon as they return to Jerusalem, they face the same weighing culture from before. Their [Kids4Peace] community provides a place to share and be accepted…”

For more information, go to www.k4p.org.

ANSYS, Inc. has participated every year since 1999. Host Chris Wolf says, “I like having kids here to learn about engineering, and I take every chance I have to get them excited about a future in technology… It’s fun to host young people and to educate them about all the things engineers can do.”

What do you want to be when you grow up?“ How would you have answered that question when you were 6 years old? Or 13 years old? Or 26? Are you still looking for the answer? Most elementary students will reply with roles they have seen in their community: teacher, doctor, truck driver. Or, they will think of professions they have seen glamorized on television: athlete, detective, performer. The US Department of Labor classifies workers into 840 detailed occupations! (www.bls.gov/soc/) Our youth need exposure to possibilities in order to understand the importance of school subjects and how they relate to the world of work. By the time students are finishing middle school and selecting courses for high school and beyond, this exposure is critical to making informed decisions about the huge array of career opportunities that await. A recent report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics revealed that on average Americans change jobs over 11 times between ages 18 to 48. (www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/nlsoy.pdf)

Career planning is a life-long endeavor and the first step is to research options. That’s where the Upper Valley Business and Education Partnership (UVBEP) has been playing a role for Lebanon students for over 15 years.

wo aspiring chefs had an opportunity to shadow Chef Eli at The Co-op Food Stores Culinary Learning Center. They helped prep the teaching kitchen for a demonstration, attended the demonstration, learned about various culinary programs, helped clean-up after class, and toured the store.

Each Spring, 8th graders go out into the community for Job Shadow Day (JSD). Workplace hosts plan hands-on activities, facility tours and demonstrations to show students what it takes to be successful in their career field. UVBEP provides supporting information, such as job shadowing guidelines, suggested activities, agendas, ice breakers and conversation starters as well as follow up reflection and evaluation forms.
Over the years, sixteen classes of Lebanon 8th graders totaling more than 2,450 students have shadowed at 240+ Upper Valley businesses. The process begins with students completing a Job Shadow survey, which helps them think about what kinds of activities they enjoy and are good at. In addition to asking students what careers they might be considering, the survey encourages students to reflect on:

• WHAT do you like to work with (e.g., tools, textiles, electronics, machines, information)
• WHO do you like to work with (e.g., children, adults, people in need, people who challenge you)
• HOW do you like to work (e.g., alone, in groups, leading people, following directions, sitting, moving)
• WHERE do you like to work (e.g., indoors, outdoors, in a quiet space, surrounded by activity).

Students also have the opportunity to share what skills and strengths they have to offer that will help them succeed in the workplace. Our young people are confident and understand themselves well as these sample responses show:

• I’m a decent manga/anime artist, designing clothing and characters, writing short stories. Hard worker when determined and concentrated, creative doodling, creative thinker.
• I’m very good in math and science, good commitment, understand tech
• I’m a hard worker, good with children, good at following directions, I can think outside the box

At Systems Plus Computers, students learned to identify components in a dismantled laptop, and learned about the requirements for various certifications in technician repair.

UVBEP staff spend the early winter months recruiting employers who can introduce students to a career that uses some of the interest areas they indicated. Communicating with school staff, matching students with available hosts, and working within transportation parameters, UVBEP taps into the generous Upper Valley community.

Finally in March, students receive placement information, and this year over 420 students from 11 middle schools ventured out on April 2, 2015. Shadowing students spend the better part of the day in the workplace, arriving around 8:30 am and staying through the early afternoon. Prior to JSD they receive information about the day, expected attire, and an “interview your workplace host” worksheet to complete and bring back to school. Employers are creative about the ways they welcome the visitors: a sandwich board at the entrance to Lake Sunapee Bank reads “Welcome Job Shadow Students;” Upper Valley Veterinary Services posted a welcome message on their Facebook page; and at Great Eastern Radio, students introduce themselves on air. Students tour workplaces, sit in on meetings, and experiment with tools of the trade—as safety allows. Upon return to school, they participate in a reflection activity, complete an evaluation and write thank-you notes to their hosts. Here’s what some students had to say:

What surprised me most was…
• how much (goes) into bookkeeping and finance
• how much work it takes to manage
• the artificial joints and big words
Most interesting to me was…
• getting to make bone cement
• the costume room
• learning to use math skills
• crime scene analysis

Here’s a Job Shadow Day story with a throwback twist: This year, two 8th grade students from Hartland Elementary School spent the day exploring careers in motorcycle service at Mason Racing in Lebanon. Their hosts, Alex and Dan, are Lebanon Junior High School alumni who also participated in UVBEP’s Job Shadow Day over a decade ago!

Hundreds of local workplaces are proud to be a part of this community-building program, and this is played out in the number of hosts who give up their time willingly year after year. Ken Davis at the Co-op Food Stores has hosted for 8 consecutive years, allowing students to experiment with website design (coopnews.coop/invasion-of-the-eighth-graders/). Ken says, “Want to regain your faith in humanity? Your hope for the future? Spend your day with a bright, creative young person on Job Shadow Day. I never let them shadow me. I shadow them. I turn them loose then watch in wonder. Thanks to our amazing pals at UVBEP for pulling it off.”

UVBEP is a nonprofit organization serving 20 schools in the greater Upper Valley region of New Hampshire and Vermont. The Partnership facilitates programs that link schools with local employers, including experiential learning and career planning projects for students and professional development activities for educators. To learn more visit www.uvbep.org or www.facebook.com/uvbep.

The Lebanon Police Department had to say farewell to a pair of dedicated servants who have opted for retirement after a combined 54 years serving and protecting the residents in the City of Lebanon.

Lebanon Police Chief Gary J. Smith officially retired May 1st of this year following 28 years on the force, while Lieutenant Scott M. Rathburn completed his last day on April 17th leaving behind 26 years of service. Both look back proudly at their accomplishments while looking forward to whatever lies ahead.

Chief Smith originally hails from Boston, MA and moved to the Upper Valley back in 1985 when he accepted an open position as a Lebanon Patrolman, but the move had a tentative start.

“I had been working in the Post Office in Boston and oddly enough, a friend of mine was moving to this area to take a job in the Post Office system. I had always been interested in doing police work and he told me about an opening in Lebanon so I applied. However, my wife is a city girl who was not happy with the move so we moved right back. She then realized how much I wanted to do that work and we returned in 1986. That turned out to be the best thing in my life. Living here with the Upper Valley lifestyle was the best thing for my family.” Chief Smith explained.

He leaves with a sense of pride and accomplishment and credits his predecessor, Chief James Alexander, with making his transition to the “top cop” position a smooth one where difficult changes had to be made.

“Jimmy Alexander was my mentor,” Chief Smith noted. “With his help, we were able to turn things around in several areas, especially with turnover problems. The changes in community relations was a huge factor. I feel we really turned things around in those areas.”

Lieutenant Rathburn started his service April 16, 1989 and worked his way through the system. He started as a Patrol Officer, was promoted to Sergeant and Patrol Supervisor before acquiring his Lieutenant’s position. He also served the Detective Division and the Prosecution Division and oversaw The Rape Aggression Defense Program (RAD).

After 26 years wearing the Lebanon logo on his uniform, Lieutenant Rathburn looks back fondly on his service with both pride and emotion in his voice.

“Chief Smith and I are the last ones from the ’80s era. When we started, the Police Department was in the basement of City Hall. There were some good times and I got to work with a lot of wonderful people. That included five different Chiefs and a lot of Town Managers. I am proud to have been a member of this department.”

Both men will remain in the Upper Valley and, while Chief Smith will opt to take some time to relax, Lieutenant Rathburn will be searching for a new career.

“I have taken a lot of courses over the years and would like to acquire a position in the Information Technology (IT) field.”

Both dedicated individuals will be sorely missed, not only by their fellow officers, but also by the Lebanon community as well.

Jason Ouelette from Mason Racing at the Nature Walk trailhead with some of the mountain bikers participating in the Thursday night group ride in the Boston Lot

Few things are as rewarding as a good mountain bike ride. The only thing that could possibly make the experience even better is sharing it with someone else. It’s in that spirit of the shared adventure that local mountain bikers come together a couple of times a week from May through early November as conditions allow.

The rides are low key affairs, organized by local bike shops to spread the joy of riding and give recreational riders a good reason to get in the saddle for a couple of hours. Neither races nor fundraisers, there’s no sign up or fee required and everyone is invited and encouraged to join in.

Every Tuesday at 5PM, a dozen riders carpool from Omer & Bob’s shop in downtown Lebanon to trails in Lebanon, Cornish, Claremont, Newport, or beyond. One of the shop’s team of accomplished riders always leads the ride, and Jonathan Wilmot, who organizes the rides, says they’re intended to encourage people to get out on their bikes and to help riders discover and explore the trails of the Upper Valley with a knowledgeable guide.

Many of the participants are regulars, says Jonathan, others may be visitors from out of town or curious newcomers looking for something new to try. The two-hour ride is at a fairly mellow pace, and nobody will be dropped from the group – but trails are trails, notes Jonathan, and some level of fitness and comfort with riding will be required.

Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6pm, Mason Racing (located on Mechanic Street just west of the Green), hosts group rides in the Boston Lot, starting from the Nature Walk trailhead off Pine Tree Cemetery Road. The 1500+ acres between Rt. 120, Rt. 10 and the interstate comprises land owned by the town of Lebanon and Dartmouth College. After turbulent years with the trails in limbo, the Upper Valley Mountain Bike Association (UVMBA) is now the designated steward of miles of “official” multi-use trails in the B-Lot, as it’s also known.

One beautiful spring evening the trailhead is a buzz of activity with riders busy pulling bikes off racks and donning helmets. Some have come with regular mountain bikes, others with the newer breed of “fat bikes” with massive 4” wide tires. The riders themselves come in all shapes, sizes and abilities, and as one early arrival waits for the rest of the group to get organized, he explains that these group rides are great opportunities to meet other riders of different abilities and to challenge oneself in good company.

John, from Enfield, has stopped by on his way home from work, as he has done consistently since he first discovered the group through a friend a couple of years ago. “The first time, I showed up on an old clunker, and there were all these guys on their fancy bikes. I made it three miles before I had to bail. I went out and got myself a new bike, and I’ve been riding with the group ever since.”

Jason Ouelette from Mason Racing, who organizes the rides and is an avid participant, says that a typical summer ride may have a turnout of 25 riders or more. They’ll usually split into a handful of self-selected groups of riders of similar abilities or ambition, who will then stick together for the evening on the trails. Some may do a leisurely 5-6 miles on the easier stuff, others 15 miles or more on all of the varied terrain that Boston Lot has to offer.

Most groups will ride for a couple of hours, finishing around dark. While some riders have made it a tradition to head to Salt hill Pub to celebrate their accomplishments and the afterglow of a good ride, others are content with the ride itself.

You can certainly ride trails on your own, and many appreciate the solitude. But there’s much to be said for the support and encouragement from a friendly group of peers, and they may show you trails you didn’t know existed, or motivate you to ride more often than you otherwise would.

Students at work building the robot, “Ada,” in the shop at the Hartford Area Career and Technology Center in White River Junction

Assemble a group of high school students in a room with pieces of aluminum, wheels, motors, nuts and bolts, give them strict guidelines and a goal, time constraints, rules and regulations, and stand back! With the help of adult mentors and teachers, after about six weeks, what appears out of a pile of inanimate objects, arises a seemingly “animate” entity – a robot that obeys commands, moves around the room, and completes tasks. But, why? Glad you asked!

There exists a worldwide high-school-age robotics competition called “FIRST Robotics Competition” (FRC). FRC teams compete on local, regional and international levels to see who has the fastest, most robust robot with the most cunning strategies that enable it to accomplish the goals for which it was designed.

Nashua High School’s Gymnasium filled with enthusiastic people for the FRC event.

On the first Saturday in January each year, FIRST releases the rules of the all-new game via a video sent around the world to the nearly 3,000 teams involved in this program. The video reveals how the new playing field is to be set up, what tasks a robot will be performing in order to win the most points, and any other rules. Everyone watches it at the same time (all local times), then, starting all at the same time, and for six weeks and two days following, they build their robots. The students define a problem, choose a design, brainstorm prototypes, and then develop, review, and improve upon their design.

During this six-week process, students learn to safely handle tools, design parts, form sub-teams, solve problems, communicate efficiently and effectively, work with people who might have different views and methods, and figure out how to best build a robot that will work under pressure.

My husband, Jim, and I had seen on WMUR that there was to be a FIRST Robotics Competition at Nashua High School on February 28. We had an inkling of what FIRST was, but seeing that a team of students from Lebanon, Hartford and Hanover High Schools was going to compete, had us in the car heading south to learn first-hand what it was all about.

Grayson Daly working on “Ada, Duchess of Lovelace.” Grayson is wearing a Tiara, typical of what a Duchess would wear.

Our local team, The Grasshoppers (#95), first competed in 1997, and is now sponsored by CRREL, HACTC IMW, BAE Systems, The Byrne Foundation, and Lebanon High School, among many others. Their robot is named “Ada Lovelace” (Google the name to discover the connection), and was designed specifically to play in the 2015 FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) game, “Recycle Rush.”

We found it to be a lot like a high school athletic event where teams compete in games of skill – except in robotics where the game changes every year. This was a competition of the “minds”, but we soon found that hearts and technical skills were also involved.

In Nashua, a huge room just off of the gym, nicknamed “The Pits,” was divided into spaces in which each competing team could work on its robot if needed. This area was abuzz with hyperactivity before the competition, as each team made sure its robot was functioning well.

The large gym was filled to overflowing with high-spirited teams, their support people, and spectators, all sitting together in blocks on the bleachers, cheering loudly and supportively for all of the competing teams. The floor of the gym was set up as a large space surrounded by clear polycarbonate walls containing the area in which the competition was held, and behind which the students were actively controlling their robots.

The three teams making up the winning alliance from Nashua. Teams 1519 and 1307 were The Grasshoppers partners. The Drive Team for Team 95 consisted of the four in the middle and are Grayson Daly, Max Porter, Sawyer Blais, and James Cole-Henry, the coach.

There were team costumes and colors, team shirts and logos, team banners and flags, and music, to which everyone sang loudly and with feeling! But what was truly eye-opening was the spirit! When various teams marched into the gym and made their way around the floor to their assigned areas – six teams at a time – everyone cheered loudly for each other.

They cheered for a team when something good happened and groaned aloud when something went wrong. There was absolute lack of aggression or poor attitudes, and an abundance of kindness and politeness. We met some of them first-hand, and were over-the-top impressed with their sincere desire to work together in support and friendship.

One of kids wore a tee-shirt proclaiming “We, not me!”

Each robot is skillfully manipulated by two team members using joysticks connected to a laptop that communicates with the robot through WiFi – during the times when the robot is not driving “on its own!” The robot is on wheels, has arms, a compartment that stores gathered items, and can wheel and spin and dodge and go slow or fast. The goal was to pick up and stack four plastic totes, put a green plastic trash can on top of those, and feed a “noodle” into the hole on top of the trash can, all done by the robots. Repeat this process as many times as you can within a time limit.

Coach Cole-Henry explains what is about to happen when Ada is unveiled and work is to begin to get her ready for the next competition.

After watching for just a while, these “bots” seemed to take on their own personalities: stubborn, contemplative, ferocious, fearless, precise, etc. We found ourselves soon becoming very involved in the process and were screaming along with everyone else with joy and excitement at these amazingly skilled kids and precisely built and guided robots.

Team 95 competed, kept winning each round, and came in first at this competition. At the end of their regular season they ranked 14th out of 175 teams in all of New England as winners of one event, semi-finalists in another, and winners of an Engineering Excellence award, sponsored by Delphi.

FIRST and FRC came about because of the foresight, generosity and belief of one unique man – Dean Kamen – an inventor, entrepreneur, and New Hampshire man. FIRST means: For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology. Its mission is “to inspire young people to be science and technology leaders by engaging them in exciting mentor-based programs that build science, engineering and technology skills, that inspire innovation and that foster well-rounded life capabilities including self-confidence, communication, and leadership (from the FIRST website).

“FIRST is more than robots. The robots are a vehicle for students to learn important life skills,” said Dean Kamen, president of DEKA Research & Development and FIRST Founder in 1989. “Kids often come in not knowing what to expect – of the program or of themselves. They leave, even after the first season, with a vision, with confidence, and with a sense that they can create their own future.”

So, what kinds of kids are attracted to the “FIRST” programs? They are a variety of ages (starting at age 6 through 18), both boys and girls, who have an interest in science and technology and who benefit from working with other students in their own schools and other schools in their area. They soon find their own talents and make friends with those having similar interest. They also find that they fit in well and have success where they are allowed to be themselves and have the support of their peers as well as mentors and teachers.

Now, take a big step back to 2004, when Rotary District 7850 held its Annual Conference at Lake Morey Resort, and I was there. One of the most interesting events of the weekend was the demonstration of a robot by members of The Grasshoppers. This robot could pick up a large beach ball and toss it with accuracy into the box on the floor. In the “small world department,” during the writing of this article, I learned that one of the two students demonstrating the robot at that Lake Morey event was James Cole-Henry, now the head coach of The Grasshoppers! He graduated from Hartford High in 2005. Another student was Andrew Alvarenga of Hanover High School. James and Andy are presently coaches of The Grasshoppers. James and his wife Ashley are mentors who work many hours with the team.

To learn more about this exciting, unique and important program, please visit www.usfirst.org. To see what the local team, The Grashoppers, is doing, visit www.frcteam95.org. I assure you, it will be the beginning of an amazing experience. They are always looking for more students and mentors, technical and non-technical, to join them. If you are at all interested, please inquire!

To transform our culture by creating a world where science and technology are celebrated and where young people dream of becoming science and technology leaders.