About the Calendar Links Calendar Home Bulletin Board

  

 


This online edition brought to you by Katy's Recreational Piano Studio


REPORT FROM THE SELECTMEN’S OFFICE
Town and School elections will be held on Tuesday, March 9, 2010. The polls will be open from 8:00 A.M. to 7:00 P.M. at the Strafford Town Hall for voting purposes. Article 1, to choose the necessary officers, will be voted on at this time. Articles 2 through 16 will be presented for consideration at 8:30 A.M. on Saturday, March 13, 2010, at the New Hampshire Army National Guard Training Center. MORE...
ATTENTION HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS
The Strafford Women’s Club is offering two $750 college scholarships to full-time, graduating high school seniors who are residents of Strafford. Scholarship application Forms are available now at Coe-Brown’s Guidance Department or mailed upon request by calling Lucinda Kerivan at 664-9200. Deadline for submission of applications is April 30.
STRAFFORD RECREATIONAL SPORTS COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS
Strafford Recreational Sports is offering two $500 scholarships for a male and a female student from Strafford pursuing college in the Fall of 2010. Applicants must have participated in Strafford Recreational Sports. See www.straffordrec.org to download an application form. Applications are due by April 1, 2010, mailed to Strafford Recreational Sports, P.O. Box 261, Strafford, NH 03884.
SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITY
The Strafford Garden Club is offering two $500.00 scholarships to college-bound high school seniors or students already enrolled in a college or technical school or graduate school. Students will need a 3.0 grade-point average to be eligible. These scholarships are offered to students who live in Strafford and Northwood or are relatives of Strafford Garden Club members. Any student may apply, but those enrolled in—or planning to major in—courses relating to plants, ecology, environment, or agricultural studies, etc., will be given preference. Applications are available at the Coe-Brown office or by calling Mary Lou Lambert at 664-9503. You can get an e-mailed application form from carolyn_page@hotmail.com. Former winners may reapply. The deadline for application is March 15.

BOW LAKE 5K RUN
On Sunday, May 2, 2010 there will be a 5K Road Race to benefit the Strafford Recreational Sports program. The race is on a certified course beginning at the Grange Hall and will begin at 9:00 AM. There will be cash prizes for first and second place runners overall, Male and Female. There will also be a Walker’s category. Pre-register by April 24, 2010 for a fee of $15.00, or on race day for a fee of $20.00. The first one hundred people to register will receive a free T- shirt. To register visit: www.straffordrec.org.

SCHOOL BOARD NOTES
Please visit the Strafford School Website at www.strafford.k12.nh.us and click on “School Building Committee” to learn more about the proposed building project, including the following items:
 Warrant Articles
 Bond Payment Schedule
 Tax Impact Document
 Building Project PowerPoint Presentation
 Air Quality Test Results
 Proposed “Infill Project” Floor Plan
 Mechanical Systems Diagram
The desire of the Strafford School Board and Strafford Building Committee is to present as much information concerning the proposed building project as possible. We would like our community members to attend our annual School District Meeting on March 10, 2010, prepared to make informed decisions concerning the state of our school. We appreciate your continued support of our Strafford School students.

SCHOOL ADMINISTRATIVE UNIT #44

Strafford School District, Strafford, NH 03884

* School District Meeting *

Wednesday - March 10, 2010 * 7:00 PM

Coe-Brown Northwood Academy, Gerrish Gym

907 First NH Turnpike, Northwood, NH 03261

Snow Date: Thursday, March 11, 2010

OPEN POSITIONS ON TOWN BOARDS AND COMMITTEES
The following positions are open for reappointment this year:

  Conservation Commission: 2 members

  Planning Board: 1 member

  Zoning/Board of Adjustment: 2 members

The Board of Selectmen encourages all residents to take an active role in their community. If you are interested in any of the above positions please contact the Selectmen’s Office for consideration via mail: PO Box 23, Center Strafford, NH, 03815, email: admstraff@strafford.k12.nh.us, or phone (603) 664-2192, x101.

SRS TRACK AND FIELD REGISTRATIONS
The SRS Track and Field Program is currently taking registrations for the 2010 track season. The registration form is available online at www.straffordrec.org, Isinglass Country Store, Sheilah’s Deli & Market (formerly The Blue Loon), and the Strafford School. MORE...

GOOD NEWS CLUB
Children ages 5 -12 are invited to join us for a funfilled time after school. Meeting at the Strafford Elementary School on Fridays from 3:30p.m.–5:00p.m. starting March 12th and going until April Vacation. By teaching biblical principles, moral values, character qualities and respect for authority we hope to help equip children to make healthy, smart choices that will affect the rest of life. Sponsored by New Hope Church in Northwood. For more information contact Terri Marsh at 664-4044 or dthsmarsh@metrocast.net.

TEEN CHALLENGE
Teen Challenge New England provides youth, adults and families with an effective and comprehensive Christian faith-based solution to drug, alcohol and other life-controlling problems in order to become productive members of society. By applying Biblical principles, Teen Challenge endeavors to help people become mentally sound, emotionally balanced, socially adjusted, physically well and spiritually alive.

A number of graduates from Teen Challenge have said that the key to their success was developing a personal relationship with God and putting into practice all that they had learned while in the program.

Teen Challenge will be speaking to the Jr. and Sr. High Sunday School Classes on March 14 at 9:00 a.m. and then they will be ministering during the worship service at 10:00 a.m. Please invite others to join you for these two important services. For more information contact Pastor Muzzey at 664-7750.

STRAFFORD SWAMP STOMPERS
OK Folks, time to start wearing the pajamas inside out and wishing for snow! What ever happened to our New England winter? We are still hopeful that Mother Nature will provide us with some riding weather. We may be without the fluffy white stuff now, but the club has continued to work on various projects. We are grateful to the Conservation Commission for the acquisition of the Evans Mountain property. We hope to continue to work with them to preserve the trails and beauty of this area. MORE...

PANCAKE BREAKFAST TO BENEFIT FIRE STATION and EAGLE SCOUT PROJECT
Come support the Eagle Scout Project of James Hayden, which is to build a Smokey Bear fire danger sign and flagpole for the Strafford Fire and Rescue Department. A Pancake Breakfast fundraiser will be held on Saturday, March 27th from 8am – 11am. at the Third Baptist Church (junction of Routes 126 & 202A). Donations will be gratefully accepted.

STRAFFORD GARDEN CLUB DAY GROUP
Not much is happening in the garden these days. But to help you gardeners start to come out of your dormant state, this would be a good time to re-pot those root-bound house plants. If you don‘t have any defrosted soil handy, you could pick up some store-bought stuff. It‘s also a good time to do some pinching back of those straggly stems on your indoor plants.

For those of you who haven‘t ordered your seeds yet, it‘s time to be checking out those catalogs that came a few months ago. By ordering now you can avoid the disappointment of finding that the stores do not have the exact variety (especially heirlooms) that you want.

The hardy members of the day group went to the Dover Margaritas in February and enjoyed a nice meal and some friendly chat. We will be going to the Common Man in Portsmouth on Tuesday, March 9. Meet at the Bow Lake Grange Hall parking lot at 11:30. Please call Debbie Shaver at 664-5951 or e-mail her at dsbowlake@aol.com by March 5 if you plan to attend.

Don‘t forget about the Garden Club Scholarship. See the article elsewhere in this newsletter.

EVENING GARDEN CLUB
We are happy to announce the March 8th meeting of the evening division of the Stafford Garden Club will be a talk by and with Lauren Chase-Rowell. She will be presenting on permaculture and simple and sustainable gardening and living practices. (Permaculture is an approach to designing human settlements and agricultural systems that mimic the relationships found in natural ecologies.) Many of you have already met Lauren since she has spoken in the past to both the day and evening groups. If you haven‘t heard her before you certainly are in for a treat. She is an amazing person and an inspiration to anyone who cares about the earth.

The meeting will be held at the Hill Library Starting at 6:30 on Monday March 8, 2010. All are welcome, day and evening members and friends and neighbors.

TOWN DEMOCRATS HOST IRISH DINNER AND MUSIC
Happening this month! Come enjoy the third annual St. Patrick’s Day dinner and foot-stompin’ live Irish music by Strafford’s own guitar and fiddle duo “Mike & Mike” at the Bow Lake Grange Hall on Saturday, March 6, at 6:00 p.m. The event is a fundraiser for the Town of Strafford Democratic Committee during this important election year. Tickets are $15 per person or two for $25. Advance ticket purchases are recommended. For tickets, call Bob Perry at 603-269-4651 or talk to any committee member.

This festive evening includes a full traditional Irish boiled dinner of corned beef and cabbage, carrots, potatoes and homemade Irish soda bread, topped off with Watergate cake, coffee and tea. Vegetarian option of lentil loaf and colcannon also available. BYOB. Soft drinks and set-ups available. PLUS enjoy a lively musical show by “Mike & Mike” – guitarist Mike Morris and fiddler Heather Mike draw from a wide range of influences, from Celtic and Cape Breton fiddle tunes to percussive blues and modern acoustic guitar styles. Round out the evening with raffles, prizes, special guests and an inspiring tip of the hat to famous Irish Democrats.

Visit the Strafford Town Democrats at their regular monthly meeting on Tuesday, March 2, at 7 p.m. at the Hill Library in Strafford, or online at www.strafforddems.org.

COMMUNITY KITCHEN ANNIVERSARY
March 17th won’t be a celebration just for the Irish this year. It will be the first anniversary of the Community Kitchen at the Third Baptist church. I would like to thank— again—all of the great people who are so committed to volunteering their time and efforts to make all this possible. We will enter another year with the hopes of as much success, at least, as 2009. The Kitchen is open to all for good food and wonderful fellowship each Wednesday evening.

STRAFFORD WOMEN’S CLUB NEWS
Daylight lengthens, snow banks begin their retreat, and hints of spring appear with the promise of rebirth and renewal. As we gather on March 22 at NOON in the Idlepines Room of the Bow Lake Church for the annual POT LUCK lunch and meeting, we emerge from a two month hiatus, ready to address the business and programs for the ensuing year. Come! Old members, new members, those we haven‘t seen for a while, and anyone interested in attending a Club meeting, we want to see you! So, remember your dish to share, set-ups, optional FOOD PANTRY ITEMS and fresh program and fund raising ideas. Need a ride? Questions? Call Jane at 664-9202.

T.O.P.S. OPEN HOUSE
Here it is almost three months after that New Year’s weight loss resolution. In the famous words of Dr. Phil, “How’s that goin’ for you?” If, like so many of us, that resolution has gotten bogged down in the cold weather need for comfort food, how about reaching out for a little help and support to get rededicated to a new healthier you? Your Strafford Take Off Pounds Sensibly (T.O.P.S.) chapter invites everyone to an Open House on Tuesday, March 23rd, from 6:15 to 7:30 at the Police Station lower level meeting room. It will be a no pressure, no fee chance for you to learn about the T.O.P.S. strategies that help keep one on track toward a weight loss goal. We’ll talk about the friendship, encouragement, fun contests, and weekly programs that make the journey to a healthy weight much easier than going it alone. Men, women, and teens are all invited. Come check it out!

STRAFFORD FIRE & RESCUE
by Lt. Tod C. Rix

The members of Strafford Fire & Rescue continue to focus on training in 2010. Some citizens may have seen personnel participating in ice rescue training on Bow Lake in mid-January, an essential skill that we practice every winter. While luckily we have had no major incidents regarding ice rescue recently, it’s one of many skills members are required to master. MORE...
CONSERVATION NOTES
Conservation efforts in town are in high gear this spring on two main fronts, and we need town input to turn these efforts into reality.
As you have probably heard, in late January, a conservation collaborative of Bear-Paw Regional Greenways, The Town of Strafford, and the Blue Hills Trust signed the papers, paid the money, and became owners of the 1015-acre Evans Mountain tract. We have protected forever our view of the forested mountainside, the varied wildlife habitats on the mountain, and our rights to public access including hunting and snowmobile passage on the traditional trail across the property.   MORE...

BLACK GUM CO-CHAMP
A newly measured black gum (tupelo) has just inched its way to the position of the largest in town, but not by much. This new tree nominated by Bob McLellan will have to share the title of Strafford County Co-champion with the black gum across the street. Measuring 84 inches in circumference at breast height, it is three inches larger, but a foot shorter then the tree that was measured in 2007. The average crown spread is also larger than the other tree owing to a lot of vigorous growth at the top. The new champ is owned by Lissa D’Anjou of Roller Coaster Road but lives deep in the woods behind her house. Carolyn Page and Cal Schroeder measured the tree with Bob.

If you have some big trees you think might be champs, give us a call. We have only one pine on our list and this is a great time of year for finding and measuring conifers, so keep your eyes open. Call 664-2934 or email carolyn_page@hotmail.com.

BOW LAKE COMMUNITY CLUB
Let’s March into Spring! The Lakeside Players will be marching into Chadbourn’s Restaurant in Northwood with their first production of the year, Dealt a Deadly Hand – Murder at Poconos Casino, March 12th, 13th, 19th and 20th at 7:00 p.m., with a Sunday matinee at 3:00 p.m. The mystery dinner show spoofing “Casablanca” and winning the big jackpot will sure to delight everyone. Tickets are $25.00 per person for this amazing presentation; please call Chadbourn’s Restaurant for reservations and menu selections. MORE...

LIBRARY LINES
Preschool and early readers, come on out for Story Hour every first and third Thursday at 2pm. Preschool through early elementary age children are welcome to “Read Across America” in a combination literature/geography class at 2pm every second and fourth Thursday. MORE...
Click here for News from the Town Clerk

 


© 2010 Strafford Community Calendar