Bow News : community

Help the community this holiday season

Goffstown Editor — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 21:31:00 GMT

The Baker Free Library in Bow encourages everyone to help the community through one or more of the following special opportunities this holiday season:

• In order to help the New Hampshire Food Bank meet the needs of families across New Hampshire, the Baker Free Library will hold a food drive during the week of Dec. 8 to 13. Patrons may bring in any nonperishable food items or household items and leave them in the plastic totes by the entrance doors. Urgently needed items include canned tuna, chicken, stews, soups and pasta; peanut butter; canned fruits and vegetables; and cereals.

• Make a tax-deductible donation to the library before the end of 2008. The library seeks donations of patron-requested new DVDs, CD audiobooks and print books for the library’s collections. The library’s needs are listed on the library’s amazon. com wish list, which can be accessed directly through the library’s Web site at www.bow bakerfreelibrary.org. Donors can either purchase the items directly through our Amazon wish list, or can make a monetary donation specified for certain materials. Any individual or family who donates money or materials to the library will be recognized on the giving tree during the month of December.

• Complete your holiday gift shopping at the library. Bow Barn calendars ($15) and town of Bow books ($19.99) produced by the Bow Historic Commission are for sale at the circulation desk. Bow Rotary’s throw featuring important sites within the town is available in two colors (navy or cranberry) for $60.

• Remember that the library can help families and individuals during these tough economic times. Besides books, there are DVDs, music CDs and CD audiobooks available for loan. The four Internet stations and WiFi service allows access to e-mail and other communication networks – for free. And if you don’t find the book you are looking for, check out the inter-library loan network with hundreds of other libraries in New Hampshire, allowing you to find those hard-to-find books.

The library also has fax, copying, and print services for a small fee. For more information, visit www.bowbakerfreelibrary.org or call 224-7113.

Bow and Hopkinton residents joined Goffstown Gallop

Bow Editor — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 20:03:00 GMT

BY RYAN O’CONNOR

Bow’s Margaret Burns and Pembroke’s Joanne Welch have been running mates for eight years.

They’re currently preparing for a half marathon in Quebec in August.

The 29th annual Goffstown Gallop provided them an opportunity to participate in a competitive run – without the headaches of a typical road race.

“It’s more of a community event,” said Burns of the event, which took place Saturday, June 28. “It’s kind of competitive, and if you want to go for a run, it’s better to do it with other people rather than by yourself.”

“It’s a good training run,” said Welch. “It’s a nice distance for a Saturday morning. It’s a good tempo run.”

Like Burns and Welch, dozens of runners traveled from all over New Hampshire and even other states to participate in the Gallop.

“It’s a family event. A lot of people that come here come year after year after year,” said Dave French, the Goffstown Parks and Recreation director who organizes the Gallop each year. “That’s a testimony to the atmosphere of the race. It’s an old-fashioned race. We don’t do computer chips, we hand out tongue depressors (at the finish line). We’re one of the oldest races in New Hampshire ... More than anything else, it’s a tradition.”

Count Bedford’s Barth Getto as one participant happy to get away from modern competition for a day.

The 46-year-old regularly competes in triathlons, but he was convinced by friends to run the Gallop.

“(The Gallop) is kind of laid back. It’s not as crazy as some of the big races,” said Getto, who finished 55th among more than 170 runners. “It was definitely more fun. When you do these triathlons, people are crazy. You know, they come with $5,000 bikes and these pointed helmets. This is more of a social thing ... It’s all about heart.”

No one traveled farther to participate than French’s daughter, Heather.

The 24-year-old, who served as the race’s starter from childhood through high school, returned from her home in Florida to run the race for the first time.

“My dad is getting close to retirement, and I just wanted to run it for him because who knows when his last Goffstown Gallop will be,” she said, adding that training in Florida is much different than running in New Hampshire.

“I was training in 95-degree weather and 100-percent humidity,” she added. “I’m not used to running with all the hills, but it was a really gratifying feeling when I crossed the finish line.”

Another Floridian, Dean Riley, a former Goffstown and Bedford resident, also returned to run the race.

“He ran the race before, and knows it’s the same weekend every year,” said the elder French. “I really appreciate the runners coming back each year. I really do.”

Beloved pug finds his way to family in a roundabout way

Bow Editor — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 13:54:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

The odds were certainly stacked against Wilbur.

The 8-month-old 5-pound pug could have gone from house pet to dinner, but thanks to the help of a community member, Wilbur returned to the Clark home after four days and four nights in the woods of Bow.

On Tuesday, Oct. 9, Wilbur, his owner Susan Clark and one of Clark’s friends were hiking through Nottingcook Forest, when something startled the animal and he took off running through the woods.

For hours, the two searched through the woods looking for the dog, followed by another two and a half hours that night in the pouring rain. But, there was no sign of Wilbur.

After spending the following day making and posting fliers, the family received a great response from the community, she said.

“Many people noticed the fliers and called to say they were going hiking and would look for him. There was a huge response from people in town. My husband and I had to go away Thursday morning, so I had to leave this whole mess undone,” said Clark.

While Clark was away, she left her children at a friend’s home on the other side of town on Woodhill Hooksett Road.

Enter George Reed.

Reed, a resident of the road, was driving along in his black pickup truck when he saw a small pug walking by itself. He stopped and picked it up to try and locate the dog’s owner.

About 100 yards away, Clark’s son, Ryan, was out in the driveway of his friend’s house playing. When Reed approached the home to ask if anyone was missing a pug, Ryan immediately

yelled Wilbur’s name.

Clark said she is amazed by the coincidence.

“It’s so surreal that we lost him, and that he would be found and driven to the house the kids were staying. It was incredible,” she said. “First of all it’s incredible that a 5-month 8-pound puppy could be in the woods for that long and not be eaten by something. To think that he made it out on his own, got to the road and stayed there. That’s amazing.”

Reed said he didn’t think twice about scooping up Wilbur, who was the runt of his litter.

“It was a very natural thing to do. I saw him walking along, and I didn’t think that was right, so I picked him up,” said Reed. “It must have been some sort of divine intervention. It was very nice to see how happy the family was to get the dog back.”

After getting his dog back, Ryan called his mother to tell her the news.

“I couldn’t even believe it,” said Clark. “He called on my cell phone screaming. It took me two minutes to get him calmed down to tell me what had happened.”

The Clark family met up with Reed to thank him for his kind deed and also invited friends who helped search to dinner to thank them.

Reed was happy to meet the family whose dog he returned. “They are a very sweet family,” he said. “It’s a sweet family story for you.”

(Editor’s Note: Susan Clark of Bow has no relation to The Bow Times News Editor Susan Clark.)

Family Fun Day fundraiser set for March 10

Bow Editor — Thu, 08 Mar 2007 01:17:00 GMT

The 15th annual Family Fun Day scholarship fundraiser will take place Saturday, March 10, at the Bow Community Building, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Activities will include games with prizes (with a separate area for young children), face painting, sand art, a coloring contest, a silent auction and make your own sundae. A meal deal lunch, consisting of a hot dog or peanut butter and jelly sandwich, chips and drink will be available.

Beginning at 5 p.m., dinner includes spaghetti with or without meatballs, salad, bread, drink and dessert will be served. The cost will be $2.50 for children, $3.50 for seniors and $5 for adults.

A live auction of goods and services donated by local businesses and individuals will begin at 6:30 p.m. Donated items include children’s birthday parties, gift certificates to local stores and restaurants, and more.

All proceeds will benefit the Joyful Noise Preschool scholarship fund and the Joyful Noise
Learning Center emergency fund.

For more information, call 228-1832.

Resident input requested on town disaster plan

Bow Editor — Wed, 21 Feb 2007 19:56:00 GMT

BY RYAN O’CONNOR

The Bow Hazard Mitigation Plan, initiated in 2006, will soon be presented to residents.

A public information meeting is tentatively scheduled for 6 p.m., Tuesday, March 20.

“The purpose of the meeting is to explain the general purpose of plan, which is to identify potential hazards and dangers that could occur, and try to mitigate it before it happens,” said Town Manager James Pitts.

A hired consultant, Stephanie Alexander of the Central New Hampshire Regional Planning Commission, will present and summarize the plan to those who attend the meeting, which will be hosted by selectmen.

Pitts said town officals are seeking public input, which will considered.

The committee in charge of formulating the plan includes Selectman Jack Crisp, heritage commission representatives Janet Shaw and *** Stevens, fire Lt. Tom Ferguson and Police Chief Jeff Jaran, among others.

The group has met several times over the past year to create and adjust a comprehensive plan that includes anything from a plane crash or terrorist attack, to weather-related issues such as major floods or blizzards.

The plan was originally set to be presented to the public in January, but scheduling conflicts with town officials and a hired consultant pushed the meeting to March, said Pitts.

FEMA requires a hazard mitigation plan be in place in the event of an emergency.

Once completed, the plan will be posted on the town’s Web site, www.bow-nh.com.

Booster club dance at Bow Community Center

Bow Editor — Thu, 15 Feb 2007 15:08:00 GMT

The Bow Falcon Booster Club will host an Outback dinner/dance and raffle on Friday, March 30, from 6:30 to 11 p.m., at the Bow Community Center. Dinner will be provided by the Outback Steakhouse of Concord, followed by dancing to the music of the Beaver Brook Band. There will be a cash bar serving beer, wine and soft drinks.

Tickets are $45 per person and include a chance to win $1,000. Only 180 tickets will be sold. Tickets can be purchased by calling Linda Bucknam at 228-1625, Jack Crisp at 229-1639 or Mike Audley at 224-2422.