Concord News : Kids & Family

Snowflake Ball - YMCA raises $30,000 for Kids Campaign

Bow Editor — Thu, 21 Dec 2006 18:14:00 GMT

On Saturday, Dec. 9, the Concord Family YMCA hosted its 18th annual Snowflake Ball. About 250 people attended this year’s ball, which raised close to $30,000 for the Kids Campaign. Posters of some of the families that are assisted by the annual Kids Campaign were displayed along the walls leading to the Concord YMCA Grand Ballroom.

“The YMCA has been my coparent for the last several years,” said a single mother of three. “I feel blessed that I found the Y. Not just for the financial help they offer, but because they truly care about people. Thank you.”

The Snowflake Ball is created and run by a team of volunteers from the community. Committee members include Ann LaForce, Jennifer Devanny, Kate Russo and Eileen Moore. Planning for this event began in August. The Ball was underwritten by Citizens Bank, and more than 35 other companies financially supported the event.

The annual Snowflake Ball has greater significance than just another fundraiser; it is a genuine commitment by the dedicated staff and volunteers of the Concord Family YMCA and its board of directors to the children, teens, adults and older adults of the greater Concord community.

Mike Norklun, executive director of the Concord YMCA, said, “I’m excited about the success of this event. Everything we do benefits families in our community. This event is the first fundraiser of the campaign, and I’m looking forward to the support and volunteerism that we have to make this year’s campaign successful.”

The mission of the Concord Family YMCA is to serve the entire community. The goal is to provide services for individuals and families who wish to participate in the activities and programs of the YCMA, regardless of their ability to pay. Last year, the YMCA helped more than 250 families, giving more than $160,000 in financial assistance for child care, youth sports, fitness programs, day camps and general memberships.

Have some spooky fun at the Halloween Howl

Bow Editor — Wed, 25 Oct 2006 18:57:00 GMT

By Ryan O'Connor
Staff Writer

Celebrate Halloween with trick-or-treating, horse-drawn wagon rides, a costume parade and more at Main Street Concord’s Halloween Howl on Friday, Oct. 27, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

According to Jennifer Michaels, offi ce manager at Main Street Concord, the event is in its 15th year. Though businesses may not be open downtown, store employees will stand outside to hand out candy.

“The sidewalks are packed with kids and their parents,” Michaels said. “It’s really fun. The kids are in costume and they’re adorable.”

Main Street Concord will also sponsor horse-drawn wagon rides, which will begin and end at the corner of Capitol and North Main streets. The cost will be $2 per person.

Besides trick-or-treating and wagon rides, there will also be a costume parade, sponsored by Concord Recreation. Line-up begins at 6 p.m., and the parade will begin at 6:15 p.m., weaving through the State House lawn.

According to David Gill, Concord Recreation supervisor, several hundred children participate in the parade.

“Typically, we’ve wound around the State House, and there are still people just starting,” he said.

“It’s the parade that runs into itself,” added Michaels, laughing.

At the end of the parade, participants will line up on the State House stairs for a group photo.

During the event, the Concord Cooperative Market will sell hot chocolate, coff ee and apples; and Pitchfork Records and Stereo will sponsor an outreach for the homeless, seeking donations of personal care items, warm clothes and canned foods.

The Concord YMCA will host a haunted house in the gym from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. This event is not recommended for younger-than-school-age children.

“It’s definitely one of the community feel-good events Main Street does,” Michaels said.

For more information, contact the Main Street Concord office at 603-226-2150.

All dressed up: Look-alike contest promotes American Girl fashion show

Bow Editor — Thu, 05 Oct 2006 17:05:00 GMT

By Ryan O’Connor
Staff Writer

Shannon Mullen, 7, left, Hannah Provost, 10, Madison Duffy, 10, Zoe Alberici, 6, and Jillian Provost, 8, show off their American Girl Dolls and matching outfits. The girls are from Bow and Concord and will participate in the “American Girl Fashion Show: Styles of Yesterday and Today,” on Nov. 4 and 5. The Junior Service League of Concord is sponsoring the event to benefit women and children in crisis. In addition, local girls can enter a “Dress like your American Girl Doll” contest for a chance to win tickets to the fashion show and other prizes. See story for details.
(The Bow Times/Bruce Preston)

Local girls and their American Girl Dolls can help make a difference in the lives of women and children in crisis and, at the same time, learn about the history of women.

To promote the “American Girl Fashion Show: Styles of Yesterday and Today,” the Junior Service League of Concord, local sponsors and Neighborhood News are offering a doll look-alike contest.

To enter the contest, interested girls should send a photo of themselves and their American Girl Dolls dressed alike.

The two contestants who look most like their doll will receive two tickets to the show, an American Girl Fashion Show T-shirt and cap for themselves and their doll.

The second annual “American Girl Fashion Show: Styles of Yesterday and Today,” will take place in the Governor’s Ballroom at the Capital Center for the Arts on Saturday, Nov. 4, and Sunday Nov. 5, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

At each show, American Girl dolls will be brought to life through local girls modeling the latest in American Girl outfits and accessories.

Proceeds from the event will support nonprofit organizations in the greater Concord area that aid women and children in crisis.

“People can feel good about buying a ticket because all that money is going back to the community,” said Duffy. “We support organizations for children using events that bring families together and the girls are actually helping other children their age by raising funds through the show.”

Those already participating in the fashion show are also encouraged to enter the contest, said Co Chairman Pamela Duffy of Bow.

The Junior Service League of Concord, said Marie Mullen, also of Bow, has exclusive rights to the American Girl Company fashion show in New Hampshire, which will feature about 100 local girls.

The American Girl Doll Company designs dolls representing historical figures as well as those from modern life in the United States. Through clothing, accessories and biographies, the dolls help to convey individuality, curiosity and imagination, organizers said.

The company sent the Junior Service League a catalogue and script for the show, which exhibits local girls in matching doll outfits with historical and contemporary looks from World War II and the Great Depression to different cultural outfits.

“It’s all based on scenes and a whole script from American Girl, which describes the outfits and the time periods, and the girls help by modeling the outfits and carry a doll with them dressed in the same outfit that they’re wearing,” said Mullen.

American Girl Dolls come with biographical books to go along with the matching outfit, which, said fashion show committee member Linda Provost, helps teach the children about the history of women in the United States.

“The American Girl Dolls are really nice role models for young girls today, because through their story, today’s girl learns about the adversity that other girls went through in their time and how they learned from it and grew from it and became strong positive young women for their time,” said Provost.

One of the most important aspects of the fashion show, said Mullen, is the friendships the participating girls form with each other.

“They have a really good time,” she said. “It gives them confidence and they get to meet other girls from around the Concord area and from other schools.”

Tickets for the fashion show are $30 each and can be purchased online at ccanh.com or by calling 225-1111.

Contest tickets and prizes are sponsored by Christine Francouer, senior loan officer at Chase Home Finance.

Show sponsors include Paul Hogan Basketball Camps, Ferdinando Insurance, Concord Dance Academy, Prostar Aviation, The Wild Rover, Keeler Family Realty, and Francoeur and Chase Home Finance.

The contest will be judged by Neighborhood staff.

Contest entries must be received by Friday, Oct. 20, and should be sent to Susan Clark, Neighborhood News Inc., 1662 Elm St., Suite 100, Manchester, NH 03101.