Hooksett Salvation Army says thank you to volunteers
To the Editor:
Thanks to the generous donation of time by countless Hooksett citizens and the equal generosity of shoppers in Hooksett, over $17,000 was raised through bell ringing from collection points at Kmart, Wal-Mart and Shaw’s in Hooksett during the holiday season.
We are extremely gratified that our total exceeded that of 2006, thanks to an outstanding response on the last few days before Christmas. 
The Salvation Army Kettle Campaign in Hooksett is one of the very few in the state that is totally staffed by volunteers and this is a significant factor in our success each year. The volunteer coordinators of the bell-ringing drive, Mary and Jane, wish to thank all who gave so generously of their time.
We would also like to thank Shaws, Wal-Mart and Kmart for their community spirit in allowing our Hooksett volunteers to stand near their exits to enable their customers to participate in this vital holiday effort. In addition, BJ’s Wholesale Club participated in the Salvation Army Angel Tree program, with  their generous customers donating  several hundred wonderful  toys and articles of clothing to the Hooksett Adopt-A-Family program. Ken from Aubuchon repaired our bells when vigorous ringing rendered them inoperable.
We are especially grateful to the Hooksett Fire Department which manned the kettles for several days including a four-hour stint the day before Christmas. The Hooksett Kiwanis Club was equally generous in giving of their time all day on Saturdays between Thanksgiving and Christmas. 
Other organizations which participated include the great folks at CB Sullivan’s, the Builders Club at Cawley Middle School, Boy Scout Troop 292, Cub Scout Pack 292, Town Hall employees, and teachers and principals at the Hooksett schools. 
There were many other individuals, couples and families who willingly gave two hours of their time during this very busy season to help others less fortunate. 
One mom who was ringing with her children said,  “This is what I want my children to remember about Christmas – that our family, which is so blessed, can take the time to help other families that may be experiencing hard times. In addition, the children get very positive feedback from the donors who praise them for volunteering.”
Another example of volunteerism in action is the David Pearl family. They were hosting a holiday party to which many family friends and their children were invited. David interrupted their party time to bring all of the girls to Shaw’s on a Saturday afternoon to ring bells and sing Christmas carols to busy shoppers. The girls had a great time and the shoppers loved their spirit. Not all of the girls were Hooksett residents, but they want to ring again next year!
The willingness of so many citizens to donate precious hours during this busy time of year is a testament to the wonderful volunteer spirit that is alive and well in Hooksett.
Every year the dollars available to our Hooksett Salvation Army come from the holiday bell-ringing conducted from Thanksgiving till Christmas. These dollars are spent to assist the Hooksett Adopt-A-Family program so that needy Hooksett families with children can have a happier holiday. 
In addition to this vital holiday support, the Salvation Army is there to help all year long. Without this money it would be much more difficult to help our fellow Hooksett citizens in emergency situations.  Again, thanks to everyone for a job well done!

Mary Farwell
Human Service Secretary
Hooksett Salvation Army Chapter

Many thanks to those who helped Hooksett holiday programs
To the Editor:
I would like to extend my sincere appreciation to everyone who helped make the 2007 Hooksett holiday programs a huge success. Thanks to the incredible generosity of the many Hooksett community organizations, businesses, and individuals, we were able to provide Thanksgiving and Christmas baskets to 80 Hooksett families as well as gifts for 175 children through the Adopt-A-Family program.
This unbelievable generosity came in many forms, from many sources. Some gave food, toys or children’s clothing. Others provided gift certificates, cash donations or offered their time to sort or distribute.
Once again this year, Hooksett Wal-Mart and the Hooksett Salvation Army provided considerable financial support for the Adopt-A-Family program. Patrons of BJ’s Wholesale Club donated dozens of toys and gifts through their Angel Tree program. United Health Care employees provided major support to this year’s program by adopting 30 Hooksett families. Central High School student Lindsay Jarnutowski coordinated a food drive, which raised an incredible $1,200, that was donated in grocery store gift cards. The Hooksett Boy Scouts helped to fill our food baskets with food donations gathered from their incredibly successful food drive. The students at Cawley Middle School raised an astonishing $1,900 from their turkey drive and an additional $255 from a student run community yard sale to benefit HERC. Students at Memorial School raised an amazing $635 through their change donations. Underhill School, along with the help of the Lions Club, provided age appropriate books for every child in the Adopt-A-Family program.
Thanks to the combined efforts of so many individuals, we were able to brighten the holidays for many Hooksett families in need. On behalf of these appreciative families, thank you again for your generosity and for making Hooksett such a special place.
Extra thanks to Hooksett Suspension Coordinator, Bethany Chase, Chief Steve Agrafiotis, United Health Care employee, Lisa Paquin, PTA members Claudette Knieriem and Kim Steger and the amazing Barb Brennan and for all of your hard work.
Best wishes for health and happiness in the New Year!

Joy Buzzell
Hooksett Family Services Director

Don’t let ultra liberals raise age for criminal responsibility
To the Editor:
I should be amazed, but I am not. What I should be amazed about? It’s that Democratic controlled Legislature passed HB584, which would protect drug dealers and violent criminals from prosecution! Why I am not amazed? It’s because the ultra-liberal Democrats keep pushing their radical left-wing agenda down our throats. They support letting your minor children getting abortions without your knowledge or consent; they support gay marriage; they support letting the state decide what you can and can’t do regarding seatbelts, smoking and food; and now they support letting violent, drug-dealing criminals be charged as juveniles so they can get a slap on the wrist, a hug and sent on their way to commit some other violent crime.
Back in early 1990s, when these juvenile drug dealers were crossing the border into New Hampshire committing violent crimes, police in this state pushed for a law to prosecute these violent offenders as adults. The law passed, and for over 10 years it has worked, just ask Manchester Deputy Police Chief Gary Simmons!
Now the ultra-liberals want to change that. Even the liberal bastions of Massachusetts and New York put the age of criminal responsibility threshold at 17 and 16 respectively. But here in New Hampshire, the left wing will have you believe these violent drug dealers are just a bunch of silly kids who just need a hug to straighten themselves out. How out of touch with reality are these uber-liberals? After one of these young violent criminals gunned down a police officer in Manchester, one would think they would listen and support law enforcement, which wants to keep the law.
This is another example why we need to get these left-wing radicals out of the Legislature before another one of these poor “juveniles” grows up to commit an even more violent crime.
Ray Miclette
Hooksett

Thanks, Epsom Planning Board
To the Editor:
I would like to thank the members of Epsom Planning Board on having the wisdom and foresight to adopt the Department of Environmental Services Best Management Practices of the Greenyard Program as the standard for inspection for junkyard licensing in the town of Epsom. You have brought our town up to a new and better standard that can allow Epsom to be seen in the future as the town that expects and enforces basic environmental standards as a basis for issuance of junkyard licenses. We continue to move in a new and better direction.
Joanne Randall
Selectman, Epsom