Search results matching tag 'Bedford'

Cardinals secure another gridiron title behind group from Bedford

Bedford Editor — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 16:18:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

Once an inexperienced pack, this group of Jaguars became strong, fast and dangerous.

Bishop Guertin’s football team won its fifth Division II title in six years led by a large group Bedford residents.

Many have played together since their days in the town’s youth program.

“They're athletic, and they’re really just a special group of players,” said Guertin head coach Tony Johnson. “They came in from a great program, and they were ready to go when they got to us.”

On Saturday, Nov. 21, Guertin overcame a slow start to cruise past No. 3 seed Winnacunnet, 31-0.

Bedford’s Adam Hall capped the scoring when he spun free for a 38-yard touchdown run with 10:08 to play, pushing him past the 1,200- yard rushing mark during his senior year. He finished with 147 yards on the ground.

Neither team cracked the scoreboard in the first quarter. Winnacunnet missed an opportunity when its wide receiver couldn’t catch quarterback Stephen Cronan’s pass behind BG’s secondary on the final play of the frame.

That was the closest Winnacunnet came to the end zone. Instead, the Cardinals’ defense posted their sixth shutout of the year and fourth in a row.

“You hear all about how powerful and explosive the offense is, and it’s true, but the defense has been the biggest key for this team,” said Bedford resident Brett Kana, a defensive tackle. “That’s the way we’ve played all year.”

The defense allowed 19 points in a victory over Keene, the most it allowed in a Division II contest this year. The Blackbirds were the lone team to score in double figures against the Cardinals, who allowed little more than four points per game on average.

Still, the defense was, at times, overshadowed by BG’s offense, a juggernaut that averaging 42 points per game. The 31 points in the title tilt were its lowest of the year.

“This really was the dream team. I had 34 seniors, and the defense I have wanted for years,” said Johnson.

Bedford residents on the team included Hall, Kana, J. David Perrella, Christopher Kujawski, Ryan Card, Andrew Perrella, Jakob Krzyston, Matthew Bayne, Nicolas Carluccio, Matthew Flynn, Michael Flynn, Nicholas Belviso, Mark Hall, Jeremy Bayne, Patrick McGee and Kevin Turner.

“This is definitely the best of the championships because it was senior year and we were such a dominating team,” said Hall. “Going out with these guys and being able to seal off our 10 or so years of playing together made it even more special.”

Lurgio students to ‘Pay It Forward’

Bedford Editor — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 16:14:00 GMT

BY KATHY REMILLARD

Anthropologist Margaret Mead once wrote, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful people can change the world.”

Students at Ross J. Lurgio Middle School will see if that’s true this year as they embark on a new community service project.

It’s called “Pay It Forward,” and it’s loosely based on the Hollywood movie of the same name. The premise is simple: Students will go out into the community and perform an act of kindness for three people. Those people, in turn, will go out and do the same for three others, and so on.

Principal Ed Joyce said the flagging economy had a lot to do with the school’s choice in deciding what to do this year in terms of charitable giving. “Times are tough, and this doesn’t cost families anything,” he said.

Once the details were ironed out, the staff still had to present the idea to the school’s student council, where they were met with enthusiasm. Student Council secretary Gabby Potter said, “We all really liked the idea. Everyone can do it, and it can really make a difference.”

At the assembly, Joyce told students, “I have faith in you ... I’m really, really proud to be your principal, and I’m excited to see how far this goes.”

The assembly also included video clips of support and encouragement from near and far. Bedford Superintendent Timothy Mayes sent a video clip offering his support for the program, as did Assistant Superintendent Chip McGee.

Students were also greeted by “Saturday Night Live” actor Seth Meyers, whose mother works at Lurgio, and Bedford native Sarah Silverman, who told students that “a little kindness goes a crazy long way.”

The school wanted a way to be able to track the success of the program, and that’s where technology comes in. Each Lurgio student will be given four cards – one master card with the student’s name and assigned ID number, and three others. When the student completes a good deed for someone, these “A-OK (Act of Kindness)” cards will be presented to the recipients, who will then be able to log onto a Web site and register not only what was done, but also their zip code, to see how far-reaching this program will be.

Regular check-ins will occur through the school year to keep students motivated, but student council adviser Rachel Fairhurst doesn’t see motivation as a problem.

“I think this will show what these kids are really capable of – so many just say, ‘Well, they’re just kids,” she said.

This year, Lurgio students hope to prove them wrong.

For more information, visit www.sau25.net/ payitforward.

Supporting veterans’ families

Bedford Editor — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 16:11:00 GMT

BY CHELSEY POLLOCK

When last year’s ice storm hit New Hampshire, Pam Williams spent 13 days without power and her basement filled with a foot and a half of water, destroying precious antiques and food reserves.

All this happened just weeks after Williams’ daughter, Jessica, was deployed for a yearlong tour in Iraq, leaving her two young children in their grandmother’s care. That’s when Williams got a visit from Suki Carey, the woman she calls her “angel.” Carey is one of a number of care coordinators with the Easter Seals of New Hampshire who support military families.

Carey was able to dip into the Easter Seals’ Veterans Count Club fund to provide Williams with vouchers to buy food and gas and help with the clean-up after the storm. She also coordinated counseling for Williams and her grandchildren – Shauna, 9, and Samuel, 8.

“Sammy never slept and both kids were missing their mom,” she said Friday, Nov. 20, speaking to the crowd at a breakfast benefit supporting Veterans Count Club in Bedford. “And it was difficult for me to transition from grandmother to parent.”

The Veterans Count Club fund, which is entirely supported by its members of local donors, has helped more than 1,000 military families in the state since its beginnings in 2006, said Daisy Wajewoda, the veteran’s services project director for Easter Seals of New Hampshire.

Wajewoda described Veterans Count as a “landmark” charity effort.

“What makes us so unique is that we are really embedded in the military experience,” she said at the event. “Unlike any other charity, it’s not a handout. (Aid) is given in the context of a coordinated care effort.”

In addition to providing financial support for emergency expenses, Wajewoda said, a care coordinator might serve as a liaison between families and school administrators, give financial counseling and coordinate essential transportation.

The morning’s keynote speaker was Dr. John Parrish, the director of the Red Sox Foundation and Massachusetts General Hospital Home Base program, which supports returning veterans who are suffering from traumatic brain injuries and post traumatic stress disorder.

The event, held at C.R. Sparks in Bedford, attracted a few hundred people who were encouraged to make a pledge and become a club member.

Gov. John Lynch was among the many guests. Lynch said he filled out a check before the event to pledge his personal membership.

“Veterans Count is all about making a difference in the lives of service men and women and their families,” he said in an interview at the event. “The sacrifice they’ve made for us continues to this day. ... I think the least we can do is join Veterans Count and help support their families.”

For more information, visit nh.easterseals.com.

Turkey raffle nets big results

Bedford Editor — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 16:08:00 GMT

BY KATHY REMILLARD

Students at Peter Woodbury Elementary School had an extra incentive to participate in a recent school fundraiser.

The school sponsored a turkey raffle to raise money for its ongoing schoolyard improvement project, and while the top three ticket sellers received a $25 gift certificate to Hart’s Turkey Farm, the students who sold the winning tickets got a chance to smash a cream pie into the faces of staff members who volunteered for the job.

“The kids get so excited to see us getting silly,” said Assistant Principal Cheryl Daley.

The idea for the turkey raffle came from fourthgrade teacher Claire Norfolk, who had participated in a similar fundraiser at another school.

Bedford Stop & Shop donated a $40 gift card for the event and gave the school a discounted rate on the turkeys. Other sponsors included Bedford Hannaford, Kayem Foods, Culligan Water, Hart’s Turkey Farm and several Peter Woodbury families.

The three top sellers in the raffle, raising more than $150 each, were Abby Riley, Amanda Weddleton and Hailey Jennato. In just a few weeks, the raffle pulled in more than $3,000 to offset the cost of Peter Woodbury’s schoolyard improvements.

According to Principal Ken Williams, volunteers have been working since the summer to provide students with something beyond a traditional school playground. “We don’t call it a playground,” he said, “We call it a schoolyard.”

The rear of the building has gradually been transformed to include an outdoor classroom, a walking trail, a huge sand play area and garden space for each class to tend, as well as the usual climbing structure for the children.

The $75,000 price tag for the project, however, resulted in the need for the school to step up its fundraising efforts. Lowe’s of Bedford provided not only a $5,000 grant, but a crew of volunteers as well. Students in the landscape design program at New Hampshire Technical Institute provided some of the plans, saving the school roughly $14,000.

Expanding a school playground to this extent is “kind of a new idea,” said Williams, but it can really add to what occurs in the classroom.

Williams said he was unsure whether teachers would be willing to take on something like a class garden space, but they all embraced the idea. With this much to do, he added, staff is seeing less pushing and shoving and fewer behavioral problems at recess.

Williams is pleased with the progress of the schoolyard, and said the students love it.

“We put a lot of stress on kids today,” he said, in terms of state testing and education requirements. “But that’s not what it’s all about. Sometimes they just need to be kids.”

Bedford residents voice cemetery grief

Bedford Editor — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 16:05:00 GMT

BY DARRELL HALEN

Since Morgan Elizabeth Jones died six years ago, her young daughter has left special items at her grave in Old Bedford Cemetery – holiday figurines, letters, even a “Happy Birthday” balloon. It’s helped a young girl keep a connection to her late mother.

But she won’t be allowed to leave any more mementos if new rules and regulations written by the town’s cemetery trustees are put into effect.

Those new rules, including restrictions on leaving items of sentimental value, dates for displaying flags and headstone guidelines, were adopted by the Town Council in February. After they ignited a public firestorm, however, they were put on hold by council members last month.

One of the people who doesn’t like the rules, which govern the town’s four cemeteries, is Morgan’s mother, Michelle Jones, who doesn’t understand why the new rules were necessary at all.

“We have been extremely conscientious that what has been brought to our section doesn’t interfere with (cemetery) workers,” said Jones, a Manchester resident.

The concerns that Jones and others have raised focus on Article 9: Headstone and Corner Markers and Article 12: Prohibited Items.

Article 9 allows only markers flush with the ground on lots 312 to 369.

Article 12 limits the number of flower containers per lot to two and allows mementos at graves for only one month after burial. It also requires that American flags be removed after Veterans Day and prohibits them until 10 days before Memorial Day. Flags must be placed in a urn or close to the monument and cannot be larger than 12 inches by 17 inches in size.

At a Nov. 9 meeting at the Bedford Library attended by more than 40 people and chaired by Town Councilor Paul Roy, several attendees spoke against the new rules and questioned why the changes were needed. Some believe the rules were created for the benefit of the crew that maintains the cemeteries.

“I think the preferences of families should take precedent over a company hired by the town,” Jones said.

“I think common sense should prevail,” she added. “Many (cemetery) trustees talk about what other towns do, and I believe each town should make its own rules and regulations based on the population’s (desires) in the town.”

Jones, who also has a niece buried in the cemetery, said her family never received any rules, other than those prohibiting artificial flowers, from the town when the burial sites were purchased.

In the six years she’s been visiting her daughter’s grave with her granddaughter, she said she’s never heard of any problems.

She was shocked when her daughter’s grave was tagged with a notice of “prohibited items.”

A meeting to discuss a draft of new rules and regulations will take place on Monday, Feb. 8, at the library.

“Changes will probably come, that’s good,” said Edith Schmidtchen, who has been going to the Bedford Center Cemetery for 31 years to take care of her husband’s grave. Her husband, Erwin, a World War II veteran, died of colon cancer in 1978.

Schmidtchen wants people to be allowed to put flags on graves year-round.

“I have no animosity toward the cemetery trustees and the council,” she said. “They’re taking a good hard look at this. I’m sure it will get straightened out.”

Ralph Dieter, chairman of the cemetery trustees, thinks so, too.

“We’re trying to get things straightened out and cool the talk and simply get things back on an even keel,” he said. “I’d like to cool the discussion and not inflame people’s feelings.”

Second chance for Route 101

Bedford Editor — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 16:00:00 GMT

BY HOLLY DAVIS

Supporters of widening Route 101 got good news on Wednesday, Nov. 18, as the project was tentatively added back into the state’s 10-Year Transportation Improvement plan.

The Governor’s Advisory Commission on Intermodal Transportation added several additional projects to the plan, which it will finalize on Dec. 9. The final presentation to Gov. John Lynch takes place on Dec. 15.

Bedford officials see this as a step in the right direction. “Personally, I’m very pleased,” said Town Manager Russ Marcoux. “We have not been bashful about pushing to get this back on the plan.”

Marcoux also said he appreciates the efforts of the community leaders who have taken the lead on this project – Town Councilor Bill Dermody, Planning Board Chairman Paul Goldberg and Henry Bechard, chairman of the Bedford Economic Development Commission.

Widening Route 101 from Constitution Drive to Wallace Road – one of the main stretches of road in Bedford – from one lane in each direction to four has been on the radar of the town and the state for a long time, Goldberg has said. It was on the transportation plan in 2004 and 2006, before being knocked off in 2008.

Plus, the project was left off the draft of the 2010 10-year plan, despite being ranked the top project left off the 2008 plan by the Department of Transportation, and the most important project in southern New Hampshire by the Southern New Hampshire Planning Commission.

The road sees traffic jams daily in the morning and in the afternoon, and it is the only east-to-west highway in the southern part of the state. While the news is good, it doesn’t ensure the plan will ultimately be put into effect. It still has to make it into the plan put through to the governor, and then face the Legislature.

But this addition gives hope to the project, and Dermody sees that as a victory. “I’m very encouraged,” he said. “I intend to be at the meeting on Dec. 9 to try to get the ball across the goal line.”

Jr. ’Dogs fall short

Bedford Editor — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 18:59:00 GMT

The unbeaten Amherst Patriots found themselves trailing for the first time in two years before scoring the winning touchdown with just a minute to go, handing the Bedford Jr. Bulldogs Pee Wee Silver team a heartbreaking 13-12 setback in the state final.

Down 7-0 in the second quarter, Saiku Bah followed blocks from Zach Wallat and John Kiernan to cut the deficit to 7-6 at the break.

Conner Kelley, Gavin Grant, Cal Moody and Nathan Moody played strong defense to open the third quarter, forcing a punt.

From there, the ’Dogs marched downfield behind Christian Reid, Chris Fountain and Lucas Miller, with Bah breaking free after Gage Benson’s block for a 12-7 lead.

However, Amherst responded late in the fourth quarter, and James Haskell’s kickoff return in the final moments came up short.

Nolan Lacombe, Kyle Larson, Hans Andreasson, Ben Seals and Sean Kenny blocked well for Kyle Colella, Walter Wilson and Ty Benson, who also combined with quarterback Ty Cibotti for big yardage on a screen pass.

On defense, Justin Mello, Thomas Reynolds, Matt Beals, Jake Valeri and Jack Zimmerman turned in solid efforts.

Trinity, including handful of Bedford players, wins state crown

Bedford Editor — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 18:55:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

It wasn’t difficult for Trinity High School head football coach Gary Leonard to forgive his star wing back.

After all, Connor Lyons did score three touchdowns, notch three two-point conversions and kick a 41-yard field goal to lead the Pioneers to a 41-7 victory and their first state title since 1988.

The Bedford resident scored the final points of the season for his team during the Division V championship against Bishop Brady on Sunday, Nov. 15, when he intercepted a pass and ran it 92 yards to the end zone.

But without a tackler near him, Lyons dove and extended the ball over the goal line, earning a 15-yard penalty.

“I went up to (Leonard) and said, ‘I’m sorry, but I had to do it,’” said the senior. “I knew it would be the last run of my high school career, and it’s something I am always going to look back on years from now.”

While Lyons produced 27 points, he was actually slowed down throughout the game.

Trinity clung to an 8-7 lead after one quarter and led 16-7 entering intermission thanks to a 35-yard interception return by Jared Butler with 2:53 remaining until halftime.

Leonard kept his team in the locker room for nearly the entire 15-minute break, disappointed with a defensive unit that allowed large chunks of yardage despite holding the Green Giants to just the seven points.

“We did not play good defense in the first half,” said Leonard. “They probably were wondering if they were even winning the game because of the way we were talking to them at halftime.”

The Pioneers responded by not allowing a first down in the third quarter, thanks in large part to a stand by the defensive line with 6:05 left in the quarter.

Bishop Brady needed one yard on third down at its own 30-yard line, but Bedford’s Colin Bouchard led the charge in stuffing the Green Giant ball carrier behind the line of scrimmage, losing his helmet in the process.

The win capped a remarkable turnaround for Trinity, which just three years ago was playing at the club level after struggling with both numbers and talent at the varsity level.

“I’ve watched football at Trinity for the last three years, and I was in the stands when they were getting destroyed,” said Bouchard, a freshman offensive and defensive lineman. “It was a horrible sight, and now to play here and win a title is a great feeling.”

With 4:30 remaining in the game and facing a fourth down, Leonard gave in to Lyons, who pleaded to line up for a field goal.

“I just wanted to show coach that he doesn’t know what he’s doing when he goes for it on fourth down inside the 30,” joked Lyons, who played soccer during his freshman year.

Bedford players on the Trinity roster were Lyons, Bouchard, Joe Pratte, Dan Pratte, Nick Harrington and John Bator. Gary Leonard and his son, Mike Leonard, lived in Bedford before moving to Manchester this year.

Two Bedford residents played crucial roles during Bishop Brady’s run to the Division- V title game. During semifinal action against two-time defending champion Pelham, senior wide receiver Eric Feehan grabbed two interceptions to go along with two touchdowns.

Fellow senior Mike Bachner posted a team-high 16 carries for 105 yards against Trinity.

Although the Pioneers lose Lyons, their playmaker, Bouchard returns, along with the entire offensive line, which Leonard said is the team’s strength.

Bouchard said he and his fellow linemen will continue to pave the way for big plays, even if it isn’t Lyons they’re watching run into the end zone.

“I’m going to get bigger, and we’re all going to be lifting in the offseason to get ready for next year,” said Bouchard. “We’re going to keep pounding it, no matter who’s in the backfield.”

N.H. shelters combine to better serve animals

Bedford Editor — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 18:49:00 GMT

The Animal Rescue League of New Hampshire and the Conway Area Humane Society announced their formal affiliation effective Nov. 11.

The combined talents of each organization will strengthen the programs and services offered to more than 70 communities in the Granite State.

The league brings more than 100 years of history and experience to this relationship, which will assist CAHS in becoming more fiscally and operationally resilient.

The league’s current leader, Caroline Boyd, will serve as the affiliation’s president and chief executive officer with the leadership teams of both organizations reporting to her.

“This affiliation is an exciting time in our organizations’ histories,” Boyd said. “I know that by combining efforts we will be able to realize the benefits of collaboration while still ensuring that each community retains a critical local resource.”

In addition to a unified management team, two members of the league’s board will serve on the CAHS board and vice versa.

“Together, we can help more animals. Our shared missions of serving animals and the community brought us together and we believe that our whole will be greater than the sum of our parts,” said Virginia Moore, CAHS executive director.

Beyond the retention of each organization’s current community services, additional anticipated benefits of this alliance include:

• More animals’ lives will be saved in New Hampshire;

• The affiliation will create efficiencies and leverage management and development expertise, bringing additional resources to bear on the animal welfare services provided by the two organizations;

• While each shelter will share best practices and operational strategies, the structure will ensure community resources and assets will stay within the community of origin.

Each year the league and CAHS help more than 2,500 animals find homes and help countless more through animal cruelty investigations, obedience training, humane education and more.

For more information, visit www.rescueleague.org.

Communities gear up to help those in need

Bedford Editor — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 18:45:00 GMT

BY SUZANNE D’AMATO

To those of us who live in the Granite State, it’s no surprise that small-town folks have big hearts. With the holiday season almost here, the familiar requests for monetary donations and drives for items of all kinds are being made.

The following are just a few examples of how generous donations of money, time and items from the kindness of strangers will touch the lives of friends and neighbors in need in our communities and provide them with some of the basic necessities of life, such as food, shelter, warmth and companionship.

The Rotary Club of Bedford is hosting its annual Senior Citizens Holiday Luncheon on Monday, Dec. 7, from 11:15 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the Manchester Country Club.

The luncheon has been a longstanding annual Rotary tradition for the past 35 years.

The luncheon’s purpose is not to raise money, but, instead, to raise the spirits of the guests attending, all of whom reside in the nursing homes and senior residential communities in Bedford and west Manchester.

Rotary Club members – 47 in total – and their spouses volunteer their time to transport guests to and from the luncheon and help out during the event.

Tickets for all of the seniors are paid for by club members and the club’s treasury.

“We are expecting about 200 seniors to attend this year,” said Dick Bellerose, president of the Rotary Club of Bedford. The atmosphere at the luncheon is festive. The Rotary Club’s band plays music from the 1940s for dancing, Santa Claus makes an appearance, the ladies receive corsages, and the ballroom is decorated for Christmas.

“A lot of tears are shed by the luncheon guests. Many of them are invalids or shut-ins, so they don’t have many opportunities to leave their residences,” Bellerose said. “The luncheon is very important to a lot of us. It’s quite a tradition.”

Salvation Army bell ringing is another upcoming holiday tradition that has been sponsored by Rotary Club of Bedford for the past 40 years.

This year, club members will take turns ringing the iconic bell in front of Bedford’s Harvest Market supermarket at the corner of Route 101 and Wallace Road each day from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. from Nov. 27 through Dec. 26.

The familiar holiday sound hopefully will encourage shoppers and passers-by to drop spare change into the familiar Salvation Army red kettle.

Last year, the bell ringers raised $18,000 to help fund the Salvation Army’s many community- service programs.

“We even may surpass last year’s total,” Bellerose continued. “People who are able to tend to donate even more money during tough times.”

For more information, visit Rotary Club of Bedford’s Web site at www.clubrunner.ca/CPrg/home/homeA.asp?cid=2908.