■The Allenstown Historical Society will be meeting on Wednesday at 6 p.m. at the Suncook Business Park off Route 28 on Lavoie Drive.
■Children living in Allenstown, Chichester, Epsom and Pembroke may be eligible to attend a half-day preschool two or three days a week. SAU 53 is conducting a screening on April 12 from 8-10 a.m. To register for the screening, contact Paula Dyrkacz at 485-9000 ext. 2428 or 485-9000.
■Dog licenses are due and available at Allenstown Town Hall. The cost for unaltered dogs is $10 and altered dogs are $7.50. Licenses expire annually on April 30. Transactions can also be done online at allenstownnh.gov or by phone at 485-4276 ext.116.
■The Friends of Forgotten Children food pantry located at 224 Bog Road in Concord serves 23 towns in Merrimack County and Allenstown is one of them. They are open on Thursdays from 9-11:15 a.m. and 12-7 p.m. A household can come once a month for food. During COVID-19, the pantry is not verifying income eligibility. First time clients should bring proof of residency for each member of the household. Clients do not come into the building. Call 753-4801 upon arrival and someone will take your information and bring your food outside. There is also a clothing pantry.
■Pine Haven Boys Center is participating in the NexTrex plastic film recycling challenge. The center will earn a plastic bench if it can collect a minimum of 500 pounds of soft plastic. The center is looking for produce bags, store bags, ice bags, zip-locs, bread bags, cereal box liners, newspaper sleeves and bubble wrap. For more information, contact Prudy at prudence-gagne@comcast.net or call 485-3113. You may drop plastic off at the St. John the Baptist Church weekdays from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
CLAUDETTE VERVILLE
485-4437
cverville2@comcast.net
■Chichester Town Hall has reopened to the public. No appointments are necessary.
■The Conservation Commission will meet on Monday at 6:30 p.m. at Town Hall.
■Tuesday is National Library Workers Day. It has been a tough year for many libraries, but Chichester library workers have risen to the occasion with online activities, curbside pickup and keeping the library open to serve the public as much as possible. Send a message of thanks to our library workers.
■The Chichester Board of Selectmen will meet on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. at Town Hall. The in-person meeting will be held in the meeting room upstairs. Masks and social distancing are required.
■Wednesday will be the next date the N.H. State House will be in session. Familiarize yourself with your Chichester state representatives from Merrimack County District 20 and feel free to contact them about today’s issues. Dianne Schuett (271-3065); Brian Seaworth (271-3125); and Nick White (271-3369). District 17 State Senator John Reagan (271-863) in on the Capital Budget, Executive Department and Administrative Finance committees. The State House has an informational page gencourt.state.nh.us/house.
■The Chichester Grange will meet at Grange Hall on Wednesday at 7 p.m. for a business meeting and an oatmeal cookie baking contest. Contact Executive Committee member Hannah West for details.
■It’s women’s 30+ soccer at Epsom Bible Church on Thursday from 6:30-8 p.m. Chichester women are welcome to join. All skills are welcome.
■Chichester children may be eligible to attend a half-day preschool two or three days a week. SAU 53 is conducting a screening on April 12 from 8-10 a.m. To register for the screening, contact Paula Dyrkacz at 485-9000 ext. 2428 or 485-9000.
■Chichester property owners are reminded that new applications for elderly, blind, solar exemptions and any veterans credits are due April 15. Contact the selectmen’s office with any questions.
■Dog licenses for 2021 are due April 30. Make sure your dog’s rabies vaccinations are up to date and that the town clerk has this information.
■Absentee ballots for the town election, school election and zoning amendments are available for the May 11 town meeting. Contact the town clerk’s office at 798-5350 or email townclerk@chichesternh.org for an application.
■Chichester students in grades 7-12 have the opportunity to register for the North Country Young Writers Festival. This free online festival scheduled for May 14-15 is designed to give students a fun and inspiring experience of creative writing. Email ncywfestival@gmail.com.
■The Chichester Firefighters Association will be having a town-wide yard sale on June 12. Watch for upcoming announcements with details. Visit the Chichester N.H. Firefighters Association page on Facebook.
■The Undercover Pantry associated with Chichester’s Hope in Christ Church is currently taking donations of food and money. Free meals are in a cooler at the main entrance of the church, Monday through Thursday, from 8 a.m. until noon. Call Katie at 731-8345 to donate.
■The Chichester Fire Department released a statement that extra caution should be taken to prevent brush fires. It’s a dry season and dry air that combines with dead grass, leaves and twigs has potential for elevated fire conditions. Permits are not required for charcoal or gas grills located on the ground.
■Chichester households are welcome to use the Friends of Forgotten Children food pantry at 224 Bog Road in Concord. The pantry is open Thursdays from 9-11:15 a.m. and 12-7 p.m. A household can come once a month to get food. Call 753-4901 and you will be served. A clothing pantry is also available.
■The Chichester Cemetery Commission has announced that spring clean up will start soon. Please remove any items you wish to keep as soon as possible.
■The town is mourning the loss of Candy Brehn. Candy was well known for her joyful spirit and infectious smile. Candy leaves her husband, Stan, and children, Ally and Josh. She was active in initiating the drama program at the school, served as trustee of the library and was active with the school PTA. Condolences to the family.
■The ServiceLink program provides long-term health services to people of all ages, abilities and income levels. It provides family caregivers with information and support. Various medicare and medicaid options are available. Call 228-6625 with questions.
■The Chichester Board of Selectmen has accepted a grant from the N.H. DES Drinking Water and Groundwater Trust Fund in the amount of $64,347 to purchase a conservation easement to protect the Chichester Central School’s water well. The conservation commission worked diligently on the project application to acquire a conservation easement to protect 27 acres of land.
■The New Hampshire State Conservation Committee has awarded a 2021 conservation license plate grant to the Town of Chichester for the Valley View Conservation area project in the amount of $23,156.
■Miss Caroline, Chichester’s librarian, recently accepted a check from the ALA grant in the amount of $3,000. The anticipated expenditure will be for a laptop to be able to project movies outdoors to the public.
EVELYN PIKE
broomtailfarm@hotmail.com
■The board of selectmen will meet on Monday at 5:30 p.m. at the Town Hall meeting room.
■The Infant Toddler Diaper Pantry through the First Congregational Church will be open on Tuesday from 9-11 a.m. Each family receives one set of diapers/product per child in need, and one package of wipes per family. Please call 435-7471 when you arrive in the parking lot. Clients will not be able to enter the church at this time. Please use the parking lot off Chestnut Street.
■A school board meeting is scheduled for Tuesday at 6 p.m. in the cafeteria.
■ Children living in Epsom, Allenstown, Chichester and Pembroke may be eligible to attend a half-day preschool two or three days a week. SAU 53 is conducting a screening on April 12 from 8-10 a.m. To register for the screening, contact Paula Dyrkacz at 485-9000 ext. 2428 or 485-9000.
■Mark your calendar, Epsom Old Home Day on Aug. 6-8. More information coming soon! If you have any questions in the meantime, please call Terry at 848-7371.
■The Epsom Public Library is open for curbside pickup only. Hours are Monday through Thursday from 1-6 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
■New Hampshire state law requires that all dogs age four months or older must be licensed each year. Dog licenses must be renewed by April 30. There is a $1 late fee per month beginning June 1. You can register your pup online at epsomnh.org
■Happy birthday shout outs this week to Bonita Davis, Lorrie Matott, Kim Crowley, Kip Riel, Amy-Flynn Hall, Alana Mallat, Robin Blais and Marie Degulis! I hope you all have spectacular birthday celebrations!
TERRY RIEL
rielt397@gmail.com
■Children living in Pembroke, Allenstown, Chichester and Epsom may be eligible to attend a half-day preschool two or three days a week. SAU 53 is conducting a screening on April 12 from 8-10 a.m. To register for the screening, contact Paula Dyrkacz at 485-9000 ext. 2428 or 485-9000.
■Applications for the Pembroke Woman’s Club scholarships are now available at the Pembroke Academy and Bishop Brady school counseling departments. Seniors from Pembroke and Allenstown who are planning to attend college may apply. Scholarships are based on community service and school involvement. Completed applications must be in the counseling office on or before May 5. Scholarships are conditionally awarded upon graduation, but will not be given out until the recipient’s successful completion of the first semester of college. For additional information, contact Roberta Doore at 485-9333.
■The Pembroke Woman’s Club is sponsoring the Town Wide Yard Sale again this year. Organize and set up your own yard sale at your location and set your own prices. Advertising will continue through May 15. Advertising will include posters around town and ads in local papers. Free maps will be ready on May 13 and available May 13 from 3-5 p.m. and May 14 from 8-11 a.m. in front of Pembroke Academy. The map and directory will have a special mark at your address and will list some of the items you will have available. The more sellers there are, the more people will come shopping. Registration is $15 for all sellers. For more information or a sign-up sheet, email swansonjane92@gmail.com.
JOCELYN CARLUCCI
485-3352
taihi@comcast.net
■First Congregational Church, 24 Main St., will hold a traditional Easter worship at 10 a.m. There will be no sunrise service or Easter breakfast this year. Please wear a mask, stay distanced and follow ushers’ instructions for all services. There is additional parking, as well as a wheelchair accessible entrance, at the rear of the church on Chestnut Street. For more information about any of these services, call the church office at 435-7471 and speak with Rev. David Stasiak.
■The American Legion Peterson Cram Post will meet on Monday at 7:30 p.m. at Town Hall.
■Rise Again will be at Joy Church, 55 Barnstead Road, from 9-10:15 a.m. on Saturday. Joy Church will provide a free community breakfast from 8:30-9:30 a.m.
■The Pittsfield Early Childhood Collaborative (ECC) is a group of Pittsfield organizations that work together to support young children and their families. The ECC maintains two small, free libraries inside the Danis and Bell Brothers laundromats. The libraries have children’s books and simple toys that families can use inside the laundromat or take home for free. If you would like to donate, please bring your donations to the Josiah Carpenter Library.
■The Infant Toddler Diaper Pantry through the First Congregational Church will be open on Tuesday from 9-11 a.m. Please call 435-7471 when you arrive in the parking lot. Clients will not be able to enter the church at this time. Please use the parking lot off Chestnut Street.
■A 4-H Community Service Project, led by Jeremiah Chapman, is requesting donations that benefit folks who utilize Meals on Wheels. Items requested are: size 9 or 10 manila envelopes, books, birthday cards, stamps, puzzle books (preferably word searches and crosswords), individually wrapped snacks, coffee, tea, baskets of any size and small gift items (such as pens and pads of paper). Donations may be dropped off at the Josiah Carpenter Library until June 1.
■Dog licenses for 2021 are available. Please register your dogs by April 30. There are a number of options to register your dogs: online through the “dog licenses” link on the town website home page (pittsfieldnh.gov), in person at Town Hall, by mail, or by the drop box located to the right of the Town Hall door. More information can be found on the town clerk/tax collector page on the town website.
■Catamount Womenaid is a volunteer, women-led nonprofit founded in 2011, whose mission is to provide those in need with immediate, short-term financial assistance not available from other resources. Requests for assistance are submitted by a “validator” (a trustworthy source in the community). Catamount Womenaid serves people in Pittsfield, Deerfield, Epsom, Strafford and Northwood. Money is raised through various fundraising efforts. For more information, please visit catamountwomenaid.org.
■Did you know Josiah Carpenter Library is open for in-person visits? Current hours are Mondays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 2-6 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Curbside pickup and home deliveries are still options. Call 435-8406 to learn more.
■It’s that time of year to sweep the streets of all the sand from the winter months. There is no on-street parking from April 18 at 11 a.m. April 19 at 9 a.m.
■Happy birthday wishes to Judy Webber on Tuesday and to my little sister Robin Grainger Blais on Saturday. I hope you both enjoy your special day!
ANDREA RIEL
435-6346
pittsfieldtowncrier@hotmail.com