Wood for Warmth Volunteer Day takes place Nov. 13 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Transfer Station. Volunteers are needed to cut, split, stack, and deliver firewood. Please wear a mask and don’t forget your work gloves! There will be as much socially distancing as possible; all work takes place outdoors at the Sean Powers Wood Bank. Drop by on Saturday and help those in our community who need a bit of help to keep warm this winter. This year we will hold a moment around noon to remember Tom Congoran, founder of the Wood Bank and the Contoocook Carry Community Fund.
After missing last year, the First United Methodist Church of Gilford will be holding their Christmas Fair on Nov. 20 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Stock up on baked goods to freeze for Thanksgiving dinner as well as hostess gifts and décor. Also available will be new and “gently used” books, jewelry, Christmas items as well as gift baskets ready for giving. Masks will be required for those who enter the building. Stop by and visit the vendors’ tables for merchandise from some terrific vendors including Shepherd’s Hut Market, Sawyer Farm Solid Shampoo, and others. The church is located at 18 Wesley Way, Gilford. There are still a few spaces for vendors. Please e-mail the church office at office.nhhope@gmail.com for a registration form, or call 603 524-3289 for more information.
For the 61st consecutive year, state employees are working around the clock to provide gifts for more than 3,000 children across New Hampshire. Dozens of retirees and volunteers from different state agencies are trying to ensure a successful year for Operation Santa Claus (OSC), founded by the State Employees’ Association (SEA) in 1960. Due to the pandemic, there is a greater need, more families, and more children who need our help. Every year, caseworkers from the Department of Health and Human Services work with families who need assistance to ensure no child is forgotten. Still, with more families and more children in need, the organization has run out of sponsors. “This is really about showing kids that no matter what, someone cares, and there is still a reason to celebrate the season,” states Phil Burt, chairperson of OSC and employee at DHHS. “Providing gifts for the children allows for a moment of normalcy and stability for them, which is more valuable than ever during times that would otherwise cause anxiety for these families. We work with and have a number of really awesome sponsors, but due to the demand, we need more. If individuals or organizations want to get involved in this year’s operation, please reach out,” said Burt. With fewer funds and more children in need, donations are more impactful than ever before. Therefore, new sponsorships are being requested; if you are interested in sponsoring a child, direct contributions are best and can be made by visiting the State Employees’ Association website at seiu1984.org/osc. For more information on the Operation Santa Claus project, visit facebook.com/OperationSantaClausNH or operationsantanh.org.
A graveside wreath laying will commemorate President Franklin Pierce’s 217th birthday on Nov. 23 at 10 a.m. in Old North Cemetery in Concord. The wreath is sent annually from the White House and commemorates the president’s date of birth and contributions serving in the country’s highest office. Members of the New Hampshire Army National Guard and the Pierce Brigade will lay the wreath, present the colors and a salute. Members of the public are invited to attend the ceremonial wreath-laying. Masks are required and attendees are asked to practice social distancing. No after ceremony reception will be held this year. Old North Cemetery is located at 141 North State Street in Concord. Franklin Pierce was president from 1853 to 1857 and is the only New Hampshire resident to be elected president. Son of Revolutionary War veteran and New Hampshire Governor Benjamin Pierce, Franklin Pierce was born in Hillsborough in 1804. The Pierce Brigade is the membership organization dedicated to preserving the Pierce Manse, Pierce’s Concord home, which is located at 14 Horseshoe Pond Lane in Concord.