The Hooksett Banner ­ July 29, 2004

 

Playtime Their 'cup' runneth over A firefighter's ultimate sacrifice: Date for charity Work on park ready to begin Bonk running for state rep	Are you interested in chatting about Hooksett issues? Want to help plan Hooksett's future? Check out the new Internet chat group begun by the master plan committee at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hooksett_chat/ Auburn has a similar group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/auburn/

Hooksett

Playtime

Parents, faculty and students donate hours, funds, for Hooksett Memorial School's new playground

By IRENE HANNAGAN Contributing Writer HOOKSETT ­ Volunteers recently came out swinging ­ hammers, that is ­ to help put together Memorial Elementary School's newly constructed playground. "What's really great is to see all the volunteers," said resident Debbie Dionne. Volunteers from Boy Scout Troop 292, the PTA and several local families were out in full force Saturday morning. Construction began on Friday, July 23, and even the cold weather didn't slow down the project. "[The cool air] has actually been helping," said Lori Macey. Barb Brennan and Macey have been together from the beginning of the process. "Lori's my other half," said Brennan. The two worked back in December to get the idea onto paper and get it funded. "It came together with a lot of donations," said Brennan. Memorial Elementary School will reopen this fall with 42,000 extra square feet, a new gym, library and color-coded hallways for grades 3 to 5. The renovation was the talk of the playground construction project. Brennan said her husband, Alan, attended Memorial for middle school years ago. "(The school and the playground) are a super thing," said Brennan. "It was time for change." About 60 people arrived Saturday to install equipment for the playground. Food, babysitting and materials were all donated by Hooksett community members. "(Hooksett students) did a jump-a-thon and a walk-a-thon," said Brennan.

JUST LIKE GIANT LEGOS ­ Lori Macey, along with John Bourgoin (left), both volunteers with Boy Scout Troop 292, and George Aubin put the final screws into a "sliding swing" at the new playground at Hooksett Memorial School on Friday, July 23. (Irene Hannagan Photos)

Macey said she was impressed with the money brought in by both events ­ around $23,000.

With help from parents and faculty, along with $8,500 raised by the PTA, the playground will be ready for students when the doors open Sept. 7.

"This is the best of a community coming together," said Memorial Principal Carol Soucy. "Hooksett supports its children.

Pembroke

Their 'cup' runneth over

Starbucks coffee among offerings at new church

By RUSS CHOMA
Staff Writer
rchoma@yourneighborhoodnews.com

PEMBROKE ­ Peter Bonanno, pastor of Pembroke's Grace Capital Church, can't help but admire the newly constructed church his congregation now occupies.

"It's a beautiful place," Bonanno says as he surveys the sanctuary, complete with seating for 500, state-of-the-art acoustics and sound, and two large multimedia display screens.

Even more unusual is the cafe at the front of the church that dispenses licensed Starbucks coffee products.

Bonanno made his comments during a tour of the new 14,000-square-foot building on Pembroke Street that will now house his congregation.

Though the ceremony, held Saturday, July 24, was attended by hundreds of members of both the congregation and the curious public, Bonanno said it's not enough for the church to just be an impressive building.

"Our goal is to never become so large we become an end to ourselves. Our goal is to start new churches."

Grace Capital Church, which is affiliated with the Foursquare denomination, was founded in 1996 by Bonanno and his wife, Lisa.

In those eight years, the church has grown to include nearly 300 people in the greater Concord area.

Bonanno was recently made district supervisor of the Foursquare Northern New England District. Part of his responsibility will be to oversee the expansion of the Foursquare denomination membership in the area.

The new church, Bonanno said, will be a flagship for the district, showing other congregations what they can achieve.

Just as important as expanding other congregations, Bonanno said, is welcoming the local community. Although the new building, with a large cross emblazoned on the side, is very visible to any passersby, Bonanno took the ribbon cutting as an opportunity to welcome the community.

"We're saying to the community ­ this place is open," he said. "Open to any one in the community. It's for the community at-large to be a place of blessing and service."

"We want to say we are part of this community and can count on us to reflect Jesus in all that we do," Bonanno said, as he opened the building officially.

And when the public does enter, one thing they will surely notice is the new church's contemporary style. No hard wooden pews and old well-thumbed hymnals, just comfortable chairs and Power Point presentations. And several bands playing contemporary Christian music. And, of course, the Starbucks.

Bonanno laughs when it is noted that multimedia sermons and Starbucks coffee are not what most people think of when they think of church.

"We made it as comfortable as possible," he said, explaining the contemporary style is aimed at appealing to people who might not ordinarily feel comfortable in a church.

Though still a Christian church whose members hold the Bible as a guide, Bonanno said the new Grace Capital Church isn't trying to conform to "normal church" standards.

"We're more into relationships with one another and with Jesus than we are religion," he said.

As if on cue, Bonanno excused himself to warmly greet a member of the public.

As Bonanno embraced the elderly woman, who happened to be Jewish, she congratulated him on the new building.
"What a beautiful building! It's much to be envied." she said.

Bonanno continued the tour and explained that it was the congregation members who deserved much of the credit.

"This has all been made possible with the congregation," he said. "We've had a year of hard work and a year of prayer."

Hooksett

A firefighter's ultimate sacrifice: Date for charity

By DEVON CORMIER
Staff Writer
dcormier@yourneighborhoodnews.com

HOOKSETT ­ Looking for a hot date?
A local firefighter is willing to accommodate, and all for a good cause.

Hooksett fireman John Hill will be up on the auction block to benefit the Greater White Mountain Red Cross for the second annual "Hotter than Fire" event on Saturday, Aug. 7.

The event will feature an array of Granite State firefighters and law enforcement officials, all willing to auction themselves off for a date with a willing bidder. All proceeds will benefit the Greater White Mountain Red Cross. "I just hope whoever buys him will keep him," said Assistant Fire Chief Dean Jore with a chuckle. Hill has been with the Hooksett Fire Department for three years. Between his job, various classes and his motorcycle, he doesn't have very much free time. But he'll make time for a good cause and a hot date. "I will make time when the right (cause) comes along," Hill said. Hill also spends a lot of time with family. His brother is in Iraq, and Hill enjoys taking his young nephews out for fun in his spare time. Hill also enjoys Italian food, but don't expect him to cook ­ he's too busy.

SMOKIN' ­ John Hill of the Hooksett Fire Department is offering himself up for a date to benefit the Red Cross at an auction on Aug. 7. (Courtesy Photo)

Hill lives in Manchester and was married when he was younger. Now the 38-year-old is ready to settle down again. But he isn't looking for an engagement, just dinner to benefit a good cause, he points out.

The Hooksett firefighters' union has donated $100 to pay for the date.

Tickets are $20 and quantity is limited.

They can be purchased by contacting John Hill at 731-6881.

The auction will be at the Winnipesaukee Expo Center in Laconia from 6 to 10 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 7.

Ticket price includes a Mexican buffet.

Candia

Work on park ready to begin

Candia Heritage Commission busy with many town projects

By JENNIFER CLAISE Staff Writer jclaise@yourneighborhoodnews.com With numerous projects in the works, Candia Heritage Commission Chairman Jon Godfrey sums up the situation quite simply: "We've got a very full plate in front of us right now." Next month, work is slated to begin on the Town Pond Recreation Area, a year-round park located on six acres of town-owned land behind the Smyth Public Library. Features of the park will include a one-acre pond for fishing, boating, and swimming; an area of lighted parkland with picnic tables and benches; a gazebo; and walking and cross-country skiing trails. The project should be completed in the fall. Godfrey, who also serves as library director, said that project comes at a cost of about $70,000. "The commission wrote and received a federal grant for about $35,000, which the town then matched to build the new park," he said.

FIXER-UPPER ­ The Civil War Monument soldier should soon be holding its musket again as townspeople work to restore it. (Jennifer Claise Photo)

The town's contribution is equivalent to a one-time cost of $9 per resident, according to the commission.

"We're all set to go. We're fully approved and hope to start work on that in August," Godfrey said.

History book

But some of the commission's other projects, such as a new book on the town's history, are not running as smoothly.

"I'm having a difficult time finding an author, to tell you the truth," said Godfrey, who is heading the project himself. Although he said that some individuals from town will often try to write a town history, the commission is looking for a professional writer with the research skills necessary to write a book.

So far, Godfrey has found one author who has shown an interest, but the commission is trying to assemble a larger group from which to choose.

Although the process is sometimes difficult, Godfrey said that the need for a new town history is clear: It's been 111 years since the last one was written.

"More of our long-term citizens are dying, and we're slowly losing much of our oral history from the people who were around back then and who know what the town was like," Godfrey said.

Once an author is found, the commission will assist him or her in finding the resources necessary to compile the history.
Statute restoration

Another of the commission's projects ­ the restoration of the town's war monument that sits on High Street across from the old library ­ is at a standstill until October, when the commission expects to receive bids from several restoration companies, said commission member and Candia Selectman Clark Thyng.

According to Godfrey, a conservator visited the statue in May and estimated the cost of repairs at about $22,000.

"We're not just shopping around for the cheapest price," Thyng said. "We're shopping for the maximum value for our money."

But it's a time-consuming process, he said, because "in this conservator world, things move very slowly, and the good ones are booked a year or two in advance."

Although police aren't convinced that the damage the statue has incurred over the years is a result of vandalism and not just old age, Godfrey blames an old town prank for the bronze soldier's broken bill and musket.

"It had become a tradition for the kids to put a pumpkin over the head of the statue on All Hallow's Eve," Godfrey said. "Eventually they broke off his bill and part of his gun and his hand."

Cemetery preservation

And just as the war monument is sacred to many town members, the commission is working to preserve other sacred spots ­ namely, several small, private cemeteries and burial sites throughout town that have become overgrown after years of neglect.

However, the commission needs volunteers to make the process move more quickly.

"It's not going as rapidly as I'd like," said Edward Fowler, chairman of the cemetery restoration committee. "We really need a group of volunteers to help us out with this."

He noted that the project was more a matter of time and labor than money, and that the commission's $750 budget should cover the cost of the repairs.

Fowler said he has done research to determine the appropriate ways to care for the old sites, including maintenance and repair of broken headstones and pruning of the overgrown vegetation.

"The last thing we wanted to do is to do something wrong, or to make some mistake by being overzealous," Fowler said.

Cemeteries targeted for cleanup include the Old Village Cemetery on Route 43 and the Colcord Road Cemetery.

But the individual burial sites in town aren't always easy to restore, he added, since many of them are located on private property, and the owners are not required to allow the commission to conduct the repairs.

"One land owner has refused access," said Fowler, referring to the Benjamin Lang site. "They sent a letter to the town saying that under no circumstances could we access the burial site. They didn't give a reason why."

Old barns

Also in the works for the commission is a barn preservation project, headed by Kenneth Madden, which offers a tax rebate to owners who maintain their historic barns, and a map of the town's historic sites using a global positioning system.

"Essentially, the map will show us what we need to save," Godfrey said. Godfrey encourages town members to get involved with the commission by attending their monthly meetings, held on the second Thursday of the month at town hall. However, there will be no meeting in August. According to Godfrey, town members have been "very supportive" of the commission's efforts.

"There are more and more people coming to appreciate older structures," Godfrey said. "In the past, we've often been left thinking 'gee, if we'd only saved the old grist mill, or the train station, or the opera house.' But with urban renewal, the mentality was 'knock it down and build something new.'"

And that's exactly the attitude that the commission hopes to eradicate with their work, Godfrey said. "The projects sort of speak for themselves."

Allenstown

Bonk running for state rep

By RUSS CHOMA Staff Writer rchoma@yourneighborhoodnews.com ALLENSTOWN ­ Last spring, while legislators debated the merits of two separate bills seeking to open Bear Brook State Park to ATVs, opponents from Allenstown watched with a sense of resignation. Town officials ­ from selectmen to the police chief ­ expressed opposition to the bills. Residents and experts had lined up to testify against it. But when it came to aid from their elected officials, Allenstown's ATV-opponents felt under-represented. "No one on that committee (considering the legislation) was from Allenstown," pointed out resident and ATV opponent Armand Verville. "No one involved in this study (of possible ATV trails) was from Allenstown. The score for our representation was 424 to 0."

Laura Bonk

Even on paper, it was tough to argue anyone was really on Allenstown's side. Of the eight legislators elected by Allenstown residents to represent them in Concord, not one is from the town itself. Five are from Hooksett, two are from Epsom and one is from Raymond.

If the situation is as dire as Verville describes it, Laura Bonk may be Allenstown's only hope.

Bonk, a Democrat, is the only Allenstown resident ­ and the only woman ­ running for state representative this year. Because of redistricting, Allenstown will no longer share representatives with Hooksett, which many argue has little in common with Allenstown. Instead, it will be included in a newly created Merrimack District 8, along with Epsom and Pittsfield.

Bonk's competition for one of the four state representative seats will likely be fierce. Three other Democrats and four Republicans are all vying for the seat. But Bonk hopes voters will agree that Allenstown needs at least one voice in Concord.

"(Statisically) there should be one rep for about every 3,000 people," Bonk said, noting that Allenstown has approximately 5,000.

But fixing that perceived imbalance is not the only thing driving Bonk, who says she "truly believes" in community service.

Bonk has lived in Allenstown for the past five-and-a-half years and has until recently commuted into Cambridge, Mass., where she worked as a power plant engineer at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Holding a master's degree from MIT and an undergraduate degree from Stanford, Bonk describes herself as an environmental engineer by profession. Recently retired from her position at MIT, Bonk wants to devote more time to her community service pursuits, including serving on the Allenstown Conservation Commission and the historical society.

Bonk was one of the Allenstown residents testifying last spring against the ATV legislation and says it's an issue close to her heart. But she allows ATVs on her own private land with written permission.

"It's the sheer number of ATVers that would come (if Bear Brook was opened to ATVers year round,)" she said. "We're looking at sharing a resource with everyone. Even if ATVers had their own trails, they would be obvious with their sound."

Beyond the fight against ATVs, Bonk said she looks at Allenstown and sees a town with a lot of problems she wants to help solve.
A "property-poor" town, Allenstown has long struggled to raise adequate money through local property taxes for both the school and town budgets. Following their participation in the Claremont lawsuit, which led to a state funding system, Allenstown's school district has continued to struggle. That, Bonk said, is a point of frustration she'd like to try and work out in Concord.

"On a broad-based level, it's completely unfair that children who live across the river in Bow have more money and more resources for education," she said, "Or that teachers get paid more money because they live ... what? Two hundred feet across the river?"

The solution to this, Bonk said, remains unclear. Some have suggested a broad-based tax, such as income tax, but Bonk, who describes herself as a "fiscal conservative," isn't sure that's the right idea.

"I can't say I'm in favor of an income tax ­ there are plenty of other ways to raise money," she said.

Bonk said she sees the school funding issue and the conservation efforts against ATVs as linked. Both, she said, are issues that stem from a sudden surge in growth in southern New Hampshire.

Building too fast and too densely is the root of many problems. As the owner of a 120-acre plot of land, Bonk said she knows the pressure developers are delivering in efforts to keep up a frenetic building pace. Bonk has turned down the offers she she's received and would like to work toward more responsible growth standards at the state level.

Though eager for representation, a number of community members who fought with Bonk last spring said they would wait until the election results were final before declaring Allenstown finally has a voice.

Verville said the town had received support from State Senator Jack Barnes (R-District 17), but even if she won, Bonk might still be a voice in the wilderness.

"I'm not sure what's going to happen this time around," Verville said. "I think if Laura does get elected she might be pretty much by herself. But our numbers might change to 422 to 2."