Dover, NH (Monday, September 16, 2024) – After being closed for its annual maintenance weeks, the Children’s Museum of New Hampshire is reopening on Wednesday, September 18. Construction on two new exhibits set to open in early 2025 will continue while the museum is open to the public.

"Our construction crew made wonderful progress while we were closed," shared CMNH President, Jane Bard. "All the steel beams have been welded in place and the cement floors for the Play Loft and for the ramp leading to our Little Farmers exhibit will be poured before we reopen on Wednesday."

The museum's Dino Detective exhibit will be inaccessible for the time being, because of its location directly below the Play Loft. "The other few exhibits that were impacted by the construction like the Post Office and the Thinkering Lab raceways ramps, have been relocated to different areas of the museum," said Bard.

Fall at the museum is a busy time for the Children's Museum as it kicks off its annual Toddlerfest Celebrations, geared toward their youngest visitors. "We're so grateful that we can take on this exciting exhibit expansion, all while staying open for our families!" said Bard. The Toddlerfest schedule, running Tuesday, September 24 through Sunday, October 6, features special programs and guests, all included with museum admission and free for museum members. Families can try a nature program with White Pine Programs, sample a toddler dance class with Belletete Ballet Studio, a spanish lesson with One World Language School, explore some yoga with Relief Parenting, or try a music class with The Sonatina Center. Or families can sample what the museum educators offer at the museum throughout the school year like Wacky Art Wednesdays, Science Fridays, Toddler Tinker Time, or Cultural Crafts.

Something new is offered every day, sometimes by CMNH museum staff, most of whom are educators themselves. Jane Bard, CMNH Director, will lead a Messy Paint Crawl. "It's exactly what it sounds like," she laughed. "Let the babies and toddlers roam, crawl, slap, and roll their way through washable paint on a floor canvas. Excellent messy sensory activity you may not want to attempt at home, but we're happy to facilitate here!"

Noelle Duffy, CMNH's Visitor Services Associate, will dress up for a Princess Storytime inside one of her favorite exhibits, Pattern Palace.

Neva Cole, CMNH Communications Director and artist, will lead a Collage Chaos art project in the Muse Studio. "It'll be a chance to rip and tear up painted papers and go crazy with glue!"

Colie McClain, CMNH Education Coordinator, is excited to do some Parachute Play. "We played with the parachutes during our summer camps, and it was very popular!"

Emily Zaleski, CMNH Lead Educator, is looking forward to welcoming back families to the Baby Storytime program, which is an informal drop-in play group that happens weekly on Wednesday mornings during the school year. "We pause the program over the summer, and I really miss seeing those babies every week!"

A full schedule of Toddlerfest program dates and times can be viewed online at www.childrens-museum.org. Online reservations required, but all programming is included with museum admission.

Fall Museum Hours: Open Wednesdays–Saturdays, 9am–Noon or 1–4pm; Tuesdays & Sundays, 9am–Noon. Before visiting, the Museum asks all guests to reserve and pre-pay online to help provide the best experience for all visitors. Learn more at www.childrens-museum.org. Please note that a visit to the museum may look different this fall due to construction of two new exhibits set to open in early 2025.

About The Children's Museum of New Hampshire

The 501(c)(3) not-for-profit Children’s Museum of New Hampshire is located at 6 Washington Street in Dover and offers two levels of hands-on, interactive exhibits for children from newborn to middle school. Children can explore a wide range of subjects, from dinosaurs, music and aeronautics to world cultures, art, natural history, and S.T.E.A.M.. Open year-round, the Silver LEED-certified museum specializes in creating memorable family learning experiences and works closely with schools, social service agencies, and educators. A central part of the museum’s mission is ensuring accessibility, and the “Reach All Initiative” works towards this goal by welcoming over 28% of yearly visitors for free or reduced admission. The museum also hosts a variety of live performances, workshops, classes and special events for families. For more information, please call the museum at (603) 742-2002 or visit www.childrens-museum.org

Did you know that SCORE offers lots of free training to help you start or grow the business of your dreams?!?  See their September schedule below and head over to our events page to register (coming soon!) 

Cornerstone VNA Offers FREE Webinar on Fall Prevention

_______________________________

Rochester, NH – In recognition of National Fall Prevention Awareness Month, Cornerstone VNA is offering a free “lunch and learn” webinar for community members. The “Stay Upright! Tips for Fall-Free Living” webinar will be held on Wednesday, September 25 from 12:00-1:00 pm. Webinar attendees will learn how to improve their balance and prevent falls. In addition, participants will learn simple modifications to increase home safety. The presentation will include statistics on falls, contributing factors in the home environment, and physical changes as individuals age. This special informative webinar will be presented by Cornerstone VNA’s Rehab Manager, Karen Krause PT, COS-C, AIB-VRC.

Julie Reynolds RN, MS, Cornerstone VNA President/CEO, shares, “Fall prevention education is vital because it empowers individuals to stay safe and independent, reducing the risk of life-altering injuries. By learning how to prevent falls, we not only protect physical health, but also preserve quality of life and peace of mind.” 

For more information about the Fall Prevention webinar, call 800-691-1133 x1109 or email avennard@cornerstonevna.org. You can also register at www.cornerstonevna.org/fall-prevention.

Cornerstone VNA currently serves Rockingham, Strafford, Belknap and Carroll Counties in New Hampshire and York County in Maine. The team at Cornerstone VNA provides award-winning care and support through five distinct programs: Home Care, Hospice Care, Palliative Care, Life Care-Private Duty, and Community Care. For over 111 years, Cornerstone VNA has been committed to bringing services to people of all ages so that families can stay together at home, even when facing the challenges of aging, surgical recovery, chronic or life-threatening illnesses or end-of-life care. To learn more about Cornerstone VNA, visit www.cornerstonevna.org or call 800-691-1133

The Lions Club of Dover, Rollinsford to hold comedy night

On Thursday, September 19, 2024, at 7pm, the Lions Club of Dover, Rollinsford and South Berwick will host a Comedy Night to benefit community initiatives at the Chameleon Club in Dover, NH. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/charity-comedy-night-cara-to-benefit-the-doverrollinsfords-berwick-lions-club-tickets-887116949677.

Popular comedians from around the area will join forces for this event, including Mark Moccia, Stephen Bjork, Janet McNamara and Logan O’Brien. There will also be a 50/50 raffle.

Doors open at 6pm so come early, grab a good seat and come have some laughs for a good cause!

Proceeds from this event will support the Lions Club in their initiatives in the areas of diabetes, pediatric cancer research, environmental, hunger, and vision support.

The Lions Club of Dover, Rollinsford and South Berwick is a member of the Lions Club International, which began in 1917. Their motto is “We Serve.” The club gathers monthly to find ways to improve their community. For more information about the Dover, Rollinsford, South Berwick Lions Club, visit https://www.facebook.com/DRSBLionsClub

Become a member today and be a part of a network that is doing good things for our community!  

Check out their video below: 

https://www.facebook.com/DRSBLionsClub/videos/938384307801018

Lydia’s House of Hope (LHOH) encourages Seacoast area residents to dine out at their favorite local participating restaurant on Thursday July 11th and Friday July 12th to benefit Lydia’s House of Hope! Enjoy a delicious meal and support LHOH’s mission to break the generational cycle of homelessness in our communities.

Twelve awesome local restaurants from across the Seacoast of Maine and New Hampshire are joining us in support of our program, which moves families from ‘homeless to wholeness!’ To support us, simply dine out on the day of the event and let your wait staff know you are there for ‘Dine Out & Do Good’ to support Lydia’s House of Hope.

Two restaurants are participating on Thursday evening, 7/11 - Moxy’s and Street in Portsmouth. On Friday, July 12th, the list of participating restaurants includes Earth Eagle North, Kelley’s Row, and The Rail at La Stazione in Somersworth; Cinco’s Cantina at both their Epping & Dover locations; Chapel + Main in Dover; The Tour Golf & Grill and La Napoletana in Portsmouth; and in Maine: Lee Franks in South Berwick and Loco Cocos Tacos in Kittery. Each restaurant is donating a percentage of their earnings to support Lydia’s House of Hope.

Executive Director, Theresa Tozier, states “Our last Summer Dine-around fundraiser in 2019 helped us to grow our program exponentially! We are so excited to bring back Dine Out & Do Good this year, which will help us to raise the funds needed to continue serving families. As we are not state or federally funded, community support is essential to our mission!”

For more information about the participating restaurants, visit https://lydiashousenh.org/dine-out-do-good/. Follow Lydia’s House of Hope on Facebook for important event updates.

For questions about the event, please contact Maria at adminassistant@seedsoffaithnh.org or call 603-441-5288. More Information about Lydia’s House is online at www.LydiasHouseNH.org.

About Lydia's House of Hope: Lydia's House of Hope is a highly structured 365-day transitional program for women and children escaping the generational cycles of homelessness, domestic violence, trafficking, substance misuse, food insecurity, and hurdles unimaginable to most. LHOH’s parent company, Seeds of Faith Inc., is a local 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that aims to move families from homelessness to wholeness. More Information about Lydia’s House is online at www.LydiasHouseNH.org.

The Dover, Rollinsford, South Berwick Lions Club welcomes Kennebunk Savings Bank as a Bronze Sponsor for their Third Annual Charity Corn Hole Tournament.

The tournament, which takes place at The Barn at Dunn Farm in Berwick, Maine on August 10, 2024, will benefit local charity “Annie’s Angels” (www.anniesangels.org). Annie’s Angels helps families struggling with life threatening illness and disabilities in and around the seacoast area.

Gold, Silver and Bronze Sponsorships are available.

Kennebunk Savings Bank is a returning sponsor this year. Doug Smith, Senior Social Responsibility Administrator at Kennebunk Savings Bank states, “At Kennebunk Savings, we believe that being a good neighbor means investing in our community; that’s why since 1994 we’ve contributed 10% of our annual earnings to local charitable organizations. This year marks the 30th anniversary of this commitment, and our total giving since the program’s inception will surpass $20 million! Doing our share and connecting with the people and organizations that strengthen our community are part of what we call our Community Promise.”

Turnout is expected to exceed 500 people, including players and spectators. Sponsors will be featured on T-shirts, banners, plus additional options.

The Dover, Rollinsford and South Berwick Lions Club wishes to thank Kennebunk Savings Bank for helping to make a difference in our community. For more information, or to become a sponsor, visit https://birdease.com/cornholeforacure

The Lions Club of Dover, Rollinsford and South Berwick is a member of the Lions Club International, which began in 1917. Their motto is “We Serve.” The club gathers on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of each month at Cara Irish Pub in Dover. For more information about the Dover, Rollinsford, South Berwick Lions Club, visit https://www.facebook.com/DRSBLionsClub

Cider Flights & Tasty Bites featuring North Country Hard Cider
Saturday March 23, 2024, 7-9pm, 6:30pm VIP entrance 

Grown-ups, join us at the Children’s Museum of New Hampshire for an evening of hard cider sampling and tasty nibbles! This 21+ event will feature tastings of five all-natural hard ciders provided by North Country Hard Cider, based in Dover, NH. Included in the ticket price are four-ounce pours of cider, paired with tasty bites from local restaurants and activities sure to bring out your inner child! Participating businesses include Fat Dog Kitchen, Ohana Kitchen, Stalk Restaurant, HiFi Burritos, Flag Hill Distillery & Winery, Thirsty Moose Taphouse, Flight Coffee, Evviva Trattoria, Lindt Chocolate, and Sweetened Memories Bakery. A portion of each ticket sold supports Children’s Museum of NH exhibits and programs.

VIP Tickets cost $50/person or $35/person for VIP Designated Drivers, and includes early access to the event at 6:30pm and one extra cider pour (6 total). VIP tickets will not be sold at the door. General Admission Tickets cost $35/person or $25/person for General Admission Designated Driver Tickets, and includes entry at 7pm and 5 cider pours. If we haven’t sold out, tickets will be available at the door for $40/person for General Admission or $30/person for Designated Drivers. Get your tickets online at www.childrens-museum.org or at the door.

Atkinson, NH – Award-winning Palmer Gas & Oil (PGO) secured its eighth consecutive win as Best Fuel Provider by New Hampshire Business Review’s 2024 Best of Business (BOB) Awards.

“It is such an amazing honor to receive our eighth consecutive win,” says Peter Iacobucci, General Manager of Palmer Gas & Oil. “This award is extra special to all of us at PGO as it is decided by customer voting. We work hard to bring warmth and comfort to the families that we service, and this shows that they appreciate all that we do. Every PGO employee has contributed to this win, a result of our great teamwork and of all of us following our motto of Friendly, Simple, Safe.”

PGO is a one-stop shop that provides fuel, service and equipment sales, and installation throughout New Hampshire, Maine and Massachusetts.

For further information, please see PalmerGas.com.

Palmer Gas & Oil (PGO) is a family-owned and operated propane and oil delivery and service company based in Atkinson, New Hampshire with over 90 years serving New Hampshire, Northern Massachusetts, and Southern Maine. PGO's automatic delivery, easy payment, and scheduled maintenance plans make it simple for its customers to keep their tanks full and their equipment serviced. A full sales, service, and equipment installation business, PGO is unique to the industry in that it is truly a one-stop shop. PGO is a Business NH Magazine Business of the Decade winner in the Retail/Wholesale category, a multi-award winner of the Best of Business (BOB) awards for best fuel provider as well as a multi-award winner in the Union Leader Readers’ Choice award for oil and propane delivery, a Business Excellence Award winner in consumer services for large organizations from NH Business Review and has an accredited A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau.