Volunteers make GMP a success
Meredith:
The Citizen of Laconia
By BEA LEWIS
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Christopher Williams, left, chair of the Greater Meredith Program's conservation committee and co-chair of the design committee, presents an award naming Nancy Lavigne the GMP's Volunteer of the Year for her work on the community garden in front of the Meredith Community Center.
(Bea Lewis/Citizen Photo) * Order a print of this photo
The Greater Meredith Program raised $40,000 last year to fund local beautification efforts and operating costs by tacking a voluntary special assessment of $1.50 on some visitors.
Rusty McLear, principal of the Inns and Spa at Mill Falls, announced during the program's sixth annual meeting on Friday that his establishment and Harbor Hill Campground, owned by Chuck and Barbara Palm, asked their guests to pay the special fee to help improve Meredith.
Half of the proceeds are earmarked for beautification, including tree plantings, and the remainder funded the operation of the local Main Street program, a non-profit community economic development organization dedicated to enhancing economic vitality, historical and cultural heritage, and town-wide beautification.
Last year the money paid for a large tree to be planted in the center of the newly constructed roundabout at the intersection of Route 3 and Parade Road. Next year, McLear said, plans call for planting about 15 trees along Route 3 near Ippolito's Furniture.
Steve Gregoire, president and treasurer of the Greater Meredith Program, said the organization had a $70,000 budget in 2009 with actual income of $72,343; and it spent $79,711, including $40,473 in community events and investments.
Steve Gregoire, left, accepts a gold brick awarded for his hard work with the Greater Meredith Program from GMP Executive Director Bonnie Ireland, center, and GMP Administrative Assistant Liz Lapham, who donned boas for the occassion.
(Bea Lewis/Citizen Photo) * Order a print of this photo
McLear, who chairs the GMP's economic development committee, said that, while it always is hard to raise money, Meredith is fortunate to have a large pool of willing and talented volunteers.
Chris Williams, who serves on the GMP's design committee, said the group identified the area in front of the newly completed community center as being in need of beautification. Following a design charette in 2008, some 50 volunteers, ranging from members of the local garden club and Boy Scouts to private contractors, donated hundreds of hours of labor as well as materials to help create a garden valued at $67,000, using native plants to reduce maintenance.
Williams recognized Nancy Lavigne as Volunteer of the Year for her work on the garden. Her son owns Wilderness Landscaping in Bedford and Lavigne agreed to adopt the garden and continues to maintain it.
Williams said the GMP is continuing its façade and site improvement grant program that funds up to $5,000 of labor and materials for qualifying projects. Seven applications have been submitted and the grant award-winner will be announced shortly, with the project to be completed by summer.
Also announced during the meeting was that Meredith will co-sponsor the first New England Pond Hockey Classic on Meredith Bay on Lake Winnipesaukee on Feb. 5-7. More than 60 teams representing about 300 people will be attending the three-day event, according to GMP Executive Director Bonnie Ireland.
Other people recognized during the annual meeting at Church Landing included Bill Vecchio as GMP Board Member of the Year. Vecchio hand-built a wooden canoe that he donated to the program for a raffle that raised $4,400 to fund the Greater Meredith Career Partnership Program.
Ireland and GMP Administrative Assistant Liz Lapham donned boas and recited a poem in ode to Gregoire who is moving and, as a result, leaving the program.
"My involvement with this program has been very rewarding," Gregoire said.
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