REMEMBER:Nelson School District Meeting

Friday, March 4

Nelson Town Meeting

Tuesday, March 8

March 2011 Winter Issue Volume 28, No.1

By Margaret Iselin

Iam so happy to have this little windowin the Grapevine to send out a greentendril that I hope will grow andspread. The Game of Village, a

children's summer camp that was createdright here in Nelson in 1971 (and has beenplayed almost continuously since and as faraway as Poland), is coming back to ourpeaceful little town for summer 2011!

The last time Village was played inNelson was approximately two decades agoat the chalet on Lead Mine Road. The signcreated by that summer's community -“Micronesia” - still hangs on the chaletbarn.

The location for this summer,fantastically enough, is Village Field Farm(Kip and Sandy Mackenzie's place) inNelson Village. No less fantastically, at thehead of the spear for this summer'sexperience, is Sasha DuVerlie, the eldestgrandchild of the founder of the Game ofVillage, Cia Iselin.

I would like to relate the marvel of this

game to you by paraphrasing from ourwebsite, thegameofvillage.com. Village isa slice of the real world in miniature, afrontier set out for a collection of youngpeople to imagine, create, and developtheir own miniature community. The“homesteaders” (campers) experiment anddiscover the way things work in the adultworld around them through their play.

Each homesteader creates a miniatureperson called a “peep” out of pipecleaners, yarn, and fimo clay, giving ittheir own unique personality. Then theystake out and survey their own mini-acreof land on which to build a miniaturehome. They find their way to makingtheir fortune, playing their role in theminiature community being created.Adults in the program play the role ofCom m issioners o f a f igm entarygovernment. They, too, have peeps andare active in building the institutions thatwill make the community thrive. TheGame is richly tempered by the creativespirit of its players; and outcomes aredictated, as they are in real

(continued on page 9)

FIFTY YEARS INMUNSONVILLE

by D. Asa Bennett

Munsonville had a village storesince sometime in the 1800s. Forgenerations it was a place forpeople to meet and share events

and activities in a warm, friendlyatmosphere. The post office was anotherdraw for people. Sometimes the currentstore owners served dual rolls of storeclerk and postmaster (or postmistress). And when automobiles began rumblingthrough town, gas pumps were added tothe service at the Granite Lake Store.

The Store is probably where we metour first local resident in 1959 when wefirst moved to town. Joe Dobson, theformer renown Red Socks pitcher, ownedthe store at that time and pumped gasolineinto my Chevy my first day in town. Thedecor in the store featured baseballmemorabilia, bats, autographed baseballsand a photograph of Joe “coaching”Marilyn Monroe on her batting swing.

Since then there have been, at least,five other couples who operated the store.

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GRAPEVINE-2 MARCH 2011 PAGE 2

Those are my principles, and

if you don't like them... well,

I have others.

- Groucho Marx

ROTARYSCHOLARSHIP

The Town would like to remindstudents about the scholarshipfund that has been established bya Nelson member of the Rotary

Club of Keene exclusively for residentsof Nelson, New Hampshire, who wishto further their education.

The criteria are:• You must be a Nelson resident for

at least one year.• You must be planning to attend a

college, technical school orcontinuing education class

• You must be a resident of Nelsonin good standing.

• You do have to be a high schoolgraduate; however, considerationwill be given to those who may nothave graduated. but, are now'non-traditional' students wantingto improve their lives andopportunities through education.

An application is available byrequest by phoning the Rotary ClubSecretary, Peter Brnger, at 358-3038, atwww.keenerotary.org or by writing to

Mr. Peter Brnger69B Island StreetKeene, NH 03431

Completed applications should besubmitted no later than Ju ly 1, 2011 tothe Marlboro Street address.

If you have any questions, you may call Rotarians Peter Brnger at 358-3038 or Jane Kirk at 847-9647.

MOBILEOUTREACH

Mobile Outreach, a program ofSouthwestern Co m m unityServices, is offering “outreachsites” throughout Cheshire and

Sullivan Counties to inform communitymembers of services that may beavailable to them.

This may include housinginformation, fuel and electrical assistance,WIC, Head Start, and Rental Assistance,to name a few. Information about otherresources that are not SCS program willalso be available such as Food Stampinformation, Healthy Kids Insurance andreferrals to other agencies if applicable.

Most programs are based on incomeeligibility which may be determined at theoutreach site.

If you are interested in seeing if youare qualified for SCS programs or justwant more information, please callBecky Holland at (603) 719-4134. Nelson Outreach is held at Nelson TownOffices the 4th Thursday of every monthfrom 1:30-2:30 PM.

NEW WEBBASED CATALOGAT THE LIBRARYhttp://opac.libraryworld.com/opac/signin?libraryname=SCCDE

The above address is the new webbased catalog for the NelsonLibrary. Put this URL into yourbrowser and the Library World

sign in page will be on your screen. Thelibrary name is “nelson”. At that pointyou can enter a title or author or subjectto call up a title that is owned by thelibrary. For example, if under subjectyou put chemistry, then four books areon the screen. They are the chemistrybooks owned by the library. At this pointaccurate information on availability is notup and running. Currently there are over6000 titles in this catalog.

NELSONCOMMUNITYFORUM FINALREPORT

The Final Report for The NelsonCommunity Forum, which washeld last September 17 and 18,2010, is ready for you to

download at www.movinginstep.org, orat www.townofnelson.com. A hard copyis also available at both the Town Officesand the Library (along with a flash drivefrom which you can download a copyonto your laptop).

Please take a look at it and readabout the actual thoughts and ideas thatwere expressed during the course of theforum. Review the steps that were takento move the resultant action plansforward and see if you might be able tocontribute to one of the committees.Then, send a big round of applause toCandyce Fulford who transferred themany flip charts that were filled up withour words of wisdom into this document.

It is an impressive report thatdemonstrates not only the thoughtfulnessand insightfulness that the folks ofNelson have in caring for our town, itsfuture and its people; but that the folksof Nelson are a pretty nifty group ofpeople who came together to worktogether in a most civil and congenialmanner.

A lot of very meaningful work wasaccomplished and will continue to beaccomplished as a result of this Forum.Enjoy. It’s a good read!

GRAPEVINE-2 MARCH 2011 PAGE 3

4th Annual Nelson School PTO

AUCTION

Sa tu rd a y , Ap ril 2, 2011, 7:00 p .m .N e ls o n T o w n H a ll, N e ls o n Ce n te r

Bid on items ranging from homemade pies to weekend getaways to pricelessNelson school original artwork, and take pleasure in the company of friendsand community members!

Items will be posted for preview onhttp://schoolauction.townofnelson.com

and bidding will take place from 6:30 to 9:00 pm.

We are seeking auction items and services from the community! To donate,please email pjbirdsmith@gmail.com. For further information, you maycontact us at 847-9533 or 847-3408

The PTO supports and supplements many events each year such as theBook Swap and artist in residency programs. The playground has receivedupgrades, and we have purchased items such as white boards, a TV cart,desks, and more. All proceeds will benefit the Nelson School.

By Val Van Meier

Grins, giggles and excited chattergreeted Sarah Kim, the NelsonStrings teacher on the first day oflessons. Ten eyes looked eagerly

at six cases sitting on a table. Minutes laterNelson Elementary School’s first violinstudents were learning proper standingposition, the name and function of partsof the violin, and how to care for and holdtheir instruments. Five students arelearning finger positions, pizzicato (alsoknown as plucking the strings) and theirfirst song. Having a strings program forelementary school children is not toounusual these days, but Nelson’s programhas a couple of unique twists.

First, with a nod to Nelson’s heritageof traditional music for contra dances,students are learning some of thesetraditional tunes. They are working withthe O’Connor Violin method, an approachto teaching young people that is based onAmerican folk fiddle tunes. This wasdeveloped by Mark O’Connor, a childprodigy who had recorded his first albumof fiddle music at the age of 10. Fortyyears later he is known throughout folk,bluegrass, jazz and classical realms for hisbrilliant playing and compositions thatcross all of those genres.

Second, how many towns the size ofNelson have a world-class chamberorchestra? Enter Sarah Kim, who hasbeen a violinist with the Apple HillChamber players since 2008 and on thesummer faculty since 2003. Since movingto town she has enjoyed going to the localdances and had the opportunity to heardifferent music from what Apple Hilltypically performs. She was familiar withthe O’Connor method, and in fact, hadtoured with Mark O’Connor in 2001 as am em b er o f the o rchestra th a taccompanied him for a performance of his“American Four Seasons”.

The idea of a strings program hasbeen germinating for several months.With financial support from theco m m un i t y , s evera l quar ter - s iz einstruments were purchased. Curriculummaterials were purchased from a grant bythe Country Dance and Song Society(CDSS). This grant made it possible tosend Sarah Kim to teacher training, topurchase the Mark O’Connor curriculum,the New England Fiddler’s Repertoire byRandy Miller and Jack Perron, and several

other contra dance collections. Those ofyou not involved in the contra worldmight be interested in learning that RandyMiller and Jack Perron are Monadnockregion based and have been involved withcontra dance music for generations. TheirNew England Fiddler’s Repertoire is billedas the essential tune book for the contradance musician. Through the generosity of ourcommunity two instruments were donated

and money was raised to purchase two ¼size and two ½ size instruments. Thestudents are in grades 1-3 and they willrequire larger instruments as they grow.We will need to fund-raise to purchaselarger sizes over the next few years andwill eventually have enough instrumentsfor all ages that wish to learn.

As our students grow in their musicthere are scholarship opportunities fromCDSS and the Monadnock FolkloreSociety*. The Mark O’Connor curriculumexposes students to all styles of music andwith Apple Hill just up the way, it will beinteresting to see what musical “paths”our students choose.

Meanwhile, be listening for Nelson’syoung violinists to be included inupcoming school programs, and whoknows, eventually some of them may beheard playing for dances in the TownHall!

Nelson residents (or anyone else) whowould like to support this program shouldcontact me, Val Van Meier, at 847-3371 orval@applehill.org.

Thank you to everyone who supportsthis endeavor.

*The Monadnock Folklore Society is a locallygrown non-profit that has an annual scholarshipwhich will be accepting applications as of January1, 2011. For more information please go towww.monadnockfolk.org

NELSON STRINGS

Sarah Kim helps Fallon Smith with herviolin.

GRAPEVINE-2 MARCH 2011 PAGE 4

from Karen Tolman

Six town-wide action plans werebegun as a result of The NelsonCommunity Forum, held lastSeptember 17 and 18, 2010.

1. Create a Resource Directory2. A Gathering Place3. Establishing a Committee for

Natural Resources Education4. Community Activities5. Regionalization6. Expanded Use of Public and

Private Spaces

A brief report from each committeefollows, as well as an invitation to offeryour help to any of them:

T h e T o w n R e s o u rc e Co m m it t e e(aka Create a Resource Directory)

The Town Resource Committeemet on 10/1/2010, 11/19/2010 and1/14/2011. Members include BarbaraBennett, David Beffa-Negrini, SarahKim, Candyce Fulford, Val van Meier,Anne McCune, Sharon Oliver, LindaSinger and John Zurich.

Our goal is to provide a means forall interested Nelson residents toconnect with others, share resourcesand knowledge, support volunteerism,and to have a place where goods andservices can be purchased, sold orbartered.

Sarah Kim, Greg Rothman andLinda Singer developed a sample surveythat was adopted by the group. Severalof us took this sample paper survey tothe community. Approximately 15surveys were completed. These samplesurveys were reviewed and discussed atour November gathering. By theconclusion of this meeting, there wasconsensus that the best way toaccomplish our goals would be tocreate an "on line" forum. This forumwould allow any interested NelsonResident to log in, and then post orview a variety of offerings. This sitecould also function as a place to shareinformation and network with ourneighbors. These sites do havemechanisms in place for privacy andliability protections.

At our January meeting, the groupviewed and analyzed the workings ofseveral on line resources including: 1) aBulletin Board, 2) a sample Google site,and 3) The Front Porch Forum (thusfar Vermont based, with plans toextend into NH within a year). Priorto, during, and after this meeting,several committee members signed onto "mock up" versions skillfully createdby Candyce to test their relative ease ofuse, friendliness, potential capacity forgrowth, and the "mechanics" of howthese sites could be used by townmembers.

The committee recognizes thatthere are some drawbacks to an on-lineinformation-sharing director; however,we feel that this route is ultimately thebest way to go. We can access thecomputer resources at the library, andmany on the committee are ready tohelp any interested residents with thisprocess. We are hoping to work outfinal details, so we will soon have sucha resource available for all to use.

The Gath e rin g P la c e Co m m it t e e is inthe process of merging with the SpaceUse Committee, as they are exploringsimilar interests.

T h e N e ls o n T ra il Co m m it t e e(aka Establishing a Committee forNatural Resources Education)

The Nelson Trail Committee hasset out to identify and document thehiking trails in Nelson, producing trailguides that will include the historical,and natural resources along our trails.We hope to have our first trail guideout this spring. The trail we are startingwith is the Class VI road from HardyHill to Silver Lake in Harrisville, withan optional loop back to Nelson.

We have a rotating leadershipstructure. Tom Murray & Linda Catesorganized the first hike along theMonadnock Sunapee Trail fromHarrisville through the microburst zoneback to Cabot Road. Rick Churchhosted a meeting where Tom Dustonof the Chesterfield ConservationCommittee spoke to us about theirsuccessful 20-year effort to develop the

hiking trail system in Chesterfield.Ruth LeMay and Bruce McSheehyorganized the hike along the route ofour first proposed trail guide.

We met with the NelsonConservation Committee to advisethem of our activities and invite theirsupport and participation. EricSandberg organized a planning meeting.David Hersey hosted a hike along thepossible loop extension to the SilverLake trail. The Trail Committee hasgained two new members since theNelson Community Forum and weinvite other interested residents to joinus. You can contact Linda Cates at lindacates@mindspring.com or phone827-3839.

Ac tiv it ie s a n d O u tre a c h(aka Community Activities)

This group was formed for twopurposes. One is to identify currentNelson activities, such as the Mondaynight Contra Dances, Library BookGroup, etc. and to find out what elsetownspeople would like to do. To thatend, we are working on a survey tosend out to town residents asking forneeds, ideas and volunteers to organizepotential new activities.

The second purpose is to exploreforming a welcoming committee forpeople who have moved into Nelson.We have met with a few recentnewcomers to welcome them, answerquestions and find out what they needon moving to Nelson. We would liketo be able to send teams of two to visiteach newcomer we become aware of(through the Town Clerk, Librarian,etc.) and deliver a packet ofinformation. We’re hoping to providebasic information, perhaps in flyer orbrochure form, such as the libraryschedule, when town offices are open,volunteer opportunities and access tothe town website where they could getmore in depth information. We wouldalso give them a Nelson telephonedirectory.

We have been meeting once amonth at Betsey Church’s house onLog Cabin Road since the Community

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NELSON COMMUNITY FORUM COMMITTEE REPORTS

GRAPEVINE-2 MARCH 2011 PAGE 5

MUNSONVILLE(continued from page 1)

Probably during themid to late ‘70s the thenowners, John andCo n n ie Van K irk,installed a snack barserving sandw iches ,sodas, ice cream etc. andhad a separate room inb ack w ith p in b a l lmachines, all creating anideal hangout for localteens.

Ken and Vera Balchwere neighbors andlongtime friends. Kenserved in the Merchant Marine for manyyears and as salesman on the road sellingpaper products afterwards. Ken was anactively involved citizen in Nelson townaffairs. He served as selectman for manyyears and as a fireman for even more.For a time he was an extremely colorfuladdition to the staff at the local villagestore. His keen sense of humor and hiswarm smile, that lit his whole face, wasgreat public relations for the store – andcommunity.

Sadly, one cold February night in1991, the store succumbed to a firewhich totally destroyed that operation.Hard work by the fire department savedthe connected house. The store wasnever rebuilt and the post office wasreplaced by rural delivery. Our localgathering place was lost and with it manyrelationships that would not continuewithout it.

Ken’s “fame” spread even widerduring his tenure as our local policeofficer. Nelson had no official policedepartment at the time so Kenvolunteered his services and (I believe)his expenses. He bought signs and a bluelight for his Chevy station wagon andbought a snappy uniform with a cap thathe placed squarely on his head andcocked slightly forward. Sometime later,I believe he was accepted into the statepolice auxiliary.

Traffic on the then New HampshireRoute 9 was heavy and it often traveledwell over the posted 35 mph limitthrough little Munsonville. Ken wouldpark his tan wagon, with blue lightprominent on top, at the Murdough HillRoad intersection with Route 9, in frontof the village store. Southwest bound

drivers would not see his vehicle untilthey rounded the turn – and that was

too late to reducethe ir exces s ivespeed. The bluelight would rotatea n d t h e t a n“cruiser” wouldspring to life. Theoffending driver,knowing he was“had” would stopdown the road aways. Ken wouldpull in behind andslowly exit his

v e h i c l e ,deliberately placehis cap firmly onhis head, adjust hissidearm on his hip,s t r ide t o th eoffending vehicleand with his moststern expressionstare down intothe open windowand the face of theculprit preparinghis/her hopelessdefense. After ther o u t i n e , b u tdetailed and timeconsuming inspection of the haplessdriver’s credentials, Ken would openhis lengthy lecture to the driver on thehazards to local pets, pedestrians, otherdrivers and the driver himself, createdby his reckless disregard for the lawand rules of the road.

Ken seldom issued tickets to theseoffenders, but he would explain laterwith his wry smile and devilish twinkle

in his eyes, “But I sure made ‘em squirmand cost them some time.” Next timepassing through downtown Munsonvillethey would remember and slow down!

Social life in Munsonville was centeredlargely around the church and the localgrade school besides the store.

For a number of years, a group -mostly from the neighborhood -celebrated the coming New Year with agathering at one of several homes.Activities at these occasions usuallyincluded some social consumption ofvarious liquid spirits, lots of good foodprepared by the ladies, perhaps a song ortwo, and lively sharing of stories, somenearly factual, some just for fun.

Most memorable of these partyactivities were the ten and twelve handedcribbage games played around a diningroom table. A recording of theconversation and cracks that wereexchanged around the table would be a bestseller. If you know the game, you willappreciate the limitless possibilities for“pegging” situations in a twelve handedgame and the good natured jibes andcomments resulting from a missedopportunity or perceived lack of nativeintelligence.

Fifty years is a small piece of the 235years since Nelson (about 170 years for

M u n s o n v i l l e ) w a sincorporated. Buildingschange, more homesgrow, change and burn;people move in andout, babies are born,traffic increases and sodoes the population inspite of the inevitabledeaths from age, illnessand accident.

We have only livedin three states –California, Connecticutand New Hampshire -and have visited anumber of others, butNew Hampshire andits people, even with

the “warts” and growing pains, is still ourhome of choice. And Nelson/downtownMunsonville is classic New Hampshire.Here we stay – even through the longwinter, ice storms and all! – we love it.

This is the last part of Don Bennett’s reminiscencesof his family’s life in Munsonville. You may readthe other 4 parts in past issues of the Grapevinestarting March 2010.

Kim & Chris Bennett

Chris, Kim, & Barbara Bennett

Chris, Kim, & Don Bennett

GRAPEVINE-2 MARCH 2011 PAGE 6

YOUR HELP IS

NEEDED

Unlike public radio andtelevision fund-raisers, wedon’t have a toll-freenumber for you to call or a

nifty premium to offer, nor do wehave corporate sponsorship; butwe do need your financial support.

The Grap e v in e -2 is supportedsolely by donations from you, ourreaders. Our only costs are paper,printing, labels, and postage.

If you enjoy receiving theGrapevine, please use the enclosedenvelope to send a contribution to:

Grap e v in e -2830 Nelson RoadNelson, NH 03457

Thank you in advance for your

generosity.

FORUM COMMITTEEREPORTS(continued from page 4)

Forum and have already added threenew members. If you are interested injoining our group, please contact BetseyC h u r c h a t 8 4 7 - 3 2 0 6 o r a tbetseyrick@gmail.com.

T h e Sh a rin g R e s o u rc e s Co m m it t e e(aka Regionalization)

This committee was formed toaddress one of the highest-priorityaction plans coming from the Forum.The co-chairs first met with theSelectboard to discuss working withthem to study what possibilities mightexist for sharing resources with ourneighboring towns in order to providesubstantial savings without reducing thequality of town services.

Harrisville also held a communityforum (20/20 Vision) in the fall andformed a committee to discuss sharingresources among towns. The HarrisvilleSelectmen invited their neighbors inNelson, Dublin and Marlborough tomeet and discuss possibilities. Afterseveral meetings the interest from thesecommunities seems positive.

In January, Donald R. Jutton,President of Municipal Resources, Inc.,(MRI) (www.municipalresources.com)made a presentation to the combinedSelectboards about inter-municipalcooperation and offered the towns aproposal (by town warrant vote) forMRI to conduct an independent studythat would identify where and ifco o pe ra t io n , c o l lab o ra t io n an dconsolidation might enhance efficiency,effectiveness, cost sharing, future costavoidance, and quality of municipalservices. This has been written as awarrant article for Dublin, Harrisvilleand Nelson (Marlborough has optedout at this time), and an abbreviatedcopy of their proposal will be availableat the Library. The article addresses ameans to collect the comprehensiveand specific information needed fromwhich our town can move forward withthe study of potential resource sharing.

The Sc h o o l B o a rd held a half-daycommunity forum on January 29th withthe objective of seeking input on howto deal with our declining enrollment.They concluded that their first forumdid not last long enough to create theaction plans necessary to move forward.

So they held a second forum tocontinue the discussion and advancethe process of gathering informationfrom which the town can makeresponsible decisions. This committeeis lending its support to the SchoolBoard. This support includes an active,open and candid conversation aboutany and all potential resource sharing.

For more information about theSharing Resources Committee contactKaren Tolman attolmanpond@pobox.com or 827-3226or Russ Thomas atrussindawoods@gmail.com or at847-9715.

T h e Sp a c e Us e Co m m it t e e(aka Expanded Uses of Public andPrivate Spaces)

The Space Use Committee is in theprocess of creating a spreadsheet thatwill have information on the availablespaces in town that can be used for avariety of events. We have gatheredinformation on Apple Hill Center forChamber Music, the Chapel by theLake, the Nelson Church, the NelsonSchool, the Town Hall, the Old Library,the Olivia Rodham Memorial Library,and the Town Hall.

Members of the committee havemet with the selectmen to see aboutusing the Safety Building for meetingsor other events. As a result of thatconversation, the committee drafted aWarrant Article for Town Meeting,which will put forward a proposal forpolicies for use of town ownedproperties including the SafetyBuilding, the ball field and the towncommon. It is a petitioned article andwill be on the Town Warrant at TownMeeting in March.

Townspeople can look forward tothe committee putting the informationthat they have gathered so far on theTown of Nelson Website and theM o v in g in S t e p w eb s ite fo rtownspeople's use when they arelooking for places for their specialevents or meetings.

Kathy Schillemat is the contact personfor more information. 847-9785 ork s c h i l l e m a t @ y a h o o . c o m . M o r ecommittee m em bers are a lwayswelcome. We meet at the library. Nextmeeting to be announced.

My dog is worried about theeconomy because Alpo is up to99 cents a can. That's almost$7.00 in dog money.

- Joe Weinstein

GRAPEVINE-2 MARCH 2011 PAGE 7

CHURCH NEWS

from Hope Lothrop

Ne ls o n Co n g re g atio n al Chu rc h

Ash Wednesday will be March 9.We will observe the start of Lentby sharing in a joint worshipservice at the Chesham Church at

7:00 PM. Following worship on March 13, we

will hold our Annual Meeting to vote onthe budget and elect officers andcommittees for the year. All are urged toattend this meeting. An important articlethat will be presented on the agenda willrequire a 2/3 vote of the membershippresent. This article is to vote todetermine whether we should changeAnnual Meeting from March toNovember to better coincide with thecalendar year of the budget.

On March 12 there will be a CornedBeef and Cabbage dinner from 5:00 -7:00PM. We will be celebrating St. Patrick’sDay. Come wearing your green andenjoy a great meal and warmcamaraderie. Tickets are on sale now: $8adults, $6 children. Contact JoyBirdsey-Smith at 847-9533 for moreinformation.

Nelson Church and the Moving InStep group have been consulting withHom e Healthcare Hosp ice andCommunity Services to evaluate whetherthere is a need to establish aMeals-on-Wheels program in town. Ithas been suggested that it might be moreadvantageous to make it a multi- townprogram, possibly including Harrisville,Sullivan and Stoddard. If you aresomeone, or you know of someone, whocould really benefit from this program,p lease speak with Rev. DawnGarrett-Larsen.

The Scouts will host their Italian

Extravaganza at the Nelson Church onApril 9.

Holy Week will be celebrated witha Palm Sunday Service, April 17;Maundy Thursday seder supper andjoint service with members from TheC h a p e l - B y - T h e - L a k e a n dHarrisville/Chesham churches at theNelson Church. The supper will be at6:00 PM followed by a Tenebraeservice at 7:00 PM. Good Friday willbe an observance of prayer andreflection. The church will be openduring the day. Sunday morning, April24 at 6:30 AM, we will hold a SunriseService on the church steps followedby a pancake breakfast at 7:00 AM.The family Easter Worship will be heldat 9:30 AM. All are welcome.

Ch ap e l-b y -th e -Lake

Worship services are at 10:00AM with Bible Studyfollow ing the Worshipservice.

Knitting Club meets on Saturdayfrom 10:00 AM til Noon. For moreinformation and to confirm meetingdates, call 446-7857 or 847-3231.

LIBRARY NEWS from Kris Finnegan

M e te o ro lo g is t H e lp s B re ak N H R e c o rd

Record snowfall isn’t the onlymilestone passed in NewHampshire this winter. WMURmeteorologist Josh Judge’s book

Extre m e N e w En g lan d We a th e rholds the distinction of being thetwo-millionth record entered into theState Library’s online catalog of itemsavailable at New Hampshire libraries.

The New Hampshire Union PublicAccess Catalog (NHU-PAC) lists theholdings of the 375 public, school,academic and special libraries thatmake up the New Hampshire

A u t o m a t e d In fo rm a t io n Sys tem .NHU-PAC lists most titles that theselibraries have acquired since the mid-1980s.

Anyone can go to the State Library’swebsite to learn which items are availablefrom these libraries. If an item is notavailable from an individual’s own library,it can be delivered to them throughInterlibrary Loan. The Nelson Librarycatalog can be seen on the computer athttp://opac.libraryworld.com/opac/signin?libraryname=nelson. NHU-PAC information is available atwww.nhu-pac.library.state.nh.us/#focus.

Extreme New England Weatherchronicles the events surrounding thegreatest storms to hit the region during thelast one hundred years. The stories andhundreds of images cover such historicevents as the Hurricane of 1938, theBlizzard of 1978, 1991’s “Perfect Storm,”the Great Ice Storm of 2008 and others.The book includes s tor ies frommeteorologists in all six New Englandstates, including WMUR’s Mike Haddad,WMTW’s Tom Chisholm, WPTZ’s TomMessner and former Boston meteorologistsDick Albert and Bruce Schwoegler. Thereis also a previously unreleased interviewwith the late Don Kent.

Details about the book are available atwww.extremenewenglandweather.com.

“The wide range of books, magazines,compact discs, DVDs and other itemsavailable from New Hampshire’s libraries isastounding. There truly is something foreveryone,” said Michael York, statelibrarian. “It is only fitting that a book by aNew Hampshire author helps us reach thismilestone of two million items.”

The New Hampshire State Librarypromotes excellence in libraries and libraryservices to all New Hampshire residents, byassisting libraries and the people of NewHampshire with rapid access to library andinformational resources through thedevelopment and coordination of astatewide library/information system; bymeeting the informational needs of NewHampshire’s state, county and municipalgovernments and its libraries; and byserving as a resource for New Hampshire.F o r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n , v i s i twww.nh.gov/nhsl.

This article came from the New Hampshire StateLibrary and is reprinted with permission.

GRAPEVINE-2 MARCH 2011 PAGE 8

One of the many responsibilities ofour Town Selectmen is to lookafter the maintenance of townbuildings.

Last spring, the Selectmen formed acommittee of five town residents toresearch the Library, the Town Hall, andthe Town Offices (Old Brick SchoolHouse), and propose a renovation projectfor the 2011 Warrant. The Committeemembers are Jack Bradshaw, Bud French,Tom Buttrick,, and Lisa Sieverts, withWarren Hammack as the Selectmanrepresentative.

In light of the upcoming TownMeeting and the renovation bond Warrantarticle, the members of the committeewould like to share an overview of theirrecent work.

Having reviewed the state of thebuildings, they discovered a number ofissues:

• Dry rot in structural timbers underthe Town Hall floor.

• Crawl space under the Town Hall iswet due to high ground water

• Lack of soundproof places forSelectmen and Town Staff to holdconfidential Executive Sessions andcitizen meetings

• Overcrowded Town Offices areadoes not meet current securityrequirements

• Fire exits in Town Offices are not upto current code

• A second set of stair is required in theTown Offices

• ADA compliant access required to thesecond floor of the Town Offices orto use the Library basementcommunity room

• Buildings are not energy efficient• The Town Offices second floor has a

beautiful arched ceiling, which shouldbe preserved and insulated

• Property for buildings needs to besurveyed. True location of theproperty lines is unknown

Based on these issues, the Committeedeveloped a number of recommendationsfor the renovation proposal.

• It is estimated that the Town Officesneed at least 1000 square feet ofadditional space in order to conductits business in a safe and legal way.

• An elevator is required for access tothe second floor of the School Houseso that it can be used properly.

• Rotted timbers under the Town Hall

need to be replaced and its drainageproblem resolved.

• The Library basement and secondfloor of the Town Offices need to bemade usable for Town residents.

• Any proposed solution has to beenergy efficient.

The end result should be a set ofbuildings that meet current building codesfor fire, safety, and handicapped access.Finally, the Town should preserve thestructural integrity of these historicbuildings.

Regarding an elevator in the BrickSchool House, where would that belocated? Placing it at the back wouldcreate two problems. First, the buildingcode would require a wide access hallwaythrough the middle of the downstairsoffice space. Second, draining the base ofthe elevator shaft would require constantpumping. Therefore, the elevator wouldneed to be at the front of the TownOffices in the current entryway. Thiswould provide easy access for all whoneed the elevator and would also helpwith security issues.

The entryway would also be a goodlocation for ADA* compliant bathrooms.

Finally, the existing stairs would haveto be rebuilt in order to meet current coderequirements.

Where to find a thousand square feetof office space and put the requiredsecond set of stairs? A simple additionwould be built at the back of the SchoolHouse. The Committee considered 500square feet per floor, but the relativelyhigh price for such small spaces felt hardlyworth the investment. However, lookingat adding only a first floor additionof 1000 square feet, the Committeefound that the cost of adding asecond floor would be minimal --there could be an entire secondfloor for the cost of only threerelatively cheap walls, since thefoundation and roof are alreadyrequired for the first floor.

The most cost effectivesolution by far is to do all the workat once. This would be a challengefor the Town. To meet these needsof the town buildings for theforeseeable future, the BuildingRenova t io n Co m m ittee hasproposed a $1 million project.

The Selectmen propose tofund the project through a$750,000 bond and $250,000 of

available funds. The yearly bond payment (principal

and interest) has a direct effect on taxesfor taxpayers In researching the Nelsontax rates, the committee found that in2010 the rate was $19.11 per $1,000 ofproperty valuation. If the Town approvesa $750,000 bond at 4% interest over 20years, the cost to the town to repay thebond will be approximately $55,000 peryear. That would add about $0.45 per$1000 to the tax rate, an increase of 2.4%.As an example, a property valued at$173,300, the yearly tax bill wouldincrease by $90, from $3,300 in 2010, to$3,390 in 2011 (assuming the base tax rateis the same). These numbers are based onrecent information from the state, butshould not be considered final or official.Taxpayers would pay that additionalamount until the bond is paid off.

If the Town wishes to do this project,this year is an excellent time becausebond prices are still at historic lows. Theywill most likely increase in coming years.

The Selectmen and the RenovationCommittee will apply for grants as soon asthis project is approved. Potential grantsinclude the state’s LCHIP fund, NHPreservation Trust A lliance, andCommunity Development Block Grants.

In addition, Jack Bradshaw has agreedto lead a private fundraising effort to helpoffset the cost of the project and reducethe size of the required bond. Every dollarthat reduces the size of the bond willreduce the amount added to the tax bill.

*ADA: Americans with Disabilities Act, aFederal law requiring that public buildingsbe accessible to people with disabilities.

TOWN RENOVATION PROJECT

It may drive us nuts sometimes, but snow can be sobeautiful.

GRAPEVINE-2 MARCH 2011 PAGE 9

“VILLAGE” RETURNSTO NELSON(continued from page 1)

life, by unforeseen circumstances,confrontations with natural laws,fortuitous events, personality differencesand unlimited imagination.

The board of directors is pleased andfeel very fortunate to have found such aperfect home for this year's camp. Anyonewho has entered the contest at NelsonOld Home Day involving a suspendedball, two fire hoses, and many wet people,is familiar with a bit of Mackenzie's placeand their hospitality.

The Game of Village has been invitedto use their barns for meetings and workspaces and a bit of their land for theminiature town which will be out of sight.Their back field (a lovingly protected safehaven for its flora and fauna) slopes downnorthwards, becoming a forest thatborders on Wilson Brook. Somewhere inthat wild back-country our settlers willchoose a likely glade to site their Village.

For the most part, activities will be onVillage Field Farm property, but CenterPond, a pleasant 7-minute walk away, willbe visited regularly for everyone to cooloff in the midsummer heat. Maybe therewill be miniature boats!

One of the big payoffs of playing reallife down at toy size is that a variety offree resources becomes available. Whenthe Village scale is 1:24 vast amounts ofthings that are discarded in our culture areuseful for making models. A tiny teepeemay come from materials found in theforest, without impacting nature. Acornucopia of choice discards can beimported from the local transfer stationfor recycling into model buildings andother village infrastructure. Everything

from bicycles to bed sheets is susceptibleto transformation into scale models at nocost or environmental impact and thepossibilities for invention/creation areunlimited. At the same time this practiceof scale modeling teaches aesthetic skills,handwork skills, and a future-sensitivethrift ethic.

When at last the adventure ends, somecreations are worth keeping, but Villagestrives for minimum impact again. Thechildren bring home their cherishedcreations, but the setting at Village FieldFarm will be carefully returned to it'soriginal condition.

So from July 5 to August 5 aboutth th

20 kids (aged 9-13) and a few adults (kidsin training) will meet in Nelson Village tospend 5 weeks creating miniature people,places, and things from their imaginations.Their peeps will interact in town meetings,survey a territory, and scale down their bigideas to a size that is magically safe yetpractical to manipulate for young learninghands and minds.

Village '11, like those before it, will bea day camp experience with access towater/swimming as well as to the woods,fields and wildlife of our lovely town. Inkeeping with time honored tradition (since

1971), the homesteaders will select a siteand a flurry of activity will ensue as themodel neighborhood emerges. Characterswill develop as events unfold quickly inth is t im e- l im it ed com m unity o fyoungsters. Just as every Village that wentbefore, Village '11 will create a story – atell-able tale. There is news everyday aspeeps get to know each other andthemselves, struggle at their vocations andhome-making, and engage in imaginativeplay. Sometimes these events have beenrecorded as anecdotes, video news stories,newspaper songs, or radio broadcasts.

Possibly Village '11 will be recorded inways that stand the test of time, like thancient newspaper from our archives, TheNational Magnifier. At the end of the camp sessionVillage holds a public event called amini-fair, at which family and friends areinvited to create instant peeps to visit thevillage. This year it will be held on August4 . The mini tourists get a chance toth

participate in the ways of peeps; and get towitness, experience and celebrate theaccomplishments of the summer. Whetherthe amusements are miniature mechanicalthrill rides, carnival shows, peep drama,challenging peep athletic competitions, orsampling miniature culinary delights, allinstant peeps are sure to have a refreshingtime.

For any questions or if you want to enrolla homesteader, please call Sasha DuVerlieat (603) 313-1717

Homesteaders are helped by the adultcounselors.

The mini newspaper for the “peep”.

Homesteader’s house with “peep” at thewindow.

What is the use of a house if

you haven't got a tolerable

planet to put it on?

- Henry David Thoreau

GRAPEVINE-2 MARCH 2011 PAGE 10

LOCAL SERVICES & CLASSIFIEDS

For Sale

Cu s to m Wo o d e n Jig s aw P u zzle s -From your artwork, photos, prints, etc.Call David Beffa-Negrini at Fool'sG o l d , 8 2 7 - 9 8 2 5 o r e m a i l :®

info@foolsgoldpuzzles.com

Gran it e Lake M ap le P ro d u c t s - PureNH Maple syrup by Nick Barrett, 66 OldTowne Road, Nelson, NH, 03457. 603-847-3457. Email: granitelakemapleproducts@ yahoo.com.

In d e p e n d e n t Co n s u lt a n t f o r T h eP a m p e re d Ch e f© - Save money whilepreparing easy delicious meals for family& friends. Quality Kitchen Products,Service, and Information; Home andCatalog Shows, Fundraising, WeddingRegistry, Own Your Own Business. CallJudi Lang 847-3277

N e ls o n g ro w n y a rn , f le e c e and rovingfrom our flock of Romney sheep. Alsoavailable are knitting kits and finishedproducts: scarves, hats, mittens, blankets,etc. Call Susan Weaver 847-9763

H id d e n B irc h Fa rm - Chevon (GoatMeat) raised on our farm, choice of cuts;Farm fresh eggs; Livestock Fenceinstallation - 96 Nubanusit Rd - Tiger &G i g i B a t c h e l d e r 8 2 7 - 2 9 5 0 ;www.hiddenbirchfarm.com

Personal Services

T h e Villa g e Sh am an , Contemporaryshamanic processes for acceleratedhealing and growth. Energy medicine ofthe Incas. Carol Raynsford Healing ArtsPractitioner, 847-3443

T a le n te d y o u n g w o m an will help youwith your childcare needs, office needs,clerical needs, housecleaning needs, orother miscellaneous projects. CallGwyneth Tolman 827-4194

Other

Cre a t iv e We b Sit e s for Creative PeopleCenter Pond Communicationswww.centerpond.com

H a rr i s v i l l e C h i ld r e n ' s C e n t e r -year-round programs for children 6weeks to 6 years old. 827-3905.

Writ in g Le s s o n s -Will teach you, childor adult, to write better than you do now.Ph.D. Tufts, taught writing at Tufts andHarvard Extension. Elizabeth ChapmanHewitt. 847-3118 or 401-2666

Fo r R e n t – Granite Lake summercottage. Call Mable Bergeron, (603)363-8086.

Fo r R e n t – Seasonal Cottage right onGranite Lake Call 603-847-3277 or304-594-3539

Art Le s s o n s - for children and adults.Watercolor, oil, composition, anddrawing. Summer/Fall. Beginner thruadvanced instruction. Marylise ReillyFajal, 847-3382 or 355-7337.

N e w En g lan d Art is an s Stu d io - Visitour online studio where crafts peopleand artisans throughout New Englandhave the opportunity to present theircreations: www.neartisansstudio.com

Building, etc.

Eth an T o lm an - Excavating, bulldozer,truck, loader/tractor work. Field,driveways, building, moving. Years ofexperience. 827-3414

N e w h o m e s , decks, kitchens, and baths- Remodeling our specialty. NubanusitBuilding and Remodeling. Ron Trudelle,827-3251.

Exc av a t io n - Septic Systems, Driveways,Site work, and Foundations, Trucking,Plowing and Sanding: Phil Hamilton847-3288

Ad d it io n s , renovations, remodeling,barns, - Steven Reilly. 847-3382 or 355-7337.

R e s id e n t ia l P a in te rs - Interior, exterior.Experienced, reasonable, reliable. HeidiTompkins and Tal Gregory. 847-0000

G W Fra s e r & So n s , Tractor &Excavator Service. Post holes tocomplete site work. No job to small.Free estimates. 25 years experience. Greg Fraser - 603-731-0808

Home Services

R u b b is h re m o v a l - Granite LakeServices, Ed Schillemat, 847-3290.

Ga rd e n in g , cleaning, animal care.Organic vegetables in season and cutflowers - Barbara Fraser, 847-9555.

Gard e n in g , pretty, manicured lawns,spring and fall clean-up, brush &chainsaw work Owen Iselin- 933-0680.

SP Co m m Starp o w e r - Home TV andSatellite Systems, High Speed Interneta c c e s s , 2 - w a y R a d i o , S o u n dR e in fo r c e m e n t , H o m e Th eat rewww.STAR PO W ER-satellite.tv o rwildjimwilder@aol.com.

Music

Gu ita r In s tru c t io n - Beginner throughadvanced instruction in folk, blues, andjazz styles. Liza Constable, 847-3067.

M u s ic f o r w e d d in g s and otheroccasions - New England country dancemusic, folk, blues, jazz. Nat Hewitt &Liza Constable, 847-3067.

M u n s o n v ille Au d ioLocation & Studio Recording / SoundReinforcement. Pro-grade mixing, highresolution digital recording, microphones& signal processing coupled to custommonitor mixes and an extremelypowerful yet well mannered FOH soundsystem. High quality recordings expertlymixed, mastered & made ready fordistribution. Demo recordings aspecialty. 603 499-2904 Web: www.MunsonvilleAudio.Com EMail: CJLeake@MunsonvilleAudio.Com

M u s ic Le s s o n s - Banjo, Bass, ElectricGuitar and Acoustic Guitar. Rock andRoll, Bluegrass, Country Western, Folk.All levels. Ages 12 to 112. Teachingmusic for 20+ years. Jonathan Smith827-3036

***Note: Grapevine ads are free to localresidents. Please inform us if you need tochange or delete an ad. Thanks.

GRAPEVINE-2 MARCH 2011 PAGE 11

GRAPEVINE-2Grapevine-2 is a quarterly newsletterserving the Nelson/Munsonvillecommunity and is sponsored by theNelson Congregational Church. It ismade possible mostly by voluntarydonations from readers, with somesupplementary assistance from thechurch. Should donations exceedcosts, the surplus goes to the church.Contributions of articles, ideas,photos, or art are always welcome.

To contact the Grapevine-2, callElizabeth Williams (Beth) at

847-9064, or email to:

elizabeth48@earthlink.net, or snailmail to:

Grapevine-275 Log Cabin RoadNelson, NH 03457

Grapevine-2 Committee& Friends: Hope Lothrop Kelly FrenchBert Wingerson Beth WilliamsSusan Hansel

Even in the middle of winter Val & TomButtrick’s greenhouse supplies them with abeautiful green salad. (Photo by Val)

MONADNOCK FOLKLORE SOCIETY CONTRA DANCES

The Monadnock Folklore Society Second Saturday Dances in theNelson Town Hall will be continuing throughout the winter.

The hall opens at 7:30 p.m. with a workshop for newcomers tolearn some basic steps or a refresher for folks who might not have

danced for a while. The main dance starts at 8:00 p.m. and goes until 11:00p.m. Admission is $8 for adults and $6 for senior citizens and students. Questions about the dance? Call Lisa Sieverts at 762-0235.

Upcoming Schedule

Date Caller MusiciansMarch 12 Steve Zakon

AndersonDead Sea Squirrels

April 9 TBD Bo Bradham & Gordon Peery

May 14 Nils Fredland Harvey Tolman & Bob McQuillen

June 16 Jeff Petrovitch Brendan Carey Block & Julie Vallimont

July 9 Lisa Sieverts Carol Compton & Amy Cann

Check out the MFS web site for calendar information for many folkmusic and dance events in the greater Monadnock Region (not just Nelsonactivities). The site is regularly updated with new articles, local lore, profilesof musicians, and recordings. http://www.monadnockfolk.org

NEXT ISSUE

The next issue of the Grapevine-2 willbe published in mid June and is ourSchool Issue. We will be lookingfor pictures, essays, and other items

that have to do with our Nelson students.We always welcome stories, poems, newsitems, and event listings related to Nelson.

You may email submissions(preferred) to elizabeth48@earthlink.netor mail them to Elizabeth Williams, 75Log Cabin Road, Nelson, NH, 03457. Please have items to Beth by May 15.

If you have questions you maycall Beth at 847-9064.

A Nelson DirectoryEmergency (Mutual Aid) . . . . . . . . . . 911

All fire, illness, and accident callsSelectmen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 847-0047

Old Brick Schoolhouse; Tuesday, 9 a.m. - 12 noonWednesday, 5 p.m. - 7 p.m.Wednesday, 7 p.m. - 9 p.m. MeetingThursday, 9 a.m. - 12 noonMike Blaudshun (chair), MargaretSchillemat, Warren Hammack

Town Clerk/Tax Collector . . . . 847-9043Old Brick Schoolhouse, Tuesday, 9 a.m.-12 noon,Wednesday, 5 p.m.-8 p.m.Thursday, 9 a.m. - 12 noonTeri Upton (Notary Public)

Town Administrative Asst. . . . . 847-0047Joan Bosely

Planning Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . 847-9082Old Brick Schoolhouse2 Thursday, 7 p.m.nd

Kathy Schillemat, ChairZoning Board-Adjustment . . . . 847-3403

Old Brick Schoolhouse1 Tuesday, 7 p.m.st

Dona Girvan, ChairHighway Department . . . . . . . . 847-9705

Mike Tarr, at Town BarnFire Chief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 847-9045

Rick LothropPolice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 352-1291

Richard Pratt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ChiefBuilding Sexton . . . . . . . . . . . . . 933-0680

Owen IselinState Representatives, District 24:

Daniel A. Eaton Tara A. Sad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lucy Weber

State Senator, District 7 & 8:Harold Janeway . . . . . . . . . . . Bob Odell

Supervisors of the Checklist . . . 847-3206Betsey Church, Chair, Susan Peery, CarolNewcombe

Olivia Rodham Memorial Library . . . . . . . . . . 847-3214Kris Finnegan, LibrarianHOURSMonday 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.Tues, Wed, Thurs 3:00 - 7:00 p.m.Saturday 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Nelson School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 847-3408School Board - 3 Thursday, 4 p.m.rd

at Nelson SchoolConservation Commission . . . . 847-9995

Bud French, ChairYouth Groups:

Cub ScoutsBoy Scouts, Rich Crowe4-H

The Grapevine-2 was printedby our friends at Keene State

College in Keene, NH

Non-Profit Org.U.S. Postage

PAIDNelson, NH 03457

Permit No. 101

830 Nelson RoadNelson, NH 03457

Address Service Requested

Farm f re s h e g g s - for sale. $3 adozen. Never more than two daysold. Dan & Margaret Schillemat 603-847-0002.

SERVICES & CLASSIFIEDS CONTINUED

Eskimos living in Nelson? You might like to visit the wonderful igloo on theCommon built by Al Stoops, with help from friends Kirk Dale, Susan Goding andothers.

B ab y s it t in g - Responsible teen lookingto help out Nelson parents withbabysitting services. Contact PaigeBrnger at 847-3403.

R e c y c lin g - I can take #1 & #2 plastic(no tops), glass, tin, aluminum; allcommingled. Don’t put recyclables inthe trash. Let me take them away. Trevor King 313-6446

M u s ic Le s s o n s - Allison Aldrich &Hunt Smith. Voice, Fiddle, Guitar,Ukulele, 5 String Banjo, Mandolin,Recorder, Beginning Piano, Accordion,Concertina, Flute

A relaxed, friendly atmospherewhere you can learn to sing or play theinstrument you have always wanted tomaster.

Call: 603-209-3304 Email: huntandallison@gmail.com

www.huntandallison.netNelson, NH