TheLaker_January_24

JANUARY 8, 2024 | THE LAKER | Page 1

Your Guide to What’s Happening in NH’s Lakes Region

FREE

January 8 • Vol 41 • No1

Inside This Issue... Find More Winter Fun | Page 3

‘Cue the Grill | Page 8

What’s Up | Pages 14-16 Yesteryear | Page 20

Page 2 | THE LAKER | JANUARY 8, 2024

Celebrating 70 Years of Real Estate in the Lakes Region 1954 - 2024

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55 TIMBER LANE WOLFEBORO, NH | $759,900 CANDY SHARP | 603-651-9952

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JANUARY 8, 2024 | THE LAKER | Page 3

Get Outside and Get Going This Winter!

By Kathi Caldwell-Hopper Nothing is better than a bit of cold and snow to invigorate the body as January sets in. This winter, consider different activities you might not have done before, such as a winter walk in the woods, snowshoeing or other Nordic events.

Snowshoeing has become a popular activity for exercise and outdoor wintertime fun. It is a great way to explore the woods in winter – especially after a deep and fluffy snowfall. No great skill is required, but some equipment is necessary.

Perhaps you don’t own snowshoes?

You can easily rent a pair at locations in the area. Prescott Farm Environmental Education Center at 928 White Oaks Road in Laconia. There are various sizes of snowshoes available for rent, and you can access some great wooded trails at the farm.

Prescott Farm also has many wintertime programs and workshops for all ages. For a list of events, call 603-3665695 or visit www.prescottfarm.org.

Castle in the Clouds in Moultonborough is a nature lover’s paradise year-round, including winter. A unique program will offer a walk or snowshoe (depending on the weather) on the Oak Ridge Trail on the grounds of the Castle on Saturday, January 20, from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

An experienced volunteer guide will lead the hike on the Oak Ridge trail.

You can expect beautiful views of

Lake Winnipesaukee and a unique look at the Lucknow Mansion from above.

The moderate hike is about two miles and has an elevation climb of approximately 300 ft. The hike will occur with or without snow. Participants should dress for the weather and bring snowshoes and poles if needed. (Castle in the Clouds will offer adult-sized snowshoes to borrow for this event courtesy of the Moultonborough Recreation Department.) Space is limited, and pre-registration is required. The rain date for the hike is January 27.

After the hike, you will have worked up an appetite. Plan to partake in Winter Lunch at the Castle, seating at 11 a.m., 12:30 p.m., and 2 p.m. (Please reserve ahead of time.)

Another Castle outdoor program will occur on Saturday, February 3, from 1 to 3 p.m., when naturalist, tracker, and poet Barbara Bald leads an easy snowshoe trek and track along the trails and fields at Castle in the Clouds. During the event, you will trek in nature, learn the basics of tracking, and enjoy the outdoor sights. No experience is necessary; please bring snowshoes and poles and dress for the weather. Space will be limited, and pre-registration is required. The rain date is Sunday, February 18.

For information on events at Castle in the Clouds, call 603-476-5900 or visit www.castleintheclouds.org.

There are many wintertime outdoor activities at Gunstock on Cherry Val-

ley Road in Gilford. If you want to try snowshoeing or cross-country skiing, the sports are available (as well as downhill skiing.)

Head to Gunstock’s Nordic Center to rent snowshoes or other gear, purchase equipment, and buy accessories and necessities for a day spent outdoors in the beautiful winter weather. If you are new to Nordic, Gunstock’s staff will guide you and answer questions. Experienced instructors can help you with cross-country skiing or snowshoeing, and trails at Gunstock are abundant.

Guided snowshoe hikes are available throughout the winter season.

Take a guided walk through Gunstock’s Nordic trails, the brook, and the area’s Wetlands Walk. Tours are held weekly on Saturdays from 2 to 3 p.m. and Sundays from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. throughout the winter, weather permitting. Snowshoe rentals are included.

Take an evening snowshoe ridge tour for a unique way to enjoy an outdoor experience while viewing Gunstock at night. With headlamps and snowshoes provided, you will take the Tiger Chair to ascend the mountain and traverse the ridge on foot. The tour begins at 4 p.m. and ends at about 6 p.m. Tours will be held weekly on Friday and Saturday nights during the winter, weather permitting.

The Nordic Center also offers

• Outside continued on page 4

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Page 4 | THE LAKER | JANUARY 8, 2024

‘Gathering Time’ The Golden Age of American Folk Inspired Music Wolfeboro Friends of Music continues its 88th season with one of America’s most prolific Folk/ Acoustic ensembles, ‘Gathering Time’, back by popular demand! This encore concert takes place at The First Congregational Church, 115 South Main Street, Wolfeboro, on Sunday, January 14, 2023, at 3:00 PM. With a seamless vocal blend, inspired guitar work and precise percussion, Stuart Markus, Christine Sweeney, and Gerry McKeveny evince deep roots in 1960’s folkrock, with a dash of traditional folk in the mix. Their stage chemistry makes clear that they take the music (if not themselves) very seriously, yet their infectious energy wins over even fans who never considered themselves as “folkies”.

Start with the 1960s folk tradition of Peter, Paul & Mary; add the vocal complexity and electric energy of Crosby, Stills & Nash, a bit of The Byrds and a jot of Joni Mitchell, and you have Gathering Time, a folk-rock/ Americana harmony trio that has been turning heads for nearly a decade on the northeastern folk circuit and beyond.

Together with songstress Joni Mitchell with whom they were linked, they represented the culmination of what the Woodstock era had to offer in

terms of songwriting and musicianship.

Gathering Time’s tribute runs the arc of their career heydays, from their days with The Byrds, Buffalo Springfield, and the Hollies, through the 1970s, as well as Joni’s career from ‘60s songwriter to ‘70s icon.

“When they harmonize, some sort of fundamental, cosmic concordance occurs that makes you very happy that you have ears.” (Bob McKillop, mainefolkmusic.com) This is the fourth of eight concert performances comprising the current season running from Sept to May, 88 years of artistic excellence in service to NH’s Lakes Region! Business partners support the Wolfeboro Friends of Music: Paul Zimmerman Co. season sponsor, Meredith Village Savings Bank and J. Clifton Avery Insurance, show sponsors.

Tickets are available for $30 at the website: www.wfriendsofmusic.org; at Black’s Paper & Gift Store and Avery Insurance, Main St. Wolfeboro, and at the door on the day of the concert (cash and checks only for door sales).

High School students with ID will be admitted free of charge. Children accompanied by an adult ticket purchaser will be admitted free of charge.

For more information, visit: www. wfriendsofmusic.org

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• Outside continued from page 3

Other winter programs are offered through the Squam Lakes Association.

Call 603-968-7336 or visit www.squamlakes.org.

In the Newfound Lake region, you can enjoy outdoor winter programs for the entire family. Such events as Nature Station: Out in the Ice and Snow on January 16 and 20; Nature Station on February 13, both at Grey Rocks Conservation Area located at 178 North Shore Road in Hebron, are free and open to everyone. Other programs are scheduled. Call 603-744-8689 or visit www.newfoundlake.org.

Snowshoeing in the Bristol area has been popular for many years. The Pasquaney Snowshoe Club has been in existence for quite some time and dates its origins to the 1920s; it may be the oldest such club in the country. When the Pasquaney club began, it offered a way for people to socialize and get outdoors in the winter. Most people knew about snowshoeing because it had been around for a long time, was easy to do and a good way to traverse the snowy woods.

Says Virginia Cate of the Pasquaney Snowshoe Club, “We hike in all kinds of conditions, with or without snow.

There are several events planned for January and February, and current members will have just received the details on these events.”

Anyone who is interested in joining the Pasquaney Snowshoe Club should reach out to Lora Miller at catlover06053@gmail.com to join. Once signed up, you will receive details on the club’s January and February planned events, which include several full moon hikes. Membership is just $5/individual and $10/family.

For information on wintertime trails and offerings in the Wolfeboro area, visit www.wolfeboroxc.org.

cross-country rentals and instructors to teach you about this fun way to ski.

For information on outdoor offerings at Gunstock, call 603-293-4341 or visit www.gunstock.com.

Plan to participate in the Wednesday Winter Walks Series in the Squam Lakes area. Get out and explore a few of the Squam Lakes Association (SLA) trails.

If you like to meet an outdoor challenge, the various hikes are an excellent opportunity to check off trails on the Squam Ranger list. Squam Rangers are a dedicated group of hikers who have conquered 50 miles of trails in the Squam watershed—proceeds from the program support the Squam Lakes Association’s annual trail maintenance efforts. You will receive the Squam Ranger kit, which includes a t-shirt, trail guide, map, trail log, and a day pack. After hiking all 50 miles of trails, you will get a Squam Ranger patch, baseball cap, and certificate and be amongst a group of Squam Rangers.

Take the Five Finger Point trek on January 30 at 10 a.m. by meeting at the trailhead at the end of Pinehurst Road in Holderness. The trail is moderate, with occasional uneven terrain and steep slopes. The hike is about three miles through the forest and along the shores of Squam Lake. Depending on conditions, participants should wear attire for winter hiking, extra layers, comfortable, water-resistant hiking shoes, snowshoes, and/or micro-spikes. (The SLA can provide snowshoes and micro spikes for up to six participants.) Everyone is welcome; an adult must accompany children. You must pre-register for the hike, and space is limited to six people.

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JANUARY 8, 2024 | THE LAKER | Page 5

Trolley Driver Receives 2023 Lifetime Tourism Award Kathy Fairman of Wolfeboro and Alton was recognized for her lifetime contributions to the area’s tourism industry at the Lakes Region Tourism Association’s (LRTA) Annual Meeting held at Hart’s Turkey Farm in Meredith on October 30.

In presenting the LRTA’s Lifetime Achievement Award, Past President Lucy Van Cleve of Wakefield cited several of Fairman’s accomplishments, including co-founding The Laker newspaper (1984) and the Wolfeboro Trolley Company, Inc. (1988), also calling Fairman a “Wolfeboro historian.” Van Cleve added that she and Fairman served on the Town of Wolfeboro’s Economic Development Committee.

A familiar face behind the wheel of Molly and Jolly the Trolley in Wolfeboro, Fairman has spent nearly 50 years working in the Lakes Region, often sharing stories, both written and verbal, about the people, places, and events at the heart of the area’s communities.

Kathy’s roots run deep in the Lakes Region. Her great-grandparents purchased a lot on Lake Winnipesaukee’s Jolly Island in Gilford in 1893 and built a modest two-room camp that is still there and in a family trust, so it will continue to be for a very long time.

“Seven generations of my family, including me, learned to love and appreciate the lake and its traditions while staying at the camp. It is part of who I am,” said Fairman. (And yes, Jolly the Trolley is named for Jolly Island.)

Her family became year-round res-

idents in 1954 when the ads with prices Kathy’s parents purfor groceries, cars, chased a 1783 farm and shoes from days on Miramichie Hill gone by.” in East Alton. Kathy Known as Kathy grew up attending Al(Fairman) O’Meara ton schools through in those years, the sixth grade. In the in 1976 she au1960s her father’s job thored Remember took the family back When…A Collecto Massachusetts. At tion of Old PhotoKathy Fairman that time, the family graphs of WolfePhoto by Ashley Rand, became Lakes Region boro, NH, published by weekenders and summer Through the Pines Photography the Wolfeboro Champeople. ber of Commerce in “I wasn’t happy about the move, honor of America’s Bicentennial. but looking back, it was really a good “And that’s when I met my dear thing. I didn’t fully appreciate what we friend and mentor, Mildred Beach; we have here in the Lakes Region until I mostly call her ‘Beachie.’ She was exlived somewhere else. As a result, I ecutive secretary of the Lakes Region understand why summer people and Association, and her office was in the newcomers sometimes better apprecisame building as the Granite State ate what year-round residents can take News on South Main Street. for granted.”

“I learned so much from Beachie.

Upon graduation from Boston’s SufI still do, in fact,” said Fairman, who folk University in 1974, Kathy packed looks forward to frequent visits with up her life and returned to the Lakes her friend of 50 years. Beachie is 99 Region with a BS in Journalism degree years old and lives in her own home in hand. in Wolfeboro. Beachie worked for the Following a summer job at WEMJLakes Region Association for 45 years, AM radio in Laconia, Kathy landed a most of those years as director. position as a reporter for the Granite Fairman served as News and PubState News in Wolfeboro, where she lic Affairs Director at WASR-Radio, remained until 1980.

Wolfeboro, from 1980 to 1984, where “This was where I discovered my her team won numerous awards from passion for local history. My first asthe NH Associated Press Broadcasters signment was to review old ‘Grunter’ Association for local and regional news (Granite State News) issues and write a coverage, among them her own “Ask column called ‘Looking Back’, 10, 20, 1420” and “Community Interview.”

30 years or more. I loved it: The news, In 1984 she and Richard “Dick” the weekly society columns, and even Eaton founded The Laker newspaper

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establishing a partnership that would continue for 35 years. In 1988, The Laker won the annual Media Award from the New Hampshire Travel Council “for its outstanding recognition and public awareness of New Hampshire as a Vacation State.”

The Wolfeboro Trolley Company was a spin-off from The Laker after three directors of the Wolfeboro Chamber of Commerce (Dick Eaton, Gregg Roark, Sr., and Dave Hemenway) brought Molly the Trolley to town in 1987 to alleviate parking congestion.

Later, Kathy and Dick tweaked the trolley into an attraction and formed the Wolfeboro Trolley Company, Inc. In 1998 Dick and Kathy added an antique wooden boat ride experience to the town’s offerings with the addition of the Millie B (named for Mildred Beach) to the Wolfeboro Trolley Company. They sold the successful boat ride business to the New Hampshire Boat Museum in 2011 for the boat’s value.

Fairman served as chairman of Wolfeboro’s 250th Anniversary Committee in 2009-10 and was presented with the General James Wolfe Award by the Wolfeboro Area Chamber of Commerce in 2017 “in recognition of outstanding service and dedication to our community for the benefit of present, and future residents, businesses and visitors.”

She continues to work fulltime as owner and manager of the Wolfeboro Trolley Company and is looking forward to a busy 2024 season.

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Page 6 | THE LAKER | JANUARY 8, 2024

Curling Gains Momentum In The Region

By Thomas P. Caldwell Not too many years ago, if anyone spoke of curling, New Englanders might have assumed they were talking about hair, rather than a team sport played on ice. Today, most people are aware of the sport, although they may still find it a little odd to use a broom to move a granite stone across the ice toward a target.

It turns out that curling is not new at all, but a sport that dates back to the 16th century, when players in Scotland and the Netherlands competed on frozen ponds and lochs. The stones were not uniform in those days, as they are today, having been formed by nature.

The players used besoms — a bundle of twigs tied to a stout pole — to clear snow and debris from the path of the stones as they glided across the ice.

As played today, the game has two teams that take turns sliding granite stones toward the circular target known as a “house”. Often referred to as “chess on ice”, traditional curling involves teams of four players, although there also are mixed teams with one female and one male. Women’s, men’s, and wheelchair curling teams also may have a fifth player, known as the Alternate.

In team curling, each team has a set of eight stones of the same color.

Each player delivers two stones, in consecutive order, alternating with an opponent. The aim is to get your stone closer to the center of the house than your opponent, gaining as many points as possible in 10 rounds, or “ends”. To achieve that involves strategy, finesse,

and strength, but the game also promotes respect and honor, with rules governing how the teams meet and part ways after the competition.

Curling became an Olympic sport in 1924 in Chamonix, France, and by 1928, the Nashua Country Club was offering the sport. The games were played outdoors until 1941, when they were moved inside. The club soon switched from natural ice to artificial ice.

With the standardization of the game, the stones became standard, as well.

Each one weighs roughly 40 pounds.

The granite quarried from Ailsa Craig, an island off the west coast of Scotland that, from a distance, can be compared in appearance to a curling stone.

Nashua’s club, known as the Merrimack Valley Curling Club, includes all levels of curlers who use the ice at the

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Curling remained mostly unknown in the Twin States until the Woodstock (VT) Curling Club formed in January 2008. The club began with one set of donated curling stones and two rented sets, with curling on Friday nights.

The club grew and soon became host to curling tournaments (called bonspiels) in 2010 and 2012, promoting the sport throughout the Upper Valley of Vermont and New Hampshire. By 2012, the Woodstock Curling Club had grown so popular throughout the Upper Valley that it formed as a 501(c)(3) non-profit under the name Upper Valley Curling, serving those from teens to 70-plus-year-olds.

The Mount Washington Valley Curling Club formed in 2011, meeting at the Ham Arena at 87 West Main Street, Conway. It became a member of the Grand National Curling Club, and today has a season that runs from late September through April.

In 2014, the Lakes Region Curling Association formed in Wolfeboro, promoting the sport of curling as a recreational activity for residents of the Lakes Region. Membership is open to everyone who is 14 years of age and older. Players may register for matches singly, as partners, or as full teams of four or five players. No previous experience is necessary, and the LRCA provides all necessary equipment.

The Plymouth Rocks Curling Club also formed in 2014 at Plymouth State University. The club has two leagues, including one led by instructors for novices who have limited experience or have attended a learn-to-curl open house. PSU’s Hanaway Ice Arena is host to the sport.

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specially prepared ice called a “sheet” with two circles or “houses” at the end. Each house comprises four rings to help define which curling stones are closest to the centre, commonly known as the “button”.

Each team designates a “skip” and a “vice-skip” who will direct the team’s play. Before a game begins, teams also decide who will have what is called the “hammer” or “last-stone advantage”.

In team curling, the lead player delivers the first two stones; the second plays the third and fourth stones; the third plays the fifth and sixth stones, and the fourth plays the last two stones.

Skips usually — but not always — play fourth.

In mixed doubles, both teams play five stones each. One player plays the first and fifth stones while the other player plays stones two, three, and four.

At each turn, the curler pushes off the “hack” at one end of the sheet, sliding across the ice and releasing their stone by the time it reaches the “hog line”. The stone then travels toward the house, possibly with some sweeping assistance. Sweeping the ice in front of the stone helps alter the friction level and improve its path.

A team scores one point for each of its own stones located in or touching the house as long as they are closer to the center than any of the opposite team’s stones. Only one team can score in an end, so if no team’s stones are touching the house at the conclusion of an end, no points are scored in what is called a blank end.

The teams take turns in delivering their stones from the hack to the house at the opposite end of the sheet. The team with the last stone advantage delivers the final stone of an end. Getting the last throw is a big advantage, as the stones can bump into each other and knock the other team’s stones out of the house.

When an end is complete, the next end is played in the opposite direction. Curling normally is played over 10 ends, but teams may concede their game earlier than that, and the teams with the most points win the game.

The Lakes Region Curling Association Wolfeboro meets from 4 to 6 p.m. on Sundays at Pop Whalen Ice & Arts Center, 390 Pine Hill Road, Wolfeboro.

For general inquiries, email info@ lakescurlingnh.org. For membership/ registration, email membership@lakescurlingnh.org. For information about events, email events@lakescurlingnh. org.

JANUARY 8, 2024 | THE LAKER | Page 7

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Page 8 | THE LAKER | JANUARY 8, 2024

‘Cue

The

Grill

Breakfast Casseroles

By Kelly Ross Happy 2024 Lakes Region. I hope all of you had an outstanding holiday season with family, friends, and all your favorite loved ones. Regardless of what holiday I am celebrating, most of my thoughts are with the loved ones I have lost, as I’m sure you all feel the same way. We’ve all lost many in our lives, but the loss of 3 incredible women in my life is always on my mind, those being my inspirational Grammy Judy, my loving and hilarious mother Sally, and one of my best friends ever, my sister Tammy. I’ll always have you beautiful women in my heart for sure.

I’ll always be grateful for them in my life as well as in my memories.

I must send a big shout out to so many of you readers who have become pen pals of sorts as the emails have been great to read. Sometimes it’s questions about certain recipes, sometimes feedback, and sometimes asking me for ideas. That is what today is going to be about as I have gotten a few letters in the last month asking for some ideas for breakfast casseroles and who am I to say no?

It doesn’t hurt for me that breakfast casseroles are a big favorite of mine, especially when I have overnight company. I’m all about those breakfast bakes that you prep the night before

and toss in the fridge so when you get up in the morning, you just turn on the oven and throw it in. These all qualify in that regard and although some have very similar ingredients, they are all unique unto themselves once finished. One is a French toast casserole, one with a cinnamon roll mentality, a croissant and sausage combo as well as a great casserole twist on one of my favorite sandwiches ever, the Monte Cristo.

First off though is a casserole that combines many of the best ingredients used in a classic hot oatmeal, so let’s start with that. This dish combines apples, cranberries, pecans and oats combined with eggs and some brown sugar and vanilla that will give you an incredible way to start your day. You can make this in 15 minutes and pop it in the refrigerator overnight. Baking time is 35-40 minutes and will serve 6.

I prefer to use Honeycrisp or Fuji apples as they seem to hold up better and give a better texture to the final product.

Baked Apple, Cranberry, and Pecan Oatmeal 2 large eggs 1 ¼ cups whole milk 2 tsp vanilla extract 1 tsp apple pie spice ¼ tsp kosher salt

¾ cup packed light brown sugar, divided 8 tbsp butter, melted, divided 2 cups small cubed, peeled apple, 1-2 apples 3 ½ cups uncooked old-fashioned regular rolled oats, divided 1 cup coarsely chopped pecans, divided 1 cup dried cranberries, divided Lightly coat an 8-inch square baking dish with cooking spray. Whisk together eggs, milk, vanilla, apple pie spice,

salt, ½ cup of the brown sugar, and 5 tbsp of the melted butter in a large bowl. Add apple cubes, 3 cups of the oats, ½ cup of the pecans, and ½ cup of the cranberries; stir to combine. Pour mixture into prepared baking dish and cover with plastic wrap. Stir together remaining ¼ cup brown sugar, 3 tbsp melted butter, ½ cup oats, and ½ cup pecans in a medium bowl. Cover with

• ‘Cue the Grill continued on page 10

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plastic wrap. Place covered baking dish and covered bowl in refrigerator; chill 8 hours or overnight. Once ready to cook, preheat oven to 350 degrees.

While oven preheats, remove baking dish and bowl from refrigerator and remove plastic wrap. Stir apple-oat mixture in baking dish to redistribute wet ingredients. Sprinkle the top evenly with oat-pecan topping mixture. Bake in preheated oven until mixture is set in the middle and topping is golden brown, about 35-40 minutes. Remove from oven, and sprinkle with remaining ½ cup dried cranberries. Cool for 10 minutes and serve it up. If there are any leftovers, lightly warm it in the microwave.

I’ve never met anyone who isn’t a fan of cinnamon rolls and with darn good reason. They are delicious.

Whether homemade or if you’re using those tubes from a supermarket, there is nothing not to like. Although all these recipes today are pretty easy to make, this one is more so than the others. This one is best when using storebought tubes, which is why they are so quick to put together. Where the others are at their best when sitting overnight before baking, this one is just as good if you prep it and bake it right away.

It’s really good either way. These are finished with maple syrup and the icing from the tubes. Prep time is 10-15 minutes and cooking time is just shy of half an hour. This will get you a dozen yummy treats. I love serving this at brunch accompanied by other goodies.

Cinnamon Roll Casserole 4 tbsp butter, melted 2 tubes refrigerated cinnamon rolls, cut into about 8 pieces per roll 4 large eggs ½ cup milk 2 tsp vanilla 2 tsp cinnamon ¼ cup maple syrup The icing from the cinnamon roll tubes

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Pour butter into a 9×13 glass baking dish and spread evenly. Cut each of the 16 cinnamon rolls into 8 small pieces and layer evenly over the bottom of the dish. I like to use kitchen shears or a pizza cutter to easily cut the cinnamon rolls. In a large liquid measuring glass or small bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, vanilla, and cinnamon. Make sure the egg is fully beaten within the milk. Pour egg mixture over the cinnamon rolls. Be sure the egg mixture is very evenly distributed. Drizzle syrup over egg mixture. At this point, you can cover and refrigerate overnight or immediately bake the casserole for 2025 minutes or until cinnamon rolls are golden brown. Plan on an additional 5-7 minutes if prepping the night before since it will be cold. Once out of the oven, let the casserole sit for about 5 minutes. Remove covers from the icing that came with the tubes and microwave on medium heat for 10-15 seconds or until thin enough to drizzle and do so evenly over the top and enjoy!

Next, we bust out some sausage and croissants for this scrumptiously rich idea for breakfast or brunch. This dish is creamy and hearty with such an awesome blend of flavors. Gruyere and fresh shredded Parmesan cheeses combined with the sausage, scallions and the flaky croissants will create an amazing breakfast bake for you. Waking up to this will be a pleasure for all who are honored to be at your house on this morning. This is a classic example of how when sitting in the fridge for a bunch of hours, the flavors meld together so well. I use hot sausage for this, but if the heat isn’t your thing, adjust accordingly to a milder option.

As for the croissants, if you can find a package of 24 mini’s, they work best, but larger ones ripped up will work just fine. How could anyone go wrong with a cheesy sausage croissant breakfast?

Prep time is about 20 minutes and cook

• ‘Cue the Grill continued on page 11

JANUARY 8, 2024 | THE LAKER | Page 11 • ‘Cue the Grill continued from page 10 time is 45-50 minutes and this will feed 8 of you. So Good!

Croissant and Sausage Casserole Recipe 1 lb hot ground pork sausage. I’m a big fan of Jimmy Dean 1 ¼ cups (5 oz.) shredded Parmesan cheese, not grated 1 tsp table salt 6 scallions, sliced 1 package mini croissants, 13-14 oz, torn 3 cups milk 1 cup heavy cream 5 large eggs, lightly beaten 2 cups shredded Gruyere cheese, about 8 oz Cook sausage for about 8 minutes in a skillet over medium-high heat, stirring to crumble. Toss together the sausage, Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, scallions, and torn croissants and arrange mixture in a 13- x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Whisk together milk, cream and eggs and pour over the sausage mixture. Cover and chill dish for 8 hours. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Uncover casserole, and sprinkle with Gruyere cheese. Bake 45 minutes or until golden. Let stand for 10 minutes and dig in.

It’s time for French toast to shine in this classic dish. Having the bread soaking in the custard mix overnight makes this so good, plus being topped with cinnamon sugar and an awesome streusel topping puts this one right over the top. Although I don’t have them listed in the ingredients as they are optional, there are so many great things to top this with. Fresh berries

of any kind make great additions, as well as sliced bananas, granola, sliced almonds, or pecans among many other options make this a huge winner. Of course, just hitting it with maple syrup at the end is always stellar as well.

Prep time is 15-20 minutes and cooking time is in the half-hour range. It needs to chill for at least 2 hours but is at it’s best when done so overnight.

This will feed at least 6 of you.

French Toast Casserole For The Body 8 one-inch-thick slices of brioche bread ideally, cubed into 1-inch pieces 4 large eggs, beaten 2 cups milk ¼ cup brown sugar 2 tsp vanilla extract ¼ tsp cinnamon For The Crumb Topping 1/3 cup all-purpose flour 1/3 cup brown sugar ½ tsp cinnamon ¼ cup cold butter, cut into small cubes For The Whipped Cream 1-pint heavy whipping cream ¼ cup powdered sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract Grease a 9×13-inch pan with cooking spray or butter. Place the cubes of bread in an even layer in the pan. In a large bowl, stir together the eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla extract, and cinnamon. Pour the egg mixture over the bread cubes.

Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight. To make the crumb topping, combine the flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a medium bowl.

Just before baking, sprinkle the crumb topping over the casserole, then, drop the butter pieces on top. Preheat the

oven to 350 degrees and bake for 3035 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through. Cool for 10 minutes, then cut into squares. While it’s cooking, for the homemade whipped cream, whip the heavy whipping cream using a stand or handheld electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Stir in powdered sugar and vanilla. Serve with your favorite toppings. If you have any leftovers, I love reheating it in a toaster oven.

Lastly today, I bust out a breakfast bake based on one of my all-time favorite sandwiches, that being a Monte Cristo. What is not to like about a sandwich with 2 pieces of French toast surrounding sliced ham, turkey and Swiss? Of course, when I make the sandwich, I also throw bacon in there too, but why not? For this dish, it’s time to utilize some croissants again, although more of a sandwich size is the way to go. Ideally, you want to buy them a day or 2 in advance and let them go a little stale as it is helps in the baking process of absorbing the egg mix for this one. If you want to use bacon in this, I suggest using chopped cooked bacon as opposed to using whole slices. Once done, it’s drizzled with a combo of maple syrup and raspberry jam. Yummy. Prep time is 15 minutes, cooking time is 35-40 minutes and will feed 8 of you.

Monte Cristo Croissant Casserole 7 large eggs 1 1/3 cups half-and-half 4 tsp Dijon mustard 1 ½ tsp kosher salt ½ tsp black pepper 8 slices deli smoked ham, ¼ inch thick slices 8 slices deli smoked turkey, ¼ inch

thick slices 8 slices Swiss cheese 8 croissants, at least a day old, halved horizontally 3 tbsp raspberry jam, ideally seedless but not a real big deal 2 tbsp pure maple syrup Powdered sugar Whisk the eggs, half-and-half, mustard, salt, and pepper in a large bowl until smooth. Set it aside. Lightly grease a 13x9-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Place 1 slice of the ham, 1 slice of the turkey, and 1 slice of the Swiss cheese, folding ham, turkey, and cheese to fit, if needed, on the bottom half of each croissant. Cover with the top halves. Place the stuffed croissants in the baking dish. Pour the egg mixture over the croissants. Cover with aluminum foil, and chill for 8-12 hours. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake, covered, for 15 minutes.

Uncover and continue to bake until the tops of the croissants are golden brown, and the egg mixture is almost set, about 20 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes. Stir the jam and maple syrup in a small bowl until smooth. Lightly dust the casserole with powdered sugar and drizzle with the raspberry jam sauce. This will be a big hit!

That’s a rap my friends. To those who wrote to me looking for breakfast bake recipes, I hope these tickle your fancy the way they do for me. Until next time, I hope the start of the new year treats you well. Remember to keep your taste buds happy and if you care to touch base with any questions or feedback, please reach out at fenwaysox10@gmail.com

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Page 12 | THE LAKER | JANUARY 8, 2024

Silent Comedy Masterpiece ‘The Gold Rush’ to Screen with Live Music He was a comedic icon of the silent era, and ‘The Gold Rush’ was the movie that he wished to be remembered for.

He was Charlie Chaplin, whose Little Tramp character was beloved by early film audiences and remains a global icon to this day.

See for yourself how it all began when ‘The Gold Rush’ (1925), a feature-length film regarded as a Chaplin masterpiece, is screened by the Campton Historical Society on Saturday, Feb. 3.

The event, which is free and open to all, takes place at Old Campton Town Hall, 529 Route 175, Campton, N.H. It starts with a potluck dinner at 5 p.m., with the film program to begin at 6 p.m.

Those attending the potluck dinner are asked to bring one of the following: soup, bread, salad, main dish, dessert or beverage.

Live music for the silent film program will be provided by silent film accompanist Jeff Rapsis.

‘The Gold Rush,’ a landmark comedy and one of the top-grossing films of the silent era, finds Chaplin’s iconic ‘Little Tramp’ character journeying to the frozen wastelands of the Yukon. There as a prospector, the Tramp’s search for gold turns into a pursuit of romance, but with plenty of laughs along the way.

The film contains several famous scenes, both comic and dramatic, including a starving Chaplin forced to eat his shoe for Thanksgiving dinner and a heart-breaking New Year’s Eve celebration.

As a comedian, Chaplin emerged as the first superstar in the early days of cinema. From humble beginnings as

a musical hall entertainer in England, he came to Hollywood and used his talents to quickly rise to the pinnacle of stardom in the then-new medium of motion pictures. His popularity never waned, and his image remains recognized around the world to this day.

‘The Gold Rush,’ regarded by many critics as Chaplin’s best film, is a prime example of his unique talent for combining slapstick comedy and intense dramatic emotion. “’The Gold Rush’ is still an effective tear-jerker,” wrote critic Eric Kohn

of indieWIRE. “In the YouTube era, audiences — myself included — often anoint the latest sneezing panda phenomenon as comedic gold. Unless I’m missing something, however, nothing online has come close to matching the mixture of affectionate fragility and seamless comedic inspiration perfected by the Tramp.”

Rapsis, who uses original themes to improvise silent film scores, said the best silent film comedies often used visual humor to create laughter out of simple situations. Because of this, au-

diences continue to respond to them in the 21st century, especially if they’re presented as intended — with an audience and live music.

“These comedies were created to be shown on the big screen as a communal experience,” Rapsis said. “With an audience and live music, they still come to life as their creators intended them to. So this screening is a great chance to experience films that first caused people to fall in love with the movies,” he said.

Rapsis achieves a traditional movie score sound for silent film screenings by using a digital synthesizer that reproduces the texture of the full orchestra.

“Seeing a Charlie Chaplin film with live music and an audience is one of the great experiences of the cinema of any era,” said Jeff Rapsis, a New Hampshire-based silent film musician who will accompany the film.

“Films such as ‘The Gold Rush’ were designed for a specific environment. If you can put those conditions together again, you can get a sense of why people first fell in love with the movies,” Rapsis said.

‘The Gold Rush’ will be screened with live music on Saturday, Feb. 3 at 6 p.m. at Old Campton Town Hall, 529 Route 175, Campton, N.H. The event is free and open to all, with donations accepted to support the Campton Historical Society.

For more information, visit www. camptonhistorical.org. For more about the music, visit www.jeffrapsis.com.

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JANUARY 8, 2024 | THE LAKER | Page 13

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Page 14 | THE LAKER | JANUARY 8, 2024

FREE FAMILY FUN! Exhibits • Videos Hiking Trails

What’s UP

your guide to what’s happening in NH’s Lakes Region...

Please call ahead for event listings updates. Information and schedules subject to change.

Jan. 6 & 20, Family Craft Days, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m., Belknap Mill, 25 Beacon St. East, Laconia, 603-524-8813, www.belknapmill.org.

Jan. 8, 22, 29 & Feb. 5 & 12, Beginner Mindfullness Meditation with Clare Persson’s 5 Week Class, 10 a.m., adult class, Laconia Public Library, 695 Main Street, Laconia, 603-524-4775, www.laconialibrary.org. Sign up required.

Save 10% in the gift shop with this ad. Excludes sale items and consignments.

Open Thurs-Sat 9am-5pm Hiking Trails: Everyday, Dawn to Dusk

Jan. 9, Feed a Charity Today, at The Bob House, to benefit Friends of Moultonborough Library, info: 603-476-8895, www.moultonboroughlibrary.org.

Jan. 10, Mystery Book Club, 4 p.m., “The House Across the Lake”, Laconia Public Library, 695 Main Street, Laconia, 603-524-4775, www.laconialibrary. org.

183 Lee’s Mill Road, Moultonborough, NH • 603-476-LOON (5666) • loon.org

Jan. 11, Adult Movie Matinee, noon-2:30 p.m., featuring The Fableman’s, registration required, $2 donation, Moultonborough Public Library, 4 Holland St., Moultonborough, 603-476-8895.

NOT JUST A GRAIN STORE...

Jan. 11 & 13, The Boys in the Tower, Staged Reading of an Original Play, 1/11: 6:30 p.m.; 1/13: 3 p.m., Laconia Public Library, 695 Main Street, Laconia, 603-524-4775, www.laconialibrary.org.

Jan. 12, Dirty Deeds, 7:30 p.m., Chubb Theatre at CCA, 44 S. Main St., Concord, 603-225-1111, www.ccanh.com.

Jan. 12, It’s All in My Head Therapy in Concert, 7 p.m., Rochester Performing Arts Center, 32 North Main St., Rochester, 603-948-1099, www.rochesteroperahouse.com.

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Jan. 13, Fireworks in Town Square, 33 Village Rd., Waterville Valley, 1-800993-3149, www.waterville.com.

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Jan. 13, Franklin Opera House presents Randy Armstrong, 7:30 p.m., at Franklin Public Library, Central St., Franklin, www.franklinoperahouse.org, 603-934-1901.

Jan. 13, Saturday Afternoon Music Series with Paul Warnick, 3 – 6 p.m., Pistol Pub at Gunstock Mountain Resort, 719 Cherry Valley Rd., Gilford, www. gunstock.com, 603-293-4341.

Jan. 13, Vira Slywotzky with pianist David Sytkowski , doors open at 6 p.m., 7 p.m. concert, Hermit Woods Winery & Eatery, 72 Main St., Meredith, tickets/info: 603-253-7968, www.hermitwoods.com.

Jan. 14, Gathering Time, 3 – 4:30 p.m., First Congregational Church, 115 South Main St., Wolfeboro, by Wolfeboro Friends of Music, 603-569-2151, www.wfriendsofmusic.org.

Jan. 14, Recycled Percussion, 3 & 7 p.m., Rochester Opera House, 31 Wakefield St., Rochester, 603-335-1992, www.rochesteroperahouse.com.

Jan. 14, USA Rail Jam, Gunstock Mountain Resort, 719 Cherry Valley Rd., Gilford, www.gunstock.com, 603-293-4341.

Jan. 16, Nature Station: Out in the Ice & Snow, 1-3 p.m., Grey Rocks Conservation Area, 178 N. Shore Rd., Hebron, by Newfound Lake Region Assoc., free, for all ages, 604-744-8689. (Also on Jan. 20 from 10 a.m. – noon.)

Jan. 17, Wednesday Winter Walks Series, 10 a.m., explore Squam Lake trails, Squam Lakes Association, 534 U.S. Rt. 3, Holderness, info: www.squamlakes.org., 603-968-7336.

Jan. 17-21, Gypsy, Flying Monkey, 39 S. Main St., Plymouth, 603-536-2551, www.flyingmonkeynh.com.

Jan. 18, Exploring Photography, 6 – 7:30 p.m., 6-wk. series on Thursdays Belknap Mill, 25 Beacon St. East, Laconia, 603-524-8813, www.belknapmill. org.

Jan. 18, Rug Hooking Series, 5-wk. session, with Pam Bartlett, Thurdays, 9 – 11 a.m., Belknap Mill, 25 Beacon St. East, Laconia, 603-524-8813, www. belknapmill.org.

Jan. 19, Sound Remedy/Sound Meditation, 6:30 – 7:45 p.m., The Studio at Atwell Acupuncture, Wolfeboro, 808-226-5868, www.supernovaenergetics. com.

Jan. 19-Feb. 24, The Mystery of the Murder at the Murder Mystery: Tantrum at the Opera, 6:30 p.m., Rochester Opera House, 31 Wakefield St., Rochester, 603-948-1099, www.rochesteroperahouse.com.

Jan. 20, Kids Night Out, 6 – 8 p.m., Waterville Rec Dept., 11 Noon Peak Rd., Waterville Valley, 1-800-993-3149, www.waterville.com.

Jan. 20, Nature Station: Out in the Ice & Snow, 1-3 p.m., Grey Rocks Conservation Area, 178 N. Shore Rd., Hebron, by Newfound Lake Region Assoc., free, for all ages, 604-744-8689. (Also on Jan. 20 from 10 a.m. – noon.)

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Jan. 24, Feed a Charity Today, at The Cup and Crumb, Moultonborough, to benefit Friends of Moultonborough Library, info: 603-476-8895, www.moultonboroughlibrary.org.

JANUARY 8, 2024 | THE LAKER | Page 15

What’s UP

your guide to what’s happening in NH’s Lakes Region...

Jan. 24, Full Moon Owling Adventure, 5:30 p.m., Squam Lakes Association, 534 U.S. Rt. 3, Holderness, info: www.squamlakes.org., 603-968-7336.

Jan. 25, An Evening with Author Charles Doane: The Boy Who Fell to Shore: The Extraordinary Life and Mysterious Disappearance of Thomas Thor Tangvald, 6 p.m., free, book presentation, Laconia Public Library, 695 Main Street, Laconia, 603-524-4775, www.laconialibrary.org.

Jan. 25, Full Moon Festival, Tenney Mountain, 151 Tenney Mt. Rd., Plymouth, 603-238-9567, www.skitenney.com.

Jan. 26, Red Hot Chili Peppers, 7:30 p.m., Flying Monkey, 39 S. Main St., Plymouth, 603-536-2551, www.flyingmonkeynh.com.

Start Your Day Off Over Easy BREAKFAST & LUNCH - MADE FRESH DAILY

Grab breakfast or lunch at The Farmer’s Kitchen. We use only the freshest ingredients for our homemade creations.

Come by today to try our: 100% Colombian Coffee freshly ground from whole beans Farm fresh eggs | Specialty Omelets Eggs Benedict - topped with homemade hollandaise, made fresh to order Buttermilk Pancakes | French Toast served on thick Texas toast Sandwiches & Burgers | Don't forget to check out our daily breakfast & lunch specials!

Jan. 26-27, 2024 FIS World Cup, 9 a.m., Waterville Valley Resort, 1-800-9933149, www.waterville.com.

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Jan. 27, Imagination Movers, 2 p.m., Flying Monkey, 39 S. Main St., Plymouth, 603-536-2551, www.flyingmonkeynh.com.

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Jan. 27, Saturday Afternoon Music Series with Garrett Smith, 3 – 6 p.m., Pistol Pub at Gunstock Mountain Resort, 719 Cherry Valley Rd., Gilford, www. gunstock.com, 603-293-4341.

Best Darn Donut in the Lakes Region!

Jan. 28, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, 6:30 p.m., Flying Monkey, 39 S. Main St., Plymouth, 603-536-2551, www.flyingmonkeynh.com.

Available at:

Jan. 29-30, Ladies Love Winter, learn new ski techniques, Gunstock Mountain Resort, 719 Cherry Valley Rd., Gilford, www.gunstock.com, 603-293-4341.

235 Union Ave., Laconia Lake Town Store - Alton Alton Village Store Alton Circle Store Wolfeboro Corner Store Three Sisters in Wolfeboro Meredith Mobil Belmont Village Store

Jan. 30, An Evening of Poetry & Music, 6 - 8 p.m., Moultonborough Public Library, 4 Holland St., Moultonborough, 603-476-8895.

Jan. 31, Katie Dobbins Music & Hermit Woods Winery present Songwriter Roundup, doors open at 6 p.m., 7 p.m. concert, Hermit Woods Winery & Eatery, 72 Main St., Meredith, tickets/info: 603-253-7968, www.hermitwoods.com.

Feb. 3, Saturday Afternoon Music Series with B Man, 3 – 6 p.m., Pistol Pub at Gunstock Mountain Resort, 719 Cherry Valley Rd., Gilford, www.gunstock. com, 603-293-4341.

Feb. 10 & 11, 45th Annual Rotary Fishing Derby, Meredith Bay, Meredith,fishing,prizes,www.icefishingnh.com.

Feb. 11, Archduke Trio, 3 p.m., chamber music concert, First Congregation Church, Wolfeboro, presented by Wolfeboro Friends of Music, tickets: www. wfriendsofmusic.org, 603-569-2151.

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Feb. 13, Chocolate Fare, 11 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., for $5 enjoy wide assortment of chocolate treats, raffle basket, Moultonborough Library, 4 Holland St., Moultonborough, 603-476-8895, www.moultonboroughlibrary.org.

Feb. 13 & 17, Nature Station, 2/13: 1-3 p.m. & 2/17: 10 a.m.-noon; Grey Rocks Conservation Area, 178 N. Shore Rd., Hebron, by Newfound Lake Region Assoc., free, for all ages, 604-744-8689.

Feb. 17, Fireworks in Town Square, 7:30 p.m., 33 Village Rd., Waterville Valley, 1-800-993-3149, www.waterville.com.

Feb. 18, Alton Bay Winter Carnival, 10 a.m., activities around the Bay area, www.altonbusinessassociation.com.

Feb. 21, Nature in Winter Storytime at Minot-Sleeper Library, 10:30-11:30 a.m., Grey Rocks Conservation Area, program at the Library, 35 Pleasant St., by Newfound Lake Region Assoc., free, for all ages, 604-744-8689.

Feb. 22, Young and Strange – Delusionists, 7 p.m., Colonial Theatre, 609 Main St., Laconia, 800-657-8774, www.coloniallaconia.com.

Feb. 24-March 2, Wolfeboro Winter Carnival, many events around Wolfeboro being scheduled, info: 603-569-5639, www.wolfeboronh.us.

ONGOING ArtWorks Gallery & Fine Crafts/CCAC, art, shows, workshops and events, open year-round with seasonal hours, 603-323-8041, 132 Rte. 16, Chocorua, www.chocoruaartworks.com.

Belknap Mill, 25 Beacon St. East, Laconia, gallery and textile museum, events and programs, 603-524-8813, www.belknapmill.org.

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Canterbury Shaker Village, walking trails, Shaker Rd., Canterbury, 603-7839511, www.shakers.org.

Castle in the Clouds, Rte. 171, Moultonborough, 603-476-5900, www.castleintheclouds.org.

Chapman Sanctuary and Visny Woods, nature trails open for hiking, 740 Mt. Israel Rd., Center Sandwich, 603-284-6428, www.chapmansanctuaryvisnywoods.com.

Call today for a personal visit and tour:

Page 16 | THE LAKER | JANUARY 8, 2024

What’s UP

your guide to what’s happening in NH’s Lakes Region...

Cool Mugs for Warm Winter Drinks The Gallery is looking for another team member Give us a call!

SHOP in the Gallery or ONLINE 279 DW Hwy. • Meredith • 603-279-7920 • Meredith.NHCrafts.org • Mon - Sat: 10-5 • Sun: 12-5 Like us on Facebook so you can see other beautiful things made by NH’s finest artists ~www.facebook.com/nhcraft

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Chocorua Lake Basin View Lot, mountain views, benches for seating, free, www.chocorualake.org.

Country Village Quilt Guild, meets first and third Wednesday of each month, 1:30 - 3:30 p.m., Public Safety Building (back entrance to Police and Fire Dept.), Rte. 25, Moultonborough, countryvillagequilters@gmail.com.

Dam Brewhouse, events, 1323 NH Rte. 175, Campton, 603-726-4500, www. dambrewhouse.com.

Freedom Gallery, artwork/exhibits by area artists, 8 Elm St., Freedom, call ahead for hours: 610-762-2493.

Freedom Village Store, variety of goods from artisan items to baked goods and more, 11 Elm St., Freedom, call for info/hours: 603-539-3077, www.freedomvillagestore.org.

In the Round, Sundays, 8:45 a.m., thought-provoking topics related to tolerance, Benz Center, Sandwich, 284-7211.

Indoor Pickleball, 5 p.m., Sandwich Central School gym, Sandwich, every Tues., Wed. & Thurs., parksandrec@sandwichnh.org.

Kirkwood Gardens, free, open to public year round, Rt. 3, Holderness, tour the gardens, info: www.nhnature.org, 968-7194.

Knitting Mittens, 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m., drop-in on Tuesdays, $10 per drop-in, Belknap Mill, 25 Beacon St. East, Laconia, 603-524-8813, www.belknapmill. org.

Ladies of the Lake Quilt Guild, meets second and fourth Wednesday of each month, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., First Congregational Church, 115 Main St., Wolfeboro.

A second group meets first and third Tuesday of each month at Community Center, 22 Lehner St., Wolfeboro, www.llqg.net.

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Lakes Region Art Association, exhibits and classes, Suite 300, Tanger Outlet, Rte. 3, Tilton, 603-998-0029, www.lraanh.org.

Lakes Region Curling Association, fall & winter leagues, matches at Pop Whalen Ice & Arts Center, Wolfeboro, Sundays 4:30 – 6:30 p.m., 84 S. Main St., 603-569-5639.

Laverack Nature Trail at Hawkins Brook, nature trail on boardwalk, free, trail starts to the left of Meredith Village Savings Bank, Rte. 25, Meredith, 603279-9015.

League of NH Craftsmen Meredith Fine Craft Gallery, handmade crafts and art for sale, workshops, 279 Daniel Webster Highway, Meredith, 603-279-7920.

Loon Center, walking trails, 183 Lees Mill Rd., Moultonborough, 603-4765666, www.loon.org.

Makers Mill, a variety of workshops, classes in arts and crafts and more, Makers Mill, 23 Bay St., Wolfeboro, 603-569-1500, www.makersmill.org.

New England Racing Museum, open Saturdays 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., 922 NH Rte. 106 N., Loudon, www.NEMSMUSEUM.com.

NH Farm Museum, old-time farm events, tours, 1305 White Mt. Highway, Milton, 603-652-7840, www.nhfarmmuseum.org.

Outdoor Nature-Based Storytime for Young Children, Tuesdays, 10:30 a.m.

- 1:30 p.m., Cook Memorial Library, 93 Main St., Tamworth, 603-323-8510, www.tamworthlibrary.org.

Prescott Farm Environmental Education Center, 928 White Oaks Road, Laconia, www.prescottfarm.org. Call ahead for event information and to inquire if pre-registration is necessary: 603-366-5695.

Remick Country Doctor Museum & Farm, events, tours, 58 Cleveland Hill Rd., Tamworth, 603-323-7591, www.remickmuseum.org.

Rug Hookers, 10 a.m. – noon, meets Tuesdays, Tuftonboro Free Library, 221 Middle Rd., Rt. 109A, Tuftonboro, 603-569-4256.

Sculpture Walk, tours of outdoor sculptures around downtown/lakeside areas of Meredith, free, Greater Meredith Program, maps: 603-279-9015.

Tamworth Farmer’s Market, Saturdays, 9 a.m. - noon, 30 Tamworth Road, Tamworth, www.tamworthfarmersmarket.org.

Tamworth History Center, 25 Great Hill Rd., Tamworth, contact for open hours: www.tamworthhistorycenter.org.

k c i N l l a C ior Service!

For Super

Tuftonboro Country Bluegrass and Gospel Jam, every Tuesday, 6:30 - 9:30 p.m., donation requested, Old White Church, Rte. 109A, Center Tuftonboro, across from Tuftonboro General Store, 603-569-3861.

Ukulele Club, second & fourth Tuesdays of each month, 6 p.m., 2718 Wakefield Rd., Wakefield Corner, 603-522-3189.

Wolfeboro Table Tennis, meets every Wed. from 4 – 6 p.m., in basement of All Saints Church, Wolfeboro, all skill levels welcome, $5 admission charge each week, info: 603-520-5651.

JANUARY 8, 2024 | THE LAKER | Page 17

Ice and Snow FACT – Feed a Charity Today Exploring Join the Newfound Lake Region AsThis program is free and open to all.

Friends of the Moultonborough Library Happenings The Friends of the Library’s mission is to promote literacy in the community by supporting and enhancing the services of our local public library. To this end, the Friends are an engaged group of supporters offering a wide variety of activities to enhance life in Moultonborough.

Some of our activities are fundraising in nature. Programs supported by the money raised include educational speakers, books for children, holiday events, kids summer reading program, adult crafts and museum passes. If this is an organization you would like to be a part of consider Join in January - our annual Membership Drive. There are a variety of membership/donation levels and ways to join. You can click “signup” on our Facebook page - Friends of the Moultonborough Public Library - and pay by credit card or PayPal; join in person at the Library; or mail your payment to PO Box 150 Moultonborough 03254. Do you like to dine

out? We have a super way for you to enjoy a local restaurant AND support the Friends of the Moultonborough Library! FACT - Feed a Charity Today - has two upcoming dates for you to consider. On these dates, the restaurants generously agree to give the Friends 10% of the proceeds from any patron’s bill who state that they are a Friend of the Moultonborough Library.

The restaurant gets more business plus the goodwill generated! A win-win for all involved! So mark your calendars for these dates: Tuesday, January 9th at The Bob House and Wednesday, January 24th at The Cup and Crumb. For your February calendar, you can celebrate with your Valentine a day early.

The Chocolate Fare will be Tuesday, February 13th from 11-1:30. For $5 you can enjoy a wide assortment of delicious chocolate treats and there will be a raffle basket to take a chance on.

There is always something fun and interesting going on with The Friends!

We look forward to your participation.

sociation (NLRA) as we get out in the cold during Newfound Nature Station, a free program that connects youth and families to the natural world. This event will be held at Grey Rocks Conservation Area at 178 N Shore Road, Hebron, NH on January 16 from 1pm to 3 pm and January 20 from 10 am to 12 pm. As we look across the frozen landscape, the natural world looks and feels like a very different place- even water is behaving differently! At Nature Station, visitors will learn about snow, ice, and how local wildlife survive through the winter. See how cold weather changes the behavior of water, other substances, and animals living in the Newfound Watershed. Participants will also make a craft to take home.

Newfound Nature Station, along with other family programs and events, is part of NLRA’s year-round work to encourage residents and visitors to enjoy the natural beauty around them, learn more about the environment and how to protect it, and fall in love with the Newfound Watershed. Along with programs like Newfound Nature Station, NLRA maintains Grey Rocks Conservation Area in all seasons as a place for people and wildlife alike.

It offers walking trails, a picnic area, fishing alcoves, and a non-motorized boat launch and is frequented by wildlife like loons, turtles, and bald eagles as well as people. Learn more about NLRA including other upcoming events at NewfoundLake.org.

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Page 18 | THE LAKER | JANUARY 8, 2024

JANUARY 8, 2024 | THE LAKER | Page 19

Laconia Adult Education Winter 2024 Enrichment Class Schedule

Course Title

Day(s)

Start date

Times

# weeks

Cost

Location

Instructor Name

Arts & Crafts Beginner Counted Cross Stitch Intro to Crafts

Mon Wed

1/29/2024 6:30-9:00pm 02/21/2024 6:00-8:00pm

4 6

** $50.00 ** $75.00

LHS-509 LHS-509

Shawn Sinclair Shirley Glines

Health & Wellness All About Twinkles Beginner Blues Beginner ChaCha Beginner Country Two-Step Beginner Quickstep Beginner Samba Better Posture, Better Life Freedom Through Forgiveness Introduction to Spiritual Energies Meditation 101 What are Angels & How to Communicate w/them Yoga for Everyone: Beginning (Tues & Thurs) Session 1 Yoga for Everyone: Beginning (Tues & Thurs) Session 2 Yoga for Everyone: Beginning (Tues & Thurs) Session 3

Mon Mon Mon Tue Tue Tue Tue Thu Thu Thu Thu Tue, Thu Tue, Thu Tue, Thu

01/29/2024 5:45-6:45 pm 01/29/2024 7:45-8:45 pm 01/29/2024 6:45-7:45 pm 01/30/2024 6:45-7:45 pm 01/30/2024 5:45-7:45 pm 01/30/2024 7:45-8:45 pm 01/16/2024 5:30 PM 05/09/2024 6:30-8:30pm 03/14/2024 6:30-8:30pm 04/18/2024 6:30-8:30pm 04/04/2024 6:30-8:30pm 01/30/2024 5:00-6:15 pm 03/05/2024 5:00-6:15 pm 04/02/2024 5:00-6:15 pm

4 4 4 4 4 4 6 1 1 1 1 4 4 4

$90.00 $90.00 $90.00 $90.00 $90.00 $90.00 $99.00 $45.00 $45.00 $45.00 $45.00 $50.00 $50.00 $50.00

Cafe Cafe Cafe Cafe Cafe Cafe

Juli Pruden Juli Pruden Juli Pruden Juli Pruden Juli Pruden Juli Pruden Janine Page Brenda Paquette Brenda Paquette Brenda Paquette Brenda Paquette Bonnie Morin Bonnie Morin Bonnie Morin

Learning a skill Guitar I for Beginners Basic Woodworking CERT Training (Community Emergency Response Team) Digital Photography 2: Intermediate Series Dog Obedience: Advanced Dog Obedience: Beginning Intro to Intermediate Woodworking Lighthouse and Puffin Cruise-Bar Harbor Lighthouse Lovers Cruise at the Maine Maritime Museum Nature Photography Open Shop Woodworking Smartphone Photography Special Effects with your Digital Camera Welding Fundamentals: ARC,GAS,MIG&TIG- Thursdays Welding Fundamentals: ARC,GAS,MIG&TIG- Tuesdays Welding Fundamentals: ARC,GAS,MIG&TIG- Wednesday

Tues Thu Tue Tue Wed Wed Wed Thu Fri Tue Tue Tue Tue Thu Tue Wed

1/30/2024 7:00-8:00 pm 02/01/2024 6:00-8:30pm 03/05/2024 6:00-9:00pm 02/13/2024 5:30-7:00pm 03/13/2024 7:00-8:00pm 03/13/2024 6:00-8:00 pm 01/31/2024 6:00-8:30 pm 05/23/2024 6:00-8:00 pm 04/19/2024 6:00-8:00 pm 03/05/2024 7:30-9:00 pm 01/30/2024 6:00-8:30 pm 02/13/2024 7:30-9:00 pm 04/09/2024 7:30-9:00 pm 02/01/2024 5:30-8:30 pm 01/30/2024 5:30-8:30 pm 01/31/2024 5:30-8:30 pm

8 8 13 5 8 8 8 3 3 3 10 3 3 10 10 10

$79.00 LHS-813 ** $110.00 LHS-517 $30.00 LHS 615 $120.00 REMOTE $70.00 WHS-Gym $70.00 WHS-Gym ** $110.00 LHS-517 ** $180.00 REMOTE/Location ** $180.00 REMOTE/Location $150.00 REMOTE $110.00 LHS-517 $80.00 Remote $80.00 REMOTE ** $350.00 Welding Lab ** $350.00 Welding Lab ** $350.00 Welding Lab

*Diploma Classes* Economics/ Civics Curent Events and Media Literacy (English) US History Foundations of Math II

Check out our other great offerings:

Downtown Gym

LHS-615 LHS-615 LHS-615 LHS-615 ctc-H225 ctc-H225 ctc-H225

Mon 1/22/2024 6:00-9:00 15 Weeks $280.00 LHS-612 Tues 1/23/2024 6:00-9:00 15 Weeks $280.00 LHS-312 Wed 1/24/2024 6:00-9:00 15 Weeks $280.00 LHS-304 Thurs 1/25/2024 6:00-9:00 15 Weeks $280.00 LHS-611 * * Additional Supply/book fee or pre-class requirement is additional in this course.

Matthew Wood Wes Anderson John Beland Steve McGrath Carolyn Bancroft Carolyn Bancroft Ed Philpot Steve McGrath Steve McGrath Steve McGrath Ed Philpot Steve McGrath Steve McGrath Bruce Beckford Bruce Beckford Bruce Beckford

J. McLeod P. Mignanelli T. Osborne A. Stefanik

HSE (GED or HiSET) Prep- Free Monday & Wednesday nights 6:00-8:30-Starting January 22nd E.S.L.- Free for those learning English Tuesday & Thursday nights 6:00-8:30-starting January 23rd

Classes are in-person except when location is listed as remote.

CHECK ONLINE FOR MORE DETAILED COURSE INFORMATION (Including materials, book fees or Labs) REGISTER AND PAY ONLINE at: adultedlaconia.weebly.com Still have questions? Call Laconia Adult Education at 524-5712

Page 20 | THE LAKER | JANUARY 8, 2024

Yester year

Small Town Movie Theatres

By Kathi Caldwell-Hopper If you lived in a small New Hampshire town in the 1920s, 30s, 40s, or 50s, life was much different in some ways than it is today. Many people did not own reliable vehicles, radio programs were just about the only form of entertainment, and most families were glued to weekly broadcasts of their favorite programs. Few, if any, people owned a television. If you wanted the latest news, you read the town newspaper or relied on a radio news broadcast.

And then there was the movie theatre. A surprising number of small towns had a place to watch the latest films, although we might assume modest communities would be lacking such pleasures.

Could a small town afford a movie house, and were there enough moviegoers to support it? The answer was yes; these theatres were viable for many years. While most are gone due to changing times, in their day movie theatres pulled in small-town viewers and transported them to places and events with big-name stars. They saw Jean Harlow, Humphrey Bogart, Lana Turner, and Elizabeth Taylor, to name a few actors and actresses. Along with the big shows, many B-grade movies with lesser-known stars played in small-town theatres. It really didn’t matter who the stars were or the quality of the movies. People attended for the sheer entertainment.

In the Lakes Region, many towns had a theatre, whether a palatial place like the Colonial Theatre in downtown Laconia or a modest movie house in nearby towns like Plymouth or Bristol.

According to information at www. flyingmonkeynh.com, the Plymouth Theater, located on Main Street in the town, has been at the heart of historic Plymouth’s cultural and social life, har-

Movie theatre in Bristol, NH circa 1940s. (Photo courtesy of Bristol NH Historical Society) kening back to its start in the 1920s. At the height of its popularity, the “New Plymouth Theater” attracted sold-out audiences for some of Hollywood’s movies from silent films to the era of the talkies.

The movie theatre was a state-ofthe-art facility with modern amenities, such as being the only Western Electric Mirrophonic Sound System in the area.

It also had “air-cooling”, an inclined floor and luxuries like upholstered seats for up to 700 people…all at a 25cent admission price!

Popular movies featured such stars as the Marx Brothers, among many others. If you wanted the news, you could depend on the Fox Movie Tone

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News before the main movie began.

The theater offered extras to lure moviegoers, such as Saturday night events, Western movies for kids, and a unique (at the time) event on Halloween. The theatre offered horror movies after the annual Halloween parade in downtown Plymouth…and the movies were free on that occasion.

After its demise, the theatre sat empty, like many others that competed and lost against television and other entertainments. But in 2010, after the Plymouth Theater had fallen into disuse, New Hampshire businessman Alex Ray did extensive renovations and renamed it the Flying Monkey Movie House and Performance Center. Today,

the Flying Monkey features many contemporary musical and comedy acts.

Bristol, a small Newfound Lake area town, was as quiet as any other community in the 1920s. However, some excitement came to town when a small rural theater was built during that decade. The movie house, named the Bristol Theatre, was modest in size, but the builders took care to decorate the space in an Art Deco style so popular at the time.

Amenities included a large 1:33 screen and a mono sound system in use for many years. In the early 1960s,

• Yesteryear continude on page 21

JANUARY 8, 2024 | THE LAKER | Page 21 • Yesteryear continude from page 20

the movie house had a 2:35 screen and 2-channel stereo installed.

Moviegoers could choose from seats on the main floor or in the raised balcony section with the refreshment stand and manager’s office located under and accessible from the lobby.

In the early 1960s, during a winter of heavy snow, the movie house collapsed.

In the Bristol Enterprise it was reported, “Damage caused by the collapse of the Bristol Theatre roof and sidewalls last Friday and Saturday has been estimated at more than $60,000.00 by the resident manager, Malcolm Kenniston, of Plymouth. Mr. Kenniston told the Enterprise that its owner, Allard Graves, would have to make the final decision to rebuild the unit. Mr. Graves is in Arizona and is expected to inspect the damage early next week.”

The Enterprise went on to report, “It has been theorized by most that the heavy weight of the snow on the the-

atre roof caused it to collapse on Friday, [March 24, 1960] followed by the bucking of the sidewalls the next day [Saturday, March 25, 1960]. Over the past few years, the theatre has been used only during the summer months and was unoccupied and unheated at the time of the disaster.”

In Bristol, interested and curious spectators could look through the theatre’s front door and see blue sky inside instead of a viewing screen. Unfortunately, most of the projection and sound equipment was a loss. During that time, other buildings in the Newfound area also collapsed due to the snow and elements.

The Key Theatre in Meredith opened before 1941. The modest movie house was located on the second floor of a downtown building and remained in operation until the 1950s. It opened around 1938, offering MGM films, and had 270 seats.

In Franklin, the Regal Theatre on Central Street in the downtown was a

big entertainment venue. It opened in 1935 and offered over 800 seats. The Regal played MGM movies and was very popular in its day. A 1950s advertisement told the reader that the theatre was 20 degrees cooler in the summer and had a Wide Vision Screen.

On July 7 to 9, 1950, the Regal advertised stars Ingrid Bergman and Gary Cooper in “For Whom the Bell Tolls.”

Movies at the Regal had Sunday matinees with continuous viewing from 3 p.m., and weekly continuous evening shows from 7 p.m.

Elsewhere, the Pineland Theatre occupied part of a large barn-like building in the Mountainview section of Center Ossipee. The building was also used for other entertainments and contained a dance hall and a snack bar/coffee shop. The theatre was also known as Pineland Hall and as Pineland Mountainview Theatre.

Although not an indoor theatre, the popular Skhi Drive-In in Boscawen, not far from Franklin, had parking for

over 380 cars and a one-screen viewing experience. It was built in the early 1950s and opened in 1954 with Randolph Scott in “The Stanger Wore a Gun” and Johnny Weissmuller in “Valley of Head Hunters.” The drive-in was located off the Daniel Webster Highway. Popular with locals, the drive-in was a great way to find movie entertainment during the summer months, but eventually it closed when times changed.

Indeed, the changing times and desire for other entertainment saw many small-town movie theatres close; it was likely difficult to maintain the large and sometimes ornate buildings when patron attendance slackened.

If you drive around the Lakes Region today, there are still traces of the once-popular small-town movie theatres, and in some towns, such as Plymouth, the entertainment houses have found new life.

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Page 22 | THE LAKER | JANUARY 8, 2024

Report Winter Wild Turkey Sightings The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department is asking the public to report their wild turkey sightings this winter by participating in the 2024 Winter Turkey Flock Survey. The survey runs from January 1 through March 31. Information about the status of wintering wild turkeys is very important because severe weather and limited natural food supplies can present serious challenges for turkeys. It’s fun and easy to participate by visiting www. wildnh.com/surveys/turkey.html.

“A total of 835 flocks were reported from across the state during the 2023 Winter Turkey Flock Survey, with 15,098 turkeys recorded and an average of 18 turkeys per flock,” said Allison Keating, The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department’s Turkey Project Leader. “This was a slight increase from 2022 when a total of 772 flocks and 13,201 turkeys were reported. The increase in sightings during the winter of 2023 may be the result of more birds being drawn to backyard bird feeders due to a lack of natural food available.

The fall of 2022 was not a good season for the production of acorns and beech nuts, two staple mast crops that support turkeys during the winter months.”

The spring and summer of 2023 were some of the rainiest on record. Despite the poor weather conditions for breeding and raising poults, preliminary results from the Summer Brood Survey are showing species resiliency. “It is yet to be determined if the precipitation pattern of the spring and summer will continue into the winter months and result in an abundance of snow,” said Keating. “Deep snow for prolonged periods of time can make it difficult for turkeys to travel and find food and water during the winter months. The observations people share through the online survey greatly add to the Department’s understanding of the abundance, distribution, and survival rates of turkeys through the winter months here in New Hampshire and we are very appreciative that people take the time.”

During the 2023 Winter Turkey

Flock Survey, Wildlife Management Unit (WMU) M in the southern part of the state had the highest number of reported flocks (163), followed by WMU L (127) and WMU J2 (123).

The highest percentage of observed feeding occurred at backyard birdfeeders (73%). Backyard bird feeder sightings were up 11% compared with the previous year. The second highest reported food consumption category was corn or grain (16%). Only 9% of turkeys were reported feeding on acorns and beechnuts, which was a decrease of 12% from the year before. Reported consumption of apples or crab apples was only 2%, which was also a decrease when compared with the 8% reported the year before.

Public attitudes toward winter flocks of wild turkeys continue to be very favorable: 88% of respondents indicated that they like, or strongly like, seeing wild turkeys; 8% of people neither like nor dislike turkeys; while 4% of participants either dislike or strongly dislike turkeys.

The Department also continues to monitor the prevalence of two viruses that are present in the wild turkey population: avian pox and lymphoproliferative disease virus (LPDV). The public is asked to keep an eye out this winter for any turkeys displaying lesions or wart-like protuberances on their head or neck areas and to report these observations through the online survey.

During the winter of 2023, visible lesions that may have been indicative of avian pox or LPDV were reported on 23 turkeys from 11 towns. These findings are similar to previous year’s survey results. Overall, reports of symptomatic turkeys remain low.

To learn more about these viruses, visit www.wildlife.state.nh.us/ wildlife/turkeys/turkey-virus.html.

Wild turkey management and research is made possible by the federal Wildlife Restoration Program, which is funded by an excise tax on the sale of firearms, ammunition, and archery equipment.

Time to Add an ‘R’? Reduce, Reuse, Recycle – REFILL

In an era when environmental sustainability and community well-being take center stage, refill stations have emerged as a modern and popular solution to address both concerns. A refill station (sometimes called a “refillery”) is a retail store with the purpose of reducing single-use plastic production by promoting the reuse of one’s own containers. These stations usually supply consumables like dried fruit, grains, spices, detergents, cleaning products, hygiene items and water.

Using refill stations as part of a lifestyle routine not only reduces plastic pollution, but it also conserves resources from the production of plastic packaging. Think about all of the laundry soap containers you’ve thrown out or recycled over the years. The production of plastic bottles and containers requires substantial amounts of fossil fuels and water, further contributing to greenhouse gas emissions and resource depletion; not to mention the energy required to manufacture and transport the products.

These refilleries can also be stimulating for local economies, garnering a sense of community, providing jobs and attracting people from all over.

Shopping alongside other sustainability supporters is a great way to meet like-minded people and build up your community. Due to these stores being a relatively new concept, there aren’t many of them around. Having so few of these stations will result in people traveling out of their way to visit, creating economic growth in that area.

Ready to Refill?

Generally, to purchase items in one of these stores, you would bring your own reusable container (glass jar, empty plastic container, an old Tupperware container, etc.), fill with whatever product you need and pay for what you got!

It’s that easy. Many stores also offer some reusable containers for purchase or donated by others.

So, there are many benefits to switching to refillery products, but where can you find one? It does take a little looking around. Here’s what we found: The Refill Station in Portsmouth prides themselves as being a low-waste shop, committed to reducing their plastic footprint. The store provides a wide variety of different household and personal care products; and even delivers with your own containers!

Witching Hour Provisions in Hopkin-

ton is not your average coffee shop. Not only do they sell fresh brews, but they also host a refill station for home cleaning and hygiene items.

For food refills in Concord, the Concord Food Co-Op gives you the option to buy certain foods and drinks with your own containers. Foods like grains, flours, nuts, coffee, etc., can be bought in your own reusable container, and you get to decide how much you want to take home with you! Also in Concord is Bona Fide, which has over 30 refill options including detergents, soaps and hygiene products.

Make-Your-Own Refill Stations Want to save some money? Yes, refilleries are a great idea and very effective, but depending on how much of the products you need, it can rack up a high bill. Luckily, some household and personal care products are inexpensive and easy to make at home. All it takes is a quick internet search from a reliable source and you can find quick and cheap recipes for common products like soaps, lotions, shampoos and cleaners.

For example, this easy and cost-effective laundry detergent recipe below only requires 3 ingredients, and you can make it in bulk.

Homemade Powder Laundry Detergent Ingredients: 4.5 ounces shaved bar soap 14 ounces Borax 14 ounces washing soda Instructions: Thoroughly stir all three ingredients together for several minutes.

You can take this a step further and blend the mixture in a blender or food processor to create a powder that will dissolve easily even in cold water. (Just be sure to let the dust settle before removing the lid of your blender or food processor so you don’t inhale the fine particles.)

Store in a sealed container with a small scoop and you now have between 32-64 loads of soap! 1 Tbsp is recommended per small load, but you are encouraged to use more for large/heavy loads.

Whether you start shopping at refilleries or making your own products at home, this is a healthy habit to adopt in 2024! Small changes like this can reduce waste and conserve resources, all while fostering a feeling of togetherness and community.

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JANUARY 8, 2024 | THE LAKER | Page 23

New, Pre-Owned & Brokerage Boat Sales • Service & Parts Department Fuel Dock & Ship Store • Boat Registrations • NH Temporary Boat Licenses • Boat Rentals

www.melvinvillagemarina.com

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Page 24 | THE LAKER | JANUARY 8, 2024