Radius: Innovation | Issue 6 | 2021

radius ISSUE SIX / 2021

CONNECTING NEW HAMPSHIRE THROUGH EDUCATION AND INFORMATION

IN THIS ISSUE

Innovation

Extension

contents 2

Reimagining Hood Park

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Green Thumbs

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Sensors by the Seashore

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STEM is for Everyone

10 Engaging Entrepreneurs 12 Who Says Innovation Can't be Rural?

16 Blazing a New Trail 20 Making Use of Real Time 23 Sound Advice 26 Cracking the Code to Lifelong Learning 28 Reducing Harmful Effects of Opioid Use

Through Proactive Education 31 Systems of Change

extension.unh.edu

Extension

Opposite: Ken La Valley, UNH vice provost of university outreach and engagement and director of UNH Cooperative Extension, is helping foster innovation for the Granite State. On the cover: Nature Groupie interns (L to R) Emily Chen ’22, Olivia Pitta ’22 and Sydney Gendreau ’22 help promote apparel and gear from Nature Groupie’s new online store. Both photos by Christian McDonald ’22.

transforming processes, cultivating innovation There is a spirit in New Hampshire of innovation. One only need look to the state’s trademark granite, formed deep beneath the Earth’s crust over millions of years, for an example.

Innovation requires vision — it means looking at a rock and knowing that it can be so much more. Once polished and cut, it becomes countertops and fireplaces, benches and monuments.

Here at UNH Cooperative Extension we are forward-thinking. We anticipate challenges and formulate solutions.

From launching an online apparel store to starting a gardening podcast, we’re implementing new ways of sharing information.

Innovation takes risk and requires patience.

But, like granite, the people of New Hampshire are durable. We have weathered a pandemic and have come out stronger.

We’re dreaming big and are excited to share with you how UNH Extension continues to bring trusted knowledge and practical education to every county of our beloved state.

In this issue of Radius, you will read about ways that our staff are supporting entrepreneurs by creating new collaborative makerspaces and networking opportunities.

You’ll hear how our agriculture and horticulture staff are helping growers utilize real-time weather data and emerging technology to better inform crop decisions and manage plant diseases.

Kenneth J. La Valley Vice Provost, University Outreach and Engagement Director, UNH Cooperative Extension ken.lavalley@unh.edu

R EI M AG I N I N G

HOOD PARK COMMUNITY FEEDBACK PROVIDES A VISION FOR DERRY'S FUTURE

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or many years, families in and around Derry have gone to Hood Park to swim, walk the trails and play. However, due to a lack of funding, poor water quality in Hood Pond and the decline in programs, the park has lost its original luster. People who want to see the park restored to its former glory want to change that.

In 2019 UNH Extension’s Community and Economic Program Manager Casey Porter partnered with the town of Derry to implement Extension’s First Impressions Program, training community leaders to assess and improve their main street. It was during this work that Porter heard about Hood Park and how people from the area were interested in seeing it restored. The idea was brought up again in a recreation management plan and during the drafting of Derry’s master plan.

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“The town council and Derry economic development team had heard many times that people really wanted this park to be revitalized,” says Porter. “They wanted to find the funds in their budget to go forth with this community engagement project.”

Gathering Community and Stakeholder Feedback Community members and municipal town staff formed the Hood Park Steering Committee in July 2020 with a main goal of engaging the community to hear what they wanted to see become of the landmark.

They recruited Porter as well as former UNH Extension Community and Economic Development Field Specialist Stephen Meno to help with outreach tactics.

“Our task was to engage people,” says Porter.

“We provided the education to help steering committee members understand different

methods of engagement and how to reach people safely during the pandemic.”

The committee met biweekly to develop and discuss outreach and engagement plans with Extension staff. Derry’s Planning and Economic Development Assistant Elizabeth Robidoux says she was happy to have Extension’s support with the committee as they kept the group focused on the task at hand.

“I think that when you undertake an endeavor like this, it’s crucial to have someone who is not a town staff member,” says Robidoux.

seating to the park and better maintaining the walking trails. There also was an emphasis on adding elements to the park that would help build community engagement such as more programming or food trucks.

Looking Toward the Future of Hood Park The final findings were presented in January 2021 to the town council members who plan to help support the committee in this work. Jay Tombari, co-chair of the steering committee, emphasizes the importance of focusing on the larger plan for the park as a whole and

Renderings courtesy of The Dubay Group, Inc.

“People who do this all the time know how this all works. They can explain outreach and engagement. I think that having Casey and Stephen as part of our process has been crucial to our success.”

First, the committee conducted in-depth interviews with well-respected leaders including residents and a range of people who work in or travel to Derry. They also created a survey and a website for feedback materials and handed out postcards with a map of Hood Park so people could sketch out ideas they imagined for it. Printed surveys were provided to nursing home residents.

After all the feedback had been gathered, Porter and Meno analyzed the data and presented their findings to the steering committee. Their findings indicated that people had most often mentioned fixing the water quality in Hood Pond, adding additional

not getting too caught up on the small, easier aspects. With the findings from Extension the group recently had some artist renditions drawn of the main points of feedback.

“We really started to define a plan for the park and a long-term vision so that we could make sure that each of the smaller projects that are done fit in with that long-term goal,” says Tombari.

Tombari is also exploring bringing Pinkerton Academy into the park so that students can utilize the land for learning opportunities.

One idea would involve hosting forestry classes in the park to give the students some hands-on experience.

“We want make sure that we do right for the park for years to come,” he says. r

BY HANNAH ARROYO

Radius 3

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t was a few weekend construction workshops, hosted by UNH Extension’s Landscape and Greenhouse Field Specialist Jonathan Ebba, that brought to life the structure of a greenhouse at Tilton, New Hampshire’s Winnisquam Middle School in September 2020.

Members of the community, school faculty and Extension staff assisted with the construction project with the aim of bringing active and hands-on growing programs to students at the middle school. The project, which started nearly two years ago, got a boost last summer when special education paraprofessional Sandy Licata got involved. An alumna of Extension’s 2015 Master Gardener class, she reached out to Ebba to organize the September

GREEN

Ebba says the Extension workshop at Winnisquam accomplished three goals. “It provided the middle school with their greenhouse, it taught members of the community how to construct and cover their own greenhouses and it connected people in the community to the middle school through a UNH program.”

EDUCATING STUDENTS FOR THE FUTURE Winnisquam teacher Susan Hewey helped lay the groundwork for a lot of the planning that went into the greenhouse. She’s interested in getting children in the special education program involved to help them expand communication and collaboration skills.

THUMBS workshop to teach the Winnisquam community how to build a greenhouse.

“We’re really thankful to UNH Cooperative Extension because they’ve done a lot and helped us finish it all up, and their resources and education are so valuable,” Licata says.

When a greenhouse is properly utilized by a school, Ebba says, it can bring forth many important lessons. Along with providing science and industry skills, plants have been shown to have therapeutic benefits for students.

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WEEKEND WORKSHOPS YIELD HANDS-ON TRAINING FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND A FINISHED GREENHOUSE FOR STUDENTS

“We have some intervention groups that we do for reading and math,” Hewey says. “I’m hoping to incorporate greenhouse activities with those kids who are reluctant readers and math students. I think it’s going to be really engaging for them.”

At the beginning of the 2020-21 school year, Winnisquam Middle School followed a hybrid model for getting students back into classrooms during the pandemic.

While COVID-19 presented setbacks for the greenhouse plans, many teachers are excited

to incorporate it into their curricula for the fall of 2021.

It also will provide a nice pipeline to the greenhouse program already in place at Winnisquam Regional High School (students in the high school’s ag center helped construct the metal frame for the greenhouse).

Winnisquam paraprofessional Deb Burley explains that there are a lot of agriculturalfocused families in the area and that the pandemic provided time for children to learn more about gardening at home. She hopes that students can take future education from the greenhouse back to their families and eventually into the community.

A FULL SCHOOL YEAR OF GROWING At home, Licata and her family constructed what would become one of the first raised beds installed in Winnisquam’s greenhouse.

Teachers and students got to work planting their first round of seeds, including snap peas, kale, onions and more. With donations from the community and a grant from the N.H. Master Gardner Alumni Association, everything started to fall into place.

To care for the beds, Licata established an afterschool garden club in April 2021 to help maintain and water the plants. The group

meets twice a week and has even contributed their harvests to the school’s cafeteria. Licata says the plan is to expand the afterschool group into an environmental club with hopes of starting a recycling and composting program.

District food service director Rob Cohen crafted a recipe featuring the dill grown in the greenhouse for the kids to prepare. The school plans to share during morning announcements any time food from the greenhouse will be incorporated into that day’s lunch.

“I want to show people that we’re not just doing your average school lunch. We’re incorporating foods from our gardens,” Cohen says. “When they’re given to us, we utilize them.”

Licata says that kids from the school have been able to branch out and try vegetables they claimed they didn’t like, discovering that they actually taste pretty good. Her hope for the future is to keep teaching students through many avenues and maybe even inspiring some to go into different careers related to gardening.

“One of the great things about growing is that it seems like there’s endless possibilities. There’s always something new to learn,” Licata says. r

BY HANNAH ARROYO

Radius 5

by the the seashore seashore Sensorsby Sensors EX TENSION SPECIALISTS TEAM UP WITH UNH STUDENTS TO HELP HOMEOWNERS IN HAMP TON EXTENSION SPECIALISTS TEAM UP WITH UNH STUDENTS TO HELP HOMEOWNERS IN HAMPTON

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O O

wning a piece of the New Hampshire wning a piece of the New Hampshire coastline is a dream for some — a home coastline is a dream for some — a home surrounded by nature, close to beautiful surrounded by nature, close to beautiful beaches with views of sunsets over the beaches over the marshes.with Butviews living of onsunsets the coast increasingly marshes.

But living on the coast increasingly comes with the threat of flooding as sea comes with the threat of flooding as sea levels rise. levels rise.

“When I first bought this property, flooding was “When I first bought this property, flooding was maybe a couple of times a summer, and then maybe a couple of times a summer, and then it started getting chronic every month,” says it started getting chronic every month,” says Steve Belgiorno, who owns several properties Steve Belgiorno, who owns several properties around Manchester Street in Hampton.” Now, if around Manchester Street in Hampton.” Now, if we miss miss aamonth, month,we wehave haveaaparty.” party.” we Coastal flooding floodingin inNew NewHampshire Hampshireisisexpected expected Coastal to increase increasein inseverity severityand andfrequency frequencyininthe the to future.

For residents in Hampton, sea level rise future. For residents in Hampton, sea level rise means water damage to their homes, their cars means water damage to their homes, their cars and their property. and their property.

"We need to give people the power to make "We need to in give people power make decisions their ownthe lives,” saystoJane decisions in their own lives,” says Jane Schwadron ’24, a member of the Innovation Schwadron ’24, a buoy member of the Innovation Scholars’ wave team, noting those Scholars’ wave buoy team, noting thosetheir cars decisions can be as small as moving decisions can be asassmall as moving their cars“We or as significant elevating their houses. or as significant as elevating their houses. “We need to give people the power of information.” need to give people the power of information.”

The lending library of sensors will be open The lending library of sensors will be open to the community as well as nonprofit to the community as well as nonprofit organizations, such as the Seabrook Hampton organizations, such as the Seabrook Hampton Estuary Alliance (SHEA), to help bolster Estuary Alliance (SHEA), to help bolster community efforts to prevent and mitigate community efforts to prevent and mitigate floodinginin the future.

“We’ll have on-theflooding the future.

“We’ll have on-theground metrics that people can use, which ground metrics that people can use, which I think is going to be a phenomenal piece I think is going to be a phenomenal piece of of information understanding even more information forfor understanding even more about exactly where flooding is occurring and about exactly where flooding is occurring and what the extent of that flooding is going to be,” what the extent of that flooding is going to be,” says Jay Diener, president of SHEA. says Jay Diener, president of SHEA. spring 2021, the students InIn spring 2021, the students ranran thethe first tests of their sensors, providing first tests of their sensors, providing valuable insights their utility valuable insights onon their utility and designs.

Once the sensors and designs. Once the sensors are finalized, the students are finalized, the students willwill make multiple copies to stored make multiple copies to bebe stored in the sensor lending library in the sensor lending library residents, citizen scientists forfor residents, citizen scientists and future students wishing and future students wishing to to collect local data in in Hampton and collect local data Hampton and elsewhere inin coastal New Hampshire. elsewhere coastal New Hampshire.

That’s That’s why whyNew NewHampshire HampshireSea SeaGrant Grantand andUNH UNH Extension Extensionare areworking workingwith withUNH’s UNH’sInnovation Innovation Scholars ScholarsProgram.

Program.Undergraduate Undergraduateengineering engineering students studentsin inthe theprogram programare aredesigning designingand and building buildingaalending lendinglibrary libraryofofsensors sensorsthat that can can help helpNew NewHampshire’s Hampshire’scoastal coastalresidents residents understand understandtheir theirflood floodrisk riskand andflood flooddamage. damage.

Last Last fall, fall,Innovation InnovationScholars Scholarsmet metwith withlocal local residents and business owners in Hampton residents and business owners in Hamptontoto see see and and hear hearfirsthand firsthandthe theimpacts impactsofofcoastal coastal flooding.

Over the subsequent flooding. Over the subsequentmonths, months,the the students engineered two types of sensors to students engineered two types of sensors to address the issues they heard about and saw: a address the issues they heard about and saw: a wave buoy to measure the effects of incoming wave buoy to measure the effects of incoming storms that can push high water into low-lying storms that can push high water into low-lying communities and a water quality sensor to communities and a water quality sensor to detect the presence and acidity of water that detect the presence and acidity of water that may be degrading the concrete foundations of may be degrading the concrete foundations of some homes. some homes.

“Anytime can get data from our community, “Anytimewewe can get data from our community, ititonly usus toto better understand what onlyhelps helps better understand what the are,” says Rayann Dionne, a a theimpacts impacts are,” says Rayann Dionne, former coordinator forfor thethe formerconservation conservation coordinator town townofofHampton.

Hampton.

“I“Ithink owners and residents and thinkforforproperty property owners and residents and people community, sometimes that's peopleininthe the community, sometimes that's just wrap your head around.

Like what justhard hardtoto wrap your head around.

Like what does rise really look like?” doessea sealevel level rise really look like?”

Bringing community members, Bringingtogether together community members, resource managers, students, faculty mentors resource managers, students, faculty mentors and Extension professionals for this project and Extension professionals for this project proved anan effective and exciting provedtotobebe effective and exciting opportunity for engaged scholarship that opportunity for engaged scholarship that met residents where they were — in their met residents where they were — in their own homes and neighborhoods — to deliver own homes and neighborhoods — to deliver science- and technology-based approaches to science- and technology-based approaches to the shore. r the shore. r

BY TIM BRIGGS

BY TIM BRIGGS

Radius

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STEM IS FOR E V ERYONE FROM THE CITY TO THE COUNTRY, PARTNERSHIPS CREATE EQUITABLE LEARNING EXPERIENCES FOR STUDENTS

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hen one child looks up at the night sky, she might see constellations outlined in clear, twinkling stars. Another child’s view could be obstructed by light pollution.

Some children have two parents to help with homework; others might be on their own.

There are many factors that can serve as learning barriers for students at every level.

To ensure that every child has the chance to succeed, STEM program managers and educators in New Hampshire are focused on creating equitable educational opportunities for underserved populations.

STEM IN THE COUNTRY To combat negative impacts resulting from COVID-19 on rural New Hampshire educators and students, the National Institute of Food and Agriculture has granted $685,000 to support UNH Extension’s work.

The 4-H Northeast Collaborative: Closing the Gap initiative brings remote, agriculturebased STEM learning experiences to students through training, volunteer support and classroom resources for educators. The program will serve 1,500 youth and teachers across rural parts of northern New England while cementing a partnership among three land grant universities — the University of New 8

University of New Hampshire Extension

Hampshire, the University of Vermont and the University of Maine.

Kate Guerdat, principal investigator and state 4-H leader/4-H youth development state specialist for UNH Extension, says, “We are excited to see the impact this program will have on the educational, social and emotional challenges that have been exacerbated by remote learning and the heightened anxiety caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.”

STEM IN THE CITY Meanwhile, efforts have been building for years to increase participation in these fields of study at the STEM Discovery Lab at UNH Manchester, run by UNH Extension Field Specialist for Science Literacy Sarah Grosvenor. One of the lab’s hallmark programs, the annual 4-H Science Bonanza, provides a way for families to learn about other STEM opportunities for youth and adults offered throughout the year by the STEM Discovery Lab. Through this experiential day of learning, students ages 5-13 can develop new skills like how to grow food through hydroponics, make maple syrup or build a kinetic sculpture.

“Beyond running programs for youth and adults, the STEM Discovery Lab also inspires youth to feel confident in themselves as scientists or engineers. We bring excitement and energy

to the topics we teach, and hopefully through events like the Science Bonanza youth will continue to participate in our programs,” says Grosvenor.

To connect with the local community, the lab has joined forces with the Granite United Way Youth Enrichment Partnership, which brings together 14 youth-serving organizations and the Manchester School District under a hub and spoke model – the hubs are places that youth frequent like schools, after-school programs and summer camps; the spokes are evidencebased interventions that support academics, soft skills and health behaviors.

President and CEO of the Granite United Way Patrick Tufts explains that this groundbreaking partnership reduces barriers, such as transportation and cost, to critical services and learning opportunities for low-income middle school youth and their families. About collaborating with the STEM programming at UNH Manchester, he says, “By working together, and ensuring transportation was no longer a barrier, hundreds of youth gained insight and experience in the STEM fields. This access has been life-changing for many, sparking inspiration and engagement in the fields of study they may not have been exposed to without this important partnership.”

engages partners from Manchester, Nashua and Rochester school districts as well as two professional organizations, the N.H. Teachers of Mathematics and the N.H. Science Teachers Association, which serve K-12 teachers in the state. The five-year grant will support 15 STEM teachers to build their leadership skills, equity pedagogies and STEM content knowledge and instruction.

“It’s never been more important for all New Hampshire students to have access to highquality STEM education,” says principal investigator Lara Gengarelly, UNH Extension specialist and affiliate associate professor for science education in UNH’s Joan and James Leitzel Center for Mathematics, Science and Engineering Education. “Given the performance disparities in STEM subjects across different populations of students, changing demographics and pockets of poverty in New Hampshire school districts, supporting teachers as leaders in STEM and equity education is essential work that UNH is wellsuited to lead.” r

BY EMMA JOYCE

Having adult mentors also remains an important component of STEM education.

One of the goals of the STEM Docent program, which hosts classes at the Manchester lab, is to help increase youth in the state’s STEM career pipeline by training adult volunteers who have a background and passion for STEM. UNH Extension STEM Docent Program Manager Megan Glenn explains, “What we really do is inspire those ‘ah-ha’ moments to go off in a kid’s head — those moments when they realize that they are capable of science and engineering and that mastering these subjects is attainable.”

BUILDING EQUITY LEADERS FOR STEM In addition to providing programming, UNH understands the importance of building capacity. That understanding has led to a $1.49 million grant from the National Science Foundation’s Robert Noyce program to fund a program called Building Equity Leaders for STEM in New Hampshire (BELS in N.H.) that

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Engaging

Entrepreneurs EXTENSION CONNECTS MAKERS, ARTISTS AND INNOVATORS WITH RESOURCES AND A PEER-TO-PEER COMMUNITY

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nside an 8,500-square-foot building in Concord’s Penacook village that previously sat vacant, Ty Meier diligently draws lines.

Pen and ink and watercolor bring to life illustrations of dogs, goats, foxes, turkeys and raccoons.

Meier is an artist who has found a way to make a living using his craft. He’s also found a home at the nonprofit Making Matters N.H. — a makerspace bringing vibrancy and inspiration to New Hampshire’s capital.

Making Matters provides affordable and flexible space to support emerging businesses and artists. In addition to the eleven members who currently rent space, dozens more use equipment. There’s a wood shop, metal shop, prototyping and electronics lab, fiber arts studio and photography studio. There also are private offices and open studios.

A Space to Create and Collaborate During the pandemic, Meier was juggling the demands of remote learning with his 12-year10

University of New Hampshire Extension

old daughter, so it was important to have a workspace free from distractions.

Joining this community has also connected him with fellow artists with whom he can have the kinds of deep conversations that sometimes dissipate after one’s college years — like, “Was John Singer Sargent an illustrator or a fine artist?” and, “How does art influence society?”

Cost can be a barrier for renting office space, but at $50 a month, Making Matters provides a reasonable rate to access tools and facilities while also opening doors to new relationships.

People of all backgrounds are encouraged to become a Maker and there are discounts for students, seniors, military members and families, as well as discounts for six-month and yearly memberships.

Classes are also offered, such as Hands-on 3D Printing for Beginners, How to Make Polymer Clay Jewelry and Intro to Woodworking.

“I enjoy being around other artists and creative people,” Meier says. “We have conversations

about the philosophy and history of art. It’s important to find your crowd.”

Extension Experience Guides the Way UNH Extension Community and Economic Development Field Specialist for Merrimack County Jared Reynolds has been instrumental in the startup and success of Making Matters, serving as its president.

Embedded into the state’s entrepreneurial community, Reynolds brings business acumen, leadership, strategic thinking and revitalization experience to this role. He also leads free webinars about creating entrepreneurial ecosystems and has united Extension, Making Matters and HRKNSS Coworking to develop a New Hampshire chapter of 1 Million Cups, a national monthly networking series for entrepreneurs. Each month in Concord (or virtually during the pandemic) two speakers share an overview of their respective businesses and then ask for advice from the audience regarding specific challenges. This unique and interactive format kindles conversations, encourages relationship building and promotes economic prosperity. 1 Million Cups events are free and open to the public, regardless of an individual’s background or experience.

To increase entrepreneurship for younger Granite Staters, Reynolds is partnering with the UNH Sustainability Institute and the New Hampshire Small Business Development Center on the Community Changemaker Challenge for high school students. In a program based on the highly successful N.H.

“I enjoy being around other artists and creative people,” Meier says. “We have conversations about the philosophy and history of art. It’s important to find your crowd.”

Social Venture Innovation Challenge, entrants must identify a social, environmental or economic problem in the world and use an innovative and entrepreneurial approach to address it. Teams ultimately pitch their ideas to a panel of judges who determine winners.

Teachers who mentor their students through the program receive professional development training and curriculum support.

“This is a way to get young people involved in their communities and create connections,” says Reynolds.

Pursing entrepreneurial projects requires risk.

There are challenges to overcome and new skills to learn. For startups and visionaries in New Hampshire, no matter one’s age or experience, it’s comforting to know that UNH Extension can offer support to help dreams come true. r

BY EMMA JOYCE

Who Says Innovation Can't Be

Rural?

EXTENSION HELPS SMALL NEW HAMPSHIRE TOWNS LEAN INTO THEIR STRENGTHS

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nnovation can be flashy, like the latest smartphone or wireless earbuds. It can be expensive, like a self-driving car or a privately chartered space flight. Marketers love to equate innovation with speed and pizzazz.

But what if innovation was a little more subtle and a lot more stable? That’s what you’re likely to find among the small towns of rural New Hampshire where dependability is as important as change.

UNH Extension Community and Economic Development Program Leader Charlie French explains that there are misperceptions about the characteristics of innovation. Most indexes of innovation are urban-centric because they track venture-capital investment, number of patents, startup job creation and ratio of research and development spending to new sales. Those indicators don’t necessarily reflect the forms of innovation that occur in less populated, rural places where change occurs at a community level or on a regional scale.

“Common attributes of rural places with an innovative ecosystem are that they maintain a proactive local government that is attuned to the needs of local businesses; they maintain an engaged citizenry, have strong social networks, cultivate public-private partnerships, foster a strong system of supports for local businesses and entrepreneurs and harness the creative energy that resides in the people who live there,” he says.

Embracing Heritage While Looking Ahead In Sullivan County, you can see hallmarks of the past intersecting with entrepreneurship — such as Claremont’s historic Sawtooth mill building, now home to the Claremont MakerSpace, a creative hub for the community.

Throughout the county, ten covered bridges span smaller brooks and the Sugar River, a key tributary of the Connecticut River, which begins at Lake Sunapee and flows to the Connecticut, passing through nine of the

county’s 15 communities. In Sullivan County’s manufacturing heyday, there were more than 100 water wheels on the river.

This is the Sugar River Region, a new destination brand based on UNH Extension Community and Economic Development Field Specialist Penelope Whitman’s work with local stakeholders.

It’s a place that Whitman is helping market by reinvigorating residents’ pride and refining strategies to attract new residents, businesses and visitors.

In partnership with Sullivan County Manager

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Derek Ferland, Whitman began facilitating the Sullivan County Regional Economic Profile in 2017. Since that time, they’ve engaged stakeholders throughout the region — from longtime residents and realtors to entrepreneurs and local chambers of commerce — in brainstorming sessions about ways to leverage the region’s assets.

Recently, Whitman and Ferland convened 15 local leaders for the Sugar River Region Destination Council to guide the objectives and activities of the initiative. As the development and marketing campaign rolls out, there are plans for a Sugar River Region website, events, enhanced recreational opportunities and accompanying resources to help

towns, residents and businesses embrace an identity that has always been quietly present — a distinct and special place with a fascinating history, rich natural resources and a culture of innovation.

Connecting Trail Users with Services As rural New Hampshire continues to expand its promotion of natural resources and outdoor recreation, the challenge becomes how to make sure the foot traffic on trails leads to purchases in shops.

A new website portal called Trailside Services on Trail Finder aims to help meet this need by connecting businesses and attractions with trail users. As an interactive mapping site, Trail Finder guides New Hampshire and Vermont residents and visitors to hiking, snowshoeing, mountain biking and cross-country skiing trails and paddling routes.

The new Trailside Services portal allows restaurants, hotels, retailers, art centers, food co-ops and more to appear on a searchable interactive map and on pages with details about the services they offer and other important logistical information.

Trail Finder is overseen by UNH Extension in collaboration with the Upper Valley Trails Alliance (UVTA), the Center for Community GIS, the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation and the National Park Service Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance Program.

Ri Fahnestock, founder and owner of the climbing shoe repair shop New England ReSoul in Newfields, says, “I'm excited to connect my business with trail users by being listed as a Trailside Service on the Trail Finder website. It's valuable exposure to a key market for a small business like mine.”

Cynthia Cutting, director of the Museum of the White Mountains, says, "Making the connection between the hiking experience of our area trails and the Museum of the White Mountains' information, history, images and inspiration will benefit our existing members as well as introduce us to new audiences."

Creating Alliances, Sharing Research In addition to creating new tools for connection, UNH Extension State Specialist of Nature Economy Shannon Rogers understands that it’s equally important to cultivate relationships across the state. That’s why she serves on the board of directors for the Granite Outdoor Alliance, a membership-based nonprofit for the New Hampshire outdoor industry. Its goal is to bring brands, retailers, nonprofits and individuals together through their shared interest in the emerging outdoor recreation economy while working toward an engaged and inclusive outdoor community.

As Rogers and her Extension colleagues continue to invest in these important partnerships and initiatives, they’re sharing their insights with the public. The team’s research will appear in a forthcoming book to be published by Routledge called “Building Rural Community Resilience Through Innovation and Entrepreneurship.”

The book features expertise of 25 top scholars from around the country and is edited by Extension’s Charlie French, who writes an introductory chapter called “Rural Innovation Defined.” Other chapters by UNH Extension staff include “Nature-Based Economic Development: Innovating at the Intersection of Nature & MainStreet,” by Shannon Rogers, Molly Donovan, Casey Porter and Geoffrey Sewake, and “Building an Entrepreneurial Ecosystem in Rural Communities,” by Jared Reynolds. r

BY EMMA JOYCE

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A NEW TRAIL NATURE GROUPIE LAUNCHES ONLINE STORE TO SUPPORT OUTDOOR VOLUNTEERISM

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hile walking on a local trail, have you ever noticed a new bridge over a stream? Have you seen a series of rocks buried in the ground at an angle, diverting water from the path?

Those improvements were likely made by a volunteer.

Conservation organizations are constantly looking for people to offer their time to help build and maintain trails, whether that means digging new tread, lopping branches or pulling invasive plants. They also need assistance with cleaning up trash, planting trees and documenting species.

Because New England is home to many small land trusts, preserves and nonprofits, a person curious about volunteering might find it difficult knowing where to start. And for small conservation organizations, it can be challenging to recruit volunteers. Enter Nature Groupie, a centralized website that connects volunteers with conservation projects throughout New England.

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University of New Hampshire Extension

Nature Groupie began as a collaborative project in 2013 between UNH Extension and The Stewardship Network in the Great Lakes region, then four years later rebranded as Nature Groupie and adopted a playful cursive logo, bright orange color and energetic mascot.

The website connects outdoor enthusiasts with volunteer opportunities at places they love by sharing events that help forests, coastal ecosystems, communities and wildlife.

But maintaining a website and facilitating volunteerism requires money and resources, which quickly led to a challenge: finding a way for the Nature Groupie platform to sustain itself.

AN IDEA TAKES ROOT Malin Clyde serves as the Extension specialist for community volunteers and project manager (and founder) of Nature Groupie. She championed the rebrand after participating in the UNHInnovation (UNHI) I-Corps™ Site, a National Science Foundation initiative that fosters entrepreneurship on campus.

KICKSTARTER CAMPAIGN by the numbers

$22,229

FUNDS RAISED

Jenna Matheny, director of technology transfer, explains, “UNHInnovation helped secure trademark protection for the Nature Groupie brand and provided customer discovery training. Nature Groupie is a great example of how UNHI supports and nurtures new ventures from idea creation to company launch.”

After setting up the website, Clyde strategized with Charlotte Thompson, stewardship outreach program manager for UNH Extension and a member of the Nature Groupie team, on how to grow the brand through merchandising.

To generate startup capital, in fall 2020 the Nature Groupie team launched a Kickstarter campaign with a goal of raising $20,000.

Kickstarter is an online platform that helps creative projects get up and running. Members of the public can back campaigns by making financial contributions, but the projects only

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BACKERS

receive those pledges if the goal is met. After a month of spreading the word through online networks, Nature Groupie exceeded its goal with $22,229 from 273 backers.

Based on their pledge level, individuals who supported Nature Groupie’s Kickstarter campaign received either a T-shirt, longsleeved shirt, hat, enamel mug, water bottle or a bundled package with multiple items. Top supporters were mailed hand-knitted mittens.

The Kickstarter helped launch the official store in August 2021.

BRANCHING OUT Through rebranding and launching a store, Clyde says a major goal has been to expand the network of volunteers and create more inclusive spaces. “We are thinking consciously about making outdoor volunteering more

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welcoming. Traditionally, volunteers are retirees or land-trust insiders. There are a lot more people who want to give back,” she says.

Nature Groupie was branded specifically with a younger demographic in mind — the twenty-something to thirty-something crowd. The tone is all about having fun and being happy. Nature Groupies are uplifting folks who focus on the positive change one person or one community can make.

The network is now extending beyond New Hampshire through its online store. Residents as far north as Alaska and as far south as Florida pledged to the Kickstarter campaign.

Not everyone who appreciates the outdoors has the time or capacity to volunteer, so purchasing merchandise provides an alternate way to support this work.

GROWING CONDITIONS Launching an apparel brand comes with its challenges.

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Clyde's team had to think critically about the logistics of production. Questions surfaced like, “Who should we buy boxes from? Where will we keep these boxes? How are we going to transport packages to the post office?”

They researched eco-friendly materials, companies with transparent manufacturing practices and brainstormed how all the products could be shipped in a manageable way, using packaging made of 100% recycled materials.

They also had to shift their marketing strategy because of the pandemic. “We were projecting that we were going to meet customers out at fairs, events and music festivals — that we’d get to know our constituents. But because of COVID, we had to shift to an online shop,” says Clyde.

Clyde and Thompson are joined in their Nature Groupie efforts by Extension and N.H. Sea Grant staff who manage volunteers in natural resources, including Alyson Eberhardt (coastal ecosystems specialist for Extension and N.H. Sea Grant), Emma Tutein (Extension field specialist in natural resources and land conservation), Haley Andreozzi (Extension program manager in wildlife outreach) and Wells Costello (citizen science coordinator for Extension and N.H. Sea Grant).

For the summer of 2021, they also received support from UNH student interns Sydney Gendreau ’22, Julia Matthews ’22 and Olivia Pitta ’22.

SEEING THE FOREST FOR THE TREES As Nature Groupie continues to evolve, Clyde and Thompson are focused on operating

with a triple bottom line, which means being conscientious about their social, environmental and financial impact.

Thompson, who conducted much of the business research and created the online store, says, “Going through this process has made us think about our story, refined our vision and reinforced the importance of Nature Groupie.” r

BY EMMA JOYCE

Nature Groupie connects outdoor enthusiasts with volunteer opportunities at places they love by sharing events that help forests, coastal ecosystems, communities and wildlife.

M A K I N G US E

OF REAL TIME EXTENSION'S WEATHER STATIONS PROVIDE GROWERS WITH VALUABLE INSIGHT FOR DISEASE MANAGEMENT

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ire blight, a contagious disease caused by the bacterium Erwinia amylovora, is one of the most destructive orchard threats to apples and pears in New Hampshire.

Warm, humid or rainy weather in the spring and early summer increases the disease’s severity, so some years are worse than others.

A critical time for infection is during bloom.

Fortunately, there are a variety of integrated pest management (IPM) strategies that growers can implement to combat fire blight, including the assessment tools and predictive models that help track disease development through

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the Network for Environment and Weather Applications (NEWA), which can be found at newa.cornell.edu.

MAKING INFORMED DECISIONS UNH Extension received funding from the New Hampshire Department of Agriculture, Markets and Food Specialty Crop Block Grant Program in 2015 to install NEWA-compatible weather stations in all 10 counties, which means that farmers can monitor fire blight as well as many other diseases using a web-based platform.

The goal of these stations is to expand New Hampshire growers’ access to environmental

and weather data and real-time predictive models to directly help them make informed decisions about crop pest management.

Data — precipitation, temperature, relative humidity, leaf wetness, solar radiation, wind speed and wind direction — is collected every minute. Some stations also have soil moisture and temperature probes.

The stations are either RainWise or Onset equipment. The data from the stations is first sent to servers of those companies, then “packaged” and sent to the Northeast Regional Climate Center at Cornell University where it is uploaded to the NEWA system (NEWA was established in 1995 by the Cornell University IPM Program).

The network continues to grow as more stations are installed throughout the state.

Extension was gifted a station in Merrimack beyond the initial 10. George Hamilton received funding for an additional three stations in Hillsboro County and 12 more will be added through a cost-share grant for growers from the Natural Resources Conservation Service. Weather stations at nine airports in New Hampshire also contribute data to NEWA. The more localized the weather data, the more accurate the predictive models.

The environmental data is used in the predictive models for diseases and insect pests.

Temperature data is also used to calculate degree days, an IPM tool used to determine the development of insects and pathogens as well as plant growth.

When growers log onto the NEWA website, they can customize their experience by selecting the data and tools applicable to their operations.

The website has been utilized by fruit and vegetable growers as well as landscapers and arborists.

EXPANDING THE NETWORK Until she retired in June 2021, UNH Extension’s plant health state specialist Cheryl Smith served as the NEWA state coordinator for New Hampshire. Smith worked closely with Dan Olmstead, Extension associate and NEWA coordinator at the New York State IPM Program on the initiative.

Smith traveled around the state, climbing ladders to help install the systems. She trained growers on how to use the NEWA website through in-person presentations and online live demos.

She collaborated on the grant with George Hamilton, UNH Extension fruit and vegetable specialist, emeritus (who also retired in June 2021) and Becky Sideman, UNH Extension sustainable horticulture state specialist.

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Data from these stations have also been used for applications for crop disaster assistance and to help the Department of Environmental Services with drought monitoring.

Following the 2018 and 2019 seasons, 100% of growers surveyed reported that using NEWA pest forecast information alerted them to the risk of damage due to pests and diseases; 95% reported that using NEWA improved the timing of pesticide applications; and 82% reported that using NEWA pest forecast information enhanced their IPM decision-making. Reported savings per acre by using NEWA ranged from $30 to $3,500 per acre.

As growers continue to face threats to their crops – and their livelihoods — Extension will be here, helping tackle challenges, like that pesky fire blight, and offering up solutions. r

BY EMMA JOYCE

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University of New Hampshire Extension

sound advice EXTENSION'S NEW GRANITE STATE GARDENING PODCAST PROVIDES RELIABLE, SCIENCE-BASED INFORMATION TO GARDENERS AND HOMESTEADERS

“G

reetings, Granite State gardeners!” the warm, energetic voice says. “It's hard to imagine anything more appealing than picking a piece of ripe fruit on your way to the kitchen without having to so much as get dressed or even go outside. That's the dream. But can it also be a real green thumb life?”

This episode starts off with a discussion about what fruits can be grown indoors. After Bernitz shares an article suggesting that 12 fruit trees, including lemon and avocado, can be grown inside for an edible yield, he asks podcast cohost Emma Erler, UNH Extension landscape and greenhouse field specialist, to weigh in.

The voice belongs to Nate Bernitz, UNH Extension’s public engagement program manager, and he’s introducing an episode of Granite State Gardening, which can be listened to on Extension’s website or downloaded on podcast apps like Apple Podcasts and Spotify, free of charge.

“I think that list might be a little too good to be true,” she says. “I have certainly seen maybe all of those plants except for the mulberry grown successfully indoors. But by indoors, I mean a greenhouse and a heated one…But if you're talking about growing inside the average home, maybe not so much.”

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“YOU CAN LITERALLY LISTEN TO IT WHILE YOU ARE GARDENING OR MOWING THE LAWN, DOING LAUNDRY, THE DISHES … IT CAN FIT INTO EVERYDAY LIFE,” SAYS BERNITZ.

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WHY A PODCAST? Extension’s Infoline has been answering home and gardening questions for years by phone and email, but when the pandemic forced cancellations of in-person programs, a need for more online content became apparent.

At first, Erler and Bernitz created Facebook Live videos on Ask UNH Extension’s page through which they conducted interviews with Extension specialists and guests from other New Hampshire organizations. While the videos were well received and generated lots of engagement with new and existing followers, as the pandemic stretched on, the pair took stock of trends and noticed that with so much learning being consumed through screens, people were eager to let their eyes rest.

Producing a high-quality podcast seemed like the perfect next step.

“You can literally listen to it while you are gardening or mowing the lawn, doing laundry, the dishes … It can fit into everyday life,” says Bernitz.

Some of their subscribers had never listened to a podcast before and followed the duo over from Facebook Live. “Interest in gardening has grown noticeably over the past year, from brand new gardeners to experienced gardeners picking up the hobby again,” says Erler.

“Demand for UNH Extension’s expertise and unbiased recommendations has increased too.”

The pair talk about an array of gardening topics, including spring vegetable gardens, composting, fertilizers, weed management and insect pests. Episodes are crafted with both commercial growers and backyard gardeners in mind.

About hosting, Erler says, “It takes some getting used to. I have to pretend an audience is there.

It helps that we’re talking about topics that I’m excited about.”

Bernitz enjoys getting to interview guests, including Extension specialists. “I like to help spotlight other people and help facilitate content experts,” he says. “I can channel the audience and ask questions that I think they might have.”

Because gardening is so dependent on the seasons, it is important for Erler and Bernitz to think strategically about the challenges gardeners are facing at the moment.

“It’s been important for us to produce content that’s timely,” Bernitz says. “We talk about topics we haven’t covered on a Facebook Live yet or want to cover in a different way. We want to put content into people’s pockets when they need it.”

There is also a delicate balance of being broad enough to appeal to lots of people, but specific enough to address relevant questions.

“If it’s too theoretical, it’s not really going to sink in,” says Bernitz. “We try to cover a range of topics that directly relate to their experiences.” r

BY EMMA JOYCE

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cracking the code

to lifelong learning PD&T OFFERS SPECIALTY TRAINING FOR TECH CAREERS, INCLUDING CODING

W

hen voice recognition software was first engineered — by a group of men — many noted the technology had a harder time processing female voices. Katie DeAngelis ’11 says stories like these always made her think software engineers and developers were people like Steve Jobs or Bill Gates.

“Representation matters,” says DeAngelis.

That’s why she was excited to find an inclusive culture upon enrolling in the UNH Professional Development and Training (PD&T) Coding Boot Camp with a career change in mind.

DeAngelis earned her undergraduate degree in anthropology with a minor in justice studies.

After graduation, she took a job with MEDITECH, traveling around the U.S. and Canada to help implement information systems in the emergency departments of hospitals. Later, she moved to Exeter Hospital as a laboratory information systems analyst.

In both places, DeAngelis found herself wanting to know more about the other side of the work that she was conducting — the technology

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creation side. She also began observing how many companies were moving to internetbased platforms.

“One of the things I saw over and over again with these systems was a need for them to function in a very specific way,” says DeAngelis.

Sometimes, however, these systems would fail to operate to specification. “That was when I started to think about how it would be a really great experience to be on the back end of these systems.”

DeAngelis discovered the coding boot camp and knew it would be the perfect opportunity to learn more about the rapidly developing industry. She says she was confident in choosing UNH as she already knew the quality of the courses would be high.

The boot camp offers a chance for individuals to learn skills like JavaScript, computer science and more.

“The cohort model, with live instructors, classroom collaboration and constant hands-

on application gives learners the support and accountability needed to make tremendous technical skill gains within a relatively shortterm program,” says Michael Mengers, director of UNH PD&T. “This has been validated time and time again by the career success our students are having in launching new careers or advancing in their current positions.”

DeAngelis says that she’s always considered herself a lifelong learner, but taking this course had her diving in on a subject in which she had no prior experience. She wasn’t the only one, though; her classmates came in with varying skill levels.

“One of the neatest things about being a developer or a software engineer is the fact that you can create whatever you want to create,” DeAngelis says. “Your only limitation is your imagination and your technical ability.”

The program allowed DeAngelis to work at her own pace as she balanced her full-time job and first-time motherhood. While she says it could be a lot of information to take in at times, there was always someone who was able to support her learning.

At the end of the course, students were given guidance on finding jobs in the field to match their interest. DeAngelis was able to land a role as a junior web developer at GYK Antler in Manchester.

“It’s so incredibly important that the teams creating these new technologies for our future are representational,” she says. The best teams, she believes, “…bring different experiences and mindsets to the table to help us create things that work for everybody.” r

BY HANNAH ARROYO

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Reducing Harmful Effects of Opioid Use Through Proactive Education EFFORTS UNDERWAY TO HELP GRANITE STATERS SAFELY MANAGE CHRONIC PAIN

C

ommunities in New Hampshire have been grappling with the burden of opioid misuse and overdoses for years. While many programs exist to help those impacted by substance use disorder connect to treatment and recovery services, there is also promise in the idea of addressing the problem before it even starts.

Thanks to a nearly million-dollar grant from the Department of Health and Human Services Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), that’s the angle UNH Extension is taking with a new initiative focused on education and resource creation funded by the SAMHSA Rural Opioid Technical Assistance Program.

UNH Extension Youth and Family Resiliency State Specialist Kendra Lewis explains that the initiative includes three major elements. The first part involves training people across the state in the Chronic Pain Self-Management Program. The second entails collaborating with The Partnership at Drug Free New Hampshire

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to create new educational videos and content that will be posted online. The final piece is the implementation of Extension of Community Health Care (ECHO), a course that provides medical professionals and community partners with resources to support individuals with chronic pain.

Lewis says all three elements are critical to addressing the Granite State’s opioid crisis.

“New Hampshire has one of the highest drugrelated death rates in the nation,” she says.

“The opioid epidemic is not just an urban issue, it is a big concern in rural areas, which are highly concentrated with older adult residents dealing with pain on a daily basis.”

Collaborating with Partners to Create Change Lewis and UNH Extension Youth and Family Resiliency Field Specialist Melissa Lee have spearheaded this initiative with the help of six

New Hampshire is one of six states with the highest rates of drug-related deaths including opioids.

New Hampshire has the second highest median age in the nation.

Thus far, 67 participants have attended a Chronic Pain SelfManagement Program.

other partner organizations in the Granite State.

Many of these groups are building on existing programming, while others are just getting programs off the ground.

Lee notes that the State Opioid Response (SOR) work has focused primarily on treatment and recovery infrastructure with the development of The Doorway network. “Through our collaboration with the SOR team and other

“We want people to feel more empowered and informed that they have a choice and there’s things that they can do to keep themselves, their family and their community safe from the potential harmful side effects of opioid use,” says Melissa Lee. partners in New Hampshire, we’re helping to fill a need by expanding opioid prevention education and resources. I’m very passionate because I’ve been facilitating self-management

education and prevention activities for years in other roles and I saw the opportunity for Extension to use our infrastructure and resources to help lead this work,” she says.

“It complements so many of the things that our healthy living educators are out doing. There’s a need for more community-based education and we now have the ability to help meet that need.”

The Chronic Pain Self-Management program is an evidence-based program first established at Stanford University. Extension staff and members of the community have been trained to facilitate these courses, led by Southern New Hampshire Area Health Education Center, which has been working on self-management programs since 2009. “It’s great to have Cooperative Extension involved because they’re adding this outreach capacity that we don’t currently have, given our current funding,” says center director Paula Smith. “They’ve added some great energy and momentum to the outreach aspects of the program.”

The free courses are open to anyone in New Hampshire suffering from chronic pain and are run in six sessions. The courses teach people how to manage pain by eating healthy, being

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"Through our efforts, we’re looking upstream to help prevent opioid misuse from happening,” says Lee. “The messaging that we’re creating — the empowerment around opioid prevention — is applicable to so many other risk factors that New Hampshire youth, families and communities are facing.”

physically active and using the mind to handle symptoms. The message, Lee says, is not that people can’t take opioids but rather that there are alternative low-risk strategies to consider.

“We want people to feel more empowered and informed that they have a choice and there’s things that they can do to keep themselves, their family and their community safe from the potential harmful side effects of opioid use,” she says.

Through these courses, participants can learn problem-solving strategies to deal with fatigue, pain, frustration, isolation and poor sleep.

They can experience physical activities for maintaining strength, flexibility and endurance.

They also receive tips on improving nutrition, enhancing communication with family and healthcare providers and understanding appropriate use of medication.

The ECHO program is originally run out of New Mexico, but Lewis and Lee are teaming up with the UNH Institute for Health Policy and Practice, which is familiar with leading these programs, to implement it in New Hampshire.

By educating medical professionals and community organizations on chronic pain resources and sharing case studies, the hope is to create networks of support and link those who can benefit with low-risk strategies for chronic pain management.

What Comes Next?

This fall, Extension will co-host a conference with the Partnership at Drug Free N.H. focused on prevention efforts

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in New Hampshire. Organizers hope to showcase the power of the partnership in prevention and that everyone has a role to play in keeping our communities healthy.

“Through our efforts, we’re looking upstream to help prevent opioid misuse from happening,” says Lee. “The messaging that we’re creating — the empowerment around opioid prevention — is applicable to so many other risk factors that New Hampshire youth, families and communities are facing.”

For now, there is much more work to be done, and Lee and Lewis are grateful for the support they have received throughout the process. The grant is set to end in August 2022, but the group is exploring how Extension can continue to engage with this work for a long time to come. r

BY HANNAH ARROYO

SYSTEMS of change A

t one point, Coös County’s Milan Village School had a flourishing garden, explains principal Amy Huter, but, over time and with changing staff, the use of it died down. With Extension’s Well Connected Communities grant, Huter is excited to bring the garden back to life.

Well Connected Communities, funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, is a national initiative of the Cooperative Extension System and the National 4-H Council aimed at helping communities build systems of change to establish better health. In 2020, UNH Extension received this two-year grant to tackle specific issues in three counties: food access in Coös County, food access/food-related health disparities in Strafford County and substance misuse in Sullivan County.

While Extension’s Healthy Living programs have for many years utilized the volunteer help of community partners, they have yet to develop a systematic and complete volunteer development program designed to recruit, enroll, train, support and recognize volunteer leaders. The grant will support development of a more robust system for health-oriented volunteers and streamlined communication among the three coalitions for these counties.

CREATING A NETWORK TO SUPPORT HEALTH AND WELLNESS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE COMMUNITIES

Extension Healthy Living Field Specialist Heidi Barker, the grant’s principal investigator and project manager, has for many years educated kids and adults in Coös County about growing food and establishing healthy habits. “We want to make sure everyone in our community is getting access to healthy and local fresh food,” says Barker.

Milan Village School has a target goal of assigning one garden bed per classroom so that the growing process can become part of students’ everyday education. In the meantime, Barker has assembled kits and curriculum materials for growing indoors.

Extension also assembled meal kits for 35 families at Berlin Head Start during the winter holidays with donations from Androscoggin Valley Hospital. Staff in the hospital’s cafeteria were interested in the work that Extension was doing with schools and reached out to see how they could become involved. Extension then ordered a hydroponic unit for the hospital and staff have started growing from seeds. The food that they grow is then showcased on the hospital menu to promote healthy eating.

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“Because of the work we do at Extension, we’re able to provide these resources and support.

It’s capacity building that we can do with our community partners,” says Barker.

Further south, Caitlin Wollack, a 4-H program manager in Strafford County, is directing the Plant a Row Program, which provides garden kits — seeds, a planting guide and record sheet — that allow community members to plant an extra row in their existing gardens. People sign up knowing that whatever they harvest from this extra row will be donated back into the community.

Wollack says the project was started to raise awareness about food insecurity in the county.

She also says it was a great way to keep community members connected during the pandemic.

Meanwhile, over in Sullivan County, a project called Youth CAN (Claremont And Newport) is bringing together a coalition of community members for youth-led strategies, activities and programs that foster positive outlooks and healthy choices.

Extension is teaming up with the Greater Sullivan County Public Health Network at Dartmouth-Hitchcock, local school systems, civic leadership offices, medical organizations and private nonprofits like West Central Behavioral Health to decrease youth substance use by creating positive, safe experiences that welcome whole-body health. r

BY HANNAH ARROYO

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Each year, volunteers donate their time to extend the work of UNH Cooperative Extension.

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Carroll 258 Volunteers 5,933 Hours

Grafton 337 Volunteers 21,720 Hours

Belknap 211 Volunteers 9,099 Hours

Sullivan 190 Volunteers 7,159 Hours

Strafford 483 Volunteers 10,026 Hours

Merrimack 452 Volunteers 21,569 Hours Cheshire 185 Volunteers 11,392 Hours

Rockingham 989 Volunteers 29,058 Hours

Hillsborough 674 Volunteers 32,250 Hours

UNH Extension responded to the COVID-19 pandemic, in part, by developing a training to educate volunteers on how to keep safe while volunteering outdoors.

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Coös 184 Volunteers 9,377 Hours

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