Hazardous Waste Collection Day, SEED holds spring mixer and more: Seacoast community news

SEED to hold spring mixer and online auction

Seacoast Endowment for Education in Dover (“SEED”), a nonprofit organization dedicated to lifting academic excellence in Dover schools, has announced its annual fundraiser.
Seacoast Endowment for Education in Dover (“SEED”), a nonprofit organization dedicated to lifting academic excellence in Dover schools, has announced its annual fundraiser.

DOVER — Seacoast Endowment for Education in Dover (“SEED”), a nonprofit organization dedicated to lifting academic excellence in Dover schools, has announced dates for its annual fundraiser. The online auction is set to go live on Monday, April 3, and will close on Friday, April 14, with a spring mixer at the Cochecho Country Club in Dover, N.H. All proceeds will be used to underwrite innovative learning opportunities in Dover public schools.

For the first time in three years, the non-profit has planned an in-person social to complement the auction. The festive live event starts at 6:30 p.m. and will include plenty of food, music, and raffle opportunities. “The in-person component is an important element of our fundraiser,” said Mindy Marcouillier, Chair SEED Event Committee. “It’s about coming together as a community, meeting people, and networking while fundraising for education in Dover.” Tickets for the social are $75 per person and can be purchased at doverseed.org.

The online auction will run for only 12 days and will include hundreds of quality items including Items include; local gift cards, paddle board, boat cruise, local art, electronics, sports memorabilia,  and plenty of experiences.

The annual fundraiser is a key factor in SEED’s ability to fund grant requests twice annually. The organization recently awarded more than $25,000 in curriculum, professional development, and technology improvements for teachers and students during its fall grant cycle. This was the second-largest grant cycle in SEED History. “We anticipate similar numbers for the spring cycle, coming up in May,” continued Arkwell.

To participate in the auction, please visit SEED Auction Website. To learn more about available sponsorships,  please visit www.DoverSEED.org.

Portsmouth DPW hosts Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day

PORTSMOUTH — The Portsmouth Department of Public Works will hold its biannual Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day on Saturday, April 29, at the Public Works facility at 680 Peverly Hill Road. Residents of Portsmouth, Greenland and Newington are encouraged to bring household chemicals for safe disposal between 8 a.m. and 12 p.m. Proof of residency is required.

Household hazardous waste collections help residents safely dispose of items that can harm their health, the environment and drinking water supplies.

Items that qualify for collection include the following:

  • From the yard: fertilizer with pesticides or fungicides, insect spray, lighter fluid, pest strips/traps, pesticides, poisons and pool chemicals;

  • From the garage: acids, car waxes/polish, creosote, driveway sealer/tar, flea powder, gasoline, radiator fluid and roofing tar;

  • From the house: bathroom cleaner, disinfectants, furniture polish, metal polish, mothballs, oven cleaner, photo chemicals, rug cleaner and wood strippers; and

  • From the workbench: brush cleaner, corrosives, lead and oil-based paint/stain/finish, rust preventive solvents, thinner/turpentine and wood preservatives.

Items that do not qualify include:

  • Empty containers for household items, which may be disposed of in the regular trash collection;

  • Explosives;

  • Asbestos;

  • Medical waste; and

  • Latex paint. To prepare latex paint for regular disposal at the Recycling Center or through trash pick-up, solidify the paint by adding kitty litter, sawdust or SpeediDri; or open the can to allow the liquid to dry out before disposal.

For more information on Household Hazardous Waste Day: http://cityofportsmouth.com/publicworks/solidwaste-recycle-hhw.htmFor more information on the Recycling Center:https://www.cityofportsmouth.com/publicworks/solid-waste-recycling

Durham Historic Association to host Annual Meeting

Lafayette Portrait
Lafayette Portrait

DURHAM — The Durham Historic Association will hold its annual meeting on Sunday, April 16, at 1:30 p.m. in the Durham Town Hall Council Chambers.  There will be a brief business meeting for the election of officers and directors for 2023-2025.  Annual membership dues will also be collected at this time.

Following the business meeting, Alan Hoffman from New Hampshire Humanities will present “Lafayette and Human Rights”.

Lafayette's first foray into human rights work was during the American Revolution which he saw as a cause important to all people. He continued to promote universal natural rights throughout his life. During the French Revolution he drafted "the Rights of Man and the Citizen" and later supported other revolutions in Europe and South America as well as causes designed to deliver human rights to the oppressed. In particular, the abolition of slavery engaged Lafayette continuously, from the American Revolution and his return tour of the United States until his death in 1834. Lafayette said: "I would never have drawn my sword in the cause of America, if I could have conceived that thereby I was founding a land of slavery."

This event is open to the general public. Refreshments will be served.

Rochester, NH Elks #1393 installs new officers

From left to right in first row are Don Chesnel, PER, PDD, PSP, PGLC, Lodge Esquire; Norman Gervais, PER, Lodge Secretary; Keith Brooks, Esteemed Lecturing Knight; Deanna Souza, Esteemed Leading Knight; Peter Ducharme, Exalted Ruler; Janice Tagen, Chaplain; Cindy Skidds, Treasurer; Jeanne Bernard, PER, Tiler. From left to right in the second row are Mark Guilmett, PER; Scott Welch, PER, PDD, SVP; Jeff Rasmussen, Esteemed Loyal Knight; Matthew Sanborn, PER, Lodge Trustee; Harry Tagen, Inner Guard; Bonnie Skidds, PER, Lodge Trustee and Jerry Skidds, PER, PDD. From left to right in the third row are Thomas Ducharme, PER, Lodge Trustee; Peter Meyer, Lodge Trustee and James Clark, PER and Lodge Trustee.

ROCHESTER — On Saturday, March 25, at 3 p.m., the Rochester Elks conducted their annual Installation of Officers for the 2023-2024 Lodge year in the Function Hall. The Installing Officer of the day was Thomas Ducharme, Past Exalted Ruler and Lodge Trustee. Assisting Thom was Past Exalted Ruler, Past District Deputy and 5th State Vice President Scott Welch, Past Exalted Ruler Mark Guilmett, Past Exalted Ruler and Past District Deputy Jerry Skidds, Past Exalted Ruler and Lodge Trustee James Clark, Past Exalted Ruler and Lodge Trustee Bonnie Skidds, and Peter Meyer, Lodge Trustee. Approximately 90 people were in attendance to witness the ceremony. A delicious pasta meal was served by Lisa Edgerly following the Installation.

Incoming Officers for the new year include Peter Ducharme, Exalted Ruler, Deanna Souza, Esteemed Leading Knight, Jeff Rasmussen, Esteemed Loyal Knight, Keith Brooks, Esteemed Lecturing Knight, Don Chesnel, Esquire, Janice Tagen, Chaplain, Harry Tagen, Inner Guard and Jeanne Bernard, Tiler. Also installed were Norman Gervais, Secretary, Cindy Skidds, Treasurer and Matthew Sanborn as five year Trustee.

As the Installing Officer, Thomas Ducharme had the honor of installing his son Peter Ducharme as the 104th Exalted Ruler of Rochester, NH Lodge #1393. Exalted Ruler Peter will represent the Lodge for the next 12 months as the lead officer and will be the official representative of Elks #1393 at the NH State Elks Convention at the Town and Country Inn, Gorham, NH to be held in May and the Elks National Convention to be held in Minneapolis, Minn., in July.

The Rochester Elks Lodge currently has over 1000 members and is involved in numerous charitable endeavors as well as veterans, scholarships, drug awareness, youth activities and patriotic programs. To learn more about our organization, please visit www.elks.org.

The Lions Club of Dover, Rollinsford and South Berwick lends a hand

The Dover, Rollinsford and South Berwick Lions Club has been very busy serving the community in the month of March. A $500 shopping spree for the Dover Children’s Home made their Easter festivities memorable.
The Dover, Rollinsford and South Berwick Lions Club has been very busy serving the community in the month of March. A $500 shopping spree for the Dover Children’s Home made their Easter festivities memorable.

DOVER — The Dover, Rollinsford and South Berwick Lions Club has been very busy serving the community in the month of March. A $500 shopping spree for the Dover Children’s Home made their Easter festivities memorable. A Lions Youth Services grant helped make this possible, with Lions member Deborah Tobar acting as volunteer liaison for the Dover Children’s Home.

Members of the DRSB Lions conducted vision screenings at three area middle schools.
Members of the DRSB Lions conducted vision screenings at three area middle schools.

Members of the DRSB Lions have also conducted vision screenings at three area middle schools. Their state-of-the-art machine can identify a child’s prescription and recommend additional follow up with an optometrist in a matter of seconds. Lions handed out stickers, high fives and had a great time meeting with the children.

Collection of plastics that would otherwise end up in our landfills continues to be a priority. This recycling effort is part of the Trex “Nextrax” challenge and beautiful park benches made from these materials have been donated throughout the community.

For more information about the Dover, Rollinsford, South Berwick Lions Club the club's Facebook page.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Hazardous Waste Collection Day, Spring Mixer: Community news update