Happy Thanksgiving from the NHGSA Staff!

Happy Thanksgiving from the NHGSA staff!  Watch our video for a brief update on what we’re working on…we miss you!
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Transcript:

We know you are all a bit out of sorts this year. We are too. We are a passionate and giving bunch and not being able to warmly serve our wonderful state and guests in the welcoming capacities we have in the past has left us all in a bit of a funk. First off, we want to say how proud we are of the enormous amounts of energy you have put into learning more about New Hampshire and what makes her so special. I’ve heard from several businesses how impressed they were with how we shifted our priorities and how thankful they were that you focused that energy on them when they needed it the most. We are confident that when we are able to return at full strength, we will be an information force to be reckoned with!

We are looking forward to our holiday raffle, and our super fun holiday virtual open house on December 16th. Please join us any time from 10-4 for trivia, a holiday sing-along with Emily playing the piano, a holiday craft, a virtual show and tell from our Explore NH winners, and more! We will be posting the schedule and sign-up the first week of December on our website. If you haven’t bought tickets for the raffle yet, please check out the link in the newsletter or on our website.

We hope that you’ve also enjoyed some of the blogs and interviews that we’ve been producing as we feature our generous raffle donors and our partners. We want to provide you with many virtual educational opportunities right now, both for earning hours and for learning about all that our state has to offer! Look for more presentations and blogs coming soon.

With your help we have been busy planning some incredible learning experiences around our 25th Anniversary year. Each month will feature a region or industry and we will present virtual or in-person tours where appropriate, blogs, lectures, workshops, newsletter learning experiences, interviews, scavenger hunts and so much more around that month’s theme.

Right now, the topic schedule looks like:
January – Economic Development;
February – White Mountains;
March – Agriculture;
April – Great North Woods;
May – Seacoast;
June – Lakes Region;
July – Dartmouth / Lake Sunapee;
August – Monadnock;
September – Natural Resources;
October – South Central/Merrimack Valley;
November – Arts & Culture;
December – Historical Resources

In addition to the themed months, there will be a monthly recurring focus on Agriculture. This will take the form of our Passport. Through the Passport program, you will have admission tickets to explore on your own, virtual and in-person tours, blogs, lectures, workshops…

And here’s the best part – we decided to completely revamp the NH Travel Counselors Certification (which is why we never launched it as promised). You will receive credit for participating in the 2021 learning experiences we just mentioned. Get enough credits and you will earn your certification and a cool lapel pin!

Our certification trainings for 2021 will be geared towards re-engaging previously trained GSAs that have dropped off for one reason or another over the years. Please help us invite those you personally know to join us for our 25th Anniversary celebrations and take advantage of this virtual re-certification opportunity. Of course, new GSAs are always welcome!

We miss you all so very much. You are family to us and we can’t thank you enough for all the support you have shown the industry and especially us as an organization. Not only did you give your valuable time to volunteer and learn – you stepped up to help pull us through when we needed you financially to fill the gaps the COVID funds didn’t cover.

You will not find a more fiscally responsible, appreciative and thankful staff and board. In return, we have dedicated ourselves professionally and personally to giving you the tools and resources you need as a volunteer, to ensuring our organization will survive with numerous contingency plans, and to maintain some semblance of community with your GSA friends and peers.

We can’t wait for the day when we can see you all in person. If you need anything or just someone to talk to, we are here!

Please have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday keeping those you can’t be with in your hearts.