25th Anniversary – June Recap

It is hard to believe that we are already halfway through our 25th anniversary celebrations!  It was a spectacular month to celebrate the Lakes Region, through in-person tours, virtual programs, and interviews.

We hosted a virtual program in June focused on the history of NH railroads. Brian Solomon, Marketing & Events Manager of Conway Scenic Railroad, and world-renowned railroad expert and author, gave a remarkable presentation on the development of railroads, specifically focusing on NH.  His presentation covered the rise and fall of railroads as the predominant form of transportation, as well as what has happened to railroads in NH and in other parts of the United States and the world.  He also focused on the history of the lines that today comprise the Conway Scenic Railroad, as well as other surviving lines in the region.  Check out the recording to learn more!

Our Conversations with Emily series included Lakes Region organizations, as well as some new partner organizations and a local Concord candy shop.  We interviewed Gunstock Mountain Resort and Squam Lakes Association.  We also interviewed 2 new partners, NH Rocks and Stay Work Play, as well as True Confections Candies & Gifts in Concord.  We have also been conducting interviews with our Center Managers, which can be found on our Visitor Center Information page.

Events: Founder’s Day and NH Gives

On June 1st, we celebrated our 25th anniversary with a celebration of our three founders and our volunteers.  We spent the morning at Chuckster’s in Chichester, playing mini golf, eating Chuckster’s ice cream, and enjoying a delicious  lunch from Diz’s Cafe.  A GSA volunteer read a fairytale version of the formation of the organization, and the founders each received a citation from Governor Chris Sununu.  Our Press Release shares more details and pictures from this fun event.

NHGSA participated in the NH Gives fundraiser on June 8th and 9th.  It was a very successful campaign, with a total of $6990 raised!  Thank you to our GSA volunteers and supporters for their incredible generosity.

In addition, events are finally back in business!  We are so excited for all of our upcoming events this summer and fall.  We had several GSA volunteers help out at the Hampton Beach & Brew Festival on June 26th.  They enjoyed their time at the event greeting guests and helping out!

 

 

Tours

This was our second month so far this year with in-person tours, and it was wonderful to continue seeing our volunteers in person.  First, we traveled to Prescott Farm Educational Center in Laconia.  This property boasts a phenomenal view of the Lakes Region, with a picturesque barn and beautiful land.  We were greeted by Jude Hamel, Executive Director; Phoebe Vanscoy-Giessler, Development & Communications Director; and Maria Sorensen, AmeriCorp VISTA – Volunteer Coordinator/Development Assistant.  We received an overview of the variety of programs that they offer, as well as a tour of the property.  Read more to see more pictures and hear about our experience.

After a year respite from the White Mountains Attractions Fam Tour due to COVID-19, the tour returned this year for a 2-day whirlwind trip.  13 GSAs were given the opportunity to participate in the 2021 tour, hosted by Colleen Eliason from White Mountains Attractions (WMA), and assisted by Ciara Ferland of WMA.  Our bus driver, Larry Hartle from Pemi Valley Moose Tours, graciously drove us all over the White Mountains.  We received an overview of each attraction, and many attractions generously gave us return passes for this summer.  Some highlights of our trip included: playing in Santa’s Village, a train ride around Story Land, riding the train and experiencing a bear show at Clark’s Bears, riding the tram up Cannon Mountain, taking a scenic gondola ride up Loon Mountain, and some tasty treats.  Read more about our experience and all of the places we traveled!

To conclude our Lakes Region month, we participated in a museum tour of 3 museums in Wolfeboro: the Libby Museum of Natural History, the NH Boat Museum, and the Wright Museum of World War II.  We explored the Libby Museum and the variety of collections that the museum offers – from animals to skeletons to artifacts.  At the Wright Museum, Mike Culver, Executive Director of the museum, gave our GSAs a tour and some background information on the exhibits.  The museum offers a plethora of World War II history, focused on the American Homefront.  Our final stop was the Boat Museum, where Martha Cummings, Executive Director of the museum, along with a board member and staff members greeted our GSAs to give us a tour that included antique boats and a NH rowing exhibit.  Read more about our tour and each museum!

Organizations Featured in our weekly Newsletter

Each month, we highlight several topics in our newsletter.  In June, we featured an article from NH Rail Trails Coalition about the Winnipesauki River Rail Trail.  We also highlighted Hermit Woods Winery for our NH Agriculture article. Our NH State Parks section featured Wellington State Park.

Upcoming Programs

July is our Sunapee/Dartmouth month, and we have so many fun experiences planned for the month.  Thank you to Ashlee Rowley, Lake Sunapee Region Chamber of Commerce, and Tracy Hutchins, Upper Valley Business Alliance for putting together a range of activities!  

On July 6th, we will travel to the Upper Valley to tour St Gaudens National Park, Blow-Me-Down-Farm, McNamara Farm, and Garfield’s Smokehouse.  A fun-filled Upper Valley Agriculture Tour!

About New Hampshire Granite State Ambassadors

New Hampshire Granite State Ambassadors add value to state agencies, local businesses, and individuals through a training and service support network that sustains and enhances the New Hampshire experience. As a 501(c)(3) non-profit, charitable organization, NHGSA serves hundreds of travel and tourism-related businesses.

Find out more about NHGSA, Inc. at https://nhgranitestateambassadors.org/ Our key partners are the NH Division of Travel and Tourism and the Manchester-Boston Regional Airport.