Friday Updates - May 26, 2017

                    NEWS & HAPPENINGS...

Friday, May 26, 2017

The late John Hatch of Durham created the stained glass above located inside the Memorial Union Building (MUB) on the UNH campus. More information is provided below.  Courtesy Todd Selig

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Monday, May 29th is Memorial Day.  

The origins of Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, lie in the Civil War.  Southern women laid claim to the custom of a day set aside to decorate the graves of the war dead.  Union veterans laid claim to a specific date, May 30th, but it wasn't until after World War II that North and South were willing to observe Memorial Day on the same date.  

If you are observing the weekend as most Americans do as the semi-official start of the summer vacation season, please pause occasionally to reflect on the meaning of the holiday. (See more on Durham's planned Memorial Day ceremonies below.)

If you know of others within the community who might want information about the Memorial Day parade/ceremony in Durham, please forward this edition of the "Friday Updates" along to them!

MEMORIAL PARK FLAG 

To commemorate Memorial Day and one of our beloved residents and veterans whom we lost a few years ago, DPW will again this year be flying the flag of resident George Frick, known by all as “Curly” in Memorial Park. It's up now.

Wishing all a peaceful Memorial Day.

Dearborn's Company fires their rifles during the annual ceremony.  Courtesy Parks & Rec.

DURHAM COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND GUESTS INVITED TO 70TH ANNUAL MEMORIAL DAY PARADE

The Town of Durham will host the 70th Annual Memorial Day Parade on Monday, May 29th, 2017 starting at 10:00 am. Durham community members and friends of all ages are invited to attend. Parade participants, including Police and Fire Honor Guard, service men and women from the 197th Field Artillery Brigade, NH Army National Guard-Color Guard, Dearborn’s Company, Town Councilors, local Representatives, elementary students, Scouts, and other local groups and organizations will depart Mill Pond Road and march downtown to Memorial Park. Parade participants will be greeted on Main Street by gathered members of the community, with patriotic melodies provided by local Oyster River Middle School Jazz Band students.

A memorial ceremony will then take place to honor those who gave their lives to preserve our freedom and nation. Madeline Blandini from the Oyster River Middle School Jazz Band will sing the National Anthem, and Reverend Dr. Mary Westfall from Community Church of Durham will do a special invocation. 

Town Council Chair, Kitty Marple, will introduce this year’s Grand Marshal, Woodie Fraser. Woodie is a New Hampshire native, born in Rochester in 1924, where he grew up. Shortly after starting college, he decided to begin his service to our country and left after three months to enlist in the Army, ultimately joining the Army Air Corps, in support of WWII. After completing aviation navigation training in 1944, he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant and assigned to the effort in the European Theater. During this tour, he flew 35 missions in B-24s from Italy to a wide range of targets across Europe. Crash landing three times as a result of enemy action, twice in Yugoslavia and once in Poland, he has been awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and Purple Heart. Woodie retired as a Lt. Colonel in 1977 after enjoying a 31 year career.

Colonel Hunt Kerrigan, who is recently retired after 32 years of military service, will address the community about serving our nation in the armed forces, and acknowledge those who are currently fighting to preserve our freedoms.

Gold Star Mother Donna Hardy and husband Steven will place a wreath on the monument at Memorial Park. Dearborn’s Company will fire a musket salute following the placing of the wreath, and a live performance of Taps by Judy McGann will be played. 

The community is encouraged to also visit the Memorial Room at the Memorial Union Building (MUB), the official State War Memorial, where another wreath will be placed to honor all New Hampshire residents who perished while in military action from WWI through the present day. (See more below about New Hampshire's official war memorial located right here in Durham at the MUB.)

In addition, Parks & Rec. Dir. Rachel Gasowski received a call this week from Staff Sgt. Naomi Connelly from the 197th Field Artillery Brigade, NH Army National Guard that she and their Color Guard will be marching in the parade on Monday. This all came about from the military request form that Parks & Rec. Committee Member Mike Drooker initiated back this spring. Here is a link (from 2014) on Staff. Sgt. Naomi Connelly.

For more information on the 70th Memorial Day Parade, please contact Durham Parks & Recreation Department at (603) 817-4074 or recreation@ci.durham.nh.us.

BEE FRIENDLY, JOIN THE PARADE! - Kids invited to march with the Agricultural Commission in the Memorial Day Parade as pollinators.

As you may know, Durham is an official Bee City USA Community.  To raise awareness about the importance of protecting pollinators in our community, the Agricultural Commission invites young residents to dress in bee and pollinator costumes, such as butterflies and hummingbirds, and march with them in the May 29th Memorial Day parade.

Every youngster wearing a BEE costume and joining the commission in the parade will receive a jar of honey from Durham beekeepers. 

For more information, please contact Theresa Walker at theresawalker@comcast.net, or 603-659-7226.

NEW HAMPSHIRE'S OFFICIAL STATE WAR MEMORIAL IS LOCATED IN DURHAM AT THE UNH MEMORIAL UNION BUILDING 
Many Durham residents may not realize that New Hampshire's official state war memorial is located right here in Durham on the campus of the University of New Hampshire.   Situated on the third floor of the MUB, the Memorial Room reflects that distinction and honors all New Hampshire residents who perished while in military action from World War I through present day. Funds to create this building as a war memorial came from alumni, the state, businesses and civic groups.
 
In 1953, when Governor Hugh Gregg signed a proclamation declaring the UNH Memorial Union as the State's official war memorial (prior to building construction that was completed in 1957), he wrote that it was “desirable that as many youth of the state as possible should know and revere the courage and the sacrifice of New Hampshire men and women who served their country.”
 
Gregg and the many community members who worked to create the building wanted it to be a place to prompt discussion and thought, a place for quiet reflection, and a place of inspiration.  By placing this building and this room in the state’s Land Grant University in Durham, it was hoped that generations of students to come would be inspired to have these discussions.

The Artist — the Late Durham Resident/UNH Professor John Hatch

The windows in the MUB's Memorial Room were designed by Durham resident and UNH Art Professor John Hatch. Hatch taught at UNH from 1949 - 1985 and was best known as a painter of landscapes. Hatch captured the essence of New Hampshire in his paintings of the White Mountains and the Isles of Shoals.
 
Prior to his death in 1998, Hatch was honored as a “New Hampshire Living Treasure” by Governor Jeanne Shaheen who presented him with the biennial Governor's Award in Arts.
 
When plans were being made in the 1950’s for the construction of the building and the Memorial Room, John Hatch was honored with the opportunity to design a tribute window. Hatch had served in World War II in the Pacific campaign as a map topographer. Hatch was a new faculty member and had yet to earn the acclaim that would come to him later in his career, so some in the University community were surprised in his selection for this special job.
 
The doubts continued when his very modern design for the windows was approved over a traditional cathedral-style stained glass look. It was the only window Hatch ever made although he painted murals and created maps (such as the large map of Durham in the Town Hall foyer) and paintings throughout the University and in other public buildings including Durham’s Town Hall.  The John Hatch park located at the Wiswall Dam in Durham is also named in his honor.  

Today, the windows are a revered piece of public art in Durham on the UNH campus.  

John's widow, Maryanna Hatch, who was also very involved in Durham local government for years, now lives at (and actually helped to found) Riverwoods in Exeter.

The Process

The window was manufactured by and funded through a grant from Monsanto Chemical Company in Detroit, with the help of Stanley King, class of ’26, who was then director of sales. The only of its kind in the world, the window uses safety glass and required the development of a new paint pigment that was lightfast, translucent and strong in color. For the pigment to have a translucent quality, it needed to be ground for 70 hours. Each panel of optically ground glass is 1Ž4 of an inch thick, and made of three sheets of plastics and a film of paint sandwiched between two panes of glass.

Renovations
In 1995, the Memorial Union Building underwent extensive renovations and the location of the Memorial Room and the windows shifted from the west end of the building to its current location at the east end of the third floor. John Hatch supervised their removal and storage.
 
With concerns about how the windows would fare in the move, Hatch’s collaboration with the construction company ensured their preservation. Today, students and visitors from Durham and across New Hampshire and beyond are able to enjoy the windows from an improved vantage point and can be reminded of the meaning of the building's status as a war Memorial.

MUSEUM OPENING FOR MEMORIAL DAY AND ON SATURDAY AFTERNOONS THROUGHOUT SUMMER-“Everything Old Is New Again!” at the Durham Historic Association Museum

For the first time in many years the DHA Museum will be open from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. on Memorial Day Monday May 29th, before, during and after the Memorial Day Parade. The museum is located on the second floor of the old brick Town Hall/District Court building at the traffic light on the corner.  Come visit the new exhibit of Durham’s 400 year history. 

The DHA plans to host “Summer Saturdays at the Museum”, where every Saturday afternoon throughout the summer residents may explore Durham’s history in eight chronological periods from the 17th century to the present in air-conditioned comfort.

TOWN OFFICES CLOSED MONDAY IN OBSERVANCE OF MEMORIAL DAY

All Durham Town offices will be closed on Monday, May 29, 2017, in observance of Memorial Day. All Town offices will reopen for regular business on Tuesday, May 30, 2017.

Transfer Station and Refuse/Recycling Schedule Changes for the Memorial Day Holiday are as follows:

No Collection of Refuse and Recycling on Monday, 5/29 - Delayed one day all week. Monday collection on Tuesday, Tuesday collection on Wednesday, etc.

Transfer Station Closed, Saturday, 5/27

No Commercial Collection on Fri, 6/2

TOWN COUNCIL ADOPTS 2017-18 GOALS

At its meeting on Monday, May 15, 2017, the Town Council adopted its list of goals for 2017-18. To view the final goals list, click HERE.

TOWN OF DURHAM SUBSIDIZES RESIDENT COSTS FOR UNH OUTDOOR POOL MEMBERSHIP
The Durham Town Council has committed to subsidizing resident costs for UNH Outdoor pool memberships up to a sum of $30,000. When purchasing one of the various pool pass options from the University of New Hampshire, Town of Durham residents will receive a 20% discount off the purchase price. Passes need to be purchased in person at Campus Recreation and proof of residency must be provided to receive this subsidy. Additional information and membership fees can be found HERE.

This map depicts the approximate location of an upcoming oil spill boom deployment text on Little Bay.  Courtesy NHDES

NHDES TO CONDUCT OIL SPILL BOOM DEPLOYMENT TEST ON MAY 30TH
On May 30th, 2017, the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NH DES) will be deploying a portion of an oil spill protection strategy in Upper Little Bay as a test to improve the effectiveness of the overall strategy. The test consists of deploying 3 lengths of oil spill boom totaling approximately 1,950 feet. These lengths are part of the overall strategy, which is intended to minimize the amount of spilled oil that could be carried by the current upstream towards Great Bay.

The trial will begin at approximately 9:45 AM and continue until approximately 3:00 PM.

The river will remain open to vessel traffic under the direction of the NH DES and Newington Fire Department vessels on scene.

PROPERTY TAX BILLS 
The property tax warrant for the 1st half 2017 property taxes has been approved and the bills have been mailed out, due Friday, July 5th.  

As always, if  residents are unable to pay the entire amount by the due date, it is to their advantage to pay as much as they can and as often as they need. This will decrease the amount of interest that will accrue.

Questions and concerns should be addressed to the Town Clerk-Tax Collector's Office at 603-868-5577.

A family of Canada Geese swimming in the Mill Pond in Spring 2016

Courtesy Bernie Casey

DURHAM LAND STEWARDSHIP SUBCOMMITTEE WEEKLY REPORT --
Trail Work Day and Easement Monitoring Training

There is still Time to Join us Tomorrow and Help Durham Trails!  We are looking for volunteers to help with trail building at the Oyster River Forest on Saturday, May 27th . Meet at 9:00 am at the entrance to the ORF. Contact ellensnyder1@gmail.com for details.

Conservation Easement Monitoring Workshop
Saturday, June 3, 2017 9:00 am – 2:00 pm at the Durham Town Hall
This workshop will offer best practices for performing annual monitoring of conservation easements. 

We'll spend a couple hours learning indoors before heading outside to a nearby property that has a conservation easement to put our new skills to work. Please bring your lunch, plenty of water, and dress for the weather. Emma Tutein, Natural Resources & Land Conservation Field Specialist, UNH Cooperative Extension and Ellen Snyder, Durham Land Stewardship Coordinator, are leading this workshop.
 

The workshop is free; pre-registration is required: Sign-Up through The Stewardship Network.

Any questions contact ellensnyder1@gmail.com.

SOME SHORT UPDATES FROM THE ADMINISTRATOR TO KEEP THE COMMUNITY UP TO DATE ON HAPPENINGS ...

This week, Durham hosted two international delegations, one from a variety of African countries and the second from Venezuela, as part of the US State Dept. Office of International Affairs, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, coordinated through the World Affairs Council of NH. The topic was open government and transparency. I spent about 90 minutes with each group speaking about our efforts locally in these areas. Neither group could believe that we proactively pull together a list of year-end gross wages on an annual basis by employee/paid volunteer, etc. By coincidence, what the Town pays its employees was the lead story in Foster’s Daily Democrat as well during their visit on Monday.

The Parks and Recreation Department is very busy gearing up for the summer season. Look for some of their program offerings in the relevant section below.

The Public Works Department has completed installation of roughly 80% of the new, highly efficient LED street lights in Durham. Concerns should be reported directly to DPW at 868-5571 or email Janice Richard at jrichard@ci.durham.nh.us.

The refurbishment of the barn at Wagon Hill Farm will take place this summer. Look for activity to commence in June.

Unfortunately, we received NO bids for the replacement of the recycling building at the LaRoche Transfer Station and Recycling Center. DPW staff will be evaluating as either an in-house project or going out to bid once again.

We received only 1 bid on the $500,000 +/- Engine 2 replacement bids issued by the Fire Department. I asked the department to put the truck out to bid once again in an effort to solicit more interest so we know the pricing is as competitive as possible.

The Water Department has completed annual nighttime flushing of hydrants.  Foreman Dwight Richard is happy to be back on day shifts.

Spring Cleanup took 11 days this year. On average, the pickup takes about 10 days in which we pull the highway crew off of their normal responsibilities to collect bulky waste items from every household each spring. Because the value of metal has decreased substantially on the recycling markets, the typical "scavengers" who drive through neighborhoods in pickup trucks to collect junk metal items were less plentiful, such that there was more to haul away by Town staff.  While the piles of waste curbside are very unsightly for two weeks, the annual service is widely utilized by homeowners.  

The Emergency Generator installation for the Town Hall is in the process of going out to bid.  This will allow for continuity of operations at the facility during power outages for the community.

Long-time DPW employee Chuck Dill retired last week following 27 years of service with the Town. We wish Chuck the very best in his retirement!

Assessor Jim Rice is in the process of finalizing assessments for any new construction that took place over the last year, whether in businesses or private households. This summer, he will be working with current use and conservation land as a precursor to next year’s (2018) revaluation update for the entire community.

The Town Hall will receive some updated server infrastructure over the course of the Memorial Day Weekend. IT Director Luke Vincent has been busy with this conversion, which will include migration over time from the Microsoft 7 operating system now utilized (a real workhorse!) with Microsoft 10. We also plan to install some new computers and servers at the Fire Department over the next month or so.

IT volunteer extraordinaire Jay Gooze is on vacation so Luke Vincent is operating solo.

DCAT’s part-time staff members all have other commitments over the course of the next month so DCAT Coordinator Craig Stevens will be modifying his schedule in order to cover ALL evening meetings.

We had fire alarm line connection issues this week at the Town Hall. This is being resolved.

As you know, the Town has assumed ownership of the Tot Lot and Oyster River Park properties within the Faculty Neighborhood as a result of our various productive agreement discussions with UNH last year. This past week, DPW mowed and pruned up the lilac bushes at Oyster River Park. However, when DPW arrived to mow at the Tot Lot, our staff could not do so because there was a lot of sporting paraphernalia belonging to the surrounding homeowners laid out including soccer net. We’ll need to have this gear moves so mowing can take place periodically over the course of the summer to keep the grass manageable.

Chief Kurz and Business Manager Gail Jablonski are working with Schoonmaker Architects and Bauen Construction to finalize architectural and construction service contracts for the addition/renovation at the Durham Police Department. We expect construction to commence in the June/July timeframe. It should take approximately 1 year to complete the work as part of a phased process to ensure continuity of operations at the 24/7 facility on Dover Road.

DPW added another 12 spaces of business permit-only parking along the right (north) side of Garrison Ave. between the Middle School and Madbury Road as a Pilot initiative.  So far so good.

Friday afternoon, 5/26/17, Town Attorney Laura Spector, Police Chief David Kurz, Council Chair Kitty Marple, and I will be at Strafford County Superior Court relative to a legal challenge by Book Cellars concerning the recent ordinance change adopted by the Council on April 17th prohibiting vending, in this case the buying/selling of used books, along Main Street for safety reasons.

The new Library Director will be coming on board next week. That is good news for the Library!  Kudos to the hard working Library staff, Board of Trustees, and Interim Dir. Judy Haskell, who have collectively kept things moving smoothly during the transition of the full time director position over the last several months.  

DOGS RUNNING AT LARGE - Durham has a Leash Law
We periodically receive reports of dogs off leash.  Town ordinances require that a dog be on a leash no longer than 8 feet at all times when off the private property of the owner.  If the dog bolts from the owner’s property to harass or frighten people this is a violation of the Town Ordinance.  

We all love our pets but there are some who may be frightened of a dog they are not familiar with and it is ultimately the owner’s responsibility to ensure that their animal is restrained when off their property limits.

POLICE CONDUCT ALCOHOL COMPLIANCE CHECKS ON PURVEYORS IN DURHAM - Lexie's does not pass compliance check.

The Durham Police routinely conduct “compliance checks” of vendors who are licensed to sell alcoholic beverages in Durham. 

The department’s goal remains constant in the area of alcohol sales as Chief Kurz wants to assure the community that businesses are properly confirming the age and identity of those persons attempting to purchase alcohol. Each alcohol vendor in Durham is acutely aware of the problem illegal alcohol possession, consumption and intoxication poses to this community and it is our goal to confront this concern on multiple levels. 

Last week during the evening hours, an underage student, working in conjuncture with the Durham Police attempted to purchase alcohol at every location where alcohol is served including Thai Smile 2, Three Chimneys Inn and the Knot Irish Pub as well as convenience stores such as Irving’s, Store 24, and Phillip’s 66. We specifically seek to confirm that the business is properly requesting the young person’s identification and when provided, ensuring that the identification verifies they are of the legal age of 21.

Durham’s underage volunteer is trained and certified by the New Hampshire Liquor Commission to perform these compliance checks. The volunteer provides their personal New Hampshire license indicating they are in fact under the age of 21, which should result in an immediate refusal. The volunteer never deceives and answers all questions posed by the store truthfully. 

Chief Kurz was pleased to report that all thirteen facilities except for Lexie’s performed as they should and refused the requested sale. Lexie’s was summonsed for prohibited sales with a trial date pending.

To highlight the positive, the Chief sends each conveyer of alcohol who appropriately refused the sale of alcohol, a letter designed to reinforce their success and remind them to remain vigilant.

ACADEMIC YEAR ARREST DATA COMPILED

Arrest data in Durham is very unique and deserves a more detailed explanation due to the significant influx of student aged visitors during the UNH academic. 

The Durham Police monitor all of the statistical arrest data from all police agencies operating in Durham including UNH Police, State Police and NH Liquor Enforcement in three categories: first is accomplished weekly, secondly by the UNH academic year and finally, by the calendar year mirroring the Town’s financial budget. Each category allows for a better understanding of the demands facing the department during these periods. The chart below focuses upon the “academic year” only, which has just ended at graduation this weekend and will begin anew in late August as the students return for UNH classes which this year commence August 28th!  Arrests for the 2016/17 academic year are down slightly from last year and are on par with 2014/15, yet there is not a significant variance in the data from each of the last four years.

SOLICITING FEEDBACK FROM RESIDENTS CONCERNING IMPACTS OF UNH STUDENTS WITHIN DOWNTOWN DURHAM NEIGHBORHOODS
The Town is planning to focus efforts over the course of the summer concerning enhancing its strategies in concert with UNH relative to the various impacts students may have upon traditional Durham neighborhoods surrounding the downtown core.

Students bring innumerable positive benefits to Durham, as does the presence of the University here for our town. At the same time, there are challenges posed. While we believe we have a pretty good list of concerns including noise, trash, intoxication, etc., we thought it made sense to ask the community for feedback.

If residents have topics they would like to share so we are sure to capture them all, please email these suggestions along to Todd Selig at tselig@ci.durham.nh.us.

UNH Student Carrington Cazeau interned with the DPD this year.  Courtesy UNH

There was a nice piece we came across about 2017 UNH graduate Carrington Cazeau who interned this past year at the Durham Police Department.  

Carrington is planning a career in law enforcement. He just graduated from the UNH College of Liberal Arts with degrees in justice studies and psychology.  

To view a nice video on Carrington's experience at UNH and with the DPD, click HERE.

Department of Public Works employee Sam Hewitt cleaning up the sidewalk downtown. Courtesy DCAT Studios

MILL POND DAM - SHOULD WE REMOVE OR PRESERVE IT?  A short survey from two ORHS students regarding the future of the structure.

Two Oyster River High School seniors have conducted a year-long research project on the Mill Pond ecosystem. 

To this end, they would like the Town’s input on possible actions to take concerning the health of the pond’s ecosystem. 

Provided is a link to a short survey which aims to get the Town opinion regarding the future of the Mill Pond Dam. Responses will be very helpful for their research. 

Link to respond to the survey, click HERE.

For any further contact regarding the issue please email Troy LaPolice and Cyrus Hull at millpond.research@gmail.com.  

Trees along Main Street downtown decorated with beautiful knitted designs blooming with flowers. Courtesy DCAT Studios

OYSTER RIVER WOMENADE ANNUAL "YARN-BLOOMING"
On Thursday this week, Oyster River Womenade's annual "Yarn-Blooming" was put on display on Main Street in Durham with trees on Main Street being covered in beautiful knitted designs blooming with flowers.

The goal of "Yarn-Blooming" is to help raise awareness for Oyster River Womenade, a local organization that provides monetary support to community members in times of hardship, for example, help with medical expenses,
fuel costs, or automobile repairs.   
 
Communities that are directly helped by OR Womenade are:  Newmarket, Madbury, Lee, and Durham.  OR Womenade's belief is that by helping someone with a short-term crisis, we can help their situation from spiraling out of control.  
 
For more information about OR Womenade, please visit their website HERE.

MILL PLAZA REDEVELOPMENT UPDATE – A new design is in the offing.
Since mid-November, Admin. Selig, Part-time Economic Development Director Mary Ellen Humphrey, and Lead Architect from the Mill Plaza AIA 150 Study Committee Process, Patricia Sherman, have been meeting informally with the Mill Plaza design team to determine whether a new configuration could be developed for the Mill Plaza site that would be more in keeping with the objectives of both the the Town and the Mill Plaza owner.

After many weeks of discussions we have arrived at a new design layout that integrates numerous Mill Plaza Study Process goals from years ago, and could very well be workable today for the community and the owner alike.

Given the circumstances and constraints with which the parties have had to work, the progress collectively made with the owner’s team is very promising.

The Mill Plaza team will be gearing up to return to the Planning Board in June as part of the public conceptual review process with its new design.

MEETINGS: SCHEDULE AND VIDEO ON DEMAND 
The following public meetings are scheduled for the coming week  All meetings begin at 7:00 PM and are held in the Council chambers at the Durham Town Hall unless otherwise indicated below. View past meeting on DCAT OnDemand.

None -- Enjoy the week off!

All meetings recorded on DCAT are available on DVD at the Durham Public Library for checkout and viewing.

PARKS AND RECREATION PROGRAMS AND EVENTS

Durham Parks and Recreation, its Director and Committee, strive to offer a wide range of quality programs, parks, and facilities that encourage all community members to participate in healthy, fun, and enriching activities. Together, they celebrate the essential role public recreation plays in fostering a cohesive and vibrant community.

Summer Day Camps!
DPR is offering a variety of weekly camps beginning June 26th through August 25th. Campers can look forward to Wicked Wacky Lab Week, Wicked Cool Vet School, Paddle-Pedal-Peak Camp, Field Trip Week, Adventure Paddle Camp and Rocket Science Camp! Additionally, Durham Parks & Recreation has once again partnered with the SAU to offer five weeks of R.E.A.C.H. 

Students enrolled in a morning SAU camp have the option to make it a full day by joining DPR for the afternoon. (Please note, you do not need to be enrolled in a morning SAU Camp to register for the afternoon camp option.) 

We will have fun hitting up the UNH pool, adventures to Wagon Hill Farm, playing games, hiking, fishing, creating crafts, and the list of fun goes on! 

Five Friday field trips are also planned as part of R.E.A.C.H. to complete each week. To register for R.E.A.C.H. morning and afternoon camps please visit: sendmoneytoschool.com. To register for other DPR camps outside of REACH, please visit durhamrec.recdesk.com.

Adult Summer Programs & Trips
Stay tuned (durhamrec.recdesk.com) for a detailed schedule of summer programs for adults!
-Pick Up Pickleball at Jackson’s Landing/Churchill Rink
-FREE Yoga at Wagon Hill Farm
-Guitar and Ukulele Lessons
-Bootcamp, Pilates, Tai Chi, Zumba, Yoga & Strength & Stretch classes.
-Stargazing at WHF
-Trips: Mt. Major Hike, Lighthouse & Lunch Tour, Franconia Notch State Park, Maine Mead Works & Old Port, Surf Nights & The Fells.

Upcoming Events-Save The Date!!

Family Camp Out at Wagon Hill Farm- Saturday, June 24th-Sunday June 25th (4pm-9am)
June is National Camping Month and DPR is celebrating with a special night of camping at Wagon Hill Farm with the family!
You supply all of your camping gear and DPR will supply a BBQ dinner, (optional) scavenger hunt, craft, storytelling, and s’mores by the campfire. A camping checklist will be provided to those registered.
Pre-registration required by Wednesday June 21st. Space is limited- register early. $35/family. (Rain date: July 15th.)

COMMUNITY PROGRAMS AND EVENTS

Emery Farm – Starting this weekend, extended hours.  Sundays through Thursdays 8AM – 6 PM, Fridays & Saturdays 8AM – 7PM.  New this season, our own farm raised roaster chickens will be available in July, stop by to pre-order yours!​

Into the Woods! Musical, presented by Oyster River HS Theater Department. Music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim.  Performances: Thu, Fri, Sat, May 25 - 27, 2017 at 7PM. Matinees on Sat & Sun, May 27 - 28, 2017 at 1PM.  Tickets: $10 for adults / $8 for students.

Homegrown Hearts Fundraiser to benefit The Waysmeet Center and Cornucopia Food Pantry - Saturday, June 3, 2017, 7:00-9:00 pm at Durham Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 20 Madbury Rd., Durham. Enjoy savory appetizers, delicious desserts, live music by Pangea Pop, and friendly fun! Bid on a variety of silent and live auction items to support The Waysmeet Center's programs.Tickets are $25. For more info or to purchase tickets, click HERE or call 862-1165. 

Great Bay Rowing, 16th Annual National Learn to Row Day, Saturday, Jun 3, 2017, 11AM - 3PM, 31 River St., Dover. Free event. GBR also offers summer camps and rowing programs for all ages, rowing out of Jackson Landing on the Oyster River in Durham and on the Cocheco River in Dover. More information HERE.

Dennis Harrington Retirement Celebration, Sunday, Jun 4, 2017, 1-4PM, special presentation at 2:30 PM, ORHS Athletic Field. Fun, kid-centered activities, music, photos and stories, light snacks, and more. Please bring your own chairs/blankets. No childcare provided.

Silent Film Night, Silent film classic Sherlock Jr., featuring Buster Keaton. Saturday, Jun 10, 2017, 7PM, Portsmouth Music Hall. With the ORMS Jazz Band and Studio Orchestra, under the direction of David Ervin, Marc LaForce, and Andrea von Oeyen.  Tickets/$16 can be purchased at the ORMS office or The Music Hall Box Office, 603-436-2400, 28 Chestnut Street, Portsmouth.  Online purchase HERE.

9th Annual Bobcat Bolt 5K and Kids Fun Run, hosted by OR Alumni Association, Saturday, Jun 17, 2017, ORHS. 5K Run/Walk begins 9AM; Kids Fun Run (ages 10 and under) begins approx. 10:15am on the new ORHS track. Pancake breakfast from 9 - 11AM. Breakfast included with 5K & Fun Run registration and is $5 for spectators. Oyster River Middle School Jazz Band will play. Register for the 5K and Fun Run. Proceeds benefit the ORHS Josh and Nate Hardy Awards and other local Oyster River youth initiatives. Bobcat Bolt is still accepting business sponsorships. Contact Anita Mathur, orhs92@yahoo.com.

One World Language School currently accepting students to join language program that begins in October 2017. Its mission is to make foreign language learning accessible at a young age, starting as early as 5 years old. Primary languages taught include French, Chinese, German, and Spanish. Space limited to 8 students per class. Classes held after school at OR Middle School and Moharimet Elementary.  Contact Pranav Dadarwala at 207-370-8398 or email pranav@oneworldlanguageschool.org

MainStreet Makery $5 Drop in Craft. Inspiration Rocks. Hand paint a rock, add words of inspiration and use it has a paper weight, place card at the table, etc. Hours: Tues. thru Fri. 10AM-6PM, Sat., 10AM-4PM.

Growing Places Summer Programs. There are still have a few spots left. More information HERE.

UNH Summer Youth Program Registration is Open! Students explore interests while experiencing the local campus (and other sites) through UNH’s summer programs for youth. Participants learn from faculty, staff, and students with individualized instruction and have the opportunity to utilize state of the art facilities.

Programs offered for ages 6-18 in areas such as STEM, the Arts, Academic Enrichment, Athletics, and Recreational/Water programs. UNH hosts numerous programs for High School students!  View offerings by grade level.

To learn more and to register: UNH Learn for Life

University of New Hampshire Celebrity Series Upcoming Events. View the schedule of events HERE.  Tickets can be purchased on line HERE. or by calling the Box Office at 603-862-7222(PCAC). Hours:  Mon-Fri, 12 - 5PM as well as one hour before each event.
UNH Museum of Art Upcoming Events. View schedule of events HERE.

DURHAM PUBLIC LIBRARY PROGRAMS AND EVENTS

The library will be closed on Monday May 29 in observance of Memorial Day.

Children’s and Young Adult Programs:

“Build a Better World” Summer Reading Program!  Register for our fun 5 week summer reading program starting June 12th. The theme this year is “Build a Better World!” Our program runs from June 26th through July 28th. When you register you will receive a packet including your reading logs, calendars, some gifts and a fun bag! Keep track of your reading minutes and have them checked once a week to earn a prize of the week. You will receive a new book, and prizes at the end, as well as a reading certificate! Also add to our visual display in the library. Some of the fun events planned:
Summer Reading Kick-Off Celebration with “Cactus Head Puppets,” Wednesday, June 28th at 10:30 a.m. in the Community Room. Join the Durham, Lee and Madbury Libraries for this creative puppet show. All are welcome.
Mondays, June 26, July 3, 10, 17, 24 6:00 p.m. – Family Movie Nights – Moana, Trolls, Sing, The Lorax and Lego Batman. Popcorn is served!
Mondays, June 26, July 3, 10, 17, 24 4:00-5:00 p.m. (Middle and High School) – YA Try-It-Time! Stop Motion, Paper Airplane Challenge, Green Screen Photography, Spanish Night, and Pendulum Art!
Tuesdays, June 27, July 11, 18, 25 10:30 a.m. – All ages storytimes (preschool) – Construction, Robots, Worms and Let’s Dance Themes! Stories, fingerplays, songs, feltboard and a craft!
Tuesdays, June 27, July 11, 18, 25, 6:30 p.m. (9-12 yr. old group) – Take Apart Tuesday, Tech Tuesday, Trash Art Tuesday and Tuesday Art! We will also share what we’re reading. Win prizes!
Wednesdays, June 28, July 5, 12, 19, 26 4:00-5:00 p.m. – Team Art! Drop in to create group art for the library: Mural Painting, Totem Poles, Paper Roll Tree and Cityscapes. (All ages)
Wednesdays, June 28, July 5, 12, 19, 26 6:30-7:30 p.m. – Music on the Library Lawn – Atwater Donnelly, Fiddling Thomsons, Ben Baldwin, Joel Cage and Marvel Prone. Bring a blanket/chairs and come hear some great music on our front porch! In case of rain will be held in our community room.
Thursdays, June 19, July 6, 13, 20, 27 10:30 (all ages) – Thursday Specials: Marshmallow Bridges, Pen Pals, Wildlife Encounters (at the Madbury Town Hall), Gardening and Bubble Wrap Painting. Drop in Program for all ages.
Thursdays, June 29, July 6, 13, 20, 27 3:00-4:00 p.m. (6-8 yr. old group) – Homemade Tinker Toys, Friendship Bracelets, Tech Toys, Recycled Art, and Art Afternoon.  We will hear stories, play games, do puzzles, crafts and share what we are reading.
Thursdays, June 29, July 6, 13, 20, 27 6:30-7:30 p.m. (all ages) – Family Game Night! Come and play some board games new and old. Held in the Storytime/Craft Room. All are welcome.
Thursday, July 13, 10:30 a.m. Madbury Town Hall– All ages Wildlife Encounters with the Durham, Lee and Madbury Libraries. Come and meet animals and learn about them.
Friday July 28, 10:30 a.m. at the Durham Library – All ages Finale Celebration with talented performer and juggler, Steve Corning! Join us in celebrating your summer reading accomplishments. Steve Corning’s show will astound you with his contortions, juggling and more. This show is tremendous fun. A special thank-you to the Friends of the Durham Public Library for all their support. Prize books, reading certificates, and Bagel Works Prize will be handed out. Cake will also be served. A big thank-you to the The Bagel Works, The Sea Dogs, Dunkin Donuts, The Candy Bar, Fro-Zone, Hayden Sports, Young’s Restaurant, Franz’s Food, Water Country, Canobie Lake Park, Water Country, The Candy Bar, Subway of Durham, Wildcat Pizza, Golick’s, Durham House of Pizza, The Juicery, Pauly’s Pocket and other local businesses for their prize donations.
Also, Trivia Question of the Week, Guessing Jar, and Weekly Challenges!
Check out our website, www.durhampubliclibrary.org for more information.
The Patch Program will be ending on Weds. May 31st for the year and starting again on Sept. 1st. Come in and get your patches before May 31st or you’re your bookmarks for September 1st. This program is generously sponsored by the Friends of the Durham Public Library.
 

Adult Programs:

DPL FRIENDS' BAG OF BOOKS SALE ONE DAY ONLY Saturday June 10, 10 am - 1:30 pm - ONLY $5 PER BAG! We have the books and the bags...you do the filling.
Film Screening - Who Am I Going to Be? Wednesday May 31, 6:30-8 pm -
Produced in 2014 by New Hampshire filmmakers, this 45-minute documentary provides insight into the experiences of African youth and their families as they navigate the refugee resettlement process in New Hampshire. Who Am I Going to Be? follows four teenagers in depth, giving voice to the youth themselves as well as their parents, teachers and community leaders who explore the various challenges these newcomers face. Filmmaker and Durham resident Christopher Dunning will be available after the screening to answer questions

Book Donation Week Tuesday May 30 through Saturday June 3 - The Friends of the Durham Public Library collect gently used books and DVDs the last week of every month. Please drop off books/DVDs in a bag or container that does not need to be returned. We appreciate your donations, but please no textbooks, dictionaries, or encyclopedias. Thank you!

New England Quilts and the Stories They Tell Tuesday June 6, 7-8:30 pm - Quilts tell stories, and quilt history is full of myths and misinformation as well as heart-warming tales of service and tradition. Pam Weeks of the New England Quilt Museum weaves world history, women’s history, industrial history and just plain wonderful stories into her presentation. Participants are invited to bring one quilt for identification and/or story sharing.

First Aid Class Mon. June 5, 6-8 pm - McGregor Memorial EMS offers a First Aid class. Contact Sean Madden, 603-862-3674. For cost and registration information visit http://cprsafe.org

Oyster River Knitters Tuesday June 6, 7-9 pm - Join in for a couple hours of knitting relaxation and conversation. This is a great time to pick up that knitting project you’ve wanted to finish. There's no need to pre-register; just show up. New participants of all skill levels are welcome! Contact: Janet, 868-1142, jadoty@comcast.net

DPL Friends Meeting Wednesday June 7, 1-3:00 pm - The Friends of the Library meet the first Wednesday of every month. All are welcome to attend. Come for social time from 1-1:30, followed by a business meeting.

Black Bear Happenings in New Hampshire Wednesday June 7, 6:30-7:30 pm 
Wildlife Stewards Doug Whitfield and Dennis Walsh will discuss the life cycle and habits of black bears, with a focus on preventing human-bear conflicts that arise out of careless human interaction and lack of understanding about bears. This is a program of the N.H. Fish and Game Department’s Fish and Wildlife Stewards Program.

CPR & AED Class with McGregor Memorial EMS Monday June 12 6-8 pm -
Contact Sean Madden 603-862-3674. For cost and registration information visit http://cprsafe.org

Oyster River ASD Friends Tuesday June 13, 6:30-8 pm - Join our group for parents of teens and young adults on the autism spectrum. Conversation, resource sharing, and speakers to address how we can best encourage and support independence. This month, Lisa Harz, Vocational Rehabilitation State Director is coming to have a conversation about VR and how it works with teens and young adults. Contact Julie, 603-767-4190, jsmithnh@icloud.com.

Acoustic Open Mic with Mike Wednesday June 14, 6:30-7:45 - All types of acoustic (non-amplified) music. First time performers and original music are particularly encouraged. Acoustic Open Mic with Mike is a welcoming supportive intimate gathering. Meet in the Library cafe. Light refreshments are provided.

MUSEUM PASSES - Many of our patrons aren't aware of a wonderful perk of having a Durham Library card - free or discounted passes to 12 different museums, including the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, the New Hampshire Children's Museum, and, recently added, beautiful Bedrock Gardens in Lee. All are available through the generosity of the Friends of the Durham Public Library. For more information, go to http://www.durhampubliclibrary.org/museum.asp
 

The library offers help for people who need assistance using technology: computers, iPads & cell phones, eReaders (Nook, Kindle, etc.) Call to check on availability of the volunteers and set up an appointment. 868-6699 or email durhampl@gmail.com