The project is a fundraiser for the Greater Lakes Region Children’s Auction

LACONIA—The Janice Beetle Books Challenge Team is inviting children in the Lakes Region to submit stories or artwork to be published in an anthology that will be sold to raise money for the Greater Lakes Region Children’s Auction.

Children from preschool through grade 12 can take part. Details are as follows:

What to submit: We are seeking typed short stories, poems, reflections, or other pieces of writing, such as an excerpt from a script or play. Also welcome are drawings, illustrations, or sketches by children. 

How to submit: 

• Pieces of writing should be sent as a Word document, and artwork as PNG or JPG files. 
• Attach the stories and artwork to an email sent to janice@beetlepress.com. 
• If you do not have access to email, handwritten stories or original artwork can be mailed to Janice Beetle at 108 Hickory Stick Lane, Laconia, NH 03246, or dropped off there as well. Please note that materials will not be returned. 
• Please indicate the name of your child, age, and city/town or residence, along with the school or organization your child attends.

Entry fee: There is a $5 submission fee per piece of writing or art and a cap of up to four submissions per child. Fees can be paid:

• Directly to the fundraiser on Give Gab at www.givegab.com/p2p/2022-challenge/janice-beetle.
• Mailed or dropped off at the above address. Cash or checks welcome. 

“We want access for all,” Beetle said. “If the fee or any of the guidelines present a hardship for a child or family, please email me at janice@beetlepress.com to discuss.”

All stories and artwork must be submitted by Wednesday, Aug. 31. 

All stories and art will be compiled in an anthology that will be sold for $25 to raise additional funds for the Children’s Auction. Books will be available by late fall (and they’d make a great Christmas present!)

For more information, email Janice@beetlepress.com. 

The post The Janice Beetle Books 2022 Challenge Team Seeks Children’s Stories and Artwork for a Published Collection of Work appeared first on Beetle Press.

For several years now, I have been writing blogs and press releases to support the fundraising efforts of the Greater Lakes Region Children’s Auction. This nonprofit in New Hampshire, where I also live part-time, raises money to disperse annual grants to organizations that support children and families in need. When writing this blog, I had the pleasure of interviewing my brother, Allan, and sister-in-law, Jennifer; they are amazing philanthropists who work tirelessly for the community.

In the mid-2000s, Allan Beetle found himself on a stationary bicycle in the middle of the night at the Laconia Athletic and Swim Club. He was taking part in a fundraiser the club’s owners, Tom and Lori Oakley, had dreamed up and named Cycle Mania. Teams from the community took turns on the bikes, riding to raise money for the Greater Lakes Region Children’s Auction.

As Allan tends to do, he chatted up his neighbor on the next bike as the two pedaled. Allan was forming a wild idea. “We talked about the possibility of doing the same kind of fundraising event with teams, but instead of sitting on bikes, team members would sit on bar stools,” says Allan, co-owner with his brother Jeffrey of Patrick’s Pub & Eatery in Gilford. “It was like ‘Ha ha. That would be funny.’”

Not too many years later, though, around 2007 or 2008, Allan and his wife, Jennifer, and friends who became co-organizers, dreamed that wacky idea into existence. Pub Mania was launched in 2009 with 27 teams, 27 bar stools, and 24 people per team, each assigned to a bar stool in Patrick’s. For 24 hours, team members manned the stools and enthusiastically raised dollars for the kids. Having retired Cycle Mania, Tom and Lori Oakley headed up a team. 

Instantly, Pub Mania became the single largest fundraising support for the Greater Lakes Region Children’s Auction, raising an unprecedented $47,000 that first year, stunning those who took part as well as Auction leaders. “Our goal was $30,000, and we brought in $47,000. It was the largest single donation ever to the Auction,” Allan says. “Nobody had ever walked in there and turned over a check with that kind of money. It was really fun for everyone.”

Going forward, Pub Mania’s organizers and team captains, fondly described as the “heart” of Pub Mania, began the game of “Plus $1,” playing to raise at least one new dollar each new year. 

“It just kept growing, and every year, it was a delight to go down to the Auction and unveil a check that was most often beyond anyone’s expectation,” says Allan, who enjoyed calling Pub Mania “the world’s greatest bar stool challenge” as the event grew over the years. “I think there were one or two years where we barely beat our previous goal, but a lot of years, we crushed it.”

Jennifer Beetle says the big numbers evolved as some team members began fundraising and hosting events all year round. “It was inspiring and gave people a lot of social events to attend,” Jennifer says, explaining that new events created by teams to bolster Pub Mania’s annual giving included comedy and music shows, golf and corn hole tournaments, bake sales and handmade items, and everything in between. 

In 2019, the 11th, and final year, as fate would have it, Pub Mania played out again in December with 31 teams that raised a whopping $355,453. In total, the bar stool challenge brought over $2.3 million into the Auction’s coffers. That sum is staggering by any measure but is particularly so when compared to the amount Patrick’s staff and customers raised when Jennifer and Allan first got involved in Auction fundraising.

Back then, in the late 1990s, around the time Patrick’s opened, before Cycle or Pub Mania, Allan says Patrick’s held its own loosely organized annual auction, donating about $500 to $1,500 each year. “We went down and presented a check to the Auction and had a lot of fun doing that,” Allan says. “The more we got involved, the more we learned about the various ways that kids were being helped by the money.”

Once Pub Mania was born, there were all kinds of new and different fun to be had. The event featured 12 hours of live music, each hour of the event had a theme—with more raucous offerings taking place in the wee hours—and there were contests, and referees to make sure the rules were followed, and 50-50 raffles. “We mixed up the games over the years to keep it fresh and interesting,” Jennifer says. 

Each year, there were opening and closing ceremonies. The event kicked off with pomp and circumstance, featuring Auction founder Warren Bailey telling the story of how the nonprofit got started. Former Laconia Mayor Mike Seymour was dubbed mayor of Pub Mania, and each year, he’d come to opening ceremonies donning a top hat and proclaim Pub Mania Day. Michael Graham, pastor of Gilford Community Church, read a blessing that was sure to make everyone smile. 

Songs were also written just to be sung during Pub Mania. Allan and his friend Shawn Bailey, a Pub Mania referee, penned the event’s jingle, and friend and musician Rick Page wrote a more moving theme song, “Santa Can You Hear Me,” which was performed during closing ceremonies.

As the event wrapped up each year, speakers included young people from organizations supported by the Auction, such as the Boys and Girls Club. The stories of how they were helped and their gratitude made for a touching end to an incredibly impactful event. 

“It was always for the kids,” Allan says. “Everything we did was to raise more money on behalf of the kids. Everyone who participated did it for the kids, but we always tried to make sure people were having fun at the same time.”

The post Creating Some Mania—for a Client, and for the Kids appeared first on Beetle Press.

Mixed Words is a book with a mission. A giving mission. 

When you buy a copy, you will support the Greater Lakes Region Children’s Auction of Laconia, New Hampshire, a nonprofit that offers annual grants to organizations that support children in need and their families—across the Lakes Region of New Hampshire.

You will also support the nine authors who have excerpts in Mixed Words.

I have always supported nonprofits with a mission to serve families in the Pioneer Valley of Massachusetts, where I have lived for over three decades. And I continue to support organizations such as The Care Center, Northampton Survival Center, and United Way.

Now that my husband, Steve, and I own a home in Laconia, I want to be an active and giving member of the community there as well. I serve on the communications committee for the auction and help with PR and blogging support, too. 

This year, I formed a team to help fundraise, following in the footsteps of my big brothers, who have long been fierce and mighty auction supporters; an annual event at my brothers’ restaurant, Patrick’s Pub & Eatery in Gilford, New Hampshire, raised $2.3 million over the past 11 years.

COVID-19 decimated their event, called Pub Mania, but it’s been transformed into a new fundraiser—called It’s for the Kids Community Challenge—and I’m proud to be a part of it. 

The Janice Beetle Books team is ready to raise!

My teammates are Steve, friends from this area and up north, and four clients. It represents my mixed world, and the book’s title, Mixed Words, represents the blend of talent within.

The excerpts in Mixed Words are taken from works written by adults, for adults. There are passages from memoirs, a work offering social inspiration, a work of fiction based on a real-life story, and poems for adults and children. 

These authors and works are represented: 

Nonfiction: Thomas Zink, Seasoned: A Memoir of Grief and Grace; Vincent Valetutti, If I Were President: 29 alternative ideas for solving global problems; Charlene Moses, working title, A Soul in Bondage is Saved; Judith A. Lundh, Last of the Matriarchs; Judith Kelliher, A Wartime PH.D: One Soldier’s Story of Vietnam and Learning to Live Again; Claire Hebert-Dow, Saving Mama; and my works, Divine Renovations and Willful Evolution: Because healing the heart takes strength.

Fiction: Peter Cichon, Flight of Integrity; and JM Charles Merida, The 151.

Poetry: Works by me, which were featured in Poem Pods, and work by Charlene Moses.

Definitely engaging, the book may entice you to buy some of the books the samples are culled from! 

Proceeds from sales will benefit children in need in the Lakes Region of New Hampshire, via the Greater Lakes Regional Children’s Auction. 

Funds are raised all year long for the auction. Over the thirty-eight years the nonprofit has been in existence, over six million dollars has been raised for philanthropic good, all through volunteer efforts, community donations, and corporate sponsorships. Help our authors help the Auction—and provide a boost for people who need it most. 

It’s for the Kids!

The post New Book Has a Giving Mission appeared first on Beetle Press.

This year’s auction to be held virtually; donations sought before Nov. 28

LACONIA — The Greater Lakes Region Children’s Auction (GLRCA) is looking for short video recordings of local talent to share during the auction event scheduled for Tuesday, Dec. 8 to Friday, Dec. 11.  

“Singers, dancers, and perhaps even a reading of the “Night Before Christmas” would be welcome, creative additions,” Event Coordinator Jennifer Kelley said. To participate, contact Kelley at Jenn@ChildrensAuction.com or 603-527-0999; the auction will not accept unsolicited video.

“We want to ensure the messages are holiday appropriate and diverse,” Kelley said, noting that auction leaders would ensure that the entertainment is fresh and not repetitive. “Lakes Region Public Access recommends that you hold your phone horizontally, not vertically, and not use the “zoom” feature, to ensure that your content is in great shape for TV.”

Kelley said auction board members have also reached out to nonprofits who received grant funding in years past as well as sponsors from the last several years so that they too could share video greetings with this year’s online, TV, and radio audiences.

Jaime Sousa, GLRCA board chairperson, announced in October that, because of the threat of COVID-19, this year’s auction will be held virtually from the Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion. “It was important for us to ensure that our bidders, volunteers, radio and television staff, donors, and sponsors would be as safe and healthy as possible so that everyone can enjoy a wonderful holiday season,” Sousa said.

She added, “We are thrilled that the Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion has offered to let us broadcast and distribute items to winning bidders from their location. They have the technology we need and both the indoor and outdoor space required to keep everyone socially distanced.”

Because safety is a major factor this year, auction leaders will not accept donations during the event to ensure there is time to properly sanitize and photograph every item in a manner in which volunteers can social distance. 

While many items have been received at this time, there is a need for thousands of items to raise enough money to meet the needs of the community.  

“Local businesses have stepped up to gather items, allowing us to have item drives in their parking lots,” Sousa said. “Items need to be in by the end of November for us to safely prepare for the auction.” 

Visit www.childrensauction.com for drop-off locations. Volunteers will also collect items on Friday, Nov. 27 and Saturday, Nov. 28 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion. At all drop-off sites, donors must bring a completed form, available at https://bit.ly/32ahYHb.

Gift cards can be ordered online for donation to the auction; mail gift card donations to GLRCA, 383 South Main Street, Laconia, NH 03246.

Only a small group of volunteers, radio, and TV personnel will be welcomed on the auction set during the event. “We are sad that we cannot allow people to stop by to drop off checks and items, see the set, or perform for us,” Sousa said. “We are gathering talent videos to provide that entertainment. While the auction will be different this year, it will still be exciting, warm, and wonderful.”

Several new programs and benefits have already been announced as a result of the changes brought about by COVID. For instance, the Beetle family of Patrick’s Pub & Eatery has reimagined its Pub Mania fundraiser, instead launching the “It’s for the Kids Community Challenge” in its place. An unlimited number of teams of various sizes will be safely spread out at businesses throughout the Lakes Region.

In one other change this year, Sousa said all bidders will be able to schedule their pick-up this year to cut down on wait time and ensure that there will be much smaller groups of people at the Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion at any one time.

About the Greater Lakes Region Children’s Auction:

The Greater Lakes Region Children’s Auction is a charitable event held every December in central New Hampshire. Countless volunteers and donors have turned the Auction and its many fundraising events, including, It’s for the Kids Community Challenge (formerly PubMania), into a major annual campaign. In the 39 years that the community has come together for the Auction, more than $6 million has been raised for local charities, all through volunteer efforts, community donations, and corporate sponsorship.  The Greater Lakes Region Charitable Fund for Children is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that helps community organizations in the Central New Hampshire region. For more information about the Auction, the nonprofits it supports, and how you can help, visit ChildrensAuction.com.

The post Greater Lakes Region Children’s Auction Looking for Local Talent appeared first on Beetle Press.

United Way of Hampshire County using new Diaper Bank to wipe away diaper need, one change at a time

NORTHAMPTON—United Way of Hampshire County, together with United Way of Franklin County, has donated tens of thousands of diapers to parents in need in the first months of its new Diaper Bank program. 

John Bidwell, executive director of the Hampshire County agency, said the program is a huge success, and need continues to increase as COVID-19 holds a tight grip on the region. 

“There is a deep need to get diapers into the hands of parents and onto the bottoms of newborns and toddlers,” Bidwell said. “Diapers are going faster than we anticipated.”

Bolstered by a grant from the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts, the two United Ways collaborated last spring to create a single, regional United Way Diaper Bank that is a member of the National Diaper Bank Network. The program provides 16 organizations with diapers to disperse to parents.

This summer, the new bank distributed roughly 10,000 diapers per month to families in need from the bank, which was launched with nearly 200,000 diapers in hand. 

“We are really excited about the expansion and being able to provide more diapers to local families,” said Cheyanne Gracia, who manages the diaper bank.

She explained that parents cannot use food stamps or support from Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) to purchase diapers, which cost about 50 cents apiece—or $4 or $5 per day. “That is more than some families can manage without making difficult choices, such as whether to buy diapers or their child’s next meal,” Bidwell said. 

Barbara Black, formerly the early childhood coordinator for Northampton Public Schools, said meeting diaper needs is more than an economic issue. “The lack of affordable diapers is a health matter for infants, as they are exposed to more health risks without frequent, clean changes,” she said, noting the problem also poses mental health dangers: Stressed out parents raise stressed out children. 

Black is passionate about meeting the need for affordable diapers, and she came to United Way of Hampshire County five years ago to encourage the agency to start a diaper drive. In that first year, roughly 33,000 diapers were gathered and donated to parents. “We later teamed with Amherst Survival Center to fundraise and provide diapers through annual drives,” Black said.

The demand continued to exceed supplies, however, as it did in Franklin County, where the United Way had established a diaper bank and was donating 6,000 to 10,000 diapers per month to parents, continuously fundraising to replenish.

With the two United Ways considering a merger, the leaders banded together to create the new diaper bank and register it as part of the national organization. “A merger will better serve the region through shared programs like the diaper bank, increased capacities with fundraising, and it will allow new efficiencies, such as grant processing, which we’ve already begun to meld,” Bidwell said. 

The diaper bank was the first and most defined collaboration to date, and it was made possible in March through a $35,000 grant from the Community Foundation’s COVID-19 Relief Fund. As the pandemic cost people their jobs, buying diapers became more out of reach for some and out of reach for the first time for others. 

The grant funding allowed the purchase of just over 190,000 diapers, which were received at a discounted price of 18 cents per because of the membership in the National Diaper Bank Network (NDBN). 

Diaper partner organizations are: Community Action’s Family Center, Franklin County Community Meals Program’s Orange Food Pantry, The Center for Self- Reliance Food Pantry, Montague Catholic Social Ministries, Leyden Woods, It Takes a Village, The Children’s Closet in North Leverett, Greenfield Community College’s Food Pantry, the Good Neighbors Food Pantry in Charlemont and the West County Food Pantry in Shelburne Falls, Amherst Survival Center, Easthampton Community Center,  Jubilee Diaper Ministry, WIC, Northampton Area Pediatrics, and the ParentChild+ Program at the Northampton Public Schools.

“The grant funding and membership with NDBN allows us to pause and really focus on our mission of ending diaper need,” Gracia said, noting that, with need increasing, she is not sure how long the supplies will hold. “Our goal is to supply diapers to our partners as needed for as long as we can.”

State Rep. Mindy Domb, D-Amherst, who led the Amherst Survival Center for many years and was a critical part of the diaper drive efforts in Hampshire County, is now working to meet diaper need on a larger scale.

With Rep. William “Smitty” Pignatelli, D-Lenox, and Sen. Joan Lovely, D-Salem, she has filed a bill that, if passed, would create a new fund offering grants to nonprofits that distribute free diapers. The trio hopes that an initial, one-year pilot program could provide funds for up to 12 organizations in the state. 

Visit https://www.uw-fc.org/diaper-bank to make a gift or learn more.

The post Diaper Need Increases as Pandemic Widens appeared first on Beetle Press.

Note: I write blogs and press releases for the Greater Lakes Region Children’s Auction in Laconia, New Hampshire. It’s an organization that raises money year round for children and families in need. Each month, the Auction names an Auction Champion. I wrote this blog about a recent Champion, Rae Mello-Andrews and the Gilford Fire-Rescue team.

The roughly 30 members of the Gilford Fire-Rescue team have diverse skills. In 2019 alone, the crew responded to about 1,700 calls for help and rescued people who were experiencing a medical event or were lost in the woods on a mountain, in a fire in their home or car, or injured while hunting or boating.

One overarching mission gives the Gilford Fire-Rescue staff members purpose: a desire to be there for the community—on duty and off. So, when Gilford Fire-Rescue and the Greater Lakes Region Children’s Auction first joined forces in the Auction’s infancy, it seemed like a natural fit.

“It’s our mission to support our community,” says paramedic Rae Mello-Andrews, who works on-call for Gilford Fire-Rescue alongside her husband, Captain Rick Andrews. “We don’t get into this profession for the money. We’re here to help people. We see all walks of life first-hand, and we know just how hard hit some families are. Raising money to support the Children’s Auction is just a part of what we do and another extension of helping people.”

Rae got involved with the Auction in the late 1980s to honor a friend and colleague, the late Karen Warfield, who was a secretary at the fire station and was like family to Rae; Karen passed away following a long illness and complications from surgery. Gilford Fire-Rescue’s staff members made a $250 donation to the Children’s Auction in Karen’s name.

“We did it for a couple of years after that, and eventually the Children’s Auction organizers asked us if we might want to do a boot drive,” the Gilford resident remembers, noting the effort has grown over the years. “We followed through, originally by having people collect donations outside Walmart, then at Hannaford Supermarket, Shaw’s, and Lowe’s.”

Last year, Gilford Fire-Rescue raised nearly $6,000 for the Auction. The dozen or so staff members who participate in the boot drive on the Saturday following Thanksgiving, including Gilford Fire-Rescue Chief Steve Carrier, get into the holiday spirit by playing Christmas music, and they don’t let bad weather stop them.

“We’re out there in all kinds of conditions. Some years we froze, other years it’s been beautiful,” Rae says. “It’s a big team effort. It’s everybody.”

Community members have certainly taken note of those team members who brave the elements to support the Children’s Auction. Just last year, Rae says, a former colleague who is a nurse, was inspired to bring her teenage son to participate in the boot drive.

“She said it was a really good experience for him to see another side of what the Gilford Fire-Rescue team does,” Rae says. “It left a positive impression on him. Nothing would make us happier than if we are influencing young people in the community to do good, too.”

Though the team’s community service draws praise, supporting the Children’s Auction seems almost as natural as breathing to the Gilford Fire-Rescue staff members.

“We always see people when they’re not having their best day,” Rae explains. “We like helping people, and raising money for the Children’s Auction is another way to do that. It’s nothing for many of us to give up a family dinner or activity or an afternoon or day off to assist somebody who needs help. It’s just what we do.”

“The boot drives are a chance for the fire department to share our passion of caring for the community. We get to engage with our neighbors in a really positive way,” says Dom DeCarli, an Auction board member and a lieutenant with the Gilford Fire Department. “Seeing all of the local fire departments jump at the opportunity is not surprising, but it is still impressive. Much like the Auction itself, it’s been inspiring to see what a few people who want to give back can accomplish!”

The post Highlighting a Client’s Champions appeared first on Beetle Press.

In past years, I have written the stories that appear in United Way of Hampshire County’s annual campaign report. This year, the agency is telling its tales in blog form to raise awareness. United Way of Hampshire County funds 34 programs that deliver 21,687 acts of service per year. Over 250 volunteers give over 5,000 hours of their time. I am proud to be able to help spread the word about this trusted, important organization. What follows is a recent blog I penned.

There is a deep need to get diapers into the hands of parents and onto the bottoms of newborns and toddlers. 

People cannot use food stamps or support from WIC to purchase diapers, and let’s face it, they are not a luxury item, even though they come with a steep price. Diapers can cost up to 50 cents apiece—or $4 or $5 per day—and that is more than some families can manage without making difficult choices, such as whether to buy diapers or their child’s next meal. 

More than an economic issue, the lack of affordable diapers is a health matter for infants, as they are exposed to more health risks without frequent, clean changes. The problem also poses mental health dangers: Stressed out parents raise stressed out children. 

Barbara Black, formerly the early childhood coordinator for Northampton Public Schools, is passionate about meeting the need for affordable diapers, and she came to United Way of Hampshire County five years ago to encourage us to start a diaper drive. In that first year, we gathered roughly 33,000 diapers to give away to parents. We later teamed with Amherst Survival Center to fundraise and provide diapers through annual drives.

The demand continued to exceed our supplies, though, as it did in Franklin County, where the United Way had established a diaper bank and was donating 6,000 to 10,000 diapers per month to parents, continuously fundraising to replenish.

Now, all involved individuals and organizations have banded together. Bolstered by a grant from the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts, we are collaborating with the United Way of Franklin County on a single United Way Diaper Bank that is a member of the National Diaper Bank Network. We provide 14 partner agencies with diapers to disperse to parents.

In July, the new bank distributed 9,100 diapers to families in need. We are thrilled with the program’s success and relieved to be able to meet the need. As we explore a merger with United Way of Franklin County, we are excited to have a model program that so well showcases the success and growth we can achieve together. 

We have worked in unison with United Way of Franklin County for decades. A merger will better serve the region through shared programs like the diaper bank, increased capacities like with fundraising, and allow new efficiencies, such as grant processing, which we’ve already begun to meld. 

The diaper bank was the first and most defined collaboration to date, and it was made possible in March through a $35,000 grant from the Community Foundation’s COVID-19 Relief Fund. As the pandemic cost people their jobs, buying diapers became more out of reach for some and out of reach for the first time for others. Need increased quite a bit.

We are excited that the grant funding helped us purchase just over 190,000 diapers, which we received at a discounted price of 18 cents per because of our new membership in the National Diaper Bank. 

Parents who need affordable diapers don’t need to worry about where they will get them. Through the new diaper bank, diapers are available at Community Action’s Family Center, Franklin County Community Meals Program’s Orange Food Pantry, The Center for Self-Reliance Food Pantry, Montague Catholic Social Ministries, Leyden Woods, It Takes a Village,  The Children’s Closet in North Leverett, Greenfield Community College’s Food Pantry, The Good Neighbors Food Pantry in Charlemont and The West County Food Pantry in Shelburne Falls, Amherst Survival Center, Easthampton Community Center, and Jubilee Diaper Ministry.

At least for now, our regional United Ways don’t need to worry about where the funding will come from to provide. The grant, the partnership, and the diaper bank membership offer us all a huge, collective sigh of relief. 

State Rep. Mindy Domb, D-Amherst, who led the Amherst Survival Center for many years and was a critical part of the diaper drive efforts in Hampshire County, is now working to meet diaper need on a larger scale.

With Rep. William “Smitty” Pignatelli, D-Lenox, and Sen. Joan Lovely, D-Salem, she has filed a bill that, if passed, would create a new fund offering grants to nonprofits that distribute free diapers. The trio hopes that an initial, one-year pilot program could provide funds for up to 12 organizations in the state. 

While this kind of effort will also provide relief, we know the need will continue, and we will need to assess it, and fundraise, continually. And you can help.

Funds can be earmarked for the diaper bank, and we also accept in-kind donations throughout the year. Please contact our office before dropping off as our hours have changed due to COVID-19. 

Click here to make a gift or learn more. 

The post Helping a Client Raise Awareness appeared first on Beetle Press.

LACONIA— The roughly 30 members of the Gilford Fire-Rescue team have diverse skills. In 2019 alone, the crew responded to about 1,700 calls for help and rescued people who were experiencing a medical event or were lost in the woods on a mountain, in a fire in their home or car, or injured while hunting or boating.

One overarching mission gives the Gilford Fire-Rescue staff members purpose: a desire to be there for the community—on duty and off. So, when Gilford Fire-Rescue and the Greater Lakes Region Children’s Auction first joined forces in the Auction’s infancy, it seemed like a natural fit.

“It’s our mission to support our community,” said paramedic Rae Mello-Andrews, who works on-call for Gilford Fire-Rescue alongside her husband, Captain Rick Andrews. “We don’t get into this profession for the money. We’re here to help people. We see all walks of life firsthand, and we know just how hard hit some families are. Raising money to support the Children’s Auction is just a part of what we do and another extension of helping people.”

Mello-Andrews got involved with the Auction in the late 1980s to honor a friend and colleague, the late Karen Warfield, who was a secretary at the fire station and was like family to Mello-Andrews; Warfield passed away following a long illness and complications from surgery. Gilford Fire-Rescue’s staff members made a $250 donation to the Children’s Auction in Warfield’s name.

“We did it for a couple of years after that, and eventually the Children’s Auction organizers asked us if we might want to do a boot drive,” Mello-Andrews said, noting the effort has grown over the years. “We followed through, originally by having people collect donations outside Walmart, then at Hannaford Supermarket, Shaw’s, and Lowe’s.”

Last year, Gilford Fire-Rescue raised nearly $6,000 for the Auction. The dozen or so staff members who participate in the boot drive on the Saturday following Thanksgiving, including Gilford Fire-Rescue Chief Steve Carrier, get into the holiday spirit by playing Christmas music, and they don’t let bad weather stop them.

“We’re out there in all kinds of conditions. Some years we froze, other years it’s been beautiful,” Mello-Andrews said. “It’s a big team effort. It’s everybody.”

Community members have certainly taken note of those team members who brave the elements to support the Children’s Auction. Just last year, Mello-Andrews said a former colleague who is a nurse, was inspired to bring her teenage son to participate in the boot drive.

“She said it was a really good experience for him to see another side of what the Gilford Fire-Rescue team does,” she added. “It left a positive impression on him. Nothing would make us happier than if we are influencing young people in the community to do good, too.”

Though the team’s community service draws praise, supporting the Children’s Auction seems almost as natural as breathing to the Gilford Fire-Rescue staff members.

“We always see people when they’re not having their best day,” Mello-Andrews said. “We like helping people, and raising money for the Children’s Auction is another way to do that. It’s nothing for many of us to give up a family dinner or activity or an afternoon or day off to assist somebody who needs help. It’s just what we do.”

“The boot drives are a chance for the fire department to share our passion of caring for the community. We get to engage with our neighbors in a really positive way,” said Dom DeCarli, an Auction board member and a lieutenant with the Gilford Fire Department. “Seeing all of the local fire departments jump at the opportunity is not surprising, but it is still impressive. Much like the Auction itself, it’s been inspiring to see what a few people who want to give back can accomplish!”

Visit www.ChildrensAuction.com to learn how to sponsor, donate, or volunteer.

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Note: I write blogs and press releases for the Greater Lakes Region Children’s Auction in Laconia, New Hampshire. It’s an organization that raises money year round for children and families in need. Each month, the Auction names an Auction Champion. I wrote this blog about the June Champion, Hannaford Supermarket and Larry Poliquin, the manager of the Hannaford in Gilford.

Larry Poliquin remembers the Greater Lakes Region Children’s Auction before it was televised, back when bidding was relayed to the community by radio. Larry, who was assistant manager at the Franklin branch of Hannaford Supermarket at the time, tuned in early on, and immediately connected with organizers’ goal of improving the lives of local children.

So, after getting promoted to store manager at the Hannaford store in Gilford, Larry took the reins, making donations and sending teams of volunteers—himself included—to work the phone bank and help with checking out items. What began as a small effort eventually grew into Larry taking a week of vacation time to see the Children’s Auction through from beginning to end, as well as becoming a member of the Board of Directors and Disbursement Committee, which reviews all of the applications from local nonprofit organizations hoping to receive funds from the Auction.

“We work year-round, but we have a big job that week at the Auction each December,” he says. “And now, being on the Disbursement Committee, it’s amazing to see the amount of need this one organization fills. It’s great to see the number at the end of the week, and to know that money is going to help children.”

Hannaford has eagerly supported Larry and his efforts over the years. In fact, Sherri Stevens, who manages community relations for the supermarket chain, says supporting the Children’s Auction is a perfect example of Hannaford’s tagline, “Greater Than Groceries.”

“We like to think of ourselves as more than the building down the road that provides groceries,” says Sherri, a Gorham, Maine, resident. “Community is so important to us at Hannaford, and it’s clear that it’s important to our associates, too. Larry represents Hannaford so well, and we often look to leaders like him across our 182 stores in five states to help us understand where the community’s needs are the greatest and where our involvement can have the greatest impact.”

Hannaford, Sherri continues, doesn’t like to just hand organizations checks. Rather, the preference is to understand what’s going on and invest in meaningful ways, whether that’s through providing sponsorship, having volunteers step up to help, or donating items to be auctioned off.

“The fact that Larry identified the Auction as an area where we could help, and that it’s making such an impact, is so meaningful to us,” Sherri says. “We’re hugely proud of Larry and the other associates who have joined him along the way.”

Likewise, Larry, who has been with Hannaford for over 30 years, says the reason so many employees stay with the company for so long is because it supports community involvement and giving back.

“You don’t see that in many chain stores,” he says. “That’s what keeps us strong and keeps us committed to our organization, and that’s why we’re still here.”

A total of five Hannaford stores take part in making the Children’s Auction a success, with employees volunteering to work the phone bank and help with checking out items, as well as spearheading their own fundraising efforts beyond what Sherri’s marketing department provides in sponsorship dollars. One of the key people behind those fundraising efforts is Joe Gentile, manager of the Meredith store.

Though there’s certainly plenty of work involved leading up to the Children’s Auction and throughout the week itself, it also doesn’t stop once the Auction goes off the air, Larry says. Then it’s time for Larry and the other four members of the Disbursement Committee to review grant applications and present recommendations for funding to the Board of Directors. In 2019, following the 38^th Auction, a total of $600,032 was raised for area nonprofits.

“Our committee spends weeks in the winter reviewing all the grant requests and discussing the best way to distribute the money that’s available,” Larry says. “We often visit the organizations we aren’t as familiar with, so we get to see firsthand what each organization is doing to help local children.”

At the end of the day, supporting children who need it most is what the Auction is all about.

“Across Hannaford, our employees feel a particular passion when an event supports our kids,” Sherri says. “We know that to help our kids grow and learn and develop, we have to invest in them. We genuinely believe in and understand that they are our future.”

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LACONIA—Larry Poliquin remembers the Greater Lakes Region Children’s Auction before it was televised, back when bidding was relayed to the community by radio. Poliquin, who was assistant manager at the Franklin branch of Hannaford Supermarket at the time, tuned in early on, and immediately connected with organizers’ goal of improving the lives of local children.

So, after getting promoted to store manager at the Gilford branch, Poliquin took the reins, making donations and sending teams of volunteers—himself included—to work the phone bank and help with checking out items. What originated as a small role eventually turned into Poliquin taking a week of vacation time to see the Children’s Auction through from beginning to end, as well as becoming a member of the Board of Directors and Disbursement Committee, which reviews all of the applications from local nonprofit organizations hoping to receive funds from the auction. 

“We work year-round, but we have a big job that week at the auction each December,” he said. “And now, being on the Disbursement Committee, it’s amazing to see the amount of need this one organization fills. It’s great to see the number at the end of the week, and to know that money is going to help children.”

Hannaford has eagerly supported Poliquin and his efforts over the years. In fact, Sherri Stevens, who manages community relations for the supermarket chain, said supporting the Children’s Auction is a perfect example of Hannaford’s tagline, “Greater Than Groceries.”

“We like to think of ourselves as more than the building down the road that provides groceries,” said Stevens, a Gorham, Maine resident. “Community is so important to us at Hannaford, and it’s clear that it’s important to our associates, too. Poliquin represents Hannaford so well, and we often look to leaders like him across our 182 stores in five states to help us understand where the community’s needs are the greatest and where our involvement can have the greatest impact.”

Hannaford, Stevens continued, doesn’t like to just hand organizations checks. Rather, the preference is to understand what’s going on and invest in meaningful ways, whether that’s through providing sponsorship, having volunteers step up to help, or donating items to be auctioned off.

“The fact that Larry identified the auction as an area where we could help, and that it’s making such an impact, is so meaningful to us,” Stevens said. “We’re hugely proud of Larry and the other associates who have joined him along the way.”

Likewise, Poliquin, who has been with Hannaford for over 30 years, said the reason so many employees stay with the company for so long is because it supports community involvement and giving back.

“You don’t see that in many chain stores,” he said. “That’s what keeps us strong and keeps us committed to our organization, and that’s why we’re still here.”

A total of five Hannaford branches take part in making the Children’s Auction a success, with employees volunteering to work the phone bank and help with checking out items, as well as spearheading their own fundraising efforts beyond what Stevens’ marketing department provides in sponsorship dollars. One of the key people behind those fundraising efforts is Joe Gentile, manager of the Meredith branch. 

Though there’s certainly plenty of work involved leading up to the Children’s Auction and throughout the week itself, it also doesn’t stop once the auction goes off the air, Poliquin said. Then it’s time for Poliquin and the other four members of the Disbursement Committee to review grant applications and present recommendations for funding to the Board of Directors. In 2019, following the 38th auction, a total of $600,032 was raised for area nonprofits.

“Our committee spends weeks in the winter reviewing all the grant requests and discussing the best way to distribute the money that’s available,” Poliquin said. “We often visit the organizations we aren’t as familiar with, so we get to see firsthand what each organization is doing to help local children.”

At the end of the day, supporting children who need it most is what the auction is all about.

“Across Hannaford, our employees feel a particular passion when an event supports our kids,” Stevens said. “We know that to help our kids grow and learn and develop, we have to invest in them. We genuinely believe in and understand that they are our future.”

Visit www.ChildrensAuction.com to learn how to sponsor, donate, or volunteer.

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