NHBR About Town: June 6-19, 2025

Business and event happenings around the state of NH

1. Raymond-based Lamprey Health Care has recently partnered with the Seacoast nonprofit Gather, forming as Lamprey offers its patients Hunger Vital Signs screenings to assess food insecurity. Gather introduced a Mobile Food Market at Lamprey’s Raymond location, providing fresh, nutritious food to those in need, launched on May 13. It is on-site every two weeks for community members and Lamprey patients.

2. In recognition of May as Mental Health Awareness Month, 80 students created artwork depicting their personal mental health experiences during the seventh annual Magnify Voices Expressive Art Contest. Manchester’s Currier Museum of Art featured 70 pieces of art at a May 21 event organized by the NH Children’s System of Care.

3. In a series of check presentations on May 20, Nashua charitable gaming business The Nash Casino announced a total of $1.6 million in contributions distributed in varying amounts to eight nonprofits. The Nashua Historical Society, pictured, and the NH Building Officials Education Foundation received the most significant amounts, each receiving $216,985.67.

4. Bedford Academy showcased its educational approach at the 2025 Innovations in Learning Conference, recently hosted by the NH School Administrators Association. Academy head Roxanne Molina and second-grade teacher Julia LaFontaine, both shown, co-led a session on educational benefits, curriculum integration, project-based learning and classroom-ready lessons.

5. Meredith Village Savings Bank (MVSB) recently supported Squam Lakes Natural Science Center’s 2025 season through a $6,000 scholarship. The funds support the center’s exhibits, events and programming, said Iain MacLeod, its executive director. MacLeod is shown with MVSB’s Marcy Dembiec and Megan Piazza during a check presentation.

6. Tiana Brown was named State Youth of the Year during a service recognition celebration of Boys & Girls Club New Hampshire youth, held May 12 at Southern NH University. Brown, a senior at Nashua High School North and an 11-year member of the Greater Nashua club, was awarded a $10,000 college scholarship from BGCNH and a laptop from Comcast. She will represent New Hampshire at the BGCA Northeast Regional Youth of the Year competition on June 17 in New York City.

7. The NH Liquor Commission, E. & J. Gallo Winery and Pine State Beverage raised $40,000 for the NH Food Bank through November and December. The winery donated 50 cents to the food bank per bottle of select wines sold at NH Liquor & Wine Outlets. Funds will enable NH Food Bank to provide over 125,000 meals to one in 10 Granite Staters experiencing food insecurity.

8. More than 130 people attended the 2025 Governor’s Conference on Volunteerism, held at the NH Institute of Politics at Saint Anselm College. Michele Watson (first from left, with VolunteerNH and state officials), NAMI NH’s volunteer engagement program manager, was honored as Volunteer Manager of the Year. She received a citation for her award and a video from Gov. Kelly Ayotte recognizing her work.