Around the Towns:
There she is . . . Miss Monadnock?
Well, she isn’t here yet, but the first-ever Miss Monadnock Region Scholarship Pageant will be held at the Wilton-Lyndeborough Cooperative School on Sunday at 6:30 p.m.
The pageant is a preliminary to the annual Miss New Hampshire and Miss America scholarship programs.
The event is open to the public. Tickets are $10.
A panel of six judges will assess the 14 young women entered in the pageant based on an interview, on-stage questions, a talent show, health and fitness, and an evening gown competition.
“This is not just a beauty contest. We’ve come a long way from that,” said pageant coordinator Deborah Barker. “The young women who compete are truly awesome.”
For more information on the Miss N.H. program, visit www.missnh.com.
Keeping the trails open
The Trails Committee in Hollis is looking for volunteers to help clear areas of the town trail system located off Rideout and Nevins roads.
“Just bring brush cutters and gloves,” said Sherry Wyskiel, head of the Trails Committee.
Trails Day is Saturday, Oct. 18. Volunteers are being asked to meet at Silver Lake State Park on Route 122 at 8:30 a.m. They will be divided into groups and dispatched to the two areas, Wyskiel said.
“The rest of the (town) forest is in really good shape,” she added.
The town’s trail system is one of the best-kept secrets in the Souhegan Valley. It is used by town and area residents for hiking, bicycling, snowmobile riding, cross country skiing, snowshoeing, horseback riding and other outdoor pursuits.
The Trails Committee is responsible for maintaining the system, and it depends on volunteers to keep the trails clear, clean and protected.
Wyskiel said interested volunteers should call her at 886-1014 or contact her by e-mail at hollistrails@aol.com.
Professing philosophy
A renowned Catholic philosopher and prolific author will address Thomas More College in Merrimack tonight.
Peter Kreeft will deliver the keynote address at the school’s annual “President’s Council Dinner” for professors. Kreeft, who has written more than 45 books, will explore “the long history of the liberal arts tradition and how that education might be reinvigorated in our time,” according to a press statement.
“Many consider him to be the best Catholic philosopher currently residing in the United States,” the statement said. “His ideas draw heavily from religious and philosophical tradition, especially St. Thomas Aquinas, Socrates, G. K. Chesterton, and C. S. Lewis.”
Lending a hand
Talk about the kindness of strangers.
Hollis resident Kristopher Beinder, who is battling a rare form of cancer, is also fighting to get an experimental medication his insurance company has denied him.
Recently, his neighbors held an all-day fundraiser featuring pony rides, a bake sale, a yard sale and more to raise money to help Beinder and his family with medical expenses.
The event not only raised more than $5,000, but also boosted Beinder’s spirits.
“It was an amazing effort they put forth,” Beinder said.
Alison Eastman-Lawler, Beinder’s neighbor and the owner and operator of the Apple Tree Farm, a horseback riding school, organized the fundraiser. It was held at her farm Sept. 21.
The fundraiser set up a bank account in Beinder’s name at the Sovereign Bank of Hollis, P.O. Box 153, Hollis, NH 03049.
Flush it out
Merrimack Village District will flush main water lines and hydrants in the following areas Oct. 13-17 from 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m.:
Beacon, Beaver Brook, Brookside, Carrie, Chelsea, Courtland, Danbury, Ellie, Evergreen, Greenwich, Hartwood, Heritage, Independence, Jessica, Maidstone, Tanglewood, Valleyview, Victoria, Walden and Woodland drives; Carriage, Glenwood, Hancock, Huckleberry, Jakes, Madison, Pinetree and Timber lanes; Indian Rock, Joppa, Mayflower, Patten, Powderhouse and Turkey Hill roads; Burt, Derry and Freedom streets; Minuteman and Pilgrim avenues.
Flushing dislodges naturally occurring sediment from within pipes. It can cause temporary water discoloration, street flooding and low water pressure.
For questions, call 424-9241 extension 100.
Balloon rides at PumpkinFest
HUDSON – The well-traveled RE/MAX hot air balloon is scheduled to visit the second annual Hudson PumpkinFest at the Hills House on Saturday, Oct. 25.
Weather permitting, tethered rides will be given from 2-4 p.m., for just $5 per person, adults and children included.
Proceeds will benefit the Hudson Kiwanis Club.
Other events that day include kids’ activities, vendors, food, games, bounce houses, raffles and prizes and a classic and antique car show. Bring a carved pumpkin to illuminate at dusk during the bonfire and band concerts.
The Hills House is on Derry Road (Route 102) across from Alvirne High School.
