Cook on Concord: Rays of hope

Recent nonprofit celebrations underscore great work in the Granite State

Brad Cook

Several recent New Hampshire events demonstrated the continuing goodness and civic strength of the Granite State.

City Year’s annual Starry, Starry Night event at Manchester’s DoubleTree Hotel on April 18, was a reminder of how much good is done in this state by nonprofit organizations, in this case the AmeriCorp-funded City Year organization, which provides an opportunity for its participants to spend a year mentoring students in the Manchester schools and helping them thrive. For decades, thousands of volunteers and children have benefitted, and the enthusiasm of all was evident.

Pawn Nitichan, the longtime director, was prominent as the City Year leader, as were members of her board of directors. Gov. Ayotte, Manchester Mayor Ruais and the entire congressional delegation were present and gave examples of how they were attracted to public life. Their obvious connections with each other rose above politics and partisanship, and their willingness to attend was a testament to City Year’s good work.

Sen. Shaheen was singled out for recognition, as she completes her service in elected office. Richard Ober, retiring head of the NH Charitable Foundation, was honored for his service. Ober paid tribute to Dick and Barbara Couch for their lifetime of service to the state through leadership of Hypertherm and the foundations they have funded and led that helped many.

On April 21, the annual Manchester Boys & Girls Clubs breakfast filled the room with supporters, staff and young people to recognize, celebrate and support the great work done by the venerable organization which has been instrumental in providing direction to generations of Manchester children and youth.

Those with long memories can remember when the Manchester Boys Club and the Manchester Girls Club merged, after the swimming pool at the Girls Club failed, and it had insufficient funds to repair it. That building became the New Horizons Soup Kitchen, and the combined nonprofit has served both boys and girls from its Union Street headquarters ever since. Under the dynamic leadership of Diane Fitzpatrick and an extremely dedicated board, the Club continues to be the anchor for young people who otherwise might wander the streets of the Queen City after school or in the summers.

Longtime directors like Steve McMahon and Harry Malone, former executive Brian Tremblay, and other Boys & Girls Clubs Hall of Fame members were prominent at the event. The event featured notice of the construction of the Mark Stebbins Community Center on Manchester’s West Side, scheduled to open this summer, the prime tenant and manager of which will be the Boys & Girls Club, providing much needed service to that side of the Merrimack River.

Finally, on Wednesday night, April 22, Great Bay Community College held a celebration of its 80 years of service in the Seacoast. The event noted the history of the institution since its founding just after World War II in a Portsmouth mill building, move to Stratham and then relocation to the present and impressive facility at Pease International Tradeport.

Again, an impressive array of New Hampshire educators, including six community college presidents and its Chancellor, Dr. Mark Rubinstein, along with the chancellor of the University System and many trustees of the Community College System and its foundation were present, as were faculty, staff and alumni.

Just like those who have benefitted from the chance City Year and the Boys & Girls Clubs have provided them, alumni of Great Bay Community College described coming to the school without any direction, often as the first family member to seek higher education, and finding direction for a successful life.

Dr. Rubenstein, humble and gracious as always, was recognized for a lifetime career in higher education, as he heads to retirement this summer, and a chance to get to know grandchildren better. Also, Richard Ober was applauded for his decades heading the Charitable Foundation and its efforts supporting education in the state, another indication of the breadth of support it provides to important efforts in so many categories: health, education, charities and civic endeavors.

The Annual Walter Peterson Award was presented to the Stebbins Family at the event, noting the many efforts the various branches of that prominent family gave to New Hampshire over many generations. The Mark Stebbins Community Center, named for the late head of PROCON, is one of the latest efforts.

The common elements in the three events were impressive!

Brad Cook is a Manchester attorney. The views expressed in this column are his own. He can be reached at bradfordcook01@gmail.com.