Hundreds turn out in Meredith for a bit of 1950-60s nostalgia
Monday, August 16, 2010
DAVE AND GINNY Armata from Connecticut wave a greeting as they pass by in their 1952 Ford Pickup in the Rock-n-Roll Cruise night Parade down 25 to Main street in Meredith Saturday evening. The first in what is hoped to be a long-running tradition got off to a roaring start Saturday evening when scores of vintage, muscle, custom and classic cars — and the people who love them — took over the downtown for the inaugural Meredith Rock 'n Roll Cruise Night.
Sponsored by the Greater Meredith Program, the event was blessed with perfect weather conditions and began with a parade of cars that was led by Jim Cande of Granite State Nationals. This past weekend, GSN hosted an "American Graffiti"-themed gathering at Castle in the Clouds in nearby Moultonborough that featured appearances by two of the stars of the popular film as well as hundreds of cars from that era and all eras of motoring.
The parade began at 6 p.m. and stretched from Inter-Lakes High School west down Route 25 to the intersection of Route 25. It drew hundreds of enthusiastic onlookers, something that pleasantly surprised Bonnie Ireland, the executive director of the Greater Meredith Program. The parade looped through the downtown and then the individual cars parked the length of Main Street and on some of the side streets as well.
While some drivers and passengers stayed with their vehicles, most headed for Community Park where there was a street dance until 9 featuring the music of the "Routes '56" which pumped out hits from the 1950s and 60s. Some attendees came dressed in their best rocker/rodder regalia, others brought their children in strollers or let them romp on the lawn at Community Park as a perfect summer night unfolded.
"Basically, we brought the Granite State Nationals to the downtown," said Ireland of the promotion whose premise is a simple one: "to bring people to Main Street." She thanked Cande and all the Meredith business and property owners who participated in the Cruise Night, adding she hopes to get even more to participate next year.
"We had about 65 cars in the parade but over 100 showed up in the downtown and they keep showing up," said a delighted Ireland as the Routes '56 played and motorheads of all ages stopped to literally ogle and "ooh" and "ahh" some of the best that Detroit and the world had produced.
"This is our first year and it's been a huge success," Ireland said, as she looked up and down Main Street and noted with pride that "the cars stretch as far as you can see."
"We want to do this" — Cruise Night — "every year," she said.
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Volunteers make GMP a success
Meredith:
The Citizen of Laconia
By BEA LEWIS
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Christopher Williams, left, chair of the Greater Meredith Program's conservation committee and co-chair of the design committee, presents an award naming Nancy Lavigne the GMP's Volunteer of the Year for her work on the community garden in front of the Meredith Community Center.
(Bea Lewis/Citizen Photo) * Order a print of this photo
The Greater Meredith Program raised $40,000 last year to fund local beautification efforts and operating costs by tacking a voluntary special assessment of $1.50 on some visitors.
Rusty McLear, principal of the Inns and Spa at Mill Falls, announced during the program's sixth annual meeting on Friday that his establishment and Harbor Hill Campground, owned by Chuck and Barbara Palm, asked their guests to pay the special fee to help improve Meredith.
Half of the proceeds are earmarked for beautification, including tree plantings, and the remainder funded the operation of the local Main Street program, a non-profit community economic development organization dedicated to enhancing economic vitality, historical and cultural heritage, and town-wide beautification.
Last year the money paid for a large tree to be planted in the center of the newly constructed roundabout at the intersection of Route 3 and Parade Road. Next year, McLear said, plans call for planting about 15 trees along Route 3 near Ippolito's Furniture.
Steve Gregoire, president and treasurer of the Greater Meredith Program, said the organization had a $70,000 budget in 2009 with actual income of $72,343; and it spent $79,711, including $40,473 in community events and investments.
Steve Gregoire, left, accepts a gold brick awarded for his hard work with the Greater Meredith Program from GMP Executive Director Bonnie Ireland, center, and GMP Administrative Assistant Liz Lapham, who donned boas for the occassion.
(Bea Lewis/Citizen Photo) * Order a print of this photo
McLear, who chairs the GMP's economic development committee, said that, while it always is hard to raise money, Meredith is fortunate to have a large pool of willing and talented volunteers.
Chris Williams, who serves on the GMP's design committee, said the group identified the area in front of the newly completed community center as being in need of beautification. Following a design charette in 2008, some 50 volunteers, ranging from members of the local garden club and Boy Scouts to private contractors, donated hundreds of hours of labor as well as materials to help create a garden valued at $67,000, using native plants to reduce maintenance.
Williams recognized Nancy Lavigne as Volunteer of the Year for her work on the garden. Her son owns Wilderness Landscaping in Bedford and Lavigne agreed to adopt the garden and continues to maintain it.
Williams said the GMP is continuing its façade and site improvement grant program that funds up to $5,000 of labor and materials for qualifying projects. Seven applications have been submitted and the grant award-winner will be announced shortly, with the project to be completed by summer.
Also announced during the meeting was that Meredith will co-sponsor the first New England Pond Hockey Classic on Meredith Bay on Lake Winnipesaukee on Feb. 5-7. More than 60 teams representing about 300 people will be attending the three-day event, according to GMP Executive Director Bonnie Ireland.
Other people recognized during the annual meeting at Church Landing included Bill Vecchio as GMP Board Member of the Year. Vecchio hand-built a wooden canoe that he donated to the program for a raffle that raised $4,400 to fund the Greater Meredith Career Partnership Program.
Ireland and GMP Administrative Assistant Liz Lapham donned boas and recited a poem in ode to Gregoire who is moving and, as a result, leaving the program.
"My involvement with this program has been very rewarding," Gregoire said.
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