Jump To An Archived News Item
| Dec 15, 2006 |
Tree Trimming at RiverWoods |
| Dec 12, 2006 |
RiverWoods Web Site Wins Award |
| Dec 10, 2006 |
RiverWoods Re-elects Executive Committee |
| Nov 22, 2006 |
Fruitful Program at RiverWoods |
| Nov 19, 2006 |
Teen Center Dedicated |
| Oct 17, 2006 |
RiverWoods residents share talent, stories |
| Oct 15, 2006 |
New leader for Community Outreach at RiverWoods at Exeter |
| Oct 13, 2006 |
The torch is passed |
| Sep 22, 2006 |
RiverWoods feels like home |
| Sep 5, 2006 |
New chance for adult learning |
| Aug 27, 2006 |
RiverWoods quilting group out to hook new members |
| Aug 1, 2006 |
CBS Evening News - Bill Smallwood Story |
| Jun 29, 2006 |
"Purely on Merritt" by Wayne King |
| Apr 11, 2006 |
Lifelong Learning Program for Older Adults in Exeter Area Attracts Crowd at RiverWoods |
| Mar 24, 2006 |
Entering cyberspace: RiverWoods helps seniors traverse the Internet |
| Feb 26, 2006 |
Twice in a lifetime |
| Feb 14, 2006 |
Peak of fitness is ageless |
| Jan 29, 2006 |
Exeter senior group stays active, helps in many ways |
| Jan 25, 2006 |
Officials foresee tough times, but are optimistic about growth |
Tree Trimming at RiverWoods
Dec 15, 2006
EXETER - RiverWoods residents dipped into their private supplies of Christmas ornaments to add a highly personal touch to their tree decorating efforts at this year's Exeter Area Chamber of Commerce Festival of Trees.
The efforts of dozens of volunteers made a difference for needy children in the area as the beautifully decorated tree was auctioned to the highest bidder at the eighth annual event, held on November 30.
The RiverWoods tree was one of many decorated and sponsored by local businesses and organizations to raise money for the Chamber Children's Fund. The popular event raises thousands of dollars annually to make
sure needy children in the 10-community area served by the Exeter Chamber of Commerce have warm hats, gloves, mittens, and coats to wear in the cold months ahead.
Using the theme of "An Old Fashioned Christmas," the RiverWoods tree was decorated with 'more than 100 colorful ornaments, each carefully selected and donated from the personal ornament collections of residents.
According to Jean Ingwerson. and Mary Jo Kremer, the RiverWoods residents heading up the project, "Many of the ornaments were quite old and had some personal significance to those contributing them. Because the ornaments came from so many different sources, we ended up with something unique and quite special."
Some of the more interesting and significant decorations included a variety of wooden and soft toys, some of them quite old. In all, more than 75 RiverWoods residents contributed ornaments and assisted with the decorating efforts. ,The Festival of Trees is one of many community service activities organized annually by the RiverWoods Outreach Committee.
RiverWoods at Exeter is a full service life care community, started in 1983 as a not-for profit organization designed to provide new opportunities for those reaching retirement age. Information about RiverWoods and any of its activities may be obtained by calling (603) 772-4700 or by visiting www. riverwoodsrc.org.
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RiverWoods Web Site Wins Award
Dec 12, 2006
Portsmouth, New Hampshire. December 20, 2006. – CrystalVision, a Portsmouth based web development and eMarketing firm, has been awarded a 2006 MarCom Creative Awards Gold Award. Winners were selected from over 200 categories in seven forms of media and communication initiatives, such as marketing, publications, marketing/promotion, public service/pro bono, creativity and electronic/interactive. The Gold Award was received by CrystalVision for outstanding design and development on the RiverWoods at Exeter web site, www.RiverWoodsrc.org, in the category of Web Site/Overall Site.
"We are excited to receive this recognition from our peers for our creative and technical expertise. More importantly however, we are pleased that these efforts have translated into successful results for our client, RiverWoods at Exeter," said Deb Brewer, president and CEO of CrystalVision.
The MarCom Creative Awards is an annual international awards competition that recognizes outstanding achievement by marketing and communication professionals. The competition received more than 5,000 entries from throughout the United States and several foreign countries this year. Typically about 15% of the total entries qualify to win Gold Awards. Judges are industry professionals who look for companies and individuals whose talent exceeds a high standard of excellence and whose work serves as a benchmark for the industry.
About CrystalVision:
CrystalVision provides businesses with the web-based capacity to reach current and potential clients while also implementing powerful tools to streamline corporate productivity.
CrystalVisions expertise is in fully integrated, customized solutions which include web design, web application development, e-commerce & security, content management systems & maintenance, search engine optimization & marketing as well as other specialized web & e-marketing services.
Through delivering innovative web and e-marketing solutions while forming long-term collaborations with an extensive and flourishing client base, CrystalVision has produced award-winning results for over ten years. Clients feel secure knowing that CrystalVision is dedicated to providing results that support their continued growth and exceed their online goals.
To learn more about how CrystalVision utilizes web technologies to give businesses, corporations and organizations their own niche on the World Wide Web, contact them at 603-433-9559 or visit their web site at www.crystalvision.org.
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RiverWoods Re-elects Executive Committee
Dec 10, 2006
EXETER - RiverWoods at Exeter retirement community re-elected members of the Executive Committee to serve an additional term of three years.
The re-elected officers are Raymond J. Goodman Jr., chair, board of trustees; Robert W. Beecher, vice chair, treasurer, clerk, chair of finance; Frank S. Crane III, president/CEO; Jane Derby, chair of health care; Naida Kaen, chair of board governance; and Robert Lietz, chair of strategic planmng.
Goodman also serves on the board of directors for The National Association for Senior Living Industries, the Council of Hotel and Restaurant Trainers, the New Hampshire Lodging and RestaurantAssociation and The International Institute of Quality and Ethics in Hospitality and Tourism.
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Fruitful Program at RiverWoods
Nov 22, 2006
EXETER - Residents and staff at RiverWoods at Exeter recently wrapped up a week-long series of fun and educational events designed to promote awareness of the United Way and its community activities.
The program, called "An Apple A Day Helps the United Way," featured a number of apple-themed events designed to entertain and encourage participation.
Each of the two RiverWoods campuses started the week with an Apple Breakfast and a kickoff meeting addressed by RiverWoods CEO Frank Crane and Christine Bennett, Loaned Account Executive from the Greater Seacoast United Way.
At the meetings, residents and staff learned how their United Way contributions will be used in the Seacoast area and found out how they could earn raffle tickets for chances to win some great prizes after turning in their donor cards.
More than 70 prizes were donated, including handmade Nantucket Baskets, fine pottery and stuffed animals, as well as numerous gift cards to local area businesses.
Throughout the rest of the week, apple treats, word games, fun activities like "apple-fishing" and a bake sale helped make sure that awareness for the United Way remained at a high level.
Then on Monday, November 20, the prize drawings were held during a Fall Ice Cream Social complete with hot apple crisp, cinnamon ice cream, and pumpkin frozen yogurt.
"Our residents and staff share, a special bond with the United Way," says Diane Cira, director of resident life at RiverWoods. "Our entire community looks forward to contributing to this campaign each year and has a growing appreciation for the work the United Way does."
In planning this week of education and fun, Cira's goal was to combine elements of both.
"This is a week of sharing time together, having fun, and raising substantial money for a good cause. Everybody comes out a winner," she says.
RiverWoods at Exeter is a full service life care community located on over 100 acres along the Exeter River. Incorporated in 1983, RiverWoods is a not-for profit organization designed to provide a-quality lifestyle for those reaching retirement age. For more information www.riverwoodsrc.org or by calling (603) 772-4700.
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Teen Center Dedicated
Nov 19, 2006
EXETER -- The Teen Outlook Community Center dedicated its building to the RiverWoods retirement community and honored those who have contributed to its program over the years.
The ceremony was held outside of the building at 120 Front St., on Monday. RiverWoods President Frank Crane came to receive the honor and take a tour of the space to see all that's happening at the center today.
"We will always remember that (RiverWoods) helped us find a home," said Executive Director Sarah Illingsworth during the ceremony.
Teen center founder Dr. Burton Dibble was also at the dedication and was honored for all he has done to make the center a success.
Dibble and a group of teachers, health-care professionals and behavior specialists came together in the late 1980s to develop a community center for teens. At the time, a succession of suicides prompted the group to find alternative activities for teens, said Dibble.
The group started the program in the upstairs recreation room and then moved to the church basement before arriving at the current location.
The opportunity to purchase the building came about five years ago, and RiverWoods stepped in to help make it happen. New Outlook became the beneficiary of a multi-year fund-raising initiative.
"(The center) has succeeded beyond my wildest expectations," he said.
Between 25 and 50 students frequent New Outlook each day. In the main room, there are pool and Foosball tables and computers, along with couches and tables.
In addition to the main program space, it also has a new designer kitchen. The kitchen was designed by Renee Carman of Mandeville Canyon Designs and built with support and contributions from local businesses and community members.
Every Thursday, New Outlook sponsors cook's corner, where kids come in and learn to cook.
In the fall of 2005, New Outlook also renovated its backyard space, with the help of Timberland Serva-Palooza and the United Way Day of Caring. Where there was once an empty, overgrown lot, there is a garden, picnic tables, a life-sized chessboard and a large grassy area.
In the garden, teens planted vegetables, including mesclun greens and tomatoes that are used during cook's corner.
Other features of the facility include a Laundromat that it currently leases to Front Street Laundry. Eventually, plans call for converting it into more space for the center and it will cost about $7,000 to complete, said Illingsworth.
During the tour, student Nicole Quinn sang the "Star-Spangled Banner" for Crane. He was so impressed he invited her to someday sing at RiverWoods.
"I am so pleased with the progress New Outlook has made in recent years, said Illingsworth. "Not only do we have a wonderful program space, but we offer a diverse selection of high-quality activities. I truly believe that New Outlook gives area teens a sense of community, a safe place to spend time with friends, and countless opportunities for personal growth. And we owe our continued success to the greater community -- to the individuals, volunteers, and foundations that support us."
If you would like to support New Outlook, please contact Whitney Edgar at 778-3933 or by e-mail at whitney@newoutlookteencenter.org.
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RiverWoods residents share talent, stories
Oct 17, 2006
EXETER -- Residents of RiverWoods at Exeter are contributing their time and talent to help improve the quality of life for members of SteppingStones, a community-based day program for people living with brain injury.
"If any of our residents can aid in this process by sharing skills and life experiences, it really becomes a win-win situation," said Van Claxton, RiverWoods' outreach committee chairman.
SteppingStones, part of The Krempels Brain Injury Foundation in Portsmouth, is a post-rehabilitation, holistic day program for people living with brain injury from trauma, tumor or stroke. Its programs focus on empowering members to live meaningful, productive lives post-injury.
So far, three RiverWoods residents have agreed to meet with SteppingStones members to share their knowledge and expertise. Don Bassett, a longtime amateur artist, spent one-on-one time with Russ Moore, a SteppingStones member artist, to guide him in the preparation of greeting cards using Moore's original artwork.
Tom Adams, known as RiverWoods' "gardening guru," met with Robert Boutin, master gardener at SteppingStones, to lay groundwork for a spring garden.
Bill Smallwood, a World War II veteran, will visit SteppingStones to tell his story of courage and resiliency while surviving a prisoner of war camp in Germany. Smallwood's story was featured on the CBS Evening News earlier this year.
Carol Davis, program coordinator of SteppingStones, says visits from people like the RiverWoods residents mean the world to those recovering from brain injury.
"Through their involvement, we are able to enrich our members' quality of life by reinforcing socialization skills, their ability to communicate, their sense of independence, and a generally more positive outlook on life," Davis said.
The Krempels Brain Injury Foundation was founded in 1995 by David Krempels, whose own world was turned upside down by brain injury. The foundation's SteppingStones day program is located in Portsmouth. Anyone interested in providing financial or volunteer assistance may call 603-430-7668, send an e-mail to Davis at cdavis@krempelsfoundation.org, or visit www.krempelsfoundation.org.
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New leader for Community Outreach at RiverWoods at Exeter
Oct 15, 2006
EXETER -- After nearly seven years of effectively leading the efforts of the Community Outreach Committee at RiverWoods at Exeter, 88-year-old Kel Doyle decided it was time for someone younger to take the reins.
Enter Van Claxton, an 81-year old resident who recently moved from Tucson, Ariz. to the Exeter continuing care retirement community.
Claxton, a veteran of many years in the aircraft engine business with General Electric, feels quite a responsibility with his new duties.
“Kel Doyle is really a legend at RiverWoods and the surrounding community. He has led the efforts to have RiverWoods residents be involved in dozens of worthwhile community activities and he has made a real difference during his tenure,” says Claxton.
Recent activities facilitated by the Outreach Committee at RiverWoods have yielded some impressive results.
Within the past year, some of the activities of the Committee include participating in helping raise more than $25,000 for the United Way, donating a decorated holiday tree for auction by the Exeter Chamber of Commerce to provide winter clothing, organizing a successful program to collect sample containers of toiletry items for 70 impoverished nations, and fielding 300-400 phone calls at the New Hampshire Public TV Spring Auction.
And that's just a few of the activities initiated by this energetic committee.
Currently, the committee is coordinating a program with SteppingStones, a post-rehabilitation, community-based, day program of The Krempels Brain Injury Foundation in Portsmouth.
Several RiverWoods residents are already scheduled to make presentations and conduct workshops on topics that include graphic design, horticulture and a recounting of POW experiences during World War II.
Claxton is proud of the many contributions RiverWoods residents continue to make to the community.
“The people here have such a richness of professional and public service experience and are happy to share it. I am looking forward to continuing Doyle's work and doing what we can to provide meaningful support to worthwhile community organizations,” he says.
RiverWoods at Exeter is a full service life care community, started in 1983 as a nonprofit organization.
Both RiverWoods campuses, The Woods and The Ridge, are involved in ongoing community outreach projects.
For information, call 772-4700 or visit www.riverwoodsrc.org.
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The torch is passed
Oct 13, 2006
EXETER -- After nearly seven years of leading the efforts of the community outreach committee at RiverWoods at Exeter, 88-year-old Kel Doyle decided it was time for someone younger to take the reins.
Enter Van Claxton, an 81-year-old resident who recently moved from Tucson, Ariz., to the continuing care retirement community.
Claxton is a veteran of many years in the aircraft engine business with General Electric. He feels quite a responsibility with his new duties.
"Kel Doyle is really a legend at RiverWoods and the surrounding community," Claxton said. "He has led the efforts to have RiverWoods residents be involved in dozens of worthwhile community activities, and he has made a real difference during his tenure."
Recent activities facilitated by the outreach committee at RiverWoods include participating in helping raise more than $25,000 for the United Way, donating a decorated holiday tree for auction by the Exeter Chamber of Commerce to provide winter clothing, organizing a successful program to collect sample containers of toiletry items for 70 impoverished nations, and fielding 300 to 400 phone calls at New Hampshire Public Television's spring auction. And that's just a few of the activities initiated by this very energetic committee.
The committee is coordinating a program with SteppingStones, a post-rehabilitation, community-based, day program of The Krempels Brain Injury Foundation in Portsmouth. Several RiverWoods residents are scheduled to make presentations and conduct workshops on topics that include graphic design, horticulture and a recounting of prisoner of war experiences during World War II.
"I am looking forward to continuing Kel Doyle's work and doing what we can to provide meaningful support to worthwhile community organizations," Claxton said.
For information on RiverWoods at Exeter, call 772-4700 or visit www.riverwoodsrc.org.
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RiverWoods feels like home
Sep 22, 2006
By Scott E. Kinney
Atlantic News Staff Writer
EXETER | When Ed Knapp and his wife Carol began looking for a place to call their own during the golden years of their lives they knew what they were looking for.
Carol’s parents were taken care of in a continuing care retirement community (CCRC) in Pennsylvania, run by Quakers.
“We were familiar with the concept,” said Knapp.
Their search began in Hanover, at a well-known facility in the area. Knapp said it lacked that certain something that he and his wife were looking for.
Knapp said the two walked into the facility, walked around and didn’t go back.
“It did not feel like home,” he said.
It was around that same time that Knapp saw an advertisement in the Dartmouth alumni magazine for RiverWoods at Exeter. He said he and Carol happened to tour the facility during an open house.
Knapp said he was especially taken with RiverWoods’ dining room, complete with two giant fireplaces, one on each end of the room.
“It just looked comfortable,” he said.
That impression has stuck with Knapp for the now more than three years that he and Carol have lived at RiverWoods. And it began from their first night of residency.
Knapp related a story of when he and his wife attended dinner on the first night that they moved in. He was impressed with a staff member’s attention to detail and his ability to spot the new couple.
“We didn’t know anybody, but he said, ‘Good evening Mr. Knapp, welcome to RiverWoods.’ It’s about the friendliest place we’ve ever been,” said Knapp. “All of the staff knows our names.”
Knapp said the difference between RiverWoods and the facility in Hanover is that although the cost of residency is similar, what is done with the money is very different.
“The money that isn’t needed goes back to your estate when your apartment is sold again,” he said.
In addition, Knapp said there is always plenty to occupy the residents and maintain an active lifestyle. That activity is reflective of RiverWoods residents, said Knapp. He points to the community’s line dance instructor, who is now in her 95th year and Steve Richards, 85, who rows competitively.
“He wins in his age class because there aren’t very many people in his age class,” joked Knapp.
Now Knapp sings as second tenor of the barbershop quartet, which practices weekly and performs often for the residents of the community. He also plays trumpet with the Seacoast Wind Ensemble, a 50-piece band that plays throughout the region. (As a side note, the band will be performing at the Music Hall in Portsmouth on Oct. 22.)
With an exercise room, massive swimming pool, and countless programs for its residents, it’s no wonder that RiverWoods is named among the top CCRCs in the country.
“I was impressed when I heard that,” said Knapp. “I always thought that it was.”
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New chance for adult learning
Sep 5, 2006
By Nancy Rineman
hamptonunion@seacoastonline.com
EXETER -- A community inspired educational opportunity will debut in the Seacoast this fall, following a successful pilot program launched here in the spring.
For the past two years, the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Granite State College has offered diverse areas of study for adults in the Concord and Manchester areas. Now the same member-driven organization will offer a curriculum to Seacoast residents who still yearn to learn, with the addition of a Granite State College Center in Exeter.
Available to adults age 50 and over, a yearly membership of $25 entitles them to participate in programs throughout the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute Network in New Hampshire. This fall, 42 classes will be offered at the three centers, seven of them in the Exeter area.
There is an open house for the program on Wednesday, Sept. 13, at RiverWoods at Exeter, 7 RiverWoods Drive, Exeter, beginning at 10:30 a.m.
Newcomers to the Lifelong Learning Institute may be surprised by the unique classes, lectures, and even field trips, at their disposal. Classes are facilitated by volunteers who are hungry to share their knowledge, interests and talents with other similarly motivated adults just for the sheer enjoyment and involvement. Volunteers may be retired teachers or experts in a particular field.
The local committee that organized the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute here is led by co-chairpersons Jeff Hillier, of North Hampton, and Nancy Warren, of Exeter. Hillier retired after a 37-year career in teaching, guidance and administrative capacities for the Exeter School District. Warren is a retired learning specialist and occupational therapist in SAU 16 school.
Locally, a course titled "Life on the River: A Study of the Exeter and Other Rivers," will be led by Peter Richardson, a former science teacher and current member of the Exeter River Local Advisory Committee. Another selection, "Aquaculture: The Why and The How," examines the need for farming of plants and animals in fresh and salt water in a slide program at the Seacoast Science Center at Odiorne Point in Rye.
A day trip to Concord may be attractive to music appreciation enthusiasts, or in Manchester, it's "Computer Basics 102" for hands-on instruction on Microsoft Windows. Theatre Workshop, Intro to Stock Investing, Writing, Historical studies, and literary discussions are other highlights of the program. And "Astronomy for Everyone" will deal with questions asking such questions as How big is the universe?
There is the course, "What causes the seasons?" The facilitator is Robert Veilleux, an astronomy and science teacher who taught in Manchester for 35 years. When he applied for the "Teacher in Space" program, he was selected and was runner-up to Christa McAuliffe. The final class for this course will feature a visit to the Christa McAuliffe Planetarium in Concord.
The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute is made possible by the efforts of Bernard Osher, a Maine native now living in San Francisco, Calif., who has dedicated his life and fortune to his belief that "Learning should never cease."
Granite State College, formerly the College for Lifelong Learning, applied for the grant from the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute. OLLI at Granite State College consists of three part-time staff members who, with support from the University System of New Hampshire, work with committees of volunteers and 320 members statewide.
Virginia Martin, program coordinator for the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute in Concord, said the spirit of the program was best exemplified by one student who described the lectures and classes like "being in a roomful of teachers."
As the OLLI catalog states, "There are no tests, no grades and no need for prior college experience -- just the chance to join your peers in learning for enjoyment."
OLLI members will enjoy programs offered during the day, possibly participating "as a learner, as a local volunteer committee member, as a class facilitator -- often at the same time!" And while some of the single session programs are free to OLLI members, multi-session programs have modest course fees.
The open house will include an address by Dr. Stephen J. Reno, chancellor of the University System of New Hampshire at 11 a.m. At 11:15 a.m. there will be a fall program overview to meet with facilitators. Class and member registration will start at noon. Interested parties are asked to bring cash or a check.
For more information, call 513-1377, or visit www.granite.edu/olli/.
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RiverWoods quilting group out to hook new members
Aug 27, 2006
EXETER | Two residents at RiverWoods at Exeter just may be onto something. Following a display of their hand-made quilts on the “gallery” walls of the Exeter retirement community, enough interest and excitement has been generated to start a monthly gathering of quilting enthusiasts.
Tommie Byrd and Rhoda Rochat, both relatively recent arrivals at River-Woods, got together and arranged to adorn the walls of RiverWoods’ gallery display area with their colorful creations. Then the rave reviews started pouring in.
The resulting monthly get-togethers represent kind of a modern version of the 19th century “quilting bees,” when the rural population would gather in the afternoon and work together on designing and sewing quilts.
The two RiverWoods quilters hope members of the community who wish to learn more about quilting will join their monthly events.
Tommie, who lived in Hilton Head, NC, before moving to RiverWoods, was a dyed-in-the-wool knitter until she was bitten by the quilting bug.
“I’ve been at it for about 20 years ever since I saw an article about a full length quilted coat and decided to make it,” says Tommie. “On Hilton Head, I was in a group of 150 women quilters who enjoyed lectures and seminars presented by nationally known quilters.”
Rhoda, who moved to RiverWoods from New Jersey early last year, started quilting in 1976 to make a gift for her first daughter’s wedding. She worked part time at a quilting store in Basking Ridge, NJ, and, through the years, made each of her eight children quilts as wedding gifts.
Rhoda is quick to say that the art of quilting is not strictly reserved for women. History shows
that men were quilting back in the Civil War era when injured soldiers would work needle and thread as a form of physical therapy to regain full use of their hands. Since then, it has become a means of artistic expression for men in all walks of life.
“Men can be great quilters,” she says. “We’ve already seen some interest from men in our first meetings.”
The idea of starting a quilting group at River-Woods — and opening it to residents and community members alike — is an exciting prospect for both Tommie and Rhoda.
“We are thrilled about having the opportunity to share with others the joy and satisfaction of quilting,” they agreed. “Making a quilt is a chance to produce something beautiful while creating an instant family heirloom at the same time.”
Anyone interested in attending meetings of the RiverWoods quilters should call Pat Favreau at (603) 658-1572 for more information.
RiverWoods at Exeter is a full service life care community, started in 1983 as a not-for-profit organization. The community occupies two campuses on more than 100 wooded acres on the banks of the Exeter River. Additional information is available by calling (603) 772-4700.
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CBS Evening News - Bill Smallwood Story
Aug 1, 2006
View the video of the CBS Evening News story which aired on May 28th, 2006, featuring WWII veterans Bill Smallwood, a resident at RiverWoods at Exeter, and Howard Tunstall who crossed paths 60 years after their first meeting at a German POW camp. You can also read their story,
Twice in a lifetime, in our news archive.
Left-click the format type to view the video, or right-click and select "Save Target As" to save the video to your computer.
Format -
Size
Windows Media (.wmv) Low Quality - 4.8 MB
Windows Media (.wmv) High Quality - 14.2 MB
MPEG (.mpg) High Quality - 26.0 MB
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"Purely on Merritt" by Wayne King
Jun 29, 2006
Purely on Merritt
By Wayne D. King
The halls of Riverwoods at Exeter, a beautiful retirement community in Exeter NH are covered with the art of some of New Hampshire's 20th Century art icons, among them John Hatch and Mary Taylor - providing me with a pleasant diversion as I wait in the lobby for Richard Merritt. I pause for a moment before a large oil painting by Hatch of the Franconia Ridge.
Grasses
By printing his image much lighter than reality would have indicated Richard Merritt emphasizes the form and beauty of this simple subject.
"Look at the person on the bottom right," I hear a quiet and familiar voice say. "He appears to be looking to the right into the distance. But take four steps to your own right and tell me what you see." I step right and reply: "He is gazing directly up the mountain!"
I turn then and see the bright shining eyes of Richard Merritt smiling as he, once again, helps me to see deeper into the image that lies before me.
Nearly thirty years have passed since the days at UNH when my friends Ed Acker, Steve Bliss, Casey McNamara, Hannah Stutz, among others, would gather around a small table, specially lighted, to critique one anothers work as Richard Merritt looked on.
Back then, like Akela, the lone wolf of Kipling's iconic Jungle Book, he seemed to say "Look Well Oh Wolves!" as he urged us - the eager, hungry members of his pack - to describe, each in our own turn, how and why we created the image we had placed before the class. He was gentle and soft-spoken, probing for justification and response. He knew what he thought, but it mattered little at the moment. He was a teacher in the purest sense. His task that day and everyday was to help us find our inner voice through the medium of photography. He wanted each of us to demonstrate what we had learned, how we had grown.
Richard "Dick" Merritt was born in Pougkeepsie, NY in 1921. His lifelong passion for photography was born in the depths of the Great Depression as he struggled to find meaning and hope amid the deprivations of that time. Dick took up photography with some help from his uncle and created a small darkroom of his own in a closet of his home. He also joined the Pougkeepsie Camera Club and began to develop his skills. He dreamed of attending the Clarence White School of Photography in New York. However, with his father out of work and the family struggling, college was out of the question at the time, though he would manage to find his way back, after a three year stint with Uncle Sam aboard the U.S.S. Wake Island during World War II, this time at the prestigious Rochester Institute of Technology.
Misty Morning
This print was made using a very old technique called Bromoil where the light sensitive chemicals are painted onto the paper by the artist.
In 1942 he met his wife Edna on a blind date and began a love affair that has lasted 60 years. Edna, a talented photographer in her own right, is the yin to his yang and serves as both his most ardent supporter as well as his toughest critic. They were married in 1945.
In 1948, while he was living at the YMCA in New York City and working as a dye transfer technician Merritt received a telegram from the University of New Hampshire offering him a job as UNH Photographer and art teacher. He served in this dual capacity for 22 years. As the UNH photographer he photographed everything from football to academia and regularly rubbed shoulders with many of the Nation's art, cultural and political icons. Lotte Jacobi, May Sarton, JFK, Edmund Teller, Margaret Mead, Aaron Copeland and the usual assortment of political leaders that make New Hampshire part time home during the presidential primary season were only a few of the many people Merritt would meet and photograph during those years.
In the 1950s, he was the sparkplug behind the formation, and the first president of, the University Photographer's Association, now a national organization. He was also pushing hard for the acceptance of photography as an art form within the broader arts community.
Sawdust & Dust
This image, captured at the UNH Horse Barns is emblematic of Merritt's ability to make the ordinary extraordinary in its treatment
At the same time he was developing his own eye and style as well as pushing the envelope within his profession. Merritt has never really lived by the conventions within his field. He is a rebel in the purest form. While others were photographing landscapes or people, Merritt was capturing emotions through seemingly random objects photographed and displayed in their stark singularity or manipulated in some way to add depth, humor or passion to their meaning. Not all of these images evoked accolades but they did invariably elicit a response. Dick laughingly recalls the moment when one of his prints won a prize at a NH Art Association exhibit . . . "Lotte Jacobi came up to me and said: Dick, you've gone too far this time!"
While there are many things that make Richard Merritt unique, perhaps one of the most unusual and unorthodox aspects of his lifetime of achievement is that he has NEVER sold an image. He has had work in the Kodak exhibit at the 1948 World's Fair - a mural; had an image chosen for the coveted "Parting Shots" in Life Magazine; displayed his art at Grand Central Station in a Kodak sponsored "Creative Color Photography" exhibit; and, had a one man show at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts among many others and yet never has he allowed anyone to buy one of his images. For him, each image is like a child, born of his imagination and talent - not something with which he is willing to part. It is the purist in Merritt. Yet his images themselves are anything but pure . . . ranging from whimsy and self-parody to dark and foreboding, often manipulated or even mutilated to reach his objective. Though Merritt himself would probably say that his objective is never truly reached and any of his images might show up in another form at some future date.
Time Warp
A torn photograph behind which Merritt stooped to peer through as the camera shutter released creates an image that invites a very personal interpretation from every viewer.
In 1970 Richard Merritt gave up the job as UNH Photographer to concentrate on teaching as assistant professor of photography at UNH. It is here that perhaps, his most profound impact has been made. Students would literally sleep in line at the Paul Creative Arts Center in order to register for a coveted slot in one of Merritt's classes. During the 1970s and 1980s Richard Merritt brought the photography program at UNH to acclaim, both in terms of the quality of the program and the intense loyalty of the students he nurtured with his quiet manner and quick smile. In 1986 he retired from this position.
Today, Merritt and his love Edna, live a life of quiet contentment at Riverwoods at Exeter where they are fully engaged in the varied and interesting programming that Riverwoods offers. "The folks who live here", says Edna "have their own committees that create the programming so there is always something going on to challenge our minds and bodies, it's a very full and interesting life." Dick has not only shared his photographic talents with fellow residents but he has taken up painting, renewed his acquaintance with the piano and continues to enjoy jazz and the music forms that influence his creative photographic process. He's even working with the folks who run Riverwoods to help set up a darkroom as well. For Richard and Edna Merritt it is a retirement befitting a life well lived, filled with friends, frenetic opportunity and art . . . lots and lots of art.
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Lifelong Learning Program for Older Adults in Exeter Area Attracts Crowd at RiverWoods
Apr 11, 2006
An Open House at RiverWoods at Exeter on Monday attracted more that 150 area residents over 50 years of age interested in learning more about a series of planned educational programs geared for active, older adults in the Seacoast Region. Registration was held for a pilot program of interesting and fun introductory sessions to be offered by The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) in conjunction with Granite State College.
Susan Staples, Project Director of OLLI at Granite State College, addressed the audience and described the initial course offerings that range from a discussion of the "Madame Butterfly" opera to an inside look at the workings of the CIA. Says Ms. Staples, "We were thrilled that so many people attended the Open House. Obviously, there is tremendous interest in having stimulating learning opportunities available in this area for older adults."
Ms. Staples stressed that the success of the OLLI educational programs depends on active involvement from local community groups. "We've already found that kind of support in the Exeter area from wonderful groups like RiverWoods, the Exeter Public Library, Exeter Adult Education, the Exeter Historical Society, Squamscott Community Commons, and others," she says. At the completion of the spring introductory sessions, plans will be made regarding resumption of a full slate of courses and programs in the fall covering such topics as music, theater, technology, history, social trends, and more.
The Bernard Osher Foundation has awarded Granite State College, a part of the University System of New Hampshire, a grant to establish this program for adults over 50. Currently, the Foundation funds lifelong learning programs on 73 university campuses from Maine to Hawaii. Registrations are still available for the spring introductory courses offered by OLLI. Those wishing to register, or to simply find out more information, may call 513-1377, e-mail olli.office@granite.edu, or visit www.granite.edu/olli.
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Entering cyberspace: RiverWoods helps seniors traverse the Internet
Mar 24, 2006
By Johanna Maranto
newsletter@seacoastonline.com
Exeter News-Letter
EXETER - Susan just got a new job. Although she''''s excited about her transfer to the West Coast, she''''s worried about leaving her elderly parents behind in Exeter. They love their new apartment at RiverWoods, and Susan knows they have a great support system there, but 3,000 miles still sounds awfully far. And with the time difference, how will they ever talk on the phone? Susan most often works late and her parents turn in early. E-mail? Forget it. Her folks had a hard enough time learning to use their DVD player.
Then Susan talked to John Hammon, a RiverWoods resident who has volunteered to train his neighbors on an amenity recently made available at RiverWoods - Touchtown. Touchtown is an Internet and e-mail system designed especially for use by senior citizens. Hammon says, "It''''s great for retired people who weren''''t computer users. It was actually designed for them. The print on the screen is larger, the screen is cleaner, and it''''s simpler to use. There''''s even a way for people who don''''t see well or who have difficulty typing to send voice messages by e-mail." A touch screen option is also available for people with dexterity problems.
Penny Teodorczyk, executive assistant at RiverWoods, says thanks to Touchtown, which has users all over the country, the Internet is now friendlier to seniors. "It''''s easier than Yahoo or Hotmail. The screen is not crowded with ads and pop-ups, which can be overwhelming and distracting."
Teodorczyk says that RiverWoods residents exceed the national statistic for senior computer users, probably because they are a well-educated group. Nationally, 79 percent of senior citizens have never even used a computer. Of the 254 respondents to a recent RiverWoods survey, 51 percent said they actually own a computer. The remaining half now has the opportunity to be trained to use a computer with the ease of the Touchtown format.
RiverWoods has a computer lab open to all, and public computers are available in the lobbies, as well. Since January, when the program became available, Teodorczyk has given out 450 addresses, of which 40 percent have been used at least once. She says, "I expect it to be a slow build. We''re gearing our trainings to residents who have no computer experience. I think as residents start learning, then teaching each other, it will catch on."
Hammon says his wife, Shirley, is a good example of someone who warmed slowly to the technology, but now loves it. He explains, "We took a trip to Europe a few years ago. We''''d stop in a cyber caf￩ in one town, where for a few dollars we could use a computer to send some e-mails to our kids. Then, the next day when we''''d be in a new town, we''''d stop into another caf￩ to read their responses. That experience sold my wife on e-mail." There''''s even a way for people who don''''t see well or who have difficulty typing to send voice messages by e-mail." A touch screen option is also available for people with dexterity problems.
The Hammons'''' two children both live in New York state, and Shirley now uses Touchtown to e-mail them regularly, no longer relying on her husband''''s help with the computer.
While e-mail is a favorite function, Touchtown offers far more than that. Users can access the Internet, and those new to the technology are amazed at what is available to them online. Veterans of the Navy, for example, can look up the ship they served on and even get contact information for crew mates, many of whom have their own e-mail addresses.
Those who have relocated can read their hometown newspapers on the computer. Online "discussion" forums on topics from politics to poetry are available for Touchtown subscriber participation. Some of the discussions are national, others internal. One RiverWoods resident, who leads a Robert Frost discussion group, has set up a forum on the Touchtown system for his class to use.
Residents of RiverWoods can now have the entire retirement community at their fingertips. Touchtown allows them to look up the daily menu and the schedule of activities. They can book trips or schedule transportation without having to go to the lobby to sign up, and can even request maintenance or repairs without leaving their apartment by filling out an easy form on the computer.
For residents who are ailing, perhaps even unable to sit up, Teodorczyk says a computer and printer can be wheeled to them on a cart, so staff can read them their e-mails bedside, and even print out pictures that have been e-mailed to them.
Communication with grandchildren, in particular, tends to be enhanced by e-mail, according to Teodorczyk. Although many residents say they would rather write a letter than an e-mail, she reminds them that their grandchildren are not as inclined to pick up a pen and notepaper. Grandparents are much more likely to get a timely reply, or indeed, any reply at all, by computer.
Teodorczyk says many of RiverWoods''''s residents come from outside the area. The challenges of keeping in touch posed to families by these distances are minimized by using computer technology. Communication with adult children is not only more convenient, and therefore likely to be more frequent, but the adult children themselves can access many parts of the RiverWoods'''' information postings, looking online to see what mom is having for dinner, or for suggestions about what activities she might join.
Hammon expects that new residents will increasingly come to RiverWoods with some computer skills, and will warm quickly to the ease and convenience of the established Touchtown system. Teodorczyk agrees, "Thanks to this improved technology, seniors aren''''t being left behind anymore."
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Twice in a lifetime
Feb 26, 2006
By Michael Blinn
mblinn@seacoastonline.com
Portsmouth Herald
Bill Smallwood and Howard Tunstall are in their 80s, live within miles of each other and, until a few weeks ago, neither knew the other existed or about the history they share.
They did not know they had met 60 years earlier, near the end of World War II, at a prisoner of war camp in Germany where Smallwood was being held and Tunstall was part of an Army Air unit that had arrived to liberate the prisoners.
Now, a week after a chance meeting at a local bank, the two sit next to one another in a lounge at the Riverwoods at Exeter retirement community, where Smallwood lives.
They share stories and laughs, they fill in names where the other forgets, and finish each other's sentences. The glory days are still alive, though it has been a long journey before their paths crossed a second time.
It began in 1941, when Smallwood was a sophomore at Wesleyan College and the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor.
"I simply couldn't believe they would do this," Smallwood says of the motivation for him to enlist in the Army Air Forces.
Smallwood's outfit was assigned to a "flying fortress," a B-17 bomber as a member of the 15th Air Force in Italy. His 99th bomb group was to fly in from the south and bomb vital Nazi targets, such as oil refineries, factories and bridges.
Tunstall's path took him through the ArmyROTC at the University of Pennsylvania. When he enlisted, he spent an extra year in training before his 385th bomb group became the 8th Air Force in England and, from the north, went after Nazi vital targets.
"We were successful enough that we shortened the war," Smallwood says of the bombing missions.
Through 14 missions, Smallwood's bomb group succeeded and returned to base. It was his fifteenth, however, in 1944, that brought him to his first meeting with Tunstall.
His B-17 had three of its engines shot out, which led to the crew's eventual capture and imprisonment at Stalag Luft I, a German prison camp.
The pilot of the plane was shot in the chest and killed, while Smallwood was wounded in his leg, shoulder and rear end - for which he received his second Purple Heart.
"Life in camp was mostly boring," he recalls. "If you acted up, you got 10 days of solitary with bread and water."
Though he never ended up in solitary, he came close, being a member of the escape committee that dug tunnels in an attempt to get free.
"What about the dogs?" Tunstall asks, his own recollection of the big Alsatians, or German shepherds, that the Nazis had at the camp.
Tunstall came into the picture in May 1945, as Smallwood recalls the sounds of Russian artillery shells coming closer and closer, until one day, the prisoners of war woke up to find their German captors had fled.
Soon thereafter, Tunstall was receiving orders to fly in and evacuate the POWs at Stalag Luft I.
Now, Tunstall pulls out a book whose cover is a silken escape map. Inside are pictures he took at Stalag Luft I the day he evacuated Smallwood and the POWs.
"(The POWs) wanted one thing," Tunstall says. "To get the hell out of Germany."
Both men pore over their photos together, as Smallwood shares his shoe box of pictures and documents, as well as his book about his experiences, "Tomlin's Crew: A Bombardier's Story."
The photos show the men in their younger years, though the images are unmistakably the same men in uniform.
After their return home from war, they finished their respective schooling.
Tunstall became a paper producer, Smallwood an oil analyst.
The two would never have had the opportunity to share their memories were it not for a chance meeting, when Tunstall saw a POW license plate and 99th Bomber Unit on Smallwood's car.
"I went (into the bank) to look for another old fart," he says.
"I couldn't believe it," Smallwood says. "What are the odds?"
On the spot, the two made plans to get together and share stories, pictures and laughs.
"The funny things stick in your mind," Tunstall laughs. "It forgets all the crap."
Both sit, now hard of hearing, as they remember their trials, tribulations, war nightmares and two chance encounters, a lifetime of years apart.
Smallwood and Tunstall have already decided the forget about chance - they already have plans to meet again.
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Peak of fitness is ageless
Feb 14, 2006
By Peg Warner
newsletter@seacoastonline.com
Exeter News-Letter
EXETER - It's been two decades since Robert Bates' last major mountaineering expedition - the 25,000-foot Ulugh Muztagh in Tibet. The climbing party ascended to about 18,000 feet.
That was when he was 75.
These days, at 95, his climbing is largely restricted to the stairs in the buildings at RiverWoods at Exeter, where he and Gail, his wife and climbing partner on mountain excursions during summers off, have spent the past five of their 52 years together. His hearing has faded, and she serves as his ears and fills in details in his stories.
But long before climbing the world's highest peaks became a commercial enterprise, eased - somewhat - by technological advances in gear and clothing, and portable oxygen, Bates and a small group of contemporaries were blazing trails on them and mapping unexplored territory, finding an appeal in "the combination of the challenge and the people you did it with," forming lifelong friendships in the process. The life found him ascending to altitudes as high as the treacherous, 28,000-foot-high K2, where few Westerners had been, and chronicling his adventures in magazines and five books of his own, and having them chronicled in books written by others - most recently 2002's "Escape from Lucania" by David Roberts.
He scaled K2 in the Karakoram Range, the world's second-highest peak, twice - never summitting, but coming within two days of doing so on his first attempt in 1938. Base camp was at 12,000 feet; attempting the summit was, said Bates in a bit of understatement during an interview in a parlor at RiverWoods' main building, "15,000 feet of steep climbing.
"We got higher than any other American" to that point, said Bates.
The second ascent was in the summer of 1953, the same year Sir Edmund Hillary conquered Mount Everest.
"K2 is much more a mountain," said Bates, with no easy route to the peak.
That second expedition, recounted in the Saturday Evening Post and later in his book "K2, The Savage Mountain," was a harrowing experience that ended tragically and somewhat ironically: Art Gilkey, a member of his climbing party who had taken seriously ill, slid to his death in an avalanche as they battled fierce cold and snow, and frostbite, to bring him off the mountain to safety in a makeshift stretcher. They were minutes from retrieving him after recovering themselves from a frightening fall that left members of the party dangling precariously, saved by a fortuitous tangling of their ropes that prevented them from falling, when they discovered Gilkey's stretcher was gone.
What was the attraction climbing such a mountain?
"Literally, it had not been done before," said Bates.
The Philadelphia native recalls his first climbing experience at age 4:
Flying Mountain on Mount Desert Island, Maine. But he attended Phillips Exeter Academy, where he would later teach English and, as might be expected of a New Hampshire resident, the White Mountains played a formative role in his passion for climbing.
As a student at Harvard, he met Bradford Washburn, who would become his frequent climbing companion on trips to the Granite State and remains his friend.
"In college, we used to drive up in the little Ford with the rumble seat," he said.
The White Mountains became a training ground of sorts for later exploits.
"Mount Washington in the winter was a good place to train for the winds," said Bates.
During the Depression, the two men were hired by National Geographic to do what Gail Bates called "exploratory mountaineering," mapping and surveying the Northern Yukon in Canada and Alaska. Later, the Army tapped Bates' expertise and, working for the quartermaster general, he tested climbing equipment for the 10th Mountain Division, an assignment that involved him in the third-ever ascent up Alaska's Mount McKinley.
He calls that time "the golden age of mountaineering," and said he misses it.
"I love to climb," he said. "But I don't have the spring in my step like I used to."
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Exeter senior group stays active, helps in many ways
Jan 29, 2006
By Michael Blinn
mblinn@seacoastonline.com
Portsmouth Herald
There is a large wooden table in the center of the room, surrounded by several gray leather chairs. Folders, binders, pens, calendars, pencils, and agendas are strewn over the table, open to various pages, many with notes being taken in their margins. The talk is mostly business; the occupants of the room haven't been quiet for some time now. It is hard to conceive that this is a retirement community.
The discussion is about a service opportunity, reading at the Seacoast Charter School, acting as mentors.
"It's somewhat similar to what some of us already do at the Main Street School in Exeter," says Kel Doyle, the 87-year-old chairman of the Outreach Committee. Those surrounding the table nod in agreement.
The 13 members who sit on the Outreach Committee all belie their ages, as well as the notions that come with them. They work tirelessly to raise money, time, and goods from other residents and RiverWoods employees to help out charitable organizations such as the United Way, the New Outlook Teen Center, New Hampshire Public Television, and several area schools.
Ruth Scott, the 94-year-old secretary takes a break from her in-depth notes to convince her cohorts of another charity that she recently became aware of: sending books to Zimbabwe.
As a group they discuss ideas to help, the committee re-visits old projects, people who have helped, and who could help them with their cause. Surely, some of the nurses who work at RiverWoods would be glad to donate of their old textbooks to be sent to Africa. Nurses and residents alike are engaged in every task they've taken on in their six-year history.
They are quick to note that as a committee, they do not drive the community service push, but instead act as facilitators. While they aren't the only group of retirement community citizens to dedicate themselves to the local area, they are a minority. There are few communities that can claim to have the same types of things in their calendars and newsletters.
Pat Favreau, a RiverWoods employee who sits on the committee, adds that the Outreach Committee helps draw more seniors who are active and interested to RiverWoods.
When the current group of residents took over for its predecessors three years ago, it inherited a mission that was meant to ensure that "RiverWoods is not an 'island apart' but a contributing part of the large community in helping mobilize resident' talents for the good of the area." They have worked hard not so much to break new ground, but instead to make firm the base on which the committee stands.
In just the last year, the council has been at work to donate $25,000 for the United Way, to collect personal care items for nurses and doctors in Third World countries, to decorate a Christmas tree for auction, and to prepare mailings for the Big Brother Big Sister program. No matter who the committee helps, it is always on the lookout to do more.
"(Big Brother Big Sister) couldn't find a kid for me to mentor," says Doyle.
"Yeah, he wanted a cute twenty year old," Scott laughs.
It is about the fun for these residents of a continuous care retirement community. One memory many of them agree on is how much fun they have answering the phones for the annual NHPTV auction.
"They really are a great community partner," says Sue Suter, executive director of the United Way of the Greater Seacoast. "They are one of the most supportive organizations in the community."
Since they came together to form the service group, the Outreach Committee has worked with UWGS on various projects. Suter adds that every year, the residents of RiverWoods help with the annual Day of Caring, they run a dual educational campaign for the RiverWoods employees and residents, they have become involved in the overall campaign of the United Way, helping to give out grant money, as well as making good use of the Volunteer Action Center, and donating proceeds from yearly auctions and yardsales.
"They take their service very seriously," says Suter.
That doesn't mean anyone can't lend a hand like the RiverWoods Outreach Committee. The United Way, for instance, provides three separate way for people to donate: time, through volunteering with the Volunteer Action Center, money, including their annual Workplace Campaign, and even household goods through the Goods Match program. To get involved yourself, visit the United Way Web site (http://www.uqgs.org/) or give them a call at (603) 436-5554 or (800) VOLUNTEER.
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Officials foresee tough times, but are optimistic about growth
Jan 25, 2006
By Matthew Tetrault
mtetrault@seacoastonline.com
Portsmouth Herald
BEDFORD - Tomorrow's economic forecast: Partly optimistic with a chance of higher energy prices, according to industry officials at the 2006 New Hampshire Industry Forecast Tuesday.
Around 200 people attended the annual breakfast at the C.R. Sparks event center. They heard industry leaders from the health care, banking, energy, higher education, retirement living and financial industries give their own assessments of the state's economy.
Several key issues discussed by business leaders were the declining industrial real estate market, increasing insurance premiums and rising energy and higher education tuition costs.
Despite some economic setbacks in the previous year, these officials said they remain confident that New Hampshire's economy will continue on the road to recovery and growth.
"New Hampshire is recovering faster from the recession than any other state," said Thomas Farrelly, executive director of Cushman & Wakefield, a commercial real estate firm in Manchester. "We see a lot of future growth, especially in the real estate investment market."
An executive with Hampton-based energy company Unitil explained that in an age of skyrocketing energy prices, the company continues to stress conservation and innovation among local businesses, consumers and municipalities.
"Lowering consumption and switching to energy-efficient equipment sends a message to state government and industry that energy prices are too high. Eventually, this will result in lower prices," said George R. Gantz, senior vice president of Unitil. The company employs more than 300 employees in the Seacoast region.
Frank S. Crane III, chief executive officer of RiverWoods At Exeter, predicted the retirement industry will become an important sector of the local economy.
"Projected high growth of homeowners ages 65 and older means that RiverWoods is not likely to have any shortage of applicants," he said. "The out-migration of young people from the state, however, may make it harder for us to find and retain workers."
Sponsored by Business NH magazine, the Industry Forecast has been attempting to predict the future of New Hampshire's economy for more than a decade. Business leaders speaking at the 2005 breakfast predicted a slow but steady improvement for all economic areas.
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