CCL Weekly Update – 6/23/22

Sincere thanks to everyone who contributes…

Nearing the end of June, we all seem to wonder at the peculiar weather business happening. Nothing consistent – just big temperature fluxes, winds and green masses of pollen to make us miserable. Ugh. We’re so sorry for all of you suffering from seasonal allergies and weather angst.

The CommunityCare Board of Directors met for its final meeting of the 2021-2022 fiscal year last evening – in person for the first time in ages. It seemed so good and productive to be in the same place at the same time to discuss our work together. In recapping the year, it was encouraging to hear how much has been happening and how CCL has been able to facilitate solutions and support to people in our communities. Even where I sit, in the middle of it all, it was remarkable to see the scope of the team’s work. Sincere thanks to everyone who contributes their personal time and resources toward enabling this work. Whether your contributions are financial, volunteering, creative energies, or just the trust to ask for a little help, you make this happen!

And speaking of happenings and contributions to the community: Let’s all take a moment to offer the happiest of birthday wishes to Pat Pippin of Lyme Country Store fame. The matriarch of the family that has been so committed to our community and continues to provide an enormous service to Lyme, celebrated last weekend, and we celebrate with her! To further the joy we share, she and husband Tony Sr. celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary TODAY, with the fun continuing into the weekend (at least!) Congratulations, thanks, and many blessings to them!

… our commitment to one another
“in good times or bad”
is what keeps us strong, together.

 

Patty Jenks
Patty Jenks Chief Community Advocate
CommunityCare of Lyme

News and Notes:

CommunityCare of Lyme Office Hours

The CCL Office and Living Room are open Monday through Thursday, 9-11am. We’d love to see you!

The office will be closed on July 4th in honor of the holiday. Have a wonderful day with friends, family and neighbors! You can always call the Help Line (603-795-0603), and if you have to leave a message, we’ll get back to you as soon as possible. For emergencies, always dial 911.

On Monday, July 18th, the office will be closed as we prepare for the Lawn Party Luncheon. Please join us for this event from 11am – 1pm at the Teccas’ home. More information below!

Current help requests

A few neighbors would love a hand with home projects. This week’s highlights: weeding a garden patch, a light housekeeping job. If you can help in the next several days, please let us know at help@cclyme.org or call 603-795-0603.

Covid update

There are still many Covid cases popping up in Lyme and neighboring communities. 

Vaccination – now including young children! There are two vaccine options for children as young as 6 months old. The distribution plans are still in the works, with more children’s “jabs” being offered at doctor’s offices and small clinics. Several Dartmouth Hitchcock Clinics locations will be offering COVID-19 vaccine clinics this weekend, and scheduling is available through myDH or at the DH COVID Hotline 603-650-1818. For all ages, at Vaccines.gov you can find locations and make an appointment. Dosage is different for children, so please be sure to specify the age when making an appointment.

Please Stay safe: Though you may be unlikely to get very sick, if you test positive it is a pain (at best); and you’ve got a responsibility to keep others safe. You must isolate for at least 5 days, which might mean missing work and adding stress, if not sickness, to the lives of those with whom you live, work, and play.

As infection numbers fluctuate, guidance remains consistent. Simple precautions help keep us safe when we’re at risk of Covid (and other virus or bacteria) spread: Face covering, physical distance, and hand washing. Please keep a mask along to wear inside when requested or when safe distancing isn’t possible. 

For up-to-date information on testing, vaccines, and more in New Hampshire, visit www.covid19.nh.gov. Note that Upper Valley locations in Vermont can also serve NH residents.

Contact CCL if you would like help navigating the system or have questions, and we’ll do our best to get you the most up-to-date answers and help you may need. Email help@cclyme.org or call 603-795-0603.

June is …

LGBTQ+ Pride Month. Love is Love. Learn more about Pride Month by viewing this ABC interview with Sam Ames, director of advocacy and government affairs at The Trevor Project. (June 1, 2022)

Rainbow Fest – Fairlee, VT. An alternative way to celebrate Pride, surrounded by and in communion with nature. Open to all members of the LGBTQ+ Family, including allies. Friday – Sunday, 6/24-6/26.

Portsmouth Pride – Portsmouth, NH. Lots of events, activities and businesses supporting Pride throughout the month with a culminating celebration on Saturday 6/25.

Converse Free Library has curated a book list for Pride in celebration of Rainbow Book Month™.

Each week CCL will share Pride resources. Please let us know about events or information to include.

National Great Outdoors Month. We will focus on different ways to enjoy the great outdoors each week as part of our Wellness Wednesday initiative. We’d love to hear from you as we add to our “summer bucket list” of outdoor activities to enjoy in and around the Upper Valley.

How about trying something new? Enjoy the outdoors this month with the Utility Club’s Free Qi Gong Class Series! Final session Tuesday 6/28 at 5pm at Post Pond. Learn more here.

Aging in Community

Dartmouth Aging Resource Center (“ARC”, throughout the Lyme Events Calendar) has an amazing array of programs, activities, and supports. Here’s a link to this week’s ARC newsletter. You can subscribe.

The Orford Senior Center (serving Orford and Lyme) has lots going on: on-site bingo, followed by a meal! Weekly Grab ‘n Go and daily home delivered meals. Links for more information: June newsletter, menu, book club, and ongoing Grafton County Senior Citizens Council activities. Contact Eileen Nickles, OSC coordinator 603-353-9107, enickles@gcscc.org to learn more or to sign up for meals or activities.

Weekly health and well-being tips, resources, and recipes

Monday’s Menu. Celebrate Juneteenth with a recipe highlighted in Juneteenth Joy: 19 Recipes to Fall in Love With.  from the organization “Eat the Culture”. The recipe is by Savor and Sage author, Stefani Renée, inspired by The Cooking Gene by Michael W. Twitty. Please click here to see this week’s recipe.

If you have an original recipe OR a recipe you have adapted that you would love to share please email me at  shelby@cclyme.org  Click here to see all the Monday’s Menu recipes.

Wellness Wednesday. There are so many wonderful outdoor venues across the Upper Valley where you can connect with music, friends, neighbors and nature. In exploring this, we are grateful to share thoughts from Lyme resident, James Graham. Please enjoy this week’s post here.

If you have a wellness topic you would like to share about OR would love to learn more about, please contact shelby@cclyme.org. See all Wellness Wednesday posts here. 

Extending a warm Upper Valley welcome

Urgent need: a nanny for the summer, and possibly beyond. If you or someone you know would be interested in full or part-time work in Hanover with a dear Afghan family, including twin 4 month olds and a 5 year old (who will be in day camp on weekdays), please contact Martha Tecca at 603-443-0283. We’d also love to hear from babysitters/mother’s helpers who have their own transportation and some regular weekly times to share. These are paid roles. (Volunteers are also still very welcome to help out!)

Financial support is needed. Childcare needs are great, even with extraordinary babycare volunteers and friendly play dates. With driver’s licenses nearly in hand, the family and the men will both be in need of car insurance. Donations to the CCL Welcome Fund support Afghan evacuees and others displaced by challenging circumstances. Go to cclyme.org/donate or mail a check to CCL at PO Box 127 Lyme, NH 03768. Please note that your donation is for the Welcome Fund. 

Get involved! Our new neighbors appreciate help with rides, opportunities to practice English, occasional meals, and simple, warm connection with neighbors. Thanks to so many who have been a part of the welcome so far. Please contact Martha Tecca (martha.tecca@gmail.com, 603-795-0603).

NEW: Orford Open Air Market

Saturdays, 9am-noon, beginning July 9th on the Common in Orford. An open air market that’s opportunity for people in the area to conveniently shop and support local small businesses that provide local produce, meats, cheese, jams, pickles, baked goods, fine crafts, and much, much more! If you’re an artisan, farmer, gardener, soap maker, honey harvester, baker, or have another product or message to share, please join in! Click here to learn more and see the growing list of participating sellers. Email Cara Dyke for an application or more information Orfordopenairmarket@gmail.com, 603-236-2899.

Those Guys Tent Rentals!

Those Guys are renting their tents for this outdoor season. As always, funds raised through this effort are distributed to community organizations. This post includes all the details. We are extremely grateful for Those Guys’ support. What a crew!

We are here. Every Day. 603-795-0603 or help@cclyme.org.

Reach out when you or someone you care about needs a hand. If you could use information, help, a listening ear or ways to bring someone else joy, contact us at 603-795-0603 or help@CCLyme.org.  Our phone is answered every day, usually in person. Our COOL and welcoming living room in the Lyme Center Academy is a terrific place to relax, read, visit with friends, or meet with a CCL team member. It is now open Monday through Thursday from 9am – 11am, and by appointment. Be in touch, any time. You’ll reach a friendly voice, a little (or a lot of) help, and creative, safe ways to be involved.

Coming up: 

Check out the Lyme Events Calendar, the Valley News Calendar, Lyme organizations (see several links at the end of this message) or the Aging Resource Center for more ideas. 

We are pleased to pass on news shared by Lyme organizations.

This Week

Please check the Listserv or call the event organizer. Due to the community spread of Covid, things are changing regularly. 

Specials

Ongoing

  • Tuesdays at 1pm.  Lyme Food Pantry at 1pm CCL hosts the distribution every Tuesday at Lyme Congregational Church. Call ahead to order, or just stop by. DELIVERY AVAILABLE.
  • Tuesday afternoons. Pardon my Garden Lyme Gardeners visit local gardens. This week (6/28) Suzanne Elusorr, Plainfield 4:30-6:30 Click the event link for address and details about the program. Questions about Lyme Gardeners? Please contact Anne Baird.
  • Final session in the series is this Tuesday 6/28.
  • Wednesday afternoons. FREE Reiki with Stephanie Carney in the CCL Living Room at the Lyme Center Academy Building. For an appointment, contact carney.steph@gmail.com or 603-795-2419.
  • Wednesdays 11am-2pm, Saturdays 10am-1pm. Lyme Historians Exhibit Trains: Transportation, Trade, & Toys. At the Historians Museum.
  • Thursdays. Bingo 9-10:30am, Grab-N-Stay (or Grab-N-Go) Meal 11am at the Orford Senior Center. Please call to make your reservation: 603-353-9107 or email enickles@gcscc.org. All participants must sign in and sign out; masks optional. Contact CCL if you could use a ride. Meal delivery is available.
  • All Summer long: Summer Reading Program. Visit Converse Free Library for information on all the wonderful upcoming offerings!

Save the date! 

  • Monday, July 18th. Lawn Party Luncheon 11am – 1pm at the Teccas’ home in Orford. Join CommunityCare of Lyme and the Orford Senior Center for our annual community gathering overlooking the beautiful Connecticut River. Would you like to help with food or logistics? We have fun! Contact shelby@cclyme.org or call 603- 795-0603. 
  • Saturday, August 6th. Thai Dinner fundraiser. Paphanh and generous volunteers prepare an amazing meal, with proceeds to CommunityCare of Lyme and the Lyme Congregational Church.
  • Saturday, September 24th. 2022 Lyme Health and Wellness Fair. A big day!! Lots more to come.

All of these events require many helping hands. If you would love to volunteer,
or be a part of an event planning committee please contact shelby@cclyme.org / 802-468-7776.
Thank you for your consideration!

*NOTE: For any event that’s not online, please be prepared with a mask and clean hands. Safety guidance, and hosts’ comfort continues to evolve.

Check out the Lyme Events Calendar for a full listing of upcoming events selected for Lyme and neighboring communities.

Calendar information is gathered from multiple sources, including:

Lyme and other local listservs

Lyme Library Calendar

Lyme School Events Listing

Town of Lyme Website

Daybreak Upper Valley daily newsletter Click to subscribe

Valley News online calendar

Dartmouth-Hitchcock Aging Resource Center

Please share any additions or edits to calendar items, so that we can include them in the online calendar.

We are here for you.
When you seek information, help, or ways to help others, contact us.

The Lyme Community Help Line:
call 795-0603 or email Help@CCLyme.org

Connection to resources you need now to stay active, involved, and well.
Lyme Food Pantry or prepared meals. Deliveries or errands. Help around home.
Just a chat. You name it.