Food fund online
In past years, Concord High School has conducted a food drive for the Capital Region Food Program. This year, in place of the traditional Food and Fund Drive, they launched a Go Fund Me page to support the Holiday Food Basket Program. The link is https://gf.me/u/y9a3k5. For nearly 50 years, the CRFP’s Holiday Food Basket Project has provided food to those in need while offering our community many ways to donate. Due to COVID-19, there are many changes to the program for 2020, most significantly, the program cannot accept donated food this year. They have the same number of people to support but need to purchase all food due to sanitation and storage issues this is going to mean a significant increase in their cost. Concord High School has always risen to the challenge and used its compassion and community spirit to support the Holiday Food Basket Program, last year raising over $8,000 and donating two pallets of highly nutritious food. This year, they would love to raise our donation to $10,000: a lofty goal but achievable with your support. Given the students’ remote learning limitations, they can’t accept cash or coin donations this year. While the Go Fund Me platform is not perfect, it is a wonderful way to consolidate the contributions in a safe manner. Several people have agreed to donate to cover the cost of the processing (1.9% and 30 cents per donation) so that 100% of our contribution still goes directly to the CRFP to buy food. The organization is 100% volunteer, so every penny buys food. Any donation will help make an impact. Thanks in advance for your contribution to this cause that means so much to us and our community.
Kristina Peare
Crash course in U.S. government
Join Gibson’s Bookstore virtually for a night of politics on Dec. 2 at 7 p.m. via Zoom. Nick Capodice and Hannah McCarthy (hosts of NHPR’s CIVIC 101) share their book, A User’s Guide to Democracy: How America Works, a lively crash course in how the U.S. Government works, and discuss what steps we can expect during the presidential transfer of power. They are joined by author Seth Masket, author of Learning from Loss: The Democrats, 2016-2020, as he presents the strategic choices the Democratic Party made after losing the 2016 presidential election. Registration required at eventbrite.com/e/ 129935104395.
Elizabeth Jewell
Gift of Lights open
The family holiday tradition of driving through 2.5 miles of dazzling Christmas light displays at New Hampshire Motor Speedway continues this year with the Gift of Lights presented by Eastern Propane & Oil. The 10th annual event is open every night from Thanksgiving, Nov. 26 through Jan. 3.
This year, the 2.5-mile drive-thru light show is even brighter with 3.5 million lights, a new 150-foot RGB Tunnel of Lights and new scenes including the Three Little Pigs, Goldilocks, Mother Goose, Jack Be Nimble, Deer Beach Vacation and a package wrapping machine. Over 650 hours go in to setting up more than 520 displays and 80 different scenes each year, which also includes the popular 12 Days of Christmas scene and the fan-favorite 130-foot long infield entrance and exit Tunnels of Lights made up of over 25,000 lights.
“Pack the kids up, bring some hot cocoa, turn up the Christmas music and escape to the winter wonderland that’s been created right here in Loudon, New Hampshire,” said David McGrath, executive vice president and general manager of New Hampshire Motor Speedway. “This event has always been a special way for families to spend time together, but this year, it’s the perfect way to keep your family safe without sacrificing an annual holiday tradition, and it helps those in need as well.”
Helping the community is a major part of what makes Gift of Lights so special. A portion of all admissions proceeds benefit the New Hampshire Chapter of Speedway Children’s Charities, which raises money for children in need throughout New England. Other local organizations that benefit from Gift of Lights are the Loudon Food Pantry and Loudon Firefighters Association, however, COVID-19 restrictions will prevent in-person donations this year. Monetary donations can be made to either organization following the instructions in the Help the Community section of the Gift of Lights page on the NHMS website.
Santa Claus may quarantine at the North Pole this year, preventing him from being on-site at Gift of Lights, but theme nights allow visitors to get in to the holiday spirit. Attendees can save $10 per car at the gate with Christmas car decorations (Nov. 30), wearing cozy pajamas (Dec. 1), bringing the family pet (Dec. 7) and styling in crazy Christmas sweaters (Dec. 8). Admission is available for purchase online at NHMS.com/Events/Gift-of-Lights/ or in-person at New Hampshire Motor Speedway for $25 per car. Show hours are 4:30 p.m. until 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 4:30 p.m. until 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, depending on the weather.
Zonta takes action
The Zonta Club of Concord envisions a world in which women’s rights are recognized as human rights and every woman is able to achieve her full potential. In such a world, no woman lives in fear of violence.
During the 16 Days of Activism, Nov. 25 to December 10, Zonta will once again take part in the Say No to Violence Against Women campaign to take local, national and international actions to influence the making and implementation of laws, as well as changing gender-based attitudes and behaviors to end violence against women and girls.
This campaign launched by Zonta in 2012 has raised awareness of this global pandemic of women’s rights violations and has united Zonta clubs worldwide in conducting impactful advocacy actions to fight violence against women and gender equality.
The Zonta Club of Concord will donate $1,000 to the Sheila Stanley Counseling Fund at Womankind Counseling in Concord to help women receive the necessary trauma services they need and $500 to the NH Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence to help their mission. Hotel Concord has partnered with the Zonta Club of Concord to bring attention to these 16 Days of Activism by lighting up their roofline “orange,” the color that symbolizes the Zonta Says No campaign. In addition, the Zonta Club of Concord will support and campaign for the upcoming Child Marriage House Bill to change the legal age of marriage to 18 years which would allow girls time to improve their knowledge, skills and attitudes on their rights, relationships, sexual and reproductive health and financial literacy.
For more information on Zonta, visit zontaclubofconcordnh.org.
