Austism Program branded a success

Students in the New England Center for Children partner program,

 now in its second year at Derry Village School, 

have shown significant academic and social progress.

By CHELSEY POLLOCK
Union Leader Correspondent
DERRY — District staff and parents say the New England Center for Children partner classroom has found academic and financial success in Derry.
Massachusetts-based NECC is a private, nonprofit organization that offers consulting services for students with autism and other related disabilities. At 14 Massachusetts schools, NECC operates special education programs within school districts for students requiring care beyond what an individual district can provide.
Last year, Derry hosted the first partner classroom in New Hampshire at Derry Village School, with the help of $900,000 in federal stimulus money spread over two years. In the NECC partnership classroom, Derry students work one-on-one with tutors to develop academic and social skills as part of an individual curriculum that adapts throughout the year as students progress, said Derry Director of Student Services Christopher Kellan. 

Then students and their tutors spend a portion of their day in general education environments, with most students averaging between 12 and 15 hours outside the NECC classroom each week. 

“The classroom is the hub of their universe,” Kellan said. “Students are taught the development of academic and social skills in that low-distraction environment by the one-to-ones and then they are able to practice those academic, developmental and social skills out in the general education setting at lunch, recess or in the classroom.” 
Last year, the elementary level program served five students with autism who either returned to Derry from an existing out-of-district placement or who would’ve likely been placed out of district last year for the first time, Kellan said. This year, seven students are enrolled and the program has moved to a larger classroom at Derry Village School. 
With seven students, Kellan said the NECC partner program will cost about $484,000 annually. But with the average out-of- district placement exceeding $100,000 per student, Kellan said the cost of the program will be covered by the savings of keeping students within the district. 
“A comparable program out of district would essentially cost double or more for the same number of students,” Kellan said. “But it’s also about those intangible benefits. There’s a cost savings and all, but the other benefits are priceless.” 
For 8-year-old Ben Koslouski, who is returning to the NECC classroom for third grade this year, the program has already made a difference, said his mother, Deb. 
“He spends a good majority of the day in the typical classroom, but it’s great because he’s able to ask for breaks,” Deb Koslouski said. “He can get really overstimulated quickly and once you hit that wall, it’s hard to recoup from that, but now he knows he can ask for a break and then go back to the classroom later.” And after that first year, Koslouski said she’s noticed advances in Ben’s verbal abilities. 
“I see a lot more verbal communication. He comes out with some stuff that surprises even me now and again,” she said. “I look at the work that comes home that he does do independently and there’s just a lot more progress academically.” 
Ben was previously attending a program in Lawrence, Mass., and Koslouski said commuting to the out-of-district placement and trying to coordinate school activities across state lines created headaches for her family. 
But with the new program, Koslouski said she’s more comfortable and was finally able to get a job outside the home in February. 
“I managed to get a job because I don’t worry about him at all,” she said. “It’s given me peace of mind that I know he’s with people who completely get him.” 
And Kellan said all students have shown academic success in the program so far. 
In the first year, he said, students showed “substantial progress” in more than 95 percent of their individualized education program, or IEP, objectives. 
And much of that success has been the cooperation of the wider community, he said. 
“It’s the partnership of the NECC, the Derry School District and all of the staff at Derry Village that have been outstanding in supporting and welcoming the new staff, students and their families,” he said. “It’s a partnership between lots of different folks all working together in the best interest of the students.” 
Kellan presented the program’s progress to the Derry School Board last week, where it was met with heavy praise. 
“I’ve heard nothing but positive things from parents and staff,” said school board member Brenda Willis at the meeting. “...That’s what we’re here for. We’re here to make a difference for children and to make sure that they’re educated and we do the best we can. I’m blown away by what has been accomplished.” 
The board approved the NECC partner classroom as a full district program for up to seven students last week, and the cost of the program will now be incorporated into the district’s annual budget, Kellan said. 
And Koslouski, who has another child with autism and a third student in general education classes, said she thinks the partner classroom will help students both in and outside of the program. 
“I think it’s good exposure for my kids to learn from their typically developing peers about how to behave and what’s acceptable,” she said. “But I think the typically developing kids get a lot, too. It teaches them about accepting people who are different, and I think anytime you get an opportunity to work with people who function a little differently, everyone wins.” 

New eatery, How's Your Onion?, open for business

Alicia Smith, left and husband Michael, settle in at How's Your Onion?, Derry's newest eater,
while waitress Cathy Simpson gets ready to take their order.

By CAROL ROBIDOUX

Union Leader Correspondent

DERRY – Roz Hartley is truly the mother in invention – her son, Marc-Damien Hartley has been the brains behind the transformation of the family's once-thriving neighborhood grocery store into the town's trendiest new eatery.

“I didn't expect to be here at all,” said Roz Hartley yesterday, helping out behind the cash register, as needed.

But yesterday's soft opening of How's Your Onion? was a family success story in every way, said Marc-Damien Hartley, who is executive chef for the 48-seat restaurant, which serves breakfast and lunch seven days a week.

“We have just under 20 employees with a combined 260 years of experience – and that includes three employees with no experience,” said Hartley, who has been waiting for his chance to run the show after years of cooking and coordinating for other area eateries, most recently as manager for Outback Steakhouse in Connecticut.

Doors open at 5 a.m. every day except Sundays, when Hartley gets an extra hour to sleep in, opening at 6 a.m. – old habits are hard to break.

For 26 years Roz and Doug Hartley owned and operated JP's Superette in the very space that now features booth, table and counter seating accented in warm wood and berry tones. The walls display original artwork by his twin sister, Janna – the first in what Roz Hartley hopes will be a long line of local artists, photographers and artisans waiting to use the wall space as a gallery.

Marc-Damien Hartley, left, confers with cook Pete Mannarini.

When the Hartleys bought the neighborhood grocery store it was a bustling a full-service market. Their kids were right there, stocking shelves and helping out as needed. Over the years, business dwindled as the rural landscape filled up with chain supermarkets and drug stores. In the end, the superette served mostly earlybird customers who'd stop for coffee or a muffin and grab some lottery tickets, or a handful of regulars who were still coming for smokes, beer or incidental items.

In February the family took a deep, cleansing breath, sold off the remnants of the grocery business and and decided to bring in the sledgehammers.

In preparing to open a restaurant in a town known for its many other popular eateries, Marc-Damien Hartley relied on his passion for cooking and his six years of military training as an Army cook and pastry chef.

“We did a good organized training session with the staff, and for today, I wanted to keep staffing on the high side, just to make sure we took enough time with our guests, and with the food,” Hartley said.

His efforts were not in vain.

“We love it,” said Alicia Smith, who had been waiting patiently for opening day. “We live around the corner, and were watching the progress. They did an excellent job – the food is great and it looks very different.”

Bill Linsky, a Derry native, said he will probably still refer to the place as the “highway superette,” but he will have no trouble getting used to the cuisine.

“I had a Number 9 – scrambled eggs with cheese, home fries and an English muffin – it was all delicious,” said Linsky. His wife, Bonnie, said she had no idea it was opening day.

“I normally won't go to a restaurant until it's been opened for at least a month, until they get the kinks worked out – I didn't notice any kinks,” she said.

There's no "Open for Business" sign;

when the flag is flying, the food is flowing.

Hartley's seasoned staff has much to do with that – his cook, Pete Mannarini, spent years cooking down the street at Anthony's Cucina, which abruptly closed its doors in August. His waitstaff also has plenty of experience with customer service.

“I've worked at just about every place in town, and I just love it here,” said Cathy Simpson. “What I love most are Marc's ideas – he's covered all the bases and he really knows what he's doing.

At the heart of what he's doing is treating patrons as guests in a family business rooted in homestyle tradition said Hartley, going all the way back to selecting his restaurant's intriguing name.

“How's Your Onion?” is an expression that originated with his maternal grandfather, Alfred Giuffrida, who would ask that question as a sort of greeting – the family had been trained over time to know the right response: “Good enough to make you cry,” which has become the restaurant's catch phrase, featured on staff gear and coffee mugs.

"The whole experience has been exciting -- it came out better than I ever imagined; it's beautiful," said Hartley, looking around at the decor, all carefully coordinated by his sister, Janna.

Success will be simple, he said, as long as he stays focuses on what is at the heart and soul of this business plan.

"If you take care of your team, they will take care of you. If you hire the right people, they will do anything to make sure the business is successful, and that's what we have here," Hartley said.

How's Your Onion? is located at 91 West Broadway in Derry. Hours are Mon. - Thurs., 5 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Fri. and Sat., 5 a.m. to 6 p.m .and Sundays 6 a.m. to 2 p.m.For more information go to www.howsyouronion.com or find them on Facebook.

Winery aims to be the toast of Farmers Market

LaBelle Winery employee Ginny Miller promoting local wines at the' Big E' in March.

By CAROL ROBIDOUX

Union Leader Correspondent

DERRY – A local boutique winery will join the fleet of local farm and vendor stands at Derry's downtown farmer's market today.

LaBelle Winery of Amherst has signed on to be a regular vendor at the fledgling market, which will now boasts 19 booths selling local fresh produce, handmade goods and locally manufactured products.

The award-winning winery, which produces about 3,500 bottles annually of 21 varieties, earned recognition at the 2010 Eastern States Expo, known as the Big E, taking home 14 medals, as well as earning four medals at the Finger Lakes International Wine Competition in New York.

Specializing in Riesling, Gewurztraminer and Seyval Blanc using grapes from the Finger Lakes region, owner Amy LaBelle said she takes most pride in crafting wines made exclusively from fruit grown locally in New Hampshire.

Having a venue like the downtown market is ideal.

“We were looking for a good Wednesday night market to join, and this will be one of the best spots for us to focus our energies on,” said LaBelle.

Strategically, Derry provides a strong connection to new customers who might not otherwise know they exist.

“Farm markets in summer are such a vibrant place – the sun is shining, the people are upbeat. We have a chance to let people know they don't have to go to Napa to get good quality wine,” LaBelle said.

“We're coming in with full guns blazing, probably bringing our top 15 varieties so people will get a good flavor for what we do,” LaBelle said.

To sweeten the deal, she will be offering a Vintage Rewards Card to farm market customers who will get a $10 discount after a dozen purchases.

“In this economy, people can't afford to buy wine by the case, which usually sells at a 10 percent discount, so it's just one more way we're looking to get customers to try us out,” LaBelle said.

Pinkerton Tavern: Moving On?

By CAROL ROBIDOUX

Union Leader Correspondent

DERRY – Support is mounting for the endangered Pinkerton Tavern, a prominent landmark and thriving restaurant that currently stands in the way of progress.

     Whether support will be enough to save the place, in one form or another, remains to be seen.

     “I would like the town to work with them,” said Councilor Janet Fairbanks yesterday, after meeting recently with Jen Lutzen and Guy Streitburger, who have run the business for eight years. Fairbanks is in favor of finding a way to save the building from the wrecker ball and move it to another location in town.

     It was a proposal made to the council three weeks ago, by Karen Blandford Anderson of the town's Heritage Commission. Fairbanks has taken the suggestion to heart.

     “This is the part I don't understand. We have these people who are paying taxes and who give back so much to the community through their business. We should be doing everything in our power to keep businesses in Derry that are currently here, not taking from them,” Fairbanks said.

     She was the lone dissenting vote on accepting the project plan, she says, because no one had answered the question of the fate of the historic tavern.

     But now that plans are moving full steam ahead, the first order of business is for the town to buy up land along both sides of Route 28 for the expansion to five lanes. Three years ago, there was some talk of moving the building back 20 feet. But that would eliminate the already limited parking space. Encroaching further into the wetlands that sit behind the building to solve the space problem was not an option.

     Offers for the fair market value of the land in question have been prepared and are ready to be mailed to all 18 property owners, including Arnold Goldstein of Bedford, who holds the deed to the Pinkerton property under the name L&A Realty. Streitburger and Lutzen said they signed a 20-year lease in 2002 to operate the tavern and restaurant.

     On Monday, Town Administrator Gary Stenhouse explained the letters initiating that process have been delayed by the legalities of preparing for the “worse case scenario” – should Goldstein not accept the town's offer, then the town must be begin the process of taking the land by eminent domain.

     “The building will either have to be moved or torn down,” Stenhouse said. “The site has a lot of historic value, but the building has been modified over the years to the point where it's no longer eligible on the state or federal registry as a historic building.”

     He said it will be up to Goldstein to decide how he wants to move forward. Attempts by the Union Leader to reach Goldstein for comment were unsuccessful, as he has been vacationing outside of the U.S. He is expected to return this weekend.

     “I don't have a solution for Mr. Streitburger and Ms. Lutzen. But we have some flexibility as to when they would have to be out of the building, should Mr. Goldstein accept the town's offer,” Stenhouse said.

     Although the town's offer will be kept under wraps until it has been accepted or rejected, the current assessed value of the property, including the building, is $627,300. If the decision is made to sell the property to the town, Fairbanks would like to see the council consider selling the building to the couple – if they are interested – for $1.

     “That is the precedent they set when they sold the Upper Village Hall to the East Derry Village Improvement Society. It seems only right that the same offer be made available to Guy and Jen,” Fairbanks said.

     Stenhouse said he would not be opposed to such a deal.

     “I would be happy to give the building away so someone could preserve it,” Stenhouse said.

     Whether that is a feasible option remains to be seen.

     According to Brian Payne of Payne Building Movers in Center Strafford, moving a large, historic building is not the hard part.

     “When you're moving an old building off an existing site to a new one, it technically becomes a new building. And depending on what the building is going to be used for, it's up to the building inspector's discretion whether the old building is up to code by modern standards,” said Payne.

     The feasibility of moving a big, old building such as the Pinkerton Tavern, would depend on how far it's being moved, what's in its path and the building's overall condition.

     “A building like that could generally be moved in one or two pieces, but when it comes to cost, the sky's the absolute limit – there are so many things to consider,” he said. “It would be possible. But you have to ask yourself at some point does it make economic sense,” said Payne. “I love old buildings. But in these times, you have to consider the cost.”

     It would also depend on whether Streitburger and Lutzen are in a position to purchase a property suitable for the building-- of if they can get along without an income while the process unfolds.

     “Jen told me they've had people calling to ask if they will be available in August to do a wedding, and she has to tell them she honestly doesn't know. I don't think the town knows the answer to that, either,” Fairbanks said. “But we need to figure it out.”

     Stenhouse said the town would work with the couple to look at alternate sites through its new economic development arm, the Rockingham Economic Development Corporation.

     “First things first, though. Mr. Goldstein has to decide whether to accept our offer. Until we know that, we won't know how this is going to go,” Stenhouse said.

     News that the Pinkerton Tavern was in jeopardy did not sit well with Reed Paige Clark, 80, of Londonderry. Of all those affected by the sale of the property and possible razing of the building, he said he and his family would be most upset.

     “My family lived there and ran a farm there for two generations,” said Clark yesterday. “The people who were raised there who are still living – there are fewer and fewer of them with each year – will be totally distraught. I will be the one who has to tell them, and I don't look forward to that at all,” said Clark.

Pinkerton Tavern on Collision Course with Route 28 Widening Plan

 Pinkerton Tavern owners Guy Streitburger and Jen Lutzen

By CAROL ROBIDOUX

Union Leader Correspondent

DERRY – Guy Streitburger feels like the town has led him down a path to nowhere. A plan to widen Route 28 to five lanes will slice through the Pinkerton Tavern, which he and his wife, Jen Lutzen, have been operating for eight years.

     Three years ago, that same development plan was presented quite differently, he says.

     “There were options on the table. They were talking about moving the building. Maybe pushing it back 10 feet into the wetlands. It would have meant shutting down business for a couple of months, but nobody was talking about bulldozing the place,” Streitburger said.

     Times have changed.

     Now, his livlihood is being threatened by progress and the historic Pinkerton Tavern, which he and his wife have built into a successful eatery, may be bought by the town and bulldozed, said Streitburger.

     Word of the impending doom reached the town's Historic Commission, prompting Karen Anderson to appeal to the council at last week's regular meeting. She spoke not only as a member of the board, but as a private citizen.

     “I've come to let you know that this is an important historical structure that needs to be preserved. The Heritage Commissoin would like to explore alternatives to destroying the building,” said Anderson.

     One, she said, would be to move the building out of harm's way. Another would be to find a donor to take on the cost and responsibilty of moving the building, maybe to another town-owned lot, or maybe closer to the historic Frost Farm.

     So far, said town historian Rick Holmes, no formal efforts have been made to continue the conversation that he's aware of .

     “You know, the town hires people to go out and look for more businesses to bring in, and yet, here we are, taking one off the market without looking at all the alternatives. Has the town priced how mucch it would actually cost to move it? Is there money in the revolving fund they've recently created for economic development to keep this business going? What has been explored, other than razing it.?” Holmes said.

     The original widening plan was connected to the construction of a Super Wal-Mart, plans that never materialized. The widening project was shelved. However, with recent approval by the council of the Route 28 TIF District, Public Works Director Mike Fowler has been moving, full steam ahead, to notify land owners along that particular stretch of highway that the plan has been revived and the town needs to buy their real estate. Most of the properties will lose some frontage.

     Pinkerton Tavern poses a unique problem. In order to widen the road in a uniform fashion, the building would have to be moved. As of a few weeks ago, Fowler said the town's legal counsel was offering guidance as to the best way to proceed.

     Fowler said ideally every land owner will enter into a “friendly agreement” with the town. However, the town would consider taking properties by eminent domain, if needed, to keep the project on track for a July construction start.

     Yesterday, Streitburger and Lutzen talked for the first time publicly about their frustration.

     “All we're asking is that they try to work this out with us,” said Streitburger. Although the historic tavern and the property it sits on is owned by Arnold Goldstein, Streitburger and Lutzen run the restaurant.

     They say Goldstein has told them he does not want to sell. He is out of the country for the next few weeks, but told the couple that he left several messages for Fowler before he left town.

     “You know, three years ago this was all a go. So we prepared. We passed up about $30,000 in wedding and catering events because we thought we were going to be relocating the building. Then, the plans changed. We never got a call. We had to read it in the newspaper,” said Streitburger. “We lost all that business.”

     While he is not bitter, the experience left a bad taste in his mouth.

     “Now, they aren't talking about saving the building or the business. I find it difficult to imagine the town council, or the town – or whoever is making the decisions – can treat a good business with loyal customers, one that is generating tax revenue, this way,”Streitburger said.

     He said everything he's heard about turning the current economic tide has to do with promoting and supporting small businesses.

     “Sam's Club just laid off more than 11,000 people. We heard Taco Bell isn't renewing its lease down the road. Quiznos across the street, is gone. Go down to Salem – they have all kinds of vacant box stores. Don't you think any box store thinking of building in Derry might just go down there first? Streitburger said.

     “Don't you think any business thinking of coming to Derry may look at us as an example of how businesses are treated here? I mean, if they are willing to bulldoze a 250 year old building, and put someone with an eight-year track record of success out of business, and leave 25 people unemployed, what does that say about doing business in Derry? At what cost for the future do you do business here?” Streitburger said.

     He also believes moving the building would also save taxpayers money, but so far, the council hasn't taken a look at all the options, Streitburger said.

     “We love the town of Derry. We just aren't willing to throw eight years of hard work away, not without a fight,” he said.

     Holmes sympathizes with Streitburger and Lutzen for what they stand to lose, should the town decide to take the property and raze the building.

     But he is also quite aware of what the town stands to lose, should the tavern be torn down.

     “That building was out town's first general store. It's probably the finest Georgian-style building in town. Plans for Route 28, and the Pinkerton Academy were born there. It can be saved. It should be saved,” said Holmes.

Patrick Moulton Takes Boston Prep

From bostonprep3

By CAROL ROBIDOUX

Union Leader Correspondent

DERRY – It was the best of times for Patrick Moulton, who ran away with yesterday's Boston Prep 16-Miler, clocking in at 1:25:56.

     Despite his best efforts, he wasn't able to beat the course record of 1:25:07, set in 2005 by his twin brother Casey.

     “He's not here today,” said Sandy Moulton of “the other twin,” Casey. She was waiting near the finish with her husband, Brian, and Patrick's girlfriend, Katie Twarog, to cheer Patrick on to victory.

     “We have no idea how they got to be so fast,” she said. “They started running seriously in seventh or eighth grade. They finished together in their first race, and pretty much it's been like that for them ever since.”

     Still, it was one for the books, yesterday, as Moulton, 28, crossed the finish line two minutes ahead of his closest competitor.

From bostonprep3

     “My strategy? To go hard and run all the way,” said Moulton, a Pelham native, just before the start of the race. A graduate of Providence College, Moulton now resides in Rhode Island. He said he was feeling good yesterday, coming off his recent first place finish in October's ING Hartford Marathon, his second consecutive win in that race. He's training now for the SunTrust National Marathon in Washington, D.C., which he won last year.

     Greater Derry Track Club race director David Breeden said he registered a record number of runners for this year's Boston Prep – 849, including second-place finisher Justin Fyffe, who decided to run only about four hours before the race. He made it to Derry Village Elementary School from Keene for registration with an hour to spare.

     “Yeah, it was kind of spur of the moment. I was planning to take the weekend off, but then my wife said maybe I should go. So I woke up and saw I had a text from David, asking if I was still thinking of running, and here I am,” said Fyffe, who was happy with his time of 1:27:57.

     “It's pretty early in my training cycle, so yeah, I'm feeling good,” said Fyffe, 29, of East Dummerston, Vt., who trains with the Central Mass Striders running club.

     Finishing behind Fyffe in the No. 3 spot was one of his training partners, Andy McCarron, 27, of Keene, who finished in 1:31:04.

     Derry's Boston Prep is known for its challenging terrain, which loomed large in McCarron's mind.

     “I think it was actually worse for me this year, because I knew what was coming,” McCarron said. “I definitely felt tired on the hill.”

     Claire Gadrow, 40, of South Kingstown, R.I. represented for the ladies, with a time of 1:48:47. It was her first time running the Boston Prep – but it won't be her last, she said.

     “It's a hard course, but I will definitely come back. It's a great test for Boston, and you can really get a good sense of your fitness,” Gadrow said.

     Gadrow, who finished 34^th, also represented the race's largest demographic – runners over 40, said Breeden. Thirteen of the top 35 finishers were 40 or older.

     “The 40 age group is one of the toughest age groups in the area. They are our strongest competitors, in terms of strength. In fact, I'm happy to be going into the 60-plus age group, because all the 40-year-olds are moving up into the 50-plus group,” Breeden said.

     “They aren't going to beat the Patrick Moultons and Justin Fyffes, but they are the core of this race and were well represented among the top finishers,” Breeden said.

     Breeden has been coordinating the race for 10 years.

     “At the point I took it over, it was losing money. But I instituted some changes every year to make it a little bit better, and now we clear about $10,000 for the club. We've sold out the last four years, and this is the earliest we've ever sold out – a good three weeks before the race,” Breeden said.

     It's hard to know which came first – the chicken or the egg, Breeden said. Are more people running these days because there are more races to be run, or are there more races because so many people are getting into running?

     “I don't know the answer to that, but I do know races in New England are increasing in size. Every year there are new races all over the country – tons of new races. But there's no place like New England,” Breeden said.

      Proceeds from the race support the GDTC's Summer Fun Runs for Kids, which last year saw more than 600 participants and collected more than 1,600 pounds of non-perishable food donations for the local food pantry.

     Breeden said yesterday's clear skies and relatively warm weather contributed to the race's record number of participants.

     “We have fewer than 100 packets that haven't been picked up, so that means we will have well over 700 finishers,” Breeden said. “The weather couldn't have been better, and everything has gone as planned. I've done this so many times now, and I've delegated so much of the responsibility to so many club members, that it really does run itself. And I like it that way.”

CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE BOSTON PREP 16-MILER RACE RESULTS, COURTESY OF COOLRUNNING.COM

Hall of High Hopes

      

Ken Gould reflects on the effort to restore Derry's old town hall.

By CAROL ROBIDOUX

Union Leader Correspondent

DERRY -- Margi Ives can see the future from where she's standing, her arms loaded with construction debris as she stands in the shadow of the old town hall.

     "Now that the East Derry Village Improvement Society owns this, and it abuts all this, people will be able to use not only the hall, but the land as well," she says, arms too full to point toward the 36 acres of conservation land known as Shepard Park, spreading out in all directions behind the Upper Village Hall. 
      Ives was one of about a dozen volunteer laborers who spent Saturday ripping out old wall boards and hauling useless piles of wood to a Dumpster, the first major cleanup effort since the town sold the former town hall to EDVIS for $1. Since then, the top priority has been to get electric and plumbing repaired and up to code, said Paul Dionne.
     "We have a fire inspection Tuesday. We're hoping all goes well because we've applied for an assembly permit. That means once it passes inspection we can start renting out the upstairs," says Dionne, taking a break from the tedious task of prying well-nailed ceiling tiles from a matrix of wooden beams. Dionne says the group is on target so far, making progress with the various cleanup and fix-up projects.  
     "We'd like this to be our money-maker," says Dionne of the basement. "We have an architect, and we're working on what we want it to look like."
     Upstairs plans include a catering kitchen, Dionne says. 
     "We already have people lined up to rent the upstairs space, a dance company and a workout club, some church groups. So we're moving in the right direction," Dionne says.  
     Ginny True and Elizabeth Ives were upstairs undecorating the hall, which had been decked for Christmas.
     "Once spring comes we can start getting more done outside. Right now we're just doing what we can with what we have," True says. She walks into the spacious main room, its dusty wood floor in need of a good waxing, but otherwise in good shape. In the rear you can still see scars on the wall outlining where a stage had once been, something the group would like to replace. True points out the huge propane heater suspended from the ceiling in the front corner, ready to warm things up. It will be nice to revive the town spirit that, for years, circulated throughout the building, she says.
     "It's too nice a building to destroy. Just based on its history alone. It's always been the center of East Derry. We have people stopping by all the time to help, and to give us some great ideas about what to use the building for," says True, looking around the empty space as if visualizing its potential. "We hope to hold some fundraisers soon, and we're looking into some grants. So we're moving up a couple steps of the ladder, but we still have a long climb ahead," True says.  
     On the second floor Ken Gould sips coffee from a Styrofoam cup. The morning sun streams in the window and pours across the room, illuminating the wood grain in the floor boards. He has been marveling at the sturdy molding around the doors.
     "You can just imagine, when they were building this back in the late 1800s, that they wanted to make it a nice building. They used the best wood. The mill work is really beautiful," Gould said. "They weren't building a building. They were building a community." 
      Gould was the one who kept vigil during several town council meetings in the months before the sale, waiting for word on whether the town was going to go forward. After several sessions with the town attorney to work through some of the legalities and fine-tune the language, the hall was sold to the group for a dollar in October.  
     "It was a good feeling to know we got over that hurdle. I'll admit, I am a little nervous about paying the bills. It's one thing to buy a place like this for a dollar; it's another to pay the bills going forward," Gould says. He sips his coffee a few more times and looks comfortable, despite the cold, leaning against the door jamb. His breath hangs visibly in the air as a cloud of vapor each time he exhales.
      "Sure is quite a view, though," he says, peering down from the second-story window before heading back downstairs. Every room is in decent shape, if you overlook the occasional holes or water stained ceiling tiles. Certainly it is rough around the edges -- Saturday's work session left the basement an empty shell, which actually was an improvement.  
     "It's a beautiful day out here, and we are getting a lot accomplished," says Dave McPherson, who was toting a toilet to the Dumpster in a wheelbarrow. "We are always looking for volunteers -- and money. Money is good." 

 Anyone interested in volunteering should contact the group via e-mail at uppervillagehall@comcast.net or by phone at 434-6723.

 

Positively Successful

Cheryl Nordyke and Kim Weirman in their home-based office.

By CAROL ROBIDOUX

Union Leader Correspondent

DERRY – If you believe in the power of positive thinking, as Cheryl Nordyke and Kim Weirman do, then you will understand why they are poised for the big splash they are about to make.

     How do they know they are about to make a big splash, you ask?

     At the risk of mixing motivational maven metaphors, when your “A-ha moment” brings you within two degrees of separation from Oprah, it's a good thing.

     Mind you, they haven't met Winfrey – yet. And they aren't specifically featured in February's O Magazine. 

     But as readers page through the current issue, they will see a feature about Connecticut entrepreneur and cancer survivor, Mary Ann Wasil Nilan, whose own inspirational story led to a breast cancer awareness campaign targeting younger girls, which earned her an Oprah Magazine CoverGirl Giving Beautiful Back Award.

     And anyone who visits Nilan's site, www.getintouchfoundation.org, will see the link to Waves of Gratitude, the company founded by Nordyke and Weirman. It's a fledgling business featuring inspirational jewelry and apparel. They have partnered with Nilan, donating a percentage of their sales to her cause.

      Getting to this moment – operating a web-based business focused on giving thanks and giving back – has been a journey they believe has everything to do with following Oprah's lead. It started when Nordyke read  

“The Secret,” a book heavily promoted by Winfrey, that reduces the secrets of the universe down to simplest form, “Ask. Believe. Receive.”

     She continued to learn about manifesting one's desire and choosing positive energy over negative in all situations.

     Three years ago they were co-workers at a software company. As fate would have it, within a short span they became a couple of out-of-work moms who quickly thanked the universe for the chance at reinvention instead of cursing the unemployment gods.

     Three weeks after Weirman lost her job, her husband died.

     “I look at it now as a blessing – we had a great three weeks together, with both of us home,” said Weirman. Her husband had been ill, but it was a managed illness. His sudden death was a shock, leaving her with a broken heart, limited income and insurance benefits and three sons to raise on her own.

     After Nordyke lost her job, it took her a while to realize she hadn't personally failed; rather she had been betrayed by the corporate model of success she had spent her whole career following blindly. To reinforce her epiphany, she had the urge to create a piece of jewelry that would keep her motivated, keeping her focused on the good things in her life, rather than the negative.

     That one idea led the two women to hatch a business plan, selling elegant sterling silver jewelry that could inspire others to maintain that “attitude of gratitude,” even in tough times.

     They connected with established jewelry designer Jessica Fields, whose work is featured in upscale department stores and fashion shoots, resulting in two inspirational designs – Branches of Hope, which represents the strength and resilience of the cypress tree, and Waves of Gratitude, a series of ocean wave designs symbolizing the infinite power of counting one's blessings.

     “Women fail to recognize that beauty and strength that comes from within. Our line is meant to be symbolic of that,” Nordyke said.

     Today, they are banking on the belief that promoting gratitude – and an Oprah connection – will bring them the kind of success they have been visualizing. On paper. Every day.

     “We have a success board,” said Weirman, referring to one of the many tools of the universe they have utilized, advice gained through the network of power of positivity self-help books, like “The Secret,” that amount to a philosophical trend bordering on religion, with Winfrey at the spiritual helm.

     After a promising launch, the women realized there was more to running a Internet-based jewelry business than having a good idea and beautiful product. They spent a year looking far and wide for an investor. Three months ago, an angel investor from right within their inner circle emerged, who was able to boost their bottom line and re-energize their efforts.

     Now they are fearlessly moving forward, their own branches of hope hanging heavy with optimism,

and the rushing waves of gratitude they feel, for all their many blessings, overwhelms them.

     They have also committed to putting their gratitude into words, each of them contributing a blog post a day this year on their Web site. Some begin with inspirational quotes. Others feature photos and personal reflections. All of it is meant to reinforce that they are committed to meeting the everyday challenges of life with positivity, come what may.

     “When I lost my job I was debt free. I had $150,000 in savings and took a vacation every year with my daughter. Now, I have an investor, I haven't earned a paycheck, my 401K is gone, and I don't care,” said Nordyke.

     “What I've gained is beyond measure. I have more time now with my daughter. I am supporting women with cancer. I'm taking something I believe in, and sharing that idea, of strength and hope, of gratitude and giving. It becomes a ripple effect. And to think that we can be a part of that, helping others to have hope, and an attitude of gratitude, is the best feeling in the world,” said Nordyke.

On the Web: www.wavesofgratitude.com; www.getintouchfoundation.org

A Little Rain Must Fall

By CAROL ROBIDOUX

Union Leader Correspondent

DERRY – Al Kaprielian seems subdued. As he politely talks about the current atmosphere inside the MyTV New England studio, how slumping economic fronts and the high pressure of bottom lines formed a dark cloud over his 26-year career, the jovial, zany Weatherman Al who has cornered the local meteorology market is vapor.

     Then he leads you to his office. It is utilitarian – three computers, a telephone and a small pile of paperwork. White walls are punctuated with a handful of year-old photocopied sheets of paper, wishing him a Happy 25^th Year in the weather business. Hanging from the ceiling light fixture is one more paper, “High Pressure,” it reads. That phrase has become a hallmark of Kaprielian's unique elocution, a trademark phrase he delivers consistently, weather permitting, in registers that could break glass or round up a pack of dogs.

     "High pressure always brings the good weather. It's happy. I've always just tried to be sincere and enthusiastic. I like to make weather fun,” he says, a glimmer of that on-air sunshine peering out from the cloud of pending unemployment doom.

     Kaprielian was one of eight from the local cable network notified earlier this month that they will be out of a job come Dec. 31. A lifelong New Englander, it has been Kaprielian's one and only gig. He was hired in 1983 right out of college on the merits of his work at the student-run TV-station and, of course, based on a memorable audition at the burgeoning local network. His fresh-faced unscripted delivery of the weather includes a wide range of vocal and facial expressions, props, whimsical graphics and off-the-cuff weather-related insights.

     First-time viewers have wondered out loud whether Kaprielian is for real. What comes off at first like a “Saturday Night Live” weatherman spoof has actually put Kaprielian on the map of most memorable weather prognosticators – perhaps the region's most beloved meteorological marvel since the advent of Doppler Radar.

     As he leans over one of his computers and checks the graphics for his upcoming 55-second weather update, Al the Weatherman rises from the gloom. He excuses himself three times to answer the phone, once to provide a rapid-fire up-to-the-minute weather flash for a fellow employee. He sidles over to another computer and clicks on a map he has configured to track a storm currently swirling over the the south.

     "I can loop this map for 384 hours,” says Weatherman Al, demonstrating a stop-action feature to illustrate where the storm will be, hour by hour, as it heads north.

     “And there it is, Sunday afternoon,” he says, his voice rising. With a flourish of his arm as he clicks through the colorful radar map, releasing the mouse and grinning, like a Grinch who found Christmas.

     He spends another 10 minutes going deep into meteorological territory, rattling off radar-related lingo as momentum returns to his voice and animation, to his face.

     “I'm 48 years old. I'm not ready to retire. I'm looking for what's next. I will still be doing some radio weather, but it's not where I want to be. I want to stay in the public eye,” says Kaprielian. “Hopefully I'll still be doing some charity stuff, and continue going to schools to talk to the kids about weather.”

     That is familiar territory for Kaprielian. Not just because he's done plenty of guest appearances in local schools over the years; it taps into his primal passion for weather, something that dates back to his own childhood, circa 1960something – he's not sure when he first discovered the outside world, but it was early on, and right outside his door.

     “I was always excited about the weather, I can remember watching every thunder storm and snow shower from my window as a kid. By the time I was in sixth grade, I was doing daily weather reports in class. That lasted all the way through junior and senior high school,” says Kaprielian.

     His meteorological rise continued right after graduation in 1979 from Natick High School. Kaprielian enrolled at Lyndon State College in Vermont – because it had a strong meteorology department, preparing him well for his 26-year run at MyTV, formerly WNDS, in Derry.

     “I've thought about my options. It would be tough to move somewhere else. I hear the big stations are cutting back, too – even the Weather Channel,” he says.

     Besides, he's a New Englander to the core. This is the weather he loves and understands, from its traffic-stopping “blizzahds” to the always welcome jet streams bringing “hiiiiigh preshah” followed by blue skies.

     “I just don't know if they'd get the accent someplace south, like Florida,” he says. “Not everyone gets it.”

     As he searches for the next opportunity of his lifetime, Kaprielian wants to revisit some of his other passions.

     “I enjoyed playing sports as a kid. I used to be on a bowling league at Fairway Sports World in Natick. I've been thinking about getting back to bowling. Maybe now's a good time,” he says.

     His immediate outlook includes enjoying the holidays, spending time with family down in Massachusetts, and looking for that silver lining.

     “It's been an excellent run. How many people these days can say they've had the same job for 26 years?” he says. “Whatever I do next, I want to be involved with the public – on-air again, and staying involved in every way I can. If they wanted to end it here, that's their business. It may be over in this building, but it's far from over for me.”

EDITOR'S NOTE: Since this story ran in the Dec. 18 New Hampshire Union Leader, Kaprielian has resurfaced on MCAM, Manchester Community Access channel 23. While it is an unpaid gig, it keeps Kaprielian on the air, providing daily one-minute forecasts. For more, go to www.mcam.org