Light! Camera! Skate!

The 2025 Spring Show, Light! Camera! Skate! Is going to be an unforgettable event at the Whittemore Center Arena at UNH on April 13 at 1 pm. No admission. Donations Requested. 

We’re super excited to announce that Sophie Joline von Felton, the 2025 US Junior Champion and one of the top junior skaters in the country, will be joining us as a guest skater. Sophie became the first U.S. woman to successfully land a quad Salchow at the 2025 U.S. Championships, and is just the second-ever U.S. woman to land a quad at the U.S. Championships at the junior level. She also became the second U.S. woman to land two triple Axels in one program at the 2025 U.S. Championships! We’re honored to have her as part of our show.

This information can be found on our website www.greatbayfigureskating.org 

Afterschool Ambassador Program: Legacy of Leadership

Afterschool Ambassador Program: Legacy of Leadership

Stratham’s Goerbig Selected as One of

Just 15 Afterschool Ambassadors in United States This Year

 

Melissa Goerbig Will Work Locally and Across the Country to Make Quality Afterschool and

Summer Learning Programs Available to More Students and Families

 

Washington, DC – The Afterschool Alliance today announced that it has selected Melissa Goerbig, Chief Programs Officer of Big Brothers Big Sisters of New Hampshire, to serve as a 2025 Afterschool Ambassador – one of only 15 leaders in the country chosen for the honor this year. Afterschool Ambassadors continue working with local afterschool programs while serving a one-year Afterschool Ambassador term during which they engage with community leaders and policy makers to organize events and in other ways grow support for the afterschool and summer learning programs that students and families rely on.

 

“We are absolutely delighted that Melissa Goerbig will serve as a 2025 Afterschool Ambassador for the Afterschool Alliance,” said Jodi Grant, Afterschool Alliance executive director. “This is going to be a pivotal year when we simply must continue the progress in making afterschool and summer learning programs available to more students, even as federal education spending is under scrutiny. We intend to continue spreading the word that afterschool programs are a wise, essential investment because they keep kids safe, inspire them to learn, and give parents peace of mind that their children are safe and supervised after the school day ends. Goerbig is exactly the kind of champion we need.”

 

“I am excited to have the chance to work with the Afterschool Alliance to increase awareness and support for afterschool and summer learning programs this year,” said Goerbig. “I’ve seen firsthand the many ways these programs help students succeed and help families overcome challenges. That’s especially important now, with families struggling with high costs and many students disengaged. Many of our students have ground to make up and afterschool programs are uniquely positioned to help them do that. I’m very proud to be part of the afterschool movement and to be a 2025 Afterschool Ambassador.”

 

Big Brothers Big Sisters of New Hampshire (BBBSNH) impacts youth through mentoring programs that serve children and youth in their communities, schools, and the workplace across New Hampshire. By building a strong, one-to-one, and professionally supported mentoring relationship to serve as a foundation for transformative impact and live skills learning, BBBSNH’s innovative approaches to expanding mentoring opportunities help close the achievement and opportunity gaps for too many underserved children and youth. Its outcomes, collected through ongoing surveys of its mentees, illustrate the impact mentors have on the children it serves. BBBSNH served 371 youth in mentoring relationships in 2024.

 

Each Ambassador will organize a major event for Lights On Afterschool, the Afterschool Alliance’s annual rally for afterschool. Most of the thousands of local Lights On Afterschool events will be on or around Thursday, October 23, 2025.

 

The 2025 Afterschool Ambassadors are:

 

  • Alabama, Gadsden: Janie Browning, Gadsden City Schools
  • Alaska, Palmer: Tyler Healy, Youth 360
  • Louisiana, Shreveport: Victoria Morris, Volunteers of America LightHouse Program
  • Michigan, Detroit: Curtis Blackwell, Sound Mind Sound Body Foundation
  • Minnesota, Minneapolis: Clayton “Clyde” Quarles, Minneapolis Youth Congress
  • Nebraska, Omaha: Nicole Everingham, Collective for Youth
  • New Hampshire, Stratham: Melissa Goerbig, Big Brothers Big Sisters of New Hampshire
  • Nevada, Las Vegas: Linda Johnson-McClinton, Enriching Explorations in Engineering
  • New York, Brooklyn: Ghiles Jackson, After-School All-Stars
  • New York, Buffalo: Talisa King, YWCA Western New York
  • South Carolina, Charleston: Lauren Herterich, Kids on Point
  • South Carolina, Irmo: Julius Scott, School District Five of Lexington & Richland Counties
  • South Dakota, Rapid City: Malachi Nelson, 21st Century CFS South Middle Club Hub
  • Virginia, Richmond: Jeanine Turner, Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Richmond
  • Wisconsin, Rhinelander: Abbie Cline, YMCA of the Northwoods

 

A public opinion survey released in February found that 85% of voters say they want their newly elected leaders to provide more funds for afterschool programs, including 92% of Democrats, 81% of Independents, 77% of Republicans, and 77% of people who voted for President Trump. The unmet need is great. Some 24.7 million U.S. children not in an afterschool program would be enrolled, if a program were available to them, according to a survey of nearly 1,500 parents commissioned by the Afterschool Alliance in 2022. That is the highest number ever recorded. Unmet demand for afterschool programs is significantly higher among Latino and Black children (at 60% and 54% respectively) than among children overall (49%). Cost is the top barrier to enroll, cited by 57% of parents as a reason for not enrolling their child. Ninety percent of parents rate the quality of the program their child attends as excellent (51%) or very good (39%).

 

A large and powerful body of evidence demonstrates improvements in grades, school attendance, behavior and more among children who participate in afterschool programs. Researchers have also found that students in afterschool programs are more engaged in school and excited about learning, and develop critical work and life skills such as problem solving, teamwork, and communications.

 

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The Afterschool Alliance is a nonprofit public awareness and advocacy organization working to ensure that all children and youth have access to quality afterschool programs. More information is available at www.afterschoolalliance.org.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of New Hampshire (BBBSNH) is the only evidence-based, one-to-one mentoring program in New Hampshire. Its mission is to create and support one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth, and its vision is that all youth achieve their full potential. What sets BBBSNH apart is that it solely focuses on one-to-one mentoring – that is its only mission, not a side program as part of a larger mission. As a result, it excels at committing resources to both making matches designed to last, and to providing intensive staff support to each one-to-one mentoring relationship through regular contact with parents, children and volunteer mentors for the duration of the match. All check-ins include safety questions as child safety is its number one priority. Its professional staff work with the child, their family and mentor to provide crisis management, coaching and mentoring, or provide referrals to other organizations for additional services, when needed.

 

April Family Day

April Family Day at Portsmouth Historical Society with Lindsay and her Puppet Pals on Saturday, April 12, performances at 10 am & 11 am. Join us for a fun-filled show at 10 am or 11 am, and then stay to make your own paper-bag puppet to take home. This is a FREE program that is a great fit for families with children ages 3–8.

Cornerstone VNA Expands Service Area to Meet Growing Community Needs

Cornerstone VNA Expands Service Area to Meet Growing Community Needs

 

Rochester, NH: Cornerstone VNA, a nonprofit home health and hospice care organization, is pleased to announce its expanded service area, now reaching Epping, Exeter, Newfields, and Tuftonboro in New Hampshire, as well as Ogunquit, Shapleigh, and Wells in Maine. This expansion comes in response to requests from local hospitals and physicians seeking high-quality home health and hospice services for their patients in these communities. Cornerstone VNA now proudly serves nearly 50 towns in New Hampshire and Maine.

 

“We are proud to provide expert care and a full range of services, from birth through end of life,” shares Jennifer Ufkin, RN, MSN, BC-NC, President and Chief Executive Officer of Cornerstone VNA. “Expanding our reach allows us to meet the growing demand for home-based care, and we are grateful for the trust and support of our community partners, patients, and families.”

 

As a recognized leader in home, hospice, and community services, Cornerstone VNA remains dedicated to providing exceptional care. With many of its clinicians holding certifications in Wound and Ostomy Care, Lymphedema, Vestibular, IV Therapy, Chronic Care, and more, patients and families receive the most advanced care in the comfort of their homes. The organization is also a Level 5 We Honor Veterans Hospice Program, reflecting their deep commitment to honoring veterans at the end of life. In addition, the Home Care program at Cornerstone VNA has achieved a 5-star rating for patient satisfaction by the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and the Hospice Care program has achieved a 4-star rating for family caregiver satisfaction.

 

For community members in their expanded area looking to make a meaningful impact, Cornerstone VNA welcomes new hospice, companion, and ‘A Matter of Balance’ coach volunteers. Through the Circle of Caring volunteer program, individuals receive comprehensive training to ensure a rewarding and fulfilling experience. To learn more about their clinical services or volunteer opportunities, visit www.cornerstonevna.org or call 603-332-1133.

 

Cornerstone VNA currently serves Rockingham, Strafford, Belknap and Carroll Counties in New Hampshire and York County in Maine. The team at Cornerstone VNA provides award-winning care and support through five distinct programs: Home Care, Hospice Care, Palliative Care, Life Care-Private Duty, and Community Care. For 112 years, Cornerstone VNA has been committed to bringing services to people of all ages so that families can stay together at home, even when facing the challenges of aging, surgical recovery, chronic or life-threatening illnesses or end-of-life care. To learn more about Cornerstone VNA, visit www.cornerstonevna.org or call 800-691-1133.

Pizza Night

Pizza Night on Monday, March 31st at the Community Oven-Hampton Benefiting Walter Burns Fishing Day. Calendars are $10 each, with many fantastic prizes generously donated by members of our community! Finish off the night by walking next door and treating yourself to a refreshing ice cream from Susie’s Sweets! A portion of the proceeds from the Community Oven and Susie’s Sweets goes directly to Fishing Day! We hope to see you there!

Cornerstone VNA Announces New Promotions

Cornerstone VNA Announces New Promotions

 

Rochester, NH – Cornerstone VNA, a trusted local nonprofit home health and hospice care provider, is pleased to announce that Karen Krause, PT, COS-C, AIB-VRC, has been recently promoted from Rehab Manager to a new position as Rehab Director. Cornerstone VNA has also promoted Katie Michaud, MS, OTR/L, Occupational Therapist and Mental Health Coordinator to the new Community Care Director position.

 

Karen’s journey with Cornerstone VNA began in 2010 when she joined as a dedicated Physical Therapist. Over the past 15 years, she has demonstrated a strong commitment to exceptional care and remarkable leadership skills. In 2013, Karen was promoted to Rehab Manager, where she has successfully led and supported their growing rehab team with passion and expertise.

As Rehab Director, Karen will continue to guide the Cornerstone VNA rehab team, which is comprised of physical therapists, occupational therapists, and speech therapists. According to Karen, “I am proud to lead such a skilled rehab team. Their dedication to excellence and commitment to the latest best practices ensure the best possible outcomes for our patients. They embody everything a clinician should be.”

 

Katie joined Cornerstone VNA in 2013 as an Occupational Therapist, and she has made an incredible impact in various roles, including Team Manager in 2016, Rehab Coordinator in 2021, and Mental Health Coordinator in 2022. In her new role as Community Care Director, she will continue to have a positive impact on the community by heading the organization’s Educational Series, Matter of Balance programs, and Mental Health advocacy. According to Katie, “A sense of community is a key characteristic to a successful organization, and I look forward to growing in my role as Community Care Director. I am passionate about networking, collaborating, educating, and contributing to the well-being of our local communities by fostering improved mental and physical health.”

 

“We are thrilled to welcome Karen and Katie to the senior leadership team,” said Jennifer Ufkin, RN, MSN, President/CEO of Cornerstone VNA. “Both are longtime, valued team members whose skill sets, and clinical expertise are unparalleled. They are strong leaders and passionate contributors to the culture of excellence that Cornerstone VNA represents.” Ufkin added, “We are deeply grateful for their dedication, and we are excited for this next chapter in their careers.”

 

Cornerstone VNA currently serves Rockingham, Strafford, Belknap and Carroll Counties in New Hampshire and York County in Maine. The team at Cornerstone VNA provides award-winning care and support through five distinct programs: Home Care, Hospice Care, Palliative Care, Life Care-Private Duty, and Community Care. For 112 years, Cornerstone VNA has been committed to bringing services to people of all ages so that families can stay together at home, even when facing the challenges of aging, surgical recovery, chronic or life-threatening illnesses or end-of-life care. To learn more about Cornerstone VNA, visit www.cornerstonevna.org or call 800-691-1133.

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