Opening Day at the Counting House Museum

Opening Day at the Counting House Museum

 

South Berwick, Maine- The Counting House Museum opens for the season on Saturday, June 3rd from 1-4pm. To celebrate the opening, a special program, “Footprints of the Past” will take place at the landing next to the museum.

 

Have you ever wondered what the Landing neighborhood was like when the Portsmouth Manufacturing Company’s four-story mill dominated the landscape? Guests will explore the footprints of the people and buildings of the past in the textile industry, from farm to factory. This event will feature conversations with character actors, demonstrations, short tours, images, and other activities designed to deepen the understanding and appreciation of our local history. The program will run from 1pm-3pm. The program and the museum admission are free to the public, donations are gratefully accepted.

 

The Old Berwick Historical Society’s 2023 exhibit explores the material culture of early domestic textile arts and the tools used to produce linen and woolen cloth in rural New England homesteads. Material goods provide a window into standards of living, self-sufficiency, economic diversification, and the transition from frontier life to settled communities.

 

The specialized tools used to process flax and wool, and the spinning wheels and looms on display, reveal the necessary individual skills and the collaborative family roles in creating yarn and cloth. Co-curated with Ruth Greene-McNally, loans primarily from the collection of guest curators Peter and Nancy Cook, and selections from the permanent collection of the Old Berwick Historical Society, reflect the art of creating homespun textiles in common use throughout the 18th century.

 

The Counting House Museum is regularly open June-October on Saturday and Sunday from 1pm-4pm. More information is available by calling 207-384-0000 or visiting www.oldberwick.org.

 

Cornerstone VNA Anniversary Event Recognizes Donors and Award Recipients

Cornerstone VNA Anniversary Event Recognizes Donors and Award Recipients

 

Rochester, NH – Cornerstone VNA, your local nonprofit home health provider, celebrated their donors, 2023 Cornerstone Awardees, and their 110-year history at a special event last month at the Rochester Performance & Arts Center (RPAC) in downtown Rochester. In addition to special donors, attendees included current and former board members as well as past staff and current members of Cornerstone VNA’s clinical leadership team. This special event was generously underwritten by Daystar, a technology management company based in Newington, NH.

 

In recognition of Cornerstone VNA’s milestone anniversary, photos, articles, and stories were shared to shine the spotlight on the many healthcare heroes throughout the organization’s 110-year history. A special history timeline was on display along the brick wall at RPAC; a replica of a larger timeline that will be installed at the Cornerstone VNA office next month.

 

In keeping with tradition, President and CEO, Julie Reynolds RN, MS, announced the recipients of their Cornerstone Award, given each year to a local business, community member, volunteer, or staff member to recognize their dedication and commitment to advancing the mission of Cornerstone VNA.

 

The first Cornerstone Award recipient of the night was Stella Marcotte, longtime Rochester resident and dedicated office volunteer at Cornerstone VNA. Since 1990, Stella has cheerfully worked behind the scenes to support their office staff and field staff. Stella continues to volunteer every week, and with her fast hands, she quickly completes any task she’s assigned. Upon accepting the award and expressing her gratitude, she received many smiles and words of adoration.

 

The second Cornerstone Award was presented to Rinda Madden of Rochester, who worked at Cornerstone VNA for many years before retiring from her position as Home Care Team Manager in 2016. Rinda first joined the rehabilitation team as a physical therapist in 1993. It was noted that over the years, Rinda experienced many transformations in home health care including mergers, technology enhancements and changes in reimbursement. Since her retirement, Rinda has remained closely connected to Cornerstone VNA. She has generously supported various initiatives and specialty programs throughout the years, and she and her husband, Dennis, are also proud members of the Norma Snow Legacy Society. The Legacy Society was established in 2016 in honor of Cornerstone VNA founder, Norma Snow, and recognizes individuals who have made a planned gift to Cornerstone VNA.

 

According to Erika Lee, Director of Advancement, “It was an honor to recognize Stella and Rinda, whose gift of time, talent and treasure have played such an important role in advancing the mission of Cornerstone VNA.” Lee continues, “It was particularly poignant to celebrate them in this milestone year and in the company of so many people who share a passion for our mission.”

 

Julie Reynolds, RN, MS, President/CEO shares, “I continue to be inspired by the dedication and support that Cornerstone VNA receives for the important work that we do each and every day. Celebrating and awarding those who make a difference is so important.” Reynolds adds, “I hope others are inspired by this spirit of giving, and think about how they can make a difference by giving back.”

 

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 110 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.

 

Landscapes of Indenture: How Scottish Prisoners of War Shaped New England

Landscapes of Indenture: How Scottish Prisoners of War Shaped New England

 

South Berwick- New research conducted by an international team of archaeologists and historians is revealing the fascinating story of some of the earliest European settlers to the New England frontier. The public is invited to learn about their discoveries and help shape the future of this project at a forum on May 18, 2023 at 7:00 p.m. at the Counting House Museum in South Berwick, Maine.

 

The story of 400 Scottish soldiers taken prisoner at the Battles of Dunbar (1650) and Worcester (1651) and shipped to New England in forced labor is one of the most compelling immigrant stories in early American history. Once freed after serving a five-to-seven-year indenture, the Scots were granted land and became permanent settlers, though their language, customs and Presbyterian faith strained relationships in “Puritan” New England.

 

A substantial number of the Scots served their indentures in the sawmills of the Berwicks and the Piscataqua region. The Old Berwick Historical Society has long been interested in their story. As lumberjacks and sawyers, these men helped carry out the first forest clear cuts in American history. The last of the Scottish prisoners’ indentures expired 1657–1659. This left New England merchants needing a new source of inexpensive and controllable labor and led to a growing number of enslaved Africans in the region.

 

Landscapes of Indenture is an international investigation of the lives of the Scots and the environmental impact they and other laborers had on the New England frontier. Old Berwick Historical Society is a partner in the project, along with the University of New Hampshire, Saugus Ironworks National Historic Site, Durham University in England and the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. The team of archaeologists, historians and paleoecologists are currently conducting fieldwork on sites associated with the Scots in southern Maine and Seacoast New Hampshire. Come learn about the project and share any ideas you may have on the future direction of this work.

 

For more information, contact Emerson Baker at ebaker@salemstate.edu.     

Cornerstone VNA Achieves We Honor Veterans Partner Level 5

Cornerstone VNA Achieves We Honor Veterans Partner Level 5

Rochester, NH:  Cornerstone VNA, a nonprofit home health and hospice care provider, is proud to announce that their Hospice Care program has achieved Level 5 status with the We Honor Veterans program. This is the highest recognition level of this important program.  This special recognition reflects Cornerstone VNA’s deep commitment to ensuring veterans have access to quality end-of-life care.

 

According to We Honor Veterans, Cornerstone VNA is the only partner agency that has achieved Level 5 status in New Hampshire, Maine and Vermont. Maureen E. Steer MDiv, Holistic Disciplines Manager at Cornerstone VNA notes, “This honor is a reflection of the hard work that the entire team puts into ensuring our veterans are given the best level of care possible.”

 

We Honor Veterans is a national Hospice provider awareness campaign conducted by the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization in collaboration with the Department of Veterans Affairs. As a We Honor Veterans Partner, Cornerstone VNA is better prepared to build organizational capacity to provide quality care for veterans and to strengthen partnerships with veteran organizations. In addition, Cornerstone VNA strives to increase access to hospice and palliative care for veterans living in the community and to network with other hospices across the country to learn about best practice models.

 

According to The National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO), Hospice programs can “earn their stars” and matching We Honor Veterans logo by completing activities for each of the five levels of commitment. This allows VA staff and Veterans to easily identify hospices that have made a commitment to offer veteran-specific care and services provided by a competent and highly skilled workforce. The NHPCO adds, “By recognizing the unique needs of America’s Veterans and their families, community providers, in partnership with VA staff, will learn how to accompany and guide them through their life stories toward a more peaceful ending.” To maintain Level 5 status, a Hospice is required to recertify on a yearly basis.

 

According to Julie Reynolds, Cornerstone VNA CEO, “We are privileged to honor veterans and their family members, and to express our gratitude to them for their gallantry and service at the end of their lives.” As a We Honor Veterans Partner, Cornerstone VNA is proud to give veterans a helping hand and the support they need at end-of-life. 

 

For more information about the We Honor Veterans program at Cornerstone VNA, contact Maureen E. Steer MDiv, Holistic Disciplines Manager, 603-332-1133 x1152 or msteer@cornerstonevna.org.

 

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 110 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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