Concord Granite United Way Day of Caring event

On Sept. 20, volunteers will be rolling up their sleeves and providing hours of volunteering to complete ‘wish list’ projects at local non-profits across Merrimack County. It’s a great opportunity for nonprofits to receive help with tasks like landscaping, painting and cleaning while sharing their work with volunteers. There is still time to sign up for a volunteer project – it’s easy to do by visiting https://bit.ly/3wbYZe0. There is a Day of Caring kick-off cookout on Wednesday, Sept. 20, at noon at Kiwanis Riverside Park behind Everett Arena at 15 Loudon Road in Concord. For more information, or to get involved, visit graniteuw.org.

Belmont The American Civil War through song

On Tuesday, Sept. 19, the Belmont Historical Society along with the NH Humanities-to-Go will be hosting a program titled, “Rally Round the Flag: The American Civil War Through Folksong” that will be presented by Marek Bennett, an award-winning cartoonist and musician. Mr. Bennett will provide an overview of the American Civil War through the lens of period music. Audience members are welcome to participate and sing along as the presenter explore lyrics, documents, and visual images from sources such as the Library of Congress. Through camp songs, parlor music, hymns, battlefield rallying cries, and fiddle tunes, Bennett examines the folksong as a means to enact living history, share perspectives, influence public perceptions of events, and simultaneously fuse and conserve cultures in times of change. Showcasing various instruments, the presenter along with the audience will consider possible new connections between song, art, and politics in American history. The program will be held at the Belmont Mill (rear entrance), 14 Mill St, in Belmont, at 7 p.m. This free program which is sponsored by NH Humanities-to-Go along with the Belmont Historical Society is open to the public and is handicapped accessible.

Franklin Hospice volunteers make a difference

Volunteering can be one of the most powerful experiences a person can have. When you volunteer you give your time to help touch the lives of others, and when that volunteering is for those who are on home Hospice, you gain the opportunity to change someone’s life for the better. Franklin VNA & Hospice is hosting a free volunteer training on Thursdays from Sept. 21 to Oct. 12 from 1 to 4 p.m. at 75 Chestnut St. in Franklin. Lunch is provided. This four-week session focuses on how to provide comfort, support, and a reassuring presence to Hospice patients and their families. You must attend each class in order to get your certificate. Registration is required. Contact Cherrie at 603-934-3454 or at cmurray@franklinvna.org to register.

Concord Hundreds walk for Down Syndrome Community

Abigail Adams, a successful model, actor and athlete will join forces with the New Hampshire Down Syndrome Association (NHDSA) and hundreds of families from across the state on Sunday, Sept. 24 at 11 a.m. at 107 N. Main St. in Concord, at the 2023 Buddy Walk. Adams is the first woman with Down syndrome to complete a sanctioned sprint triathalon. The Buddy Walk is an annual event for people across the state to gather, celebrate, and advocate for and with the Down syndrome community in New Hampshire. It aims to raise both awareness about Down syndrome and critical funds to support the NHDSA’s programs and advocacy work. The Buddy Walk will feature an opening ceremony with an inspirational speech by Abigail, a walk around the NH State House Plaza, and a host of family activities including lunch, a live DJ, face painting, a cotton candy station and more. To register for the walk, visit: newhampshiredsa.org/events/buddy-walk-2023

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