From the Eagle Tribune
October 11, 2011
Atkinson police station still source of air quality woes
By Cara Hogan
chogan@eagletribune.com
ATKINSON — Dispatcher Lynne Cunningham said she's had breathing problems since she starting working at the police station.
"I'm worried about my health," she said. "I have chest pains, trouble breathing, sinus problems. I get light-headed. It's all because of the air quality in here."
Cunningham said some of her coworkers have experienced similar problems. The department's air quality issues were addressed in the recently released Municipal Resources report, an independent analysis of the department.
"Members of the police department feel the town does not care about their health," the report said. "Employees who have read reports on the air quality issue state there are three types of mold above the false ceiling and that fiberglass is being blown through the ventilation systems."
The cause of the problems is water damage from a roof leaking over the years, according to the report.
Selectmen said they are committed to fixing the problem. The town planned to tear out and replace the duct work over the summer, but delayed the project because of police Chief Philip Consentino's health problems.
Selectman Fred Childs said the project was delayed again because Selectman William Bennett had been out for health reasons. Now, Bennett has resigned and Craig Schuster was chosen to fill the position.
"Now that we've got another selectman, it should be done quickly," Childs said Friday. "This will be one of the first things on the agenda for the new board. We also have to talk about fixing the fire station roof. Both of those will be done by winter; we have the money for it."
The project will take at least three days, Childs said, so the department has to vacate the building. The board is still trying to work out a schedule with the contractor.
"We want it done right," he said.
Cunningham said selectmen have been making promises for months, but haven't made any progress.
"You can see water spots on the ceiling above my head," Cunningham said. "At this point, do we need to get a lawyer to make the town fix this? They said they were going to do it four or five months ago. Enough is enough."
But Childs denied there has been any health impact on the employees at the department.
"We have done all kinds of tests and there is no risk for the people working there," he said. "That's why we weren't rushing into anything."
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100 comments:
What's the rush if there's no health hazard? It is probably just the overwhelming stench of unwashed doggie that permeates the station that is making her sick. She has farm animals so maybe she doesn't notice it.
Want to take care of the health problems at the PD and save money at the same time?
Simply close the building down, contract with another town to patrol our streets, move Elderly Affairs to the community center, and save the $800,000 police department budget! Use the savings to repair the Fire Department roof, and get rid of an unqualified Police Chief at the same time.
Easy fix to solve more than one problem. Will selectmen see the solution? Of course not! They need Consentino to cover up all their illegal shenanigans.
Apparently their worry about being unpopular, is an intended result!
well put
Shifting the focus from the real problems in Atkinson to building repair is a smoke screen to avoid fixing the real problems that threaten the health of the entire community. Just build a multimillion dollar police station complex to service Elderly Affairs. You did it for the library for the children. Now do it for the ailing, suffering, poor, feeble, Elderly! Have a heart!!
A statement to the unread, uneducated, amateur Atkinson part-time politicians, full time bullies ....and their famously iimmoral fleet of attorneys:
A decline in courage may be the most striking feature that an observer notices. We have lost our civic courage, both as a whole and separately, in this sleepy town of Atkinson. Such a decline in "honest" courage is particularly noticeable among our elected egotistical and non-intellectual political neophytes--causing an impression of a loss of courage by the entire population of the town of Atkinson. (There are a few courageous individuals who will stand up and speak out.)
Organized political hacks and their lawyers, lacking even basic intellectual skills--combined with a lack of honor--, show a false perplexity about the truth, and take blatant actions against the community. In their statements...unbridled lying, and even more so in their self-serving rationales they try to proove to all..as to how realistic, reasonable, and intellectually and even morally justified it is for them to "look the other way". And the lack of their own courage, at times attaining what could be termed a --lack of manhood-- is emphasized by occasional disjointed outbursts of support and total flexibility on their part regarding their own primary town liability.
Notice they generally get tongue-tied and paralyzed when dealing with threatening officers, bully aggresson from the podium, land violators, stalkers, vandalizers of property and known partying drug dealers.
-Should one point out that from ancient times, a decline in honest courage has been considered the beginning of the end?
The decline stems in part from the fact a defacto dictator with a badge has been allowed to bully and silence critics. It's not worth it to the typical resident to stick their neck out and risk the harassment, arrest or public humiliation tactics over town issues. It's not worth it. Take away the badge and its a new ball game.
The selectmen need to show some courage and implement the MRI report. Enough said.
Consentino uses the Eagle Tribune once again to put unneeded pressure on the selectmen,to spend unneeded money on another one of his pet projects.
Having Consentino for a Police Chief is like owning a boat. He requires pouring more and more money into a "black hole", just to keep it afloat!
Time to fill that hole with dirt and move on to other projects that can be fixed.
We don't need a police department in Atkinson. It's to expensive and we can't afford it.
AGREED!!
Cut the pork spending. Outsource the work. Done. Save hundreds of thousands and all the headaches and no more lost guns!
Lost Gun? That problem was solved when Farrar resigned. Unfortunately, he's not the only one that couldn't keep his weapon in it's holster! :0
Someone said he is still on PT helping out.
Right.
Maybe if Dispatcher Cunningham was not so busy sending out fundraising letters and thank you for your donation letters on behalf of the Chief's private charity, while being paid by the taxpayers, she would have time to step outside and get a breath of fresh air.
All of these good statements should be seen as signs, in a group in front of town hall at the next schedule selectmen's meeting.
That is called democratic responsibility. Ask Mark, Grant, Goodrich, Brownfield and so on and on.
This blog has a way of diverting the facts. 1. The BOS has acknowledged a air quality problem at the PD. 2 The BOS scheduled the work to be done , somewhere around the 4th of July weekend. 3At that point Mr Bennett was as healthy as a horse and was part of the 3 some that approved the work. 4. Who cares if the Chief was in the hospital when scheduled work was supposed to be done? 5. What does the appointing of a new selectment have to do with the delay? They don't have to approve it again unless Mr friel has some other contractors, who arent' affiliated with Hell's Angels that he wants to hook up. HMMMMMMMMM
Disptachers can't go outside for frsh air, who would answer the phones knucklehead?
Wow I wish I could be part of this law suit!
If there is a lawyer out there and you know one of the boys in blue or girls at the PD, get in touch with them I'm sure you want a piece of this pie.
childs said no health impact 1 bos agreed that fiberglass was blowing through ductwork, 2 outside companys said ductwork needed to be changed, 3 bos sent town maintence man to put packing tape on missing peices of ceiling tile,4 bos tried to patch ductwork, 5 bos saw the stained and moldy ceiling,ALL OF THIS AND BOS HAS MONTHS TO FIX THIS AND HAS DONE NOTHING
freil said he had 7-8 contractors lined up to do the work but was having trouble lining up the ceiling guy, then said would put it out to bid,WHICH IS IT BILL
The chief has said that Farrar is helping out at the police station, even after he resigned.
Is that legal?
What does Consentino do anyway. What is his job discription. I didn't see it in the MRI reccomendations.
what about the kimball house?? bill f had guys take storm windows off to paint the windows and put them behind building, they blew over and broke. windows are not painted and have no storm windows to put back up nice job bill,who is going to pay for the heating bill for this?????????
is it true that new selectman craig is a personal friend of bill f ?
fred should not speak,the bos is taking down the ceiling and replacing the duct work,but "there has not been any health ipact on the employees". if there is no problem why fix it.Fred time to hang it up
Has anyone noticed when Fred speaks he is an embarrassment? Back in july he told the Eagle Tribune that it was asbestos. Then Mr Smith had to correct him and tell him "Uncle fred it's only mold and it's the good kind". So the town is supposed to believe Smith over Fred, one of our founding fathers? Wake up Atkinson
and bennett wanted to know if it was good mold or bad mold??
fred said the pd and the fire station will both be done by winter? does he know what month it is???
with all this work going on friels guys will be busy
Close the Police Department forever, sell the building and that project will be taken care of. Take the money and the PD budget and do other projects.
Problem solved.....no more problem.
All this inside-the-pd-today-repair-news.
Go back to work and earn your keep.
BTW, winter doesn't start for 2 more months.
Snow can come anytime within the next two months. Let's wait till it starts snowing, open up the FD roof to get wet, let the mold start to form, and then get a good price to fix the Kimball house, PD, & FD!
Oops, sorry I let the "Cat out of the Bag"! Didn't mean to give out inside information as to what the selectmen were planning.
Police Dept. can then sue the selectmen, selectmen can sue Consention, Kimball house will sue both of them and drive up our legal costs even more.
Our Public Servants are the Obama of Atkinson. Noat very good looking, stupid as a rock, interested in their own agendas, and don't care how much debt they build up.
We need to get involved in cleaning up Atkinson, before going forward to the State and Federal government.
Get involved or GO BUST!
How much you got left in YOUR WALLET?
Perhaps the air quality would clear up at the PD, if Consentino was removed from the building. (Oh, and his dog too)!
No offense to the dog, he's not the worst offender for oder for sure.
One has to wonder what is truly wrong with this building? How many people have died that have worked in it. Let's name a few: Captain Yatsevich, Diane Kinney, John Lapham, and Dale Childs. A coincidence or not? You decide! Once it is found that the building is killing people, the workers are going to be filthy rich and the tax payers will feel the effect of this.
Bring on that lawsuit, and do it now.
Taxpayers aren't afraid SO BRING IT ON!
How's that Town Administrator Job working out for taxpayers so far? That's a $70,000 expense we can get rid of. Can't keep them, when they are replaced it cost us more each and every time, and we get no benefit as a town for having them.
Can hardly wait till the NEW AND IMPROVED BOS brings that subject up again. That subject should be SHOVED DOWN THEIR THROATS like a new communication tower, PD, PD lieutenant and detective, etc. etc, etc.
Watching a selectman's meeting is like watching OLD RERUNS of a bad 30’s movie or remakes of the same show.
Time to cancel all their shows, and put responsible people in office.
The PUNCH AND JUDY show was canceled years ago everywhere in the world EXCEPT THE TOWN OF ATKINSON. They remade themselves as the three monkeys and that doesn’t make for good viewing either. We’ve replaced the characters but the show is the same.
Time to trim the budget by getting rid of Consentino, his MAIFA connections, police dept., town administrator position, all police cars and associated costs, Childs, Friel, Bennett (oops he is gone like McAllister, Sullivan, Sapia) along with all the UNFUNDED State Mandates that cost us MONEY.
TIME TO THROW OUT ALL THOSE BABIES, with the BATHWATER. Doing so would save us $7,000,000 dollars in expenses.
What could YOU DO WITH $7 MILLION AS A TOWN that WAS spent on MONKEYS?
Jordan Shallow wants you to spend that money on Monkeys for HIS protection. Do you want to continue to spend money to protect him and his kind?
If so, just keep voting in Friel, Childs, Consentino and the likes of them.
Jordan will thank you for doing so.
Meow!
ALL HAIL TO THE NEW KING!!
It didn't take long for Mr. Friel our new king to take over as chairman of the BOS. with puppets to his left and right he now controls the town. Let's face it. Appointing Mr. Schuster, nice guy but least qualifed, was good for Bill but not necessarily good for the town.
Phil must be pissed! Dat's right Phil. You no longer da man. You is out. O-U-T. It must burn you up to see King Bill holding court and you can't even get on the agenda anymore! Heck you can't even get in the building.
I remember the good ole days when you would announce birthdays of little old ladies and read phony thank you letters on ACTV. It was so nice and fake. It was touching how you used tax dollars to market yourself ad nauseum.
Now you are standing outside the Town Hall peaking in the window just wishing and hoping you could get back control. I hate to be the one to break it to you but it's over Phil. Even if you get one of your boys in next March yer still a minority. I know what you'r thinking though. "It's not over! Nothings over! Did the Americans give up when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?? Let's GOOOOOOO!"
Just like the scene with Belushi, nobody is following you.
im sure jordan doesnt even read this but what ever i get the point
Jordon not only reads this blog but is the one posting all those cat remarks and complaining about the cat lady.
He's kidding no one.
It's not Jordan posting this stuff. It's Phil and Frank.
Jordan is tied up driving around at night swearing at the neighbors from his car. The cops don't know how to stop him.
Who the heck is Jordan?
The person who is causing all the trouble on Meditation Lane.
Town is getting sued again.
every time craig and fred talk you cant see bill f lips move
to bad we can not vote for 3 new selectman in march
pd going out to bid, bids will come back in the thousands and bos will say dont have the money sorry guys really dont care about your health
sure, if that were really the case. we all know it's not.
and besides, what's he doing besides blogging all day?
nothing.
nothing going on in town either. no crime, no problems. he just doesn't want to work.
when are you retiring?
I hope you're around for the new guy and come to his parade.
So much acid flying around (legit or not)and none of you have the ballies to be anyone other than "anonymous".
It's the same deal as with elderly, only those he approves of get town services.
the list of elderly is anonymous. HAHAHAHA
Ballies. HAHAHAHA
Spell this-----Ignoramus
Ignigiramos? No. HAHAHAHA
sorry, not in dick-tionary. HAHAHAHA
I always wanted to live in a town that makes lawsuits faster than rabbits make little bunnies.
But my town has all the taxpayer dollars, an UNLIMITED CHECKBOOK to waste on the rat faced, scumbag attorneys. That's a good thing!
The people get a royal screwed by our town out of justice faster than the banks and wall street screw people out of their jobs and homes.
You gotta love corruption. Loving corruption is the way to be at peace with our fumbling hacks serving us shit.
Never forget.....Greed is good!!!!!!
People losing their jobs, homes, families. And Atkinson continues sucking food money out of taxpayer pockets to pay for their avoidable mistakes. How much bigger was the check this week to the faymouse attorney? Common, spill the beans. It's ok because taxpayers dont mind plus they have got the dough to pay for whatever faymouse attorneys cost you to bail out of your avoidable mistakes.
And be sure to go on a new spending spree to start the re-recession off to a great start for us suffering taxpayers. The DRA gives its royal stamp of approval for your robbing our pockets for $100,000 administrators to run errands. The planned big time expansion of town hall so you can enjoy exploiting mor tax dollars with better video control over voters. Yup, it is FOR the video people, the video nutjobs need more space to video Sapia's ball players begging for cash. We gotta expand town hall and take your mortgage money.... It's for THE CHILDREN. Gotta spend, spend, your money to water those ball fields. It Will cost a lot but that doesn't matter because Microphone hugger Jack, says a baseball could bounce wrong on dry dirt and put out a child's eye!!
I vote each child be enclosed in a plastic bubble. (Cheaper and safer)!
Tax and spend. Over tax and over spend! Rob us of our money for your egos. Looking forward to the new VENETIAN police station for the elderly. Yes, it's coming because it is FOR THE ELDERLY. A six story new police station occupying two acres on Rt. 111 so our officers can more compassionately care for elderly donations.
Plus the plan to compete with Brookstone. There will be a restaurant and golf course connected to the VENETIAN police station so our officers can better "service" the elderly. We got to do this because the Derry police saw us making all this cash and they are buying Brookstone to line their pockets with elderly and taxpayer dollars..
OMG, Atkinson Taxpayers! Pony up the millions we need before the Atkinson Police Donatio fund loses money to the Derry Police Donation fund!!
THIS IS WAR!!!
Allah Akbar! I love this town. I really do.
The sprinkler plan for the ball field never made any sense to me. They wanted to hook up to HAWC and install irrigation. Historically, HAWC bans watering lawns every year in May or June, until Sept. You would not be allowed to use the system even if you had one.
"So much acid flying around (legit or not)and none of you have the ballies to be anyone other than "anonymous".
This post must have been made by a neutered talking dog cartoon character.
Back to the article.
Dispatcher is hinting at a lawsuit here and right after MRI reports the job is not needed.
Interesting timing.
what about the other people in the building breathing in all those fibers
The dispatcher is long over due in hinting if not pursuing a law suit. What's the old saying? "Pony up Atkinson", this is going to hurt!
Most, if not all buildings around here have fiberglass insulation. I'll be willing to bet most of you have installed it, pulled it down to fix something, or otherwise willingly handled it.
What is the big deal all of a sudden? Can't have a spotless building. If she does sue, they can go into her medical records and require her to be examined by theor own doctor and more. It hardly seems worth the trouble if you ask me.
Also, living amongst farm animals has got to be worse than working PT at the PD. None of the previous victims of health problems who worked at the PD ever hinted that it was the PD. One cannot just sue because they have the sniffles. And why now? Lawsuit replaces paycheck?
the fiberglass is in unlined ductwork and what about the mold
I could care less if they sued. Go ahead! Make my day! I'd be amused. You leech off the town for years in an unnecessary job and then sue us, totally predictable.
There's a little thing called proof you need.
The Woodlock park fields that are irrigated are fed off a well. Atkinson youth baseball is donating the money to irrigate the 4 baseball fields. That will probably save money since they won't have to slice seed the torn up fields every spring.
It's Friday night ms. Kitty, let's party make some noise with your cat lady.
I always heard that his herb was top shelf
I just could not wait to find out for myself
Don't knock it til' you tried it, Well I tried it my friend
And I'll never smoke weed with Willie again
I learned a hard lesson in a small Texas town
He fired up a fat boy and passed him around
The last words that I spoke before they tucked me in
Was I'll never smoke weed with Willie again
I'll never smoke weed with Willie again
My parties all over before it begins
You can pour me some old whiskey river my friend
But I'll never smoke weed with Willie again
I hopped on his old bus, the Honey Suckle Rose
The party was Vegas it was after the show.
Alone in the front lounge with just me and him,
With one parting puff grim creeper set in.
I'll never smoke weed with Willie again
My parties all over before it begins
You can pour me some old whiskey river my friend
But I'll never smoke weed with Willie again
Now we're passing the guitar and telling good jokes
I know ones a-comin' cause I'm smelling smoke
No I do not partake, I just let it pass by
With a smile on my face and a great contact high
I'll never smoke weed with Willie again
My parties all over before it begins
You can pour me some old whiskey river my friend
But I'll never smoke weed with Willie again
In the fetal position with drool on my chin
I messed up and smoked weed with Willie again
I can see water spots above my head! OMG!
Sue Atkinson for a million-2. Keep coughing up them chicken feathers. you get pregnant recently? Tell em the truth,,, You can't get pregnant because you can only think about dirty ductwork. Thats worth 20K cause it will terrify our Plaistow judge. She will feel your pain.
How rude, please remove this post. Or did the moderator write it. The timing with a new post is very specious!
Shame on this blog....I'll make sure the Judge gets a copy.
Just like JL, LA, and MA
Cat Lady can't have kittens either! SUE, SUE, SUE!
if you got ballies, send it framed. they can hang it.
What about all the first and second graders that went to the Rockwell School before it became the Police Station. I smell class action suit. Anyone else smell it?
Or is this whole thing contrived?
can't breathe ta send out !!thanks for the money!! letters !!XXOXX!! Gonna fire you up anyway so Hurry get that fat disbility check figgired out for all them hours workin on the town dime fer dat secrit police charity donators fund !! Judge in plaistow needs ta know. You gonna feel her pain!!!!
frame it ok
Why didn't the conflict of interest committee meet with the town employees involved to explain why it is wrong to get paid by the town while working on a private business?
BOS, why is the CIC not taking action against this abuse?
OMG, i check in with this site once in awhile and am amazed at the comments written. every town has some problem but you folks are totally out of control. find something else to do with your time other than bashing everyone and everything in this town. if your so unhappy here do us all a favor and MOVE OUT.
Just happened to stop by for a visit today to tell people to move out of town.
How kind
Occupy Atkinson organizers: We can take our town back from the greedy political hacks who are morally bankrupt and tax us to death and bully citizens trying to force them to sell out and MOVE OUT.
Make your signs and bring sleeping bags and water bottles. Restrooms in town hall. If denied piss in the lake. State and national news will be watching. It will take two weeks to a month for resignations but only 24 to 48 hours to get others to join our ranks.
The core group is 12 tough taxpayers, registered voters. The APD will not arrest because they are cowards, part time and fear negative exposure and publicity.
We can do this! 12 volunteers and we take our town back. Think about it! It can be done with only a dozen tough people.
OCCUPY ATKINSON NOW!
it is amazing after over a year of finding problems with the air quality at pd and complaining to the bos all you have to do is say sue and the bos puts it out to bid. all any body wants is to have the problem fixed
mri report also said there are issues with the air quality
The MRI report said there were complaints by the dispatchers. MRI doesn't do health inspections and one was done and it indicated dirty ducts, some fiberglass, some mold. If there was an impending hazard, don't you think our HAZMAT Team at the FD would be involved? Call them.
BFD. If you think you are in danger, why are you going in every day.
Quit, sue, be gone with you.
Anyone who wants to get the Conflict of Interest Committee involved, just has to file a petition, then wait for people to join the committee. Right now, there isn't one. Your friendly Police Chief drove them all off and his cronies helped him.
Quips and Quotes:
It was also pointed out by officers and Chief Consentino that officers on a portable radio cannot be heard when they are insoide the Atkinson Country Club.
What the hell are they doing there anyway? They are large enough to have their own bouncer and security staff and security system. If they are looking for bimbo cops from Atkinson for protection, gawd help them.
I have never read of a single problem there and if there's nothing in the police log, mustn't be any calls to answer.
Why is the Police Chief still soliciting private business owners to join his list of you-do-as-I-say-and-I-send-you-business scam?
It is obvious to the rest of us that htis is blatant abuse of power and is utterly dispicable. Anyone getting business this way is not to be trusted and I think we should boycott anyone on this list.
For the 128 hrs per week for Plaistow dispatch coverage we pay less than $38k per year and this INCLUDES the cost of coverage for the FD for 24 hours a day.
This is dirt cheap compared to the 40 hours per week for dispatcher coverage by MRS. (Nepotism) Consentino and MRS. (I work for the private charity when no one is looking) Cunningham.
GET RID OF THE DISPATCHERS.
Mrs. and Mrs. cost us $45k per year for less than 1/3 of the service. (to the PD that is).
Don't forget the health benes and the vacation pay and whatever else they get that we pay for.
The most interesting statement yet in the report:
Page 9 - Considerable citizen interest exists on the internet regarding the operation of this charitable enterprise.
Enterprise, yup it's a business alright but beyond that is the fact that MRI is reading the BLOG!
cough, cough
(sorry, a fur ball is stuck in my throat).
projects going out to bid,walk through monday 2 pm interesting to see howmany of friels buddies will be there
To Anon October 16, 2011 4:52 PM
You are what you eat. Obviously you have turned into one. :(
Good move. Cunningham came through with our ET story. BOS on the run.
her complaints do not sound valid given that childs said there was no risk and lots of tests were done.
sounds like setting the stage for 2 things 1) a settlement when the job is outsourced, 2) a new building , which I am against since there is so little done and/or to be done by this dept.
Get rid of the scammer Consentio, his POLICE DEPARTMENT, HIS Elderly Department, and save MILLIONS!
Save your pocketbook and make your life more simple.
Get rid of the crooks in Atkinson.
Got the message yet or how much longer are you going to put up with them stealing your money?
fred also said there was asbestos in pd then backpeddled on that, tests were done that showed fiberglass and mold. fred does not know what day it is nevermind what tests were done
he made a mistake, so what? he corrected it.
no health benefits for dispatchers
fred time to stop speaking,every time you speak you have know idea of what you are saying
corrected it after ta pointed out that he was wrong??
so what? get over it.
lets talk about the easy way to get the FT Chief for ZERO money.
$45k outsource dispatching
$22k fire Chief
$30k, fire trustee, check!
$97K - hire new FT trained dignified Chief.
Senior Companion Program expands in Southern New Hampshire
By Cara Hogan
chogan@eagletribune.com
The Eagle Tribune Mon Oct 17, 2011, 02:33 AM EDT
Seniors in Salem, Pelham and Plaistow have a new way to remain independent in their own homes.
The Senior Companion Program has 55 and older volunteers ready to visit isolated seniors across Southern New Hampshire to keep them company and help run errands.
Nicole Finitsis, program manager for the Senior Companion Program, said the Concord-based organization has 72 volunteers statewide. It serves more than 450 home-bound seniors and is expanding to the area.
It is the only program in the state that uses only 55 and older adults as volunteers.
"The idea is for older adults who have retired, but want to keep active to go out and visit seniors," Finitsis said. "These are people who have no way of getting out of their homes and are isolated. Volunteers take them to doctors' appointments, grocery shopping or out for coffee. "
Finitsis said there is a big need for the program in the Salem area, and they're trying to get the word out to people in need.
"We see a need increasing in that area, so that's why we're trying to expand our services," she said. "It's a way to provide independence. We don't go into assisted living or nursing homes; it's for people who are living at home or with a child and the caregiver needs a little help."
The service is completely free for people who need it, except for a small requested donation to pay for gas money. It is a federally and state-funded program, though they have faced some cutbacks this year.
Volunteers go through three days of training before volunteering and must be willing to commit to 20 hours each week.
"Our volunteer companions who do this, many have been doing it for decades," Finitsis said. "We've had companions start from their 60s or 70s and still volunteer into their 80s. It gives so much back for the companion and also the person they're seeing."
Right now, most of the volunteers are centered around Nashua and Manchester, but Finitsis hopes that will change.
Joan Desclos of Nashua is retired and has been volunteering for about eight months with the program.
"I can't just sit at home, I needed something to do," she said. "There's one lady that all she wants it to play cards. Another lady I've taken to Hampton Beach, and we sat on the boardwalk and ate. We have a great time."
Maureen Rowntree of Nashua first volunteered about five years ago for the program.
"I volunteered because I was retired and figured I should do something," she said. "Now, I can't believe how addicted to it I am. It's so wonderful to make a difference in someone's day."
Rowntree said she specializes in helping Alzheimer's patients and tries to do whatever they want to do, play cards or checkers or other activities.
"One guy loved looking at birds," she said. "We would go to from pet store to pet store and pet the birds; we called it birding. Another gentleman I worked with had Alzheimer's and he liked to ride. We have CDs from the '50s, and we sing and look at the beauty of the roads. You can tell he's happy."
Many of the people she works with have family members who care for them.
"This gives the caretaker a little respite," she said. "Alzheimer's people are wonderful, but it's difficult, the strain of caring for them 24-7."
Rowntree said she has made intense connections with the people she works with.
"A couple of people I worked with have passed away and, on two occasions, their family asked me to do a eulogy because we spent so much time together," she said. "We become a part of the family."
Contact person: Pam Jolivette, Senior Companion Manager, (603) 225-3295, http://volunteer.truist.com/uw...
P.O. Box 1016
Concord, NH 03302-1016
How about we pay ZERO for a police chief by going to regional policing and put the savings in our pocket?
We need to look at all these options.
Why is the BOS concerned about what type of light bulbs to use and timers on the water heaters at PD and Community Center, when we have real problems?
Why do the PD and the Community Center need water heaters anyway, they don't have showers or anything? The hot water should be off the boiler or tankless.
Geezzzzzzzuzzz.
That's your "real" problem. That the PD and CC have water heaters instead of tankless?
No, pay attention!
What I asked was, and let me repeat it sloooowwwly for you....
Why is the BOS concerned about light bulbs when we have real problems? It was an article in the paper on Friday. I guess you don't read.
Imagine, they waste their time with light bulbs when the Chief nut head is wasting $100K is poor management decisions.
He is soooo very jealous of the FD having showers that my prediction is that he will ask for showers at the PD to make sure he uses that hot water!
Oh, so you're 'real' problem is the fabrication in your head. Show proof or shut up.
It's in the newspaper! The BOS has spoken, long live King Friel.
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