It has been a privilege to drive around the state and see firsthand the response this little magazine has received since we launched a month ago. It has also been affirmation that there is, indeed, a demand for stories that celebrate the best our people and communities have to offer.
The strength of New Hampshire is its people – earnest, decent, hard-working folks who strive to make our neighborhoods and state a wonderful place to live. The strength of The NH Troubadour depends on these same people. In other words: you. Each month, we are on the lookout for ordinary individuals doing extraordinary things; people who help make life here better by quietly making a big difference in their communities. We need your help in identifying them.
From our monthly feature story to the “Your Troubadour” section and the “Troubadour Trumpets” on the facing page, we are in constant search of folks and organizations whose stories you believe are worth sharing. If you know of someone, please contact us.
In the short time we have been in print, we have been overwhelmed by your generosity in the poetry, photography, story tips and even recipes that have filled our mailbox. From readers like Lisa Bell of Marlowe who wrote us championing the Marlowe Women’s Society’s Harvest Fair efforts to raise money for those in need, to Rose Kowaliw of Swanzey and Ginger Jannenga of East Colebrook who shared striking gifts for poetry and photography, respectively, we cannot be more grateful. We plan to feature as many of you as we can in the months ahead, and as space allows.
In the meantime, we continue to be blessed with stunning cover and inside photography from folks across the state, all of whom have volunteered their time and exceptional talents. The pumpkin shot on this month’s cover, for instance, is from Jeffrey Newcomer, MD, medical director of the Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program at Cheshire Medical Center/Dartmouth-Hitchcock Keene.
Dr. Newcomer annually produces and sells a “New England Reflections” calendar as a fundraiser to cover the cost of pulmonary rehabilitation for area residents lacking insurance coverage. These calendars can be found at the hospital cafeteria as well as in bookstores, art shops and markets throughout Cheshire County and the Monadnock region. We are thrilled to feature his work and to assist his efforts in any way we can.
This past month reinforced for my wife Karin and me why we moved back to New Hampshire to raise our family. Many of us know about the natural wonders our state has to offer, but it is truly the people who make it extraordinary. And, with your assistance, The Troubadour will proudly do to its part in pointing them out, so they can receive the attention they deserve.
