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CORONA VIRUS OR NOT, WE LOVE OUR PETS

What happens when your pet gets sick?  The real question is, what do we do in a crisis like this?

Fryeburg Veterinarian Dr. Susan Simpkins says: “We’re seeing all the normal things that we would see; allergies start to tick up this time of year, GI issues,  we’re seeing a lot of porcupine quills I think probably people are getting out there with their dogs, hiking.”  With the importance of social distancing, pets of course allowed into the Fryeburg Veterinary Hospital but owners remain in their cars and the consults are done by phone.  Dr. Simpkins goes on to explain: “Veterinarians and technicians work together to, you know, get an exam done and assess the animal, we then call the owner by phone, the veterinarian does, and discusses what we found in the exam and any recommended treatments.” She goes on to explain that it may take a few phone calls back and forth to truly understand what’s going on and determine the right treatment for the animal based on the conversation between the doctor and the animal owner.

Fryeburg Veterinary clinic is currently taking orders for medications, seasonal preventatives and prescription diets while still practicing social distancing.  All deliveries are done curbside.

As the weather warms up, Dr. Simpkins urges you to protect your pet through the spring season and consider visits and or treatments for heartworm, fleas and ticks and other seasonal parasites.

Visit Dr. Simpkins and her veterinary family at Fryeburgvet.com.

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HAPPY 50TH EARTH DAY <3

There are some positives to humans isolating, staying at home, consuming less and polluting less.  On this, the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day we find ourselves in the middle of a pandemic.  However in the midst of it, studies show that the earth is repairing itself and species are allowed to thrive.  This is a good thing for us, for our children, for our future.

This year we have to celebrate either at home or at a distance from one another but there are many ways to do this.  Here are a few ideas:

  • Spread some earth love online with home made projects, poems or songs. There are plenty of ideas on Pinterest of age appropriate crafts you can make.  Pinterest also has some great starter lines for stories and poems…  When you’re done, post them online for your friends and family to see what the earth means to you today.  It’s guaranteed to bring awareness and smiles.  We all miss each other and love the positive posts.
  • Learn something new. Learn about endangered species, how you can help them, volunteer or donate to organizations dedicated to saving them.  Learn how the earth is healing because it’s less impacted by humans. Learn how to plant a tree, a garden, a flower, anything living.  Find out what it takes to make a bat house or a bird house.
  • Take the Earth Day Challenge: a 22 day series that gives you action items to protect the environment. They’re all online at the Earth Day Network.  You can add your own actions with the hashtag #earthday2020
  • Join Columbia University’s webinar Saturday, April 25th “Understanding Environmental Justice and Community Health in light of Covid and Climate”. 
  • Get on the NASA website for resources from across the agency sharing their wealth of knowledge through games, books, images, posters and programs. These are free to everyone.
  • Watch environmental films. For younger kids or kids at heart there’s The Lorax, Schoolhouse Rock, March of the Penguins, Bears and Wall-E for example.  Other favorites include Our Planet, Food, Inc. as well as an Earth Day celebration on Turner Classics.
  • Check out the Smithsonian’s Earth Optimism Digital Summit– today through Sunday. It’s packed full of information, virtual workshops, video competitions, and panels on everything from sustainable food to protecting biodiversity.
  • Take the earth into consideration when you’re voting.
  • Hug a tree or just put your bare feet on the ground or your hands in the earth or your favorite river, stream or lake and listen quietly to the world around you.

Whatever you do today, it’s a celebration of the planet that houses us all.  And just like we’re taking precautions now to protect one another, our families, our friends, our co-workers, strangers… let’s watch the affect and bring some of our care out of this and forward in the future to our Mother Earth.

“The earth is what we all have in common”. ~ Wendell Berry

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Senator Jeanne Shaheen Discusses Earth Day, Healthcare, and More with Roy Prescott

US Senator Jeanne Shaheen called in to the Morning Show today and talked with Roy about a plethora of topics. Senator Shaheen has always been a big proponent of safeguarding the natural environment and for this reason the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day means a lot to her and her team. She also discussed the recent news about funding for healthcare providers here in the Granite State and how we can help as a community in the fight to stop the spread of COVID-19. Click below to listen to the full interview.

 

To learn more about Jeanne Shaheen and her efforts as a US Senator please visit SHAHEEN.SENATE.GOV

 

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LOCALS URGE GOVERNOR SUNUNU TO ROLL BACK THE OPENING OF CAMPGROUNDS

With visitors already refusing to comply with the stay at home orders of their states and coming to the Mount Washington Valley to visit and recreate, the local concern over an influx of campers is not outrageous.  Ski areas and outdoor attractions in the White Mountain National Forest have needed to close for this very reason.  In fact, if you’re a member of the AMC 4,000 footer club and you’re looking to bag a peak, it won’t count right now.

Last week after his decision to close NH schools, Sununu said “The asymptomatic transmission of this virus is very prevalent” he continues, “You could have an entire classroom of kids passing COVID back and forth without a single symptom, without a sniffle.” This leaves some locals baffled about his decision to let campgrounds that can collectively handle thousands of guests open as usual.

In an opinion article written today by Jeb Bradley for the Concord Monitor Senator Bradley offers this: “We should decrease the risk of visitors traveling from virus hot spots coming to campgrounds in our state while the virus can be spread and supply chain shortages occur in supermarkets. Large venues will not be open quickly. Smaller gatherings should continue during a phased opening of our state as we are not going to flip a switch from one day to the next.”

For weeks locals in the Mount Washington Valley and surrounding areas have been urging governor Sununu to reconsider campgrounds as essential businesses and keep them closed until COVID-19 is under control in many of the urban areas campers may be coming from.  There has been a petition from the officials in Conway to the governor with no response.    State Representative Steve Woodcock explains: “The biggest thing is we don’t need to take an unnecessary chance by allowing folks to congregate in large numbers in campgrounds”.  He goes on to say that the current stay at home order is what people should be following.  Representative Woodcock explains that “we’re just not there yet” and that his concern is that with out of town guests congregating in larger numbers at these campgrounds, both campers and locals are more at risk of contracting the virus.

Governor Sununu’s stay at home order is due to end in two weeks on May 4th.

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The Valley Pride Day 2020 Motto is “Take A Walk, Take A Bag”

Donna Woodward, organizer of the annual Valley Pride Day gave Roy Prescott a call yesterday and the two discussed the “redesigning” of the yearly clean-up event. Sadly, there will be no celebration on May 2nd like in years past due to the coronavirus but Donna told Roy that that does not mean people can not still go out there and do their part. She says the new motto is “Take A Walk, Take A Bag”.  Listen below as Donna not only explains the new approach to Valley Pride Day but also announces that this will be her last year as the “Queen of Clean” (as Roy likes to put it) and she has handed the duties of organizing the event to Saco Valley Trout Unlimited.

 

For more information about Valley Pride Day follow them on Facebook!

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VAUGHAN FOOD PANTRY RAMPS UP OPERATIONS TO SERVE THE MOUNT WASHINGTON VALLEY

Approximately six weeks ago the Vaughan Food Pantry quickly adapted to the evolution of safety measures and operational methods in response to the pandemic.  Jennifer Perkins, Administrator of Vaughan Community services goes on to say; “The way we distribute food, that’s the first change.  People used to come into a common area and (we would) give them to them individually.  Now, we pre-package all of our items. They are given, perhaps in some cases, more food than they want or items that they don’t want.  But they are receiving them because we pre-package our bags”.  All of the items in those bags are wiped down with disinfectant by Vaughan volunteers.  She goes on to explain that there are no more visitors to the interior of the food pantry and that all pick-ups are done curbside.

In addition to a change in purchasing, packaging and pick up procedures, there is a temporary hiatus on food donations to the food pantry making monetary donations to support them during the COVID-19 crisis even more important.  To make a donation that will support the work of the food pantry one hundred percent, please visit: www.vaughannh.org.

If you are experiencing food insecurity, you are encouraged to visit the Vaughan Community Services food pantry at 2076 White Mountain Highway in North Conway.  It is open Tuesdays from 12:00 p.m. until 1:45 p.m. and on Thursdays from 1:00 p.m. until 2:45 p.m .

For more information about local food pantries, please visit: www.211nh.org.