VFW seeking help with running Labor Day parade

To the Editor:

Most of us associate Labor Day with the national labor movement and its successes that have been celebrated over the last 130 years. However, here in Milford, our annual Labor Day parade had a different origin.

At the end of World War II, a group of local veterans and patriotic resi­dents thought it would be a good idea to have a "homecoming" celebration for those soldiers, sailors and air­men returning from battles fought in Europe and in the Pacific. Thus, Milford’s Veterans of Foreign Wars parade, held on Labor Day, has be­come a traditional favorite gathering for the past 68 years.

The parade has attracted civic orga­nizations, businesses and other local groups to march alongside several marching bands from all over the region. This has been a great source of family entertainment, drawing over 25,000 spectators annually.

But, and there’s always a "but," entertainment isn’t free. Our local Veterans of Foreign Wars Post, which has organized this annual event, at one time paid for the entire cost of the bands and other participants who charged for their appearance in the parade.

As costs rose over the years, the VFW sought funding from our town administration. For the last few years, the event was funded in part through our Board of Selectmen.

However, due to recent budget cuts, those funds have been significantly reduced. And our VFW can no longer pay for the entire cost of the parade, estimated at approximately $12,000, all by itself. And, unlike other activi­ties held in town, the Labor Day pa­rade produces no revenue, just good, old-fashioned fun for those who join in the celebration.

Therefore, we are seeking help from local merchants, businesses and our willing residents to provide what­ever they can in financial support to help defray the costs. In the next few weeks, we will be providing decal stickers that can be mounted in any home or place of business in recogni­tion for those helping to support the 2016 Labor Day parade. We also plan to ask The Cabinet to donate space in the Thursday edition preceding Labor Day to provide a listing of all those who have made donations to this wor­thy cause.

We must all realize that this tra­ditional celebration is not held for the purposes of promoting any one individual organization or business in town. It is a celebration of the com­munity. And as a community, we all have a vested interest in seeing that this annual celebration continues for all of us to enjoy.

For more information on how you can become a valued sponsor of the 2016 Labor Day parade, please con­tact the Milford VFW Post at 673-9817 or email us at vfwpost4368@gmail. com.

Steve Sears

Commander

Harley-Sanford Post 4368

Veterans of Foreign Wars

Soccer fields would threaten endangered snake species

To the Editor:

What do the planned soccer fields on Heron Pond Road and the Endan­gered Species Conservation Act of NH (RSA 212-A) have in common? The an­swer is … the Eastern hognose snake.

Unfortunately for the hognose, the would-be soccer field site is its home. The selectmen would banish the hog­nose from the site, a task easily done with the bulldozer transforming the existing grass and shrub land into a flat ball field.

The soccer fields would go in, hognose snakes out, along with the other New Hampshire threatened and endangered species utilizing the area – the Blanding’s and spotted turtles. Rare birds, too, such as the prairie warbler and brown thrasher, use this grass and shrub field and its surrounding forest. These birds are listed in the N.H. Wildlife Action Plan as being in highest need of conserva­tion.

The hognose is a mild-mannered and shy snake that bluffs its enemies with a head and neck display to ap­pear fierce like a cobra. The gentle hognose needs a large territory and actually moves about the Brox Com­munity Lands, as several sightings have shown.

The selectmen are already spend­ing $8,000 for engineering plans for these Heron Pond Road soccer fields that only a few people want.

To build the soccer fields, the selectmen would take away an important habitat area of the endangered hognose snake, which is not only a crying shame, it would be a crime.

In fact, it is a prosecut­able crime under RSA 212-A to not only kill the hognose, but to disturb or harass it. The bulldozer would cause more than a little disturbance to the hognose and fellow spe­cies.

Milford has a choice to make. Shall it be to illegally build the soccer fields that we could then name the Eastern Hog­nose Snake Soccer Fields of Milford in memory of the hognose? Or shall it be to allow endangered species to have a chance of survival?

Suzanne Fournier

Coordinator

Brox Environmental Citizens

Milford

Christmas comes early to local club

To the Editor:

Last Friday, June 3, a gentleman stopped by the Boys & Girls Club of Souhegan Valley and placed 10 $100 bills in our donation bin. He left without a word and before anyone could thank him.

Our security cameras picked up an image of someone who vaguely resembles Santa Claus without his winter beard. Whoever this anonymous supporter is – thank you! Your $1,000 gift was matched and helped us get closer to our overall goal. I hope your ex­ample of giving spreads and more people join us to help change young people’s lives for genera­tions to come!

An exciting benefit of the Boys & Girls Club of Souhegan Valley’s ef­forts to raise $3 million to build its new gym and teen center is a renewed appreciation about just how important our club is to the Souhegan Valley. I have been overwhelmed by the generosity of our supporters and volunteers as we planned for the expansion and received donations to support our efforts. And the excite­ment of our youth mem­bers, teens and young alumni is palatable as they eagerly await for the opportunities this expan­sion will provide them.

As we enter the sum­mer, we are wrapping up our capital campaign with $700,000 left to raise. Critical choices are being made based on our ability to reach our fundraising goals. The Boys & Girls Club is a vital resource to our children and commu­nity; we need your help to increase our impact and serve even more young people. An anonymous donor is matching all new gifts up to a total of $100,000, and we’ve only achieved 10 percent of this matching challenge so far. Please help us take full advantage of this generous offer. Every donation truly makes a difference! Do­nate now or pledge your support over time. Pledges can be fulfilled over three years. Thank you.

For more informa­tion about the planned expansion and how you can make a donation, visit www.svbgc.org or email Susan Taylor, executive director, at staylor@svbgc. org.

Katelyn Ratta

Boys & Girls Club of Souhegan Valley