VOLUME 34, NUMBER 2 JUNE 11, 2009 FREE THE WEEKLY NEWS & LIFESTYLE JOURNAL OF MT. WASHINGTON VALLEY Nordic Skiing Through History: The New England Ski Museum in Franconia has opened a new exhibit entitled 'Nordic Skiing from the Stone Age to Skating' ... A 4 Rally In The Valley: It’s June, and that means MOTORCYCLES, and the Valley is more than ready to welcome each and every one ... A 18 As The Wheel Turn: Peter Minnich enjoys a ride in the Upper Valley along the Connecticut River … A24 A SALMON PRESS PUBLICATION • (603) 447-6336 • PUBLISHED IN CONWAY, NH Page Two Groundbreaking celebrated with surprise announcement of $200,000 donation New Jackson Public Library-Trickey Barn Project is under way JACKSON — The Jackson Public Library will make its new home in the reassembled 150-year-old Trickey Barn, which stood where the new Whitney Community Center is now located. Thanks to the gen- erosity of the local community and a recent anonymous gift of $200,000, the project is on or ahead of schedule. Monday’s [June 8] ground breaking ceremony marked the beginning of construction. Representatives of the library, the Jackson select- men, Friends of the Library and the Jackson Historical Society gathered in front of the Trickey Barn cupola for the long anticipated moment of groundbreaking. The cupola will return to its place on the rooftop when the barn frame and exterior are erected later this sum- mer and fall. The new library will be located on the former Gray’s Inn property near the jackson Town Offices. “We’re all so excited that we have a guaranteed “go ahead” for the project this year. Of course, we would never have gotten this far without the wonderful way the community has responded, with financial and in- kind support. This puts us well past the halfway mark towards our ultimate fundraising goal and means the barn is going up,” explained Allen Brooks, chairman of the Library Trustees. For more information about the new Jackson Public Library-Trickey Barn project, call 383-9466. ▲ (Steve Caming Photo) The Nature Conservancy entrusted with care of Paines’ beloved land Leaving a legacy: Charles and Sylvelin Paine at Whitton Pond WHEN CHARLES JACKSON PAINE TRANS- to care for the land after he and Sylvelin were both property to his wife in hopes that it would eventually ferred his Whitton Pond property to his beloved wife, gone. Thanks to a promise kept nearly 15 years later, go to The Nature Conservancy “to be held in perpet- Sylvelin, shortly before his death in 1994, his instruc- Charlie’s wish is now reality. ual trust in a wild and natural state.” Sylvelin went on tions were simple: sell it only if she needed to out of Charlie Paine loved his land and small cabin on to spend her last years in Florida and was able to honor financial necessity. His wish was for The Nature Whitton Pond in the Mount Washington her husband’s wishes when the property was Conservancy Valley. He purchased the 93 acres with bequeathed to the Conservancy last May at the time of 3,200 feet of frontage on the pristine shores her death. of the pond in Madison in 1956. No doubt Highly unique, Whitton Pond is one of the few an escape from the routine and rigors of his remaining undeveloped ponds in the Mount career, Paine enjoyed the remote location Washington Valley. Only six landowners own the pond for duck hunting and nature observation. frontage and the bulk of the land in the 700-acre water- Born in 1908 in Weston, Mass., shed. The Whitton Pond watershed is host to several Charlie followed his father in a long career unique natural communities and populations of rare as a stock trader in Boston. Then as a species, including the federally protected orchid, small Second Lieutenant in the Air Corps whorled pogonia, fern-leaved false foxglove and three Reserve, he was called to active duty at the birds orchid. age of 33 in 1941. For four years during The Paine property adds to a 314-acre conservation WWII he served in the Air Transport’s easement already held by the New Hampshire Chapter Command Alaska Division, flying 34 at Whitton Pond, and the Conservancy is currently combat missions as part of the Eleventh working with two other area landowners on easements. Air Force in the Asiatic-Pacific Theatre Land around the pond is also protected by private of Operations. covenants that restrict building and certain land uses. Over the second half of their lives, the The Conservancy is pleased to join this group of con- couple summered in the rustic cabin that servation-minded Whitton Pond landowners. overlooked the waters of Whitton Pond The Nature Conservancy will fulfill the wishes of and wintered in Ocala, Fla., where Charles Paine and his wife Sylvelin by keeping the land Sylvelin was known for breeding race in its wild and natural state. We are honored to be horses. Before passing away at age 86, entrusted with the property he cherished and enjoyed Charles and Sylvelin Paine(Photo at their Courtesy home on of Whitton The Nature Pond. Conservancy Charlie transferred the Whitton Pond so much during his lifetime. ▲ On the Cover Inside Index Arts & Entertainment..............................Page A18 Ground breaking in Jackson Nordic Skiing Exhibit Opens As the Wheels Turn.................................Page A24 Among the celebrants at the June 8 ground breaking The New England Ski Museum in Franconia has for the new Jackson Public Library-Trickey Barn opened a new exhibit focusing on the long and storied Business Brief...........................................Page A17 Project were (left to right): Dennis Mires, architect; history of Nordic skiing. Page A4 Calendar ...................................................Page A20 Betsy Kent, past president Friends of the Jackson Library; Wendy McVey of the Jackson Historical On The Links Entertainment..........................................Page A22 The golfers in the Valley are back in the swing of Society; Bea Davis representing, Jackson selectmen; On the Rockpile.......................................Page A15 things when it comes to tournaments big and small. Susan Dunker-Bendigo, librarian and Allen Brooks, Count on the Ear’s golf columnist, Pru Smith, to Real Estate .................................Pages A5 & 17-18 Library Trustees Chairman. (Steve Caming Photo) bring you all the results of the week’s events. Page A6 Sports...................................................Pages A8-11 Page A2 - The Mountain Ear, Thursday, June 11, 2009 Comments & Opinions Gifts of Life Charities thanks all the ‘angels’ of our village To the Editor, ciation to the many local folks and and is one of our most steadfast support- her students gathering pledges for their In spite of the overall worries about organizations who have stepped up to ers and we appreciate it. Hike-A-thon, there was enough money our economy, Gifts of Life Charities has help us help a small village in Kenya lift Heartfelt thanks to Karen Gibson, raised to actually “raise the walls” of the found the people of our own village to itself out of poverty. The families in our (another one of our early and steadfast Gifts of Life Charities Bosinange Clinic. have very warm and gracious hearts. Kenyan village have hope now, where supporters), and the local elementary We are told this clinic will benefit over Our dream of a “Village to Village” there was none, because of you. schools, Conway El and John Fuller, for 40,000 people and many, many lives will effort is becoming a reality through the First, a big thank you to all the won- holding a “Change for change” cam- be saved. Blessings to Juliet, her staff, efforts of those who understand the derful people who have donated and paign, collecting change to help educate students and their parents. The walls need to reach out and help each other, continue to donate to our charity in our the orphan children of our village in are going up, but remember, we still even across oceans and borders. We change jar at the Gifts of Life Shop, or Kenya. They raised enough money to need to raise the roof and complete the wish to express our gratitude and appre- by handing us checks, donating at our pay off the balance of this year’s educa- interior, so there is much yet to be done. fundraisers or making a donation to our tion for two women and six orphans in For more information, stop in at website on line. These initial donations Kenya. We will be eternally grateful Gifts of Life Shop in the Dondero Rock helped us break ground on our clinic in to all these wonderful children of our Building in North Conway or call Kim Bosinange, Kisii, Kenya, and helped put village. or Barb at 356-5100. You can visit our Don’t miss this chance our first women and orphans in school. Another wave of gratitude goes to charity website at www.Giftsoflife. ning. Great big thanks to Lisa DuFault and Juliet Fleischer, the teachers and the com or drop us an e-mail at Kim@gift- to record a piece of her new non-profit, Valley Promotions, children of the MWV Montessori soflife.org. Let us know what you can do history at StoryCorps for including us in the Bachelor Auction, School, who held a “Raise the Walls” to help. raising $200 for our charity. Lisa and Hike-a-Thon to benefit our Kenyan vil- Barbara Martin To the Editor, Valley Promotions was one of our first lage. Through the efforts of Juliet and North Conway All of us know some elderly relative or friend whom we wish had written down or recorded memories of life in earlier days.