THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2021 FREE IN PRINT, FREE ON-LINE • WWW.NEWFOUNDLANDING.COM COMPLIMENTARY Local gymnasts finish strong at state championships BY JOSHUA SPAULDING Sports Editor SALEM — It may have been the strangest place a NHIAA state championship has ever been held. But, in the times of COVID-19, one would expect nothing less. Tucked into the back of a business park on a back road in Salem, less than a mile from the Massachu- setts border, the state’s gymnastics athletes gathered in three different sessions for the state champion- ships at A2 Gym and Cheer on Sunday, Feb. 14. Amongst those competing were six girls from Plymouth and two from Newfound, all coached by Carrie Kiley with help from Madison Kiley. “It’s been a tough one,” said Carrie Kiley of the year the kids have gone through. “We only had three meets, that was something in and of itself. “And coming into states, we really didn’t know what our lineup was,” she added, pointing out that the Plymouth squad had three freshmen competing at the high school level for the first time. “But I’m proud of them,” Kiley added. “We had some really good finishes.” Overall, the Bobcats finished in ninth place with a score of 116.475. Pelham took top honors at 132.75, with Pinkerton, Salem, Bedford and Timberlane rounding out the top five. Newfound, with just a pair of athletes, finished with a score of 55.725, placing them in 16th place. Plymouth’s top performance came on the beam, JOSHUA SPAULDING Laurel McKellar executes a move on the balance beam on where they had a score of 31.55 while Newfound’s top Taylor Mooney performs on the balance beam at the state Sunday during the state championships. SEE GYMNASTS, PAGE A15 championships on Sunday. The Chaplain? Grant awarded to Groton What for? for Public Works building GROTON — U.S. Sen- age, an office for a road flooding,” said Hassan. munities.” ators Maggie Hassan agent, a staff break- “This $250,000 federal Pemi-Baker Community and Jeanne Shaheen and room, a restroom with grant will help Groton “Flooding can eas- Health explains what their Rep. Annie Kuster have a shower, a tool storage build a new public works ily cause serious, announced a $250,000 room, and a mechanical building away from the widespread and costly Hospice Chaplain does exactly federal grant from the room. flood zones that will keep damage to vulnerable Department of Agricul- their town’s equipment Granite State communi- BY GUY TILLSON, MDIV, MA ture Rural Development “The Groton Pub- dry and provide bet- ties. I’m very glad to see PBCH HOSPICE CHAPLAIN to Groton, which will lic Works Department ter facilities for Public this new funding award- PLYMOUTH — Whenever a person is about to be be used to help the town provides important ser- Works Department em- ed to Groton, which admitted to hospice end-of-life care, a social worker construct a new public vices to the communi- ployees. I am glad that will allow the town gov- meets with the patient, family, and other caregivers works building after its ty, including road con- Groton will be receiving ernment to build a new to advise them of the various supportive services current one sustained struction and plowing. this much-needed fund- public works building that are part of hospice. One of these services is wide-scale flood damage. Unfortunately, the build- ing, and I will continue outside of the flood zone, Spiritual Care, provided by the Spiritual Counselor The new public works ing that houses these working to secure addi- protecting crucial equip- or Chaplain. The whimsical title used above is a fair- building will include important services has tional federal resourc- ment and staff from dan- ly common response to the social worker’s inquiry four bays for mainte- become damaged due to es to help support New SEE GRANT, PAGE A15 regarding including Spiritual Care in the treatment nance and vehicle stor- repeated and sustained Hampshire’s rural com- plan. Generally speaking, only about a third of our prospective hospice patients and the families are receptive to the visits of the Chaplain. There are a Newfound boys take on D3 State Meet number of factors that figure into this and this arti- cle explains that you do not need to be ‘religious’ to benefit from a visit from the Chaplain. BY BOB MARTIN First off, when people hear Spiritual Care they Contributing Writer probably think ‘Religion,’ ‘Church,’ ‘Preaching’ and GILFORD – In their ‘Praying.’ A second factor is that, since hospice is first year in a new divi- end-of-life care, the image a Spiritual Counselor or sion, the Plymouth Bob- Chaplain conjures up is that of the Angel of Death, cats came away with the or at least one of its minions. Persons and their win at this year’s Divi- caregivers have already taken a huge step in agree- sion 3 state champion- ing to hospice care. They are already in a mode of ship led by the top skier mourning as they prepare for the death that will oc- in the division in sopho- cur. Perhaps declining the services of the Chaplain more Dylan Welch. is perceived as a way to forestall that awesome but “I feel good coming out inevitable reality, at least for a little bit. on top for the second year So, what does the Hospice Chaplain do? in a row for a repeat,” The Hospice Chaplain does not interfere in the ac- said Welch. tive religious practice or formal affiliation of those Welch said he was patients and families who subscribe to these things. happy to not only take If they wish to rely on their own clergy for their end- away the top spot for the of-life spiritual care or if they have fallen away from best skier in the division, their connection to their religious fellowship and but more importantly he BOB MARTIN wish to renew it, the Spiritual Counselor can func- was able to bring a first Matt Karkheck races through the slalom on Friday at Gunstock. tion as a liaison in helping that to happen. place title to the Bobcats. In my three years of service as Hospice Chaplain Steve Babler coaches for fort,” he said. “You need place time of 1:04.57; In the slalom, Welch for Pemi-Baker Community Health, I have been able the Bobcats and said that 16 good runs to win and Colin Roper with an 11th won both runs and had to draw upon the interfaith background of my own having a great season we put it together as a place time of 1:06.91; Jus- a combined time of family heritage. Although I am most aligned with like this was especially team.” tin Collins with a time 47.32. Matthew Lorrey Roman Catholic, Anglican/Episcopalian, Lutheran, great during the times In the giant slalom, of 1:08.70 for 16th place; was eighth with a time and Eastern Orthodox practices, I have family-relat- of COVID-19, where the Welch was the top racer Ryan Borger with a time of 52.87; Nathan Lorrey ed experience with Methodist, Presbyterian, Baptist, students have had to in each run and had a of 1:14.26 for 28th place was 14th with a time of and Pentecostal beliefs and practices. I grew up in overcome unprecedented combined time of 1:01.68. and Matthew Lorrey 54.35; Colin Roper was SEE CHPLAIN, PAGE A15 adversity. He was followed by Na- with a time of 1:39.35 for SEE BOYS, PAGE A15 “It really is a team ef- than Lorrey with a sixth 52nd place. Local A2 NEWFOUND LANDING, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2021 n Owen leads Newfound girls at D3 State Meet a time of 55.75. Brown In slalom, Plymouth a time of 1:17.45; Fernald was 11th with a time of placed second with and was 45th with a time of 1:00.70; Jones was 14th was led by Meier with a 1:30.73; Burke was 48th with a time of 1:01.91; combined time of 58.46. with a time of 1:32.77. Smock was 15th with Wieser was 10th with a a time of 1:02.17; Lehr time of 1:00.19; Kozak Belmont was 22nd with a time was 12th with a time of In slalom the Red of 1:12.06; Tessa Tanner 1:00.80; Hoyt was 13th Raiders were 12th with was 23rd with a time with a time of 1:01.90 and Cate McDonald as the of 1:12.21 and Madeline Duarte was 18th with a lone skier, posting a time Burlock was 42nd with a time of 1:06.81. of 1:34.71, good for 50th. time of 1:27.18. In the giant slalom, Prospect Mountain McDonald was 54th with Plymouth Prospect Mountain a time of 1:49.60. The Plymouth girls finished ninth in giant finished as the Division slalom and was led by Newfound III runners-up in their Reese Burke with a com- Newfound was 10th in first year in the division. bined time of 1:33.17, the slalom with Hannah In the giant slalom, good for 32nd. Abby Sw- Owen the top skier with a the Bobcats were second enson was 39th with a 31st place time of 1:19.45. BOB MARTIN and led by Holly Hoyt time of 1:36.07; Grace Lily Karkheck was 46th Hannah Owen navigates the slalom course at Gunstock last week.