Jen's Friends, the Peters Concert, and Zippin' at 90

Published Date Written by Tom Eastman

Robin Sargent of Freedom celebrated her recent 90th birthday by joining friends and family for a Canopy Tour at Bretton Woods Sept. 9. She completed the tour, doing some of the ziplines tandem and some solo, and broke the previous age record, set by an 89-year-old gentleman last year, according to Bretton Woods. (TERRY LEAVITT PHOTO)POST-MUD BOWL AND POST-PRIMARY ELECTION greetings, as that two-week long pre-foliage, pre-fair slower time sets in — at least for those of us who are not actively part of a political campaign.

Topping the agenda this weekend is the 15th annual Jen's Friends Cancer Climb at Cranmore on Sept. 15, the opening of this year's Sherman Farm Corn Maize on Sept. 15, Railfans' Weekend at the Conway Scenic, Sept. 15 and 16, the return of the Jackson Covered Bridge Road Race Sept. 15,  and the newly-renamed Two Peters Musical Scholarship Concert at the also renamed and reopened Wolverine Grille (formerly the Up Country) Sunday, Sept. 16 (see below).
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JEN'S FRIENDS: Food volunteer Ruth Ann Fabrizio of the Jen's Friends board of directors stopped by the offices this week, and she said that registration was looking strong on the web site (jensfriends.org; 356-5083).

There's still time register, whether on-line or at the base of Cranmore Saturday morning. The climb takes place at 10 a.m., following in the footsteps of the first climb, which was held in October 1998 to raise awareness and funds for Jennifer Hill, who at 26 was fighting a brain tumor. 

She lost that battle, but Jen's Friends carries on her name, and her light, in doing good to help those fighting cancer, just as she had wanted.

Jen's Friends last year celebrated the raising of the $1 millionth dollar. The organization spends approximately $15,000 a month to help clients with their iiving expenses so they can focus on their ongoing challenge with cancer. 

Jen's Friends board vice president Wendy Holmes of Badger Realty says Jen's Friends is currently helping 63 clients in the valley.

One hundred percent of the funds raised goes directly to helping patients as a local angel pays the non-profit, totally volunteer organization's overhead expenses such as office rent, telephone and electric bills.

Speaking personally, and having served as master of ceremonies twice, including very emotionally last year, I can say that the Climb Against Cancer is one of the highlights of the year among local fund-raisers. 

Everyone there is doing their part to make a difference, and the bond among survivors and loved ones is beyond words.

The trailside placards, along with Bernadette Friberg's “Hands of Hope” wall hanging, are particularly moving, as you are able to connect with lost family members and friends. 

Kudos to all the board members and volunteers who make this event such a success. In the battle against cancer, you can never have enough friends. Hope to see you there!
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CORN MAIZE: Sherman Farm opens this year's new Corn MAIZE Saturday, Sept. 15. This year's theme is “Pumkin Chunking.” Yeah, we had to look that one up on Google, too. It's about shooting pumpkins from a cannon, or catapult. The MAIZE is open weekends through Oct. 28. Chris Murphy of North Conway won a family four-pack from WMWV Thursday. He told Mark Johnson he's never been. WMWV will broadcast from the MAIZE on Saturday.
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PETERS CONCERT SEPT. 16: The local musical highlight of the year for those who love folk and rock is returning Sunday night for the Peters Concert at the Wolverine Tavern, beginning at 6 p.m. and continuing to midnight.

Host Rockin' Rod MacKenzie and board members Nancy Grant Bartlett and Liz Carleton have a great lineup of local performers planned, including Marcia Briggs, Simon Crawford, Kevin Dolan, Al “The Rev” Shafner and Al Hospers, to name a few.

Others include Bill Madison, of Them Fargo Brothers fame, Jill Ohlson, Nancy Ray and Audley Williams, Tom Dean and Alana MacDonald, Shawn Duncan, Stas, Steve Tremblay (a recipient of the scholarship when he was at Kennett), Bennett and Perkins, Jeremy Dean and daughter, and Jonathan Sarty. Tom Dylan just might make an appearance as well, who knows?.

Also this weekend, Rod and his Knee Trembler bandmates will be rocking at the Red Parka Pub in beautiful Downtown Glen Friday and Saturday, Sept. 14 and 15. 

Peters Concert raffle tickets for the Peters scholarship are now on sale at the North Conway Music Shop, North Country Fair and from volunteers. Top prize is five days and four nights for two at Marco Island, Fla.

Elizabeth Carleton says this is the 26th year for the concert, which was originally named after late popular British entertainer Peter Lewis. It was renamed the Lewis-White Scholarship after local British performer Peter White passed from an aneurysm in 2002, and has now been renamed.
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90 AND ZIPPING ALONG: It's great to hear how so many locals are taking some time off to go enjoy some off-time at beautiful Hermit Island in Maine, climbing in Acadia or here in the White Mountains. It's a great time to go for a hike, take a kayak outing on the Saco or Silver Lake, or go for a mountain bike ride.

It's also a great time to take a zipride at Cranmore or Wildcat, go for a coaster ride at Cranmore or Attitash, or, as Raetha Stoddard's mom Robin Sargent, of Freedom, and friends proved last weekend, to go for a Canopy Tour at Bretton Woods.

Robin turned 90 Aug. 2, and she and eight family members and friends — including her doctor, Dr. Heidi Root — took the three-hour tour.

“This is something Robin had planned all summer,” said participant and friend Terry Leavitt, the Sun's community editor. “She had a clean bill of health from her doctor for the trip,” said Terry, adding, “Robin was ecstatic. She is still happy, three days later and said she'd love to go again!”

Raetha — who recently became a grandmother herself — turned a half-century this past Wednesday. She joined the post-canopy tour celebrants for a toast.

An 89-year old man did the tour last year, but now Robin has zipped past him in the Canopy Tour record book, notes Raetha, co-founder of the Drylongso concert series.

“Bretton Woods notes that she is 'an inspiration to us all.' But we already felt that way long before the zipping bug got her,” laughs Raetha.

“This is a good long tour. You do nine different zip lines, two ropes bridges and three rapels. So, it's quite the adventure,” said Terry.

For more information, call 278-4ZIP. And, keep on Zipping, Robin!
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GO EAGLES: Good luck to the 0-and-2 KHS Football Eagles, as they take on John Stark at 1:30 p.m. If you can't make the game, tune in to WMWV 93.5-FM...Speaking of WMWV, listen for Rich “Sailor Boy” Gray to be back on the airwaves this weekend, sitting in for Rob Burbank...WMWV's Local Music Contest has been pared down to five finalists. Go to wmwv.com to listen to the five top songs and to vote for your favorite...Last Saturday's 30th annual Tournament of Mud Parade had to be one of the best ever, featuring a well-celebrated theme of “Mud Bowl, The Musical.” Among the highlights of the weekend was the renewal of mud matrimony vows by Wendy Mace and Wild Bill Phillips of the Muddas on the 20th anniversary of their getting married at Hog Colisdeum in 1992. Serving as justice of peace was Conway selectman Mary Seavey, who bravely rolled up her pantlegs to venture into the ooze. “I couldn't move my feet — I got stuck!” exclaimed Mary, who, by the way, donated her justice of peace fee to Mud Bowl. That helped the games to net $29,000 — all for good local causes. Hey, Mud Bowl!
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Reporter Tom Eastman may be reached via This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .