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Granite VNA officially kicked off the celebration of its 125th anniversary serving central New Hampshire with its annual “Passion for Caring” fundraiser on Wednesday, May 1, at The Barn at Bull Meadow in Concord. The annual event and silent auction benefit the agency’s hospice services. The evening featured cocktails and appetizers, live music, a silent auction, and the presentation of two major awards: The Kay Sidway Award and the Granite VNA Legacy Award. The Kay Sidway Award is given each year to an individual who has devoted time and energy to the education, nurturing and well-being of families in any one of the communities served by Granite VNA. This year’s recipient is Jennifer Beetle, vice president of Patrick’s Pub & Eatery in Gilford. A long-time resident of the Lakes Region, Beetle’s career has included working with New Hampshire’s Department of Child Protection Services, as a volunteer for Court Appointed Special Advocates of New Hampshire, as chair of the Greater Lakes Region Children’s Auction Community Challenge, and as a member and coordinator for the WOW Trail in Laconia. In 2021, Beetle and her husband, Allan, were the initial recipients of the City of Laconia’s “Light of the City” award. In honor of the 125th anniversary, the Granite VNA Legacy Award, recognizing an individual who exemplifies the agency’s vision, mission and values through their efforts to improve the health and wellbeing of New Hampshire residents, will be presented to Rep. Ann McLane Kuster, who recently announced her retirement.  Over her six terms in the House, Kuster’s legislative priorities have included protecting Social Security and Medicare, lowering healthcare costs, and expanding access to long-term care. Rep. Kuster has also been a champion of home care and hospice services throughout her career. She co-chaired Granite VNA’s 10-year Hospice House Capital Campaign in 2004 and was instrumental in raising nearly $1 million for the campaign. The successful campaign enabled Granite VNA to make numerous improvements to Hospice House, including the addition of a beautiful garden named in memory of Kuster’s mother, Susan McLane, who served in the New Hampshire House and Senate for more than 25 years. Rep. Kuster also co-wrote a book with her mother entitled “The Last Dance: Facing Alzheimer’s with Love & Laughter.” “We’re delighted to be able to present these awards to Jennifer Beetle and Rep. Kuster,” said Granite VNA President and CEO Beth Slepian, MBA, PT. “If actions speak louder than words, their efforts on behalf of the families and communities of New Hampshire present a prominent and enduring voice, and all of us are beneficiaries of their great work and commitment to causes like the health and wellbeing of residents of all ages.” Laconia Daily Sun article, April 4, 2024 Read complete Granite VNA article

We are excited to partner for our second year with the M/S Mount Washington for Christmas in July! Please join this special event on the M/S Mount Washington for a unique, fun-filled evening out on Lake Winnipesaukee. Tickets include a 3-hour cruise, buffet dinner, and entertainment along with a cash bar. There will be also be great raffle items! All proceeds benefit the Greater Lakes Region Children’s Auction. July 11, 2024 from 6:30 - 9:30 PM $66-76 per adult, $50-60 per child Pre-purchased parking: $10 per vehicle A BIG BONUS: Every Adult Ticket Bought by April 15 Allows a Child in Need a FREE Afternoon Trip on the M/S Mount Washington in August. What could be better than that? Most children in need never have the opportunity to get on our gorgeous Lake. You can change that! Thank you for supporting our desire to allow children to get on Lake Winnipesaukee via the generosity of the Mount Washington! Entertainment by DJ Nazzy, We will have complimentary wine tasting by Hermit Woods Winery and local beer tasting by Amoskeag Beverages Live broadcasting from the Mount by Lakes 101.5 FM and 104.9 FM The Hawk. The Powerchords will be singing Christmas Carols and Broadway North dancers will be entertaining you as you walk down the boardwalk prior to departure. Santa and the Grinch will be aboard the sunset cruise! Presenting Sponsor: Juggernaut Fitness Santa Sponsors: The Xavier Group, MB Tractor & Equipment, and Amoskeag Beverages Location Sponsor: M/S Mount Washington Entertainment Sponsor: DJ Nazzy - Director of good moods & good tunes Media Sponsor: Lakes FM 101.5 ,104.9 FM The Hawk & Laconia Daily Sun Beverage Tasting Sponsors: Amoskeag Beverages & Hermit Woods Winery Interested in being a Santa Sponsor? Click here for more information or contact Jenn@ChildrensAuction.org.

Thank you to the Lakes Region Chamber for being a wonderful community partner over the years; we are grateful for all of your support, Chambers of Commerce are stronger than ever. By joining, you get many opportunities to network, build your relationships, and a whole lot of exposure for yourself and your organization.  Chambers are often referred to as "CONDUITS and CONNECTORS". If you aren't yet a member, get on board and see the difference!

The Annual Sweepstakes Social is back on Friday, September 13th!, 5;30pm-7:30pm. Tickets are available August 1, 2024. All net proceeds are donated to the Greater Lakes Region Children's Auction. Did we mention that it's a really fun party? Ask Questions Here For more information email Challenge@ChildrensAuction.org. Click to learn more about how to get involved in the Auction Click to learn more about how to join our Sponsorship Team

End the season with a splash and come participate in our annual B.Y.O.D.C. Pond Skim on Sunday, April 7th! This fun and hilarious competition is open to all ages brave enough to attempt to cross our manmade pond at the base of the slopes. Wear your favorite costume and show us your swagger and pizzazz as you make your way across, but make sure your water skiing skills are up to snuff, or you could end up in the drink!! --that's where the dry clothes come in! Prizes will be awarded for Best Skim, Best Splash, and Best Costume, so dress to impress!! B.Y.O.D.C. means: Bring Your Own Dry Clothes! ALL proceeds will benefit the Greater Lakes Region Children's Auction! Whether or not you decide to attempt to skim the pond, join us for a party at the Stockade Lodge! There will be music, grilling, beer, and prizes! 12p - 2p  Pond Skim Awards on Stockade Lodge deck 30 minutes after competition ends There will be a BBQ and beer garden on site Live Music from 12-4pm

Join Juggernaut Fitness for the return of the 4th Annual Raise the Run 5k on July 13th, a family-friendly (including fur babies!) fun run/walk supporting the Greater Lakes Region Children's Auction! This 5k is open to ALL! Any age, any member of the community who wants to help, come for a fun walk/run for the KIDS!! The event kicks off with announcements and opening remarks at 8:00 am. Walkers will set off between 8:15-8:30 am, followed shortly after by the runners. In addition to the run, this event features a food vendor, silent auction (donations always accepted! 50/50 raffle, bounce houses for the kids, and more! Since this is a charity event, please bring cash as everything we will be offering at the event will be accepting donations as payment. Venmo is also accepted. Take advantage of Early Bird Registration until 3/31 for $25, which includes a T-shirt guaranteed in your size! After 3/31, registration remains $25, and shirts can be purchased separately on-site if desired. Sign up here and invite your friends and family! Click here to see the event on Facebook and share

Click here for your personal video invitation from Santa We are excited to partner for our second year with the M/S Mount Washington for Christmas in July! Please join this special event on the M/S Mount Washington for a unique, fun-filled evening out on Lake Winnipesaukee. Tickets include a 3-hour cruise, buffet dinner, and entertainment along with a cash bar. There will be also be great raffle items! All proceeds benefit the Greater Lakes Region Children’s Auction. July 11, 2024 from 6:30 - 9:30 PM $66-76 per adult, $50-60 per child Pre-purchased parking: $10 per vehicle A BIG BONUS: Every Adult Ticket Bought by June 28th Allows a Child in Need a FREE Afternoon Trip on the M/S Mount Washington in August. What could be better than that? Most children in need never have the opportunity to get on our gorgeous Lake. You can change that! Thank you for supporting our desire to allow children to get on Lake Winnipesaukee via the generosity of the Mount Washington! Entertainment by DJ Nazzy, We will have complimentary wine tasting by Hermit Woods Winery and local beer tasting by Amoskeag Beverages Live broadcasting from the Mount by Lakes 101.5 FM and 104.9 FM The Hawk. The Powerchords will be singing Christmas Carols and Broadway North dancers will be entertaining you as you walk down the boardwalk prior to departure. Santa and the Grinch will be aboard the sunset cruise! Presenting Sponsor: Juggernaut Fitness Santa Sponsors: The Xavier Group, MB Tractor & Equipment, and Amoskeag Beverages Location Sponsor: M/S Mount Washington Entertainment Sponsor: DJ Nazzy - Director of good moods & good tunes Media Sponsor: Lakes FM 101.5 ,104.9 FM The Hawk & Laconia Daily Sun Beverage Tasting Sponsors: Amoskeag Beverages & Hermit Woods Winery Interested in being a Santa Sponsor? Click here for more information or contact Jenn@ChildrensAuction.org.

See the interview with Tony Felch and Heather Bishop to learn more about what Cafe Deja Vu Committee Challenge Team is doing for the community.

The Greater Lakes Region Children’s Auction will hold the third annual theatre fundraising event, An Evening of Theatre, on Wednesday August 14 at 7PM at The Colonial Theatre Laconia. The event is family-friendly, and tickets range from $20-$30. Individuals are also invited to sponsor a seat for $20 per child to allow children from the Boys and Girls Club and other local nonprofits to attend at no cost. In 2023, we hosted 300 children thanks to our Sponsor a Seat initiative! Tickets can be purchased online or in person at The Colonial Theatre box office at 609 Main St., Laconia, Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. “We are very excited to be collaborating with local community theatre groups to continue to create this fundraising event,” states Jennifer Kelley, the Auction’s executive director. “Our area is robust with talent, and we are eager to showcase them. We are also thrilled to give kids in need the ability to attend the show at no cost with our Sponsor a Seat initiative.” The show will offer musical performances of all ages from local community theatre, dance groups and the talented Powerchords! Presenting Sponsor of this event is Franklin Savings Bank.  “An Evening of Broadway is such a fun and creative way to support children in need, while also showcasing the exceptional local talent we have here in New Hampshire.” explains Jenn Prince, Marketing and Community Engagement Officer. “As a community bank, we know that by giving back, we have the opportunity to grow stronger as a community. We are thrilled to support The Lakes Region Children’s Auction’s vision to ensure every child is empowered to succeed and positively impact a thriving Greater Lakes Region community.” For more information about participating or becoming a sponsor contact Jennifer Kelley at Jenn@ChildrensAuction.org or call 603-527-0999. More Information about Sponsorship Opportunities

Please Vote for Greater Lakes Region Children's Auction for Best Charity Event, Best Annual Event, and Best Place to Volunteer in the THINGS TO DO category and for Best Nonprofit in the SERVICES CATEGORY. We are proud to be celebrating our 43rd year of the Auction and we thank you for all of your support! To date we have distributed $8.6 million to nonprofits that service local children and families in need. Read out blog to see who received funding in 2023.

The 63 nonprofit leaders accepted their checks during the meet-and-greet event that also offered nonprofit leaders the chance to collaborate and share challenges and strategies over a lunch prepared by students at the center. “We were glad to see everyone enjoying this celebration of their successes, feeling grateful not only for their grant but for the chance to gather with other nonprofit leaders and share stories and ideas,” said Jennifer Kelley, the auction’s executive director. “It was a great opportunity for everyone.” Grants will be used by the nonprofit organizations to fund wide-ranging programs that support local children and families in need. These initiatives address needs that are vital to the well-being of children in area communities, including food and housing insecurity and related emergency assistance; childcare and afterschool programs, recreation, education and the arts; family resources; and healthcare, including mental health support, victim outreach and support, and preventative health and wellness training. The auction had over $800,000 in requests in 2023 and awarded $609,700 to 63 agencies. For a list of organizations that received funding, click here. The auction’s board president, Doug Morrissette, is pleased with the process the organization uses to determine grant eligibility. “We have a Distribution Committee that works tirelessly over many months to review grant requests, and these committee members also look at the health of each organization and its past use of funding to ensure that every dollar the auction grants has impact,” Morrissette said. “We are confident that funds we raise and distribute significantly work to improve the lives of local children and their families by ensuring their basic needs are met, and they have opportunities to thrive.” Cindy Hemeon-Plessner, chair of the Distribution Committee, said, “The committee is charged with problem-solving, analysis, empathy and community awareness, so we can assure all who donate, bid and volunteer that the funding is being spent wisely.” The next round of grant applications will be due by October 15. To apply for funding or learn more, visit childrensauction.org/apply-for-funding. In past 42 years, the auction has distributed $8.6 million to nonprofit organizations in the community. Learn more about the auction visit www.childrensauction.org, or follow the Children’s Auction on Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn.

The Greater Lakes Region Charitable Fund for Children hosted a luncheon on Friday, March 8th for 2023 grant recipients at the Huot Technical Center in Laconia to express our gratitude for all they do in the community. With all the community support we received, we were able to offer grants totaling $609,700 to 63 local nonprofit organizations that serve children and families throughout the Greater Lakes Region! To see more photos of the day click here. Below are the nonprofits we supported in 2023. Our next grant cycle deadline is Oct 15, 2024. Visit our website to get more information about how to apply.