March 17, 2009

The Merrimack Valley Planning Commission was created in 1959 with the general purpose to foster a cooperative effort among its communities in resolving common, regional problems, to allow its communities to plan jointly, and to promote with greatest efficiency and economy the coordinated and orderly development of the region and the general welfare of its residents.

Dennis A. DiZoglio became the Executive Director of the Merrimack Valley Planning Commission in January 2007. He reports directly to the Commissioners and is responsible for the overall administration of the Commission. The Commission is comprised of 15 member communities, has over 270 square mile of land and a population of over 325,000 people. He oversees all the land use, transportation, environmental, GIS, and economic development planning performed by the Commission. He has over 30 years of community planning experience. Dennis will be this Thursday's guest speaker.

Our next opportunity to serve community meals is May 4th. Mark your calendar now to reserve the date.

Check out the district newsletter. Haverhill Rotary has made a big showing this month!

FORREST CURRIER, EPICURIAN

In 1942 I was 13 years old. In Atkinson at that time there were only about six boys in that age group. One of our friends was Forrest Currier who lived on East Road, he was our age. We rather envied him as he was more liberated than we were. He could use the stove to cook if he wanted to. He could take his father's guns if he wanted to.

One day Fred Pitkin, who lived at that time where the Atkinson Town Hall is now, suggested that we go to Forrest's house to see what the action might be. While we were sitting around Forrest's house he asked if we were hungry. We were always hungry. "Okay," he said, "let's go get some frogs and we'll cook up frog's legs." I guess that Fred and I had been leading a sheltered life, we'd never had frog's legs.

I didn't want to bring any harm to any poor frogs, but here we were, early peer pressure was on us. So we timidly went with Forrest while he, shall we say, harvested 3 or 4 frogs down at the pond. We took them back to his house where he prepared them. He used a black iron frying pan. He also advised us that the legs would move in the pan while being cooked but that was alright. He explained that they would taste a lot like chicken.

This experience and others with Forrest made him the New Hampshire version of Huckleberry Finn. Well soon the frog legs were ready to serve. We ate them. Did you ever try frog legs? Let us say, they are different.
The poor frogs.

When we had finished (gulp), Forrest then asked, "Did you fellows ever have fried squirrel?"
We replied, "I think that we have to go now Forrest."

Proposed for Membership
Adam Manchester, Benchmark Assisted Living - Proposed by Julian Rich

Welcome Our Newest Members
Paul Berthold, Century Copier Specialists
Carol Verny, Haverhill Public Library Director
Richard Sundell, Angel Flight
Make sure you sign their books! Do they have books?

March 19 - Dennis DeZoglio, Merrimack Valley Planning Commission
March 26 - Anthony Laramie, Economics Professor, Merrimack College
April 2 - Bob Edwards, Chairman of the Cincinnati Duck Race
April 9 - Detective Rick Labell, Labell Presentations
April 16 - Marge Squire, Bradford Christian Academy

An attendance record of 50 percent is required to remain an active Rotarian. Any missed meeting must be made up within 14 days before or after the regular meeting. To accommodate busy schedules, there are various opportunities to make up missed meetings:

Monday 12:15PM Danversport Yacht Club
Monday 12:15PM Exeter Country Club
Tuesday 12:15PM Glenn's Galley
Tuesday 12:15PM Caffe Paradiso in Lowell
Wednesday 12:15PM Angelica's Restaurant in Middleton
Thursday 7:30AM Cochichewick Lodge in North Andover
Thursday 12:15PM Redhook Ale Brewery in Portsmouth
Friday 7:30AM Rockingham Park, Belmont Room in Salem NH
Friday 12:15PM Sweetheart Inn in Methuen