Beth Yardley Merrill, who grew up in Walpole, was installed today in an impressive ceremony at Stonewall Farm in Keene as the State Master of the New Hampshire Grange. Her sister Kathy Yardley, currently president of the Walpole Grange, was also installed as the State Ceres. 

Walpole Selectmen Whit Aldrich, Chuck Miller and Sheldon Sawyer presented the program Saturday morning for the Walpole Leadership Academy.  Their 90-minute presentation explained the many roles of selectmen, the way that the town budget is put together and how the various town officers, committees and commissions interact.  Elaine Moore, administrative assistant to the selectmen (and herself a Westmoreland selectman), also joined in the session and invited participants to visit the selectmen’s office to meet the other staff members and to see how the records are organized.  The next Walpole Leadership Academy session precedes the Planning Board meeting on November 14.

Wednesday, November 8 is National Parents as Teachers Day.  Parents as Teachers is a nationwide voluntary family education and support program aimed at giving children the best possible start in life.  Locally, Walpole resident Jana Gillespie Sellarole is Director and Parent Educator for PAT in Sullivan County AND the Fall Mountain School District.  Jana and her staff coordinate home visits by PAT-certified parent educators, offer group educational meetings for parents, do developmental screenings, and provide referrals to needed community services for parents and children.  Further information on the Parents as Teachers National Center is available at www.patnc.org.

Did you know that Stonewall Farm in Keene is going organic by June, 2007.  As are dairy farmers throughout New England, Stonewall has been struggling with low milk prices and hopes to do better with the higher prices and increasing demand for organic milk.  Glen Yardley, formerly of Walpole, is the Stonewall Farm Manager.  For further info, see www.stonewallfarm.org.