As leaders in Concord evaluate proposals for assistance from the state’s CARES Act allocation, I give voice to my fellow Granite Staters working in the creative sector. This sector is a vibrant, diverse community that adds $2.6 billion in value to the state’s economy (representing 3.3% of the total gross state product) and one that will provide much-needed connection and escape following this global health crisis.
We are “nonessential” businesses whose mission is to build and bind the community through large-scale gatherings. COVID-19 has struck at the very heart of our work. The nature of event planning dictates that we work months, sometimes a year, in advance. We simply cannot afford to cease the planning, booking, selling and marketing of arts events — the very events that determine our livelihoods and allow us to deliver on our missions.
The relative health of our operations directly impacts the restaurants, galleries and small businesses that form the state’s downtown creative economies. In the case of Lebanon Opera House, our success also impacts more than a dozen Upper Valley arts groups, including Opera North, City Center Ballet, North Country Community Theatre and Revels North, who set up residence on the LOH stage each season.
Like many in the arts community, LOH is an independent nonprofit organization working very close to the margins. We rely heavily on ticket sales and rental fees to survive. With programming abruptly halted, and now suspended for an indefinite period, there is no sign of revenue at this time.
Our return to “normalcy” will take many months as the state adopts a measured reopening plan and patrons slowly warm up to the idea of once again sitting shoulder-to-shoulder with their neighbors.
With an infusion of support from the CARES Act, organizations like LOH will be given the financial bandwidth to replace significant levels of lost revenue and given much-needed time to create policies and protocols that reflect the shifting demands of presenting safe and comfortable events in a post-COVID environment.
This intermission will end. Eventually. Help is needed today.
JOE CLIFFORD
Plainfield
The writer is executive director of the Lebanon Opera House.
In keeping with New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu’s emergency orders, the Charlestown Memorial VFW Post 8497 regretfully announces cancellation of the annual Memorial Day parades in North Charlestown and Charlestown.
Though we are disappointed in not being able to have a public ceremony on this Memorial Day, we highly encourage citizens and families to make the time for small, private observations to honor those military personnel who passed away while serving our great country. Please use this time to learn more about those heroes in your town and help keep their memory alive.
TOM ST.PIERRE
Charlestown
The writer is commander of Charlestown Memorial VFW Post 8497.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Nancy Canton made several valid suggestions for fighting bad breath, including avoiding certain foods (“Combat your bad breath,” May 11). In addition to the ones she listed, onions and garlic, I have found that avoiding all artificial colors and flavors also helps. Even if I used artificially colored toothpaste to brush my teeth in the morning, by evening my breath turns bad.
This is one positive “side effect” of the Feingold diet, used to help people with ADHD. It eliminates artificial colors and flavors, certain preservatives and naturally occurring salicylates. (See feingold.org for more information.)
With everybody staying home due to the new coronavirus, this would be the perfect time for families to try this diet. The Feingold Association provides lists of approved foods and is well worth the cost of membership. They are a nonprofit organization, so all the money goes into the work of the organization.
ALICE McDONALD
White River Junction