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Above: Nasol Niyonsaba plays guitar. Photographer: Johanna Young

Despite the challenging chill and wind on the evening of June 23, the atmosphere was warm at the annual
Multicultural Festival, hosted by the Greater Concord Area Task Force Against Racism and Intolerance and held on the State House Lawn and Capitol Street.

By the time Nasol Niyonsaba, a Burundian client of Lutheran Social Services (LSS), was invited to the stage to share a few songs in his native tongue, Kirundi, the sun had come out and the wind had died down a bit. Niyonsaba arrived just three weeks ago from a refugee camp in Tanzania where he was part of a team of musicians supported by the U.N. to encourage repatriation to Burundi. With backup up from other Burundian refugees, and a borrowed guitar (courtesy of Nancy Jo Chabot, event organizer) he sang several songs about his hopes for a congenial life in America. LSS case worker Forkpah Sumo translated with the help of one of the refugees: "God in not black or white, but One, He is not hatred - all the mothers and fathers - come to God," he sang in one song. In another, he sang: "Education paths the way and is the way ... we are new here and just learning English in time we will perfect our English and I (Nasol) will pursue my arts."

The Fred Swymer Memorial Fund and the Swymer family would like to thank all those who donated to or participated in our silent auction.

We would also like to thank Concord American, Concord National, Merrimack Valley and Concord Northeast little leagues for allowing us to be part of the Hilliker Cup.

The outpouring of support was overwhelming, and we raised over $14,000. We are working with ChaD to make sure the money goes to good use in the pediatric intensive care unit and the advance response team. Thanks again for making our event a success and we look forward to next year.

If you're age 14 or under and have an opinion on the potions professor at Hogwart's School of Magic, now's your chance to put your thoughts on paper.
Gibson's Bookstore is looking for essays (about 500 words) on whether Snape is good or evil - is he loyal to Dumbledore or a dark wizard and a traitor?
Author J.K. Rowling will undoubtedly be covering this topic in the last installment of the Harry Potter Series, due out July 21.
The winner of the essay contest will be announced at the store's Harry Potter party July 20 and will receive a copy of the deluxe edition of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, valued at $65. (Just to give you some numbers, Scholastic, publisher of the Harry Potter series, is printing 12 million copies of the seventh installment but only 100,000 copies of the deluxe edition.)

Great news! Although Clough State Park is closed this season due to budget cuts, they have agreed to open for our 10^th Annual Triathlon. The YMCA Triathlon will be held as scheduled on Saturday September 8^th.  Get an application for the kids race or the adult race (individual or team) at the YMCA or go to the YMCA website at concordymca.org. 

If you had your copy of Dr. Peter Wallner's Franklin Pierce: Martyr for the Union signed last Saturday, you'll be interested to know that he'll be lecturing on the subject this Thursday, too.
Wallner's first volume in the biography of Pierce was published in 2004, titled Franklin Pierce: New Hampshire's Favorite Son. The book was well-received, but it left off at Pierce's inauguration night. The newest volume, which was released this past Saturday, picks up where New Hampshire's Favorite Son left off, and examines the work of the Pierce administration during the 1850s.

The Community Action Program of Belknap-Merrimack Counties Inc., in cooperation with the Concord Recreational Department and Concord Royal Gardens is pleased to announce the sponsorship of the Summer Food Service Program in the Concord area. Children 18 years of age and under will be served free meals at the above locations and times.

Rath, Young and Pignatelli is pleased to congratulate Tom Rath as the recipient of the James "Red" Hayes Award for Community Involvement. The award was presented to him May 8 at the Joe Yukica New Hampshire Chapter National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame 20th annual scholar-athlete awards dinner.

A founder of Rath, Young and Pignatelli, P.C. and The Rath Group, Tom has been active in youth athletics and other local and state community programs for years. He orchestrated the return of professional minor league baseball to Concord.

He has been a director of the Concord Chamber of Commerce and the N.H. Business and Industry Association. Rath is currently a member of the Advisory Committee for the state's Archives & Political Library and he serves on the Board of Directors of Association Grocers of New England and Lincoln Financial Group.

Free walk-in tour:

AMERICAN ART AT DARTMOUTH HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE HOOD MUSEUM OF ART

Saturday, June 23, 2 p.m.
Hood Museum of Art

No registration needed. Please meet at the Visitor Services Desk in the museum lobby.

This is an extraordinary display of American art from the collections! Bring a friend, or out-of-town guests, or come and spend some time on your own.

Free and open to everyone.
646-1469.

HOOD MUSEUM OF ART
www.hoodmuseum.dartmouth.edu

Soil Nutrition From a Plant’s Eye Point of View ith Mark Fulford

Nov. 10 & 11, 2007

This two day workshop is a whole picture, basic re-orientation for biological-nutritional agriculture. It is designed to help farmers, gardeners and consumers learn more about the importance of soil nutrition as it relates to growing healthy, abundant crops that nourish animal and human life. This class will provide hands-on skills and solutions demonstrated in a small farm setting. It will include information on: