Ah, spring, one of the best times of the year to Take a Hike… for Humanity!

The warmer weather is finally here, bikini season is well on its way, and it’s a fantastic time to get some friends, family, and co-workers together for some exercise and outdoor adventure. Why not take a hike to help support people in your community? Greater Manchester Habitat for Humanity is partnering up with other Habitat for Humanity chapters for their annual Hike for Humanity fundraiser.

The event is offered on two Saturdays in June. On June 1st hike beautiful Mt. Monadnock in Jaffrey NH ($4 fee to enter the State Park), or you can hike the Blue Hills Reservation in Milton, MA on June 8th (you can bring your dog here). Folks can sign up individually or as teams of up to 10 people. Get friends, family members, even your boss to sponsor you, and individuals who raise more than $125 get a T-shirt (and who doesn’t love a T-shirt?). All proceeds are used to build affordable homes for deserving low-income families.

Check in/registration for the hike is anywhere from 9 am to 2 pm and all hiking must be done by 5 pm. A fantastic way to enjoy a Saturday and help your local communities! For more information, or to register for the event please visit http://www.takeahikeforhumanity.org. You can select your local Habitat chapter when registering. It is a wonderful event, a great hike and can be done at your own pace. I’ll be attending the hike at Mt. Monadnock and I hope to see you there!

About Habitat for Humanity

Habitat for Humanity is a 501c3 non-profit, that rehabs or builds properties for low-income families. They look for families to put in sweat equity in the building of the homes, and sells them at affordable prices with zero percent interest loans. The proceeds from the sale of those homes are used to fund the next building project. If you would like more information about the Greater Manchester Habitat for Humanity, or are interested in working on the rehabilitation of their current project a 3 family home in Manchester (think putting on a hard hat and swinging a hammer and a lot of fun) go to their website at http://www.habitatmanchester.org/

Genevieve Gheorghiu is a Bedford based agent specializing in fine homes, waterfront homes, investment property, multi-families, and foreign language transactions. She also has an e-certification. She covers the greater Manchester, Londonderry, and Merrimack areas. For more info on Genevieve or to view her listings, visit her agent page.

In by Mother’s Day, Out by Father’s Day

It’s that time of year for the pesky black fly! If you are a hardy New Englander you can either curse them or embrace them. Many towns create reasons and events to celebrate spring and the black fly is no exception. Many locations have “Black Fly” road races, golf tournaments, and festivals.

Most of us alter our plans, wear covered clothing, and try to get out and enjoy the great outdoors in spite of the annoying pests. They are active at dawn and dusk and if you get bitten they typically cause itching and swelling. The biting flies are the females and they want your blood so covering up is the best bet. Here are some other tips to help during the season!

1. Get a bird feeder-Some birds consider black flies a tasty meal!
2. Stay inside at sunset, before a storm, and on cloudy days-They tend to hide during rain and cold weather
3. Avoid dark shaded clothing and stick with lighter colors that attract flies less or wear long pants and long sleeve shirt
4. Use DEET and insect repellents which might help detract them
5. Don’t slow down as they will catch up to you…keep on the move
6. Avoid perfume and perfumed products and stay away from running water as that is their breeding ground!

When in New England during the Spring black flies are in season. The best things to do to avoid them are to look for a breeze, avoid wooded areas and running water, and keep covered up so you can still enjoy the great outdoors!

Ann Dippold is a Concord based agent with specialties in new construction, fine homes, relocation, and has an e-certification. She covers the greater Concord area, Sunapee, Henniker, Hopkinton, and beyond. For more info about Ann, or to see her current listings, visit her agent page.

Steve White stands with GMNBR Affiliate of the Year, Sonia Gauthier

“It is with great pleasure that we announce that Londonderry agent, Steve White was recognized as the 2013 REALTOR^® of the Year by the Greater Manchester/Nashua Board of REALTORS^® (GMNBR)!” said John MacGilvary, regional manager of the Londonderry office.

This award is presented to the REALTOR^® that has truly represented a high standard of service and ethical behavior for the board and REALTOR^® name. “Steve has worked so hard over the last decade, serving the REALTOR^® community, local charities, and clients, while staying dedicated to continuing education and standards of practice” added John.

The award was announced on Thursday, May 9th during a special GMNBR ceremony. Steve was given the award based on several factors, some of which include service to board members, designation, board activity participation, and continued education.

However, the part that “Veranians” see from Steve every day is one of the factors that the GMNBR sets as the highest priority in determining this award’s recipient:

“We look for the value in a person’s REALTOR^® spirit and REALTOR^® ethics as they conduct their business with high principles and faithfulness to our Code of Ethics.”

Steve demonstrated this in his response when asked by Verani agents what receiving this honor meant to him. He said “I am overwhelmed by the support and congratulations from all of you, my friends, but to me, this is OUR award. I am very grateful to Margherita and Giovanni, who have supported my ventures for many years. Working with them and all of you at Verani is the greatest. Thanks!”

Maudslay State Park will be providing a guided Mothers’ Day Flower Walk on Sunday May 12 from 2-3:00. This is a great way to spend quality time with the family and take in the beautiful scenery. You definitely want to bring your camera to capture those special moments.

This is peak time to visit the park with all the flowers just coming into bloom. There are more than 460 acres of park to take in. Miles and miles of carriage paths and over 15 trails. The terrain is mainly flat with a few small hills. You will walk by many gardens, meadows, huge pine trees, unbelievable ornamental trees, and over bridges. It is so amazing you won’t want to leave.

The park offers many year round activities from walking, biking, hiking, picnics and more. The park runs along the Merrimack River and boarders Newburyport and West Newbury. Located in Newburyport, MA, take exit 57 onto Storey Ave, turn right at Daniel Lucy Way. Then take a left turn at Curzon Mill Rd.

There is a small fee to park.

Kathy Bertani is a Londonderry based agent specializing in  Investment Properties, Short Sales, Relocation, Bank Owned, Multi-Family, and has an  E-certification. She covers much of Northern Massachusetts, as well as the Greater Londonderry area, and beyond. For more info about Kathy, or to view her listings, visit her agent page.

Spring is in the air in New England, and residents love to celebrate the new-found warm weather with lots of outdoor events. May-June is an excellent time of the year for events in NH and MA. Be sure to mark these on your calendar!

Watch City Steam Punk Festival

Waltham, MA – May 10-12: This event is held outdoors in downtown Waltham. General admission is free, but in order to see and do some things you will need to pay for a button to let you in. Buttons are $15 for a day or $20 for the weekend and will also get you discounts at many local businesses. Proceeds support the Charles River Museum of Industry. Also, don’t miss special guest James Gurney author of Dinotopia! I visited this event last year and I plan to stop by again this year, it was a blast! I strongly recommend it.

Sheep, Wool & Alpaca Festival

Deerfield Fairgrounds, Deerfield NH - May 11-12: Organized by the New England Alpaca Owners and Breeders’ Association (NEAOBA), this event shows off the best of the best of NEAOBA members’ herds right in Deerfield, New Hampshire.  Tickets are $5, Seniors $4, and children 12 & under free.

NH Renaissance Faire

Kingston, NH – May 11, 12, 18 & 19: I’ve never been to this event but I’m hoping to drop by during the last weekend. Some friends have gone in the past though and say it’s a great time, and they recommend it for everyone. Tickets are $12 for adults, and $8 for children ages 5-12.

American Craft Beer Fest 

Boston, MA - May 31-June 1: The 6th annual American Craft Beer Fest (ACBF) is the East Coast’s largest celebration of American craft beer hosted at the Seaport World Trade Center, Boston by BeerAdvocate & Harpoon Brewery. The 2-day fest will feature 3-session and 600+ craft beers from 125+ American brewers. Tickets are about $50 for a session purchased online or $55 at the door, be sure to order them ahead online as they sold out early last year.

Rock’n Ribfest

Merrimack, NH - June 14-16: Rib-roasters, rib-lovers, and barbecuers from all over the United states converge at Anheuser-Busch in Merrimack for what Ribfest calls “New England’s premiere family weekend.”  Air shows, hot air balloon rides, concerts, and plenty more make this a must-see event for New Hampshire residents! Tickets are $7 online for advance purchase, $10 at gate, and children 8 and under are free.

Laconia Motorcycle Week 

Laconia/Weirs Beach, NH – June 16-18:  Motorcycle week is pretty famous here in New Hampshire, celebrating it’s 90th Anniversary in 2013. Riders from all over the world come to Laconia to celebrate the lifestyle of motorcycle riding, the friendships formed from group riding, and promote safe motorcycle practices.  If you’re coming from out of state, book a hotel room early because they sell out just about every year!

Bethany Dubeck is an e-certified Nashua based agent covering greater Manchester, greater Londonderry, and greater Nashua. For more information on Bethany, or to see her listings, visit her agent page.

Very soon you’ll see a change in the look, feel and features of your Verani.com. A whole new way to shop for homes online, a way in which you are in charge, an interactive site putting the fun back in house hunting. We’re pretty excited, especially because it’s  the only address you’ll ever need – no matter which device you’re on, whether it’s a PC, tablet, or smart phone – for all your real estate needs. Stay tuned for additional updates!

Here’s a sneak preview of what’s coming:

Eleven children of the Mila Filatova Piano Academy, aged 5 to 15 years old, will perform piano concertos of Bach, Vogler, Haydn, and Mozart, with a chamber orchestra under the direction of David Feltner in a concert at 2 pm on Saturday, May 4, 2013 at the Manchester Christian Church, 1308 Wellington Road, Manchester, NH. Admissions is free. Several of the piano concertos are very rarely performed, including a concerto Mozart composed while a child himself.

Recognizing that opportunities for very young children to play with professional musicians are very limited, Filatova organized the concerto concert as a community event where local children could perform as soloists with a chamber orchestra in a family-oriented, admission-free concert. “The idea is to inspire the children performing to achieve even higher performance standards and for the children attending to concert to see that it is possible for children to perform with an orchestra and inspire their interest in classical music,” Filatova explains. The community performance brings together soloists, chamber musicians, and a conductor from the local New Hampshire and Massachusetts communities. Even the concert grand piano for the performance is being generously provided by Darrell’s Music Hall in Nashua, NH.

The children performing have collectively won many prizes in state, national, and international piano competitions – many have performed in venues such as Carnegie Hall and across Europe. They include in alphabetical order (age, hometown): Angela Dow (13, Manchester, NH), George Kiu (9, Tyngsboro, MA), Kathryn Ly-Bishop (15, Manchester, NH), Alessandra Mariano (9, Manchester, NH), Anna Musteata (8, Hollis, NH), Maxine Park (8, Hanover, NH), Roxane Park (5, Hanover, NH), Elizabeth Rhodes (13, Concord, NH), Erin Tellier (15, Auburn, NH), Stephen Wang (11, Hanover, NH), and Annie Xu (12, Nashua, NH).

The chamber orchestra consists of area professional musicians from the Boston Classical Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra of Boston, Merrimack Philharmonic, Nashua Chamber Orchestra, and Springfield Symphony under the direction of David Feltner, music director of the Nashua Chamber Orchestra and the Chamber Orchestra of Boston. Feltner has worked with young children in the past and was an enthusiastic supporter of the project.

The program includes: Haydn Concerto in F Major, H.XVIII, Vogler Concerto in C Major, Mozart Concerto #1 in F Major, K. 37, Bach Concerto in F Minor BWV 1056, and Haydn Concerto in D Major Hob. XVIII: 11.

Concert Details:

Saturday, May 4, 2013 at 2:00 pm

Manchester Christian Church | 1308 Wellington Road | Manchester, NH 03104

FREE ADMISSION

If you like good music and love hearing great poetry than what a weekend is in store for you. This weekend in Porsmouth, the annual Jazzmouth music and poetry festival is taking place. The event is Sunday 28th with great music and good poetry. There will be plenty of things to do and many different local artists who will show up for the occasion. Some of the artists that will be playing are Mike Barron, Cynthia Chatis, and Don Davis to name just a few. It is about $15 to get in, but considering how much great music will be there to listen to it will be well worth it.

In addition to jazz music there will also be a place for reading poetry in the spirit of the event and because it just so happens to be National Poetry month. There will be signups at the door for fifteen, five minute slots so make sure you get there on time if you want to read some poetry! The event will feature many local artist and young poets. So go on over, enjoy, and get the chance to experience some of New Hampshire’s culture in a whole new way!

Having a good time at 2012′s “The Hair Affair” party

Prudential Vereani, Portsmouth agent, Kaitlin Whitcher knows how to party. In 2009 she began supporting a group known as “Seacoast Party 4 a Purpose.” Every year this group organizes themed parties for folks to enjoy, while raising money for various New Hampshire non-profit organizations. Over the previous 3 years, the group has raised more than $40,000 for organizations such as New Heights and the Seacoast Food Pantry. This year, the funds raised will be to benefit the Richie McFarland Children’s Center in Stratham.

Interested in partying with this group?

The 2013 (4th annual) Spring event is coming up this weekend!

Theme: Mad Hatter

When: April 27 @ 8:00 p.m.

Where: VFW Hall, Portsmouth, NH

Tickets are $20. Wear your favorite, least favorite, craziest, most hilarious, most innovative, or most ridiculous hat and come out for a great time and a great cause. For more information about Seacoast Party 4 a Purpose, to purchase tickets for this coming weekend, or to make a general donation to the event, visit www.seacoastparty4apurpose.org

Over the coming week, Prudential Verani Realty and Comcast will be teaming up to deliver and collect 5,000 bags to and from residents throughout Nashua, Merrimack, Bedford, and Manchester. The bags will be donated to CareGivers, Inc. once they are collected. Here’s a quick timeline of things to come in these communities this week:

Tuesday, April 23rd: 56 Verani agents will hand deliver the bags in their neighborhoods and beyond. The bags, provided by Comcast, will include door hangers, provided by Caregivers, Inc., with explanations of what the bags are and how people can help.

Thursday and Friday, April 25th and 26th: residents will receive postcards created by CareGivers, Inc. reminding them that Comcast representatives will be coming to pick up the bags.

On Saturday, April 27th: Comcast representatives will be around to pick up the bags. Not going to be home? Leave the bags hanging on your door and they’ll snag them on the way by to deliver to Caregivers!

If your neighborhood isn’t included in the bag drops, but you still want to help out, visit CareGiversNH.org or call 1-877-278-0237 to find out how you and your neighbors can get involved!

What is CareGivers?

The goal of The CareGivers is to help the elderly and disabled in the Greater Manchester and Nashua area to remain in their homes for as long as possible. The CareGivers, Inc. recruits, screens, trains, and coordinates volunteers to offer presence and assistance to those in need. They provide non-medical services such as transportation, assistance with grocery shopping, free food packages, friendly visits, and reassurance calls. Our care-receivers are often alone, on fixed incomes and without other means of assistance. Thanks to generous donations from all of their supporters, all of their services are free of charge.