Meet the Candidates

GFWC Hudson Junior Woman’s Club host a “Meet the Candidates” night on 2/21/2013 at 7:00 PM at the Hudson Recreation Center, 12 Lions Ave. Hudson, NH.

Please come out to meet the candidates so you can be informed about those desiring  leadership positions in town.

http://www.hudsonnh.gov/calendar/2013/feb/candidates-night

I hope many of you have enjoyed watching the president’s 2nd inauguration today, as have I. But it is with much sadness I want to inform you of the passing of Kevin McGuire, our member and friend Vivian McGuire’s husband.

Kevin passed away late Saturday afternoon/evening on 1/19/2013. He had gone skiing at Loon Mtn. on Friday, which is something he loved. Saturday he complained of some arm and chest pain, but figured it was just the exertion from skiing, since that’s not a regular activity these days. He did not want to go to the hospital, but wanted to rest.  He went into the bedroom and Vivian went in the kitchen to bake a pie. There were errands he needed to do, and Vivian had said she would do them for him.  When she went back in to talk to him about the errands he had peacefully passed away from a heart attack. Her efforts and the efforts of the Emergency Medical Team to revive him were unsuccessful.

Life is exceedingly difficult for her at this time with her son’s poor health and now her husband (of 39 3/4 years) gone. A close friend is staying with her presently and her daughter is helping her as much as possible with arrangements, and such. Please share positive thoughts, wishes, energy and prayers for our friend, Vivian McGuire as she grieves this loss. I will post details as I receive them, and they will be listed in the Nashua Telegraph as well.

Update: A Memorial Service will be held on Friday 1/25 at noon at Alvirne Chapel in Hudson, NH.

FORWARD, March! – 2013

Thanks to all you wonderful Hudson Dems members, OFA (Organizing/Obama for America) members, candidates, and family and friends thereof, for all of your efforts in the very busy election season, followed by Holiday season of 2012.

Our efforts have paid off …at least at the higher levels if not as well as we would have liked for our immediate town (House & Senate District representation).

Highlights to be celebrated (wins):

• Obama’s re-election to POTUS
• Carol Shea-Porter to US Senate (NH District 1)
• Annie Kuster  to US Senate (NH District 2)
• Maggie Hassan  to NH Governor
• Mary Ann Knowles to House of Representatives (District 37)
• Deb Pignatelli to Executive Council (District 5)
• Patricia LaFrance, Hillsborough County Attorney

And don’t forget the neighboring achievements (which many also supported with time, money & effort):

• Lisa Whittemore to House of Representatives (1^st Dem in over 100 yrs) – Londonderry (shared Senate D14)
• Peggy Gilmore & Bett Lasky (Senate Districts 12 & 13) Jan Schmidt, Syliva Gale, Angie Kopka, Cindy Rosenwald, David Campbell, David Cote, etc.-Nashua, House
• Chris Pappas to Executive Council for Manchester –

See http://www.nashuadems.com/election_2012  for more on Democrats elected in 2012. (Their site shows breakdowns with maps of territories covered by each — more great work by Jan Schmidt).

Of course there were many others we worked hard to get in, who didn’t quite make the cut. Rest assured that these prospective candidates gained a great deal from the experience and came away “much improved” for the future.  Katherine “Kate” Messner, John Knowles, Alejandro Urrutia, John Battis, Stuart Schneiderman, Jeremy Muller and Vivian McGuire were among these in Hudson and Paul Dadak, Hal Lynde in Pelham (our shared House District 37); with Ted Combes, Brian Merrill, et al. for Londonderry (shared Senate D14). Thanks to all candidates for taking the leap!

We worked closely with the Obama campaign, many of us taking leadership roles there as well. This had a superb synergistic effect.  Indeed, many feel that this was the most coordinated campaign in recent history – if not ever — for our state.

So here’s to us!

Raise a toast to yourselves (literally or figuratively)

for a job well done!

Now it is time to join the team and help those who represent us, from both parties, so we can move forward on the objectives we hold dear.

For 2013 we are switching to a first Wednesdays schedule, and our next 2 meetings for the Hudson Democrats (beginning February 6, 2013) will be in private homes instead of at the Rodgers Memorial Library.  This means we can be informal, but it doesn’t mean we won’t discuss business! There will be openings for Executive Committee leaders and we are eager to get back to work.  Plus now with Mary Ann Knowles to inform us directly from the House we will be even better able to stay abreast of important legislative matters.

Please join us 2/6/2013, both former members and new ones at 7:00 PM,

as we march FORWARD together.

We will then decide where the 3/6/2013 meeting will be, and beginning 4/3/2013 we will  resume meeting at the Rodgers Memorial Library in the Community Room.  This room  has been reserved with the goal of 10 – 20 attendees per month, with use of the video screen as needed with hopes that we not only keep the teams of volunteers from Election 2012 mobilized for action in 2013 but add even more numbers to our ranks.

Join us as we make our democracy work here in town as well as at levels above and beyond. Be sure to add the NHDP (New Hampshire Democratic Party) to your “contacts” and sign up for their weekly newsletter.

From their site (www.nhdp.org) you can get the individual sites for these wonderful Democratic leaders above.

Our party has the advantage in our effective utilization of technology, so

let’s keep it up!

“like” us on Facebook !

♥ PERSONAL  Matters ♥

On the personal side, some of our families suffered new health problems after the election season.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to long time Hudson Dem member and House candidate, Vivian McGuire, whose son has been quite ill having undergone multiple surgeries in the last several weeks. Vivian and her husband, Kevin (also a 2012 candidate for the House) may need some help with everyday things for a while, so please contact them if you are able and willing.

Kate Messner’s father (in NJ) had a bad fall and is unable to get around the house (even with walker and cane).  Healing thoughts and/or prayers are needed there also for him and his wife — for 62 years, Kate’s mom. (Though both octogenarians, they are normally quite active in the NYC/NJ area and don’t do “sick” well.)

On a positive note, Stu Schneiderman’s adult daughter, has moved to Hudson.  Wellcome, Samantha (“Sam”).  Hopefully she’ll be joining us soon : )

Other personal updates from members and family of members are welcome.

(We will assume that they can be made public unless clearly stated otherwise.)

Happy New Year!     (…and see you 2/6/2013)