CAMPTON — Wednesday, Feb. 13 was a big day for the newly named Pemigewasset Valley Chamber of Commerce, formerly known as the Waterville Valley Region Chamber of Commerce. The Pemi Valley Chamber of Commerce held an Open House to unveil its new name and its brand new logo at the newly
renovated Exit 28 Visitor Information Center.
More than 100 people turned out to witness the unveiling of the new logo.
"The decision to change the name to Pemigewasset Valley Chamber of Commerce (better known as Pemi Valley Chamber of Commerce) was made in an effort to grow and strengthen our brand and to better serve the businesses in our region," explained Executive Director Tamara Cocchiarella.
The attendees enjoyed food and spirits generously donated by Chamber members Jugtown Country Store, Chesley's Min Mart and Pizza and Sodexo, Inc., of Plymouth State University.
Members were delighted to see all the upgrades and renovations made to the Visitor Information Center. "The Visitor Center has been transformed to be the front porch of the White Mountains and Pemi Valley," said Cocchiarella.
The renovations were made possible through donations of time, talent, skills and materials from the following businesses and community members:
Rachel Roy, Frank Cocchiarella, Nevan Hester, Mike Wilson, AW Bell Enterprises, LLC, Dow Electric, LLC, Kerrie Williams, Chris and Donna Chiocca, Lenny Martel, Fe Riccio, Elaine Swett, Bill and Darlene Brill, Karl Brooks, Winterbrook Property Management, N.H. Electric Cooperative, Kelly Bryer, The Common Man Family of Restaurants, Sodexo, Inc., Cargill Construction, LLC, Chesley's Mini Mart and Pizza, Wayne Charron, Valley Snow Dogz, Jamie Chesley, Cozy Cabin Rustics Furniture and Leon and Diana Fannion.

LACONIA — Starting February 25 Prescott Farm Environmental Education Center (PFEEC) will be offering five days of WildQuest Winter Camp for children in grades K-7/ages 6-12 from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Extended care is available.
WildQuest Winter Camp will enhance a child's ecological awareness and provide fun learning opportunities in a community-minded and non-competitive atmosphere. Camp includes nature activities, animal and plant identification, arts and crafts, quests, and hands-on learning. Most of the day is spent outdoors. Dress children appropriately for the weather and time of year. Extended care provides supervised playtime before and after regular camp hours.
People can register by the day or for the full week.
PFEEC is a non-profit center that offers year-round environmental education for all ages including WildQuest vacation camps, family and youth programs and Naturalist-in-Residence programs at local Elementary Schools.
The 160-acre historic family farm features woodland and field trails, a "green" building with geothermal and solar energy systems, historic barns, an old-fashioned maple sugaring operation, heritage gardens, and a forested pond.
Cost is $35 for Prescott Farm members and $45 for non-members per day; $175 for Prescott Farm members and $225 for nonmembers for the week. Pre-registration is required, call 366-5695 or e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Also, visit www.prescottfarm.org to learn more about WildQuest Winter Camp and registration details.

LACONIA — No one knows better than Glenn Welch just how frustrating it is to need a new set of
runners when on a snowmobile trip – and how expensive.
The founder and president of WelchManufacturing Technologies in Laconia has been an avid snowmobiler for more than three decades, logging an impressive 2,000 miles on the trails every season. And until now, he and the other owners of the 2 million snowmobiles registered in the United States and Canada had no option other than to replace those worn runners, sometimes even limping back to base camp to do so.
Enter BITEHARDER, the snowmobile industry's first carbide runner sharpening tool. The portable, user-
friendly tool designed and developed by Welch offers winter-sports enthusiasts the flexibility of
sharpening their runners even when installed on a sled and on the trail. Allowing the runners to bite into
any surface, the 100% U.S.A.-made device is intended to enhance performance, safety, and all-around
enjoyment of the ride.
"BITEHARDER saves the snowmobile enthusiast from the frustration and expense of replacing worn
carbide runners," explains Welch, who came up with the idea of a portable, easy-to-use tool during a
February 2012 snowmobile trip in Canada. "Replacement runners can cost upwards of $160 a pair.
Priced at less than $60, BITEHARDER will sharpen your runners 15 or more times before the tool wears
out – representing a significant savings!"
BITEHARDER attaches to any corded, cordless, or pneumatic style drill that accommodates a ¼-inch
shank. "Conveniently sized, portable, and easy to use, BITEHARDER allows snowmobilers to enjoy the
trails worry free even when on lengthy trips away from home," says Welch.
To bring the idea to market, Welch knew he would need to design a cost-effective tool that was both easy to manufacture and simple enough for the snowmobile owner to use without removing the runners from the skis.
Back in the shop after his February 2012 trip, Welch experimented with using a diamond-coated grinding tool to sharpen his used runners.
"I removed them from the skis, mounted my tool in a handheld drill, and after an hour of work declared
the operation a success," Welch says. "As difficult as it was, I had sharpened my runners. On my next trip to Canada, my efforts were immediately realized when I rolled my snowmobile out of the trailer. The newly sharpened edges seemed to last longer than what I was seeing even from new carbide runners. I could bite harder in the corners and was riding with a greater level of confidence."
The patented sharpening tool is CNC machined from alloy steel to precise tolerances, with industrial diamonds on its face providing the cutting media to sharpen the carbide runner.

CAPTION:

BITEHARDER™ Carbide Runner Sharpening Tool offers improved performance and safety – plus significant cost savings for winter-sports enthusiasts. (Courtesy photo)