MEREDITH — Meredith Village Savings Bank thanks the local community for its generous support with their annual "Mitten Tree" program.
Local residents donated 1,503 mittens, hats and scarves which were in turn distributed to those in need in our region. In addition, MVSB contributed a total of $3006 - $2 per item donated - to local non-profits.
Each of the Bank's 11 offices accepted and proudly displayed handmade or purchased mittens, hats and scarves during the four weeks preceding Christmas. The donated items were given to local schools and non-profits for distribution.
Non-profit organizations benefiting from the program this year fell into three different categories. Each person donating warm winter wearable selected the category for the associated $2 donation. As a result, $1108 went to local senior service organizations, $366 was allotted tolocal humane societies and $1532 as distributed to local food pantries.
Due to the continued need of our local food pantries, community members are asked to donate funds at their closest MVSB office. The MVSB Fund – has pledged to match up to $15,000 of the total funds collected between January 1 and February 15.
Meredith Village Savings Bank, founded in 1869, is an independent mutual savings bank with 11 offices serving individuals, families, businesses and municipalities in the Lakes Region and the Plymouth area.

Photo Caption:
The "Mitten Tree" in the Alton office, one of many on display at MVSB during the holiday season. Community members donated over 1500 mittens, hats and scarves. As a result, MVSB donated over $3000 to local area non-profits. (Courtesy photo)

PLYMOUTH — In February, celebrated musicians Adrian Anantawan, violinist, and Amy Yang, pianist, will share their music and passion with Plymouth-area students as part of the New Hampshire Music Festival's Visiting Artist Program.
Anantawan and Yang will visit several area schools on Feb. 20 and 21, including Inter-Lakes Elementary School in Meredith, Moultonborough Academy, Russell Elementary School in Rumney, Wentworth Elementary School, Sandwich Central School and Plymouth State University.
To culminate their visit, Anantawan and Yang will present a Community Concert at the Smith Recital Hall at Plymouth State University's Silver Center for the Arts on Thursday, Feb. 21 from 7 to 8:15 p.m. Admission is free and open to the public thanks to generous donations from Plymouth State University and the New Hampshire Electric Co-Op.
Born without a right hand, Anantawan is a gifted teacher and an inspiration to all students who meet him. A protégé of Itzhak Perlman, Anantawan has performed as a soloist with major orchestras in the United States, Canada, and Europe, for the Pope and the President of the United States, at Carnegie Hall, and was a featured performer in the opening ceremonies of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics.
Yang is an experienced performer who has played in concert halls across the United States and in China, Poland, Turkey and Switzerland. She is a graduate of the Juilliard School and the Yale School of Music and has been hailed an "outstanding artist" by New York Concert Review. She is currently a faculty member at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia.
The New Hampshire Music Festival, now in its 61st season, welcomes Donato Cabrera, Resident Conductor of the San Francisco Symphony, as its sixth Music Director and Conductor. For more information about its season, which starts July 6, visit www.nhmf.org or call 603-279-3300.

LACONIA — LRGHealthcare recently released its annual Community Benefit Report, highlighting expenditures targeted specifically for the community at large. In fiscal year 2012, LRGHealthcare provided more than $35 million in community benefit to the Lakes and Three Rivers Regions.
The report details activities and projects that support the hospital's core mission of strengthening the community's well-being. To report its community benefits, not-for-profit, charitable trust LRGHealthcare uses both state and federal guidelines developed to capture and report community benefit expenses.
When compared to the state of New Hampshire overall, LRGHealthcare service areas have a higher proportion of individuals with household incomes at 200% of poverty or less. The region also has a higher proportion of individuals with Medicaid and Medicare coverage than the state average. The higher percentage of Medicare coverage is related to the higher proportion of elderly in the regions served compared with the state.
In community surveys and focus groups, Access to Care was the top health concern voiced by residents.
Using data collected, combined with the economic statistics of the region, LRGHealthcare responded by providing subsidy to programs and services, thus ensuring access to care. Combined with the $4 .5 million in charity care LRGHealthcare provided, it totals over $20 million as contribution to access to care.
"Helping people access appropriate health care resources and education to preserve or improve their health is critical to our mission," states Director of Education Services Sally Minkow. "We are committed to continuing our efforts to invest in the health and safety of our community."
Two categories that are financially significant but not considered reportable as a community benefit are unreimbursed care for Medicare and bad debt. In FY'12, LRGHealthcare had $15,638,800 in unreimbursed costs for care of Medicare patients, and $2,958,262 in uncollectable debt.
Through the Patient Advantage Program, LRGHealthcare leveled the playing field by giving all patients at least a median discount. Through the program, LRGHealthcare provided at cost, community benefit in the amount of $3,069,263.