Discover Sandwich & The Moose, NH gear up for next initiatives

WOLFEBORO — In a departure from typical end-of-summer rituals — as many business people and nonprofits sink back into their couch cushions and just say “Phew! The party’s over.” — participants in the nonprofit Discover Sandwich and The Moose, New Hampshire are continuing their promotional efforts for the area this winter.

Perhaps you noticed a life-sized Mona Lisa at the Sandwich Fair early this month? The woman with the mysterious smile has been making the rounds, appearing at the opening of Tappan Chairs, visiting craftsman and festivals all summer long, and appearing in print ads and social media with the headline of “Do you know what she knows?” 

Mona is the brainchild of the “Discover Sandwich” business group that has been working with Wentworth Economic Development Corporation for several years.

“The sole mission of WEDCO is to support and increase the economic vitality of our 11 towns,” said Denise Roy-Palmer, executive director of the 25-year-old economic development organization. “Sometimes that means offering training and business support. Other times it means giving advice and loans. And, at other times, it means helping grassroots initiatives come to life. I can’t tell you the pleasure we have gotten from Mona and ‘Discover Sandwich’ and ‘The Moose, New Hampshire,’ its cousin to the south.

Sandwich and the seven towns of the Moose Mountains Region (Brookfield, Farmington, Middleton, Milton, New Durham, Wakefield, and Wolfeboro) share a common history. All once were thriving towns with industry and mass transportation, but they came to be off the proverbial beaten track when trains stopped running and highways bypassed them. In the passing, however, all eight towns retained their provincial charm and avoided mass development, leaving them ready to be rediscovered now when people are looking for more individualized experiences in their food, entertainment, art, culture, recreation and lifestyles.

The idea for “The Moose” and its “Explore Moose Mountains” website was born when an industrial trash hauler attempted to create a for-profit dump facility off Route 16 in Milton. Alarmed that invasive activities like trash dumps, cookie-cutter franchises, and harsh industrial activity would chew up their region’s preserved beauty and unique character, a grassroots group worked to block its entry. Afterwards, they recognized that negative economic activity like a dump could be best countered by positive, collaborative economic activity.

The group met for several years, and has partnered with the Strafford Regional Planning Commission and UNH Cooperative Extension in researching the current state of the region and ways to collaboratively strengthen small businesses, allow residents to work locally, and build the region’s rural-based economy.

Their report concluded that the area doesn’t lack life-quality resources, but that too few people know about all the wonderful things going on. They launched an informational and publicity campaign predicting that improved communication will “attract a broader variety of people to the area,” “increase tax revenue and property values,” and “relieve pressure from undesired developments.”

In addition to The Moose, New Hampshire on Facebook, the group continues to expand into other social media platforms in 2018, and ExploreMoose

Mountains.org is seeing further development as a fully searchable website.

Nonprofit organizations and businesses wanting to put The Moose to work for them are encouraged to contact WEDCO at info@WEDCO.org or call digital manager Barbara Wilson at 603-986-4191.

The Moose, New Hampshire/Explore Moose Mountains initiative is supported in part by a grant from the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation.

Discover Sandwich has received funding through a grant from the Alfred Quimby Fund.

The Wentworth Economic Development Corporation is the 501(c)(3) lead agent for both of those initiatives.