NH North Country Tells its Story

At a critical time in North Country history, PSNH is helping to fund a community based project called "Telling Our Story," which will be launched this month in Berlin and Gorham, NH. The project is designed to capture, preserve, and celebrate the stories of the mills and logging industry in the Androscoggin Valley.

As part of the project, New Hampshire author and storyteller Rebecca Rule will facilitate story sharing sessions, interview individuals, and record local stories for preservation. "Stories reveal the heart of community," Rule says. "These stories, gathered at such a critical time in the region's history, will serve as a mirror, a record, a commentary, and a catalyst for discussion. Not only will we be gathering pieces of the past that might otherwise be lost, but we will be looking at life as it is now, and looking to the future."

Organizers believe now is the right time for such a project, with so many changes threatening the cohesion of this community, with its long history of traditional values and self-reliance. The collected stories will document a disappearing way of life and honor the region's rich heritage. "It is so important to recognize and validate the lives of the people of the Androscoggin Valley and to acknowledge their contributions to the region and the state," says Doris Burke, PSNH community development manager. "The success of future plans depends on our honoring their work ethic and community engagement."

Community participation is at the core of "Telling Our Story." If you would like more information, would like to be interviewed, or know someone who might have some good stories to tell, contact Rebecca Rule at rebeccarule@metrocast.net. "Telling Our Story" will be ongoing through June 2007 and will resume in the fall of 2007.