As part of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the 'RiverWoods Mission Possible' walkers joined more than 1000 other local walkers earlier this month for the annual "Making Strides Against Breast Cancer" fundraiser. The three mile walk through Exeter raised more than $110,000 with the RiverWoods walkers raising just over $2,200 for the fight against breast cancer.

At this years wine tasting with Nelson Barber, Associate Professor Department of Hospitality Management Peter T. Paul School of Business and Economics at UNH, we took a "Tour of France".

Dr. Barber has focused his toward understanding consumer behavior and decision theory (demand side research), with particular attention to wine, wine tourism, and the environment. He has published numerous articles in such journals as the Tourism and Hospitality Research, Journal of Hospitality Marketing and Management, International Journal of Wine Research, and the Journal of Consumer Marketing, among others. Dr. Barber is a member of the Council of Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Education (CHRIE), the Society of Consumer Psychology (SCP), and the European Wine Economists society.

RiverWoods resident Bill Romaine celebrated his 94th birthday by going out to Hampton Airfield to make a flight where he has been flying a light plane since he moved to RiverWoods. Bill is no longer allowed to solo, so he flies with an instructor, Bob, as co-pilot. However Bill does do all the flying from takeoff to landing.

Bill told me that he learned to fly sometime in the 80s when he built an ultralight with a one cylinder engine. To hear Bill tell it he learned to fly at the Minute Man Airfield in Stow Mass. by “Crow Hopping” his ultralight down the runway, much to the consternation of the man who sold him the kit, until he got the hang of it and finally made a flight around the airport, and in his words, somehow landed. Later he purchased an ultralight with a bigger engine and flew it a great deal.

Jane Kelly of Epping, a licensed raptor rehabilitator recently came to RiverWoods to share her story, and show three of her raptors. She was introduced by Carolie Martin of the Education Committee who arranged for Jane's RiverWoods visit.

Jane brought a Eastern Screech Owl, a Barn Owl and a Great Horned Owl.

She became interested in raptor recovery after seeing a large number of raptors killed or severely injured along Route 101 in a one month period.

Author Don Peterson shares his story with RiverWoods residents

Don Peterson along with his wife Julie and his daughter Susan joined us for Don's story of his ride across America on a bicycle following his retirement from the Foreign Service after serving many years as a US Ambassador to several countries in Africa.  The story he told us is recounted in the material copied below from Amazon as an introduction to his book about the adventure entitled:
"Old Man on a Bicycle: A Ride Across America and How to Realize a More Enjoyable Old Age".

Dr. Joanne Curran-Celentano recently presented a talk to RiverWoods residents entitled "How Does an Apple a Day Keep the Doctor Away" sponsored by the Resident Education Committee and the Resident Fitness Committee.

Joanne Curran-Celentano is Professor of Nutritional Sciences at the University of New Hampshire, where she teaches and also explores why diets rich in fruits and vegetables decrease the risk of chronic disease.

On a recent Thursday evening we had a wonderful concert by a delightful duo of two extraordinary fiddle players who entertained us with music from Scandinavia. Andrea played the fiddle while Lydia played a five string and a "nickkelharpa" with 16 strings.