Happy Birthday, Dear Colonia Theatre!

Congratulations are in order! The wonderful Colonial Theatre building is 101 years old today! Come and celebrate under the marquee in beautiful Downtown Laconia with the Laconia Historic Society and others Sunday April 13th from noon to 2pm. Share visions and memories - and Happy Birthday, Dear Colonial!

Growing Communities Grant

 Citizens Bank Foundation provides $35,000 grant for neighborhood revitalization in partnership with the Main Street Initiative of Laconia

Growing Communities initiative to stimulate economic development in downtown Laconia

MANCHESTER, N.H. – The Citizens Bank Foundation today unveiled the details of its partnership with the Main Street Initiative of Laconia (MSI) as part of its Growing Communities initiative announced in September. Citizens awarded $70,000 in grants to neighborhood revitalization efforts in Nashua and Laconia, providing $35,000 for MSI to establish a façade-improvement program in downtown Laconia.

“Citizens’ Growing Communities initiative was established to help support and promote neighborhood-based programs that have a significant impact on communities across New Hampshire,” said Kathleen Reardon, SVP and Director of Public Affairs, Citizens Bank, New Hampshire. “Strengthening the health and economic vitality of our local communities is a priority at Citizens. We believe our grants will help enhance the character and overall well-being of these neighborhoods, support small businesses and spur additional investments in these communities.”

The Main Street Initiative of Laconia will provide matching grants of up to $5,000 to property and business owners inside the Beacon Street loop in the central downtown business district. The initiative will encourage businesses to make investments that beautify the downtown area, with the ultimate goal of decreasing vacancy rates and increasing consumer traffic.

“We are focused on revitalizing downtown Laconia by building community and encouraging investment in the area,” said John Moriarty, President of the Main Street Initiative of Laconia. “The façade improvement program will help local property and business owners grow their businesses and will contribute to the strength of the downtown.”

Belknap Economic Development Council will provide additional resources and technical assistance to help business owners strengthen their operations. Belknap EDC offers a loan fund for Main Street businesses across Belknap County that can be used to meet matching requirements. In addition, free business advisor services are available at Belknap EDC’s office to assist in project planning.

Successful applicants  must demonstrate that the façade-improvement project will enhance the appearance of the community, foster business growth and leverage additional resources. Application packets are available online at www.laconiamainstreet.org, or at the Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce Office on South Main Street. Completed applications are due by 4 p.m. on Friday, February 14, 2014.

Growing Communities is part of Citizens Helping Citizens Strengthen Communities, the bank’s program to contribute to the economic vitality of its communities. The Growing Communities initiative is designed to promote and make investments in neighborhood revitalization based on the existing assets of a community. Since 2012 Citizens has awarded $155,000 to neighborhood projects in Berlin, Manchester, Nashua and Laconia.  

About Citizens Helping Citizens

Grounded in the belief that a good bank gives back to its community and to the people who live there, Citizens Helping Citizens is a program embracing the community goals of RBS Citizens Financial Group, Inc. – the commercial bank holding company serving consumer and small business customers as Citizens Bank and Charter One and commercial banking customers as RBS Citizens. The Citizens Helping Citizens program is composed of five key initiatives supported directly by RBSCFG and its nonprofit charitable foundations, the Citizens Charitable Foundation, the Citizens Bank Foundation and the Charter One Foundation: Citizens Helping Citizens Fight Hunger, Citizens Helping Citizens Provide Shelter, Citizens Helping Citizens Strengthen Communities (economic development), Citizens Helping Citizens Teach Money Management (financial education) and Citizens Helping Citizens Give (volunteerism and colleague charitable donations). Across all of these initiatives, Citizens Helping Citizens strives to enhance quality of life and economic vitality in local communities.

You can access the grant application here

An Interview with Bryce Moore

 Note: This is from an article that appears in the Laconia Citizen on Monday, July 15th.

A CONVERSATION WITH

BRYCE MOORE

Wash & cut--$19.00; hair color--$60.00; perm--$65.00; a local young lady staying in Laconia to support her career & downtown--Bryceless....

By all accounts Bryce Moore, age 19, is a real go getter.  She has joined the Main Street Initiative and has not let her shortage in years be a shortage of ideas or results.  She takes this proactive approach to everything she does. The Main Street group sat down with Bryce recently and here’s what they learned:

Q: Tell us about yourself; what do you do?

Bryce: I'm a stylist at the Mr. Paul’s Hair Affair Salon on Canal St. in downtown Laconia.  I work right down the street from where I was raised!  

Q: Was styling\beauty always a career goal?  

A cardiologist friend of my parents saw my promise and suggested that I consider a career as a cardiovascular technician, so I started planning on that in high school.  In the back of my mind I found I was always thinking about hair.   Some of my relations worked in hair care, and I spent a lot of time in salons growing up.  A week before I was supposed to start my medical studies, I changed paths. It was a natural choice.  I enjoyed beauty school so much.  I met great people who became my best friends.

Q: Was it difficult to find employment in your field?  

I got a chance at a spot at Mr. Paul’s Hair Affair through some people who knew about my skills and referred me to Lori Chandler who gave me a shot and is now my boss.  I’m grateful to Lori for recognizing my potential.

Q: What does Laconia represent to you?  

My grandfather was a part time policeman here for 38 years. He also owned Bud's Gulf gas station on South Main Street.    When I think of Laconia, that's what first comes to mind.  Everybody knew Bud and my father too.  The sense of community is still strong here today.  It’s amazing how connected and caring this community is.

Q: Why have you chosen to stay in Laconia?  

I've lived here all my life, and I like it.  My parents are still here, and I'm close to them.  They've been big supporters of mine through everything.  My parents were not upset when I decided not to go to cardio-tech school.  They just said I should follow my dreams.  I really appreciate my parents unconditional love.

Q: What do you like about downtown?  

It's cute. There are all these cute little shops and my home is right around the corner too, so you can walk wherever you want...though I like to drive!  

Q: What one thing would you add to downtown?  

Maybe a store for people my age, with clothes and jewelry for my age group. Nothing too fancy, maybe something like this store my parents told me about, the old Junior Deb shop.  The sort of stores, that might carry things like what American Eagle carries, but in stores like they used to have in our downtown.  Maybe a coffee shop for people my age, with Wi Fi for the college students, so they wouldn't have only the library, where they usually have to wait for computers.

Q: What do you do on a Saturday night?  

It's always the same!  Every Saturday night since I was 15, I play pool with my dad at our friend's house. It's like my bonding time with him!  Then sometimes we go listen to live music afterwards.  Weoften go to listen to Lisa Guyer especially her solo performances.

Q: What else do you do in your spare time?  

I go shopping a lot.  I'm a hair nerd!  I don't get enough at work! I go shopping for hair care products.  No matter where I am, I’m always connected.  I hunt down new styles and cuts online.  Continued professional development is important but real growth happens when you take the initiative to learn yourself.

Q: What else do you do on the internet?  

I'm on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest. I talk to friends and look up stuff, mostly about hair. I like to watch movie trailers more than I like watching movies themselves. I listen to music. You can find almost anything online!  

Q: What music is on your playlist?

I listen to just about anything--any type of music.  My parents like '80's music, so I listen to that a lot. And I'm a big country fan; though I also listen to rap...so Credence Clearwater Revival, Journey, Zac Brown Band, but also Wale, and Tyga, because my brother likes him a lot....I think he's good too though.  

Q: What would we find surprising about you?

I go target shooting a lot!   I like shooting a Walther P-22 and recently my grandfather's 45 caliber police revolver.  That was cool!  I’m not the best shot, but I’m good enough.

Q: Tell us about your talents.

I sing pretty well, except I don't like to sing in public.  I took voice lessons for about a year, but the teacher made me study show tunes and I'm not that interested in Broadway, so I stopped, but to this day I use what I learned.

So maybe Bryce might seem at first glance like a typical young adult finding her fledgling wings.  But underneath that everyday exterior are exceptional abilities and startling accomplishments which are beyond price....but not beyond Bryce and are in short -- BRYCELESS.