LONDONDERRY — Verani Realty, a leading real estate firm in New England, has launched its “12 Days of Giving” campaign, a company-wide initiative aimed at spreading holiday cheer and providing substantial support to local non-profit organizations throughout the region. Starting this December, the campaign will feature a daily donation for 12 consecutive days. Each of Verani Realty’s 12 office locations will select a local charity to receive a $1,000 donation from their respective office. By the conclusion of the campaign, Verani Realty will have contributed a total of $12,000, directly benefiting grassroots and community-focused organizations. The “12 Days of Giving” campaign honors the incredible work of local charities and the difference they make every day. Through this initiative, 12 offices will have the opportunity to support and uplift the organizations they see making meaningful impacts in their own communities. The campaign reflects Verani Realty’s strong commitment to corporate social responsibility and its focus on creating positive local change.
Hospital names board members
EXETER — Three new members have joined Exeter Hospital’s Board of Trustees: Lauren B. Messmore, James L. Thompson and Derek J. Trapasso, MD.
Messmore is the recently retired director and president of the BNY Mellon Charitable Gift Fund, as well as an advisory board member to Fintech Companies Artificial Intelligence Risk, Inc., and FiVerity, Inc. She has previous experiences as a chief financial officer of Nasdaq-listed community banks operating in Massachusetts.
Thompson recently retired after 40 years of banking, most recently as Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Credit Officer at River Run Bancorp in Newburyport.
He is active in the community in several roles, including as Chairman of the Newfields Planning Board, a member of Exeter Hospital United in Wellness Committee, a director of a Marina Condo Association and a financial and membership clerk for his church.
Trapasso is Medical Director at Phillips Exeter Academy and is board-certified in Pediatric Hospital Medicine and General Pediatrics. He has more than 20 years of clinical and administrative leadership experience, including prior roles as Medical Director of Mass General Children’s Pediatric Hospitalist Program at Exeter, Wentworth-Douglas and Norwood hospitals.
Chamber toy drive a success
HAVERHILL — The Merrimack Valley Chamber of Commerce reports overwhelming success for its Annual Toy Drive, thanks to the remarkable generosity of the community.
Members came together to donate an incredible volume of toys, helping ensure that local children and families in need will experience a brighter and more joyful holiday season. The chamber extends its heartfelt appreciation to all who participated and contributed.
The chamber also offers a special thank you to Clarendon Early Education Center, which will coordinate the distribution of the collected toys to families throughout the Merrimack Valley.
This year’s event was made possible with the support of several key partners. Thrivent Financial served as the host for the evening, and LukeJackson Benefit & HR Solutions provided sponsorship support.
The Chamber also extends sincere thanks to Salvatore’s for welcoming attendees and helping create a warm, festive atmosphere.
“Together, we continue to strengthen the Merrimack Valley and support our neighbors in meaningful ways,” said chamber CEO/President Michael Bevilacqua.
For more information about upcoming community initiatives and chamber events, contact Bevilacqua at 978-686-0900.
Open house at High Pointe
HAVERHILL — Mayor Melinda Barrett joined High Pointe House, a Tufts Medicine Care at Home hospice and palliative care facility, for an open house on Nov. 13.
High Pointe House, formally known as Haverhill’s Merrimack Valley Hospice House, provides a home-like setting for patients and their families navigating end-of-life care.
In presenting an official citation, Barrett said, “Thank you for your commitment to providing compassionate health care, offering comfort, dignity and holistic support to individuals and their families during life’s final chapter.”
During National Home Health and Hospice Month, Tufts medicine’s Care at Home team held an open house event to show community members what High Pointe has to offer.
Parkland earns ‘A’ safety grade
DERRY — Parkland Medical Center, part of HCA Healthcare, has earned an “A” Hospital Safety Grade from The Leapfrog Group, an independent national nonprofit watchdog focused on patient safety.
Leapfrog assigns an “A through F” grade to general hospitals across the country using evidence-based measures of patient safety focused exclusively on errors, accidents, injuries and infections.
“Patient safety and providing a high-quality healthcare experience for all of our patients and their families is our top priority,” said Hannah Morin, vice president of quality and patient safety at Parkland Medical Center.
“Our dedicated medical staff and support teams consistently implement best practices to ensure our patients receive exceptional care with the best possible outcomes.”
The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade stands as the only hospital ratings program focused solely on preventable medical errors, infections and injuries that kill more than 500 patients a day in the United States. This program is peer-reviewed, fully transparent and free to the public. Grades are updated twice annually, in the fall and spring.
“Earning an ‘A’ grade means Parkland Medical Center made a true commitment to put patient safety first,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “We congratulate the leadership, board, clinicians, staff and volunteers that all had a role to play in this achievement.”
HCA hosts drug collection event
PORTSMOUTH — Portsmouth Regional Hospital, Parkland Medical Center and Frisbie Memorial Hospital, part of HCA Healthcare, collected nearly 600 pounds of medications during HCA Healthcare’s seventh annual “Crush the Crisis” prescription drug take back day on Oct. 25.
Across HCA Healthcare, 108,500 pounds of medication has been collected since the initiative launched in 2019.
Working alongside local law enforcement, the hospitals invited community members to safely and anonymously dispose of their unused and expired medications.
The event aligned with the Drug Enforcement Administration’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day and helped raise awareness about the dangers of prescription drug misuse.
This year, the DEA collected 571,054 pounds of medication during its October event.
“Prescription drug misuse is a significant public health challenge, and we are proud to partner with law enforcement each year to provide a safe way to dispose of medication,” said Dr. Brian Sanders, CEO of HCA Healthcare’s New Hampshire hospitals.
State launches ‘RecReady’ guide
CONCORD — The New Hampshire Department of Business and Economic Affairs (BEA) has launched RecReady NH, a guide designed to help communities envision, plan, and build outdoor recreation projects that strengthen their local economies and quality of life.
RecReady NH provides guidance and tools for municipalities, regional development organizations, and local partners to turn their outdoor recreation goals into reality.
Through a series of assessment templates, planning resources, and outreach strategies, RecReady NH helps communities move projects from concept to completion, whether it’s expanding a trail network, revitalizing a town park, or developing water access for paddlers.
“RecReady NH is a valuable resource to guide communities through the steps to creating outdoor recreation opportunities in their area,” said Heather Shank, BEA Division of Planning and Community Development Director. “Investing in recreation infrastructure can spark civic pride and help communities build stronger, more resilient places that attract residents, newcomers, and tourists alike.”
Outdoor recreation contributes more than $3 billion annually to New Hampshire’s economy, supporting jobs in tourism, hospitality, manufacturing, and retail. By helping communities envision and develop projects that enhance recreation access and experiences, RecReady NH supports local communities with statewide economic and workforce strategies.
“Outdoor recreation is one of New Hampshire’s most powerful economic engines, creating opportunities for recreation, connection to nature, community well-being and economic growth,” said Janel Lawton, BEA Office of Outdoor Recreation Industry Development Director.
“By engaging municipalities with RecReady NH, we’re helping communities strengthen the bonds between people and the places they love, and foster a shared responsibility to care for them.”
Communities interested in participating can learn more and download the RecReady NH toolkit at http://www.recreadynh.com
Send in your business briefs
Got a new hire? Promotion? Big news about your business you want to share with readers of The Eagle-Tribune? Send press releases and photos to [email protected].
