Businesses pay it forward at Homemakers spruce-up

Maryann Curty Wells of Salmon Falls Nursery and Don Capoldo, Executive Director of the Homemakers, take a break during work at The Homemakers on Thursday. (Courtesy photo)

ROCHESTER - Dedicated volunteers from three Seacoast-area businesses put in a full day's work at Homemakers Health Services during the annual United Way Day of Caring recently.

"Volunteering is an important part of our culture," said Travis Palmer, Branch Manager at Robert Half Staffing in Portsmouth. "This is a wonderful way for us to give back and learn about a great organization," added Palmer, who led a team of six employees in the project.

Alongside the Robert Half employees was a contingent of five employees from Federal Express. Organized by Operations Manager Mike Boyle, the five-person Fed-Ex team also did yeoman's work at Homemakers. A long-time volunteer for a range of community projects, Boyle lauded Fed-Ex for its historic involvement in charitable causes.

"As employees, we feel very well supported in doing community service," said Boyle. "It comes from the top of our organization (company founder Fred Smith) right on down."

Fed-Ex Service Manager Vinnie Hartshorne noted that "it's also a terrific way for co-workers to bond. And we had a lot of fun today."

Volunteers from both organizations did a broad range of outdoor projects on the Homemakers campus which included lawn cleanup, pruning trees, weeding gardens and tending to plants.

Helping organize and oversee the work was Maryann Curty Wells, Account Manager from Salmon Falls Nursery and Landscaping. Wells, who also volunteered her time, called the event "a great way to pay it forward. Salmon Falls is always proud to support a number of causes with hands-on help."

Located on several hundred acres off Rochester Hill Road, Homemakers Health Services is on the grounds of the former Champlin House, land gifted by the late philanthropist Virginia Spaulding Champlin.

The daughter of former NH Governor Rolland Hardy Spaulding, Virginia and her husband William supported a broad range of charitable causes throughout the Seacoast and across the state. In 1998, she donated her house and land on Rochester Hill Road Hill to the Homemakers.

"These are truly beautiful grounds," said Dr. Susan Reid, Board President of The Homemakers. "But they require a lot of upkeep which is why we are so very grateful to Robert Half Agency, Fed-Ex and Salmon Falls for their hard work and dedication. We can't thank them enough!"

The work was done in preparation of The Homemakers' dinner and auction to be held on Sept. 30.

"We are inviting the community to some see the Champlin Mansion and property and learn about our organization," said Don Capoldo, Executive Director of the Homemakers. "Our produce will be provided by Your Farm and other Rochester Farmer's Market farms. Huntspoint Meat and BBQ in Epping is providing a variety of meat proteins and we will have desserts created by local chefs," added Capoldo.

"Tall Ship Distillery in Dover will be present to share their spirits as well for our guests. We're excited to spotlight so many local businesses that support the care we provide for our county's most needy. The support to put this event on has been incredible and humbling. We're looking forward to sharing our home with our community."