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<BODY TEXT=#000000 LINK=#0000FF VLINK=#FF0000 BGCOLOR=#FFFFE6 > <BASE TARGET="_top"> <DIV ALIGN=center class=s0 style='text-align: center;'> <A NAME="an0"></A>  </DIV> <DIV ALIGN=center class=s0 style='text-align: center;'> <TABLE style="margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto" WIDTH="100%" BORDER="3" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="2" > <TR> <TD WIDTH=100% VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#004040> <DIV ALIGN=center class=s1 style='text-align: center;'> <FONT style='color:#FFFFFF;font-family:"Times New Roman";font-size:50pt;'><B>NORTHCOUNTRY NEWS </B></FONT></DIV> <DIV ALIGN=center class=s1 style='text-align: center;'> <FONT style='color:#FFFFFF;font-family:"Times New Roman";'><B> </B></FONT><FONT style='color:#FFFFFF;font-family:"Times New Roman";font-size:40pt;'><B><I>~ The Front Page Story ~ </I></B></FONT></DIV> </TD></TR></TABLE></I></B></DIV> <DIV ALIGN=center class=s0 style='text-align: center;'>  </DIV> <DIV ALIGN=center class=s0 style='text-align: center;'> <IMG SRC="web_pages_i000049.gif" BORDER=0 ALIGN=MIDDLE WIDTH=568 HEIGHT=4 > </DIV> <DIV ALIGN=center class=s0 style='text-align: center;'>  </DIV> <DIV ALIGN=center class=s0 style='text-align: center;'>  </DIV> <DIV ALIGN=center class=s0 style='text-align: center;'> <TABLE style="margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto" WIDTH="100%" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="20" > <TR> <TD WIDTH=172% VALIGN=TOP > <DIV ALIGN=center class=s0 style='text-align: center;text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 0mm;'> <FONT style='color:#800000;font-size:11pt;'></FONT><FONT style='color:#800000;font-size:14pt;'><B>Our Old Man Of The Mountain; </B></FONT></DIV> <DIV ALIGN=center class=s0 style='text-align: center;text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 0mm;'> <FONT style='color:#800000;font-size:14pt;'><B>Gone, But Never To Be Forgotten </B></FONT></DIV> <DIV ALIGN=center class=s0 style='text-align: center;text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 0mm;'> <FONT style='color:#800000;font-size:14pt;'><B> </B></FONT></DIV> <DIV ALIGN=center class=s0 style='text-align: center;text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 0mm;'> <FONT style='color:#800000;font-size:14pt;'><B><IMG SRC="web_pages_i0000a5.gif" BORDER=2 ALIGN=MIDDLE ALT="Old Man Then" WIDTH=241 HEIGHT=231 >     <IMG SRC="web_pages_i0000c6.gif" BORDER=2 ALIGN=MIDDLE ALT="Old Man Now" WIDTH=282 HEIGHT=236 > </B></FONT></DIV> <DIV ALIGN=justify class=s0 style='text-align: justify;text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 0mm;'> <FONT style='color:#800000;font-size:11pt;'> </FONT></DIV> <DIV ALIGN=justify class=s0 style='text-align: justify;text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 0mm;'> <FONT style='color:#800000;font-size:11pt;'></FONT><FONT style='color:#800000;font-size:11pt;'><B>Remembering A Very Old Friend </B></FONT></DIV> <DIV ALIGN=justify class=s0 style='text-align: justify;text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 0mm;'> <FONT style='color:#800000;font-size:11pt;'> </FONT></DIV> <DIV ALIGN=justify class=s0 style='text-align: justify;text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 0mm;'> <FONT style='color:#800000;font-size:11pt;'></FONT><FONT style='color:#800000;font-size:11pt;'><I>by Bryan Flagg </I></FONT></DIV> <DIV ALIGN=justify class=s0 style='text-align: justify;text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 0mm;'> <FONT style='color:#800000;font-size:11pt;'> </FONT></DIV> <DIV ALIGN=justify class=s0 style='text-align: justify;text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 0mm;'> <FONT style='color:#800000;font-size:11pt;'>It doesn’t seem possible that it has been 5 years since New Hampshire lost its most favored icon, the Old Man Of The Mountain. I remember the day all too well. Parts of this story ran in the Northcountry News the week it all happened. This was probably the toughest story I had ever had to write, or may ever write in the future for that matter. </FONT></DIV> <DIV ALIGN=justify class=s0 style='text-align: justify;text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 0mm;'> <FONT style='color:#800000;font-size:11pt;'> </FONT></DIV> <DIV ALIGN=justify class=s0 style='text-align: justify;text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 0mm;'> <FONT style='color:#800000;font-size:11pt;'>That fateful day, it all started with a phone call from a Warren resident who happened to be working in the Lincoln area the morning of Saturday, May 3rd.  </FONT></DIV> <DIV ALIGN=justify class=s0 style='text-align: justify;text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 0mm;'> <FONT style='color:#800000;font-size:11pt;'> </FONT></DIV> <DIV ALIGN=justify class=s0 style='text-align: justify;text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 0mm;'> <FONT style='color:#800000;font-size:11pt;'>They had left a message for me stating that I may want to go to Franconia to take a picture for the paper, stating that the Old Man had fallen down. I remember it well! While listening to the message, my heart simply got heavier as it continued on. At first I thought it was a joke. I was waiting for the punch line. As I continued listening in awe, my wife Sue, ran to the computer and went online to check out the news. </FONT></DIV> <DIV ALIGN=justify class=s0 style='text-align: justify;text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 0mm;'> <FONT style='color:#800000;font-size:11pt;'> </FONT></DIV> <DIV ALIGN=justify class=s0 style='text-align: justify;text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 0mm;'> <FONT style='color:#800000;font-size:11pt;'>Yes, it was true, the Old Man had fallen. I thought probably just a piece or two had fallen off the profile and maybe it wasn’t such a huge deal, but figured we’d go check it out. In the car we jumped - cameras in the back. The trip over Rt. 118 and into the Notch seemed to take forever. While driving, I remember that we were reminiscing about the Old Man and how important a figure it actually was to so many people.  </FONT></DIV> <DIV ALIGN=justify class=s0 style='text-align: justify;text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 0mm;'> <FONT style='color:#800000;font-size:11pt;'> </FONT></DIV> <DIV ALIGN=justify class=s0 style='text-align: justify;text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 0mm;'> <FONT style='color:#800000;font-size:11pt;'>There were not too many people who came through New Hampshire without visiting the Old Man. It was one of the most visited and most photographed sites in the state. </FONT></DIV> <DIV ALIGN=justify class=s0 style='text-align: justify;text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 0mm;'> <FONT style='color:#800000;font-size:11pt;'> </FONT></DIV> <DIV ALIGN=justify class=s0 style='text-align: justify;text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 0mm;'> <FONT style='color:#800000;font-size:11pt;'>As we were driving North on Route 3 and we were getting closer to the area, I could feel my heart growing heavy. Upon coming to the area of viewing the Old Man, I remember finding myself not really wanting to look up. I didn’t want to see how bad it may be, but upon entering the area, I could see many State Police Cars along with Fish and Game vehicles everywhere. It certainly wasn’t a good sign. </FONT></DIV> <DIV ALIGN=justify class=s0 style='text-align: justify;text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 0mm;'> <FONT style='color:#800000;font-size:11pt;'> </FONT></DIV> <DIV ALIGN=justify class=s0 style='text-align: justify;text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 0mm;'> <FONT style='color:#800000;font-size:11pt;'>I braced myself, looked up and saw nothing! Absolutely nothing. The Old Man was completely gone. I must admit that along with the very heavy heart there were tears in the eyes. I had never felt so empty in such an instant. Sue & I just looked at one another and couldn’t, didn’t say a word. Silence! What was there to say - there were simply no words. </FONT></DIV> <DIV ALIGN=justify class=s0 style='text-align: justify;text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 0mm;'> <FONT style='color:#800000;font-size:11pt;'> </FONT></DIV> <DIV ALIGN=justify class=s0 style='text-align: justify;text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 0mm;'> <FONT style='color:#800000;font-size:11pt;'>We proceeded to the Cannon Mountain parking lot where there were more police cars, helicopters and reporters scattered throughout the area. The State Police stated that if we had a press pass, we could go over to the first parking lot on the North side and take pictures. We proceeded there. </FONT></DIV> <DIV ALIGN=justify class=s0 style='text-align: justify;text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 0mm;'> <FONT style='color:#800000;font-size:11pt;'> </FONT></DIV> <DIV ALIGN=justify class=s0 style='text-align: justify;text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 0mm;'> <FONT style='color:#800000;font-size:11pt;'>It was an awry, unsettling and overwhelming feeling looking up, to no longer see our state symbol, which had been there for so very long. What do you say and how do you react to such a thing? People surrounding the area included reporters, cameramen, visitors, state authorities among the many others were simply looking up. There were no expressions, there was no laughter - there were no jokes - there was absolutely nothing - just total silence amidst the low constant beating of a helicopter circling where the Old Man once proudly graced the mountain! </FONT></DIV> <DIV ALIGN=justify class=s0 style='text-align: justify;text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 0mm;'> <FONT style='color:#800000;font-size:11pt;'> </FONT></DIV> <DIV ALIGN=justify class=s0 style='text-align: justify;text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 0mm;'> <FONT style='color:#800000;font-size:11pt;'>Workers at the Flume had reported the incident early Saturday morning of May 3, 2003. It was uncertain when the profile actually had fallen, as it was in clouds and fog for a couple days prior. It was felt that it came down sometime between late Friday evening, May 2nd to early Saturday morning, May 3rd. </FONT></DIV> <DIV ALIGN=justify class=s0 style='text-align: justify;text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 0mm;'> <FONT style='color:#800000;font-size:11pt;'> </FONT></DIV> <DIV ALIGN=justify class=s0 style='text-align: justify;text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 0mm;'> <FONT style='color:#800000;font-size:11pt;'>The rocky face was said to be discovered in 1805. The face was comprised of five stones held in place by turnbuckles. The rods that secured the face were visible to onlookers. The face was first secured with cables and turnbuckles about 100 years ago and was maintained on a regular basis since. The slide ended almost a century of efforts to protect the profile from the same natural forces that created it. </FONT></DIV> <DIV ALIGN=justify class=s0 style='text-align: justify;text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 0mm;'> <FONT style='color:#800000;font-size:11pt;'> </FONT></DIV> <DIV ALIGN=justify class=s0 style='text-align: justify;text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 0mm;'> <FONT style='color:#800000;font-size:11pt;'>New Hampshire Geologists who visited the site by helicopter when it happened, stated that it was the wind, rain and ice that sculptured the Old Man and the same which also took it down. They stated that the Old Man collapsed because the cliff underneath had disintergrated from exposure to the water and ice. </FONT></DIV> <DIV ALIGN=justify class=s0 style='text-align: justify;text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 0mm;'> <FONT style='color:#800000;font-size:11pt;'> </FONT></DIV> <DIV ALIGN=justify class=s0 style='text-align: justify;text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 0mm;'> <FONT style='color:#800000;font-size:11pt;'>While the turnbuckles supported the face, the supporting rock wore away below. With the rain - then freezing temperatures, geoligists had stated that the winter of 2003 just may have been the last straw. </FONT></DIV> <DIV ALIGN=justify class=s0 style='text-align: justify;text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 0mm;'> <FONT style='color:#800000;font-size:11pt;'> </FONT></DIV> <DIV ALIGN=justify class=s0 style='text-align: justify;text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 0mm;'> <FONT style='color:#800000;font-size:11pt;'>The profile of the Old Man was said to have been  about 40 feet tall and 25 feet wide. The image has appeared on or had been the centerpiece of literally thousands of items, including books, souvenirs, poems, stories, roadway signs, and was most recently the symbol of NH by being pictured on the state quarter. The list can go on and on. Thousands upon thousands of pictures have been taken of the Old Man throughout the years and so many memories have been made from him. </FONT></DIV> <DIV ALIGN=justify class=s0 style='text-align: justify;text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 0mm;'> <FONT style='color:#800000;font-size:11pt;'> </FONT></DIV> <DIV ALIGN=justify class=s0 style='text-align: justify;text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 0mm;'> <FONT style='color:#800000;font-size:11pt;'>David Nielsen, the profiles official caretaker had inherited the job from his father Niels Nielsen, who died in 2001. Nielsen stated that he felt that “the oldest person in my family just died.” </FONT></DIV> <DIV ALIGN=justify class=s0 style='text-align: justify;text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 0mm;'> <FONT style='color:#800000;font-size:11pt;'> </FONT></DIV> <DIV ALIGN=justify class=s0 style='text-align: justify;text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 0mm;'> <FONT style='color:#800000;font-size:11pt;'>It was Daniel Webster who said: “Men hang out signs indicative of their respective trades. Shoemakers hang out a gigantic shoe; jewelers a monster watch; and the dentist hangs out a gold tooth. But in the mountains of New Hampshire, God Almighty has hung out a sign to show that here He makes men.” </FONT></DIV> <DIV ALIGN=justify class=s0 style='text-align: justify;text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 0mm;'> <FONT style='color:#800000;font-size:11pt;'> </FONT></DIV> <DIV ALIGN=justify class=s0 style='text-align: justify;text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 0mm;'> <FONT style='color:#800000;font-size:11pt;'>That fateful day, back in May of 2003, for some reason still unknown, God had taken down his sign after all those years. New Hampshire will always remember their Old Man of the Mountain. It will certainly remain in their minds, hearts and memories for years to come. It is just unfortunate that the generations to come will not be able to see the beauty that nature had once placed there. </FONT></DIV> <DIV ALIGN=justify class=s0 style='text-align: justify;text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 0mm;'> <FONT style='color:#800000;font-size:11pt;'> </FONT></DIV> <DIV ALIGN=justify class=s0 style='text-align: justify;text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 0mm;'> <FONT style='color:#800000;font-size:11pt;'>I give heartfelt thanks to the Old Man for the many memories in which he has given to me personally throughout the years, and to so many others throughout New Hampshire and the world over that he has touched in one way or another. I was one of the fortunate people who travelled by him often and never once did not look up to greet him. Even after five years, it is still a very lonely drive through the notch these days. </FONT></DIV> <DIV ALIGN=justify class=s0 style='text-align: justify;text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 0mm;'> <FONT style='color:#800000;font-size:11pt;'> </FONT></DIV> <DIV ALIGN=justify class=s0 style='text-align: justify;text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 0mm;'> <FONT style='color:#800000;font-size:11pt;'>Yes indeed - it is certainly difficult saying goodbye to such a very old friend. </FONT></DIV> <DIV ALIGN=justify class=s0 style='text-align: justify;text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 0mm;'> <FONT style='color:#800000;font-size:11pt;'> </FONT></DIV> <DIV ALIGN=justify class=s0 style='text-align: justify;text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 0mm;'> <FONT style='color:#800000;font-size:11pt;'> </FONT></DIV> <DIV ALIGN=center class=s0 style='text-align: center;text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 1mm;'> <FONT style='color:#800000;font-size:11pt;'></FONT><FONT style='color:#000000;font-size:14pt;'><B>Local Harp Students to Perform at Franconia Notch Festival on May 3 </B></FONT></DIV> <DIV ALIGN=justify class=s0 style='text-align: justify;text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 1mm;'> <FONT style='color:#000000;font-size:11pt;'> </FONT></DIV> <DIV ALIGN=justify class=s0 style='text-align: justify;text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 1mm;'> <FONT style='color:#000000;font-size:11pt;'>Six seacoast-area students will perform on harps at the Fifth Annual Profile Awards & Festival honoring the Old Man of the Mountain on Saturday, May 3 at Franconia Notch State Park.  The student performances will be held starting at 3 pm at the Peabody Lodge, immediately following a lakeside tribute to the Old Man, and preceding the Profile Awards at 4:30.  All events are free and open to the public.   </FONT></DIV> <DIV ALIGN=justify class=s0 style='text-align: justify;text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 1mm;'> <FONT style='color:#000000;font-size:11pt;'> </FONT></DIV> <DIV ALIGN=justify class=s0 style='text-align: justify;text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 1mm;'> <FONT style='color:#000000;font-size:11pt;'>The students are studying harp under Marilinda Garcia and Stephanie Curcio, and will perform Curcio's original composition, "White Mountain Suite," composed in 1994 and revised in 2004. </FONT></DIV> <DIV ALIGN=justify class=s0 style='text-align: justify;text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 1mm;'> <FONT style='color:#000000;font-size:11pt;'> </FONT></DIV> <DIV ALIGN=justify class=s0 style='text-align: justify;text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 1mm;'> <FONT style='color:#000000;font-size:11pt;'>The performers include Eva Cheng, 18, of Derry, NH (Pinkerton Academy); Anna Lucia DeLoi, 12, of Plaistow, NH (homeschooled);  Meredith Emerson, 18, Stratham, NH (Phillips Exeter Academy); Alethea Grant, 12, Candia, NH (homeschooled); Amy Kao,14, Sonoma, CA (Phillips Exeter Academy); and Crystal Napoli, 12, Salem, NH (Woodbury Middle School). </FONT></DIV> <DIV ALIGN=justify class=s0 style='text-align: justify;text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 1mm;'> <FONT style='color:#000000;font-size:11pt;'> </FONT></DIV> <DIV ALIGN=justify class=s0 style='text-align: justify;text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 1mm;'> <FONT style='color:#000000;font-size:11pt;'>The White Mountain Suite has four movements: The Flume Gorge, a musical description of rushing water; Ascent, which depicts the lonely struggles of a hiker in the mountains; The Great Ravine, portraying Tuckerman's Ravine on Mount Washington; and On The Slopes, a humorous recollection of learning to ski. </FONT></DIV> <DIV ALIGN=justify class=s0 style='text-align: justify;text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 1mm;'> <FONT style='color:#000000;font-size:11pt;'> </FONT></DIV> <DIV ALIGN=justify class=s0 style='text-align: justify;text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 1mm;'> <FONT style='color:#000000;font-size:11pt;'>Marilinda Garcia  is the harp instructor at Phillips Exeter Academy, St. Paul's School, and Gordon College.  She holds a B.A. from Tufts University and a B.M. from New England Conservatory of Music, and will begin graduate studies at Harvard University in September.  In addition to teaching and performing, Ms. Garcia is finishing her first term as a New Hampshire State Representative for the town of Windham, NH and her hometown of Salem, NH. </FONT></DIV> <DIV ALIGN=justify class=s0 style='text-align: justify;text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 1mm;'> <FONT style='color:#000000;font-size:11pt;'> </FONT></DIV> <DIV ALIGN=justify class=s0 style='text-align: justify;text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 1mm;'> <FONT style='color:#000000;font-size:11pt;'>Curcio was adjunct instructor of harp at UNH, Phillips Exeter and St. Paul's Academies in NH, as well as Phillips Andover Academy in Massachusetts. For over 20 years she ran the harp events at the NH Highland Games.  Ms. Curcio is a nationally acclaimed teacher, composer, and arranger, and is the owner of Stephanie Curcio Publications.  She currently resides and teaches in Stratham. </FONT></DIV> <DIV ALIGN=justify class=s0 style='text-align: justify;text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 1mm;'> <FONT style='color:#000000;font-size:11pt;'> </FONT></DIV> <DIV ALIGN=justify class=s0 style='text-align: justify;text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 1mm;'> <FONT style='color:#000000;font-size:11pt;'>For more information and a full schedule of the Old Man Festival activities on May 3, go to www.franconianotch.org. </FONT></DIV> <DIV ALIGN=justify class=s0 style='text-align: justify;text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 1mm;'> <FONT style='color:#000000;font-size:11pt;'> </FONT></DIV> <DIV ALIGN=justify class=s0 style='text-align: justify;text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 1mm;'> <FONT style='color:#000000;font-size:11pt;'> </FONT></DIV> <DIV ALIGN=center class=s0 style='text-align: center;text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 1mm;'> <FONT style='color:#000000;font-size:11pt;'></FONT><FONT style='color:#800000;font-size:14pt;'><B>Fifth Annual Profile Awards to be Announced May 3rd  in Franconia  </B></FONT></DIV> <DIV class=s0 style='text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 1mm;'> <FONT style='color:#800000;font-size:11pt;'> </FONT></DIV> <DIV class=s0 style='text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 1mm;'> <FONT style='color:#800000;font-size:11pt;'>The tradition of commemorating the Old Man of the Mountain continues with the fifth annual Profile Awards on Saturday, May 3 in Franconia Notch.  The awards honor an individual, an organization, and a community embodying the strength of character of the Old Man of the Mountain. </FONT></DIV> <DIV class=s0 style='text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 1mm;'> <FONT style='color:#800000;font-size:11pt;'> </FONT></DIV> <DIV class=s0 style='text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 1mm;'> <FONT style='color:#800000;font-size:11pt;'>The 2007 winners, Steve Taylor of Meriden; representatives from the General Federation of Women’s Clubs-New Hampshire; and the City of Keene will help present the custom-made birch, glass, and granite awards to this year’s recipients. </FONT></DIV> <DIV class=s0 style='text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 1mm;'> <FONT style='color:#800000;font-size:11pt;'> </FONT></DIV> <DIV class=s0 style='text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 1mm;'> <FONT style='color:#800000;font-size:11pt;'>Profile Award winners are chosen for their contributions to the state in preserving New Hampshire's heritage, culture, resources, traditions, and history.  Governor Lynch has been invited to welcome guests, and Joseph McQuaid will be Master of Ceremonies for the event.  </FONT></DIV> <DIV class=s0 style='text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 1mm;'> <FONT style='color:#800000;font-size:11pt;'> </FONT></DIV> <DIV class=s0 style='text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 1mm;'> <FONT style='color:#800000;font-size:11pt;'>Jay Edwards of Bedford will read a special citation in honor of Maura Weston of Concord, who served for five years as chair of the Legacy Fund’s board of directors.   In February, Edwards assumed the helm of the non-profit group, whose mission is to create a lasting legacy for the Old Man. </FONT></DIV> <DIV class=s0 style='text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 1mm;'> <FONT style='color:#800000;font-size:11pt;'> </FONT></DIV> <DIV class=s0 style='text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 1mm;'> <FONT style='color:#800000;font-size:11pt;'>The Profile Awards ceremony and a brief reception will take place from 4:30 to 5:30 pm at Peabody Lodge at Cannon Mountain.  It is free and all are welcome.  The awards are part of an afternoon festival that includes a special tribute ceremony at 2 pm on the shore of Profile Lake, free guided hikes and bike rides, a silent auction, skits written and first performed for the 1955 visit of President Eisenhower, and a musical performance by six student harp players.  The Aerial Tramway will offer rides to the summit of Cannon, with proceeds going to support the Legacy Fund.  Old Man Bobbleheads and books about the Old Man will be sold in the Old Man Country store, with several authors on hand to inscribe copies of their books.  Old Man caretakers Dave and Deb Nielsen, winners of a 2006 Profile Award, will be available to meet and talk with visitors.    </FONT></DIV> <DIV class=s0 style='text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 1mm;'> <FONT style='color:#800000;font-size:11pt;'> </FONT></DIV> <DIV class=s0 style='text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 1mm;'> <FONT style='color:#800000;font-size:11pt;'>An evening concert by the Wicked Smart Horn Band, with tickets at $15, will be held from 6-9 pm.  A fireworks display starting at 9 pm, courtesy of Atlas Fireworks in Jaffrey, NH, will conclude the 5th anniversary event. </FONT></DIV> <DIV class=s0 style='text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 1mm;'> <FONT style='color:#800000;font-size:11pt;'> </FONT></DIV> <DIV class=s0 style='text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 1mm;'> <FONT style='color:#800000;font-size:11pt;'> </FONT></DIV> <DIV ALIGN=center class=s0 style='text-align: center;text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 1mm;'> <FONT style='color:#800000;font-size:11pt;'></FONT><FONT style='color:#000000;font-size:14pt;'><B>Franconia Notch Festival  </B></FONT></DIV> <DIV ALIGN=center class=s0 style='text-align: center;text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 1mm;'> <FONT style='color:#000000;font-size:14pt;'><B></B><B>Honors Old Man of the Mountain </B></FONT></DIV> <DIV ALIGN=justify class=s0 style='text-align: justify;text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 1mm;'> <FONT style='color:#000000;font-size:11pt;'> </FONT></DIV> <DIV ALIGN=justify class=s0 style='text-align: justify;text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 1mm;'> <FONT style='color:#000000;font-size:11pt;'>Five years to the day after the Old Man collapsed, there will be music and dancing in Franconia Notch as part of a festival tribute to the state icon. The Wicked Smart Horn Band shares top billing with the Fifth Annual Profile Awards and a lakeside tribute to the much-loved Old Man of the Mountain at Cannon Mountain on Saturday, May 3 from noon to 9 pm.  </FONT></DIV> <DIV ALIGN=justify class=s0 style='text-align: justify;text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 1mm;'> <FONT style='color:#000000;font-size:11pt;'> </FONT></DIV> <DIV ALIGN=justify class=s0 style='text-align: justify;text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 1mm;'> <FONT style='color:#000000;font-size:11pt;'>The Old Man of the Mountain Legacy Fund was formed in 2003 to develop plans to commemorate the Old Man.  This year’s event at Franconia Notch State Park is designed to showcase the park’s scenic beauty and honor the Old Man.  Local Chambers of Commerce are co-sponsors of the Festival, and have organized special music, student projects, family hikes, and bike rides along the paved bike path from Echo Lake to Profile Lake.  </FONT></DIV> <DIV ALIGN=justify class=s0 style='text-align: justify;text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 1mm;'> <FONT style='color:#000000;font-size:11pt;'> </FONT></DIV> <DIV ALIGN=justify class=s0 style='text-align: justify;text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 1mm;'> <FONT style='color:#000000;font-size:11pt;'>Cannon Mountain is opening the aerial tramway from 12 – 3:30 for rides to the summit of Cannon. Cost is $12 for adults, $8 for children ages 6-12, and children 5 and under are free with an adult, with a portion of the proceeds to benefit the Old Man Legacy Fund.   </FONT></DIV> <DIV ALIGN=justify class=s0 style='text-align: justify;text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 1mm;'> <FONT style='color:#000000;font-size:11pt;'> </FONT></DIV> <DIV ALIGN=justify class=s0 style='text-align: justify;text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 1mm;'> <FONT style='color:#000000;font-size:11pt;'>At the tram base lodge, visitors can see the 17-foot-long model of the proposed monolithic sculpture to the Old Man, and see a short film about the $4.8 million effort to commission an original three-part outdoor monument.  Old Man bobbleheads and books about the state’s most famous image will be for sale at the Old Man Country Store.  </FONT></DIV> <DIV ALIGN=justify class=s0 style='text-align: justify;text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 1mm;'> <FONT style='color:#000000;font-size:11pt;'> </FONT></DIV> <DIV ALIGN=justify class=s0 style='text-align: justify;text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 1mm;'> <FONT style='color:#000000;font-size:11pt;'>Dave and Deborah Nielsen, longtime caretakers of the Old Man, will share their recollections with visitors at the Old Man of the Mountain Museum near Profile Lake, which contains many exhibits about the Old Man. </FONT></DIV> <DIV ALIGN=justify class=s0 style='text-align: justify;text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 1mm;'> <FONT style='color:#000000;font-size:11pt;'> </FONT></DIV> <DIV ALIGN=justify class=s0 style='text-align: justify;text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 1mm;'> <FONT style='color:#000000;font-size:11pt;'>Governor John Lynch has been invited to preside at a tribute to the Old Man at the Veterans Memorial Park on the shore of Echo Lake starting at 2 pm.  Other speakers will include George Bald, Commissioner of the New Hampshire Department of Resources & Economic Development; and Jane Difley, President/Forester of the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests.  Both the State and the Forest Society were instrumental in protecting the Notch as a state park in the 1920’s.  </FONT></DIV> <DIV ALIGN=justify class=s0 style='text-align: justify;text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 1mm;'> <FONT style='color:#000000;font-size:11pt;'> </FONT></DIV> <DIV ALIGN=justify class=s0 style='text-align: justify;text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 1mm;'> <FONT style='color:#000000;font-size:11pt;'>The “White Mountain Suite,” an original composition for six harps by Stephanie Curcio, will be performed by students of Curcio and Marilinda Garcia at 3 pm at the Peabody Lodge at Cannon.  Short skits, originally written and performed for the Franconia Notch visit of President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1955, will be offered by local players.   </FONT></DIV> <DIV ALIGN=justify class=s0 style='text-align: justify;text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 1mm;'> <FONT style='color:#000000;font-size:11pt;'> </FONT></DIV> <DIV ALIGN=justify class=s0 style='text-align: justify;text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 1mm;'> <FONT style='color:#000000;font-size:11pt;'>A silent auction, organized by the Lincoln-Woodstock Chamber of Commerce, will also benefit the Legacy Fund.  The Franconia-Sugar Hill-Easton Chamber is assisting with promotion, and other partners are assisting with raffles, food concessions, skits, and a bicycle safety demonstration.  </FONT></DIV> <DIV ALIGN=justify class=s0 style='text-align: justify;text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 1mm;'> <FONT style='color:#000000;font-size:11pt;'> </FONT></DIV> <DIV ALIGN=justify class=s0 style='text-align: justify;text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 1mm;'> <FONT style='color:#000000;font-size:11pt;'>The prestigious Profile Awards will be awarded in a ceremony scheduled from 4:30 to 5:30, hosted by Union Leader publisher Joe McQuaid.  The award recipients are chosen for their contributions to the state in preserving New Hampshire's heritage, culture, resources, traditions, and history.  Last year’s winners, former Commissioner of Agriculture Steve Taylor, the City of Keene, and the General Federation of Women’s Clubs-New Hampshire, will present the artist-designed granite and glass awards to the winners. </FONT></DIV> <DIV ALIGN=justify class=s0 style='text-align: justify;text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 1mm;'> <FONT style='color:#000000;font-size:11pt;'> </FONT></DIV> <DIV ALIGN=justify class=s0 style='text-align: justify;text-indent: 0mm;margin-left: 1mm;'> <FONT style='color:#000000;font-size:11pt;'>The Wicked Smart Horn Band will perform in the Peabody Lodge from 6-9 pm, closing out the event with a light buffet supper and dancing.   Admission to their concert is $15, with proceeds to benefit the Legacy Fund.  All other events and activities (except for the aerial tram rides) are free.</FONT></DIV> </TD> <TD WIDTH=50% VALIGN=TOP > <DIV ALIGN=center class=s1 style='text-align: center;'>  </DIV> <DIV ALIGN=center class=s1 style='text-align: center;'>  </DIV> <DIV ALIGN=center class=s1 style='text-align: center;'>  </DIV> <DIV ALIGN=center class=s1 style='text-align: center;'>  </DIV> <DIV ALIGN=center class=s1 style='text-align: center;'>  </DIV> <DIV ALIGN=center class=s1 style='text-align: center;'>  </DIV> <DIV ALIGN=center class=s1 style='text-align: center;'>  </DIV> <DIV ALIGN=center class=s1 style='text-align: center;'>  </DIV> <DIV ALIGN=center class=s1 style='text-align: center;'>  </DIV> <DIV ALIGN=center class=s1 style='text-align: center;'>  </DIV> <DIV ALIGN=center class=s1 style='text-align: center;'>  </DIV> <DIV ALIGN=center class=s1 style='text-align: center;'>  </DIV> <DIV ALIGN=center class=s1 style='text-align: center;'>  </DIV> <DIV ALIGN=center class=s1 style='text-align: center;'>  </DIV> <DIV ALIGN=center class=s1 style='text-align: center;'> <a href="http://www.jdoqocy.com/click-2897010-10395825" target="_top"> <img src="http://www.ftjcfx.com/image-2897010-10395825" width="120" height="90" alt="Print FREE Grocery Coupons at Home" border="0"/></a>  </DIV> <DIV ALIGN=center class=s1 style='text-align: center;'>  </DIV> <DIV ALIGN=center class=s1 style='text-align: center;'>  </DIV> <DIV ALIGN=center class=s1 style='text-align: center;'>  </DIV> <DIV ALIGN=center class=s1 style='text-align: center;'>  </DIV> <DIV ALIGN=center class=s1 style='text-align: center;'>  </DIV> <DIV ALIGN=center class=s1 style='text-align: center;'> <a href="http://www.tkqlhce.com/click-2897010-940542" target="_top"> <img src="http://www.ftjcfx.com/image-2897010-940542" width="125" height="125" alt="Half.com - 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