The Voice, Monarch School, Vouchers for Veterans duo honored at Chamber awards

From left, Rochester Voice contributing writer and sales consultant Corinna Cole, Voice President Martha T. Soto Galicia, editor Harrison Thorp and Sara Thorp, secretary, celebrate after being named Business of the Year. (Maureen Steer photo)

SOMERSWORTH - The Rochester Voice, the Monarch School and Rochester's Vouchers for Veterans program organizers were honored during Saturday night's Annual Dinner and Awards Banquet held in the Oaks Grand Ballroom in Somersworth.

Eventgoers were treated to a sumptuous meal of prime rib or chicken Statler, roasted baby potatoes and fresh string beans along with apple crisp for dessert to the backdrop of dinner music provided by the Nate Therrien Trio.

This year's banquet was themed "Reconnecting the Community" and was dedicated to recognizing the city's Business, Nonprofit and Person of the Year after a year of pandemic turmoil.

Major underwriting for the events was by Eversource and Service Credit Union.

The first award to be announced was Business of the Year, which was presented by last year's winner Matt Beaulieu of Service Credit Union to Rochester Voice editor Harrison Thorp and Rochester Voice President Martha T. Soto-Galicia.

Thorp thanked the chamber and longtime Rochester Voice advertisers like Spence and Mathews Ins., Chestnut Hill Chimney and Hearth, Lone Oak Ice Cream, Healey Automotive, and The Governors Inn.

He also thanked the business community for their support and noted that the chamber and city influencers always urge folks to buy local and shop local.

"Please remember to advertise local, too," Thorp said. "We provide a service and we love doing it."

Soto-Galicia thanked chamber President Laura Ring for putting on a spectacular event as usual, calling her, "the hostess with the mostest."

She also quipped that when you get your news in The Rochester Voice "no trees are killed."

Nonprofit of the Year was presented by last year's winner Haven Executive Director Kathy Beebe, and went to the Monarch School of New England.

Monarch Executive Director Diane Bessey accepted the award and thanked the chamber for recognizing the nonprofit, which has been in existence more than 40 years.

The school, recognized as a gold standard around the region, seeks to empower those with disabilities through a wide range of integrating strategies, including recreational, vocational and teaching programs on a daily basis.

"And while we service children all over New England, we call Rochester home," Bessey added.

Citizen of the Year was presented by last year's recipient Lisa Stanley to Jeanne Grover and Alicia Frye who organize Vouchers for Veterans that gets fresh produce, vegetables and meats into the hands of our servicemen and women through Rochester's Farmers Market.

Grover told of how the Farmer's Market got started through weekly talks about a potential program during breakfasts at the former Benedicts Restaurant.

The Farmer's Market finally came to fruition in 2015 and its Voucher for Veterans program began soon after.

Grover said in accepting the award that this past September the Vouchers for Veterans program was accessed 850 times in four three-hour markets and returned some $17,000 to local farmers.

Other corporate sponsors for the event included Access Medicine, Atlantic Broadband, Daystar, Laars Heating, Profile Bank and Waste Management.

The events was emceed by TJ Jean of Frisbie Memorial Hospital, with photography services by Maureen Steer.