Sugar River Bank Community Connections
Our Community
At Sugar River Bank, we firmly believe in being there for our community. Whether overseas serving in our military or down the street-you are our neighbor and we are grateful to serve you. Our employees generously donate their time and talent to support local organizations, events and charitable causes.
We are committed to making our communities better places to work and live whether it’s through our hard work ethic or financial contributions. After over 100 years, we’re proud to say that Sugar River Bank is still locally owned and operated by dedicated people who live and work in the communities we serve.
Newport National Night Out August 6,2024
The Newport community came together to celebrate National Night Out! National Night out is celebrated every year on the first Tuesday in August in the United States and Canada. The day is meant to enhance the relationship between neighborhoods and communities and raise awareness as a community-based day. This was Newport’s first time participating in the event. The event was on the town common and very well attended. Hope to see you next year!
98th Annual Hospital Days August 1st-3rd, 2024
Sugar River Bank Scholarship Awards 2024
Jenna's scholastics include National Honor Society, Student Council, Drama Club and Book club. Jenna also was the recipient of the Dartmouth Book Award, American Legion Oratorical Contest, Teen Writers Project Award and was recognized as a NHADA & NHIAA Scholar Athlete.Emmah O'Connor, Newport Middle High School
Emmah will be attending Colby Sawyer College in the fall to major in nursing. Emmah has taken honors courses throughout high school, and she has participated in two duel-enrollment courses. Emmah was the president of the Student Council, National Honor Society and National Technical Honor Society.
Sugar River Bank Donates to Sugar River Valley Regional Technical Center
Sugar River Bank Community Shred Event & Food Drive
Sugar River Bank Scholarship Awards 2023
AMBER HOULE, Kearsarge Regional High School
Amber will be attending The Rochester Institute of Technology with
a major in mechanical engineering. Amber’s scholastic achievements include but, are not limited to, the National Honor Society, the Robotics Team, KRHS Math Team and Student Teacher Advocacy Alliance Group. She shares her passion for STEM education by working with children at summer STEM camp. Amber also participated in volleyball, tennis and field hockey. She plans on using her degree to work with robots and/or rockets in a way that positively impacts our society.
DARREN JANICKE, Newport Middle High School
Darren will be attending UNH pursuing a degree in Civil En
gineering with a minor in Architecture. Darren will be completing both the engineering and building and trades pathways in order to prepare for his planned major.
He is a member of the National Honor Society and the National Technical Honor Society and was active in football, track and baseball.
NICK BELISLE, Sunapee Middle High School
Nick will be attending Southern New Hampshire University pursuing a major in Computer Science. Nick was a member of the varsity basketball team for three years, and captain his senior year. He also enjoys playing acoustic and electric guitar in his free time. Nick pushed himself to take many AP and honors classes at school and graduated Summa Cum Laude.
Sugar River Bank Scholarship Awards 2022
Riely Skarin, Newport Middle Senior High SchoolRiely will be attending Bentley College with a major in Business Administration. Riely is part of the National Technical Honors Society and the Future Business Leaders of America. She has just completed an internship with Sturm Ruger,and she will be working this summer in the economic development office. Riely desires to go to college in hopes of coming back to Newport to give back to the community that has given her so much.
Marley Bell, Sunapee Middle Senior High School
Marley, will be attending Monmouth University in the fall to major in Music. Marley is one of the top academic students in her class. She is an accomplished musician and singer songwriter. Additionally, Marley has been a member of the Varsity Track and Field team, Yearbook Club and Service Club. Marley has also worked part time throughout high school at local restaurants and area businesses. Marley graduated with a Summa Cum Laude designation and was the recipient of the Dartmouth Book award.
Kyle Goodwin, Kearsarge Regional High School
Kyle is one of the top academic students in his class, and has been a member of the Robotics and Math Teams. He is has been very involved in community service, volunteering for the New London Rotary Dinner and NH Kitten Rescue. Kyle has also found time to work throughout his high school years. He will be attending the University of Rochester in the fall.
Featured Article in April 2022 Image Magazine's Special Edition Trend Watch:
Prequalified Versus Preapproved: What Is the Difference?
SUGAR RIVER BANK MAKES THE MORTGAGE PROCESS LESS DAUNTING
By Terri Crate, VP Loan Origination, Grantham Branch and now serving the Upper Valley.
There are important differences that every home buyer should understand. Sugar River Bank
offers both options for home buyers. Read the article here.
REALTORS:
Sign Up for the Real Estate Staging Association R.E.S.A. Credit Course, on April 19, 2022
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Sugar River Bank Sponsors Benefit Event for Food Pantry
Thanks also to Ginger and Bret for refreshments that were extraordinaire! And Alan and Caleb for last minute attention to lights and sound!"
Lily and Addison Powell's Dad took a video which is on YouTube if you'd like to watch the show:
Fashion Show VideoSugar River Bank Scholarship Awards 2021
Nina Spinney – Kearsarge Regional High School
Matthew Jachim- Gallagher – Newport Middle High School
An outgoing, ambitious, and dedicated student, Matt was among Newport Middle High School’s strongest leaders. Throughout his high school years, he challenged himself by taking rigorous course loads, while developing his passion and skill for working in theater. Matt is going to be attending Dartmouth College and will be majoring in Stage Management.
Harper Flint – Sunapee Middle High School
Sugar River Bank Friday Jeans Day
Employees Helping Our Communities
Since the end of March last year, Sugar River Bank Employees have paid $3.00 each to wear jeans on Friday! In the past, we had done it at the end of the month, but during the COVID-19 crisis, we are continuing to do it weekly at all 6 branches. Each Friday throughout 2020 we chose a charity in the community of each of the branches and are continuing into 2021.
The bulk of our efforts have gone into food programs for our communities, with a focus on school food “backpack” programs. These programs became even more important with students out of school, not receiving school-provided lunches and as parents and caregivers lost their incomes due to the pandemic.
We have also worn jeans for the American Cancer Society-Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Sullivan County Cares for Troops, The Windmill Thanksgiving dinner- Concord, Sullivan County Humane Society, West Central Behavioral Health and the Willey-Perra Program in Newport.
Sugar River Bank employees are proud to help our communities during this trying time and we will get through it together!
List of organizations that received our “Jeans Day” donations:
GotLunch! Newport, Warner Simonds School backpack program, Town of Sunapee Welfare Office,
Merrimack Valley Food Services, Kearsarge Area Food Pantry, Grantham Village School lunch program,
West Central Behavioral Health, Concord School Wish List for school supplies, Willey Perra Christmas Program,
Unity Elementary School lunch program, American Cancer Society, Sullivan County Humane Society, The Windmill Restaurant Thanksgiving fundraiser, Sullivan County Cares for Troops.
Sugar River Bank Employees Volunteer at Newport GotLunch!
Feeding Kids and Their Families During the Pandemic
During the pandemic and economic downturn, the need for the GotLunch Program has more than doubled.
#gotlunchnewport #sugarriverbank #willinghands #uppervalleyhaven #nhfoodbank #bankersbankon
Customer Appreciation Day, August 28, 2020, 11:00 - 2:00 All Branches
Celebrating Our 125th Anniversary and Our Customers!
A Lasting Tribute to the Sunapee Middle High School Class of 2020
The "Bloom in June" Project
Sugar River Bank Scholarship Awards
Mason Martell - Newport Middle High School
Mason is a strong academic student and a friendly, outgoing individual. He is highly motivated, an outstanding track athlete and has always been involved in activities within the Newport community and in school. He has big plans for his future that we have no doubt he will achieve.
Mason is going to attend Wesleyan University and is majoring in Spanish/Biology
Elizabeth Nichols - Sunapee Middle High School
Lizzy is a committed and hard-working student and athlete. Over the years, she has received numerous academic awards and was involved in varsity sports as well as student government, all four years. She also participated in many volunteering opportunities in the community.
Lizzy is going to attend the University of New Hampshire as a Paul Scholar. She will pursue a degree in business administration with a special interest in politics and law.
Steven Durling - Kearsarge Regional High School
Steven is a wonderful student who was enrolled in AP classes and excelled in math.
An outstanding school citizen, he was Treasurer of the National Honor Society. Steven has volunteered at the Twin Rivers Interfaith Food Pantry in Franklin. He also volunteered to tutor other students in math and accounting related topics.
Steven is going to attend McGill University in the fall to major in finance, accounting and mathematics.
Lobby Reopening Podcast on WCNL
Mt. Kearsarge Indian Museum and Sugar River Bank Offer Coupon For Kids
We are extremely lucky to have this museum in NH. It is a true gem, with important educational opportunities for all age groups.
Mt. Kearsarge Indian Museum regrets having to cancel the field trips your classes had planned this spring, due to the Coronavirus. We don't want the kids to miss out on visiting the museum, so Sugar River Bank has kindly stepped in and offered to pay for the admissions of each student, if they come visit the museum with their family. I've attached an invitation you may send out to the children in your class, which they can use once the museum is allowed to re-open to the public. The invitation is good for one student admission. We would be very grateful if you sent this along to your students, so they may enjoy the museum over the summer. We will, of course, be complying with any guidelines set forth for re-opening museums, and take every step to ensure the safety of our visitors. Thank you for making MKIM a part of your curriculum, and we hope to see you next year. You can email me at this address with any questions about the invitation. We are incredibly grateful Sugar River Bank has partnered with us to help the education of our children to continue, we are lucky to have them in our community!"
Membership Coordinator
Mt. Kearsarge Indian Museum
PO Box 142
Warner, NH 03278
membership@indianmuseum.org
www.IndianMuseum.org
Sugar River Bank Celebrates 125 Years of Serving the Community
Newport Coming Together, Having Fun and Staying Positive!
#NewportStrong #sugarriverbank #hometownbank #communitybank #BankersBankOn #NewHampshireBankersAssociation
Supporting Our Local Food Pantries By Wearing Jeans!
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Sugar River Bank decided to hold "Jeans Day" every Friday to raise money for school "backpack" lunch programs which provide food to students and families during the times when school is not in session, like weekends and vacations. Since school has been closed since mid-March, and many parents are now out of work, the need for these community food programs is the greatest it has ever been.
Sugar River Bank has also made donations to the following programs in the communities our branches serve since the start of the COVID-19 emergency:
South Congregational Church, GotLunch! Program, Newport Food Pantry, Newport, Widmer & Davis Distilleries - donation toward making hand sanitizer, Grantham, Upper Valley Humane Society, New London, The Kearsarge Lake Sunapee Community Food Pantry, Concord, Friendly Kitchen, Sunapee, Sunapee Food Pantry, Warner, CAP program (Community Action Program) Food Pantry, Future In Sight (NH Assoc. Blind) -donation to programs and services affected by Covid-19.
Over $3800. has been raised and donated since mid-March.
Sugar River Bank employees will continue to serve our communities by seamlessly providing the banking services they have come to expect, while continuing efforts to support local organizations in need.
At Sugar River Bank, the Paycheck
Protection Program Focus is on Local, Small Businesses
Protection Program (PPP) loans totaling $7,516,229. The average PPP loan size is $71,000. Loan size ranged from a low of $2,800 to a high of $578,000. The overwhelming majority, or 95.3%, of all loans made were below $250,000, with 65.1% of all loans made being less than $50,000.
Press Release from NH Banker's Association
Friday, April 10, 2020
One Week After PPP Rollout, New Hampshire’s Banks are Fully Engaged and Lending to Small Businesses
CONCORD, New Hampshire – Since the federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) was rolled out last Friday banks in New Hampshire have been working with their customers around the clock and actively lending to small businesses.
Today, the NH Bankers Association releases initial data from the first week of PPP to provide insight into the volume of loans processed in New Hampshire, the dollar value of those loans and numbers of jobs saved.
Kristy Merrill, President of NH Bankers Association said, “This snapshot of PPP data is a conservative, early estimate of the loans being made to support small businesses who have been impacted by COVID-19 in a way that no one could have ever imagined. I am incredibly proud of our bankers who are providing crucial financial assistance to a key sector of New Hampshire’s economy, all while working in a challenging socially distant environment.”
NOTE: The data shared below should be considered a floor for bank activity in New Hampshire during this first week of PPP lending. Not all participating banks were able to break out jobs saved data which is based upon borrower supplied information from loan application forms. In addition, some multi-state banks were unable to break out NH specific PPP lending data. These numbers reflect conservative reporting.
After a week of implementing these loans, data from New Hampshire’s banks shows as of Thursday, April 9th:
- All members of the NH Bankers Association that handle commercial loans – 37 banks – are participating in PPP and actively lending to New Hampshire customers;
- At least 1,980 PPP loans have been approved;
- The value of those approved PPP loans is $404,855,796;
- Based on borrower provided data, the approved PPP loans will save 10,818 jobs;
Merrill continued, “Each one of these jobs saved represents critical support for a Granite State family in need. We know that keeping them on their payroll will help each one of them continue to buy their groceries, provide for their families and keep New Hampshire’s economy moving. Banks in New Hampshire are here to help. Since day one of this public health crisis, our banks have been lending and providing borrower assistance, and will continue to do so. As we enter week two of the PPP program, New Hampshire’s banks will remain fully engaged as trusted partners to help keep our businesses open and our fellow Granite Staters employed.”
Sugar River Bank is proud to be an integral part of the statewide to roll out this program, and as of Wednesday, April 8, our loan department had processed 59 loans, totaling $5.4 million and will save 775 jobs.
Beginning today, sole proprietors and independent contractors are eligible for PPP loans. Any small business owner affected by the Coronavirus should reach out to their bank for financial assistance. Loans received through the PPP are forgiven if received funds are used towards payroll, rent and utilities. Visit www.nhbankers.com/coronavirus for a full list of New Hampshire banks participating in PPP commercial lending.
COVID-19 UPDATE
In response to the continued spread of the Coronavirus and associated public health concerns, Sugar River Bank is doing its part to protect the health and safety of our employees and customers. In accordance with the social distancing recommendations from the CDC and other health organizations, we will be operating from all drive-up locations effective Thursday, March 19th. While we are confident that you will be able to conduct most of your transactions at our drive-up and ATM facilities, our staff will be available by appointment for in-person meetings if needed. To schedule an appointment, please contact you local branch or call our main office at 603-863-3000 or toll free at 1-800-562-3145 or email us at online@sugarriverbank.com.
Online, Mobile, and Express (phone) banking remain available 24/7 to handle your financial needs. If you require help in setting up digital access, please call us for assistance.
As your hometown bank, we have successfully served our customers and communities through good times and bad since 1895. As your neighbors, we are committed to maintaining a consistent, safe and secure banking environment for all. Thank you for your understanding and support.
Second Annual Veteran's Free Spaghetti Dinner
Sugar River Bank Donates to the West Claremont Center for Music and the Arts (WCCMA) Center Renovation and Development
WCCMA recently embarked on THE HOMECOMING CAPITAL CAMPAIGN, a $2.7MM master plan to grow organizational capacity and refurbish a long-empty bank building in downtown Claremont in order to create the Claremont Creative Center. In support of that campaign, New Hampshire’s Community Development Finance Authority (CDFA) awarded WCCMA the ability to sell tax credits to businesses who operate in the state of New Hampshire.
Sugar River Bank is contributing to this major revitalization project through the Community Development Authority's Tax Credit Program. This program enables businesses to invest cash, securities or property to fund economic or community development projects, in exchange for a state tax credit.
Located in the long-empty historic former Claremont National Bank Building at 56 Opera House Square, the new home is adjacent to City Hall, Renovating this space will allow WCCMA to develop a community where the arts are recognized as necessary to the vibrancy and quality of life culturally, economically, socially, and educationally.
The capital project includes a complete renovation of the building, starting with the renovation of the envelope
by the Claremont Development Authority, including new plumbing, electrical, and HVAC; and followed by the
fit-up by WCCMA. The finished building will be an active center for education and performances, as well as a
place for community gathering.
Pictured: Claremont National Bank Building at 56 Opera House Square and rendering of the floor plan
Some of the programming that will be offered:
Professional Concert Series, since 2008
Youth Arts Entertainment Initiative, since 2012
Art Therapy, Music Lessons, Ensembles and Scholarships
Bach Tree (since 2014):
Creative Community Building
Sources: Artistic Director Melissa Richmond, Amanda Rafuse, Campaign Consultant
New NEHSA Building Opens at Mt. Sunapee Ski Resort
December 8, Newbury, NH
It was a cold but bright and sunny day for the ribbon cutting and opening of the newly expanded New England Healing Sports Association (NEHSA) building at Mt. Sunapee Ski Resort. Sugar River Bank contributed to the much-needed expansion and renovation of this facility through the Community Development Authority's Tax Credit Program. This program enables businesses to invest cash, securities or property to fund economic or community development projects, in exchange for a state tax credit.
On hand for the ribbon cutting: Cathy Bascom, NEHSA Executive Director, Angela Neilson, NEHSA Operations Manager, Henley Sinner, NEHSA Program Coordinator, Brett Rusch, MD, Executive Director of White River Jct. VA Medial Center, Tracy Bartels, General Manager Mount Sunapee Ski Resort
NEHSA had outgrown its building and the expansion will provide safety and much needed storage space for adaptive equipment, plus the growing number of students and volunteers. Improvements include two fully accessible bathrooms, a new fire suppression system, two additional exits - one accessible and one non-accessible, and new heating and insulation per the NH Energy Code.
New England Healing Sports Association (NEHSA) is a charitable organization [501(c) 3] located at Mt. Sunapee Resort in Newbury, New Hampshire. Founded in 1972 as a weekend alpine ski program for people with physical disabilities, it serves those who want to enjoy active and independent lives through participation in sports. In the past 40 years it has grown to include a wide variety of physical, cognitive, and developmental disabilities. NEHSA also takes pride in welcoming our disabled Veterans home. The program at Mt. Sunapee often has upwards of 30 students at a time.
Sugar River Bank is proud to contribute to NEHSA's project at Mt. Sunapee which will result in a more safe and comfortable environment for staff, volunteers and students.
For more information about NEHSA:
https://nehsa.org/about-us/our-mission/
https://www.mountsunapee.com/plan-your-trip/more-options/adaptive-programs.aspx
Employee Outing
Newport Chamber Breakfast
Veterans Spaghetti Dinner
Corbin Covered Bridge Festival 2019
Sugar River Bank is pleased to sponsor the Newport Historical Society with a $3,000 donation towards the Corbin Covered Bridge Festival, which is being held next year on Columbus Day weekend. Thank you to the Historical Society for all you do in the community!
Above: Dean Stetson, Mark Pitkin, President and CEO of Sugar River Bank, and Jackie Cote.
Joe Conway Elected to Serve as a Director of the CRDC Board
Sugar River Bank is pleased to announce Joe Conway, VP/Senior Commercial Lending Officer, has been elected to serve as a director on the Capital Regional Development Council board beginning in January, 2019. The CRDC is a creative source for non-traditional financing for small business working capital, real estate acquisition, and equipment needs and is an SBA licensed lender. Congratulations Joe!
NH Housing Finance Authority
Recently, Sugar River Bank was recognized as one of NH Housing Finance Authority's top 10 lenders in the state! This is a great honor for us and we are pleased to be able to help people towards affordable homeownership in our communities.
Above Center: Terri Crate, VP/Senior Retail Loan Officer and Mark Pitkin, President and CEO.
Concord Coalition to End Homelessness
Above: Michael Leuchtenberger, CCEH Board (Chair), Colette Garside-Conway, Sugar River Bank Branch Manager, Ellen Groh CCEH ED and Joe Conway, VP Commercial Lending.
Helping Hurricane Harvey Victims
