Lately, I keep coming back to one thing: when we trust young people, really trust them, something shifts. In late December, the Spartans on a Mission (SOAM), a group of 9th–12th graders, had no plan other than to simply show up at the Country Village Nursing Home in...
Hub Happenings in the Groveton / Lancaster / Littleton Region
Previous Events
North Country Youth Summit
High school students from across the North Country are invited to the first-ever North Country Youth Coalition meeting — a youth-led space to connect, share ideas, and create real change. Students will work in teams during a Shark Tank–style pitch challenge to design...
The Power of Yes
Sometimes, the biggest changes in a community don’t start with a plan or a meeting. They start with one simple word: yes. When someone says yes to trying something new, it creates ripples. One yes turns into another, and suddenly, what seemed small begins to reshape a...
Freeze the Water Bring the People
Neighbors in Whitefield were thrilled when the famous ice rink on the Common was brought back to life this winter! The rink has become a tradition and a sense of pride for residents. However, due to weather and volunteer scarcity, the Common sat iceless for many...
Latin Beats and Eats: A Celebration of Culture, Community, and Connection
This year’s Latin Beats and Eats event was something truly special. We gathered at The Loading Dock in Littleton, where people from 10 different Latin countries came together to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with the sounds of merengue and bachata, delicious food,...
From Neighborly Chat to Community Success
A serendipitous meeting with a North Country neighbor led to the beginning of our Homestead Classes in Groveton. A question we begin with here at the Hub is "Did a neighbor ask for it?" In this case the answer is yes! Kayla Leighton a young homesteader and farmer...
Coffee on the Common
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Kick Up Your Boots: Country Line Dance Nights Return to Lancaster!
Hosted at the Lancaster Motel every other Wednesday, this event doesn't disappoint. It’s a fantastic evening of music, dance, and camaraderie. The best part? It's entirely free! But here's the twist, all donations go towards Cigars for Warriors. Leading the way and...
Hunters Moon Family Fun Night – October 28
This was a concerted effort between the Hub, Granite Guild, and the Northumberland Fire and Police Departments. The Ghostbusters were on hand yet again, with a screening of The Afterlife, next to a bonfire with music and free food! The event was well received by...
80’s Field Day-Whitefield
This neighbor-led event not only revitalized the park but also showcased the spirit of unity at the heart of the Community Builders Hub. On July 22nd at Highland Park in Whitefield, the community came alive for...
Back to the 80’s, Forward Together
Whitefield’s 3rd Annual 80’s Day showed the power of nostalgia, connection, and the staying power of community, alongside a summer filled with music, dancing, and new leaders stepping up.
Nostalgia gave us common ground: music, laughter, and plenty of “remember whens.” The Misfitz Motorcycle Club cooked all the food that was donated by the Whitefield Market! Neighbors led 80’s crafts, and the North Country Health Consortium added their creative touch. New neighbors stepped up to help, longtime friends reconnected, and everyone found a reason to pump up the jam.
One neighbor put it simply, “When people are nice, that’s when I feel like I belong.” That truth was everywhere that day. Belonging showed up in conversations, in shared meals, and in the joy of being together. Each year, 80’s Day proves its staying power and showing how events rooted in fun and nostalgia can also strengthen the bonds of community.
The momentum had been building all summer. In June, we held our 2nd Annual Summer Kick-Off in Groveton, in collaboration with students from Groveton High School. Their energy and fresh ideas made the event that much richer, reminding us that when young people are invited in, the whole community grows stronger.
From there, Cruise Nights paired with Music on the Square brought Whitefield’s town Common alive week after week. Classic cars and live music created the spark, but what mattered most were the conversations, the friendships, and the trust that grew each time neighbors gathered. The great thing about Cruise Nights is how many people from the entire North Country rolled up in their cars. As one longtime resident told me, “It feels good just to stand here and talk with no pressure, no agenda. That’s when I feel like I belong.”
In Bethlehem, the rhythm carried on as we moved line dancing to Reklis to raise money for Littleton Area Mutual Aid. The Lancaster line dancing crew showed up to help teach newcomers, turning the event into something bigger than any one group could pull off on their own. It was joy in movement and generosity all tied together.
All said, this summer proved that belonging doesn’t come from one formula. It grows wherever people bring what they love, share it freely, and make room for others to do the same.
Belonging isn’t complicated, it’s built in small moments, the smiles and conversations exchanged on the common, the confidence of a student stepping into leadership, the kindness of a neighbor saying, “you belong here.” That’s the staying power of community.