GO 10th Anniversary BBQ Party!

July was a challenging month this year, wasn't it? Sometime around the 4th the sun disappeared and day after day it rained or was gray. Lawns were green, but not growing. Rivers swelled back to their spring flood levels. Trails were impassable.

The wet and gray weather continued into August. And the thought on everyone's mind was: Would GO be able to have its 10th Anniversary party of sun, beach, and games, planned for September 5th at Elm Brook Park? Or would guys come with fleece and snowshoes, rather than swim suits and kayaks? Would there be any sun to even hold the party? And where were the Sun Maidens when we needed them?

They must have been active. It just took longer for their gloom-destroying magic to kick in. Saturday dawned with a magnificent day. All agreed that the bright thing in the sky had to be the sun. Our 10th Anniversary Party was a GO! And it was Good!

Jon Normand and Mike Boisvert were the hosts, and we rented a covered pavillion near a playing field, and there we gathered throughout the day, with some guys taking a short walk to the beach for a swim. When the grills were lit, everyone stepped in to grill their own meat, and the potluck dishes, brought by members, were fantastic, as usual. Near the end of eating, Mike said a few words about the club, its plans for the future, recognized GO Board of Directors who were present, and thank those who helped out during the day. 

During the day, members played horseshoes, croquet and bocce ball. We also had a 50/50 raffle with Tim taking home the money. 

As always, an event like this doesn't' come off without a lot of work from volunteers. While members throughout the day pitched in as needed to help with the setup, cooking and cleanup; we can't thank enough Jeffrey Albair who was their early to help us setup, took care of passing the bucket to pay for our expenses, and handled the 50/50 raffle including donating the tickets.    

With our 10th year, come join your fellow GO members on a beautiful summer day by spending the afternoon at our Anniversary BBQ Party on September 5th! We have use of a picnic shelter at Elm Brook Park with picnic tables and large charcoal grill. The Elm Brook Park is a great venue for a BBQ with a swim beach, small nature trail, kayaking in Hopkington-Everett Lake or Contoocook River, mountain biking on OHRV/snowmobile trails, horseshoes, volleyball, croquet, bocce, kickball; as well as a great pavillion!

This is a potluck BBQ so we'll be asking everyone to bring something for themselves and a little extra to share with others. This can include hot dogs, burgers, veggie burgers, chips, pretzels, potato salad, cole slaw, pasta salad, etc. Don't worry about dessert because we'll be bringing over an Anniversary cake to share with everyone. Alcoholic beverages are permitted but we ask that you pour them into a cup so we can be more discreet. We are providing all the extras including charcoal to get the grill started, cooking spatulas/forks, condiments, napkins, paper plates, and plastic ware (forks, knives, spoons). We will be passing a bucket around asking everyone to pitch in a few dollars to pay for our expenses.

The event is a great way to come out and meet members if you are new to the group or if you have friends you want to introduce to the group. To make sure we have enough gear (paper plates, utensils, cake) for everyone please RSVP on the website and if you are bringing friends give us a count under comments. We are expecting a large turnout. We will enjoy a fun-filled day swimming, playing, socializing, eating great food, and toast to another ten years of great times outdoors with your buddies. 

Unfortunately, dogs are NOT allowed in the park.

The event starts at noon, BBQ potluck at 2pm, and ends around 5pm.

Want to help out? We need someone to bring a volleyball set and set it up on the field. We also need volunteers to help us set-up, help with grilling food, help organizing people to play games, and to help with clean-up. Contact Mike Boisvert to volunteer.

Put the dates in your calendar! We'll see you there.

Event Coordinators: Mike Boisvert and Jon Normand

At the entrance gate, you'll be charged a $1 fee and no more than $4 per vehicle. We will be at Group Picnic Shelter #3 and we'll have a GO Banner on display.

How to Get There:

From West

Take Route 202 / Route 9 East towards I 89. Past Henniker, turn left on Route 127 North at flashing yellow light. Follow Route 127 North for approximately 2 miles. Follow the signs to Elm Brook Park on your right.

From North and South (I 89)

Take exit 5 from I 89. Take Route 202. Continue straight until the flashing yellow light. Take a right on to Route 127 North for approximately 2 miles. Follow the signs to Elm Brook Park on your right.