🌱 St. Patrick's Day Parade + Friendly Toast + CEO Helps Ukraine

Good morning, Bedford! Here's everything you need to know going on today.

First, today's weather:

A spring afternoon shower in some places. High: 53. Low: 37.

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Here are the top stories today in Bedford:

1. The 25th annual St. Patrick's Day parade will be on Sunday, March 27 at noon in Manchester. There will be plenty of Irish spirit and smiles marching down Elm Street. The St. Patrick's Day parade, which was rescheduled to March 27, features Irish music, bagpipes and more. The parade route starts at the north end of Elm Street and ends at Veteran's Park. Be sure to look for the large green shamrocks painted on Elm Street. You can read more about this story here: (Manchester Ink Link)
2. And just before the parade... is The Citizens Shamrock Shuffle — a 2-mile family-friendly run/walk immediately preceding the St. Patrick’s Parade on Elm Street on Sunday, March 27, at 11 a.m., Millennium Running of Bedford said in a news release. On Saturday, March 26, runners will be participating in The Citizens Shamrock Half Marathon & Relay on a 13.1 mile looping downtown course that starts at 8:50 a.m. Watch for road closures and detours during the relay race. You can find out more about both events here: (Millennium Running)
3. The Friendly Toast is growing in leaps and bounds over its famous thickly sliced toast. The very first Friendly Toast breakfast and lunch restaurant opened in Portsmouth, New Hampshire more than 20 years ago. They now have eight locations, from Vermont to Massachusetts, including a location that opened three years ago in Bedford next to Trader Joe's. Their newest location will be opening at Legacy Place in Dedham, Massachusetts, sometime this summer! You can read more about this story here: (Boston Restaurant Talk)
4. Bedford CEO Ken Jacobus wanted to help Ukrainian refugees after he saw on the news that many people leaving Ukraine to escape the war needed a place to stay on their way to the airport in Poland to meet family in other countries. Jacobus, the CEO of Good Start Packaging, a Bedford company that makes compostable takeout food containers from plant-based materials, flew to Warsaw to give people rides and provided a place to stay using hotel reward hotel points. Nearly 2 million Ukrainians are in train stations, sports stadiums, and schools in Poland — a country that does not have a government agency for this kind of need. You can read the full story here (with a subscription): (The Union Leader)

Today in Bedford:

• Roald Dahl's "Matilda the Musical." (1 p.m.)
• "Matilda the Musical." (7 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• Our Promise to Nicholas Foundation: Annual Egg Hunt Festival will be on Saturday, April 16 at the N.H. Sportsplex in Bedford. You can read more here: (Press Release Desk)
• Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains: "Headed to Camp Farnsworth this summer? We still have spaces available throughout the summer." (Facebook)
• Bedford NH Police Department: "Although accidents at railroad crossings are an old problem, the problem is easily avoidable. Always stop at railroad crossings, obey signs and signals, cross with caution and never stop on the tracks or try to race the train." (Facebook)
• Bedford School District: "There will be a School Board Meeting on Monday, March 28, at 7 p.m. in the boardroom at the SAU office on 103 County Road, Bedford." (Facebook)
• Bedford N.H. Public Library: "Join us for another round of The Next Chapter, a read aloud over Zoom! This month we're reading 'Zoey and Sassafras: Dragons and Marshmallows' by Asia Citro." (Facebook)

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That's it for today. I'll see you again soon!

— Paula Constance

About me: I am a freelance writer, author, and media producer. I am committed to media projects that empower, engage, and help make the world a better place.