EXETER, NH: A major milestone has been reached by Squamscott Community Commons (The Commons). On June 30 The Commons will receive title to the Exeter AREA Junior High building (old high school “Annex”) from the Exeter Region Cooperative School District. Squamscott Community Commons is a multi-tenant non-profit “green” community center to be built on Linden Street in Exeter, New Hampshire. The Commons will house a full-facility YMCA and agencies that provide programs and services in health and wellness, arts, culture, nutrition, childcare and recreation, and will function as a community focal point for residents of all ages and economic levels throughout the seacoast region. The participating agencies include Exeter Center for Creative Arts (ECCA), Great Bay Kids Company, Richie McFarland Children’s Center, Rockingham Community Action, SeaCare Health Services, and Southern District/YMCA Camp Lincoln.
With this chapter of the project completed, Carol Walker Aten has announced that she will be moving to a new position with The Commons as a member of the Advisory Council and leaving her post as Executive Director. Davis Farmer, Chair of the Board of Directors remarked, “Carol’s contributions have been enormous: the full magnitude of her achievements and dedication will be appreciated not only as the project moves into its building phase, but also well into the future.”
Since Carol joined The Commons in January 2005, her accomplishments include building the organizational infrastructure with a new community board, committee volunteers and professional staff; establishing the website; completing a successful six-town vote to acquire the property; securing the seed funding; completing the conceptual and design development of the facility; and acquiring the municipal and state regulatory permits needed for construction. “Working together,” Davis continued, “we have made very real progress in this first-of-its-kind effort and the foundations that have been laid, in very large part by Carol and her staff, have positioned us to make this community center a reality.”
Exeter resident Robin Drunsic has been promoted from Director of Finance, a position she has held since August 2006, to Executive Director. Robin brings to The Commons a strong academic background in business management, a keen entrepreneurial spirit, and the experience of working in the development office of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, one of the most highly visible and successful fundraising organizations in New England. Prior to moving to Exeter, Robin and her husband operated a successful 70-seat café in Vermont for which Robin was responsible for all aspects of business administration. Robin holds a B.S. in Business Administration from the University of New Hampshire as well as an M.B.A. from Simmons College School of Management.
A private celebration is scheduled for July 1 at the newly-renovated Exeter Inn to honor the hundreds of volunteers and major contributors who have brought The Commons from vision to reality. For more information, please contact Carol Aten at carol@squamscott.org or 603-778-4722.
