Press Kit

Good news from Mt Washington Valley Chamber of Commerce – May 23, 2018

Contact:  Janice Crawford, 603-356-5701, Janice@mtwashingtonvalley.org or Marti Mayne, 207-846-6331, PR@mtwashingtonvalley.org

STUDENT ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR AWARD GIVEN TO KENNETT KEY CLUB’S EAGLES CLAWSET THRIFT SHOP

North Conway, NH – The Student Entrepreneur of the Year award is given each year to a student(s) or entity that have demonstrated innovation and creativity in business for a real-world application and fills a community or marketplace need.  Sponsored this year by STAY MWV and chosen by the organization’s Entrepreneur Committee, the award was given on Tuesday, May 22 to the Kennett Key Club’s Eagle’s Clawset, a free thrift shop for Kennett High School students in need of clothing.  The award was origiinally going to be delivered to Kennett High School Key Club members Riley Steward and Chloe Van Dyne, who led the establishment of the store.  STAY MWV Committee member, Trevor Sullivan, a Leadership MWV Graduate in 2017 who now serves on the Entrepreneur Committee as well as Director of Human Resources and Manager Trainee at White Mountain Hotel and Resort heads up the committee.  Due to an unavoidable conflict the award was presented by Amanda Dubs at the Conway Daily Sun’s Best of the Valley awards.

In the fall of 2015 Key Club members, Riley Steward and Chloe Van Dyne steered an effort along with other Key Club members to establish a free thrift store called “Eagle’s Clawset” for Kennett High School students.  This store thrives today. Donations of clothing are gathered and displayed in a formerly unused classroom and offered free for those with limited financial ability.  According to award nominator, Barry Chisholm, “Not only do students find clothing they need for everyday use, some students have found a dress for their homecoming dance or clothing that that will help them comply with the dress code for a conference they will be attending.  The Eagle’s Clawset, which turned an empty classroom into a valuable resource for all students, has become an integral and welcomed part of Kennett High School.”

The Eagle’s Clawset student organizers were presented with a certificate of recognition, a $200 donation to the program and a 2018/2019 membership in the chamber.   In addition, the organization will receive an honor roll listing on the Mt Washington Valley chamber’s website and recognition in the chamber’s bi-monthly e-newsletter.

The annual Student Entrepreneur of the Year award was sponsored for the first time by STAY MWV, an organization supporting young professionals in Mt Washington Valley. STAY MWV offers opportunities and resources for the Valley's young professionals to get involved in the community, Student Loan Repayment Scholarships and to encourages them to establish themselves in Mt Washington Valley, NH.

STAY MWV is an organization of the Mt Washington Valley Preservation Association.  For more information on the Student Entrepreneur Award or STAY MWV, contact Jessica Wright at  jessicaellenwright@gmail.com or call 356-5701 ext. 303.

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Photo caption: Riley Steward (on left) poses with Amanda Dubs of STAY MWV (right) who presented the Student Entrepreneur of the Year award.  (Paula Jones/MWVCC photo).