Rindge Chamber names business leader, nonprofit of the year

During its annual gala on Saturday night, the Rindge Chamber of Commerce honored its Business Leader of the Year, Mark Hagemeyer and his event center Hidden Hills, and its Nonprofit of the Year, the Rindge Historical Society.

Hegemeyer was selected for “exemplary leadership, community involvement and generosity,” and his active contributions to the community of both time and resources. Hidden Hills hosts an annual senior dinner, and for those unable to attend, Hegemeyer and his staff deliver food to seniors.

The Rindge Historical Society was established in the late 1800s. It preserves town artifacts and history and provides public access to them through the Rindge Historical Society Museum, which is open to the public twice a week and operated by volunteers. Volunteers also bring exhibits to local schools to teach the area’s children about the town’s history or historical figures.

The Historical Society also hosts monthly open mic events from May to October, which function as fundraising events. In presenting the award to the society, Rindge Chamber Secretary Sue Tussing said preservation of the past and cultural heritage shows how society has evolved, and highlights values and priorities of the people of their times.

“In its own small way, that is what the Rindge Historical Society is doing for us,” Tussing said. “Karla MacLeod, Karl Pruter and of the board members are preserving our heritage.”

Ashley Saari can be reached at 603-924-7172, Ext. 244 or asaari@ledgertranscript.com. She’s on X @AshleySaariMLT.