2023 Dover chamber honors: Here are the winners and details on awards night

Special to Foster's Daily Democrat
·2 min read

DOVER — The Greater Dover Chamber of Commerce announced Meaghan Dunn, an English for speakers of other languages teacher at the Frances G. Hopkins Elementary School at Horne Street, has been named its 2023 David K. Bamford Educator of the Year.

Chamber staff, awards committee members, Dover School Board members and Dover schools Superintendent William Harbron attended a recent assembly at the school to surprise Dunn with the honor. Dunn will receive a $1,000 stipend.

Congratulating Greater Dover Chamber of Commece 2023 Educator of the Year Meaghan Dunn, front and center, are, from left, Dawn Hamdi, Great Bay Community College; Sean Peschel, Oyster River High School; Micaela Demeter, Dover School Board, Michelle Clancy, Dover School Board; Dean of Students Brittany Granfield, Frances G. Hopkins Elementary School, Principal Patricia Driscoll, Frances G. Hopkins Elementary School; Dover School Superintendent Dr. William Harbron; Maggie Fogarty, Dover School Board; Layne Case, Amity Publishing; and Margaret Joyce, Greater Dover Chamber of Commerce.

Brittany Granfield, dean of students at the Hopkins School, who nominated Dunn for the award, said, “Meaghan is always seeking innovative ways to serve all students. She has formed relationships with a diverse network of partners to enhance her students’ learning experience. Meaghan visits other districts to learn about new strategies, attends meetings and cultural events to support connections, and participates in numerous voluntary trainings to improve outcomes for all learners. She also uses innovative technology to make the school and our community more accessible for students and families.”

Meaghan Dunn, the Greater Dover Chamber of Commerce's 2023 David K. Bamford Educator of the Year, addresses students and staff at the Frances G. Hopkins Elementary School at Horne Street.
Meaghan Dunn, the Greater Dover Chamber of Commerce's 2023 David K. Bamford Educator of the Year, addresses students and staff at the Frances G. Hopkins Elementary School at Horne Street.

The chamber voted this year to name the Educator of Year Award in honor of David K. Bamford, a local businessman and property developer who died in July. A strong proponent for education, Bamford worked to establish the Seacoast Education Endowment for Dover, a nonprofit that uses money raised by business and individual community giving to award grants to Dover public school teachers for innovative programs, practices, and resources. He was named the Citizen of the Year by the chamber in 2016.

More: Dave Bamford remembered for pioneering vision of Dover

More 2023 Dover chamber award winners include Citizens of the Year

In addition to Educator of the Year, the chamber of Commerce will present the following awards at the Annual Awards Gala on May 4: Dana Lynch, Volunteer of the Year; Stephanie and Michael Bolduc, Citizens of the Year; Monarch School of New England, Nonprofit of the Year; Keslar Insurance Agency, Business of the Year; and Danielle Festa, Community Arts Champion.

The chamber’s 2023 Annual Awards Gala will be held at the Rivermill at Dover Landing Thursday, May 4 with a cocktail reception and dinner. Tickets for the Annual Awards Gala are $90 per person ($75 for chamber members).

This year’s event will incorporate Dover’s 400th celebration, a year-long effort to recognize Dover’s milestone anniversary.

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit dovernh.org/awards or call 603-742-2218.

The gala is sponsored this year by Cleveland, Waters and Bass, P.A.; D.F. Richard Energy; First Seacoast Bank; Newburyport Bank; Cambridge Trust; Shaheen & Gordon, P.A.; Wentworth-Douglass Hospital; Leone, McDonnell & Roberts, P.A.; and HRCU. Additional sponsorship opportunities are available.

This article originally appeared on Fosters Daily Democrat: 2023 Dover NH chamber