“God intended women to be outside as well as men, and they do not know what they are missing when they stay cooped up in the house.” — Annie Oakley 

Happy Wednesday!
Here’s a look at what you’ll find in today’s newsletter:

💪 Female trailblazers: We’re kicking off Women’s History Month by highlighting historical female figures in NH you’ve likely never heard of.

🏀 Landmark vote for college athletes: The Dartmouth College men’s basketball team held an unprecedented vote on Tuesday. 

🍁 Maple Month: It’s officially maple month in New Hampshire, and we’ve got a list of sugarhouses to visit throughout the state. 

March is Women’s History Month, a time to recognize women’s historical contributions, raise awareness of gender equality issues, and inspire future progress. (Read more about the celebratory month here.)

FYI: The time to recognize women dates back to 1981. It was just a week at first before it became a full month in 1987.

New Hampshire has been home to some incredible women. Here are a few you might not know have connections to the Granite State.

💪 Annie Oakley, the renowned sharpshooter and star of Buffalo Bill’s Wild West show, frequently visited a resort near Portsmouth to participate in shooting competitions and exhibitions.

💪 Harriet Patience Dame defied the norms of her time. She worked as a nurse for New Hampshire’s troops during the American Civil War when everyone thought women were too fragile for the tough work of caring for troops.

💪 Christa McAuliffe, a teacher and astronaut, died in the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster in 1986. She was laid to rest in Blossom Hill Cemetery in her hometown of Concord.

Read about other notable women from NH here. 

Stay tuned. We’ll be celebrating women in our newsletter and on our social media pages all of March 

😷 March 2 marked the four-year anniversary of the first COVID-19 case being detected in New Hampshire. And March 11 will mark the anniversary of the World Health Organization declaring a global pandemic. We’d love to hear from our readers: What did the pandemic change for you — for better or for worse?  

👉 Dartmouth College basketball team votes to become employees  
The Dartmouth men’s basketball team voted to unionize in a 13-2 decision on Tuesday afternoon. This is a landmark step toward forming the country’s first labor union for college athletes. (Read more)

👉 Husband and wife from Derry plead guilty to COVID-19 fraud
A husband and wife from Derry pleaded guilty in federal court for attempting to obtain $2.5 million in COVID-19 relief funds. Tammy Dodge and her co-conspirator husband David Dodge submitted 30 fraudulent applications for relief loans and grants, claiming to own fake businesses. (Read more)

👉 Overdoses are declining in the two of NH’s largest cities
Nashua saw a 46% decrease in opioid-related overdoses, according to data from the American Medical Response, while Manchester saw a 56% decline. (More from the Union Leader)

By the numbers: A look at women’s progress in New Hampshire

The New Hampshire Women’s Foundation compiled statistics on women’s progress in New Hampshire a 2023 report. Here’s a look at the numbers: 

👉 Mental health: New Hampshire women are more likely than men to suffer from poor mental health. Sixty-six percent of Granite State women report having anxiety, and 28% report being told they are depressed

👉Abortion access: New Hampshire passed its first abortion ban in modern history in June 2021, banning abortions after 24 weeks. While abortion remains legal here, New Hampshire is the only state in New England that has not protected the right in state law. (Read more) 

👉 Wage gap: Women earn 76 cents for every $1 men earn in NH. Nationally, women make 68 cents to 93 cents for every $1 men earn. 

👉 Leadership:
 – Women represent 35% of New Hampshire state legislators and 43% of elected city officials.
– Women represent 23% of top leadership at the state’s largest employers. 

– Women represent 38% of state court judges.
– Only one person of color serves as a judge in NH; that person is also the only woman of color. 

👉 How you can help:
Here are some links with more information: 

The New Hampshire Women’s Foundation 

The Reproductive Freedom Fund of NH

Manonallard

New Hampshire Maple Weekend is Coming, March 16-17
🍁 Discover pure NH maple syrup near you and support local sugarhouses all month long! Click here to find a sugarhouse.