The sanctuary will host the families from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. There will be pony rides and a bounce house for kids; a barbecue and Ben & Jerry’s ice cream; and a chance to have pictures taken with mounted State Police horses.

The Hundred Club of Massachusetts is a statewide nonprofit devoted to serving the families of fallen police and firefighters.

The group brings its members together several times a year to connect to “let them know they are not alone and meet other families,” executive director Tracie Hines said.

On “Family Funday,” guests can also just soak in the scenery and the grounds of the sanctuary that cares for abused and neglected horses, and is home to at least one retired police horse.

“We hope this is the first of many,” events planned with the sanctuary, Hines said.

The club has served about 2,000 family members of police and firefighters who have died while serving, whether it be in the line of duty, natural or intentionally, since its founding in 1959, Hines said.

Currently, the club is supporting the families of 107 police or firefighters who died in the line of duty, Hines said.

There have been three line of duty deaths in Massachusetts this year, Uxbridge Officer Stephen A. LaPorta, State Police Trooper Kevin T. Trainor, and Boston Firefighter Robert Kilduff Jr., Hines said.

There were 15 total deaths last year, Hines said.

It’s unlikely that loved ones from all 15 families who lost first responders will be at the farm on Sunday, Hines said.

“It’s probably too fresh,” Hines said. “There will be from this year for sure, but what tends to happen is the first year’s tough for families, they’re still grieving, so we’re just kind of in the background for them.”

Elysium, which sprawls over 26 acres of conservation land, opened in 2024 as “a slice of heaven” for retired mounted police and rescue equines, according to its website.

The farm has seven horses, including one retired from the Dover, N.H. police department. Lessard said she hopes to add a few more retired police horses.

The farm welcomes volunteers from active duty military members, veterans and first responders who want to de-stress by spending time in nature. They can learn to feed or groom a horse, help out with maintenance or special events, the website said.

For some volunteers, the sanctuary has become their “environmental church,” Lessard said.

“It’s not that they have to come here to volunteer their time and be a part of any specific program, Lessard said.

She said that she hopes those who attend the event on Sunday know they are welcome back anytime.

“I just want them to know that they’re cared about, we respect all they do, we want to do all that we can to support them in their everyday efforts and we’re here for them in their losses as well,” Lessard said. ”I can’t even imagine the difficulties that these families go through.”

Adam Sennott can be reached at adam.sennott@globe.com.

Meet the M/V Sophie C

The M/V Sophie C cruises around Lake Winnipesaukee during the summer, delivering mail to people living and vacationing on the lake’s islands.

This isn’t something created for tourists, either.

The longer I live in New Hampshire, the more I realize there are things here that I would never think to look for.

Apparently, I can now add a floating post office to that list.

Not a boat that simply carries mail.

An actual floating post office.

And not only is it here in New Hampshire, it’s considered the oldest floating post office in the United States.

Mail service by boat on Lake Winnipesaukee dates all the way back to 1892, when an official mail route was established to serve the islands.

The Sophie C herself was built in 1945 and began handling the lake’s mail route in 1969.

More than 50 years later, she’s still doing it.

This might be my favorite part.

The Sophie C doesn’t just transport bags of mail from one place to another.

It’s a legit functioning floating post office.

Credit: Sophie C – U.S. Mail Boat via Facebook

Mail can be collected, stamps can be sold and outgoing mail can receive the Sophie C’s own cancellation mark.

The Sophie C started in 1969 but the mail boat goes all the way back to 1916, when the mail boat operating on Lake Winnipesaukee was granted the authority to cancel mail, essentially making the operation a floating post office.

Here’s the fun part… You Can Actually Ride Along. #granitestatebucketlist

Passengers can ride on the Sophie C while it makes its mail deliveries.

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The boat operates as both a mail boat and sightseeing vessel, cruising around Lake Winnipesaukee and stopping at islands along its route.

You’re basically watching the mail get delivered while spending a couple of hours cruising one of the most beautiful lakes in New England.

Passengers can even mail postcards from aboard the boat and have them receive the Sophie C’s distinctive postmark.

And apparently mail isn’t the only important cargo.

The Sophie C has traditionally carried snacks and ice cream treats for island residents, too.

Now that’s mail delivery.  I like how they think here in NH.  Now if they can add a beer tap.

A New Hampshire Tradition That’s More Than 130 Years Old

Technology has completely changed how most of us communicate. I honestly can’t remember the last time I mailed an actual letter that wasn’t a bill or something official.

Meanwhile, every summer on Lake Winnipesaukee, there’s still a boat making the rounds delivering mail to people living on the islands just like boats have been doing there since the 1800s.

It’s part post office.

Part sightseeing cruise.

Part living piece of New Hampshire history.

An 18th-century rural retreat in New Hampshire has a new, bold look after a three-year, multi-million dollar makeover.

The Inn at Hancock, New Hampshire’s oldest continuously operating inn, reopened in May after the massive renovation. The 15-room historic inn, nestled in the pastoral Monadnock region, was first established in 1789 as a coaching inn. Since, it has been visited by countless travelers, including President Franklin Pierce, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Mark Twain, and Chevy Chase.

The renovations were done by co-owner and creative director Kerri Landry and her Dublin, N.H.-based design studio Heston Woodcock, in collaboration with Boston-based interior designer Jeffrey Delvy.

“Reopening The Inn at Hancock is about far more than unveiling a renovation; it’s about rekindling a spirit of hospitality that has lived here for more than two centuries,” Landry said, in a statement. “We approached every detail with reverence for The Inn’s history, but also with a sense of imagination, fun, and levity.”

The inn’s unique suites, lavish dining rooms, and colorful bars are whimsical, luxurious, and full of bold color and layered detail.

The historic inn’s design was inspired by the people, places, and experiences that have shaped Landry’s life after more than 25 years in the public relations and marketing industry working with fashion and hospitality brands.

Guests can choose from three different types of suites: Manor Suites for expansive accommodations, Historic Suites for mid-sized accommodations, and Darling Suites for intimate and cozy accommodations. The rooms all have fresh florals and free Wi-Fi.

The suites have modern en-suite baths, bespoke furnishings, and period antiques. Some of the accommodations include fireplaces and deep soaking tubs and all of them include luxury linens and bath amenities by Frette and Floris in London.

Guests are provided with services such as luggage handling, nightly turndowns, and concierge assistance.

The inn’s culinary team uses locally sourced ingredients and regional artisan producers. The property’s three dining venues are The Restaurant, a signature fine dining restaurant spanning the hotel’s Georgian Room, Reading Room, and Garden Room; the Hunt Bar & Scullery for casual bites and drinks, and the “rakish and spirited” PINKS Lounge.

During the warmer months, guests can dine alfresco on the terrace of PINKS Lounge, where there’s a raw bar and fire pit.

“Our hope is that guests feel both transported and completely at home, that
they arrive curious and leave with stories of their own,” said Landry, in a statement. “The Inn is meant to be a place of discovery, delight, and genuine care, where tradition and fantasy quietly coexist.”

Travelers can choose from many area adventures including skiing, antiquing, fly fishing, cycling, and, of course, mountain climbing. Mount Monadnock is the most climbed mountain in the United States and one of the most hiked mountains in the world.

Nightly rates begin at $620.

Kristi Palma

Travel writer

 

Kristi Palma is the travel writer for Boston.com, focusing on the six New England states. She covers airlines, hotels, and things to do across Boston and New England. She is the author of the award-winning Scenic Six, a weekly travel newsletter.