First- and second-graders at the Gate City Charter School for the Arts, a K-8 public charter school in Merrimack, organized a paper tissue and toy drive to benefit the Boston Children’s Hospital.

Students planned the drive in honor of Nashua resident and transplant recipient Jack Christianson, according to a press release from the school.

His sister Haley Christianson, a second-grade student at Gate City, received support from her classmates after talking about the experiences of her brother as he battled leukemia for a second time and needed a bone marrow transplant.

Haley visited Jack during his extended stay at Boston Children’s Hospital and said the hospital tissues were rough and uncomfortable for her brother to use, and said younger patients need softer tissues.

She also said there were playrooms at the hospital, but they lacked toys.

The students in Julia Waterman’s first- and second-grade classroom decided to take action and organized a tissue and toy drive to benefit Boston Children’s Hospital.

Donations of unopened soft tissues and unopened new toys for all ages will be collected through May. Students will decorate the boxes of tissues with stickers and words of encouragement and well wishes before delivering them to the hospital. The new toys also will be delivered to the hospital for distribution to the patients.

The students have a goal of collecting 100 boxes of soft tissues.

To participate, donations can be dropped off at the Gate City Charter School for the Arts, care of Mrs. Waterman’s Class, at 7 Henry Clay Drive in Merrimack.

Local residents join
Sununu campaign

GOP gubernatorial candidate Chris Sununu’s latest list of Republican activists, business and civic leaders who endorsed his campaign include several Greater Nashua residents.

Nashua Alderman-at-Large Dan Moriarty, Nashua real estate developer John Stabile, and Robert and Anne Cruess of Amherst are among those who jumped on board Sununu’s campaign, according to the list of supporters Sununu released Thursday.

Sununu, who is District 3 Executive Councilor, is competing against Manchester Mayor Ted Gatsas, state Sen. Jeanie Forrester and state Rep. Frank Edelblut of Wilton for the GOP gubernatorial nomination.

Nashua startup named Microsoft finalist

A Nashua startup is one of four finalists for the 2016 New Hampshire Startup Challenge, according to an announcement last week by the Manchester Young Professionals Network.

AlignMeeting, an online meeting workspace business, has a chance to work the top prize valued at $186,550 as part of the Microsoft BizSpark Plus package. The prize, which will be announced May 11, includes access to free software and tools, support services and access to training courses.

Ric Pratte, CEO & co-founder of AlignMeeting, said the company is honored with the selection as a finalist for the MYPN NH Startup Challenge.

"Participating in the challenge has already provided us with exposure to new customers and potential investors. Winning the startup challenge will provide us with additional cash and valuable resources – the lifeblood of a lean startup like AlignMeeting – as well as additional momentum as we move towards our commercial release," Pratte said. "We learn, grown and improve each time we participate in a competition like the startup challenge, and we are grateful that organizations like MYPN are working to support and foster the startup ecosystem in New Hampshire."

AlignMeeting, using online meetings, helps managers more effectively utilize meeting time and fosters better practices before, during and after the meeting. The business is one of four remaining of the original 40 applicants – the other three include Nobl Coffee of Newmarket, Hidden Collective of Franklin and Valchoice of Bedford.

As part of the first place prize, the winning company will receive $20,000 in cash,$7,500 in legal services, $27,500 worth of ad space for one year in Business NH magazine and $3,600 for a one-year residency at Alpha Loft.

Now in its ninth year, the startup challenge has awarded an estimated $500,000 to young New Hampshire businesses.

Nashua … From the Inside was compiled by members of the Telegraph staff.

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