{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.hassan.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senator-hassan-recognizes-harry-armstrong-of-canaan-and-john-bayliss-of-hanover-as-decembers-granite-staters-of-the-month", "Senator Hassan Recognizes Harry Armstrong of Canaan and John Bayliss of Hanover as December\u2019s Granite Staters of the Month", "2022-12-29", "2022", "2022-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "NH", "Margaret Wood Hassan", "H001076", "www.hassan.senate.gov", "hassan", "https://www.hassan.senate.gov/news/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan recognized Harold (Harry) Armstrong of Canaan and John Bayliss of Hanover as December\u2019s Granite Staters of the Month. For decades, Harry has led a successful effort to collect used medical equipment and deliver it to those in need in the Upper Valley area and beyond.\n\nHarry helped start the Health Closet, with members of the Canaan Lions Club, more than forty years ago. The group collected used medical equipment, such as manual and electric wheelchairs, walkers, lift chairs, crutches, canes, and bath stools from the area\u2019s visiting nurses, nonprofits, hospitals, and individuals. They would then keep the equipment in storage until they found someone who needed it.\n\nWhen Harry was hospitalized two years ago and had to have his foot amputated, he worried that Health Closet\u2019s mission would cease to be fulfilled. That\u2019s when Harry\u2019s friend and Lebanon Upper Valley Lions Club member John Bayliss stepped up to help run the initiative. Together, the two men have teamed up to do everything from DIY fix-ups of medical equipment in Harry\u2019s and John\u2019s garages, to lugging large medical machinery in their pickup trucks.\n\nSenator Hassan launched the \u201cGranite Stater of the Month\u201d initiative in 2017 to recognize outstanding New Hampshire citizens who go above and beyond to help their neighbors and make their communities stronger. To nominate a New Hampshire citizen to be a \u201cGranite Stater of the Month,\u201d constituents can complete the nomination form here.\n\nTo read Senator Hassan\u2019s statement for the Congressional Record, see below.\n\nI am honored to recognize Harold (Harry) Armstrong of Canaan and John Bayliss of Hanover as December\u2019s Granite Staters of the Month. For decades, Harry has led a successful effort to collect used medical equipment and deliver it to those in need in the Upper Valley area and beyond.\n\nHarry helped start the Health Closet, with members of the Canaan Lions Club, more than forty years ago. The group collected used medical equipment, such as manual and electric wheelchairs, walkers, lift chairs, crutches, canes, and bath stools from the area\u2019s visiting nurses, nonprofits, hospitals, and individuals. They would then keep the equipment in storage until they found someone who needed it.\n\nWhen Harry was hospitalized two years ago and had to have his foot amputated, he worried that Health Closet\u2019s mission would cease to be fulfilled. That\u2019s when Harry\u2019s friend and Lebanon Upper Valley Lions Club member John Bayliss stepped up to help run the initiative.\n\nThrough their work, the duo profoundly touches people\u2019s lives by giving them the medical equipment that they desperately need to go about their lives and continue to be a part of their community. From doing DIY fix-ups of medical equipment in Harry\u2019s and John\u2019s garages, to lugging large medical machinery in their pickup trucks, their dedication to helping others, willingness to take the initiative, and generosity is a shining example of the Granite State spirit.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:32:05Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.hassan.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senator-hassan-recognizes-harry-armstrong-of-canaan-and-john-bayliss-of-hanover-as-decembers-granite-staters-of-the-month"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.8986491486430168, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}