Hummingbird Enjoying Her Bee Balm by Peter Bolton was chosen at the August 2025 feature photo for the MVSB Community Calendar.
MVSB is excited to announce the winners of its annual community photo contest. Photos representing the Lakes Region, Mount Washington Valley and Seacoast areas were selected through a blind review process. The reviewers included past winners, MVSB employees as well as MVSB Corporators and Board Members.
All community members are invited to stop by any MVSB branch in Alton, Ashland, Center Harbor, Exeter, Gilford, Laconia, Melvin Village, Meredith, Moultonborough, North Conway, Plymouth, Portsmouth, Rochester and Wolfeboro to pick up tent and/or wall calendars, which will arrive by mid-November. Winning photos will also be featured on mvsb.com and social media – and may also be featured in others ways by the bank in 2025.
“We are proud to highlight photographers who celebrate the people, events and beauty of New Hampshire,” said Cindy Hemeon-Plessner, MVSB Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing & Experience Officer. “We received hundreds of submissions this year and we are grateful to everyone who participated. The judging gets harder each year because there are so many spectacular choices. “
“Because we use a blind process, we do not know who the artists are until the winning photos are selected,” added Cindy. “This year, we have previous and new winners, amateurs and professionals, those who had multiple photos selected and even an employee.”
Cheryl Lemos, a first-time winner with her picture of a porcupine in an apple tree, is the Assistant Vice President and Information Technology Project Officer for MVSB as well as MVSB’s sister banks, Merrimack County Savings Bank, Savings Bank of Walpole and NHTrust.
The winning selections for the 2025 Community Calendar include:
- January: Winter Vista by Ron Bowman
- February: Littleton Snowstorm by Corey McKean
- March: Maple Sugaring by Robert Kozlow
- April: Tugboats by John Gisis
- May: Watching the Kits by Thomas Gumpp
- June: Spring Fawn by Mikayla Eaton
- July: Chocorua Sunset by John Gisis
- August: Hummingbird Enjoying Her Bee Balm by Peter Bolton
- September: Porc-N-Apple by Cheryl Lemos
- October: Ashland Autumn by Cathy Ahrens
- November: Israel River by David Gorke
- December: Happy Holidays from Squam Lake by Robert Kozlow
In addition, the following photographers will have seasonal images added to the Bank’s website and social media:
- Peter Bolton for Icy Harry Lauder Walking Stick
- Victoria Bona for Green
- Pamela Curilla for Jackson Falls
- Karla DeVincent for three photos, Defined, Treasure and Quintessential
- Colleen Eliason for The Perfect Tree
- Ida Gould for Beautiful Butterfly
- Gail Hubbard for Sugar Hill Lupine
- Melissa Jette for Strike a Pose
- Robert Kozlow for two photos, Ice Skating on Winnipesaukee and Happy Holidays from Squam Lake
- Joe Lovell for Artists’ Bluff
- Elizabeth Marston for A Visit to the Garden
- Corey McKean for two photos, Fall Reflection and Littleton Snowstorm
- Erica Nardone for two photos, Winter Swell and Isle of Shoals
- Kim Ramsdell for Paint by Alton
- Lindsay Wells for Galehead Hut
MVSB accepts submissions of community photos to their contest each spring between April and June. Information about the contest and previous calendar photos can be found at mvsb.com/annual-community-photo-contest.