Riley Field Snack Stand Restoration

I grew up in Bedford, NH  in the 80s and 90s near Ray’s Country Store, a modest white landmark on Back River and South River Roads, just behind the old Texaco gas station. The intersection is totally different now- for starters there is a stop light, a Mini Dealership and a Dunkin there now. So much of the area has changed since I went off to UNH in 1995 that it almost doesn't feel like home anymore. Back then, my stepdad, David Gamans, and his brother, Jim, also of Bedford, owned Ford Vending Company. There wasn’t a local establishment, big or small, that didn’t have a snack, soda, or sandwich machine from Ford Vending. Our dad knew everyone. He drove his rounds through town, taking out the bags of loose change and refilling the snacks in shiny wrappers. He was an introverted-extrovert, but folks described him as a gentle giant back then. A wide, cheerful smile framed by a bushy blond mustache, rosy cheeks, and uncommonly big blue friendly eyes. He was rich with humorous anecdotes and talked about sports, high school, college, town, and professional sports, all with equal enthusiasm. He was always happy to chat casually about any activity requiring a ball and a uniform. He died on October 3, 2022, of “being old,” he might have said, but in reality, it was Parkinson’s. My siblings, Kriss, Erik, Jeremy, David, and I, together with my mother-his wife of 38 years flipped through handfuls of loose pictures and yellow-paged photo albums. We looked at 79 years of experiences; summers at Lake Winnipesaukee, his beloved golden retrievers, dozens of faces of children he coached in baseball or basketball. We reminisced about the smell of Ford Vending, stuffing our pockets with candy, and the Halloweens, where we gave out the super-sized bars. Most of the family are still local but for Erik and I who live in Los Angeles and London respectively. We agreed that a memorial donation should be impactful for Bedford. I reached out to friends still connected with the town and we learned about the Riley Field snack stand restoration project coordinated by Bedford Stevens-Buswell Post 54 and my friend Henry Dubois. What better way to remember a man best known for his love of sweets and his life as a volunteer coach than this? Although Dave, Jim, and Ford Vending, Ray’s Country Store, Blakes, Good Times, and so many other local establishments aren’t with us anymore with your help, Riley Field snack stand will see a new life. My siblings and I will also take comfort in knowing the peckish sports fans of Bedford can still get a snack because of our dad. Such a beautiful legacy for such a beautiful man.