HAMPTON — Rep. John E. Sununu (R-N.H.) cooked up the hot dogs, local historian John Holman was presented an American flag, and the playground was spruced up last week, culminating with the annual cookout Friday at the Marston School.

In addition, the newest member of the Hampton Mounted Patrol was given a name by students during the three-day spring event that has become a tradition at the school.

According to school Nutrition Director Nancy Stiles, every year the students mark the beginning of summer, and Memorial Day, by honoring veterans and ending the week with a cookout. Sununu has visited the school for several years now, helping with the cooking.

"Wednesday we had a cookout for veterans, employees from Timberland came out Thursday and painted picnic tables, worked on the playground, and today we're honoring the local police and fire workers for their constant efforts in keeping our community safe," Stiles said, adding that during a week-long contest, more than 200 entries were submitted on naming the newest member of the Police Department's mounted patrol.

The students chose the name "Patriot," and members of the Police Department visiting the school agreed it was a great name.

An American flag flown over the Capitol Building in Washington D.C. was also presented to John Holman, a life-long Hampton resident who has been an active volunteer at the Lane Memorial Library, and who recently completed a history of the Police Department to go along with his history of the Hampton Fire Department, completed last year.

"Mr. Holman is active in community service in many different ways, visiting local senior citizens in nursing homes, gathering them in the community room and playing their favorite music on the piano ... (and) putting up historical and current news articles on the library's Hampton History Web site," Stiles said, adding that "he loves the flag as a symbol of our country."