9304-R4_NewGloucester_2024-2025_AnnualReport_Web

NG250 Semiquincentennial Celebration Committee Annual Report 7/1/2024 - 6/30/2025

42 Background: This Committee was established by the Select Board on March 6, 2023, with membership to be comprised of eleven at-large appointed members plus four members of the Historical Society, two Select Board Liaisons and the Town Manager as Staff Advisor. The Historical Society members were E. Philip Blake, Thomas Blake, Linda Chase, and Steven Libby; at-large members were Penny Hilton and Barbara Seaver, with Jessica Farwell, Alana Jones, Kelly Nichols, and Doug Smith added by the October meeting; liaisons were Tammy Donovan and Stephen Hathorne; and town manager Bill Kerbin. The committee held its first meeting on April 25th, 2023, at the Meetinghouse, where Linda Chase was elected as chair and Tom Blake as vice-chair. It was decided to meet regularly on the second Thursday of the month at 7pm in the Meetinghouse, and twice a month beginning in 2024, with several held in conjunction with the Community Fair Committee. Since New Gloucester was incorporated as a town by the Governor of Massachusetts on March 8, 1774, but the first meeting and election of officers was held on September 7, 1774, it seemed appropriate to have monthly events kick off in March 2024 and wrap up in September. Continued from previous Annual Report ending 6/30/2024: The Historical Society's annual reading of the Declaration of Independence on the Fourth of July drew a great crowd as 35 were present, with Steve Libby and Tom Blake calling it to order in their colonial attire. Starting at 9am at the History Barn (383 Intervale Road), Glenn Anderson, Linda Gard, and Nona Wills served as the readers, with Leonard Brooks providing introductions. Committee member Phil Blake arranged a weekend of NG250 Church History Tours. Saturday July 13th 10am-Noon at Eastgate Christian Fellowship was led by Pastor Glenn Anderson, assisted by his wife Kathie, who discussed the origins of their church and the history of the former Andrew C. Chandler Farm at 72 Cobb's Bridge Road; and Sunday July 14th 2-4pm at the 1st Congregational Church, 19 Gloucester Hill Road, Director of Music John Terison discussed the extensive history of the church and demonstrated their wonderful 1857 George Stevens pipe organ. It was a hot weekend with a dozen at each tour, and Patti Mikkelsen and Richard Erwin of the Cable TV Committee recording at both. Sunday July 28th was another hot summer day for the NG250 New Gloucester Garden Tours, held 11am-3pm. Kudos to those who visited all four: The Garden at Pineland Farms, the Library & Town Hall complex, Pollinators' Garden behind New Gloucester Fairgrounds, and the Shaker Herb Garden. Patti could be found taking photographs, while Richard and William Welte were recording at Shaker Village. Saturday August 17th, the NG250 celebration continued with a Barn Dance held 6-8pm at Shady Lane Farm at 97 Cobb's Bridge Road, with music provided by Puckerbrush (Linda Jacobs of New Gloucester on concertina, Jeanine Loubier on fiddle, and Peter Kimball on guitar), and dances called by Kathryn Larson and assisted by her daughter Melody, both of New Gloucester. Around 60 people, ages 2 to 82, enjoyed the evening's festivities! Several people met at 8am on Thursday September 5th to set up the 20'x20' tents at the Fairgrounds, with much guidance from Peter Bragdon of the Community Fair Committee. Many more returned that evening to move tents and picnic tables, start marking out spots for the vendors, and make last-minute decisions. Friday September 6th, many returned to the Fairgrounds for additional set up. Tom had reached out to Greg Verga, the mayor of Gloucester, Massachusetts, back in May. He was very excited to join us, as earlier mayors had done for our past celebrations, and was fresh off celebrating their 400th anniversary in 2023. He arrived with his wife Kellie and a few friends that Friday afternoon, and spent the weekend at the Wilson House at Pineland Farms, who generously offered the house free of charge. And the gang from Gloucester fittingly rode in the Pineland Trolley during the parade the next day. Saturday September 7th - the 250th anniversary of our 1st town meeting! It was time for New Gloucester's 250th Community Celebration and Fair! Dozens of packed vehicles arrived