Autumn in the North Cemetery.

Sixty miles west of Boston, Massachusetts there is the small New England town of Sturbridge. Located at the junction of I-90 (The Mass Pike), and I-84 it has become known as the "Crossroads of New England". The town was first settled over 300 years ago, and like other small New England towns it has grown just enough over the years to be in a difficult place today. How do we embrace the future without forgetting how we got to our present? How do we attract the right kind of growth, and maintain who we are? And, what about our culture out here in Central Massachusetts?



These pages will cause one to think about how to protect what we have, our future direction, and how to move on in the very best way.


Those thoughts, and other ramblings, will hopefully inspire more thought, conversation, action, and occasionally a smile...

...seems to be working so far

Monday, March 30, 2009

I Want Your Money

About a month ago I wrote about an idea I had. I have lots of ideas, some practical, some totally off the wall, but this one was a good idea. I wanted to see picnic tables return to the Town Common. When I first fell from the sky and landed in town back in 2000, there were a few tables on the common. Those tables were oft sought after places to be around lunch time, on summer evenings, and on weekend mornings. They stayed on the common for a couple of years, and then...they were gone.

No explanation to their whereabouts since my post, but it is time to bring them back. Now, the original tables were wood. Maybe, they were just feeling their age, and required some work to get them back in shape. I have no idea, but it would be great to have them back.

Originally I wrote about having a bunch of them on the Common, but I think that four will do it for now. I have written in the past about being only a "catalyst", and leaving the footwork for those in town that care about an issue to carry it on, but after some time, and nothing being done, I feel I have to step up and get this thing done.

Now, I don't want to take the credit for having this change of persona, I was nudged a bit. I received the following email this morning:

"I saw your blog post about replacing the picnic tables, and thought this site might be helpful to you for fundraising:

I cannot personally endorse the site, but it does seem legitimate to me and doesn't have any fees.
I like the idea of wifi as well. I live on the other end of town, but if I recall correctly, I think that a panel antenna on the side of the library would likely cover most of the common and could share the existing internet connection.
Good Luck
-E. Hoyle Anderson
Sturbridge Resident

Well, I wrote back, thanked them for their suggestion, and then proceeded to check it out. After doing some research I figured, "Hey, I could do this." All it takes is to set up an account that is capable of accepting donations and then placing them in an account. Simple process. Now, comes the hard part.

I want your money.


After doing some online reading about picnic tables that would fit our common, and checking out the prices with shipping, I figured that $1600.00 would cover the cost of four PVC clad wooden tables. Now, I used the top end table to get an idea of cost, and depending on what kind of table is desired we will be able to buy more or less. I've set the goal to be raised at $1600.00, and I the end of the fund raising to be on June 1st. This would give us more than enough time to raise the money, and have the table available for the summer.

So, that's it. Let's get some tables on the Common. I figure if we all chipped in about $10.00 each we could raise the amount easily. Of course, amounts greater than $10.00 would be appreciated as well.
The little widget up at the top of the page is secure, and will take your donation and plop right into an account set up specifically for the purchase of the tables. Once the amount is raised, I will either turn the gift over to Jim Malloy, or with the Towns assistance, order them myself, and have them delivered to the site. Please pass this post on to all those you know in town that would be willing to give in some amount. Just click the little envelope at the bottom, and fill in the email addresses of your friends and relatives.

We can do this, and I'll join you at a table when the Summer Concert series begins.

Ed. Note: To make a donation please use the widget at the top of the page. It is secure, and will take donated funds and place them into an account used solely of placing picnic tables on the
Town Common. You may also give at http://sturbridgepicnic.chipin.com/tables-on-the-common
Please forward this page to others that may also want to give. Thank you.


1 comment:

  1. Thank you for taking action. What a great idea!

    ReplyDelete



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