2013 This year started off with the sudden passing of Ruth Ham. In her will, Ruth bequeathed to us, her copies of her weekly newspaper column. We now have this great written history of the goings-ons of Shapleigh for the past 30+ years. Also this year we purchased a few “new” antiques, added lighting to our road sign and had our building sign re-painted. We are still organizing our inventory, but we have made great progress just this year alone. We also undertook the task of replicating the original “Boston Post Cane” for both Acton and Shapleigh. We even had the head of the cane hand engraved the same way it was done 100 years ago! The Shapleigh Boston Post Cane will be presented at a special ceremony at the society this summer. You can find lots more information on this as well as all our other scheduled events in the section "Calendar of Events 2014" on the left and if you “like” us on our Facebook page, we will keep you up-to-date of our scheduled activities. We continue to seek out new ways of “Preserving Our Heritage” and as always, thank you for your continued support. Debbie Petersen, President Each year, as I sit down to write the annual review, I am always amazed at the progress we have made as well as the new opportunities we have ahead of us.
This year we turned our attention to the outside and added quite a bit more curb appeal. The entire building was painted, a large bush at the rear entrance was removed, small stone walls at each corner of the building and a beautiful stone planter around the roadside sign were added. Then, our secretary, Shirley, added the finishing touch by planting an array of multi-colored flowers that bloomed throughout the summer/fall. Lastly, the society was open to the public every Monday evening, all summer long. We were pleasantly surprised by the number of visitors each week (some seeking genealogy help, some offering assistance/donations, and some just curious to see all the changes we have made over the years) that we will again be open every Monday evening with extended hours for 2013! We continue to seek out new ways of “Preserving Our Heritage” and as always, thank you for your continued support. Debbie Petersen, President 2011 Another year has come and gone—where does the time go? For us, we spent the summer raising funds for repairs/improvements to our society. Our hard work and dedicated volunteers, as well as the people and businesses in our community, never cease to amaze me with their dedication and donations. The Images of America Series “Shapleigh & Acton” book was met with great success! If you don't have yours yet, stop by the society and pick one up before they are all gone—they make great gifts too. Proceeds from the book sales, calendar raffle, penny auction, weekly kitty whist games, donations from both towns and its residents, helped us make a few more improvements. We started inside by installing a new floor in the kitchen and updating the genealogy/research room with new cabinets/shelf units. Then for a little curb appeal, we painted the trim around the exterior of the building, and added 2 new signs. We are proud of the work we have done and continue to do in order to “Preserve Our Heritage” for future generations. As always, thank you for your continued support. Debbie Petersen, President 2009 2009 was a difficult year financially for many Mainers and York County was hit hard by the closing of several well established businesses. Unfortunately, I was one of the many who lost their job due to the economy. But it was business as usual for the Society’s insurance company, who required us to update our wiring. So, we sent out our “soliciting sisters” again and even in these hard times, our community came through for us by donating great prizes for our Calendar Raffle fundraiser. We held weekly Kitty Whist games and our 2nd Craft Fair—we sold our calendar raffle at the Acton Fair and held a raffle at the Acton Apple Fest. By September, we had raised enough money to pay for the necessary updating. In August, we hosted a reunion for nearly 40 former students of the Mousam Lake Schoolhouse. Then, just as summer was coming to an end, we received a request to author a book for the Images of America series. Fortunately, I still had some free time on my hands, so off I went, scouring both towns for unpublished photographs. The book, titled “Shapleigh and Acton” is scheduled to be released in mid-July. (See inside for more information.) Once again, thank-you for your support. Debbie Petersen, President 2008 It wasn't just the presidential race that was historical in 2008—for the first time in the history of the Society, we have a working telephone! We also have a new mailing address, so please make note of both. We started off this year with the first of our Annual Craft Fairs. A great group of crafters with a wide variety of hand-made items, as well as an array of baked goods proved that even if the sun isn't shining, we certainly can! Also, our Soliciting Sisters (aka Norma & Joy) traveled near and far to come up with over $1,000 in donations for our Raffles. We were represented at Shapleigh Community Day, Acton Fair and The Acton Apple Festival. We closed out the year with Mac & Hutch, who entertained us not only with their musical talents, but their humor as well. Many thanks to everyone who supported us. Your generous donations allowed us to make necessary improvements which have to be seen to be truly appreciated. Below is a list of the improvements we have made in 2007 and 2008: ¨ Installed Monitor Heater¨ Rear Roof Replaced¨ Removed Trees at Entrance ¨ Update Entryway¨ Installed the former Shapleigh Post Office Boxes ¨ Repaired Walls and Painted Interior¨ Installed Phone System ¨ Installed Mailbox¨ Updated Bathroom¨ Painted Kitchen Entry ¨Install Chalkboard Cover¨ Install new ceiling tiles ¨ Purchased 2 Event Tents¨ Purchased an Event Banner A heartfelt Thank-You to the members who baked goods and/or donated their time and effort to these events. We may be small in number, but we are large in motivation. Debbie Petersen, President
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Year In Review >