North School Preservation Society

Thanks to your involvement, hard work and great public support, we have had a momentous year since our last newsletter was sent to you in November 2010. I'm happy to report that we have enjoyed many significant accomplishments.

Among the highlights have been:

• An anonymous donation of $2,500 with a challenge to for us to match it by October 2011 in order to receive an additional $2,500 from the donor. We are eagerly working toward this goal and deadline.

• A comprehensive evaluation and plan for handling environmental concerns in the building and grounds which was conducted by the Southern Windsor County Regional Planning Commission and the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation through an Environmental Protection Agency grant. Included was a full assessment and assistance with removal of some of the potential environmental hazards, as well as the complete removal and ground contamination testing of the underground oil storage tank at the North School.

• An overwhelmingly positive vote from the public on Town Meeting Day to exempt the North School property from property tax obligation. This exemption will ensure that funds raised can be dedicated to maintenance, enhancement and development of the school and property for community use and pleasure.

• Successful completion of our certification as a federal nonprofit 501 (c) 3 corporation. After almost a year of the application process, we received our official certification in March. Now, in addition to being a certified Vermont nonprofit organization, the North School Preservation Society, Inc., has federal nonprofit status, and donors may receive federal exemptions for donations to the society retroactively to December 2010.
• Successful and well-attended events, including our first annual meeting in December; a fun winter family fest in February; our second annual book sale in May; and our recent annual Alumni Day Open House on June 18.

These accomplishments are just the beginning. After many hurdles and fundraising activities, and thanks to donations from so many of you, we are now in a financial position to execute the long-anticipated formal conveyance of the North School building and property from the Springfield School District to the North School Preservation Society, an anticipated highlight of 2011. This event will be a milestone, and we hope to publicize it when it takes place.

The prospect of ownership of the building and property is both inspiring and challenging. The inspiration is fed by our vision to make this landmark a jewel of the community with a place for open land, abounding recreation and a building where our friends, neighbors and the public community can meet, mingle and hold functions and events.

Among our goals, in addition to the maintenance and enhancement of the grounds for recreation, we envision a nature trail with identified plants, expanded playground facilities, and a building that will be a center where people can hold meetings, classes and even performances on the historic stage upstairs. The prospects are exciting and inspiring.

Ownership is also a challenge. The responsibilities and expenses of maintenance and restoration will demand vigilance, hard work, sacrifice and ongoing financial support, as well as contributions of skills and resources from current and future members and the public.

Along with financial resources, we will need people who are willing to share their skills to do hands-on jobs as well as administrative work conducting the business of our organization and seeking and securing monetary and other grants. We feel the North School Preservation Society presents an excellent opportunity for people who share these interests and skills to jump onboard, and we welcome you to join us.

Regarding our membership, we have had several inquiries about annual membership, and we have established our annual membership year to be from December 1 to the following December each year. For those inaugural members who joined us in 2010 and 2011, your 2012 membership renewal will be requested as of December 1, 2011. We will include a reminder in our November newsletter, but don't let that stop you from making a donation anytime you have the means and the inclination! We are in constant need of monetary donations.

By the way, we have discontinued our bi-annual bottle drives, but we are always happy to collect your refundable bottles any time you contact us, so please keep us in mind if you have bottles to donate. We will arrange to collect them.

You are also invited to join us at our monthly meetings. We meet the first Tuesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. in the warming hut next to the North School building in North Springfield. Our July meeting will take place there on July 5.

And don't forget to mark your calendars for our upcoming annual yard sale on July 16, to be held on the school grounds in front of the warming hut. Please be sure to contact us if you have items to donate and we will arrange to pick them up.

Thank you to our members and the many people near and far who have supported us with encouragement, donations and hands-on help with our many activities. We will be relying on you in the coming months and years, so please keep in touch and follow us online and on Facebook or call with questions, and keep your donations coming. We'll be looking for you!