[wendell-meetinghouse] Hoping to see you on Wednesday night

[Chris Queen]

Dear Meetinghouse friends and supporters,  

I hope you can join us Wednesday night, 7:30, at the Senior Center, for
our third meeting of 2011.  Attendence at three meetings will make you a
voting member of the Friends.  In the fall we will hold an election for
president and treasurer of the Friends. 

There is a lot to discuss on Wednesday.

AGENDA

1. Introductions of old/new members.

2.  Approval of the minutes from our July 12 meeting (appended below). 
Melinda Godfrey, our clerk, will
     call the vote.

3.  fresentation by Michele Barker, Western Mass circuit rider for
Preservation Massachusetts.  Michele       will Walk us through the steps
to planning, funding, and construction of historic buildings, and answer  
    questions about our project.  Jean Derdarian will introduce Michele. 
Q & A.

4.   Discussion of the process in terms of the Wendell Meetinghouse. 
Jerry Eide will lead the discussion. 

4.   Update on the Double-Match Fundraiser.  Nan Riebschlaeger will
present the totals and review the
      terms of fundraiser -- guidelines for the match and purpose of the
funds. 

5.   Planning for Old Home Day – bring your ideas, ice tea and munchies,
and volunteer to help out at the        booth.  Marianne Sundell will lead
this part of the meeting.

6.   Choosing a Monday night for our regular meetings in the coming year: 
Proposal: First or Second
      Monday of each month.  Please check your calendars.  We will need
monthly meetings to                       keep the project rolling.

 
FUNDRAISER: Generous gifts have been coming in since the fundraiser was
announced on July 17.  Please add your gift before next Wednesday’s
meeting so that we can announce the good news.

Don’t forget, all gifts for cleaning and prep work on the Meetinghouse
this fall are tax deductible and will be *Double Matched* until Old Home
Day.  After that, they will be matched one-for-one until October 1. 
Please make out your check to Friends of the Wendell Meetinghouse and send
to   

Friends of the Wendell Meetinghouse
P.O. Box 1003
Wendell, MA 01379

_____________________________________________________________

               FRIENDS OF THE WENDELL MEETING HOUSE: MINUTES, JULY 12, 2011
Present:
	Charles Smith, President            Sally Alley Muffin Stuffin
	Melinda Godfrey, Clerk               Mariana Sundell
	Chris Queen, Convener                Jeff Bauman
	Jean Derderian                              Karen Copeland
	Jerry Eide                                        Rosie Heidcamp
	Pam Richardson                            Nancy Riebschlaeger
	Katie Nolan                                     Jerry Barilla


Chris welcomed neighbors to the meeting, introducing the officers in
attendance, President Charles Smith and Clerk Melinda Godfrey, and himself
as unofficial convener.  He explained that the bylaws of the Friends of
the Wendell Meetinghouse define “friends” as voting members who have
attended three meetings.  

This is the second meeting of 2011, following the June 21 meeting. 
Attendance will be taken at each meeting so that we can rebuild the
organization by the fall.  The next meeting will be at 7:30 on Wednesday,
August 10, in the Wendell Senior Center.   We will meet at a regular
monthly time beginning in the fall.

Chris expressed a hope to resume construction in the spring with Jerry
Eide at the helm.  Jean said we will need a preservation architect to do a
Historic Structure Report, with drawings and cost analysis, which will
require money.  

Jerry explained that historical preservation money depends on keeping the
character of the old building.  Too many changes are not good, but some
are possible.  The building has had three ceilings – wood, plaster, and
tin – and all three could be made visible, for example.  There could be a
small addition for a kitchen and handicapped accessible bathroom, and the
Town septic and water system was designed to serve the Meetinghouse in the
future.  Handicapped access to the building must be by the main entrance,
not a side door.

Jean said that there are grants for job creation and project
sustainability, requiring a Chapter 34 analysis of what permits would be
needed for particular uses.  A structural report will have to be ordered
in order to qualify for a wide range of grants.  Such a report will cost
between $10,000 and $20,000 and will serve as guideline for restoration
activities in the future.  A special fundraiser will need to be needed pay
for this report.  

Stabilizing the building before winter:   Jerry said we could put
Plexiglas sheets on the windows.  Home Depot has been known to donate such
things.  The roofing needs some minor corrections. Jerry wants
to remove his staging from the front of the building and put it up around
the steeple frame to stabilize it and work on it.  He has some boards that
need to be hand-planed, and he could raise money by showing people how to
do it.

Ideas for using the building included:
	Drum and dance classes
Tai Chi classes
Town camp-out/pajama party
Cottage industries that would pack up easily and create a salable product,
possibly involving
     The Wendell works Committee
Hostel services 
Fund-raising meals
Quilting bees
Multi-denominational spiritual activities/spiritual focus
Display of historic items
Health services such as massage or counseling

Jean said that we can indeed charge for use of the building, rather than
depend on “suggested” donations.  Insurance will be needed.  Would the
Town want to cover it, since the Community Preservation Act is on the Open
Space Committee agenda? Chris will try to see if the Selectboard is
interested.

Old Home Day is August 20.  Karen knows where to borrow a canopy.   
Marianne offered to chair a committee to prepare for Old Home Day.   July
21 was chosen for the first committee meeting.

Jerry pointed out that industry is not in the mission statement, the floor
is not strong enough to support too much vigorous dancing, and hostelry
would become very complicated.

Marianne mentioned that her daughter Lily is studying historical
archiving, and also that her mother is interested in our project.

The Treasurer’s position:  by October we will have enough voting members
to hold an election.  In the meantime, Jerry offered to be acting
treasurer and to bring past financial materials to the next meeting,
August 10, 2011.


						Respectfully submitted,
						Melinda M. Godfrey, Clerk

_____________________________________________________________________

I you can't make the meeting Wednesday night but want to stay involved,
please let me know via email or phone:  978-544-0216.

Chris Queen,
Convener



 

 

 


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