Whigville Grange to hold fundraising kickoff

BURLINGTON — The Whigville Preservation Group will hold a kick-off of a three-month fundraising campaign to replace the broken well at the historic Whigville Grange #48.

The kickoff will be held at the grange at 1 p.m. Sunday, starting with a check presentation.

“Fixing the well is critical to the community being able to utilize the grange more frequently and ensuring that the building will remain at the heart of Whigville for many years to come,” said Patti Smaldone, leader of the Whigville Preservation Group, in a written statement. “We are thrilled to begin this fundraising effort with several major financial commitments already in hand.”

The goal is to raise $8,000, and to date, $5,000 has already been committed. The Whigville Preservation Group is donating $3,000; Whigville Grange membership is pledging $1,000; and the Burlington Community Fund at the Main Street Community Foundation has awarded a $1,000 grant to the Burlington Land Trust. The Whigville Preservation Group is a project of the Burlington Land Trust.

“Located at the intersection of three scenic hay fields, the grange is a unique community asset that has become a cherished symbol of Whigville’s agricultural heritage,” said Paul Rochford, President of the Burlington Land Trust, in the statement. “Restoring full-time water usage is part of a multi-year effort to make the grange fully functional again.”

The land trust and preservation group have already begun efforts to restore the grange building’s exterior and hardwood flooring, along with newly landscaped grounds.

The public is welcome to attend Sunday’s event at the Whigville Grange, located at 153 South Main St., Burlington.

To learn more, click the following link to watch a video about the grange fundraising campaign: https://vimeo.com/ 316864267

For information, call; 860-675-3876 or email whigvillect@gmail.com.

The Whigville Preservation Group is a project of the Burlington Land Trust, Inc. The mission of the Whigville Preservation Group is to preserve and protect the agricultural heritage of Whigville, both its farmlands and woodlands, for future generations. To find out more, visit www.facebook.com/ whigvillect

Contributed photo From left, Mark Smaldone, Patti Smaldone, Tom Morrow of the Whigville Preservation Group, Bob King, developer, Ted Shafer, First Selectman of Burlington, Paul Rochford and Tom Finan of the Burlington Land Trust, during a check presentation. The group is holding a fundraising kickoff at the hall on Main Street at 1 p.m. on Sunday.