Heritage Partnership Grants
Call for Proposals The Corridor Commission is pleased to announce the availability of funding through the Heritage Partnership Program. This program offers towns, non-profit organizations, government agencies and individuals the opportunity to receive financial assistance for projects fit the Commission's core commitments. These commitments include: - Telling the Story of the American Industrialization
Sharing the Blackstone Valley's nationally significant story with residents and visitors,
- Preserving and Enhancing Valley Communities
Preserving the Blackstone Valley's historically and culturally significant buildings and landscapes, thereby maintaining community character and improving quality of life, - Balancing Conservation and Growth
Conserving the Blackstone Valley's natural resources and historic land use patterns and encouraging appropriate development, and - Promoting River Recovery
Improving the health of the river system, increasing public awareness and facilitating the use and enjoyment of the BlackstoneRiver and its tributaries.
An informational meeting on the Heritage Partnership Program will be held on Tuesday, October 27, 2009, at 5 p.m. at One Depot Square in Woonsocket.
To read more about eligible projects, deadlines and forms, click here.
| Public Meeting on Grants and
Management Plan
A public meeting will be held on Tuesday, October 27, 2009, from 5 until 7 p.m. at One Depot Square, Woonsocket. The purpose of the meeting is two-fold: (1) to provide more information about the Call for Proposals under the Heritage Partnership Program (see above), and (2) to kick off public participation in the process to update the Corridor Management Plan, as required by Congress. If you are interested in applying for a grant and/or in helping to decide what the Corridor's priorities should be in the next several years, you do not want to miss this meeting.
| | UniBank Greenway Challenge A Huge Success!
 The stone walls, fields and historic homestead of Dorthea Waters were the location of the starting line for the 9th year of the Blackstone River Valley Greenway Challenge held on September 26, 2009. As the fog and mist rose up from the valley, team members - along with the starting runners - gathered to begin the first leg, a run to Douglas State Forest. The committee members from Waters Farm Preservation, Inc. warmly greeted the participants for the day. Selectmen John Hebert and Michael Chizy along with UniBank President & CEO Jim Paulhus joined the crowd to open the Greenway Challenge. Blessings were given by Father DiGeronimo and Reverend Snow. Click here to read more.
| | Fish Ladder Ground Breaking Celebrated
 The Blackstone River Watershed Council / Friends of the Blackstone gathered friends and dignitaries together at Slater Mill Park on Sunday, September 20th for a ground breaking ceremony to mark the beginning of construction of fish ladders at the Main Street and Slater Mill dams in Pawtucket. Children were provided with replica fish on poles and simulated the future fish runs along the river. The event concluded with a celebratory fireworks display. The fish ladder project is a milestone and reflects the culmination of five years of work to create passages that will allow for the restoration of migratory fish on the Blackstone River for the first time in 218 years. The passages help the fish navigate the structures that have prevented them from reaching their spawning grounds for over two centuries. Congratulations BRWC for all of its efforts in making this significant project a reality!! |
Staff to Present at Hartford Conference
The National Association for Interpretation (NAI) will hold its annual national conference from November 17th -21st in Hartford, Connecticut. This conference brings together more than 1,000 interpreters for trainings, networking, to share ideas and to experience what New England has to offer.
Ranger Chuck Arning will present the documentary: "Traces of the Trade - Our Industrial Economy & Slavery" and conduct a special discussion around the business of slavery and the northern economy prior to the Civil War.
VIP Coordinator Valerie Paul and Ranger Suzanne Buchanan will present:
Maple Sugaring: How A Volunteer-Led Interpretive Program Inspired A Valley and give an overview of this nationally recognized program.
| | Blackstone Valley Heritage Markets Have Great Season
The Blackstone Valley Heritage Markets Program was launched in the spring with start-up funding provided by the Commission. This unique program combines farmers markets with heritage sites and was conceived by project partners as a collaborative to promote increased visitation to heritage sites within the Valley. The Heritage Market program has been key to promoting the availability of locally grown produce and to raising awareness of the importance of land preservation.
 A committee of site representatives from the E.N.Jenckes Store Museum, Alternatives Unlimited, Daniels Farmstead, Grafton Market on the Common and the Whitin Community Center selected Beckley Gaudette as the project coordinator. Beckley worked with markets on common set-up issues, assisted with development of identity and promotional systems, and with recruitment of vendors, and helped prepare site managers and volunteers. Many thanks also are due to Lisa Mosczynski who assisted in the development and regular publication of a market newsletter and also to Justine Brewer who produced a Heritage Markets rack card.
The program realized a combined 52 market days with an estimated 12,280 total market attendees. The markets were coordinated and staffed with the assistance of 1,985 volunteer hours at a total value of $42,737 that resulted in a monetary leverage 1:9 for the initial seed capital.
 The Heritage Market Program was established as a pilot in Massachusetts (due to the lack of markets in this part of the valley) but plans for expansion to other communities, including those in Rhode Island. The steering committee is looking forward to continuing the market program and welcomes volunteers and advisors. For more information and to subscribe to the e-newsletter, visit blackstonevalleyheritagemarkets.org or e-mail BVHeritageMarkets@gmail.com.
|  UniBank Greenway Challenge (continued)
 At 9:00am the runners left, beginning the 47.4 mile Challenge, a course which would take participants on an off-road dirt bike ride on the Southern New England Trunkline Trail, and a paddle from the start to the end of the Blackstone Canal in Lincoln, RI. 417 participants comprising 79 teams gathered in a crowd of over 1,000 at the Grove at Lincoln Woods State Park, Lincoln, RI to cheer the runners in at the finish line and take part in post-event festivities, hosted by the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management. New this year to the finish line festivities was the Children's Challenge, an event for children ages 6-12. They competed in Challenge contests which included pie-eating, hula hoop, and egg & sack races. The Children's Challenge was co-sponsored by the Blackstone Valley Chamber of Commerce and the Blackstone Valley Education Foundation. Taking First Place in the Championship Division with its seventh win in nine years with the fastest time overall was team Great Canadian, at 4:05:21. Also placing first in their divisions were: Fairlawn Masters - Masters Division, Victorious Secrets -All Women's Division, Ben Lawry - Ironman (pictured above), Amanda Young - Ironwoman, TMC Services - Corporate Cup and Three New Dads in the Recreational Division. Next year's 10th annual Greenway Challenge will be held on Saturday, September 25th. Visit their web site for more information at greenwaychallenge.org. | Call for Proposals (continued)
Eligible projects include:
- Preservation, rehabilitation or restoration of historic buildings and landscapes;
- Habitat restoration, park development, trails, and/or river clean-up;
- Canoe/kayak access sites and/or recreational development;
- Educational programs, exhibits and/or interpretive signs;
- Heritage and sustainable tourism projects or programs; and
- Projects or programs engaging youth and/or minority populations in awareness and stewardship of the Valley's heritage.
Successful proposals will:- Include project milestones,
- Document matching financial contributions, and
- Demonstrate that projects can be completed prior to June 1, 2011.
Applicants can apply for one of two categories:
- Small requests of up to $3,000.
- Large requests for amounts between $10,000 and $20,000.
2009 - 2010 Heritage Partnership Program Schedule
- Preliminary proposals are due November 18, 2009.
- Selected applicants will be invited to participate in Round 2 on December 16, 2009.
- Final proposals are due January 29, 2010.
- Final recipients will be notified March 5, 2010.
Application forms and further information may be found by visiting our website at nps.gov/blac. | | Fall Guide & Events Calendar
Pick up an issue at your favorite shop, deli or museum or download the pdf here! | | Footsteps in History Opening Reception
Everyone -- including Pawtucket's Mayor Doyle and his secretary pictured above) -- had a great time at the Footsteps in History opening reception at Slater Mill. Click hear to read the coverage by the Valley Breeze newspaper.
| | Upcoming Events
October is Footsteps in History month. Find out more, become a Facebook fan and check the schedule of events at FootstepsinHistory.com or contact coordinator Patricia Perry at 401-663-5612. October 18 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Open House at the Waters Farm Homestead
Waters Farm, West Sutton. Visit www.watersfarm.com for complete details. Apple crisp, farm animals, demonstrations. 2 p.m. Canceled: Jeopardy Tournament Team Competition Finals High Rocks Condominiums 1 Tupperware Dr. N.Smithfield October 197:30 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. Congressional Breakfast with Rep. Richard Neal Blackstone Valley Chamber of Commerce at Pleasant Valley Country Club, Sutton. Reservations requested. Call 508-234-9090.October 20 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. Public Review of Final Draft of Recommendations and Maps to Preserve, Restore and Interpret the Blackstone Canal in Rhode Island. A public meeting with our partners at Preserve Rhode Island. Blackstone Valley Historical Society, 1873 Old Louisquisset Pike, Lincoln. For more information contact Ranger Chuck Arning at 401-762-0440 x-37. October 241 p.m. - 4 p.m. Initiation of the Rhode Island Underground Railroad Network to Freedom with our partners at Roger Williams National Memorial & the John Nicholas Brown Center for Public Humanities at Brown University. 357 Benefit Street, Providence. For more information contact Ranger Chuck Arning at 401-762-0440 x-37. 7 - 9 p.m. Community Growth Tools & Techniques Brigham Hill Community Barn, Grafton Land Use & Development Patterns Focus on Grafton, Upton & Millbury contact Stephanie Elson at selson@massaudubon.org to register. October 23 7 p.m. - 10 p.m. Blackstone Valley Heritage Starlight Celebration & Taste of the Valley Whitin Machine Works Mills
One Main Street, Whitinsville For tickets and details visit blackstonevalley.org. October 2410 a.m. - 3 p.m. Blackstone Valley Quilt Show & Contest Blackstone Valley Historical Society 1873 Old Louisquisset Pike, Lincoln. Balloting for the People's Choice Award goes to the most popular quilt! Visit FootstepsinHistory.com for details. Noon - 3 p.m. Walking Tours of Leicester Tours given on the hour. Meet at the Leicester Town Hall at 3 Washburn Square. Click here for details.October 25
11:30 a.m. - 3 p.m. Footsteps Apple Baking Contest River Bend Farm, 287 Oak Street, Uxbridge. Guest judges, prizes and more! Visit FootstepsinHistory.com for contest rules.1 p.m. - 3 p.m. Clean up along the Blackstone River (various locations) Coordinated by the Blackstone River Watershed Association (BRWA).Call 508-278-5200 or e-mail info@thebrwa.org for more information. October 275 - 7 p.m. Public Meeting on Grants and Management Plan
One Depot Square, Woonsocket. (see more information at left)
November 199 a.m. National Heritage Corridor Commission Meeting South Grafton Community Center25 Main St. South Grafton. For more events and programs being held around the Blackstone Valley (and to post your own event), visit EventBlackstone.org and check your local newspaper listings, too. |  | |
Heritage Corridor NEWS 
No comments:
Post a Comment