Mount Grace Virtual Photography Presentation in Honor of #GivingTuesday
Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust will celebrate #GivingTuesday, December 1st, with a special presentation by local wildlife photographer Jeff Blanchard via Zoom. Starting at 7 pm, Blanchard will share his photographs of wildlife in the North Quabbin region and the stories of taking those shots.
#GivingTuesday is a global day of giving that harnesses the collective power of individuals, communities, and organizations to encourage giving worldwide. As a nonprofit protecting significant land in the North Quabbin region and beyond, Mount Grace hopes to inspire generosity for land conservation on #GivingTuesday for the benefit of local wildlife. Every gift made to Mount Grace on December 1st will be matched up to $3,000.
Funds raised through the event will support the conservation of farms, forests, and public spaces for recreation. “We’re very excited about plans for a new canoe access point to the Connecticut River on protected land in Montague,” said Marielena Lima, “and we have also been able to complete our 4th Whole Farm Forever project, the conservation of Sunset View Farm in Winchendon, thanks to online support. I hope you will join us to enjoy Jeff’s amazing images and to support the land.”
Partnering with Red Apple Farm in Phillipston, Moon Hill Brewing Company in Gardner, and Element Brewing and Distilling in Millers Falls for this event, Mount Grace encourages all to shop locally and purchase their cider or beer before the event to enjoy during the presentation. Register for this virtual event on the Mount Grace website at https://www.mountgrace.org/events. Mount Grace will also be participating in #GivingTuesday online on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. For more information visit: https://www.mountgrace.org/donate. Direct any questions regarding the event to Marielena Lima at lima@mountgrace.org or (978) 541-1762.
RCAP Solutions Offering Free Workshop on Maintaining Private Wells
RCAP Solutions is offering a free online workshop, "Safe Drinking Water in Private Wells," on Wednesday, December 2, 2020 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Advance registration is required. Click here to register.
Workshop Will Provide Information On:
- Water well basics & construction
- Maintenance & management of existing water wells
- Solving water quality & quantity problems
If you have more questions, please contact:
Jim Starbard
978-502-0227
jstarbard@rcapsolutions.org
Local Legislators Announce MassWorks Infrastructure Grant for Phillipston
BOSTON- State Senator Anne Gobi (D-Spencer) and State Representative Susannah Whipps (I-Athol) joined today in announcing that the town of Phillipston is the recipient of a MassWorks Infrastructure Grant in the amount of $1,000,000 for improvements to be made along Route 101/ Queen Lake Road. The funding will go towards addressing safety issues on a failing segment on the road which serves as a primary route for emergency responders, elementary students, and commercial traffic in the surrounding area. The project continues work from a previous MassWorks grant shared with the Town of Petersham.
“Thanksgiving dinner will be extra special this year for Phillipston residents with the award of this grant,” commented Kevin Flynn, Chief Administrative Officer in Phillipston. “Route 101/Queen Lake Road is a critical regional connector route for our community and our neighboring communities as well. Without this grant, and prior funds secured by Senator Gobi, we could not undertake the vital repairs to the highway and the rehabilitation of the bridge over Wine Brook, which has been reduced to a single lane due to structural defects for the last four years. Our thanks to the Baker-Polito Administration and to Sen. Anne Gobi and Rep. Susannah Whipps.
Senator Gobi, who was instrumental in adding language to make sure that a percentage of all MassWorks awards went towards small communities, commented “An important part of my job is to secure funding for local projects. Funding that is secured through our budget process, and then working with the administration to make sure that funding finds its way to worthy projects. I congratulate Kevin Flynn for submitting an excellent application that was both easy to support and received the full attention of the administration. The Quenn Lake area is a gem in the town and the upgrades to the heavily traveled road will benefit all who use it and the Highway Department that maintains it.”
Representative Whipps had this to say when asked about the grant award, “I’m very happy to see the award made to Phillipston. Route 101 has needed attention for several years and I’m pleased the administration looked favorably on the town’s application.”
MassWorks Infrastructure Program is a competitive grant program run by the Executive Office of housing and Economic Development (EOHED) that annually awards funding for projects statewide. Municipalities who are looking to obtain funding for public infrastructure projects that will support economic development and job creation are encouraged to apply.
For more information on the MassWorks grant and the application process, please visit https://www.mass.gov/service-details/massworks-infrastructure-program