Today, the Town issued a press release/announcement publicizing the work being done to prepare for Southborough’s 300th Anniversary in 2027.
A logo for the big year long event (and multi-year planning effort) promotes the Tricentennial as “Southborough 300” with the tagline “Celebrating our Past, Present, and Future”.
According to the announcement, the Tricentennial Committee created a non-profit 501(c)3 for donations — Friends of Southborough 300, Inc.*
To continue their planning efforts, the committee is still seeking two more volunteers to join them, including one Veteran.
The full announcement is below:
Southborough Announces Tricentennial Celebrations
300th Anniversary Year-Long Events and Sponsorships Planned
Southborough, MA — August 12, 2024— Recently the Southborough MA Select Board announced plans for a series of celebratory events to mark the 300th anniversary of the Town’s founding on July 6, 1727. The 2027 anniversary year will be marked with a series of town commemorations and family-oriented events, and the organizing and planning is underway now.
A Tricentennial Committee was formed by the Select Board in November 2023 and began with a canvas of similar town celebrations. The Committee has also conducted a resident and local business survey to highlight the most popular and potential celebration events, such as parades, historic home tours, golf tournaments, family BBQ picnics, concerts and the like.
“2027 represents three hundred years of Southborough’s community presence in New England,” said Andrew Dennington, Vice-Chair of the Southborough Select Board and member of the Committee. “The Tricentennial celebration will not only mark this historic occasion, but also bring our town community together once again in family-oriented activities and events.”
The annual Southborough Heritage Day celebration [which takes place on Monday October 14, 2024] is planned as the kickoff for town awareness of this program, with a Tricentennial Committee presence in a community outreach booth at that day’s festivities.
Fundraising is Underway
To jump-start the organizing and fundraising for the 2027 celebrations, a 501(3)(c) non-profit entity has been created named the “Friends of Southborough 300, Inc” to provide a nonprofit vehicle for business and resident donations and sponsorships. Various levels of participation are planned, with commensurate recognition and benefits.
“We are already very enthusiastic about our community’s response to our survey and initial outreach,” said Don Morris, Chair of the Tricentennial Committee. “Under Ginny Martins, the fundraising subcommittee has assembled a volunteer team and plans for significant business and resident participation at all levels, including donations that are recognized with engraved bricks to be placed in Heritage Park.” The Committee also has established subcommittees to organize the large parade as well as media outreach.
Volunteers Welcomed
The Southborough Tricentennial Committee is actively seeking community volunteers to help assist with organizing, awareness, fundraising, event planning and implementation. In particular, we are seeking a resident who is a veteran, which is specified in the committee charge. Those interested in assisting Southborough 300 should contact Assistant Town Administrator Vanessa Hale in the Select Board office or at vhale@southboroughma.com.
For more information on the Southborough 300 Tricentennial planning and events:
Website: https://www.southboroughma.gov/781/Tricentennial-Committee
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Southborough300
Instagram: @Southborough300
The website allows the public to sign up for alerts. And if you haven’t yet completed the survey they opened this spring about what you’d like to see included in celebration activities, there’s a link to that, too.
*Updated (8/13/24 5:14 pm): As I originally noted, the announcement didn’t share a link or instructions for donations to the 501(c)3. Committee member Patricia Burns-Fiore reached out to explain that they are still waiting for the state to officially finalize their approval. They hope to be able to have Venmo information to share (and even swag) in time for their promotional launch at Heritage Day this October.
I just wanted to amplify Patti’s comment on the status of the 501(c)(3) – Friends of Southborough 300 Inc.
The entity is fully formed and has its bank account opened. We are just waiting for the approval of the tax exempt status from the I.R.S. – not the state. The exempt status is expected to be retroactive to the date of the entity’s formation so donations can be made now with the full expectation that they will qualify as charitable donations for both federal and Massachusetts purposes.
Reading about the engraved bricks for fundraising reminded me that my family donated an engraved brick quite a few years ago, I think it was supposed to go to the Community House. Did those bricks ever get placed?