News you can use about The Norwich Grange Building- a Press Release is in this story
brought to you by the Norwich Community Collaborative
Good morning Norwich and Upper Valley residents,
I received this press release to share with you about an organization called the Norwich Community Collaborative and it’s future plans for the building we all know as the Grange right here on Main Street in Norwich. I am including in this press release story a few photos that were provided to me by Sarah Rooker, from the Norwich Historical Society.
Thank you for reading and supporting my newsletter about Norwich. If you are a free subscriber and wish to become a paid subscriber click on the blue subscribe button at the bottom of this story to see the several options available. If you are not a free subscriber and wish to become one simply click on the blue subscribe button to become one.
Here is their story:
Norwich Community Collaborative has some big news for you.
admin@norwichcommunitycollaborative.org
PRESS RELEASE
October 23, 2023
The Norwich Community Collaborative Inc. is pleased to announce that it has acquired the building known as Upper Valley Community Grange, No. 581 located at 344 Main Street in Norwich. The Norwich Community Collaborative’s plan is to restore the Grange Hall and to allow it to be used by the community as it has for nearly 100 years. The Norwich Community Collaborative Inc. would like to expressly thank those early donors who embraced our vision for this building and whose contributions allowed us to complete this transaction.
The Norwich Grange as it appears today
Drawing was done by a Marion Cross 3rd grade student and is their new logo
What is the Norwich Community Collaborative?
The Norwich Community Collaborative Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation organized for civic, educational and charitable purposes. Our mission is to restore and care for Norwich’s historic Grange Hall as a gathering place for activities that foster community spirit and serve the needs of our area.
Why is the Norwich Community Collaborative Acquiring the Grange Hall?
During COVID, the Upper Valley Community Grange faced numerous challenges, including not being able to host pancake breakfasts and fundraise. As a fraternal organization, the Grange cannot receive tax incentivized donations, which hampered their ability to maintain and invest in the Grange Hall. Over the past several years, Grange leadership has met with our group to discuss turning over the building to a non-profit organization that could raise money to restore the Grange Hall and allow it to continue its nearly century long use as a community gathering place. Other Vermont Granges, such as Guildford’s Grange, now the Broad Brook Community Center, have successfully managed a transfer and serve as the model for this project.
What is the Future Plan for the Grange Hall?
We would like to make the Grange Hall available to the Town of Norwich, the Upper Valley, to community groups, non-profit organizations, businesses, and individuals for public meetings, elections, classes, arts events and performances, workshops, and other purposes, both open to the public and private.
Ultimately, our goal is to make this a location where the community can gather, learn, have fun and make memories. We all miss gathering with our friends and neighbors at pancake breakfasts, seeing angels on the upper porch during the pageant and gathering for other meetings. Now is the chance to bring this all back and enrich our amazing community!
What are the Next Steps for the Norwich Community Collaborative?
We plan to meet with local non-profits and interested parties in the next few months to further develop a plan for the building’s use.
We have been actively working with the Preservation Trust of Vermont to identify funds for the restoration and will soon commission a rehabilitation plan to inform the scope of work and fundraising needs.
We anticipate spending the first half of 2024 working on planning for the restoration and will begin actively fundraising in the second half of 2024.
The Grange building in the late 19th century when it was a harness shop
We would like to thank the Upper Valley Community Grange and the Vermont State Grange for their trusting us with the stewardship of this important community resource. As part of our agreement, the Upper Valley Community Grange will use the building just as they always have. We are immensely appreciative of their work on this transfer process and for their commitment to making sure this building remains open for public use.
Board Members:
Jess Phelps, President; Emily Myers, Vice President; Andrew Williams,
Treasurer; Wendy Thompson, Secretary; Maggie Boone, Carolyn Frye, Michael
Goodrich, Olive Isaacs, Lucy Rojansky, Sarah Rooker, ex officio.
More information about this project can be found at
www.norwichcommunitycollaborative.org *and please sign up for our
newsletter to stay up-to-date on the project!*
Jess Phelps
To contact the Norwich Community Collaborative (or get involved or donate!), mail can be sent to the organization at PO Box 625, Norwich VT 05055 or we can be reached at admin@norwichcommunitycollaborative.org.
Thank you for reading and supporting my newsletter about Norwich. If you are a free subscriber and wish to become a paid subscriber click on the blue subscribe button to see the several options available. If you are not a free subscriber and wish to become one simply click on the blue subscribe button to become one.
