Greenwood President Update 2008November Dear Friends, It's always a pleasure to greet you and bring you up-to-date on Greenwood events. Our new Director, Audrey Wall has made a wonderful start and I'm sure you'll agree that she will continue to lead Greenwood with skill, grace and charm. Our main focus for this letter however, is not easily broached; finances never are! Greenwood's financial status is of concern to its board; we think it should be of concern to you and to the wider community as well. As you might imagine, maintaining a 200+ year old home requires a significant amount of money. The endowment that Phoebe Hyde left has now been depleted somewhat to pay for a fire prevention system and replacing the roof. If you've been to Greenwood recently you will have seen that the house needs repairs, paint and general upkeep. Unfortunately, before we can turn to these requirements, we must address a number of more urgent issues, such as plumbing updates, evaluation of electrical needs and basic structural integrity. And while these projects may be less visible, they are nonetheless necessary. The question facing us is: where do we find the money? We find ourselves looking at innovative ways to improve our finances. One approach involves saving as much as we can in our everyday procedures; another is to re-examine program fees. We are also looking to business for assistance, to governments for funding, and to private donors. And of course, we are always interested in broadening our membership- so if you know of someone who would be intrigued by Greenwood, please pass along our Newsletter, or bring them to our events. We recognize that there are numerous associations crying out for funds. It is our hope that you will not forget the cultural and historic needs within our community. Greenwood intends to continue being a welcoming place where people can come together to enjoy the beautiful home by the river that Phoebe left for the community. In recognition of the remarkable generosity of her gift we, as a board, feel bound to carry out Phoebe's wish. And we will continue to offer the array of cultural activities that are the mainstay of our mandate. Greenwood has enjoyed a long and vibrant past; your support is needed to help us create an equally vibrant future. Greenwood depends on you. With warm regards, Dear Friends, Here I am, midwinter, sitting in a lounge chair looking out over the Caribbean. But my thoughts are back in Hudson, remembering summer and the view from Greenwood looking out over the Lake of Two Mountains. Different, but both most pleasurable. I’m also reflecting that Greenwood is in a very favorable position after 10 years of Growth. We have developed experience in bringing you informative programs. Last year our revision of the mission and vision put us more soundly in the present. We are very encouraged by the resolution from the Town of Hudson reinforcing our value to the local community. And our new web site sends our message out way beyond the borders of Hudson. More recently, we were delighted to announce the appointment of our new Executive Director, Audrey Wall, who brings a wealth of skill and capability honed through her career in education. As well, she has her own vision for Greenwood. Make sure to stop in to meet her. During our time without a director, our board of directors became more fully aware of the day-to-day life at Greenwood. During the fall we had a Governance workshop, which helped to focus our goals, so the future looks good for Greenwood as we create a tighter ship. But that’s us here at Greenwood. As always we look to you, members of the Greenwood family, for guidance and feedback on our activities and programming. And you always give it along with your support. As spring approaches we look forward to reacquainting with you at our Annual General Meeting where I know you’ll be stimulated and entertained by our speaker. As summer arrives, we hope you’ll join us for a House Tour, or an evening of lovely music with the Greenwood Choir at St. Mary’s Church. In the fall, StoryFest, with its array of first class authors and interesting activities, will be sure to entice you. Please stop by Greenwood to enjoy the gardens if you like a moment of reflection, and do drop in to say hello. We always enjoy a visit form our Greenwood friends. Chers amis, En admirant en mi-hiver la beauté d’une plage antillaise, mes pensées se sont tournées vers l’été à Hudson et à la vue splendide des jardins de Greenwood donnant sur le Lac des Deux Montagnes- deux vues différentes mais les deux des plus agréables. Je constate également que Greenwood, après dix ans de croissance, se trouve dans une position très favorable. Avec l’expérience acquise, nous avons su développer et vous amener des programmes instructifs. L’année dernière, notre révision de la mission et notre vision nous a rendus plus solides. Nous sommes très encourages par la résolution du Conseil Municipal renforçant notre valeur à la communauté locale, d’autant plus que notre nouveau site Web propage notre message au-delà des frontières de Hudson. Plus récemment, nous avons été ravis de nommer notre nouvelle administratrice dirigeante, Audrey Wall, qui amène une richesse de compétence et de capacité aiguisée par sa carrière dans l’éducation, en plus de sa propre vision pour Greenwood. Venez faire sa connaissance! Pendant la période sans administrateur, notre conseil d’administration est devenu plus fort et encore plus conscient de la vie quotidienne à Greenwood. L’automne dernier, nous avons participe a un atelier ayant pour but de nous aider à mettre au point nos objectifs. L’avenir de Greenwood est donc sur la bonne voie. Comme toujours, nous comptons sur vous, les membres de la famille Greenwood, et nous tenons à connaître vos opinions e réactions sur nos activités et notre programmation. Votre soutien nous tient à cœur. Au printemps, nous espérons vous revoir a notre assemblée générale annuelle, et que vous serez parmi nous pour une tournée de la maison ou pour une soirée musicale avec la Chorale de Greenwood à l’Eglise de St. Mary. Nous aurons aussi l’occasion de vous revoir en automne lors de notre activité «StoryFest » avec son tableau d’auteurs de première classe et d’autres activités intéressantes. Venez nous voir à Greenwood, soit pour apprécier les jardins, soit tout simplement pour nous dire bonjour. Nous apprécions toujours la visite de nos amis. Kind regards/Salutations, Greenwood President Update 2007It has been a memorable 10th anniversary year for Greenwood. At the beginning of the year, the Board set forth its goals: to affirm and strengthen Greenwood's partnerships and position in the community; and to create and present special activities in celebration of Greenwood's first decade.
With respect to the first goal, we entertained representatives of local community groups with a special spring tour and reception at Greenwood. As a result, new friends were made and strong ties were formed with several community groups.
Later on in the summer, we organized a reception at Greenwood for local town councilors. The following week we made a presentation to Mayor Corker and her councilors at a town caucus meeting following which, Councilor Tom Birch agreed to act as a liaison with Greenwood. We are delighted with the cordial relationship that has been established with the town.
With respect to the Board's second goal to create and present activities in celebration of the Centre's 10th anniversary, a new dimension of Greenwood-based themes and displays was added to our regular program of summer house tours. The first theme was Phoebe's Life, and especially her interests and her history. Of course, all of Greenwood is a testament to Phoebe but for the first time in the Centre's history, the dining table was set with the family porcelain, while her letters and painting diaries were set out for viewing. Her favourite dresses were also on display, and it was fascinating to note how their workmanship, fine detail and small waist size astounded our visitors.
The Life and Times of Dr. Shepherd was chosen as the second theme. Our intern, Chris Olson, wrote and performed a monologue based on Dr. Shepherd himself visiting Greenwood from the past. Chris looked the part, remained in character, and was the hit of the summer!
Continuing the acting theme, the Hudson Players provided their usual magic as part of another wonderful Theatre on the Lawn. The youth group outdid themselves with an 'anti-panto' pantomime that used the garden to its fullest.
Earlier in the season, the Greenwood Singers presented a sublime Spring Concert and they followed months later with an equally delightful Christmas concert!
This fall, thanks to the efforts of Leo Rampen and Bill Young, and to the assistance of local sponsors, our annual author's series known as the Gigantes Series has been expanded into a wonderful new package, StoryFest...Playing with Words. It is a celebration of writers, authors, poets, anyone who expresses their thoughts through the written word!
Finally, we must end on a sad note; after three-and-a-half years of being the hub of Greenwood, our Executive Director, Mary Ann Pavlik decided to return to full time work. She assures us that Greenwood and all the Greenwood folks remain in her heart. Please take the opportunity to support Greenwood's activities and programs so we may continue to deliver them to you. If you know of others who might be interested in supporting Greenwood through donations or volunteer activities, please encourage them to contact the Centre. As always we appreciate your support and your feedback, and look forward to seeing you soon. Kind regards, |