Donations to the Office of Tourism Gift Account are being accepted both to buy materials to build a stage platform on the lawn of the Visitors Center dedicated to Natalie S. Hemingway, to support the summertime Monday Morning Fun family programs offered in July and August, and to purchase and maintain plants for the gardens at the Visitors Center.
Natalie S. Hemingway taught music more more than 30 years in Fairhaven, then served on the Fairhaven School Committee and the Fairhaven Tourism Committee. She has also been involved in many civic activities over the years through her membership in the North Fairhaven Improvement Association, East Fairhaven Improvement Association, Fairhaven Improvement Association, Fairhaven Colonial Club, Fairhaven Village Militia and many other organizations and committees. Natalie developed some of the first historical walking tours that are still presented today by the Office of Tourism. She has also published several historical books. In honor of Natalie’s many years of service to the town, the Office of Tourism will be installing a small stage platform outside the Fairhaven Academy Building, to be used for outdoor performances. Labor for construction has already been donated, provided the building materials are supplied. The estimated cost of supplies is $2,000 to $3,150 depending on the type of decking material. So far about 20% of this cost has been donated by individuals and local organizations.
Monday Morning Fun is a summer series of weekly children’s programs on the lawn of the Visitors Center, combining fun and learning, which was begun in 2015. Each week children play old fashioned lawn games, enjoy a bubble bounce, and more, along with face painting by Heart Henna and refreshments from Del’s Frozen Lemonade. Special guest program have included the Buttonwood Park Zoomobile, the Whitfield-Manjiro Friendship Society, the Buzzards Bay Coaltion, author/illustrator Kristine Daniels, the Lloyd Center, DJ Ken Souza, and others.
The Visitors Center Gardens were begun in 2014 by Tourism Director Chris Richard. Using period style perennial herbs and other plants, the gardens are designed to complement the Federal style Academy Building which houses the Office of Tourism and the Fairhaven Historical Society’s museum. Plants and money to purchase plants have been donated. In 2015, BRW Property Services donated time to remove older, overgrown foundation plantings on the southwest corner of the building.
To support any of these projects, you may make a donation to the Tourism Gift Account. Checks can be made out to “Town of Fairhaven,” with “Tourism Gift Account” written on the memo line. They may be dropped off or mailed to Fairhaven Office of Tourism, 141 Main Street, Fairhaven, MA 02719.
For more information, you may email FairhavenTours@aol.com or call 508-979-4085.
