Friends of New Troy

"building a community one neighbor at a time"

Anonymous Donor Issues $20,000 Challenge!

If you've been waiting for the right moment to make a donation or pledge to Friends of New Troy, the moment has arrived. Give a dollar now and it will count as two, for on November 8, an anonymous donor pledged to match up to $20,000 in contributions made to Friends of New Troy.

"Needless to say, we're extremely grateful," said Township Supervisor David Heiniger, who serves on the Steering Committee of the Friends of New Troy. "This is an outstanding pledge. And it stresses the importance of every pledge and contribution, no matter the size. Every single dollar raised takes us one step closer to our goal."

An outright donation is a great way to make a contribution to the organization's efforts, now more than ever. But it is not the only way. Pledges are also possible.

For instance, says Friends' Treasurer Becky Gloe, "Another Weesaw Township resident recently pledged $500 to be paid in monthly installments of $50 each. This is a really good idea. For a lot of people, outright donations of $500 are not possible, but when done this way become doable."

To make a contribution or pledge, print out our Membership/Pledge Form, complete and mail to Friends of New Troy. As a member you will not be required to attend meetings or work at events, although you would certainly be welcome to do both.

Which brings us to the third way to contribute to Friends of New Troy: volunteer work. When the organization applies for matching grants in the spring of 2006, volunteer hours will count as "in kind" contributions. This is a great way to help out. The community will benefit from your efforts, and you'll benefit from getting to know your neighbors and gaining a sense of pride and ownership in the future park and community center.

Volunteers are needed immediately for a Membership Drive, Memorial Brick sales (see below), fund raising, and for future events such as a Valentine Dance, Rock Concert, and summer festival. We could also use the assistance of people who prefer behind-the-scenes work such as making posters or writing press releases, or on-the-road work such as distributing posters and newsletters throughout the community.

"Whether you have an hour to give on a one-time basis, or several hours a week, we can use your help," says Friends member Scott Vines. Scott worked at our chili cookoff and Halloween Port-a-Pit chicken dinner distributing information about the organization's efforts and goals, and has enjoyed the contact with the community. A single parent, he has a strong desire to keep the former New Troy Campus accessible to his daughters, and he hopes to someday teach a hunting safety class in the future Community Center.

To volunteer your time to the organization, contact Terry Hanover, terry@centeroftheworld.net or 426-4281.

We could also use help with this Web site, which as you can see is currently very basic. Anyone with experience in creating interactive forms, for instance, would be more than welcome. To volunteer to help with the web site, contact Lorraine Hanover, lhanover@qtm.net or 426-4281.

Coming soon, contributors will also be able to purchase a brick in a Memorial Pathway planned for the site of the former New Troy High School. Bricks imprinted with contributors' names will pay tribute to their generosity in a way that even future generations will be able to appreciate. Watch this web site, our newsletter, and area newspapers for information about the Memorial Brick Pathway.