The board of the Susan B. Anthony Birthplace Museum made a sizable donation to the suffrage centennial committee recently. The group is trying to raise $300,000 for a statue and celebratory events.
Anthony's annual birthday cake in suffrage colors of yellow, purple and white. Her bicentennial is in two years.
Mossa Dance of Rochester, N.Y., performs Memorial Hall at the Adams Free Library on Feb. 18.
ADAMS, Mass. – A group hoping to mark the 200th birthday of Susan B. Anthony and the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment needs to raise money -- a lot of it.
The Adams Suffrage Centennial Celebration Committee, also known as the ASCCC, has been planning for over a year for the townwide celebration in 2020 to commemorate the contributions of suffrage activist Anthony, who was born on East Road in 1820.
"Susan B. Anthony is not only the most famous daughter of Adams, but is also considered by many to be the most influential female figure in American history," Chairwoman Pam St. John said at last week's meeting. "2020 is Adams' opportunity to celebrate this legacy by showcasing her impact and accomplishments."
But the group has some lofty goals, with plans to hire an artist to design and install a statue of a younger and older Anthony on the town common. The unveiling of this statue will coincide with a large parade, fireworks, a women's conference, and educational and entertaining events.
In order to accomplish all of this, the committee has set a $300,000 funding goal.
"Our fundraising goals are ambitious," acknowledged St. John at the annual Anthony birthday party hosted by the Susan B. Anthony Birthplace Museum on Feb. 18. "We estimate we will need $300,000 to meet our goals including 150k for the stature. We have written letters to our state legislators and to the top 100 women-owned businesses in the commonwealth."
To date, the committee has raised nearly $23,000 with significant donations made by the Town of Adams and the Susan B. Anthony Birthplace Museum, which presented the group with a $10,000 check at the annual Anthony birthday celebration to great applause.
Anthony's 198th birthday celebration also included a performance by Mossa Dance of Rochester, N.Y. The ballet, "Diamonds," vignettes of courageous women, in this case Mother Teresa, Malala Yousafzai, Anne Frank, Annie Sullivan and Helen Keller, and, of course, Anthony.
Adams Community Bank has also pledged to match $25,000 and when the ASCCC hits $100,000, the bank will donate another $25,000.
"Adams Community Bank is a pillar of the local community and we are very grateful for their generous offer to match local contributions," Treasurer Erin Mucci said last week.
The town of Adams has been providing support funding and staff assistance and will be asked to provide future financial help. The commission was created and appointed by the Board of Selectmen.
The committee also recently sent out a mailer to all residents and businesses to solicit donations.
"If every family in Adams pledged $10 a year, we would have a minimum of $120,000 toward our goals, which would almost pay for the statue," St. John explained at the Anthony event.
Mucci added that "this is a great way for residents and businesses from around the region to really leverage their local giving towards something will have an everlasting impact on both Adams and the Berkshires."
About a dozen sculpture proposals have already been put before the commission and it hopes to announce a chosen sculptor soon after the proposal review.
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Adams Recycling Efforts Paying Benefits
By Tammy Daniels iBerkshires Staff
ADAMS, Mass. — The town is doing well in terms of its trash management and recycling efforts.
"Your recycling has definitely increased, and you're doing wonderful, Linda Cernik, program coordinator of the Northern Berkshire Solid Waste Management District, said. "You have a 69 percent recycling ratio to your trash."
Cernik was giving an update to the Board of Selectmen at its meeting Wednesday. Adams is one of 14 towns that participant in the regional waste district.
"Adams is the second-largest scrap metal recycler in the district with some 38 tons of scrap metal and the town made over $2,000," she said at Wednesday's meeting. "Textile recycling, you're the highest in the district. You've had over 17,000 pounds of textiles diverted from the waste stream, and brought in $1,200."
The town has diverted some 119 tons in "commingled" recyclables of paper, plastic and glass and trash collected was 172 tons.
It also received a sustainable recovery materials grant of $4,550 through the Recycling Dividends Program, or RDP. The state grant is allocated on a point system using a criteria of waste diversion and number of households served. This past year's points were worth $325 and Adams scored 14 points.
"This year, if you reach 10 and up, you'll get $600 a point," said Cernik. "So my goal is to work with all of the towns to try to get you as many points possible to increase your reward for MassDEP so you can put it back into your recycling programs. So kudos to the town. You're doing very well."
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