| May 15, 2017 -- Whigville Grange #48 was full of people on April 22 for the first-ever Whigville Preservation Award ceremony. Award recipients were Sherwood Anderson, Laura Barr, and Kent Glowa.
Patti Smaldone, leader of the Whigville Preservation Group, opened the first annual Whigville Pride Day by expressing gratitude for those who have to helped to maintain the agricultural character of our community.
Tom Morrow of the Whigville Preservation Group thanked award recipient Sherwood Anderson, a resident of Whigville for 45 years, for his many contributions to our community. “Woody,” as he is called by his friends, was a founder of the Main Street Community Foundation which serves Burlington and five other surrounding towns. He was also a founder of the Burlington Land Trust, our preservation group’s parent organization.
Patti Smaldone of the Whigville Preservation Group thanked longtime resident Laura Barr for her role in ensuring that the beauty of Whigville would not be destroyed by unwanted development. In the late 1980s the quality of life here was threatened by a 629-unit housing development. Laura helped start the Whigville Property Owners Association which was part of a coalition of community groups that defeated the massive housing proposal.
Kent Glowa, one of the Whigville Preservation Group’s founding members, received the preservation award. Kent was the leader in all aspects of renovating the Whigville Grange #48, donating his time, energy, and expertise. He found licensed contractors to help us with specialized work at virtually no cost. Kent is one of the new generation of leaders following in a long Whigville tradition.
Tom Morrow, a founder of the Whigville Preservation Group, was at the Whigville Grange #48 with Beth, Marty, and Jeanne Lowrey. The Lowrey family has been here for more than two centuries, back when Whigville was known as Poverty Hollow. All these years later, the Lowreys are still helping to make this a great community to live in.
Paul and Kathy Condon started a dogwood sapling and then planted it in front of the Whigville Grange #48 It replaces the old maple that had to be taken down last fall. We appreciate the symbolism of new beginnings in this agricultural community, especially during spring, a time of hope and promise.
Kent Glowa received a Whigville Preservation Award from Mark Smaldone, one of the founders of the Whigville Preservation Group. Kent led the effort last year to restore the exterior of the Whigville Grange #48. As a Burlington Land Trust board member, he is very active in maintaining the hiking trail system here in northwestern Connecticut. |
