Kittery Thrift Store Donates $10k to Strawbery Banke, Gundalow Company

Editor's note: Welcome to "Across the River," which offers stories and news from Kittery, Maine. Each Thursday, Portsmouth Patch will present a story about this community along with a short list of upcoming events and happenings around town. All Portsmouth Patch stories about Kittery, Maine will also be posted in our new "Across the River" topic page that can be accessed by clicking on the News section of the tool bar any time.

Each month, the Board and volunteers who operate The Fabulous Find, A Caring Community Thrift Shop in Kittery, Maine selects a different Piscataqua Region non-profit as the beneficiary of the shop's profits. The organizations are encouraged to enlist their members, friends and neighbors to shop and donate to The Fabulous Find during "their" month.

For July 2012 the beneficiaries were Strawbery Banke Museum and The Gundalow Company, already partners and collaborators on many projects, including the building of the new gundalow "Piscataqua" on Puddle Dock at the museum last year. At the reception announcing the results, Marcye Phuilbrook, Board treasurer and Anne Hunt, store manager presented $10,000, divided evenly between Strawbery Banke and The Gundalow Company.

"Thanks to wonderful donations from the community, supportive shoppers and incredibly dedicated volunteers, The Fabulous Find turns donated items into dollars that go back to community organizations," said Ms. Philbrook in making the announcement. "This month was one of the best ever in the two years we've been open and surpassed last July by $3,000." The $10,000 donation for July brings the total amount The Fabulous Find has donated back to the community to over $190,000.

Lawrence J. Yerdon, President and CEO of Strawbery Banke Museum accepted the $5,000 check  saying, "Strawbery Banke Museum is a really special place for many reasons; but perhaps the most important thing we offer is the school program. With all the pressures on school districts today, the schoolchildren who are able to take advantage of our History Within Reach scholarships that cover the cost of transportation and admission might otherwise never have the opportunity. We thank The Fabulous Find for helping make that program possible."

Molly Bolster, executive director of The Gundalow Company said, "Our mission, is the protection of the Piscataqua region, through awareness of the maritime heritage and through education. This donation will support our efforts with UNH which are part history, part science, part stewardship and part collaboration. We and Strawbery Banke have had a very strong partnership over the years, so it's great to be here sharing this wonderful donation."

At the reception, The Fabulous Find announced that the August 2012 beneficiaries are Marshwood Education, COMPASS and Kittery Adult Education. The Fabulous Find is located at 122 State Road (US Route 1) in Kittery.

Submitted by Stephanie Seacord on behalf of Strawbery Banke Museum and The Gundalow Company, Portsmouth

Back to school, the Kittery School Department calendar shows the following dates for children to return to school: Sept. 5 - Grades 1, 2, 3, 4, and 9, Sept. 6 - Grades 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12; Sept. 7 - Kindergarten

Meetings:

Kittery Planning Board, Thursday, Aug. 23, 6 p.m., Council Chambers, Town Hall.

Kittery Town Council, Monday, Aug. 27, 7 p.m., Council Chambers.

Comprehensive Plan Update Committee, Wednesday, Aug. 29, 6 p.m., Town Hall.

Events:

Kittery Trading Post, every Wednesday, 5:30 p.m., scenic bicycle tours through backroads of Kittery.

The Dance Hall, West African Dance class, Thursday, Aug. 23, 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., Tuesday, Aug. 29, 6:45 p.m., and Wednesday, Aug. 30, at 5:30 p.m. Hoop Dance classes offered on Tuesday, Aug. 29 at 4:30 p.m. and 5 :30 p.m.

Back to School Blast, Friday, Aug. 24, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Jamaica Island, Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. Event will feature, food and games for children of military families who will be entering the Kittery public schools in September.

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