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As 2009 comes to a close, the Passaic River Coalition's staff and Board members are fine tuning our three year business plan, which to some degree does contain resolutions (except we call them goals). We're currently up to 5 pages of objectives, but here are some of the highlights for Willow Hall:
- Begin an endowment campaign to raise $3 million in two years
- Start the pilot year of our Advanced Learning Center at Willow Hall for college students
- Take steps to "green" our headquarters so we can practice what we preach
2010 is shaping up to be a busy year with some ambitious projects as we continue to work towards a cleaner Passaic River and preserving Willow Hall's special history. We hope you and yours have a happy and healthy New Year and thank you again for your interest and support.
PS- Staff member Allyson has also made a resolution to make blog posts more frequently, especially since she just found the historical research file.
The Passaic River Coalition would like to wish you a very Merry Christmas and to offer our heartfelt thanks to our friends and members for their loyal and generous support.
That phrase sums up our experience of caring for and working at Willow Hall pretty well. Our most recent learning experience was actually rather anticlimactic.
When we first bought the house, its previous owner Fred pointed out sets of lines on the wood floors that appeared to be burned in. In some places, there were still bits of copper wire still stuck in grooves. Fred said these were where telegraph lines were installed. This was very exciting news, and a rather logical explanation, since the house's original owner, George Vail, financed his brother, Alfred, and Samuel F.B. Morse's development of the telegraph.
Well, it turns out that those grooves in the woods were actually used for an old security system in the house. The lines connected those wire alarms that used to be installed on windows. Needless to say, no one was particularly thrilled to learn this new revelation. But that's ok, because Willow Hall still has plenty of history and surprises to keep us (and this blog) busy for quite some time.
There's a lot of water rushing over Speedwell Lake Dam after yesterday's heavy rain. The waterfall is so loud we can hear it from the house at the top of the hill.
This year, the Passaic River Coalition Staff is especially thankful for . . .
Our new home at Willow Hall and all the people who made saving the house possible.
A working furnace.
The Garden State Preservation Trust Fund, the New Jersey Historic Preservation Trust Fund, the Morris County Preservation Trust Fund and the Passaic County Preservation Trust Fund. Without their help, so much of our work wouldn't be possible.
All of our marvelous volunteers, you know who you are!
And, our faithful members whose financial support keeps us going from day to day.
Here's one last fall photo to enjoy before winter officially arrives.
Help the Passaic River Coalition win $25,000 from Chase through their Community Giving competition. If you use facebook, use the link below to vote for the Passaic River Coalition and then tell all your friends!
Thanks for your help!
