By the morning of the sale, over 35 Friends and supporters had dropped off more than 70 contributions. Then everybody returned to buy like crazy along with folks from everywhere. (Hint for next year: the smart money shops early.)
The mansion was even more unbelievable than 2006, thanks to the magical skills of Designing Divas Nancy Shulins & Janet Coughenour.
Margee Rogers, Marti Coleman and Dianne Gilmore presided over the popular Cranbury Café. Amy Phillips, Jeff Coleman, Sue Garland, and Mark Berns worked the front desk, while Leslie Vincent signed up more than 20 new members at the FCP merchandise desk. Welcome, new Friends.
We netted over $2,000. That’s up about 18% over 2006. Out of the gross came expenses for decorating supplies, a good deal of which can be recycled for next year, keeping our overhead down.
Thanks to all of you who baked, worked, shopped, joined and did all you do to keep supporting our wonderful park.
The 2007 fall cleanup was a big success, thanks to a wonderful turnout of 24 FCP stalwarts, including a couple of most welcome newcomers: Nancy Shulins, Mark and Lisa Harding, James McLaughlin, Tony Contino, Michael and Marion Gaunigan, Joel Cipes, Bob Lupinacci, Jo Ann LoRusso, Brian Chila, Mark Berns, Jerry Lerner, Jeff Conrad, Jim Brudinicki, Dianne Gilmore, David Gable, Tony DiMiglia, Neil Boothby, Sue Garland, Peter Bennett, Ursula Caterbone, Marti Coleman, Celia Maddox.
Cranbury/Cranberry Sale, Nov. 19, 2006 |
Friends of Cranbury Park's first fundraiser, the pre-Thanksgiving Cranbury/Cranberry Sale was a huge success! Gallaher Mansion looked awesome and so did the cakes, pies, relishes, cookies, cupcakes and more that tempted dozens of people to contribute to future park plans.
Bulb Planting, Oct. 21, 2006 |
A brilliant turnout of 40-45 Friends planted just about every donated bulb — about 6,000 in all, planting as thickly as we could along the new park entry drive. We also planted daffodils near the Carriage House Theatre, in our butterfly garden, in front of the mansion and in the orchard. The remaining bulbs, bought by the city, can be planted elsewhere in ours and in other city parks.
Mike Mocciae, Parks and Recreation Director, hung in there with us all day, Mayor Richard Moccia was there, and Councilman Rick McQuaid dug for hours along with the FCP members.
Trail Maintenance, August 12 & 26, 2006 |
For FCP's first Trail Maintenance Project Day (days, actually, spread over two weekends), we started small but the impact was large.
A dozen volunteers worked on the short trail that runs straight back to the orchard from the small parking area at the far right of the lot (where the "dog people" generally park.) We neatened things up, and spread wood chips to flatten the path, absorb the mud and fill in ruts and areas washed out by the rains. We also cut back some overgrown branches and picked up trash.
Thanks to Rocky and the park crew for providing the wood chips.
Butterfly Garden, July 17, 2006 |
A suggestion hatched at a brain-storming session on the night of FCP’s birth back in May became a showy reality on one of the hottest days of July. That’s when nearly thirty Friends showed up with garden tools, sun hats, bug spray, and good humor to install our inaugural project, a Butterfly Garden in front of the public restrooms at the park. Under a searing sun in record heat, FCP members planted more than ninety perennials and shrubs, pausing only for water, muffins, and photo ops.
The plants, donated by Stew Leonard’s, include an eye-popping array of butterfly bushes, Echinacea, Black-eyed Susans, Rose of Sharon, daylilies, zinnias, and more.
Among those dropping by to shake our dirt-covered hands and express the city’s appreciation for all our hard work were Recreation and Parks Director Michael A. Mocciae and Mayor Richard A. Moccia. The Hour and The Advocate both sent reporters, and The Hour’s photos of esteemed Friend James O’Neal and Board Member Jeff Conrad ran on consecutive days.
All new gardens require a season or so to settle in and to grow lush and full. Even so, ours is already beautiful, as are the butterflies gilding its lilies. Two massive urns spilling over with wave petunias have been added, as have a pair of concrete benches on which to sit back and feast one’s eyes. In short, this is truly a pampered patch of earth, blessed with many very good Friends indeed.
