person slicing pie beside bread

Happy Turkey Day! Well…soon! Hope you’ve been enjoying the fall – you’re not imagining it, it’s been exceptionally nice out, and the colors have been amazing. “Exceptionally nice and colorful” also describes the interior or Bugbee! Thank you to Kathy Tracy and other volunteers for keeping the place spruced up with seasonal decorations.

This fall we’ve received a challenge from the Byrne Foundation to raise $40,000 by the end of this year – which will be matched dollar for dollar by the foundation. As of today, we’re at 19% of this goal, at $7,740. Year end donations are important: these gifts are the reason why so many programs are free or low cost, and what we raise now will help us determine what programs we can offer for the year ahead. I hope (if you are in the position to do so) you’ll consider contributing. Thank you to the Byrne Foundation for matching gifts from the community!

More thanks to give! This time to our retiring board members. I cannot express how appreciative we all are for the years of service from Mary Booth-Benton, Diane Romano, and longtime treasurer Pat Taylor. If you think Bugbee is in a good place right now, it’s partly thanks to their leadership and oversight. We also are welcoming our newest board member and treasurer, Jennifer Fontaine, and new member-at-large, Colleen O’Brien. Jennifer works at Upper Valley Haven as director of food programs and finance, and if you’ve ever come to Bugbee you’ll know Colleen! We are thrilled to welcome them to the team!

The biggest thank you goes to all of you for participating here. Sometimes I hear people reflecting on what makes Bugbee so welcoming and bright. Is it the building? The programs? The tasty meals? My theory is, it’s the people who participate. You set the tone and create the community here, so a big THANK YOU for being so friendly, especially when we get new people visiting for the first time.

There is so much gratitude to express for why Bugbee is a special place. Getting older is not always easy, but every stage of life has its own challenges and gifts. As we head towards Thanksgiving, what are you most grateful for? (A good hot meal counts for a lot!) See you around the Center, and keep in touch.

Mark Bradley
Executive Director