WEST MILFORD — Friends of Wallisch Homestead is hosting a membership meeting on Thursday, March 20, at Hillcrest Community Center.
The group has had a busy winter planning and developing projects and programs for the coming season. They want the momentum they had last fall to pick right up this spring.
So far the group has raised over $25,000 in goods and services with labor provided by their members. They've installed the roof on the main house, cleaned the property, boarded up windows, and will install security lights when the weather improves.
The organizers are planning to present the plan to both the West Milford Town Council and the West Milford Board of Education, joint owners of the property.
Their plan for this year, if they receive permission, is to raise about $35,000 and complete the following:
stabilize the stone barn roof
scrape and paint the main homestead
install decorative boulders to create a parking area
install plantings and flowers
make a social media presence with Twitter and expand their Facebook
The group will be organizing picnics, dances, beefsteaks, and a 5K, as well as hikes, bird watching, scavenger hunts, field trips, camp outs, music, art and poetry events and more.
But they need help. Their first major project is to establish a Fund Raising Committee and start organizing and holding fundraisers. There are many planned; they need the volunteers to help out.
Anyone interested should attend the membership meeting on March 20, 7:30 p.m. at Hillcrest. Much of the master plan for the site will be available to review.