Above: The Tricentennial Committee is selling engraved bricks that will be laid in the path at Heritage Park begging from the St. Mark’s Street end. (top images from fundraiser website and photo by Beth Melo)
To raise funds for Southborough’s 300th anniversary celebrations in two years, the Tricentennial Committee has been selling engraved bricks. Now they are promoting a deal to offer discounts for group orders.
The details were in the committee’s June Newsletter, which also included some details on some Tricentennial Save the Dates and another call for volunteers to help them plan a year of special festivities.
Custom Engraved Brick Fundraiser & Group Discount
The original promotion encouraged members of the public to pay $300 per 4″x8″ engraved brick to be installed at Heritage Park. (For an additional $15, you can also order a mini replica memento.)
The website explains:
July 8, 2027 marks the 300th anniversary of Southborough’s incorporation as a town!
The Southborough Tricentennial Committee is planning a year of celebration to honor our town’s past, present, and future.
As part of the fundraising for the celebration of Southborough’s Tricentennial, Friends of Southborough 300 Inc. is offering engraved bricks, which will be installed in Southborough’s new Heritage Park, beginning at the walkway between St Mark’s Street and the Park’s main plaza. Each brick is $300. A brick can serve as a way to honor someone, as memoriam, or contain your family’s name or the name of your business or organization.
All bricks will become a part of Southborough’s Heritage Park as a lasting tribute.
Space is limited, so place your order as soon as possible.
The June Newsletter now promotes:
Are you part of a local organization such as Scouts, a book group, Rotary, SOLF, or a “Friends of” group? Maybe even a group of friends or neighbors?
Order 10 or More Bricks and Save!
Southborough organizations whose members collectively order 10 or more bricks will receive a group discount of $50 per brick, lowering the donation per brick from $300 to $250 each.
To qualify, all orders from your group must be submitted together, along with payment, to the Tricentennial Committee. While checks are preferred to avoid additional fees, payment via Venmo or credit card is also accepted.
Partnering with your organization allows us to celebrate Southborough’s milestone while showcasing your group’s commitment to the community.
Already purchased a brick? If any member of your group has previously ordered a brick, we’ll refund the difference for a group order, less any applicable credit card fees. Early supporters won’t have penalties.
For a customized order form tailored to your organization, or for more information, Contact us today!
Your donation will create a lasting tribute within Heritage Park, ensuring that your connection to our community endures for generations. Plus, donations for bricks are fully tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.
To purchase individual bricks, click here.
To contact the committee about submitting a group order, email southborough300@southboroughma.com.
Other Tricentennial News
The newsletter also promotes the committee’s partnership with Southborough Access Media and the Historical Commission to collect a series of “Oral Histories” of Southborough residents.
The committee also is promoting a change the date for Heritage Day in 2027. Because the Monday federal holiday (Columbus Day) falls on the first morning of Yom Kippur, the Town is officially moving the Southborough’s 2027 holiday and festivities to Sunday, October 10th:
To accommodate all, the Tricentennial Grand Parade will start later than the usual Heritage Day parade to avoid conflicts with morning religious services, and all festivities will conclude before sundown.
The newsletter also shared fun details about a planned Fireman’s Muster in July of 2027:
The committee voted unanimously to reserve July 17, 2027 for a showdown of teams testing their skills.
A Fireman’s Muster is a spirited event that celebrates the history and camaraderie of firefighting. Teams compete in challenges showcasing traditional techniques and teamwork, using hand-pumped fire engines, or “handtubs,” to test their skills in pumping water and precision spraying. Southborough’s own handtub, Union, will take center stage during this lively competition.
The four-hour event promises excitement and fun for all ages, with firefighting teams from neighboring communities expected to participate for prizes and bragging rights. To complement the muster, the day will also feature a Family Barbecue, bringing together residents and visitors for good food, great company, and a celebration of community spirit.
This unique event offers a perfect blend of tradition, entertainment, and togetherness, and we hope it will be a memorable highlight of Southborough’s Tricentennial.
Other events the committee is currently working on organizing for that year include “a drone show, House & Garden Tour, Cemetery Tour, History Talks, Music Festival, Gala, and more”.
The committee is still welcoming ideas and encouraging the community to pitch in with the planning efforts. If you’re interested in contacting them for either reason, email southborough300@southboroughma.com.
To read the full newsletter, read the copy I printed to pdf here.
Another Brick Campaign? If you look at the ARHS Boosters website, they have been promoting a Brick Campaign since 2021:
https://arhsboosters.com/
If you click on the next link, you will find the “order form”:
https://arhsboosters.com/2021/09/18/2021-arhs-brick-campaign-2/
My husband and I were delighted to contribute to having a brick on behalf of our sons, as our older son had just started ARHS, so we bought one for $100.00 and wrote a nice message to be engraved on the brick.
Last year, for some unknown reason, I remembered the campaign and realized that other than receiving our money (because we have the email order), we did not receive any correspondence regarding the Campaign.
So, just a few weeks ago, I requested a refund from the now President of the Boosters; I sent an email twice and never heard a word. (Please understand that had they communicated the status of the Campaign and asked us whether we still wanted to contribute or have a refund, we would have probably said go ahead and keep it as a donation.) It’s been FOUR years and our son just graduated!
So, to the administrators of the Brick Campaign for the Tri-Centennial, I’d like to say: please operate with integrity and transparency as it is what this community deserves.
When my husband finally asked whether he could help, the powers-that-be issued a refund!
I’m sorry to hear about the Boosters campaign. Did they give you any more details on if the effort is cancelled and others will also get refunds — or if it was just a longer than expected delay?
Your comment reminded me that the last time I posted about the brick fundraiser, someone asked about whatever happened to the Community House’s brick fundraiser. I was able to confirm that those bricks were successfully installed at the property in the brick walkway between the stairs and the ramp entrance.
There was ZERO (0) communication from the Boosters. Four years elapsed. I do not doubt that those who ordered a brick may have forgotten about it.
In brick fundraisers that we have contributed to in the past, it took less than one year for the installation.
In this particular case, there may have been an issue with the Boosters contributing to a construction project, but I don’t know.
It’s disconcerting, unfortunately, and looks awful that no one from the Boosters took the time to look at the situation from the perspective of the parents who took the time to contribute and write a message to be engraved.
I do recognize that it is a volunteer organization but, guess what, Boosters have very many cases of embezzlement against them in the US. In this scenario, I would like to believe that the money is still available, and I am naive and willing to give them the benefit of a doubt, but the process clearly is not transparent.
If it’s going to take 5 years for installation, then make that part of the Campaign; for example, parents the timeline is the following……
Ironically, during our experience between our son’s freshmen year and senior year, we lost a lot of respect for ARHS, including its athletics department. For reasons of confidentiality, and potential future legal concerns, we will not go into details.