With planning for the January Andover Community Coffeehouse under way, local residents met again to take another community-building step: They held a pot-luck luncheon and open discussion to come up with other activities that might gain traction in town.
On a cold Saturday in January, 21 local residents, most from Andover, came together over soups and casseroles in East Andover’s Highland Lake Grange Hall for a two-hour brainstorming session.
Led by Andover resident Jennifer White, participants first formed small groups to list local needs and opportunities. Among many others, these included a summer outdoor concert series, transportation support for non-drivers, community gardens, a community tree-planting project, a bicycle pool for rail-trail users, a local farm store, a fuel assistance program, support of local artists and craftspeople, and monthly potlucks with games and movies following.
With the lists displayed on Grange Hall walls, attendees then focused on the five topics determined to be of greatest interest:
- developing and promoting space(s) for community uses of all kinds
- developing a community learning center for residents of all ages, to be called (for the moment) Andover Institute
- developing a way to connect local resources of all kinds with local needs of all kinds
- developing and publicizing outdoor activities for all ages
- “picking the low-hanging fruit”: acting quickly to create better signage and other publicity for town events, develop ways to welcome new residents, promote energy-conserving actions, update a directory of community resources, etc.
For a copy of the full meeting minutes, contact Jennifer White at MapleHearth@nullgmail.com.
Those who attended the January meeting (and all others interested in exploring opportunities for community-building) will meet again at 6:30 PM on Friday, February 6, in the Highland Lake Grange Hall at the corner of NH Route 11 (Franklin Highway) and Chase Hill Road for a pot-luck supper and continuing discussion. If you plan to attend, please bring a dish to share, and your own tableware and eating utensils. For additional information, contact Jennifer at MapleHearth@nullgmail.com.
Among those participating in the January discussion were members of the Andover Service Club, the Proctor Academy and the Andover Elementary/Middle School communities, Andover Congregational Church, Andover Energy Group, Andover Planning Board, Andover Library trustees, Ragged Mountain Fish and Game Club, and other local groups.