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Blackstone Heritage Corridor Launches New Cemetery Conservation Ambassadors Volunteer Program

Whitinsville, MA (Febraury 12, 2020) – Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor (BHC) has added a sixth volunteer program to its roster with the launch of the new Blackstone Heritage Corridor Cemetery Conservation Ambassadors.

Inspired by the dedication of volunteers Betty and Carlo Mencucci of Burrillville, RI, who have been restoring historic cemeteries in Burrillville for the past nine years, BHC volunteer coordinator Suzanne Buchanan saw the opportunity to attract more volunteers who had the same interests to support their work. According to Buchanan, just last spring, the Mencuccis held a Volunteer Skills Workshop on cemetery conservation at the Swan Point Cemetery in Providence, RI, and they filled the reception room with nearly 40 people from both Rhode Island and Massachusetts. They were soon approached by the Sutton Historical Society to host a workshop in Sutton, MA, and again they packed the room. They followed up the workshop with a hands-on program at the cemetery behind Sutton Town Hall.


Cemetery Conservation Ambassadors

Shown (left to right) Blackstone Heritage Corridor volunteers Carlo and Betty Mencucci of the Burrillville Historical & Preservation Society; Ross Weaver from Sutton Historical Society, Inc.; and new BHC volunteers Johnelle Bergeron and Greg Duhamel who volunteer at area cemeteries, including Bernon Cemetery in Woonsocket, RI.

 

“A few months ago I learned of another couple from Woonsocket, RI, who were volunteering to cleanup and restore the city’s St. James/Bernon Cemetery,” Buchanan shared. “Greg Duhamel and Johnelle Bergeron have spent countless hours to clean up and preserve the historical cemetery tucked in a neighborhood on Logee Street that many driving by wouldn’t even notice. They even involve Johnelle’s nine-year-old son Aidan. All of them are now official volunteers with BHC’s Volunteers-In-Parks program and are set to lead a cleanup on Rhode Island Historic Cemetery Restoration and Awareness Day on Saturday, April 11.”

Buchanan gathered the Mencuccis, Duhamel, Bergeron, and Ross Weaver from Sutton Historical Society for a meeting in late January to discuss the Cemetery Conservation Ambassadors program and how volunteers working in historical cemeteries could work together and share resources. While talking, they discovered the need for the skills of BHC’s Photography Ambassadors to photograph headstones for cataloging.

With the creation of the BHC Cemetery Conservation Ambassadors program, Buchanan hopes to attract more volunteers with an interest in preserving historical cemeteries, and also those who enjoy telling the stories about them. BHC volunteer Irene Blais from the Woonsocket Historical Society has been leading cemetery tours for BHC for the past few years, most recently last fall at Precious Blood Cemetery, and Blais has plans in the works for new tours this spring. Blais has arranged for Duhamel to give a presentation titled “Woonsocket’s Forgotten Cemeteries” on Sunday, March 29 at 1:00 p.m. in the sacristy at St. Ann Arts & Cultural Center, 84 Cumberland St., Woonsocket, RI.

A Volunteer Skills Workshop on Cemetery Conservation presented by the Mencuccis, Duhamel and Bergeron, will be held on Wednesday, April 8 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. at the Blackstone Valley Historical Society (1873 Old Louisquisset Pike, Lincoln, RI). This program is free and open to the public. In celebration of Rhode Island Historic Cemetery Restoration and Awareness Day on Saturday, April 11, the Mencuccis are hosting a volunteer event at Riverside Cemetery (Callahan School St., Harrisville, RI) in from 9:00 a.m. to noon. Duhamel and Bergeron are also hosting a volunteer event at St. James/Bernon Cemetery (90 Logee St., Woonsocket, RI) from 9:00 a.m. to noon. An additional cemetery cleanup project is being hosted by volunteers of the Blackstone River Watershed Council/Friends of the Blackstone at the Elder Ballou Cemetery (Elder Ballou Cemetery Rd., Cumberland, RI) from 9:00 a.m. to noon.

To learn more about the Cemetery Conservation Ambassadors volunteer program and other volunteer opportunities, contact Suzanne Buchanan at 508-234-4242 or email at Volunteer@BlackstoneHeritageCorridor.org. A Volunteer Open House will be held Wednesday, March 18 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Blackstone Heritage Corridor’s office at 670 Linwood Avenue, Whitinsville, MA.

To learn more about the cemetery conservation events planned, visit the events page at BlackstoneHeritageCorridor.org.

Press & Media

Blackstone Heritage Corridor Gallery Celebrates the “Beautiful Blackstone Valley” with BVAA Artists

Meet the Artists at Closing Reception on March 20

 

Beautiful Blackstone Valley

A gallery show at Blackstone Heritage Corridor’s office in Whitinsville, MA, celebrates the “Beautiful Blackstone Valley” with artists from the Blackstone Valley Art Association (BVAA). Pictured here (left to right) are Bob Evans, BVAA Vice President (also a Blackstone Heritage Corridor Photography Ambassador); Linda Nelson (a BHC 2020 Calendar Photo Contest winner for May and the cover); Carol Frieswick; Lisa Shea, BVAA President; Brandi Van Roo; and Beverly Tinklenberg. Not shown: James Hunt, Bob See, Bonnie Frederico, and Libia Goncalves. A closing reception is scheduled for Friday, March 20 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

 

Whitinsville, MA (February 12, 2020) – Following the success of its first gallery show in November for its 2020 Calendar Release Party, Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor (BHC) invited artists from Blackstone Valley Art Association (BVAA) to celebrate the “Beautiful Blackstone Valley” with a

show featuring different art mediums. A call for artists was sent out by BVAA president Lisa Shea and on January 18, several BVAA artists came to BHC to hang their work.

Among the participating artists is Bob Evans of Northbridge, MA, who serves as BVAA Vice President and is a volunteer with BHC’s Photography Ambassadors. He has two photographs in the show, “Blackstone River and Mount Wachusett,” a colorful drone shot above the Blackstone River, and “Millville Lock,” a black and white photo of the historic lock along the Blackstone Canal in Millville, MA.

Carol Frieswick of Whitinsville, MA, has four oil paintings in the show including “Blackstone Marsh,” “Birding House,” “Plummers Landing,” and “A Fallen Treasure.” Bob See of Sutton, MA, shared his color photograph “Sutton Gazebo,” which was featured in BHC’s 2016 calendar in the month of December. Brandi Van Roo of Douglas, MA, submitted her watercolor painting “Village Congregational Church,” capturing its stunning Greek Revival architecture. The church sits across from the Town Common on Church Street in Whitinsville, MA. Bonnie Frederico of Grafton, MA, joined the show with her painting, “Swan in Flight.” Linda Nelson of Sutton, MA, hung two color photographs, “Slater Mill” and “Millbury Bike Path.” Nelson is also a Blackstone Heritage Corridor calendar photo contest winner. Her photo “Morning Has Broken” is featured both on the cover and in the month of May in BHC’s 2020 calendar.

Beverly Tinklenberg of Whitinsville, MA, contributed an oil painting titled “Casualty of the Blackstone.” The casualty she captured in her painting is a fallen tree in the Blackstone River. James Hunt of North Grafton, MA, submitted his archival inkjet print, “Dock, Blackstone Canal, Fall 2016,” taken at Blackstone River & Canal Heritage State Park in Uxbridge, MA. His photo of the famous dock overlooking the Blackstone Canal Tow Path was featured as a November image in BHC’s 2018 calendar. Libia Goncalves of Milford, MA, added her mixed media painting, “Fun at River Bend Farm” to capture people kayaking in the Blackstone Canal. Lisa Shea, who lives in Sutton, MA, contributed her color photo titled “Sutton Sunset” which captures a brilliant orange sky reflecting on the road below.

All of the pieces in the show are available for sale and a portion of the proceeds will be donated by the artist to the Blackstone Heritage Corridor. The BHC Gallery is located at its office at the Linwood Mill, 670 Linwood Avenue, Whitinsville, MA, and is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. A closing reception will be held on Friday, March 20 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

To inquire about the gallery space and future shows, contact Bonnie Combs at 508-234-4242 or bcombs@BlackstoneHeritageCorridor.org.