March 2025
Dear Friends of the Guild,
All Hallows Guild has been actively engaged in a strategic planning process for the past three years. The Strategic Planning Committee examined and clarified a multitude of the Guild’s activities including membership issues, finances and, most importantly, larger scale projects for the gardens and grounds. At our February Board meeting, having gathered professional studies and cost estimates from 2016 – 2024 and held extensive discussion, the Guild voted on the special projects for further refinement. We are excited to share with you the projects:
Water Remediation and Maintenance and Repair of Check Dams. Estimated cost: $200,000.
Invasive Plant Removal and Replanting of the Forest. Estimated cost: $1.7-2.1 million.
Horticulture Maintenance Yard. Estimated cost: $438,000.
A Woods Overlook. (On woods side of where bridge once stood.) Estimated cost: $101,000.
The option for a Woodlands Bridge Replacement did not receive a majority vote. Although the Guild voted in 2016 to pursue building a new bridge in the woods, the lapse of time to obtain proper studies and the dire health of the woods in intervening years, caused many to feel that water mitigation and replacing invasive species takes precedence at this time.
With this vote, our Strategic Planning Committee has finished its work and our Special Projects Committee begins to gather exact bids, explore sequencing/scheduling, obtain Guild approved votes for utilizing our funds, define necessary fundraising/grant writing and work with the PECF. The Special Projects Committee will be working to evolve which projects are ultimately viable. I would anticipate that the Water Remediation and Invasive Plant Removal and Replanting will definitely be acted upon. We are working closely with the PECF to coordinate any special projects with other Close activities.
As the Guild works through this process, we felt it was important to inform our membership and supporters. We look forward to working with you to restore our woods to health.
Best,
Debbie Page
President, All Hallows Guild
