July 2024

It’s high summer in Maine. As we say goodbye to strawberry season and eagerly await fresh local corn, clean the house for another round of family visits and try to stay cool, we want to give you an update on all that is happening with Our Town Leeds.

Since the spring we have:

• Held our first book-bake-plant sale on a rainy May Saturday, raising over $1300, and doubling our financial assets while sharing stories, snacks, and seedlings;

• Placed and stocked a Little Free Library at Stinchfield Beach;

• Planned and carried out Our Town Reads, a summer story hour for younger kids, held Tuesdays at 10:00 in the town hall basement. Guest readers Travis Adams, Assistant Chief of the Leeds Fire Department, Jennifer Wiegman, guidance counselor at Turner Elementary, Deborah Emery, illustrator of The Wildlife Tree and beekeeper Harry Wiegman have entertained about 15 kids, including families new to town, so far.  

• Held our first Annual Meeting, welcoming Tori Adams to the board; and

• Received our first grant! The Stephen and Tabitha King Foundation has supported our vision for a community building housing our post office and a library with $50,000!

We’re excited and energized! To keep the momentum going, we’re focused on:

• Partnering with the Leeds Community Church to host an Open Mic Night this fall

• Raising funds to hire an architect who can help us create a vision for a community building in the village to house a post office and library, perhaps a cafe.

• Raising funds to acquire property for the community building

It’s clear that to secure more grants, we need to demonstrate local support through a membership and fundraising drive. Inspired by the King Foundation grant, some generous donors have stepped forward to offer to match every gift to Our Town Leeds up to $3,000. Click here to donate!

Join us, won’t you? There are so many ways you can help. Please consider:

• Renewing your $10 annual membership for 2024 (Click here to renew!)

• Making an additional contribution, knowing your gift will be matched

• Following Our Town Leeds on Facebook and Instagram, and sharing our content on your accounts

• Joining a committee: Communications, Finance & Fundraising, or Library

• Donating your time and skills – many hands make light work!

• Attending our regular meetings, 6:00 pm on the 3rd Wednesday of the month at the Town Office

• Helping to carry out our first Open Mic Night

• Hosting a House Party to spread the word

• Spread the word to friends and family who may want to get involved!

Thank you for joining Our Town Leeds as a member. We can’t fix all of the world’s troubles, but working together, we can make life in our wonderful small town a little better.

Best,

Charlie Dingman, River Road, President

Helen Foster, Route 219, Vice President

Kimberly Trider-Grant, Fish Street, Treasurer

Lucinda Coombs, Route 106, Secretary

Sara Hodges, Campbell Road, Director

Tori Adams, Route 219, Director