Faced with losing one of the five original commercial buildings in "downtown" Still Pond, Maryland, some of the village residents formed a nonprofit to buy the building.
I can't stand those incessant fundraising e-mails ... but I'm squinching my eyes shut here and asking for some help for our little village.
This is grassroots economic development for our little, well-preserved, historic village in Maryland.
If 500 Kossacks can put up $50 each we would be more than halfway.
We're rattling the tin cup here! Donate by PayPal: www.stillpondmd.com or by mail: Still Pond Preservation Inc., Rob Ditmars, Treasurer, Box 89 / Still Pond MD / 21667
The store in July, before the underground gas tanks and gas pumps were taken out:
We've had a number of small donations from around the community and the county. We need help from around the country. We've gotten a handful of $1,000 gifts.
Our five-month-old nonprofit is working very hard -- starting from scratch -- to raise money to buy the building. We're in a county in a part of Maryland, the Eastern Shore, without a strong preservation organi-zation and without a strong local government commitment to historic preservation.
In other words, we're the local test case for community preservation and economic development by the community itself.
Given the economy, we're really scraping and scratching in every corner we can think of locally. We're cold-calling regionally. I've put word out on Facebook (and I'll be doing it again later today). The one thing this non-profit doesn't have is a big e-mail member and donor list.
Daily Kos is one national community where I hope I can find some people who see our goal here as something that resonates with them.
We have gotten an initial "OK" from the IRS on 501(c)3 status. They don't see any flashing warning lights on our application. So by IRS policy your donation is deductible. They wrote us to expect the final certification in December.
500 Kossacks with 50 bucks each, plus what we've gathered locally, won't put us over the top but it will make a big impression on the owners when we talk to them on Oct. 15.
Questions? Check the website, or you can e-mail me here.
We need everyone's help. We're hoping to close on October 15.
The Covington Store
This is the Covington Store, or "Still Pond Store," about 1910. Until a recent fire caused the owners to close it, it was in operation for more than 140 years. The building can be repaired easily enough. A small fire damaged a rear addition and caused smoke damage throughout. The upstairs was unused anyway, though the original trim and woodwork is in place. At the same time we lost our 160-year-old village post office.
Can you donate by PayPal? www.stillpondmd.com or by mail: Still Pond Preservation Inc., Rob Ditmars, Treasurer, Box 89 / Still Pond MD / 21667
Still Pond Preservation Inc. is raising money to buy the store, repair the outside, clean it up, and find a new owner to bring it back to a commercial - residential use.
There's a large apartment on the second floor with original 1870s Victorian woodwork (but, full disclosure, the plaster walls are shot. Luckily it's almost down to the studs as it stands).
Even $5 will help. Our deadline is October 15. (The very short timeline for fundraising is a long story; let's just say we accepted the challenge, knowing it would be uphill all the way. We're negotiating an extension on our option.)
Please! Donate by PayPal: www.stillpondmd.com or by mail: Still Pond Preservation Inc., Rob Ditmars, Treasurer, Box 89 / Still Pond MD / 21667
Make no mistake. This is an economic development project. Without the original historic village center, there's no reason to set Still Pond apart from anywhere else. Years ago, a guy with vision named Frank Huggins restored the Medders Store across the street. Unfortunately no one followed suit, though a local couple who have restored several houses in the village own and use the Medders Store.
About five years ago, Mike Brunner began restoring an early-1800s house across the other street which once had been, yes, a store.
The Covington Store and what's called "Trinks' Store" need people who care to buy and renovate.
We're rattling the tin cup here! Donate by PayPal: www.stillpondmd.com or by mail: Still Pond Preservation Inc., Rob Ditmars, Treasurer, Box 89 / Still Pond MD / 21667