Congratulations are in order for Chris Franco, the Greenwich Point Conservancy (GPC), Representative Steve Meskers and the Emily Catherine Fedorko Foundation (ECFF). It was recently announced that the GPC was awarded $400,000 Urban Action Grant by the state of Connecticut. This money will used, as well as funds raised privately, for the restoration of the Chimes Building at Greenwich Point.In addition to the $400,000, the GPC has raised $750,000 and partnered with the Emily Catherine Fedorko Foundation, which has pledged $150,000 for the project. The cost of the restoration is approximately $1.2 million. The project will begin this coming October and take about a year to complete.One of the highlights of the project is something that every visitor to Greenwich Point can enjoy, the restoration of the actual chimes in the Chimes Building. The ECFF pledge will be used for the restoration of the c1901 musical chimes instrument and bells located in the upper portion of the chimes tower, and create a water safety center in the base of the tower. The ECFF was founded in memory of Emily Fedorko who died tragically in a boating accident. The chimes will be named in her honor.Once completed the Chimes Building will join the Innis Arden Cottage, the Old Barn at Greenwich Point, and the Feake-Ferris House in being restored by the GPC. Under the leadership of Chris Franco, they have received several prestigious awards for historic preservation and adaptive reuse from the State of Connecticut Trust for Historic Preservation, the American Institute of Architects, and the Greenwich Historical Society.The Greenwich Point Conservancy is one of the best examples we have of a successful public-private partnership. Formed in 2003 by a group of citizens concerned about the deteriorating condition of the building at the Point, their mission has been to work with the Town and the Department of Parks and Recreation to plan for and then restore the historic structures at Greenwich Point. The Chimes Building is the last on their list of structures to restore.Chris Franco, you, and your entire team, have done an amazing job. We all owe you our thanks for ensuring that future generations will enjoy the historic buildings at Greenwich Point. You epitomize what it is to give back to your community and we should all take a page from that book.Giving back to our community is something we can all do. Many do already. Winston Churchill once said: “We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.” We can give back in large ways or small. We can use our natural talents and skills, much like Chris Franco an architect has done, to affect positive change in our community.How, you may ask, can I give back? Just about every one of our many non-profits can use volunteers to assist them. If time is not available, they will certainly take a donation. It does not need to be large to be impactful. Often the number of donations is what is needed to receive financial support from other foundations.A very real action you can do to give back to the community is to donate blood. The American Red Cross announced this week the first-ever national blood crisis. They have less than a one-day supply of certain critical blood types and have begun limiting distributions to hospitals.Locally, our Metro New York North chapter of the Red Cross on Indian Field Road has recently opened its completely refurbished facility that now includes a blood donation center. You can go on their website to schedule an appointment.Giving back is fun and makes you feel good. Soon we will all benefit from hearing Emily’s Chimes at Greenwich Point because of the generosity of so many that have given back to their community to make what was a possibility become a reality. Thank you.
