Massachusetts Communities Rally to Save Traditions

Hillary Clinton was right about one thing it does take a village to fix community problems. She was wrong that the government is at the heart of the solution to fixing all our problems. Not wrong, though about the power of communities to act. Across Massachusetts, cities and towns are struggling with massive budget problems. Fixed increases, decreasing local receipts, and state aid dropping daily to unheard of rates has left some towns feeling hopeless. Most residents were resigned to losing treasured summer traditions and customs to budgetary compromises. Others however, realized government is not the answer. When challenged, the community has always had the solutions. It is the people that have the creative and thoughtful problems solving techniques to protect the customs that make each of our cities and towns unique and valuable to the citizens who live here. In troubling economic times it is perhaps even more important for people to remember how to gather together to work towards solutions that do not involve further taxes and still keep those things we value intact.

It was heartening to read of three such journeys that occurred already this summer. As many residents became resigned to decreased or canceled summer events, no fireworks for the fourth of July, canceling parades, others rose to the challenge. They increased fundraising, and maintained those cherished traditions, demonstrating to their children and neighbors just what faith in action can accomplish. If you truly believe something is worth saving than you will act on saving it. If it is not a value than you likely will sit back and watch it die expecting someone else to do the labor involved in saving it. All too often the expectation is that someone will come in the form of a government agency.

Three local towns made news by picking up this challenge. Presented with tight municipal budgets, residents with their own personal financial challenges, and a determination not to lose those cherished local customs and traditions associated with the Fourth of July, groups took action. The three local communities highlighted, all share one common goal, a desire not to see their heritage slip into the pages of a local history text. While many districts promise they will restore favorite activities in better times, once lost many never return. Sudbury, Natick, and Pepperell all recognized this concern and have made efforts to protect what customs remain, before further erosion occurs.

According to their website the Chamber of Commerce in Sudbury has been raising funds to privately fund that town's parade since 1991. As with many groups seeking to raise funds they ran into the combined issues of increasing costs and decreasing revenue do to the current economy. Yankee stubbornness persisted, though. Calls went out to local residents and business to save a local institution and with help from the community the parade was kept alive.

Natick, has gathered community volunteers together to form a Friends of the Fourth Committee that is responsible for raising the funds to support the parade. According to the Metrowest News, the group raised over $35,000 to support the town's holiday activities. The all volunteer group sponsors a website and a blog to generate interest, donations, and to encourage more sponsors by offering advertising. It is inspiring to see this level of passion not only about preserving something that you believe is important, but doing the work to pay for it as well. This demonstrates that a private group can work with citizens and businesses to coordinate and continue a special town tradition.

The last story was by far my favorite and takes place in the small town of Pepperell. The citizens are faced with some hard municipal challenges. Anyone could easily understand surrendering long cherished community traditions in light of the coming property tax overrides. Yet, this town refused to surrender. In the spirit of the holiday, people rallied to find the funds to support the traditional and customary holiday celebrations. According to the Boston Globe, the celebration annually draws more than 10,000 participants over the course of the day, culminating in fireworks. In order to proceed forward the town of 11,000 people had to raise $28,000 to fund the celebration. My favorite fund raising activity of all definitely was the dunking tank for the selectman. I'm thinking if we added our state representatives to this we could finally find a way to pay for Marlborough's Labor Day Parade. Our City continues to claim there is just no way to privately fund this event. I think we finally have some models to emulate.

These stories truly are inspiring and remind us that we can hold on to our heritage in the midst of struggling times when we all come together and decide something is a priority and we are willing to donate our time, talent, and treasures to the effort. Not everything requires government intervention.

Sources:

MacQuarrie, Brian. "Boom Towns For A Day." The Boston Globe. 5 July 2009.

Natick Friends of the Fourth: http://natick4th.org/index.php

Sudbury Chamber of Commerce: http://www.sudbury.org/parade.html

Text of Hillary Clinton's Speech: http://www.happinessonline.org/LoveAndHelpChildren/p12.htm

Wittenberg, Ariel. "Fourth of July 2009: Parades are Good to Go." The Metrowest Daily News [Framingham, MA] 1 July 2009.