(Sherburne, NY – Aug. 30, 2013) As one piece of its multi-faceted fundraising plan, Save the Sherburne Inn Restoration Project, Inc. announced the launch as of Aug. 17 of a crowd funding campaign at Indiegogo.com.
The goal is to raise $50,000 by Oct. 16 through individual donations across the nation and throughout the world. Anyone, anywhere with internet access can read about the project and watch a short video that shows the condition of the Inn and talks about the restoration plans. The video was created by Rose Tenney and Steve Craig through a donation from the Chenango County Chamber of Commerce.
Donor recognition gifts, depending on the amount of the donation, include a memorial key chain; inscription in the Sherburne Inn Honor Roll Book that will be on permanent display in the refurbished inn; Wall of Fame Recognition; a “Preserve History: Lend A Hand” long-sleeve tee shirt and hooded sweatshirt; two nights at the historic Pillow and Pantry B&B in Sherburne hosted by owner Peg Jeffrey, with homemade breakfast each morning; and a night at the Inn with dinner for two, once restoration is complete and the Inn is open for business (approximately summer 2015).
For nearly 200 years, the village of Sherburne in Central New York has been a vision of small town life in America. Streets are tree-lined, people stop and chat at the Post Office or in the aisles of the grocery store, kids ride their bikes unattended to the town pool. Families come home for holidays here, and community organizations sponsor events like Music in the Park on Wednesday evenings during the summer and Bike Night and Cruise In at Gilligan’s Island, where you can get homemade ice cream and fabulous burgers. Parades, the annual Pageant of Bands, and holiday celebrations for St. Patrick’s Day, the Fourth of July, and Halloween all reflect an idyllic community life in small town America.
It’s anticipated that the restoration and reopening of the Inn will revitalize Sherburne’s downtown historic and business districts by bringing new jobs to the area and providing a special place to celebrate life’s milestones in the decades to come, just as it did for decades past. It is a project that refused to allow “progress” to come in the form of a bulldozer, in which residents simply said “No, this is our history, and we can do better. We can do what’s right.”
Anyone wishing to donate and be a part of history in the making can do so at http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/save-the-sherburne-inn-restoration-project/x/3945800. Donations to SSIRP are tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law. Information about the restoration project can be found online at thesherburneinn.org.