Donations sought for community center pavilion

Published: 01-20-2023 7:33 PM

VERSHIRE — Community members have launched a crowdfunding campaign in an effort to raise $60,000 to build a timber frame pavilion behind the Vershire Town Center building, according to a news release from the Vermont Department of Housing and Community Development.

The planned 30- by 42-foot outdoor pavilion would be near the town’s recreational fields, playground, skating rink and pizza oven, as well as the town offices, the Vershire Town Center building and the Historical Society.

The site hosts many public events throughout the year, and a pavilion would make community events more accessible and less weather dependent.

“I am organizing this project, because I believe in community and in Vershire,” resident Reva Seybolt, who is managing the campaign, said in the news release. “After some exploration of possible projects that the town could use, it was clear that a pavilion would bring folks together to raise the funds, the structure itself, and it would be a gathering place to enjoy for years to come.”

The crowdfunding campaign launched on Thursday, is sponsored by the Vermont Department of Housing and Community Development’s Better Places program and led by the Town of Vershire and the Vershire Town Center Committee, with partnerships with VerShare, Vershire Recreation Committee and TimberHomes Vermont.

If the campaign reaches its $20,000 goal by March 20, the project will receive a matching grant of $40,000 from the Better Places program.

Fundraising events also will take place during the 60-day campaign, including a kick-off event to include ice skating, a bonfire and a spaghetti dinner on Saturday from 3 – 6 p.m. at the Vershire ice rink. In addition, VerShare’s annual Snowshoe-a-Thon is planned for Feb. 18, registration is at vershare.org and proceeds will go to help reach the $20,000 goal for the pavilion and beyond that for the group’s summer camp.

More information about the project is online at: patronicity.com/project/vershire_town_center_pavilion#!/. Donations can also be received by March 19 at Vershire Town Hall, by writing a tax-deductible check to the Town of Vershire or to VerShare, with “Pavilion” in the memo line.

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