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The Elder Grey Meeting House
This historic treasure has been preserved for over one hundred years by volunteers providing labor, materials and—more often in this 21st Century—monetary contributions. Our goal is to continue with routine upkeep and to address major structural issues. Our current project, recommended by a contracted historic preservationist, includes re-setting the stone piers under the main floor joists, stabilizing the foot of a twisted rafter, and re-fastening the exterior trim around the roofing.
Restoration Update. The beginning of Phase Two of the restoration that started in 2018 is underway. In May, highly trained workers with Octagon Cleaning & Restoration began the removal of coats of shellac, calcimine, and paint from the ceiling that had been applied over many years. Pictures and details here >>.
The Elder Grey Meeting House-Cemetery Association is a tax-exempt charitable organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Donations are tax-deductible as allowed by law. A gift of cash can be made by writing a check or using a credit card through our secure online website. Contributions may be mailed to the Elder Grey Meeting House-Cemetery Association, specified for the Meeting House, at 265 Chadbourne Ridge Road, North Waterboro, ME 04061. Please make your check payable to the Association.
Or, for your convenience, click on the PayPal button immediately below to contribute online to the upkeep of the Elder Grey Meeting House.
Visit our Planned Giving page to learn how to further support our mission by including the Association in your planned giving.
The Elder Grey Cemetery
The annual upkeep of the cemetery and capital expenditures are financed primarily through lot sales. We recognize, however, that the cemetery lots are finite and the time will come when there are no more lots to sell.
To that end, we have created a Perpetual Care Fund which now totals nearly $27,000. Our goal is to eventually reach $100,000 so that the return on our investment will ensure funds for cemetery maintenance and improvement long into the future.
A word about our investment: When creating the Perpetual Care Fund, we looked for an investment option that beats inflation, offers a low risk of compromising the principal, and is, ideally, located in Maine. We found a perfect match in the Asset Stewardship Program administered by the highly respected Maine Community Foundation, which manages over $420 million in assets, $64 million of which is held in endowment funds for nonprofit organizations such as ours.
2020 Elder Grey Cemetery Fund Appeal
Seven years ago the Elder Grey Meeting House- Cemetery Association solicited donations to create a Perpetual Care Fund for the ongoing maintenance and upkeep of the cemetery. This fund is now professionally managed by the Maine Community Foundation, under the umbrella of its Asset Stewardship Program. Last fall, a longtime friend of the cemetery unexpectedly approached us with a challenge to match a $5,000 gift toward the Fund with an equivalent amount raised by us, within twelve months! Naturally we accepted, and the 2020 Cemetery Fund Appeal was launched in mid-November with letters sent to all members, far and wide. By the end of December we had raised a total of $8,500 and our anonymous donor was so surprised and pleased that the donor decided to send along the match sooner rather than later. A check for $13,500 was forwarded to the Maine Community Foundation in January, bringing the Perpetual Care Fund total to just over $65,000. Many thanks to our special friend and donor (you know who you are!) and to all of you who quickly and generously joined the cause. It was deeply appreciated and continues to be a source of amazement to the "home team" here on Chadbourne Ridge.
The Elder Grey Meeting House-Cemetery Association is a tax-exempt charitable organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Donations are tax-deductible as allowed by law. A gift of cash can be made by writing a check or using a credit card through our secure online website. Contributions may be mailed to the Elder Grey Meeting House-Cemetery Association, specified for the Cemetery Perpetual Care Fund, at 265 Chadbourne Ridge Road, North Waterboro, ME 04061. Please make your check payable to the Association.
Or, for your convenience, click on the PayPal button immediately below to contribute online to the Perpetual Care Fund of the Elder Grey Cemetery.
Visit our Planned Giving page to learn how to further support our mission by including the Association in your planned giving.