River Festival Thank You

Dear Editor:

\A break from the rainy June weather and a good turnout were instrumental in making this year's Groton Greenway River Festival a great success! Folks were able to have a boat tour of the newly installed Fitch's Bridge, enjoy music by Annie and the Beekeepers, listen to Native American drumming, and watch the return of the Giant Puppet Parade.

The festival is a great way to introduce new residents to the Nashua River and its rich and important history. For other residents it is an opportunity to celebrate this wonderful resource. We are indebted to those who, through their contributions, make this festival possible and free to the public! The River Festival Committee would like to thank our benefactors: Groton Trust Funds Lecture Fund, and

Hollingsworth and Vose; our patrons: Groton Cultural Council, Lawrence Academy, Groton Market, and Bemis Associates. We'd also like to thank our sponsors: Groton Veterinary Hospital, The Natural Market and Moison ACE Hardware. A special thank you to the students at Groton Community School who as 'Paddle Pals' raised money to fund the Children's Arts Activities and donate to the Marion Stoddart Greenway Fund to honor Marion's 85th birthday.

The festival was also made possible by those who contributed their goods and services. Bemis Associates donated cardboard for canoe race, Deluxe For Business provided parking, Buckingham Bus provided shuttle service, Nashoba Paddler, LLC and its employees donated free canoeing, AventuRides, Family Friendly Yoga, Shelley Grove, Inga Nuccio, & Katharine Bell (Children's Activities Coordinators), Groton School, NRWA allowed space for planning, Moisson Music provided sound and Becky Carson provided design services.

We would like to thank those who provided exhibits. Exhibits included Michael Veit on native bees, Eino Kauppi (Fly Fishing), Brian Alcott (Canoe Restoration), Groton Trails Committee, Squannacook River Rail Trail Committee, Nashua River Watershed Association, Duck's Unlimited (Boat Tours of Fitch's Bridge), and Groton Conservation Trust. Thank you to John Wiesner and the Pebble Bottom River Kids for providing wonderful river music.

Finally, we would like to thank our volunteers. This year's volunteers included Gregg Baker, Jared LaFosse-Baker, Pamela Bracco, Don Cochrane, Bronwyn Mulligan, Karen Tucker Mulligan, Ed O'Rourke and Cody Paul. We are looking for new folks to help us both with planning and on the day of the event for the next festival. Please contact Groton Greenway Committee to see how you can help! We will see you all at the next Festival!

Thank you!

Groton Greenway Committee and the River Festival Committee and the River Festival Committee:

Celia Silinonte, Deborah O'Rourke, Russ Murray, Carol Coutrier, Marion Stoddart, Adam Burnett, Bobbie Lamont, George Moore, David Pitkin, Fran Stanley, Brad Paul, Pete and Diane Carson