Veasey Memorial Park

Birds & Nesting Box Tour

2011-07-21T16:31:00.000-04:00

Birds & Nesting Box Tour - 10:30 AM - FREE
Sunday September 18th & Sunday, September 25th

This guided tour will explore some of Groveland's 47 acres of conservation land, highlighting Veasey Park's Nesting Box Program. We will explore and compare inhabitants including bluebirds, tree swallows, purple martins, tufted tit mouse and bobolinks. This serene walk is a perfect place for observing and learning about our local birds and their natural environment. Binoculars suggested

Coordinated by the Essex National Heritage Commision, as an integral part of our mission, Trails & Sails raises regional awareness of Essex County’s resources, encourages visitation, and fosters stewardship and preservation of its heritage sites. Trails & Sails takes place each September, just North of Boston, inviting you to enjoy the diverse experiences that led to this region’s designation as a National Heritage Area, for FREE! Discover treasures in your own backyard! Experience all the sights and sounds of the Essex National Heritage Area during the ninth annual Trails & Sails: Two Weekends of Walks and Water!

Explore the many cultural, historic, and natural sites during two weekends of FREE events featuring a variety of walks, guided hikes, sails, historical tours, and adventures! Create your own itinerary at www.trailsandsails.org! for FREE.

Health Screening this September

2011-07-05T13:45:00.000-04:00

Life Line Screening Preventive Health Events at Veasey Park

Have You Taken Control of Your Health Today?

Life Line Screening will be at Veasey Memorial Park on Friday, September 16, 2011 offering five safe, painless, non-invasive preventive health screenings that are typically not a part of a routine physical.

To be more proactive about your health and live longer for yourself, your family, and your community, call to register at 1-888-653-6441 or visit www.lifelinescreening.com/community-partners. You can learn your risk of having stroke or vascular disease, prices range from $129 to $159. There is no time like the present to take action!

Identifying Your Risk = Disease Prevention

Veasey Memorial Park will host a preventive health screening event on Friday, September 16, 2011 for residents in and around your community.

Life Line Screening will perform screenings for:

1) carotid artery blockage (stroke) 4) peripheral arterial disease

2) atrial fibrillation 5) osteoporosis (bone loss)

3) abdominal aortic aneurysm

These screenings are recommended for anyone 50 and older, or 40 and over with cardiovascular risk factors. They are non-invasive, painless, and take 60-90 minutes to complete. The results, which are mailed directly to you, will help you and your doctor protect your health. Stroke, Vascular and Heart Rhythm Package range from $129.00 to $159.00. Call 1-888-653-6441 or visit www.lifelinescreening.com/community-partners to schedule your appointment.

If you wish to register for the screening online go to www.lifelinescreening.com/community-partners

Spring has arrived,,,,

2011-05-10T19:19:00.002-04:00

Spring has arrived and the Veasey field is greening and bluebirds, tree swallows and bobolinks have returned. Two of the nest boxes in the field already have recently hatched bluebirds. The parents will be busy bringing food to their young as the young quickly grow and mature. Veasey Park has never had a bluebird fledge before June – maybe this year. Let’s wait and cheer these two bluebird families on.

The Highway Department has mowed the field trails so take a walk through the field and enjoy the birds. Lilacs and quince are now in bloom around the field adding color and scent.

If you take a walk though the woodland trails look for flowering wood anemone along the trails. Anemone has white flowers about 1-inch wide with five petals and reaches a height of 8-inches. Wood anemone is one of the early flowering wildflowers that thrives in wooded habitat and flowers early to take advantage of the additional sunlight penetrating the forest canopy that reaches the forest floor before trees have fully leaf-out.

Richard Lombard … May 2011

Hydrangea Pruning

2011-04-16T13:21:00.000-04:00

It's that time of year! Time for our resident expert, Cheryl Messenger and crew to prune our hydrangea. Thank you to Cheryl Messenger, Carole Gist, & Patty Declue of The Moles as well as Claire Walsh of the VMC.

Come celebrate Earth Day with us!

2011-04-02T15:49:00.000-04:00

We are so thrilled to be pairing again with the Langley Adams Library! In honor of Earth Day, join us for a FREE event on April 20^thfrom 11am to 1pm.

The eco-friendly activities, geared towards kids and families include: Story Time, Lil Green Thumbs, Eco-Wise Bird Feeders. Although completely optional, families are encouraged to stay after to help clear up the park in honor of earth day. This year’s event is open to the public for free, no registration required. Rain or Shine, a perfect spot for kids to get out and doing something fun during their school vacation.

Visit www.langleyadamslib.org or www.veaseypark.org for additional information.

March is RED CROSS month

2011-03-28T12:03:00.000-04:00

The Groveland Boy Scouts in conjunction with American Red Cross and Veasey Park are hosting a BLOOD DRIVE on April 2nd here at the Park from 8am to 1pm. More details to come!

Happy New Year!

2011-01-11T14:02:00.000-05:00

Although chilly, the park is beautiful this time of year.

Veasey Memorial Park plans the Fifth Annual Wine & Art Reception!

2010-09-23T17:43:00.004-04:00

Join us to celebrate & raise funds for “Groveland’s Best Kept Secret”

The fifth annual Wine & Art Reception in Groveland’s, Veasey Memorial Park has been set for November 6, 2010 from 5pm-8pm. The evening again promises to be a great night out for a good cause.

Previous year’s receptions have been an unprecedented success for the Park. The evening is filled with foods from area restaurants & caterers, original art from dozens of local artists, and fine wine donated from Park supporters and local businesses, and finished off with music, raffles and entertainment

“We are really looking forward to the fifth reception and hope that this year will be as successful as previous years,” says Jan Lydon, member of the Veasey Management Committee. “It provides a nice low cost evening out for grown up’s with wine and hors d’oeuvres, not too far from home.”

This event facility and community park is looking for your support. Caterers, restaurants, vendors and artists interested in participating may call 978 521 9345 for information on the benefits of support or check out www.veaseypark.org.

All artwork is original and available for purchase by check, cash, or credit card. The proceeds from the event will go towards the Park’s fundraising efforts including 40% commission on all art sales.

Tickets may be purchased by calling Veasey Park at 978.521.9345 or emailing office@veaseypark.org. Tickets are $15 in advance or $20 day of reception. Senior discount (65 and over) available $12 advance, $18 day of. Business / Group discounts are available. (Buy 6, get 7th ticket free). Tickets may be purchased by mailing check to 201 Washington Street Groveland, Ma 01834 or additional information can be found at www.veaseypark.org or by calling 978 521 9345.

Adobe Photoshop Workshop on Sept 25th & Oct 2nd

2010-09-09T15:04:00.001-04:00

Veasey Memorial Park & Very Groovy Workshops in Groveland are proud to offer a Workshop for individuals who are interested in learning Adobe Photoshop.

Offered on two consecutive Saturdays, starting September 25th, this intensive workshop is designed to enable those with no or limited experience with Photoshop to get started with Photoshop immediately, and start making edits to their pictures. Adobe Photoshop is the industry leading graphics program for graphic & web designers and digital photographers.

This workshop provides an overview of Adobe Photoshop, and an in-depth tour of Photoshop’s tools, followed by detailed explanations and step-by-step demonstrations of image editing and retouching techniques in Photoshop. This local Workshop is offered in a small classroom setting so that attendees can follow along and ask questions during the sessions. The cost for the Introduction to Photoshop Workshop is $179.

For additional information or to register the Very Groovy Workshops website www.groovyworkshops.com or contact Ed Burke at workshops@verygroovy.com. You can also register by contacting Veasey Memorial Park at 978.521.9345.

Veasey Memorial Park located at 201 Washington Street in Groveland offers noncredit personal enrichment courses and workshops for individuals and companies that are looking for professional training and workshops locally. For information call 978.521.9345 or visit us online at www.veaseypark.org.

Darfur Fundraiser

2010-09-09T14:39:00.003-04:00

This summer a fundraiser was held at Veasey Park.
The successful event raised money for Darfur.
Check out the article below for more details!

http://www.stjohnsprep.org/page.cfm?p=615&newsid=1145

Dry Weather …

2010-08-12T11:08:00.005-04:00

June and July of this year have been dry months at Veasey Memorial Park. According to the National Weather Service reporting site in Lawrence, Massachusetts, there has only been about 1.5 inches of combined rainfall for June and July. Considering that the average-combined rainfall for these two months in this area is slightly more than 7 inches, this season’s rainfall has certainly been sparse. The impact of this two-month draught is evident by the many patches of brown that are seen throughout the Veasey lawn and field.

Even though the vegetation in the field has struggled from the lack of precipitation, several wildflowers still have managed to produce a surprising floral display in spite of the dry weather. This summer the most prolific wildflower is goldenrod, which can be found densely scattered throughout the field forming patches of bright yellow. Another abundant and pretty wildflower in the field is black-eyed Susan that has a dark-brown central disk from which bright yellow petals radiate making it one of the more outstanding flowers in the Park. It is a member of the composite or daisy family.

Though less prolific than goldenrod and black-eyed Susan, common milkweed is well represented in the field. By the end of July, its droopy-round clusters of pink flowers have now gone to seed. The seeds are enclosed within large-pointy pods that will soon split open and release the silky-strands of seeds that will be captured and carried away by the wind. This plant is the sole food source for the caterpillar of the monarch butterfly. When feeding on the leaves of this milkweed, this caterpillar is also ingesting some of the plant’s toxic-milky sap, thus, making the caterpillar and its future butterfly toxic; if not at least, very unpalatable to potential predators.

Another showy wildflower that appears in the field is purple loosestrife. Unfortunately, purple loosestrife is an aggressive and invasive plant preferring wet habitats but has managed to grow in some areas of the field. Though the field would appear to be too dry and thus unsuitable for this wildflower, underground seeps of water produce microhabitats that accommodate the thirsty roots of this invasive species. The magenta-spiked flowers of purple loosestrife are quite showy but this plant has an infamous reputation for crowding out native plants that would provide more beneficial habitat for wildlife. When this plant invades wetlands, it produces a spectacular display of purple color characteristic of many of our wetlands this time of year. Being an introduced species and due to its aggressive tendency toward other vegetation, it is not surprising that purple loosestrife is listed by the Massachusetts Division Fisheries and Wildlife as an invasive plant species.

Not all introduced species are invasive; in fact, Queen Anne’s lace with its creamy-white flat-top cluster of flowers was introduced from Europe and seems to have melded somewhat peaceably with its neighboring habitat, and is indeed a very attractive wildflower that can be observed during mid-summer in the Park. When the flowers have gone to seed, the flower head curl will up and form what looks like a bird’s nest. The other name for this plant is wild carrot noting its ancestor origin of the domesticated carrot.

Another wildflower, life forever, has found a suitable spot under the canopy of the large oak tree in the field. This wildflower has a succulent stock and leaves that allow the plant to manage dry conditions. With its rounded cluster of small-pink flowers on top of a single stock that is about 18 inches high, the flowers are quite striking when stumbled upon. It too was introduced from Europe but does not appear to be a nuisance yet.

Richard Lombard … August 2010

Enjoy a Walk in the Veasey Field

2010-07-12T15:18:00.013-04:00

The trails at Veasey Park provide an important dimension and critical outdoor element. The park is fairly evenly divided between woodlands that wrap along Johnson’s Pond and the large field that covers the east-facing slope of Nun’s Hill. A visitor to the Park can experience both habitats by taking a walk on the trails that access both areas. This season, visitors will discover that a walk through the field can take a bit longer. Until this spring, there was only a single trail through the field. This trail ascends Nun’s Hill and approximately divides the field in half. Since this was such a popular trail, it was decided to add additional trails in the field.

With the help of the Groveland Highway Department and the mowing crew of Mike and Ed, there are now four distinct and interconnected field trails. To maintain the field it is necessary to mow it once in the autumn to prevent it from being overtaken by shrubs and trees; whereas the field trails need to be mowed more frequently, about once every one to two weeks.

Visitors to the Park now have a great opportunity to wander throughout the entire field and observe a variety of wildlife, including birds, butterflies, dragon and damsel flies and a multitude of other intriguing insects as well as many wildflowers. Staying on the trail is strongly advised as poison ivy is an abundant plant in the field. Don’t disparage too much about this ivy, as it is a native species and a food source for much wildlife.

So take this opportunity to enjoy and explore the field as the weather has warmed and summer has arrived. From the top of the field, there are excellent views toward the east and south. An especially pleasant time of day to stroll through the field is in the early evening as the sun settles into the horizon. Hopefully, with the support of an evening breeze, you will find the mosquitoes scarce but not the other natural sights of the field. If the sun has set, you may catch the flash of some fireflies, more specifically the Pennsylvania firefly (Photuris pennsylvanicus).

Richard Lombard … June/July 2010

(Photos courtesy of Dave Blackwell)

Pentucket Summer Arts Camp is back!

2010-06-09T14:22:00.000-04:00

Pentucket Arts Center Presents Our 14th Annual Summer Children's Program "Adventures in Art 2010"
Come to Veasey Memorial Park in Groveland for our all day program of summer art adventures! For the last 14 years children have been creating wonderful projects in ceramics, puppetmaking, painting, drawing, sculpture, papermaking, and much more with incredible art, theater, and music celebration. This year will be our best ever outdoors and indoors with ceramics, painting, drawing, sculpture, paper-making, weaving, theatrical arts and music, and much, much more. Our wonderful professional staff include program director Susan Blim, musical theater teacher Gayle Bridgford, professional artists and teachers Maria Fontaine and Rebecca O'Shea, and other talented creative artists. July 12th - 23th Two, one-week all-day sessions. 9:00 - 4:00 for ages 6-13. . Pentucket Arts Center is a non-profit organization based in Haverhill, MA founded in 1996. We support and develop arts programming for the Greater Haverhill area. For more information visit www.pentucketartscenter.org. The program will provide 2 snacks each day, but a lunch must accompany the child. The program will run regardless of weather. Fee is $185 per child per session. Please mail in the registration payment (personal check or money order) with your complete contact information, your child's name, age, and the grade they will begin in the Fall 2010, as well as their school. You will receive by hard copy mail a confirmation of registration, along with the medical and permission forms for the program. An official registration form is not necessary as long as complete information is provided along with payment. Please remit payment to: Pentucket Arts Center, P.O. Box 1808, Haverhill, MA 0183 or through their website: http://www.pentucketartscenter.org/ WEEK OF JULY 12-16, 2010 "The World of Dogs, Cats, and other Favorite Pets" Explore the world of dogs, cats, and more - various mammals, birds, fish, reptiles or even imaginary creatures - dream about your favorite pets - past, present and future ! WEEK OF JULY 19-23 "Carnivale!" Celebrate and learn about the famous holiday tradition in Brazil. We'll create our own extravaganza with costumes, dance, drama, music and much more!

Nesting Boxes....

2010-05-25T12:57:00.003-04:00

NEST BOXES HELP OUR FIELD BIRDS

The month of April is the start of the nesting season for bluebirds and tree swallows at Veasy Memorial Park (VMP). Since both species build their nests inside cavities, nest boxes have been placed throughout the VMP field to accommodate the nesting needs of these birds. Though they build nests inside natural cavities such as old woodpecker-excavated cavities, these birds will readily accept man-made nest boxes, especially, when placed in open areas such as the field at VMP. Currently, there are 17 nest boxes at VMP and another box in Meadow Pond Reservation, which is located across the street from VMP. The VMP nest box program began in the spring of 2005.

Often, April and even May at the park can present cool and wet weather that make nesting challenging. Bluebirds will attempt nesting early in April and sometimes in late March while tree swallows are somewhat later starters. Fortunately for this year, April was relatively mild and our nesting birds got off to a good start. During April, there were three bluebird and one tree swallow nests with clutches of eggs. Two of the bluebird nests produced hatchlings before the month ended! Definitely, this is an early appearance of bluebird nestlings.

The nest boxes are regularly monitored for bird development and box maintenance. Important
developmental information includes the date that the first egg is laid, the hatch date and the date the nestlings fledged, or leave the nest box. Monitoring can be complicated by the fact that the female will lay only one egg per day and might not begin incubating the clutch of eggs up to a week after the last egg is deposited in the nest. The egg laying period is followed by the incubation, hatchling, nestling and fledging periods. Once this cycle is completed, a new generation of independent offspring is produced.

Incubation can last from 12 to 16 days for both bluebirds and tree swallows. The young usually all hatch within two days of each other, and both species are altricial, that is the hatchlings are immobile, downless and naked, and their eyes closed for several days after hatching. They rely completely on their parents for survival. In contrast, turkeys are precocial where the hatchlings are mobile, downy, and follow their mother who shows what to eat. Once they hatch, bluebirds and tree swallows will need an additional 15 to 20 days to fully develop and fledge (able to leave the nest box).

With some simple arithmetic, you can see that it takes about 34 to 43 days to produce a self-sufficient new generation of offspring. In our region of the country, breeding bluebirds sometimes produce two broods of offspring, though tree swallows seem content with a single brood, each season. Imagine a breeding pair of bluebirds could produce two generations of bluebirds, and be grandparents at the end of their second breeding season.

Maybe that is the reason they don’t live for many years – about 2 to 5 years on average.

Richard Lombard … May 2010

Winter Nesting Box

Photo by D. Blackwell

Our Hydrangea

2010-05-20T15:36:00.000-04:00

We get many questions about our famous, giant hydrangea. There is alot of credit go around for them in the most recent years, Cheryl (aka Ms. Mole) has been handling their primary care.

Here is a summary of her most recent thoughts about them!

"We are working on the annual pruning required to make them grow the giant flower trusses, that everyone loves. The hydrangeas at Veasey are called 'hydrangea paniculata grandiflora', a.k.a. peegee hydrangeas. They bloom on this year's growth and have all spring and summer to grow and form buds. They then bloom in August.

Their color is dependent on the weather, not the soil acidity. The severe annual pruning makes the flowers bigger; if left alone they would just have little blobs of flowers. They are hardier than the blue flowered variety, which blooms on old growth that frequently gets killed over the winter this far north. "

Before:

After:

Here are some pictures of two fabulous and indispensable volunteers, Jack and Cheryl doing the annual pruning.

We are going to keep you posted on how they bloom.

New Caretaker !!!!! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

2010-05-03T15:33:00.000-04:00

As many of you know, we have been in between caretakers for some time now. After a very extensive search by an all volunteer sub-committee (Jan Lydon, Susan Sexton, and Claire Walsh)- we found Fritz!!

And thank goodness.....we so badly needed the right person for this challenging job and are just thrilled to have him.

Fredric (aka Fritz) Vogler grew up in Lawrence but moved to Amesbury in the 70's where he was at the same job for 16+ years. He built a home in Salisbury and now enjoys time with his kids and grandkids.

Fritz has quickly become the right fit here and the difference is obvious in just a few short weeks.

Earth Day is just around the corner!

2010-04-06T13:50:00.000-04:00

Join the folks from the Langley Adams Library in Veasey's Great Hall as we celebrate Earth Day!
Listen to a story, make a craft, and help us plant some flowers to make Veasey Park beautiful!

April 22 - 10:30am- EVENT FULL
For children ages 2-10 and their parents/caregivers.

Adults must remain with their children at all times while at Veasey Park.

* Online registration required through the library here.
Adults please type your name first and then your child/children's names individually in the spaces below.

Host your summer camp here!

2010-04-01T16:15:00.000-04:00

Located on 47 acres of conservation land, Veasey Park is best known as a versatile function facility - rain or shine. Our main building has a variety of nice rooms available to rent for parties, meetings, classes, or entertainment - at modest prices. The income from your patronage is directly re-invested in our operation to maintain our long-term viability.

Veasey’s "Back Court" space has flat grounds, perfect for outdoor activities and running around. Also featured outside are a swing set, picnic area and playground area. Water access (non-swimming) is available from the park to neighboring Johnson's Pond. Veasey offers several different indoor spaces that complement the spacious grounds and marked trails. Rooms range in size from small to large (20 -150ppl)with some spaces having air conditioning, wireless internet, tables, chairs and kitchens.

Groups hosting here in the past include Arts, Theater, Music & Science camps, Mom's Groups, Cooking Series, Church Retreats / Camps. and Veasey’s own Discovery Series for kids. We'd be a perfect match for groups looking for an eco-friendly spot with local nature & wildlife

Veasey is easily accessible from both routes 95 and 495. Plenty of parking is available. For more information about hosting your summer camp at Veasey Park or available dates, please visit us at www.veaseypark.org or email office@veaseypark.org.

Trees........

2010-03-24T17:09:00.000-04:00

Like many of you, we have been bombarded with driving rains, floods, gusting winds and falling trees over these past few weeks. We've suffered some big losses from the falling trees but have been quite fortunate that no people were hurt.

I didn't get there in time to get a picture of the large white pine that fell with a good camera. Here is one from my phone...

Ironically, it fell on the Conservation Commission's office. Here is what remains.

Now it's time for the cleaning up! Earth Day is coming up, if you or your group would like to help, please contact Megan at megan@veaseypark.org or call 978.521.9345.

Happy Spring!

P.S. Don't forget the Friends of Veasey have their annual indoor Flea Market on Saturday from 9am to 1pm. FREE to attend! Tables still available to rent.

Indoor Flea Market....clean out that closet!

2010-03-03T16:36:00.000-05:00

Friends of Veasey Park's annual Flea Market is set for March 27th from 9am-1pm.
Everyone is Welcome -Admittance is Free

Crafters, Antiques, or Just cleaning out.....

Table rental available: 4 ft = $20, 6ft = $25, 8 ft = $30
$10 deposit required

Call 978.521.9345 and leave a message

Veasey Park's Enrichment Series is back ...check out these amazing opportunities

2010-01-20T15:41:00.000-05:00

Veasey Park is fortunate to work together with Northern Essex Community College to offer these amazing classes to the community. There are dozens of classes but here are just a few that are starting soon:

Irish Dance

Come learn the joy of Irish Dancing through the steps of the reels and jigs. Start with learning the steps required to perform the basic ceile dances, which are social group dances. Great fun way to get some vigorous exercise and socialize. You will learn the classical party ceile (pronounced Kay-lee) dances which are danced at weddings and parties! Wear sneakers and comfortable clothes.

Instructor: Bracken School of Irish Dance

340 ENTR1019-VPA: M, 7:30-8:30pm, 6 wks, 2/1-3/15 (no class 2/15), $88 fee, Veasey Park

341 ENTR1019-VPB: M, 7:30-8:30pm, 6 wks, 5/3-6/14 (no class 5/31), $88 fee, Veasey Park

FLORAL DESIGN "diy" WORKSHOPS FOR WEDDINGS & all occasions

Instructor: Priscilla Styer, Teacher & Floral Designer for 20 + yrs.

Great hands on workshops for brides-to-be, their families or anyone interested in learning the many aspects of floral design. Each workshop introduces you to a new technique to encourage you to express your creativity with flowers. If a wedding is in your future, come learn how to design & create your flower arrangements with your own hands. Learn from a talented floral designer which flowers work for different applications & different budgets. Learn techniques to decorate your home with flowers and add special interest to holidays and dinners.

Please bring your own floral clippers for each class.

Ceremony Flowers – Part 1

Explore considerations of how to focus attention on the celebrated couple, framing them with flowers and/or candles that can create a moment to remember in photos as well as on your wedding day. You will make a specially designed floral arrangement to take home. $28 materials fee paid in class.

368 GARD1072-VPA: W, 6:30-8:30pm, one eve, 2/10, $30 fee, Veasey Park

Yoga at Veasey NEW!

Yoga class for all levels. Iyengar style of yoga emphasizes body alignment created by specific muscular movements. The goal is to align the body, mind, and spirit for health and well being. No Yoga experience needed. BRING YOGA MAT.

Instructor: Lauren Gray, 200 Hour Iyengar Yoga teacher training, Certified Fitness Trainer, Senior Fitness Specialist, Matter of Balance Coach

322 FITS1037-VPA: M, 6:30-7:30pm, 6 wks, 2/1-3/15 (no class 2/15), $74, Veasey Park

324 FITS1037-VPB: M, 6:30-7:30pm, 6 wks, 3/29-5/10 (no class 4/19), $74, Veasey Park

325 FITS1037-VPC: M, 6:30-7:30pm, 6 wks, 5/24-7/5 (no class 5/31), $74, Veasey Park

Dicovery Series for Kids is back!

2010-01-13T15:00:00.001-05:00

We are thrilled to offer another round of the Discovery Series for Kids. These programs, geared towards school aged children in Groveland and the surrounding communities have been well received by the community for being something fun, affordable, and educational for the kids to do during their school break.

The workshops are offered on the Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday starting on February 15^th from 9:00am to 3:00pm. Each day there will be a morning activity from 9-11:30, and a break for lunch with the activities resuming from 12:00 – 2:30 with the last 30 minutes for kids to finish up on projects, journal and play.

The diverse hands-on workshops allow students to dive in a little deeper to learn more about the subjects at hand, while having fun. Educational activities such as learning to cook, draw, money- management, nature and science get a fun, fresh spin. Each child will be able to explore their creativity and build on fundamentals

Each session is engaging and developmentally appropriate for kids from 7-11 years old. Spaces are limited. A snack is included, but don’t forget to bring a peanut-free lunch! The fee for 2 days is $85 and for 3 days is $115. Pricing works out to be $7.08 an hour or LESS. This includes supplies and a snack. Sibling discounts are available.

To register of for more information, go to the website and fill out the contact form www.veaseypark.org or call 978-521-9345.

2009-12-10T10:00:00.000-05:00

The Wine and Art Reception can't happen with out a team of dedicated volunteers pitching in. Special Thanks to those that helped the day of:

Cheryl (Wine Hat) Messenger, Jack Wagner, Susan Drougas, Leeah Crane, Pam Blaquiere, Linda Parsons, Sandy Daniels, Sandy Larsen, Maureen Blomberg, Marvin Messenger, Katelyn (Muscles) Mowbray. Jan Lydon and I would not survive with out you.

Here are more pictures from the Wine and Art Reception this year. Big Thanks to Tracy Gilford for the photos!

Sample of proposed artwork for a permanent piece in our

Great Hall by award winning artist, Margot Siegmann

Local ceramist, Damon Jesperson, was one of our artists.

The famous Wine Hat....created with love by Cheryl Messenger. Thanks, Cheryl!

Dale Rogers is the renowned artist who created the Big Dog Show. Check out his amazing metal sculptures!

Cabot Cheese of Vermont was one of our wonderful sponsors for the event. They provided us with more cheese than we could possibly eat- but we somehow managed to!

More to come from this fun event!

Wine and Art 2009

2009-12-07T14:54:00.000-05:00

The Fourth Annual Wine and Art Reception came and went......and what a night. We had a lovely turn out, amazing local art and lots to eat and drink- what could be better!

Tracy Gilford took a myriad of pictures that evening, here are just a few....

More to come!

Art for our sake!

2009-11-03T18:52:00.000-05:00

Veasey Memorial Park is excited to be receiving a cultural council grant for a piece of commissioned original artwork by a local artist.

The artwork will be for Veasey's Great Hall and must be 5 ft high by 8 1/2 ft wide. The commissioned price can not exceed $800 (to include art supplies).

The subject matter should encompass the spirit of Veasey as a conservation park and community facility using vibrant colors and bearing in mind the beautiful hydrangea for which Veasey is known.

If interested in participating you MUST:

On or before November 7th, call 978.373.2829 (Jan Lydon) to let her know of your interest, and she will provide you with additional information. NO EMAILS OR CALL TO THE PARK PLEASE.
Participating artist must submit 2-3 colored sketches of proposed work by November 17th to be mailed to or deliver to Jan (ask her for details)
Sketches will be presented at Wine and Art Reception on November 21st where attendees will pass opinions and reviews however, a separate committee will have final approval

You asked for it, now take advantage of it!

You know that DOG!!

2009-11-03T18:44:00.000-05:00

Veasey Memorial Park is absolutely THRILLED to have the very cool work of Dale Rogers at our Wine and Art Reception!

Dale Rogers takes pleasure in creating work that inspires the public to think about the world differently. He strives to create work that is thought-provoking, sophisticated, easily recognized and serves as a ‘mental postcard'.

Dale believes that by adding sculpture to the public landscape, the communities are forever enhanced and the art serves as a reflection of the quality of their community.

Public displays of art inspire people of all ages to think about the world differently. Young people are influenced daily by their surroundings, and art is an integral part of their creative development. Public sculpture evokes an emotional response from all who view it.

Dale says: "I believe in simple truths and enduring value. My work is an exercise in blending graceful, organic style with contemporary flair. My art, sometimes referred to as American Art, is described as sophisticated, thought-provoking and sometimes, humorous.

My work includes sculptures for home and garden all of which are on display at fine galleries throughout the U.S. and are included in exclusive private and corporate collections. I am honored that my large sculpture enhances public spaces across the nation for visitors to enjoy. "

To read all of Dale's statement, check here

Tickets for the Wine and Art Reception are available at www.veaseypark.org or by calling 978.521.9345

Wine & Art Reception set for November 21st !

2009-09-15T18:02:00.000-04:00

It's that time of year again.....the hydrangea are turning, school is starting and we are planning our annual Wine and Art Reception.

This popular event is one of a kind for us and we are thrilled to have such success with it.

We have not raised our prices this year and tickets remain at $15 in advance and $20 the day of.

As always we are seeking new and interesting local artists to participate in the event. The artwork is available for sale with the proceeds benefiting the artist and the park. Please check our website, www.veaseypark.org for more detailed information!

Hydrangea

2009-09-14T23:25:00.000-04:00

Veasey is fortunate to be the home of the most beautiful hydrangea in the area. In full season, the heads of our flowers are HUGE!

Admired by many and coveted by local florists, the Park is also fortunate to have the likes of the Groveland Moles pruning and caring for them. Thank you, Cheryl!

Dicovery Series

2009-09-05T23:29:00.000-04:00

A week devoted to allowing children to further explore interesting subjects. This hands-on, interactive series has been offered during week long vacations in the past. This summer, we are looking to hold a Discovery Series the week of August 17th. A way for children to beat the typical boredom they can face on vacations, this educational yet amusing series features different workshops daily. Topics such as cooking, fitness & movement, science experiments, and art have been previously offered. For a fee, each child is provided with necessary supplies and a snack to enrich their days. This affordable, entertaining week has been popular in past years and is expected to fill up again this summer!

In with the new! Caretaker that is :-)

2009-07-20T13:05:00.000-04:00

We welcome Timothy E Collins as our new caretaker for the Park. Tim and his wife, Terry, are both Massachusetts natives who are looking forward to serving the park and its community. Tim is a licensed electrician and a Navy veteran with over thirty years of experience in building operations and maintenance. Tim and his wife enjoy travelling and have served in previous caretaking roles on the Gulf Coast of Florida and in the Sierra Nevada’s. Tim and Terry have been married for twentyone years and share common interests, such as gardening, nature and photography. Terry is also a licensed massage therapist while Tim is a musician who enjoys singing, song writing and playing the guitar.

We are thrilled to have them!

Some of our past events......

2009-07-02T13:00:00.000-04:00

Wine & Art Reception

This annual fundraiser is an entertaining way for others to give back to the park- plus it's an adult only affair :-) . The evening includes tasty samples from area restaurants and caterers, art created by local artists, and fine wine that has been donated by supporters of the park and local businesses.
The evening concludes with music, raffles and an auction.

This popular event has been a success for the park in the past. The event serves as a night out for locals that is not too costly, yet any money spent is going towards a great cause – keeping Veasey Memorial Park up and running! In actuality, 40% of the sales from the art were donated directly to the Park!

A fun time was had by all at 2008’s wine and art reception; we look forward to you joining in on 2009’s Wine & Art reception festivities.

Winter Festival

In the past, the Groveland Activity Committee's Winter Festival has been a great outing for families and locals. The occasion features amusement for all ages and personalities.

Traditionally, there are events and demonstrations that take place both indoors and outdoors. Displays from previous years include Curious Creatures, Tony Toledo storytelling, and musical & dance performances. Not only is there plenty to see, but hands on activities are also important elements of the Winter Festival! An abundance of food is available to please the palate. For those looking to brave the cold, traditional snow activities have taken place in the past. This is one festival that is sure not to disappoint!

Goodbye to our caretaker.....

2009-06-30T22:55:00.000-04:00

It's sad to start our blog with a goodbye, however, we are bidding a very fond farewell to our caretaker of many years, Martin Camp, and his wonderful wife, Lisa.

Marty has left a permanent mark on all of us and his contributions to the Park are too numerous to be counted.

We wish them luck in their new endeavors on the other coast.

He may not miss us.....be we will sure miss him.