Join us in celebrating our independence while raising awareness and funds for seniors and area youth.  The REAS Foundation, in partnership with the Merchants of Sturbridge and the Sturbridge Recreation Committee, is planning an old fashioned Independence Day Celebration beginning with a Grand Parade starting at the Sturbridge Host Hotel and ending on the Town Common.

Music, food, festivities, and fun is the order of the day and we invite all residents in the region to join us. Non-profit organizations from throughout will be on hand to provided educational materials, raise awareness and generate support for their cause. The REAS Foundation will be conducting two raffles:

1) Plan ahead and take a chance at wining 150 gallons of oil.

2)  In partnership with Narragansett Lager Beer, the REAS Foundation will be raffling “Beer for a Year”, courtesy of Narragansett Brewing Company.

DATE: July 3rd, 2010, 2:00 – 10:00 PM

VENUE: Sturbridge Town Common with Parade originating at the Sturbridge Host Hotel and ending at the Town Common.

PURPOSE: Establish an annual community event/celebration that motivates residents, merchants, visitors, and tourists to identify our community as their primary destination for Independence Day activities.

EVENT COMPONENTS:

PARADE – originating at the Sturbridge Host Hotel and ending at the Town Common consisting of the following:

GRAND MARSHALL’S:

• Senator Steve Brewer
• Representative Todd Smola
• BOS Chairman Ted Goodwin
• Sturbridge Selectwoman Mary Blanchard
• Sturbridge Town Administrator Shaun Suhoski
• Tantasqua School Committee Chairman Kathy Neal
• Wales Selectman Mike Valanzola
• Southbridge Town Councilor Rich Logan
• Brimfield Selectman Stephen Fleshman
• Brimfield Selectman Tom Marino

Parade Mascot – Miss Piggy the Pot Bellied Pig
Police Escort
Fire Trucks from partnering communities
Ambulances
Tractors
Hay Ride Vehicles Chauffeuring

• Cub Scouts
• Brownies
• Little League Members
• Along with any children attending

Vintage Vehicles
Motorcycle Strike Force
Heavy Equipment Vehicles
Various Marching Contingents
Bag Pipe Contingent
Narragansett Promotional Team with the Gansett Girls

GRAND PICNIC BUFFET: Vendors (Rovezzi’s, Publick House, Annie’s Country Kitchen, BT’s Smokehouse) donating time and ALL proceeds to the following non-profit organizations: REAS Foundation, Tantasqua Music Association, TED Foundation, & local Recreational Activities

BBQ Ribs

Hamburgers
Hot Dogs
Boneless Chicken
Italian Sausage
Assorted Cold Salads
Corn on the Cob
Desserts
Grand Picnic Buffet Cost - Adults $10, Seniors $8, Children $5

MUSIC: Vocalists, Instrumentals, Bagpipers, Bluegrass by LIVESTOCK, DJ’s, & Jazz, Reggae, & Rock by JABOODA.

ENTERTAINMENT ACTIVITIES: Town Crier, Dance Presentations, Specialty Presentations by local groups, Bounce House, Hot Air Balloon – providing vertical ascents, Re-enactors, Firefighters, Pie Judging Contest, SPIN-ART FUN SPINNER, PITCHBURST Competition (see video below), Temporary Tattooing for children, Full Day gaming for families (i.e. sack/relay races, Dance-Offs, Ball Tosses, Ring Tosses, Hoola-Hoop Contests, etc.), Flags & Glo-necklaces will be distributed to youth attendees.

BONFIRE: A large Independence Day Ceremonial Bonfire - located behind the Publick House - will cap the day’s events, while transitioning the celebration into an evening of musical enjoyment.

NON-PROFIT AWARENESS BOOTHS: Area non-profits will be allowed to set up awareness booths for the purpose of information distribution and fundraising for their specific organization.

Financial Beneficiaries: ALL proceeds from the Grand Buffet will be donated to the following non-profit charities:

• REAS Foundation
• Tantasqua Music Association
• TED Foundation
• Sturbridge Recreational Activities

The REAS Foundation 10K Circle of Friends, is hoping to raise $10,000 of it $20,000 goal from residents via a small $10.00 donation from 1000 Sturbridge families. We believe, that our shared commitment to the well-being of our senior citizens will enable us to meet that milestone.

The ever growing challenges now being shouldered by all of us in light of escalating energy prices, are certainly more daunting for our seniors on fixed incomes. Increased energy prices along with food, medications, and medical expenses, are already jeopardizing the economic stability of some of our seniors.

Please partner with us in providing hope and relief to Sturbridge seniors in need, by joining the REAS Foundation 10K Circle of Friends. Your gift of $10.00, will help provide much needed assistance to those seniors within our community who may now be facing choices between heating or cooling comfort, food, or medicine.

As a member of the REAS 10K Circle of Friends, you can take great pride in knowing that your donation will be completely directed towards providing assistance to Sturbridge seniors; our neighbors, perhaps our friends, but certainly, all members of our community.

Thomas R. Creamer
Executive Director

Donations may be sent to:

REAS Foundation
P.O. Box 737
Fiskdale, MA 01518
   508-434-4614    

email: info@reasfoundation.org

 CNN.com reported this morning that oil prices had crossed the $145.00 per barrel mark -  http://money.cnn.com/2008/07/03/markets/oil.ap/index.htm - signaling yet higher energy and fuel costs while increasing fears that the $150.00 per barrel mark may not be unrealistic after all. This increase comes at a time when “the European Central Bank (the U.S. Federal Reserve’s counterpart) is expected to boost a key rate in order to fight inflation; …a move hat could put even further pressure on the anemic [U.S.] dollar and send commodity prices even higher” as reported in a companion article by CNN.com -http://money.cnn.com/2008/07/01/markets/thebuzz/index.htm.

The news continues to indicate increasingly challenging times for us all relative to fuel and energy costs as well as all commodities dependent upon those resources. Clearly, these challenging times will be most difficult for our seniors on fixed incomes whose purchasing power is quickly deteriorating amidst the gathering storm.

As each of us make our own adjustments to deal with the increasing economic pressures now faced, be it diminished travel, reduced spending on non-essentials, purchases of alternative energy sources (i.e. pellet stoves, solar panels, geothermic energy systems, etc.), we are reminded that a percentage of our seniors on fixed incomes may have little in the way of choices to ease their burden other than prioritizing food or medications over heating or cooling.

Please join us in our efforts to bring relief to Sturbridge seniors in need by considering your tax deductible (501c status pending) donation to the REAS Foundation. A small $10.00 donation from 1000 families in Sturbridge will help us meet the challenge of our 10k Circle of Friends club, through which half of our overall $20,000 goal will be met by 1000 families or residents donating $10.00 each. It has been said that “it takes a village to raise a child”, and it is fast becoming a reality that it sometimes “takes a village” to help maintain the hope and dignity of our seniors.

Thomas R. Creamer
Executive Director

Donations may be sent to:

REAS Foundation
P.O. Box 737
Fiskdale, MA 01518