by Floramae McCarron and Laura Lucas, Fund Drive Co-Chairs

Year after year, our community’s generosity is evident in the results of our annual giving campaign. As we draw this campaign to a close, we’re happy to report that we have raised $92,101 from 525 donors for the Chestnut Hill Community Fund Drive. This money goes back into our community to support Chestnut Hill Community Association programs and non-profits who work to improve Chestnut Hill in four major areas of focus: cultural, education, human services, and physical beautification.

Some interesting news about this year’s fund drive:

• We were almost on pace with last year’s fund drive, which raised $92,621.

• 41 businesses and non-profits made donations to this campaign.

• Of the 525 donors, 49 of them are new donors to the Fund, and they donated $7,685.

• More than half of our new donors made their donations in March, our final fund drive month.

Many thanks are in order. Our thanks to the Chestnut Hill Hospital for their ongoing support and $10,000 donation to support the Pastorius Park Concerts. Thank you to Campbell’s Place, El Poquito, Iron Hill and McNally’s Tavern and to everyone who came out to support our Big Night Out in January. Thanks to Richard Snowden and Bowman Properties for donating the inventory and the generous use of the former Chestnut Hill Trading Company’s space for our wildly popular upscale yard sale in March. A big thank you to our Honorary Co-Chairs Gail and John Detweiler for hosting a cocktail reception party at their home and being very engaged in this campaign. We’d also like to recognize fellow Fund Drive & Grants Committee members Bob Rossman, Jean Hemphill, Tolis Vardakis, Susan Bray, Sam Loth and Paula Riley for their tireless dedication and commitment.

Among a range of projects and programs, grants from the recent fund drive will support Allens Lane Art Center, CH Book Festival and Speaker Series, CHCA Circle of Trees (Holiday Tree Lighting Celebration), CHCA Outdoor Movie Night (a new effort), CHCA Pastorius Park Concert Series, The Crossing Choir, Northwestern Stables for the Fairmont Park Show in May, Philadelphia Dance Theater, Piffaro The Renaissance Band, Tempesta di Mare, Fresh Artists for a Jenks art program, Mt. Airy Learning Tree, Center on the Hill, CH Center for Enrichment, CHCA Awards, CH Meals on Wheels, Keystone Hospice, Northwest Victim Services, Teenagers, Inc., CHCA DRC and LUPZ, CHCA Volunteer Memorial Garden, CH Garden District Fund, Friends of the Children's Park in Chestnut Hill, Friends of the Wyndmoor Train Station, Rotary Club of CH Foundation restoration of the Pergola, The Stagecrafters community garden, CH Youth Sports Club (to construct new storage facilities), and Friends of J.S. Jenks. Participants will be notified of grant amounts after formal approval by the Chestnut Hill Community Fund Trustees.

Since the very first Fund Drive in 1973, a cumulative total of $2,316,892 has been raised for this community! We are grateful to our donors for their steadfast and generous support of not only the Chestnut Hill Community Fund Drive but to all the groups and programs that we support. The dollars we receive are critical in supporting culture, education, human services and the physical beautification projects our neighborhood. You help bring programming and experiences that educate, entertain and enrich the lives of area residents and visitors to the community. For that, we are most thankful to you.

Donations can be made to the Annual Fund Drive year round. If you would like to be one of the first to donate to next year's drive, go to www.chestnuthill.org/community/.