Our beloved CFP Hall (2018), pictured right.
The new CFP Center for Arts, Wellness, and Community (2019), pictured below. Preparing to re-open our doors.
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Dear CFP Community and our Friends and Neighbors,
After three years of hard work and an astounding community commitment of time, talent, and treasure, we are thrilled to announce we will be reopening our doors to the renovated and revitalized CFP Center for Arts, Wellness, and Community very shortly. Everything that has happened grew out of the vital question of how we could guarantee the future of the CFP Hall and its long-term sustainability. As a reminder of how far we have come together, the pictures above show our well-loved but aging building has been transformed into a beautiful home for a wide array of new community activities.
In the next few weeks you will receive an invitation to our official ribbon-cutting event celebrating our community’s success. This event is scheduled for September 28
th
in conjunction with the Common Fence Music Fall 2019 concert season kickoff. You can expect lots of thank yous, food trucks, tours and celebration.
We will, however, be opening the doors prior to the ribbon cutting event and as soon as everything is safe and functional - we are down to the final days of construction and are sanding the floors, painting the walls and pouring a walkway for accessibility.
As we think of the future of the CFP Center for Arts, Wellness, and Community, I want to outline ways for you to consider deepening your relationship with the new space and our community. We will invite CFP residents to become Members of the CFPIA as we have in the past. In addition, we will invite neighbors, advocates and friends who live outside the neighborhood to become "Supporters" of Common Fence Point and also enjoy benefits and a sense of belonging to the CFP Center. Our partnership with the Newport County YMCA will also create opportunities for residents to take advantage of fitness programming, afterschool care (beginning this Fall), summer camps, and family events. The CFP Board looks forward to sharing the detailed membership package at our Grand Opening.
It has been a long and busy three years. We are all deeply grateful for our donors, supporters and friends who have worked tirelessly to turn this vision into reality. As we all walk the last few paces to the finish line I ask that you take a moment to congratulate each other on a job well done. It was our faith, dedication, and tenacity that brought this project from inception to completion. We and future generations have much to be thankful for!
Your friend and neighbor,
Conley Zani
President, CFPIA
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Notes from a British spymaster of his meeting with British spy Ann Bates, who operated at the time of the Rhode Island Campaign in summer 1778. (Library of Congress)
The
"Spies In The Revolutionary War" lecture
this Wednesday, Aug 21 at 6:30pm, sponsored by the Portsmouth Historical Society, has been moved from the CFP Center for Arts, Wellness, and Community to the Portsmouth Historical Society Museum (870 E. Main Rd).
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CFP Loves Our Volunteers
There are several reasons to think CFP is magic. This week I have volunteers on my mind. I am so grateful to so many on "the team": we couldn't do this project without you! Most of these folks don't want any accolades, so I had to beg these amazing people for a photo so I could brag on them:
1) above, David Camara and Scott Boyd, helping with the sitework
2) and pictured below, Alan Costa, using his professional skills as a painter and donating his time to help us paint the inside
3) Marek and Dominik Chilomer took on the kitchen remodel, and helped us get our speakers and video tech ready to go!
4) Kristina Thompson and her parents Frank and Karen Sparks, along with Warren Caldwell, mow and weed-eat our park on a regular basis. We had some VIP visitors from the State come out last week and this team helped us make a beautiful impression.
5) Barbara Jones and Barbara Weatherford for all the recent work on the rain-garden and day lillies as we've been under construction!
6) Kurt Stovall is constructing our "CFP Community" and "CFP Arts" signage - welding the stainless steel letters and powder coating them for us. Wow, just wow! #madskillz
Stay tuned for the next call for volunteers - we will need to do a "cleaning party" as soon as we get the Certificate of Occupancy for the building. Also, if anyone has any garage "shelving" they would be willing to donate, we'd be grateful (the kind you can store big plastic bins on, not bookshelves, thank you!). We want to be organized in our storage closets like never before. Email me:
[email protected]
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Alan Costa with Conley Zani (above left)
Karen and Frank Sparks and Kristina Thompson (above right)
Marek Chilomer (right)
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In addition, CFP will be hosting a Wednesday evening "homework club" - open to all Portsmouth families on Wednesday evenings starting at 6pm. If you are interested in helping launch this amazing club or want to learn more details, please contact Heather Satterley:
[email protected].
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A message from our neighbor: Jane Wheeler:
Want to help with the first wedding being held in the newly renovated CFP Hall?
I’m marrying my high school sweetheart. We were reunited after 44 years!
I’m looking to hire 2-4 people as a set up and breakdown/cleanup crew for my wedding.
We need people to assist with set-up for a few hours Friday September 20 [time tbd] and to breakdown/cleanup Saturday September 21st about 9:30pm.
Contact Jane:
Phone or text- 401-855-1900
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