On June 1, at the Cherry Grove Community House, the Cherry Grove Community Association, Inc. (CGCAI—www.cgcai.org) kicked off the third year of its Save Our Community House (SOCH) campaign and recognized some of those whose contributions helped keep Super Storm Sandy from destroying the Grove.
CGCAI President Diane Romano announced that $300,000 had already been raised for repairs to our 65-year-old Community House, a former barn, floated over from Long Island, and that another $400-to-500,000 is still needed in order to complete the necessary repairs. “We are now officially listed as a New York State historic site,” Diane said, only the second New York LGBT site so designated, following Stonewall, and making the Community House eligible for possible inclusion in the Federal registry of historic sites. She pointed out the opportunity to name parts of the theater for a donation and mentioned two locations that have already been spoken for: the Archives Room, which will be named for late archivist Harold Seeley, and the lobby, which will be known as the Benefactors’ Lobby, with a plaque that will list the original major donors.
During the afternoon, CGCAI awarded medals to the Dunes Fund leadership, for its work in planting and cultivating dune grass and putting up dune fencing, which prevented devastating damage to oceanfront property from Storm Sandy; to Gina Garan, who helped raise money for the Dunes Fund through her web site; and to the Cherry Grove volunteer Fire Department, first responders in the wake of Sandy.
The event also served to introduce photographer Lorraine H. Michels’ new book “Celebrating the Heart of Cherry Grove: ‘The Community House’ 1948-2013,” available for a donation of $100 or more to the SOCH campaign, and containing a treasure trove of pictures and information about our beloved House. Visit www.justlorraine.com to find out more about the book, all proceeds from the sale of which will benefit SOCH.