Organizing Friends of Mill Race

The first step of creating a “Friends of the Mill Race” community group to participate in the Mill Race restoration is to confirm the sponsorship that would support the group. The sponsor for this project would be the City of Springfield.

Secondly, it is necessary to consider why the group needs to exist and what we would hope to accomplish. The answer to this two-part question is that the group needs to exist to ensure that there will be community involvement and pride in the restoration project so that in the future the group will maintain the improvements and keep awareness up in the community for future fundraising and volunteer work. The “Friends of the Mill Race” would focus on the accomplishment of LONG-TERM maintenance and outreach over the years following the restoration project. Once construction is finished, the group will serve as representatives of the Mill Race in the future, keeping citizens involved and informed so that future generations can enjoy the benefits of the Mill Race.

The third step is to mail out an informational brochure, inviting the citizens of Springfield to participate in the group. It is important to provide clear, concise information, with adequate explanation of the goals so that it is clear what the group is out to achieve.