Partners in Preservation Popular Vote Winner

Congratulations to the Paragon Carousel in Hull, MA for being the top vote-getter in the Partners in Preservation contest!

Additional grant recipients will be announced on June 16th.

Final Hours to Vote for Louisa May Alcott's Orchard House

The Partners in Preservation contest ends tonight at midnight, only a few hours from now!

If you have stuck with us though the entire five-week voting period -- many, many thanks! We've relished the challenge of devising clever yet non-intrusive ways for you to be reminded to vote, and admire your own perseverance in remembering every day.

If you joined us along the way in our quest for the $100,000 preservation grant, we thank you as well. The incredible surge we experienced last week -- going from 15th place to 12th place in four days -- was remarkable and inspiring!

And, if you're only now reading this and wishing you could vote for us, there's still time to cast your ballot and show that Orchard House matters to you! Simply visit 

http://www.PartnersinPreservation.com 

to register and log in to vote.

We're very grateful for the exciting ways in which we've reached out on social networking sites and the many new and renewed friends and followers we've acquired in the process. We hope you will continue to check for updates on us in the future. Better yet, if you're ever in Concord, MA, do make sure to visit Louisa May Alcott's Orchard House. Thank you all so much for your support!

A Tale of Love and Support in Concord, MA

We would like to share with you the following incredible story that occurred yesterday:

In the early morning hours of 12 May 2009, fire ravaged two stores on Main Street in Concord, Massachusetts: Fritz and Gigi's - The Children's Shop and Churchill Flowers. Fortunately, the lone apartment dweller above these businesses managed to call the fire department and get out safely. These businesses were located in historic buildings, and although they are likely to be structurally sound, the interiors -- complete with fine old woodworking details and generations of memories for Concord shoppers -- along with all the merchandise, are total losses. Re-building will proceed apace for these folks, but will take several months at the least before they can get back on solid ground. In our already awful economic climate, this could not have come at a worse time for these business owners.

LOUISA MAY ALCOTT'S ORCHARD HOUSE MAKES THE FRONT PAGE OF THE BOSTON GLOBE WEST TODAY!!!

Please read this article by clicking on the title of this blog post (and for more information on why we need to win the Partners in Preservation contest, visit http://www.louisamayalcott.org).

Then, vote for us every day through May 17th at http://www.PartnersinPreservation.com.

With only 10 days left in the contest,
your daily votes are crucial to our success!!!

Please help us break into the Top 10 ... and stay there! (And please spread the word to your friends, family, and colleagues to do the same.)

If we win, we all win, because one of America's most beloved historic sites will be able to continue its preservation efforts and stay open for generations to come!

Thank you!

"Promote the Vote" for Louisa May Alcott's Orchard House!

During our well-attended "Spruce Up for Spring" Gardens & Grounds Clean-Up last weekend, some of our youngest volunteers took time out to join Executive Director Jan Turnquist in making an earnest plea for votes. Enjoy our first-ever in-House video (click on the Blog title to watch it on YouTube), and then please vote for us every day through May 17th at http://www.PartnersinPreservation.com.

To find out even more about why we should win, visit this special portion of our website: http://www.louisamayalcott.org/vote2009.html.