Upcoming Events
Monday, January 30, 2023
Fun-Raiser at Brock's Riverside Grill
See "Friends of Chatham at Brock's Riverside Grill" article below.
RSVP to Carol Hyland, mail in your check, and mark your calendars.
President's Message
Happy New Year to All!
As 2023 begins, we look forward to seeing our Friends at Chatham Manor ... in the Chatham garden, on the Chatham grounds, at upcoming Friends of Chatham events, and upcoming events held by our friends at the Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park (FSNMP) of the National Park Service. Thank you for your support of Friends of Chatham in 2022 as we returned to in-person events. We are so grateful for your participation and financial investment in the success of our mission to help the National Park Service preserve Chatham Manor and the historic buildings and grounds that surround it and promote the historic legacies that Chatham Manor represents.
We are excited to welcome Superintendent Lewis Rogers to the FSNMP and Chatham Manor. We look forward to working with him as we continue the philanthropic partnership that was created in 2012. It is an exciting time! Read more about Superintendent Roger's impressive career with the National Park Service here: https://www.nps.gov/frsp/learn/news/rogers-super-2022.htm .
Thank you to our Board of Directors (Carol Hyland-VP, Susan Brown-Secretary, Kevin Brown-Treasurer, Beth Stenstrom-Director of PR & Marketing, Pat Baughman-Director of Membership, Rene Rodriguez-Director of Ways & Means, and Stephanie Turman-Director of Projects) for your continued service to Friends of Chatham, to the Master Gardener volunteers who help part-time gardener, Scott Blake, and garden volunteer coordinator, Carol Hyland, maintain the gardens, to the volunteers who contribute to the success of our events, both past and future, and to Mike Redding for helping maintain our website and Chatham Chatter. We appreciate you!
With gratitude,
Nancy Fahy, President
The 2022-2023 Membership
Year Has Begun!
If you haven't renewed your membership for the current year (which runs from July 1, 2022 through June 30, 2023, now is the time! Memberships are available at various levels of support: Individual, $25; Family, $50; Sustaining, $100; Contributing, $250; River Terrace, $500; and Faberge Circle. Any membership level greater than $25 is tax deductible as a charitable contribution.
It is easy to renew your membership. You may send a check to Friends of Chatham, PO Box 36, Fredericksburg, VA 22404. You can also visit the Friends of Chatham website at www.friendsofchatham.org and submit your renewal electronically. Please specify that your payment is for membership.
If you have any questions about your membership, please email us at friendsofchatham@gmail.com and we will get back to you with an answer.
Friends of Chatham at
Brock’s Riverside Grill
Monday, January 30
Social Hour and Cash Bar at 6:00 PM, Dinner at 7:00 PM
Start your Valentine’s Day festivities by joining friends for a fun evening out which will support Friends of Chatham’s worthwhile projects.
The evening will include a live art auction featuring plein air works done in the garden and other Chatham inspired items. You will have the opportunity to purchase raffle tickets for a chance to win creative gift baskets and other fun items donated by supporters. There will also be a 50-50 Raffle. Raffle tickets will be sold at the event beginning at 6:00 PM and continuing until Raffle time.
Raffle Ticket Prices~ 1 for $5~ 3 for $10~ 20 for $20
Dinner buffet will include House and Caesar salads~ Trout Almondine~ Pasta Primavera~ Pork Tenderloin~ Redskin Mashed Potatoes~ Seasonal Vegetable~ Rolls~ Coffee and Tea~ and Cake for Dessert
Tickets are $40 per person. Please email Carol Hyland at cahyland@cox.net to make your reservation. Then mail your check payable to Friends of Chatham (by January 23, please) to:
Friends of Chatham
PO Box 36
Fredericksburg, VA 22404
Holiday Wreath Tradition
Continues at Chatham
Again this year volunteers created beautiful wreaths to adorn the doors of the manor house, laundry and kitchen outbuildings and the entrance to the walled garden. This year’s volunteers, all veteran wreath makers, were Joyce Childress, Carol Ann Campbell and Liz Phillips along with Board members Nancy Fahy, Beth Stenstrom and Carol Hyland.
Again this year, greenery was gathered from the property in advance, so the volunteers had containers of holly, boxwood, magnolia leaves, ivy and juniper sprigs waiting for them when they arrived. December 2nd started as a chilly day, so the work was done in the 1900 greenhouse where the potting benches provided ample room to spread the containers of greenery along with plenty of work surface.
Gardener Scott Blake was available to answer questions about the materials and assist with any other greenery needs. As always, the volunteers turned the materials available into a variety of distinctively creative wreaths which were hung in their designated places. Some holiday treats were enjoyed by the volunteers, the project was successfully completed and the wreaths added a festive holiday touch to the Chatham grounds throughout the Christmas season..
FOC Membership Gift Cards
Friends of Chatham Membership Gift Cards are available through our website and Facebook page. If you need a special gift for a history buff or a gardener, the FOC membership card is a great choice. Your membership contribution helps with the preservation of Chatham Manor and helps build and maintain the lovely gardens surrounding Chatham. Membership levels are as follows: Individual, $25; Family, $50; Sustainning, $100; Contributing, $250; River Terrace, $500; and, Faberge Circle, $1000. Please add $1.50 per gift card to cover postage and handling.
From the Garden
Work in the garden is again following its normal seasonal pattern, which means we are now in the clean-up and get ready for winter portion of the schedule. Summer annuals have been removed and pansies have been planted. Spent perennial foliage has been cut. The annual mulching project is about to begin.
In 2022, we built upon our initial success using one greenhouse, and the second one was also put into production. With this extra space, all of the summer annuals used in the garden were able to be raised in Chatham’s greenhouses.
Our gardener, Scott Blake, has begun propagating some plants in the 1935 greenhouse. He has rooted cuttings from catalpas and boxwood and is caring for them as they develop. These new plants may find places on the grounds after they are more mature.
As we again transition into a new year, Friends of Chatham wants to extend sincere thanks to all the folks who made the garden project successful in 2022. We are very grateful for the support and cooperative approach of Facility Manager-Chief of Maintenance John Storke. FOC Gardener Scott Blake has graciously shared his horticultural knowledge and greenhouse expertise. He cares for the garden and greenhouses with a watchful eye, spotting and correcting problems in their early stages. The help provided by volunteers, most from the Master Gardener Association of the Central Rappahannock Area, is essential to the garden’s maintenance and progress. Every Wednesday the faithful volunteers show up and do whatever is necessary to care for the plants and keep the garden looking its best. Among them, special recognition should be given to Steve Thomas, Susan Collins, Manon Dixon, Arlene Wilkinson, Gale Graham and Margie Huie. All the volunteers are indispensable, and they repeatedly demonstrate that many hands make light work. They are also friendly, cooperative and make the work fun. Thank you all so much.
For Sale: $35 each*
FoC is selling signed and numbered limited edition prints of Chatham Manor by Joseph M. Serino, 18 1/2 in. x 23 3/4 in. If you are interested in buying a print you can email us at friendsofchatham@gmail.com. Prints can also be purchased online from our homepage at www.friendsofchatham.org.
Did you know you can support FoC when you buy bulbs for your garden from Brent and Becky's Bulbs? Go to www.bloominbucks.com. Select Friends of Chatham in the drop down menu, follow the prompts, and start shopping. Twenty-five percent of your purchase will go directly to Friends of Chatham.