Upcoming Events
Sunday, April 28, 2024, 1:00pm at Gari Melcher's Belmont
Spring is here promising warm sunshine, cheerful flowers and optimistic moods. To recognize the hopefulness of the season and the creativity of our local artists, Friends of Chatham invites you to attend our Spring Gala and Art Auction. This festive event will be held on Sunday, April 28 from 1:00 to 4:30 PM at Belmont, Gari Melchers Home and Studio, located at 224 Washington Street, Fredericksburg 22405.
The event will be catered by Party Services by Dori, offering a buffet of heavy hors d’oeuvres as well as wines and a festive non-alcoholic punch. Feel free to sample the fare as you chat with friends and fellow Friends of Chatham supporters while viewing the art created at the Friends of Chatham Plein Air events held in October 2023 and February 2024, and donated separately by local artists.
The auction will feature over 20 pieces of art created by local artists using various materials and techniques. There will be photographs, oils, watercolors, acrylics and mixed media works, all available for purchase by the highest bidder. Your participation in the auction will demonstrate your support for the local art community and Friends of Chatham.
Tickets to attend the Spring Gala and Art Auction are $40.00 per person. To make your reservation(s), please email Carol Hyland at cahyland@cox.net. After you have made your reservation, please send your check to Friends of Chatham, PO Box 36, Fredericksburg, VA 22404. You can also pay for your ticket using PayPal at friendsofchatham.org.
Credit cards and personal checks from the winning bidders will be accepted at the Art Auction.
The parking lots at Belmont are a distance from the building where the Art Auction will be held. If anyone in your party has mobility issues, please advise us of that when you make your reservation.
Thank you for your continued support of Chatham and Friends of Chatham.
President's Message
Happy Spring! It is a wonderful time of year when the flowers start blooming and the winter doldrums start to melt away. I don't know about you, but I'm ready for the warmer months when outdoor activities abound.
There's been lots going on and more to come this month with Friends of Chatham. I look forward to seeing many of you at the upcoming Spring Gala and Art Auction at Gari Melchers Home & Studio at Belmont on April 28th. It will be a fun afternoon of strolling the beautiful artwork, much created as a result of small plein air events held on the grounds of Chatham in October 2023 and February 2024. The photo above was taken at the February sunset event. It was a glorious, yet chilly evening.
Please mark your calendars now for the annual meeting of the Friends of Chatham membership which will be on Tuesday, June 4, 2024, at the Theater Room of the Fredericksburg Branch of the Central Rappahannock Regional Library on Caroline Street at 5:30 PM. We'll be sharing updates about Friends of Chatham activities, update on the fundraising campaign to grow the Friends of Chatham Endowment Fund, vote on the 2024/2025 budget, and vote on the slate of candidates for the new board team that will take office as of July 1st.
It has been my privilege to serve as President for these almost four years, and on the board since 2012. I look forward to continuing to serve Friends of Chatham in a different role as FOC continues in its mission to support the preservation of Chatham and to promote public awareness and appreciation of Chatham's unique history that reflects the complexities of the American story. Thank you to Carol Hyland, Vice-President, Kevin Brown, Treasurer, Susan Brown, Secretary, Pat Baughman, Director of Membership, Beth Stenstrom, Director of Public Relations and Marketing, Stephanie Turman, Director of Projects, and Patsy Thompson, Director of Fundraising, for your hard work and dedication to Friends of Chatham. Each of you have brought your special talents to the fore, and Friends of Chatham and the National Park Service have reaped the benefits of your expertise.
Thank you to our members, donors, and supporters for your continued support of Friends of Chatham. You have made my term a pleasure!
With gratitude,
Nancy Fahy, President
St. Patrick's Day Member Mingle at the Colonial Tavern
Home to the Irish Brigade
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.
* Includes shipping and handling
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.