The anniversary committee discusses upcoming fundraisers for next year's Susan B. Anthony celebration.
ADAMS, Mass. — The Adams Suffrage Centennial Celebration Committee is finalizing plans for upcoming events and fundraisers.
The committee was formed by the town of Adams to spearhead a yearlong celebration of Susan B. Anthony's 200th birthday and the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment that ensured women the right to vote. Adams is taking the lead nationally in recognizing Anthony as she was born on East Road in 1820.
As part of the festivities, the Susan B. Anthony Birthplace Museum will be holding a Historic Costume Contest and Fundraiser at First Congregational Church in Williamstown on Oct. 19. Guests are encouraged to dress in historically accurate outfits from Anthony's time and judges from local theater, art, and historical organizations will award prizes in several categories. Proceeds will go to the museum and to the committee.
Trivia buffs can head to the Bass Water Grill in Cheshire on Nov. 7th for a Women's History Trivia Night. Teams of four will compete for prizes over five rounds of trivia with questions leaning heavily toward history-making women. Tickets are $10 and all proceeds go to the committee.
On Jan. 18, Jill and Edmund St. John IV will be hosting music bingo at the Bass Water Grill. Listen to your favorite hits and play various styles of bingo while raising money for the cause. For every $25 donated, each contestant will receive two bingo cards.
The Black and Red Gala will be the anniversary committee's formal dinner fundraiser. It will be at Berkshire Hills Country Club in Pittsfield and include a full dinner and a cash bar. The event will fall exactly on what would have been Anthony's 200th birthday. Samantha Talora will provide the entertainment for the evening. Tickets are $60 per person.
Two new potential events were discussed Thursday night. Adams resident Virginia Duval wants the next town election to highlight the efforts of Anthony by emphasizing not just a woman's right to vote, but everyone's.
"We think it's appropriate because everyone who is a registered voter in Adams can participate and it's not going to cost you any money," she said. "We'd like to have the best turnout ever for a town election."
Duval, who is part of the Vote for Susan Project, is talking with the Adams Council on Aging's Erica Girgenti about getting voters transportation to the polls for the day.
"We have enthusiastic support from Erica at the Council on Aging for loaning the project a van on election day," she said. "In part for people to schedule trips to the polls but also part of the time to run a hop on and off bus around town."
Another possible fundraising vehicle would be a hoedown hosted by Frank and Sandy Talora. The country-themed event would be held at the Cheshire Rod & Gun Club in the spring. Country music and traditional Southern barbecue would be provided at the all ages party.
All of these events are aimed at closing the gap between the roughly $200,000 already raised and the ultimate goal of $300,000. The committee will hold the signature event next August during which the Susan B. Anthony statue sculpted by world-renowned artist Brian Hanlon will be unveiled at the Town Common.
For more information on all the events leading up to the celebration visit celebratesuffrage.org or the Celebrate Susan B Anthony Facebook page.
