Author Archives: Geri Eddins

Draper Memorial Park Field of Flags Honors Veterans and Active Military Personnel

Last November Citizens for Milford  partnered with the Milford Corps of the Salvation Army to launch the Draper Memorial Park Field of Flags, a tribute acknowledging the service and sacrifice of our veterans and active military personnel with a display of American flags placed in Draper Memorial Park on Veterans Day. Folks who sponsored a flag last November will have their flags redisplayed in Draper Memorial Park on Memorial Day, Flag Day, Fourth of July, and Labor Day this year. They will be invited to renew their sponsorship for another year after Labor Day in time for Veterans Day 2017.

If you missed out on our first Field of Flags display, you can choose to sponsor a flag in time for this Memorial Day for a $60 donation. If you sponsor a flag now, your donation will place a flag in Draper Park for the following four patriotic holidays:

• Memorial Day
• Flag Day
• Fourth of July
• Labor Day

To sponsor a flag for the Draper Memorial Park Field of Flags project, click here to print a copy of the Field of Flags Order Form. Be sure to complete the form and mail it to the address provided on the form with your $60 check made out to SALVATION ARMY as soon as possible.

If you need to be mailed a copy of the form, please email us at CitizensforMilford@gmail.com.

If you prefer to sponsor a flag for the entire Sponsorship Year of all five patriotic holidays (Veterans Day, Memorial Day, Flag Day, Fourth of July, and Labor Day), then please wait to send your sponsorship form until this coming Labor Day has passed.

Your $60 donation qualifies as a tax-deductible charitable contribution.

Each $60 donation includes a 3′ x 5′ American flag, standing tall on a 10′ staff, in Draper Memorial Park. Each flag will include a yellow ribbon with an attached card naming the person being honored, military branch, years of service, and sponsor’s name. You can choose to sponsor a flag in honor of a veteran (alive or deceased) or an active member of the military. You can also choose to sponsor a flag in honor of all our nation’s veterans.

Please visit the DRAPER MEMORIAL PARK FIELD OF FLAGS page to learn more about this community project.

Volunteers Needed to Help Clean Our Community

Citizens for Milford is organizing the Third Annual Milford Beautification Day, an opportunity for area residents, organizations, and businesses to work together to beautify our community by picking up trash around town. Milford Beautification Day will be held Saturday, April 29^th (rain or shine) from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. All interested citizens are invited to meet with organizers anytime between those hours in the parking lot across from Sacred Heart Church (5 East Main Street) to get supplies, instructions, and assignments.

Beautification Day Chairperson Amie Sanborn says, “Last year nearly 200 volunteers joined us to demonstrate their Milford pride in a practical way, simply by picking up trash around our community. We encourage everyone who loves Milford to join us, even for just an hour.”

Families, community groups, churches, local businesses, and teenagers who need to perform service hours are all invited to participate. Younger children are encouraged to attend as long as they are accompanied by a supervising adult. 

Trash bags, gloves, and water will be provided to all volunteers. Many of the supplies are being donated by Republic Services. The Friends of the Milford Upper Charles Trail is co-sponsoring Beautification Day with Citizens for Milford.

In conjunction with the efforts being organized for Beautification Day, Citizens for Milford has also arranged for volunteers from the Worcester County Sheriff’s Department Community Service Program to initiate the Beautification Day work by conducting a clean-up on April 27 and 28.

Anyone interested in volunteering or participating in any way on April 29—as an individual, a family, or a group—should contact Amie Sanborn by email at CitizensforMilford@gmail.com. Although it is not necessary to sign up in advance, Sanborn notes that having an idea of the number of interested participants can help ensure enough supplies are available.

The event sponsors are grateful for the assistance and donations provided by the Milford Board of Health, the Milford Highway Department, Republic Services, and the Worcester County Sheriff’s Department Community Service Program.

Help us spread the word! Download the flyer.

Friends of the Milford Upper Charles Trail is a 501(c)(3) non-profit volunteer organization formed in 2005 to benefit the Town of Milford and surrounding areas, working diligently and in cooperation with the Town of Milford Parks and other departments, various community groups, and interested parties to educate area residents about the recreation and transportation opportunities offered by the Milford section of the trail; promote the use, development, enjoyment, and care of the Milford section of the trail; and raise and expend funds to support trail maintenance and improvements for the benefit of the residents of the Milford area. Information is available on the organization’s website (MilfordTrail.org) and Facebook page.

Just over 17% of Milford voters went to the polls Tuesday, April 4th to participate in this year’s Town Election. Citizens for Milford extends its sincerest gratitude to all the candidates for their commitment and service to our community. We also thank everyone who took the time to vote.

Winners of the five contested races are:

3 Year Selectman: William Buckley
2 Year Selectman: Michael Walsh
Board of Assessors: Joshua Lioce
Planning Board: John Cook
Constable: Nadine Ladeau

Download the 2017 Annual Town Election Official Results (UPDATED 6 April 2017).

Have you always wanted to run for Town Meeting, but didn’t want to collect all those signatures? Well, there’s another way. This year Town Meeting has openings for 3-year seats in every precinct, and you could run for one of them simply by asking voters in your precinct to write in your name and street address when they vote on April 4th.  Here is a list of the open Town Meeting seats in each precinct:

• Precinct 1: 2 Three year openings
• Precinct 2: 3 Three year openings and 1 two year opening
• Precinct 3: 1 Three year opening
• Precinct 4: 5 Three year openings, 1 two year opening, and 1 one year opening
• Precinct 5: 2 Three year openings
• Precinct 6: 2 Three year openings and 1 one year opening
• Precinct 7: 1 Three year opening
• Precinct 8: 3 Three year openings, 2 two year openings, and 1 one year opening

Citizens for Milford hosted its Fourth Annual Candidates Forum on March 16, 2017, which featured candidates in the five contested races (two seats on the Board of Selectmen, as well as one Constable position, one seat on the Board of Assessors, and one seat on the Planning Board) in Milford’s upcoming town election. Each of the candidates presented an opening statement and answered questions from the audience. Recognizing the service of all our town candidates, Citizens for Milford also invited unopposed candidates to attend and to meet voters during the “meet and greet” time at the beginning of the evening.

Citizens for Milford would like to thank all the candidates who participated, as well as the many voters who attended and posed questions. In addition, we extend our gratitude to our co-sponsor The Town Crier for event coverage, Milford TV for event video recording, Milford Daily News for event coverage, and St. Mary of the Assumption Church for use of their Parish Hall.

To watch the forum video, and peruse other pertinent election videos and information, visit the TOWN ELECTION page by clicking the TOWN ELECTION tab.

MILFORD VOTERS! Be sure to make your voices heard and VOTE on Tuesday, April 4th! We look forward to seeing you at the polls.

Candidates Forum Will Be Held March 16^th at 7:00 p.m.
Please join us to meet the candidates and ask them YOUR questions!

Citizens for Milford invites all Milford residents to attend its fourth annual Candidates Forum, which will feature candidates in Milford’s upcoming town election. The Candidates Forum will be held Thursday, March 16^th in the Parish Hall of Saint Mary of the Assumption Church in Milford. Candidates will be available to meet voters starting at 6:30 p.m. The forum will start at 7:00 p.m. This event is free and open to the public.

The forum will feature the candidates in the five contested races (two seats on the Board of Selectmen, as well as one Constable position, one seat on the Board of Assessors, and one seat on the Planning Board) in Milford’s upcoming town election. Each of these candidates will speak for two minutes and then answer questions from the audience. Recognizing the service of all our town candidates, Citizens for Milford has also invited all unopposed candidates to attend and to meet voters during the “meet and greet” time, from 6:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Candidates Forum 2016

Citizens for Milford Co‑chairmen John Seaver and Steve Trettel will moderate the event. “The forum provides an ideal opportunity for residents to meet the candidates, hear their ideas for our community, and discover where they each stand on critical issues. We encourage all Milford voters to join us and to come prepared with questions to ask the candidates,” stated Steve Trettel.

Milford voters who are unable to attend the forum are encouraged to email questions in advance to CitizensforMilford@gmail.com. The group will make every effort to ensure those questions are posed to the candidates the night of the forum.

Milford TV will video record the forum and broadcast it in the days leading up to the election on April 4. Citizens for Milford will also provide a link to the video on its website as soon as it is available.

“As Milford’s local newspaper, delivered to all homes and businesses in town, The Town Crier is pleased to be co-sponsoring this event to encourage citizen participation in Milford’s town government,” said Publisher Alfred Holman.

The Parish Hall of Saint Mary of the Assumption Church is located at 17 Winter Street in Milford. Parking is available in the adjacent lot and on neighborhood streets. Main entry into the Parish Hall is located on the side of the building that faces Sumner Street. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m.

All Milford Residents Invited to Attend and Ask Questions of the Candidates.

Citizens for Milford invites all Milford residents to attend its fourth annual Candidates Forum, which will feature candidates in Milford’s upcoming town election. The Candidates Forum will be held Thursday, March 16^th in the Parish Hall of Saint Mary of the Assumption Church in Milford. Candidates will be available to meet voters starting at 6:30 p.m. The forum will start at 7:00 p.m.

Due to time restrictions, only those candidates running in a contested race are being asked to participate; however, unopposed candidates are invited to attend and to meet voters during the “meet and greet” time, from 6:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Each participating candidate will speak for two minutes and then take questions from the audience. Citizens for Milford co‑chairmen John Seaver and Steve Trettel will moderate the event.

The forum will be video recorded and available for all to watch on Milford TV and from the Citizens for Milford website following the event.

“As Milford’s local newspaper, delivered to all homes and businesses in town, The Town Crier is pleased to be co-sponsoring this event to encourage citizen participation in Milford’s town government,” said Publisher Alfred Holman.

The Parish Hall of Saint Mary of the Assumption Church is located at 17 Winter Street in Milford. Parking is available in the adjacent lot and on neighborhood streets. Main entry into the Parish Hall is located on the side of the building that faces Sumner Street. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m.

Milford’s Town Election will be held Tuesday, April 4th.

Citizens for Milford invites all residents to attend our first public meeting of the new year on Wednesday, February 8 at 7:00 p.m. in the Milford Town Library.

Milford Building Commissioner John Erickson and Health Agent Paul Mazzuchelli will be our special guests. “A key component of Citizens for Milford’s mission is to host casual public meetings several times a year that provide direct access to our public officials. We encourage residents to join us on February 8th to meet Mr. Erickson and Mr. Mazzuchelli and ask them questions regarding the Task Force, zoning enforcement, the new sign bylaw, as well as Health Department regulations,” says Co-Chairman John Seaver.

Additional agenda items include a discussion of projects and events that Citizens for Milford has planned for 2017, such as the Candidates Forum, Beautification Day, and the Draper Memorial Park Field of Flags. New members are encouraged to attend.

The Milford Town Library is located at 80 Spruce Street. The meeting will be held in the library’s Granite and Quarry rooms on the lower level. Limited parking is available at the library. Additional parking is available on Spruce Street and at nearby Stacy Middle School.

Second Annual Milford Christmas Tree Lighting Planned for Friday, Dec. 2 at 6:30 p.m. in Draper Memorial Park

Milford Christmas Tree 2016

Last year Citizens for Milford purchased a Fraser fir tree and worked with town officials to have it planted in Draper Memorial Park. Installation of electrical access for holiday lights was coordinated by the Highway Department with donated services from O’Donnell Electric and Emerald Irrigation. Unfortunately, the Christmas Tree did not survive the stresses of the 2016 drought and it was removed from Draper Park over the summer.

And so we are thrilled to announce that David Sanchez, the owner of Busy Bee Landscaping & Construction in Milford, has generously purchased and installed a gorgeous new fir tree in Draper Park—all in time for this year’s Tree Lighting Ceremony. He is doing this because “he wants to give back to the town.”

Citizens for Milford extends our deepest appreciation to Mr. Sanchez, as well as to Mike Bresciani, Parks Director, and the Milford Parks Commissioners, for their enthusiastic support and assistance in helping us continue this new community tradition. We also thank Karen Mullen of Signs Plus in Milford for donating a sign to accompany the tree, as well as the Milford Schools Food Service Department for baking all of the cookies for the Tree Lighting ceremony.

It is our sincerest hope that the Milford Christmas Tree will serve as a symbol of peace and a gesture of good will to all Milford residents and visitors for generations to come.

Please plan to join us for the Second Annual Milford Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony in Draper Memorial Park on the evening of Friday, December 2. Attendees are invited to arrive at 6:30 p.m. for cookies and hot chocolate. The ceremony will start at 7:00 p.m. This community event is free and open to all Milford residents. Please invite your family, friends, and neightbors!

Highlights of this year’s event will include:

• Holiday music played by a five-piece brass ensemble of Claflin Hill Symphony Orchestra musicians. We hope you will share your holiday spirit by singing along to several holiday classics with us!
• A special visit from the North Pole’s most famous resident and the opportunity for families to take their own photos with him. Please be sure to bring your own camera or smart phone.
• The countdown to the lighting of the tree!

Rain Date: In case of rain on December 2, Citizens for Milford will hold the lighting ceremony on Saturday, December 3.

Are you able to attend this year’s Milford Christmas Tree Lighting?
If so, please let us know by replying on our Facebook event page here.

Help us spread the word on Facebook and by sharing a copy of our copy of our event flyer.

Citizens for Milford is planning the Second Annual Milford Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony in Draper Memorial Park on the evening of Friday, December 2. Attendees are invited to arrive at 6:30 p.m. for cookies and hot chocolate. The ceremony will start at 7:00 p.m. This community event is free and open to all Milford residents. Please plan to join us!

Highlights of this year’s event will include:

• Holiday music played by a five-piece brass ensemble of Claflin Hill Symphony Orchestra musicians. We hope you will share your holiday spirit by singing along to several holiday classics with us!
  
• A special visit from the North Pole’s most famous resident and the opportunity for families to take their own photos with him. Please be sure to bring your own camera or smart phone.
  
• The countdown to the lighting of the tree!
  

Rain Date: In case of rain on December 2, Citizens for Milford will hold the lighting ceremony on Saturday, December 3.

Uhhhmmm….This Sounds Great, But Where’s the TREE?

Milford Christmas Tree 2015

Inspired by the public Christmas tree that stands in Boston Common each December and the National Christmas Tree that has graced the Ellipse outside the White House since the Calvin Coolidge administration, last year Citizens for Milford purchased a Fraser fir tree and worked with town officials to have it planted in Draper Memorial Park. Installation of electrical access for holiday lights was coordinated by the Highway Department with donated services from O’Donnell Electric and Emerald Irrigation. Unfortunately, the Christmas Tree did not survive the stresses of the 2016 drought and it was removed from Draper Park over the summer.

And so we are thrilled to announce that David Sanchez, the owner of Busy Bee Landscaping & Construction in Milford, has reached out to us and generously offered to purchase, install, and maintain a new fir tree in Draper Park. Mr. Sanchez will be installing the new tree in time for this year’s Tree Lighting Ceremony. He is doing this because “he wants to give back to the town.”

Citizens for Milford extends our deepest appreciation to Mr. Sanchez, as well as to Mike Bresciani, Parks Director, and the Milford Parks Commissioners, for their enthusiastic support and assistance in helping us continue this new community tradition. It is our sincerest hope that the Milford Christmas Tree will serve as a symbol of peace and a gesture of good will to all Milford residents and visitors for generations to come.

Are you able to attend this year’s Milford Christmas Tree Lighting?
If so, please let us know by replying on our Facebook event page here.

Help us spread the word on Facebook and by sharing a copy of our event flyer.