В Линкольне пройдет панельная дискуссия о современных пионерах Блэкстоун-Вэлли

LINCOLN – What does it take to see a problem in your community and decide to do something about it? What happens when that idea becomes a vision – and you are the one challenged to pioneer it? What do a leading local newspaper, a world-class performing arts theater, and a historic house museum all have in common? Those questions and others will take center stage on Saturday, Sept. 12, at 1:30 p.m. when the Great Road Heritage Campus presents “Modern-Day Pioneers of the Blackstone Valley,” a special panel discussion under the tent at historic Hearthside House, 677 Great Road. The program will feature three Blackstone Valley leaders, each of whom has pioneered a vision into an enduring legacy for the community, states a news release. The panel will feature Russell Gusetti, co-founder and executive director of the Blackstone River Theatre in Cumberland; Tom Ward, founder of The Valley Breeze newspaper; and Kathy Hartley, founder of the Friends of Hearthside, which is currently celebrating 25 years of preserving history on Great Road. The discussion will be facilitated by Jennifer Hayden Stokes, author of "The Pioneer’s Way: Leading a Trailblazing Life That Builds Meaning for Your Family, Your Community, and You." According to event organizers, the panel is designed to go beyond a traditional founder’s story. Instead, panelists will share the personal journey behind their pioneering efforts – and what their experiences can teach others who recognize a need and have the courage and persistence to create a solution. The public is invited to attend this conversation and to bring friends, colleagues, family members and anyone who might be curious about these successful local stories of trailblazing, vision, and community contribution. “Modern-Day Pioneers of the Blackstone Valley” will serve as the culminating presentation of the Great Road Heritage Campus' season-long celebration of America's 250th anniversary, “We the People: A Journey Through Great Road’s History & Legacy.” According to event organizers, this extensive commemorative exhibit features unique perspectives on the community, events, and objects that shaped the nation’s history as well as the local stories of those who helped to shape the Blackstone Valley and the Great Road, a colonial highway that dates back to almost a hundred years prior to the Revolution. Visitors will have the opportunity to view the exhibit displayed throughout Hearthside House before the presentation through an early opening of the museum at noon and again following the program, with final admission at 3 p.m. Docents in period attire will provide visitors with information throughout both floors of the museum. The other sites at the Great Road Heritage Campus will be open for touring as well between 1 and 4 p.m. A shuttle van will transport visitors to the Moffett Mill, built during the time of the War of 1812. Among the first wooden machine shops in the state, the Moffett Mill was first owned by the Olney family and later by the Moffett family. Original tools and equipment remain in place at this former versatile job shop. Access to the Mill is only by a shuttle van that leaves from Hearthside at 1, 2, and 3 p.m. Learn about what it was like to be a student during the 1800s as the teacher taught about the Revolution at the Pullen’s Corner Schoolhouse, also known as the Hot Potato School.  Bill Hannaway's Blacksmith Shop, which originally started as part of the Moffett Mill, continues to produce hand-forged items in the historic shop that once sat across from Hearthside. Today, it is at the entrance to Chase Farm Park, where every weekend students may learn the craft of hand forging in the same shop that served residents, farms, and businesses in this community during its early years. Guests may choose options for their visit. Admission to the museum is $15 and includes tours of all the campus sites and the panel presentation. Admission for attending only the presentation is $8, and for just visiting the Mill is $5, which includes the shuttle van transport. Advance registration/payment is available through the website greatroadheritagecampus.org. There is no fee to visit the blacksmith shop. A suggested donation of $5 is appreciated at the schoolhouse. For more information, email [email protected] or call 401-726-0597. "We the People" is supported in part by a grant from the Rhode Island Semiquincentennial Commission (RI250).