Essex National Heritage Area
Tom Leonard, President, ENHC

Tom Leonard,
President Emeritus, ENHC

Tom Leonard writes a monthly column for the community newspapers in the Essex National Heritage Area. This is a reprint of this month's column.
tleonard
at essexheritage.org.

Columns
Summertime Activities Offered by ENHC are Many and Varied

I certainly hope that you are all enjoying the summer season. This time of the year in this region can be such a special time. There are so many places to visit and enjoy on the North Shore and Merrimack Valley that it is sometimes difficult to see and do all that we want to. We encourage you to take some time in this traditional vacation period to visit some of the wonderful resources in your own backyard. There are literally dozens of museums of all sizes and many other wonderful sites that are managed by local historical societies that can bring great enjoyment to visitors. There are both regional and community theatres that operate during the summer season that can provide a fantastic experience to visitors to the region and to the many residents who call this region home. Take advantage of all that the region has to offer and get out and about and enjoy. Visit EssexHeritage.org for ideas about things to do and where to go.

ENHC Partnership Grant Program

In the middle of last month, ENHC held its annual awards breakfast where the ENHC Partnership Grants were announced. This year’s event was held at the historic Glen Magna Estate in Danvers and the Commission is most appreciative of the generosity of the Danvers Historical Society for hosting this year’s event. The Partnership Grant program in 2007 saw a record number of applicants with over sixty applications. In 2007 the Commission awarded thirty-nine grants totaling $114,400.00. This brings the total of all grants provided to this region through this program to almost $1.5 million, and through this program over 200 projects have been assisted. This year awards were made to over half of the communities in the region that the Commission serves and there were several projects that crossed community lines. Grants were provided to community governments, schools, arts organizations, libraries, trails, several historic structures undergoing renovations, a senior center, and a lighthouse.  

Thomas M. Leonard Partnership Grant Award

Each year the Commission provides an award to an educational project that promotes future stewardship of the region’s resources and that addresses the needs of underserved youth in the region. This year’s award was presented to the The Food Project-North Shore that provides Essex County youth with a hands on agricultural experience through which they come to understand that healthy soil, bio-diversity and local farms are invaluable resources requiring protection. Some of the products grown through these efforts are also provided to families in need.

Second Annual ENHC Photo Safaris

Once again ENHC has teamed up with Hunt's Photo, Video, & Digital to offer a series of five Photo Safari opportunities. During these sessions, scheduled at sites all across this region, participants will have the opportunity to test the latest digital photography and optic equipment from Canon, Olympus, Nikon, Sony and Tamron, with backdrops featuring some of the area’s best natural, cultural, and historic landscapes. Each event will feature demonstrations, lectures, and tips from professional photographers and camera manufacturers. Participants will also be able to take their images home on Delkin Devices memory cards, and will each receive a gift certificate for a future equipment purchase at Hunt's. For more information on this wonderful program or to sign up to participate in a session at a specific site visit the Photo Safari page of the ENHC website.

Online Guides Available on ENHC Website

As you begin to make plans for this summer season do not forget to visit the ENHC website where some of the best online guides to the resources of this region can be found. Earlier this summer ENHC added a guide to area agricultural resources to its library of guides. That guide offers listings of the many agricultural resources available in this region. Visit the What to Do page of the ENHC website to obtain information on an entire range of activities in this region, including an Art Escapes Trail, Birding Trail, Walks & Self-Guided Tours, Historic Houses & Districts, Beaches, Parks & Wildlife, Walking & Biking Paths, Museums, Visitor Centers, On the Water Guide, Gardens, Area Landscapes, and Theme Trails.