Committee making plans for the 240th anniversary
By Nora Cardec Journal Correspondent

Forty years ago, Ashby celebrated its 200th anniversary.

Practically the whole town participated in the affair, which according to Lillian Whitney, a local historian, and John Mickola, an Ashby Grange member, was done on a grand scale.

This time around, a newly formed committee wants to celebrate a 240th anniversary as a prelude to the grand 250th celebration in 2017.

Whitney, the former Historical Society president and active member in town, is leading the 240th Ashby Celebration Advisory Committee. Other members include Mickola, representing the Grange, Paula Bogue, representing the Ashby Historical Society, Mary Krapf and Raymond Linnus, representing the Ashby Senior Citizens.

"The idea is more about bringing people together and stressing the history of the town rather than doing an elaborate celebration," Mickola said.

It's about peaking people's interest in joining forces to prepare for a more official anniversary celebration 10 years from now, he said, hence, the committee's theme: It's All About People.

He said it is also an attempt at getting younger people involved in both the history of the town and the community.

Ashby was settled in 1676 and was officially incorporated in 1767. But its boundaries changed many times due to territorial arguments between the neighboring towns of Ashburnham and Fitchburg. It wasn't until 1832 when Ashby became the territory it is today.

The 240th Ashby Celebration Advisory Committee has already thought of a few ideas for the celebration this year. These include a dinner and show at the end of April, a special show in the fall, a harvest dance, and the creation of a video showcasing historical areas in town, events and people demonstrating their individual talents.

The April 28 "Celebrating Ashby: Dinner and Show" will be held in the Alan Foresman Memorial Gym at Ashby Elementary School and will include a dance, quartet singers, group singing, recognition ceremony and other activities.

Mickola said even though the celebration will be smaller in scale this year, there is a need for full participation from community members to pull off all the events. Also, the more participants the more ideas and the better coordination for each event, he said.

The committee meets once a month at 10 a.m. at the Ashby Grange Hall.

Anyone interested may contact Whitney at (978) 386-5653; Mickola at (978) 386-5557; Bogue at (978)

386-7230; Krapf at (978) 386-5635, or Linnus at (978) 386-5848.

- + -

Nora Cardec is a correspondent for The Community Journal and can be reached at: ncardec@yahoo.com or (978) 827-3386. Ext. 10.