A success

Ashburnham's Business Council hosted the sixth annual Downtown Day on Saturday, June 30, and the crowd went strong all day.

An event designed to draw attention to local businesses and organizations has become more than simply a business venture. The tables filled with products for sale or free giveaways covered Winchester Park and the area leading down to the Town Hall.

It will be interesting to see, if next year the area used for the event will have to be bigger.

The line at the food tent never seemed to waiver causing more hot dogs and hamburgers to be grilled then expected. The ponies at the 4H's pony rides got very few breaks and people spent the day walking around with bags containing goodies bought during the day.

It drew people from throughout the area including Gardner, Winchendon, Leominster and some New Hampshire towns as well.

Westminster is preparing for its tenth Neighbors Helping Neighbors event in August, which is also an annual success, on Academy Hill.

These relatively new traditions seem to bringing about the traditional feel of the New England community. It is a chance for neighbors to see each other, for kids to play and for small groups to let the community know their purposes.

The Bresnahan Memorial Community Center group brought out their brick pathway so people could see what their donation to the cause will help to pay for. The group also raised the food tent selling hamburgers and hot dogs for very reasonable prices.

The community spirit of this event is clear with all of the free activities and the reasonable prices that keep the event very family orientated.

Editor's note: I would like to thank all of the people who stopped by The Community Journal table on Saturday, just to say hi, to grab a balloon or to pick up a newspaper. And I would like to take a moment to congratulate winners of the raffles. Four raffles prizes were distributed in two raffles - one for current subscribers and one for those who subscribed on Saturday.

The winners are Brian Cunningham, Taylor Parker, Keith Glenny and Debbie and Scott Gardner.