The Guilford Foundation was pleased to present a grant award of $2,500 to Virginia Gresham to support her Girls Scouts’ Gold Award project, which is the highest-ranking award distributed by the scouting organization. A Gold Award, equivalent to the Boy Scout Eagle Award, must meet a need in the community while inspiriting and educating others and must last in perpetuity.Pictured: The Guilford Foundation Board members Mary Jo Kestner, Stephen Page, Edward Seibert, Executive Director Liza Janssen Petra, and awardee Virginia Gresham, shot on the Green in front of one of the lampposts.

Gresham, a Guilford High School Senior, intends to install plaques with historic facts on the 20 lampposts of the Guilford Green. She’s been planning her project since January 2011 and has secured approval from the Girl Scout council as will as the Guilford Green Committee, who was impressed with her professionalism as well as the intent of the project. She has worked closely with the Committee as well as town historian Joel Helander on the style of the plaques as well as the text.

“Our town, Guilford, is one of the oldest in Connecticut and has a fascinating and rich history,” Virginia writes in her application. “Guilford was planned around the historic Guilford Green, 12 acres of trees and memorials… At this time, there is no obvious way to communicate the many historic facts about Guilford to its many visitors and citizens.”

She continues, “My project not only makes these important facts readily available to locals and visitors alike, but enables viewers to give themselves a self-guided tour around New England’s largest town green at the same time. My project will put plaques on the twenty lampposts around the green, each of which will contain an short paragraph setting forth important historical information about the influential citizens and locations in town, and the Green itself.”

The Guilford Foundation was pleased to support Viriginia’s efforts to enhance the Guilford Green and provide interesting facts about our unique town. The mission of the Guilford Foundation is to connect people who care to causes that matter to them to enrich the quality of life in Guilford; now, and for generations to come.