|
By Michael Kane - BANNER
EDITOR
WEST BOYLSTON— Your
eyes are not playing tricks. That is a gift-bearing trolley making its way
around town.
The brainchild of the Bicentennial Committee, the trolley
will act as a roving store for bicentennial memorabilia, which already includes
T-shirts, hats, coffee mugs, magnets, ornaments and Cat's Meow pieces.
"It's going to be a roving store," Bev Goodale,
member of the Bicentennial Committee said. "If you see it out there, and
it's in season, we'll be selling things out of it."
Goodale
and fellow committee member Chuck Hudson said the committee purchased the
trolley, which is built on a flatbed trailer, after members of the committee
traveled to New Hampshire to inspect it. The trolley had been built by the uncle
of Jay Bishop, who is the events coordinator hired to assist the committee.
"Jay's uncle built it to run in parades up there,"
Hudson said. "He asked us if we were interested in it. The idea was to turn
it into a souvenir store."
The trolley, originally red, white and blue, was hauled from
New Hampshire by Flagg RV and stored in the garage of Ed Baldarelli, Hudson
said. Giorgio Fratantonio painted the trolley while committee members Val
Pruneau and Hudson have worked on changing an open trolley to a bin and
merchandise holding store.
"Giorgio Fratantonio has done a fabulous job painting
it," Goodale said. "And Val will be lugging it around town with his
truck."
Although not ready for business on Nov. 7, the committee
wanted townspeople to "get used to seeing it," Hudson said. So, on
Election Day, the trolley was placed outside the Mixter Building while the
committee sold items in the lobby.
"We got a lot of nice comments," Hudson said.
"Everybody really liked it."
Goodale said the trolley will travel to events all through
next year, like concerts on the common and Little League games, as the build-up
for the town's birthday in 2008 takes place. The first scheduled event for the
trolley to act as a store is Dec. 3.
"People
will be able to visit it for the first time as a store, weather permitting, at
the tree lighting," Goodale said.
The trolley will be at the Historical Society's open house
from 3 to 5 p.m. The trolley will then move to the common for the lighting and
caroling ceremony.
"We thought it might be a good draw," Goodale
said.
Hudson said the trolley would be entered in Worcester's St.
Patrick's Day Parade and the parade during Townsend's 375th birthday next year
to raise interest in West Boylston's celebration.
In 2008, the trolley will travel to every scheduled event in
West Boylston, which now stands at one major event per month until the Sept. 21
parade and fireworks. If organizations or businesses want the trolley to make an
appearance, it can be arranged through the committee, Hudson said. He also noted
a bicentennial calendar will be printed listing all of the official bicentennial
events.
He said he welcomes West Boylston groups publishing their
events published in the calendar.
"This is a townwide celebration, not just the
committee's," Hudson said. "If someone is looking to head up or staff
an event, or if someone wants to sponsor an event, they can contact the
committee.
"If an organization has an event and they want to be
put on the calendar we'll be happy to do that too. It's a very special year for
the town, and we want to include as many people as possible," Hudson said.
Faced with scheduling a year's worth of events, the
committee is also looking for more members, Hudson said. For information, or to
volunteer, the Bicentennial Committee's Web site can be found at www.westboylston200.com.
|
