The Rocks is on a Roll

We Need You to Help Br ing Us Across the Finish Line!

As you read in this issue, we are l o o k i n g f o r w a r d t o w e l c o m i n g you to Forest Society North at The Rocks for our 122nd Annual Meeting on September 23 The event marks a major milestone in both our campaign and the physical transformation of The Rocks We are excited to welcome people back to this special place after many months of construction closure and to offer a peek at the twenty-first century chapter that is beginning there

We ’ v e c o m e a l o n g w a y s i n c e t h e February night in 2019 when a fire ripped through our beloved historic buildings, leaving a sad pile of slushy ash. Today, a much happier scene is emerging The Olmsted-designed formal garden is in full bloom. A new amphitheater built from o l d g r a n i t e f o u n d a t i o n s t o n e s b o a s t s a stunning view of the White Mountains’ Kilkenny and Presidential ranges And the 1884 Carriage Barn is amid its renovation as a net-zero program center, still retaining its grand stone and shingle character while incorporating new technology.

Our vision of creating a North Country hub of activity is coming to fruition. It won’t be complete on September 23, but it is turning toward the home stretch

We need you to help us cross that finish

line!

The Forest Society North at The Rocks Campaign is an effort to raise $8 5 million to support the renovation and re-envisioning of The Rocks This includes investing in the Christmas Tree Farm facility; creating a new flow to the landscape, including the amphitheater; renovating the Carriage Barn; creating both indoor and outdoor c l a s s r o o m a n d e v e n t s p a c e s ; h o u s i n g more Forest Society staff with offices, so we can ser ve the North Countr y from a local base; and improving wayfinding and interpretation throughout the property to make all feel welcome Part of this effort also includes raising a $2 million endowment, an investment for future programs and operations

This summer the tap of woodpeckers and screech of catbirds is replaced by pounding hammers and buzzing saws at The Rocks. The loud symphony heralds exciting signs of progress in the transformation of the Rocks As drawings and sketches are coming to life, grass is growing in the new amphitheater, the Carriage Barn is re-sided in traditional Rocks Red shingle, and geothermal wells are in place.

We are about 70 percent to our goal, which leaves $2.5 million left to raise.

You can be part of the stor y of The Rocks by donating today Each gift has a tangible impact that you will see in the s t o n e w a l l s , w a l k w a y s , t o w e r i n g p o s t and beam rafters, panoramic windows, and picnic spots overlooking the White Mountains for many years to come

A n d , b e y o n d t h e c a p i t a l i m p r o v ements, the Forest Society North at The Rocks Campaign is also an investment in the Forest Society’s ser vice in the North Country Already, with more staff locally based, we have more than ten new projects underway We will soon complete the 3,700-acre Mahoosuc Highlands project in Shelburne, forever safeguarding an outstanding working forest and recreation a r e a . O u r w o r k w i t h l a n d o w n e r s a n d communities in the North Countr y will continue to grow into the future.

So, now is the time Please make your gift today or contact Vice President of Development Anne Truslow if you would like more information Planned gifts, gifts of stock, or IRA distributions are welcome, and naming opportunities are available

YES, I WOULD LIKE TO

Name:

Address:

Telephone:

We hope to see you in September at the Annual Meeting, and don’t forget that

Online

cut-your-own Christmas Tree season starts right after Thanksgiving!

For the latest updates on construc tion at The Rocks, including video presentations, visit forestsociety.org/the -rocks/about/restoration

Enclosed is my tax- deductible contribution of $ VI S A MasterCard Number:

Please mail the completed form to: Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests 54 Por tsmouth Street, Concord, NH 03301

Or donate online at forestsociety.org/the-rocks

For more information, call Anne Truslow at 603-224-9945 or email atruslow@forestsociety org