In Spring of 2014, a group of approximately thirty Surry residents came together with a core group of 10 – 12 initially and then 5 – 6 meeting every week or two to discuss our shared interest in developing and maintaining a vibrant multi-use community center. The town of Surry then had no such place and community activities were dependent upon space in the local school when it was available or historic buildings that were not winterized and / or lacked plumbing and /or would require major structural renovations.
In 2015 the Gatherings incorporated as a nonprofit and received 501c3 tax-exempt status. After considering the renovation of historic buildings in town or building something from scratch, the group determined that those options would require more time and money than was feasible and that needs would be best met by purchasing the property that previously housed the Blue Moon Gallery, as it could accommodate a variety of uses and is centrally located in Surry Village.
In October 2015, with major support from Tradewinds Marketplace in Blue Hill and the Gray family, the property at 1208 Surry Rd. was purchased and renovations to the ground floor were carried out by one paid contractor and many volunteers.
COMMUNITY SUPPORT
From day one, The Gatherings got support from the town selectmen, town committees, local businesses and other nonprofits in the area. More than 200 donors and volunteers have gave their time, talent and treasures to create The Gatherings, many more have kept us evolving since then, and we hope that still more can help move us into the future.
We would like to give special thanks to the following donors who did so much to get us to the point of being able to open our doors to the public:
Gray Charitable Trust for their lead matching grant of $20,000
TradeWinds Marketplace for their lead grant to meet that match
Ellsworth Building Supply (EBS) for a $1,000 gift card to purchase materials for renovations
Mike Sealander with help from Michael Wade for architectural drawings and advice on renovations for safety and accessibility
Openshaw Electric
Martin Electric
Ray Plumbing
Wallace Party Rentals
In May 2016, the grand-opening of the ground floor was celebrated and groups like the Spanish Conversation group began to use the space. With support from the Stephen and Tabitha King Foundation, the second floor was renovated next and opened for use in 2018.
Since 2018, new improvements have been made every year, including improved insulation, a ceiling and better lighting for the main room, removal of dilapidated out-buildings, expansion and improved parking and traffic flow, construction of a new shed, septic repairs and refinishing of the wood floors.