BERLIN – Local businesses donated $2,000 to the Calvin B. Taylor House Museum to show their appreciation for its annual Peach Festival.
Merchants joined board members of the Taylor House Friday to present a $2,000 check to facility.
“The businesses had such a wonderful day during Peach Festival that they decided that they wanted to give back to the museum for hosting such a wonderful, beautiful event that day,” said Ivy Wells, the town’s economic and community development director. “We rallied the troops and we’re making a $2,000 donation from the businesses to the museum. Thank you for putting on such an amazing festival again this year.”
The Peach Festival, spearheaded for many years by Taylor House board member and past president Jan Quick, is held each year on the first Saturday in August to highlight the town’s fruit-growing history. It now serves as a major fundraiser for the museum. This year an estimated 3,000 people came out despite wet weather to buy peaches, peach slushies and peach preserves. Because the museum opted to invite nonprofits to set up tables on the lawn, rather than arts and crafts vendors, attendees interested in shopping were directed down Main Street, where a variety of shops offered peach related items for sale. They reported strong sales throughout the day, with some, such as Beach Memories, reporting their busiest retail day of the year so far.
“I commend the museum Peach Festival committee for working with the Berlin business community on a wonderful shared event that takes place throughout the entire town,” Wells said.
Because the merchants appreciated the successful event, Wells said businesses wanted to thank the museum with a show of financial support. Businesses that contributed to the donation included Baked Dessert Cafe, Patty Jeans Boutique, Beach Memories, Bruder Hill, Heart of Gold Kids, Burn Pizza, the Treasure Chest, Sisters, Fathom, Mother Flowers, Una Bella Salute, the Greyhound Bookstore and East & Main Shore Supply.
Melissa Reid, president of the museum, said the board was appreciative of the donation and planned to use it to help purchase new mannequins that will be compatible with historic clothing in the museum’s collection so that it can be featured in displays.
