PLYMOUTH, MA— Plymouth 400 Inc., the non-profit organization created to plan and execute the 400th anniversary of the founding of Plymouth Colony, hosted its first Annual Meeting on July 28th at Mirbeau Inn & Spa at The Pinehills, to celebrate its successes achieved in the past year and to share plans for the future.
The event began with the organization’s board meeting, at which the current board of directors for Plymouth 400 Inc. voted in two new members; Anthony Fuccillo, Director of Tourism for the Town of Provincetown, and Julie Katz, Managing Director of TourMappers in Boston; bringing the total to twenty-two. The board meeting was followed by a short organizational update for legislators, key stakeholders, and other invited guests. Brian McGuire, President of Plymouth 400, Inc., welcomed honorary guests and expressed the organization’s appreciation towards Mirbeau Inn and Spa for sponsoring the event. Michele Pecoraro, Executive Director of Plymouth 400, Inc. also addressed attendees, opening with a quote from the late Reverend Peter J. Gomes, former chair of the Plymouth 400 Committee, who had a true vision of what the 400th commemoration would entail. Pecoraro then presented a summary of the progress made by the organization in the last year and its plans for the future.
“The Annual Meeting was a chance for our board members, partners, stakeholders, and others to hear from the organization itself what’s been accomplished in the last year, which has really been substantial,” said McGuire. “We are proud of the work the organization and board have done and we’re excited about where we see Plymouth 400 going as we approach 2020.”
“Plymouth 400 saw many successes this year and we are excited to move forward in the planning of the commemorative programs and events for 2020 with our new staff members, board members, and other partners,” said Pecoraro. “Many people don’t realize the impact that this anniversary will have not only in the region but across the globe, as we create a network of local, regional, national and international collaborators who will be working alongside us in the planning and implementation of the 2020 commemorations.”
Pecoraro presented a snapshot of events and programs currently being cultivated by Plymouth 400, Inc. and how the organization is raising community awareness of the anniversary. The organization’s current projects include the following:
The continued expansion of the “Lead-Up Events,” which currently include the Bass and Blue Tournament, which saw increased participation by a third this year with over 140 participants; Forefathers Family Fun Day, which celebrates the rich history of America with a free family event filled with music, arts, and food; the New Year’s Eve Midnight Masquerade, which will debut this year as a cultural celebration of the New Year; and the Annual Meeting, which will evolve into a larger annual celebration of the organization’s successes.
The continued planning of seven “Signature Events and Programs” in 2020, which will commemorate this anniversary on an international scale. Plymouth 400, Inc. entered into an agreement with Prosody Creative Services, the event planning company which planned and facilitated several other notable events, including the 400th anniversary events of Jamestown, Virginia and Santa Fe, New Mexico.
The creation of two new exhibits to help educate the public on the history of Plymouth Colony. The first, titled “Captured: 1614” will tell the story of the capture of twenty native men from Patuxet (the later site of Plymouth village), one of whom was Squanto. This exhibit will debut at the Plymouth Public Library in November 2014 and is being created by the Indian Spiritual and Cultural Training Council and Paula and Steven Peters of SmokeSygnals Marketing and Communications. The second exhibit, called “Journey to Plymouth,” will travel to museums across the country to tell the story of the 1620 landing of the Pilgrims and their relationship with the Wampanoag people. The traveling exhibit is set to begin its journey in 2015.
Creating relationships with stakeholders in Plymouth’s sister cities, including Plymouth, United Kingdom; Shichigahama, Japan; and Leiden, Holland. In particular, Plymouth 400, Inc. is working with Plymouth, UK to commemorate the Mayflower’s journey from the latter to the former in 1620, and will use this relationship to link students from the two using social media, webcasts, synchronized events, and other innovative communication tools as they learn the history behind this anniversary.
The addition of four new staff members; Executive Director Michele Pecoraro, Director of Development Peter Dubay, Project Coordinator Sheila Fey, and Sales Consultant Steven Richards.
The creation and expansion of the organization’s social media outreach on its blog, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Google+.
The creation of a master fundraising plan, which will include state and federal funding, to secure the necessary finances to carry out these plans.
The organizational updates were well-received by the sixty attendees, many of whom had not yet heard of any of the abovementioned plans.
Plymouth 400, Inc. event and activity updates can be found on its website and social media channels, or by contacting Sheila Fey at sfey@plymouthma400.org or 508-812-2020.
About Plymouth 400, Inc.
Plymouth 400, Inc. is a not-for-profit organization in Plymouth, Massachusetts formed to lead the planning and execution of programs and events commemorating the 400th anniversary of Plymouth Colony in 2020. Plymouth 400 Inc. will partner with local, regional, national, and international organizations to produce programs and events leading up to 2020 that will tell the story of the 1620 landing of the Pilgrims and their relationship with the Wampanoag people in the founding of the first permanent settlement in America.
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