State Sen. Denise Ricciardi paid a visit to Greenfield Saturday to present volunteers from the Friends of the Greenfield Community Meetinghouse with two checks totaling over $16,000 from the group’s recent partnership with New Hampshire Charitable Gaming “Play Like a Rebel”  program.

The program raised more than $9 million for New Hampshire nonprofits in 2023. Other recent recipients in the Monadnock region include MAPS Counseling Service, Friends of the Chesterfield Library and Friends of the Keene Public Library. 

The funds will be applied to the Meetinghouse Building Fund and toward community engagement events at the Meetinghouse. A small portion of the funds will be paid to the state for rental of the gaming site. 

“We are thrilled to have received these funds to put toward the restoration of Greenfield’s Community Meetinghouse. Our town 100% relies on this building, as it is our town’s only community center,” said Sheldon Pennoyer, chair of the FGCM. 

Ricciardi, a Bedford Republican whose Senate District 9 includes Greenfield, contacted FGCM members about the Charitable Gaming program after attending the group’s Oktoberfest and learning about the Meetinghouse restoration project. 

“I am so happy to have the opportunity to assist groups like this in doing great projects for  their communities,” Ricciardi said. 

The Meetinghouse, which was built in 1795 and has used been used continuously by the town ever since, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as “the oldest Meetinghouse in New Hampshire used for both church and state” in 1983. 

The Town of Greenfield received an assessment of the Meetinghouse in 2019 which recommended more than $2 million worth of repairs, including renovations to bring the building into compliance with the Americans With Disabilities Act. Recommended repairs also include upgrades to electricity and plumbing, waterproofing the foundation, structural repairs to the belfry, replacement of the concrete accessibility ramp, reconfiguration of the upstairs kitchen and accessible restroom and mitigation of the water damage to the lower level community room and kitchen.

Design plans completed by architects Misiaszek Turpin, who the town hired for the renovation project, include an elevator to provide access to the sanctuary space on the second level and new enclosed stairs providing access to all four levels of the building. 

The FGCM is a 501(c)(3) organization founded by town residents in 2019 to raise funds, host community events and engage residents in the Meetinghouse repair project. So far, the group has raised over $150,000 for the Meetinghouse. The FGCM works closely with the Town of Greenfield on the repair project. The project has also received a Moose Plate grant as well as small private grants from organizations around the country. 

All New Hampshire nonprofits in good standing are eligible to apply for a partnership with NH Charitable Gaming. Information is available at playlikearebel.com/charitable-gaming-eligibility. 

Reporter Jesseca Timmons is secretary of the Friends of the Greenfield Community Meetinghouse.