In thinking back on the year in Greenfield, we have so much to be thankful for. While I could never manage to mention everything that happened this year – please forgive omissions – I will try to cover some community highlights from 2022.
Last winter seems like a very long time ago. The Greenfield Winter Carnival was called off after several different groups involved canceled their activities for various reasons. In March, Town Meeting was held at the Greenfield Elementary School gym for the first time. Many residents who had never set foot in the school remarked on how spacious and beautiful the gym is.
Residents voted to fund a stipend for a new recreation director, Greenfield mom Kayla Kokal, who has brought back sports programs for young children and organized a Cardboard Regatta in August!
The Chili Cook-Off, rescheduled to April, had a great turnout and fierce competition; we are looking forward to a chili rematch sometime this winter or spring. The Oak Park Committee launched the new Greenfield Farmers’ and Crafters’ Market, and, after a year of anticipation, Fidium installers arrived in town to start upgrading everyone’s internet connection. Teenagers and people who were from home were particularly happy.
June 28 was a very strange day. While the entire Greenfield Fire Department was gathered for a community barbecue at Oak Park, a major fire broke out at the Kennebec Lumber sawmill. C.J. Hall at the Recycling Center was the first to report the smoke; it became a four-alarm fire, with Forest Road closed for hours. The sawmill building was a total loss, but our fire department did a fantastic job as always and no one was hurt.
July saw the the return of a community July 4 event in town when Jarvis Adams Jr. and Dave Thimmel organized fireworks on the lawn of the Greenfield Inn. Most people were delighted to not have to leave town to see fireworks, and it was an awesome display. Later in the month, the Greenfield Select Board hosted a really lovely town appreciation barbecue at Oak Park for all town staff and volunteers, catered by Texas Roadhouse—a huge treat for all who attended.
September and October were packed with weekend events as we finally came out of the COVID era. The Friends of the Meetinghouse’s third annual Oktoberfest on Sept. 24 was a huge success, run completely by volunteers and attended by people from all over the area. The Historical Society hosted a hilarious Old Time Radio Hour, which got rave reviews from all who attended, and the Oak Park Committee held another smashing success Pumpkin Festival.
November brought great tidings for Greenfield with the news that the Seven Hills Foundation had purchased Crotched Mountain School from Gersh Autism, enabling employees to keep their jobs and most importantly, allowing the children in residence at the school to stay put. The town honored our veterans with the traditional ceremony on the Meetinghouse lawn in Nov. 11.
December was, of course, our wonderful, if soggy, Fire and Ice event. Before this month ends, be sure to check out the display of beautiful 1/16-scale miniature chairs at Stephenson Library created by our multitalented librarian, David Bridgewater. The library will be showcasing works of different Greenfield artists, crafters and makers throughout the year, as well as running a bevy of groups and activities.
On the downside, of course – as with every trip around the sun – we lost many deeply beloved town residents; many people in town are grieving. In other bad news, our tax rate went up, and the restaurant closed, despite the hard-working local owners and the loyal support of the town. Recently, there seems to be activity in the restaurant space, with trucks and construction dumpsters out front, and everyone is hopeful that Greenfield will someday have another restaurant.
As 2022 draws to a close, here’s hoping for a healthy, happy, peaceful 2023 for all. Happy New Year, Greenfield!
Please contact with me ideas for The Greenfield Beat at jesstimm17@gmail.com.