West Brattleboro Association Names Rashed’s ‘Community Leader Of The Year’

On Thursday evening, December 12 at The New England House, the West Brattleboro Association (WBA) announced its third annual ‘Community Leader of the Year’ at its holiday party.  Ahmad and Kat Rashed were bestowed that honor by the Association president Michael Bosworth amidst a crowd of agreeing onlookers, many of whom have patronized Rashed’s Garden Center in West Brattleboro throughout the last 22 years. The Rasheds, including their sons, provide all manner of plants and shrubbery during the growing season. But their work doesn’t stop there. Every year they direct proceeds from their sales of pumpkins and Christmas trees to local non-profits.   The WBA thanked them for this excellent above-and-beyond community service.

WBA President Bosworth also presented a brief ‘West Brattleboro Association year in review’ report, delineating a list of events and accomplishments benefiting the community. Among them were hosting the annual Village Day in June where there were numerous activities including circus acts, music, and various activities for children including games, fire truck visits, and a bouncy house. The other highly successful public event hosted by the WBA is its Chicken BBQ, held this year on both Memorial Day and Columbus Day weekends.

WBA members were very active on traffic safety issues, including distribution of leg bands and efforts to get safety bollards (posts) put up at the Academy School crossing as well as near the village green.  They also invited Precinct 1 Town Meeting Members for a give and take on warrant issues in March, helped run the annual
Green-up Day in May and put on a business/community mixer at the New England House in July.

A lot of good came out of the Neighborhoods Project in 2013.  This is an initiative supported by a grant from the Thompson Trust and administered with the help of the Brattleboro Area Affordable Housing folks. The goal of this project is to create closer connections between neighbors in West Brattleboro resulting in a stronger sense of belonging and greater civic involvement. These funds have helped the West B First Baptist Church provide their monthly free community meals and supported Hayes Court with its senior meals.  Mini-grants went to the flower box project at Melrose Terrace, landscaping at Glen Park and Westgate Housing for its Weaver Field dedication. This fall multiple neighborhoods were supplied with daffodil bulbs for November plantings.

A longer term effort to provide signage for both western and eastern entries to our fine village made progress during the year. The association has raised in excess of $2,600 toward a goal of $3,700.

Thus, the West Brattleboro Association has kept itself busy. It is always looking for new members, including younger people, to help better the community. The group meets monthly on the 2nd  Thursday of the month with the next meeting scheduled for Thursday, January 9th  at The New England House. Come see what the association is up to, or you can check out the website at www.westbrattleboro.org.