Fairfield Foundation reports on busy year of public outreach
The Fairfield Foundation recently presented its outreach report for the past year to its board members.
The foundation, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization in the midst of celebrating its 25th year, involves the public in hands-on archaeology and education activities in the Middle Peninsula and surrounding areas. They operate five properties in Gloucester County: Fairfield Archaeology Park, Timberneck House at Machicomoco, Edge Hill Texaco (the Center for Archaeology, Preservation and Education, or CAPE), Rosewell Ruins and Visitor Center, and the Walter Reed Birthplace.
In the report, the Fairfield Foundation had programs at every school in Gloucester County. The programs also took place each month of the school year, culminating in the B.C. United Outreach’s Back 2 School Block party in August. Programs included classroom lessons, field trips to Fairfield and Timberneck House, while others explored Rosewell, Walter Reed Birthplace, and the King William County Courthouse.
Additionally, the Fairfield Foundation offered five homeschool dig days over the past year, as well as homeschool days focused on historic preservation and on bugs and archaeology. This was the fourth summer that the foundation has hosted summer camps at Fairfield, this year there was six weeks offered from June 9 through July 25. In total, the foundation presented 70 education programs to 2,859 students this year, with an average of 48.5 children per program.
The Fairfield Foundation has also reached out to the public in lectures and workshops. In total, they served 929 through lectures: 590 were from presentations and networking through conferences; 180 through talks about projects with the Fairfield Foundation; 117 through Family Circle Nights; and 42 with Lunch and Learn events. The public was also engaged in public dig or wash days, held at various locations in the region.
The foundation participated in the Walter Reed birthday celebration, Gloucester Daffodil Festival, Mathews May Faire, Mathews Market Days and the Urbanna Oyster Festival. In total, public festivals and events reached 3,881 people.
“Overall, the successes of this year lay a sturdy foundation for future initiatives,” wrote Fairfield Foundation’s Public Outreach Coordinator Rachel Alwine. “We look forward to continuing our mission of education and preservation, exploring innovative research opportunities, and fostering the next generation of archaeologists and historians.”
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Photo Credits: Visit Gloucester, Susan Ammons