Guidelines and applications for ENHC 2007 Partnership Grants will be available in the first week of January.
The Partnership Grant program provides matching funds to projects that preserve and promote the historic, cultural, and natural resources of the Essex National Heritage Area, and encourages organizations to work cooperatively on these projects. Grants are offered in five categories: Heritage Education, Heritage Interpretation, Heritage Preservation and Research Stewardship, Archives and Historical Records, and Trails and Greenways. Grant applications are due March 1, 2007. For more information, contact Bill Steelman (Preservation, Archives and Trails projects) or Kate Fox (Education and Interpretation projects).

The ENHC announced the winners of the Essex National Heritage Area Photo Contest last month. Qualifying photographs were required to represent one of three categories of Area resources: Natural resources, such as farms, marshland, and wildlife; Cultural resources, such as museums, musical performances, and festivals; or Historic resources, including people and places that tell the story of the region’s early settlement, maritime or industrial heritage.

Contest judges were Stanley Forman, Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer and cameraman for WCVB Channel 5, and Rich Yagjian, Chief Operating Officer of Hunt’s Photo and Video in Melrose, MA. Prizes were generously contributed by Hunt's Photo & Video, Olympus, Nikon, and Canon.

Winning photographs can be viewed on the ENHC website.

Since joining the ENHC as a Commissioner in October 2005, Rich Yagjian has made a distinctive mark on the organization, spearheading a number of initiatives that have taken the ENHC in new and exciting directions. As the COO for Hunt's Photo & Video in Melrose, Rich used his experience and business relationships to create the innovative ENHC Photo Safari Program which gave participants opportunities to experience and photograph many of the visual wonders of the region while experimenting with new camera equipment offered by Canon, Nikon and Olympus. Working with ENHC’s Kate Fox, Rich also helped develop, promote, and judge the first ENHC Photo Contest and provided fabulous camera prizes to our winners.

In September 2006, Rich became a member of the ENHC Board of Trustees. In addition to his tremendous contributions to the ENHC this year, Rich serves as President of the North Shore Community College Foundation, he is the Chair of the Retirement Board for the City of Peabody, and is a member of the Board of Directors for Project Save Armenian Photograph Archives, which works to preserve Armenian history through the photograph. Rich resides in Peabody with his wife Cheryl.

The Essex National Heritage Commission is pleased to announce the following staff promotions:

Susan Lippman has been named Chief Operating Officer, responsible for managing the organization’s finance, administration and, human resource functions.

Kate Fox and Bill Steelman have been named Co-Directors of Heritage Development. Kate will be responsible for the organization’s audience engagement and development programs, including Trails & Sails, Photo Safaris, and the ENHC on-line resource guides, as well as managing the education, interpretation, and visitor center categories of the ENHC Partnership Grant program. Bill will manage the ENHC’s Scenic Byways, Trails & Greenways, and Heritage Preservation programs, as well as the preservation, archives, and trails categories of the Partnership Grant program.

Mary Williamson has been named Director of Development and will spearhead the ENHC’s fundraising and development initiatives, as well as the Friendship Sails outreach program with the National Park Service.

Elizabeth Rankin has been named Project Manager, responsible for overseeing the Essex Heritage Explorers program and the production of the Commission’s numerous communications pieces.

In addition, the ENHC is pleased to introduce Matteo Pangallo as Executive Assistant. Matteo joined the staff in early December, and will provide administrative support to the executive team and development department. A resident of Salem, Matteo is a graduate of Bates College and is the founder of the Salem Theatre Company.

National Park Service (NPS) Director Mary Bomar recently announced the creation of 10 National Heritage Areas (NHA) located in 15 states. The NHA designation acknowledges the national significance of a region’s culture and geography.

“National Heritage Areas are wonderful examples of cooperative conservation,” said Bomar. “These areas encourage citizens, government agencies, non-profit groups, and private partners to work together to plan and implement strategies to recognize, preserve, and celebrate many of America’s defining landscapes.” Click here for the full press release.

The Lackawanna Valley embodies the American experience. The region's anthracite coal, railroads, and iron works fueled the nation's massive industrial expansion. Its industry staged some of the great battles between capitalism and social responsibility and its people, the thousands of immigrants who came here to build a new life, ended up building a new nation. The Lackawanna Heritage Valley Authority plays a vital role in promoting and preserving our region’s proud heritage and its important contributions to the history of the United States. Read the latest LHVA Newsletter (pdf)!