Brooks Estate's Annual Free Picnic Set for Saturday, July 14

The following was provided by Tom Lincoln on behalf of the Brooks Estate"

The free annual Brooks Estate Picnic will be held on Saturday, July 14, 2012 from noon to 3 p.m. in the yard of the Shepherd Brooks Manor. This highlight of the Medford summer is sponsored by the Medford-Brooks Estate Land Trust (M-BELT) (brooksestate.org) and is a “new Medford tradition.”

M-BELT supplies the hot dogs, burgers (and veggie burgers), and tonic (soda) and asks attendees to bring something from this list:  junk food/snacks; salads; cookies; fruit; or other picnic food. (You do not have to bring food in order to attend).

The event is free to all. Contributions and sponsorships are welcome (send tax-deductible donations to M-BELT, P.O. Box 328, Medford, MA 02155). Volunteers for set-up (about 11 a.m.) and clean-up are always welcome, too.

The event includes information about the Brooks Estate project, tours of the first floor of the Manor, a Raffle, and lots of fun. For the Picnic, do not park in the Brooks Estate unless you need handicapped parking (at the Manor) (see below). How to get there- it is best to walk in at the green gate and blue sign on Grove Street, and then mosey up the access drive to the end. Do not park in Oak Grove Cemetery. Do not park along the access drive.

If you need handicapped parking, please drive up to the Manor -- carefully, the road is bumpy. A parking attendant will direct you to pa parking space. Please be very careful of pedesterians.

The Brooks Estate is owned by the people of Medford and has been permanently protected for the current generation and generations to come. The Medford-Brooks Estate Land Trust, Inc. (M-BELT) is the community nonprofit membership organization dedicated to the preservation and restoration of this wonderful historic and open space asset. M-BELT has worked for over a decade, contributing thousands of dollars and volunteer hours towards the protection and restoration of this wonderful community asset (owned by the City of Medford since 1942 and permanently protected in 1998.)

In January 2012, M-BELT submitted the Brooks Estate Master Plan to the City of Medford and the Medford City Council. The Brooks Estate Master Plan is a comprehensive, professional, and feasible plan to ensure the sustainability of the Brooks Estate, based on capital funding from its owner, the City of Medford, and the adaptive re-use of the historic Shepherd Brooks Manor and Carriage House for functions and community meeting space. The Master Plan and the Mayor’s proposed bond funding currently remains before the Medford City Council. For more information on the Master Plan, go to the home page at www.brooksestate.org

 For more information, or to RSVP for the Picnic (etc.), e-mail Inquiries@BrooksEstate.org  or BrooksEstate@AOL.com  For ADA accommodations, call (781) 396-3001 or TDD 711. The Web site is www.brooksestate.org