Today we’d like to introduce you to Susan Fairchild.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Susan. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
When I moved to Medford in 2009 I decided that I would get involved in the community. I was in a transition with my job, so looked for a group I could get involved with. The Medford Farmers Market was the first group.
They were in transition, moving to a new location, struggling to attract vendors and short on dedicated resources. I worked with them for 4 or so years. I got to know so many people in the city, in City Hall, vendors, at other markets and shoppers!- it is now a fantastic weekly community event managed by truly dedicated people and supported by City Hall and the community. We even brought in the city’s first food trucks!
Once I had known a few people, I could bring those connections to other groups- art groups needed vendors at their events, a fall festival was looking for artisans, City Hall needed food vendors, and it just kept going from there! I joined a newly formed coalition of non-profits (CACHEinMedford) to continue helping to make 1+1 equal more than 2 by pooling resources and ideas rather than cannibalizing from each other.
That group created and organizes the Mystic River Celebration and Arts Across Medford.
The ultimate connection idea was for a regular summer street festival in Medford Square- bringing people in, entertain them, engage them, introduce them to others in their community, introduce them to the businesses in the square. What a lot of work that was, but without all of the great connections and the dedication of the organizing group, it would never have happened, nor continue to happen.
A couple of years ago I was appointed to the Chevalier Theatre Commission, another organization in transition. Wow, did I ever work hard to learn about the history of the theatre, the commission, the staffing, what a booking agent does, ticketing… and the list goes on! With some great friends- Dino Cattaneo, Patrick Coman and Laura Brereton-we created a new monthly music series called OnStage (the audience was on stage with the performers!).
After about two years it was clear that an all-volunteer commission was not the right group to run a successful performance venue. The Commission agreed and we worked to put out a request for proposal to attract management and booking companies. After two rounds of proposals, with tremendous support from City Hall, the contract was signed. The group now managing the theatre is the same group who books and manages The Wilbur, Bill Blumenreich Presents.
Today I am a financial advisor to the nascent Lakota Youth Stay Program. We bring youth from the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota for an exchange program in Medford. Last summer was the first trip. Ten Oglala Lakota youth spent a week in the Boston area, experiencing a wide range of activities, including making connections with the Wampanoag Tribe in Mashpee who hosted a powwow in their honor. We are working to expand the program and are on track to bring a new group again this coming summer.
I am also volunteering with the Friends of the Middlesex Fells. I am working with them to expand their use of a membership software program that was installed a year ago.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Generally speaking the biggest struggles in getting any new program off the ground was the reticence of some people to try something new. Once they could see what a program was all about and how it could succeed, the support was strong.
Volunteer – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
My reputation is for “getting stuff done”. Energy. Change agent.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
I must say that each of my experiences in Medford has been so rewarding- opening day, first Circle the Square, first show – that I couldn’t say which made me the proudest- it is ALL of them!
Contact Info:
- Email: susancfairchild@gmail.com
- Instagram: My Company
- Facebook: My Company
- Twitter: My Company
- Yelp: My Company
- Other: My Company
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