For more than 30 years, Laura and Matthew Spittle have preserved the Library and Farmhouse, the only pieces of our campus still in control of anyone who cared about the Woodstock Country School and its legacy. Sadly, this week the Kedron flooded again in the historic 1000-year weather event that hit New England hard. Damage to the property, including the store (Library) and the farmhouse is substantial, including leaking roofs, heating systems and other infrastructure. In addition, GMHA will have to cancel at least one of its largest events of the summer, due to the flooding of the former soccer field, which will affect their income for the summer. The buildings are still sound and the grounds will recover, with our help. More than just maintaining the buildings, Laura and Matthew have generously allowed us to use the property for our reunions, opened Farmhouse to alumni wanting to visit and those in need of help, and maintained an archive of WCS memorabilia. Even before we began having reunions, Laura kept a "guest book" at her cash register for those of us who would wander in. For our 2010 and 2015 reunions, Laura was integrally involved in the planning, along with Ilene, Eve and myself. We could not possibly have put on as successful an event without her and her local connections. And we certainly would not have been able to hold our reunions on land that was part of that great experiment of a school. Although they would never ask for it themselves, the Spittles need our help and support now. Both of them have had serious health problems in the last two years that have left them physically unable to work as tirelessly as they have always done. While the damage from this flooding is not (yet) as bad as it was during Irene a few years ago, they are not able to do the work that will be necessary to rebuild and clean up and will have to hire people to do the work for them. Additionally, they will lose considerable revenue from the canceled GMHA events, for which they have already purchased stock. Please consider donating to help them clean up and rebuild. They've been there for us, now it's time for us to be there for them. The funds will go into an account that I have used exclusively for WCS reunions in the past. You should all know by now that I am a woman of my word, and I assure you that Laura and Matthew will receive 100% of all money raised.
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