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ABOUT

The Friends of Savin Hill Shores and the Beautification Committee of the Columbia Savin Hill Civic Association are proudly co-sponsoring The Dorchester Beach Festival. The group was awarded a $2500 grant from Save the Harbor Save the Bay, with funding from the Boston Foundation and National Grid; the Department of Conservation & Recreation has pledged in-kind support.

The one day outdoor event will feature games, contests, interactive presentations and activities that will engage attendees in a celebration of the ever-improving Dorchester waterfront. A goal of the free event is to encourage families and individuals to enjoy the Savin Hill / Malibu shoreline while heightening awareness of conservation, health & wellness, recycling, litter control, history and more. We plan to stage a fun, safe, enjoyable but educational event.

Representatives of local environmental, marine, recreational, historical and government agencies as well as non-profits and institutions whose missions align with our event goals are participating. Groups such as the Boston Natural Areas Network, New England Aquarium, Dorchester Historical Society, the University of Massachusetts Boston, Franklin Park Zoo, the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, Department of Fish and Game, DotWell, DotBike and more will help facilitate events such as ‘Under the Sea’ sidewalk chalk drawing, NE Aquarium’s Traveling Tidal Pool exhibit, canoeing and sailing in the cove, eco-scavenger hunts, beach combing tours led by naturalists, field games and contests, kite decorating/flying, face painting, etc. Booths staffed by participating agencies will promote health and wellness; sun, water and bike safety; recycling and conservation as well educate the attendees on the historical significance of the area and the infrastructure created to protect and improve the water quality.

Through the generosity of the Boston Foundation, National Grid and SHSB our group was given the foundation to host a meaningful event, an event we hope to offer annually. Additional support from community groups and agencies, business leaders, elected officials, institutions and volunteers will help ensure the event meets our educational and entertainment goals.

Please join us for the first Dorchester Beach Festival.

Sea you down the beach!

HISTORY

The Dorchester Beach Festival beginnings were simple. Paul and Maureen both shared an interest in the environment and an appreciation for the local waterfront areas. Both lamented that the Dorchester beaches and Harbor Walk are under-utilized and need to be ‘discovered’.

As founder of the Friends of Savin Shores, Paul has organized and led many beach clean-ups and is a vocal advocate for the shoreline and Harborwalk. He is a member of the BRA Columbia Point Task Force and the Neponset River Greenway Council and is also involved in many civic and environmental organizations and committees.

Paul became aware of the SHSB grant opportunity through his involvement with the Metropolitan Beaches Commission and mentioned it to Maureen, a member of the CSHCA Beautification Committee, the other co-sponsor. Timing was perfect as the Beautification Committee was planning its yearly events’ calendar and coincidently Maureen had suggested moving one of the committee’s annual events to the Savin Hill/Malibu Beach area and expanding its scope.

Maureen is an officer in the Columbia Savin Hill Civic Association and also serves on many committees in the community. However it was her involvement as a volunteer with the Barnstable Land Trust that helped spark the concept for the Dorchester Beach Festival. Very loosely modeled after the BLT’s River Days, Paul and Maureen presented the idea to the Beautification Committee who immediately embraced it.

Paul’s contacts in the environmental advocacy groups and state agencies were the key to securing early participation from BNAN and DCR. Maureen’s zest for event planning, marketing/public relations and sponsorship solicitation complimented Paul’s skill set forming a co-chair team that played perfectly off each others strengths. However, NOTHING could have materialized without the dedication and hard work of our core committee members, volunteers, sponsors, and participating agencies, SHSB, DCR and the Boston Foundation.

We hope to deliver a quality educational, fun-filled event and promise to work to grow this inaugural event into a much-anticipated highlight of the summer for years to come.

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