In addition to planning our festive party, for which we are so grateful to our hosts Monique and Philip Lehner, the trustees of HLCT spent our 40th year looking ahead to our needs for the future as a small non-profit organization in an increasingly busy and complicated world.

To this end, following on our previous vote to expand the number of trustees, in June we added three new trustees to our board who bring a variety of skills and experience and enhance our ability to undertake projects in the absence of paid staff.  We also are looking to improve our ability to use the talents of member/volunteers to maintain our properties and help with projects and events.  Please let us know if you would like to help.

Another future need is increased visibility.  With the generous help of Hingham’s Tom Kennedy and GrayMatter Agency, our website is in the process of major renovation.  It should be on line soon.  We hope you will check it out.  Also, look for three new signs locating our properties on Cushing Street and behind Wilder Memorial.

In addition, recognizing that our children are our future land protectors, we are partnering with teachers in the schools to make Hingham’s open spaces more immediate and interesting to children.  And continuing our scholarship program, this year the $500 Philip O. Swanson scholarship went to Joshua Geary, a graduating Hingham High School senior who is continuing his studies at Stetson University in Florida.

Finally, HLCT will be entering into partnership with the Town of Hingham which has chosen us to hold the conservation restrictions on conservation land purchased with Community Preservation Act funds.  Required by the CPA, this provides added conservation protection to these properties while allowing them to be used in the way that the voters intended.

As we head into our next 40 years, we are mindful that HLCT exists because of our loyal supporters.  If are one of those, we are so very grateful.  If HLCT is new to you, please join us as we work to protect and advocate for Hingham’s beautiful places.