325 years later, Bordentown City ready to celebrate

Fundraisers set and logo designed for anniversary activities

By: Cara Latham
   BORDENTOWN CITY — Fundraising efforts are under way in preparation for the city’s 325th anniversary celebration.
   Larry Denney, chairman of the 325th Anniversary of Bordentown City Committee, said $20,000 of the $35,000 goal the committee has set to offset the cost of the festivities has already been met, with more fundraisers set for the future. About $10,000 of the money was left over from tricentennial in 1982, Mr. Denney said.
   This Sunday, a pancake breakfast will be held in the Carslake Community Center on Crosswicks Street from 7:30 a.m. to noon, he said.
   Pancakes, sausage, scrambled eggs, coffee, tea, orange juice will be available and cranberry juice was donated by Ocean Spray for the event. The cost is $5 in advance, or $6 at the door.
   The Spirit Walk, which was held in August, raised $3,400 and a golf tournament held last week raised $3,600, he said.
   The Spirit Walk included discounted food and drink from downtown restaurants and outside entertainment. Diners made their way around select restaurants and cafes all in one night.
   Because of the event’s success, another one is being planned for Nov. 10.
   In addition to another Spirit Walk, residents can expect more fundraising activities to take place until the anniversary celebrations are under way.
   One of the big fundraisers will be an art auction scheduled for 6 p.m. Feb. 2, although the location for the event has not yet been decided.
   Residents will be able to bid on pieces of art, and a percentage of the money raised will go to the cost of the celebrations, Mr. Denney said.
   "We’re hoping to make $20,000 from that," he said.
   Residents can expect a lot of different activities during the celebration.
   Kicking off the celebrations will be a re-enactment of the Battle of Bordentown, a two-day event taking place from June 9 and 10, 2007.
   In addition to the re-enactment, a concert sponsored by The Downtown Bordentown Business Association will be held at Bordentown Regional High School on Sept. 16 next year, where residents can enjoy orchestra music. And a costume dinner dance at the Bordentown Elks Lodge 2085 is scheduled for Sept. 21. But the final celebration will take place Sept. 30 with a parade.
   "Everybody’s starting to become more and more excited as it comes," he said.
   The logo for the 325th anniversary celebration features the clock tower on the old city hall, said Marsha Dowshen, the logo’s designer.
   Ms. Dowshen, a Bordentown City resident for 34 years and a full-time clay artist, won the design logo contest open to all local artists.
   "I just like as a symbol of Bordentown," she said of the tower, adding that she hopes her design will help get the tower restored.
   Raising the funds is very necessary to ensure the celebration goes well, Mr. Denney said. For example, the committee has to pay for portable toilets, 20 kegs of firewood, and 300 bails of hay and straw just for the re-enactment.
   "The more money we make, the better parade we have," said Mr. Denney.