Friends of Onancock School

FOS Deeds & Needs is an E-MAIL newsletter of the Friends of Onancock School. E-mail reports of your deeds and needs to Haydon Rochester at hrjr2@verizon.net. Be sure to include all relevant dates, contact info, number of participants, and other details.

To subscribe or unsubscribe to the email newsletter - CLICK HERE
Please include your FULL NAME, POSTAL ADDRESS, PHONE NUMBER, E-MAIL and YOUR CLASS YEAR if you are an Alum of Onancock School.

- OR - you may download our SUPPORT form that ALSO allows for Subscription to the Newsletter

MS Word version (can be completed and attached in an email back to us)
PDF version (must be printed and postal mailed)

Unfortunately, we cannot offer a printed, postal mail version of FOS Deeds & Needs at this time.

Latest News - Spring/Summer 2009

Be sure to visit the new Membership page
for the latest info in Joining.

We are now are connected to the world. Our new phone number
is 757 302-1331. Beginning April 8th, new volunteer Karen
Splawn will in the office from 9 am to noon on Wednesdays. At
all other times, leave a phone message
and a board member or Karen will return your call.

We are accepting tenants in the building.
    Current leases include -
    Accomack Community Band
    Orchestra of the Eastern Shore
    Onancock Table Tennis Club
Dragonfly Studio Gallery
Dan Lawrence Studio
Elizabeth Hunt Pottery Studio
Glass Expressions Stained Glass
Eastern Shore Art League Gallery
Artisans Guild
P. Bose Shur, Watercolor Artist
Great Stuff Quilt and Art Studio

Interested parties should contact Russell or Cindy for a look
at space available for long term or single
event use. See our e-mail links listed below.

2008 RENTAL RATES - pdf format (click here)

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E.S. Naturalists take on their first big project....

The - ONANCOCK SCHOOL PATH
Mission: to reclaim green space along creek, allowing access and providing an
educational environment with multiple opportunities for the public to interact with nature. CLICK HERE for more info and pictures

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FRIENDS OF ONANCOCK SCHOOL
WEB LOG (blog)
Click Here

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Paul Nolz's Soccer Camp 2008
CLICK HERE for some of the soccer action

Who Are the Friends of Onancock School?

Where We Came From

In September 2006, the Town of Onancock regained control of the historic Onancock School Building and grounds, which had been used and managed by the Accomack County School Board for more than seven decades. In response, Town Council directed Mayor Bruce Paone to appoint a Task Force of volunteers to explore alternative uses for the school building and its grounds, with estimates of the costs of these alternatives.

At the first Task Force meeting it became clear, with no public funding available, that significant funds would be needed to support the process of evaluating and safeguarding the Onancock School property. Because several local people stepped forward with generous contributions of financial and material help, we already have completed preliminary engineering and architectural studies. Generous supporters have also donated a new school sign, freshly painted columns and trim, and an Onancock School web site. Commitments of future support have been obtained from both individuals and organizations.

Why We Are Here

Friends of Onancock School was begun by citizens who believe we need an independent organization to support the Onancock School project in the following ways:

Protect and preserve the historic Onancock School property, both the building and the grounds, for use as a gathering place for educational, cultural, recreational and other community activities.
Make sure that the Onancock School property is protected from private development so that future generations may enjoy the property as current and past generations have done, while supporting new community activities in the future.
Provide financial and grant writing assistance to the Onancock School Task Force.
Serve as a voice for Onancock School alumni and other admirers of the Onancock School property who may not be Onancock or Eastern Shore residents.
Assist individuals and groups in defining and describing the activities that might take place on the School property and determining how these activities can be funded.
Take the lead in fund raising, project design, and coordinating community input.

Where We Are Headed

In December 2006, a group of interested people got together to form Friends of Onancock School, which will be a 501c3 nonprofit organization capable of accepting tax-exempt contributions from individuals and organizational supporters. Here are the current officers.

President – Cindy Serini Downing E-Mail

Vice President – Donna Fitchett Belote E-Mail

Secretary – Haydon Rochester E-Mail

Treasurer – Russell Jones E-Mail

comments to - comments@onancockschool.org

Our Chance to Make History
"The Past and Future of the Onancock School Property"
CLICK HERE for Details

Video Tour of School Interior, present
Click here for link to video (on YouTube.com)

Are You with Us?

The only way we will be able to meet the challenge of turning our beloved old Onancock School into an active community center we can be proud of and that our descendents will thank us for is for everyone with an interest to become involved. A small group, no matter how dedicated, cannot make this happen.

If you feel, as we do, that we have been given a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to do something truly special for the benefit of everyone on the Eastern Shore, please help us.

Now is the time to get to work before it is too late.

CLICK HERE, PLEASE