[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6099794,"mediaKeyId","2815947-a7561d8fe2603f3166db42718ebde5aa","parentId",2815947,"title","Gardner city update: flower pot sponsorships, farmers market, fundraisers, museum exhibit and new downtown businesses","audioSeconds",920,"startMs",7000,"endMs",927000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2815947-a7561d8fe2603f3166db42718ebde5aa&start=7&end=927","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2815947-a7561d8fe2603f3166db42718ebde5aa/thumbnail_7000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6099794/Gardner-City/Worcester-County/Massachusetts/Gardner-city-update-flower-pot-sponsorships-farmers-market-fundraisers-museum-exhibit-and-new-downtown-businesses","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6099794-54d5e48f2082f6457fad9b066913b7d5/orig.mp4?Expires=1771162775&Signature=e-~MIgdfiCivf7RQoU4T~RznWjQTMBkWbesUiZaNkBjz5fpquz5OqLPQ7Hx3VMEJeXxru8JupLDhm6G1p0kiHyzdvNoJXNhc5JPfgwArBtavPksogEyFhsZriaGXh-nJJ4SQ7MaoI5cbJeGplNOKs8PRJzuPKiGw7qyHvzKgnFLUzfrdPNuz40rC-p2bbrxDkZ9OJJLcYVOqGTW~9DZlCeQSgGEif3q32aLQlwrTvBJOwpZ9ay0kpa7UCFiIyPXhB9DFEiKyrOTxvkEP2Adkdg8QEmCcJg-KbASlZkL6ThRF63wgEMZtKAR6m6aBa5XAHgCvh9u4evBF6cRCeepNvg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Gardner City, MA","date","2025-03-28T15:30:06Z","article","Mayor (unnamed) used the monthly update to list community events, volunteer efforts and recent downtown business openings.

Flower pot sponsorships are open for downtown and the South Gardner Village Center; the mayor said early sponsors can save up to $50 by applying before March 31. The mayor said 30‑inch pots cost $150 during the early period and rise to $200 after March 31; forms and online payment are available through city hall and Katie Jablonski in the mayor’s office was given as a contact.

The Gardner Farmers Market will return to the former Waterford Street School site (the Waterford Street Community Center) on May 17 at 9:30 a.m., the mayor said, and thanked the volunteer committee for last year’s events, which he said drew over 1,000 attendees and generated about $8,000 per event for the local farming economy.

The mayor listed other upcoming events: the Purple Paws fundraiser (to house pets of victims of domestic violence) on April 26 from 9:30 a.m. to noon at Pulaski Park; the Greater Gardner health and wellness fair on April 24 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. in Perry Auditorium; and the Vietnam Veterans Day ceremony on March 29 at 10 a.m. in front of Gardner City Hall. He also noted the AED Foundation’s Diamonds and Daffodils anniversary dance on March 29 at 7 p.m. (tickets $20) with proceeds supporting recovery services.

The mayor welcomed two new downtown businesses: Victoria Coffee at the former Velvet Goose location on Main Street and Artisans and More, an artist co‑op in the former Game Nights storefront. He also announced a Gardiner Museum exhibit featuring the Gardner Fire Department on display through May 25 and other community programming including a library credit seminar on April 2 and a children’s theater performance of Curious George and the Golden Meatball on April 12 (sensory‑friendly performance at 11 a.m.).

The mayor encouraged residents to use online forms for sponsorships and to contact the mayor’s office for more details on events and local programming.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Monthly Mayors Update March 28 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The mayor's monthly update highlighted open flower pot sponsorships (early bird savings through March 31), the return of the Gardner Farmers Market on May 17, the Purple Paws fundraising event on April 26, the Greater Gardner health fair on April 24, museum exhibits and two new downtown businesses.","taxTitle","Gardner City, Worcester County, Massachusetts","taxId",60679,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6099799,"Gardner warns residents: spring brush fire season open while drought persists",65,545000,610000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2815947-a7561d8fe2603f3166db42718ebde5aa&start=545&end=610","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2815947-a7561d8fe2603f3166db42718ebde5aa/thumbnail_545000.jpg","/articles/6099799/Gardner-City/Worcester-County/Massachusetts/Gardner-warns-residents-spring-brush-fire-season-open-while-drought-persists","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6099799-ea3fdb7110f4a51e58aa7c6fee62d294/orig.mp4?Expires=1771162775&Signature=VqDn3jKTIbxBiOqZiE5PNGF9pGj~yxyn4H4Zr8ylpxBCowBvWzY4E2PrRTaylFEYc1RQHqA31zDFAG5ipVZJl7ulh51umWgszY-XeoFZ6hGs3GDhDIg3KHwML-s0-6KlhXvhJotPDLihYVQLGMkkFSzpD8ohe79CqlvvXB5fFOny3IaqkEZn29VpuJQUHmrr4Kvs~kMuoDLxHr2yQpFPzvRtwbmbZk9mAVeamfPIjeq4mGs0BL2qlTvBtdToY1mYi5VYUj0-Z0XvvupioubZxgUir-rViw668WSiefneS98mJz3VW6bmJztg6T1dxJY3A8AgXn0Yd32FlFKa8p1Scw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Mayor (unnamed) warned residents in the monthly update that despite recent rain and melting snow, Gardner remains in drought conditions and that the city’s spring brush fire season is open.

The mayor cited information from the Massachusetts Emergency Management Association and said the region has not recovered from a precipitation deficit that began last fall. He urged residents to exercise extreme caution with outdoor burning and brush fires to avoid repeating last fall’s series of large brush fires.

The mayor also reminded residents that curbside yard waste pickup resumes in April on regular trash collection days (first full week of each month from April through October, with two weeks of pickup in November: the first and third weeks). He noted yard waste should be set out on the same day as regular trash pickup.

The mayor did not announce new local restrictions or bans but emphasized caution and recommended residents consult Gardner Fire Department guidance for safe burning practices.","The mayor said Gardner remains in critical drought conditions despite recent rain and snowmelt and urged caution for outdoor burning as the spring brush fire season opens; yard‑waste pickup schedule was also announced.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6099804,"Gardner leases old Waterford Street school kitchen to Growing Places for local food processing for school meals",68,148000,216000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2815947-a7561d8fe2603f3166db42718ebde5aa&start=148&end=216","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2815947-a7561d8fe2603f3166db42718ebde5aa/thumbnail_148000.jpg","/articles/6099804/Gardner-City/Worcester-County/Massachusetts/Gardner-leases-old-Waterford-Street-school-kitchen-to-Growing-Places-for-local-food-processing-for-school-meals","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6099804-b463e32e3ed89a7df66735c3ba1a1128/orig.mp4?Expires=1771162775&Signature=dpeb2h0KS-6nEJvGD33-Xtqu737SQJLyk~vyYT2xDTX6zwfUs0iKzYc8QnwYXnHfNfzaKOBwMgMlWUDdL2La6swtKnbPIcdSbAxhRUpUkDi4b5MyC8HInJ7oFfpoEwo0R985csI2crcekERwd5Zj2CBw2rlyH1OYIjO32XVrW0afqKGJ~9SkRNe-jvIyOH4yL-oCn71qn6QLyfKcPgAPnfP~sjBKQ7~7a1ubrxWIlxR-gA4NKU3FrS45334AYrrsMrXFRZrJ9IIgIkshw9SklsO0Q2lpmN3KKzi-8pzqmxlT5yKwbUZv-4AsoUOt5hqAH-9Y-F-7BknSq4L0MLp4Pw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Mayor (unnamed) said Gardner City has signed a lease with Growing Places for kitchen space at the former Waterford Street School to operate a light‑food‑processing center.

According to the mayor, Growing Places purchases produce from local farmers and performs light preparation — dicing, slicing and other steps that make produce “cook‑ready” — so local school districts, including Gardner Public Schools, can buy locally prepared produce for school lunch and other meal programs.

The mayor credited Growing Places and volunteers at the Waterford Street site for strengthening the connection between area farmers, processors and consumers. He identified Anne Eagle of Growing Places as having shown the North Central Massachusetts legislative delegation the facility and its operations.

The mayor said the city’s arrangement is a lease for space in the old school and that the program already has a contract with Gardner Public Schools; he did not provide a copy of the lease or the contract terms during the update.

Mayor (unnamed) framed the initiative as an example of local economic development that also increases access to locally sourced, higher‑nutrition foods in school meal programs.","The mayor said the city signed a lease with Growing Places for kitchen space at the old Waterford Street School so the nonprofit can buy locally grown produce and do light preparation for Gardner Public Schools and neighboring districts.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6099809,"Williams Rockwell grants total about $209,000 for Gardner schools' trips, equipment and supplies",494,957000,1451000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2815947-a7561d8fe2603f3166db42718ebde5aa&start=957&end=1451","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2815947-a7561d8fe2603f3166db42718ebde5aa/thumbnail_957000.jpg","/articles/6099809/Gardner-City/Worcester-County/Massachusetts/Williams-Rockwell-grants-total-about-209000-for-Gardner-schools-trips-equipment-and-supplies","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6099809-19fe8f3d5ac1d6b0cc1f9c7fd66e612b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771162775&Signature=QUCdkp1fzW0bftgZcROHwlzJHVuDo~AVf0CKqMLuqtcEVoFq-MqRkumZTRYkQ1hV84I8hYIQ16NibVrZR2MjHhVNhhVUo4t0r1KLov2cVAK8h5pa4N7qpbtDTUXbr2TlBJBCXvTE1QkE6bQfKGIDy64nbNT~7i5H8QU3z4VwWMjkm4falJH4zefSzxvm9P2gysY1VEAdzWwsfXrH4sSN90Fl9hFXK~2-pFYzsdNwSzDLBbFM5ogIufvQjMGGTEsf070K-UKG3DdmWptjBGBWE5KaXiEzTKU2JFn2LyH25CUc~2d0wdCY07E8TUlAdD2messKFJlSYIDLGjFtoFiC9w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Mayor (unnamed) announced in the city’s monthly update that the Williams Rockwell Educational Gift Fund awarded close to $209,000 in grants to Gardner Public Schools and related programs.

The mayor said the fund has paid out roughly $850,000 in grants since the program began in 2017 and that this most recent round supports a range of classroom, arts, athletics and accessibility projects across the district.

Major awards listed by the mayor include about $33,600 to send tenth‑grade students to a production of A Christmas Carol at the Hanover Theatre; about $43,000 to purchase a movable outfield fence for Gardner High School varsity baseball (which the mayor said will allow the school to host district playoff games); roughly $20,000 to cover seventh‑grade participation in the outdoor classroom overnight program formerly known as Nature’s Classroom; and about $10,000 for new microphones for Landry Auditorium and just over $10,000 for microphones for the Gardner Middle School cafetorium.

Other items included about $16,000 for mallet percussion (marimba, vibraphone, xylophone) and $7,000 for middle‑school percussion equipment; $4,400 for ceramics classroom equipment and furniture with additional smaller amounts for kiln shelves and mobile carts; about $4,000 for DJ equipment so student fundraisers can retain more proceeds; $6,200 to reduce barriers for middle‑school choir participation; $2,500 for intramural fitness at the Gardner Academy for Learning and Technology; $2,400 for a photography field trip and workshops; and roughly $1,500 for sensory light tables at Gardner Elementary School.

The mayor also said smaller grants funded STEM kits, a 3‑D printer at the middle school, book repair equipment at the elementary school, instruments and music stands, after‑school art supplies, and the continuing Smile Project mural work in elementary grades.

The mayor described the grants as efforts to “enhance classroom learning, reduce fees for students, and expand extracurricular opportunities.” For questions about specific grants, the mayor said residents may contact the mayor’s office.

The announcement was part of the mayor’s monthly video update; no council action or vote was reported in the update.","In a monthly mayoral update, Gardner's mayor said the Williams Rockwell Educational Gift Fund awarded roughly $209,000 in grants to Gardner Public Schools for field trips, classroom tech, instruments, athletics and accessibility supports.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Gardner city update: flower pot sponsorships, farmers market, fundraisers, museum exhibit and new downtown businesses

Gardner warns residents: spring brush fire season open while drought persists

Gardner leases old Waterford Street school kitchen to Growing Places for local food processing for school meals

Williams Rockwell grants total about $209,000 for Gardner schools' trips, equipment and supplies