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Open Space committee approves wording and photographic design for memorial sign honoring Dorothy “Dottie” Athens
Summary
The Hubbardston Open Space Committee approved final wording and a photographic sign design honoring Dorothy “Dottie” Athens, leaving placeholders for exact years pending verification from town reports and an obituary. Members also asked a committee printer to confirm print contrast and durability before production.
The Hubbardston Open Space Committee voted to approve the wording and photographic design for a memorial sign honoring Dorothy “Dottie” (Dottie) Athens and asked volunteers to verify historical dates before final production.
Committee member read the full draft aloud and moved to adopt it: "Small in stature and mighty in spirit," followed by the proposed body text: "Dottie's vision to protect Hubbardston's open space and rural character led to the formation of the Hubbardston Open Space Committee in x year. She served on the Open Space Committee from x to x. Dottie inspired the conservation of the Mount Jeff and Malone Road conservation areas. Dottie's legacy is one of inspiration, and we are grateful for all she did." The motion carried on a voice vote.
The committee repeatedly discussed factual accuracy and phrasing. Members said they wanted conservative wording where dates or roles were not yet verified — for example, substituting "initiated" or "inspired" rather than definitively stating she "founded" the committee — until the group can check town reports and Dorothy/Dottie Athens’s obituary. "I'll get those two pieces of detail from Jesse," the Chair said, noting that the town report and obituary will be used to confirm the year the committee formed and the years Dottie served.
Design decisions followed the wording vote. The committee agreed to a photographic layout that preserves the subject’s image rather than overlaying heavy text on the photo, and members asked a volunteer printer to check whether white text on a dark background and the chosen image size will print clearly and endure outdoor conditions. A QR code or dedicated webpage was discussed as a way to provide additional biography, but members said adding a web page would require extra administrative steps and preferred keeping the sign text concise for now.
Next steps: the committee left date fields as placeholders ("x to x") to be filled after verifying sources; a member will confirm chair/committee-tenure dates with town reports and provide the facts so the sign maker can insert them prior to printing. The committee also instructed the volunteer printer to confirm image resolution and contrast for outdoor longevity before production.
