LIVERMORE – This Friday, Washburn Norlands Living History Center will be filled with people celebrating two important events: The annual meeting and the start of the three-day homecoming of descendants of Israel and Martha Washburn. Norlands was the family’s home.

The meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. at Norlands’ church.

The public is invited.

Ronald Richmond of Windham and Karen Doughty Somers of Bridgton are expected to be elected as trustees. Officers also will be elected.

Fundraising and a comprehensive planning process will be discussed with the meeting opened to questions and suggestions.

“Washburn Norlands is in a transition period right now,” Mitch Thomas, president of the board of trustees said.

Effective July 1, Norlands programs were suspended and are being re-evaluated to see which are effective.

“Our expenses have been exceeding our income so we’re operating in a more productive way,” Thomas said.

Part of the new direction is being more active in fundraising.

Three women are being honored for the hours of training and work they have put into Norlands over the years.

Willi Irish, former director of education, Norma Boothby, who has been involved in educating, training and cataloging materials in the library and created the role of the school marm, and Glenda Richards, staff person and volunteer who has defined many historic characters and trained many people, will all be praised for their work and given a plaque to be kept at Norlands.

“We are celebrating the wonderful people who made it happen,” said Katie Beauregard, member of the executive committee and chairwoman of the development committee.

Special guests, descendants of the Washburns who are coming from as far away as Alaska, will be arriving Friday night in time for the meeting and will be spending the weekend at Norlands.

Langhorne Washburn is coming from Alaska with the intention of helping with the development of Norlands. Washburn has been involved with the organization since the 1970s.

The Washburn family signed over the rights to their property in the 1970s so the non-profit foundation could be started.

Their desire is that children as well as adults be educated, Beauregard said.