TURNER — Officials on Monday assured the Century Box Jubilee Committee the town will pay for mailing notices about this fall’s ceremonial opening of the 1923 and 1973 Century Boxes created by residents those years.
Natalie Pilsbury of the Turner Museum and Historical Society advised the Select Board at its meeting Monday that local students from Maine School Administrative District 52’s Leavitt Summer Institute are working with the society and have drafted a news release to send to residents.
Town Manager Kurt Schaub suggested the committee use the town’s bulk mailing permit to save money on postage.
Select Board Chairman Kurt Youland assured committee members the town will pay for the mailers.
The ceremony is set for Nov. 12 at Leavitt Area High School where the contents of both boxes will be displayed. The boxes are stored in the town vault.
In 1923, more than 600 residents contributed $1,800 as an investment for the future well-being of the town. That money was placed in a bank account with compounding interest. The residents also created a Century Box in which they put messages, letters, prophecies, family stories and photographs.
The box was opened on the 50th anniversary in 1973 when a second Century Box was created and filled. Between $1,500 and $2,200 was added that year.
As a result of the investments, the fund is now $117,000, which can be used toward town debts or educational purposes.
This year, the Century Box Jubilee Committee has requested notes from residents to create a third Century Box for the centennial.
The committee will also design and sell T-shirts for the November ceremony, and member Jenny Maheu hopes the proceeds will be added to the fund.
Municipal officers discussed a Century Box logo that incorporates 100 for the box’s centennial.
Students have created an Eventbrite page for the ceremony, which will go live later this month.
The committee hopes to continue working with students in the Leavitt Area High School’s Buzz Media course to garner interest for the event from young people.
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