Conservancy Elects Board of Directors and New Chairman

The Abingdon Square Conservancy is pleased to announce its new Board of Directors following the election at its annual meeting on September 10, 2014.

Chairman

H. Todd Hittle

Vice-Chairman

Bruce Mastalinksi

Immediate Past Chairman and Treasurer

Joe Mayock

Secretary

Jeff Fitts

Director and General Counsel 
Collin Glidewell
Manager of Contracts, Clinical Trials Office,
Columbia University Medical Center

Members-at-Large

Jeanne Bucknam

Adair Mueller

Russell Saray

John Solum

The Board of Directors is just one part of a large group of dedicated West Villagers that I would like to thank for their service and generosity. The other leaders include the members of the Conservancy’s Advisory Board, committee chairs and committee members – all volunteers, and our generous donors, who together make the Square the tranquil oasis that it is.

The Conservancy has been through tremendous change in the last couple years. As we continue to grow and evolve as an organization, we remain committed to our central long-term goal to develop broad and lasting community support for the Square.  As the leaves begin to change, we’re already planning for another exciting year in 2015!

Best regards,

H. Todd Hittle

Chair, Board of Directors

Abingdon Square Conservancy

ASC Seeks Bookkeeper / Administrator

The Administrator organizes and manages the business functions of Abingdon Square Conservancy.  The responsibilities for the position are broad and varied.

Responsibilities include:

Bookkeeping & Financial Reporting / Planning

• Check/electronic payment processing, expense reimbursements
• Banking & Deposits
• Monthly Financial statements & Bank reconciliation
• Invoicing (occasional)
• Budgeting / Forecasting
• Year-end Form 1099 preparation
• Annual audit prep

Administrative

• Data entry and maintenance of donor records in CRM database
• Donor thank-you letter preparation and mailing
• Analysis of donation trends and goal performance
• Preparation of reports/metrics on donations, campaigns, events, mailing lists and donors (e.g., new, lapsed)

Outreach

•  Assistance with planning and execution of events and follow up
• Execution of direct response campaigns (10-12 emails per year)
• Coordination of direct mail campaigns (annual fundraiser, year-end appeal)
•  Use of online survey technology to conduct community outreach
• Facilitation of fundraising efforts through research

Setup -- One Time Only

• Advise re: Financial software selection
• Assist w/ setup: Chart of accounts, Vendor & Donor information

Qualifications

• Knowledge and experience in basic bookkeeping, internal control, and financial reporting for non-profit organizations
• Excellent organizational skills and the ability to prioritize and manage multiple tasks and projects in a timely manner with minimal supervision
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and accounting software like QuickBooks is required  Experience with a fundraising CRM application is preferred. (ASC uses eTapestry as its fundraising CRM application)
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to maintain confidentiality of information and exercise discretion
• Ability to work collegially with volunteer board of directors and committee members in support of the organization’s mission

Time Commitment

The position is part-time, and is expected to require 5 to 10 hours per month.  In the weeks before our annual fundraiser in late April, hours may increase to 20 hours or more.

About the Conservancy

The Abingdon Square Conservancy is a non-profit park conservancy dedicated to maintaining and enhancing Abingdon Square, New York City’s third oldest park.  Because the Square is dependent on private donations for its operations, community support is essential to the park’s well-being.  Re-formed in 2012 and until recently fiscally-sponsored by Open Space Institute, the Conservancy obtained recognition from the IRS as a 501(c)(3) charity this summer and will begin independent operations October 1.

If you are interested in supporting the Conservancy's mission to maintain and enhance Abingdon Square as a scenic and historic landmark and community gathering place, as its part-time bookkeeper / administrator on a volunteer basis, please send an email outlining your interest and your qualifications to info@abingdonsquare.org  by Friday, October 10.

Celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the Square's Reconstruction: Make a Donation Today!

On this day, ten years ago, a ribbon cutting ceremony, led by state, city and NYC Parks Department dignitaries, was held beneath the Doughboy statue in Abingdon Square.  The event celebrated the Square’s reopening after a yearlong reconstruction project. 

From the 1970s until its renovation, the Square had been a dilapidated, forlorn, all-blacktop wasteland.  Today, our donors can see the tangible results of their generosity and take pride in the well-kept and welcoming public space that their gift has made possible.

Keeping the Square beautifully landscaped, well-maintained and clean is a never-ending job that is dependent on private funds.  While the Square is a public park, virtually all of its annual operating budget is funded by private donations from individuals and businesses.  We need your continued support, as there is still much more to do.  For example, this year, due  to limited resources, the Conservancy only landscaped and planted two-thirds of the flowerbeds on the Square's perimeter.

One of the best ways to help maintain the Square is to join the Adopt-A-Bed Program.  Please click here for more information.

Please donate today and help keep the Square beautiful now and for decades more to come!  It’s quick and easy to make a donation.  Just go to abingdonsquare.org and click on the “Dough-nate” button, named in honor of our Doughboy statue.  Every gift – no matter its size – counts!

Thank you, in advance, for your generosity.  I hope you're enjoying your summer and your Square. 

Kind regards,

Joe Mayock

Chair, Board of Directors

Abingdon Square Conservancy

Your Donation at Work: Summer Planting Completed Today

This summer, Abingdon Square’s gardens will be really full of themselves!  Today, the Conservancy completes its most extensive summer planting ever.  Now your early morning or late afternoon stroll along the park’s winding paths will be extra special.

The Square has been transformed into a lush and verdant oasis only because of donations from the Conservancy’s generous donors.  These donations help to underwrite the flowers, shrubs and other plants that have been installed this past week.  They help to pay for the horticultural and gardening services involved in designing, implementing and maintaining the symphony of color that visitors to the Square will enjoy from now through September.

Please excuse any inconvenience as planting will in progress throughout the day.

Despite Monsoon, Community Celebrates Town Square

Last night’s second annual Tulip Celebration was a great success.  Despite 4.97 inches of rain – the 11th rainiest day in New York City history, we had 115 attendees and raised over $16,000. We have some additional donations to our new Adopt-A-Bed Program in the works.

Thank you to the event sponsors, 632 On Hudson, Bakehouse, Diptyque, Imperial Vintner, Kazuya Morimoto, Li-Lac Chocolates, Mole and Pizzeterria Brunetti for making the Tulip Celebration possible.

Kindly mark your calendar for the third annual Tulip Celebration on Wednesday, April 29, 2015.

Conservancy Publishes 2013 Annual Report

The Conservancy published its Annual Report for 2013 today.  The report provides information about the organization’s accomplishments, 2013 financials, 2014 projected revenue and expenses and 2013 donors.

The Square is solely dependent on private donations for its operation. To continue helping to maintain and improve our Square and our community, the Conservancy’s donors and volunteers, as well as countless other supporters, are absolutely vital to the Square’s well being. Please see page 11 of the annual report to view our donors and other supporters in 2013.

The 2013 Annual Report is now available to view or download in a PDF format here.

Abingdon Square Announces Retention of General Counsel

The Conservancy announced the appointment of Collin Glidewell as its General Counsel on a pro bono basis today.  Collin is the first general counsel in the history of the Conservancy. 

A seasoned legal professional, Collin is currently the Manager of Contracts in the Clinical Trials Office of the Columbia University Medical Center.  Collin received his B.A. from Millsaps College.  He obtained his J.D. from Georgia State University College of Law and his LL.M. from Georgetown University Law Center.

The retention of a general counsel is another important step in the process of developing the Square into a shared and permanent neighborhood trust. Also, with the Conservancy’s application to become a non-profit public charity currently under review by the IRS, a general counsel is part of the infrastructure necessary to support a stand alone non-profit organization. The key responsibilities of the general counsel role include nonprofit corporate law and governance, compliance with tax exemption, contracts, fundraising law, municipal law and government relations. 

All Dressed Up for the Holidays: Thanks to Romp Family Christmas Trees

Continuing a neighborhood tradition, Abingdon Square is all dressed up for the holidays thanks to a generous in-kind contribution by Romp Family Christmas Trees, which has been serving joy and holiday decorations to the West Village since 1988.  Please support the businesses that support the Square.  Romp Family Christmas Trees -- at the corner of 8th Avenue and Jane Street -- sells trees of all sizes, wreaths, garlands, boughs and other holiday decorations.  And they deliver!  Again, a very special thanks to the Romp family!

7th Annual Pumpkin Patch: Thank You for a Smashing Success!

Thank you to all who carved pumpkins and hauled them to a balmy Abingdon Square last night.  Thank you to everyone that stopped by too.  We’re also grateful to Li-Lac Chocolates, which donated treats for the legions of girls and boys that paraded through the Square. (Please join Li-Lac for its 90th Anniversary celebration this Sunday, 1 - 6 pm at its store at 8th Avenue and Jane Street. You'll enjoy complimentary chocolate and wine pairings.)  We hope that all of you will be back next Halloween to bask in the glow and good cheer of the Conservancy’s 8th Annual Pumpkin Patch!  Thank you also to our Events Committee Co-Chairs, Board Members Jeanne Bucknam and Natane Boudreau.

Sharpen Your Knives: The 7th Annual Pumpkin Patch Pick-Up Starts Tomorrow!

Our 7th Annual Pumpkin Patch gets off to a spooktacular start tomorrow! Come pick up your free pumpkin at A-BOO!-ngdon Square beginning tomorrow at noon. We’ll have 40 pumpkins available first-come, first-served. Next, take home your ghoulish gourd and carve a fangtastic masterpiece. Finally, bring your jack-o’-lantern back to the Square anytime on Halloween day or night (Thursday, October 31) and we’ll bring it to life! 

What Do You Want?: Visitor Experience Survey

Thank you to the visitors who have responded so quickly after our last email. For those of you who didn't get the chance to give your feedback, we’d love to hear from you!  Please help us make the Square a better place for all and take the five minutes necessary to complete and submit this survey by clicking on the survey linked below. Thank you again for your support, and we look forward to seeing you in the Square! 

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/QJNHWXJ

Your Donation at Work: Keeping the Square Green and Clean

Earlier this summer, the board of the Abingdon Square Conservancy was receiving increased feedback about our ongoing  -- and losing -- war on trash, so we decided to step up our battle to keep Abingdon Square clean!

Since July 18, additional garbage control-related services are being provided in the Square once per day at mid-day during the work week and twice a day on weekends.  The services being provided include:

• Emptying City trash cans on the perimeter of the park and placing a liner in the can. (Three trashcans have been added to the sidewalks on the perimeter of the Square, bringing the total to 6 for the triangle in which the Square is located.)
• Emptying trash cans on the inside of the park.
• Sweeping up trash inside park.
• Picking up trash in the gardens inside the park.

This service has been contracted through the remainder of the Square's "high season," ending on September 30. The Conservancy board will evaluate the level of service, its benefits and the cost at the end of this trial period.  If park visitors find the services to be beneficial and fundraising levels permit us, we will resume the program in Spring 2014.

Your Donation at Work: Automated Irrigation System Repaired

Hot enough for you? On days like these, there's nothing like relaxing in the shade of a leafy tree with a nice cool drink of water. And that's what the flowers and trees at Abingdon Square were just treated to!

Our automated irrigation system was recently repaired, an important park improvement that was made just in time for what is traditionally the hottest, driest and most difficult time of year for the vegetation in Abingdon Square. It will assure that our park remains a lush and verdant oasis, no matter how high the mercury rises. And not just this summer, but for years to come.

This very necessary improvement to your Square could only be possible due to donations from you, our generous supporting members of the Abingdon Square Conservancy. The West Village wouldn't be what it is without Abingdon Square. And Abingdon Square wouldn't be what it is without YOU!

Please keep in mind -- and tell your neighbors and friends -- that Abingdon Square is completely dependent on donations for its maintenance and operations, we receive no public funding. It’s quick and easy to make a donation and join the Abingdon Square Conservancy— just go to abingdonsquare.org and click on the “Dough-nate” button, named in honor of our Doughboy statue, the centerpiece of the Square.

Once again, thank you for your generous support and enjoy cooling off in the Square this summer.

Abingdon Square Bruised by Another Boom and Bust Cycle

Susan Sipos, Abingdon Square’s horticulturalist, often receives compliments about the park. She usually bites her tongue and thanks the kind passersby.

However, Sipos has a different response to those who will stop, look, and listen. “It’s happening again. There are fewer tulips this year than last. The grass in our little meadow is now splotchy. The irrigation system is broken.” According to Sipos, the park is once again in a cycle of slow decline following its most recent renovation in 2004.

Susan’s employer is the newly revitalized Abingdon Square Conservancy, a non-profit park conservancy that has begun implementing governance and finance reforms designed to reverse the most current slide and ensure that all of the hard won progress in beautification and improvements lasts.

A Cycle of Boom and Bust...Read more: here

Thank You for Joining Us and Supporting Your Square!

Thank you for making Wednesday night’s Spring Tulip Gala a great success! We had over 140 attendees and raised nearly $28,000….and we have some additional donations in the works.

Thank you for taking care of Abingdon Square. Thank you for stepping forward to demonstrate that you care about your community and its town square, Abingdon Square.

Thank you to our primary Gala sponsor, Flank, and our sponsors, 632 On Hudson, Bakehouse, Diptyque, Imperial Vintner, Kazuya Morimoto, Li-Lac Chocolates and Phoenix Roze for making the Gala first possible and then wonderful.

With your support, we plan for the Gala to be an annual celebration. Kindly mark your calendar for the 2nd Annual Spring Tulip Gala on Wednesday, April 30, 2014!

On May 1, Become a Petal Pusher!

When: Wednesday, May 1, 2013, 7-9 pm

Where: 632 On Hudson (between Jane and Horatio)

Who: Abingdon Square Conservancy

RSVP: By April 24 to info@abingdonsquare.org or 212-408-5547

Cost: Members: Free. Non-members: Join at the door or at abingdonsquare.org at a reduced rate of $35 per person. (Or join at a higher level. More info available at the event.)

Primary Sponsor Flank, Designer and Developer for The Abingdon and 385 West 12th

Sponsors: Catering: Bakehouse; Gift Bag: Kazuya Morimoto; Jewelry Design: Phoenix Roze

Recruit a friend(s) to join the Conservancy and the party! New members are asked to RSVP and then can join at the door or at abingdonsquare.org at a reduced rate of $35 per person. 

Conservancy Publishes 2012 Annual Report

2012 was a landmark year in the 176-year history of Abingdon Square, the town square of the West Village. The community came together to reinvigorate the Abingdon Square Conservancy and begin building a strong and sustainable foundation on which our Square is widely supported. To learn more, please click here to access the Conservancy's 2012 Annual Report.

The Square is solely dependent on private donations for its operation. To continue helping to maintain and improve our Square and our community, the Conservancy’s donors and volunteers, as well as countless other supporters, are absolutely vital to the Square’s well-being. Please see page 9 of the annual report to view our donors and other supporters in 2012.