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To all members, friends, and supporters of the New England Rug Society,
After decades of a thriving organization that brought pleasure and enlightenment to countless lovers of rugs and carpets—and textiles—from the lands of the Middle East, Central Asia, and even farther afield, we members of the NERS Steering Committee have reluctantly concluded that we cannot maintain the organization into the future.
Voluntary organizations of many types that were founded in times of high enthusiasm and eager engagement by an older generation have faltered as the founding cohort ran out of steam or passed from the scene and replacements proved to be scarce on the ground. It takes an enormous commitment of time and energy, supported by long experience, for such a happy enterprise to thrive. We hosted a great many informed and informative talks over the years and shifted gears to outstanding Zoom webinars when COVID deprived us, albeit temporarily, of in-person events. We published a widely regarded newsletter, View from the Fringe, that required a substantial commitment of time and energy to produce; we established an excellent website, including some early virtual exhibitions that are still available; and we were the sponsoring local organization for ACOR 8, a tremendous success by any measure.
Those glory days are behind us. The upcoming annual picnic, on July 26, will be the last formal event sponsored by our organization. We would like it to be celebratory and attended by as many friends and supporters as possible. A more specific notice about it will be forthcoming shortly.
The Steering Committee is continuing to deliberate the actions necessary for formally dissolving NERS. More information concerning that will be forthcoming. We have also committed to the long-term viability of our website, which will remain available, and we have created a YouTube channel where twenty-six past webinars sponsored by us are now available to all: https://www.youtube.com/@NewEnglandRugSociety
We trust that this announcement will be met with understanding and support, and we look forward to seeing as many of you as possible in July.
Sincerely,
The Steering Committee
Julia Bailey, Joel Greifinger, Mark Nenner-Payton, Jim Sampson, and Jeff Spurr
After decades of a thriving organization that brought pleasure and enlightenment to countless lovers of rugs and carpets—and textiles—from the lands of the Middle East, Central Asia, and even farther afield, we members of the NERS Steering Committee have reluctantly concluded that we cannot maintain the organization into the future.
Voluntary organizations of many types that were founded in times of high enthusiasm and eager engagement by an older generation have faltered as the founding cohort ran out of steam or passed from the scene and replacements proved to be scarce on the ground. It takes an enormous commitment of time and energy, supported by long experience, for such a happy enterprise to thrive. We hosted a great many informed and informative talks over the years and shifted gears to outstanding Zoom webinars when COVID deprived us, albeit temporarily, of in-person events. We published a widely regarded newsletter, View from the Fringe, that required a substantial commitment of time and energy to produce; we established an excellent website, including some early virtual exhibitions that are still available; and we were the sponsoring local organization for ACOR 8, a tremendous success by any measure.
Those glory days are behind us. The upcoming annual picnic, on July 26, will be the last formal event sponsored by our organization. We would like it to be celebratory and attended by as many friends and supporters as possible. A more specific notice about it will be forthcoming shortly.
The Steering Committee is continuing to deliberate the actions necessary for formally dissolving NERS. More information concerning that will be forthcoming. We have also committed to the long-term viability of our website, which will remain available, and we have created a YouTube channel where twenty-six past webinars sponsored by us are now available to all: https://www.youtube.com/@NewEnglandRugSociety
We trust that this announcement will be met with understanding and support, and we look forward to seeing as many of you as possible in July.
Sincerely,
The Steering Committee
Julia Bailey, Joel Greifinger, Mark Nenner-Payton, Jim Sampson, and Jeff Spurr
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