Androscoggin Swinging Bridge

Our Nonprofit Will Disappear Soon

6/17/2023

(This was mailed to donors May 30, 2023)

Dear Swinging Bridge Supporters,

It is with a heavy heart that we announce the dissolution of Save Our Swinging Bridge Organization (SOSB), a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. For over 20 years, our board of directors, along with volunteers, have worked tirelessly to support and maintain this beloved bridge connecting Brunswick and Topsham. Unfortunately, due to the financial impact caused by COVID-19 on our operations and resources, it is no longer feasible for us to continue our mission.

We are deeply grateful for all those who have supported us over these many years – donors who gave generously; volunteers who provided their time and energy; businesses that contributed goods or services; local government officials whose assistance was invaluable. All of you made it possible for us to make an impact by preserving this historic structure. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts!

Together we have achieved so much over the last two decades before the founding and within the framework of the nonprofit Save Our Swinging Bridge Org.

Some of our accomplishments to date:

• April 2003: Project receives $304,000 from Federal Enhancement Grant Funds through Maine Department of Transportation. Grant application on behalf of the Town of Brunswick written by Elizabeth Glover, Nancy E. Randolph and Jessica Randolph. Steve Walker, then Natural Resources director for Town of Brunswick, helped finalize and create seven copies of the grant application as required by Maine Department of Transportation.
• January 2004: Placed on the National Register of Historic Places. Maine Department of Transportation with the assistance of the Swinging Bridge Fund History Sub-committee applied for this listing.
• 2004-2005 Fundraised over $700,000 including in-kind goods and services donated by companies throughout Maine.
• November 2005: Restoration completed and opened to the public.
• Summer 2007: Park-like entrances completed.
• September 8, 2007 Grand Re-opening and Dedication with three Roebling granddaughters attending.
• May 19, 2011: Maine Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) dedicated the bridge as a Maine historical civil engineering landmark.
• Since rehabilitation maintained the bridge and bricks using over $50,000 from donations given by over 300 people.
• In 2020, Brunswick repaired the tower on the Brunswick end of the bridge to replicate the repairs made on the Topsham end before the rehabilitation in 2006.
• May 2023: Donated $10,000 to the Androscoggin Riverwalk to help fund the local match for Preliminary Engineering for the section from the Swinging Bridge to the Route 1 entrance ramp near Fort Andross.

To ensure that any remaining funds will be used for repair and upkeep purposes as intended by SOSB’s mission statement, we are working with the Town of Brunswick and transferring assets accordingly. Any questions or concerns can be directed to donate@saveourbridge.org

Thank you all from the Board of Directors,

P.S. Since this is the last year that the SOSB will be offering engraved bricks for donations, we are offering an extended deadline from June 15 to June 30 to our faithful donors. All donations, of course, will be allocated for maintenance to our Roebling-designed and -built bridge.

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19th Annual Save Our Swinging Bridge 5K Canceled

3/16/2023

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Supporters, sponsors, and friends of the Swinging Bridge-

Unfortunately, the board of directors of Save Our Swinging Bridge Org must announce the cancellation of the 19th Annual Save Our Swinging Bridge 5K Run-Walk. To the volunteers, runners, and sponsors who have already signed up to help the Swinging Bridge, we extend a heartfelt thank you to each and every one of you.

The COVID-19 pandemic was devastating to many people, groups, and organizations. Our organization, an all-volunteer nonprofit whose primary annual event was a large, in-person 5K, was no different. Though we have made efforts to keep the support going with our virtual 5K and last year’s return to in-person events, we have been unable to maintain the level of support of previous years. This has unfortunately made this year’s event unsustainable.

On April 16th, perhaps run or walk the 5K route, or take a stroll along the Riverwalk and visit the Swinging Bridge.

To those who have participated in our annual 5K events in years prior, we extend our gratitude. Please watch this site for future announcements.

For nearly twenty years, Save Our Swinging Bridge.Org has held our annual 5K run to ensure the maintenance and beautification of the Androscoggin Swinging Bridge. Originally designed and built by the Roebling Co., (legendary designers and constructors of wire rope suspension bridges) in 1892 and rehabilitated in 2006. One of the few remaining and active pedestrian suspension bridges, spanning the Androscoggin River, this bridge played a vital role in the economic and cultural development of the towns of Brunswick and Topsham.

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RUN OR WALK TO SAVE OUR SWINGING BRIDGE

2/23/2023

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Registration is open! It’s time to sign up for the 19th annual Save Our Swinging Bridge 5K Run-Walk!

Where: Priority Building, 2 Main Street, Topsham

When: April 16th, 2023, 10:00 AM

Why: To support our favorite footbridge, the Androscoggin Swinging Bridge!

Online registration closes April 14th. Register by March 31st for a discounted registration fee!

Early discounted registration fee: Adult $20, Youth 17 and under $15
Registration fee from April 1st through April 14th: Adult $25, Youth 17 and under $20
Registrations postmarked or received after Friday, April 1, will be charged the race day fee of $25.

REGISTER ON RACE DAY: In-person registration begins at 8:30 AM and closes at 9:30 AM.

The first 100 registrants will receive a race day t-shirt! Please note that t-shirts or sizing cannot be guaranteed for Event Day registrants. Register early to ensure that you receive a t-shirt in your size!

The Save Our Swinging Bridge 5K is a challenging USATF certified & sanctioned 5K (3.1 mile) course, starting in Topsham’s lower village, crossing the river into Brunswick, traveling south on Mill Street to recross the river on the historic swinging bridge, then up one hill and down the other, returning to Topsham’s lower village.

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18th Annual 5K Run & 2K Family Walk

6/2/2022

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What: Save Our Swinging Bridge 5K Walk/Run and 2K Family Walk
When: Sunday, June 12 at 10 a.m.
Where: Topsham's Lower Village (2 Main Street)
Who: Runners and walkers of all ages
Why: To have fun and keep our historic bridge maintained
Fee: $25 for adults and $20 for youth (17 and under)

The Save Our Swinging Bridge 5K is a challenging USATF certified & sanctioned 5K (3.1 mile) course, starting in Topsham’s lower village crossing the river into Brunswick, traveling south on Mill Street to recross the river on the historic swinging bridge, then up one hill and down the other, returning to Topsham’s lower village. The 2K will follow the path of the Androscoggin Riverwalk.

8:30 a.m. Event Day registration AND pre-registration packet pick-up in the lobby of the Priority Business Center, 2 Main Street, Topsham.
9:45 a.m. Event Day Registration Ends
10:00 a.m. Save Our Swinging Bridge tre5K and Family 2K Walk begin.
Approximately 11:15 a.m. No awards ceremony to follow CDC Covid19 protocols.
Race results will be electronically posted on https://www.saveourbridge.org/annual_5kand2k.html within 2 hours following the race.

Proceeds of the Save Our Swinging Bridge 5K continue to benefit the maintenance fund of Save Our Swinging Bridge.Org, a 501(c)3 non-profit formed to ensure the maintenance and beautification of our historic bridge. Originally designed and built by the Roebling Co., (legendary designers and constructors of wire rope suspension bridges) in 1892 and rehabilitated in 2006. One of the few remaining and active pedestrian suspension bridges, spanning the Androscoggin River, this bridge played a vital role in the economic and cultural development of the towns of Brunswick and Topsham.

"With the help of runners, walkers, volunteers and community businesses we’ll keep this bridge swinging far into the future," Nancy E. Randolph, Race Coordinator and Treasurer for Save Our Swinging Bridge.Org, a 501(c)3 formed to maintain and beautify the Swinging Bridge and its environment.

Contact:
Nancy E. Randolph, Race Coordinator
Save Our Swinging Bridge.Org
www.saveourbridge.org
PO Box 353, Topsham, Maine 04086
207-837-0558 or donate@saveourbridge.org

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Annual Appeal

5/20/2021

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In weeks previous, we’ve talked about how this year we won’t be holding our annual 5K event, and other ways we’ve been raising funds for the Swinging Bridge. This week, we’re going to bring you all up to speed on one major way you can help your favorite footbridge— the first of our annual appeals!

Starting this year, we will be sending out annual appeals for donations for the Swinging Bridge. Anyone on our mailing list will receive a postcard adorned with a gorgeous photograph of the Swinging Bridge, requesting a donation to support the bridge. How do you receive one of these lovely postcards? Well, if you’ve ever made a donation or participated in one of our 5K events, you’re already on our mailing list! If you haven’t donated before, if you might have changed your mailing address, or you just want to make sure you’re on our list, fill out this form here!

If you donate $50 or more, you’ll receive a free T-shirt as a thank you for your generosity! Of course, you can always donate to have an engraved brick set into the parks! For more details, click here.

Donate to Our Annual Appeal

So make sure to watch your mailboxes and get your donation in when the time comes! As always, we thank you for your generosity and your support. You are what keeps the Swinging Bridge swinging!

JOIN THE MAILING LIST

The Save Our Swinging Bridge.Org, a 501 (c) 3 non-profit formed in 2008 to ensure the maintenance and beatification of the historic pedestrian bridge connecting Brunswick and Topsham. In 1892, the Swinging Bridge was originally designed and built by the Roebling Co., (legendary designers and constructors of wire rope suspension bridges).

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Bricks for the Bridge - Donation Deadline Extended

5/20/2021

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We’re fairly confident that you have a good understanding of how the brick donations work by now. Simply visit here, and a donation of $100 will grant you a two-line engraving of your choice, or $200 for three lines (15 characters per line) , ensuring that the name of your family member, loved one, organization, or even your pet will be set into the parks at the base of the Swinging Bridge. And without our annual 5K event, the engraved bricks have become even more essential this year.

We’re sharing a few updates! First and foremost, we have a new manufacturer of bricks based in New Hampshire. This cuts the turnaround time from brick ordering down to less than a month!

“In addition to donating our time and our effort, we believe that it’s important that we donate money to keep the Swinging Bridge swinging far into the future.” -Nancy E. Randolph

To that end, we’re extending our deadline for ordering bricks for the 2021 season to July 31st! Of course, you’re free to put in your donation for an engraved brick at any time in the year, but with the improved turnaround time, any bricks ordered before July 31st will be installed in the parks before the cold sets in!

So make sure to donate for your own engraved brick by July 31st if you want it installed in the parks this year! And as always, we thank you for your donations and your support!

DONATE FOR YOUR ENGRAVED BRICK HERE

Of course, if you don’t want to donate for an engraved brick, we will happily accept donations of any amount here.

DONATE

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Join Trails Day Celebration at the Swinging Bridge

5/6/2021

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It’s been a long year. Long winter, long spring, and an even longer 2020. But the light at the end of the tunnel is in sight and the world is starting to open up again. So since the CDC has declared it safe to be maskless outdoors, why don’t we get together to celebrate National Trails Day and take care of our favorite footbridge?

Walking on the bridge, sitting on one of the benches in the parks or just walking through the parks is a wonderful way to release stress and see the world through a more optimistic lens. People just like you have kept this bridge from falling into disrepair.

Organized by the American Hiking Society, National Trails Day is an annual day of public events aimed at advocating for, maintaining, and cleaning up public lands and trails, and while the Swinging Bridge is not itself a trail, it is at the centerpiece of a couple of walking paths that lead through Brunswick and Topsham. Of course, the Androscoggin Riverwalk crosses our bridge. So for National Trails Day, Saturday, June 5th, let’s get together and help clean up the Swinging Bridge parks!

Cleaning around these brand-new rails will help keep the bridge swinging.

We’ve got a whole list of little outdoorsy things that need to get done around the bridge--cleaning and weeding flowerbeds in the parks on both sides, cleaning around the channels to prevent corrosion on the rails we just had replaced, planting more flowers and shrubs, and other cleanup and maintenance tasks. No gardening experience required! We will also be removing invasive plants including bittersweet, multiflora rose, and honeysuckle to prevent them from overtaking the parks.

You can sign up RIGHT NOW by filling out this Google Form!

What: Workday

When: Saturday, June 5

Where: Meet at the Topsham Swinging Bridge parking lot

Time: 10 a.m to 1 p.m.

Who: Willing supporters of the Swinging Bridge

Bring: Gloves, rakes, other garden tools as well as garden carts & wheelbarrows

Why: Because you love the bridge!

Don't forget to pack a lunch!

The Board of the Save Our Swinging Bridge Org will provide water and snacks for all volunteers! But make sure to bring a packed lunch and stick around after the work is done, and we’ll enjoy the day’s accomplishments together and you can meet others who love our historic bridge. So bring your lunchbox and your folding chair!

We’re looking forward to finally seeing you in person for National Trails Day on Saturday, June 5th!

CDC GUIDELINES:

Please note that while the CDC’s mask guidelines have been relaxed, and mask wearing outdoors is no longer required, we urge you to take precautions and remain socially distanced while outdoors if you are not yet vaccinated.

For more information, please visit the CDC’s website here.

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Future Fundraising - No 5K For 2021

4/22/2021

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Welcome back! While in past weeks we’ve been sharing history, fundraisers, and updates on the progress of the repairs to the bridge, this week we’d like to share with you some updates on our plans to raise the necessary funds to keep our favorite bridge swinging.

Most of you are likely wondering about our annual 5K run and 2K walk fundraiser, since it’s something of the centerpiece of our annual fundraising efforts. Last year, we were forced to postpone the event and we ended up running a virtual 5K in September. Unfortunately, we won’t be able to host our annual 5K fundraiser, and we’ll be looking to other means of raising funds for the Swinging Bridge. To that end, we’ll be sending along postcards requesting donations to everyone on our mailing list! Each one will be adorned with a beautifully rendered image of the Swinging Bridge, and whether you signed up on our website or we have your address from a previous year’s 5K event, or if you’ve ever donated, if we have your address on file, you’ll receive a postcard! If you aren’t on our mailing list but you want to get one of these postcards, sign up for our mailing list here.

Anyone who donates $50 or more will also receive a free T-shirt as a thank you for your generous contribution! And of course we are still offering engravings on bricks set into the parks at either end of the bridge. A donation of $100 gets you a two-line engraving, and a $200 donation gets you three lines. To learn more about donating for engraved bricks, click here.

As for further plans, we’re going to be redesigning our website with a more mobile-friendly layout! As it happens, more people have been accessing this site via their phones as opposed to their computers, so we’ll be changing up the website to accommodate these supporters. In addition, we’ll be using Flipcause to make online donations easier, streamline keeping track of donations, facilitate error-free ordering of engraved bricks, and more easily provide the IRS notification of donation to individual donors.

Make sure to keep watching this space for updates and as always, we thank you for your generosity and support.

DONATE

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Bricks for the Bridge

4/15/2021

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We all support the Swinging Bridge in our own way. Some of us participate in the annual 5K events, some donate money, others volunteer their time to help run events or maintain the bridge. For those who want their assistance to come in a more permanent form, consider the engraved bricks.

Set into the parks of the Swinging Bridge, these bricks are engraved with the name chosen by the donor―A friend, family member, organization, or even a pet can be memorialized in an engraving seen by those who traverse the Swinging Bridge.

“Do you live in a neighborhood where people smile at one another, stop for a chat during a walk, or do kind deeds for no other reason but that they care? I do,” says Pat Maloney, who herself has donated to have a brick engraved.

“In each of our neighborhoods, I suspect there is one person or one family who brings us together. How do you show your gratitude for living in such a neighborhood and for honoring that one person or family who somehow unites us? Of course, they have everything and what do we really need anyway? Well, that gift came to me―a brick for the bridge! With thanks to the Swinging Bridge volunteers, there is now one brick on the Topsham side that honors a family who truly cares. Do stop by and see if you can find their brick and enjoy a walk across the river.”

If you’d like to donate to have an engraved brick at the Swinging Bridge, click here to download the donation form. Our next installation will be in the fall, and the deadline for brick donations is July 31st.

DONATE

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The Swinging Bridge Needs Your Vote!

4/15/2021

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April is National Volunteer Month! And as is well known, one of the most important parts of the machine that keeps the Swinging Bridge aloft are the many volunteers who donate their time to put up signs, staff our events, and do whatever else is needed to facilitate the funding, repair, and maintenance of our favorite footbridge!

In honor of volunteers across the state of Maine, the Atlantic Federal Credit Union is holding a vote to determine which volunteer organization will earn $1000. With your help, that could be Save Our Swinging Bridge.org!

Atlantic FCU is taking votes for which volunteer organization will be granted a prize of $1000, and you can cast your vote on their website! Simply visit them here, find the picture for Save Our Swinging Bridge.org, and click on it to cast your vote!

$1,000 can go quite a long way to helping the Swinging Bridge. It can buy a coat of paint for the towers, it can replace one-third of the planks on the span, or it can be used to pay in part for any number of larger expenses- engineering, inspection, or steelwork. On behalf of us here at SOSB and the volunteers who make it all happen, thank you for your vote and your continued support!

VISIT ATLANTIC FCU AND VOTE FOR SOSB.ORG