The John Gemmill Newfound Fund provides financial support to facilitate land conservation in the Newfound Watershed. The Fund covers costs associated with land conservation projects (e.g., surveys, appraisals, stewardship funding, staff costs) that can otherwise be a challenge to successful land conservation transactions. Such support can be particularly critical to the success of projects involving donations of land and conservation easements.

The Fund was established in 2011 by Helen Gemmill to honor the memory of her father, John K. Gemmill, who served as Director of Camp Pasquaney in Hebron for more than 20 years. In announcing the Gemmill Fund, Ms. Gemmill said “it is my great hope that this fund will be a good friend to Newfound, that it will inspire us all, and those who we touch, to see the true treasure in Newfound Lake and the surrounding hills and streams, and to take action upon our belief in those treasures.”

The Forever Newfound Fund provides financial support to assist in the conservation of lands in the Newfound Lake watershed that have significant conservation value because they encompass important wildlife and plant habitat, protect the surface and/or groundwater quality, provide opportunities for low-impact recreation by the public and/or for nature education and scientific study, include potential opportunities for carbon sequestration or sustainable forestry or agricultural land management, and/or contribute to the region’s scenic beauty. The Fund is to be used to provide a portion of the purchase price for land in fee or conservation easements, and the Fund’s purposes are as a partner to complement the John Gemmill Newfound Fund described above.

The Forever Newfound Fund was established in 2021 by Martha Twombly and Mark Coulson of Hebron to honor the memory of Martha’s parents, Phillip and Betsy Tenney Twombly of Hebron, and in recognition of the many visionaries who founded the Newfound Lake Region Association, especially John Gemmill, Mason Westfall, Richard Beyer, Ray Winter, Milt Radimer, and Peter Brown. Martha and Mark hope that the Fund’s establishment will encourage and inspire others who share their commitment to the conservation of the Newfound Lake watershed’s extraordinary natural heritage and resources by contributing to the Fund so that its capacity may be increased and its duration extended.

The Sandwich Land Conservation Fund provides financial support to help ensure continuing land conservation in the Town of Sandwich by LRCT and other land conservation organizations. The Fund is intended to be used to provide a portion of the purchase price for land and conservation easements in Sandwich being acquired by LRCT or another organization.

The Fund was established in 2017 by donors who have lived in Sandwich for many years, have long been committed to conservation of the Town’s extraordinary natural heritage and resources, and have extensive experience with the land conservation efforts of the Lakes Region Conservation Trust and other organizations. The donors hope that the Fund will encourage and inspire others to contribute to local land conservation projects and to the Fund itself so that its capacity may be increased and its duration extended.

The Sanbornton Land Conservation Fund provides financial support to help ensure continuing land conservation in the Town of Sanbornton by LRCT and other land conservation organizations.  The Fund is intended to be used to provide a portion of the purchase price and transaction costs for land and conservation easement projects in Sanbornton being undertaken by LRCT or another organization.

The Fund was established in 2020 through a lead gift by Grappone Automotive Group, now under the leadership of the fourth generation of the Grappone family, with a team of 340 people in Bow, NH, selling and servicing new and used cars.  For Grappone, support of the communities that the company serves is as important as delivering excellent sales and service experiences, and land conservation is one of the ways in which Grappone chooses to show its support.  In the words of owner/operator Amanda Grappone Osmer, “We realize how blessed we are to live in such a beautiful and resource rich place, and I am so pleased to be able to help support land conservation efforts in the Lakes Region.  Connecting people to nature and the tremendous landscape around us is a privilege that I take seriously.”

The Elizabeth Ewing Purves Land Conservation Fund provides financial support to facilitate land conservation in the Towns of Sandwich, Tamworth, Ossipee, Albany, and Waterville Valley in the Bearcamp River Watershed. The Fund covers costs associated with land conservation projects (e.g., surveys, appraisals, stewardship funding, staff costs) that can otherwise be a challenge to successful land conservation transactions. Such support can be particularly critical to the success of projects involving donations of land and conservation easements.

The Fund was established in 2015 to honor the memory of Elizabeth Ewing Purves (1932-2015). Elizabeth, whose family has owned property in this region for several years, was passionate about the need to conserve extraordinary natural landscapes. She understood the urgency to protect valuable water resources, wildlife habitat, and the unique character of this region which is threatened by ever-increasing development pressures.