By Kim Siebert MacPhail
Gyasi Burks-Abbott of Bay Circle, Susan Grieb of Fox Run, and Polly Herz of Independence Road were all appointed at the Selectmen’s August 19 meeting to serve on the Bedford Cultural Council. The Cultural Council provides access to state-allocated grant funds for public projects in education, the arts, humanities, and interpretive sciences that benefit Bedford residents.
When asked to explain why he applied to serve on the Council, Gyasi (pronounced Jawsee] Burks-Abbott said that, although he hasn’t lived in Bedford very long, he is nonetheless impressed with the amount of enrichment available here.
“I’m a writer and I have a background in Humanities. I find the longer I live in Bedford, there’s something else I wasn’t aware of—another little nook and cranny of culture and enrichment I’d like to learn more about and also contribute to in any way I can.”
Burks-Abbott is active in the Frank W. Thompson Masonic Lodge and served on the board of directors of the Asperger’s Association of New England. He is also a member of American Library Association.
In response to the question of why she wants to serve, Susan Grieb said that she enjoys working with the community. “I feel very privileged to live in Bedford—even though we’ve been here 19 years, it still feels like we got here yesterday. I really enjoy working with the town and I like doing things that bring the community together and improve the quality of life. My main interests are the outdoors, the environment, and the arts—and I’m an artist myself. I like the idea that we look not just strictly at art projects, but also at projects that involve culture and the community and will bring the community together with the help of these funds.”
In the past, Grieb has served on the Conservation Commission, Community Preservation, Land Acquisition, the Trails Committee, and was one of three co-founders of the Bedford Farmers’ Market.
Polly Herz has served on the board of Dollars for Scholars and said that she enjoyed scoring the applications and matching applicants with awards that were meaningful to them as students and individuals.
“I’ve loved how connected [the Dollars for Scholars program] makes the community, on a number of levels,” Herz said. “[The Cultural Council] seems very interesting to me. It just seems like a very positive, engaging committee. I’ve looked over some of the past awards and my favorite one was the one that brought arts and crafts and science projects to the kids at the Bedford Plaza Hotel. That’s a perfect use of spreading this enrichment, coupled with what the elementary schools have done.”
Herz said that she enjoys volunteering, in general, and has served on the Recreation Commission, on one of the Town’s space needs committees, and as a member of a Bedford Schools strategic plan committee. Herz was an active member of the League of Women Voters and she, like Grieb, is a member of the Stained Glass Cooperative that rents studio space in the Rail Passenger Building at Depot Park.
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