Buttners’ Love Of Town Hall Sparks 17-Seat Donation

Ron and Lynn Buttner, residents of Newtown for 22 years, have always loved the Edmond Town Hall.

“When someone comes from out of town, the first thing I do to show them the town is to take them to the town hall,” Lynn Buttner said.

Both Ron and Lynn see the town hall as one of Newtown’s finest and most elegant resources. So it was perhaps natural for them to show their affection by purchasing 17 seats, contributing at the gold level, in the Newtown Lions Club’s fundraising drive to replace the dilapidated seats in the town hall theater.

The Buttners said they want to see the town come together to support the Edmond Town Hall Seats program.

“If people will just purchase one chair per family, we’ll get the job done,” Ron Buttner said.

The Lions Club is spearheading the project for the Town Hall Board of Managers as the Lions’ main project for the town’s tercentennial celebration. Members have been selling the seats for $300 eachm which pays for a new chair, installation, and repair of the original floor, as well as a plaque for each seat.

Donors may dedicate a seat to themselves, relatives, friends, to Newtown, or even write a bit of poetry on it, according to Gordon Williams, the project coordinator.

“All donations are welcome and there are many people who have contributed money but have not bought a seat,” he said. “For those who wish to donate at a higher level, a plaque in the town hall will recognize three levels of giving.”

Those who purchase seven seats will be recognized at the bronze level. Those who purchase a row of seats, which is 14, will be recognized at the silver level. Those who contribute $5,000 or more will be honored at the gold level.

“At this moment we have sold 219 seats,” Mr Williams said. “That works out to $65,700. However, because many people have contributed but not bought a seat, and because several groups have had fundraisers for us, we have additional money beyond the money earned from the sale of seats. That figure is $86,153 or more than half of the $150,000 needed for the project.

“We are really encouraged,” he said. “June has been a really great month for us. With the Buttners’ very generous gift, the seven seats purchased by T.R. Paul, the $8,820 earned by the Great Pootatuck Duck Race, and a number of other contributions, we really moved ahead this month.”

Anyone who would like to contribute should make a check out to Edmond Town Hall Board of Managers and send it to the Newtown Lions Club, Attn: Gordon Williams, PO Box 218, Newtown CT 06470. Or call Mr Williams at 426-6443.