When Dwight Kirkpatrick arrived at the Beacon Hill Civic Association office on Wednesday to join the organization, he was oblivious that one of the group’s semi-annual new members’ receptions was slated for that same evening.
“It was a wonderful event, with a very interesting crowd and a pleasant social atmosphere, and it was just happenstance I got my membership that morning,” said Kirkpatrick, a Hancock Street resident who, at the urging of friends and work associates, had intended to sign up for the Civic Association since moving to the neighborhood around two years ago. “You really felt like you were being welcomed into the Civic Association. I look forward to volunteering with them, which says a lot about the organization. I really wish I’d done it sooner.”
Kirkpatrick was among 30 newcomers in attendance at the welcoming event at 75 Chestnut, accounting for half of the Civic Association’s new membership since the last reception in April. For the event, the restaurant provided appetizers, including lobster and beef sliders, lamb chops, Cajun crab cakes, truffle fries and asiago asparagus.
“We love to introduce new members of the Civic Association and neighbors to 75 Chestnut,” said Markus Ripperger, president and CEO of the Hampshire House Corporation, which owns and operates the restaurant. “I find 75 to be the ideal neighborhood stop, where we cater to just about every taste and want with menu with our everyday menu and specials that make every night a little bit different.”
MaryLee Halpin, executive director of the Civic Association, expressed her gratitude to Ripperger and the 75 Chestnut staff for their offering their warm hospitality and outstanding food selections to the group’s new members.
“People had a really wonderful time, and the restaurant was very conducive to conversation,” Halpin said. “Our new members’ receptions are wonderful opportunities for new members to connect with each other and longer-term residents, since everyone ends up talking in small groups.”
To learn more about joining the Beacon Hill Civic Association, visit. www.bhcivic.org or call 617-227-1922.