Bolton Hill Nursery aims to raise $30,000

Bolton Hill Nursery School has kicked off a $30,000 year-end fundraising program. A portion of the proceeds are expected to underwrite repairs and improvements at the old mansion which is the West Lanvale Street campus.

“We are very proud of our building. It serves our children and staff well, providing safe and comfortable indoor play and learning facilities, and a wonderful outdoor playground area,” said Francine Marchese, a new Bolton Hill resident who became the nursery school’s executive director earlier this year. “But it is an old building, and as Bolton Hill homeowners certainly can appreciate, maintaining older buildings is an ongoing and expensive process.”

The non-profit nursery school, which has roots stretching back to the 1950s and Brown Memorial church origins, acquired the facility a decade ago. They moved in after the extensive renovation that was needed to make it conform to state and local building and safety requirements.

Originally a private residence constructed in the 1840s, more recently it had served as offices for Family and Child Services of Central Maryland.

John Timson, a retired marketing executive and Bolton Hill resident, chairs the school’s board of directors. The school serves approximately 70 children between the ages of 2 and 5 years. About half the children live or have parents who work in the neighborhood.

– Bill Hamilton