Over the past several months, the Derrick Casselberry Property has come to life in a whole new way thanks to the incredible support of volunteers, community partners, and dedicated supporters who continue to invest their time and energy into this historic preservation effort.
Friends, high school students, skilled tradespeople, and our partners from Thomas Jefferson University have all spent time on-site working together to help stabilize, clean, and care for the property. From clearing out years of debris and garbage, to sweeping floors, organizing furniture, tackling repairs, and exploring the historic root cellar and well, each workday has brought meaningful progress.
What once felt overwhelming has steadily transformed into a collaborative effort filled with energy, teamwork, and purpose. These moments are a powerful reminder that preservation does not happen alone, it takes a community willing to roll up their sleeves and invest in protecting places that matter.
The Jaybird Foundation Board of Directors has also remained actively involved on-site as part of our ongoing commitment to preserving this historically significant property. Following periods of severe weather, including snow and high winds, portions of the smokehouse sustained damage, including the collapse of part of a wall. Board members quickly stepped in to assess conditions, stabilize the area, and begin immediate repair efforts to help prevent further deterioration.
These hands-on efforts are only one piece of a much larger vision for the Derrick Casselberry Property. Behind the scenes, Jaybird Foundation continues to develop and submit grant applications to secure critical funding for stabilization, restoration, and long-term adaptive reuse of the site. Every cleanup day, repair effort, planning meeting, and volunteer hour is helping move this project closer to becoming a vibrant community asset once again.
We are deeply grateful to every volunteer, supporter, partner, and community member who continues to believe in this project. Because of your support, we are one step closer to preserving this important piece of Montgomery County history for generations to come.