The Pomeroy Foundation, a private grant-making organization that supports community history and blood cancer research, has launched a socially responsible competition that's also an attractive outdoor activity.
Its Snap That Sign campaign, which continues through May 31, involves taking photos of roadside markers to encourage a broader understanding of one's own community and others', and at the same time celebrate hidden-in-plain-sight history.
A list of the specific markers in the competition is available on the foundation's website, as well as an interactive marker map where photos that meet the criteria can be posted. By the end of the campaign, the Pomeroy Foundation hopes to provide a thoughtful visual rendering of each marker's location. Those who submit photos that qualify will also receive a Pomeroy Foundation roadside marker pin.
"Many of us are looking for ways we can help out or simply get outside for a fun activity. Snap That Sign checks those boxes," Deryn Pomeroy, the foundation's director of strategic initiatives, said in a statement. "Our digital map is one of the most-viewed pages on our website, and your photos can help make an even better user experience for everyone."
Local spots to snap a shot of include the Pollock-Krasner House and Study Center at 830 Springs-Fireplace Road in Springs and, on Main Street in East Hampton, the May Groot Manson house, the former home of a leader of the women's suffrage movement. In Sag Harbor on Eastville Avenue there is the 1857 burial ground at St. David A.M.E. Church, the final resting place of early settlers of African-American, Native American, and European ancestry; and a marker on Main Street dedicated to Margaret Olivia Slocum Sage, who established the village's John Jermain Memorial Library, named for her grandfather. On Bridgehampton's Main Street, look for a marker for the start and finish line of the hamlet's famous car races sponsored by the fire department.