EVA TRAGER MEMORIAL FUND
The Eva Trager Memorial Committee was formed by downtown retailers who are part of the Northampton Chamber's Downtown Business Community. Eva Trager was such a significant member of our downtown; we wanted to find a way to honor her memory and her contributions to our success and vitality. The committee recognized that downtown Northampton has lost business ambassadors in the past who also have made meaningful contributions, and should be honored.

ABOUT EVA AND COUNTRY COMFORT
Eva Trager (1946-2011) was at the forefront of Downtown Northampton's rebirth in the 1970s. Eva came to Northampton in 1971. The following year, Eva and her ex-husband Bill Trager opened Country Comfort on Center Street in Downtown Northampton.
More than a successful business woman, Eva was also known as the "Queen of Main Street", truly a cheerleader for the town for nearly 40 years. Read Gazette Memorial | Read Masslive Memorial

WHAT'S THE MEMORIAL ABOUT?
The Eva Trager Memorial Committee must raise funds in excess of $20,000. We have already received pledges in the amount of $3,000.00. We have commissioned artist Gregory Stone to create a bronze sculpture which will be mounted on a stone pedestal. The stone will bear a plaque with the names of those whose memory we are honoring. The location of the installation is yet to be decided, but will certainly be downtown.

List of Donors

HOW TO NOMINATE SOMEONE

We are taking nominations from the public of men or women that have made a significant impact on the vitality of downtown Northampton. There will be an engraved plaque on one side of the stone that will feature the names of those that have met the criteria of the Memorial Committee. In the future, the committee will meet once a year to review those that have passed that may have been a downtown ambassador. There will be a place on the stone for future names.

1) Someone who has made a meaningful and significant impact on the vitality of downtown Northampton
2) Someone who had a vision of a better downtown and acted on this vision, pulled many others along the journey, and changed the way they thought and acted.
3) Someone of generous spirit who has helped others, both downtown neighbors and customers
4) Someone who recognized the importance of being involved in Downtown activities.

Here’s a list of those that have already been nominated:
• Bashir Ahmed
• David Bourbeau
• Joseph Fennessey
• E. John Gare
• Douglas Kohl
• Miles Louis
• Bruce MacMillan
• Dennis Perlman

<a href="http://www.explorenorthampton.com/memorial/form/view.php?id=1" title="Nomination Form: All nominations by April 30, 2012">Nomination Form: All nominations by April 30, 2012</a>

ABOUT THE ARTIST
Gregory Stone is a painter and sculptor based in Western Massachusetts. The Eva Trager Memorial Committee has chosen Gregory Stone to create the Memorial sculpture. Gregory was a dear friend to Eva Trager and has been part of the downtown Northampton Arts Community since the 1970s. His work, both paintings and sculptures, is inspired by people. He holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Painting and a Master of Fine Arts degree in Sculpture, both from Boston University. His work has been exhibited in over forty one-person shows and numerous group exhibitions and can be found in many private and corporate collections throughout the U.S. His most recent commission was a painting of the Young at Heart chorus for Northampton's Cooley-Dickinson Hospital's new Surgical wing. His recent work includes a series of paintings of Blues music legends and sculptures of birds made from found wood.