Hello, My name is Mike Speringo and I am one of the few volunteer committee members that help run and maintain the Martin Bishop Memorial Field (AKA Firemen's Field) in Guilford CT. We are in immediate need of your help!

We are a Not-For Profit organization, maintained by active and past members of the Guilford Volunteer Fire Department and other members of the community. The upkeep of the field and pavilion rely strictly on the income from field rentals.

Firemen's Field or Martin Bishop Field, either way locally known, has been a staple for Guilford and many weddings, birthdays, office outings and other celebratory gatherings since 1959.

We are asking for your help with our bridge. It is original to the field and it is time to repair the bridge and bring it up to date. It is our hope that fundraising with GOFUNDME will help us reach our goal - which is the cost of the repairs. We have done much on our end already with the beginning process for the repairs.

Please help us in reaching our goal so that future generations can continue to enjoy The Martin Bishop Memorial Field and all it has to offer! We are asking those who have attended an event at the field for a donation of $20 or more. Thank you for taking your time to read this. Please consider sharing this to help get the word out!

Here is the history of our field: https://martin-bishopfield.com/

The history of Martin-Bishop Field, aka Firemen’s Field…

…as passed down from generation to generation of the volunteers that have helped maintain and preserve the Field over the years:

In 1959 a group of volunteer firefighters organized and started a search for a location that would be suitable for fire department drills, picnics and social events. The names on the sign as you enter the field are the original group of volunteers and donors who gave their time and abilities to make the field a reality. Give the sign a glance and you will find many old Guilford names as well as long time public spirited individuals — a tribute to the field and facilities you see here today.

In the search process a parcel of land of approximately seven acres on Long Hill Road owned by the Bishop family became available, and because this parcel was prone to flooding and not suitable for agricultural use it was offered to the volunteers at a considerable discount.

As with many volunteer organizations, this group had the vision but lacked the capital. In the search for funding two local sisters came forward with half of the amount needed to complete the purchase. The Martin sisters would provide half the funding necessary and the Bishop family would offer the parcel at a considerable discount — thus was Martin-Bishop Field financed and created.

The pavilion, named in honor of John Kovacs — whose over 30 years of service to keep the field running — offers picnic tables and a barbecue, complete with a women’s and men’s restroom, a softball field that has seen its share of rousting games, and a gazebo for that special event. The Martin-Bishop Field has over the years hosted many family reunions, weddings, milestone birthdays, anniversaries, and special events.

Today the Field is maintained by a group of volunteers whose mission is to preserve and protect this beautiful piece of property on Long Hill Road for future generations to enjoy, and to maintain this monument to those whose foresight brought about its creation.