On September 21, 2006, a small group of women met for lunch at the Sebago Brewery in Portland, ME. The reason for the get together – the AI5 show and a performance by LiMBO at a club called the Asylum later that night. For most of us it was our first foray, outside the web, into the world of the Soul Patrol, and what a joy and a relief it was to be able to talk with other people who loved Taylor. Glasses raised, we toasted Taylor and new friendships, with Liz declaring that it was the first meeting of the New England Soul Patrol. The group partied on until the wee hours of the morning (starting a tradition) and parted the next morning not knowing what was next.

The idea of "The New England Soul Patrol" played repeatedly in my head as I drove home that Friday morning. That night, after seeing Taylor again in Providence, I made a decision. An email to Liz on Saturday morning got the ball rolling. I told Liz that the New England Soul Patrol should have a website to make the group official and that I would get it up and running by Taylor's birthday. Liz loved the idea, and trusted me to do it right – which was a bit crazy since we had really just met. The site went live on October 7, 2006. A Yahoo group to gather new members soon followed. By late December, the group had grown dramatically and so had its needs. We needed a way to talk to each other, to share Taylor, and so the forum was born on February 19, 2007.

Since that day, membership has continued to grow, as has our visibility in the fan community. We've become known for our enthusiasm, our love of a good party, and our generosity. NESP has gone beyond being a group of Taylor fans, to being a community – sharing our highs and lows, our love of music, and our love of helping others. Almost since its founding, NESP members have dedicated their time and resources to helping others: selling holiday ornaments for the New Orleans Musician's Clinic, collecting baby goods for A Baby Center, raising funds for arts and youth organizations, or throwing a holiday party at a teen homeless center. And these are just the things we have done as a group. This giving group of women is known in their own communities for helping others as well.

I would like to take this opportunity to say a big thank you to my fellow founding members - Liz, Amyrebo, AgingHippie and Margaux. Did you guys have any idea what we started that night? I couldn’t have imagined this in a million years. Liz, my partner in crime, how many times have we said, “we’re on the same page again.” Hopefully we will keep saying that for a long time to come. I’d also like to thank the other members of our management team - mari, Duff, Alicia, Diane, TayBea, and Soulgirl2. I have never been associated with a finer group of women and I am proud to have you as my friends.

And a final thank you to the person who started this all – Taylor. Taylor, if you’re reading this (and I hope you are) you brought music back into the lives of countless people and opened up lasting friendships across this country, for this I am forever grateful to you.

Birthday Hugs to All
Tricia