State offers special use permit for the Dr. James Still property

The state has offered the Township of Medford a special use permit for the Dr. James Still office property and the adjacent Bunning Farm.

The historical society will continue work on the office restoration as well as development of an Education Center to tell the Still story.

The township council will review the proposed special use permit in executive session on May 7 and, with its approval, it will be placed on the May 21 council agenda to authorize execution of the permit.

The oversight for the Still restoration and development project will be given to the Medford Historical Society through written authorization.

A permanent use permit will be provided by the state before the end of the year.

With the special use permit secured, the Still project plans to continue the work begun through its Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service.

That work brought more than 80 volunteers out to clean up the property.

The educational symposium hosted at Medford Leas featured speakers such as Valerie Still, the great-great-granddaughter of Dr. James Still, and Dr. Charles Blockson, curator emeritus of the Charles Blockson Collection of Temple University.

They will include an herbal garden, reflective of the herbs used by Dr. Still in his practice, and two edible gardens that will be harvested and donated to a local food pantry, in recognition of Still’s life of service.

Volunteers from the Pinelands Garden Club will maintain the edible gardens. Matt Williamson will create the herb garden as an Eagle Scout project.

Dave and Renee Zallie, owners of Shop Rite of Medford, have offered funds to start this important work and to establish these Medford Township sites as permanent reminders of Still’s contribution to our shared American story. However, all of the follow-up work for this ambitious project will rely on the donation of time, goods, services, funds and the good will of all concerned persons.

Anyone who wishes to know more about this project or would like to contribute to its support should contact Bill Stauts, president of the Medford Historical Society, at drstillproject@comcast.net.