Members sought for Police-Fire Facility Committee
BRATTLEBORO - The town of Brattleboro is seeking applications from residents to serve on the newly created Police-Fire Facility Committee.
This seven-member ad hoc committee is responsible for providing financial and technical oversight to the Police-Fire renovation/addition project.
If interested, submit committee application - available on-line at http://Brattleboro.org - or a letter of interest to: Town of Brattleboro, Town Manager – Police-Fire Committee, 230 Main Street, Suite 208, Brattleboro, VT 05301, or send e-mail to tmsecretary@brattleboro.org. Applications are due by 5 p.m. on March 12.
Alien raffle features bicycle
BELLOWS FALLS – A raffle featuring a child's bicycle is being held in conjunction with the showing of the movie classic E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial on Thursday, Feb. 21 at 7 p.m. at the Bellows Falls Opera House.
Also being raffled are four collectable posters advertising the movie at the time of its debut in 1982, and a season's pass to the Wednesday night classic movie series at the Opera House.
Raffle tickets at $1 each or 6 for $5 are on sale at Village Square Booksellers and will be available at the screening. The drawing will be held at that time.
Proceeds from the raffle and the movie will benefit the Greater Falls Warming Shelter and Our Place Drop-in Center.
The bike was chosen as an item in the raffle because of its close association with the alien creature E.T., who was carried around in a bicycle basket by his earth friend Elliott. Tickets for the movies are $4 per person.
Sportsmen Inc. to hold sledding party
GUILFORD - Sportsmen Inc., a local hunting, fishing, and shooting club located at 2081 Creamery Rd., invites the public to their second annual sledding party.
Their hill will be open for sliding at noon through 3 p.m. A bonfire will warm the watchers, hot dogs will be on the grill, hot chocolate and s'mores will be a treat of the day. This event is free to all, bring your sled or flyer and have fun! Call 802-257-1248 for more information.
RFPL hosts creative writing workshop
BELLOWS FALLS - On Saturday, Feb. 23, from 10 a.m.-1 p.m., local writer Elayne Clift will hold a writing workshop at the Rockingham Free Public Library.
The workshop is titled, “When Art Imitates Life: A Workshop on Writing Creative Nonfiction.” Both new and experienced writers are encouraged to attend. Space is limited, call 802-463-4270 to register. Bring pen, paper, experience and enthusiasm.
Creative nonfiction has been defined as that branch of writing which uses literary techniques and artistic vision to report on real people or events. It can include such works as essays, autobiography, journalism, and dramatic, true stories that use scenes, dialogue, detailed descriptions and other techniques usually employed by poets and fiction writers. Participants will reflect on examples before crafting their own work and sharing it on a voluntary basis.
Free 'Twitter and Facebook for your Business or Nonprofit' workshop offered
BRATTLEBORO - Want to learn how to keep people more engaged with your organization through social media? “Twitter and Facebook for your Business or Nonprofit” is a workshop that will be held at Marlboro College Graduate School, 28 Vernon St., on Tuesday, Feb. 26, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Conducting the workshop will be the professionals at Mondo Mediaworks, a Brattleboro-based marketing agency specializing in content development for the web. This workshop is free to the public, but please register at http://hotfebruary.eventbrite.com so the Grad School will know how many participants to anticipate.
This workshop is provided by the EdTech Program of Marlboro College Graduate School as part of their community-focused HOT (Hands On Technology) Workshop series. For more information, contact Ariel Brooks at abrooks@marlboro.edu.
Townshend hosts pre-Town Meeting event
TOWNSHEND - The Townshend Select Board and the Townshend Elementary School Board will meet jointly at 7 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 25, at the Townshend Town Hall to hold a pre-Town Meeting. The purpose of this meeting is for public discussion of the annual Town Meeting Articles and the annual School Board meeting Articles that are to be voted upon on March 5.
This pre-Town Meeting will begin promptly at 7 p.m., and the Townshend School Board will avail itself to hear comments and answer questions from the public, first. All residents are invited and encouraged to attend.
Speak Up to Win: Toastmasters meeting Feb. 28 at Marlboro Grad Center
BRATTLEBORO - If fear and shyness around public speaking are holding you back, or are holding someone in your organization back, then Toastmasters is the answer.
BrattleMasters, the Brattleboro-based chapter of Toastmasters International, meets Thursday, Feb. 28, from 6-7:30 p.m. at Marlboro College Graduate Center, room 2E, 28 Vernon St.
The theme of this week's meeting is “Speak Up to Win,” focusing on what it takes to advocate for oneself on the job and for a more prosperous career.
The club meets the second and fourth Thursday of every month at the same time and location. Guests are welcome and refreshments are provided. For more information, visit brattleboro.toastmastersclubs.org.
Broad Brook Grange hosts sugar-on-snow supper
GUILFORD - Broad Brook Grange hosts its annual sugar-on-snow supper on Saturday, March 2, at the grange hall on Guilford Center Road.
Ham, baked beans, deviled eggs, potato salad, cole slaw, rolls, sugar-on-snow, doughnuts, pickles, and coffee, tea, or milk will be served.
Seatings are 5, 6, and 7 p.m. Tickets are $10 for adults; $5 ages 5-12; and $2 kids 4 and under. Reservations are recommended, call 802-257-0288.
Garden Collaborative hosts second gardening workshop
BELLOWS FALLS - The Greater Falls Community Garden Collaborative (GFCGC) will host its second garden workshop, “Garden Planning,” by experienced gardener, farmer, science teacher, and Saxtons River resident Julie Chickering. on Sunday, March 3, from 1-3 p.m., at the United Church of Bellows Falls.
The event is free, though donations are always appreciated. Because space is limited, advanced registration is requested (call Tim at 802-869-2141). Coffee, tea and whatever else appears on the table will be available.
For the Garden Planning workshop, Chickering will cover the following topics: What to plant when, grouping plants by plant families, garden rotation, companion planting, and successional planting. For these topics, she will have people sketch out a garden plan for the season
She'll also show how deep to plant seeds and how to transplant seedlings. For these topics, she will bring in seeds and seedlings, so folks could try planting even though this will have to be in containers.
A project of Post Oil Solutions, the GFCGC started in 2011 with the purpose of developing greater food security in the region. For further information, contact Collaborative Coordinator Kari Gypson at 802-282-8669 or kgypson@yahoo.com.
New self-directed program for disabled veterans offered by Senior Solutions
SPRINGFIELD - A new resource is available for military veterans seeking alternatives to nursing home care. The Veteran-directed Independence Program (VIP) helps eligible veterans create a plan to receive assistance at home.
The program is open to veterans of all ages. There are no income requirements, but individuals must need nursing home level care. The Veterans Administration determines medical eligibility for the service. Once enrolled in VIP, a participating veteran develops a service plan and budget, with the help of a “care advisor” from their local Area Agency on Aging. In southern Vermont, that would be either Senior Solutions or Southwestern Vermont Council on Aging.
Participating veterans determine their own service priorities and must be able to hire and supervise caregivers and manage their services. Caregiver payroll is managed by a Vermont organization, ARIS.
The program covers a broad range of expenses, including: adult day service, caregiver education, home modifications, adaptive devices, chore and maintenance services, health maintenance services, personal care, and other products or services that enable the veteran to live independently at home.
For more information, contact the Senior Helpline at 800-642-5119 and ask for information on VIP, the Veteran-directed Independence Program.
Save the Date: Westminster Cares annual Garden Tour, June 29 and 30
WESTMINSTER - Westminster Cares will hold its 12th annual Garden Tour on Saturday and Sunday, June 29 and 30.
The tour will again feature the gardens of Mary and Gordon Hayward, nationally known garden designers, writers and lecturers. Four other Westminster gardens are also on the tour. The tour will be 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sunday.
For more information on the tour, check http://www.westminstercares.org, email at wecares@sover.net, or call 802-722-3607.
Proceeds from the tour support the services and programs of Westminster Cares, a volunteer organization whose purpose is to create opportunities for seniors and disabled adults to live with independence and dignity in the community.