Author to discuss Irish “wave” in the Green Mountains
BRATTLEBORO - Vince Feeney, author of “Finnigans, Slaters and Stonepeggers: The History of the Irish in Vermont,” will present the program at the Dummerston Historical Society's quarterly meeting on Thursday, April 18, at 7:30 p.m, in the Dummerston Center Historical Society Schoolhouse.
From the late 1840s through the 1860s, thousands of Irish immigrants settled in Vermont. They arrived just as Vermont was undergoing a mini industrial revolution, based on railroad construction, the quarrying of slate and marble, and on textile production. Feeney tells the little known story of the impact Irish immigrants had on Vermont life in the mid 19th century.
The talk is free, accessible to people with disabilities, and open to the public. This presentation is sponsored by the Vermont Humanities Council.
It's bag sale time at Worn Again Thrift Shop
SAXTONS RIVER - The Worn Again Thrift Shop at St. Edmunds Catholic Church on Main Street in Saxtons River is having a $3 Bag Sale on April 17, 19, and 20.
The shop has a variety of women's, men's and children's clothing, and footwear. Jewelry is not included in the bag sale. Hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Wednesdays, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Fridays and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays.
The shop is also accepting donations of clothing in good condition. With summer approaching, the shop also needs donations of lightweight clothing, plus household items. Donations may be dropped off during regular business hours. The Worn Again Thrift Shop is run by volunteers from the West River Mission of Putney with churches in Putney, Townshend, Stratton Mountain and Saxtons River.
Senior meal served in Halifax
HALIFAX - Friday, April 19, is the date for the Halifax monthly senior meal.
Served at noon at the West Halifax Community Hall, located at the crossroads of Brook and Branch roads in West Halifax, the menu for April includes meatballs, macaroni and cheese, veggie, rolls, and dessert.
All seniors are welcome, but reservations are appreciated. Call Joan at 802-368-7733.
Roast pork supper presented in Westminster
WESTMINSTER - The First Congregational Church of Westminster, 3470 U.S. Route 5, will hold its annual Roast Pork Supper on Saturday, April 20, from 5-7 p.m.
The menu will include roast pork, mashed potatoes, gravy, maple-glazed carrots, cole slaw, rolls, coffee and tea, and rice pudding for dessert. The cost is $10 for adults, $5 for children 5-12, and no charge for children under 5.
AARP Driver Safety Class offered at Brattleboro Senior Center
The AARP Driver Safety Program, a classroom driver refresher course, will be held at the Brattleboro Senior Center on Monday, April 22. The course explains changes that occur in vision, hearing, and reaction time as we age and provides useful driving safety tip for handling these changes. The course also reviews the impact of changes in vehicles and roadways that impact driving safety.
The class will begin at 9:30 a.m. and continue until approximately 2:30 p.m. with time provided for a lunch break. There is a $14 registration fee ($12 for AARP members).
Several major auto insurance carriers in Vermont offer discounts to graduates of the program. For example, AARP's auto insurance underwritten by The Hartford provides a 10% discount for a period of three years after taking the course. Interested persons should contact their carrier to see if such a discount is available.
Persons interested in taking he course or having questions regarding the course or AARP Driver Safety Program should call or email Elliott Greenblott at 802-254-4489 or egreenblott@gmail.com.
Osher Lectures on Broadway, Arab Spring resume
DUMMERSTON - The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI)'s spring series of morning and afternoon lectures continues on April 22.
In the morning lecture, Zeke Hecker, a composer and student of music, will discuss “Oklahoma” and the Broadway musicals of the 1940s. The afternoon program, by Lynette Rummel of Marlboro College, will examine the 2001 Arab Spring uprisings in Egypt.
Morning lectures will take place from 10 a.m. to noon. Afternoon lectures from 1 to 3 p.m. All will be held at the Southeast Vermont Learning Collaborative, 471 Vermont Route 5, in Dummerston. Parking and handicapped access are available. Light refreshments will be served.
For further information, call 802-257-8600 or toll-free 866-889-0042; go to www.learningcollaborative.org; or call the OLLI organizers at 802-387-5387 or 802-257-7623.
European renewable energy experts speak at SIT
BRATTLEBORO - The School for International Training (SIT) will host a public presentation by two European renewable energy experts on Tuesday, April 23, from 7-9 p.m., in the International Center on the main campus at 1 Kipling Road, Brattleboro.
Dirk Vansintjan, manager of Ecopower in Belgium, and Dr. Andreas Weig, a director at the German Cooperative Federation, will share practical insights on how the low-carbon energy transition can create local and cooperative business opportunities.
The presentation is free and open to the public with parking available in lots A-E.
In western Europe, much of the push towards a clean energy transition comes through a bottom-up approach from the local level. A small-town revolution is under way in which towns and villages are striving to become more self-sustained renewable energy communities. People are increasingly realizing the economic benefits of this regional development in the form of well-paying jobs, tax revenues, and strengthened community engagement.
Vantsinjan and Weig are visiting the U.S. as part of a week-long Race-to-the-Top Tour organized by the Heinrich Böll Foundation. The speaking tour will consist of bilateral meetings, roundtable discussions and workshops with interested stakeholders in Vermont, New Hampshire and Massachusetts. It includes a presentation to the New Hampshire House of Representatives committee on Science, Technology and Energy and the Vermont Legislature. One of the themes the two speakers will highlight is the importance of developing cooperation between electric cooperatives, municipalities, policy makers and the private sector.
For more information about the Heinrich Böll Foundation, visit www.boell.org. Information about the “German Energy Transition” to renewable energy can be found at energytransition.de. This event is sponsored by Sustainable Energy Outreach Network (SEON), the SIT Graduate Institute and Home Energy Advocates of Brattleboro.
Brattleboro releases annual water quality report
BRATTLEBORO - Brattleboro's 2013 Water Quality Report is now available, and the Department of Public Works says it is once again can report that there were no violations and few contaminants detected in the water it supplies.
This federally-mandated report contains information and test results on the water supplied to Brattleboro residents during the past year. It also includes general information about the town's water supply and its sources and a little water department news.
Customers receiving a bill will find a web address at the bottom where they can go to read the report online. Please type the address into the address box of your browser exactly as written including the tilde. You will find that just left of the numeral one on the key board. The address is www.sover.net/~brattdpw/2013_CCR.pdf. You may also go to www.brattleboro.org, click on Departments and then Public Works where there is a link to the report.
For anyone who would rather have a paper copy, you may pick up a report at the Treasurer's office at 230 Main St. when you pay your bill, or at several other places including the Town Clerk's office, the Brooks Memorial Library, the Chamber of Commerce on Main Street or at the Water Department office at 211 Fairground Road. They will also mail a copy to anyone that calls the Public Works office at 802-254-4255 and provides a name and mailing address.
Gardening event with award-winning designer to benefit Parks Place
WALPOLE, N.H. - Julie Moir Messervy, award-winning residential and institutional landscape designer, will give a talk on “Your Garden Style: Making a Landscape that Fits You and Your Property,” on Sunday, April 28, from 3-5 p.m. (2:30-3 p.m. auction preview) at the picturesque Alyson's Orchard.
Admission is by donation. There will be an array of refreshments, a cash bar, and a silent auction featuring some local art and other unique items.
All proceeds will directly benefit Parks Place Community Resource Center whose mission is to connect low- to moderate income individuals and families with the programs, resources and information critical to strengthening lives.
Visit the web site at www.parksplacevt.org to learn more about the agency and to view its comprehensive resource directory. To make a donation, or if you have questions about the event, please contact Margaret Grisczenkow, Development Director, at 802-463-9927, ext. 109, or via email at Margaret@parksplacevt.org.