Windham County Humane Society announces new hours
BRATTLEBORO - Beginning July 7, the Windham County Humane Society will now be open to visitors on Sundays from 1 to 5 p.m.
“We are very pleased to be able to offer expanded hours to the public,” said Executive Director Annie Guion. “We know it can be a challenge to get here during the work week, and we hope this will make it easier for people to visit our facility and adopt an animal.”
The WCHS is also open from noon to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday, and by appointment on Mondays and Tuesdays.
The facility is staffed daily. The hours when it is not open to the public are used for cleaning, animal care, veterinary and temperament assessments and spay/neuter clinics.
“We are very focused on keeping the length of stay for each animal as brief as possible, and those hours we are closed to the public are dedicated to doing what it takes to get animals ready for adoption” said Animal Care Manger Keri Roberts.
WCHS is considered a “no-kill” shelter as animals are not euthanized for time or space, but instead are housed humanely until they're adopted. The average stay for animals is 25 days, down from 38 in 2011.
For more information, visit www.wchs4pets.org or stop by the facility at 916 West River Rd. (Route 30) in Brattleboro.
Strawberry supper served in Dummerston
DUMMERSTON - The Dummerston Congregational Church will be holding its annual Old-fashioned Strawberry Supper on Saturday, June 29.
The supper is served in the Evening Star Grange in Dummerston Center from 5 to 7 p.m. The supper is all-you-can-eat, family style, with continuous servings. No reservations are needed. There's ample parking, and the hall is handicapped accessible.
The menu includes ham, baked beans, made-on-the-premises potato salad, tuna-macaroni salad and coleslaw, homemade breads, and various beverages. This supper features large, old-fashioned, double-layered shortcakes made with fresh local strawberries and topped with real whipped cream.
Ticket are $10 for adults, $5 for children 12 and younger. Take-out service is available by calling the Grange at 802-254-1138.
Group forms for parents of gender-questioning children
BRATTLEBORO - This August, Green Mountain Crossroads will begin hosting a monthly meeting for parents of transgender, gender-nonconforming, or gender-questioning sons or daughters of any age.
The Brattleboro TransParents group will meet on the third Monday of each month, starting Monday, Aug. 19.
“This group has come about from local parents who are looking for ways to be in touch with and supportive of each other,” said Debbie Potter, executive director of the LGBTQ community-building organization. “In what can be a confusing time, it always helps to know that there are others in similar situations. More and more parents are realizing that many other families are experiencing questions about gender.”
Potter stressed the open nature of the group.
“If a parent is wondering, 'Should I go, does my child fit the description,' they should definitely attend,” she said. “Parents sometimes worry because their child doesn't fit a traditional definition or model of a transgender child. That is what this group is for, to talk about the spectrum of experiences – there is no right or wrong way.”
Parents with children of any age and transition status are welcome, including those with adult children. Interested parents can contact greenmountaincrossroads@gmail.com. All communication is confidential and time and location of the meetings will be shared individually.
Green Mountain Crossroads is a local nonprofit that supports the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer community. For more information, visit www.greenmountaincrossroads.org.
Community tag sale in West Townshend
WEST TOWNSHEND - Calvary Chapel of the West River Valley on Route 30 will have a community tag sale, barbecue, and bake sale on Saturday, June 29, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. In the event of rain, the sale will move indoors.
This sale features donated items such as camping gear, tools, furniture, clothes, and electronics. Proceeds will support the chapel's missions team. For more information, call 802-874-7015 or visit www.calvarychapelwrv.org.
Pinnacle Association hosts 'Over the Top' hike
WESTMINSTER - The Windmill Hill Pinnacle Association's hike on Saturday, July 6, is literally and figuratively Over the Top.
Pinnacle Board Members and hike leaders Sarah Waldo and Kath Martin will guide hikers up Holden Trail to the panoramic view from the Pinnacle lookout for lunch, then south on Ridgeline Trail and down sometimes-steep Cascade Trail to Hedgehog Gulf in Brookline. Hikers will be shuttled back to the start at the Holden Trail Kiosk.
At 1,683 feet, the Pinnacle is Westminster's highest peak in a 16-mile-long ridge stretching from Athens to Dummerston. The lookout offers spectacular views of Mount Snow and Stratton Mountain more than 20 miles away.
Hikers should wear sturdy walking shoes, long pants to protect against ticks, and bring water, a bag lunch, insect repellent, and sunscreen. They should meet at the Holden Trail Kiosk off Windmill Hill Road.
Directions to the kiosk (Trailhead #5) are on the downloadable WHPA Access Points Map found at www.windmillhillpinnacle.org. The website also lists information about other upcoming Pinnacle Association programs and projects. For registration and additional information about the hike, contact Sarah Waldo at 802-387-6036 or sarah_waldo@hotmail.com.