Old Ferry Road repairs delayed
BRATTLEBORO - Pavement reclamation on a section of Old Ferry Road is now rescheduled for Thursday, Aug. 22.
On Friday, Aug. 23, work moves to Marlboro Avenue between Fairground Road and the ending location, just north of Home Street.
There have been a couple of delays due to equipment failure, but the equipment should be here this week. Lane Construction is contracted for this work. On Old Ferry Road, reclaiming begins at Glen Orne Drive and ends near the entrance to Windham Solid Waste entrance.
On Old Ferry Road, motorists can expect delays with one way alternating traffic. Marlboro Avenue will be closed to through traffic. Residents can come and go, but should plan for a little extra time.
Resurfacing these roads should happen within a couple of weeks. Call Brattleboro Public Works at 802-254-4255 for questions on these or other projects.
Elysian Hills Tree Farm hosts evening walk
DUMMERSTON - Bill and Mary Lou Schmidt of Elysian Hills Tree Farm will host a relaxed walk through their land in Dummerston on Thursday, Aug. 22, at 6 p.m. One focus of this walk will be on special and unusual trees, like a huge oak and cherry, and other trees, such as a willow and birch, growing in amazing ways, sometimes on strange or less than welcoming sites.
The Schmidts will also talk about some non-native and native invasive plants and trees, including barberry, buckthorn, honeysuckle and oriental bittersweet (or their remains), what is being done to control them, and the success or lack thereof of these control efforts over the past several years. Among the native invasives to be viewed are some beech trees (and their progeny) and hayscented fern.
The Dummerston Conservation Commission is sponsoring this ever-popular walk. Elysian Hills is at 209 Knapp Road, between Middle and Tucker Reed roads, in Dummerston. For directions, see the farm's website, www.elysianhillsfarm.com, or call 802-257-0233. For information on the Dummerston Conservation Commission, see www.dummerstonconsevation.com.
Speaking of Body Language: Toastmasters meeting Aug. 22
BRATTLEBORO - No matter your degree of comfort and experience in public speaking, you can always benefit from more experience in a supportive community of folks who are striving to improve their speaking, evaluation, and leadership skills.
BrattleMasters, the Brattleboro-based chapter of Toastmasters International, meets Thursday, Aug. 22, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Marlboro College Graduate Center, second floor, 28 Vernon St. The theme of this meeting is “Speaking of Body Language,” focusing on the skillful use of one's posture, gestures, and use of space to supercharge your stage presence, give your message extra energy and purpose, and build credibility with audiences.
The club meets the second and fourth Thursday of every month at the same time and location. For more information, visit brattleboro.toastmastersclubs.org.
Healing Walk at Manitou
WILLIAMSVILLE - The Manitou Project will hold a healing walk on Friday, Aug. 23, from 4 to 6 p.m. This meditative walk on Manitou's Sanctuary Trail will be guided by Kirsten Edelglass, and includes poems and other readings, and chances to share about the experience.
Healing walks will be held every second and fourth Friday until the middle of October. For information, contact Edelglass at 802-579-4496.
Great Books Group takes on Barth, Updike
BRATTLEBORO - The Brattleboro Great Books Group will be discussing two short stories in August, “Lost in the Funhouse,” by John Barth, and “Tomorrow and Tomorrow and So Forth,” by John Updike, on Monday, Aug. 26, at 7 p.m., in the meeting room of the Brooks Memorial Library on Main Street.
Copies of the short stories are on reserve behind the front desk of the library. The Brattleboro Great Books Discussion Group meets the fourth Monday night of each month. In September, they will be reading/discussing two short stories - “Cathedral,” by Raymond Carver, and “The Man from Mars,” by Margaret Atwood.
For further information, contact Michael N. Landis at 802-257-1851, 802-275-8418, or emagicmtman@gmail.com.
Host families needed for two exchange students
BRATTLEBORO - Two of the exchange students arriving this month to attend Brattleboro Union High School are in need of host families starting in early September. PAX, the Program of Academic Exchange, is interviewing families who might be interested in this cross-cultural experience.
Mateo is a 17-year-old boy from Ecuador who speaks excellent English. He loves soccer, basketball, and volleyball, as well as reading and music. Mathis, a friendly, funny 15-year-old boy from Germany, is involved in photography, magic tricks, and playing the piano. He is allergic to cats.
Host families need only provide a place for the student to sleep and study, meals, and a warm, supportive environment. Students have their own spending money and medical insurance. Single parents, young couples and empty-nesters are all encouraged to apply.
Families interested in knowing more about hosting can contact Ann Newsmith at 802-257-4710 or email exchangevt@gmail.com. PAX is a non-profit organization dedicated to increasing mutual respect among the people of the world. More information is available at www.pax.org.
Many collectables added to Grafton Historical Commission sale
GRAFTON - A special sale of collectible items of historical interest will be added to the Grafton Historical Society's annual fund raising event on Aug. 31.
The collectibles have been in storage for almost 50 years and were donated to the society to help raise funds for the museum and restoration of the town's historic Brick Meeting House.
Other items such as home-baked goods, mums for the garden, and silent auction items and services will also be for sale. The event will be held on the museum grounds on Main Street from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Hot dogs, hamburgers, and ice cream will be sold during the lunch hours.
The society is focusing its efforts this year on the restoration of the Brick Meeting House, a Congregational church built in 1833. To date, the society spent over $100,000 for a new heating system, reinforcement of the floors and foundation, and the stabilization of the granite front steps. It is now hoping to raise further funds to continue the inside restoration of the rare trompe l'oeil painting.
Grafton's Brick Meeting House is the only remaining example in Vermont of this type of church décor art style from the 1800s.
Grafton, its historical museum, and the Brick Meeting House, believed to be an abolitionist church in the mid-1800s, is one of 19 stopping points on Vermont's African American Heritage Trail. It was the home for over 100 years of the Alec Turner family. Turner was an escaped slave who found refuge and a home in Grafton in 1872.
For further information, contact the museum at 802-843-2584 or grafthist@vermontel.net or www.graftonhistory.org.
United Way of Windham County to hold fourth annual Day of Caring event
BRATTLEBORO - The United Way of Windham County's Day of Caring is an annual day of service to mobilize the caring power of the community for Windham County's nonprofit organizations.
On Saturday, Sept. 7, from 8 a.m. until noon, they invite community members of all ages and abilities to join in work projects such as painting, cleaning, sorting, gardening, gleaning, and the like.
After a kick-off breakfast at 8 a.m. at the American Legion in Brattleboro and at Harlow Farm in Westminster, all volunteers will leave for projects at 8:30 a.m.
There are currently 20 projects scheduled in Brattleboro, Guilford, Dummerston, Newfane, Westminster, Bellows Falls, and Saxtons River. Visit www.unitedwaywindham.org to find out more about the projects and to register. Those with questions may contact volunteer coordinator Laura Schairbaum at volunteer@unitedwaywindham.org, or 802-257-4011, ext. 111.
New bereavement support group forming now at Hospice
BRATTLEBORO - Brattleboro Area Hospice announces a new bereavement support group, “Loss and Transitions,” open to anyone in the community grieving the loss of a loved one.
This group will meet Tuesdays from 4:30 to 6 p.m., starting Sept. 17 and ending Nov. 5, at Brattleboro Area Hospice, 191 Canal St.
Cheryl Richards, Bereavement Care Counselor, and Connie Baxter, Bereavement Care Coordinator, are the co-facilitators.
For people who are grieving the death of a loved one, the waning light, approach of winter and seasonal holidays can be especially challenging times. No matter where you are on your grieving journey, consider joining this group for eight weeks of exploration on getting through this transitional season in one piece with your sanity intact and self care in place.
Brattleboro Area Hospice also offers other on-going bereavement support groups. Support groups are free of charge, provide support to individuals grieving any death loss, from any time in the past, and individuals do not need to have a prior connection with Brattleboro Area Hospice in order to participate.
The “Loss and Transitions” group is limited to 10 people. Call 802-257-0775 to speak with either Richards (ext. 108) or Baxter (ext. 104) to find out about joining this, or an on-going group.