State police conducting sobriety checkpoint during the holidays
BRATTLEBORO - Vermont State Police, with local and county law enforcement agencies, will be conducting a sobriety checkpoint and saturation patrol for the next two weeks in the Windham County area during the 2013 Governor's Highway Safety Holiday DUI Campaign.
State police remind motorists that approximately 32 percent of all fatal crashes are caused by impaired drivers, and more than half of all deaths involve people who did not buckle up. If you anticipate consuming alcohol, designate a sober driver, take public transportation, or find another way to get safely to your destination and home.
Holiday senior meal served in Halifax
HALIFAX - The December Halifax senior meal is Friday, Dec. 20, serving at noon at the Halifax Community Hall in West Halifax.
On the menu: baked ham. potatoes, vegetables, rolls, and dessert. All seniors are welcome, but reservations are required. Call Joan at 802-368-7733.
AARP Smart Driver Program offered
BRATTLEBORO - The AARP smart driver program, a classroom driver refresher course, is offered at the Brattleboro Senior Center on Friday, Dec. 20. The session runs from 9:30 a.m. to approximately 5, with a lunch break. Participants may bring their own lunch or buy a meal at the senior center.
The fee for this program is $20 for the general public, $15 for AARP members. Program content takes up the changes that occur in vision, hearing, and reaction time as one ages, and provides useful driving safety tips for handling these changes.
This course features new research-based content, a refresher on Vermont motor vehicle laws, discussion of health and mental acuity as it applies to driving, and strategies to get places and get things done without driving so much.
Participants may also wish to register for AARP Carfit, an educational program on how well one's personal vehicle “fits” them. For more information, call Elliott Greenblott at 802-254-4489 or write egreenblott@gmail.com.
BF Farmers' Market marks the holidays
BELLOWS FALLS - On Friday, Dec. 20, the Bellows Falls Farmers' Market holds its annual holiday market at the train station from 4 to 7 p.m. Join them for last-minute holiday shopping, dinner, and caroling.
The market will include a diversity of vendors and products, many of which are regulars at the summer Bellows Fall Farmers' Market. Be sure to mark your calendars now for the rest of the season, with winter markets planned for Jan. 17, Feb. 21, and March 21, 2014. For more information, contact market manager Rachel Ware at bellowsfallsmarket@gmail.com or 802-463-2018.
Winter solstice celebration at Manitou
WILLIAMSVILLE - The Manitou Project holds its annual celebration of the winter solstice on Friday, Dec. 20, from 4:30 to 6 p.m.
This is an occasion for marking the darkest day of the year and celebrating the movement toward the return of the light. Gather in the Hogan in the warmth of the wood stove with songs, readings and reflections, hot mulled cider, and sharing about the significance of this season.
Two favorite Manitou traditions highlight the evening: a “fire eating” ceremony with flaming raisins, and a procession through the dark to deliver a burning ember to light an outdoor fire for singing around. It concludes with a potluck supper at 6 p.m. at the Manitou gate house.
This is a family-friendly event, free and open to the public. Dress appropriately for a short walk through the woods and the snow. Bring a candle and flashlight, and feel free to bring a favorite poem, reading, or song in the spirit of solstice. For more information, contact Fred Taylor at 802-387-2681 or rtaylor@antioch.edu.
Homeless vigil planned in Bellows Falls
BELLOWS FALLS – The Greater Falls Warming Shelter sponsors a candlelight vigil for the homeless on Saturday, Dec. 21, at 4 p.m., under the Christmas tree in the Bellows Falls square.
Recognition of the plight of the homeless on the shortest day of the year and the first day of winter include songs and words of hope followed by a march to the shelter in North Walpole, N.H.
The shelter, which opened Nov. 18, has seen six to eight guests each night. It is staffed each night by four volunteers in two shifts, and other volunteers bring in a cooked meal. Anyone who wants to volunteer may contact shelter coordinator Deborah Clark at gfwarmingshelter@gmail.com or through the GFWS Facebook page.
Worn Again Thrift Shop closed after Christmas for four days
SAXTONS RIVER - The Worn Again Thrift Shop on Main Street will be closed starting Dec. 25 for the Christmas and New Year's holidays. The shop will open again on Friday, Jan. 3, 2014.
The thrift shop accepts donations of clothing, shoes, boots, kitchen utensils, small appliances, blankets and sheets, towels, and knickknacks. Donations may be dropped off during normal business hours.
The Worn Again Thrift Shop is run by volunteers and is sponsored by the West River Missions with local Catholic churches Our Lady of Mercy in Putney, Our Lady of the Valley in Townshend, and Chapel of the Snows on Stratton Mountain.
WCCA opens new online store
BRATTLEBORO - Windham Child Care Association (WCCA) has created a new online store. Items for sale include blank note cards designed by local children, customized tea bags from Vermont Country Tea, and a wide range of artwork by local child and adult artists. Some of the art for sale is for a limited time only.
Proceeds from all sales support the organization's work to ensure access to high-quality child care for all families in Windham County. Visit the store at www.windhamchildcarestore.org.
Toastmasters speeches, evaluations Dec. 26 at Marlboro Graduate Center
BRATTLEBORO - BrattleMasters, the Brattleboro-based chapter of Toastmasters International, meets the second and fourth Thursday of the month from 6 to 7:30 p.m. on the second floor of Marlboro College Graduate Center, 28 Vernon St., Brattleboro.
The next meeting is Thursday, Dec. 26. Yes, that's the day after Christmas, and some members will be out of town. But due to overwhelming interest, and in a festive, community-minded spirit, members elected to carry on with this regular meeting.
Guests are welcome, and refreshments are provided. There is no pressure to speak, and members are working at their own pace and with assigned mentors to help them meet their speaking and leadership goals. For more information, visit http://brattleboro.toastmastersclubs.org.