Overflow Shelter has urgent need for volunteers
BRATTLEBORO - The Brattleboro Area Overflow Shelter says it's in desperate need of people to cover night shifts from 1 to 7 a.m. for the rest of April.
These second shift times need to be filled: Wednesday, April 16; Monday, April 21; Wednesday, April 23; Monday, April 28; Tuesday, April 29; and Wednesday, April 30.
The shelter reports it's been pressed to serve more homeless than ever - 34 as of last week - and the Brattleboro Area Drop In Center is committed to keeping it open until May 1. If there are not enough volunteers, the shelter may close for the season earlier than expected.
Also, the Drop In Center has a shortage of tents, tarps, and sleeping bags. If you have any you can part with, call the Drop In Center at 802-257-5415.
Brattleboro wins Energy Challenge award
BRATTLEBORO - The Town of Brattleboro will receive a $10,000 grant from Efficiency Vermont in recognition of its efforts in the Vermont Home Energy Challenge, a statewide initiative to increase energy efficiency in homes and apartments.
Brattleboro achieved the greatest percentage of completed home efficiency projects in the Windham County region while exceeding a minimum of 10 projects. Brattleboro homeowners and landlords completed 41 efficiency projects during the challenge, which ran from Jan. 1, 2013 to Feb. 15, 2014.
The grant can be used for a municipal or school energy efficiency project which achieves either thermal or electrical energy savings in buildings, street lighting, or water/wastewater treatment facilities.
“We are very pleased to receive this recognition,” said Town Energy Coordinator Paul Cameron. “This award is a testament to the dedication and hard work of the Brattleboro Energy Committee and numerous community volunteers, and to the town's commitment to energy efficiency.”
“The goal of the Home Energy Challenge was to support local efforts to raise awareness about - and spur action on - home energy efficiency,” said Paul Markowitz, Community Energy Program Manager for Efficiency Vermont. “Brattleboro really stepped up and did a great job. We are thrilled that this recognition will help them move forward with more energy-saving projects in the community.”
Brattleboro releases annual water quality report
BRATTLEBORO - Brattleboro's 2014 Water Quality Report is available, and the Department of Public Works says it 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. 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 1 on the keyboard. The address is www.sover.net/~brattdpw/2014_CCR.pdf. You may also visit www.brattleboro.org, click on Departments and then Public Works, where there is a link to the report.
Paper copies are available at the Treasurer's Office, 230 Main St., when you pay your bill, or at several other places including the Town Clerk's Office, Brooks Memorial Library, the Chamber of Commerce on Main Street, or at the Water Department Office at 211 Fairground Rd. They will also mail a copy to anyone who calls the Office of Public Works at 802-254-4255 and provides a name and mailing address.
BaBB seeks volunteers for downtown activities
BRATTLEBORO - Building a Better Brattleboro (BaBB) invites people interested in creating ways to enhance downtown to attend an initial Beautify Brattleboro informational gathering and group discussion on Friday April 18, at 5 p.m., at McNeill's on Elliot Street. All ages are welcome.
The goal for the first meeting is to get the ball rolling with an open dialogue and brainstorming, followed by a walk around downtown to identify initial projects and enroll volunteers to take them on. BaBB hopes to create multiple citizen-led teams that help to develop ways to improve the town center.
Contact Downtown Coordinator Jacob Roberts for more information at coordinator@brattleboro.com.
Write Action hosts monthly open reading
BRATTLEBORO - On Friday, April 18, Write Action will hold its monthly open reading at the Bluedot at 7:30 p.m.
Come read your own work - poetry or prose - or come to listen to local writers. There will be an eight-minute time limit for each reader.
Donations to Write Action are gladly accepted. Refreshments will be served. This event is held every third Friday of the month. The Bluedot is upstairs at the Hooker Dunham Building, 139 Main St., above the Catherine Dianich Gallery in Room 607.
Ambassador to speak at Windham World Affairs Council
WALPOLE, N.H. - The Windham World Affairs Council and Walpole International Affairs Discussion Group present a talk by Ambassador Marc Grossman on Friday, April 18, at 7:30 p.m., at the Walpole Town Hall.
Grossman served as the under secretary of state for political affairs, the State Department's third-highest-ranking official, until his retirement in 2005 after 29 years in the U.S. Foreign Service. As under secretary, he helped marshal diplomatic support for the international response to the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.
In February 2011, President Obama called Ambassador Grossman back to serve as the U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan. He provided American backing for an Afghan peace process designed to end 30 years of conflict, and played an important part in restoring U.S. ties with Pakistan.
The public is invited. Admission is free.
Guilford Fire Department serves sugar on snow dinner
GUILFORD - The Guilford Volunteer Fire Department is holding its annual Sugar on Snow Supper Saturday, April 19, at the Guilford Fire Station.
Seatings are 5 and 6:30 p.m. Adults $10, children $5, preschool $2. Enjoy baked ham, potato salad, deviled eggs, pickles, fresh maple syrup on snow, and homemade donuts. For reservations, call 802-254-6841.
Easter egg hunt, community breakfast in Chesterfield
CHESTERFIELD, N.H. - Asbury Methodist Church is sponsoring a community family breakfast and Easter egg hunt at the Chesterfield Town Hall on Saturday, April 19. Breakfast is served at 9 a.m., with the hunt to follow at 10.
There will be a separate area for the youngest hunters, opportunities to make Easter crafts, and games and competitions for everyone. Everyone is asked to bring a can of food for Joan's Pantry.
Putney Foodshelf to hold volunteer orientation
PUTNEY - Are you looking for a meaningful way to give to your community? Volunteering for the Putney Foodshelf may be the opportunity you've been looking for. Join them on Saturday, April 19, from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Putney Community Center to learn about ways to help.
The Foodshelf is committed to helping those whose budgets are stretched too far to feed themselves and their families. They provide healthy, supplemental food to those in need.
Since last fall's federal funding cuts, they have seen an increase in the number of individuals and families needing help. And with increased numbers comes the need for more volunteers. While more than 90 percent of clientèle live and work in Putney, they also serve people from nearby towns who feel the stigma of walking into their hometown pantries.
For more information, write Lani at PutneyFoodshelf@gmail.com.
Dealing with climate change in Vermont is topic of next Climate Change Café
BRATTLEBORO - Post Oil Solutions Climate Change Café hosts a presentation by Dr. Alan Betts about climate change and Vermont on Earth Day, Tuesday, April 22, at 6:15 p.m. in Brooks Memorial Library's Community Room.
As always, the event is free; light refreshments will be available.
Betts (alanbetts.com) is a climate researcher who has been supported for 30 years by NSF and NASA as an independent scientist in Vermont. He addresses professional and citizens groups across Vermont and advises the state's climate cabinet. He holds a master's degree in natural sciences from the University of Cambridge and a Ph.D. from the University of London.
Increasing greenhouse gases, amplified by the water cycle, are transforming the climate of the Earth, including in New England. With the possible exception of this year's polar vortex (it, too, was a product of climate change), our winters are shrinking rapidly, so crops and pests can both survive, and severe weather and flooding is increasing.
Betts will discuss the changes that are happening and address the huge transition we face as a society - in our attitudes, our energy system, and our waste management.
Free community presentation on drugs, brains, and youth behavior
BRATTLEBORO - Windham County Partnership for Success and the Brattleboro Retreat present an evening with Michael Nerney, a substance abuse prevention and education consultant with more than 30 years' experience in the field, on Wednesday, April 23, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Brattleboro Retreat Education Conference Center.
Nerney's presentation, “Time to Talk About Youth: Drugs, Brains and Behavior,” is designed for parents and caregivers of middle and high school youth. Attendees will learn how young brains develop; why teenagers are so convinced they know everything; why they fight with their parents; and how substances affect their brains and decision-making.
This event is free and open to all. Light refreshments will be served. For more information, call 802-779-4718 or visit brattlebororetreat.org/nerney.
Seymours to present program on Porter Thayer photographs
DUMMERSTON - The quarterly meeting of the Dummerston Historical Society is Thursday, April 24, at the Historical Society Schoolhouse in Dummerston Center. The 6:30 p.m. business meeting is followed by the program at 7:30 on photographer Porter Thayer.
In the late 1970s, Dummerston filmmakers Allan and Sally Seymour were asked by the Brattleboro Museum & Art Center to produce a film featuring Porter Thayer's photographs.
Allan shot each image printed from glass plates, using a motion picture camera. He and another gentleman interviewed several people who recalled their life experiences in southeastern Vermont in the early 20th century. Sally matched the images with the best comments and edited them together with a music soundtrack to make the film.
For those unfamiliar with Porter Thayer, he was a photographer, born in 1882 in Williamsville, who took photographs around Windham Country from 1903 to 1930. This program is open to the public, free, and handicapped accessible. For more information, call 802-254-9311.
AARP driver safety class offered at Senior Center
BRATTLEBORO - The AARP Smart Driver Program, a classroom driver refresher course, is offered at the Brattleboro Senior Center on Friday, April 25. The session begins at 9:30 a.m., and involves approximately four hours of class time. A lunch break is scheduled. Participants may purchase a meal at the Senior Center or bring their own food. The fee for this program is $20 for the general public and $15 for AARP members.
Program content addresses the changes that occur in vision, hearing, and reaction time as we age, and provides useful driving safety tips for handling these changes. The course also reviews how changes in vehicles and roadways affect driving safety. Some insurance companies offer reduced premiums to participants, but interested persons should contact their carrier to see if such a discount is available.
This course features new research-based content and information regarding Vermont motor vehicle laws. Updated content includes discussion of health and mental acuity as well as approaches to limit the need to drive in order to accomplish necessary tasks. In addition to the April 25 class, the program is offered at Grace Cottage Hospital, the Whitingham Municipal Center, and again in Brattleboro in May.
A complete list of Vermont classes, as well as other driver safety information, can be found at www.VTdrivers.org. Direct questions to Elliott Greenblott at 802-254-4489 or egreenblott@gmail.com.
Got books? RFPL needs them for spring book sale
BELLOWS FALLS - It might be a little early to weed the garden, but it's a perfect time to weed your books. Relieve those overflowing shelves, free up space, improve the feng shui, and support your local library.
The Rockingham Free Public Library hosts its annual book sale on Saturday, April 26 through Saturday, May 3. Donations are welcome now to help support the library.
This year, the Friends of the Library will host a special Book Sale Preview night on Friday, April 25 just for Friends members. Join the Friends today to get this early access to the library book sale.
Books of all kinds are welcome, with the exception of Reader's Digest books, textbooks, and musty books. DVDs and audiobooks are also welcome donations for the book sale. Donations can be made during library hours. All proceeds from the library's book sale will benefit the Rockingham Free Public Library. For more information, call the library at 802-463-4270 or sam@rockinghamlibrary.org.
Guilford church to hold book sale
GUILFORD - Guilford Community Church, UCC, will hold its annual book sale on Saturday, April 26, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. An excellent selection of current books is for sale.
This fundraiser aids the church in continuing to support many human service organizations, both locally and globally. Guilford Community Church is at 38 Church Dr., Guilford. From Interstate 91, take Route 5 south 1 mile (just past the Guilford Country Store) turn left onto Bee Barn Road, and bear left onto Church Drive.
'Ham Jam' benefits BFMS band
BELLOWS FALLS - The Bellows Falls Middle School presents a “Ham Jam” on Sunday, April 27, from 4 to 7 p.m. at Moose Lodge 527 on Westminster Street.
A ham dinner will all the fixings will be served, and the BFMS band will provide musical accompaniment. Tickets are $10 for adults, $8 for seniors, and $5 for children. All proceeds will benefit the band. For more information, call 802-463-4366.
Workshop shows how to create a spiritual will
BRATTLEBORO - Many people have prepared legal wills to distribute our belongings after death, but few have considered leaving a spiritual/ethical will - a record of who we are, a document that can be offered to loved ones either while one is still alive or after one's death.
Brattleboro Area Hospice will present a free workshop, “Creating a Legacy from Our Everyday Lives: Reflections in the Latter Part of Life,” led by Claire Willis, author of Lasting Words: A Guide to Finding Meaning Toward the Close of Life, on Tuesday, April 29, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Marlboro College Graduate Center, 28 Vernon St.
In this two-hour session, participants will begin to write their legacy as a way to be remembered, give deeper purpose to one's life, and pass on stories and values to loved ones and future generations.
This workshop is for people in the latter half of their lives as well as people living with chronic and life-threatening illness. No prior writing experience is necessary. Space is limited to 30 people on a first-to-register basis. Call Joyce at 802-257-0775, ext. 105, to register.