Brattleboro Area Techies to meet
BRATTLEBORO - The next meeting of the Brattleboro Area Techies will be on Thursday, March 19, from 5:30 to 7 p.m., at the office of Mondo Mediaworks, 139 Main St., Suite 701. Everyone who works with, or is interested in technology, from programmers to artists, is welcome.
Recent developments in coworking/makers spaces in Brattleboro will be discussed. As is the habit, most of the meeting will be devoted to introductions and informal networking.
Brattleboro Area Techies was formed as a networking group to bring technology people and makers together in an informal setting to discuss common issues and provide people with an excuse to get out from behind their computers. The group includes designers, makers, educators, programmers, freelancers, videographers, artists, consultants and business people who work in these fields. There is no cost.
For more information, contact Caleb Clark at 917-703-5580 or cclark@gradschool.marlboro.edu or Bob Lawson at atrb@sover.net.
Pet vaccination clinic in Wardsboro
WARDSBORO - The Wardsboro Town Office will sponsor a pet vaccination clinic at the office of the Town Clerk on Saturday March 21, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Dr. Miles A. Powers of East Dover will be vaccinating both cats and dogs. This clinic is open to anyone. For the convenience of Wardsboro residents, the Town Clerk will be present to issue licenses.
Fees will be $10 for rabies and $15 for a distemper-complex vaccine for either a dog or a cat, or $20 for both vaccinations. Dogs should be on a leash and cats in a carrier. For further information, call 802-348-7918.
Workshop offered on the life and vision of Henri Nouwen
BRATTLEBORO - On Saturday, March 21, from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., St. Michael's Episcopal Church will host a workshop led by Dr. Robert Jonas entitled “Beauty of the Beloved: The Life and Vision of Henri Nouwen.” Suggested donation for the morning workshop is $10; no one will be turned away.
When Henri Nouwen died suddenly in 1996, he was one of the most renowned religious figures in the United States. An inspired pastor, professor and priest, he taught at Notre Dame, Yale, and Harvard while writing 40 books on the spiritual life. Nouwen is known for personal vulnerability in his writing that invites readers to identify with his journey through woundedness to a sense of his belovedness in God.
Dr. Robert A. Jonas, a close friend of Nouwen who served on the Board of the Henri Nouwen Society for eight years, will lead the morning of reflection and prayer based on Nouwen's work.
St. Michael's Episcopal Church at 16 Bradley Ave. is fully accessible. Parking for people with impaired mobility is available on the street and in the parking lot which is entered off Putney Road. Call the church office at 802-254-6048, ext. 104, for more information.
'Across the Fence' episodes on Civil War screened at RFPL
BELLOWS FALLS - On March 23 and 25 at noon, the Rockingham Free Public Library will screen several Civil War-related episodes of UVM's “Across the Fence.”
The true story of the Confederate soldiers' raid on St. Albans in 1864 will be the featured topic of Monday, March 23 program. In the Wednesday, March 25 episode, Howard Coffin will describe his quest for Civil War connections on Vermont soil. His book, Something Abides: Discovering the Civil War in Today's Vermont, is a culmination of this research. Slides of some Rockingham sites mentioned in the book will follow.
These 30-minute noon programs are a precursor to a special Vermont Humanities Council presentation given by Coffin on Saturday, March 28, at 1 p.m., at the Rockingham library. He will speak about Vermont's involvement in the Civil War, describing the many sacrifices and contributions made during this difficult time. This VHC presentation was made possible by the Friends of the Rockingham Library.
Introductory music will be played by Eric Bye on a Civil War-era banjo. Refreshments will reflect what a Civil War soldier carried in his pack or enjoyed while being cared for in an army hospital. Coffin plans to carry with him a violin that was played by a Vermonter at Gettysburg.
Arrive on the library's front walk 15 minutes before 1 p.m. to hear the ringing of the Immanuel Episcopal Church –just like they did when townspeople learned the Civil War was over back in 1865.
All three events are free, open to the public and accessible to people with disabilities. “Across the Fence,” the longest running daily farm and home television program in the country, is a 15-minute program produced by University of Vermont Extension. The program airs weekdays at 12:10 p.m. on WCAX-TV, Channel 3.
For more information, call 802-463-4270, email anne@rockinghamlibrary.org or stop by the library at 65 Westminster St. in Bellows Falls.
Singing Strong program starts spring session
BRATTLEBORO - Beginning on Tuesday, March 24, Brattleboro Music Center choral director Susan Dedell will lead a six-week session of “Singing Strong,” a program designed especially for seniors who love to sing.
Singing in a group boosts the immune system, improves heart health, lowers blood pressure, and reduces stress. Best of all, it makes you happier!
Dedell will lead everyone in songs chosen from a variety of musical styles, mostly from the great song repertoire from the 1930s to the 1960s. Absolutely no prior singing experience or music reading skills are necessary.
“Singing Strong” meets on Tuesdays at 1:30 p.m. with a modest fee of $35 for a 6-week period. The chorus is hosted by St. Michael's Episcopal Church, which is located on the corner of Bradley Avenue and Putney Road. St. Michael's is handicap accessible and barrier free, and ample parking is available. Call the Brattleboro Music Center at 802-257-4523 for any further information and to register.
Climate Change Café meets March 24
BRATTLEBORO - The March Climate Change Café will host an interactive presentation by Dr. Tamara Stenn on the subject of Suma Qamana: Living in Harmony with Nature and Our Community.
This will take place on Tuesday, March 24, at 6 p.m., at Brooks Memorial Library on Main Street. As always, the event is free and all are welcome. Light refreshments will be available.
The Andean principle of Suma Qamaña is very suggestive of the kind of community needed in a post oil age. It means “well-living,” and emphasizes solidarity with others and harmony with nature.
Rather than being “better off” than one's neighbor, one is as good as one's neighbor. The failure of a community member to do well is seen as a failure of the community as a whole. Its principles include community first; sufficient, not efficient, economy; local production, local consumption; less is more; and all are part of mother earth.
The language of Suma Qamaña has been adopted into the constitutions of Bolivia, Peru and Ecuador, and is being promoted as the new world model to bring peace and balance to our current growth based, competitive model.
Stenn is a visiting professor of social entrepreneurism at Hampshire College, a lecturer in social marketing at the SIT Graduate Institute, and a Fulbright candidate. She has spent the last 18 years traveling to South America to research and work with indigenous artisans involved in Fair Trade. Her current area of research/study is with the Suma Qamaña.
The Café convenes on the 4th Tuesday of each month, and is sponsored by Post Oil Solutions. For further information, contact Tim at 802-869-2141 or info@postoilsolutions.org.
SEVCA announces free Financial Fitness classes
WESTMINSTER – Southeastern Vermont Community Action has space available in the upcoming Financial Fitness program. This eight-part workshop series will help participants discover how to use the money they have and take steps towards prosperity.
Participants will learn to improve their relationship with money, increase cash flow and experience financial security. Other topics covered include; saving, spending, credit, paying for college, purchasing a home, purchasing a car, insurance and retirement.
Instructors can review participants' credit reports and recommend steps to build healthy credit or resolve credit issues. This financial coaching is designed to help families and individuals develop strong financial habits.
The workshop is free and open to the public. The eight-part workshop will begin on Wednesday, March 25, from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m., and continue each Wednesday thru May 13. The workshops will be held at SEVCA's main office, 91 Buck Drive. Pre-registration is required, call Karen Woodcock at 802-722-4575, ext. 151, or email kperlberg@sevca.org.
Conservation Commissions to meet in Dummerston
DUMMERSTON - The Dummerston Conservation Commission will host a gathering of Windham County Conservation Commissions on Wednesday, March 25, at 5:30 p.m., at the Dummerston Congregational Church in Dummerston Center.
Starting with a potluck supper, members will share news of their current activities and discuss ways boards can be more effective, both individually and in collaboration with each other.
Conservation Commission members from Windham County, people who are interested in setting up commissions in their town, and those interested in serving on a conservation commission are encouraged to attend. For more information, contact Mary Ellen Copeland, Dummerston Conservation Commission, at 802-257-0012 or maryellen@svcable.net.
Woodlands Association celebrates maple season
The Windham Regional Woodlands Association will present two events to celebrate maple season in southern Vermont.
On Saturday, March 21, at 10 a.m., the association presents its annual sugarhouse tour. This year, the tour will be at Franklin Farm, a diversified organic dairy farm made up of 276 acres in Guilford, most of which are woodland.
The Franklins say that many factors determine the flavor and quality of pure maple syrup, and the the distinct flavor of their syrup originates in the fertile limestone-based soils of their woodlands. Visitors will be able to sample the syrup that's being made that day, and take in the aroma of maple that is everywhere.
The farm is on Weatherhead Hollow Road, about seven miles from the Guilford Country Store. This family-friendly event is free and open to the public.
On Friday, March 27, from 3 to 5 p.m., on Newfane Common, in front of the Windham County Courthouse, the association presents a workshop by County Forester Bill Guenther and Certified Arborist Kevin Shrader on the management and pruning of ornamental maples.
Guenther will give an overview of the ornamental tree management program he started about 15 years ago on what is arguably Vermont's most scenic Common. He is dealing with some very old trees, some pretty young trees, and a few in middle age. They all have their own needs, which vary considerably.
Shrader and Guenther will discuss the vertical mulching project that included some special additives, and they'll also cover tree planting techniques. The primary emphasis of the afternoon will be on pruning the young Green Mountain Sugar Maples. Proper pruning is essential to good ornamental tree health. Different pruning tools will be discussed followed by an active demonstration.
Transition Dummerston to discuss creative ideas for housing
DUMMERSTON - Transition Dummerston will hold its monthly potluck on Friday, March 27, from 6-8:30 p.m., at the Dummerston Congregational Church.
This month's program will be a discussion of “Creative Ideas for Housing,” to explore how new visions of housing can provide optimum economic and social benefits for couples, singles, seniors, and start-up families. Bring ideas and questions to an open discussion about clustered, shared, or “tiny” homes, or any other creative arrangement you can think of.
The potluck begins at 6 p.m., with local food encouraged, and the program runs from 7 to 8:30 p.m.
Transition Dummerston is part of the international Transition Town movement building local resilience and well-being in the face of climate, energy, and economic challenges. The church is located in Dummerston Center at the intersection of East-West and Middle roads. For further information, call Bill at 802-257-1020 or Ken at 802-387-5288.
'Waggin' Tales: Reading With Dogs' at Putney library
PUTNEY - Are you ready for a doggone good time? Putney Public Library presents an event for kids featuring guest dogs, a story time, and an opportunity for kids to read to dogs.
Stop by on Saturday, March 28, at 2 p.m., to meet Gallant, Honey Loring's beautiful and kid-friendly Standard Poodle. Librarian Emily Zervas will read a dog-related story and then kids can take turns reading to Gallant. The program is free and open to the public.
Gallant has completed rigorous obedience training and participated in numerous school programs - please bring kids, but leave other dogs at home!
Reading to dogs has been proven to help those that struggle with literacy to practice the skill of reading aloud in a non-judgmental atmosphere. Reading improves because the child gets to practice, build self-esteem, and associate reading with something pleasant.
Putney Public Library is pleased to host this new monthly Saturday story time and invites everyone to meet some of the wonderful dogs that live in the community. The library is located at 55 Main St. For more information, contact them at 802-387-4407 or putpub@svcable.net.
Dummerston to hold Kindergarten screening
DUMMERSTON - Dummerston Kindergarten screening will take place on Tuesday, March 31.
If you have a child, or know of a child that will be five years old on or before Sept. 1, 2015, contact Dummerston School at 802-254-2733.