Police step up seat belt enforcement
BRATTLEBORO - Throughout the month of May, the Brattleboro Police Department has been participating in a high visibility traffic enforcement campaign, sponsored by the Vermont Governor's Highway Safety Program.
Officers are conducting extra traffic patrols, with the goal of reducing crashes by enforcing occupant protection laws and other violations. Motorists are reminded to use proper safety restraints and to use care while traveling on roadways.
This is also a reminder that the use of hand-held electronic devices while driving is not allowed in the state of Vermont.
Brooks Memorial Library Children's Room to be closed May 21, 22
BRATTLEBORO - The Children's Room at Brooks Memorial Library will be closed on Thursday, May 21, and Friday, May 22, so that the room can be rearranged. The rest of the library will remain open on those days.
It will reopen on Saturday, May 23, with the new layout. Lego-palooza will also be cancelled for the month of May because of the work being done in the Children's Room. The next Lego-palooza will be on June 18.
For further questions or to renew books call the Children's Room at 802-254-5290, ext. 110, or email us at cr@brookslibraryvt.org.
Brattleboro Area Techies to meet
BRATTLEBORO - The Brattleboro Area Techies will meet Thursday, May 21, at 5:3o p.m., at the Estey Millworks Building at 118-201 Birge St,
Everyone is invited who works with, or is interested in, technology in the Brattleboro area, from makers to programmers to artists.
The Estey Millworks is a huge, mostly empty building behind the Estey Organ factory. It has three 4,000-square foot floors, power, heat, a spray booth, freight elevator, views, and a loading dock. Right now a two-person custom furniture company, esteymillwork.com, is the only tenant. They are interested in filling up the building somehow with other maker-type folk.
The meeting will be devoted to introductions, informal networking and a tour of the building. For more information, contact Ben Riseman (benriseman@gmail.com), Caleb Clark (cclark@gradschool.marlboro.edu), or Bob Lawson (rb@sover.net).
Healing Walk at Manitou on May 22
WILLIAMSVILLE - The Manitou Project will hold a Healing Walk on Friday, May 22, from 4 to 6 p.m. This meditative walk on Manitou's Sanctuary Trail will be guided by Ryan Murphy, including poems or other readings, and chances to share about the experience.
Healing walks will be held rain or shine every second and fourth Friday of each month until October.
The Manitou Project seeks to foster community with nature, on its 245 acre land preserve in Williamsville, located at 300 Sunset Lake Rd. Directions: go 1.4 miles up Sunset Lake Rd. from Williamsville Village, sign on right. Or approximately 5 miles over the top on Sunset Lake Rd. from Route 9. Meet at the parking lot at 4 p.m. For information, contact Fred Taylor at rtaylor@antioch.edu, or 802-387-2681.
Garden Club hosts plant sale
BRATTLEBORO - The Brattleboro Floral Arts and Garden Club will hold its annual spring plant sale on Saturday, May 23, starting at 9 a.m. The sale will take place in the Green Mountain Chapel parking lot on Western Avenue, next to the Creamery Bridge.
Available for purchase are hardy perennials, herbs, and annuals that are well-suited for spring planting. They are all grown locally by members of the Garden Club and are reasonably priced to support community members who are creating or expanding their gardens.
The event will take place rain or shine. Come early for the best selection and preview the plants starting at 8:30 a.m. For more information about the event or about the Brattleboro Garden Club, contact Ann Newsmith at 802-257-4710 or ann.newsmith@gmail.com.
Homemade pies for sale in Guilford
GUILFORD - The Guilford Community Church will hold its annual Memorial Day weekend Pie Sale on Saturday, May 23, from 9 a.m. to noon, in the parking lot of Richmond's Auto Repair on the corner of Route 5 and Guilford Center Road, across the street from the Guilford Store.
Apple, rhubarb, strawberry rhubarb, blueberry, cherry, pumpkin, and pecan pies, still warm from the ovens will be for sale, in addition to picnic fixings of potato salad and baked beans. All proceeds benefit the its outreach in the greater Brattleboro community.
Timson Hill Preschool hosts spring festival
WILLIAMSVILLE - Timson Hill Preschool will host its annual Spring Festival on Saturday, May 23, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., rain or shine.
This popular, family-friendly event includes fun activities for everyone, including a petting zoo, pony rides, a bounce house, a fire engine, a variety of arts and crafts and indoor activities, an outdoor playground, as well as hamburgers, hot dogs, and baked goods. Last but not least, the Vermont Natural History Museum will give a special presentation of live raptors.
Admission is $5 per person or $10 per family, and all proceeds go to celebrating and fostering the continued success of this preschool program.
Timson Hill Preschool is a small, private, non-profit, fully licensed, NAEYC-accredited preschool, and recognized as a five STAR program. It is located in a historic one-room schoolhouse overlooking the small village of Williamsville. The light-filled schoolroom and scenic grounds provide a cheerful setting for learning through cooperative, and independent play as well as exploration.
They accept children ages 3-5 years old for 2-, 3-, 4-, and 5-day morning programs and also for their afternoon program. For more information, contact Kathie at 802-348-6319 or timsonhill@myfairpoint.net, or www.timsonhillpreschool.org.
Newfane Garden Club holds annual Plant & Bake Sale
NEWFANE - The Newfane Garden Club will hold its annual Plant & Bake Sale on Saturday, May 23, at 9 a.m. until 1 p.m., at the Newfane Common on Route 30.
A variety of perennials and baked goods donated by club members will be for sale. The proceeds from the sale fund a school scholarship for a student pursuing a career in horticulture or related field of study. Proceeds also fund the maintenance and beautification of town gardens located in Newfane as well as promotion of natural resources conservation.
West Brattleboro Association sponsors chicken barbecue
WEST BRATTLEBORO - On Saturday, May 23, the West Brattleboro Association (WBA) will host another of its popular chicken barbecues. The event will be held once again in front of First Congregational Church on Western Avenue in West Brattleboro. The barbecue will feature half-chickens, baked beans, and cole slaw, available from 11 a.m. until sold out.
Both the barbecue chicken and the baked beans are tried-and-true local specialties, with the barbecue sauce made from a recipe used by the Guilford Fair for years and the beans fashioned from a published Thurber Farm recipe. Helen Robb cooks her beans for two days and Joe Jewett and his crew will once again get the coals going early in the day for the barbecue chicken. The cole slaw is being made by community member Mary Durland,
The full meal is available for $10, or $6 if it's just the half-chicken. Get there early as all this food goes fast. Proceeds of the barbecue will help fund the WBA's community activities and initiatives.
Pancake breakfast benefits food shelf
TOWNSHEND - On Monday May 25, the Townshend Community Food Shelf will host its “Stack the Plate – Stock the Shelves” Pancake Breakfast at the Townshend Community Church, on the Common.
Breakfast will be served between 8:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. and will feature pancakes with local maple syrup, Riverbend Market Hunter's sausage, coffee and juice. The price is $6 for adults and $4 for children over 4 with a maximum of $20 per family. Proceeds go to benefit the Townshend Community Food Shelf.
Climate Change Café presents climate justice workshop
BRATTLEBORO - The May Climate Change Café will present a special three-hour climate justice workshop by members of Rising Tide Vermont on Tuesday, May 26, at 5 p.m., at the Brooks Memorial Library.
As always, the event is free and all are welcome. Local, organic and vegan food offerings will be available. Registration is appreciated so they can plan for the amount of food (802.869.2141, info@postoilsolutions.org).
Rising Tide Vermont is part of an international grassroots network of groups and individuals who organize and take direct action to confront the root causes of climate change and to promote community-based solutions. Its interactive workshop explores the root causes of the climate crisis and how climate justice offers us the tools to build more resilient communities and to end the era of extreme energy, extraction, and ecological and social destruction.
SeVEDS to host regional CEDS update meetings
BRATTLEBORO - Southeastern Vermont Economic Development Strategies (SeVEDS) will host four regional meetings to update members of the community about the progress toward implementing the Windham Region's federally-recognized Comprehensive Economic Development Strategies (CEDS).
Anyone from any part of the Windham region is welcome to attend any of the sessions regardless of their town of residence. Each of the meetings will be 90 minutes long and include a short presentation with an overview of project work from 2014-2015 and a longer question and answer period.
The first meeting will be in Londonderry on Tuesday, May 26, at 4 p.m., in the Town Office Meeting Room, 100 Old School St., in South Londonderry.
The second meeting will be in Wilmington on Wednesday, May 27, at 8 a.m., in the Town Hall Meeting Room.
On Thursday, May 28, there will be a meeting in Brattleboro, at 8 a.m., at the Brattleboro Retreat Education Conference Room and in Bellows Falls at the Town Hall Lower Theater at 4 p.m.
RSVP to Jodi Clark, SeVEDS Project Manager, at jclark@brattleborodevelopment.com or call 802-257-7731.
RFPL to screen 'Thinking Money' documentary
BELLOWS FALLS - On Wednesday, May 27, at 6:30 p.m., the Rockingham Free Public Library presents the documentary film “Thinking Money – The Psychology Behind Our Best and Worst Financial Decisions.”
Travel from Wall Street to Main Steeet, from the halls of academia to the Santa Barbara wine country, and find out how our brains – and the marketplace - affect how we deal with money. Learn how emotions can influence your financial decisions, how a good nudge can help you achieve your financial goals and how technology can help you save money.
Following the 50-minute film, Jessica Tobey and Connie Viguel, personal bankers from Merchants Bank in Brattleboro, will lead a discussion about the film's insights.
Light refreshments will be served. Highlights from the Library's collection of current money matters resources will be on display. This free program is collaboration between the Vermont Department of Libraries, the State Treasurer's Office, the FINRA Investor Education Foundation, and Merchants Bank. For more information, call 802-463-4270, email anne@rockinghamlibrary.org, or stop by the Library at 65 Westminster St.
Discounted pool passes now available
BRATTLEBORO - The Living Memorial Park Swimming Pool will open for the season on Saturday, June 20, at 1 p.m. for general swim.
Season passes are now on sale at the Gibson-Aiken Center during regular office hours (Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 5 p.m.) Anyone purchasing a pass between now and Thursday, June 18 will receive a 10 percent discount. After June 18, passes will be available at the swimming pool.
The regular rates for Brattleboro residents are $25 students, $35 adults, $65 family, and $10 toddler. The regular rates for non-residents are $40 students, $50 adults, $90 family, and $20 toddler. For more information, call the Brattleboro Recreation & Parks Office at 802-254-5808.
Dairy Godmother seeks Dairy Princes, Princesses
BRATTLEBORO - The “Dairy Godmother” of Strolling of the Heifers (sometimes known as Amelia Struthers) is seeking a number of “Dairy Princes and Princesses” to help her out.
As always, the Dairy Godmother and her court entertain the crowd before the Strolling of the Heifers on Saturday, June 6, with songs, dances and magic spells.
But some of the former princes and princesses have grown up, so she is looking for new volunteers. No experience is necessary. For information and to sign up, phone Stroll general manager Stacey Conn at 802-490-6366.
Tables available for Community Tag Sale
NEWFANE - The Friends of the Moore Free Library are reserving spaces now for their Community Tag Sale to take place on the Newfane Common on Saturday, June 27, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Spaces cost $20 each. Sellers must provide their own tables. The sale will be held rain or shine, with no refunds given.
To reserve a space, please contact Julie at 802-365-7278 or julielav@sover.net or pick up a reservation form at the library, 23 West St. The library is open Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday from 1 to 5 p.m., Thursday from 2 to 7 p.m., and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. When the library is closed, you may pick up a form from the envelope tacked to the bulletin board on the front porch.
The Friends of the Moore Free Library raise funds to help support the functions and activities of the Library, a private institution that serves as a public library but without benefit of federal, state, or town money.