'Black Lives Matter' campaign begins in area
GUILFORD - Local faith communities and organizations are collaborating in the next few weeks to make visible the community's concern for the lives of Black people in our midst.
Beginning this weekend, signs with the words “Black Lives Matter”will begin appearing on the front lawns of churches and other buildings committed to creating a welcoming environment.
Often it is what organizers call “micro-agressions” (small snubs or insults) that have the most exhausting impact on the lives of people of color, according to a press release. The hope is that this campaign of visible support will create the opposite, positive impact, saying “we know you are here, we love and support you,” the release noted.
This is part of a larger initiative to create schools, faith communities, businesses, government agencies and non-profit organizations committed to serving the community with appreciation for difference and without prejudice. For more information call Guilford Community Church, UCC, at 802-257-2776.
Stevenson to discuss 'Liar from Vermont' at Putney library
PUTNEY - Wilmington author Laura Stevenson will read from her new work of fiction, Liar From Vermont, on Thursday, July 23, at 7 p.m., at the Putney Public Library, 55 Main St.
Stevenson's new work is a series of interconnected short stories, written in the style of 19th century serialized fiction. The stories are set in the Deerfield Valley of the 1950s and 1960s. The title story is about 8-year-old Peggy Hamilton, a Boston resident who lies to her classmates about actually living on a Vermont farm. Nobody challenges her tall tales because they enjoy her stories about Vermont too much to bring them to an end.
Inspired by Stevenson's own experiences in Vermont, the book deals with the changing social and economic landscapes that the characters must face. Stevenson will read from Liar From Vermont, discuss writing the book, and show images of the Willmington house that inspired the story and how it changed from 1910 to the present.
Copies of the book will be available for sale. This event, like all library events, is free and open to the public.
Healing Walk at Manitou on July 24
WILLIAMSVILLE - The Manitou Project will hold a Healing Walk on Friday, July 24, from 4 to 6 p.m. This meditative walk on Manitou's Sanctuary Trail will be led by Ryan Murphy, and will include poems or other readings, and chances to share about the experience.
Healing walks will be held every second and fourth Friday of each month until October. The Manitou Project seeks to foster community with nature, on its 235-acre land preserve in Williamsville, located at 300 Sunset Lake Rd. For information, contact Murphy at 802-257-0775, ext. 106, or ryan.murphy@bratleborohospice.org.
Southern Vermont Young Professionals host regional mixer in Bellows Falls
BELLOWS FALLS - Southern Vermont Young Professionals has partnered with the Greater Falls Regional Chamber of Commerce to hold an event Friday, July 24, at Windham Antique Center in Bellows Falls from 6 to 8 p.m.
Meeting your neighbors is always important for maintaining a vibrant community and economy, and the July Regional Mixer is an opportunity for local and regional young professionals to do just that.
Hosted by Windham Antique Center, attendees may wander the gallery as they're encouraged to network, mingle, and discuss any opportunities or upcoming events in the Bellows Falls and Southern Vermont region. Catered by The Valley Cafe, neighbors to Windham Antique Center, the event celebrates the impact of community collaboration.
The event will also feature a short presentation from Megan LaFlam, executive director of the Greater Falls Regional Chamber of Commerce. LaFlam will briefly share the roles and goals of the chamber, and be present throughout the evening to provide access to the resources the Greater Falls Regional Chamber of Commerce has to offer. Complimentary appetizers and light refreshments will be provided.
Brattleboro Solar Summer hosts ice cream social
BRATTLEBORO - On Saturday, July 25, from 2 to 4 p.m., at Pliny Park at the corner of Main and High streets, Brattleboro Solar Summer will host an ice cream social, with free ice cream from the Chelsea Royale Diner and gelato from the Newfane Creamery, along with live music from John Ungerleider & Friends.
In the event of rain, the event will be held in the Brooks House lobby, across High Street from Pliny Park.
Visitors may learn about going solar. The price of solar panels has dropped by 50 percent in the last two to three years, and new incentives and financing programs can help make solar affordable for homeowners, renters, businesses, and landlords.
Brattleboro Climate Protection and the Brattleboro Energy Committee are working with five local solar companies to sponsor Brattleboro Solar Summer. Their goal is for at least 100 Brattleboro residents and/or businesses to contract for solar electric systems on their home or business, or buy shares in a community solar project, before the the campaign period ends on Sept. 30.
The participating solar companies are offering a discount ranging from $50-$200/kilowatt, depending on the number of people who sign up, and a new Windham County Solar Loan Program through the Vermont State Employees Credit Union (VSECU) offers low-interest loans to any Windham County resident to install panels or invest in community solar.
Residents can also take advantage of a 30 percent federal tax credit that expires at the end of 2016. For more information on Brattleboro Solar Summer, visit www.brattleborosolarsummer.org.
Free animal adoption weekend and yard sale at Webster's House
CHESTER - Webster's House Animal Shelter is hosting a free adoption weekend event from noon to 5 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, July 25 and 26, at the shelter located at 1758 Route 103 S., in Chester.
During the two-day event, there will be no adoption fees for any adult cat (or a bunny) and the adoption process will be expedited with the Shelter Manager's adopter approval. Bring your carrier or purchase a used carrier from the shelter for a modest price while supplies last.
The shelter will hold a benefit yard sale alongside the adoption event on Saturday. All funds raised benefit the cats and support the shelter's mission. For sale will be furniture, pet items, DVDs, linens, and other items.
For information on these events, call 802-875-7777 or email shelter@webstershouse.org.
July Climate Change Café screens 'The Last Mountain'
BRATTLEBORO - The Climate Change Café will screen the documentary, The Last Mountain, on Tuesday, July 28, at 6 p.m., at Brooks Memorial Library. A discussion will follow the film. As always, the café is free and light refreshments will be available.
The Last Mountain is a story about citizen activism as people in West Virginia's Coal River Valley wage a campaign to prevent Massey Energy Company from expanding its mountaintop removal mining operations in their community.
The café convenes on the fourth Tuesday of each month, and is sponsored by Post Oil Solutions. For further information, contact Tim at 802-869-2141 or info@postoilsolutions.org.
'15 to Life: Kenneth's Story' documentary at RFPL
BELLOWS FALLS - On Thursday, July 30, at 7 p.m., the Rockingham Free Public Library and Vermont PBS will present a screening of 15 to Life: Kenneth's Story followed by a panel discussion.
Panelists will include Judy Brassard, corrections program supervisor and youth police officers supervisor, Wendi Lashua Germain, executive director of Springfield Justice Center, and Elayne Clift, who has written about the reality of prison life for women of all ages.
Does sentencing a teenager to life without parole serve our society well? The United States is the only country in the world that routinely condemns children to die in prison. This is the story of one of those children, now a young man, seeking a second chance in Florida.
At age 15, Kenneth Young received four consecutive life sentences for a series of armed robberies. Imprisoned for more than a decade, he believed he would die behind bars. Now a U.S. Supreme Court decision could set him free. This film follows Young's struggle for redemption, revealing a justice system with thousands of young people serving sentences intended for society's most dangerous criminals.
This event is free and open to the public. For more information, call 802-463-4270, email anne@rockinghamlibrary.org, or go to www.rockinghamlibrary.org.
Pulled pork dinner served in BF
BELLOWS FALS - The United Church of Bellows Falls, 8 School St., will host a pulled pork dinner on Friday, July 31, from 5 to 6:30 p.m..
On the menu will be barbecued and plain pulled pork, rolls, cole slaw, corn-on-the-cob, baked beans, applesauce, blueberry dessert/ice cream, and beverages.
The cost is $10 for adults, $6 for ages 5 to 12, and free for kids under 5. Take-out meals will be available. For reservations, call Janice Manning at 802-463-3485.
Brattleboro Area Hospice offers 'Death and Dying for Beginners' class
TOWNSHEND - On four consecutive Tuesdays, Aug. 4 to 25, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., Brattleboro Area Hospice is offering its “Death and Dying for Beginners” Class.
The class will provide opportunities to reflect on personal attitudes and feelings about death and dying, as well as learning how to offer assistance to a friend or neighbor during a time of loss.
This four-week course, facilitated by Brattleboro Area Hospice Education Coordinator Cheryl Richards, is for those interested in exploring end of life issues through readings, discussions and introspective exercises.
This course is free, but registration and a pre-course telephone conversation with Richards is required. Contact her at 802-257-0775, ext. 108, or cheryl.richards@brattleborohospice.org.
Saxtons River Art Guild seeks exhibitors for fall festival
SAXTONS RIVER - The Saxtons River Art Guild is looking for fine art photographers and artists to participate in the annual Fall Arts Festival.
This year's event will take place during the Columbus Day Weekend, Saturday and Sunday, October 10 and 11, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the Walpole Town Hall on the common in Walpole, N.H.
Cost of an 8-foot x10-foot space will be $25. Artists must provide their own displays and stands. To sign up or to get more information, those interested can contact Donna at 603-835-2387.