Toys for Kids begins annual outreach
BRATTLEBORO - The Brattleboro Detachment and Auxiliary Unit 798 of the Marine Corps League has begun scheduling appointments for its Toys for Kids program for families in need of assistance this Christmas.
Call 802-490-9582 from 4 to 7 p.m. (weekdays only) before Nov. 21 to schedule an appointment. If the line is busy, call back. Applicants are asked to not leave messages, and to have the Social Security or Medicaid numbers for the children in the household under age 12 ready when you call.
Applicants are also reminded to make sure to bring their children's cards when they come in for their appointment. Only parents will be allowed in to pick up gifts.
The League also wants to remind everyone that this program is only for families with a genuine need for assistance. For more information about Toys For Kids, and how you can donate to this program, visit www.toysforkidsvt.com.
WBA meets on Nov. 9
WEST BRATTLEBORO - The next monthly gathering of the West Brattleboro Association (WBA) will be a potluck/meeting and will be held on Thursday, Nov. 9. It will take place at 330 Meadowbrook Road, the home of Michael Bosworth. The potluck begins at 6 p.m., with the meeting following at 7 p.m.
Several potential uses of the Sign Fund will be discussed, including historic site markers, holiday lights, and utility pole banners in the village center. The WBA T-shirts will also be a topic, as will sending in an annual update to the region's Comprehensive Economic Development Strategies.
This is also the meeting where WBA Trustees will elect officers for the coming year. There will be a quick review of the treasury report and an update on the Neighborhoods Fund. For more information, call Bosworth at 802-258-6475.
Local author to discuss his new tree guidebook
BRATTLEBORO - Local author and hiker Mark Mikolas reads from his new book, A Beginner's Guide to Recognizing Trees of the Northeast , at Everyone's Books on Elliott Street on Friday, Nov.10.
Identify 40 trees -- such as basswood, yellow poplar, and hornbeam -- with easy-to-learn visual techniques.(there are more than 400 photos!)
In this friendly and approachable field guide, Mikolas shares a unique approach for year-round tree identification. His method, which centers on the northeastern United States where 20 species make up the majority of trees, will prepare readers to recognize trees at a glance, even in winter when leaves and flowers are not present.
His secret is to focus on the key characteristics of each tree - black cherry bark looks like burnt potato chips; beech and oak trees keep their leaves in winter; spruce needles are pointed while balsam fir needles are soft and rounded at the ends. Some trees can even be identified by scent.
Location maps and extensive photographs for each of the 40 species covered illustrate key characteristics, making it easy to identify trees, even at a glance. Mikolas also explains how to differentiate between similar and commonly confused trees, such as red maple and sugar maple.
As always, this event is free and open to the public. For more information call 802-254-8160 or email everyonesbks@gmail.com.
Christ's Church bazaar marks 61st year
SAXTONS RIVER - Christ's Church will hold its 61st annual Christmas Stocking Bazaar on Saturday, Nov. 11, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Since its inception in 1956, the Women's Fellowship bazaar has been a hallmark of the beginning of the holiday season in the village. Proceeds go to various missions of the fellowship and the church
Typical features of church bazaars such as sales of homemade food items, arts and crafts and decorative Christmas items are augmented by an area set aside for children to decorate holiday cookies, a book sale, an Attic Treasures section for used items, and a Time and Talents table where shoppers can buy items such as two hours of help around the house or home-delivered meals.
A tea room known for its homemade cinnamon rolls also serves a lunch of corn chowder, sandwiches, Jello salad, pie and beverages. Shoppers can also take home frozen apple pies made by church and community members.
A silent auction of donated items and a raffle of fuel oil donated by Cota & Cota round out the bazaar.
Halifax serves turkey dinner for hunters
HALIFAX - The annual Hunters' Turkey Supper will be Saturday, Nov. 11, at the Halifax Community Hall, located at 20 Brook Rd. in West Halifax.
Turkey and all the fixings will be served from 5 to 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 for adults, and children under 5 eat free. All are welcome, and proceeds will go towards the second annual Halifax “Celebration” Day in 2018 For more information, call Patti at 802-368-7390.
Burton's offers free car washes for veterans
BRATTLEBORO - For the 10th year, burton Car Wash , 873 Putney Rd., is participating in the nationwide Grace for Vets program.
Free top-of-the-line car washes will be given to all veterans and active duty military personnel on Veterans' Day from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. In case of inclement weather, a rain check can be picked up.
In addition to the complimentary wash, burton's will also organize a drawing, this year for a 5-Ultimate wash card - to be given to one of the many veterans who visits the wash on Veterans Day. The drawing will be held at the end of the day. For more information, call 802-257-5191.
BF Woman's Club to meet
BELLOWS FALLS - Members of the Bellows Falls Woman's Club will meet on Tuesday, Nov. 14, at the United Church on School Street, beginning at 1:30 p.m.. The program will be provided by the Rockingham Free Public Library.
New members will receive their General Federation of Women's Clubs membership pins. Members are reminded to bring non perishable food and personal care items to be donated to the Fall Mountain Food Shelf, packed in, if possible, the tote bags handed out at the October meeting. Extra bags are available and all donations will be gratefully received.
There will be further discussion about making a donation to the hurricane relief efforts in Texas, Florida, and Puerto Rico. Women can sign up to attend the Kurn Hattin holiday luncheon and concert to be held on Dec.14 at this meeting.
Women interested in joining the club may contact Membership Chair Barbara Comtois at 802-344-0025.
BUHS Music Dept. presents free fall concert
BRATTLEBORO - The Brattleboro Union High School Music Department will present a fall concert on Wednesday, Nov. 15, at 7 p.m., in the BUHS auditorium. No admission will be charged for this event and the public is warmly invited to attend.
The concert band opens the concert with three selections, starting with Ralph Vaughan Williams' Sea Songs. Their second piece is City Rain, an evocative, jazz-influenced work by Judith Lang Zaimont and their program concludes with Frank Ticheli's settings of music of the Shakers, Simple Gifts.
Jazz Workshop will next take the stage performing Road Song by Wes Montgomery as well as Sonnymoon for Two by Sonny Rollins.
Madrigals will open their set with a classic doo-wop tune Come Go With Me arranged by Kirby Shaw. This is followed by O Magnum Mysterium, a commonly set Latin text used by Morten Lauridsen in a modern setting. Norwegian composer Ola Gjeilo's Northern Lights follows, evoking the awe and wonder of experiencing the natural phenomenon for which the piece is named. Madrigals will conclude with Pseudo-Yoik, written by Jaakko Mantyjarvi performed with a raucous, exciting, and unconventional choral sound.
The Jazz Ensemble's program begins with David Berger's homage to the Count Basie Band, Stompin' on a Riff. This is followed by a New Orleans street march version of Duke Ellington's C-Jam Blues, Horace Silver's Latin standard, Nutville, and Paul Baker's funky hip-hop original, Arnge Drank.
The Chorus will close the concert performing It Takes A Village by Joan Szymko, beginning a new tradition of performing works by female composers at every choral concert. This will be followed by Dirait-on from Morten Laurdisen's Les Chansons des Roses, utilizing poetry by Rainer Maria Rilke. Esto Les Digo by Kinley Lange will follow. The concert will conclude with Jeffery L. Ames's gospel arrangement of Let Everything That Hath Breath. Lisa Provatas will accompany the chorus.
Elyse Wadsworth directs the choral ensembles, Stephen Rice directs the concert band and jazz band and Eugene Uman and Rob Freeberg lead Jazz Workshop. For more information, call 802-451-3511.
Brooks Memorial Library seeks books for Holiday Sale
BRATTLEBORO - Brooks Memorial Library is now accepting donations until Nov. 24 for the upcoming book sale to be held on Nov. 30 and Dec. 1 and 2. This is their “like-new” book sale, so if you have books in good condition that you would like to donate, bring them to the library. They will be reviewed by staff for quality and suitability for the sale.
They will accept hardcover, soft cover, and trade paperbacks in both fiction and nonfiction. They will also accept audio books on CD, music CD's, DVDs, and puzzles. Children's and young adult books are also happily accepted.
Contact the Brooks Memorial Library at 802-254-5290 for more information or with any questions about acceptable donations. Books may be dropped off at the main circulation desk at the library during normal working hours.