Brattleboro moves polling site to Legion
BRATTLEBORO - The polling place for the Nov. 6 general election for all three districts in Brattleboro will be American Legion Post 5, 32 Linden St., from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m.
Voters may park for free in the entire Legion parking lot (with the exception of 10 marked spots for Legion patrons) and the entire parking lot at the Municipal Center, including the metered spots along the side of the building.
Accessible parking spaces are close to the Legion entrance, which offers a ramp immediately inside the door.
The Current will provide free bus service all day.
New this year are accessible voting machines, enabling voters with disabilities to vote independently.
Election results will be posted on the town website as soon as possible after the polls close that evening.
For questions, call the Town Clerk's office at 802-251-8157. Other election information is posted at brattleboro.org.
BAPC seeks members, will discuss work
BRATTLEBORO - The Brattleboro Area Prevention Coalition (BAPC) is looking for people in the community to help with its work on combating opioids and other drugs that harm some of our community members.
On Thursday, Oct. 25, BAPC is meeting at the Windham Regional Career Center at 80 Atwood St., in the Cusick Conference Room, from 3:30 to 5 p.m. There will be snacks and drinks.
Among other tasks, BAPC members help facilitate the collection of unused opioids like oxycontin, so that they can be removed from circulation and discarded.
The organization also helps smokers find the resources to quit; helps local bars train staff to prevent them accidentally serving teenagers; teaches young children how to avoid getting poisoned by pills that look like candy; and many other harm-prevention related activities.
BAPC also promotes and supports “the good life that we are lucky enough to enjoy here in Brattleboro: community singing, after-school activities, games, rope-climbing and more,” staff members write.
Attendees will learn about the latest results from the annual Youth Risk Behavior Survey, and staff will learn what the community thinks they should focus on.
For more information, contact Cassandra Holloway, Scott Kaltenbaugh, or Rolf Parker at 802-257-2175.
Mummers perform this weekend
BRATTLEBORO - The Green Mountain Mummers, still performing after 44 years, presents a symbolic death-and-resurrection “street theater,” rain or shine, in seven locations in Windham County.
Halloween is a significant point in the solar calendar: halfway between the equinox and the solstice. This year's performances will be on Saturday, Oct. 27, and Sunday, Oct. 28.
The group of 12 men is the oldest continuing sword dance and mumming troupe in the U.S. Although many younger members have joined the group during the past several years, it still operates in the manner of the traditional English Morris and sword dancers from which the dances were originally collected: they meet to practice and perform only once a year.
The group's sword dance was collected in northern England, but has developed its own Vermont character over the years. The audience for such performances is just as important as the performers and can participate in the ritual both during the mummers play and afterwards when the dancers “pass the hat.”
The group will perform:
• Oct. 27: Samuel Elliot Apts., Elliot Street, Brattleboro, 11 a.m.; Pliny Park, Main Street, Brattleboro, 11:45 a.m.; Brattleboro Common, Park Street, 1 p.m.; Marlboro College Dining Hall, Marlboro, 2 p.m.
• Oct. 28: Williamsville Town Center, 11 a.m.; Dummerston Center, on the Common, noon; Tavern Green, Main Street, Putney, 1 p.m.
For more information or directions to any of the performances, call 802-254-9019.
A Kimball Hill Halloween in Putney
PUTNEY - This year, the Selectboard and area first responders will close a stretch of Kimball Hill, a popular family destination for many years on Halloween, from 5 to 8 p.m. on Halloween night, Oct. 31.
Trick-or-treaters will be able to walk from the Putney Community Cares Safe House (at the top of Kimball Hill) to the Warming & Fun Zone (at Next Stage) without having to worry about oncoming traffic. If you have any questions, contact rubymcadoo@gmail.com.
Workshop offered to landlords
BRATTLEBORO - The Windham & Windsor Housing Trust will host a landlord education workshop on Saturday, Nov. 3, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., in its community room at 68 Birge St.
Speakers will include Angela Zaikowski, president of the Vermont Landlords Association, and Jessica Hyman, Fair Housing Educator from Thriving Communities. Others will speak on home repair and financial planning.
The workshop meets the pre-purchase education requirement for most lenders for 1- to 4-unit investment or rental properties. The $99 cost includes lunch and take-home materials. Register at HomeMattersHere.org or call 802-246-2118 for more information.
Newfane church prepares for food drive
NEWFANE - The First Congregational Church is working this year to assist the Food Shelf, housed in the Townshend Church on the Common, which serves the towns of Athens, Brookline, Jamaica, Wardsboro, Newfane, and Townshend.
A food drive will take place on Sunday, Nov. 4.
“Food insecurity is a fact of life in our communities. Help is needed and all community residents are encouraged to support the church's effort to fill the need,” organizers write.
Trucks provided by Bucky Pelsue and Ken Bower will be parked in front of the church from 9 a.m. to noon. Church and other community members are urged to bring donations of nonperishable and holiday-related food items as well as personal care and household supplies to fill the trucks.
Anyone with questions about this major effort of Newfane Church's mission outreach may call Pat Lincoln, the church's representative on the food shelf board, at 802-221-0600.
NewBrook Fire Dept. seeks auction items
NEWFANE - The NewBrook Fire Department's annual Peace & Goodwill Dinner and Silent Auction will be held on Saturday, Dec. 1. This is the 16th year the fire department, servicing Newfane and Brookline, has hosted the event.
The committee is seeking donations: gift certificates, handcrafted items, antiques, furniture, arts and crafts, indoor and outdoor household and holiday items, and gift baskets. All gently used items need to be clean and in good working order. Pick-up service can be arranged.
Individuals and businesses can also give cash donations, with checks made payable to NewBrook Fire Department.
For more information, or to arrange a pickup for a donated item, contact Polly Casanova at 802-365-7149 or Pollycas@myfairpoint.net, or Lauri Miner at 802-365-4194 or ldm@svcable.net.
Library seeks book-sale donations
BRATTLEBORO - Brooks Memorial Library is now accepting donations until Nov. 23 for its upcoming book sale to be held on Nov. 29 and 30 and Dec. 1.
This is the library's “like-new” book sale of books in good condition that have been read once or twice. They will be reviewed by staff for quality and suitability for the sale.
The library is seeking hardcover, soft cover, and trade paperbacks in both fiction and nonfiction, as well as audio books on CD, music CDs, DVDs, and puzzles, as well as children's and young adult books.
Contact the 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 when the library is open (10 a.m.–9 p.m., Monday–Wednesday; 10 a.m.–6 p.m., Thursday and Friday; 10 a.m.–5 p.m., Saturday).