Free yoga for kids at Putney Library
PUTNEY - Children ages 5-10 are invited to join Melissa Dawson for a free, three-week session of Childlight Yoga on Thursdays, Aug. 8, 15, and 22, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., at the Putney Public Library, 55 Main St. Drop in to any of the three classes or come for the whole session.
Yoga class will run from 6:30 to 7:15 p.m., with an optional 10- to 15-minute evaluation for parents to complete to help Dawson finish her certification requirements.
Dawson is a Putney mother of three, family therapist, and lover of singing and dancing with children who is working toward certification in Childlight Yoga to make yoga accessible to her clients and children in the community.
Childlight Yoga is a fun, creative, developmentally-focused model of children's yoga that uses music, games, stories, and props to engage children in yoga postures and introduces children to yoga principles.
Town offices to close for picnic
BRATTLEBORO - Most Brattleboro Town Offices will be closed Friday, August 9, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. for the annual employees' picnic.
The Town Clerk's Office will remain open and all emergency services will remain in full operation.
Healing walk at Manitou
WILLIAMSVILLE - The Manitou Project will hold a healing walk on Friday, Aug. 9, from 4 to 6 p.m. This meditative walk on Manitou's Sanctuary Trail will be led collaboratively by Ro Corbin 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, rain or shine, until October. For information, contact Mayer at 802-258-8598.
Pancake breakfast in Halifax
HALIFAX - On Saturday, Aug. 10, at the Halifax Community Hall at 20 Brook Rd. in West Halifax, there will be a benefit breakfast with servings from 7 to 9:30 a.m.
There will be pancakes (plain, blueberry, and chocolate chip), sausage, eggs Benedict, scrambled eggs, and hash browns, with juice and coffee or tea. The cost is $8 for adults, $3 for children 12 and under, and free for pre-schoolers.
Proceeds will benefit the third Halifax Celebration day, to be held on Sept. 28. For information, call Patty at 802-368-7390 or 368-7160. Everyone is welcome.
Free summer concert at Athens Brick Meetinghouse
ATHENS - The Athens Brick Meetinghouse Committee, in conjunction with the Athens Historic Preservation Society, presents the 2Bit 2Man Froggy Went A Courtin' Orchestra for a free concert on Saturday, Aug. 10, in the 1817 Brick Meetinghouse.
Local musicians Ron Bos-Lun and Walter Slowinski are two good friends who have been playing together for more than 20 years. They play unrestrained, fun, funky folk with a special love for goofy kid's songs.
At 5:30 p.m., prior to the concert, hamburgers, hot dogs, and desserts can be purchased for concertgoers to enjoy a picnic dinner on the Meetinghouse Common. Bring a blanket. The concert starts at 6:30 p.m. inside the Meetinghouse.
This national historic landmark will be open for tours during these events. Donations made to the Athens Historic Preservation Society are fully tax deductible and will support ongoing efforts to preserve the Meetinghouse.
The Meetinghouse is located at 2 Meetinghouse Rd., in Athens. For more information, contact Sherry Maher at 802-869-2141, email at athensmeetinghouse1817@gmail.com, or follow Athens Meetinghouse on Facebook.
Twilight on the Tavern Lawn presents Planet Zydeco
PUTNEY - Twilight Music presents Planet Zydeco performing their high energy accordion/guitar driven dance music of Louisiana in the sixth concert of the Twilight on the Tavern Lawn series on Sunday, Aug. 11, at 6 p.m. in downtown Putney on the Putney Tavern lawn (bring a lawn chair or blanket) or at Next Stage at 15 Kimball Hill in case of rain.
The concert is free to the public (donations are accepted) and food will be available. For information, visit www.twilightmusic.org or call 802-387-5772.
Bible school offered in Dummerston
EAST DUMMERSTON - Vacation Bible School for ages 3 years through sixth-grade will be offered at Windham Community Chapel, 850 U.S. Route 5, Aug. 12 through 16, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Join them for a fun evening with dinner, music, crafts, games, and Bible stories. The final night, on Aug. 16, will be Friday Family Night as parents will join their children for a barbecue and carnival.
For more information, call Pastor Gary DeHaas at 802-254-8872
State to hold forum on mental health care
BRATTLEBORO - The Commissioner of the Vermont Department of Mental Health invites everyone to a conversation about Vermont's mental health system of care.
A forum will be held Tuesday, Aug. 13, at the Brattleboro Area Middle School, 109 Sunny Acres, Brattleboro, with two available sessions: 1 to 4 p.m., or 4:30 to 8 p.m., with a light dinner buffet available at the evening session.
The Vermont Department of Mental Health is holding a series of public forums around the state this summer in order to hear thoughts and suggestions from Vermonters about our mental health system of care. These conversations will inform the basis of a shared commitment and accountability for a 10-year vision of an integrated, holistic health care system.
RSVP with the session you will attend (afternoon or evening) to jennifer.rowell@vermont.gov. While it isn't necessary to reserve a spot, organizers say it would be helpful so they have an idea of how many people will attend.
Barn dance benefits asylum seekers
SAXTONS RIVER - A barn dance Tuesday, Aug. 13, will help support asylum-seekers who are seeking a better life in the U.S.
The Community Asylum Seekers Project will host the dance at 5 p.m. in the barn of Mary Hepburn at 27 Pleasant Street, Saxtons River, with live music and calling for dancing by Andy Toepfer.
Those attending are asked to bring a dish to share and their preferred beverages. There is no charge, but donations to CASP will be welcome.
CASP is supporting 14 asylum seekers who are living with families throughout Windham County while they await their court dates. Founded in 2016, CASP provides material and moral support for those seeking relief from violence and poverty in their home countries.
Further information is available at caspvt.org or on Facebook.
'Debating Our Rights' series looks at Fourth Amendment
BRATTLEBORO - On Wednesday, Aug. 14, at 7 p.m., Meg Mott, professor of politics at Marlboro College, will lead a discussion on the Fourth Amendment at Brooks Memorial Library, 224 Main St., as part of the Debating Our Rights series.
The Fourth Amendment not only requires police to show a warrant before entering a home, it also requires all searches and seizures to be reasonable, a determination left to juries after the fact. Along with these protections against zealous investigators, the Fourth has come to be associated with the right to privacy, a word that never shows up in the Constitution.
Once again, the evening will begin and conclude with a rendering of the Amendment by the Constitution Chorus. Led by composer Neely Bruce, local singers will perform Bruce's motet, composed in the style of 18th-century composer William Billings.
Mott will provide a brief overview of constitutional interpretation, “a game,” she notes, “that not only Supreme Court Justices can play. By looking at the historical context as well as more recent Supreme Court decisions, the Debating Our Rights series is designed to give ordinary citizens the tools to jump into the fray.”
Thanks to the Friends of Brooks Memorial Library, this event is free and open to the public. For more information, call the reference desk at 802-254-5290, ext. 1220.
Brattleboro Area Hospice to host volunteer training in Bellows Falls
BELLOWS FALLS - Beginning Monday, Sept. 9, Brattleboro Area Hospice will offer its Hospice Care Volunteer Training in Bellows Falls. This 33-hour volunteer training will run on Mondays through November 18, from 5 to 8 p.m.
Throughout Windham County, hospice volunteers aid neighbors and their families who are living with life-threatening illnesses. Help may range from running errands to gardening to emotional and practical support. Hospice care volunteers report the work is challenging yet very rewarding.
To request an application, call the office at 802-387-2723 or facilitator Bettina Berg at 802-387-2723. The application deadline for this training is Aug. 23.