Everyone Eats! provides meals to those in need
BRATTLEBORO - Everyone Eats! is a federal stimulus program that helps support restaurants in town during the COVID-19 pandemic by providing meals to anyone in Brattleboro, Guilford, Vernon, Dummerston, or Putney who has been affected by the COVID-19 crisis due to unemployment, underemployment, homelessness, or other challenges.
This program, which launched Aug. 3, will continue through the end of the month, with meals from A Vermont Table, Dosa Kitchen, Duo, Hazel, Indian Masala, MamaSezz, Porch Too, The Works, and Yalla.
Everyone Eats! plans to distribute more than 10,000 to-go meals in August. Meals will be distributed on a first-come-first-served basis Monday through Thursday from 4 to 6 p.m.
Individuals may pick up their meals at the C.F. Church building at 80 Flat St., Brattleboro, while organizations will pick up their meals at Mama Sezz at 127 Marlboro Rd. in West Brattleboro.
For more information, or to learn how to volunteer, visit brattleboro.com/everyoneeats or contact Frances Huntley at frances@brattleboro.com.
Moore Free Library hosts salon series on Constitutional issues
NEWFANE - The Moore Free Library, 23 West St., will present a series of talks by Meg Mott, self-described “Constitution wrangler” and professor emerita of politics at Marlboro College, on “What the Constitution Offers Us.”
These talks will take place outdoors in a salon-style setting where participants can share their thoughts and listen to those of others.
The talks are planned for Wednesdays in August, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Mott will discuss the First Amendment (the process of becoming an actualized citizen) on Aug. 5 (rain date, Aug. 6), the Second Amendment (the right to be an armed citizenry) on Aug. 12 (rain date, Aug. 13); the Ninth Amendment (personal and collective freedoms) on Aug. 19 (rain date, Aug. 20); and the 10th Amendment (the sovereignty of the states) on Aug. 26 (rain date, Aug. 27).
Copies of the U.S. Constitution will be given to attendees. All are welcome; attendees can bring their own chair or use those provided by the library.
For more information, call 802-365-7948 or visit moorefreelibrary.org.
RCJSVT to host two events in August
NEWFANE - Join Restorative Community Justice of Southern Vermont (RCJSVT) for our August events.
On Saturday, Aug. 8, co-facilitators Dan DeWalt and Laurie Rabut will host a conflict resolution circle training at Moore Free Library in Newfane from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Participants will learn what it takes to facilitate a conflict resolution circle, explore how to get full communication between parties, how to remain multi-partial, and how to hold a safe space to enable healing and resolution.
Email rcjsvt@gmail.com to register.
On Saturday, Aug. 15, from 1 to 4 p.m. on the Brattleboro Town Common, RCJSVT offers an afternoon of education on racial equity and inclusion in Vermont.
This event will include informational booths from Vermont social justice organizations, live music, speakers, and facilitated group discussions on topics within racial justice.
Visit bit.ly/573_racial-equity to register.
Both events are free. Masks are required, and social distancing will be followed. Visit rcjsvt.org and sign up for the organization's weekly newsletter to receive updates.
Windham County Genealogy Interest Group hosts virtual meeting
BRATTLEBORO - The second meeting of the Windham County Genealogical Interest Group will be held via Zoom on Saturday, Aug. 8, from 10 a.m. to noon.
The free meeting will be limited to the first 30 people to register, which one can do at bit.ly/windhamgen2.
Genealogists Jerry Carbone, of Whetstone Brook Genealogy, and Wayne Blanchard, genealogy volunteer at Rockingham Free Public Library, will facilitate the event, sponsored by Rockingham Free Public Library and Brooks Memorial Library.
The program will focus on using RootsMagic and Reunion, genealogical software to assist in constructing a family tree and keeping track of your research. Part of the session will be devoted to sharing genealogical research questions and planning topics for the next meeting.
The group will meet bimonthly, eventually alternating between the Brooks and Rockingham libraries when groups are able to meet physically, with dates and times to be announced.
For more information, email windhamcountygig@gmail.com.
Brooks Memorial Library hosts Census 2020 pop-up session
BRATTLEBORO - Join David Longsmith in front of Brooks Memorial Library, 224 Main St., on Tuesday, Aug. 11 from 12:30 to 5 p.m., as he answers questions and shares resources for remote completion of the 2020 Census.
Longsmith can also assist you with filling out the 2020 Census immediately if you have time. It takes only a few minutes.
Masks are required.
For more information, email him at David.a.longsmith@2020census.gov.
You can complete the census at home at 2020census.gov or call toll-free at 844-330-2020. Also, the Census is still hiring field enumerators; visit 2020census.gov/jobs for all the details.
Peach shortcake supper served in Dummerston
DUMMERSTON - The Evening Star Grange in Dummerston Center will hold a takeout-only version of its annual peach shortcake supper on Saturday, Aug. 15, with pickup time between 4:30 and 6 p.m.
The dinner menu consists of ham, baked beans, macaroni and cheese, and vegetable casserole, with peach shortcake made with homemade biscuits and real whipped cream.
Tickets will be $10 and reservations are appreciated but not mandatory. Call the Grange at 802-254-1138, and leave your name, phone number, and the number of meals you wish to reserve.
All are asked to wear masks and maintain social distancing while picking up their orders. There are no facilities to eat on the Grange property, with limited drive-up parking for those who wish to remain in their car or have difficulty walking.
Otherwise, parking will be available at the church across the street. Form a line at the side door on the south side of the building, and your meal will be brought outside to you.
Proceeds from the supper benefit the Grange's winter heating fund.
Experienced Goods is back in business
BRATTLEBORO - With its COVID-19 safety revamp complete, Experienced Goods Thrift Shop, which raises money for Brattleboro Area Hospice, is now welcoming shoppers to the store at 77 Flat St., Tuesdays through Saturdays, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The store accepts donations only on Tuesdays, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., across the street at 80 Flat St.
Certain restrictions apply.
For the month of August, Experienced Goods will accept wearables (clothes, shoes, hats, scarves, jewelry, etc.) and books.
Call the store at 802-254-5200 for more information.
BEEC offers family nature opportunities
WEST BRATTLEBORO - During the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, getting outside and connecting with nature has never been more important. While the Bonnyvale Environmental Education Center (BEEC) has been unable to offer its usual programming for kids and families this summer, the organization has have developed new ways to support families with Nature Explorers kits and personalized programs.
Families are invited to check out a Nature Explorers kit for a week for their own discoveries and explorations into Aquatic Adventures, Bug Safaris, and Tracking Mysteries. Each kit includes equipment for nature investigations, nature journaling sheets, materials for activities, activity write ups, reference books, and story books.
Kits are checked out to families from Tuesday to Friday. Before they are passed along to the next family, kits are isolated for the weekend and disinfected and restocked on Monday by staff with clean hands who wear cloth facial coverings.
Kits are available for a sliding-scale fee for families to use during August.
BEEC naturalists are also offering programs for families or small quarantine groups. These outings can be adapted to your level of fitness, adventurousness, and particular interests.
Learn more about both these offerings at beec.org, or call 802-257-5785.