May the 4th be with you at Library's First Wednesday lecture
BRATTLEBORO - Celebrate “Star Wars Day” as the final Vermont Humanities Council Lecture of the season examines The Force of a Story Told in Parts: Star Wars, Fandom and Seriality.
From Dickens to Game of Thrones, stories told in piecemeal style have shown their power to command a reader's attention. In this aptly scheduled talk author Anne Moore examines how Star Wars' serialized structure encourages readers to fill the gaps between installments with their own imaginative play. Costumes are encouraged!
The First Wednesday lecture series, a collaboration between the Vermont Humanities Council and Vermont public libraries, will be delivered in-person at Brooks Memorial Library, 224 Main St. Brattleboro on Wednesday, May 4 at 7 p.m.
Masking is optional, but appreciated. For more information, call 802-254-5290 or visit brookslibraryvt.org.
Also, the library is happy to announce the return to full hours starting this week - Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Thursdays and Fridays, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m,; and Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The Nature Museum presents program on beavers
GRAFTON - The Nature Museum of Grafton presents a beaver pond exploration with the Vermont Department of Fish & Wildlife on Saturday, May 7, from 1 to 3 p.m., at the Turner Hill Wildlife Management Area. This program is free, with optional sliding scale donations of $10, $15, and $20.
“These charismatic rodents nearly disappeared from the Vermont landscape, but they continue to play a pivotal role in Vermont's ecological communities,” notes a news release. Join wildlife specialist Tyler Brown and wildlife biologist Chris Bernier for an afternoon exploring a local and unique beaver flowage in the Turner Hill area.
Registration required. This event will happen rain or shine. This event location does not have facilities. Please be prepared for off-trail hiking conditions that may include uneven, muddy, wet, and brushy terrain. For more information, call 802-843-2111 or visit nature-museum.org.
Village history explored at Westminster West Library
WESTMINSTER WEST - A treasure trove of village history is on display at the Westminster West Library, 3409 Westminster West Rd., from Friday to Sunday, May 6 to 8. The exhibition “Village Treasure: the West Parish between the Wars 1870–1910” includes historic photos and maps, featuring the families and farms of the West Parish, a collection of portraits called “Grand Old Women of Westminster West,” the Fire of 1917, and more.
Westory! is the Library's newly accessible archive ranging from 22 Victorian photo albums to the 4-H Club scrapbooks of the 1990s and reminiscences of life in Westminster West during the 20th century. Westory! gathers these unique local materials to provide a window on the past and a link to the community today.
A series of exhibitions and events will take place this year, starting with an open house at the library on Friday, May 6, from 5 to 9 p.m., to introduce the new Westory! displays. There will also be information on the automated 500,000-volume Catamount loan system the library recently joined, as well as refreshments. All are welcome to attend. For further information, contact librarian Lise Cavanaugh at westminsterwestlibrary@aol.com or curator Mary Scherbatskoy at 802-387-5507.
Senior lunch served in Dummerston
DUMMERSTON - Evening Star Grange and Senior Solutions will present their next meal on Wednesday, May 11, with take-outs available from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., and eat-in meals being served at noon.
This time the meal will include corned beef hash or tortellini with spinach casserole, green bean casserole, and cole slaw, with mixed fruit cobbler for dessert. Reservations are requested and can be made by calling 802-254-1138. Leave your name, phone number, and number and choice of meals by 5 p.m. May 10. A donation of $3 for those 60 and older, and $4 for those 59 and younger, is suggested.
BMAC, BEEC present Night Skies & Stories on May 14
BRATTLEBORO - The Brattleboro Museum & Art Center (BMAC) and Bonnyvale Environmental Education Center (BEEC) will present “Night Skies & Stories,” a free stargazing and storytelling event, on Saturday, May 14, at 8 p.m. The rain date for this event is the following day, Sunday, May 15. Space is limited. Register at brattleboromuseum.org or 802-257-0124 x101.
Participants will meet at BEEC to view the night sky through telescopes, hear a short talk about the night sky, listen to storyteller Michael Caduto, and share their own stories about the moon and stars. Attendees should bring a blanket or a folding chair and be prepared for a short hike to a viewing hill at BEEC.
This event is presented in connection with “Big Bang Votive,” an art installation at BMAC created by Yvette Molina in collaboration with students and teachers at the Windham Regional Career Center and oral historians at the Vermont Folklife Center.
Molina gathers stories from people about what sparks delight or inspires love in their lives. Each person chooses a symbol to represent their story, which Molina renders in egg tempera paint, set against a starry blue field. The exhibit is on view at BMAC through Sunday, June 12.
Prior to “Night Skies and Stories,” BMAC will host a celebration of spring exhibits, free and open to all, on Saturday, May 14, at 5 p.m. in the museum's galleries and under a tent on the front lawn.