Senior Meal in Halifax Friday
HALIFAX — The monthly Senior Meal will be Friday, Sept. 18, at the Halifax Community Hall, 20 Brook Rd. The lunch opens at 11:30 a.m. with socializing and an appetizer, and the main meal will be served at noon. Vegetable soup, shepherd’s pie, green beans, rolls, and dessert are on the menu.
The venue is wheelchair accessible via the rear door and has an accessible bathroom. Organizers suggest a $4 donation for people 60 and older and $5 for others. For more information or to make a reservation for a large group, call Bettye at 802-368-7797.
Athens Community Center hosts Chili Cook-Off
ATHENS — The Athens Community Center will host its fourth annual Chili Cook-Off Saturday, Sept. 19, from 5 to 7 p.m. at 28 Brookline Rd.
Contestants can enter for free, and tasters will vote to pick three winners, with cash prizes of $100, $50, and $25. Organizers request a $5 donation to taste and vote, and $5 to take extra chili home. To enter the contest, email Krista at krista.ann.gay@gmail.com.
Senior Lunch in Dummerston Sept. 23
DUMMERSTON — Evening Star Grange and Senior Solutions will host the next Senior Lunch Wednesday, Sept. 23, at 1008 East-West Rd. The meal begins at noon; take-out is available between 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m.
The entree will be meatloaf, with the option of plant-based meatloaf for vegetarians. Also on the menu are mashed potatoes and gravy, Harvard beets, corn casserole, and apple crisp.
Organizers suggest a donation of $4 for people 60 and older who are eating in and $5 for all take-out meals and for diners under 60. Reservations are highly recommended. Call 802-254-1138 and leave a voicemail with your name, phone number, number of meals desired, and whether you plan to eat at the grange or take your meal home.
One-on-one help with Medicare enrollment, other benefits
SPRINGFIELD — Senior Solutions will present five support sessions this month in the Brattleboro area to help older adults navigate Medicare enrollment and other state and federal programs.
A Medicare specialist will lead two sessions on preparing for Medicare open enrollment. The first is slated for Monday, Sept. 21, at 5:30 p.m. at Brattleboro Memorial Hospital, 17 Belmont Ave. in Brattleboro. The second is Thursday, Sept. 24, at 1 p.m. at Moore Free Library, 23 West St. in Newfane.
Other outreach staff from Senior Solutions will host three events to help people apply for food assistance, fuel assistance, and other benefits.
Sessions are scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 17, from 4 to 6 p.m. at Brooks Memorial Library, 224 Main St. in Brattleboro; Wednesday, Sept. 23, from 9 to 11 a.m. at the Brattleboro Senior Center, 207 Main St. in Brattleboro; and Friday, Sept. 25, from noon to 2 p.m. at the Putney Foodshelf, 10 Christian Square in Putney.
For more information, contact Senior Solutions at 802-885-2669 or info@seniorsolutionsvt.org.
Food drop in Putney Sept. 24
PUTNEY — The next food drop will be Thursday, Sept. 24, from 9 to 9:45 a.m. at 78 River Rd.
The food drop, cosponsored by Vermont Food Bank and Putney Foodshelf, is free and open to all and provides both produce and nonperishable foods. Find more details, including a map, at putneyfoodshelf.org/food-drop.
A ‘lively’ wildlife talk planned in Londonderry
LONDONDERRY — The Londonderry Conservation Commission will host a talk about beavers with naturalist Patti Smith Thursday, Sept. 24, at 5:30 p.m., in the library of the Flood Brook School, 91 Vermont Route 11.
Smith, a wildlife rehabilitator, also wrote and illustrated The Beavers of Popple’s Pond: Sketches from the Life of an Honorary Rodent. She will lead a “lively” talk and discussion, organizers said in a news release, on resolving the conflicts that often arise when beavers’ activities impact human-built infrastructure.
Smith will also share “how people in some Vermont communities are working to create beaver harmony,” according to the news release. The talk is designed for people of all ages and will include a Q&A.
Annual Chamber Awards Soirée is Sept. 24
BRATTLEBORO — The Brattleboro Regional Chamber of Commerce’s annual Chamber Awards Soirée will be held Thursday, Sept. 24, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Brattleboro Country Club, 58 Senator Gannett Dr.
The event “honors the people, businesses, and organizations that make this region a stronger place to live and work,” organizers said in a news release. Awards are given in three categories: Person of the Year, Chamber Member of the Year, and Entrepreneur of the Year.
Light refreshments will be served, and there will be a cash bar. RSVP at bit.ly/chamber-soiree.
Are you ready for an emergency? Find out from an expert.
WEST DUMMERSTON — Dummerston’s emergency management director, Rich Cogliano, will explain how people and organizations can prepare for emergencies Thursday, Sept. 24, at 6 p.m.
Cogliano will share “simple, collaborative strategies and offer information about local preparedness activities, state trends, and the future of disaster response,” organizers said in a news release, adding that Cogliano focuses on “practical readiness and long-term community resilience.”
In addition to his role with the town, Cogliano is an independent consultant who designs emergency exercises for jurisdictions across the U.S. He also worked for 17 years with Vermont Emergency Management and 19 years as a volunteer firefighter and emergency medical technician.
An epic cycle: tales from poet Ben Lord’s 700-mile bike odyssey
PUTNEY — Poet, science teacher, and YouTuber Ben Lord will present “700 Miles Through French Canada: A Practical Guide to Freedom on Two Wheels” Thursday, Sept. 24, at 6:30 p.m. at the Putney Public Library, 55 Main St.
Lord will share stories and lead a discussion about “what he learned about life on two wheels and about himself” while cycling 700 miles alone through Vermont, New York, and Quebec this summer, organizers said in a news release. The interactive presentation will touch on pragmatic topics like gear, hydration, and lodging. The talk could also “inspire you to take to the open road,” said the release.
For more information, call the library at 802-387-4407.
This Town and Village item was submitted to The Commons.