Renovations begin at BF Middle School
BELLOWS FALLS - The Bellows Falls Middle School renovation project is under way, leading to significant changes that will take place this week.
First, the gymnasium will no longer be in use. Instead, students will be bussed to Hadley Field for physical education classes. On rainy days, academic PE classes will be held in a BFMS classroom.
Second, construction will begin in the front of the building during school vacation. Trees will be removed, the lawn will be graded, and artificial turf will be laid. The only open entrance to the building will be on the right side (facing the school).
Green Up to Recovery day in Wilmington
WILMINGTON - This year, Green Up day is a week early in Wilmington.
Green Up to Recovery is set for April 28, co-sponsored by the town Green Up volunteers and the Wilmington Beautification Committee. The two groups have teamed up to pick up river and construction debris left by Tropical Storm Irene, along with the usual annual roadside Green Up clean up.
The Town of Wilmington will pick up and dispose of trash by Friday, May 4 (no household trash allowed). Green Up bags and larger, heavier trash bags will be available at Buzzy Towne Park from 9-10:30 a.m. on April 28. If you need assistance, or have noticed debris that needs removal, contact Kathy Larsen at [email protected] or Mary Wright at [email protected].
Turning Point honors Deyo with 'roast' on April 28
BRATTLEBORO - Turning Point of Windham County is honoring board member Jeanne Deyo with a “roast” and dinner celebration on Saturday, April 28, from 6-9 p.m.
Deyo has been involved with Turning Point since the early planning meetings, before the center even had a home. She's served on the board of trustees for several years, generously giving her time to support events, advocate for recovery, and attend weekly volunteer meetings.
In honor of her 65th birthday, and in celebration of her support and work for Turning Point, she agreed to share the occasion with the community. She has requested that, in lieu of birthday gifts, people donate to the center (suggested $25 for the event). You'll find the party at 112 Hardwood Way, off Putney Road near exit 3, behind KFC and Taco Bell. Head to the back of the parking lot, the far right-hand corner, and look for their sign (and the big Weight Watchers sign).
Turning Point of Windham County provides free services for people in recovery from addictions. The center is a safe, supportive gathering place that provides peer support and recovery support services. Contact the organization at 802-257-5600 or [email protected], or check out its page on Facebook.
Osher lectures on Shakespeare in the movies, modern American poetry
DUMMERSTON - The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) will continue this spring's series of lectures on Monday, April 30.
In the morning program, Marlboro College Theater Professor Paul Nelsen will discuss Shakespeare's Macbeth as brought to the screen. The afternoon OLLI lectures will be given by T. Hunter Wilson, a writing and literature instructor, also from Marlboro. He will lecture on Wallace Stevens's poetry.
Morning lectures begin at 10 a.m. and run until noon. Afternoon programs run from 1-3 p.m. All lectures take place at the Southeast Vermont Learning Collaborative, 471 Vermont Route 5, in Dummerston. Parking and handicapped access are available.
OLLI is a membership organization sponsoring programs for people aged 50 and older who wish to continue their education without tests, papers, or grades. Payment of dues ($40) entitles full members to attend all 12 lectures. Lectures are also open to nonmembers for a fee of $5 per lecture.
For more information, call 802-257-8600 or toll-free 866-889-0042.
Brattleboro Area Hospice offers class in 'letting go'
BRATTLEBORO - “Letting Go: An Aspect of Loving,” a free wellness session, will be held at Brew Barry Conference Center at Brattleboro Memorial Hospital on Monday, April 30, from 6-8 p.m.
Cheryl Richards, an end-of-life and grief counselor and a Hospice care coordinator at Brattleboro Area Hospice, will facilitate.
Learning how to let go of what was, and welcome what's to come, requires practice. Learn simple letting go exercises. This session is helpful for anyone, whether one is working on releasing minor daily aggravations, experiencing an illness, or saying goodbye to a relationship. To register for this free program, call Brattleboro Area Hospice at 802-257-0775.
Massage offered for cancer patients and families
TOWNSHEND - Grace Cottage Hospital will offer a special massage service on Saturday, May 5, for cancer patients, their families, and their caregivers.
The 30-minute massages will be provided on a donation-for-service basis at the Grace Cottage Hospital Community Wellness Center, 133 Grafton Rd. (Route 35). Reservations are required.
Certified Massage Therapist Gila Koch was inspired to offer this service after the passing from cancer of several clients and a dear friend. She has taken several courses in massage for people with cancer, including one at Memorial Sloan-Kettering in New York City. She also did volunteer massage at the Weekend of Hope in Stowe, which offered workshops and free services for people living with cancer.
To learn more and to schedule an appointment, call Koch at 802-365-4647. For general information about programs at the Grace Cottage Community Wellness Center, visit www.gracecottage.org/calendar or call 802-365-3649.
Nardozzi leads gardening workshop to benefit Parks Place
WALPOLE, N.H. - Charlie Nardozzi, nationally recognized gardening writer, speaker, and host of the Vermont Garden Journal on Vermont Public Radio, will present a gardening workshop on May 6 from 3 to 5 p.m. (2:30-3 p.m. auction preview) at Alyson's Orchard on Route 12.
The topic of discussion will be “Growing Great Fruits and Vegetables in Vermont and New Hampshire.”
The event, a fundraiser for Parks Place Community Center in Bellows Falls, features an array of refreshments, a cash bar, and a silent auction featuring local art and many other unique items. Admission is by donation.
Visit www.parksplacevt.org to learn more about the organization. To donate, or to ask questions about the event, contact Development Director Margaret Grisczenkow at 802-463-9927, ext. 109, or via email at [email protected].
End-of-life ethics to be discussed at May 9 teleconference
BRATTLEBORO - End-of-life ethics is the subject of this year's annual teleconference by Hospice Foundation of America, a free presentation by Brattleboro Area Hospice and the Marlboro College Graduate Center, on May 9 from 1:30 to 5 p.m. at the Marlboro College Graduate Center on Vernon Street.
Ethical decisions at the end of life involve many considerations such as finances, laws, values, culture, technology, and psychology. The decisions that are made at the end of life affect not only the way a person dies, but also the ways that survivors face their loss. These decisions may also influence staff, affecting morale and turnover, which consequently have an impact on patient care and support for families struggling with grief.
As part of the afternoon's forum, a panel of three local professionals, Ryan Murphy from Brattleboro Area Hospice, Dr. Carolyn Taylor-Olson, and Dr. Robert Tortalani, will lead a discussion.
CEU credits are available. Doors will open at 1 p.m. and the program begins promptly at 1:30. Light refreshments will be available.
Space is limited and registration is required. To register, call Brattleboro Area Hospice at 802-257-0775.
Free cancer screening for women offered
BRATTLEBORO - Here's an opportunity to either get free cervical cancer screening, or suggest that the women in your life do the same.
The Hicks Foundation is partnering with Planned Parenthood of Northern New England and the Vermont Department of Health's “Ladies First” program to launch a Free Pap Day on Saturday, May 12 in Brattleboro for all women who are un- or underinsured.
The Brattleboro Health Center (402 Canal Street) will host women's wellness exams, Pap tests, and heart health screening as well as HPV tests and vaccines from 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
Childcare and food will be provided at no charge, with transportation arranged. Organizers encourage appointments, but walk-ins are also welcome. For more information, visit www.freepap.org or call 800-510-2282 to make an appointment.
Nominations sought for education award
BRATTLEBORO - Do you have a child with an excellent early childhood teacher? Windham Child Care Association seeks nominations for the 2012 Early Childhood Educator of the Year Award from parents, grandparents, employers, friends, and peers. Nominees must be early childhood educators working in family- or center-based child-care programs regulated by the state.
Successful candidates will be knowledgeable of early childhood development, create a safe, loving, creative, stimulating environment for young children, nurture each child's growth, work with parents as partners in supporting the healthy development of their children, and demonstrate commitment to the field of early childhood education.
Deadline for nominations is Thursday, May 31. Nominations can be made online at www.surveymonkey.com/s/earlyeducatoraward. Nomination forms can be found at www.windhamchildcare.org, along with a listing of award winners from the last 23 years. All nominators will be automatically entered into a drawing for a $50 gift certificate to Altiplano in Brattleboro.
For more information, contact Sarah DiNicola at Windham Child Care Association 802-254-5332, ext 310, or [email protected].