'Load the Latchis' food drive is Aug. 18
BRATTLEBORO - WKVT and Latchis Arts will hold the sixth annual “Load the Latchis” food drive Thursday, Aug. 18.
From 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., volunteers will be on Flat Street outside the Latchis Building for curbside drop-off of food and monetary donations, which help stock the Groundworks Collaborative food shelf.
Last year's event placed a full bag of groceries on each of the 750 seats inside the main theater of the Latchis and raised more than $2,000. Donation suggestions include such nonperishable items as peanut butter, tuna fish, pasta, boxed meals, canned meats, fruits, and vegetables, as well as hygiene products and diapers. For more information, visit www.wkvt.com.
Full moon singing insects at BEEC
WEST BRATTLEBORO - As summer wanes, the calls of insects replace the songs of frogs and birds. Learn to recognize some of the interesting songs and their singers on Thursday, Aug. 18, at 7 p.m., at the Bonnyvale Environmental Education Center.
On this full moon night, BEEC naturalist Patti Smith will begin the program with an introduction to the groups of singing insects and some of the most distinctive musicians. A walk to the summit of Heifer Hill follows, where the group will look for the different crickets and katydids and enjoy their songs and the light of the full moon. For information, visit www.beec.org or call 802-257-5785.
Vernon Historians present 'Mums and More Sale'
VERNON - The annual “Mums and More Sale” will be held on Sunday, Aug. 21, from 2 to 5 p.m., at the Vernon Historical Museum located at 4201 Fort Bridgman Rd. (one mile north of the Massachusetts border).
The sale is a fundraiser for the Vernon Historians and will feature a selection of mum plants from Griffin Gardens. Also for sale will be stoneware pottery by Pacem Pottery (Bronna Zlochiver), a selection of jams, dilly beans, pickles, and other tasty treats made by Carol Moore, and a variety of handcrafted items by Jean Carr and June Courtemanche.
The museum will be open for visitors during the sale, and Vermont projects by the Vernon Elementary School fourth grade will be on display in the Annex Building.
The museum is open each year from June through September on Sunday afternoons from 2 to 4 p.m. and also by appointment. Visit Vernon Historians Inc. on Facebook for more information.
Ice cream social benefits Meeting House repairs
ATHENS - Join the Athens Historic Preservation Society on Sunday, Aug. 21, from 2 to 4 p.m., for a sweet fundraiser on the Brick Meeting House lawn and learn about the Stabilization Project soon to be underway.
Ice cream and sundae toppings will be served. Suggested donation: $7 each or $25 maximum for families of 4 or more. Proceeds support the Athens Historic Preservation Society and efforts to save the beautiful 1817 Athens Brick Meeting House. For more information, contact Beth Ann Agostini at 802-365-7740.
Write Action hosts annual picnic
GUILFORD - Write Action will hold its annual picnic on Sunday, Aug. 21 (rain date: Aug. 28), from noon to 4 p.m., at Tom and Nancy Ragle's homestead on Hill Road.
Join other area writers to share good food, participate in an open reading, hear the winning entries of this year's poetry and prose contest, and share your writing news.
There will be an opportunity to sign up to volunteer at the Brattleboro Literary Festival and hear about this year's visiting authors.
To get to the Ragles, take a right just over the little bridge on Route 5 in Guilford. Go 0.6 miles to their farmhouse. There will be plenty of parking in the field.
Bring a dish, and writing, to share. A chair or blanket is helpful. Write Action will supply soft drinks, plates, cups, and utensils. Badminton, croquet, and horseshoes will be available.
Free mental health services expanded
TOWNSHEND - Behavioral Health Specialist Caroline Chase is now working full-time at Grace Cottage Family Health in Townshend, thanks to a grant from the Fannie Holt Ames & Edna Louise Holt Fund.
Chase joined the Grace Cottage staff in October 2015. A member of the Grace Cottage Community Health Team, her short-term counseling services are offered free of charge, as are those of the CHT's RN Care Coordinators, Health Coaches, and Diabetes Educator.
The Grace Cottage CHT works with individuals to assess their health, develop plans, and establish attainable goals, especially helpful for managing a chronic condition. A referral from a medical provider isn't necessary. Any resident of Southern Vermont can contact the CHT directly for an appointment. No insurance is needed, and there are no co-pays or deductibles.
For more information about the Grace Cottage CHT, visit www.gracecottage.org/our-services or call 802-365-3715.
Dancers take award at World Dance Championships
BRATTLEBORO - Seven junior dancers from Kelly's Dance Academy represented Dummerston, Vernon, Guilford, West Chesterfield, N.H., Brattleboro, Williamsville, and Dover as they headed to the World Dance Championships in The Meadowlands in East Rutherford, N.J., on August 6.
Their fast-moving tap routine earned them one of two coveted Performance Awards in a field of 19 other dances, with groups competing from many states and six other countries.
“What an amazing journey these girls have had this year,” said Kelly Shield, the choreographer and studio director, in a news release.
On the team were Ally Foard, Brooke Whelan, Annika Crego, Carly Gallivan, Reese Miner, Clara Fagley, and Morgan Houghton.
Hospice offers volunteer training
BRATTLEBORO - Beginning Tuesday, Sept. 20, Brattleboro Area Hospice will offer hospice care volunteer training in Brattleboro. This 33-hour volunteer training will run Tuesday mornings from Sept. 20 to Nov. 29 from 9 a.m. to noon.
Throughout Windham County, hospice volunteers aid neighbors and their families living with life-threatening illnesses. Help may range from running errands to gardening to emotional and physical support. Hospice care volunteers report the work as challenging yet very rewarding.
Space is limited to 12 people. Contact Brattleboro Area Hospice at 802-257-0775 or 802-460-1142 for an application form or for additional information. Applications are due by Sept. 2.
Brattleboro Area Hospice serves all of Windham County and receives referrals from throughout the area. Visit www.brattleborohospice.org to learn more about the organization.