Greater Falls Connections meets Jan. 26
BELLOWS FALLS - Greater Falls Connections will co-host its monthly coalition meeting from noon to 1 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 26, at Parks Place Community Center on 44 School St. with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Vermont.
The topics of this month's meeting are National Mentoring Month and new changes for Big Brothers Big Sisters in Windham County. Come hear how mentorship creates positive changes for youth and how the community can support and get involved in Big Brothers Big Sisters programs.
The monthly coalition meetings for Greater Falls Connections provide informative presentations on issues related to substance-abuse prevention and updates on their work. Meetings are open to everyone. Lunch will be provided.
Tracks and trees in Dummerston
DUMMERSTON - Join Lynn Levine for a workshop sponsored by the Dummerston Conservation Commission on Saturday, Jan. 27 (snow date, Jan. 28), from 1 to 3 p.m. in the woods of the Nature Conservancy on Black Mountain Road, a unique geological treasure.
Participants will learn to think like the animals they are tracking and connect with the forested landscape, which includes Red Cedar Relics. Also, Levine will give tips on identifying trees in the winter.
Participants should dress for the outdoors and bring snowshoes. All workshop participants will be provided with their own copy of Levine's book, Mammal Tracks and Scat: Life-Size Pocket Guide. Cost of the workshop is $15. To register, call Lynn at 802-254-4717 or email [email protected].
How to make sense of your DNA testing results
BRATTLEBORO - DNA testing for ancestry has exploded in popularity due to aggressive marketing campaigns and lower prices. However, many people are unsure what to do with their results once they have them in hand.
Join Jennifer Stone Randolph, the owner of Touchstone Genealogy, a provider of professional genealogical services with a focus on the use of DNA testing, at Brooks Memorial Library, 224 Main St., on Saturday, Jan. 27, from 3 to 4:30 p.m., to explore genetic genealogy, which combines science, family, and solving mysteries.
Learn the types of information testing provides, its accuracy, and how best to use it to further your family research. Real-life examples and case studies will illustrate the kinds of questions testing can and cannot answer. Issues such as privacy, accuracy, the potential for discovery of unexpected results, and the importance of being an informed consumer will also be discussed.
For more information call 802-254-5290 or visit www.brookslibraryvt.org. Co-sponsored by Whetstone Brook Genealogy and Brooks Memorial Library.
Book repair class offered at Brooks Library
BRATTLEBORO - Join master bookbinder and restorer Marshall Brooks for a demonstration and hands-on opportunity to investigate the process of book repair at Brooks Memorial Library, 224 Main St., on Wednesday, Jan. 31, at 7 p.m.
Participants will learn a book's anatomy, identify typical book failures, and explore appropriate materials and approaches to preserving precious personal volumes.
West Dover resident Marshall Brooks has been binding books for 40 years, largely in support of his literary arts press imprint, Arts End Books, which he began in 1979. His work is found in libraries and special collections both in the U.S. and abroad.
This program is free and open to the public and is in partnership with People Places and Words of Brattleboro, Vermont. For more information, call 802-254-5290 or visit www.brookslibraryvt.org.
AARP Tax-Aide program offers free filing assistance
BRATTLEBORO - Free tax assistance and preparation for taxpayers with low and moderate income, with special attention to those 60 and older, is available from AARP Foundation Tax-Aide from early February through the middle of April. You don't need to be a member of AARP or a retiree to use this service.
AARP Foundation Tax-Aide volunteers, trained in cooperation with the Internal Revenue Service, will offer help with personal income tax returns at various locations in the Brattleboro area. Call for an appointment.
Tax-Aides will be available at the Brattleboro Senior Center on Main Street (802-257-7570) on Tuesdays from 1 to 4 p.m., and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to noon; at Community Bible Chapel on Atwood Street (802-257-1594) on Wednesdays from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.; and at the VFW on Black Mountain Road (802-490-8745) on Mondays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Brattleboro Area Hospice to offer new grief support group
BRATTLEBORO - A new seven-week Bereavement Support Group for adults begins Feb. 1 and will meet each Thursday from 5 to 6:30 p.m., ending March 15.
This group is sponsored by Brattleboro Area Hospice and will meet at the hospice office at 191 Canal St. Connie Baxter is the facilitator of the group. Interested individuals must meet with her prior to the first session; call her at 802-257-0775, ext. 104, by Jan. 29, for a pre-group appointment. The group size is limited to 8 people.
Participation is free of charge and open to anyone in the community grieving the death of a loved one, no matter when or where the loss occurred.
Job-readiness classes available for local teens
BRATTLEBORO - During the month of February, the Boys & Girls Club of Brattleboro in partnership with the Vermont Department of Labor is hosting a series of free workshops, for all area teens, on job readiness.
These workshops will be held every Friday in February from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. On Feb. 2, the topic is “Labor Market, Job Seeking: What Employers Look For” as well as an introduction to the Career Resource Center.
“Writing an Awesome Resume” will be covered on Feb. 9, while on Feb. 16, “How to Nail the Job Interview” will be presented. The series will conclude with mock job interviews on Feb. 23.
All area teens are encouraged to attend any or all of these workshops, whether they are working now or looking for employment, hoping to get a summer job, or know at some time in the future they will be looking for a job. The skills gained here could give you the leg up to get the perfect job.
For more information or questions, contact Gabriel at 802-254-5990, ext. 102.
Free parenting class offered
BRATTLEBORO - Positive Solutions for Families, a free, six-week, parenting-education series, will begin on Monday, Feb. 26. The series provides information for families on how to promote children's social and emotional skills and how to use positive approaches to help children learn appropriate behavior.
The six sessions are designed to give parents new strategies to handle daily routines, cope with challenging behavior, and help children learn to solve simple social problems.
Participants will learn to create and nurture success in their child, how to avoid being drawn into energizing negativity, and how to have clear rules and clear and consistent consequences. The program is designed for families with children ages 3 to 6.
The course will be held at the Mulberry Bush Independent School on the grounds of the Brattleboro Retreat, 1 Anna Marsh Lane, from 5 to 7 p.m. The dates are: Feb. 26, March 5, 12, 19, 26 and April 2. Child care and dinner are provided for free.
The course is presented by Brandy Levesque, Winston Prouty Center Consultation and Education, and Janice Stockman, WSESU early childhood coordinator. To register, call Janice at 802-254-3755.