Windham County Democrats to host Election Night party
BRATTLEBORO - The Windham County Democrats announce the PollStars Election Night Party, featuring special guest U.S. Rep. Becca Balint. This community event will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 5, starting at 7 p.m., at The Stone Church on Main Street.
"The PollStars Election Night Party promises to be an exciting evening with live election results, great live music, and plenty of food and drink," organizers said in a news release. "It's the perfect opportunity to come together as a community, celebrate democracy in action, and enjoy a fun, festive environment while we await the election results."
This is a free event, but space is limited. Register at bit.ly/788-dems to reserve a spot.
Election night square dance, potluck in Townshend
TOWNSHEND - An Election Night square dance and potluck will be held at the Townshend Town Hall on Tuesday, Nov. 5. Participants can enjoy a potluck supper starting at 5:30 p.m. Music and dancing with Sally Newton and the Turkey Mountain Window Smashers will follow at 6:30 p.m.
"Bring a dish. Bring a neighbor (especially the one with a different sign in the front yard), bring your civic spirits, battered and beautiful as we are, and prepare to promenade," organizers said in a news release.
Election Day book sale in Vernon
VERNON - The Vernon Free Library, 567 Governor Hunt Rd., will hold a book sale on Tuesday, Nov. 5, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. There will be books, puzzles, and more for sale, Fill your tote bag for $5, or purchase a library tote bag and fill it for $15. All proceeds will benefit library projects. For more information, contact the library at 802-257-0150 or [email protected].
Community Safety Fair is Oct. 30
BRATTLEBORO - A Community Safety Fair & Forum is scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 30, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the New England Youth Theatre (NEYT), 100 Flat St.
Organizers say local organizations "will share information with the public while providing an opportunity for continued dialogue and solution sharing. The evening will include an open house/tabling, a panel discussion, Selectboard office hours, and healing."
Informational tabling will be in the NEYT lobby and main theater from 5 to 7 p.m., with outreach teams holding a break-out session in the main theater from 5:30 to 6:15 p.m. The Selectboard "open office" listening session will take place in one of the main floor classrooms from 6 to 7 p.m. At 6:30 p.m., a trauma-informed healing activity takes place in one of the main floor classrooms. For more information about Brattleboro's Community Safety Project, visit brattleboro.gov/safety.
'Meet the Artist' at Dummerston Historical Society
DUMMERSTON - The Dummerston Historical Society will be open Sunday, Nov. 3, from 1 to 3 p.m., with a special 1:30 p.m. "Meet the Artist" presentation by Connie Evans, who will discuss the work in different media that she creates. Her primary focus has been watercolor painting but she also painted in oil and has created books and boxes with paper marbling.
All are invited to stop by to meet Evans and to view exhibits, as well as to ask questions regarding Dummerston history or family genealogy. The Historical Society is located in Dummerston Center adjacent to the Town Office. The building is handicapped accessible, and passengers can be let off at the top of the driveway before parking. All are welcome. For more information, call 802-254-9311.
BDCC hosts business solutions meet-up in Wilmington
WILMINGTON - Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation (BDCC) will host its first BizConnect event in the Deerfield Valley on Wednesday, Nov. 13, at 5 p.m. at the Vermont House, 15 West Main St. The program invites business owners and leaders to connect for the evening with drinks and light appetizers.
"BizConnect is a wonderful resource for innovative individuals to create valuable connections and network within the greater community," Samantha Kondracki, program coordinator at Wilmington Works, said in a news release. "As a free series, it perfectly complements our 'Make It on Main Street' Business Plan Competition, providing participants with the support they need to thrive and grow their ventures."
The event is co-hosted by the Southern Vermont Deerfield Valley Chamber of Commerce and Wilmington Works, as well as the economic development teams in the towns of Wilmington and Dover. Attendance is complimentary, though registration is required. Business owners interested in joining BDCC and SeVEDS at the BizConnect event should sign up at brattleborodevelopment.com/bizconnect.
Climate activism is topic for new RFPL book discussion
BELLOWS FALLS - Readers may pick up a copy of Am I Too Old To Save the Planet? A Boomer's Guide to Climate Change by Lawrence MacDonald and get ready to join in the conversation on Monday, Nov. 18, at 10:30 a.m., at the Rockingham Free Public Library. Longtime climate activists and Bellows Falls residents Laurel Green and Steve Crofter will facilitate this discussion.
The author offers strategies to fight climate change as individuals and, more importantly, as members of the growing global movement to save the planet. In the words of Third Act founder Bill McKibben, "This small book is a gem of great value: it will turn more of us older Americans from complainers and worriers into people who are fixing the problems that assail us. It makes a powerful case for generational action; if the kids can do it, so can we!"
For more information on this free program, email [email protected], call 802-463-4270 or stop by the library at 65 Westminster St.
NewBrook Fire Dept. prepares for annual Silent Auction
NEWFANE - The 22nd Annual Silent Auction to benefit NewBrook Fire and Rescue will go live Saturday, Nov. 23, through Monday, Dec. 4. This year's auction will be dedicated to the current fundraising effort to help pay for the new fire truck that has been ordered to replace aging equipment.
Besides the new, gently used, vintage, and collectable household items, furniture and furnishings, gift certificates for goods and services, gift baskets, holiday items, specialty foods and beverages, and art and crafts, the auction committee says it is seeking unique or creative donations "to make this year's event as special as the need it is helping." Donations such as a weekend or week-long vacation home stay, stays at area inns, bed and breakfasts, a pair of tickets to a regional sporting event, gift certificates for local classes or venues, and so on, would go a long way to help the auction.
For information or to arrange donation pickup, contact Samantha Wilson (802-258-0614), Lauri Miner (802-365-4194), Angela Litchfield (802-579-3143), Vikki Butynski (802-365-7053), or Jean Bristol (802-380-5031), or email [email protected]. To preview all auction items, visit 32auctions.com/newbrookfiredepartment24.
Our Place receives tribute donation
BELLOWS FALLS - Our Place Drop-in Center has been named a recipient of a large contribution in recognition of the 20-year leadership of Abby Atkins of The Holt Fund.
Bank of America is supporting Atkins in making a donation to a community-based organization in the region, citing her "unwavering dedication to The Holt Fund and the southeast region of Vermont." Atkins said she has chosen Our Place "in recognition of the important role [it plays] as a prominent community-based organization in the region."
Atkins is currently Health Resources in Action's managing director of Community Health Assessment, which administers the program for Bank of America.
The Fanny Holt Ames and Edna Louise Holt Fund (the Holt Fund) was created in 2000 at Edna Louise Holt's instructions with Bank of America as the Trustee. To date, the Holt Fund has invested more than $18.7 million in programs to improve community health outcomes in Grafton and surrounding towns.
Our Place is a community food center located at 4 Island St. in Bellows Falls that provides resources including meals and food pantry items for households in the greater Rockingham, Westminster, Athens, Grafton, and nearby New Hampshire areas. Further information is available at ourplacevermont.org.
This Town and Village item was submitted to The Commons.