Charter Revision Commission meets Feb. 6
BRATTLEBORO - Join Brattleboro's Charter Revision Commission for a discussion on the form of Brattleboro's annual town meeting.
This public meeting is scheduled to take place in the Main Reading Room of Brooks Memorial Library on Thursday, Feb. 6, from 6 to 8 p.m. For information, contact the Charter Revision Commission at [email protected].
Town Kindergarten Information Night is Feb. 6
BRATTLEBORO - The Brattleboro town Kindergarten Information Night will be held on Thursday, Feb. 6, from 6 to 7 p.m. at Green Street School. Pizza and child care will be available. An RSVP is appreciated by calling 802-579-1013 or emailing [email protected].
Also, families with children who will be 4 on or before Sept. 1, 2025, and reside in Brattleboro, Guilford, Putney, or Dummerston are invited to enroll in Windham Southeast's public, tuition-free pre-kindergarten programs. They currently offer programs at Oak Grove School (with a satellite classroom at Canal Street School) in Brattleboro, Guilford Central School, Dummerston School, and Putney Central School. Their classrooms operate on the school year calendar.
To receive an enrollment packet, contact your local public school as soon as possible. Enrollment packets are due by Friday, Feb. 14. If there are more applicants than available spots, a lottery system will be used to determine enrollment. For more information, call 802-579-1013 or email [email protected].
Environmentalist Bill McKibben to speak on climate crisis
LONDONDERRY - The worsening effects of climate change are now a near daily feature of our news, say members of the Londonderry Conservation Commission. In response to this crisis, they will host Vermont environmentalist Bill McKibben with a presentation entitled "Back to the Wall, Face to the Sun." He will speak on climate change and how everyone can play a part in minimizing the damage of a warming planet. This free program will take place Saturday, Feb. 8, at 4 p.m. at the Burr & Burton Mountain Campus at 3067 Hapgood Pond Road, Peru.
McKibben is an award-winning environmentalist, educator, journalist, and author of 20 books. He has written extensively on the impact of global warming and the role of government policy. His 1989 book about climate change, The End of Nature, is for a general audience and has appeared in 24 languages.
McKibben serves as the Schumann Distinguished Scholar in Environmental Studies at Middlebury College and as a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He has won the Gandhi Peace Prize as well as honorary degrees from 20 colleges and universities. He was awarded the Right Livelihood Award, sometimes called "the alternative Nobel," in the Swedish Parliament, and Foreign Policy named him to its inaugural list of the world's 100 most important global thinkers.
Senior lunch in Dummerston
DUMMERSTON - Evening Star Grange and Senior Solutions will present their first February lunch on Wednesday, Feb. 12, with the in-house meal served at noon and take-outs available from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Reservations are strongly suggested, but are not mandatory. This is important as they use these reservations to know how much food to prepare. Call the Grange at 802-254-1138 and leave full name, phone number, number of meals desired, and whether they are for eating in or taking home.
The menu includes both meat and plant-based (vegetarian) meatloaf, mashed potatoes with gravy, carrots, and a pineapple/cherry dump cake for dessert. They also try to include a gluten-free option and a sugar-free dessert, if at all possible. This is the first meal at their newly increased suggested donations, caused by loss of grant monies from Senior Solutions. For people 60 and above, the suggested donation for an on-site meal is now $4, and for those 59 and younger and all take-out orders, it's $5.
Scholarships available for Vermont women
BELLOWS FALLS - The General Federation of Women's Clubs of Vermont (GFWC-VT) announces the availability of scholarships for Vermont women, beyond the traditional high school- to college-age track, seeking to further their education and training, or to upgrade their skills in preparation for entering or advancing in the workplace. Applicants must submit a specific plan for their education or training by Saturday, March 15, to Betty Haggerty, 16 Taylor St., Bellows Falls, VT 05101.
The scholarships range from $1,000 to $1,500. GFWC-VT has been awarding this financial aid, which is funded through contributions from the state federated clubs and from individuals, for 31 years.
Applications for the scholarship can be obtained from Haggerty at [email protected]. They are also available through federated women's clubs in Vermont towns and through Vermont State University, which includes Community College of Vermont and Vermont Technical College sites around the state. The scholarships will be awarded at the state federation's annual meeting in April.
Rock Voices begin spring season
BRATTLEBORO - Rock Voices, the over-18 choral group that sings only rock music, announces their season began on Feb. 3. They invite others to join them every Monday from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Vermont Jazz Center in the Cotton Mill. Singers can attend three rehearsals without committing or paying the fee for the semester.
There will be a concert with a live rock band in late April or early May.
This spring, they are singing songs by the Beatles, the Eagles, Led Zeppelin, James Taylor, Guster, and many others. For more information and to enroll, go to rockvoices.com.
Early Education Services offers playgroups in Wilmington, Townshend
Early Education Services (EES) are offering weekly playgroups for infants through 5 year olds and their caregivers in Townshend and Wilmington through the end of April.
The Wilmington playgroup meets on Thursdays, 10:30 a.m. to noon, through April 24 at the Old School Community Center on School Street. The playgroup will take place at EES's Parent Child Center HUB (upstairs across from the Prevention Coalition). Organizers say it's "a family-friendly space with a great children's play area, relaxing area for caregivers, and resources (including diapers, information, and free children's clothing and other items)."
The Townshend playgroup meets on Tuesdays, 10:30 a.m. to noon, through April 22 at the Townshend Public Library on Route 30 across from the Town Hall. Both the Wilmington and Townshend groups will have snacks, activities, and lots of opportunities for socialization, as playgroups are a great way for children and adults to make new friends. Contact Sandy Stark for more information on both groups at [email protected].
Area towns offer dog vaccination clinics
Several area towns will be hosting rabies clinics set up by the Windham County Sheriff's Office to assist with the vaccination of dogs. The location of the clinics will be at the Town Offices in each town except Westminster. Owners must provide proof of prior rabies vaccine to receive a three-year vaccine. The cost is $25 and services are provided by Dr. Kotas of Free Range Veterinary Services. Contact each Town Clerk below for details.
• Wardsboro: Feb. 8, 10 a.m. to noon, and March 1, 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. Call 802-896-6055.
• Westminster: Feb. 12, 4 to 6 p.m., and March 8, 10 a.m. to noon at the Town Highway Garage. Call 802-722-4255.
• Grafton: Feb. 15 and March 15, 10 a.m. to noon. Call 802-843-2552.
• Vernon: Feb. 17, 4 to 6 p.m. Call 802-257-0292.
• Newfane: Feb 22, 10 a.m. to noon. Call 802-365-7772.
• Dummerston: Feb. 22, 12:30 to 2:30 p.m., and March 22, 10 a.m. to noon. Call 802-257-1496.
• Guilford: Feb. 26, 4 to 6 p.m., and March 29, 10 a.m. to noon. Call 802-254-6857.
• Brookline: March 1, 10 a.m. to noon. Call 802-365-4648.
This Town and Village item was submitted to The Commons.