Around the Towns

WBA meeting to feature Q&A with District 1 Town Meeting Members

WEST BRATTLEBORO - The next monthly meeting of the West Brattleboro Association (WBA) will be held on Thursday, March 10, with a business meeting at 6 p.m., in the Hayes Court Community Room on Garfield Drive (just west of the West Brattleboro post office).

The WBA will then host District 1 Town Meeting representatives at 7 p.m. This is a chance for area residents to engage in an informal question-and-answer period regarding the warrants for the upcoming March 12 Special Town Meeting which will specifically address the proposed police/fire facilities upgrade, and to engage them in a discussion about the March 19 Annual Representative Town Meeting.

This part of the meeting will be facilitated by West Brattleboro's own Orion Barber.

AARP Driver Safety Program at Grace Cottage on March 12

TOWNSHEND - Grace Cottage College is hosting an AARP driver safety program on Saturday, March 12, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The program is a refresher course for mature drivers, addressing changes that may occur in vision, hearing, and reaction time due to aging, and providing useful driving safety tips for handling these changes.

The program also reviews the impact of changes in vehicles, new laws that may impact senior drivers, and alternatives available when driving is not safe or practical.

Some drivers may be eligible for insurance discounts upon completing the course; consult your insurance agent for details. AARP membership is not required before taking the course.

A $20 fee covers the cost of materials ($15 for AARP members). The class is informal. Feel free to bring your own lunch. The program will be held in the Grace Cottage Wellness Center, 133 Grafton Rd. (Route 35), Townshend. For more information or to register for the group, call 802-365-3649.

Sugar-on-snow supper, free Sunday breakfast at First Congregational

WEST BRATTLEBORO - For more than 60 years, the First Congregational Church, 880 Western Ave., has been serving up a delicious Vermont Sugar-on-Snow supper each March.

On Saturday, March 12, the tradition continues with a menu of ham, baked beans, coleslaw, potato salad, deviled eggs, rolls, sugar-on-snow, homemade doughnuts, pickles, coffee, tea, and milk. There will be two sittings, 5 and 6:15 p.m. Prices for adults are $12 each; children ages 5-12, $6 each; ages 4 and under $3 each. For reservations, call 802-257-7557.

And stop by First Congregational on Sunday, March 13, for its monthly free Second Sunday breakfast, from 8 to 9:30 a.m. The menu includes but is not limited to scrambled eggs, home fries, french toast, apple pancakes, fresh maple syrup, sausage, fresh fruit, orange juice, coffee, tea and hot chocolate. All are welcome to join this hearty breakfast. Donations accepted.

Guiding Good Choices classes offered in Brattleboro

BRATTLEBORO - Are you a parent or caregiver of an older youth or teen? You are invited to upcoming parenting classes - Guiding Good Choice, for parents and caregivers in grades 4-8, free of cost.

Guiding Good Choices is an interactive 5 session course (2 hour long sessions) for parents and caregivers of 4th through 8th grade children. The course provides tools and strategies to meet the challenges of guiding your child through adolescence including setting set clear guidelines controlling and expressing anger constructively, and preparing kids with “refusal” skills.

The series will be facilitated by David Petrie and Nancy Goodhue on Tuesdays March 15 to April 12th from 6:30- 8:30 at Brattleboro Area Middle School (109 Sunny Acres). Dinner is included and childcare is offered upon request. Register by March 10th. For more information or to register, visit WindhamParentingEd.org or contact 802-257-2175.

These parenting series are sponsored by a Vermont Department of Health Partners for Success grant and offered in partnership with Windham County prevention coalitions: Brattleboro Area Prevention Coalition, The Collaborative, Deerfield Valley Community Partnership, Greater Falls Connections, and West River Thrives; as well as a Vermont Department of Education Grant in partnership with Windham Southeast Supervisory Union.

Parenting for Social Justice chats at the Putney Library

PUTNEY - Do you need ideas for how to talk with your kids about social justice issues like racism, economic inequality, incarceration, homelessness, and gender? Join Act For Social Justice founder Angela Berkfield for a useful series of discussions about bringing social justice issues into conversations with your children.

These interactive chats will highlight books at the Putney Public Library and other helpful resources. Light refreshments and childcare provided. Please call or email Angela to RSVP for childcare: 802-254-3400 [email protected]

This series will be held on the following Wednesday evenings at Putney Public Library from 6 to 7:30 p.m.: March 16, April 27, and May 11.

The library is located at 55 Main Street. These events are free and open to the public.

Hospice, United Church to offer Grief Support Group in BF

BELLOWS FALLS - Brattleboro Area Hospice, in partnership with the United Church of Bellows Falls-UCC will offer a six-month Bereavement Support Group for adults beginning on March 22.

The group will meet monthly at noon on the fourth Tuesday of each month for six months. This service is free of charge and open to anyone in the community grieving the death loss of a loved one, regardless of when or where the loss occurred.

Bereavement support groups offer a safe, mutually supportive environment for sharing experiences through discussion, readings, simple activities, and suggestions for moving through grief. This group will meet at the United Church of Bellows Falls, at 8 School Street in Bellows Falls, VT. No prior connection with hospice is necessary in order to participate.

The group size is limited to 8 people. Contact Rev. Alison Andrea Jacobs, at 802-463-4323 or at [email protected] if you're interested in joining.

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