Club to offer ham radio testing
TOWNSHEND - The West River Radio Club will offer an FCC licensing and ARRL certification testing session for all levels and upgrades on Saturday, Dec. 9, at the Heins Building of Grace Cottage Hospital, 133 Grafton Rd. (Route 35), Townshend, at 9:30 a.m.
Bring two forms of identification (one of them a picture ID), any prior radio license, a pencil, calculator, and $15 cash or check. All are invited to stay for our monthly meeting and potluck lunch. For more information, contact Mary Peterson at [email protected] or 802-258-3921.
Mending bee at Putney Library
PUTNEY - The mending bee returns to Putney Public Library, 55 Main St., for the cold weather season.
Do you have a pile of nice wool socks with holes, favorite jeans that would be perfect if not for a rip in the knee, or sweaters with moth holes? Bring your ailing fabric items to the library on Sunday, Dec. 10, from 1 to 4 p.m., to get free assistance (or just company) in reviving them.
Sewing machines, darning tools, knitting needles and other repair and patching materials will be available. Skilled seamstresses will be present to offer advice and assistance. Tea will be served. Other menders are always welcome to join.
Progressive Party to hold joint town, county committee meeting
DUMMERSTON - A joint meeting of the town and county committees of the Vermont Progressive Party will be held Monday, Dec. 11, at 6:30 p.m., at the Dummerston Congregational Church, 1535 Middle Road, in Dummerston Center.
There will be good conversation about state politics, upcoming legislation, and related topics. All are welcome. For a preview, read the party's Statement of Philosophy and Platform at progressiveparty.org.
Lead certification courses offered
BRATTLEBORO - Lead Safe & Healthy Homes is offering federal lead paint safety courses for contractors, landlords, and others interested in using lead-safe renovation techniques. The federal Renovation, Repair and Painting Certification offered in 2013 is nearing expiration.
The EPA RRP Course is scheduled for Tuesday, Dec. 12, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., at the Brattleboro VFW. Cost is $150/person. Anyone receiving compensation for significant renovation work in housing or child-occupied facilities built before 1978 should be certified.
This course will focus on state and federal regulations governing lead, the health effects of lead in children and adults, lead-safe work practices, and liability issues. Most contractors and landlords will need to take state and federal courses to be in compliance with the law.
Pre-registration is required. Contact Denice Brown 802-463-9927, ext. 107, or [email protected].
BF Woman's Club to meet
BELLOWS FALLS - Members of the Bellows Falls Woman's Club, a member of the General Federation of Women's Clubs, will meet on Tuesday, Dec. 12, at the United Church on School Street at 1:30 p.m.
The program will feature craft making and a sing-a-long of seasonal music, accompanied by Linda Robinson. Members who are able to help are reminded that the Central School holiday shopping time for the children will take place at the school on Dec. 13, beginning at 8:30. Also, members who signed up to attend the Dec. 14 Kurn Hattin holiday luncheon and concert are asked to let Ruth Keefe know if unable to attend so that those on the waiting list can be notified.
At the Nov. 14 meeting, the club welcomed six new members: Phyllis Weltz, Priscilla Lambert, Marianne Chapin-Smith, Celeste Marquise, Eileen Charbonneau-Gullo, and Barbara Howell. Membership pins for five, 10, 20, and 25 years were given to several members.
It was noted that Nita Kimball has been a member for 35 years, and Rose Werden for 40 years. Alice Powers has belonged to the club for 73 years. Members also voted to send $300 to the Puerto Rican hurricane relief effort and later delivered several bags of nonperishable food and personal care items, donated by club members and collected at the November meeting, to the Fall Mountain Food Shelf.
Is there intelligent life out there?
CHESTER - The Southern Vermont Astronomy Group will host Al Budreau, a favorite astronomy speaker in the region, who will present a discussion on the nature of life in the universe at this month's public astronomy meeting.
Budreau will examine astronomical methods and concepts used to explore the possibility of life elsewhere in the universe. To find life, researchers need to find planets, and they are finding thousands.
The SoVerA monthly meeting and presentation will be held Tuesday, Dec. 12, at 7 p.m., at the Whiting Library Community Room in Chester. The venue is fully ADA accessible. This presentation will be held rain or shine.
SoVerA is an organization composed of amateur and professional astronomers, educators, students, and lots of members of the lay public. It is dedicated to making astronomy accessible to all. Talks and presentations are free and open to the public.
Vigil to remember all gun violence victims and survivors
BRATTLEBORO - Dec. 14 marks the fifth anniversary of the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut. Since that day, an additional 500,000 people in the U.S. have been killed or injured by gun violence, including hundreds here in Vermont.
On Tuesday, Dec. 12, at 5:30 p.m., at Pliny Park at the corner of Main and High streets in downtown Brattleboro, a vigil will be held to remember all victims and survivors of gun violence, and to advocate for an end to this uniquely American tragedy.
For more information about the vigil, email [email protected].
Senior lunch in Chesterfield
CHESTERFIELD, N.H. - The Chesterfield Senior Lunch will be held on Wednesday, Dec. 13, in the Chesterfield Town Hall.
Lunch begins at 12:30 p.m. A pot roast dinner will be served. Reservations must be made with Joanne at 603-363-8348. The suggested donation is $5. Bring a gift to exchange - for a man, woman, or either. Before dinner, the HCS nurse will be available to take blood pressures.
Volunteers needed for SEVCA's tax prep program
WESTMINSTER - Southeastern Vermont Community Action will provide free tax preparation for lower income taxpayers for the 2018 tax filing season through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program.
SEVCA is recruiting volunteers to work out of sites in White River Junction, Windsor, and Westminster.
Currently, there is a shortage of volunteers based at SEVCA's main office, 91 Buck Drive, Westminster. There is a huge demand for the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program at this location, and SEVCA would like to encourage the public to consider helping out.
The VITA program offers free tax help to people of low to moderate income, persons with disabilities, and elderly and limited English-speaking taxpayers who need assistance in preparing their own tax returns.
IRS-certified volunteers provide free federal and state income tax return preparation with electronic filing. Hundreds of thousands of dollars in tax refunds and credits come back into the community each year through area VITA programs.
Training sessions are held Tuesday afternoons from 3 to 5 p.m. on Dec. 12 and on Jan. 2, 9, 16, and 23. Interested individuals should contact Leslie Wood at [email protected] or 802-722-4575, ext. 199, for more information.