Youth Services will present its Summer Camp Fair

Youth Services will host its Annual Summer Camp Fair on Friday, April 6, on Gallery Walk Night, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., at the River Garden in downtown Brattleboro.

Many summer camp providers will supply activities and entertainment for children. The public is encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity to arrange a fun-filled summer while being entertained. The event will include a free drawing for $100 credit toward a camp of the winner's choice - and free balloons.

“Our Summer Camp Fair gives parents and grandparents the chance to ask questions and register their children for many of the camps listed in our Summer Resources Calendar in one convenient location,” Russell Bradbury-Carlin, Youth Services' executive director, said in a news release.

Parents will be able to pick up information about and register their children for nearly two dozen summer camp programs at the Camp Fair.

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How far two friends from different worlds will go to build a school

The lack of girls’ education is underpinning the lack of major economical and social development in Pakistan

Peace is more than an intellectual activity; it is a brutally physical one. Peace is ultimately about doing, not thinking. No one knows this better than Aamir Gamaryani, who can conceive of a solution and then actually implement it. I first heard Aamir's name in the summer of 2013...

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How can we change a masculine culture of violence?

As boys, men learn to shield vulnerability by striking out in anger at others. And when guns are too easy to get, these acts can become lethal.

Without even hearing the details of the Parkland, Fla., massacre, we all knew right away that the shooter was a young man. This latest school shooting has triggered a widespread focus on men as the problem. Though not the first time this gender issue has been identified, it is...

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Blanche Moyse Chorale presents ‘Reflections on the Passage of Time’

The Blanche Moyse Chorale next month will perform an eclectic program of a cappella and accompanied choral works, under the title “Reflections on the Passage of Time.” The concert will be performed Friday, April 13, at 7:30 p.m. at the Stone Church Center in Bellows Falls, and Sunday, April 15, at 4 p.m. at Centre Congregational Church in Brattleboro. The concert opens with three motets by the 17th-century German composer Johann Hermann Schein. Using texts from the Judaic scriptures, the...

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Around the Towns

Knitting club meets in Townshend TOWNSHEND - The Townshend Knit/Crochet Club will meet on April 4, from 5 to 7 p.m., at the Townshend Public Library. Participants can learn how to make a bunny hat, complete with nose and ears, just in time for spring. The project can be made to fit either a child or an adult. Instruction is free and provided by a professional teacher who will also discuss pattern reading and teaching granny squares for those who...

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‘The Logger’ comes to Jamaica Town Hall

The Jamaica Community Arts Council welcomes storyteller Rusty DeWees to the historic town hall on Saturday, April 21. DeWee's iconic persona, The Logger, is part-comedian, part-musician, and, according to a news release, “all Vermont, with a side of cussin' to entertain everyone … almost.” The Boston Globe has called his original one-man comedy show, The Logger, “inventive, entertaining ... poignant.” DeWees was raised in Stowe, and lives in Elmore. He has worked in every entertainment medium, including 30 films and...

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Saxtons River annual village meeting is April 9

The voters of the village of Saxtons River will hold their annual meeting Monday, April 9, at 7 p.m., in the library of the Saxtons River Elementary School. Voters will hear reports from village officials and be asked to approve a fiscal year 2019 budget for general operating expenses of $56,250, an increase of less than 2 percent compared with the current year's budget. Elections for three trustee positions will also be held, including two one-year terms and one two-year...

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Green Lantern receives CPG for solar array at former Newfane dump

Vermont-based renewable energy developer Green Lantern recently announced that it received a Certificate of Public Good from the Vermont Public Utility Commission for a 150 kilowatt solar array to be built at the site of the former town dump. In a news release, Green Lantern said it plans to build and sell ownership of wattage (shares of output capacity) for a group-net-metered community solar array at the town-owned, capped landfill on Browns Road. The array will generate enough electricity to...

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‘Little Free Libraries’ promote literacy

The Brattleboro Rotary Club has collaborated with the Friends of Brooks Memorial Library to promote their Literacy Project's “Little Free Libraries.” Started by Rotarian Todd Bol in 2009, 16,000 little libraries in 55 countries have been recognized as an “international movement,” by The New York Times and a “global sensation,” by the Huffington Post. Seven Little Libraries, each handcrafted by the Rotary Club's Literacy Project Committee, headed by Chair Joe Little, are intended to foster and fund literacy in and...

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April is Month of the Young Child

The Month of the Young Child, celebrated across the country in April, is an opportunity for communities to celebrate young children and the people, places, and programs laying the foundation for their future success. Organizations that plan and support Month of the Young Child activities include: The Winston Prouty Center for Child and Family Development, Early Education Services, Windham Early Childhood Educators Co-op, Hilltop Montessori, Green Street Promise Community, and Parent Express. More than a dozen other local organizations participate...

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Author John Elder Robison will discuss neurodiversity in talk at Landmark College

Landmark College will host a talk by best-selling author John Elder Robison called “Different Does Not Equal Disordered: The Case for Embracing Neurodiversity,” on Monday, April 9, at 7 p.m., in the Greenhoe Theater in the Fine Arts Building. Robison will address the increasing body of evidence suggesting that a degree of autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and other neurological differences are part of the normal range of human variation. Differences may be disabling, but they also confer degrees of exceptionality, which...

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WWAC hosts a night of food, film, and education on Haiti

On Saturday, April 7, at 5 p.m., the Windham World Affairs Council joins the Haiti Orphanage Sponsorship Trust to present “An Introduction to Haiti Today” at Centre Congregational Church, Memorial Hall, 193 Main St. The Council has proudly offered programming to the community pairing film and food with great speakers and cultural events. In 2016, with the support of a grant from the Vermont Humanities Council, they offered delicious Cuban food and a variety of films and cultural activities. In...

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Spring sports season ready to begin in Vermont

The snows of March finally stopped and we finished the month with some sunny days. Suddenly, it's time to go outside and start the spring high school sports season. Brattleboro boys' varsity lacrosse is scheduled to start its season on April 5 in Pittsfield, Mass., while the Brattleboro varsity boys' tennis team hosts Northampton, Mass. at the BUHS courts on that day. Track and field gets started for Brattleboro and Bellows Falls with a multi-team meet at Fall Mountain in...

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Milestones

College news • Colton Butler of Whitingham was one of 22 Elmira (N.Y.) College students inducted into the Rho Mu Chapter of the Kappa Delta Pi International Honor Society in Education during a recent ceremony for outstanding education majors. • Casey Greenleaf, an English/anthropology major from Brattleboro, was named to Boston University's Dean's List for the fall 2017 semester. Transitions • Craig Miskovich and Johana Lengfellner, of Brattleboro and Dummerston, respectively, recently joined 15 other community members in serving on...

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Dedicated to diversity

Some of the most recent concerns around diversity accountability in Brattleboro sprang up in March 2017 at a Selectboard Candidates' Forum, when issues pertaining to the racial composition of the town's workforce came into the spotlight. In some circles, the issue was a point of confusion about how to proceed, given Vermont's largely-Caucasian population. But amid the confusion and cautious discussion, town members have continued efforts to address social disparities in the Brattleboro community - efforts that have entailed nearly...

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Sweet yield

Speaking through the billowing steam of the evaporator at Sprague and Sons Sugarhouse, Marty Sprague deftly avoids jinxing what is shaping up to be a very good sugaring season in Windham County. “I don't like to say how the season is until it's over,” said Sprague, who nonetheless spoke with some optimism. “We collected the most sap ever in February over a week-and-a-half span,” he said. Amanda Voyer was less wary. The communications manager at the Vermont Maple Sugar Makers'

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The little theater with big ideas

Even after five years as the manager of the Hooker-Dunham Theater and Gallery, Jon Mack can still be freshly excited about the possibilities the space has to offer. Although only a tiny theater and gallery, Hooker-Dunham presents events that might not otherwise find a place to be seen in the area. From music and visual arts to innovative theater and dance, Mack has programmed a diverse variety of art and artists. But he still has more to do. Mack's new...

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Roundtable discussion series on Brattleboro’s printing, publishing history continues

The public is invited to join Peoples, Places, and the History of Words in Brattleboro, Vermont (Brattleboro Words Project) for its third Roundtable Discussion on Thursday, April 12, at 118 Elliot from 6 to 7 p.m. Did you know that the first U.S. edition of Harry Potter was published in Brattleboro in 1997? Or that the Brattleboro area is recognized worldwide as a fine printing and publishing hub? Local nonprofit Write Action is working with local writers to produce this...

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Matching the grape to the place

There is nothing like a fine wine for mixing memory and desire, surprising us like a trailside burst of early lilacs, stirring dull roots with spring rain - a beautiful bottle offers a little draught of life. New York wines, like April sunshine, can still be hit or miss, but the trend is in their favor. Among the long hills and pristine Mennonite farms of the Finger Lakes region upstate, winemaking gems sparkle at the edges of deep, cold lakes...

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CC4G begins programming — but still needs a home

The nonprofit Community Collaborative for Guilford needs a new home. But, even without a facility, since November they've begun offering programs and support to the town's residents. Formally established in 2015, CC4G's mission is “to provide support for the creation and sustainability of a community center that will house and work with other nonprofit programs to help meet the physical, social, and emotional needs of families, children, and adults in our community.” The organization was inspired by the Vermont Council...

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Time to take in bird feeders, Fish & Wildlife Dept. warns

The Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department says warm spring weather and melting snows are causing bears to come out of their winter dens in search of food. That's why the department recommends taking down bird feeders in April to avoid attracting them. “We are asking anyone who has a problem with a bear to report the incident in a form that we have on our website (www.vtfishandwildlife.com) under 'Living with Wildlife,'” Forrest Hammond, Vermont's bear biologist, said in a news...

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Landmark College hosts ‘exploration of authenticity’

Landmark College will host a performance of VOICES on Tuesday, April 10, at 7 p.m., in the Greenhoe Theater. VOICES is a mixed-media production of sound, image, and language that provides a conceptual space for performers to explore their versions of truth and authenticity. It debuted in 2016 with the goal of creating a sustainable arts experience that could be adapted to the contributions of different collaborators. “The show raises questions about how, when, and why we navigate the reality...

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Comic Robyn Schall will perform in Brattleboro

Strolling of the Heifers presents “An Evening of Comedy with Robyn Schall” on Saturday, April 14, at 8 p.m. Schall is doing her blend of stand-up, sketch, and improv as a fundraiser for Strolling of the Heifers' Farm-To-Table Apprenticeship Program. The Farm-to-Table Culinary Apprenticeship program teaches nutrition and culinary skills to underemployed community members, placing them in full-time, permanent positions at local restaurants and institutional kitchens. “She is just so funny, I had to bring her to Brattleboro,” said Orly...

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Wintry weather pattern is stubbornly sticking around

Good day to you, southeastern denizens of the Green Mountain State! We've got a changeable start to our upcoming 7-day period, with High Wind Watches posted as of this writing. By the time you read this, those Watches should be converted into High Wind Warnings as strong low pressure north of us wraps up and introduces gusty winds and showers into southern Vermont for Wednesday afternoon into Thursday. Thereafter, we could see snow on Friday morning changing to rain showers...

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Dirty stories

Many years ago, I had a VW Bug and decided to take a ride. I came across a very muddy road and was amazed how great that car got through it. Later on, I noticed something hanging under the car. I did not know what it was; the car was running fine without it, so I threw it away. I found out a few days later it was my horn! -Rosemary Banford Harris * * * My horse and I...

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Sweet and savory

It's Vermont's first crop of the year. Once you spy steam escaping from your neighbor's sugarhouse, you know spring is truly on its way, and in Windham County, that time is upon us. That first stack of pancakes drizzled with gold is a reward hard won at the end of a cold winter, and we all have our favorites. The golden, light-colored syrup harvested at the beginning of sugaring has the most delicate flavor, and this progress of color and...

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Keeping it local

On the first day of spring, Stonewall Farm hosted the Food Connects and Monadnock Menus 2018 Local Food Trade Show. Upstairs in the visitor center's bright, sunny community room, 25 regional food producers gave out information and samples of their wares to approximately 70 attendees. Most were buyers representing local retail stores, restaurants, schools, and other food-service operations. Food Connects, which merged with Monadnock Menus last autumn, is a nonprofit that started in 2013 with a mission to deliver “locally...

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Sacred right

The scourge of gun violence in our schools and society has spawned a renewed debate about the causes. We can blame the National Rifle Association for sure; it is a significant co-collaborator. But of the 70 million gun owners, only 5 million are NRA members, and the rest are unaffiliated or members of other, perhaps less-extreme gun-rights organizations. Numerous other political advocacy organizations are better funded than the NRA. We can also blame our neutered politicians. The vicious irony here...

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Hebert won’t seek fifth term in Statehouse

Mike Hebert, who has represented Vernon and Guilford in the Vermont House of Representatives since 2011, announced last week that he will not seek re-election this November. In a letter he sent to his constituents, the 67-year-old Vernon Republican said health concerns played a big part in the decision to not run for a fifth term in the Legislature. “As many of you know, not long ago I was critically ill, and if not for the love, support, and care...

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NEYT presents ‘The Laramie Project’

New England Youth Theatre will present the groundbreaking play The Laramie Project, by Moisés Kaufman, directed by Hallie Flower, at 100 Flat St. on April 6 and 13 at 7 p.m., April 7 and 14 at 2 and 7 p.m., April 8 and 15 at 2 p.m., and April 13 at 7 p.m. In October 1998, Matthew Shepard was kidnapped, severely beaten, and left to die, tied to a fence on the outskirts of Laramie, Wyoming. Five weeks later, Moisés...

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