Community events: Sept. 15 through Sept. 22, 2016

For more upcoming events, click here for The Chester Telegraph calendar. To be included in our Upcoming events briefs, email Susan Lampe-Wilson at calendar@www.chestertelegraph.org. Photos welcome. No PDFs, please. Notices must be received by noon on Fridays to be eligible for publication the following week.

Sept. 15: ‘The Hobbit’ book discussion

On Thursday Sept. 15 at 6 p.m., join the book discussion of The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien at the Rockingham Library. Come prepared to play some icebreaking games and to solve some riddles—all related to Bilbo’s adventures. Dressing up as a favorite character is encouraged but optional. Make and bring along a troll home or an elf hut—just for fun. All ages are invited to attend.

Pick up a copy of The Hobbit at the library’s front desk today. Audiobook and graphic novel formats are also available. This event is free and open to the public. For more information, call 802-463-4270, email programming@rockinghamlibrary.org, go to rockinghamlibrary.org or stop by the library at 65 Westminster St., Bellows Falls.

Sept. 15: Mountain Valley clinic hosts golf fund-raiser

Sign up now for the Annual Mountain Valley Open golf tournament and show your support for Mountain Valley Medical Clinic’s fundraising event. The tournament is an 18-hole, four person scramble, all abilities welcome. Support can consist of playing, donating time, sponsoring a hole, and/or donating items or services to the silent auction. All proceeds go to MVMC to provide high quality healthcare to resident and visitors of the Southern Vermont area.

The tournament is Thursday, Sept. 15 at the Tater Hill Country Club at 6802 Popple Dungeon Road in Chester. Registration is at 11 a.m., shotgun start at noon. Admission will be $95 per golfer, which includes 18 holes of golf with cart, hardy buffet and a variety of giveaways. Awards include: 1st prize Jean Cavanagh Award for low gross, 2nd & 3rd low gross prizes, first place women’s team, 1st – 2nd – & 3rd low net prizes, on course prizes for men and women, and team skins cash prize.

Registering early is helpful, if you need a form, stop by Mountain Valley Medical Clinic or call 802-824-6901. For further information, contact Susie Wyman at 802-824-3537. Or ask for Linda or Martha at MVMC at 802-824-6901.

Sept. 16: EdgarMay holds middle school pool party

Area students in grades 6, 7 and 8 are invited to spend from 6 to 8 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 16 at the EdgarMay for dinner, snacks, swimming and games.

The cost to non-members is $5 and free for members. The youth membership rate is $13/month. The EdgarMay Health and Recreation Center at 140 Clinton St. in Springfield promotes healthy lifestyles for children and adults throughout Southern Vermont and New Hampshire.

For more info about membership, youth-oriented activities, or to register for Middle School Night, contact the EdgarMay at 802-885-2568, online at www.myreccenter.org or by email info@myreccenter.org.

Sept. 16: Grounded at Grounded4Life

Join Grounded4Life coffeehouse for a free evening of acoustic music led by their in-house band, Grounded at 7 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 16 in the lower level of the Chester Baptist Church across from the Green at 162 Main St.

The group has a vast repertoire spanning multiple genres, contemporary praise and worship and rock.

Doors open at 6:30 p.m. with food, coffee, fellowship and conversation. Check out the Grounded4Life Facebook page or contact them through the grounded4lifevt.org website.

Sept. 17: Community Walk to help prevent suicide

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention sponsors the Out of the Darkness Community Walk to help prevent suicide from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 17 at Toonerville Trail, Clinton Street in Springfield. Free event parking is available at Precision Contract Manufacturing Parking Lot at 280 Clinton St., in Springfield.

Registration is free and begins at 9 a.m. Everyone is welcome, parents/guardians must register minors age 6 and older. Online registration closes at noon the Friday before the walk. However, anyone who would like to participate can register in person at the walk from the time check-in begins until the walk starts. The 3-mile walk begins near the PCM parking lot and goes 1.5 miles to the bridge at the end of the Paddock Road, turns around and continues back to the PCM parking lot.

There will be two raffles as part of the event. Prizes include an unfinished wishing well. Tickets are $2 each, or $5 for 3; and a cord of green firewood donated by Mountain and Valley Excavating and Logging. Tickets are $5 each or buy 2 or more for $4 each.

Walk donations are accepted until Dec. 31. All donations support the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. For more information, contact Heather Jarvis by calling 802-296-1989 or emailing hthrjrvs2008@yahoo.com or Judy Jarvis at 802-263-5549 judith_jarvisusa@yahoo.com.

Sept 17: Brattleboro hosts Bacon Fest

From 11 a.m. to4 p.m., on Saturday, Sept. 17, Brattleboro celebrates bacon at the Brattleboro Bacon Fest at Guilford Fairgrounds on Weatherhead Hollow Road in Guilford. Along with the bacon, Whetstone Station serves up beer, there’ll be a craft fair and Mark Manley band provides the blues. This is free and open to the public. For more info, visit www.facebook.com/brattleborobaconfest.

Sept. 17: Marlboro College presents eco-philosopher Joanna Macy

Marlboro College presents eco-philosopher and author Joanna Macy in a talk titled Teaching at the Edge of Time, at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 17 at the Congregational Church, 193 Main St., in Brattleboro.

The talk is free and open to the public. Educators and students are particularly encouraged to attend, and Macy’s talk will be preceded by a community gathering and cheese plate hour starting at 6:30 p.m.

For more information, contact the Marlboro College marketing and communication office at 802-251-7644 or mbarone@marlboro.edu.

Sept. 17 & 18: Whiting Library hosts book sale during Fall Festival

Drop by the Whiting Library at 117 Main St. on Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 17 and 18 during the Chester’s Fall Festival. Located just down the street from the craft vendors, food sellers and attractions, the library will hold a book sale from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day of the festival.

The sale is a major fundraiser for the library as they continue their mission to provide free services to the community. For more information about the Fall Festival, click here.

For details about the Whiting book sale, call 802-875-2277 or email whitinglibrary@yahoo.com.

Sept. 18: Pulses potluck dinner in Springfield

VINE Sanctuary invites the public to its Vegan PulsePotluck from 4:30 to 7 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 18, at the Unitarian Universalist Church, 21 Fairground Road in Springfield. The free event features a short presentation on cooking and growing the legumes known as pulses, prizes for most creative pulse-based dishes and free seed packets for all participants.

Potluck participants are challenged to bring a creative dish that includes lentils, peas, beans, chickpeas and other legumes. Anyone can attend — even if they do not bring something to share. The only requirement is that any food brought to the potluck be vegan, which means free from any animal products such as meat, dairy or eggs.

VINE stands for Veganism is the Next Evolution. VINE Sanctuary is a non-profit farmed animal refuge based in Springfield. For more information visit their website at http://vine.bravebirds.org.

Sept. 19: Chester Senior Citizens Club luncheon meeting

Join the Chester Senior Citizens Club for its monthly luncheon meeting at 11:30 a.m. on Monday, Sept. 19, at the Chester Congregational Church at 469 Main St. A Chinese Auction is planned, so bring items that will hopefully become someone else’s treasure. Bring your place setting, a dish to share (optional), and a friend. If you need a ride, call Georgia 802-875-6242.

Sept. 21: UVM master gardener discusses garden renovation

Are you dissatisfied with your garden but unsure how to fix it? Rather than starting from scratch, consider a garden renovation. At 1 p.m., on Wednesday, Sept. 21 at Wilfong will discuss garden renovation, using the gardens at the Sabbath House as an example.

Located at 1010 Route 100 in Weston, the Sabbath House is Neighborhood Connections’ transitional housing complex. This location was recently designated a UVM master gardener community project. At 1 p.m. on the following Wednesday, Sept. 28, Part 2 will consist of implementing the garden renovation. Volunteers are needed to assist in moving plants.

These programs, sponsored by the Windham County Extension Master Gardeners, are offered at no charge, but reservations are necessary. Call 802-824-4343 to register.

Sept. 21: Enchanting gourds with artist Kim Grall

At 5:30 p.m., on Wednesday, Sept. 21, multi-media artist Kim Grall will talk about the significance of gourds at the Rockingham Library, 65 Westminster St. in Bellows Falls.

She’ll bring gourds of many shapes and sizes, which she has grown, dried and then transformed into bowls, containers, masks and musical instruments.

She will explain the entire process from planting the seeds to applying the final touches.

This event is free and open to the public. For more information, call 802-463-4270, email programming@rockinghamlibrary.org, visit rockinghamlibrary.org or stop by the library.

— Susan Lampe-Wilson