Community events: Aug. 10 through Aug. 14, 2017

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@chestertelegraph.org. Photos welcome. No PDFs, please. Notices must be received by noon on Fridays to be eligible for publication the following week.

Aug. 10: Learn about significance of  Vilas Bridge

Hear Gail Golec and Annette Spaulding discuss the cultural history of the Vilas Bridge on Thursday, Aug. 10 at 7 p.m. The talk will be at the Rockingham Library, 65 Westminster Road.

Golec and Spaulding will explore the significance of the Vilas Bridge and its location going back to the local indigenous communities living here before the bridge was built.

Golec will discuss the evolution of the island and how its landscape defined Bellows Falls. She will focus on the land surrounding the ‘great falls’ and how the area has been settled and changed over the centuries.

Spaulding will discuss her scuba diving finds (including millstones) in the Connecticut River industrial area. She will bring some of her Connecticut River finds to show.

This free event is part of a summer-long, fund-raising effort by the Friends of the Rockingham Library to acquire a Jerry Pfohl painting of the Vilas Bridge for the library. The large painting is on display in the back area of the library. Refreshments will be served.

For more information on the Keep the Vilas Bridge Painting at the Library Project, go to rockinghamlibrary.org/vilas. Visit the Friends of the Rockingham Library’s online fundraising page to make a donation. For more information on Jerry Pfohl, go to jerrypfohl.com. Join the Friends of the Rockingham Library by visiting http://rockinghamlibrary.org/foljoin.

Aug. 12: Free seminar on mini-split heat pumps

HB Energy and Green Mountain Power offer a free seminar on mini split heat pumps at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 12 at Nolin Murray Center, 40 Summer St. in Springfield.

Learn about the benefits of mini split heat pumps. Attendees can expect a straightforward presentation on how heat pumps work, the benefits for your home or business, installation considerations, state incentives, basic pricing and more.

A representative from GMP will discuss lease options for the equipment, as well as additional offerings. The presentation will also touch upon heat pump water heaters. Light refreshments will be provided and attendees will receive exclusive discounts on future installations.

For more information call 802-885-2300 or email brian@hbenergy.com.

Aug. 13: Stone Hearth hosts annual Hot Dog Cook Off to benefit Family Center

The Chester Andover Family Center in partnership with the Stone Hearth Inn and Tavern is getting ready for the 6th Annual Hot Dog Cook Off.

This community fundraising event takes place from 1-4 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 13 at the Stone Hearth Inn and Tavern at 698 Vermont 11 in Chester.

Vote for your favorite hot dog and enjoy music, games for children and face painting. In addition to the Family Center Silent Auction, there will a basket raffle. There will be eight large baskets, each valued at over $200 and filled with items and gift certificates donated by Chester area businesses.

As a charitable event, funds raised will benefit the community. Admission is $20 for a family, $10 for adults and $5 for children over 5 years old.

Stop into the Family Center Thrift Shop during business hours to see a basket and get your raffle tickets ahead of the event. The shop is open Thursdays and Fridays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Family Center Thrift Shop is located at 908 VT Route 103 S in Chester.

Aug 14: Raptors at Rock Library

On Monday, Aug. 14 at 5 p.m. meet some of Vermont’s birds of prey with the education staff of Southern Vermont Natural History Museum.

Live hawks, owls and falcons will be on hand for a face-to-face exploration of what it’s like to be a raptor at the library 65 Westminster St in Bellows Falls. Raptors’ role in the environment and their history with humans can help us learn from the past to help us build a better world for the future.

This program is part of the Rockingham Library’s 2017 Summer Reading Program: “Build a Better World.” All programs are free and open to the public.

The library continues serving lunch until Aug. 16; youth 18 and younger eat for free. There is no sign-up or registration required. Let the library staff know you’ll be coming so enough lunches can be ordered. For more information about this or any other youth program, call the library at 802-463-4270, email youthservices@rockinghamlibrary.org, go online to rockinghamlibrary.org/srp, or stop by the library.