Community events: Oct. 3 through Oct. 25, 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.

Oct. 3-25: Take a peek at Vermont archives

Secretary of State Jim Condos and State Archivist Tanya Marshall have announced that October is Vermont Archives Month and, in collaboration with the Vermont Historical Records Advisory Board, several Archives Month events and programs will be going on throughout the state. This year’s theme, Between the Lines, examines how documentary evidence found in archives is used by authors to trace, investigate, discover and narrate the past.

• Beginning Tuesday, Oct. 3 at 6 p.m., retired state archivist Gregory Sanford presents The Archival Mirror: Reflections on Race and Ethnicity in Vermont at the Vermont State Archives and Records Administration at 1078 Route 2 in Middlesex. A follow-up to his recent article on refugees in Vermont, Sanford explores how the state has wrestled with issues around racial/ethnic identity in one of the least diverse states in America.
• On Wednesday, Oct. 11 at 6 p.m., historian and author Gary Shattuck provides historical context around opium use and abuse in Vermont in the 19th century in  Lawyers, Opium and Rails: Exploring Vermont’s Early Courts, Drug Abuse and Railroad, also held at the state archives. Both the Oct. 3 and Oct. 11 events at VSARA include open houses from 5 to 6 p.m., when members of the public can get behind-the-scenes tours of the State Archives.
• On Wednesday, Oct. 18 at 6:30 p.m. at the Vermont History Center at 60 Washington St. in Barre, novelist Deborah Luskin presents  1964: A Watershed Year in Vermont Political and Cultural History. Luskin shows how the shift was more complex and more nuanced than mere politics. This event is co-sponsored by the Vermont Humanities Council.
• Closing out the month is  The Cultural Transformation of Vermont in the 1930s: A Complex Web of Archival Sources, presented by Dona Brown. The event is on Wednesday, Oct. 25 at 5:30 p.m. at the University of Vermont’s Special Collections in the Bailey/Howe Library, 538 Main St. in Burlington.

For event locations, times and additional information, see http://bit.ly/VermontArchivesMonth or contact VSARA at archives@sec.state.vt.us or 802-828-2308.

Oct. 6: North Springfield Baptist hosts Community Dinner

The North Springfield Baptist Church will be hosting a free community dinner 5 to 6:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 6 at 69 Main St. in North Springfield. Dishes served include salads, casseroles, beans, soups, breads, desserts, and beverages. The event is open to the public and is handicap accessible. For more information, call 802-886-8107.

Oct. 7 & 8: Grafton firefighters
hold tag sale

From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 7 and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 8 the Grafton Firefighters Tag Sale at the Firehouse, 711 Route 121 east of Grafton Village.

The fundraiser benefits the volunteer fire department and is known for bargains including furniture, toys, linens, books, housewares, small appliances, tools, and many other items. For more information call 802-843-2401.

Oct. 7: Family Center holds ‘Christmas Under the Tent’ sale

On Saturday, Oct. 7, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., the Chester-Andover Family Center will hold a Christmas Under the Tent sale at 908 Vermont Route 108 in Chester.

Holiday items are available for sale for decorating, entertaining and gift giving. Everything under the tent will be priced from $1 to $20. There will also be a bake sale table and a raffle for a hand-made braided rug. Face painting and a reading area with free books will be available to entertain the children while parents shop.

From 11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m., the center will serve a free hot dog lunch to thank customers, volunteers and shoppers.

The Family Center is a non-profit, volunteer-run organization. In addition to the Thrift Store and Food Shelf, they provide financial assistance for residents struggling to make ends meet.

Oct 7: Two Columbus Day weekend hikes

Join the Manchester Ssection of the Green Mountain Club for two hikes on Columbus Day weekend, one on Saturday, Oct. 7 and one on Sunday, Oct. 8.

On Saturday, climb Haystack Mountain in Pawlet. Meet at 11 a.m. on Church Street by the Dorset Inn to carpool to the beginning of the hike. There is limited parking. This is a moderate hike. Distance is about 3 miles round trip with about 1000 feet elevation gain. At the top there is a 360° view. Bring food, fluids, an extra layer and a hat, and a raincoat just in case. Poles are helpful for the steep part of this hike, especially for coming back down. For more details and to reserve a spot contact Jim and Marilyn Hand at 802-362-1673 or handtje@comcast.net.

On Sunday. Oct. 8 climb Bromley Mountain from the north. Meet at noon at the Mad Tom Notch Long Trail parking lot for a round trip hike from the north to the summit of Bromley Mountain and back. Total of 5 miles, 1000 feet elevation change total, moderate hike. Bring snacks, fluids, extra layer, hat, and raincoat. Poles are useful. For further information and to reserve a spot, contact Marge Fish at 802-384-3654 or marge.fish@gmail.com.

Oct. 7: 5th Annual Fastest Kid in Town race

The kids-only Annual Fastest Kid in Town Race, comprised of 100-and 200-yard races, takes place at noon on Saturday, Oct. 7 during the 35th Annual Vermont Apple Festival and Craft Fair at Riverside Park on Fairground Road in Springfield.

The Fastest Kid in Town Race began five years ago as a joint effort between Springfield Medical Care Systems and the Edgar May Health and Recreation Center to raise awareness on the importance of fitness and activity for young children. The race is free and open to children ages 5 to 12.

The goal for this year is to see 100 children competing for the title. Participants will compete in four age categories (5- and 6-year-olds, 7- and 8-year-olds, 9- and 10-year-olds, and 11- and 12-year-olds). Medals for the male and female winners of each category will be awarded. All participants receive a race logo T-shirt.

Pre-registration is recommended, but not required. Contact the Edgar May Health and Recreation Center for more information about the Fastest Kid in Town Race, contact Sarah Tilden Gramling, Youth and Family Programs coordinator  at stilden@myreccenter.org or 802-885-2568 or visit https://www.facebook.com/events/366308207116960.

Oct. 7: Ludlow Rotary seeks chili cooks

The Ludlow Rotary Club is looking for good cooks to make chili for its 27th Annual Chili Cook-Off. This year it introduces a new ski-house challenge category in recognition of the chefs who fuel Okemo’s weekend ski warriors. The event’s entry fee is $10. Deliver 3 to 5 gallons of your favorite chili still hot to the Cook-Off on the morning of the event.

The Cook-Off is held Saturday, Oct. 7, rain or shine, under the tent on Depot Street by the traffic light, and offers up to two dozen varieties of chili. Pay $10 for all-you-can-eat served in a collectible mug, while supplies last. There’s also cider, bread and ice cream. Tasting starts at 11 a.m. and continues until the last spoonful is ladled out, usually around 2 p.m.

Participants vie for cash prizes in three People’s Choice categories: First ($200), Second ($100) and Third ($50). Plaques will be awarded by Rotary-appointed judges for Favorite, Spiciest and Team Spirit. Rutland Herald reporter Gordon Dritschilo serves as chief judge.

Apply to enter by emailing cook-off co-chairmen for an application: Paul Faenza at Big Eyes Bakery, pfaenza47@yahoo.com or Glenn Heitsmith at Timber Inn Motel, timberinn@tds.net or drop a note at Box 216, Ludlow, 05149.

Oct. 7: Pinnacle Association holds moonlight hike

Join Vanessa Stern, member of Bald Hill Conservation Committee and the Windmill Hill Pinnacle Association Board, for a nocturnal hike at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 7. Meet at the Bald Hill kiosk on Covered Bridge Road in Westminster.

The Bald Hill Reserve links to the Bellows Falls Union High School Forest lands offering over 7 miles of trails readily accessible to hikers. Registration is required. Contact Vanessa Stern at 802-463-4948 or at davidandvanessa@gmail.com to register, get information, or check on the weather. Wear clothing for potentially chilly weather.

Windmill Hill Pinnacle Associationprograms are free and open to the public. For program information or maps to trails and trailheads, visit www.windmillhillpinnacle.org. Pinnacle is also on Facebook at https://m.facebook.com/windmillhillpinnacle.

Oct. 11: Grace Cottage hosts Poker Walk

Celebrate National Physical Therapy month by participating in the Grace Cottage Rehab Department’s 19th Annual Poker Walk on Wednesday, Oct. 11. Start anytime 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
This free, fun, 2-mile walk/run is held each year—rain or shine—to encourage everyone to get out and exercise. No pre-registration is required.

Playing cards are distributed along the way, and a prize for the best poker hand is awarded at the end. This year, the community member with the winning hand gets a two-night stay for up to four people at the Fieldstone Lodge in Newfane.

Participants are eligible to win a variety of prizes donated by local businesses and individuals, including a hand-quilted table runner, handmade gloves, gift certificates to the Gaines Farm Corn Maze, Messenger Valley Pharmacy and more. Winners for these prizes will be chosen at random from race participants.

Interested people can register at the Grace Cottage Wolff Outpatient Building, 163 Grafton Road on Route 35, Townshend. Do the course as often as you wish, collecting a new poker hand each time. For more information, call 802-365-3637.

Oct. 11: Local Curling Club releases fall schedule

The Upper Valley Curling Club holds league play every Wednesday evening from 5:40 to 8 p.m. beginning on Oct. 11, at the Barwood Arena in White River Junction.

The Barwood Arena is located behind Hartford High School on Highland Avenue in White River Junction. For details on club membership and league participation visit www.uppervalleycurling.org or email uppervalleycurling@gmail.com.

The Upper Valley Curling Club has members at every level of experience and they are all interested in acquainting you with the sport.

In addition to the league play, open curling will be held on Saturday evenings from 5:45 until 8:15 p.m. beginning Saturday, Oct. 14.

Drop-in curlers are welcome. Learn to Curl clinics are scheduled on Saturdays for those who are interested in trying the sport. Clinics require reservations. Send an email to the uppervalleycurling@gmail.com to reserve a spot. The club supplies formal, hands-on instruction and all necessary curling equipment to students. Bring warm clothing and shoes with non-skid soles.