Upcoming events: Banjo, fiddle workshop; True Tales in Proctorsville; chestnut tree talk; winter wassail; Positive Parenting classes; and Wilder Library event

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.

Jan. 12: The Speckers offer fiddle and banjo class

Local musicians John and Ida Mae Specker will hold a free fiddle and banjo school at the Andover Town Hall, 953 Weston-Andover Road from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 12. The afternoon workshop will include short demonstrations of tunes on both instruments, some history of old-time music and a chance to play some tunes as a group under the Speckers’ s guidance. Admission is free, and all are welcome to attend and participate. Bring your own fiddle or banjo. For more information visit www.thespeckers.com.

Jan. 12: True Tales at Raise the Roof

The Raise the Roof Concert Series has gathered eight local wordsmiths to tell true stories in front of a live audience at 4 p.m. Sunday Jan. 12 at Gethsemane Episcopal Church on Depot Street in Proctorsville.  The event, called True Tales, will benefit the Cavendish Community Fund, which provides grant support for projects in education, history and the arts. Modeled after National Public Radio’s popular Moth Radio Hour, each presenter will tell a story from real life in less than 10 minutes and without a script. The storytellers are from Cavendish, Ludlow and Mt. Holly. Admission is a $10 donation. For more information call 226-7497.

Chester Conservation Committee will host a talk about the restoration of the American chestnut tree

Jan. 14: Restoration of the American chestnut tree

At 7 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 14, the Chester Conservation Committee will host a free talk by Grace Knight, an American Chestnut Foundation volunteer at the First Universalist Parish  — The Stone Church–  in Chester’s Stone Village. Knight will speak on TACF’s efforts to locate and revive the rare, surviving mature American chestnut trees by pollinating them to breed a blight-resistant tree with locally adapted Vermont genes. She has worked with a half-dozen surviving American chestnut trees in Chester, and with many others throughout the state.

The goal of the American Chestnut Foundation is to restore the trees to Vermont woodlands to benefit the environment, wildlife and society. The project will create a template for restoration of other tree and plant species.

There is no charge, although donations are accepted. For more information about the talk, contact Melissa Post at goodwood@vermontel.net or (802) 875-4102. For more information about TACF, visit www.acf.org.

Jan. 18: Champlain Orchards second annual winter wassail

Champlain Orchards will celebrate an old English orchard winter wassail from 5 to 9 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 18 at 3597 Vermont 74 in Shoreham.

The ancient custom of wassail refers to the lively tradition of visiting orchards and singing to the trees to promote a good harvest for the coming year.

A family event, the wassail will include food, traditional songs, wassail drinks for all ages and a bonfire on the hill. To learn more, visit www.ChamplainOrchards.com or call 897-2777. There is a small fee for the food.

Jan. 28: Positive Parenting Classes

The Collaborative is offering a free, six-session Positive Parenting course from 6 to 8 p.m., on Tuesdays Jan. 28. Feb. 4, 11 and 25, Mar 4 and 11 in the library of Chester-Andover Elementary School, 72 Main St. in Chester.

Based on the Guiding Good Choices curriculum and facilitated by Nancy Pennell of Chester, topics will include strategies to improve family communication and family bonding, how to help your child make good choices for themselves, and strengthening your child’s ability to manage challenges that come their way.

Pennell has more than 30 years’ experience working with children and young adults as director of Aloha Camp in Fairlee and as the coordinator of local area parenting groups.

Participants receive a family guide workbook providing activities and discussion topics, as well as skill-building exercises and information on positive parenting techniques. Enrollment is free and snacks will be provided. If childcare is needed, participants must give advance notice upon registration. For more information or to register, contact the Collaborative at (802) 824-4200.

Feb. 1: Take Your Child to the Library Day at Wilder

Weston’s Wilder Memorial Library will be celebrating on Saturday, Feb. 1 National Take Your Child to the Library Day. The library is located at 24 Lawrence Hill Road in Weston. As part of the celebration, all children who attend will receive a special winter surprise courtesy of Peabody Mountain Apiaries. Parents and children can sign up for a library card, explore the children’s collections and check out books.

Take Your Child to the Library Day was launched two years ago by a children’s librarian from Connecticut. It is quickly becoming a global movement to increase youth membership and interaction with local libraries. For more information about this event, contact Wilder Memorial Library by calling (802) 824-4307, emailing wilderweston@gmail.com, or visiting its Facebook page, Twitter: @wilderweston or www.wildermemoriallibrary.org.

— Compiled by Susan Lampe-Wilson