Yard Sale
TOWNSEND — The Townsend Crusaders, a Relay for Life team from Townsend Congregational Church, will hold an indoor yard sale on Saturday, June 3, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the church basement to raise funds to benefit The American Cancer Society. Townsend Congregational Church is the brick church on the common. Purchase some “attic treasures,” and support or join the Crusaders in their effort to find a cure for cancer. All are welcome.
Shirley Hoedown June 3
SHIRLEY — For over twenty years, on the first Saturday in June, Shirley families have been heading to the town common for an afternoon of entertainment, shopping, and eating, known as the Shirley Hoedown.
This year’s Hoedown, on Saturday, June 3, will open at noon and feature Golden Oldies music by Butch Bazillion at 12:30 with children’s games such as egg toss and sack races starting at 1:30 p.m.
The “Crazy Hat Parade” begins at 2:30 p.m. and a magic show will kick off at 3 p.m. The entertainment will finish up with a band concert by the Hollis Town Band beginning at 4 p.m.
For shoppers there will be a variety of crafts — pottery, wood crafts, jewelry, crochet items, handmade bean-bag animals, sculpture and paintings. On sale to benefit local charities will be Hazen Library bags, Shirley history books, Heifer Project t-shirts, ShirleyArts! bags, and Longley Acres plants.
To keep everyone fed for the day, various town organizations are providing hot dogs, hamburgers, sausages, barbecue chicken, salads, pies, cookies, squares, popcorn and soft drinks.
For more information visit www.shirleyhistory.org.
Pan-Mass benefit
DEVENS — An outdoor concert will be held at the Devens Grill on Saturday, June 3, from 4 to 8 p.m. featuring seven different musical offerings, from acoustic folk to jazz and ending with a top-notch blues band.
Keith Begun of Shirley is sponsoring the concert, in conjunction with Bob Morse Productions, to raise money for his ride in the Pan-Mass. Challenge, a cross-country bicycle marathon held in August to benefit the Jimmy Fund. A donation of $10 per person (kids are free) is requested. Devens Grill will present a barbecue menu, and a lawn chair or blanket is suggested.
For more information, contact Keith Begun at hkbegun@comcast.net. Donations for Begun’s bike ride may be made directly, with checks made out to PMC and sent to Keith Begun, P.O. Box 1366, Shirley, MA 01464.
Geo-caching workshop
GROTON — Do you want to learn more about your GPS, and are you looking for a fun new activity to try? The Nashua River Watershed Association (NRWA) is offering such an opportunity at the “Geo-caching Workshop for Adults” on Saturday, June 3, from 9 a.m. to noon. Meet at the NRWA’s River Resource Center, 592 Main Street (Route 119) in Groton before proceeding to nearby J. Harry Rich State Forest for the event.
Geo-cacher Brett Marcotte will provide an introduction to the popular sport of geo-caching. He will teach how to find a “cache” behind the River Resource Center, then send you off to find your own cache somewhere in the state forest.
The workshop is for adults and young adults. Dress to be outdoors and bring drinking water.
Space is limited and registration is required. To register or for more information, call Ellen Frank, NRWA environmental education assistant at (978) 448-0299 or e-mail efrank@NashuaRiverWatershed.org.
Fatima event
PEPPERELL — Our Lady of Fatima Community Shrine, at 47 Heald Street in Pepperell, will sponsor a Fatima-related event on Sunday, June 4, at 2 p.m. on site. All are welcome. There is no fee or admission charge.
Judge Dan Lynch from St. Albans, Vermont, president of the Apostolates of The Missionary Image of Our Lady of Guadalupe, will be the main speaker.
At the Pepperell traffic circle (Route 111), follow the Fatima signs to the shrine. In case of rain, the event will be moved indoors to St. Joseph Church, Tarbell Street, Pepperell.
Bruce Almighty
LITTLETON — The Congregational Church of Littleton will present the film “Bruce Almighty” at a dinner theater on Sunday, June 4, at 5:15 p.m. in the parish hall of the church, followed by a discussion.
The thought-provoking comedy stars Jim Carrey as Bruce Nolan, a Buffalo TV reporter who blames God after he has a particularly bad day. God, played by a gentlemanly Morgan Freeman, challenges Bruce to see whether he can do better.
Everyone over the age of 14 is invited and there is no charge for admission. However, because seating is limited to 24, advance reservations are required by calling the church at (978) 486 3245, or by e-mail through the church’s new Web site at www.ccol.org.
Musical garden tour
LITTLETON — Stroll through beautiful gardens while listening to the strains of a string quartet, harp or brass ensemble during Indian Hill Music’s 14th annual “Rhapsody in Bloom” garden tour on Saturday, June 3, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Live music will be performed by professional musicians from The Orchestra of Indian Hill, as well as by faculty and top students from Indian Hill Music School, during a leisurely tour of outstanding country gardens in Littleton, Boxborough and Acton, Mass.
A highlight of this year’s tour will be the Prouty Woods Community Forest — a 100-acre woodland in the heart of Littleton that offers enchanting walks and a lovely garden terrace where lunch will be served. A map of all the garden locations is issued with the tickets. The schedule of music being performed in each garden is available on the day of the tour, which will be held rain or shine.
For tickets and more information call (978) 486-0540 or visit www.indianhillmusic.org.
Talent needed
TOWNSEND — A town-wide talent show will be held as part of Townsend’s 275th anniversary celebration and volunteers are needed. The talent show will be held sometime in October, on a date to be decided later.
Magicians, acrobats, jugglers, dancers, musicians playing any instrument, soloists or group acts, even karaoke singers with their own tapes will be accepted for the talent show.
Call show director Dotty Grant at (978) 597-8140 or e-mail her at dorothyg44@comcast.net and include your name and telephone number, to volunteer your talents.
Flute seminar
LITTLETON — Composer, conductor and flutist Katherine Hoover will offer a day of workshops and classes for flutists on Saturday, June 3, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Indian Hill Music School, 36 King Street (Route 2A) in Littleton. Following the seminar and classwork will be a concert featuring local flute ensembles and guest artists.
The workshop fee is $35 per person and the 7:30 p.m. concert will cost $15.
To register call (978) 486-0540 or visit www.indianhillmusic.org.
Celebrate Giving!
LOWELL — “Celebrate Giving!” — the 10th annual Philanthropy Day conference and the region’s foremost networking event that explores community charity — will be held on Wednesday, May 31, from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the DoubleTree Riverfront Hotel in Lowell.
Presented by the Greater Lowell Community Foundation, the event brings together civic leaders, local philanthropists, nonprofit professionals and residents from across the greater Lowell, Nashoba Valley and Minuteman regions to discuss current issues and opportunities for civic engagement, community philanthropy, volunteerism and charitable giving.
Keynote speakers will offer entertaining and inspiring perspectives on the impact of giving.
Over $100,000 in grants will be awarded to area nonprofits to advance their missions to improve the community. Over the last nine years, the Greater Lowell Community Foundation has awarded over $3 million in grants and scholarships. Representatives from 23 nonprofit agencies will be on hand to discuss their goals and engage community volunteers in making a difference.
Registration for Celebrate Giving! is $45 and includes breakfast and buffet lunch. To register call (978) 970-1600 or go online to www.glcfoundation.org.
Fungi field trip
AYER — The Friends of the Oxbow National Wildlife Refuge will continue their 2006 field trip program on Saturday, June 10, with a focus on the northern part of the refuge, located in Ayer and Shirley.
”Plants and Fungi” will be the topic of the June 10 field trip, from 9:30 a.m. to noon.
The program will be led by Joe Choinere of the Massachusetts Audubon Society, who is an accomplished naturalist and director of the Wachusett Meadows Sanctuary in Princeton. Wear sturdy footwear, dress for the forecasted weather conditions and bring tick repellent.
Meet at the Oxbow entrance to the refuge at MacPherson and Bishop roads in Ayer. Rain date is June 11.
Space is limited an reservations are required. To make reservations, or for more information, call Tim Prior at (978) 534-3467.
Homecoming
AYER — The Federated Church of Ayer, in its continuing celebration of the 75th anniversary of the federation of the United Church of Christ, American Baptist and United Methodist Churches, is having a Homecoming Sunday on June 4. Services will be held at 9:45 a.m. with a potluck lunch at 11:15 a.m. Old friends and new are invited to join the celebration.
The Federated Church of Ayer is located at 21 Washington Street.
Library vacancy
GROTON — The Trustees of the Groton Public Library have a vacancy on their six-member board, caused by the resignation of Mary Lavallee. This position would begin immediately upon appointment and be open to election at the next annual election in May 2007.
The Board of Trustees oversees all operations of the public library, establishes policies and serves as advocates for great library service. Increased usage, funding issues and new technologies call for trustees with strength and interest which relate to today’s library.
Trustees attend monthly meetings (currently on the third Tuesday of the month) and serve on subcommittees such as building and equipment, policy, personnel and planning and budget and finance. Interested individuals should send a brief letter expressing their desire to be considered and the reason for their interest to: Trustee Secretary Jane Allen, Groton Public Library, 99 Main St., Groton, MA 01450, or e-mail jane@mrmrealty.com before June 15, 2006.
MoneySense TV
GROTON — “MoneySense” is a new educational TV show covering a wide range of personal finance topics. The show is produced and hosted by John Llodra, a Groton resident and practicing financial consultant.
Each month, MoneySense explores a different topic from such areas as savings and investments, retirement planning, estate planning, insurance strategies and paying for college. Representative show topics include “Retirement Income Risks” and “The Ins and Outs of Social Security.”
MoneySense airs several times each week in the towns of Groton, Dunstable, Pepperell, Harvard, Shirley, Ayer, Littleton, Westford, Acton, Concord, Chelmsford and Wilmington. Check local cable access channels for broadcast dates and times.
Questions, comments or suggestions for future shows are welcome and may be sent to moneysense@thegrotonchannel.org or mailed to MoneySense, Groton Cable Access, 173 Main Street, Groton, MA 01450.
