Townsend posting board

Calendar Friday, April 11

Middle School dance: 7-9 p.m. Hawthorne Brook cafeteria; Admission $5, grades seven and eight. All school rules apply. At least 10 chaperones will be present and volunteer chaperones are needed. E-mail clem6six@verizon.net to learn more.

Saturday, April 12

Hypnotist: 8:30 p.m. Pepperell VFW; Show by hypnotist Michael Grady to benefit Project Graduation 2008, ages 21 and over only, please. Tickets $15, doors open at 7:30 p.m. Call Jackie at (978) 433-3098, Georgette at (978) 433-8182 or Elizabeth at (978) 433-6103.

Bake sale: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Townsend Senior Center, 222 Main Street; Bake sale hosted by the Golden Age Club; all donated baked goods will be greatly appreciated.

Bean supper: 5-7 p.m., Townsend Congregational Church, on the common; Traditional baked beans and franks supper by the Friends of the Townsend Seniors, includes coleslaw and corn bread. Tickets $6 for adults and $4 for children 10 and under.

Vernal pools: 10 a.m., Memorial Hall parking lot, Townsend; Carpool to the state forest for vernal pool field work with Cathy Kristofferson and Emily North of Friends of Willard Brook. Bring waders if you have them. Call Emily at (978) 597-3553 or e-mail Emily@willardbrook.org.

Chateau Shenanigans: 6 p.m., Townsend VFW Post; Murder mystery with buffet dinner; Tickets $15 in advance by calling (978) 597-8777.

Sunday, April 13

Fishing derby: 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., Townsend Rod & Gun Club; Cash prizes of $100, $75 and $25 for longest fish caught. Pond has bee stocked.

Monday, April 14

Planning Board: 7 p.m. meeting, Memorial Hall.

Housing Authority: 6:30 p.m. meeting, Memorial Hall.

Board of Health: 6 p.m. meeting, Memorial Hall.

Library Trustees: 7:30 p.m. meeting, Memorial Hall.

Breakfast Club: 9:30 a.m., Townsend Senior Center; Guest speaker from Harborside Healthcare in Milford, N.H., will address “Occupational Therapy.”

SpedPAC: 7-9 p.m., North Middlesex Regional High School, Academic Support Center; Parent to parent meeting to discuss resources, ideas and problems with special education. Or just come and listen. For more information visit www.nmspedpac.org.

Tuesday, April 15

Board of Assessors: 7 p.m. meeting, Memorial Hall.

Democrats meet: 7 p.m. meeting, Memorial Hall; Regular meeting of the Democratic Town Committee.

Wednesday, April 16

Cemetery & Parks: 7 p.m. meeting, Memorial Hall.

Zoning Board of Appeals: 7 p.m. meeting, Memorial Hall.

Thursday, April 17

Cribbage: 1 p.m.,, Townsend Senior Center.

Sunday, April 20

British opinion: 2 p.m., West Townsend Reading Room, 264 Dudley Road; Townsend Historical Society presents Guy Morin portraying a fully equipped British soldier who will answer questions and describe what Patriot’s Day means to his side. Free and open to all, with refreshments served. Call the Society at (978) 597-2106 to learn more.

* Meeting list provided by town clerk’s office on Wednesday morning. Meetings may be posted as little as 48 hours in advance.

Briefs

Townsend Rec.

Summer Program

The Townsend Recreation five-week Summer Program will begin Monday, July 7 and last until Friday, Aug. 8 at the Hawthorne Brook Middle School. Two session are offered: 9 a.m. to noon or 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. These programs are for age 6 to 13, or those who have completed kindergarten.

Prices for Townsend residents are $125 per child for the short session or $200 per child for the long session. (This covers the entire five weeks.) Ashby residents are charged $155 per child and $230 per child, while out-of-towners will be charged $180 per child and $225 per child, respectively.

Participation in the 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. session requires participants to bring their own lunch.

The Summer Program includes sports, arts, crafts, play, dance, talent show, field trips and in-house presentations.

Checks should be made out to Townsend Recreation, 101 Main St., Townsend, MA 01459 or delivered to the Townsend Rec. mailbox at Spaulding Memorial, Squannacook Elementary or Hawthorne Brook Middle School. Forms may also be delivered in person on the common on Earth Day, April 26.

Responses must be received by June 19 to avoid $25 late fee.

E-mail any questions to Karen Clement at clem6six@verizon.net or call (978) 597-5914.

Calling all crafters

The Townsend United Methodist Church’s 27th annual Spring Festival and Craft Fair is Saturday, May 17. It will be held on the Townsend Common, at the junction of Routes 13 and 119, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. (The rain date is Sunday, May 18.)

Crafters from all over New England will participate with a great variety of arts and crafts. Festival plans include a food court, live music, tables with baked goods, plants and silent auctions plus a “moon walk.”

Crafter spaces are available. The fee is $20, spaces are 12×12, with the crafter providing their own table and tent. Please call the church office at (978) 597-2486 for more information and to receive the application via e-mail or post. Or you may send $20 to: Townsend United Methodist Church Fair, P.O. Box 497, Townsend, MA 01469 with an explanation and picture of your own original work and a self-addressed stamped envelope for confirmation.

Save the date:

Monday, April 21

Horseback riding camp: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., April 21-25; Townsend Recreation horseback riding camp, Monday through Friday during April vacation for ages 10-15, cost $450. Reserve space by calling (978) 761-7736 or visit www.americanspiritfarm.com or e-mail Karen at clem6six@verizon.net to learn more.

Saturday, April 26

Earth Day: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Town Common; Them “Save a Watt, $ave a Lot” with booths, activities and more.

Bake Sale: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Townsend United Methodist Church (on the common); Proceeds to benefit Heifer International. Baked goods and monetary contributions may be brought to the church on April 26 or call (978) 597-2486.

Saturday, May 3

Hazardous Waste Day: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Devens DPW, 99 Buena Vista Street, Devens; North Central Regional Solid Waste Cooperative hazardous waste and bulky recycling collection, open to all including small businesses. Fees vary depending upon item and volume. Pre-register by visiting www.MassToss.com or call Tessa at (978) 660-6130.

Relay yard sale: Support the Townsend Congregational Church’s Relay For Life team, the Crusaders, by taking part in the yard sale or rent a table of your own. Call Carole at (978) 597-6364 for more information.

Ashby events:

Friday, April 18

Green Day Sale: 2:30-5:45 p.m., Ashby Elementary School gym; Raffles, vendor tables, children’s activities and yard sale items, sponsored by the Ashby Elementary Playground Committee. Donations are welcome by calling Joanne at (978) 886-2358.

Monday, April 21

Candidate’s Night: 7:30 p.m., Ashby Grange Hall, on the common; Open forum for candidates and interested voters. For more information, please contact Debbie at (978) 386-2323.

Saturday, April 26

Ham & bean supper: 4-7 p.m., Ashby American Legion, 361 New Ipswich Road, Ashby; Ham & bean supper by Legion Ladies Auxiliary Unit with spiral ham, homemade baked beans, coleslaw, corn bread and apple crisp. Cost $8 for adults, $6 for seniors and children under 12, with proceeds to benefit the Girls State Program. Call (978) 386-7977 for directions.

Ashby Free

Public Library

Preschool Story and Craft: Tuesdays at 10:30 a.m., open to ages 3-5 with their caregivers.

Teen Reading Group: Saturday, April 12, 11 a.m., discussing “Persepolis 2” by Marjane Satrapi.