Calendar
Friday, March 27
Town Offices closed.
Meat raffle: 7 to 10 p.m., Ayer Gun & Sportsmen’s Club will hold its annual spring meat raffle at 255 Snake Hill Road in Ayer. Turkeys, ham, pork loins, sirloin strips, prime ribs, prizes and more!
Municipal meetings held in Town Offices unless otherwise noted. Meetings are subject to change with 48-hour advance notice posted.
Saturday, March 28
Gardeners Exchange: noon. Please see below for details.
Karaoke Night: 7 p.m., Ayer/Shirley Lions Club is hosting its second annual Karaoke Night at The Billiards Café on Main Street in Ayer. Some lucky person will go home with Red Sox tickets!!! FREE appetizers and pool from 7 to 8 p.m. so you will want to get there early! Please see below for more details.
Sunday, March 29
Sunday breakfast: 8-10 a.m., Ayer Gun & Sportsmen’s Club, Snake Hill Road. Full breakfast menu, every Sunday until Mother’s Day.
Blanchette poker tournament: Please see below for details.
Quilting Bee: 1 p.m. Please see below for details.
Monday, March 30
Town Clerk: evening office hours, 6 to 8:30 p.m.
Board of Assessors: 6 p.m.
Recreation Commission: 6 p.m.
Board of Selectmen: 7 p.m.
Hoedown meeting: 7 p.m. Please see below for details.
Tuesday, March 31
TRIAD: 10 to 11 a.m.
Veterans Agent: 5:30 to 7 p.m.
Wednesday, April 1
Sewer Commission: 7 p.m., regularly scheduled, first Wednesday of the month.
Friday, April 3
Town Offices closed.
Municipal meetings held in Town Offices unless otherwise noted. Meetings are subject to change with 48-hour advance notice posted.
Sunday, April 5
Sunday breakfast: 8-10 a.m., Ayer Gun & Sportsmen’s Club, Snake Hill Road. Full breakfast menu, every Sunday until Mother’s Day.
Quilting Bees: 1 p.m., Please see below for details.
Briefs
Quilting bees
The Shirley Historical Society has been hosting a series of quilting bees on Sunday afternoons in March. These have been designed to give folks an introduction to various techniques for decorative embroidery.
The last work party will be held Sunday, March 29 at 1 p.m. After that, the quilters may come during regular museum hours, on Saturdays or Mondays, between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. and work on their squares. There are still two squares that nobody has started. When all the outside squares have been decorated, a date will be set to sew the quilt onto its backing.
Contact the Museum at 978-425-9328 or mail@shirleyhistory.org if you would like to be part of this project
Middle school group needs VCRs
A group of middle school students has been working with library and media director Kathryn Lyon on a plan to broadcast morning announcements within the school rather than reading them over the P.A. system and they need 18 VCRs to do it. Lyon said the group is a work in progress, but has its sights set on eventually branching out into other broadcasting projects. For now, though the VCRs will do it, she said.
The students are looking for gently used, functional VCRs, but new ones would certainly be appreciated as well. Anyone who may be able to help may contact Lyon at the school.
Art of rug-making at Historical Museum
Rose Ann Hunter of Newburyport, an expert in the art of rug making and needle arts, was guest speaker at the Shirley Historical Society Museum on March 15. She has been teaching workshops for the past 20 years. In 2005, she was chosen as Craftsperson in Residence at Sturbridge Village where she continues to demonstrate and teach. Rose Ann has also taught at the Hancock and Canterbury Shaker Village museums.
Hunter talked about her background and how she has adapted and developed over 30 different techniques for traditional rug-making. In Shirley, she lectured to a rapt audience about the history and technique for styles such as French knotted, Tambour, rag, crocheted, knitted and penny rugs. Visitors appreciated her creativity and unique color combinations as well as her willingness to share her love for the subject.
Rose Ann will return to Shirley on Sunday, May 17 to teach a workshop on four rug techniques. Check the museum Web site at www.shirleyhistory.org for further details.
In the meantime, visitors can see a display of rugs made by Shirley artists. There are beautiful hooked, woven tapestry, latch hook and braided rugs to admire. There is a showcase of miniature doll house rugs and a display of some rugs “under construction.”
Museum hours are Saturdays and Mondays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Admission is free.
Gardeners Exchange presents “Backyard Vegetable Gardening”
Saturday, Mar. 28, 12-2 p.m., Hazen Memorial Library, Shirley
The Gardeners Exchange will host Mike and Anne Gagnon, owners of Bear Hill Farm and Old Forge Farm, on March 28. They will present “Backyard Vegetable Gardening,” which will cover plant selection, starting your own seedlings, preparing the soil and successional plantings. There will be plenty of time for questions as well.
Mike and Anne Gagnon have produced vegetables using organic methods on their farm in Tyngsboro for over 15 years. Mike’s son Matt started Old Forge Farm last year after working with his dad for a number of years and is currently the caretaker for the Longley Acres Conservation Area in Shirley. Anne was the conservation administrator for the town of Shirley for almost 14 years. Mike and Anne sell vegetables through their CSA (community-supported agriculture) program and Matt sells his produce at local farmers markets.
The Gardeners Exchange meeting will begin at 12 noon and the workshop at 12:30 p.m. The meeting will feature a house plant swap (bring a plant and swap for a new one). Prospective members are invited to attend. Light refreshments will be served.
Moonlight and Valentino
The next ShirleyArts! production will be a play by Ellen Simon, Neil Simon’s daughter. It is the story of four women who come together and try to answer some of life’s most important questions, and have a lot of fun along the way. The show is called “Moonlight and Valentino” and will be performed at the Shirley Middle School on Friday, April 3 and Saturday, April 4 at 8 p.m.
This play is being directed by Lezli Whitehouse and stars Amy Comeau, Christine House, Rosie Pellizarri and Caitlin Quinones. Tickets are $12 at the door, $10 if bought in advance. This production is being supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council through a grant from our local Shirley Cultural Council. Go to www.shirleyarts.org for further details.
Hoedown meeting
It is almost spring and time to start planning for this year’s Shirley Hoe Down to be held Saturday, June 6. The first planning meeting will be Monday, March 30 at 7 p.m. at the Shirley Historical Society Museum on Center Road.
Representatives from participating Shirley organizations are invited to be present and to help with the decision making. Once again we hope to have an afternoon of entertainment, crafts, children’s activities, and good food. Those who attend the planning meeting will need to help decide just what the entertainment, activities, and day’s schedule will look like.
Committee co-chairmen for the event are Kathy Bourassa and Meredith Marcinkewicz. If you can not make the first planning session, but you have any questions or suggestions, talk to Kathy or Meredith, e-mail them at mail@shirleyhistory.org or mail suggestions to Hoe Down Committee at P.O. Box 217. You can also phone us during the meeting at the museum at 978-425-9328.
Well Adult Clinic
Nashoba Associated Boards of Health, in conjunction with the Shirley Board of Health, will hold Well Adult Clinics on Thursday, April 2 from 10 to 11 a.m. at the Town Hall and Tuesday, April 21 from 9:30 to 11 a.m. at Shaker Meadows (community room) on Harvard Road, Shirley. Drop in for blood pressure, pulse screening and diet teaching. No appointment is necessary. For further information, please contact Nashoba Nursing Service & Hospice at 978/425-6675 or 1-800-698-3307 or visit us at www.nashoba.org.
Summer in Shirley
Shirley Recreation is pleased to announce the return of the “Summer in Shirley” program. Come and join us for another fun-filled summer experience for boys and girls that have completed any grades Pre-K through six. Weekly activities are designed to spark creativity and smiles in a local, non-competitive setting. Our program will be available during the following weeks, between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.
Sliding into summer: June 22 – June 26
Unforgettable celebrations: June 29 – July 3
Monkey business: July 6 – July 10
Magical mayhem: July 13 – July 17
E for entertainment: July 20 – July 24
Rocking rollercoaster: July 27 – July 31
0 degrees Celsius: August 3 – August 7
9th inning: August 10 – August 14
Daily enrollment, early morning and afternoon care are also available.
Informational brochures are available at Shirley Town Hall, Hazen Library, Lura A. White School and the Shirley Middle School.
For further information please call (978)425-2600, ext. 270.
Save the Date
Fuel assistance
Seniors eligible for fuel assistance will be able to apply by calling John at the Council on Aging (COA) at 978-425-2600, ext. 285 for an appointment. The final date is April 16. Please call in advance of these dates so the COA can reserve a time slot for you.
Reminders
* The Winter Parking Ban is in effect until April 15.
Psalms and Slippers
Do you want a church where you can feel welcome just as you are?
Come to Psalms and Slippers on the first and third Thursdays of each month. Supper at 6 p.m.; worship at 7 p.m., held at the Old Town Hall in Shirley Center. Children are welcome, even in their PJs!
This is a new worship experience from Trinity Chapel, the Episcopal Church in Shirley Center.
Devens Advisory Committee
Meeting schedule: April 6 and 21, at 7 p.m. at 33 Andrews Parkway in Devens. Meetings are to be held in the first floor conference room except on April 21 when the meeting will be in conference room 2.
Karaoke Night
The Ayer/Shirley Lions Club is hosting its second annual Karaoke Night on Saturday, March 28 at The Billiards Café on Main Street in Ayer. Some lucky person will go home with Red Sox tickets!!!
The fun starts at 7 p.m. on Saturday night. There will be FREE appetizers and pool from 7 to 8 p.m. so you will want to get there early!
Tickets are $10 each and ALL PROCEEDS go to Lions Club charities.
