Brief
Bid on a host of local goods and services at First Parish Church of Groton auction
A fabulous night at the theater, an original work of art or those long-awaited music lessons are just a few of the local goods and services on the block at First Parish Church of Groton’s Goods and Services Auction, Saturday, Nov. 2, at First Parish Church, Unitarian Universalist, 1 Powderhouse Road, Groton. Silent auction bidding begins at 6:30 p.m. Live auction bidding begins at 7:30 p.m. Admission is free.
Enjoy an evening of wine, hors d’oeuvres, laughter and goodwill and discover a rich array of local goods and services — all while supporting First Parish’s good works in Groton and beyond. First Parish Church of Groton is a Unitarian Universalist welcoming community of adults, youth, and children seeking to deepen spiritually, to take care of one another, and to be a blessing to the world.
To donate goods and services to auction, please contact Donna Nowak at dmnowak28@gmail.com, or June Adams Johnson at june@commongroundmediation.net. For event information and updates, visit www.uugroton.org.
Calendar
Free Dinner, Live Music and Good Company tonight
All are welcome to the next Groton Community Dinner at First Parish Church, located at the intersection of Route 40 and Route 119 in Groton. Dinner is served continuously from 5:45-7 p.m. Come for live music, delicious food and good company. The menu includes house salad, beef stew or “beef” wheat stew with potatoes and vegetables, bread basket with butter, and pumpkin bread pudding.
For information, visit www.grotoncommunitydinners.org or call 978-448-3035.
Birdseed sale Saturday
The Groton Lions Club will hold its annual birdseed sale in front of the Prescott School on Main Street in Groton. The sale will be open from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Ultra clean black oil sunflower, song-maker, striped sunflower, corn and thistle will be available.
The Groton Lions have for over 45 years given back to the community. All funds raised go to support the Groton Lions scholarship fund and eye research in Massachusetts.
Annual pie sale Saturday
Ladies Aid of the Christian Union Church will hold its annual pie sale from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. You may purchase freshly baked apple pies, frozen apple pies (baked and unbaked) and in addition to other kinds.
Halloween parade Sunday
The Florence Roche-Boutwell PTA will host its annual Halloween Parade Sunday. Children gather on Main Street at Prescott School at 2:40 p.m.; parade starts promptly at 3 p.m. The parade goes down Main Street at Broadmeadow and then town field. (Wagons and strollers are welcome and encouraged!) A huge reception/dance party will take place in the town field with DJ Bob plus snacks, games with prizes and more!
(There is no rain date. Cancellations will be posted on the PTA website the day of the event: https://sites.google.com/site/florencerocheboutwellpta/home)
Groton Dems meet Sunday
The Groton Democratic Town Committee will hold its monthly meeting on Sunday, Oct. 27, at 4 p.m. at Legion Hall, 75 Hollis St. Guest will be state Rep. Hank Naughton, candidate for attorney general. For information contact: GrotonDTC@gmail.com or www. GrotonDemocrats.com.
Talk with Tom Oct. 28
The Friends of Groton Elders’ Talk with Tom discussion group led by Tom Hartnett will be held Monday, Oct. 28, at 10:30 a.m. at the Groton Senior Center. Tom will lead a discussion on recent Groton happenings. Please join us for coffee and bring your questions and concerns. The group is open to everyone. Hope to see you there.
Guided trail hike Nov. 3
Join members of the Groton Trails Committee on a guided hike through the woods of the Gamlin Crystal Springs conservation area in Groton, owned by the Groton Conservation Trust.
This is a beautiful parcel accessed via skillfully routed trails and features dense woods, rocky outcrops, beaver ponds, huge boulders and an old “lost” quarry.
The hike will take about 1 and a half hours and is suitable for families with children. Dogs must be under owner’s control or leashed upon request. Wear comfortable hiking shoes as there are some short rocky sections.
The hike will be held unless it is very stormy. We will meet at the trail head on Old Dunstable Road. Take Lowell Road (Route 40) to Old Dunstable Road. Proceed north on Old Dunstable Road, passing the intersection with Bridge Street after one and one-quarter miles. Then continue for another quarter-mile on Old Dunstable Road. The trail head and parking are on your left, just beyond the sign for the Gamlin Conservation Area.
Well adult clinic Nov. 14
Nashoba Associated Boards of Health, in conjunction with the Groton Board of Health, announces that announces that a Well Adult Clinic will be held on Thursday, Nov. 14, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Senior Center, 163 West Main St. Drop in for blood pressure, pulse screening and diet teaching. No appointment is necessary.
For information, contact Nashoba Associated Boards of Health at 978-772-3335 or 1-800-427-9762 ext. 333.
Caring for Our Own After Death
Workshop offered free of charge
When: Nov. 16, 1-4:30 p.m., First Parish Church, 1 Powderhouse Road, Groton
For thousands of years families have taken care of their loved ones at home after death. It is a choice that is still possible.
Some facts you may not be aware of: The deceased can be kept at home (two to three days is usual); embalming is not required; a family can transport the deceased to the cemetery or crematory.
A traditional home wake/funeral is a family-centered response to death. It is different from a conventional funeral by its emphasis on the family maintaining control and decision-making in the days after a death. Home funerals allow time to honor your loved one and to grieve in the privacy of your own home. The experience is unique and personal. It can also be more affordable and respectful to the environment.
Registration will be limited: Contact Peg Lorenz at 978-425-6602 or peglor@comcast.net.
This workshop will be led by Peg Lorenz, a Home funeral guide, consultant and founder of Peaceful Passage at Home. Peg has 20 years of experience with hospice care. Peg is on the Board of Directors of the National Home Funeral Alliance and is chair of the legislative committee. She has a certificate in end-of-life care from the University of Southern Maine and has completed the training taught by Crossings: Caring for Our Own at Death, a resource center for home funeral care. She is a member of the Threshold Singers, a volunteer group that sings at bedsides of people who are dying.
Dinner theater, Nov. 16
Keep Saturday, Nov. 16, open as The Christian Union Players will return with its dinner theater, ” Mission: Possible.”
This year’s play is a sequel to last year’s play, “Murder, Mayhem and Marshmallow Salad” — no murder this time, but there’s plenty of mayhem — and marshmallow salad, of course! Features the same cast of quirky characters as they attend the annual budget meeting of the church. Nobody can agree where the money should go or even what the church’s (or any organization’s) mission truly is. Suddenly super-slick PR consultant Stuart Ship crashes the meeting! He delivers a fiery pep talk to pump up the bickering bunch.
Also included are hilarious TV-inspired bits: An “extreme church makeover” and a TV talk show host plugging a multitude of self-help books.
And there’s a cooking infomercial where the marshmallow gets tweaked and some audience participation. If you attended last year, you won’t want to miss this one.
Tickets are $25 each and includes a full-course dinner while enjoying the performance. Seating is limited, however, so reserve your seat early. Tickets may me purchased with check made payable to Christian Union Church and mailed to P.O. Box 223, West Groton, MA 01472.
Information can be obtained by calling 978 448-5480. All proceeds will benefit the new furnace fund.
