An opportunity to give back to our community and brighten the holiday season
Concord and Maynard, MA (November 15, 2024) – Open Table, the MetroWest charity dedicated to fighting hunger and building healthy communities, announced that the Open Table Family-to-Family Gift Bag Drive is back for the fifth year in a row. The program offers community members the opportunity to create special holiday gift bags for a local family and/or a senior who are clients of Open Table.
Open Table provides participants with a list of suggested items to fill a gift bag, then sends daily reminders and other information on each of the first 12 days of December. Items must be unwrapped as this allows Open Table to determine an appropriate recipient for each bag.
Families can use the following suggestions to create a gift bag for a family or a senior:
Day 1:  Movie night snack (popcorn, pretzels or chips)
Day 2:  Travel mug or tumbler
Day 3:  Fun activity: games, puzzles, puzzle books, cards, art supplies, craft kits
Day 4:  $25 chain grocery store or pharmacy gift card, or a Visa gift card (please place in a marked envelope and include the store gift receipt)
Day 5:  Favorite baking mix for holiday baking (cookies, brownies, etc.). No need to provide other ingredients
Day 6:  Nice moisturizer or hand cream for cold weather
Day 7:  Hot chocolate mix, coffee or tea
Day 8:  Festive kitchen tea towel or napkins
Day 9:  Favorite store-bought holiday sweets
Day 10:  Olive oil (24 oz or less size)
Day 11:  Spread for toast (jellies, jams, nut butters)
Day 12:  Dried fruit and/or nuts
Please place all items in a sturdy reusable bag. (We’ve found the ones at TJMaxx work well.) Total weight of each bag must not exceed 25lbs for the safety of both clients and volunteers moving them around. Also remember we cannot accept homemade baked goods or alcoholic items in the bags.
Completed gift bags may be dropped off curbside at Open Table’s Food Donation Center, 40 Beharrell Street, West Concord on Friday, December 13th between 4pm and 6pm. You can also drop off curbside at Open Table at 33 Main Street, Maynard, on Saturday, December 14th between 10am and 1pm. Open Table volunteers will be on hand to assist.
“This is a wonderful opportunity to make the holidays a bit brighter not only for the families who rely on Open Table, but for those who donate as well,” said Alexandra DePalo, executive director, Open Table. "For many members of the community this program is a meaningful part of their holiday season, and we are so grateful for that!”
If you have any questions about this program, please contact the coordinator, Julie, at  holiday@opentable.org
Sign up to make a gift bag at:  https://www.opentable.org/family-to-family/

Littleton High School Drama presents “The Man Who Came to Dinner”.
Set in the 1940s, The Man Who Came to Dinner chronicles the unexpected stay of a national radio celebrity, Sheridan Whiteside, in a prominent family's home in Ohio after he slips on a patch of ice on their front steps. Making himself too much at home, Whiteside attracts famous friends, curious locals, and plenty of mischief to his hosts' lives, often to their horror. This classic play from Kaufman and Hart runs November 22-24 at Littleton High School. More information at littletonps.org/drama

The Friends of the Maynard Holiday Parade invite you to join us at the 58th annual holiday parade in downtown Maynard on the afternoon of Sunday, December 8! In addition to the parade, we’ve added a festive holiday market this year. Read on for more details and be sure to mark your calendar with the dates, times, and locations.
New this Year: From noon to 3 pm, stroll through a holiday village at Memorial Park (corner of Summer and Nason Streets). Immerse yourself in the sights, sounds and smells of the winter season as you browse and buy locally made crafts, decorations, and food. Face painting, temporary tattoos, and do-it-yourself craft vendors will also be there. Cap off your holiday market experience by making a s’more (toasted marshmallow and chocolate on a graham cracker) with a Maynard firefighter. Bring some cash along to donate to Maynard High School’s student-run WAVM Beacon Santa telethon, an annual tradition that supports families during the holiday season. Before or after your holiday village stroll, be sure to visit the amazing stores and restaurants on Nason and Main Streets. You’ll find bountiful options for buying Christmas, Hanukkah or winter gifts for family and friends. Enjoy a delicious meal, snack, or beverage at one of our many restaurants or cafés while shopping.
The 58th Annual Parade: At 1:45 pm, look up to see Santa Claus waving at you from a helicopter! Next, food collection trucks will roll down the parade route at 1:50 pm to collect your canned food donations. As a community, we can provide "more love, less hunger." At 2:00 pm, the parade kicks off, with Maynard’s Chief of Police, Michael Noble, leading the way as Grand Marshall. Special Guests of Honor will include beloved retired kindergarten teacher Marybeth Wallace; thePatino family, whose extraordinary Route 117 holiday light displays have lit up Maynard residents’ hearts for decades; local resident Judy Burgess, whose volunteerism makes a difference in our corner of the world; and Maynard resident Charlie Williams, whose smiles and enthusiasm brighten our lives. Various bands will provide holiday music. Floats, decorated vehicles, and festively dressed walkers representing local businesses, nonprofit organizations, musical groups, and entertainers will round out this joyful event.
Parade viewers can watch from the section of Sudbury St. between the mill parking lot and Main St., as well as Main St. between Sudbury St. and McDonald’s/Jarmo’s, and Summer St. from Nason St. eastward. Nason Street is also part of the parade route and will be a “low noise” area for parade-goers who are sensitive to loud noises. For more parade details, including our generous parade and fall ball (our main fundraising event) sponsors, without whom this parade would not happen. We are still accepting donations, so please go to https://www.lightuptheholidaysmaynard.com if you would like to make a business or personal donation to the parade fund. In case of rain/snow, the parade will be moved to Sunday, Dec. 15, same time and place. We hope to see you at this fun and festive day in downtown Maynard. Happy holidays!

On Wednesday, December 4, the Assabet Valley Camera Club (AVCC) is pleased to host professional landscape photographer Meredith Fontana for an in-depth look at essential digital scouting tools and techniques that will help you find unique photo locations and create images that stand out from the crowd. In this presentation, Meredith will introduce you to her favorite software, apps, and websites that she uses to find hidden compositions, anticipate perfect lighting, and predict ideal weather conditions. You’ll see a live demonstration of these tools in action, where you will learn how to scout a new location step-by-step. We’ll walk through a real-world scouting scenario that integrates these digital tools, from terrain research and lighting analysis to weather tracking and field preparation. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced amateur photographer, this presentation will provide actionable insights to help you scout like a pro and create images that are truly unique. Fontana is a Denver-based landscape photographer, educator, and naturalist guide whose journey from paleontology to photography reflects a lifelong passion for the outdoors. Drawing on her experiences from a career in natural science and outdoor adventure, Meredith brings a unique perspective to the art of landscape photography. The program is free and open to the public. Fontana's work can be viewed on her website. Currently AVCC meetings are using a hybrid approach where members can meet either in person or via Zoom. If you are interested in attending the program, contact AVCC at avcc.digital@hotmail.com a few days prior to the meeting to request a link to the event or to let us know you will be attending in person. The club’s Zoom room opens at 7:00 PM with a brief business meeting at 7:15. Meredith’s presentation From Map to Masterpiece will begin at 7:30. AVCC in-person meetings are held at the Hudson Senior Center, 29 Church Street, Hudson and are open to the public. The first meeting of the month generally features a program designed to instruct and/or to entertain camera enthusiasts. During the second monthly meeting, a competition of members’ digital images are judged and critiqued by qualified individuals. Assabet Valley Camera Club, affiliated with both the New England Camera Club Council (NECCC) and the Photographic Society of America (PSA), participates in inter-club competitions on regional, national and international levels. AVCC welcomes anyone interested in learning more about photography as a visual art and its practical application as a science. Members benefit from the hands-on experiences, from the knowledge presented in programs, and from having their work critiqued. For more information, check out the AVCC website at www.assabetvalleycc.com.

Memorial Congregational Church (Concord Rd. and Church St., Sudbury) is excited to host our Silver Bells Holiday Fair on Saturday, November 23rd from 9am to 3pm with a fair preview on Friday evening from 6:30-8pm. There will be a $5.00 charge on Friday evening with 50% of the proceeds going to charity. Punch and hors d’oeuvres will be served. There will be no charge on Saturday—just a fun day of holiday cheer and shopping. Come find Christmas decorations, a handcrafted item, a juicy grilled burger for lunch, a treat from our bake table, homemade novelty chocolates, a piece of jewelry you can’t resist,  puzzles, books, and games to entertain you through our cold, dark winter. Take a chance on our beautiful raffle items, and grab one or more white elephants that are just what you’ve been looking for. The Toy Shoppe has an abundance of brand new and gently used toys. You will be sure to find a variety of toys! Please consider donating a toy in support of HOPE Sudbury whose mission is to provide assistance to people in need. There will be a donation box in the Toy Shoppe. The Book Shoppe will feature a special guest from the North Pole! Join Mrs. Claus for story time at 10:00, 11:00 and 1:00.
See you all at the Silver Bells Holiday Fair!

The Iron Work Farm’s two Acton house museums will be open Sunday afternoon, October 27. Jones Tavern, 128 Main Street, first built in 1732 and opened by Samuel Jones as a tavern in 1750, will be open from 1 to 3:00 p.m. The 1707 Jones-Faulkner Homestead, 5 High Street, will be open from 3 to 5:00 p.m. Visitors can explore the restored rooms of this 1707 “First Period” architectural gem, the oldest house in Acton and home of the owners of the longtime fulling and grist mills on Fort Pond Brook. Members of the Nashoba Valley Weavers’ Guild will be on hand to demonstrate weaving, spinning and other textile crafts. Parking is available on-site or nearby

Stow’s New Revival Coffeehouse will open its season on Nov. 16 with the good-time swing blues music of the 1930s performed by The Smack Dabs. The Dabs features the songs of Tampa Red, Big Bill Broonzy, The Harlem Hamfats, and many other artists from the swing era. This delightful and timeless genre features a rich variety of musical styles, ranging from mournful blues to joyful celebrations, setting the stage for incredible solo and group improvisations and delighting audiences and dancers alike. The concert takes place at First Parish Church of Stow & Acton, 353 Great Rd., Stow. Doors open at 7pm. and the concert begins at 7:30pm. Tickets are $20 in advance at Tiny.cc/SmackDabs and $25 at the door. For questions, call 978-274-2593 or email coffeehouse@fpc-stow-acton.org. FPC is a nut-free location. Its facilities are wheelchair accessible.

For individuals of all ages and stages in their lives, Middlesex Community College offers a strong starting point for continuing their education and entering the workforce. To introduce students to different four-year college and universities, Middlesex is hosting transfer fairs on both the Lowell and Bedford campuses in October.“We encourage our students to explore the many options available to them and to begin planning early for their next steps after graduating,” said Jane Fain, MCC’s Coordinator of Transfer Affairs. “Our transfer fairs help students gain important admissions information on potential schools and start developing their plan. We hold fairs in both the Fall and Spring semesters because having these conversations as soon as possible while at MCC help students avoid unwanted surprises or roadblocks once they’re ready to transfer.”During each fair, students have opportunities to meet with admissions representatives from a number of institutions. They can learn about varying four-year school’s offerings and requirements for transferring after they graduate from MCC. This year’s fairs will welcome more than 40 colleges and universities.Admissions representatives are experts on their school’s information and a resource to MCC students as theyexplore their options, according to Fain. Meeting with the representatives helps students get a better sense of how selective and competitive institutions are, as well as know important deadlines and scholarship information.MCC helps students transfer to four-year colleges and universities across New England and nationwide each year. With a number of articulation agreements and MassTransfer, MCC makes the transfer process as easy as possible. By starting at Middlesex, students can save thousands on tuition costs by completing their general education requirements before attending a four-year school. At MCC, students get early exposure to their field of interest,with courses, hands-on experiences, and networking opportunities in just the first two years of their academic journey. “At MCC, we strive to work with our students to develop and put into action a plan for their academic, transfer and career goals from day one of their time with us,” said Nick Cloutier, MCC’s Coordinator of Transfer. “We are excited for this year’s fairs to help our students meet with different institutions, explore their options, and find the best fit that meets their needs. You want to start the process as soon as possible!” The Lowell Transfer Fair will take place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Cowan Center Cafeteria on Wednesday, October 30. Students can attend the Bedford Transfer Fair from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Campus Center on Thursday, October 31. For more information, contact Fain at FainJ@middlesex.mass.edu.

First Church Unitarian in Littleton will hold a Folk Festival on Saturday, November 9th at 7:00 p.m. at 19 Foster Street, Littleton.
The headlining artist is award-winning folk-blues-soul act The Sugarsnap Trio. You don't want to miss this talented young group! The Sugar Snap Trio features Collin Cope, harmonica and vocals; Chris Page, guitar and vocals; and Luke Hausermann, upright bass.
The opening artist is the popular Boston-based Sarah Levecque Band with their mixture of folk and blues and “Americana”. The band features singer-songwriter-guitarist Sarah Levecque; Peter Zarkadas, guitar and vocals; and Johnny Sciascia, upright bass.
There will be a brief intermission with refreshments. The evening will also include a “50/50 Raffle”.
A suggested donation is $25 per person at the door, but any donation in any amount is appreciated, and no one will be turned away. Tickets can be purchased in-advance for $20 per person at this link (as well as the option to watch the livestream of the concert): https://www.zeffy.com/ticketing/9d16ea6e-cb2b-4020-856a-0e26a4a1b747