You’re invited to a Fantastic Around the Town Sampling Experience in Maynard’s town center on Sunday, May 19, 2024 from 2 ~ 5PM, with all proceeds benefitting the Maynard Education Foundation (MEF)!

Sample dishes from your favorite local restaurants, enjoy live entertainment by local celebrity Jae Mannion & the Maynard High School Jazz Band, and enter to win fabulous raffle prizes, all while strolling Main Street and Nason Street, Maynard. Eateries that do
not have brick and mortar locations in Maynard center will set up a tent at the parking lot in the Mill and Main parking lot, across from 155 Main Street, Maynard. Please visit w w w.ma yn a rd e d u ca ti o n .o rg for the latest list of participating restaurants.

Purchase your event wristbands in advance for adults $25; children $10 (ages 2-12), children under age 2 free by going to w w.ma yn a rd ed u ca ti on .o rg . Wristbands will also be available at the event for $30 (adult) and $15 (children ages 2-12) at the Maynard Education Foundation (MEF) tent in the Mill & Main parking lot (across from 155 Main Street, Maynard). Then, with a map in hand, explore our local eateries, checking out their menus, meeting the dedicated owners & staff.  Vote on your favorites to show your support.

This event is made possible by our sponsors, the restaurants, and folks like you who donate to MEF. We are grateful to our sponsors: Premier and Major Sponsors Chris & Carolyn DiSilva, Ink Etc Marketing, Middlesex Savings Bank, Minuteman Building and Preservation, Inc, Independent Order of Odd Fellows and Open Door Education; also to our Sponsors Acton Funeral Home, Capital Group Properties and Dunn Oil Co/MacFarlane.

The Maynard Education Foundation’s mission is to enhance educational excellence in the Maynard public schools by providing grants for new initiatives, enrichment activities and professional development opportunities for teachers, students and administrators since our inception in 2000. MEF is a 501 c 3 organization.

The Taste in Motion is a rain or shine event. All funds raised will go towards the grant programs that support Maynard Public Schools. Tickets are considered a donation and are non-refundable. Join your friends and neighbors for this fun community event in support of the Maynard Education Foundation and thank you for your support!!

The Maynard Community Gardeners’ Annual Plant Sale will be held on Saturday, May 18th in the Maynard Elks Lodge parking lot at 34 Powdermill Road in Maynard, from 9 a.m. to 12 noon. This is a great opportunity to choose from a wide variety of plants that flourish locally, at bargain prices!  Flowers, vegetables, hanging plants, perennials, annuals, herbs, and shrubs will all be available in an assortment of heights, types, and colors. We will also feature a small flea market
of deeply discounted garden-related tools and objects. Come early for the best selection!


All plants at the sale are either donated by members/non-members who want to share their abundance or provided by Stow Garden Center. If you have surplus plants that you would like to donate to the plant sale, please email Loretta West at lorett aw es t3@aol. com for the drop off-site and times. If you need help digging up the plants you are donating, please contact Steve Smith at
s tevens mith @kw.com to make arrangements. We are especially interested in perennials that are native to our region and/or pollinator friendly.


Maynard Community Gardeners is an organization comprised of seasoned and novice gardeners who make it their mission to beautify our small town. All funds raised at the plant sale go directly to MCG’s ongoing efforts, including the many flower planters along the sidewalks and in public spaces downtown, the beautiful flower-filled alleyway off Nason Street, the seasonally
changing downtown triangle, and Maplebrook Park. Your plant donations make the MCG Annual
Plant Sale and its proceeds possible, bringing beauty and joy to all who live in and visit
Maynard!

May 11 – In a family-friendly show that will have your toes tapping, Vinny Pendergast and the Sons of Blarney will perform classic Irish tunes in Stow on Saturday, May 11, at 7 p.m. This lively, energetic 5-member band consists of lead singer Vinny Pendergast (originally from County Mayo, Republic of Ireland) on vocals and guitar; Steve Brown on penny whistle and bones; Paula Cookson Luria on percussion; Paul Luria on banjo, mandolin and harmonica; and
John Sullivan on bass, guitar and octave mandolin. Vocals are by all. These seasoned musicians have performed extensively in Massachusetts and beyond. Their music will have you singing along and maybe even dancing. The Sons of Blarney will bring a tear to your eye and a smile to your face. This is a benefit show for an area family seeking asylum; suggested donation per adult is $20 with no donation requested for children. Tickets are required and can be ordered at tinyurl.com/SonsOfBlarney. Doors open 6:30 p.m., and the concert will take place from 7 to 9 p.m. The concert will take place at First Parish Church of Stow & Acton, 353 Great Rd., Stow.
 

May 10 – Children aged 4 to 11 are invited to First Parish Church of Stow & Acton (FPC) in Stow for a night of crafts, snacks and fun on Friday, May 10, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Club UU is FPC’s monthly, nonreligious drop-off kid's club. It's led by a minimum of three adults, and typically between 7 and 9 kids attend. We focus on building social connections between children through creative crafts, fun games and group decision making. Newcomers from the community are always welcome and are invited to bring a friend. In May, the theme will be mindfulness, with some Zentangle, kids’ yoga, and active movement games. As always, we'll end with flashlight hide-and-seek. Club UU will take a break after this, but it’s expected to return on Sept.
20. FPC is located at 353 Great Rd., Stow. Please drop children off and pick them up in the church Vestry. To get to the Vestry, go through the main entrance (not the sanctuary entrance), take a left, and go to the end of the hallway. For more information, call 978-897-8149. FPC’s facilities are wheelchair accessible.

May 5 – The Morning Star Singers, a group of indigenous women who are hand drummers and singers, will be welcomed by First Parish Church of Stow & Acton (FPC) for an outdoor Sunday service about building community and beginning reparations. The Morning Star Singers seek to preserve and continue the beautiful tradition of women’s singing in native culture. For this service, they are planning on wearing red in remembrance of missing/murdered indigenous women and two-spirit individuals. Attendees are invited to join them in wearing red. The service will be held on May 5 at 10 a.m. on the lawn behind the church; come through the atrium doors and head through doors directly across. In case of rain, it will be held in Fellowship Hall (go through atrium doors and turn right). FPC is hoping to stream the service online if possible. Please check Sunday service listings at www.fpc-stow-acton.org/services for updated
information. Child care is available for ages 3 and under, and children over 3 are welcome to join
religious education classes. For information about those classes, contact FPC Director of Religious Education Rayla D. Baldwin-Mattson at dre@fpc-stow-acton.org. FPC warmly welcomes gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people. Its facilities are wheelchair accessible. For more information, call FPC Admin Meg at 617-291-3351 or visit www.fpc-stow-acton.org. The church is located at 353 Great Rd., Stow.

A draft Hazard Mitigation Plan for the Town of Boxborough is available for public comment through April 30. The draft plan can be found on the town’s website at https://bit.ly/3w0jIVr.
  “Implementation of this plan will significantly enhance our resilience to hazards such as flooding, snowstorms, high winds, and extreme temperatures,” says Town Planner Alec Wade.
  Once the town adopts the final plan and it is approved by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the town will be eligible to pursue “pre- and post-disaster hazard mitigation grant opportunities.”
  Hard copies of the draft plan are available for in-person review at the Town Planner’s Office, 29 Middle Road, and at Sargent Memorial Library. Feedback can be provided by completing a Google Form at https://bit.ly/3w0jIVr or at the hard copy viewing locations.
  The Hazard Mitigation Plan “identifies and prioritizes strategies to mitigate the impacts of natural hazards and climate change on our community.” It was developed by Boxborough’s 17-member Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee in collaboration with Jamie Caplan Consulting, LLC, with funding support from the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency.
  For more information, contact Town Planner Alec Wade at 978-264-1723 or awade@boxborough-ma.gov.

At its meeting on April 22, the Select Board discussed potential changes to Article 42 on the Town Meeting Warrant, “Professional Services for New Fire Station.” The changes, recommended by a unanimous vote of the Building Committee at its April 17 meeting, reduced both the dollar amount of the article and the scope of services.
  After much discussion, Select Board Chair Kristin Hilberg’s motion to reduce the dollar amount of Article 42 from $500,000 to $250,000 in accordance with the Building Committee’s recommendation did not pass. Hilberg and Priya Sundaram voted in favor of the motion; Wes Fowlks and Dave McKiernan voted against the motion.
  The Town Administrator clarified that the text of the warrant cannot be changed at this time, since it has been printed and will be posted imminently; however, a reduction of the funds and services in Article 42 could be presented as an amendment on Town Meeting floor.
  The Building Committee’s proposed revisions to Article 42 included decreasing the total funds requested from $500,000 to $250,000; funding only a preliminary “conceptual” design instead of a “schematic” design or “construction” design; identifying four properties for which conceptual designs and budgets will be developed; and removing funding for an Owner’s Project Manager.
  Before voting on whether to accept the Building Committee’s revisions, Select Board members discussed the purpose of Article 42, how the funds would be used, and the pros and cons of reducing the funding and scope of services as recommended by the Building Committee. The Board took comments from the public as well.
  In other business, the Select Board heard the Q3 Finance Report presented by Town Accountant Kelli Pontbriand and Treasurer/Collector Naomi Quansah. They reported on Q3 activities and indicated that the town is in good shape with respect to both expenses and revenues. Accountant Pontbriand noted that all American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds must be spent or committed with contracts in hand by December 2024. She suggested that the town make a plan for how to spend the remaining funds, which total just over one million dollars.
  The Board also unanimously approved a revised Boxborough Sustainability Policy presented by Kate Davies, co-chair of the Sustainability Committee. The Policy is intended to “support coordinated, ambitious, fact-based decision making and actions across all Town departments, committees, and groups, in an effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and achieve Net Zero emissions by 2050, as set out in the Massachusetts Clean Energy and Climate Plan for 2050, and to prepare for and mitigate the effects of climate change on the Town.”

May 11th, 9:00-NOON, Legion Common
75 Hollis St., Groton, MA
Cash or Checks Only
*Native Plants
*Perennials
*Shrubs
*And More...
www.grotongardenclub.org

Town Common, Saturday, May 11, 2024, 9am-2pm
Perennial • Fairie Gardens • Herbs & Veggies• Pollinator and Native Plants
Ask a Master Gardener and Membership booths!
Keeping Littleton Beautiful
Littleton Country Gardeners maintain 13 civic sites in town with seasonal plantings.
Cash or Check only!

May 28, 2024, 12:00-1:30 pm at the Acton Senior Center, 30 Sudbury Road, Rear, Acton. A Memory Café is a welcoming place for people with memory impairment and their care partners /caregivers. Cafés are a place to talk with others, enjoy lunch and an activity or entertainment together. We do ask attendees to bring their care partners. Lunch will be provided. Sponsored by Concord Park Assisted Living and Memory Care Community and Cooperative Elder Services, Inc. RSVP by calling 978-929-6652. Groups will be held on the last Tuesday of each month.
Concord Park Assisted Living and Compass Memory Support is a project of the nonprofit Volunteers of America Massachusetts, which has supported local seniors with specialized services for over 75 years.

May 9, 2024, 12:00 pm, hosted by Concord Park Assisted Living and Memory Care Community, 68 Commonwealth Avenue, West Concord. Dealing with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia isn’t easy, so it is helpful to share your concerns and personal experiences with others who completely understand what you’re going through. You will also learn about proven strategies to help you better care for your family member. Please call 978-369-4728 or email mking@concordpark.org for the details and a Zoom invite.
Concord Park Assisted Living and Compass Memory Support is a project of the nonprofit Volunteers of America Massachusetts, which has supported local seniors with specialized services for over 75 years.

Please join us for our Spring Concert, “Hold Fast to Dreams,” to be held on Sunday, May 19 at 4 pm at the Fuller Middle School, 31 Flagg Drive, Framingham. We’ll be presenting Roland Carter’s “Hold Fast to Dreams,” based on a poem by Langston Hughes, Florence Price’s “Abraham Lincoln Walks at Midnight,” based on a poem by Vachel Lindsay, and Margaret Bonds’s “Simon Bore the Cross,” based on a poem again by Langston Hughes. The concert will also feature baritone soloist Philip Lima. The Heritage Chorale, an auditioned mixed chorus, brings the joy of music to Metrowest communities. Visit heritagechorale.org for more details and to purchase advance tickets online, saving $5 per ticket versus the price at the door.

(Wanted: Your Surplus Plants!)
The Maynard Community Gardeners’ Annual Plant Sale will be held on Saturday, May 18th in the Maynard Elks Lodge parking lot at 34 Powdermill Road in Maynard, from 9 a.m. to 12 noon.  This is a great opportunity to choose from a wide variety of plants that flourish locally, at bargain prices!  Flowers, vegetables, hanging plants, perennials, annuals, herbs, and shrubs will all be available in an assortment of heights, types, and colors. We will also feature a small flea market of deeply discounted garden-related tools and objects. Come early for the best selection!
All plants at the sale are either donated by members/non-members who want to share their abundance or provided by Stow Garden Center. If you have surplus plants that you would like to donate to the plant sale, please email Loretta West at lorettawest3@aol.com for the drop off-site and times. If you need help digging up the plants you are donating, please contact Steve Smith at stevensmith@kw.com to make arrangements. We are especially interested in perennials that are native to our region and/or pollinator friendly.
Maynard Community Gardeners is an organization comprised of seasoned and novice gardeners who make it their mission to beautify our small town. All funds raised at the plant sale go directly to MCG’s ongoing efforts, including the many flower planters along the sidewalks and in public spaces downtown, the beautiful flower-filled alleyway off Nason Street, the seasonally changing downtown triangle, and Maplebrook Park. Your plant donations are what make the MCG Annual Plant Sale and its proceeds possible, bringing beauty and joy to all who live in and visit Maynard!

Joy Bible Study invites area women to attend our annual Spring Luncheon
Date: Wednesday, May 8
Time: 9:45-11:45
Acton Joy Bible Study is a friendly community of women from different denominations who  desire to study the Bible, share laughter, develop lasting friendships, and share personal  insights. It has been meeting for 41 years.
The Spring Luncheon includes personal testimonies from two of our members, worship through  music, and announcement of our next study beginning September 2024. The morning  concludes with a complimentary luncheon provided by our members. Come see what we are all  about!
We meet at Faith Evangelical Free Church, 54 Hosmer St, Acton, MA  www.joybiblestudy.com

Stow, Mass., April 28 – So much is changing in our world, faith, and congregational lives. As we engage this changing reality, we need tools to help us meet the needs of this liminal time. First Parish Church of Stow & Acton (FPC) is pleased to welcome the Rev. Darrick Jackson, ministerial credentialing director for the Unitarian Universalist Association, to lead the Sunday service on April 28 at 10 a.m. Rev. Jackson will show us how improvisation can provide us with a framework for ministry in these times. He will show us how to add some “Yes, and…” to our lives and as part of FPC’s congregation – and how “Yes, and…” can help us to better accept and understand others, create new possibilities, and more.
The service will take place both in person and virtually. Masking is optional. Child care is available for ages 3 and under, and children over 3 are welcome to join religious education classes. For information about those classes, contact FPC Director of Religious Education Rayla D. Baldwin-Mattson at dre@fpc-stow-acton.org. To enter the virtual room, go to tinyurl.com/22-23fpc.
FPC warmly welcomes gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people. Its facilities are wheelchair accessible. For more information, call 978-897-8149 or visit www.fpc-stow-acton.org. The church is located at 353 Great Rd., Stow.

Stow, Mass., April 27 – The critically acclaimed a cappella quartet Windborne will perform songs drawn from centuries of world music, from labor and civil rights struggles as well as modern folk compositions, at the New Revival Coffeehouse in Stow on Saturday, April 27. NPR called them “The best musical discovery of the year…stunningly powerful. Windborne sets a new bar for harmony singing today!”
Tickets are $20 in advance at tinyurl.com/WindborneMusic and $25 at the door. Doors open at 7pm. and the concert begins at 7:30pm. Masks are optional. The New Revival Coffeehouse is located at First Parish Church of Stow & Acton, 353 Great Road, Stow. For questions, call 978-274-2593 or email coffeehouse@fpc-stow-acton.org.

Boxborough (and Littleton) was originally the Praying Indian Village of Nashobah, a place of spirit and vision.   On Sunday May 5, the Boxborough Historical Society will present Sagamore Strong Bear Medicine of the Nashobah Praying Indians and local historian Daniel V. Boudillion at the Boxborough Town Hall, 29 Middle Road, starting at 2 p.m. They will discuss the Nashobah people, their spirit, their journey of survival, the village, and the sacred landscape that is all around us.
Strong Bear Medicine is Sagamore of the Nashobah Praying Indians and the founder of the Friends of the Nashobah Praying Indians.  Daniel V. Boudillion is an avid historian and author with a wide knowledge of early Nashobah history and has recently published “History of the Nashobah Praying Indians: Doings, Sufferings, Survival and Triumph”.
The event is free and registration is not required

On April 10th Mt. Calvary Community Supper Acton celebrated its 12th birthday. Since our founding in April 2012, by Mike Tobia, Betty Andrews, Carol Graton, Pastor Tim Knapp and a core group of church members, in partnership with Acton-Boxborough United Way, we have now served over 55,000 meals to neighbors who have joined us every Wednesday throughout the years. As the only active community supper in Acton, it is evident that our mission to help alleviate food insecurity and social isolation is so very important and necessary in our communities. The success of Mt. Calvary Community Supper has been remarkable. Through the transitions of inside dining, to a “drive-thru parking lot supper” necessary during the pandemic, to the return to Fellowship Hall, it has filled a great void for all our guests. For some, it is a time to have a warm prepared meal that is not from a microwave. For others it is a time to be welcomed by our volunteers and join other guests, rather than be alone at home. Food and friendship are in abundance at our Supper. We strive to help all who join us to feel a sense of belonging to our community – “our family”.
Each week, families with children, singles, groups of friends and neighbors of all ages, sit down to enjoy a nutritious meal in the light, airy Fellowship Hall of the Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church at 472 Mass Avenue in Acton. Individual guests come from a unique background, but all come for a moment in their day when they can be treated with dignity and respect. It is gratifying for all the volunteers to see everyone enjoy the meal and engage in conversation and laughter. This is especially notable during holidays, birthdays, and other celebrations when everyone is treated to special decorations, singing and musical presentations, and recognition of birthdays and milestones.
The preparation and organization of Mt. Calvary Community Supper requires the dedication of many individuals. Throughout each year, over 100 compassionate, rotating volunteers offer their time and energy to make certain all runs smoothly. Every week preparations for the 3-course meal begin on Tuesday. Then on Wednesday, our cooking team creates a delicious dinner. Students come in to assist with setting up Fellowship Hall and greeting guests. Teams of volunteers arrive to welcome each diner and serve the meal. Of course, all would not be possible without those who arrive later to tackle the clean-up of the dining room and the kitchen.  Many hands make light work.
In addition to wonderful volunteers, Mt. Calvary Community Supper is indebted to the generosity of our sponsors, Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church members, civic, business and community organizations, fellow churches, and wonderful individuals who give from their heart with their time, gifts, and monetary donations. We are very blessed to have this support. It instills in us our commitment to our guests and provides each volunteer with the reward of knowing we are making a positive difference in their lives. As so well stated by one of our guests:
“While food is necessary to sustain the body, food and a community supper serve a much greater purpose of nourishing the entire human spirit as we dine and communicate with our friends and neighbors.”
In the words of our former Chairman Mike Tobia who passed away in November 2020:
We are “Always Grateful for Another Wednesday.”
Should you wish to learn more about our journey and weekly happenings, follow these links:
Https://MtCalvaryacton.org/community-Supper
https://wwwfacebook.comCommunitySupperofActonMA

In celebration of Dr. Shri Nanasaheb Dharmadhikari’s Birth Centennial, Acton residents joined hands as dedicated volunteers of the non-profit organization Dr. Shri Nanasaheb Dharmadhikari Pratishthan (DSNDP), undertaking a nationwide Tree Plantation and Conservation drive at NARA garden, 25 Ledge Rock Way, Acton, MA 01720 on 7 April 2024.
DSNDP aims to foster a brighter future by advocating for environmental sustainability and cultivating a greener and healthier planet for all. The organization is advocating tree plantation and conservation in collaboration with the US government to address the demand for afforestation, aid carbon sequestration, regulate environmental temperature, prevent soil erosion, and promote biodiversity.
During the 3-hour conservation drive at Acton, 12 dedicated DSNDP volunteers performed weeding around 194.33 yards and collected 33 large bags of weed.  This initiative is an integral part of DSNDP’s Nationwide Tree Plantation and Conservation Drive, reaching across 14 states and 27 cities. The joint effort between the Town of Acton - Acton Recreation Department and DSNDP volunteers signifies their shared commitment to enhancing the Town of Acton, progressing one mile at a time.
In alignment with DSNDP’s motto “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” (The world is one family), the organization is also involved in other initiatives such as Nationwide Cleanliness drives, Women’s Cancer Awareness Conference, Blood and Plasma donation campaigns among many others.

ACTON, MA - Discovery Museum will kick off its annual Bid for Kids online auction fundraiser on Monday, April 29 at 8:00am at https://www.biddingforgood.com/discoveryacton and close on Wednesday, May 8 at 8:00pm.
Many individuals and local businesses have come together to support the Museum, donating popular and hard-to-get items to be auctioned off. The catalog will have more than 150 items, including a Red Sox VIP Package for 4 including scoreboard message, fly casting lessons, a Blackjack card-counting demonstration and lesson, theatre tickets, a create-your-own ice cream experience, gift certificates for local services and restaurants, and much more.
Proceeds from the auction will support the Museum’s Open Door Connections programs which serve to make the Museum affordable and accessible to all through programs such as Especially for Me, supporting free visits for families with children on the autism spectrum, are deaf or hard of hearing, or are blind or low-vision, and free Friday night admission year-round. Shoppers and museum supporters alike can visit the auction at https://www.biddingforgood.com/discoveryacton.

The Acton Exchange has launched its newly re-designed website and is off and running. An article in the local online news source can tell you all about the upcoming elections and meetings. Don’t miss other articles that include interviews with candidates. There will be plenty of letters as well in this week’s edition of the Exchange as we debut that section. Join our cadre of volunteer writers, editors, and tech specialists working together to bring local news to Acton. Write to info@actonexchange.org if you want to get involved.

West Acton Baptist Church will be holding a Flea Market May 11th from 12 noon to 3:00 in the parking lot, 592 Mass Ave. during the West Acton Merchants Village Association Spring Fling.  Spaces available for a small donation. Limited number of tables, first come, first served.
Slated to date: Acton Police Dept with Zane their comfort dog! Handmade Greeting cards, Vintage used jewelry & the church membership will be offering vintage teacups for sale. Contact church office 978-263-5902 or wabcadmin@verizon.net.

Acton, MA – Join us to celebrate the  Goward Playground 10th Birthday on May 11, 2024, from 3-5 PM at Goward Playground, adjacent to the Acton Memorial Library parking lot.  We will have music, games, prizes, face painting, and a very large birthday cake!
The Goward Playground, adjacent to the Acton Memorial Library, was reopened on May 17th, 2014, after a major renovation.  A group of local parents formed the Friends of the Playground Committee to renovate the original wooden playground which was installed in 1995.  The group raised $80K from the community and local businesses while the balance came from town appropriations working closely with the Acton Recreation Department.   “While many of our kids who we planned the playground for are now off to college, it is great to see so many new families and kids enjoying the playground,” said co-founder and Acton parent Steve Leo. Join us as we commemorate this milestone anniversary with a party!
Many Acton residents don’t know that the Goward Playground was named for Clarence N. Goward. Before the land was a playground, according to Harold R. Phalen’s ‘History of the Town of Acton,’ it was the site of the Acton Fair. The Acton Fair, which started in 1917, was a popular event for many years and was run by the Acton Agricultural Association. Mr. Goward served as president of the Acton Agricultural Association intermittently from 1920 until 1932. In 1941, the town bought the land and built the first playground in 1944. It became known as the Goward Playground.