• Family Notes (Birth – Age 4): A celebratory, mixed-age class where babies, toddlers, and caregivers explore music together through percussion instruments, creative movement, and songs that bring musical play into everyday home routines.
• Music Makers (Ages 3 – 4.5): A high-energy, independent drop-off class inspired by Dalcroze Eurhythmics. Young children internalize rhythm, coordination, and self-regulation through movement, singing, and hands-on instrument play.
• Musical Gateway (Ages 4 – 5.9): Designed for older preschoolers and kindergarteners, this movement-based musicianship class builds foundational listening, melody, and rhythm skills—serving as the ideal bridge to formal instrument instruction. (Note: Tuesday sections offered in partnership with Integral Steps).
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Are you thinking of separating or going through the divorce process? The Metro-West Boston Divorce Support Group is a confidential peer-support group with no religious affiliation. Men and women from all towns are welcome. Our group has been meeting in Acton for decades. Now we are continuing weekly on Thursday evenings by remote videoconference. For more information, call Doreen 617-957-0838 or contact paulbaker01@verizon

The First United Methodist Church cordially invites one and all to a free Thanksgiving Day dinner to be held at the church at 34 Felton St., Hudson, on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 26th. from 4:00 – 6:00pm.  We hope that anyone who may be alone or not able to be with loved ones will consider our invitation.

As one of the many ways we reach out to others, one of our church members, and his family, will prepare a traditional holiday feast for people in the Hudson and surrounding communities, free of charge.   Come enjoy a delicious Thanksgiving meal with all the fixings, as we welcome the holiday spirit of giving, into our hearts.

Please visit us for this celebration of thanks for all our gifts and blessings and feel free to invite a friend or neighbor to join you.
As mentioned, the dinner is free but donations are always welcome.
We are located at 34 Felton Street, just over the hill, off the Hudson Rotary.    

More information is available at 978-562-2932 or at the church’s website: www.hudsonfumc.org.

 

Ayer, MA:  St. Andrew's Church will host its Annual Holiday Craft Fair on Saturday, Nov. 14, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 7 Faulkner St., Ayer.

The fair will feature handmade gifts and holiday shopping opportunities from local artisans, including stained glass, pottery, handmade bags, knitted items, costume jewelry, and curated gift baskets. Attendees can also purchase homemade cookies by the pound and freshly baked pies, and enter to win prizes from an extensive raffle table.
A highlight of the event is St. Andrew's famous beef stew, which will be available for lunch either to enjoy on-site or to take home.
Admission is free, and guests will be welcomed with a complimentary cup of hot chocolate.
The annual fair is a longstanding community tradition and offers visitors an opportunity to support local crafters while getting a head start on holiday shopping.
St. Andrew’s is located at 7 Faulkner Street in Ayer and is an open and affirming community. We are a family-friendly community where children are always welcome.  Sunday School and childcare are available. The Sunday Celebration of Holy Communion is at 9:30 am, in-person and streams online at http://youtube.com/@standrewsayer/streams. For more information, please visit the St. Andrew’s website at www.standrewsayer.org.

BOSTON – Treasurer Deborah B. Goldberg’s Veterans’ Bonus Division has begun awarding bonuses to servicemembers for their participation in Operation Epic Fury, the U.S military campaign against Iran that began on February 28th of this year. To date, the division has received over 300 applications for bonuses related to Operation Epic Fury and awarded over $200,000 to these members of our nation’s military.

“Massachusetts has led the nation in recognizing our veterans for over 100 years,” said State Treasurer Deborah B. Goldberg. “These new bonuses reflect our state’s commitment to honoring the servicemembers who make significant sacrifices every day.”

Bonuses for participation in Operation Epic Fury range from $500-$1,000 for serving in imminent danger locations. Individuals may apply for this bonus regardless of active or discharge status. Servicemembers or veterans may be eligible if they: served during Operation Epic Fury, had been domiciled in Massachusetts for the six months immediately prior to entry into the armed forces or prior to activation, and have been discharged under honorable conditions (if applying as a discharged servicemember).

Since 2006, the Division has disbursed more than $12.5 million in wartime bonuses to post-9/11 veterans and those who missed bonuses at discharge.

Apply for a bonus by creating an account at https://matreasury.my.site.com/mavbd/. Veterans, servicemembers, and their families are also encouraged to submit an inquiry to determine eligibility for a bonus at https://matreasury.my.site.com/mavbd/inquiry.

The Harvard Lions are selling fresh oranges and grapefruit. Treat your family to great fruit while at the same time benefiting Lions charities and families in need! We offer

Florida Royal Ruby Red grapefruit -- Sweet, thin-skinned and seedless, the flavor is reminiscent of refreshing red grapes and sweet nectarines.
California Navel oranges – Easy peeling with the perfect balance between sweet and tart. Seedless and packed with Vitamin C.
Grapefruit, oranges and ‘mixed’ are available in 20 lb. boxes ($42) or 10 lb. boxes ($22) each.  Order online through November 13 and have the fruit delivered to your home in Ayer, Bolton, Boxborough, Devens, Harvard, Hudson, Lancaster, Littleton, Maynard, Shirley or Stow by a Harvard Lion on December 12. No need to be home for delivery. If outside our delivery area, we welcome your order and can arrange for you to pick up your order on December 12 in Harvard.
The direct link to purchase for the Harvard Lions local delivery is here: https://lions-citrus-sale-109284.square.site/.
We are also offering gift boxes that will ship anywhere in the Continental US. Here is the order site: https://ifundraise.com/616524
More details on the citrus sale can be found at www.harvardlions.com or email harvardlionsfruitsale@gmail.com.

November 4, 2026   Worcester, MA –  Worcester Chamber Music Society continues its 21st Season with a concert titled “Northern Lights” at First Congregational Church in Princeton on December 3 and Museum of Worcester on December 4. A reception will follow each concert.
The annual holiday Baroque concert journeys north to the Baltic and features a host of composers from the region. Glittering musical selections reflect the northern sky’s brilliant starscape and the spectacular aurora borealis.
Thursday, December 3 @7:30PM Friday, December 4 @7:30PM
First Congregational Church Museum of Worcester
9 Ayer Road, Harvard 500 Salisbury Street, Worcester
Pre-concert talk @7 PM Pre-concert talk @7 PM
Program
Johan Daniel Berlin | Sinfonia a 6
Stanisław Sylwester Szarzyński | Sonata a due violini
Georg Philipp Telemann | Concerto for 2 violas TWV 52:G3
Johan Helmich Roman | Assaggio in G minor for solo violin
Johann Sebastian Bach | Concerto for Oboe and Violin in C minor
George Frideric Handel | Concerto Grosso Op. 6, No. 5
Worcester Chamber Music Society Musicians:
Krista Buckland Reisner, violin and nyckelharpa
Rohan Gregory, violin and viola
Mark Berger, viola
Peter Sulski, viola and violin
Ariana Falk, cello
With guests:
Catherine Weinfield-Zell, oboe
Pablo Kennedy, double bass and theorbo
John McKean, harpsichord
Tickets are available at https://worcesterchambermusic.org/northern-lights/ or by calling the WCMS office at (508) 926-8624.
All venues are handicapped accessible.

 

• A steady presence. Each CASA is assigned one case at a time and meets with the child twice a month for at least 18 months. CASAs are the only adult in the case focused solely on the child, and often become the most consistent, trusted adult in their life.
• A voice in court. CASAs submit monthly written reports to the presiding judge so the child’s needs and preferences are heard in decisions that shape their life. In a national survey, 92% of judges said CASAs improve long-term outcomes.
• A connection to services. CASAs advocate across education, health care and mental health. In a single year, 61 children received increased educational support, 27 youth were connected to services including DCF, MassHealth and the Department of Mental Health, and 20 children gained access to primary health care.
• A path to adulthood. Boston CASA’s Youth Advisory Board helps foster youth ages 14 to 22 build skills in personal finance, public speaking and advocacy. Among participants, 60% reported improved coping and self-care skills and 100% said they would recommend the program to other youth in care.

Plan your Thanksgiving holiday celebrations now! Join us on Sunday, November 22nd for the Maynard-Clinton Elks Annual Thanksgiving Turkey Shoot. We’ll have drawings for turkeys, hams, and Tomahawk steaks, as well as an assortment of raffles, including a full Thanksgiving dinner.
All are welcome. Doors open at 1:00 PM, with the first drawing at 1:30 PM.
Support the Maynard Food Pantry!

Bring a non-perishable food item and be entered into a raffle!

Maynard-Clinton Elks is located at 34 Powder Mill Road, Maynard, MA 01754.
For further information, please call (978) 897-8425.

Sounds of Stow’s 48th season under the direction of Barbara Jones focuses on music of “Connections”– past to present, culture to culture, voice to voice. The opening concert –2:00 pm, Sunday Nov. 22, connects an early Baroque motet by Padre Martini with the major feature, Maurice
Durufle’s “Requiem” (1947). Trinity Episcopal Church, 81 Elm Street, Concord, MA provides the appropriately beautiful space for this beloved and moving setting of the requiem text, which draws on traditional chant melodies, flavored by harmonies that evoke music by compatriots Debussy and Faure.

Our season continues with further exploration of Christopher Tin’s exciting works, with “The Drop that Contained the Sea”, on Sunday, April 11, 2027 at Littleton High School. New singers are welcome to join us for an amazing adventure into evocative and joyous music that connects the water cycle to music rooted in many cultures (see website for details.) The season concludes with “Hearts Full of Hope," a program about the courage to hope, the strength we find in one another, and the possibility of creating a more compassionate world, on June 6, 2027, in Stow.

For further information and tickets, visit www.soundsofstow.or or email info@soundsofstow.org. Sounds of Stow is supported in part by the Massachusetts Cultural Council as administered by the local cultural councils of Stow, Acton-Boxborough, Bolton, Littleton and Hudson.

 

CONCORD, MA Issued October 29, 2026... Concord Women’s Chorus (CWC), fostering the power of women’s voices in song, presents its winter concert, “Sing We Noel: Songs of Peace and Joy,” on Saturday, December 5, 4 pm, at Trinity Episcopal Church, 81 Elm Street, Concord. Led by Artistic Director and Conductor Jane Ring Frank, recipient of the 2025 Lifetime Achievement Award from Choral Arts New England, the program features accompanist Simon Andrews and welcomes guest artist Kenneth Mok, violin.

From a vast catalogue of traditional carols and anthems, CWC offers luxurious arrangements of some of the genre’s best and most beloved tunes. Mendelssohn’s exquisite writing for women’s voices (“Laudate Pueri” and “Veni Pueri”) leads the concert, giving way to sweeping arrangements of “Away in a Manger,” “Angels We Have Heard on High,” “Sing We Now of Christmas” and more. Witty and harmonically rich arrangements are heard in Michele Weir’s jazz versions of “Winter Wonderland,” “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” and others. Dan Forrest’s gorgeous “Shalom” completes the concert – a heartfelt audience favorite.

Guest artist Kenneth Mok, violinist, has appeared as a soloist with orchestras including Collegium Musicum Hong Kong, Boston Chamber Orchestra, UMass Boston Chamber Orchestra, and Hong Kong Baptist University Orchestra. Closing with a rousing carol sing-along, the program is sure to please and add joy and warmth to a chilly winter afternoon.

CWC is pleased to participate in the Mass Cultural Council’s Card to Culture program, in collaboration with the Department of Transitional Assistance and hundreds of organizations, making cultural programming accessible to those for whom cost is a barrier. Therefore, CWC offers EBT cardholders the opportunity to purchase up to two tickets for $10 each.

Concord Women's Chorus is a 55-singer ensemble that draws singers from Concord and the greater Boston area. The ensemble performs a wide variety of choral music, ranging from early music to contemporary repertoire, with an emphasis on works written for women’s voices.  CWC will soon be releasing a professional recording of its commissioned works, produced by Grammy Award-winning studio SoundMirror.
Tickets to “Sing We Noel” are $30 per person, available at simpletix.com/e/sing-we-noel-songs-of-peace-and-joy-tickets-293491 and at the door, limited to capacity. For more information, performance details or to join Concord Women’s Chorus, email manager@concordwomenschorus.org, visit concordwomenschorus.org, or follow Concord Women’s Chorus on Facebook and Instagram.

Are you thinking of separating or going through the divorce process? The Metro-West Boston Divorce Support Group is a confidential peer-support group with no religious affiliation. Men and women from all towns are welcome. Our group has been meeting in Acton for decades. Now we are continuing weekly on Thursday evenings by remote videoconference. For more information, call Doreen 617-957-0838 or contact paulbaker01@verizon.

The holiday season returns to the heart of Boxborough on Saturday, November 21, 2026, from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM, for the 93rd Annual Merrie Christmas Fair. The event spans the United Church of Christ Boxborough, the Community Center, and the Town Hall at 723 Massachusetts Avenue. Admission is free, and neighbors from Boxborough, Acton, and surrounding towns are invited to attend.

The fair features a variety of seasonal shopping options. Visitors can browse handcrafted items, including holiday ornaments, homemade knits, custom gifts, and hand-turned wooden creations. Fresh winter greens, centerpieces, and gifts will also be available. For vintage finds, shoppers can visit the curated jewelry table and explore the Town Hall Grange Room for the "Attic Treasures" sale.
In addition to shopping, the fair offers activities for all ages. The Sugar Plum Food Hall will serve breakfast and lunch alongside live music, baked goods, and hot cocoa—with appearances by a dancing Santa. This year, the snack bar features Oscar’s Burritos, serving breakfast and lunch options. Outside, families can enjoy a bouncy house and s’mores by the firepit, while a specialized children’s table inside features kids' crafts and gifts.

For those wishing to shop from home, the UCCB Online Auction opens November 11th at 8:00 AM and closes November 21st at 6:00 PM. The secure digital platform accepts credit cards and features one-of-a-kind items.

Proceeds from the fair enable the United Church of Christ Boxborough to continue its support of vital local and global outreach programs, including the FreeBee Market, Community Supper, Acton Food Pantry, and World Central Kitchen. This year, 10% of all fair profits will directly benefit A Friend in Need, a local emergency fund providing immediate support to neighbors in crisis.

Mark your calendar for November 21st to support the community and celebrate the season. All are welcome.

Fall is here and Fresh Start Furniture Bank has been busy!  We held our first annual Furnishing Hope Walk for Fresh Start on October 18.  We had a goal of $30k and about 50 walkers & several additional volunteers raised $37,103 from 175 donors.  Avidia Bank was our presenting sponsor and Sen. Jamie Eldridge visited the walkers.  It was a great day of walking and raising money for Fresh Start.

Tuesday morning was a busy day with donations coming in and clients choosing their household goods.  One nice young couple who will be married tomorrow chose what they need for their new home.  When the volunteers heard about the upcoming event they put together a gift box for the couple and gift wrapped it for them.  They were surprised and very grateful.

Our current wish list of low items includes twin, full and queen size comforters, throw blankets, lightbulbs (60 & 75 watt), cereal bowls and platters.  We also are low on small kitchen tables, queen & full size beds and coffee tables.

Please see our website (above) for our location, hours of operation and other information.  Help us if you can, and spread the word, please!

MASSACHUSETTS (Oct. 30, 2026) — More than 600 teens across the Commonwealth have cast their votes, and the winner of the fifth annual Massachusetts Teen Choice Book Award is Death in the Jungle: Murder, Betrayal, and the Lost Dream of Jonestown by Candace Fleming (Penguin Random House, 2025).
“Massachusetts readers, I cannot thank you enough for this amazing, amazing honor! I am overjoyed that you read my book!” Fleming said when she learned of the results.
The first runner-up is Best of All Worlds by Kenneth Oppel (Penguin Random House, 2025), followed by Breathing Underwater by Abbey Lee Nash (Holiday House, 2024).
“I am absolutely thrilled,” said Oppel. “Of all the awards a writer can win, I love readers’ choice awards best because they put the power in the hands of my actual readers to discuss, debate, and choose their favourite books. I’m so glad that Best of All Worlds connected with the readers of Massachusetts!”
The Massachusetts Teen Choice Book Award is the only award in the Bay State that invites students in grades 7–12 to vote for their favorite new books. The three top titles were selected by teens from a list of nominees curated by a committee of public librarians, school library media specialists, and educators. Teens were encouraged to read the nominated books throughout the spring and summer before casting their votes October 1–16, 2026.

BOSTON, MA — The Massachusetts Unclaimed Property Division (UCP) and the Massachusetts Veterans Bonus Division have partnered to help veterans recover unclaimed property and funds owed to them. Launched in August, the collaborative effort has already resulted in 93 claims with an estimated value of over $45,000. To date, $12,000 has been returned to Veteran Bonus recipients in unclaimed funds

Both divisions operate under the leadership of State Treasurer Deborah B. Goldberg. By working together, the departments are connecting veterans with funds that may otherwise have gone undiscovered, while helping ensure they receive the money they are entitled to.

“Veterans have given so much in service to our state and our country, and we want to make sure they receive every dollar they are owed,” said State Treasurer Deborah B. Goldberg. “By bringing our divisions together, we are doing even more to help them recover funds they may not know they are owed.”

As part of the partnership, after the Veterans Bonus Division awards a wartime bonus to a veteran, the division coordinates with UCP to determine whether that recipient also has unclaimed property in Massachusetts. This proactive approach creates an additional opportunity to connect veterans with forgotten or unclaimed financial assets and help return money that rightfully belongs to them.

In addition to the cross collaboration between both departments, Unclaimed Property routinely reaches out to veterans, many of whom are no longer stationed in Massachusetts. Their last known addresses are military post offices or a local base address. In the past two years, over $298,000 has been returned to current or former military members.  With a total of $2.5 million in cash and securities waiting to be reunited.

The divisions will continue working together to identify veterans who may have unclaimed property and facilitate the return of those funds, reinforcing the state’s commitment to supporting those who have served

For over 60 years, outstanding artisans have displayed their products at the Holiday Artisans Fair at First Parish in Concord. This year, the fair is Saturday, November 7, from 10 am to 4 pm. Join us to enjoy great shopping and socializing while browsing juried artists, crafters, artisans, & photographers showcasing their latest creations. You will find gorgeous handmade woodwork, ceramics, jewelry, fine art, cards, and children’s & pet gifts. Don’t miss the popular Boutique featuring jewelry, vintage creative clothing, accessories, and more. Food will be served on-site throughout the day by a local restaurant.  This event is indoors and held rain or shine. The entrance fee is $3.00 per person (children under 10: no charge).

Concord, MA - Beginning Thursday, October 29, Concord Art presents Magnetic North, curated by Elizabeth Awalt and Pamela “Posey” Moulton. The exhibition will be on view through December 17.

Iconic Concordian and Transcendentalist Henry David Thoreau believed “that there is a subtle magnetism in Nature, which, if we unconsciously yield to it, will direct us aright.” Few places embody that magnetic pull more strongly than the state of Maine—which was part of Massachusetts until 1820. Maine’s dramatic coastline, expansive forests, rugged mountains, and ever-changing light have attracted artists for generations. Historically, painters came to Maine during the summer months to work directly from the landscape, establishing a tradition that continues today. Increasingly, however, artists are choosing not only to visit Maine but to make their lives there, drawn by both the natural environment and the strength of its artistic communities.

The artists represented in Magnetic North have all spent significant portions of their lives in Maine, and several were born in the state. Together, they represent a range of practices including painting, sculpture, photography, and installation. While each artist brings a distinct vision, they share an enduring connection to place, a commitment to creative independence, and a deep engagement with the natural world. Many have built lasting careers while contributing to Maine's vibrant cultural landscape through galleries, exhibitions, residencies, and community initiatives. There is a generosity among Maine artists that is distinctive. Like magnets, they draw one another forward, creating opportunities for both peers and future generations.

Artists featured in this exhibition include Elizabeth Awalt, Jarid del Deo, Melanie Essex, James Parker Foley, Roy Fox, Grace Hager, Dylan Hausthor, Jocelyn Lee, Joanna Logue, Pamela “Posey” Moulton, Verónica A Pérez, Brian Smith, Emilie Stark-Menneg, Ian Trask, John Walker, Shoshannah White, and David Wilson.

A catalog of the exhibition will be available at Concord Art. For more information, contact Executive Director Kate James at katejames@concordart.org or Assistant Director Natalie Reiser at nataliereiser@concordart.org.
You may also call Concord Art at 978-369-2578

Details: Magnetic North,Curated by Elizabeth Awalt + Pamela “Posey” Moulton
October 29, 2026 - December 17, 2026
Concord Art 37 Lexington Road, Concord, MA 01742
Tuesday through Saturday 10am – 4:30pm, Sunday 12pm - 4pm
Opening Reception: October 29, 5:30pm
Artist Panel with Jorge S. Arango, Art Writer: December 2, 6pm

Felixology: books, gifts, and art for the magical mind at 2 Walnut St in Maynard is holding a Thanksgiving-themed Grief Cafe on Sunday, November 22nd from 6-8pm. Holidays, like Thanksgiving, can be particularly difficult for grieving families and this event seeks to acknowledge that feeling of loss. Participants are invited to bring a food or drink that reminds them of a deceased loved one to share. If comfortable, they may share why the food or drink is meaningful. The featured book will be After Taste by Daria Lavelle. It is not necessary to bring a food or drink item to attend the Grief Cafe.

Felixology opened in late 2024 to honor the memory of the owner's late son Felix, who passed away at age 29 from Mesothelioma. Felix was a creative, enchanted soul who grew up in nearby Concord amongst nature and the spirits of his ancestors. He had a profound love of nature, history, literature, and art. He grew up to be an artist and designer for theatre, opera, film and top fashion designers.

Felixology is committed to being more than just a retail location, but a safe, welcoming, community space that harkens back to the carefree, magical days of childhood. It is a bookshop for all ages, but caters to the inner child in all of us. Felixology holds monthly Grief Cafes and Death Cafes to normalize discussions on grief, death, and dying.

For more information on Felixology or the Grief Cafe please visit the website at felixology.com, email felixology8@gmail.com, call 978-298-5716, or visit social media on Facebook or Instagram (@felixologybookshop)

For 50 years, Concord Prison Outreach’s Holiday Gift Bag Project has carried a simple but meaningful message to incarcerated people during the holiday season: you are not forgotten. This year, our volunteers, faith partners, and community partners will come together to assemble and distribute 2,300 Holiday Gift Bags to incarcerated men and women at MCI-Shirley, MCI-Framingham, North Central Correctional Institution in Gardner, and Northeastern Correctional Center in Concord. Each bag contains simple, useful items and a holiday card that serves as a reminder to our incarcerated neighbors that they remain valued members of our community. This message is especially important during the holidays, which can be an incredibly difficult and isolating time for those separated from their families, friends,and communities.
The Holiday Gift Bag Project is just one of the many ways CPO works to restore dignity and build hope throughout the year. At the heart of our work is the belief that people can heal and grow, families can remain connected despite incarceration, and every person deserves opportunities to move forward with dignity, purpose, and hope. CPO delivers more than 60 programs across nine prison and jail sites, reaching 1,000+ program participants with the support of more than 430 program-based volunteers and over 2,000 volunteer hours.
At MCI-Framingham, our work with incarcerated women continues to grow. CPO is now delivering programming directly to women living in the Reintegration House, a 12-bed, minimum-security pre-release residence designed to support their transition back into their families and communities. Our Reentry Readiness Program provides practical preparation for life after incarceration, addressing areas such as personal and family reintegration, financial literacy, emotional wellness and recovery, technology, employment readiness, healthy relationships, and community resources.
Our Restorative Justice programming continues to create opportunities for accountability, healing, recovery, and personal growth. In 2025, CPO provided 722 hours of Restorative Justice programming, engaging 556 incarcerated participants through 32 programs across seven prison and jail sites. We also expanded our work to include Recovery Circles, designed to address addiction, trauma, grief, and cycles of harm within correctional facilities.
Across all of these efforts, CPO is reaching more people and offering more programming than ever before. In 2025, we engaged more than 3,500 individuals through volunteer and program participation and supported more than 5,000 additional individuals and families through seasonal service initiatives and community outreach.
But growth is not simply about numbers. Each number represents a person. Another participant has access to a program that can help them heal and grow. Another woman preparing for reentry knows she is supported. Another child feels remembered. Another family has an opportunity to reconnect.
Restoring dignity means recognizing the humanity and potential in every person. Building hope means creating real opportunities for healing, connection, recovery, education, and a path forward. Together, we can build a community where incarceration does not mean isolation, where recovery and second chances are possible, and where every person has reason to be hopeful about the future.
As we work to meet our annual budget and continue providing the Holiday Gift Bag Project and our growing programs throughout the year, we ask you to consider making a financial contribution to CPO. Your support allows us to sustain and expand this work, reach more incarcerated people and families, and continue showing up for our neighbors across Massachusetts.
Thank you for being part of our community and for helping us restore dignity and build hope.
Show Your Support. Donate today at donorbox.org/hgb.

The Trinitarian Congregational Church will be hosting its 55th annual Antiques Show on Friday and Saturday, November 6th and 7th, at the TriCon Church, 54 Walden Street, Concord, from 10-5 on Friday and 10 - 4 on Saturday.

The Antiques Show raises monies to support mission and outreach efforts. All proceeds to the church, from entry fees, dealer rents, and café sales, are given away to outreach organizations that support hunger initiatives, domestic violence agencies, preschool and early education scholarships, veterans' needs, and the LGBTQ+ community.  Offering fine antiques, furniture, glassware, prints, jewelry, art work, and more(!), 3 floors of quality dealers are on hand to greet the over 800 customers who come back year after year. Our building is fully accessible.

The TriCon Café is a hit every year, offering freshly made sandwiches and soups and a place to sit so you can make a day of shopping and lunch.  We also sell many homemade desserts, including pies (sliced and whole), cookies, and other yummy baked treats.

The entrance fee is $10 per person (children free).  Look for our $1 off coupon/ad on social media, some area stores, and in local papers.

The Harvard Lions are selling fresh oranges and grapefruit. Treat your family to great fruit while at the same time benefiting Lions charities and families in need! We offer

Florida Royal Ruby Red grapefruit -- Sweet, thin-skinned and seedless, the flavor is reminiscent of refreshing red grapes and sweet nectarines.
California Navel oranges – Easy peeling with the perfect balance between sweet and tart. Seedless and packed with Vitamin C.
Grapefruit, oranges and ‘mixed’ are available in 20 lb. boxes ($42) or 10 lb. boxes ($22) each.  Order online through November 13 and have the fruit delivered to your home in Ayer, Bolton, Boxborough, Devens, Harvard, Hudson, Lancaster, Littleton, Maynard, Shirley or Stow by a Harvard Lion on December 12. No need to be home for delivery. If outside our delivery area, we welcome your order and can arrange for you to pick up your order on December 12 in Harvard.
The direct link to purchase for the Harvard Lions local delivery is here: https://lions-citrus-sale-109284.square.site/.
We are also offering gift boxes that will ship anywhere in the Continental US. Here is the order site: https://ifundraise.com/616524
More details on the citrus sale can be found at www.harvardlions.com or email harvardlionsfruitsale@gmail.com.

The Nashoba Symphonic Band, under the direction of David Wayne Bailey, will present its first concert of the 2026-27 Season “Masquerade” on Sunday, November 1st at 2 pm in the auditorium of Nashoba Regional High School, Route 117 (12 Green Road GPS), Bolton MA. The concert is free and open to the public – the hall is accessible to one and all.

The concert is (still) in the Halloween mood and opens a Waltz, a Mazurka , and a Galop from the Masquerade Suite, by Armenian composer, Aram Khachaturian, followed by the chilling Dance of the Skeletons, the soundtrack of a 1901 silent cartoon. The featured work on the first half will be a remarkable work by Barbara York, Encountering Baba Yaga, with alto saxophone soloist, Andy Kern. It will be remembered that the Baba Yaga was a witch in Slavic and Russian folklore who live in a house built on fowl's legs, and flew about in a giant mortar.

The second half of the concert opens with Night On Bald Mountain by Modeste Moussorgsky which many will recognize from the Disney film Fantasia. The program will conclude with a setting of themes from Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

Nashoba Symphonic Band is a program of the Nashoba Friends of Music and supported in part by grants from the Ashby, Berlin, Bolton, Lancaster. And Stow Cultural Councils, local agencies supported by the MA Cultural Council, a state agency.

October 21, 2026   Worcester, MA –  Worcester Chamber Music Society continues its 21st Season with a concert titled “Exuberant Voices” at Assumption University in Worcester on November 8.  A reception will follow the concert. Martinů’s Three Madrigals are a complex blend of the English madrigals and energetic Bohemian and Moravian folk music that he loved. Beethoven’s Cello Sonata No. 5, written after a three-year hiatus from composition, marked a radical stylistic departure from his earlier works and ushered in his late style. Saint- Saëns’ Quartet No. 2 is rhythmically dynamic, jaunty in tone, energetic, and exuberant.
Sunday, November 8 @4:00PM
Jeanne Y. Curtis Hall, Assumption University
500 Salisbury Street, Worcester
Pre-concert talk @3:30PM
Program
Bohuslav Martinů | Three Madrigals, H.313 
Ludwig van Beethoven | Cello Sonata in D Major, Op. 102 No. 2
Camille Saint-Saëns  | Piano Quartet in B-Flat Major, Op. 41
Tickets are available at https://worcesterchambermusic.org/exuberant-voices/ or by calling the WCMS office at (508) 926-8624.
This concert will also be presented by the Icon Museum and Study Center in Clinton at 7:00PM on November 6. Tickets and information are available at iconmuseum.org. 

A turkey drive can fill one table for one night. But a family that just lost SNAP benefits, or a patient managing diabetes without a working stove, needs something that lasts longer than a holiday meal. As you plan your holiday giving coverage, please consider including Project Bread, the leading statewide food security organization in Massachusetts, which works year-round to help residents afford and access healthy food with dignity.

The need is steepening. In 2025, 40% of Massachusetts households experienced food insecurity, according to the Greater Boston Food Bank, including approximately 1 in 2 Black and Latino/a households. Massachusetts SNAP enrollment has already fallen by 196,000 people, including nearly 70,000 children, under new federal rules and another round of changes took effect Oct. 1.

Rather than handing out a single meal, Project Bread connects people with resources to buy their own food or find reliable no-cost food nearby:

-A phone call. Project Bread’s FoodSource Hotline (1-800-645-8333) is the only comprehensive food assistance information and referral service in Massachusetts. In 2025, the Hotline received 20,383 calls, with counselors assisting in more than 180 languages, and completed 3,779 SNAP pre-screens and 510 SNAP applications over the phone.
-A prescription. Through the nonprofit’s Health Care Partnerships program, Project Bread works with MassHealth and health care providers to treat food insecurity as a health issue. Since its 2020 pilot, the program has connected more than 25,000 patients with grocery store gift cards, nutrition counseling, cooking classes and the kitchen essentials holiday food drives often overlook. In 2025 alone, that support included more than $3.4 million in grocery store gift cards and nearly $1.2 million in kitchen supplies and appliances. A new five-year report found 93% of participants reported improved health, along with lower A1C (blood sugar) levels and fewer emergency room visits. One health care partner reported $10.35 million in annual savings across 1,600 patients.
-A lunch tray. Since Project Bread led the Feed Kids Coalition’s successful push for permanent School Meals for All in Massachusetts, it continues to support school and summer meal programs statewide. On an average day in October 2025, 588,669 kids ate school lunch.
-A seat at the table. Through the Make Hunger History Coalition, Project Bread is uniting more than 700 partners to make Massachusetts the first state to permanently end hunger. Its Council of Experts with Lived Experience helps shape that work.

“The holidays put food at the center of our lives, which is why this season can be so hard for families struggling to afford groceries,” says Erin McAleer, Project Bread CEO. “With federal cuts reaching Massachusetts households now, a gift to Project Bread does more than fill a plate for one night. It helps a parent connect to SNAP, a patient get the food their doctor prescribes and a child eat at school every day. That’s how we move from getting people through the holidays to ending hunger for good.”

Donate. Readers can learn more and donate at www.ProjectBread.org.

Get help. Residents who need help affording food can call the FoodSource Hotline at 1-800-645-8333, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Are you thinking of separating or going through the divorce process? The Metro-West Boston Divorce Support Group is a confidential peer-support group with no religious affiliation. Men and women from all towns are welcome. Our group has been meeting in Acton for decades. Now we are continuing weekly on Thursday evenings by remote videoconference. For more information, call Doreen 617-957-0838 or contact paulbaker01@verizon.

WBN hosts our "She Means Business" event on Thursday, November 12 at 6:30 pm at St. Theresa Church (Holy Trinity Parish), 17 Still River Road in Harvard. Guests welcome! Members will sell their wares and share their business stories. Members may set up a table display starting at 5:30 pm and must RSVP if setting up a display. Guests welcome, but only members may set up a display. Contact Deb Oliva at dboliva@charter.net to RSVP and for more information. WBN is a local, volunteer run networking group of women in small businesses, professional practices, non-profits and the arts who meet monthly for mutual support, education & networking

Sounds of Stow’s 48th season under the direction of Barbara Jones focuses on music of “Connections”– past to present, culture to culture, voice to voice. The opening concert –2:00 pm, Sunday Nov. 22, connects an early Baroque motet by Padre Martini with the major feature, Maurice
Durufle’s “Requiem” (1947). Trinity Episcopal Church, 81 Elm Street, Concord, MA provides the appropriately beautiful space for this belovedand moving setting of the requiem text, which draws on traditional chant melodies, flavored by harmonies that evoke music by compatriots Debussy and Faure.

Our season continues with further exploration of Christopher Tin’s exciting works, with “The Drop that Contained the Sea”, on Sunday, April 11, 2027 at Littleton High School. New singers are welcome to join us for an amazing adventure into evocative and joyous music that connects the water cycle to music rooted in many cultures. (see website for details.) The season concludes with “Hearts Full of Hope," a program about the courage to hope, the strength we find in one another, and the possibility of creating a more compassionate world, on June 6, 2027, in Stow.

For further information and tickets, visit www.soundsofstow.or or email info@soundsofstow.org. Sounds of Stow is supported in part by the Massachusetts Cultural Council as administered by the local cultural councils of Stow, Acton-Boxborough, Bolton, Carlisle and Hudson.

The Maynard-Clinton Lodge of Elks invites the community to an evening of fun, music, and giving back at a charity Music Bingo fundraiser on Saturday, November 21, from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. The event will take place at the Lodge, located at 34 Powdermill Road in Maynard.
Admission is $20 in advance or $25 at the door. Admission includes one bingo card for each of the four rounds of Music Bingo. Additional cards will be available for purchase at the event.
Guests can also try their luck with an assortment of raffle baskets and a 50/50 raffle. Attendees who bring items to donate will receive a free raffle ticket as a thank-you for their generosity. Suggested donations include full-sized toiletries, new socks, new washcloths, and coffee gift cards just to name a few.
All proceeds will benefit Veteran Pathways of New England, an organization dedicated to helping homeless and at-risk veterans on their journey toward stability, healing, and independent living. Through this fundraiser, the Maynard-Clinton Lodge of Elks hopes to make a meaningful difference in the lives of those who have sacrificed so much in service to our country.
Advance admission can be prepaid through Venmo at @blproia. For verification, the last four digits of the associated phone number are 0060.
Gather your friends, enjoy a fun night of music bingo, and help make a difference in the lives of those who have served our country.
For more information, please contact Barbara Proia, Loyal Knight and Veterans Committee Chairperson, at 978-337-0060.

 

One Man, Two Guvnors is a West End and Broadway hit comedy play written by English playwright Richard Bean, adapted from Carlo Goldoni’s 1743 Italian classic The Servant of Two Masters.
Set in 1963 Brighton, England out-of-work and financially-strapped skiffle player Francis Henshall has taken on the job of servant to Roscoe Crabbe, a small-time East London hood who is trying to collect a debt from his fiancee’s father.  However, “Roscoe” is really his twin sister, Rachel…who has been posing as her own dead brother…who was killed by her own boyfriend, Stanley Stubbers…for whom Francis also works as his servant.
Still with us?  Further complications are prompted by several letters, a very heavy trunk, several unlucky audience volunteers, an extremely elderly waiter, and Francis’ pursuit of his two passions: Dolly, a very feminist bookkeeper, and filling his own stomach.
The hilarity never stops in this award-winning slapstick farce in its knockabout quest to answer these simple questions: How can any man (especially Francis!) serve two masters without either of them finding out about the other?  Can he pursue – and win- the girl he fancies?  And, somehow, can he get a decent meal in the process?
One Man, Two Guvnors opened on Broadway in 2012 to critical acclaim and famously starred James Corden as Francis Henshall, a performance that won him a Tony Award for Best Actor.
Amy Poli of West Concord takes on the role of Dolly, a quick-witted, observant, flirtatious and politically aware bookkeeper who sees through everyone almost immediately, and is the target of Francis’ affection.  Amy is excited to make her debut with The Concord Players and on the east coast theater scene after spending a decade as a Burlesque and Cabaret performer in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Chelmsford resident Rebecca Bishop portrays Pauline, who begins as a lovestruck ingenue but grows in confidence and independence throughout the play.  Rebecca has previously appeared on the Concord stage as an award-winning clown in The 39 Steps and more recently involved with She Kills Monsters while keeping busy working at the Discovery Museum in Acton, appearing in Jordan's Furniture commercials, and producing short films and viral bucket content.
Other local residents behind-the-scenes include Costume Designer Tina Zannieri, Lighting Designer Susan Tucker and Assistant Stage Manager Bill Fisher of Concord, and Set Co-Designer Allen Bantly and Props Designer Anne Bantly of Carlisle.
Angela Richardson of Carlisle and Mike Lague of Sudbury Co-Produce this madcap production, an exhausting experience both on- and off-stage, and will also be for audience members alike!

Performances are November 6, 7, 13, 14, 20 & 21 at 8:00 pm and November 8 & 15 at 2:00 pm.
Tickets are $24.00.

For more information and to order tickets please visit: concordplayers.org
or Email: tickets@concordplayers.org or call the Box Office at 978-369-2990 and leave a detailed message.

Solar panels will improve energy efficiency and reduce utility costs for food pantry
Concord and Maynard, MA (October 14, 2026) – Open Table, the MetroWest charity dedicated to fighting hunger and building healthy communities, today announced that it has received a grant of up to $179,400 from the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources’ Low-Income Services Solar Program (LISSP) to install a 55-kW rooftop solar panel system on its Annex Building.
“Open Table is thrilled to receive this grant and become a more energy efficient organization,” said Open Table’s Executive Director, Alex DePalo. “This is an incredible opportunity for us to both reduce hunger, and reduce our carbon footprint.”
The new rooftop solar system will be installed at the Maynard food pantry’s Annex Building on Main Street in Maynard. Once installed, the system will generate 100% of the electricity needed to operate the building and reduce annual electrical bills by $8,000-$10,000. As a result, more resources can be used for Open Table to meet its mission to fight food insecurity in MetroWest.
“I was incredibly happy to see Open Table receive a Low-Income Services Solar Program Grant from the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER), to install a 55-KW rooftop solar system at Open Table’s Maynard Annex Building. This grant will reduce energy costs and build energy resilience for the non-profit, which is a leading organization in combating food insecurity for the district that I represent,” said State Senator Jamie Eldridge.
Open Table works in 21 municipalities across the Metrowest area to provide healthy food that respects the dignity and diversity of those in need. The organization's strategic mission works to address both short- and long-term food injustices by breaking down barriers to food access caused by transportation, stigma, and bias. At the heart of this mission is a commitment to social justice and ensuring that people from all backgrounds and walks of life do not go hungry.
LISSP helps nonprofit organizations reduce operating costs and strengthen community resilience by providing funding for solar and energy storage systems. Grants are available to nonprofits that provide critical community services and support Environmental Justice (EJ) communities across Massachusetts.
The Low-Income Services Solar Program (LISSP) was enacted by the legislature in 2022 with the aim to support the green transition for non-profits that serve low-income and environmental justice communities. Bringing solar directly to the facilities of organizations that provide critical services in communities builds resiliency, reliability, and sustainability for non-profits. Importantly, solar systems also reduce energy needs and utility costs, freeing up additional funds for non-profit’s mission-driven services. The program is funded by the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER) through its Powering Community Services with Solar initiative and is administered by the Center for EcoTechnology.