Action Unlimited

Viral Video on Hudson’s $3.95M Deficit Sparks Urgent Community Responseh 2

Over 4,000 Views in Less Than 24 Hours as Residents Rally to Protect Schools and Town Services
HUDSON, MA – A powerful video created by Together For Hudson, a volunteer Proposition 2 1/2 override question committee, has taken social media by storm, reaching over 4,000 views in under 24 hours. The video sheds light on the $3.95M budget deficit projected for FY26, which threatens to devastate Hudson Public Schools, the library, senior center, and essential town services.

The video’s rapid spread highlights the deep concern among Hudson residents. Without a YES vote on May 5th and May 12th, the town faces devastating cuts, including:

• 55+ educator jobs lost

• The elimination of arts and drama programs, which are crucial for creativity, mental health, and life skills

• Cuts and added fees for sports, potentially eliminating JV programs altogether

• Overcrowded classrooms, negatively impacting student learning

• Reductions in town services, the library, and senior programs

“This is not a scare tactic - our schools have already made $1M in cuts, and further reductions will likely gut our education system, harm our kids, and lower property values,” said Beth Langlois, the Chairperson for Together For Hudson.

As momentum builds, residents are encouraged to learn more and take action by attending a community information session:

• March 6, 2025

• Hudson Portuguese Club, 13 Port St., Hudson, MA

• 6:00 - 8:00 PM (Food & mingling at 6 PM; Presentations and Q&A session at 6:45 PM)

Hudson thrives because of community investment, and now, residents must come together to protect what makes the town special.

To watch the video and join the movement, visit TogetherForHudson.com or visit their Facebook page at https://Facebook.com/groups/TogetherForHudson

Worcester Chamber Music Society
Presents Annual Free Family Concert
March 2

Worcester, MA –  Worcester Chamber Music Society (WCMS) is thrilled to present its Annual Free Family Concert on March 2, 2025, with a performance at 3:00pm at Mechanics Hall in Worcester.  Neighborhood Strings students will perform at the beginning of the concert. Admission is free, but tickets are required.
Mechanics Hall comes alive with the voices of a wolf, a boy, a cat, a duck, and a bird in Prokofiev’s beloved story of Peter and the Wolf, followed by delightful depictions of a catalogue of fantastical beasts in Saint-Saën’s Carnival of the Animals. Artwork by students from Abby Kelly Foster School and a meet and greet with the musicians round out the multisensory experience of our always popular Family Concert. Be sure to reserve your seats early because this one-time-only concert will reach capacity soon.
Sunday, March 2 @3PM
Mechanics Hall
321 Main Street, Worcester
Generously sponsored by Bay State Savings Bank, Cornerstone Bank, and Karen Amlaw Music. This concert is also funded in part by the Auburn and Shrewsbury Cultural Councils, local agencies funded by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.
Program
Peter and the Wolf | Sergei Prokofiev, composer
Carnival of the Animals | Camille Saint-Saëns, composer
With a special performance by Neighborhood Strings
With guests:
Orlando Cela, conductor / William Kirkley, clarinet / Denise Plaza Martin, oboe / Clark Matthews, French horn / Adrian Jojatu, bassoon / Lilit Hartunian, violin / Moisés Carrasco, double bass / Aaron Trant, percussion
Venue is handicapped accessible.
Admission is free, but tickets are required. Reserve early, since this event typically sells out quickly.
Tickets are available at  https://worcesterchambermusic.org/animal-adventures/ or by calling the WCMS office at (508) 926-8624.

Multigenerational Game Night at FPC

All are welcome to the monthly Multigenerational Game Night at First Parish Church of Stow & Acton (FPC). Children under 13 must be accompanied by an adult. Enjoy free parking, free snacks, and free fun!
The next Game Night will take place on Friday, Feb. 14, from 7 to 9 p.m. FPC is a nut-free location. It’s located at 353 Great Rd, Stow. Its facilities are wheelchair accessible. In the event schools in the Nashoba Regional School District are closed due to winter weather, Game Night will also be cancelled.

Vulnerabilities and Challenges of a Thriving Life and Love – FPC Sunday Service

On Feb. 16 at 10 a.m., First Parish Church of Stow & Acton (FPC), Unitarian Universalist, will hold a service led by minister Rev. Susan Suchoki Brown entitled, “The Vulnerabilities and Challenges of a Thriving Life and Love.” Our Sabbatical Minister will be getting to know the congregation and sharing some of her recent learnings about living, loving, thriving, and surviving.
The service takes place both in person in the sanctuary and virtually. Masking is optional. Child care for the service only 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. The church is located at 353 Great Rd., Stow. Its facilities are wheelchair accessible. For more information, visit www.fpc-stow-acton.org.

Hudson Senior Center’s March Gift Shop Extravaganza!

29 Church Street, Hudson, MA 01749
Mark your calendars: Mon, March 3 - Fri, March 14!
Open: Mon - Fri from 9:30 AM - 12:30 PM

Get ready to snag a fabulous 50% OFF on our cozy Handmade Hats, Scarves, Mittens, Gloves, and Afghans! Keep your eyes peeled for our Red Tags on other fabulous finds with price slashes too. We’re all about those payments: Cash, Checks, and Venmo accepted! Just a heads up: Jewelry is off the discount list but will dazzle us in May at our next sale.
Don’t miss out—swing by our Facebook page to check out the gift shop photos and upcoming events!
https://www.facebook.com/FriendsofHudsonSeniorCenter?
Thanks for being awesome and supporting us!

The State of Open Town Meeting and Weighing Alternatives for Local Governance

The League of Women Voters-Acton Area invites community members to a webinar on Wednesday, February 19 at 7 p.m. Four panelists will speak about what works with Open Town Meeting and what we can learn from other types of local governance (Representative Town Meeting, Town Council). Attendees can learn about what’s on the horizon for Open Town Meeting, how the legislative function of the town works in each form of government, ways we might overcome barriers to participation, and how the community can participate in their town government under various types of governance. Registration information is below.
Since the late 1600s, most Massachusetts towns have adopted Open Town Meeting (OTM) as their legislative body. Voters who reside in a town with Open Town Meeting have an opportunity at least once a year to gather, deliberate, and decide on budgets, borrowing, zoning, by-law changes and other important matters. Yet both town officials and residents have long questioned the viability of an Open Town Meeting legislature as population grows and other demands limit voters’ ability to attend. Attendance rates are low and those who cannot participate in person feel excluded.
The League of Women Voters-Acton Area spent a year studying OTM to better understand the alternatives and the benefits and challenges of each form of town governance.
OUR PANELISTS:
Mark DiSalvo, President, Massachusetts Moderators Association and Town Moderator for North Andover which uses an Open Town Meeting legislature.
Gerri Slater, Town Moderator for Norwood which uses a Representative Town Meeting legislature.
Bill Rosenblum, Selectboard Member for the Town of Ludlow and member of Ludlow’s 2024 Charter Commission which recently attempted to transition from a Representative Town Meeting legislature to a Town Council-Town Manager form of governance.
Patricia Lloyd, Associate, Edward J. Collins, Jr. Center for Public Management, a state agency based at UMass Boston working with municipalities, school districts and other public entities to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of state and local governments.
Click here to read LWV Acton Area report, or visit our website at lwv-actonarea.org.
For questions, please contact: Diane Baum: dianebaum5@gmail.com
YOU MUST REGISTER TO ATTEND.
Sign up here (or use QR Code).
The League of Women Voters-Acton Area is a non-partisan, grassroots organization serving the towns of Acton, Boxborough, Hudson, Littleton, Maynard and Stow
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Communities and Residents Invited to Apply for Wheelchairs at Local Ponds and Beaches

January 30, 2025 (SUDBURY, Massachusetts) – SMILE Mass (Small Miracles in Life Exist) is expanding its successful Floating Beach Wheelchair Donation Program by inviting communities and residents across New England to apply for a floating beach wheelchair for their local ponds and beaches.
SMILE Mass, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, is dedicated to helping families raising children and adults with disabilities create happy, healthy memories through education, vacation, and recreation experiences.
“There is something special about the beach. No matter your age, a day at the beach always makes life a little easier,” said Lotte Diomede, founder and president of SMILE Mass. “Because it is such a magical place, SMILE Mass wants everyone to have the opportunity to enjoy the beach, regardless of their disability. We believe small moments can create lifelong memories for everyone.”
Through this program, SMILE Mass has already donated over 180 floating beach wheelchairs to public beaches throughout New England, making the coastline more accessible to individuals with disabilities. A list of participating beaches can be found here.
Last year’s Floating Beach Wheelchair grant winners included:
• Short Beach (Nahant, MA)
• Lake Gardner Beach (Amesbury, MA)
• Plum Island Beach (Newburyport, MA)
• Standish, ME
• Mass Audubon’s Long Pasture Wildlife Sanctuary Beach (Barnstable, MA)
How to Apply
Due to overwhelming demand, SMILE Mass has launched the SMILE Mass Floating Beach Wheelchair Awards Program, allowing towns and cities across New England to apply for a floating beach wheelchair. Any community member, organization, or local official may submit an application.
• Apply Here:
• Application Deadline: March 31, 2025FOR IMMEDIATE
• Award Recipients Notified By: April 30, 2025
About SMILE Mass
Small Miracles in Life Exist (SMILE Mass) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to enhancing accessibility and quality of life for children and adults with disabilities. Through its innovative programs—including the Floating Beach Wheelchair Program, Adaptive Equipment Loaner Program, and Accessible Beach House Rental—SMILE Mass helps families enjoy the same recreation, education, and vacation experiences as everyone else.
For more information, visit www.smilemass.org.
Domestic violence servicespg 1

Help Support People Affected by Domestic Violence in Our Communities

Domestic Violence Services Network, Inc. (DVSN) is looking for interested community members to participate in their FREE March 2025 Volunteer Advocate Training program at the Lexington Police Department.
The 40-hour training is designed to familiarize the volunteers with the many aspects of domestic violence and give them the skills necessary to provide confidential and appropriate services to DVSN’s clients. Once trained, DVSN’s volunteer Advocates provide direct service over the phone, at the Concord District Court, and at Emerson Hospital to people affected by domestic violence.
The March 2025 training will be held over 3 weeks from March 10 to March 28th on Monday and Wednesdays from 3:00 PM to 6:15 PM and Friday days 9:15 AM to 3:30 PM. For those who wish to activate as Advocates, an additional 10 to 12 hours of individual field training will take place after successful completion of the classroom segment.
The training is provided at no cost to attendees. All necessary materials will be provided. To learn more about DVSN and its programs, services, and events, visit DVSN.org.
Those interested in more information about the training or who want to request an application should call (978) 318-3421 or send an e-mail to training@dvsn.org. Applications are due no later than Friday, February 28, 2025.
Heritage chorale

Heritage Chorale Pops Concert, 2/23/25

Save the date—Sunday, February 23 at 4 pm—for “Around the World,” a musical adventure at the Heritage Chorale’s 2025 Pops Concert. Join us at Temple Shir Tikva, 141 Boston Post Road in Wayland. The musical journey will start in New York and end up in Africa. In between, we’ll travel from California to New Orleans and from Paris to Ipanema—all in the company of family, friends, and music lovers. “Around the World” is also a perfect theme for our raffle baskets. You’ll be able to purchase raffle tickets for international and tasty goodies when you arrive at the concert hall and during intermission.
More details and advance online tickets are available now at heritagechorale.org.

Is your Loved one Struggling with their Mental Health?

Free courses from the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) could prove helpful. Family to Family, starting March 20th in Boxborough, is an eight-session weekly course for those who love someone living with a mental health condition. NAMI’s Basics course, a six-session weekly class starting March 11th in Tewksbury, is for parents/caregivers of children and adolescents showing signs of behavioral health concerns. Topics for both courses include understanding the symptoms of mental illness, learning about treatments and therapies, practicing communication and problem-solving skills, creating a positive team approach, and self-care, plus the invaluable opportunity of open conversation and mutual support. The Basics class also includes information about advocating for your child’s rights at school and in health care settings. Details and registration: namicentralmiddlesex.org/educational-courses. Offered by NAMI Central Middlesex. Basics co-sponsored by Northeast Public Health Alliance
Yoga626 bowpose

Free Class at ‘Yoga 626’ in Bolton

Yoga 626 is a new, cool location for studio yoga in Boston’s metro-west. Located in Bolton, MA it is onroute 117, very near exit 70 on route 495.
On February 16th at 4 PM the Yoga 626 studio will have a free class, the 2nd Annual Karin Orrdonation class. [626 Main St, Bolton, MA 01740, (978) 634-1783] This free class is open to all - firsttime visitors are welcome! The class will be the 90 minute original hot yoga (OHY) format. The roomwill be heated and detailed instruction provided by experienced teachers. Donations are welcome andproceeds go directly the “Tomten Farm and Sanctuary” in Haverhill, New Hampshire. Tomten Sanctuarystrives for animals happily-ever-after, through rescue, sanctuary, education, and occasionally adoption.
The OHY class is a proven, therapeutic, healing yoga class and also a very effective workout. The OHY format even supports those with injuries, body pain, creaky joints and so on. Try OHY! You will feel better, more mobile, and lighter, with less pain, better sleep, and especially less stress. Plus, your donation will help animals in need.
Yoga 626 is a small woman owned business, established October 2024. (Initial opening was June 2023 under different ownership.) Yoga 626 offers several types of group fitness classes, from the original hot yoga that gained popularity back in the 1970’s, to power or flow Vinyasa, yin, and even high-intensity interval training Pilates and the latest, greatest Yoga-Sculpt. The latter combines the best of heated yoga and Pilates and adds weights and cardio, all to a motivating soundtrack. Hence “sculpt”, great fitness workout for burning calories and getting into shape. Check the website for class schedules.
Come to the free class February 16th at 4 pm! Learn more about the studio at yoga626studio.com. Learn more about the Tomten Farm and Sanctuary at tomtenfarmandsanctuary.org. We hope to see you at the studio soon!

Discovery Museum Announces 2025 Scholarship Program

Open to high school juniors and seniors in MA, funds can be used for any educational or developmental experience
Acton, MA – Discovery Museum announced today the 2025 Discovery Museum Scholarship program, which began in 2022 in celebration of the 40th anniversary of the founding of the Museum. The program will award four one-time $1,500 scholarships to high school juniors or seniors in MA who embody the mission and values of the Museum.
“More than 6 million kids and their families have come through our doors over the past four decades to learn about themselves, their abilities, and the world around them, guided by their own creativity and natural curiosity,” said CEO Marie Beam. “The Discovery Museum Scholarship looks to celebrate young learners who embody the mission and values of the Museum by supporting them on next leg of their educational journeys—whatever that might be.”
All high school juniors and seniors residing in MA are eligible to apply. For one of the four awards, preference will be given to current or past employees or volunteers of the Museum. Award money can be used for any educational or developmental experience, such as college or trade school tuition, travel expenses to support an exciting volunteer opportunity, or costs to provide a learning experience for young children.
Video or written applications are being accepted at https://bit.ly/DMScholarship2025 (applicants must log in to Google to apply) and must be received by March 31, 2025. Recipients will be notified in mid-May.

Action on Plastic Rick Lent, Sustainable Stow

Stow and Hudson are both working on measures to reduce the use and presence of plastics. Each year we hear more news about the impact of plastic in our environment. It’s a problem along the roads, in the rivers, and particularly in the ocean. Science now tells us that microplastics are even found in our bodies.
Why not recycle plastic? It turns out that recycling plastic is harder than the plastic industry would have us believe. Most Massachusetts towns and cities already have plastic bag bans. This includes our immediate neighbors: Maynard and Acton as well as Hudson. Shoppers in those towns rely on paper bags or reusable bags. (Reusable bags are the best choice for the environment.)
Green Hudson’s Plastic Reduction initiative aims to reduce non-recyclable single-use plastic. Hudson residents will soon have a chance to vote on reducing Styrofoam trays, take out containers, cups and plates, black plastic take-out containers and single use plastic straws.
In Stow,  the Green Advisory Committee will propose a plastic bag ban for carryout bags provided by stores to a customer at check-out. Such plastic bags are particularly harmful when they get out into the environment. (This proposed ban will not include bags provided by farms/orchards to customers for “pick-your-own” services or the thin film bags often used for vegetables.) You will hear more about Stow’s efforts to ban plastic bags in the weeks before town meeting.

This month, we will hear from Dr. Alex T. Vai the Campaigns Coordinator and Treasurer for the Surfrider Foundation’s Massachusetts Chapter. The Surfrider Foundation is dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of the world’s ocean, waves, and beaches. He has been personally involved in over 20 campaign victories since starting with Surfrider MA in 2018. Alex is a chemist and product development lead at a Boston-area cleantech start-up.

Register at bit.ly/3CtuLcU in advance for this talk on Zoom Weds, Feb 19 at 7PM.

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Missed the last climate talk from Sustainable Stow? December’s climate talk with the new director of our electric utility, Hudson Light and Power, is now available on Stow TV.  https://youtu.be/gh8vn0MiOJA

America Needs a Youth Sports Revival

Dr. Brian Hainline
Across the country, young people are dropping out of organized sports. The share of kids ages 6 to 17 who participated in a team sport dropped by nearly 5 percentage points between 2017 and 2022. The decline isn’t primarily because kids are losing interest. Rather, what they’re losing is access -- especially as the cost of participation continues to rise.
Reversing this trend is critically important for kids’ mental and physical health. So it’s worth looking at some of the barriers sports have faced, and how tennis is forward-thinking in this matter.
It’s no secret that learning and playing a sport at an early age can prove enormously valuable. Sports participation is associated with lower levels of stress, anxiety, and depression in young people -- as well as better self-esteem, improved cognition, and heightened physical literacy. Physical activity releases endorphins, feel-good hormones that put you in a better frame of mind and enhances brain connections. It helps kids maintain a healthy weight and sets young people on a path to a lifetime of healthy habits.
Barriers to sport involvement, especially financial ones, have been growing ever more formidable. The average cost of playing youth basketball was over $1,000 a year in 2022. Soccer was almost 20% more expensive, at $1,188 a year on average. No wonder nearly two-thirds of families say the cost of youth sports is a financial strain.
Tennis is one of the few sports to counter the trend of inaccessibility. Since 2019, the number of Americans ages 6 and older playing tennis has increased by 34 percent -- and currently stands at 23.8 million.
Part of this success is tennis’s relatively low barriers to entry, especially compared to more equipment-heavy games like hockey, football, or skiing. All you need to get started is a racquet and a few balls -- maybe $30 worth of equipment in total -- and access to one of the nation’s roughly 270,000 tennis courts, which are typically free to use.
Modest equipment costs are only part of tennis’ growth. The game has found ways to adjust to people of all ages and abilities, including individuals who are too often told they cannot participate in sports because of physical, mental, or age-related challenges.
Tennis recognizes that not everyone needs to play on the same size court and by the same rules.
All the way down to beginner youth (and all the way up to the elderly), adaptations are available, ranging from the speed and size of the ball, the size and weight of the racket, the size of the court, rules of service, scoring, and the length of a match. Importantly, wheelchair tennis has made a major breakthrough and is an exciting variant of the game that’s widely available.
Tennis is also a game young people can play into adulthood. There are leagues and competitions across the country for players 18 and over, 40 and over, and even 95 and over.
Sports remain one of our best tools for combatting the crisis in youth health. All sports need to look for opportunities to expand their reach through custom tailoring to meet players where they are.
Brian Hainline, MD is Chair of the Board and President of the United States Tennis Association and recently transitioned from the NCAA as their Chief Medical Officer. He co-chaired the International Olympic Committee Consensus Meetings on both Pain Management in Elite Athletes and Mental Health in Elite Athletes. Brian is Clinical Professor of Neurology at NYU Grossman School of Medicine. This piece first appeared in the Boston Herald.

New Luna: MCC’s New “Owl Theatre” Movie Theater to Open at Lowell’s Academic Arts Center

Middlesex Community College is excited to announce The Owl Theatre will be coming/returning to the college’s Richard and Nancy Donahue and Family Academic Arts Center (AAC) in Lowell. With the Luna Theater at nearby Mill No. 5 closing on Sunday, February 2, Middlesex will now honor that theater’s legacy with a new version opening at the AAC hearkening back to the building’s roots.
“The Luna Theater provided a unique space in downtown Lowell for film lovers to gather and share the communal experience of a movie,” said Jim Lichoulas, Mill No. 5 Owner. “Now, I’m happy to pass the baton to Middlesex Community College to carry on many of the Luna traditions with their new venture in the nearby Academic Arts center.  With this news, Greater Lowell will continue to have a theater venue to keep the tradition of film alive downtown.”
“MCC looks forward to continuing the cultural offerings set by the Luna Theater at Mill No. 5,” said Phil Sisson, MCC’s President. “We are thrilled to provide film options and community entertainment to Greater Lowell. Keeping culture in the downtown area, putting films on the big screen, and bringing the community together matches the work we’re already doing by hosting the Lowell Asian American Film Festival and El Encuentro Film Festival at the AAC. Our hope is to carry on this important institution and provide expansive opportunities for our film and communication programs as we move forward.”
Event planning for the Owl Theatre at Middlesex is underway. This includes bringing the Luna’s crescent moon statue over to the AAC and adding an owl to the artwork.
“Built in 1876, the Boston and Maine depot where our AAC now stands was home to one of the original Lowell movie theaters, The Owl Theatre, which opened in 1913 before becoming the Rialto movie theater,” said Patrick Cook, MCC’s Vice President of Administration. “MCC’s new version of The Owl Theatre is a fantastic opportunity to go back to the building and our community’s roots to one of the first uses of the space. Tying in the college’s owl mascot to this original concept is a perfect fit, while maintaining a wonderful community tradition established so successfully by the Luna Theater for so many years.”
MCC will soon be announcing a series of films that will take place on weekends. Stay tuned for exciting announcements about the first slate of films. In the meantime, email John Bachelder, MCC’s AAC Manager at Bachelderj@Middlesex.edu to recommend movies or film genres.
Visit https://www.middlesex.edu/campus/academicartscenter.html for more information on MCC’s AAC.
New england spring (2 of 3)


The Colors of Spring -
New England’s Other Foliage Season
Assabet Valley Camera Club Program

HUDSON: On Wednesday, March 5, the Assabet Valley Camera Club (AVCC) is pleased to host Ed McGuirk, an award-winning landscape and nature photographer, whose work has been published in Outdoor Photography, Nature Photographers.net and other publications. In this program, Ed will showcase the ephemeral and subtle beauty of spring foliage colors in New England.
Join us to learn how to compose woodland scenes that add depth and structure to your images and how to take advantage of light and weather conditions. This presentation will cover a wide range of tips on how to create more interesting and effective woodland photographs and how to use “spring pointillism” to create abstract and painterly-looking images.
The Colors of Spring – New England’s Other Foliage Season is supported in part by a grant from the Hudson Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency. The program is free and open to the public. McGuirk’s work can be viewed at https://www.edmcguirkphoto.com .
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. Guests are welcome to attend up to two consecutive club meetings prior to becoming a member. For membership information, please go to https://www.assabetvalleycameraclub.com/Club/MembershipInfo.aspx   The club’s Zoom room opens at 7:00 PM with a brief business meeting at 7:15. The Colors of Spring -  New England’s Other Foliage Season will begin at 7:30.
AVCC in-person meetings are held at the Hudson Senior Center, 29 Church Street, Hudson. 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 to become members. Photographers benefit from the club’s  hands-on experiences, from the knowledge presented in programs, and from having their work critiqued. Check out the AVCC website at www.assabetvalleycameraclub.com .
Porcupine

Free Live Animal Show!

Saturday, March 8, 2025
TWO SHOWS: 9-10 am and 11 am-12 noon
Bring the family and join the Westborough Community Land Trust for our always-popular spring free live animal show!
Meet some fascinating animals you may see right here in Westborough, including skunk, porcupine, rabbits, and more!
This show is always a big hit with the young and the curious of all ages! Presented by Animal Adventures.
No reservation required. Plan to arrive early as seating is limited.
Location: Knights of Columbus Hall, 17 Willow St., Westborough MA; parking lot in rear. There is no parking along Willow Street. Overflow parking is in Arturo’s parking lot, 54 East Main St.--Walk behind the Arturo’s building to cross directly into the rear of the KofC parking lot.
Free; donations to WCLT gratefully accepted at the door.
For questions contact: events@westboroughlandtrust.org
This program is supported in part by a grant from the Westborough Cultural Council, a local agency, which is supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.

Worcester Chamber Music Society
Presents Annual Free Family Concert
March 2

Worcester, MA –  Worcester Chamber Music Society (WCMS) is thrilled to present its Annual Free Family Concert on March 2, 2025, with a performance at 3:00pm at Mechanics Hall in Worcester.  Neighborhood Strings students will perform at the beginning of the concert. Admission is free, but tickets are required.
Mechanics Hall comes alive with the voices of a wolf, a boy, a cat, a duck, and a bird in Prokofiev’s beloved story of Peter and the Wolf, followed by delightful depictions of a catalogue of fantastical beasts in Saint-Saën’s Carnival of the Animals. Artwork by students from Abby Kelly Foster School and a meet and greet with the musicians round out the multisensory experience of our always popular Family Concert. Be sure to reserve your seats early because this one-time-only concert will reach capacity soon.
Sunday, March 2 @3PM
Mechanics Hall
321 Main Street, Worcester
Generously sponsored by Bay State Savings Bank, Cornerstone Bank, and Karen Amlaw Music. This concert is also funded in part by the Auburn and Shrewsbury Cultural Councils, local agencies funded by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.
Program
Peter and the Wolf | Sergei Prokofiev, composer
Carnival of the Animals | Camille Saint-Saëns, composer
With a special performance by Neighborhood Strings
With guests:
Orlando Cela, conductor / William Kirkley, clarinet / Denise Plaza Martin, oboe / Clark Matthews, French horn / Adrian Jojatu, bassoon / Lilit Hartunian, violin / Moisés Carrasco, double bass / Aaron Trant, percussion
Venue is handicapped accessible.
Admission is free, but tickets are required. Reserve early, since this event typically sells out quickly.
Tickets are available at  https://worcesterchambermusic.org/animal-adventures/ or by calling the WCMS office at (508) 926-8624.

Valentine’s Day Family Karaoke Night

Bring the whole family for a fun-filled evening of singing, dancing, food, (including gluten-free and vegan pizza, delicious homemade baked goods, and candy, soda and seltzer) and prizes! The fun starts at 5PM on Friday, February 14 at First Church Unitarian located at 19 Foster Street, in Littleton, MA. $20 per family or $5 per person at the door, cash or Venmo accepted. Parking available at the Masonic Lodge, 310 King St., Littleton, Congregational Church of Littleton, 330 King St., Littleton, or Castle in the Trees Playground, 300 King St., Littleton. To pre-register your dietary preferences and number of people attending so we’ll have plenty of food on hand, please email rochellecham@gmail.com.

Hudson Senior Center’s March Gift Shop Extravaganza!

29 Church Street, Hudson, MA 01749
Mark your calendars: Mon, March 3 - Fri, March 14!
Open: Mon - Fri from 9:30 AM - 12:30 PM

Get ready to snag a fabulous 50% OFF on our cozy Handmade Hats, Scarves, Mittens, Gloves, and Afghans! Keep your eyes peeled for our Red Tags on other fabulous finds with price slashes too. We’re all about those payments: Cash, Checks, and Venmo accepted! Just a heads up: Jewelry is off the discount list but will dazzle us in May at our next sale.
Don’t miss out—swing by our Facebook page to check out the gift shop photos and upcoming events!
https://www.facebook.com/FriendsofHudsonSeniorCenter?
Thanks for being awesome and supporting us!

The State of Open Town Meeting and Weighing Alternatives for Local Governance

The League of Women Voters-Acton Area invites community members to a webinar on Wednesday, February 19 at 7 p.m. Four panelists will speak about what works with Open Town Meeting and what we can learn from other types of local governance (Representative Town Meeting, Town Council). Attendees can learn about what’s on the horizon for Open Town Meeting, how the legislative function of the town works in each form of government, ways we might overcome barriers to participation, and how the community can participate in their town government under various types of governance. Registration information is below.
Since the late 1600s, most Massachusetts towns have adopted Open Town Meeting (OTM) as their legislative body. Voters who reside in a town with Open Town Meeting have an opportunity at least once a year to gather, deliberate, and decide on budgets, borrowing, zoning, by-law changes and other important matters. Yet both town officials and residents have long questioned the viability of an Open Town Meeting legislature as population grows and other demands limit voters’ ability to attend. Attendance rates are low and those who cannot participate in person feel excluded.
The League of Women Voters-Acton Area spent a year studying OTM to better understand the alternatives and the benefits and challenges of each form of town governance.
OUR PANELISTS:
Mark DiSalvo, President, Massachusetts Moderators Association and Town Moderator for North Andover which uses an Open Town Meeting legislature.
Gerri Slater, Town Moderator for Norwood which uses a Representative Town Meeting legislature.
Bill Rosenblum, Selectboard Member for the Town of Ludlow and member of Ludlow’s 2024 Charter Commission which recently attempted to transition from a Representative Town Meeting legislature to a Town Council-Town Manager form of governance.
Patricia Lloyd, Associate, Edward J. Collins, Jr. Center for Public Management, a state agency based at UMass Boston working with municipalities, school districts and other public entities to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of state and local governments.
Click here to read LWV Acton Area report, or visit our website at lwv-actonarea.org.
For questions, please contact: Diane Baum: dianebaum5@gmail.com
YOU MUST REGISTER TO ATTEND.
We’ll see you Feb. 19!
The League of Women Voters-Acton Area is a non-partisan, grassroots organization serving the towns of Acton, Boxborough, Hudson, Littleton, Maynard and Stow
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Communities and Residents Invited to Apply for Wheelchairs at Local Ponds and Beaches

January 30, 2025 (SUDBURY, Massachusetts) – SMILE Mass (Small Miracles in Life Exist) is expanding its successful Floating Beach Wheelchair Donation Program by inviting communities and residents across New England to apply for a floating beach wheelchair for their local ponds and beaches.
SMILE Mass, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, is dedicated to helping families raising children and adults with disabilities create happy, healthy memories through education, vacation, and recreation experiences.
“There is something special about the beach. No matter your age, a day at the beach always makes life a little easier,” said Lotte Diomede, founder and president of SMILE Mass. “Because it is such a magical place, SMILE Mass wants everyone to have the opportunity to enjoy the beach, regardless of their disability. We believe small moments can create lifelong memories for everyone.”
Through this program, SMILE Mass has already donated over 180 floating beach wheelchairs to public beaches throughout New England, making the coastline more accessible to individuals with disabilities. A list of participating beaches can be found here.
Last year’s Floating Beach Wheelchair grant winners included:
• Short Beach (Nahant, MA)
• Lake Gardner Beach (Amesbury, MA)
• Plum Island Beach (Newburyport, MA)
• Standish, ME
• Mass Audubon’s Long Pasture Wildlife Sanctuary Beach (Barnstable, MA)
How to Apply
Due to overwhelming demand, SMILE Mass has launched the SMILE Mass Floating Beach Wheelchair Awards Program, allowing towns and cities across New England to apply for a floating beach wheelchair. Any community member, organization, or local official may submit an application.
• Apply Here:
• Application Deadline: March 31, 2025FOR IMMEDIATE
• Award Recipients Notified By: April 30, 2025
About SMILE Mass
Small Miracles in Life Exist (SMILE Mass) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to enhancing accessibility and quality of life for children and adults with disabilities. Through its innovative programs—including the Floating Beach Wheelchair Program, Adaptive Equipment Loaner Program, and Accessible Beach House Rental—SMILE Mass helps families enjoy the same recreation, education, and vacation experiences as everyone else.
For more information, visit www.smilemass.org.
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Help Support People Affected by Domestic Violence in Our Communities

Domestic Violence Services Network, Inc. (DVSN) is looking for interested community members to participate in their FREE March 2025 Volunteer Advocate Training program at the Lexington Police Department.
The 40-hour training is designed to familiarize the volunteers with the many aspects of domestic violence and give them the skills necessary to provide confidential and appropriate services to DVSN’s clients. Once trained, DVSN’s volunteer Advocates provide direct service over the phone, at the Concord District Court, and at Emerson Hospital to people affected by domestic violence.
The March 2025 training will be held over 3 weeks from March 10 to March 28th on Monday and Wednesdays from 3:00 PM to 6:15 PM and Friday days 9:15 AM to 3:30 PM. For those who wish to activate as Advocates, an additional 10 to 12 hours of individual field training will take place after successful completion of the classroom segment.
The training is provided at no cost to attendees. All necessary materials will be provided. To learn more about DVSN and its programs, services, and events, visit DVSN.org.
Those interested in more information about the training or who want to request an application should call (978) 318-3421 or send an e-mail to training@dvsn.org. Applications are due no later than Friday, February 28, 2025.
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Heritage Chorale Pops Concert, 2/23/25

Save the date—Sunday, February 23 at 4 pm—for “Around the World,” a musical adventure at the Heritage Chorale’s 2025 Pops Concert. Join us at Temple Shir Tikva, 141 Boston Post Road in Wayland. The musical journey will start in New York and end up in Africa. In between, we’ll travel from California to New Orleans and from Paris to Ipanema—all in the company of family, friends, and music lovers. “Around the World” is also a perfect theme for our raffle baskets. You’ll be able to purchase raffle tickets for international and tasty goodies when you arrive at the concert hall and during intermission.
More details and advance online tickets are available now at heritagechorale.org.

Is your Loved one Struggling
with their Mental Health?

Free courses from the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) could prove helpful. Family to Family, starting March 20th in Boxborough, is an eight-session weekly course for those who love someone living with a mental health condition. NAMI’s Basics course, a six-session weekly class starting March 11th in Tewksbury, is for parents/caregivers of children and adolescents showing signs of behavioral health concerns. Topics for both courses include understanding the symptoms of mental illness, learning about treatments and therapies, practicing communication and problem-solving skills, creating a positive team approach, and self-care, plus the invaluable opportunity of open conversation and mutual support. The Basics class also includes information about advocating for your child’s rights at school and in health care settings. Details and registration: namicentralmiddlesex.org/educational-courses. Offered by NAMI Central Middlesex. Basics co-sponsored by Northeast Public Health Alliance.

Resale Shop Open Wednesday
February 12th

Stop by the Pompo Community Center (509 Great Road, Stow) between 10 am and 2 pm to peruse a variety of new, like new and gently used home décor, household goods, creativity items and more all at bargain prices!    You can also shop at the Gift Shop and peruse the Thrift Shop.  Proceeds benefit Stow’s senior residents.
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Free Class at ‘Yoga 626’ in Bolton

Yoga 626 is a new, cool location for studio yoga in Boston’s metro-west. Located in Bolton, MA it is onroute 117, very near exit 70 on route 495.
On February 16th at 4 PM the Yoga 626 studio will have a free class, the 2nd Annual Karin Orrdonation class. [626 Main St, Bolton, MA 01740, (978) 634-1783] This free class is open to all - firsttime visitors are welcome! The class will be the 90 minute original hot yoga (OHY) format. The roomwill be heated and detailed instruction provided by experienced teachers. Donations are welcome andproceeds go directly the “Tomten Farm and Sanctuary” in Haverhill, New Hampshire. Tomten Sanctuarystrives for animals happily-ever-after, through rescue, sanctuary, education, and occasionally adoption.
The OHY class is a proven, therapeutic, healing yoga class and also a very effective workout. The OHY format even supports those with injuries, body pain, creaky joints and so on. Try OHY! You will feel better, more mobile, and lighter, with less pain, better sleep, and especially less stress. Plus, your donation will help animals in need.
Yoga 626 is a small woman owned business, established October 2024. (Initial opening was June 2023 under different ownership.) Yoga 626 offers several types of group fitness classes, from the original hot yoga that gained popularity back in the 1970’s, to power or flow Vinyasa, yin, and even high-intensity interval training Pilates and the latest, greatest Yoga-Sculpt. The latter combines the best of heated yoga and Pilates and adds weights and cardio, all to a motivating soundtrack. Hence “sculpt”, great fitness workout for burning calories and getting into shape. Check the website for class schedules.
Come to the free class February 16th at 4 pm! Learn more about the studio at yoga626studio.com. Learn more about the Tomten Farm and Sanctuary at tomtenfarmandsanctuary.org. We hope to see you at the studio soon!

Discovery Museum Announces
2025 Scholarship Program

Open to high school juniors and seniors in MA, funds can be used for any educational or developmental experience
Acton, MA – Discovery Museum announced today the 2025 Discovery Museum Scholarship program, which began in 2022 in celebration of the 40th anniversary of the founding of the Museum. The program will award four one-time $1,500 scholarships to high school juniors or seniors in MA who embody the mission and values of the Museum.
“More than 6 million kids and their families have come through our doors over the past four decades to learn about themselves, their abilities, and the world around them, guided by their own creativity and natural curiosity,” said CEO Marie Beam. “The Discovery Museum Scholarship looks to celebrate young learners who embody the mission and values of the Museum by supporting them on next leg of their educational journeys—whatever that might be.”
All high school juniors and seniors residing in MA are eligible to apply. For one of the four awards, preference will be given to current or past employees or volunteers of the Museum. Award money can be used for any educational or developmental experience, such as college or trade school tuition, travel expenses to support an exciting volunteer opportunity, or costs to provide a learning experience for young children.
Video or written applications are being accepted at https://bit.ly/DMScholarship2025 (applicants must log in to Google to apply) and must be received by March 31, 2025. Recipients will be notified in mid-May.

Action on Plastic
Rick Lent, Sustainable Stow

Stow and Hudson are both working on measures to reduce the use and presence of plastics. Each year we hear more news about the impact of plastic in our environment. It’s a problem along the roads, in the rivers, and particularly in the ocean. Science now tells us that microplastics are even found in our bodies.
Why not recycle plastic? It turns out that recycling plastic is harder than the plastic industry would have us believe. Most Massachusetts towns and cities already have plastic bag bans. This includes our immediate neighbors: Maynard and Acton as well as Hudson. Shoppers in those towns rely on paper bags or reusable bags. (Reusable bags are the best choice for the environment.)
Green Hudson’s Plastic Reduction initiative aims to reduce non-recyclable single-use plastic. Hudson residents will soon have a chance to vote on reducing Styrofoam trays, take out containers, cups and plates, black plastic take-out containers and single use plastic straws.
In Stow,  the Green Advisory Committee will propose a plastic bag ban for carryout bags provided by stores to a customer at check-out. Such plastic bags are particularly harmful when they get out into the environment. (This proposed ban will not include bags provided by farms/orchards to customers for “pick-your-own” services or the thin film bags often used for vegetables.) You will hear more about Stow’s efforts to ban plastic bags in the weeks before town meeting.

This month, we will hear from Dr. Alex T. Vai the Campaigns Coordinator and Treasurer for the Surfrider Foundation’s Massachusetts Chapter. The Surfrider Foundation is dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of the world’s ocean, waves, and beaches. He has been personally involved in over 20 campaign victories since starting with Surfrider MA in 2018. Alex is a chemist and product development lead at a Boston-area cleantech start-up.

Register at bit.ly/3CtuLcU in advance for this talk on Zoom Weds, Feb 19 at 7PM.

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Missed the last climate talk from Sustainable Stow? December’s climate talk with the new director of our electric utility, Hudson Light and Power, is now available on Stow TV.  https://youtu.be/gh8vn0MiOJA

Resale Shop Open Wednesday
February 12th

Stop by the Pompo Community Center (509 Great Road, Stow) between 10 am and 2 pm to peruse a variety of new, like new and gently used home décor, household goods, creativity items and more all at bargain prices!    You can also shop at the Gift Shop and peruse the Thrift Shop.  Proceeds benefit Stow’s senior residents.
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  Send Your Sweetie a Singing Valentine!

For a fun, memorable experience...how about a Singing Valentine delivered to your sweetheart, live, in four-part harmony, at your favorite restaurant? Or delivered to the office or workplace as co-workers look on?
Quartets from Women of Note, award-winning a cappella chorus, are preparing now to deliver Singing Valentines all day Friday, Feb. 14 and Saturday, Feb. 15, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Valentines, sung in four-part harmony, can be delivered to area sweethearts, friends, coworkers, families or other loved ones at offices, local businesses, restaurants, homes, private parties or basically, anywhere. Surprise your special someone with a song and a cherished memory!
All Valentines include two love songs and a card. Additional options include a long-stemmed rose and/or chocolates. Loving rates start at $60. Long-distance deliveries by phone are available for $15.
“Our quartets have surprised bank tellers, office workers, medical personnel, dentists, factory employees, tax assessors, and a host of others,” says Chris Kuntz, member. “Some of our favorite targets include fiances, newlyweds, new moms and dads, grandparents, and more. We’ve been cheered, videotaped, applauded, and even hugged!” says Kuntz, “and we always leave our recipients with laughter, joy or maybe a tear in their eyes.”
Women of Note is a local chapter of Harmony, Inc., an international, non-profit organization for women barbershop singers. To schedule Valentine deliveries, contact: Valentines@womenofnote.org or visit:https://www.womenofnote.org/
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MCC Selected to Perform at The Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival

Middlesex Community College’s Spring 2024 production of “Alice By Heart” was chosen by The Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival (KCACTF) to perform during the regional festival. The show is one of four performances – and the only musical – selected.
“It is surreal to be bringing ‘Alice By Heart’ to KCACTF with my closest friends, and I am beyond proud to represent MCC, as well as the beautiful theatre program Karen Oster has nourished in Lowell,” said Gabriella Navarrete, an MCC Performing Arts Theatre student from Tewksbury who played the Queen of Hearts. “This role and production have such a special place in my heart. It was such a dream come true to bring my own take to an iconic character, and doing this show has only solidified my passion for theatre and performing. Being able to create meaningful art and share it with other students that share the same passion is incredibly fulfilling.
As part of KCACTF, the entire cast and crew of the show will travel to New Britain, Conn. and restage the performance. MCC was chosen by a committee made up of teachers and professionals who visit colleges. After the April show, a respondent sat with the cast to provide feedback and celebrate the performance. In December, Karen Oster, MCC’s Chair of the Performing Arts, was informed the show was selected for the festival.
“We are very excited and honored to have been chosen,” Oster said. “Having been told they’re piece is valued beyond just us is an incredible thing, but also being able to share this piece they love with other people is what we all venture to do with theatre. They feel proud of their performance, of their production, and it’s incredible that we were asked.”
Oster is grateful to Middlesex administration for their support and funding to allow students to have the opportunity to attend. During the festival, the performers and crew will get to attend a variety of workshops and classes. Subjects include management, directing, acting and musical theatre. Students can also compete for scholarship awards throughout the week.
“Students will get exposure to other people in the field and will get feedback from other professionals,” Oster said. “They’re immersing themselves with other students throughout the region. One of my goals is to make sure people know MCC has an outstanding theatre program. What we’re doing is just as good – if not better – than any four-year college they can go to and major in theatre.”
A retelling of Lewis Carroll’s “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland,” the show is from the Tony and Grammy award-winning Steven Sater and Duncan Sheik, co-written by Jessie Nelson. The musical follows Alice and her friend Alfred in the aftermath of the London Blitz during World War II, featuring familiar characters from the original novel.
MCC’s production of “Alice By Heart” ran from Thursday, April 18 to Sunday, April 21, 2024 for six performances at the college’s Richard and Nancy Donahue and Family Academic Arts Center in Lowell. Oster wanted to put on the piece because of how the show connects to current events.
“It’s a beautiful piece, it says a lot about friendship, what we do with our time when we have it, what is important, how we contend with death, and growing up,” Oster said. “There’s all these interesting themes running through it and it felt timely to do it now. There’s an incredible chemistry that comes from our group. They are connected to each other personally and that shows on stage. There’s a real love and heart in this piece that shines through.”

Attention Hudson Food Establishments—Plastic Reduction Initiative

The Hudson Board of Health and Green Hudson are working on a Plastic Reduction Initiative to be approved at the May Town Meeting. If passed, this new bylaw would require businesses to stop using certain plastic products such as Styrofoam, black plastic take-out containers and lids, straws, plastic utensils, etc. This will particularly impact food establishments.
To understand how this may impact you, the Board of Health and Green Hudson ask that you fill out a quick survey, docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfr_KfSIxQXjzyoUQMKDRJvtcOyF-91bfuuEvQdIvWPXClgrg/viewform
The Health Dept. and Green Hudson will co-host two listening sessions on 1/28 (9 am) and 1/29 (2 pm). Spanish and Portuguese translation is available. If you can’t make either session, or need another language translated, email lantonelli@townofhudson.org
To learn more about the Plastic Reduction Initiative and read a draft of the proposed bylaw go greenhudson.org/non-recyclable-plastic-reduction/ ! To view a recording of Green Hudson’s recent Community Forum on this topic, go /www.youtube.com/supported_browsers?next_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DJPG59a3Ile

Valentine’s Day Pot Roast Dinner Fund Raiser at
Hudson First United Methodist Church

SAVE THE DATE!!!!   On Saturday, February 8th, at 5:00pm, we are going to have a little something special to celebrate Valentine’s Day.  Those who have dined with us already know that First United Methodist Church has a reputation for serving wonderful dinners.   This is going to be a sit-down dinner where you will enjoy our famously popular Pot Roast dinner with accompanying veggies, beverages and homemade Strawberry Shortcake for dessert. This annual, ample meal, usually sells out and with limited seating, we urge you to pre-order, with payment, as soon as you can or you can still pay at the door.  Make checks out to FUMC with “Valentine” in the subject area.  Drop off payment during the week
 To complete the festive holiday spirit, we are excited to have one of our own church members, the very talented Chris Jordan, who has performed in many musical venues on various stages, singing songs with focus on the Valentine holiday.  Be sure to put this in your calendars.
 This is a fundraiser for our church and the cost is only $14.00 per person.  Invite your friends to come and enjoy this delightful evening.
First United Methodist Church is located over the hill off the Hudson Rotary at 34 Felton Street.
More information is available at 978-562-2932 or at our website http://www.hudsonfumc@gmail.com
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February 1st National Sew Day

Nashoba Stars and Stripes Quilt of Valor will be hosting National sew day February 1st. 9:30 to 3:30 at Pompo Community Center, 509 Great Road Stow.
Quilters and stitchers of all levels will gather to construct and assemble quilt blocks to make quilts of valor.
Quilts of Valor foundation is a 22 year old non-profit organization provides handmade quilts to service members or Veterans. To date, over 401,000 quilts have been awarded.
Local chapter, Nashoba Stars and Stripes QOV was formed in 2024, however members have been awarding quilts to local veterans since 2018.
We encourage you to RSVP so we can plan space and snacks. If possible, bring your own sewing machine and extension cord.
Light refreshments will be served.
Nashobastarsandstripesqov@gmail.com or text/call 617-880-9545
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Encouraging Self-Help Skills in
Young Children

First Connections is offering a free live webinar for parents and caregivers of children age 18 months to 5. Our guest speaker is Pediatric Occupational Therapist Anna Knox from the Clough Family Center for Rehab and Sports Therapies. Children grow so quickly and we’re not always aware of what they are developmentally capable of doing for themselves in our day-to-day home life. Anna will give us information and an overview of how we can teach our children to do things for themselves at particular ages during toddlerhood and up to kindergarten age. This program will be held via zoom on Thursday, February 13 from 1-2:00 p.m. To receive the link, email lmatthews@jri.org with the town you live in. This is a free program through a Mass. Dept. of Early Education & Care CFCE grant.
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Nashoba Symphonic Band Presents
The Divine Comedy

The Nashoba Symphonic Band, under the direction of David Wayne Bailey will perform its winter concert on Saturday, February 8th at 2 p.m. In the auditorium of Nashoba Regional High School, Route 117 (Green Road GPS) in Bolton MA. Admission to the concert is free for all.
The principal work on the program will be THE DIVINE COMEDY, by American composer, Robert W. Smith, a four-movement symphony (really a set of four tone poems) based on Dante Alighieri’s epic poem of the same name. In the poem, Dante himself meets up with the ancient poet Virgil in a dark wood. In a whirlwind journey, Dante is guided by Virgil (and later Beatrice) down the rings of The Inferno, up the terraces of Purgatorio, ultimately a glorious ascent into Paradiso! Prepare to be wow-ed!
Also on the program will be The Rakoczy March from Berlioz’s Damnation of Faust and The Thunder and Lightning Polka by Johann Strauss, Jr.
Nashoba Symphonic Band is a program of the Nashoba Regional High School Friends of Music. It is supported in part by grants from Ashby, Berlin, Bolton, Lancaster, Lunenberg and Stow Cultural Councils, local agencies supported by the MA Cultural Council, a state agency.
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Valentine’s Day Family Karaoke Night

Bring the whole family for a fun-filled evening of singing, dancing, food, (including gluten-free and vegan pizza, delicious homemade baked goods, and candy, soda and seltzer) and prizes! The fun starts at 5PM on Friday, February 14 at First Church Unitarian located at 19 Foster Street, in Littleton, MA. $20 per family or $5 per person at the door, cash or Venmo accepted. Parking available at the Masonic Lodge, 310 King St., Littleton, Congregational Church of Littleton, 330 King St., Littleton, or Castle in the Trees Playground, 300 King St., Littleton. To pre-register your dietary preferences and number of people attending so we’ll have plenty of food on hand,
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MCC to Kick Off “World of Music” with Lowell Chamber Orchestra

Middlesex Community College is excited to kick off the Spring 2025 “A World of Music” concert series with a performance by the Lowell Chamber Orchestra (LCO). Conducted by MCC Music faculty member Orlando Cela, the concert will take place at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, February 1 at MCC’s Richard and Nancy Donahue Family Academic Arts Center in Lowell.
“We are excited to open our Winter/Spring 2025 concert series with the Lowell Chamber Orchestra performing a colorful and diverse program,” said Carmen Rodríguez-Peralta, MCC’s Chair of Music. “It will feature a beloved standard work, a lesser-known 19th piece by a Black composer, and a new composition.”
During the concert, the LCO will perform three pieces which feature the woodwinds, brass and percussion sections. Danse Nègre by Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, third little symphony by Kevin Scott, and Antonin Dvořák’s beloved Serenade for Winds will be performed.
“Dvorak’s Serenade for Winds is a staple of the wind chamber music repertoire, and I am very excited to be performing it with my colleagues at LCO,” said Amy Dinsmore, Principle Oboe of LCO. “Oddly enough, it does not include flutes, so the oboe and clarinet carry the uppermost tessitura of the work. Playing with the LCO has expanded my contemporary music repertoire in a way I could not have imagined before I joined, and I am grateful to Maestro Cela for the challenge!”
The LCO will perform a second time at the Academic Arts Center at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 26. Know Orchestra will also be held at the Lowell Academic Arts Center at 3 p.m. on Sunday, March 23
Additional “A World of Music” performances include a Piano Recital by Anastasia Seifetdinova at 8 p.m. on Friday, April 4; Guqin and Viola in Musical Dialogue at 8 p.m. on Friday, April 11; and a Student Recital at 12:30 p.m. on Monday, April 28 at MCC’s Concert Hall on the Bedford Campus.
MCC will also collaborate with Dracut Arts for an Online Saturday Arts Concert featuring MCC faculty, alumni and students at 4 p.m. on Saturday, March 8. To register, visit https://www.dracutarts.com/arts-saturdays/
All concerts are free and open to the public.
MCC’s Academic Arts Center is located at 240 Central Street in Lowell. With parking not available on site, the nearest public parking facility is the Early Garage on 135 Middlesex St.
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Layers & Masking Demystified  Assabet Valley Camera Club Program

HUDSON: On Wednesday, February 5, the Assabet Valley Camera Club (AVCC) is pleased to host Hazel Meredith, award-winning photographer and sought-after teacher, speaker, and competition judge. She began teaching in 2007, and now does seminars at camera clubs and conferences across the U.S. – both in-person and virtually. Hazel is the recipient of the Ashbrook Award for Digital Imaging Instruction from the Photographic Society of America.
Check out her website at Meredith Images - Photography | Training | Workshops
Join us to learn why layers are important and useful when working in Photoshop. Hazel will  review the various types of layers and how they can make your workflow easier. She will also show you how to apply masking to a layer – a task many feel intimidating. It’s easier than you think!
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. Guests are welcome to attend up to two consecutive club meetings prior to becoming a member. For a description of full membership benefits, please go to: https://www.assabetvalleycameraclub.com/Club/MembershipInfo.aspx 
The club’s Zoom room opens at 7:00 PM with a brief business meeting at 7:15. Hazel’s presentation Layers & Masking Demystified will begin at 7:30.
AVCC in-person meetings are held at the Hudson Senior Center, 29 Church Street, Hudson. 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 to become members. Photographers benefit from the club’s  hands-on experiences, from the knowledge presented in programs, and from having their work critiqued. Check out the AVCC website at www.assabetvalleycameraclub.com .

Assabet Valley Chamber of Commerce Hudson Community Fest

Now accepting vendor applications & sponsorships!
The 38th Annual Hudson Community Fest, an old-fashioned street fair, is slated for Saturday, June 7th, 9 am to 3:30 pm. Weather permitting, this Fest draws approximately 5000 patrons. The Fest is rain or shine.
Applications are processed 1st come; 1st serve.
We expect to sell out of space by the end of April.

Crafts & Play for Kids in Grades K-5

Children in grades K to 5 are invited to First Parish Church of Stow & Acton (FPC) in Stow for a night of crafts, snacks and fun on Friday, Jan 10, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Friday Friends (formerly known as 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.
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. FPC’s facilities are wheelchair accessible

DrUUm and Dance Circle

Day & Time: Sunday, January 12, 6:45pm – 8:45pm
FPC has partnered with the Unitarian Church of Marlborough and Hudson to bring the drUUm-&-dance circle to Stow. Bring your joy and your open heart and join us for an evening of hand drumming and dancing around the “fire” circle. Facilitated by experienced drummers/dancers Jim Flavin and Nan Rogers, we’ll circle up in FPC’s Fellowship Hall to experiment with various types of instruments and sustained rhythm sessions and see what we create together. Let’s gather in sacred and healing community to lower our stress levels, plug into the energy, and raise some good vibes!
The drum circle will take place on the second Sunday of each month. Drummers and dancers of all abilities are welcome; please bring your own drums, and we will have a few drums and other percussion instruments available to borrow. Questions? Contact Nan at nandancing@comcast.net.

Frittata and Roasted Potatoes at
Guest Table in Stow

Guest Table is a community dinner that takes place on the second Friday of each month at First Parish Church of Stow & Acton (FPC). The next dinner will take place on Jan. 10. It will begin at 5:30 p.m., with doors opening at 5 p.m. All are welcome! There’s no charge for dinner, but donations are gratefully accepted. FPC is a nut-free location.
This month’s menu is Frittata and roasted potatoes. There will be salad and dessert as well. Options made with vegetarian and gluten-free ingredients will be available. All meals are nut-free.
FPC is located at 353 Great Road, Stow. Its facilities are wheelchair accessible. When parking, please keep a clear path for emergency vehicles; do not block the driveway around the front of the sanctuary; park only on the 117 side of Commons Rd.; and do not block access to the back of the building. Thank you!
This program is supported in part by grants from the Stow Community Chest, Nashoba Valley Rotary, and the Acton-Boxborough United Way. Guest Table is also grateful for the consistent support it receives from the Stow Council on Aging and the Stow Food Pantry, as well as the support from so many individuals who donate and volunteer.

Communities of Resistance and Resilience – FPC Sunday Service

On Jan. 12 at 10 a.m., First Parish Church of Stow & Acton (FPC), Unitarian Universalist, will hold a service led by guest minister Rev. Laura Randall from the UU Service Committee entitled, “Communities of Resistance and Resilience.” Authoritarian regimes depend on making people feel alone and powerless. The truth is that we have incredible collective power through communities of resistance, resilience, and mutual aid. Rev. Randall shares stories about such coalitions.
The service takes place both in person in the sanctuary and virtually. Masking is optional. Child care for the service only 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. The church is located at 353 Great Rd., Stow. Its facilities are wheelchair accessible. For more information, visit www.fpc-stow-acton.org.

Fresh Start Furniture Bank

Www.freshstartfurniturebank.org
     Were your holidays good?  Did you receive the gifts you hoped for?  Maybe a new toaster or microwave oven or coffee maker; are the old ones still working?  Perhaps you received new sheets and a comforter—-and the old ones are still good.  Furniture upgrades?  New kitchenware? Bring your “old” items to Fresh Start Furniture Bank to furnish someone else’s home.
    At present we are in need of all furniture, especially couches, dressers, bookcases, rugs, dining tables, upholstered chairs, recliners, queen and full headboards, end tables, bedside tables and storage cabinets.  We also need artwork, kitchen knives, dishes, cutting boards and colanders.
    We expect donations to be in good condition; if you wouldn’t give it to a good friend, don’t give it to us!  Read our website to see what we DO and DO NOT take for donations, and our address and hours of operation.
     Imagine finally finding a home after being in a shelter—-and having nothing or very little IN the home!  That is what Fresh Start’s clients deal with.  We have helped convert over 4000 empty apartments into homes for more than 12,000 people in the last 10 years.  And, by taking in almost 170,000 pieces of donated furniture and home goods, we have kept all of those items out of landfills.
     Last Saturday 40 donors arrived; they had “cleaned out” for the new year or were just waiting for us to reopen after the holidays.  It was a good start to the new year but the clients keep coming and we need to help them all!

Discovery Museum Announces $13 Winter Weekday Afternoon Discount Price, January 7 through March 28

Museum also ends advance ticket reservation system
ACTON - Discovery Museum announced today a $13 admission price from 1:00pm to 4:30pm on weekday afternoons, now through March 28. The discounted price will not be offered on holidays or during school vacation weeks.
Under the Winter Weekday Afternoon Discount program, admission for adults and children will be $13 per person; seniors 60+ will be $12. Children under 1 and teachers are always free. All other Museum-offered discounts such as EBT, WIC, and ConnectorCare Card to Culture, Wonderfund, library passes, museum reciprocal programs, AAA, and active duty miliary discounts will still apply.
Regular admission prices are $19.00 for adults and children ages 1 and over, $18.00 for seniors 60+, free for under 1 and teachers.
Discovery Museum also announced the closure of its reservation system. Advance reservations to visit are no longer required nor accepted.

Struggling with Food Access? Call Project Bread’s Toll-Free FoodSource Hotline for Assistance Today

Winter can stretch budgets to the breaking point. With increased costs for food, heating, housing, and transportation, many Massachusetts families are facing tough choices. If you or your family need help accessing food, don’t wait—call Project Bread’s toll-free FoodSource Hotline today at 1-800-645-8333.
The FoodSource Hotline connects residents to the resources they need right now. Trained counselors are available to help you apply for SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), find free meals for children, and locate emergency food programs like community meals and food pantries. The hotline can also refer callers to other federal food programs, like WIC (Women, Infants, and Children).
Whether you’re a college student, a senior, or a family facing hardship, the FoodSource Hotline is a confidential, free, trusted resource recommended by the Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education for anyone seeking food assistance.
Call Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. or Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. for support, available in over 180 languages.
Get Help Now: If you are struggling with food insecurity, call 1-800-645-8333. For more information and access to resources, visit Project Bread’s website, where you can find information in English, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Haitian Creole. Don’t wait—help is just a phone call away.

Beacon Santa Fund

 
The letters have reached our desk as more people than ever before seek help from the Beacon Santa.
Many of these letters come from single mothers, struggling to get their lives back on track and give their children a little something on Christmas morning.
One mother writes that she and her three boys lived in a shelter for 15 months and recently moved into an apartment. She is hoping for a little help from the Beacon Santa because, she writes, “finances are tight and I’d like my children to have a good Christmas this year.”
Another mother of twins writes that she is recently divorced and living on one income with no child support. All of her income goes to pay rent and other necessities, leaving nothing for the extras, such as a gift for Christmas.
She is asking for help from the Beacon Santa.
“This help from the Beacon Santa program would take a huge burden off my shoulders knowing my children will have a better Christmas with the help and support from this charity. This help this Christmas would help my children have a normal Christmas morning with presents under the tree,” she writes.
This year, Beacon Santa has been asked to help more than 600 children. But Beacon Santa would not exist without help from people just like you. Would you please consider donating today?

About the Beacon Santa
Since 1965, the Beacon Santa has raised funds to provide gift cards for families seeking a little help during the holidays.

The Fund provides help for families living in the 12 communities of Acton, Boxborough, Billerica, Bedford, Concord, Chelmsford, Lexington, Lincoln, Littleton, Maynard, Stow, and Westford.
The fund is managed by three women from Maynard, determined to provide families in need with a little joy during the holidays. Because they volunteer their time, you can rest assured that the money you donate goes to those that need it most.

How to donate
By Mail:  Beacon Santa Fund, c/o Middlesex Savings Bank, 7 Digital Way. Maynard, MA 01754 OR Beacon Santa Fund, PO Box 643. Maynard, MA 01754.
Online: Through PayPal: paypal.com/fundraiser/charity/1541809. A PayPal account is not needed to donate.

January Is National Mental Wellness Month

January is a time to recharge and recover from the holidays. It is also National Mental Wellness Month to recognize the importance of mental health and reduce the stigma associated with mental illness. According to the National Institutes of Health, 57.8 million adults lived with some form of mental illness in 2023. The severity varies from person to person. Understanding mental health statistics in the U.S. can raise awareness and garner support for those in need. Anxiety disorders are the most common form of mental illness and women are more likely than men to experience depression. 17% of adolescents ages 12-17 experienced a major depressive episode. 33.5% of adults with a mental illness also have a substance use disorder.
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) collects data on substance use and mental health. Their 2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health reported that multiracial people had the highest rate of mental illness at 36.7%, followed by Whites (24%), American Indian/Alaskan natives (23.5%), Hispanics (20.6%), Blacks (19.4%), and Asians (18.1%).
Mental illness affects people differently. Children ages 6-17 are three times more likely to repeat a grade if they have mental, emotional, developmental, or behavioral problems. Those with severe mental illness have a life span of 10 to 25 years shorter than the general population. 64% of jail inmates have a mental illness compared to 21.6% of the general adult population.
National Mental Wellness Month involves individuals being able to cope with life’s difficulties, having healthy relationships, and taking care of their mental well-being before issues arise. Wellbeingtrust.org tells us that having a purpose in life offers many benefits, including being happier, living longer, sleeping better, and improved heart health. To find that purpose explore your interests, volunteer, consider what you love to do, talk to friends and family, and try new experiences.
The National Alliance on Mental Illness reports that 46% of people who die by suicide had a known mental illness. The Jason Foundation is a valuable resource if you feel that a friend or loved one is struggling with a mental illness. JFI is dedicated to the awareness and prevention of suicide through educational programs that equip youth, parents, educators, and the community with the tools and resources to identify and assist those who may be struggling mentally. Visit www.jasonfoundation.com to learn how to make a difference and find the closest Jason Foundation Affiliate Office.