The Friends of the Bolton Public Library will hold their semiannual book sale on Saturday October 18th, from 8:30am – 4pm. No Rain Date. Location is the Houghton Building, 697 Main Street. There are over 5,000 books sorted and “not picked over.” Puzzles, CDs and DVDs.

The book sale is the Friends' largest fundraiser. Proceeds from the sale support programs, events, museum passes, and our online newsletter Wowbrary.

Carmah Cat Rescue, a local non-profit organization, is holding its first annual yard sale on Saturday, October 18, 2025 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the front lawn of Hudson Town Hall, 78 Main Street, Hudson, MA.  There will be a large selection of treasures including furniture, glassware, holiday items, baskets, toys and games, electronics, collectibles, household decor, books, cat-themed items and much more! All items have been well looked after and are in need of a new home. Bring your family, your friends, your neighbors and come browse and, most importantly, buy!  Yard sales are a great way to stretch your dollar, and it promises to be a fun event.  All proceeds benefit Carmah Cat Rescue. Additional information on Carmah will be available at the yard sale and volunteers will be happy to answer any questions.  On-street parking is available, plus there is a parking lot behind Town Hall accessible from Church Street or Pope Street.

The trustees of the Marlborough Brigham Family Trust are pleased to announce the opening of this year’s grant cycle. Marlborough non-profits and non-profit organizations in surrounding communities that directly benefit the Marlborough community seeking financial support for programs and activities are invited to apply for up to $7,000 for these programs and activities.

The Board of Trustees is encouraging nonprofit applicants to bring forward challenging, innovative ideas and programs for funding. Applicants must also include proof of their 501(c)(3) non-profit status, even if you have done so with previous applications. Trustees will screen applications and identify those most aligned with the spirit of the trust for follow-up. Potential recipients may be requested to submit project/activity budgets, copies of 990 forms, and board of directors/leadership information, and may be asked to participate in an interview with the trustees.

Awards will be announced in November 2025 and distributed in the first week of December 2025.

Click HERE to apply by the deadline of 11:30 PM, Friday, November 7, 2025:
https://www.brighamtrust.org/index.html


FRIENDLY REMINDER: If you were a 2024 grant recipient, your grant impact statement must be submitted to be considered eligible for a 2025 grant. Please email your impact statements prior to the November 7th deadline.

The Marlborough Brigham Family Trust is a local non-profit organization that helps other non-profit organizations in the greater Marlborough area fund projects and programs important to these organizations and the community.

On Thursday Sept 23 from 5-8, Friday Sept 24 from 9-5 and Saturday Sept 25 from 9-1 Memorial Congregational Church is holding its semi-annual Thrifting Market where we sell gently used clothing, shoes, accessories and linens. There will be lots of clothing for people of all ages. All items are carefully organized making shopping very easy. Good quality clothing at rock bottom prices! Pay with cash, check or Venmo!

On Saturday you will find even more bargains as all items will sell at half price!

Memorial Church is located at 26 Concord Rd (across from Goodnow Library) in Sudbury. For questions or additional information, please call 978-443-3885

Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025
(rain date: Sunday, Oct. 26)
Stargazing begins at 6:00pm and ends at 9:00pm

SAS members will set up their telescopes for guest viewing. This Star Watch has a wonderful show, featuring glorious Saturn with near edge-on rings, a thin sliver Moon, Mercury and Mars if you come early, and galaxies if you stay late! See the galaxies of Pegasus and Andromeda, the Ring Nebula in Lyra and, with dark skies, the Veil Nebula in Cygnus! In conjunction with visual scopes, check out our newest digital imaging system, a Seestar 50, which may even let us see a real live supernova!

If you have COVID-like symptoms or have been in contact with someone ill, we ask that you refrain from attending.

Parking and Location:
SAS members with telescopes will be located near the area shown in red in the image on the left side of image on the below website. Look for signs and glow sticks to direct the way. Visitors can park in the parking lot shown in blue. Please try to minimize the use of headlights when possible.
For more detailed info: https://skylight.kantbelievemyeyes.com/star-night-minute-man-airfield/

Domestic Violence Services Network, Inc. (DVSN) will host its annual Light in the Darkness Candlelight Vigil on Thursday, October 30, 2025, at 6:00 PM at the Lexington Community Center, 39 Marret Road, Lexington. Held during Domestic Violence Awareness Month each October, the Vigil commemorates the lives lost in Massachusetts to domestic violence in the past year.
Community members will read each victim's story as their lives are represented by the reader, a rose, and a candle that is lit in their memory. In this year's keynote address, Chief Michael McLean of the Lexington Police Department will speak on the importance of community partnerships in supporting those who experience domestic violence.
"While the Vigil is a solemn occasion," says DVSN Executive Director Jacquelin Apsler, "It is also a night of hope. By publicly standing together to witness and commemorate, we build awareness and show the survivors in our communities that we believe their stories and support their journeys."
The public is invited to attend this free event. A light supper will be served following the ceremony. For more information regarding DVSN’s Candlelight Vigil, visit DVSN.org/Vigil or call 978-318-3421.

Sunday, October 5, 2025, 8:00 am to 4:00 pm
Elks Hall, Lawrence, MA

See the best scale model vehicles in New England at the Classic Plastic Model Club’s 31st Annual Model Car Exhibition on Sunday, October 5, 2025. Enjoy 29 classes of competition, 3 awards per class, 8 major awards, 15 member’s favorite awards. Military modelers are welcome to enter our military class. The 2025 theme class is 70 years of Tri-Five Chevies:’55, ’56, or ’57 Chevrolets. The 2025 Sub-Theme Class is “Stolen cars from Gone in 60 Seconds” movie (2000 remake). One huge hall with breakfast and lunch available, vendor tables with kits and aftermarket parts, model kits raffled all day. Admission: $5 plus $3 per entry; age 17 and under free. 652 Andover Street, Lawrence. Directions: Rt. 93, exit 42 (River Rd.), turn east toward Lawrence. Elks Hall is 1.5 miles on left. Visit http://www.classicplastic.org for show flyer and model entry form, or contact Paul Anagnostopoulos, 978-852-4240.

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.net

Want to make a difference in the lives of homeless dogs and cats with your morning dose of exercise?
Sign up to walk or run a scenic 5K course at Save A Dog's 6th Annual “Miles for Mutts” run/walk on October 4!
The race starts and ends at the Marlborough Moose Lodge, 67 Fitchburg St., Marlborough, and winds through the beautiful Assabet River Valley Rail Trail. Take in the sights and sounds of nature in fall splendor and enjoy the festive atmosphere with fellow runners, walkers and their furry friends!
The fun includes medals for the top three finishers overall and by age category, and a goody bag and commemorative t-shirt for the first 100 entrants. Dogs are welcome to walk the route, too, and enjoy a yummy pup cup at the finish line!
Check-in and bib pick-up starts at 8:30 a.m., and the race begins promptly at 10 a.m.

To register, go to https://runsignup.com/Race/MA/Marlborough/MilesForMutts5KRunWalk.
A registration discount of $40 for Adults ($30 ages 18 and under) is available to those who register by October 3.
Day of race registration on October 4 is $45 for Adults ($35 ages 18 and under).

So lace up those sneakers and join us for a fun-filled morning of fitness and fundraising… every step you'll take helps support Save A Dog's vital life-saving work!

Can’t join us? Make a “Cheer from Home” donation at https://runsignup.com/Race/MA/Marlborough/MilesForMutts5KRunWalk.

Now in its 27th year, Save A Dog has found loving, forever homes for nearly 9,000 homeless pets through its Sudbury shelter and network of dedicated foster homes. More information about Save A Dog and the rescue’s adoptable dogs and cats can be found at www.saveadog.org.
See you October 4th!

 

$10 Amazon.com Gift Card by email for coming to give Sept. 22-Oct. 19
BOSTON, Sept. 22, 2025 — As fall officially begins, the American Red Cross urges people to mark the new season with a lifesaving blood or platelet donation to help keep the blood supply strong. Donors of all blood types, especially those with types O positive and B negative blood, are needed now. 
For many, daily routines shift as the seasons change, but blood and platelet donations must remain top of mind. Every single donation is key to making sure all patients relying on critical transfusions, including car accident victims, those living with sickle cell disease and those facing cancer, get the care they need.
Fall into donating blood or platelets. Make an appointment to give now by visiting RedCrossBlood.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS or by using the Red Cross Blood Donor App. All who come to give blood, platelets or plasma Sept. 22-Oct. 19, 2025, will receive a $10 Amazon.com Gift Card by email. For details, visit RedCrossBlood.org/Fall.

Upcoming blood donation opportunities Oct. 1-15

Middlesex County
Bedford
10/1/2025: 12 p.m. - 7 p.m., Bedford MA Blood Donor Center, 213 Burlington Rd
10/3/2025: 8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m., Bedford MA Blood Donor Center, 213 Burlington Rd
10/4/2025: 8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m., Bedford MA Blood Donor Center, 213 Burlington Rd
10/7/2025: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., V.A. Hospital Building 80, 200 Springs Road
10/7/2025: 12 p.m. - 7 p.m., Bedford MA Blood Donor Center, 213 Burlington Rd
10/8/2025: 12 p.m. - 7 p.m., Bedford MA Blood Donor Center, 213 Burlington Rd
10/10/2025: 8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m., Bedford MA Blood Donor Center, 213 Burlington Rd
10/11/2025: 8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m., Bedford MA Blood Donor Center, 213 Burlington Rd
10/14/2025: 12 p.m. - 7 p.m., Bedford MA Blood Donor Center, 213 Burlington Rd
10/15/2025: 12 p.m. - 7 p.m., Bedford MA Blood Donor Center, 213 Burlington Rd

Chelmsford
10/4/2025: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., Aldersgate United Methodist, 242 Boston Rd.

North Chelmsford
10/8/2025: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Chelmsford American Legion, 90 Groton Road

Sudbury
10/1/2025: 2 p.m. - 7 p.m., First Baptist Church of Sudbury, 162 Landham Rd
10/6/2025: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., First Baptist Church of Sudbury, 162 Landham Rd

Westford
10/3/2025: 8:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m., Nashoba Valley Technical High School, 100 Littleton Road
10/3/2025: 12 p.m. - 5 p.m., First Parish Church, 48 Main Street
10/12/2025: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., Roudenbush Community Center, 65 Main Street

 

Saturday, October 25, 2025, 4:00 pm
First Parish Church, Sudbury, MA 
Sunday, October 26, 2025, 4:00 pm
Old South Church, Boston, MA
and live-streamed at www.oldpostroad.org
In-person Audience Tickets $10-$55, kids come free with an adult
Virtual Audience Tickets: $35 individual, $70 family, $10 students
Two-time winner of the Noah Greenberg Award from the American Musicological Society, Musicians of the Old Post Road begins its 37th season with Brilliant Borrowings, a program featuring works that illustrate the magic of inspiration and influence among Baroque luminaries.

Performances will be presented on October 25 at 4 pm at First Parish Church in Sudbury and October 26 at 4 pm at Old South Church in Boston and online. The weekend marks the opening of the ensemble’s “Cross-Pollinations” season, celebrating inspiration among composers and across cultures in four programs exemplifying the ensemble’s signature programming of musical “rediscoveries” performed alongside beloved 18th-century works.

Brilliant Borrowings highlights ways that Baroque composers inspired each other, starting with one of Georg Philipp Telemann’s “Corelli” sonatas, named in tribute to the Italian Baroque composer Arcangelo Corelli. In this piece, Telemann incorporates the style of Corelli's trio sonatas, including dance forms, walking basses, and the harmonic language that took Europe by storm in the early 18th century, influencing the style of Baroque composers throughout the continent.

A fascinating piece from Nicolas Chédeville’s Le Printems ou Les saisons amusantes (Spring, or the Amusing Seasons) will also be included. A French Baroque oboist and hurdy-gurdy virtuoso, Chédeville freely arranged Vivaldi’s Four Seasons concertos. Although audiences will recognize many of the passages and melodies from Vivaldi’s original, Chedeville imbued his own style into the work. The ensemble will perform the Autumn concerto, Chédeville’s lively and rustic reimagining of the season.

George Frideric Handel was very much inspired by his good friend Georg Philipp Telemann. The two became close early in their careers, with frequent visits and correspondences between the two beginning in 1701. Handel’s Adagio and Allegro for flute strings, and continuo reflects the influence of Telemann’s Concerto in Bb Major for three violins and continuo and clearly demonstrates Handel’s talent at borrowing and reimagining motifs and themes from his friend’s works.

Charles Avison’s Concerto Grosso No. 2 in G Major is a fascinating adaptation of works by the outstanding harpsichordist Domenico Scarlatti. Scarlatti’s Essercizi per cembalo, a set of 30 harpsichord sonatas published in England in 1738, are among the most virtuoso of his oeuvre. The work inspired the English composer Charles Avison to refashion them and other Scarlatti sonatas as concerti grossi for strings and continuo. Published around 1744, Avison’s concertos are extensively re-imagined versions of Scarlatti’s works that work well as orchestrated pieces.

The concert concludes with the ensemble’s own arrangement of Bach’s Italian Concerto, BWV 971, originally intended as a work for solo harpsichord. Bach’s beloved solo piece represents the culmination of his nearly lifelong examination of the Italian concerto format, which greatly influenced his compositional style. In his early years, he made a study of the string and wind concertos of Vivaldi, Albinoni, Marcello and others by arranging them for solo keyboard. Old Post Road’s transcription of his Italian Concerto can be viewed as a "reverse engineering" of this process, taking his work for solo keyboard and orchestrating it for chamber ensemble. For this arrangement, Artistic Directors Daniel Ryan and Suzanne Stumpf surveyed Bach’s own orchestration techniques to model their adaptation after his approach.

Musicians for these concerts, all of whom will play on period instruments, include flutist Suzanne Stumpf, violinists Sarah Darling and Jesse Irons, violist Renée Hemsing, cellist Daniel Ryan, and harpsichordist Kelly Savage.

Single In-Person Tickets are $55 general admission, $50 seniors, $35 for under 35. Kids 18 and under are free with an adult. Day-Of-Concert Rush Tickets (students and EBT Card holders only) are $10, availability permitting. Virtual single tickets and virtual subscriptions are also available.
For more information, visit www.oldpostroad.org, email musicians@oldpostroad.org, or call 781-466-6694.
The Sudbury concert is co-presented with the Sudbury Historical Society (members receive a $10 discount on their ticket).
ABOUT MUSICIANS OF THE OLD POST ROAD
Musicians of the Old Post Road takes its name from its acclaimed concert series that brings period instrument performances of music of the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries to beautiful historic buildings along New England’s fabled Old Post Road, the first thoroughfare to connect Boston and New York City in the late 17th century.
Winner of the 1998 and 2023 Noah Greenberg Award from the American Musicological Society, Musicians of the Old Post Road has also received programming awards from Early Music America, Chamber Music America and the US-Mexico Fund for Culture. The ensemble has toured in Germany, Austria, and Mexico, and has appeared at festivals and on concert series in the US, including the Indianapolis Early Music Festival, the Boston Early Music Festival Concert Series, the Castle Hill Festival, the Artists Series at Mercer University in Macon, Georgia, and the Connecticut Early Music Festival. The ensemble has held a residency at Dartmouth College and was featured on WCVB television’s “Chronicle” program and 99.5 All Classical radio’s “Live from Fraser” program.
The ensemble’s discography includes seven recordings that have each been praised in the US and abroad. They include: The Virtuoso Double Bass (Titanic, 1994), Trios and Scottish Song Settings of J. N. Hummel (Meridian, 1999), Galant with an Attitude: Music of Juan and José Pla (Meridian, 2000), Quartets of Telemann and Bodinus (Meridian, 2004), Feliz Navidad: Christmas from Spain and New Spain (Meridian, 2008), Roman Handel (Centaur, 2013), and Earthly Baroque (Centaur, 2017). An 8th CD entitled Into the Light, featuring music by Christoph Graupner, is planned for release on September 26, 2025.  

 

This is a profoundly distressing time both for people who are being mistreated by their intimate partner and for the local programs that are supporting them. In response to anticipated major reductions in federal dollars, the current Massachusetts state budget reflects a $7 million cut from domestic and sexual violence programs across the Commonwealth.  Additional reductions in supports are looming as Congress makes critical decisions about this year’s federal budget.
 Adding to that already difficult reality, anticipated reductions at the federal level in the country’s safety net programs AND the ripple effects of ICE’s activity throughout Greater Boston are greatly increasing the anxiety of many of our already vulnerable neighbors who are navigating life with an intimate partner – or ex partner -- that mistreats them.

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, a time for our community to come together and stand in solidarity with survivors and their families. Each October, the Sudbury-Wayland- Lincoln Domestic Violence Roundtable partners with First Parish in Wayland and the Lauren Dunne Astley Memorial Fund to mark Domestic Violence Awareness Month. We do this by illuminating public religious, and other significant buildings in Sudbury and Wayland with purple lights. We invite additional faith communities, businesses, and community organizations to illuminate their buildings as well. Inexpensive lights are now available from Amazon, and further details are available by contacting Paul at infodvrt@gmail.com.
The color purple embodies peace, courage, survival, honor, and a steadfast dedication to ending the cycle of abuse. By illuminating your home with a purple light, you send a powerful message of support and hope to those affected by domestic violence. It’s a simple yet profound way to show you care.
Once again, the Roundtable cordially invites community members to shine purple lights in their neighborhoods by adding purple lights to indoor lamps, porches, or outside house lights. Invite your friends and neighbors to join you and shine a light in the darkness. Won’t you join our efforts! Together, we can create a sea of purple lights that symbolizes our community's commitment to fostering safety and healing.
For your convenience, purple light bulbs will be available at Ace Hardware, 70 Andrew Ave., Wayland and Aubuchon Hardware, 505 Boston Post Road (Shaw’s Plaza, Sudbury. The bulbs fit regular sockets.  Thank you to Ace Hardware in Wayland and Aubuchon Hardware in Sudbury for stocking the purple light bulbs.
The traumas of domestic violence are harmful and long lasting, and the Roundtable continues to seek community support in building awareness of the signs and causes of relationship violence and sources of possible support and safety. We continue to work toward the creation of a more caring and equitable society that does not tolerate violence or any person’s domination of another, be it in relation to gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, geographic region, or economic status. If you are concerned you or someone in your life might be experiencing relationship abuse, local support can be found on the Roundtable website at https://www.domesticviolenceroundtable.org/counseling. If you are interested in volunteering, please email the Roundtable at domesticviolenceroundtable@gmail.com

Come make your holiday shopping more meaningful by supporting local artists! Members of the Princeton Arts Society invite you to come browse, shop, and enjoy hundreds of their fine, artisan-made items. Peruse creative, unique, yet affordable small wall art in many media, as well as tables overflowing with jewelry, cards, prints, ornaments, fabric items, original books, bags, ceramics, woodworking, and so much more! Don’t miss out on this amazing holiday art extravaganza!

Fridays, November 14 & 21,  6-8:00 PM
Saturdays and Sundays, November 15 & 16 and 22 & 23,  10 AM-4 PM

Location:  206 Worcester Road, Princeton Senior & Community Center, Princeton MA

The Princeton Arts Society is a nonprofit organization promoting the arts in Central Massachusetts through programs, events, and shows. 

240% More Noticeable
Riders using a flashing taillight during the day are 2.4 times more noticeable than riders using no lights at all (and up to 1.4 times more noticeable than riders using a light in steady mode).

33% Fewer Collisions
Research shows a 33% decrease in accidents for bicycles outfitted with daytime running lights. There's a similar trend in both automobiles and motorcycles that use DRLs, with 25% and 13% drops in collisions respectively.

80% of Accidents Happen During the Day
Eight out of ten cycling accidents occur during daylight hours, when most people are riding and driving. Daytime running lights are the single most effective product to help increase noticeability during these peak hours.

700% Less Visible Than You Think
Studies show riders overestimate their visibility by 700%.

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.net

Free admission on the first Friday night of each month kicks off on Friday, October 3
ACTON - Discovery Museum announced today that their popular First Friday Nights Free will return beginning Friday, October 3. Visitors can enjoy the Museum with free admission from 4:30pm to 8:00pm on the first Friday night of each month, October through June.
Though not required for admission, visitors are encouraged to bring a non-perishable food donation to be distributed to the Acton Food Pantry and Open Table.
First Friday Nights Free are made possible by MathWorks.

Who: Worcester Chamber Music Society
What: “Serenade & Souvenir: Our Twentieth-Year Celebration”

Program
Heinrich Hofmann | Serenade for flute and strings, Op. 65
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart | Piano Trio in G Major, K.564
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky | Souvenir de Florence, Op. 70


When & Where: Saturday, September 27 at 7:30 PM
Mechanics Hall
321 Main Street, Worcester

Pre-concert talk ½ hour prior to the performance
Intermission dessert reception for all


How: Gold $55, Silver $45, Bronze $25, Community $10
EBT/WIC/ConnectorCare $5, Youth 17 and under free

Information and tickets for these concerts are available on the ensemble’s website, www.worcesterchambermusic.org, or by calling the office at (508) 926-8624.

Acton, MA – Discovery Museum announced today that from September 16 through 21, 2025, the cost of admission will be $2.50 per person. The annual “Pay and Play Like It’s 1982,” promotion celebrates the Museum’s founding in 1982 and is meant as a Thank You to the community for more than four decades of support.

During the promotion, existing discount programs that offer deeper discounts—including $1 admission for EBT, WIC, and ConnectorCare Card to Culture card holders, and free admission for active-duty military families, teachers, and children under 1—will continue to be honored. Standard admission prices are $19.00 for adults and children ages 1 and up; $18.00 for seniors 60+.

The Museum is open during the school year from 9:00am to 4:30pm Tuesday through Sunday; it is open with free admission the first Friday night of the month from 4:30 to 8:00pm.

The First United Methodist Church of Hudson will be offering its FREE Pasta Friendship Dinner on Saturday, September 27th, to be served at 5:00 pm.  This is one of our most asked for meals and everyone loves the spaghetti, meatballs and sausage served with salad, drinks and desserts!
Invite family, friends and neighbors for an evening of great tasting food, laughter and fellowship.
Friendship Dinners are served the fourth Saturday of every month and are free and open to everyone.

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

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.net

 

Have you ever thought about tutoring someone in English? Most people who decide to become tutors are thinking of the good it can do, helping others become more proficient in English and better able to cope with employment, landlords, schools or the medical profession. But then they discover the rewards, the satisfaction that comes as progress is made and a relationship develops that enriches both learner and tutor. Tutors often speak of their pleasure in learning about another culture and their greater appreciation of the challenges facing those who are adapting to ours.

Because of the constant demand for tutoring, all available tutors are now working with students, and the next tutor-training course has been scheduled. ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) program directors Ginny Steel and Jane Albert are currently enrolling prospective tutors for the five-session course that starts on October 22. The class will meet on five consecutive Wednesday evenings, 6-9, Oct. 22 – Nov. 19. The first four classes will meet virtually, using Zoom, and the last one will be in person, in the Wayland library.
No prior knowledge of a foreign language is needed, just an openness to other cultures and the
desire to share your knowledge of English. The training is free, although it is necessary to purchase a textbook for about $40.

Tutors will be prepared to work with their learners either remotely, as we often do now, or in person, as is sometimes possible. Tutors now are using Skype, FaceTime, Zoom, telephone and email as they “meet” with their learners and enjoy both success and personal connection.
For more information or to enroll in the tutor training course, you can phone Ginny Steel at 508-
358-7517 or email her at virginia@thesteels.com.

 

The Boxborough Company of Minutemen will hold a Company meeting on Sunday September 21 at the Boxborough Community Center at 30 Middle Road starting at 8 p.m. For information please contact Captain Chad Childers at captain@boxboroughminutemen.org.
  The Boxborough Minutemen Company is open to anyone of least 18 years of age, regardless of gender or town of residence, who is interested in service to the Town and/or perpetuating the memory of the Minutemen of 1775.  You do not need to be a marcher or revolutionary war re-enactor to join the Company.
  Our members may participate in any number of the Company's activities including marching in parades and town celebrations, organizing the annual Fifer's Day town festival, performing seasonal clean-ups on Route 111, sponsoring the Boy and Cub Scouts, providing volunteers to the FreeBee Market, community supper, and other service organizations, and participating in our various social functions. The Company also provides financial support to a variety of service organizations and sponsors a number of annual scholarships to Boxborough students who are continuing their education after high school.
All are welcome to come and make new connections with others.
For more information visit www.boxboroughminutemen.org.

 

 

Choral Arts New England celebrates Frank’s leadership
in the region’s choral community; awards Chorus recording grant

CONCORD, MA Issued September 8, 2025... Concord Women’s Chorus (CWC) announces that its Artistic Director Jane Ring Frank has been awarded the 2025 Lifetime Achievement Award by Choral Arts New England (CANE). This prestigious honor recognizes Frank’s decades of visionary leadership, artistry, and contributions to the vitality of New England’s choral community.

Frank will be presented with the award at the “41st Annual Choral Arts New England Awards Ceremony” on Sunday, October 26, 3 pm, at First Congregational Church in Winchester. The event, which is open to the public, will feature a brief performance by Concord Women’s Chorus, under Frank’s direction, as well as opportunities for both chorus and audience members to sing together in celebration of New England’s rich choral tradition.

“The Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes individuals who have made exceptional contributions to choral singing and culture in New England,” said Mary Brody, chair of the Choral Arts New England Board. “We are delighted to recognize Jane as a member of this distinguished group.”

Since moving to Boston in 1991, Frank has conducted ensembles across Greater Boston with artistry and distinction. She has served on the faculties of Harvard University and Emerson College, directed Chapel Music at Episcopal Divinity School, and conducted Philovox, the professional recording chorus of E.C. Schirmer. As Founding Director of Boston Secession, she created groundbreaking programs and recordings that earned national acclaim. She conducted Cantemus Chamber Chorus for 11 years, serves as Minister of Worship and the Arts at First Congregational Church of Winchester, and was an Affiliated Scholar with the Women’s Studies Research Center at Brandeis University for 22 years.

Frank has led Concord Women’s Chorus for more than 30 years, shaping its reputation for artistry, adventurous programming, and commitment to amplifying women’s voices in choral music.

The Choral Arts New England Lifetime Achievement Award, first presented in 1994, honors individuals who have left a lasting mark on the region’s choral culture. Past honorees include Dr. André de Quadros (2024), Alice Parker (2004), and Lorna Cooke DeVaron (1995). With this award, Jane Ring Frank joins a celebrated legacy of leaders who have inspired generations of singers and audiences alike.  For more information on the awards, visit choralarts-newengland.org/lifetime.

In addition to celebrating Frank’s honor, Concord Women’s Chorus also announces that it has received an Alfred Nash Patterson Grant from Choral Arts New England to support its current recording project. The application was spearheaded by CWC board member Allison Jones, whose efforts helped the chorus secure not only the grant but also the distinction of receiving the Hammond Family Grant.

According to CANE, “Named grants represent the aspirations for choral music of some of Choral Arts New England’s most committed supporters, and we are very happy that Concord Women’s Chorus has achieved this distinction.”

Since 1985, Alfred Nash Patterson Grants have supported more than 220 choral projects across New England, fostering innovative programming, new compositions, music education, and regional collaboration.

For more information, or to join Concord Women’s Chorus, email manager@concordwomenschorus.org, visit concordwomenschorus.org, and follow Concord Women’s Chorus on Facebook and Instagram.

About Concord Women’s Chorus
Concord Women's Chorus (CWC), based in Concord, Massachusetts, is a 45-singer ensemble fostering the power in women’s voices through song. Singers hail from Concord and the greater Boston area. Artistic Director Jane Ring Frank conducts the chorus performing a wide variety of choral music, ranging from early music to contemporary repertoire, with an emphasis on works written for women’s voices. The ensemble has commissioned three new choral works to date, and will professionally record these pieces in 2026.

CWC’s commitment to the mastery and performance of a dynamic repertoire for women transforms the act of choral singing into an instrument for collaboration, education, and connection. The ensemble features confident singers who care deeply about creating, through women’s voices, a source of strength and inspiration for themselves, the audience, and the world around us.

The chorus began in 1960 as the Concord Madrigals, a small group of women who expressed, through song, the strength of female community. Over the years the group has increased in size and capacity and greatly expanded its repertoire. In 2005, the Concord Madrigals became Concord Women’s Chorus, a name that reflects not only the evolution of the chorus but the abiding power of women’s voices.

In addition to concerts, CWC often engages in other performances and projects. The ensemble has engaged in several concert tours in the United States, Canada, and Great Britain. For more information or to join CWC, email manager@concordwomenschorus.org, visit concordwomenschorus.org, and follow Concord Women’s Chorus on Facebook and Instagram.

 

Women Helping Others (WHO), at First United Methodist Church of Marlborough, will offer a Holistic Tea at the church on Sunday, September 28 from 2 to 4:00pm.  A sound bath and information on essential oils will be shared by Three Feathers Healing of Hudson, MA.  WHO will provide tea and desserts.  While space is limited, registration is free.  Free will offerings are gratefully received. The church is located at 52 Church Street.  Link for registration:  https://tinyurl.com/2vx9narc

WHAT:
State Treasurer Deborah B. Goldberg and the Massachusetts Unclaimed Property Division will return a long-lost Purple Heart medal to Thomas Brigham, the grandson of Sgt. Thomas Flynn. The medal was recovered by the Unclaimed Property Division and traced back to the Flynn family as part of the Treasury’s efforts to reunite military honors with rightful heirs.

Sgt. Thomas Flynn was born in August. 27, 1896, in Worcester, Massachusetts. He served with Company G of the 9th Infantry and 101st Infantry with the Massachusetts National Guard.

WHEN:
September 9, 2025
12:00PM

WHERE:
Massachusetts State House, Treasurer’s Office, Rm. 227

WHO:

• Treasurer Deborah B. Goldberg
• Thomas Brigham, grandson of Sgt. Thomas Flynn
• Brig. Gen. Lisa Ahaesy from the National Guard
• Veterans Services Representatives

WHY:
The return of military medals is part of the Massachusetts Treasurer’s Office mission to honor the legacy of veterans and reunite families with their treasured heirlooms.

MASSACHUSETTS (September 9, 2025) - Hey MA Teens! Voting will open for the MA Teen Choice Book Award (MTCBA) on September 15!  Young people from across Massachusetts are invited to vote for their top teen book from a list of nominees until Oct. 5. This is the only award in the Bay State that invites students in grades 7-12 to vote for their top new books.
The list of nominees has been curated by a committee of public librarians, school library media specialists and educators. The top teen choices will be announced in late October..

“There are two ways for teens to cast their votes - they can vote directly using our digital ballot (available at https://www.mateenchoicebook.org/home) or they can cast a paper ballot at any participating library,” said Suzanne Larson, committee chair and high school library media specialist at Seekonk High School in Seekonk, MA.  “We encourage school and public libraries interested in participating to create displays and ballot boxes by using MTCBA resources, also available on the award website.” (https://www.mateenchoicebook.org/home)

The twenty-one 2025 Massachusetts Teen Choice Book Award Nominees are:

• Aisle Nine - Cho, Ian X.
• America Redux: Visual Stories from Our Dynamic History - Aberg-Riger, Ariel
• The Bletchley Riddle - Sepetys, Ruta & Sheinkin, Steve
• Call Me Iggy - Aguirre, Jorge & Rosado, Rafael (Illustrator)
• The Great Cool Ranch Dorito in the Sky - Galarza, Josh
• Gwen & Art Are Not in Love - Croucher, Lex
• HappyHead - Silver, Josh
• I Kick and I Fly - Gupta, Ruchira
• I Will Never Leave You - Kennedy, Kara
• The Last Boyfriends Rules for Revenge - Hubbard, Matthew
• Looking for Smoke - Cobell, K. A.
• Navigating With You - Whitley, Jeremy & Ribeiro, Cassio (Illustrator)
• The No-Girlfriend Rule - Randall, Christen 
• The Reappearance of Rachel Price - Jackson, Holly
• Red - Cardi, Annie
• Spirit Sleuths: How Magicians and Detectives Exposed the Ghost Hoaxes - Jarrow, Gail
• Star Splitter - Kirby, Matthew J.
• Twenty-four Seconds From Now… - Reynolds, Jason
• Where Sleeping Girls Lie - Àbíké-Íyímídé, Faridah
• The Wilderness of Girls - Franklin, Madeline Claire
• Wish You Weren’t Here - Baldwin, Erin

The Massachusetts Teen Choice Book Award is a cooperative project between the Massachusetts School Library Association (MSLA) and the Massachusetts Library Association (MLA) with support from Salem State University. For more information on the selected titles and how to participate and vote, please visit www.mateenchoicebook.org.

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.net

One in five people across the country live with a mental health condition including children, adolescents and adults. Family members, in the role as "care supporter" for their loved one often need support as well. NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, a non-profit organization founded in 1979, is dedicated to improving the lives of those with mental illness and their families through support, education and advocacy at state and national levels. Volunteers trained by NAMI now offer many support groups and educational programs in communities across Massachusetts for those with illness and separately supportive family members. Programs are offered in person and digitally via the Zoom format and are completely free to the public. You can find details at the NAMI Massachusetts website www.NAMIMASS.org .
If you have a family member with mental health challenges you can also connect to a support-group I facilitate with my co-facilitator at fsgroup25@aol.com.  Our NAMI group meets once a month, every 2nd Thursday of the month, from 6:15 pm – 8:45 pm on Zoom and has been meeting for four years. The group usually has around 6-8 participants and creates time enough for all to share and feel much better at meetings end. If you would like to speak with someone ahead about our NAMI support-group feel free to call me. My name is Dee and my cell number is 978.697.3441.

Written By Deb Paul
“We’re not about what happened on 9/11. We’re about what happened on 9/12.” Jeff Parness, founder of New York Says Thank You, captured the essence of American resilience in just thirteen words.

This year marks the 24th anniversary of a day that changed our nation forever. September 11, 2001, is etched into our collective memory—not just for the horror we witnessed, but for the unity that followed. Most Americans remember exactly where they were when the news broke. The images of the Twin Towers collapsing, the chaos, the courage—they remain vivid, unshakable.

We lost thousands of innocent lives—on planes, in offices, on the streets. First responders ran toward danger, not away from it. Families were shattered. The American spirit was tested. And yet, as Rudy Giuliani said, “The attacks of September 11th were intended to break our spirit. Instead, we have emerged stronger and more unified.”

In the days that followed, something extraordinary happened. Strangers became neighbors. Political differences faded. Compassion surged. We remembered what it meant to be one nation, indivisible—not just in theory, but in practice. Flags flew from every porch. Blood banks overflowed with volunteers. People prayed together, cried together, and stood together.

We saw firefighters and police officers risk everything without hesitation. They didn’t ask who someone voted for or what religion they practiced. They saw fellow human beings in need—and they responded with courage and compassion. That spirit of selflessness defined the days after 9/11. It reminded us of who we are at our best.

But today, that unity feels distant. We are a nation divided—by politics, by ideology, by mistrust. The spirit of 9/12, once so palpable, now flickers faintly. The sense of shared purpose that once bound us has been replaced by suspicion and polarization.

Let this anniversary be more than a moment of mourning. Let it be a call to remember—not only the lives lost, but the values we rediscovered. Patriotism is not a relic. Unity is not naïve. These are the foundations of a resilient democracy.

We must reflect not only on what we lost, but on what we found: courage, compassion, and a renewed sense of community. These qualities are still within us. They are not confined to history—they are waiting to be revived.

So this September 11, pause. Reflect. Recommit. Not just to memory, but to meaning. To kindness. To courage. To each other.

Because the legacy of 9/11 isn’t just about what happened. It’s about who we became—and who we still have the power to be.

It’s time again for First Parish Church of Stow & Acton (FPC) to sell its homemade apple pies on Saturdays and Sundays, from Saturday, Sept. 20, to Sunday, Oct. 12. Sales will begin at 10 a.m. and will close when the day’s pies are sold, or at 1 p.m., whichever comes first. FPC’s 3 lb. pies are $20 each and 1 lb. tarts are $10, cash or check preferred. The apple pie stand is located at the front of the church grounds, at 353 Great Road, Stow. For more information, visit www.fpc-stow-acton.org. Apples for the pies have been generously donated by Shelburne Farm of Stow.

On Saturday, September 20, all gardeners are welcome to join the New England Chapter of the North American Rock Garden Society (NARGS) for their fall kick-off meeting. The topic of the day is seed saving, processing, and growing. The event will take place at the Goodnow Library in Sudbury from 10:30 am to 2:00 pm.
Attendees are asked to bring their own bag lunch, with beverages and snacks provided. At 11 am, Jan Sacks and Marty Schafer of Carlisle lead the panel discussion on Seeds - Collecting and Cleaning Techniques. These expert growers will share tips they’ve found valuable. After the lunch break, our Annual Seedling Sale begins at 1 pm. Members bring their extra seedlings of clearly labelled rock garden plants, including some natives, to share. The first-round price is $2 per pot until buying slows down, after which the price is $1 per pot. Very special, higher-value plants may be raffled off.
Come to buy, even if you can’t bring seedlings of your own!

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.net