Action Unlimited

The Friends of the Acton Libraries To Host Used Book Sale May 31-June 1

The Friends have been collecting and sorting a lot of books since the last sale! Now is your chance to come to stock up on good books in good condition to prepare for summer reading!
The Friends of the Acton Libraries will hold a live and in person used book sale on Saturday May 31 at the Acton Memorial Library from 9 am until 4 pm. Members of the Friends are invited to a preview of the sale on Friday, May 30 from 7 pm until 9 pm. Sunday June 1 will be half price day for all, from 1 pm to 4 pm. While not required, face coverings while inside at the sale are encouraged.
Both cash and credit cards are accepted!
Be sure your membership is up to date before the big Friends Used Book Sale so you can have first crack at the great selection of used books at the sale preview. If you aren’t yet a member, you can join on Friday night.
But why wait? Go to the Friends of the Acton Libraries website and pay online! https://friends-of-the-acton-libraries.square.site/
The Friends of the Acton Libraries is a 100% volunteer organization that has a unique remit; we donate funds to Acton’s 8 elementary middle-school and high-school libraries, as well as the 2 town libraries. Our book sales and other activities raise money which we then distribute to these 10 entities. The funds we give to the elementary school libraries represent almost 50% of their book buying budget.
For more information, contact The Friends at friendsofactonlibraries@gmail.com
Join us on social media at https://www.facebook.com/friendsactonlib. Follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/friendsactonlib or Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/friendsactonlib

Military Family Support Group Seeking New Members

The Military Family Support Group (MFSG) is a volunteer organization whose mission is to provide support to anyone with an active duty service member serving in the military.  Our goal is to help educate members on military life, customs, and traditions as well as provide outreach, benefit awareness, and social networking opportunities.  In addition, MFSG offers support to family members with a active duty service member transitioning to veteran status.  MFSG hosts events throughout the year and is open to individuals, families,  and friends in the Concord/Carlisle and surrounding communities with an active duty member serving in all branches of the military.  Follow us on Facebook or at  milfamilysg@gmail.com
2025 MFSG Schedule of Events
June 10, 2025-Book Club Event at the Concord Free Public Library, Trustees Room,  Main Library , 129 Main St., Concord, MA. !0 AM. A book discussion about “The Things They Carried”         by Tim O’Brien is a collection of short stories about a platoon of American soldiers fighting on the ground in the Vietnam War.  Copies of the book are available at the Main Library.
July 20,2025- Worcester Woo Sox Game-1:05PM-”Indebt to a Vet “ event.. Tickets are $25/pp Contact 978-618-8525 for ticket info.
November 7, 2025-Lincoln Council on Aging,  Bemis Hall, 15 Bedford Rd. Lincoln, MA. 1:00PM.  “Trench Art and Trinkets: What Did They Bring Home>”  A presentation by Lincoln, MA               Veteran’s Services Officer Peter Harvell.  Bring your trench art or militaria piece to be appraised at the event.
November 11, 2025-Vetaran’s Day Flag Retirement Ceremony, Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, Concord, MA.  8:00AM. The ceremony will include a prayer, a cannon salute, Taps being played ,          and the National Anthem followed by the flag retirement ceremony. Meet at 7:45 AM at Prichards’s Gate at 34 Bedford Street, Concord, MA to join the MFSG march procession.
For more information about these events or becoming a MFSG member, please contact 978-618-8525. Look for additional military related events in the Boston/Metro West area on our Facebook page.

WESTON, MA WALK

SATURDAY, JUNE 7TH– The Walk ‘n Mass Volkssport Club invites walkers to complete a 5km or 10km (3.1 or 6.2 mile) walk route in Weston, MA. This is a walk-at-your-own pace, just-for-fun event “in your own backyard.”
The start point is the Weston Public Library, 87 School Street, Weston,MA 02493. Register and begin walking between 10:30-12:30. Finish by 4 p.m. There is a $4 participation fee per person. Donations are accepted. The 5km and 10km routes are on mostly flat and paved surfaces.The trail would be doable for strollers but difficult for wheelchairs due to the trail through the woods, a short grassy path, and uneven pavement in some places.
The 10km route consists of the 5km route with 3 loops branching off the 5km route. Except for one stretch of the 10km route on a trail through some woods and another short, steep path joining the rail trail, both routes are on sidewalks and the rail trail passing some historic buildings, residential areas with large homes and tree-filled spaces, and the town center.
Walkers will pass the fieldstone First Parish Church and the Colonial Revival-style Weston
Town Hall, a fire station built in 1914 the town’s original library built in 1899 and now the home of Weston Art & Innovation Center as well as the Weston Media Center.
Volkssporting events sponsored by Walk ‘n Mass Volkssport Club promote fun, fitness and friendship through non-competitive walking and biking. There is also an achievement awards program through the American Volkssport Association (AVA). For further information contact Marianne at (339)-204-3700. You may also contact www.walknmass.org for this event and future events.
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Nashoba Technical High School 

Golf Tournament

17 animal rescues

17 Animal Rescues Join PAWS IN THE PARK
this Sunday, May 4,
10 am - 3 pm
Longfellow’s Wayside Inn, Sudbury

Have you been thinking of adopting a pet?
Join Save A Dog this Sunday, May 4, from 10 am to 3 pm on the grounds of historic Longfellow’s Wayside Inn in Sudbury as we celebrate the 25th Annual PAWS IN THE PARK – one of the largest gatherings of people and pups in New England!
Rain or shine, this is the place to be for canine and family fun!
This year, PAWS IN THE PARK also offers a great opportunity to visit with representatives of 17 animal rescues from Massachusetts and beyond, and meet some of their amazing, adoptable pets.
Joining in the day-long festivities are:
• Baypath Humane Society (Hopkinton)
• B.O.N.E.S. (Beagles of New England States - NH)
• Brown Dog Coalition and Rescue (Hopkinton)
• Buddy Dog (Sudbury)
• Collie Rescue League of New England (VT)
• Commonwealth Cats (Peabody)
• Crops and Flops Rescue (Westminster)
• Greyhound Friends (Hopkinton)
• Long Island Bulldog Rescue (NY)
• Merrimack River Feline Rescue Society (Salisbury)
• National Great Pyrenees Rescue (NY)
• Northeast Coonhound Rescue (Lexington)
• Paw-Affection Dachshund Rescue (Taunton)
• PittieLove Rescue (Framingham)
• Save A Dog (Sudbury)
• Stray Pets in Need (Natick)
• Yankee Golden Retriever Rescue (Hudson)
Don’t miss this celebration filled with music, food vendors, kids games and face painting, dog games and contests, a dog agility course with try-outs, alumni and littermate reunions, raffles and a silent auction... plus 67 vendors and exhibitors.
Special highlights include a Group Dog Walk at 11 am led by Anna Meiler, WBZ News Anchor and host of WBZ’s Sunday morning “Pet Parade.”
The Adoptable Dogs Parade at noon will feature dogs from our participating rescue organizations.
And TRAX, the Worcester Railers Hockey Club mascot, will make a special appearance right after the parade from at 12:30 pm.
Admission is $15 for adults and $5 for children 5-12.
Kids under 5 are free, and strollers are welcome.
(Admission is waived for those who set up a personal online pledge page and raise $15 or more. Go to www.saveadog.org/paws2025-pledges.asp)
And of course bring your dog—if they enjoy being around people and other dogs—on a 6 foot or shorter leash (no retractable leashes, please).
All proceeds from PAWS IN THE PARK benefit the life-saving rescue and adoption work of Save A Dog, a 501c3 tax exempt humane society.
Now entering its 27th year, Save a Dog has found loving forever homes for more than 8,500 pets through its Sudbury shelter and dedicated network of foster homes.
See you Sunday!

“Shop for Free at Trinity:  The Free Sale”

- Trinity Church, 14 Wattaquadock Hill Rd., Bolton, will be hosting an  indoor yard sale on Saturday, June 7th, 9:00AM - Noon.  All items are free. Household goods, toys, books, movies, sporting goods, clothing, more. Enjoy free refreshments as well!  www.trinitybolton.org
Shivick1

PCA Welcomes Soprano Jane Shivick to Westford

WESTFORD, MA: On May 18, 2025, The Parish Center for the Arts is stepping into something new, welcoming the wonderfully talented soprano Jane Shivick to their stage, accompanied by William Ness! An award-winning and accomplished singer, Ms. Shivick is equally at home in opera, oratorio, concert and recital.  General admission seating tickets are $15 (EBT/Card-to-Culture ID at the door); $18 Members/Seniors; $20 Non-Members and $25 at the door (if available!). Doors open at 3:30pm for the 4pm matinee performance at 10 Lincoln Street. For ticket reservations and more information, visit pcawestford.org.
Among her many credits, Jane Shivick made her Symphony Hall debut as a soloist with The Boston Pops Orchestra under the batons of Keith Lockhart, Steven Mercurio, and Federico Cortese, and has returned to work with Maestro Lockhart for several Pops concerts. She has been a featured soloist with the Boston Civic Symphony, New Philharmonia Orchestra, Brockton Symphony, Massachusetts Symphony Orchestra, Rhode Island Civic Chorale & Orchestra, Symphony Pro Musica, Thayer Symphony Orchestra, Heritage Chorale, Assabet Valley Mastersingers, Stow Festival Chorus & Orchestra, Brown University Orchestra, Worcester Chorus, Jubilate Chorale, Bridgewater State University Chorale, Nashoba Valley Chorale, and the New World Chorale. Ms. Shivick made her New York City operatic debut singing title role of Richard Strauss’ Ariadne auf Naxos with the dell’Arte Opera Ensemble. Ms. Shivick was awarded a debut performance and live NPR broadcast with the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra under the baton of Sir Charles MacKerras. She also garnered second prize in both the Metropolitan Opera New England Regional National Council Auditions and the Annamaria Saritelli-DiPanni Bel Canto Vocal Scholarship Competition. Ms. Shivick has been heard in concert with Opera Providence, Cape Cod Opera, Watershed Opera in Seattle, and Talents of the World, Inc.
This event is supported in part by the Westford Cultural Council.
DirectTicket Link: https://parisharts.square.site/product/5-18-25-jane-shivick-soprano/222

Spring Book Sale May 2-4, 2025

Friday, May 2 from 4pm - 6pm Members only! Become a member ahead of time or at the door (https://sites.google.com/view/rhlfriends/donate)
Saturday May 3, 10am - 3pm All books $2-$3
Sunday, May 4, 10am - 3pm BAG DAY $5/bag
Have donations? Drop off donations from 10am-7pm on Weds, April 30 or Thursday, May 1. Please note the guidelines below!
Want to help? Sign up to set up the sale, sell books, or pack up after the sale.  (https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0E4FADAD28A1FEC16-56231203-rhlfriends#/)

Tom Denney Nature Camp Register Now!

The camp in Bolton is for students entering Kindergarten through High School.
Activities include swimming, games in the fields and woods, arts & crafts, songs, tracking, hiking, campfires to roast hot dogs and marshmallows, building shelters, Animal Adventures, Predator and Prey, The Amazing Race & more.
Campers entering grades 6th-9th in the Eco Adventures program will play kayaking games on the pond, laser tag in the woods, nighttime activities on Thursday and dinner and s’mores, water guns, an adventure hike, team building activities & more.
Counselors-in-Training must be entering 9th grade or above and attend Orientation June 24- and then choose two weeks or more to be at camp.
There are 6 weekly sessions that run June 30 – August 8, Monday - Friday, 9am - 3pm.
Before/After Care is available!
Campers from all towns are welcome!
See the website for more details and to register: tomdenneynaturecamp.org
Questions: bcttdnc@gmail.com (best means of communication) or 978-429-3004 (voice mai

Littleton’s Quarantine Station

The Littleton Historical Society will present Littletonian Kris Dalen at the Congregational Church at 330 King Street in Littleton on Thursday, May 15, at 7:30 pm.
From the COVID epidemic, we all learned the importance of protecting people from animal-borne viruses. Did you know that Littleton once had one of the largest centers on the East Coast to quarantine animals coming into this country from abroad? Kris Dalen moved to Littleton in 2019, having no idea that his prospective home was where this quarantine station was located, and this sparked an interest for him. He has researched the topic extensively and will share with us the fascinating story of what he’s found.

Littleton Middle School Presents It’s a Madhouse

Littleton Middle School Drama presents their production of It’s a Madhouse!  A play in two acts, this show is full of mystery, chaos, and plenty of laughter. Don’t miss the madness!

Performances will be held Friday May 16th  at 7pm, Saturday May 17th at 7pm and Sunday May 18th at 2 pm. All shows will be performed at Littleton Middle School. Tickets can be purchased for $10 at the door or online at https://www.lmsdrama.org/

Brush Chipping

Saturday, May 10, 10:30 am – 4:30 pm
Westford Highway Garage, 28 North Street
Please unload your brush as directed by the Highway Department personnel. Deposit your $10 check, payable to the Town of Westford, in the marked container.
Proof of Westford residency required.
Accepted: Brush and branches up to 3 inches in diameter and 10 feet in length. Must be average residential brush categories and reasonable amounts: A load ranges from a trunk to pickup truck -----volume, includes tow behind a full trailer.
Not accepted: Building materials (e.g., fences, boards), land clearing materials and debris (e.g., roots, bushes, anything mixed with poison ivy), grass, and leaves.
Cost: $10 per load, checks only, payable to the Town of Westford, deposited in the marked container.

Grieving Mother’s Support Group

Myles Above in Heaven
An intimate support group in the loss of child........
Saturday May 17th
10:30am-12:30pm
Hudson Public Library, Hudson, MA

Saturday May 24th
10:30am -12:30pm
Duffy Properties
135 Beaver St, Waltham, MA
Howie newman baseball

Free Musical Baseball Show at Littleton Senior Center May 6

To celebrate the start of the 2025 baseball season, the Littleton Senior Center, 100 Blackstone St., is hosting a free Musical Baseball Show by local singer-songwriter (and former sportswriter) Howie Newman on Tuesday, May 6, at 1 p.m.
The show is open to all seniors in the greater Littleton area. The concert is free but registration is required; call 978-540-2470 to reserve a spot.
Newman, a former sportswriter for the Patriot Ledger, Lowell Sun, Boston Globe, Associated Press and several other publications, covered the Red Sox for many years and has also remained an avid fan, having visited 101 major and minor league ballparks. He will sing baseball songs, offer up baseball trivia and talk about his days on the Bosox beat.
In addition, there will be a display of his personal baseball memorabilia and a free raffle for one of his baseball CDs.
“Baseball is the one sport that really lends itself to music,” said Newman, whose experience also includes three years of radio color commentary for the Lowell Spinners, a former Red Sox farm team. “I’ll be playing my own baseball songs and some other tunes that everyone knows. We’ll talk baseball, do some trivia and just have fun.
“It’s going to be a unique, interactive type of show and I’m sure folks will enjoy it.”
For more information about Howie Newman and his baseball show, visit howienewman.com/baseball-show

Johnny Cash Tribute Concert

The Friends of the Cameron Senior Center are pleased to present returning award winning Tribute Artist - Robert Black,  in Concert as Johnny Cash on June 6, 2 p.m. at the Senior Center in Westford. This dynamic performer will explore his musical journey through the famous songs that were his legacy. Tickets are $10 and available by reserving your space by calling 978-692-5523, or stopping by the senior center. Payment must be made at time of reservation. Seating is limited at this dynamic performance which is the spring fund raiser for our organization. Proceeds from this fundraiser will support many programs at our senior center.

Maritime/Celtic Music in Littleton

Popular Canadian musicians Cynthia MacLeod and Gordon Belsher from Prince Edward Island will perform a “Kitchen Party” Concert on Thursday May 22, at 7:30 pm hosted by the Congregational Church of Littleton at 330 King Street.  Enjoy an evening of world class and award winning fiddle, guitar, folk-song and humor... A toe tappin’, knee slappin’, hand clappin’ and finger snappin’ time...Enthusiastic audiences are taken on a roller coaster ride of exhilarating jigs, reels, etc. complimented by story-telling and engaging songs. Doors open at 7:00 pm.
A limited number of general admission tickets are available in advance for $20 each ($25 cash at door, if any). Prior shows have sold out early. For information or tickets please e-mail peimusic2018@yahoo.com. Performer CD’s may be available for cash sale at the event. Proceeds will benefit the church program needs.

THE CANNON THEATRE Proudly Presents “Enchanted April”

Devens, MA: The Cannon Theatre is proud to present A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder. This production, directed by Shawn Cannon, is the fifth in The Cannon Theatre’s 2024-25 season line-up, which also includes upcoming productions of Cannon’s 10-Minute Play Festival and featuring performances of Shakespeare: the Eras Tour.
A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder is a comic romp filled with unforgettable music and non-stop laughs about A distant heir to a family fortune sets out to speed up the line of succession by using a great deal of charm... and a dash of murder.
The show runs for 3 weekends. Show times are May 9, 10, 16, 17, 23, and 24 at 7:30 p.m. Matinees are taking place on May 18 and 25th at 2:00 pm. Tickets are available at www.thecannontheatre.org, and are $25 for adults, and $20 for students/seniors.
The cast and crew hails from the following towns: Ayer, Arlington, Brookline, Chelmsford, Fitchburg, Lincoln, Londonderry, Pepperell, Waltham, and Worcester.
Cynthia macleod

PEI Returns to Westford Courtesy of Fiddler Cynthia MacLeod & Gordon Belsher

WESTFORD, MA: Mark your calendars for May 9, 2025, because the PCA Coffeehouse is bringing back a taste of Prince Edward Island (PEI) with fiddler extraordinaire Cynthia MacLeod, accompanied by Gordon Belsher! Tickets to this “Foot-stomping, hand-clapping FUN” show range from $15 to $25 at the door (if available!). The show kicks off at 7:30pm (doors open at 7pm), at the Parish Center for the Arts, 10 Lincoln Street. For ticket reservations and more information, visit pcawestford.org.
Cynthia MacLeod is one of Prince Edward Island’s finest ambassadors of traditional music carving a distinct style of fiddling that embraces both her local roots and her ancestral connection to the Scottish highlands. Since the beginning of her career as a young teenager, Cynthia has spent more than 15 years on stages on PEI, across Canada, into the U.S., and as far abroad as Cuba and Japan, astounding audiences with her entertainingly unique performance style. Live performances are where Cynthia truly shines. Her joyful, charismatic personality is exuded in her playing, and her natural way with audiences of any size turns strangers into instant fans. For more information about Cynthia MacLeod, visit her online at cynthiamacleod.com.
Gordon Belsher has been performing in Canada and around the world for more than 40 years. He is a fixture of the Prince Edward Island music scene and has toured across Canada, the U.S., the U.K., Europe, Australia and Japan. His solo CDs have been up for and won PEI Music Awards and ECMA’s.
Do not miss your chance to catch this upbeat show that’ll keep your toes tappin’, your heels clickin’ and your body completely unable to stay still! Last year was a sell-out success! At the PCA, you can bring your own food and drink for a complete evening of entertainment.
The PCA Coffeehouse Series is sponsored by Enterprise Bank/Westford.
DirectTicket Link: https://parisharts.square.site/product/5-9-25-cynthia-macleod-with-gordon-belsher/158
For more information, visit the PCA online at pcawestford.org, or on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Newparents

In-Person New Parent Group in Concord

The next in-person First Year of Life New Parent Group will meet at Emerson Wellness Center, 310 Baker Ave Ext., Suite 165 on Thursday, May 1 from 9:30-11:00. Parking is free of charge. This group is free and open to all, facilitated by First Connections’ Director, Emily Fiorini, who is a mental health counselor specializing in infant-parent mental health. Parents in the postpartum year can join this free weekly group to get support for their own emotional wellbeing, recovery and transition into parenthood; baby’s development; feeding and sleep support, and community resources. This group meets every week, with one week per month meeting in person and the remaining weeks meeting via Zoom. To receive the Zoom link, email Emily: efiorini@jri.org. To RSVP for the in-person group, email Linda: lmatthews@jri.org. We will have a guest speaker on “Introducing Solid Foods for Infants” presented by Emerson Speech & Language Pathologist Julia Hurd on June 12, 10-11:00. To receive the link for this free program email Linda: lmatthews@jri.org.
Huge yard sale

Yard Sale to Benefit Charity

HUGE Yard Sale April 26, 8 am to 2 pm, King and Rogers streets at the Historical Society of Littleton. Come early for the best selection of everything but the kitchen sink. You will find gently used household and sporting goods, linens, small appliances and furniture, bikes, tools, toys, books , some baby equipment and vintage goodies, maybe a few CDs and DVDs. Come shopping and be surprised at the bargains to support education in Ghana and Honduras.
Donations from the community will be accepted Friday night, 4-6 pm. No car seats, clothing, shoes, TVs/computer equipment, or just plain junk. Clean out your closets and garage and promote education abroad for people who have many fewer resources than Americans.
For information, email csj@fculittleton.org. Thanks in advance for your support.
Rummage sale

Rummage Sale at Aldersgate UMC

Aldersgate United Methodist Church will host its popular rummage sale on Friday, May 2, from 3:00 to 8:00 p.m. and Saturday, May 3, from 9:00 a.m. to noon. Clothes, books, toys, household goods, and more will be available for purchase. (Computers, TVs, and other electronics, large furniture, and exercise equipment will not be sold.) All proceeds from the sale go toward Aldersgate’s outreach ministries.
Aldersgate UMC is located at 242 Boston Road (Rt. 4) in Chelmsford. For more information, contact the church office at (978)256-9400 or aldersgatechelmsford@verizon.net, or visit us online at www.aldersgatechelmsford.com or www.facebook.com/aldersgateumc.chelms.
Logo eac white circle

Taking Climate Action, Together and Now!

All are invited to an interactive discussion at the First Religious Society (FRS) on the Carlisle Common at 7:15 p.m. on Sunday, May 4. The focus is on climate action that we can take now-–as individuals, as a community, and as engaged citizens who want to protect our democracy and support effective climate policy that benefits all. Dr.Juliette Rooney-Varga, Professor of Environmental Science, Director of the Climate Change Initiative and Co-director of the Rist Institute for Sustainability and Energy at UMass Lowell will lead the discussion. Her research focuses on the nexus of climate change and sustainability science and decision support. She welcomes our questions and our voices. Please join us.
The event is hosted in person by the FRS Environmental Action Committee and will also be available live and recorded on YouTube at:  https://youtube.com/live/uATC2L0vI8c?feature=share  .  Virtual participants can participate via the chat box. Refreshments served.

Divorce Support Group by Remote Meeting

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

The Nashoba Valley Chorale Concert

The Nashoba Valley Chorale, a 90-voice community chorus, will present the beloved masterwork “Ein Deutsches Requiem” by Johannes Brahms on Sunday, April 27 at the Groton Performing Arts Center (Groton Middle School) Tickets are $35 and available at www.nvcsings.org or through the Groton Senior Center ( Senior discount available).
Join us for a glorious afternoon concert by the premier local community choir, Nashoba Valley Chorale, when we perform the Brahms Requiem. The performance will feature two well-known Boston-area vocal soloists, Deborah Selig and David McFerrin, and the Chorale
will be accompanied by two pianists playing together on one piano. The pianists are Shawn McCann from Pepperell, and Abigail Charbeneau from Concord, NH. This four-hand piano version, also composed by Brahms, will have a different feel as these two musicians
share a piano bench and keyboard to provide the music usually played by an entire orchestra. It is quite a feat and the Chorale is excited to work with these amazing musicians. Tickets available at www.nvcsings.org.


MCC to Welcome Lowell Chamber Orchestra for Second Concert of Spring 2025 “A World of Music”

For a second time during the Spring 2025 “A World of Music” concert series, Middlesex Community College will welcome the Lowell Chamber Orchestra (LCO). The concert will take place at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 26 at MCC’s Richard and Nancy Donahue Family Academic Arts Center, Theatre in Lowell.
“The final concert of the LCO season features works in which composers reach back to their traditions and make them sound new,” said Orlando Cela, MCC music professor and conductor of the LCO. “In the case of Pulcinella, Stravinsky reaches out to our musical past and refurbishes 21 pieces from the Baroque period into a modern style. Hailstork also contributes to the centuries-old genre of the romance – particularly as it applies in the solo orchestral repertoire – as exemplified perfectly by Bruch, hence why we perform both pieces together, one after the other. On the other hand, composer Simon Andrews looks into the New England tradition of communing with nature, and his work ‘Till Voices Wakes Us’ takes the sound of the American toad and makes a beautiful work. We open with Mendelssohn’s homage to the style of Baroque counterpoint, his Symphony for Strings No. 3.”
Entitled Voices Near and Far, this program features music from the past and present. Till Voices Wake Us by Simon Andrews, the winner of the 2024 LCO Call-for-Scores, will be performed, and violist Jeremy Kienbaum, winner of the 2024 LCO Young Artist Competition, will be the soloist in Two Romances by Adolphus Hailstork. The concert will also include works by Felix Mendelssohn, Max Bruch, and Igor Stravinsky.
“A World of Music” will end the season with a second Student Recital at 12:30 p.m. on Monday, April 28 at MCC’s Concert Hall on the Bedford Campus.
Previous performances include a previous concert by the LCO on Saturday, February 1; an Online Saturday Arts Concert featuring MCC faculty, alumni and students on Saturday, March 8; Know Orchestra on Sunday, March 23; a Piano Recital by Anastasia Seifetdinova on Friday, April 4; and Guqin and Viola in Musical Dialogue on Friday, April 11.
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.
Visit https://www.middlesex.edu/events/worldofmusic.html for more information.

Fresh Start Furniture Bank report

www.freshstartfurniturebank.org
I THINK we have seen the last of snow this season!  My wise Dad told us that spring snow is nature’s fertilizer; it pulls nitrogen out of the atmosphere for the lawns.
At Fresh Start we still need couches and loveseats, upholstered chairs, dressers and dining tables.  In the kitchen area we are short on saucepans, food storage containers, and bowls (cereal, mixing and serving). We are running out of microwaves and slow cookers and we can always use silverware.  Our supply of lamps goes up and down; right now it is down so bring them!   For bedrooms we need throws and comforters.  We just partnered with a woman who works for an organization that rescues and rehabs owls and she needs fleece for them.
Please look at our website if you don’t know our location or hours.  We take donations of housewares on Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 8:30-noon and furniture AND housewares on Saturday mornings from 8:30-10:30.  The website also spells out what we DO and DO not take and there is a place to sign up for a pickup by our truck if you have several large items.
Thank you for helping us to help others!

Littleton’s Quarantine Station

The Littleton Historical Society will present Littletonian Kris Dalen at the Congregational Church at 330 King Street in Littleton on Thursday, May 15, at 7:30 pm.
From the COVID epidemic we all learned the importance of protecting people from animal-borne viruses. Did you know that Littleton once had one of the largest centers on the East Coast to quarantine animals coming into this country from abroad? Kris Dalen moved to Littleton into the area where this quarantine station was located and this sparked an interest for him. He has researched the topic extensively and will share with us the fascinating story of what he’s found.

Groton Grange Contra  Dance

Groton Grange #7 invites you to our traditional New England Contra Dance on Saturday, May 3,, 2025,  from 7:30 - 10:00 PM , at Historic Groton Grange Hall, 80 Champney Street. This will be an evening of live music and dancing with Groton’s own Contra  Banditos, along with caller Dudley Laufman,,  who  will teach traditional New England style contra, square, and line dances to the beat of old time fiddle tunes. Beginners are welcome, no experience or partner is necessary.  Suggested donation at the door is $5.00  per person, children under  3  years old are free, and family maximum is $20.  Made possible by a grant from the Town of Groton lecture Funds .Refreshments are  provided. Bring your soft soled dancing shoes .Parking allowed only on the Grange side of Champney St.

Theatre Organ Concert at the Mighty Wurlitzer Organ

Sunday May 4 at 2:30 PM.  Theatre Organ Concert. The last concert of this season, featuring Mark Herman at the Mighty Wurlitzer Organ, will be held at the Shanklin Music Hall, 130 Sandy Pond Road Groton. The Shanklin was featured in Smithsonian Magazine as one of the 8 best theatre organ venues in the country. Tickets, for this thoroughly enjoyable experience, can be obtained at www.WurlitzerPops.org . They are $25; $15 for 18 and under.
Final gettinghere onepage

Conocrd250 info

Final mapandscheduleapril13

Concord Parade Map

Yad sale

HUGE Yard Sale

April 26, 8 am to 2 pm, King and Rogers streets at the Historical Society of Littleton. Come early for the best selection of everything but the kitchen sink. You will find gently used household and sporting goods, linens, small appliances and furniture, bikes, tools, toys, books , some baby equipment and vintage goodies, maybe a few CDs and DVDs. Come shopping and be surprised at the bargains to support education in Ghana and Honduras.
Donations from the community will be accepted Friday night, 4-6 pm. No car seats, clothing, shoes, TVs/computer equipment, or just plain junk. Clean out your closets and garage and promote education abroad for people who have many fewer resources than Americans.
For information, email c s j at f c u littleton dot org. Remove the spaces for the right email. Thanks in advance for your support.
Mike `1 susan wilson

Ride the Yacht Rock Waves with Mike Payette’s Three-Hour Tour

WESTFORD, MA: Rock out and ride the yacht rock waves when Mike Payette brings his Three-Hour Tour to the Parish Center for the Arts, 10 Lincoln Street on  Friday, April 25 at 7:30pm (Doors open 7pm).  Advanced ticketing guarantees you a seat - $18 for PCA Members & Seniors; $20 Non-Members; $25 at the door (if available; $15 EBT/Card-to-Culture (ID required at the door) - and you can bring your own food and drink for a complete evening of entertainment. For tickets and more information, call (978) 692-6333, visit pcawestford.org or visit them on Facebook.
On this tour, the band will entertain you with soft yacht rock music with 70s-80s smooth vibes, great songs, and tight harmonies - think Michael McDonald, Doobie Brothers, Christopher Cross, Kenny Loggins, Toto, Steely Dan, Ambrosia and more. This new music project came to life when Mike Payette was subbing for a musician in the band No Static (a Steely Dan tribute band). During the break, he told the drummer Barry Lit that he’d like to put together a yacht rock show, to which Barry replied “I’m IN!” Mike gathered friends of kindred spirits to be part of this new band that includes keyboards, sax and trumpet, and background singers, and so began the Three-Hour Tour!
Direct Ticket Link: https://parisharts.square.site/product/3-2-24-mike-payette-s-three-hour-tour-soft-yacht-rock-of-70-s-80-s-/169
For more information, visit the PCA online at pcawestford.org, or on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Top dog calendar

Top Dog Calendar Contest Event!

Saturday, April 19 & 26,
10 am - 1 pm
Could your dog be a picture perfect calendar star?
Here’s your chance to find out when Wag N’ Wash at 444 Great Road in Acton hosts the Top Dog Calendar Contest event Saturday, April 19 and 26, from 10am to 1pm.
Enter a photo of your dog to win a spot (or the cover!) in Acton Community Dog Park’s 2026 Top Dog Calendar, and enjoy the store festivities featuring a photo booth, raffle basket and free samples. Joining in the fun will be dog park mascot Parker, Acton police dog K9 Zane with Officer Stackhouse, and adoptable pups from Save a Dog. A $10 contest entrance fee benefits the Acton Community Dog Park.
More information can be found at https://www.gogophotocontest.com/actoncommunitydogpark
See you Saturday!

Littleton Town Democratic Committee (LTDC) Caucus

On Saturday, April 26, LTDC will convene at 3pm – 5pm in the Sturtz Meeting Room of the Rueben Hoar Library, Littleton; to elect delegates to the Mass Democratic State Convention, held Sept. 13 in Springfield, Mass. All Littleton residents who are registered Democrats may vote and run to serve as a delegate.
Interested Democrats must arrive by 3:00 pm to qualify as participants.
Please email Jeanine at littletondemschair@gmail.com for more information.

Westford Zero Waste Day for April 26

Several collections/several locations…for information, visit www.westfordma.gov/recycling

Electronics & More
April 26, 9 am - 1 pm at the Highway Garage, 28 North Street.

Scrap metal and nearly everything with a power cord!  Computers, monitors, and most other electronic devices and equipment, appliances of all sizes. Some fees may apply.

Document Shredding
April 26, 9 am - 1 pm at the Abbot School, 25 Depot St. Free via E.L. Harvey. Limited to Westford residents. (This service is part of the town’s municipal contract). Large volumes will be restricted if others are waiting. Shredded paper (shredded at home) is also accepted but must be purely paper, no shredded data disks/plastics, etc.

Zero Waste Collection
April 26, 9 am - 1 pm at the Abbot School, 25 Depot St.
Accepting donations of usable furniture (including clean twin/full/queen mattresses - no stains, rips or tears), small working appliances, household goods and decor, toys and games, clothing, office, school and craft supplies, small musical instruments, and textiles for recycling (worn out, torn, stained, outdated).  NO MOLDY OR MILDEWED ITEMS / ONLY CLEAN CONTAINERS.

Books and Media Drop off Container
Old Water Department on Forge Village Rd., Westford. For donating books and media, VHS tapes, cassette tapes, older textbooks, full sets of encyclopedias, and any book in fair but still usable condition that cannot be donated to the library. Note that this book container is available 24/7. NO MOLDY OR MILDEWED ITEMS / ONLY CLEAN CONTAINERS.

FOOD DRIVE

April 26, 10am – 1pm
Donelan’s in Littleton
The Littleton Town Democratic Committee is hosting a Food Drive for Loaves and Fishes on April 26, 2025 at Donelan’s in Littleton from 10 am to 1pm.  Please drop by and make a donation that helps our neighbors.
Items most in demand include:
Flour
Ensure
Coffee/tea ( not K cups)
Condiments
Snack
gluten free snacks
baking mixes nuts
Tuna
flavored rice
diapers size 5, 6
Poise # 1, 2.

Special Events and Programs:
Fitchburg Art Museum

 
185 Elm Street, Fitchburg, MA 01420
Hidden Treasures
Event Date: Thursday, April 24
Event Time: 1 to 2 pm
Event Details: Contact the Education Department
Champagne Reception
Event Date: Friday, April 25
Event Time: 6 to 8 pm
Event Details:
Join us for a special evening of art, music, and flowers!
Finicky Fork catering, Cash bar with specialty drinks (one complimentary drink ticket for each guest), Kay Previtte prizewinner announced, Emily Mazz Duo providing the entertainment.
Leominster native Emily Mazzarella is a pianist and teacher who regularly performs throughout Central Massachusetts. She will be joined by acoustic bassist Sahil Warsi to perform jazz standards and Great American Songbook classics.
Tickets:
$30 per person/ $25 members
Violinist Stefani Perrett Performs in the Galleries
Event Date: Saturday, April 26
Event Time: 2 to 3:30 pm
Event Details:
2-2:45 pm Contemporary Folk in Stephen DiRado, Better Together: Four Decades of Photographs
2:45-3:30 pm Classical in Evoking Eleanor
Local Violinist, Stefani Perrett started playing violin at age 8, after admiring her mother’s playing over the years. She has performed with numerous orchestras, and in venues from Boston to Europe. After Suzuki teacher training, she began teaching private violin lessons while working toward her violin performance degree at UMass. Now Stefani enjoys playing a variety of genres for all different types of events.
The Art of Bonsai with Michael Levin of Bonsai West
Event Date: Sunday, April 27
Event Time: 2 to 3:30 pm
Event Details:
The program will consist of a display of beautiful bonsai and the talk will include all key points regarding history, care, and a complete demonstration teaching the fundamentals of creating a bonsai from scratch. The talk will touch on all aspects of traditional and contemporary bonsai and will be a fascinating overview of the art.
Event Sponsors include Rose Sponsors: Fitchburg State University and Spinelli CPA; Lily Sponsors: Achla Designs; Daisy Sponsors: King Farm, Manor on the Hill, Rise & Grind, All One Credit Union, Gallery Marquee, and Rollstone Bank.
Art in Bloom Admission:
Tickets:
$15 Adults
$10 Seniors and Students
FAM Members are FREE
View Events Online: https://fitchburgartmuseum.org/art-in-bloom-2025/
Contact Aimee Cotnoir, FAM Membership and Events Manager with questions at acotnoir@fitchburgartmuseum.org or events@fitchburgartmuseum.org.
Liberty sq patriots day

Littleton All-Day 250th Patriot’s Day Celebration, April 19, 2025

Join us in Littleton, MA on Saturday, April 19 for an all-day celebration of the 250th anniversary of the start of the Revolutionary War. At 10 AM, we will hold a ceremony at Liberty Square that will include a musket salute by the Boxborough Minutemen, speeches, wreath-laying, and a playing of Taps. From 11 AM to 3 PM, our community celebration continues at Fay Park and the Littleton Historical Society, with food and beverage trucks, games, crafts, speeches, a fire truck, historical exhibit, horseback rider announcing the coming of British troops in 1775, responses by the Boxborough Minutemen, and more.

Friends of the Reuben Hoar Library

The Friends of the Reuben Hoar Library will hold their annual Spring Book Sale in the Sturtz Room of the library at 35 Shattuck Street, Littleton, MA. Sale dates are:
Friday, May 2, 4pm - 6pm Friends Only Members Preview. Become a member at the door with a $20.00 donation.

Saturday, May 3: 10:00a.m. - 3:00p.m.
Sunday, May 4, $5 Bag Sale: 10:00 a.m. - 3:00p.m.

Hardcover books, movies, and music on CD or DVD are just $3.00; paperbacks and all children’s books are $2.00 each. All day Sunday, fill a paper grocery sized bag for only $5.00! Book donations can be dropped off at the library on Wednesday, April 30 and Thursday, May 1 during open hours. If you’d like to volunteer at the sale, visit the Friends website (click Friends on LittletonLibrary.org) for more information. Young adult volunteers are welcome.
The Friends of the Reuben Hoar Library assist the Reuben Hoar Library in providing print and non-print materials and equipment, sponsoring educational programs, assisting with library-sponsored programs, and providing museum passes for use by library patrons. Already in 2025, the Friends have given over $15,000 toward Summer Reading, Seed Library supplies, furnishings for the outside patio, and snacks for the Young Adult Room.
For more information about the Friends of the Reuben Hoar Library, click the Friends link from LittletonLibrary.org or email reubenhoarlibraryfriends@gmail.com

Scout Troop 437 Bike & Sporting Goods Sale in Westford on Saturday May 3

Scout Troop 437’s annual Bike & Sporting Goods Sale is back in 2025!  The sale will be held on the Westford Common, at the corner of Main and Lincoln Streets, on Saturday May 3 from 9 AM to 1 PM, rain or shine.
Shop gently-used bikes and spring/summer sporting goods, including bikes of all sizes, camping gear, accessories for baseball, lacrosse, tennis, soccer and other sports, exercise equipment, boating gear, canoes, kayaks and much more!  Cash payments are preferred; Venmo (from a bank account) is also accepted.  Proceeds will help our Scouts attend summer camp and high adventure trips.
The Troop accepts donations and consignments for the sale. Donate your gently-used bikes and spring/summer sports goods or consign them and earn 75% of the selling price.  Donations/consignments accepted Friday May 2 from 5:30-7:30 PM at the American Legion Post 437, 114 Dunstable Rd, Westford MA 01886 or Saturday May 3 from 7-9 AM on the Westford Common. There is a consignment fee of $1 per item, with a $5 maximum per household.  Unsold items should be picked up on May 3 from 1-2 PM; any unclaimed items will be donated to charity.  More information available at https://www.westfordtroop437.us/bikesale
Email bikesale@westfordtroop437.us with questions or to coordinate a donation dropoff or pickup.
About Troop 437
Troop 437 is a medium-sized, Scout-led troop with 55 boys and girls age 12 to 18 from Westford, Chelmsford and surrounding towns.  We meet weekly on Thursday evenings in Westford during the school year and have monthly outings, including camping, hiking, biking, kayaking, sailing, zip-lining and more.  Crews from Troop 437 have completed Scouting High Adventure trips to Seabase and Philmont.  Learn more about Scouting and Troop 437 at https://www.WestfordTroop437.us

Westford Household Hazardous Waste Collection May 3

On Saturday, May 3, 2025, from 9 am to 1 pm, Westford will have a Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) collection at the Westford Highway Department at 28 North Street.  The collection is only for Westford households (no businesses) and proof of residency is required. Please note there is a fee. Checks are preferred, made out to Town of Westford.
To safely transport hazardous materials, leave them in their original containers, tighten caps and lids, pack the containers in sturdy upright cardboard boxes that are padded with newsprint or scrap paper, and drive directly to the drop off site after loading your car.  Never mix chemicals, and never smoke while handling hazardous materials.
Some types of hazardous waste such as motor oil, batteries (including automotive/tractor lead acid batteries, button batteries, and rechargeable batteries), and fluorescent tubes and light bulbs can be recycled locally, year-round, and for no fee.  For details, please refer to the Westford Recycling Commission’s “A to Z list: Where Can My Items be Reused or Recycled” document How-to-Recycle-Most-Everything-PDF (westfordma.gov).
For more information on Westford’s Hazardous Waste Collection on May 3, and to see other options if you cannot participate on May 3,  please refer to the Westford Recycling Commission web site: www.westfordma.gov/recycling. You can also review your copy of the 2024-2025 Westford Recycling Guide for details on what to bring and what NOT to bring to the collection.

Quilt Show

The Thimble Pleasures Quilt Guild is pleased to announce that it’s biennial quilt show will be held on Saturday and Sunday, March 14th and 15th, 2026 at Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical Show in Upton, Massachusetts. The Guild has selected “Creating Comfort’ as their show theme. This theme reflects not only the members’ love of quilting but also reflects the guild’s mission and fundraising efforts. Over 200 member quilts as well as guild challenges and round robins will be on display. Also included at the show will be a special raffle quilt, the quilters’ boutique, raffle baskets, and local area vendors. Any local area vendor wishing to participate in the Guild’s show should contact Deb Hudgins through the website at thimblepleasures.org  or  by contacting her by mail at TPQG, P.O. Box 447, Mendon, MA 01756.
The guild has chosen Home Base as the show’s special fundraiser. All funds raised through the sale of items at the special fundraiser table will be donated directly to Home Base. Home Base is a Red Sox Foundation dedicated to healing the invisible wounds of veterans, service members, and their families through clinical care, wellness, education and research. The 2026 show is being chaired by Gina Brooks, Donna Hopkins, and Val Ogilvie.
Colorpic

Vintage Vocal Quartet Brings Back Swing Era Jazz May 3

WESTFORD, MA: On May 3, 2025 at 7:30pm, The Vintage Vocal Quartet, founded by David Thorne Scott, is coming to fill your ears and your heart with the sweet swinging harmonies of the Swing Era, when jazz music and pop music were one and the same. Bring your favorite foods and drinks for a complete evening of entertainment at Parish Center for the Arts. Doors open at 7pm.  Dancing is welcome in the Gallery. Tickets range from $18 Members and Seniors; $20 Non-Members and $25 at the door (if available); $15 EBT/Card-to-Culture cards requested at the door. For more information visit pcawestford.org.
It was a time when every radio blared out music that was danceable yet sophisticated. The Quartet sings while playing piano, guitar, bass and trombone/drums. Vintage Vocal Quartet is dialed in to the sound of groups like Glenn Miller’s Modernaires, the Nat King Cole Trio, the Andrews Sisters, and Tommy Dorsey’s Pied Pipers; as well as singers like Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, and Ella Fitzgerald. The Vintage Vocal Quartet has been delighting concert audiences and lindy hoppers all over New England.
Direct Ticket Link: https://parisharts.square.site/product/5-3-25-vintage-vocal-quartet/221
For more information, visit the PCA online at pcawestford.org, or on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Dog

25th Annual Paws in the Park!
Sunday, May 4, 10 am - 3 pm

Are you a dog lover looking for a day filled with canine and family fun?
Join Save A Dog on Sunday, May 4, rain or shine on the grounds of historic Wayside Inn in Sudbury as we celebrate the 25th Anniversary of Paws in the Park, one of the largest gatherings of pups and people in New England!
This year’s event features day-long food and music, dog games and contests, an agility course with try-outs, main ring demonstrations, raffles and a silent auction, and 67 vendors and exhibitors including many animal rescue groups. Special highlights include a group dog walk at 11 am led by Anna Meiler, WBZ News Anchor and host of the station’s Sunday morning “Pet Parade,” and Save A Dog’s “Adoptable Dogs Parade” at 12 pm. TRAX, the Worcester Railers mascot pup, will also make a special appearance right after the parade from 12:30-1:30 pm.
Admission is $15 for adults, $5 for children 5-12. Kids under 5 are free, and strollers are welcome.
Bring your dog—if they enjoy being around people and other dogs—on a 6 foot or shorter leash (no retractable leashes, please).
All proceeds benefit the life-saving rescue and adoption work of Save A Dog, a 501c3 tax exempt humane society. Now entering its 27th year, Save a Dog has found loving forever homes for more than 8,500 pets through its Sudbury shelter and dedicated network of foster homes.
See you on May 4th!

Helping Parents Understand and Manage Challenging Behaviors in Young Children

A free live webinar will be held on Wednesday, May 14 at 7 p.m. Our speakers will be Lynn St. Germaine, an Infant-Toddler teacher for 37 years, and Patricia Collins, a Preschool teacher for 25 years, from Concord Children’s Center. Young children often act out for various reasons such as hunger, tiredness, frustration, confusion, or difficulty transitioning between activities. At times, they may not have the words to express what they need, leading to outbursts and meltdowns. These behaviors are not random-they signal underlying needs or developmental challenges, like unmet emotional needs, underdeveloped communication skills or lack of self-regulation. By understanding the root causes of challenging behaviors, parents can respond more effectively and support their children’s emotional and social development. By attending this program, you will gain an understanding of why children act out, and learn strategies that might include creating predictable routines, reinforcing positive behaviors, and using calm and consistent responses to guide the children through emotional ups and downs. To receive the Zoom link for this FREE program email First Connections: lmatthews@jri.org.

Divorce Support Group by Remote Meeting

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

Learn about Clean & Efficient Energy Solutions on April 30

Join Westford Climate Action for a family-friendly Open House and Showcase on Wednesday, April 30, from 7:00 to 8:30 PM at the Westford Museum, 2 Boston Road.
WCA members will share their personal experiences with heat pumps, electric vehicles, solar installations, induction stoves, electric lawn equipment, rebates, and more. Learn about No Mow May and Dark Skies. Find out more about WCA’s successes and future plans for clean energy and sustainability.
Families are encouraged to attend! Children can take part in a student-led climate experiment they can try at home. Plus, they can enter a free raffle for a Solar Bug kit and adults can try their luck for a native plant.
Bring your curiosity, bring a friend, and bring students who are passionate about climate solutions!
For more information, visit westfordclimateaction.org.

Used Book Sale at the Reuben Hoar Library!

Spring Book Sale May 2-4, 2025
Friday, May 2 from 4pm - 6pm Members only! Become a member ahead of time or at the door
Saturday May 3, 10am - 3pm All books $2-$3
Sunday, May 4, 10am - 3pm BAG DAY $5/bag
Have donations? Drop off donations from 10am-7pm on Weds, April 30 or Thursday, May 1. Please note the guidelines below!
Want to help? Sign up to set up the sale, sell books, or pack up after the sale. https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0E4FADAD28A1FEC16-56231203-rhlfriends#/

World Amateur Radio Day

The Westford Police Amateur Radio Team (http://www.wb1gof.org/) will be conducting an open house in celebration of World Amateur Radio Day (https://www.arrl.org/world-amateur-radio-day).
During this event, we will be communicating with other amateur radio operators from across North America and around the world. We will be showcasing multiple live amateur radio stations each using a different radio communication technique. Most of all, one of the stations will permit you to get on the air.
Come join us at the Great Brook Farm State Park (https://www.mass.gov/locations/great-brook-farm-state-park) at 165 North Road, Carlisle, MA on Saturday, April 26 (rain date May 3) from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM.
See you there!