Saturday, September 7
Zero Waste Day provides residents with easy, in-town access to regional non-profits and other organizations that reuse or recycle materials and keep them out of the waste stream, saving tax dollars on trash incineration fees and reducing greenhouse gasses and toxins that result from burning household items.
Westford's first ever Zero Waste Day will span a few sites that are in close proximity.
Site 1:  Westford Highway Garage, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.  Our semi-annual "Electronics & More" collection will take place for computers, monitors, and most other electronic devices & equipment, appliances of all sizes, and scrap metal.
Site 2:  Blanchard Middle School, also from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.  Many non-profits and other organizations will be on site to accept donations of usable furniture, small appliances, household goods, toys and games, clothing, and small musical instruments.  In addition, New England Clothes Recycling will be on site to accept all types of textiles for recycling.
Site 3:  Old Water Department on Graniteville Road - where Bay State Books has a drop off container for donating books and media that the Friends of the Library cannot accept for their Book Sales, in particular: VHS tapes, cassette tapes, older textbooks, full sets of encyclopedias, and any book in fair but still usable condition.  Note that this book container is available 24/7.
Please visit www.westfordma.gov/recycling

 

Saturday, September 14, 2024, 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.

 

Sunday September 8th will be the first guided tour of the Shirley Shaker Village site for the fall. It begins inside a Shaker building on the grounds of the state prison at 12:30 pm. Reservations must be made and paid for in advance. Contact Meredith at mail@shirleyhistory.org for more details.
In the meantime, here is an essay about the work of the Shakers.
Industries of the Shirley Shakers by Paul Przybyla
The name “Pleasant Garden” given to the Shaker community at Shirley, Massachusetts, perfectly described their 75 acres of cultivated land and 2,500 acres of orchards and woodland both in Shirley and neighboring towns.  The intervale land of the nearby Nashua River provided fertile soil for field crops, broom corn and hay while the east-facing hillsides offered a temperate climate for apple orchards.   The bounty from the land contributed to the self-sufficiency of the   community. Their agricultural products were also sold to the outside world as a source of income to help support the community.  For example, an 1855 Shirley Shaker receipt for the Whitin Machine Works company store at Whitinsville, MA showed a purchase of brooms and pickles from the Shirley Shakers. Its masthead listed additional products of herbs, condiments, apple sauce and garden seeds.
In the last decades of the Shirley community, apple sauce was a leading product for sale.   The Ayer “Public Spirit” weekly newspaper in 1887 wrote about the apples and apple sauce: “Four leading varieties are grown – the Baldwin, Russet, Gravenstein, and Hubbardston.  Their extensive orchards are well cared for and their fruit is uniformly fine as well as abundant.  This crop is used almost wholly in the manufacture of their celebrated apple sauce, which goes almost exclusively to the Boston market, where it finds ready sale.”  Change in products could be seen in the masthead of an 1894 letter of Elder John Whiteley which now included dish and floor mops for sale.
Several years ago, the Shirley Historical Society was fortunate enough to purchase the final accounting journal of Elder John Whiteley. This has provided a fascinating window into the economy of the Shirley community during its last two decades.  What follows is a look at the accounting records for the years 1888 to 1902.
Brooms are shown to be one of the most significant products with sales over the fifteen years totaling 13,774 in quantity, for a 2024 value of $131,000.  It was a surprise to see the variety of brooms available with seven numbered models plus locomotive, parlor and barn brooms.  The Fitchburg Railroad and several area textile mills were frequent customers, as were Boston hardware stores and prominent schools such as The Groton School and Harvard University.
A new sideline of mops was established at this time.  Among the varieties for sale were dish, floor, plain, netted dish, and milk can mops with various lengths of handles.  Primary customers were Boston hardware stores and the R. H. White department store.  A total of 18,919 mops were sold during this period, for a 2024 value of $122,000.
Agricultural products were in decline due to a growing reliance on hired laborers.  In 1888 over 1,800 gallons of apple cider were pressed, and subsequent years showed smaller quantities being made of cider vinegar and boiled cider, a key ingredient in the making of the famous Shirley Shaker apple sauce.  Also shown are sales of sweet and dried corn, asparagus, Shirley’s own Wachusett blackberries, butter, and limited quantities of veal, hogs, and beef.
The fertile meadows in Shirley grew large quantities of hay which supplied area companies and livery stables with food for their teams of horses.   The journal accounted for several types of hay: meadow hay (native grown), swale hay (grown in marshy land), and English hay (cultivated varieties).  The year 1893 listed over 16 tons of hay sold, with subsequent years averaging 10 tons.
The majority of Shirley Shaker’s 2,500 acres comprised of woodlots.  Elder John Whiteley remarked to a newspaper reporter in 1896 that “We use no coal, for our wood is growing faster than we can cut it”.  What was not used by the community was sold as cut boards and planks, posts, utility poles, and railroad and electric trolley ties.   Cord wood used as fuel was in demand by the Damon Brick Company in neighboring Lancaster, MA.  Over this period of 15 years the 2024 value in sales of wood products was $430,000.
There are a few miscellaneous journal entries that are worth noting.  Elder John Whiteley was born and spent his early life in England and there is a recurring expense for his subscription to the Illustrated London News.  In the winter of 1901, the farm’s horses were used by the hired hands to help the town of Shirley ‘break roads’ of snow drifts. 
The Shirley Shaker lands were sold in 1907 to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for the establishment of an Industrial School for Boys.  It became a fitting continuation of the Shaker legacy of agriculture by providing the boys with vocational training in farming.      

Worcester Chamber Music Society kicks off Season 19 with performances of a concert titled “Out of the Darkness” in Harvard on September 27. Out of darkness comes light. The idea of “light” takes on multiple meanings in this season opening concert. The bright exuberance of the Jazz Age that followed World War I is brilliantly captured in Schulhoff’s Flute Sonata. Arvo Pärt’s Fratres and Shostakovich’s Piano Quintet simultaneously reflect and reject the restrictive Soviet dictatorship. Eastman’s Joy Boy exposes the contradiction of Black joy in the racial crucible of the American South of the 1970s. Worcester Chamber Music Society Musicians: Tracy Kraus, flute Krista Buckland Reisner, violin Rohan Gregory, violin Mark Berger, viola David Russell, cello Randall Hodgkinson, piano. Friday, September 27 @7:30PM Sunday, September 29 @4PM Unitarian Universalist Church Jeanne Y. Curtis Hall, Assumption University 9 Ayer Road, Harvard. All venues are handicapped accessible. Tickets are available at https://worcesterchambermusic.org/out-of-the-darkness/ or by calling the WCMS office at (508) 926-8624.

Saturday, October 19th from 1:00 – 4:30 PM in the Hall
at the Chelmsford Senior Center, 75 Groton Rd, North Chelmsford, MA
Dance and sing your way through a century of music with DJ Dan of DJ Event Specialists! Dan, our DJ and emcee, will begin the event playing Boogie Woogie Blues music and travel the decades with songs you grew up listening to, up to your grandkids’ modern-day music.  Tickets are $15 each and available for purchase starting Wednesday, September 4th in the Chelmsford Senior Center Treasure Shop daily from 9am-2pm. Tickets are limited so don't wait until the last minute to purchase them.  All are welcome to enjoy this fun fundraiser which is sponsored by The Friends of the Senior Center.
The Hall doors will open to the public at 1:00 pm. Beginning at 1:30, popular music from each decade will be played; Boogie Woogie, Foxtrot, the Charleston, the Twist and Disco to name a few. Costumes of any decade are highly encouraged! Complimentary hors d’oeuvres, baked goodies and non-alcoholic beverages will be available. There will be 11 raffle gift baskets and a 50/50 raffle.  Raffle drawings will begin at 4:15 pm and winners must be present to claim their prize. This will be a fun-filled fundraising event and 100% of the proceeds will go toward the Chelmsford Senior Center to continue providing a great, positive environment and activities for seniors! If you would like to volunteer to help with this fundraiser, please contact the Friends office at friendssrctr@aol.com or 978-251-1123.

 

Hey MA Teens! Voting will open for the MA Teen Choice Book Award (MTCBA) on September 1!  Young people from across Massachusetts are invited to vote for their top teen book from a list of nominees until Sept. 20, 2024. 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 October 2024.
“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 2024 Massachusetts Teen Choice Book Award Nominees are:

• Accountable: The True Story of a Racist Social Media Account and the Teenagers Whose Lives It Changed -  Salter, Dashka *
• As Long As The Lemon Trees Grow -  Katouh, Zoulfa
• Ay, Mija!: My Bilingual Summer in Mexico -  Suggs, Christine *
• Bianca Torre is Afraid of Everything -  Winans, Justine Pucella *
• Bittersweet in the Hollow -  Pearsall, Kate
• Blue Lock, Vol. 1 - Kaneshiro, Muneyuki *
• Breathe and Count Back From Ten -  Sylvester, Natalia
• Give Me a Sign -  Sortino, Anna *
• Just Do This One Thing For Me -  Zimmerman, Laura
• Money Out Loud - Anat, Berna *
• Promise Boys -  Brooks, Nick *
• Rez Ball - Graves, Byron *
• The Search for Us - Boyer, Susan Azim *
• This is Our Place -  Martin, Vitor *
• Threads That Bind -  Hatzopoulou, Kika
• Throwback - Goo, Maureen *
• Warrior Girl Unearthed - Boulley, Angeline
• Well, That Was Unexpected - Sutanto, Jesse *
• Where You See Yourself - Forrest, Claire *
• The Wicked Bargain - Novoa, Gabe Cole *
• Your Lonely Nights are Over - Sass, Adam

           *Indicates suitable for younger teen readers
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.

The New England Chapter of the North American Rock Garden Society will host a guest speaker, Adam Wheeler, Production and Horticulture Manager of Broken Arrow Nursery in Hamden, Connecticut, on Saturday, September 14 at 10:30 am. Avid gardeners in the region are cordially invited to attend the free program at the Reuben Hoar Library, 35 Shattuck Street, Littleton. Conversation and refreshments are available at 10:30, with the talk following at 11 am in the Sturtz Room. Adam’s topic is “Half-Sized Plants for Half-Sized Places.” He will also bring along a selection of plants for sale that can happily be planted in the fall. Adam is an engaging speaker, having worked at destination nursery Broken Arrow for two decades. He loves to share his passion for plants through photography and educational outreach. Guests are invited to bring a bag lunch and remain for the annual Seedling Sale at 1 pm. Society members will bring seedlings they have grown this season. Donors get to make a choice first. They may buy one plant for every 10 that they bring before non-donors begin choosing. The first-round price is $2 per plant; when buying slows down, the price drops to a dollar and then to free. Very special, higher-value plants may be raffled off. Please join your fellow gardeners for this fun, educational event! For more information, contact Priscilla Williams, Publicity Chair, 978-660-3492

From October 2 through November 1 with an Artist’s reception on Sunday, October 6 from noon until 3PM.
The Gallery is open to visitors each Sunday from noon until 2PM. The Parish Center for the Arts starts our Artist of the Month Season with Lowell Artist Jim Roberts with an exhibition of his most recent works entitled “THE BIG SKY”. The exhibition features recent skyscapes with simple, strong, strokes of blue, lavender, and white. The solid, bold colors contrast with the more simple shapes in the landscape; depicting a peaceful scene, in which the viewer can place themselves. Jim Roberts is a Lowell artist, born and raised in Massachusetts. He studied Drawing, Painting, Sculpture, and Printmaking at Boston University. He also studied Graphic Design and Illustration at U.C. Berkeley Extension in San Francisco. Jim has been making art for over 50 years. His work has been featured in national publications and shows in Amesbury, Boston, Concord, Lexington, Littleton, Lowell, and New York City. Jim’s inspiration comes from nature and the bountiful beauty that surrounds us. One of his hobbies is photographing nature. Jim completes his paintings in his home studio, using his own photography for reference. He looks for patterns, colors, and shapes to convey a feeling or a sense of place. Jim enjoys exploring the relationships between shadows and light, colors and hues, and composition and perspective. Jim can be contacted at his website Jim Roberts Painter - (jimrobertsart.com)
Parish Center for the Arts10 Lincoln St • Westford • Massachusetts • 01886

Zero Waste Day provides residents with easy, in-town access to regional non-profits and other organizations that reuse or recycle materials and keep them out of the waste stream, saving tax dollars on trash incineration fees and reducing greenhouse gases and toxins that result from burning household items.
Westford's first ever Zero Waste Day will span a few sites that are in close proximity.
Site 1:  Westford Highway Garage, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.  Our semi-annual "Electronics & More" collection will take place for computers, monitors, and most other electronic devices & equipment, appliances of all sizes, and scrap metal.
Site 2:  Blanchard Middle School, also from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.  Many non-profits and other organizations will be on site to accept donations of usable furniture, small appliances, household goods, toys and games, clothing, and small musical instruments.  In addition, New England Clothes Recycling will be on site to accept all types of textiles for recycling.
Site 3:  Old Water Department on Graniteville Road - where Bay State Books has a drop off container for donating books and media that the Friends of the Library cannot accept for their Book Sales, in particular: VHS tapes, cassette tapes, older textbooks, full sets of encyclopedias, and any book in fair but still usable condition.  Note that this book container is available 24/7.
Please visit www.westfordma.gov/recycling for details.

Location:  Chelmsford Town Offices' Gym, 50 Billerica Road, Chelmsford
The book sale will be Friday, Sept. 27,  9am-7:30pm, Saturday, Sept. 28, 9am -5pm, & Sunday Sept. 29, 9am -1pm.
We'll have plenty of fiction, children's books, biography, history, cookbooks, sciences, social sciences, DVDs and CDs.  All proceeds help support library programs and services.  We hope to see you there!

The Gallery at the Chelmsford Center for the Arts will present an exhibit of photographs of America by Anthony J. Attardo, Brian Hunter, and Bruce Magnuson.  American Landscapes: From Sea to Shining Sea displays their idiosyncratic views of our country from North to South, East to West, through their camera lenses.
The exhibit will be in the CCA Gallery September 6 through October 16, with a public reception on Friday, September 6 from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm.  Works will be available for purchase and sales will benefit the CCA Gallery. 
The CCA art collection includes works on permanent exhibition throughout the building and on the grounds of the CCA where sculptures by James Glinos which were a gift of the artist may be viewed year-round.  The CCA, located at 1A North Road, in Chelmsford is the Commonwealth’s only public arts institution.  For more information visit our website www.chelmsfordarts.org.

Since 2006,  Community Christmas Chorus has been presenting a Christmas concert to collect food and raise money for the Westford open food pantry.  The chorus is comprised of singers from Westford and many area towns.  The chorus will hold a “Meet and Greet” on Sept. 22 at 7:00 p.m. at First Parish Church, 48 Main St., Westford, when singers can socialize and pick up music.  New members are invited to join us.  The program this year will include works by John Rutter, Kim Andre Arnesen, Brian Trant and Karl Jenkins.  Dues are $30 a person, $50 a couple. The group will meet at the church every Sunday evening at 7:00, except for Nov. 17 and 24.  Rehearsals for those weekends are moved to Saturday Nov. 16 and 23.  The concert will be held at the church on Sunday, Dec. 8, at 7:00 p.m.
The chorus is directed by René Minalga-Rheault.  René has directed the group since 2019.  An organist, conductor and soprano, she holds a Bachelor of Music Degree from University of Mass. at Lowell, and a Graduate Performance Degree and a Master’s in Piano Performance from Longy School of Music.  She also directs the Paul Madore Chorale in Salem, and is music director at Trinity Lutheran Church, Chelmsford.
Community Christmas Chorus is open, without audition, to teens as well as adults.  For further information, please call Jeanne Masterman at 978-692-8416.

 

Director’s Corner: To Westford’s Wonderful Summer Reading Program Participants and Families -
Congratulations, Readers of All Ages, on your unprecedented participation and support of the Fletcher Library’s 2024 Summer Reading Program! This summer: 768 children were “WILD ABOUT READING!” – and registered for this program where the rumpus truly began!
335 Young Adults joined the YA Summer Reading Program.
544 Adult registrants read under the “Let’s Go Wild” Theme.
We thank the Friends of the J. V. Fletcher Library, Inc. for supporting and funding all aspects of our three Summer Reading Programs, as well as the KDK Foundation which generously funded both the “Whalemobile” and “Yo-Yo Man.” Westford consistently hosts one of the highest-attendance Summer Reading Programs in the Commonwealth and it has been so gratifying and rewarding to encourage so many enthusiastic readers of all ages!

We look forward to hosting Fall Programs and remind you that registration for Fall Book Clubs is now open. Enjoy the remainder of the summer and the Labor Day weekend.
Holiday Closing: In observance of Labor Day, the Library will be closed Saturday, August 31 through Monday, September 2. The Library will re-open on Tuesday, September 3 at 10:00 a.m.
Kids Book Clubs Galore!: Registration for Fall Book Clubs is now open! Register through the Events Calendar and check out the Kids Book Club Page for more information. Join us for one of our many book club offerings. Before each meeting, pick up the book in the children’s room and read it. Then, join us each month to discuss the book and do a fun book-related activity! Current offerings include Kindergarten, 1st grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grade, 4th/5th grade, 4th/5th grade Graphic Novel, and Art Book Club for 3rd and 4th graders. Registration is required for all book clubs.
Adult Nonfiction Book Club: Tuesday, September 3 at 6:30 p.m. – We’ll meet in the downstairs Meeting Room to discuss Smoke Gets in Your Eyes: And Other Lessons from the Crematorium by Caitlyn Doughty. Copies are available at the Main Desk. No registration required.  Email Charles Schweppe for more information.
Virtual Job Search Help for 50 & Over – Learn about LinkedIn: Wednesday, September 4, 9:30 -11:30 a.m. The Massachusetts Library Collaborative's 50+ Job Seekers Group meets biweekly on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of the month, from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m., via Zoom. If you are unemployed and actively looking, underemployed, seeking a new career direction, re-entering the job market after a long employment gap, or recently retired and looking for your "Encore Career", this networking group program is perfect for you! Registration required.
Friends of the J.V. Fletcher Library September Book Sale: Friday, September 6, Saturday, September 7 and Sunday, September 8 A Friends Members Only Sale will be held on Friday evening from 6:30 – 9:00 p.m. A Friends membership (which may be purchased at the door) is necessary for attending this sale. The entire public is invited Saturday for an all-day sale, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. and for the $10.00 Bag Sale on Sunday, from 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. So much stock! So little time!
Sweet Treats & Good Reads Book Club: Wednesday Sept. 11 at 6:00 p.m. For kids in grades 6-8. Join us in the Meeting Room to discuss some great books and enjoy desserts. For this meeting, we will be discussing A Snicker of Magic by Natalie Lloyd. Copies of each month's book will be available at the Main Desk two weeks prior to the meeting. Please email Alexis at achrobak@westfordma.gov if you have any questions!
Adult Book Discussion Club: Thursday, September 12 at 6:30 p.m. Join us in the Mary Atwood Room to discuss The Best Minds: a Story of Friendship, Madness, and the Tragedy of Good Intentions by Jonathan Rosen. No registration required. Copies are available at the Main Desk and there are downloadable copies (audio and e-copies) available from Overdrive/Libby. Check out our Reading List for 2024.
Staff Recommends: Mayleen highly recommends, All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker. "From the New York Times bestselling author of We Begin at the End comes an epic novel about a man fixated on finding a missing woman and the FBI agent on his tail, who might be even more obsessed than he is"-- "1975 is a time of change in America. The Vietnam War is ending. Muhammad Ali is fighting Joe Frazier. And in the small town of Monta Clare, Missouri, girls are disappearing. When the daughter of a wealthy family is targeted, the most unlikely hero emerges--Patch, a local boy, who saves the girl, and, in doing so, leaves heartache in his wake. Patch and those who love him soon discover that the line between triumph and tragedy has never been finer. And that their search for answers will lead them to truths that could mean losing one another. A missing person mystery, a serial killer thriller, a love story, a unique twist on each, Chris Whitaker has written a novel about what lurks in the shadows of obsession and the blinding light of hope."
If you have questions or need assistance, please call us at 978-399-2300 or send us an email at westfordlibrary@westfordma.gov

Share the laughter on Sunday,  September 15th from 2:00-4:30 pm at the Littleton High School Auditorium (Sponsored by the friends of the LCOA)
Two shows will be shown on the big screen.
“They’re No Angels (2016) and “Futuristic Follies (2018)
This is a Fundraiser for the new Senior Center. Cost is $10 per person.

The Chelmsford Military Community Covenant Task Force invites the local community to attend a 9/11 Remembrance Ceremony on Saturday, September 7th, 2024 at 9 am at the 9/11 Memorial located at the Chelmsford Town Hall and Fire Station at 50 Billerica Rd. Please join us to honor those who perished that day and those who risked their lives responding.  We must never forget their sacrifices.   Parking is available behind the Town Hall and Fire Station.

You are invited to attend our second annual Family Fun Day, a fun-packed event for the entire community. Events will begin at 10am and conclude by 1pm. Location:The Lutheran Church of the Savior, 426 Davis Road, Bedford, MA. To celebrate the end of summer, we are offering:- Outdoor Games for all ages- Indoor (air-conditioned) Games- Face Painting- Burgers, Dogs and fixings- Ice cream- Refreshments. The event is open to everyone and reservations are not required. Bring the whole family and come join us.

Friday, August 23 at 6:00pm
Kimball Farm, 400 Littleton Road (Rt. 110) Westford
All shows are 6-8pm and take place on the outdoor stage behind the batting cages. There is no admission fee and space is limited and first come, first served. Snacks and cold drinks (including craft beer) available at the Outdoor Tap Shack!

 

Middlesex Community College is excited to kick off the Fall 2024 “A World of Music” concert series with a performance by the Lowell Chamber Orchestra (LCO). Conducted by MCC Music faculty member Orlando Cela, the concert will take place at 3 p.m. on Sunday, September 8 at MCC’s Richard and Nancy Donahue Family Academic Arts Center in Lowell. “We are delighted to be opening the season with the LCO and our MCC faculty member Orlando Cela who will present a program illustrating music for reflection,” said Carmen Rodríguez-Peralta, MCC’s Chair of Music. “Our Fall 2024 ‘World of Music’ concert series will feature a variety of events, including orchestral music, faculty performances, a lecture recital, a silent film with music, and our end of semester student recital.” The LCO concert will feature works by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Cory Brodack, Erich Wolfgang Korngold, and the world premiere of “La Balena” by Betsy Schramm will be performed. “It is pure joy to be serving as concertmaster in LCO, assisting our conductor's musical visions come to reality and experiencing the tremendous dedication from all colleagues involved,” said Katharina Radlberger, Concertmaster of the LCO and soloist in the Mozart violin concerto. “It is rare to have a small ensemble with this quality of musicianship and sense of togetherness at the same time. Being able to play the Mozart violin concerto at the beginning of Season 6 is a great honor, and I am looking forward to sharing this divine music with my colleagues and the audience.” The LCO will perform a second time at the Academic Arts Center at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, November 23. The Phantom of the Opera with Live Music will also be held in Lowell at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, October 17 “A World of Music” will also hold performances at MCC’s Concert Hall on the Bedford Campus, including Duos and Trios Featuring Cello, Piano and Flute at 3 p.m. on Sunday, October 6; Afro-Brazilian Music with Marcus Santos at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, October 22, co-sponsored by MCC’s Commonwealth Honors Program; and a Student Recital at 12:30 p.m. on Monday, December 2. 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 www.middlesex.mass.edu/worldofmusic/ for more information.

Saturday, September 14, 2024, 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.

 

50 Main St., Westford, MA (1-978-692-5555), http://www.westfordlibrary.org
Unless otherwise noted, the following programs are made possible by the Friends of the Library.
Director’s Corner: In observance of Labor Day, the Library will be closed Saturday, August 31 through Monday, September 2. The Library will re-open on Tuesday, September 3 at 10:00 a.m.
 
Adult Nonfiction Book Club: Tuesday, September 3 at 6:30 p.m. – We’ll meet in the downstairs Meeting Room to discuss Smoke Gets in Your Eyes: And Other Lessons from the Crematorium by Caitlyn Doughty. Copies are available at Main Desk. No registration required.  Email Charles Schweppe for more information.
Virtual Job Search Help for 50 & Over – Learn about LinkedIn: Wednesday, September 4, 9:30 -11:30 a.m. The Massachusetts Library Collaborative's 50+ Job Seekers Group meets biweekly the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of the month, from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m., via Zoom. If you are unemployed and actively looking, underemployed, seeking a new career direction, re-entering the job market after a long employment gap, or recently retired and looking for your "Encore Career", this networking group program is perfect for you! Register is required.
Friends of the J.V. Fletcher Library September Book Sale: Friday, September 6, Saturday, September 7 and Sunday, September 8. A Friends Members Only Sale will be held on Friday evening from 6:30 – 9:00 p.m. A Friends membership (which may be purchased at the door) is necessary for attending this sale. The entire public is invited Saturday for an all-day sale, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. and for the $10.00 Bag Sale on Sunday, from 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. So much stock! So little time!
 
Sweet Treats & Good Reads Book Club. Wednesday Sept. 11 at 6:00 p.m. For kids in grades 6-8. Join us in the Meeting Room to discuss some great books and enjoy desserts. For this meeting, we will be discussing A Snicker of Magic by Natalie Lloyd. Copies of each month's book will be available at the Main Desk two weeks prior to the meeting. Please e-mail Alexis at achrobak@westfordma.gov if you have any questions!
Adult Book Discussion Club: Thursday, September 12 at 6:30 p.m. Join us in the Mary Atwood Room to discuss The Best Minds: a Story of Friendship, Madness, and the Tragedy of Good Intentions by Jonathan Rosen. No registration required. Copies are available at the Main Desk and there are downloadable copies (audio and e-copies) available from Overdrive/Libby. Check out our Reading List for 2024.
Staff Recommends: Meet Molly, a maid with no social filter and a penchant for solving mysteries. The Mystery Guest is the second book in the series by Nita Prose and we are hoping there will be a third.
“Molly Gray is not like anyone else. With her flair for cleaning and proper etiquette, she has risen through the ranks of the glorious five-star Regency Grand Hotel to become the esteemed Head Maid. But just as her life reaches a pinnacle state of perfection, her world is turned upside down when J. D. Grimthorpe, the world-renowned mystery author, drops dead--very dead--on the hotel's tearoom floor.
When Detective Stark, Molly's old foe, investigates the author's unexpected demise, it becomes clear that this death was murder most foul.
As the high-profile death threatens the hotel's pristine reputation, Molly knows she alone holds the key to unlocking the killer's identity. But that key is buried deep in her past, as long ago, she knew J. D. Grimthorpe. Molly begins to comb her memory for clues, revisiting her childhood and the mysterious Grimthorpe mansion where she and her dearly departed Gran once worked side by side. With the entire hotel under investigation, Molly must solve the mystery posthaste. Because if there's one thing she knows for sure, it's that secrets don't stay buried forever.”
If you have questions or need assistance, please call us at 978-399-2300 or send us an email at westfordlibrary@westfordma.gov

The Family to Family course from the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) could prove helpful to you. This is a free, evidence-based, eight-session, weekly course for family members and friends of individuals living with mental health conditions. Topics include understanding the symptoms of mental health conditions, learning about treatments and therapies, practicing communication and problem-solving skills, creating a positive team approach, and self-care. Importantly, the course offers family members the invaluable opportunity of open conversation and mutual support in a stigma-free environment. The class is taught by NAMI trained family members. The NAMI Central Middlesex local affiliate will host two sessions of the course this fall. The first will meet in person in Winchester on Saturdays from 9:00-11:30 am, starting September 14th. The second course will be available via Zoom, meeting on Tuesdays from 6:30-9:00 pm, starting September 24th. Learn more and register at: namicentralmiddlesex.org/educational-courses.

Parish Center for the Arts is located at 10 Lincoln Street, Westford
9/1: Monthly Sunday Jazz Jams
A community event open to the public. All are welcome! Bring your instrument and sit and play with other jazz musicians, 3:30-5:30pm. A safe space to practice, play and listen, or just hang out with friends. Each month, a few tunes will be posted to work on before the jam. Email host Joe Virga to get on the Jam email list. $5 suggested cover. Future Dates: 10/6, 11/3, 12/1.

9/8: Open Mic Night with John Ferullo
A community event open to the public. Held on 2nd & 4th Sundays in a month at 6:30pm, Open Mic Night is for all ages and levels of experience. Sing a song, play a tune, or speak your truth. The microphone is on and all are welcome. Special guests also stop by for some added fun. Email host John Ferullo to be notified when sign-up lists go live. $5 suggested cover. Future Dates: 9/22, 10/13, 10/27, 11/10, 11/24, 12/8, 12/22.

 

 

Sounds of Stow Chorus welcomes all area singers to their Open Rehearsals, August 26, September 2 and 9; First Parish Church in Stow Center (353 Great Road), from 7-9 pm. Come as early as 6:30 to meet and greet your fellow singers. Our 46th season opens with “Baroque Brilliance: 1685 — It was a Very Good Year!” , 2:00 November 24 at Maynard High School. We open with Giovanni Gabrieli’s stunning “Jubilate Duo” for double chorus and brass, then feature the three great Baroque composers all born in 1685 — Scarlotti (two beautiful motets), Handel (delightful and sensuous selections from Solomon); and Bach’s profound “Gerechte kommt um”, closing the program with his familiar “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring. All are accompanied by full orchestra. Once again we have been invited to sing in three performances of “Christmas Magic” with the Vista Philharmonic at the spectacular, world-class performance venue, Groton Hill Performance Center. What a wonderful way to welcome the holiday season, and to experience the Gabrieli and other popular favorites from the stage of this extraordinary hall! “Romantic Riches: music by Mendelssohn and Brahms” explores the emotional depths of these great composers, including Mendelssohn’s Psalm 42 and Brahms’ motets, Nanie and Schicksalslied, again with full orchestra. Concert is April 13 at Littleton High School. The season closes June 1 with “A Garden of Song”, featuring music by diverse composers such as Sarah Quartel, Elaine Hagenberg, Melanie DeMore and others. We are a friendly and welcoming group whose singers hail from 20+ towns in the Metrowest area and beyond. Membership is open to anyone who can match pitch, learn the music, and blend with the other voices. We particularly need some strong Tenor voices to join our group for the upcoming year. Artistic Director Barbara Jones and Assistant Artistic Director Christina Kennedy promote serious musicianship at weekly rehearsals that are lively, challenging, educational, and always fun! For further information, please visit www.soundsofstow.org or email info@soundsofstow.org

First Connections invites parents and caregivers to a free live webinar about talking to young children about race and racism in age-appropriate ways. We teach children to recognize colors and to categorize objects by similarities and differences, but when a child remarks on someone's skin color, eye shape, or other physical characteristics, many caregivers feel embarrassed and don't know what to say, because we were taught not to talk about race. We now know that talking explicitly with children about skin color, race, ethnicity and discrimination is the best way to prevent them from absorbing the racist ideas prevalent in our culture and media. But it's hard to know where to start and what to say. If you're wondering how to have these conversations with your children, join Ellie Springer, M.Ed., for a discussion with tips about how to talk about race and racism with young children, receive information on quality children's books on this topic, and recommended websites for further adult learning. This program is appropriate for parents of babies through elementary school. Please join us on Thursday, August 22, 7-8:30 p.m., and bring your questions. First Connections is the local CFCE through the Mass. Dept. of Early Education and Care, providing free playgroups, new parent support, parenting topics and resources to families with children age 0-6. To receive the link for this program, email lmatthews@jri.org.

Tuesday, August 20 at 4pm at the Ayer Library. The Nashoba Associated Boards of Health welcomes adults who are experiencing grief to participate in the monthly, drop-in Grief & Healing Support Group. Grief counselor Karen Campbell offers a safe space to share experiences of the grief journey and is an opportunity to learn more about the grief process and strategies for managing grief. Confidentiality is respected and honored. The group honors all types of grief, including grief due to loss, change and transitions. In recognition that grief has no time frame, those who grieve are welcomed at any time in their journey. Since grief is an evolving process, occasional check-ins with a grief support group may be beneficial. No one is required to commit to consistent attendance. Please contact Karen Campbell at 978-772-3335 x322.

The Littleton Historical Society will be holding its annual Peach Social on Thursday, August 22, 2024 at 6:30-8:00 pm at the Houghton Memorial Building on 4 Rogers Street. Come enjoy a summer dessert with peaches from Theo’s Market Gardens, visit our museum, and chat with friends. See you there!

The Family to Family course from the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) could prove helpful to you. This is a free, evidence-based, eight-session, weekly course for family members and friends of individuals living with mental health conditions. Topics include understanding the symptoms of mental health conditions, learning about treatments and therapies, practicing communication and problem-solving skills, creating a positive team approach, and self-care. Importantly, the course offers family members the invaluable opportunity of open conversation and mutual support in a stigma-free environment. The class is taught by NAMI trained family members. The NAMI Central Middlesex local affiliate will host two sessions of the course this fall. The first will meet in person in Winchester on Saturdays from 9:00-11:30 am, starting September 14th. The second course will be available via Zoom, meeting on Tuesdays from 6:30-9:00 pm, starting September 24th. Learn more and register at: namicentralmiddlesex.org/educational-courses.

Zero Waste Day provides residents with easy, in-town access to regional non-profits and other organizations that reuse or recycle materials and keep them out of the waste stream, saving tax dollars on trash incineration fees and reducing greenhouse gases and toxins that result from burning household items.
Westford's first ever Zero Waste Day will span a few sites that are in close proximity.  The planning is still underway, but so far, the following sites are confirmed.
Site 1:  Westford Highway Garage, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.  Our semi-annual "Electronics & More" collection will take place for computers, monitors, and most other electronic devices & equipment, appliances of all sizes, and scrap metal.
Site 2:  Blanchard Middle School, also from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.  Many non-profits and other organizations will be on site to accept donations of usable furniture, small appliances, household goods, toys and games, clothing, and small musical instruments.  In addition, New England Clothes Recycling will be on site to accept all types of textiles for recycling.
Site 3:  Old Water Department on Graniteville Road - where Bay State Books has a drop off container for donating books and media that the Friends of the Library cannot accept for their Book Sales, in particular: VHS tapes, cassette tapes, older textbooks, full sets of encyclopedias, and any book in fair but still usable condition.  Note that this book container is available 24/7.
The final list of sites, vendors, and accepted materials will be publicized before September 7th.
Visit www.westfordma.gov/recycling

 

August 20 @ 3:00 am - 7:00 pm
Free
The Roudenbush Community Center is excited to welcome you to join us in discovering fresh local produce, handmade crafts, and delicious treats at our Community Market! Located on Fisher Way, in Westford Massachusetts, doors open every Tuesday from 3:00pm- 7:00pm. There’s something for everyone at the Community Market and we can’t wait to see you there!

 

Thursday, August 22, 7:00—8:00 PM. All ages welcome.
Town Field, 99A Main St., Behind the Library, Groton, MA, 01450
Join us for an evening of music outdoors! Feel free to bring dinner and the family for a memorable experience. All concerts take place at the Gazebo at the playground end of Town Field behind the library. Arrive early as parking is at a premium!
The Squeezebox Stompers is a Boston area Americana Roots band. They have performed Americana, Cajun, zydeco, blues, folk, and originals all over New England for the past 15 years. Members of the band have received Boston Music Awards and Songwriting Awards. They are noted for their step-lively up-beat music inspiring audiences to get up and dance.
The group's instrumentation includes accordion, keyboards, fiddle, saxophone, harmonica, penny whistle, guitar, bass, and drums. The Squeezebox Stompers guarantee a rockin' good family-friendly time.
All library concerts made possible by a grant from the Town of Groton Trust Funds' Lecture Fund. Sign up at GPL.org

 

Monday, August 19 @ 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
Toastmasters now meeting at the Cameron Sr. Center
Toastmasters will help you:
Speak and present compellingly
Think clearly and quickly on your feet
Become an effective leader
Gain confidence
Westford Expressions is your local Toastmaster club, with weekly hybrid meetings. You are most welcome to join us at the Cameron Senior Center in Westford (20 Pleasant St.), or via Zoom. We are a non-profit community club, part of the world-wide Toastmaster International organization.  You will learn communication and leadership skills in a supportive environment. You set the pace and attend meetings according to your schedule.
Join us at a meeting, any Monday evening at 7 pm except on holidays.
For additional information about the club, contact us at: vpm-4690@toastmastersclubs.org    To attend a meeting go to our web site, westfordexpressions.toastmastersclubs.org

(2 upcoming meetings)
(Grieving Mothers Support Group)

Saturday August 17th, 10:30am-12:30pm
Community Room at the Avidia Financial Center
17 Pope St.  Hudson, MA

Saturday August 24th, 10:30am-12:30pm
Duffy Properties
135 Beaver St.  Waltham, MA

Guest Table is a community dinner that takes place on the second Friday of each month at First Parish Church of Stow & Acton (FPC). The next dinner will take place on Aug. 9. It will begin at 5:30 p.m., with doors opening at 5 p.m. All are welcome! There’s no charge for dinner, but donations are gratefully accepted.
This month’s menu is chili. There will be salad, watermelon, and corn bread, with ice cream for dessert. Options made with vegetarian, gluten-free, or dairy-free ingredients will be available. All meals are nut-free.
FPC is located at 353 Great Road, Stow. Its facilities are wheelchair accessible. When parking, please keep a clear path for emergency vehicles; do not block the driveway around the front of the sanctuary; park only on the 117 side of Commons Rd.; and do not block access to the back of the building. Thank you!
This program is supported in part by grants from the Stow Community Chest, Nashoba Valley Rotary, and the Acton-Boxborough United Way. Guest Table is also grateful for the consistent support it receives from the Stow Council on Aging and the Stow Food Pantry, as well as the support from so many individuals who donate and volunteer.

 

All are welcome to a multigenerational game night that takes place on the third Friday of the month at First Parish Church of Stow & Acton (FPC). Children under 13 must be accompanied by an adult. Enjoy free parking, free snacks, and free fun!
The next Game Night will take place on Friday, Aug 16, from 7 to 9 p.m. FPC is a nut-free location. It’s located at 353 Great Rd, Stow. Its facilities are wheelchair accessible.

A new tradition is being inaugurated at First Parish Church of Stow & Acton (FPC) of the Rev. Dr. Cynthia L. Landrum repeating an earlier popular sermon for a summer service! This service from Nov. 2018, “Starstuff,” explores the theology of Carl Sagan, who explained that we are all made of starstuff.
The service will take place both in person and virtually on Aug. 11 at 10 a.m. Masking is optional. Child care is available for all in-person summer services. To enter the virtual room, go to tinyurl.com/22-23fpc.
FPC warmly welcomes gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people. The church is located at 353 Great Rd., Stow. Its facilities are wheelchair accessible. For more information, visit www.fpc-stow-acton.org.

Military Music During the Age of Reason
Saturday August 17, 1 PM
Fort Devens Museum, 94 Jackson Road, Devens, MA

As we gear up for the Semiquincentennial of the American Revolution...
After enlisting as a fifer in the Continental Army at just 13 years old, Thomas Nixon Jr. of Framingham marched on Lexington and Concord in April 1775. He, and thousands of young boys and teenagers, joined the fife and drum corps as both his father and uncle shouldered the call. While fifing was Nixon’s introduction to war, it appealed to him and became a true skill. Join us as founding member of the Middlesex County Volunteer Fifes & Drums, Steven Taskovics, discusses the significance of the music and the fifers’ role in directing the Revolutionary War.
The Fort Devens Museum is located at 94 Jackson Road, Devens, MA, on the third floor and is wheelchair accessible. This event is free and open to the public with donations gratefully accepted. Thanks to the Harvard Cultural Council.

Sunday, August 11th from 2-5PM , the Acton Historical Society will hold an open house.
This event will include our 1760's duplex and 1822 barn.
Come and see how family life was 260 years ago.
Also visit our exhibit about Acton schools and see how education has evolved.
We are located at 300 Main Street, Acton.
There is no admission fee but your free will offering is appreciated.
Visit us at  jenkslibrary@verizon.net

Saturday, August 10, 2024. Drop in between 9:00 am – 11:00 am
Location: 39 Main Street, Westford (across from Muffins on Main)
Volunteer members of the Westford Recycling Commission will show Westford residents how to compost organic material. Composting diverts food wastes from the trash and reduces the high cost of Westford’s trash collection. Organic material can represent up to 20% of the weight of our trash.
Earth Machines composters will be available to Westford residents at the demonstrations for only $25 at a discount from a state grant. Checks should be made out to the Town of Westford.
Westford residents can always purchase Earth Machine backyard composters for $25 by contacting Nicole Feliciano at the Westford Highway Department at 978-692-5520 or by email: nfeliciano@westfordma.gov.
For more information, visit www.westfordma.gov/recycling. Follow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/WestfordRecyclingCommission