Briefs: Gov. Kunin to speak twice in Chester; Senior luncheon; Specker concert; Santa photo funder for TARPS; interim pastor at St. Luke’s; volunteer drivers sought

Gov. Madeleine Kunin

Former Vermont Gov. Madeleine Kunin will speak twice in Chester on Sunday, Nov. 18, first at the First Universalist Parish Stone Church at the 9:30 a.m. service, then, at 2 p.m. as Misty Valley Books’ final Vermont Voice 2012, also at the Stone Church in Chester’s Stone Village.

After serving as a Vermont state legislator and lieutenant governor, Kunin was elected as Vermont’s first female governor in 1984, a position she held for three terms.

Under the Clinton administration, Kunin served as Deputy Secretary of Education, then as U.S. ambassador to Switzerland. She was one of the first leaders in the United States to recognize the threat of global climate change, and was the founder and president of the Institute for Sustainable Communities. Kunin will speak on ‘Sustainable Communities’ as part of the morning service at the First Universalist Parish.

At 2 p.m., Kunin will present her new book, The New Feminist Agenda, Defining the Next Revolution for Work, Women and Family. Kunin’s new book will be available for sale both at the coffee hour following the church service in the morning and at the afternoon book presentation.

For more information call Misty Valley Books at (802) 875-3400 or visit www.mvbooks.com.

Chester senior citizens lunch meeting

The Chester Senior Citizens Club will hold its monthly luncheon meeting at 11:30 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 19, at the Chester First Baptist Church on Main Street. Please bring a dish to share and your place setting. Pete’s Pharmacy in Springfield will be making a presentation. If you need a ride, just call 875-6242. Hope to see you there.

Santa photo fundraiser for TARPS special needs animals

The First Annual Photo with Santa and his elf, Webster the cat, will be held from 8 to 11 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 25, in the Great Room of MacLaomainn’s Pub at 52 S. Main St. in Chester.

The event will benefit the Webster Fund, which pays for care of the special needs animals at TARPS, The Animal Rescue and Protection Society. There will also be a bake sale table with tasty items for breakfast.

Tickets are $5 per person and are available at the shelter and Erskines Feed & Grain store in the Chester Depot. For more information, call 802-875-7777 or email shelter@tarpsanimalsheltervt.org. Please call or email us to purchase tickets, or for more info. Let us know if you’d like to volunteer to help out for this event. For information on the Webster Fund, please visit http://tarpsanimalsheltervt.org/donate/webster-fund.

Speckers to perform fiddle and clawhammer banjo music

John Specker and his daughter Ida Mae present a concert of traditional fiddle and clawhammer banjo music at the Andover Town Hall, 953 Weston-Andover Road, from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 24. Clawhammer banjo refers not only to the instrument itself but also to the rhythmic strumming style of playing it, both of which were brought here in the 1600s by black slaves from West Africa. On the Speckers playlist is the old-time tune Barlow Knife, which John will play on his banjo. Ida will provide accompaniment on her washboard. A sampling of the lyrics goes:

 I’ve been a poor man all my life,
All I want is a Barlow Knife…
Buckhorn Handle and a Barlow Blade,
best old knife that ever was made.

George Washington had one, and Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn’s dream was to get a real Barlow,. Admission is free, and all are Welcome. Bring the whole family, including children, for an enjoyable exploration of American heritage music on Thanksgiving weekend. For more information, click www.thespeckers.com.

Interim minister for St. Luke’s

Carole Wageman

St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Chester announces that the Rev. Carole Wageman has been called as interim minister. She has accepted the invitation to lead St. Luke’s for the next two years while the search for a rector begins. The Rev. H. Paul Brannock-Wanter, rector for nearly 11 years, retired this summer. Wageman will begin her half-time duties the first Sunday in Advent, Dec. 2, serving its members weekly Sunday through Wednesday morning and full weeks during Holy Week.

Wageman received her Master’s Degree from Union Theological Seminary in New York but then took a long hiatus from church. Upon finding the Episcopal Church (Christ Church, Montpelier, VT) in 1998, she eventually began pursuing Holy Orders, was an active parishioner at Christ Church, and also worked full-time as an associate director for Community Development at the Washington County Youth Service Bureau in Montpelier.

She was ordained a transitional deacon in May 2003 and ordained a priest in December of the same year. Since her ordination until December 2011 she served as associate rector at Trinity Episcopal Church in Shelburne working with children, youth and families in addition to pastoral, liturgical and administrative duties.

Volunteers sought to transport visually impaired residents

The Vermont Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired has an immediate need for volunteer drivers to drive blind and visually impaired people to their destinations. If you are fortunate enough not to need the services of VABVI, perhaps you would enjoy helping those who are less fortunate. Volunteer drivers are key to keeping Vermonters affected by vision loss living independently and involved in their communities.

VABVI volunteer drivers work on an as-needed basis and are free to accept or reject any trip to suit their own schedules. Drivers receive mileage reimbursement for the use of their cars. “Drivers are in short supply,” says Vicki Vest, volunteer services coordinator. “We have an especially urgent on-going need for drivers in and around the Woodstock area. If you can help or would like more information, call toll-free 1-877-350-8840.