Election Day bake sales; Lenten worship services; VTica potluck; diabetes program; raw milk meetings; hands-on demonstrations; free tobacco cessation course

Chester-Andover Family Center Election Day bake sale

Chester-Andover Family Center Election Day Bake Sale at 9 a.m. Tuesday, March 5 upstairs in the Chester Town Hall, 556 Elm St. Money raised will support the center’s Food Shelf and the emergency financial assistance program.

As a result of the recent House Warming fundraiser sponsored by former state Rep. Kathy Pellett and state Rep. Leigh Dakin, the center received $2,100 for heating fuel assistance. Chester or Andover residents experiencing difficulty in paying for heating fuel, utility bills, rent or gas are encouraged to call the CAFC for support. Personal information is kept confidential.

Thrift Shop hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays and Fridays, 1 to 7 p.m. Wednesdays, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays. Food Shelf hours are 1 to 6 p.m. Thursdays. CAFC is located at 908 VT. Rte. 103 S. For information, call (802) 875-3236, email: cafc302@gmail.com, or visit www.chester-andoverfamilycenter.weebly.com.

Ecumenical Lenten worship services

The ecumenical Chester Ministerium will present a series of Lenten worship services on five consecutive Wednesdays at 7 p.m., beginning Feb. 20. Each service will be delivered from a different church throughout Chester.

The theme for this year’s series is “The Parables of Jesus.”An offering will be collected at each service to support the Chester Ministerium. Fellowship and refreshments will follow each service.

Service Schedule and Locations

• Parable of the Lost Sheep, Lost Coin, Lost Son – Luke 15

Feb. 20^th at Renewed Life In Jesus Church, VT Rte. 103. Speaker: Pastor Susan Mood

•  Sawdust, Lumber & Eyeballs – Luke 6:41-42

Feb. 27th at Andover Community Church, 928 Andover Road. Speaker: Pastor Tom Charlton

•  Parable of the Pearl of Great Price – Matthew 13

March 6^th at Chester Congregational Church, 469 Main St. Speaker: Pastor Rick Blaisdell

•  Parable of the Mustard Seed – Matthew 17

March 13th at Chester Baptist Church, 162 Main St. Speaker: The Rev. Carole Wageman

•   Parable of the Good Shepherd– John 10:1-18

March 20th at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, 313 Main St. Speaker: Pastor Steve Knisely

Diabetes control program

The Springfield Health Center offers free monthly classes through the Journey For Control program, beginning 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 27, at the Springfield Health Center, 100 River St., in Springfield. After the first meeting, classes will continue on the last Wednesday of every month.

This program helps participants learn effective ways to manage diabetes by understanding the link between healthy eating and blood sugar, the importance of meal timing, and monitoring blood sugar levels.

Sponsored by Merck & Co., Journey for Control is free and open to the public. Pre-enrollment is requested. For more information, or to register, call 1-877-532-4545.

Free tobacco cessation class

Springfield Medical Care Systems is offering a tobacco cessation class beginning Thursday, Feb. 28. The program will meet every Thursday from 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. for four weeks (Feb. 28th, March 7th, 14th and 21st). The meetings will take place in conference room A-2 at Springfield Hospital. Meetings will be led by certified tobacco treatment specialists Michelle Kuusela, RN, and Susan Norton-Weber, LPN. This is a free program and all are invited to attend. For more information, or to register, please contact Michelle Kuusela at mkuusela@springfieldmed.org or call 802-885-7346.

VTica, RAMP host artists potluck

Vermont Institute for Contemporary Arts and the Rockingham Arts and Museum Project are hosting a series of Artists Town Meeting potlucks. The winter potluck takes place 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday March 7 at VTica, 15 Depot St., in Chester.

Geared toward artists, artisans and local food growers, these quarterly meetings focus on bringing creative people together to share ideas. Meetings are informal and open to the public. On the agenda for March 7 will be a discussion of the VT State Crafts Council’s Open Studio Weekend, May 25–26. The weekend offers an excellent opportunity for artists to share their work and to gain access to potential customers.

VTica is wheelchair accessible. RSVP requested. Email ramp@sover.net, with “Artists Town Meeting RSVP” in the subject line, or call 802-463-3252. The Artists Town Meetings are possible because of the support of the Vermont Arts Council, the National Endowment for the Arts, Sovernet and Chroma.

Regional raw milk meetings, dairy farmers surveys

Rural Vermont hosts two meetings over raw milk issues.

Rural Vermont is hosting its last two regional raw milk meetings at 11 a.m. –3 p.m. Wednesday March 13 in  Poultney and Saturday, March 23. in Townshend, to help raw milk producers prepare the Vermont Agency of Agriculture inspections of farms selling raw milk direct to consumers. The meetings will be an opportunity for farmers and homesteaders to network and voice their opinions on the 2009 Raw Milk Law (Act 62).

For specific locations and lunch details, email shelby@ruralvermont.org , call (802) 223-7222, visit www.ruralvermont.org, or visit their Facebook page.

Rural Vermont is surveying Vermont farmers and homesteaders who have sold any quantity of raw milk in 2012 to develop the 2012-2013 Rural Raw Milk Report for the Vermont Legislature In order to provide a complete picture of the raw milk market. The survey includes questions about 2012 issues related to the sale of raw milk. Identifying information is confidential.

The Raw Milk Survey is available on line at www.ruralvermont.org, or can be requested from Robb Kidd at 802-223-7222 or robb@ruralvermont.org.

 Hands-on stream table demonstration

Witness and experience a miniature river with a free hands-on stream table demonstration 5:30–6 p.m. Monday, March 18 at Fletcher Farm, 611 Route 103 in Ludlow. The stream table will be used to model conditions at the site of Black River Action Team’s Cavendish stream bank planting project, where Twentymile Stream meets the Black River.

Presented in partnership with the Black River Action Team, Ottauquechee Natural Resources Conservation District and VT Agency of Natural Resources, the stream table will offer a unique opportunity to watch water at work. A miniature river of water flows through a “sandy” landscape, and will display the essence of erosion and deposition.

Learn more about the stream table by visiting www.emriver.com/?page_id=834

This demonstration is free and open to the public. For more information contact BRAT Director Kelly Stettner at blackrivercleanup@yahoo.com or call 802-885-1533.