Font ResizeSATURDAY, MARCH 13
Breakfast: 7:30 to 10:30 a.m. BSA Venture Crew 260 of Brookline and Hollis is serving breakfast at the Brookline Community Church, Main Street, Brookline, N.H. The price is $7 for Adults and $5 for kids under 10, and senior citizens.
Ham and bean supper: 4:30 to 6 p.m., Pepperell Methodist Church, 1 Chapel Place, Pepperell (located on block behind Dunkin' Donuts.). Ham & Beans, coleslaw, scalloped potatoes, rolls and home made apple pie and ice cream. Price $8 for adults, $7 seniors, $4 children.
Community Supper: 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. A Community Supper of ham and beans will be held at the Federated Church of Ayer. Tickets are $7 adults, $4 children under 12, available at the door or at the church office in advance. Free homemade desserts. The church, located at 21 Washington St. in Ayer, is handicapped accessible from the back. Web site at www.ayerfedchurch.org.
Following the supper at 6:30, a free, recently released to DVD movie, starring an Oscar winning actress who was nominated this year, will be shown.
St. Patrick's Day corned beef and cabbage dinner: Ayer Gun and Sportsmen's Club, 255 Snake Hill Road, Ayer (978-772-9748). Cocktails at 6 p.m., dinner at 7 p.m.; $10 per person for meal, music and more. Family tables available. For information, call Dennis, 978-772-2112.
Maple Sugaring with the NRWA: 1 to 2:30 p.m. Join Nashua River Watershed Association (NRWA)
This workshop is one in a five-part family workshop series that is supported in part by a grant from the Groton Trust Funds Lecture Fund. Pre-registration is required. To register, or for more information, contact Lauren Parente at 978-448-0299, or e-mail LaurenP@NashuaRiverWatershed.org.
Project Graduation: Groton's Stuart Shulman to perform in the Jonathan Edwards Concert: 7:30 p.m. Nationally known recording artist Jonathan Edwards will be performing with the Jonathan Edwards Trio in a fundraiser concert presented by the North Middlesex Regional High School Project Graduation Parent Group. Jonathan Edwards is accompanied by Taylor Armerding on mandolin and vocals, and Stuart Schulman on piano, fiddle, bass and vocals. The show will be at Nissitissit Middle School, Pepperell. Tickets are $25, available at North Middlesex Regional High School, at the Pepperell Music Center, and in Townsend at Evans on the Common, The Townsend House Tavern, Klever Klippers Hair Salon, and at the Ashby 31 Store. Questions? 978-660-9637.
Fundraiser for Billy Hamilton Scholarship Trust: 7 p.m. at Franco American Club, 55 Prescott Street, Westford (978-692-7013). 50/50 raffle, gift raffles & door prizes, live music; admission $10 at the door. For advance ticket sales, call Shelley (978-448-3612) or Becky (978-449-5174.)
SUNDAY, MARCH 14
SUNDAYS at ONE Series: Shaker Song Workshop: 1 to 3 p.m., Fruitlands Museum, Harvard. Members & Seniors $10, Adults $15, Children $5. Today, Shakers are known primarily for their simple and beautiful furniture. Yet, their music played a larger and more significant role in Shaker history. This two-hour workshop, led by Nancy McDowell, will explore the history of Shaker music through performance and audience participation. All ages are welcome.
Lecturer: Sy Montgomery, author and naturalist: 2 p.m., Townsend Meeting Room in the new library on Dudley Road. Sponsored by Friends of Willard Brook, the talk is free and will be followed by refreshments and a chance to meet Sy.
Sy Montgomery has written numerous books including her latest, "Saving the Ghost of the Mountain: An Expedition Among Snow Leopards in Mongolia" and "The Good Good Pig: The Extraordinary Life of Christopher Hogwood." Montgomery has also written some National Geographic documentaries.
The program Sy is preparing for us will revolve around the Buddhist koan: "When the student is ready the teacher will appear."
TUESDAY, MARCH 16
Teaming with Beetles to Control Purple Loosestrife: 7 to 9 p.m. at the NRWA River Resource Center, 592 Main Street (Rt. 119), in Groton. The Nashua River Watershed Association (NRWA) and the Stewardship Committee of the Squannassit and Petapawag Areas of Critical Environmental Concern invite the public to attend an orientation and training workshop to learn about raising "Galerucella" beetles. These beneficial beetles are used to control the invasive plant purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria) in local wetlands. The snow date is Thursday, March 23.
Raising beetles to control purple loosestrife is an exciting opportunity for community involvement in restoring local habitat. If you would like to learn how to become a "beetle farmer" and rear Galerucella beetles for release in a local wetland, please attend this workshop.
This workshop is free and open to the public; registration is requested, but not required. It is made possible in part by the US Fish and Wildlife Service's Partners for Fish & Wildlife Program, and a grant from the Groton Garden Club. To sign up for the workshop, please contact Rick Muehlke, NRWA Land Programs and Outreach Assistant, at (978) 448-0299, or e-mail at RickM@NashuaRiverWatershed.org.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17
Signs of Spring: NRWA Eco-Adventure: The Nashua River Watershed Association (NRWA) will celebrate "Signs of Spring" with our eco-adventure program for 1st- through 4th-graders. Planned for a school half-day, this program runs from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m., and meets at the NRWA River Resource Center at 592 Main St. in Groton. This is a great chance to get outdoors with NRWA's naturalists. We'll hike in beautiful J. Harry Rich State Forest and learn to detect nature's little hints that winter is over. Play exciting games to welcome the new season!
The fee for this half-day program is $19/day for NRWA members or $24/day for nonmembers. Please bring a lunch! Pre-registration is required. To pre-register, or for more information, please contact Lauren Parente, NRWA Eco-Adventures coordinator, at 978-448-0299, or e-mail LaurenP@NashuaRiverWatershed.org. The NRWA is a non-profit environmental organization that depends on memberships for support.
Retirement strategies workshop: 6 p.m. Workers' Credit Union is hosting a no-obligation financial workshop titled: "Questioning Your Retirement Strategy?" for individuals questioning whether their retirement accounts are on the right track. It will be held in Workers' Credit Union's Townsend office, 221 Main St. In a hands-on workshop, participants will learn how to rebuild from market loss, how to get competitive rates in a low-interest rate environment and whether to convert an existing Traditional IRA to a Roth IRA--since the income limits have been lifted in 2010 and the tax burden can be spread over two years. The workshop is open to the general public, but seating is limited. To reserve a place, please call 978-345-1021.
THURSDAY, MARCH 18
Thursdays at Devens Grill: 7 to 10 p.m., Devens. Local musicians will perform at Devens Grill. Visit www.devensgrill.com for a monthly music schedule and more information about the restaurant, bar and musicians. No cover charge.
SATURDAY, MARCH 20
St. Patrick's Day supper: 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. The Townsend United Methodist Church will hold a St. Patrick's Day Supper. The menu will feature authentic Irish recipes of Irish stew, Irish chicken-leek pie, colcannon, roasted vegetables, barm brack and Irish soda breads, and assorted pastries. Dinner is "eat-in or take-out." The price for adults is $8, seniors $7, children $5, and children under 6 years, free.
The Meetinghouse Church on the Hill is located at 265 Main Street in Townsend Center at the junction of routes 13 and 119. Call 978-597-2486 for more information.
After St. Patrick's Day Supper: 5 to 7 p.m., Christian Union Church in West Groton. That's right; March 20 is our next supper, the first day of spring and after St. Patrick's Day. If you waited to avoid the rush at restaurants on March 17, and love corned beef and cabbage, join us on March 20 for the best corned beef and cabbage this side of the Nashua River. Celebrate spring, daylight saving time and St. Patrick's Day (the second time around).
Serving is family- style, continuous serving and take-outs are always available. See you at CUC located on Route 225 (W. Main St.) in West Groton. For information you can call 978 448-5480 or on the 20th 978-448-3348.
Comedy Night: 8 p.m. The Ayer Shirley Lions Club will present a Comedy Night featuring Steve Donovan at the Bull Run in Shirley. Tickets are $10. Proceeds will benefit Lions Charities. Tickets are available by e-mail at jencordio@ayershirleylions.com; North Middlesex Savings Bank in Groton or Ayer; the Bull Run; or by mail at Ayer Shirley Lions, P.O. Box 121, Ayer, MA 01432. Tickets will also be available on the night of the event.
SUNDAY, MARCH 21
Gender identity: 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. First Church Unitarian will offer a special worship service and panel discussion on gender identity. The ministerial Intern for Winchester Unitarian Society will be our guest speaker. Following worship, a panel will feature five special guests sharing their experiences, each representing different perspectives, and opportunities for questions and discussion.
People who are transgender face widespread prejudice, are at risk of violence and harassment, or of losing their job or housing, simply because of who they are. By meeting our panelists and hearing their personal stories first hand, our hope is to foster compassion, acceptance, and understanding in all who attend. Refreshments provided.
TUESDAY, MARCH 23
Taste of Nashoba Valley: 5:30 to 8 p.m. Nashoba Valley Chamber of Commerce's 9th Annual "Taste of Nashoba Valley," sponsored by SpringHill Suites by Marriott & Devens Common Center, will be held at the Lawrence Academy Stone Athletic Center in Groton. The chamber is partnering with 10 local nonprofits: Ayer Fire Department, Friends of the Reuben Hoar Library (Littleton), Groton Fire Department, Roudenbush Community Center, Parker Essential Fund, Groton-Dunstable Booster Club, Shirley PTA, Friends of the Lawrence Library (Pepperell), Shirley Friendship Fund, and Groton Women's Club.
For each ticket they sell, the ticket partners will receive $5. Tickets are $20 in advance and for seniors (age 62+) and $25 at the door. For further information, 978-772-6976.
WEEKLY
Bull Run: For ongoing or weekly happenings in the Tap Room at Shirley's Bull Run, see http://www.bullrunrestaurant.com/Daily.htm. No cover charge.
Wednesdays during Lent: Please join this important discussion of subjects we frequently avoid. Wednesday events are being held during Lent in the Meeting House at 7:30 p.m. First Parish Church, Berlin Center, Route 62.
Lenten Meditation Services will be held at 7 p.m. in the evening in the chapel of the church. The services led by Rev. Dr. Priscilla L. Denham will be a combination of meditation and music and last about thirty minutes; each Wednesday through March 17 and Thursday, March 25. On April 1 there will be a Maundy Thursday service at the same time. Watch this paper and our Web site for information concerning the Good Friday service. www.ayerfedchurch.org
All are welcome. The Federated Church of Ayer is affiliated with the United Church of Christ, the United Methodist and the American Baptist churches. The church is located at 21 Washington St. in Ayer. It is handicapped accessible from the back.
