Have you considered becoming a hospice volunteer? Specially trained volunteers provide support to community members facing the end of life by providing companionship, respite for family members/caregivers, and help with practical tasks. The next 30-hour training class through Hospice Volunteer Services begins on Sept. 13 and will meet for 10 consecutive Thursday evenings. If you would like to learn more about this very special kind of service please call 388-4111 or email [email protected]. The trainings will take place in the Marble Works, at 63 Maple St. in Middlebury.
 
The Bristol Recreation Department is looking for community members to be part of an up-to nine-member steering committee to explore the feasibility for centralizing the town’s Recreation Department, Clay Studio and Teen Center at 76 West St. The steering committee will work with the town of Bristol, its Rec Department and Bellweather Architects to evaluate the property, explore preliminary designs that work with programs, consider preliminary cost estimates and potential funding sources, and engage the community. 76 West St., adjacent to the Recreation Field, has become available to the town to purchase to provide a location for a new, consolidated, recreation facility. Sadly, the Hub Teen Center building (owned by the Bristol Recreation Club) is reaching the end of its time and an alternative will need to be found, according to local officials. The Recreation Club Board doesn’t want to overhaul the building at this point and the selectboard would prefer not to pay rent for a building that is in decline. The selectboard is set to appoint the steering committee on Sept. 17. The goal is for this committee to present a package of facts by the end of January for the FY2018 Annual Report, for community meetings, and for voters to consider and discuss at the March 4 town meeting. If you or someone who you know might be interested in serving, email [email protected] or call 453-5885.
 
The School year has begun already and students and their families are hungry. The Starksboro Food Shelf we could use some donations, in particular chicken noodle soup, canned fruit, peanut butter, jelly, tuna, mayo, canned vegetables, fresh eggs and baking products. These can be dropped off at the Food Shelf donation box, or at the town clerk’s office.
 
The Mount Abraham Unified School District is also looking for some helpers, including what officials described as “a small army” of retirees interested in learning how to use Lego robotics kits in order to teach robotics at the district’s After-school Expanded Learning Program — either on a volunteer basis or for compensation. No former experience required, just an interest in making, creating and building. The district will provide all the training and support during after-school workshops that run from 3:30-4:30 p.m. or 4 p.m. (depending on the school). If you are interested in learning more, please contact Mandy Chesley-Park, Expanded Learning Program Director, at [email protected]. Also needed: folks to help with Robinson Elementary School’s “Four Winds” program in Starksboro. Volunteers team up and help share nature investigations with Robinson School kids. Each volunteer comes to a monthly topic training session (around two hours), then works with his/her partners to help their class of kids discover and explore amazing things about Vermont’s nature for one to three hours. Topics change month to month, each within the year’s theme. All you need is time and enthusiasm; the rest is provided. Interested? See the Four Winds website fwni.org, or contact Starksboro’s Four Winds Coordinator, Erin Bent, at [email protected].
 
Come to the Vergennes City Green this Sunday, Sept. 16 from noon-6 p.m. to enjoy local food, music, craft beverages and fun with your friends and neighbors. Sample a variety of delicious dishes served up by Vergennes-area eateries while listening to music performed by three local bands. Adult beverages including craft brews, hard cider and local wines will be served in the beer garden. Kids can have their faces painted, have a blast playing creative carnival-type games, and hula hooping! Entry and games are free. Purchase tickets on site to pay for food, drinks, face-painting and henna. All proceeds benefit Bixby Library, Boys & Girls Club of Greater Vergennes, Vergennes Opera House and Vergennes Partnership. To see an event map, participating restaurants, sponsors, and more details, visit vergennesdowntown.org/eatongreen
 
Middlebury’s Town Hall Theater at 68 S. Pleasant St. will hold its 11th annual Fabulous Flea Market, this Saturday, Sept. 15, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Each year, more than 25 vendors and dealers set up shop inside the theater to sell antiques, folk art, prints, rugs, jewelry, art, collectibles and other desirable items. The theater is stuffed with an eye-popping variety of delightful things to buy. Almost Home will be selling delicacies and coffee so shoppers can grab a snack or a meal as they browse. Adding to the fun is a special flea market section featuring items donated to THT specifically for the sale — many at a bargain. Also returning this year is Town Hall Theater’s popular jewelry table with fine and costume jewelry. Admission is free.
 
The city of Vergennes will host a meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 26, at 7 p.m. at the Vergennes Opera House to discuss a study of truck traffic on Route 22A. That road serves as one of the busiest truck routes in Vermont. As a result, Vergennes has proportionally more large trucks traveling through its downtown than any other comparably sized municipality in Vermont, according to state officials. The Addison County Regional Planning Commission and the Vermont Agency of Transportation have commissioned a study to assess options for reducing the impacts (noise, vibration, pollution) of truck traffic in downtown Vergennes while also considering impacts on neighboring towns. For more information about the meeting, contact Cindy Cook at 802-272-2829, or email [email protected].
 
The Weybridge Congregational Church, at 2790 Weybridge Road will hold its annual Chicken Pie Supper on Tuesday, Sept. 25. Seatings are at 5:30 and 7 p.m., and tickets cost $12 for adults and $6 for children 10 and under. The harvest meal includes the church’s renowned chicken pie, made by local caterer Martha Winant, mashed potatoes and squash, salad, a variety of side dishes, and of course apple and pumpkin pies. No one leaves hungry. Reservations are required, and this event has sold out for the past five years. To make a reservation, or for more information, call Arlinda Wickland at 545-2246.
 
Middlebury Festival on-the-Green organizers are looking for a trailer in which to store our festival supplies, tent, stage units and miscellaneous equipment. This would reduce the workload for volunteer labor to two annual moves — set-up and dismantling each July. The trailer needs to be a minimum of 14 feet long with a 3,000-pound load rating, able to be inspected, and in good weather-tight condition. It would be ideal if it could be towed by a pickup truck with a standard ball hitch. As an all-volunteer non-profit organization, the FOTG is limited in what it can afford to pay for such an amenity, so discounts or a tax-deductible donation would be appreciated. Please contact Rick Shappy at [email protected] if you can spare the right trailer.
 
Get ready to have some fun for a worthy cause. It’s the first annual “Tossin’ For The Trades” Cornhole Tournament, scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 29, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Bristol Rec Field. The registration fee is $20 per person for teams that must consist of at least two and no more than six throwers. All proceeds will help the Brendon P. Cousino Med47 Foundation support local first response units and provide scholarships for kids pursuing careers in the trades. It should be a fun afternoon, with beverages, food, and the cornhole game, in which teams take turns throwing beanbags at a hole on a platform placed 27 feet away. This will be an exclusive tournament that will start with round-robin play, followed by a single elimination format. Each team must raise a minimum of $100. Drop-In Brewing out of Middlebury will be on site with a variety of offerings and Citizen Cider will also be available. Food vendors to be announced. Register here by Sept. 26.