Tuesday, Feb. 12, 7:00 p.m., VUHS Boosters Club Meeting, VUHS library.
Saturday, Feb. 16, 6:30 p.m., Ferrisburgh Grange King Pede card party, Ferrisburgh Town Hall.
Tuesday, Feb. 19, 6:30 p.m., Ferrisburgh Town Selectboard meeting.
Saturday, March 2, 10 a.m., Ferrisburgh Town Meeting, FCS.
Monday, March 4, 6:15 p.m., PTO meeting, FCS.
Tuesday, March 5, 7 a.m.-7 p.m.,  Voting, Ferrisburgh Town Hall.
FERRISBURGH — March will be here before we know it and that means voting and Town Meeting. Our in-person Ferrisburgh Town Meeting to vote articles and town budget will be held at Ferrisburgh Central School at 10 a.m. on Saturday, March 2. The Annual Ferrisburgh Town elections will be held on Tuesday, March 5. Polls are open from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. at the Ferrisburgh Town Hall — the traditional Town Meeting Day, Residents will vote by Australian Ballot for public offices and school budgets. Please participate in both activities in order to support our town and our community.
Support the Vergennes Union High School Boosters. Basketball season is in full force and the VUHS Booster Club would like to thank you for your support. Varsity teams and their families are helping with concessions for the home games. If you would like to help out with supporting the school sports activities, visit the Booster Club Facebook page at: facebook.com/VergennesBoostersClub/. The meetings are held on the second Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. in the VUHS library and everyone is welcome to join the group.
The Ferrisburgh Grange’s next King Pede card party is scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 16. All are invited to participate in these get-togethers as held at the Ferrisburgh Town Hall and Community Center. The evening begins at 6:30 p.m. with a sandwich supper and then on to the games. King Pede is a unique game that involves “trick-taking” techniques such as in Hearts and Spades or Pitch. This is a game of fun and skill so come prepared to use your strategic thinking.
The Ferrisburgh Skating Rink is open and will be available to Ferrisburgh residents as long as the weather cooperates. There are several stacked crates for the youngest beginner skaters. And, as always, please stay off the ice when it is soft, and remove any equipment you use or bring with you (such as goals.) For updates on hours and ice conditions, follow the announcements in the Ferrisburgh Front Porch Forum, the Ferrisburgh Skating Rink Facebook page, or email to Martha Davis at [email protected].
The Bixby Library is hosting three teen video game nights on Feb. 7, 14, and 21. These will be held from 7-10 p.m. for youth ages 14-18. Games such as Mario Kart 8 and Super Smash Brothers will be available along with board games and video themed books. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own handheld systems and games to play and share. Parent permission forms (available at bixbylibrary.org) need to be submitted five days before the start of the program.
A sign of spring is that the Vergennes Area Youth League (VAYL) is preparing for the 2019 season. The VAYL provides the opportunity to learn the game of t-ball, baseball or softball in a fun-filled and supportive environment. The Little League early bird registration closes on Feb. 17. After this date, fees increase by $10/player and family caps will not apply (caps are set for families with 3 or more registered players). Register now and practices will start at the end of April, weather permitting. Registration is online at bit.ly/2019VAYL. Sign in to get started and if you are new to VAYL, it is easy to create a personal account. For questions and more information, contact Kelsey Bradford, League President, at [email protected] or 802-349-2207.
Rokeby Museum is open on Sundays in February to commemorate Black History Month. Bring family and friends to visit Rokeby Museum’s award-winning “Free & Safe: The Underground Railroad in Vermont” exhibit on Sundays, from noon to 5 p.m. throughout February. “Free & Safe” introduces Simon and Jesse, two fugitives from slavery who were sheltered at Rokeby in the 1830s while on their journey from slavery to freedom. There is an admission fee of $8/adult; $6/children age 5 and up.
On Feb. 10, from 2-3 p.m., children ages 7-12 will be given the opportunity to become “History Detectives” as they meet Simon, Jesse, Jeremiah Snowden, and others — all fugitives from slavery who were sheltered at Rokeby. Children will examine the evidence, such as letters from the museum collections, to discover what these people felt, what was important to them, and what they did to improve their lives.
For teen and adult audiences, on Sunday, Feb. 24 at 2 p.m., historian and Rokeby Museum director emerita Jane Williamson will give an illustrated presentation, “Finding Jesse: How Free & Safe: The Underground Railroad in Vermont Became a Reality.” She will discuss the research she performed to understand more fully the circumstances of fugitives who lived at, or passed through, Rokeby. The talk will not only illuminate the practice of studying original source material, it will also provide an understanding of the Underground Railroad from the point of view of the escapees themselves. For more information, visit the museum’s website: rokeby.org.
The Lake Champlain Maritime Museum may be closed for the winter, but it is now time to sign up for summer camps and expeditions. The museum’s Lake Adventure Camps and Expeditions offer a variety of week-long activities designed for kids entering grades 2-12. These camps are led by highly knowledgeable and experienced program staff, using the fleet of watercraft, replica vessels, and teaching facilities at the four-acre lakeside campus. Events include learning about boating, sailing, metal working, and snorkeling, and what life was like in the 18th century. The LCMM programs are well respected for their ability to promote learning, exercise, confidence and teamwork through outdoor, interactive fun. For more information, visit lcmm.org.
For the all the events and student activities at Ferrisburgh Central School, be sure to regularly visit: sites.google.com/a/anwsd.org/fcs/. The FSC PTO is sponsoring two great learning opportunities. Volunteer students from Middlebury College will be running a three-week after school Science club for 3rd and 4th graders starting in March. The sessions will be held from 3-4 p.m. on March 16, April 6, and April 13. To inquire about this program and available slots, email Melanie Clark ([email protected]) with your child’s name, parents’ names and phone numbers and any allergies/pertinent medical information. Space is limited to 10 students and will be filled first-come, first-served.
Also, another session of Minecraft will run for grades 3-6 on Tuesdays from 3-4:15 p.m. from March 13 to May 15. Space is limited, so register early by emailing your child’s name, your name and phone number and any allergies/health issues you child may have to Steve Grimm at [email protected]. Minecraft is a game-based learning platform designed to promote creativity and problem solving. The FCS Minecraft program is looking for more parent volunteers, so if you are interested, please email the PTO at [email protected].
NOTE: We are always interested in including a variety of Ferrisburgh-related news in this column, so if you have news that would be of interest, contact Sally Kerschner at [email protected]. You are able to access these columns and other information about Ferrisburgh news and events by viewing the Ferrisburgh Town Website at www.ferrisburghvt.org.