If you notice area law enforcement officers sporting whiskers during the next several weeks, there’s a good reason for it. It’s the annual “deer camp beards for kids with cancer” fundraiser for Camp-Ta-Kum-Ta, a South Hero-based camp that provides respite, fun activities and support to children afflicted with cancer, and their families. Participating officers with the Bristol and Middlebury Police departments, along with deputies with the Addison County Sheriff’s Department, have agreed to donate $50 or more to Camp-Ta-Kum-Ta. This allows them to temporarily sport facial hair, which they began growing during the first week of archery season (Oct. 5). They won’t need to pick up a razor through muzzleloader season. While officers won’t actively solicit donations, they won’t decline contributions from those who approach them. This is the fourth year of the fundraiser, which in 2018 netted $4,154. More information is available from Middlebury Police Officer Darrin Hinterneder at [email protected].
The Bristol, Lincoln, Monkton, New Haven and Starksboro fire departments are once again coming together to conduct a food drive for the Have-a-Heart Food Shelf that serves all five communities. Each fire department will open its station doors to food donations this coming Saturday, Oct. 26, from 9 a.m. to noon. The Have-a-Heart Food Shelf is based in the basement of St. Ambrose Church in Bristol. Its food reserves are currently low. Organizers hope this annual food drive will fill the shelves and carry hungry folks through the winter, when demand usually increases. Have-a-Heart serves more than 65 families monthly from the five-town region. Last year, the fire departments together collected more than 4,500 pounds of food and $1,000 in donations. Food in particular demand includes spaghetti sauce, veggies, soup, tuna, fruit, beans, peanut butter, cereal, rice, mac and cheese, juice and pasta. Also needed is toilet paper, deodorant, toothpaste and brushes, bar soap, laundry soap, and shampoo and conditioner.
Attention: The Bristol Conservation Commission and the community users of the universal fishing platform at Eagle Park in Bristol on the New Haven River are looking for your help in cleaning up and repairing the platform ramp, which is nine-tenths of a mile upstream from Bartlett Falls. The platform was damaged by flooding on Oct. 17. Organizers have set Saturday, Oct. 26, at 9 a.m. as the first choice for making the repairs. In the event of bad weather, the event will instead be held on Sunday, Oct. 27, at 9 a.m.
For the third year running Vergennes Union Elementary School students will have a chance to turn “scaring” into “caring,” by trick-or-treating for UNICEF. At local trunk-or-treat events and on Halloween night, students will carry little orange boxes with them to collect donations. The money collected will be sent to UNICEF to help fund clean water, nutritional supplements, school supplies, warm blankets and more for kids suffering the effects of extreme weather, war and famine. 
Participating students hope to raise $1,000 this Halloween to support children in need. Vergennes-area residents can help by setting aside their spare change now and keeping it in a dish next to their candy bowls on Halloween night — or in their trunks at area trunk-or-treat events.
Middlebury Underground and Bundle invite all to submit food stories for, or come and listen to them, at Memorable Dishes, a free, curated, open-mic event on Friday, Nov. 1 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Hosted at Bundle, the pop-up event space at 51 Main St. in Middlebury, the evening kicks off a new storytelling series that asks folks to dig deep into their memories and tell their best five-minute food-related tales. Complimentary local bites will tantalize taste buds while stories stoke appetites. Adult beverages from local partners will be available for purchase, alongside free local apple cider. Those who would like to submit a story to be considered as a featured presenter may send a written narrative (or outline) no longer than five minutes to [email protected]. The deadline for submissions is Oct. 25, but all are invited to come and share.
Congratulations to Middlebury Union High School graduate Cooke Maroney, who tied the knot with A-list actor Jennifer Lawrence this past Friday, Oct. 18. The wedding was held at the luxurious Belcourt mansion in Newport, R.I. Lawrence is an Oscar winner whose past credits include the “Hunger Games” and “X-Men” film series, as well as “American Hustle.” Maroney, a Leicester native, is a Manhattan art dealer.