Here’s an extra excuse to come to downtown Middlebury these days: Bundle in the Park, which takes place every Thursday between 10 a.m. and noon in Riverfront Park in the Marble Works, near the giant yellow chair. All ages are welcome and it’s totally free. Bundle will also host a “Pop-Up Artist Market” on Saturday, Aug. 29, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Riverfront Park that will be outside in the fresh air to meet all COVID-related safety guidelines. You can keep up to date on Bundle’s future activities at its Facebook page.
The colder months will soon be upon us, and area food shelves are looking to stock up on provisions for 5-Town-area folks who might otherwise go hungry. The Have a Heart Food Shelf at St. Ambrose Church in Bristol is looking for non-perishables, including donations of cans of tuna/chicken, beans, peanut butter/jelly/jam, dry pasta, soup and tomato sauce. Please make sure of the expiration date on the foods before you donate. You can drop these items off on the St. Ambrose rectory porch and/or Kathy Burritt’s house at 65 Munsill Ave., Bristol. Any monetary donations can be sent to Kathy at that same address. Also, gardeners with fresh, extra produce are encouraged to drop it off at St. Ambrose on Thursday, Aug. 27, or Friday, Aug. 28, from 3 to 4 p.m. each day. Please don’t drop it off at any other time, as no one will be there to receive it.
Meanwhile, the Vergennes Community Food Shelf is open to help anyone across Addison County who needs food and toiletries during the pandemic. Shelves are well stocked with canned soups and vegetables, pasta, cereal, juice, peanut butter and jelly, tuna, rice, beans and much more. Milk, bread and eggs are always available, and thanks largely to Shaw’s Supermarket, the freezers are well stocked with a variety of meat. The building is behind the Vergennes Congregational Church at 30 South Water St. Volunteers are there to hand out food between 2 and 4 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays and 8-10 a.m. on Saturdays.
Beginning Aug. 31, three remote Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles locations (Montpelier, Rutland and South Burlington) will be open, by appointment only. Scheduling is expected to begin on Thursday, Aug. 27. The DMV is conducting exams in Berlin, Colchester, Montpelier, Rutland and South Burlington. All exams require an appointment that can be made at htdmv.vermont.gov/COVID/Appointments. DMV phone lines are open with additional staff to handle the increased call volume. At times it might be difficult to get through to the call center. Consider using the DMV contact forms rather than calling: dmv.vermont.gov/contact. Also, the DMV encourages you to keep your license and registration current by renewing online. But if you’re unable to, all registrations and licenses have a 90-day extension per Act 91. If you have a license that expires today or expired in the last 90 days, it is valid. Follow DMV COVID-19 updates at dmv.vermont.gov/COVID.
The Lincoln Community School — like many others — is trying to increase its capacity for outdoor teaching and learning in covered sheltered spaces. School starts on Sept. 8 and boosters are trying to raise $15,000 over 15 days to support this initiative. To learn more or donate online visit friendsoflcs.org. Or you can mail a check to Friends of LCS at PO Box 361, Bristol, VT 05443.