FERRISBURGH — The League of Women Voters is encouraging all of us to vote this fall. Between Sept. 21 and Oct. 1, the Vermont Secretary of State will be sending out early voter absentee ballots to all voters who were registered by Sept. 1. Watch for this important mailing! Early voting will have started, so the ballots can be voted as soon as they are received. 
Now is a good time to plan how you want to vote. The options are as follows: 
•  By mail: The ballot can be mailed in the secure envelope provided with the ballot. The Secretary of State recommends mailing ballots by Oct. 24 to assure delivery by Nov. 3. 
•  By hand: The ballot can be delivered in the secure envelope to the Town Clerk’s Office up to the close of the office on Nov. 2. Many offices provide a secure drop-box where the ballot envelope can be deposited prior to Election Day. 
•  In person: Polls will be open for voting on Election Day for in-person voting. You can register and vote at the polls on Election Day. Please feel free to contact the Ferrisburgh Town Clerk for more details and to ask any questions at [email protected] or ferrisburghvt.org or call 877-3429. 
The Bixby Memorial Free Library is working to support families during this unique school year of 2020-2021. Visit their website to see the variety of books available to patrons on a range of topics related to education, enrichment and resources for home schooling families, parent support, and stress reduction and mental health and wellness. Additionally, for all its patrons, the Bixby Library offers curbside pickup, including laptop loans, museum and park passes and interlibrary loans on Saturdays 10 a.m.-2 p.m. and Tuesdays 10 a.m.-5 p.m. For more information, send an email to Ashley ([email protected]) or Laura ([email protected]) — they would love to help you! 
Also sign up for the many Bixby events both virtual and in person, such as the kids story time, book discussion club, and the Friday Night Movies. Or maybe you’d like to create a website to share your passions, talents, interests or advice with the world? Volunteer Dave Sullivan is available for technical help over the phone or via video. Email him at [email protected] and he’d be happy to get you started or help you polish off a project that you have underway.
Rokeby Museum will be open for its 2020 season until Sunday, Oct. 25. There is still time to see its ongoing exhibits such as “Free and Safe: The Underground Railroad in Vermont,” which details the stories of Simon and Jesse, two fugitives from slavery who found shelter at Rokeby in the 1830s. Also add to your visit a tour of the grounds and outbuildings and exploring the museum’s extensive hiking trails. The museum’s special 2020 exhibit, “Mending Fences: New Works” by Carol MacDonald includes prints and objects in the gallery and outdoor installations — all inspired by Rokeby Museum — that explore simple and profound acts of repair. The museum is open daily, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.. You can go to their website at rokeby.org for more information.
Our area schools have been working hard to provide learning experiences for our children and youth throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. The mild weather has allowed many outdoor activities so the students can be engaged in settings outside of the classroom. Meanwhile, in the school buildings, the students and staff continue to ward off infection by wearing masks, distancing, washing hands and other methods for keeping the COVID-19 virus at bay. Many key offerings continue to support the students, such as virtual college fairs, school meals, and certain sports activities. Please visit the schools’ websites for further information. 
All the updates on COVID-19 and also the school academic offerings can be found on the Ferrisburgh and Vergennes schools’ websites and there has been also messaging to families to help parents prepare for this very unusual school year.
Lake Champlain Maritime Museum continues to hold a variety of virtual learning experiences for adults and youth. There are several options for students and teachers available via interactive virtual options. Although the museum is still minimizing in-person contact due to COVID-19, students can still participate in such experiences as exploring an underwater shipwreck or studying lake ecology. These interactive virtual programs give students the chance to explore our region’s history, archaeology and ecology. More information is at lcmm.org. 
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 also able to access these columns and other information about Ferrisburgh news and events by viewing the Ferrisburgh Town Website at ferrisburghvt.org.