Don’t forget that this Saturday, May 7, is Green Up Day. Make time to go out and pick up trash and other debris that’s tainting the county’s scenic beauty. For information that will put you in touch with your town’s Green Up Day coordinator and much more, check out our story that ran in the Thursday, April 28, edition, online at addisonindependent.com, and of course also refer to greenupvermont.org.

The Lewis Creek Association is looking forward to planting trees on about 3.5 acres of land along Lewis Creek in Ferrisburgh. This collaboration among Central Vermont Trout Unlimited, Vermont River Conservancy, the association, and the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation will provide shading and a woody buffer along the creek. In turn, this will improve water quality and in-stream habitat for fish and other aquatic animals. A volunteer day to help plant trees is coming up on Sunday, May 8, from 9 a.m. to noon, or noon-3 p.m. Please sign up for planting by filling out the form at tinyurl.com/yc7ndybz, or by e-mailing Kate Kelly at [email protected].

Middlebury artist Katie Runde will unveil her official portrait of Alexander Twilight, America’s first state legislator of African descent, at the Vermont Statehouse on Thursday. The portrait was commissioned by the state curator and the Friends of the Vermont Statehouse. It will hang on the west side of the Main Lobby and will be revealed and celebrated at a ceremony there at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday. Many dignitaries are scheduled to attend, including Gov. Phil Scott and Bill Hart, Middlebury College professor of history emeritus.

Please join Walk/Bike Council of Addison County, Middlebury Safe Routes and Kathy Boe on Tuesday, May 17, for an 8-mile, slow-paced bike ride in honor of those who have been injured or killed while cycling on public roads. The annual ride is also a fundraiser and is named for Kelly Boe, who in 2015 was tragically killed while cycling. This is one of many rides occurring in mid-May commemorating the Annual National Ride of Silence to raise awareness that everyone who uses the roads has a responsibility for keeping people safe. Participants in the Kelly Boe Ride will assemble at the Middlebury Union High School entrance between 3:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. to check in and sign a waiver. Please wear a helmet. The route will go through Middlebury and Weybridge via Weybridge Street and Hamilton Road, with police escort, and return to MUHS by about 5 p.m. Cyclists should not cross the center median. The ride will proceed if there is gentle rain, but will be cancelled in heavy rain, thunder or lightning. Donations can be made at registration. Checks can be made out to “Kelly Boe Scholarship Fund.”

For a fifth year, Bristol’s streets will be buzzing with the thrum of creative motion for the Human Powered Parade on Saturday, May 14, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Come celebrate human power at this season’s parade and activity fair showcasing organizations engaged in humanitarian efforts globally and locally. Decorate yourself and your bike, scooter, wagon, pushcart, Flintstone mobile … and start the parade route from the Bristol Hub teen center. New this year — a shorter route, with fewer stops along the way to keep folks moving. Gathering and activities will take place before and after on the Hub lawn. More info can be found at BristolVtRec.com.

Nationwide, there are more than 407,000 children and youths in foster care. More than 1,100 of them live here in Vermont. Of these, more than 100 children and youth are hoping to find permanency through adoption. All need affirming, inclusive homes where they can feel safe, loved and supported. May is National Foster Care Month, and while the top goal is to place foster children with kin, other reliable care providers can increase stability, reduce trauma and help children maintain a sense of family, belonging, and cultural identity. If you have ever considered foster care, there’s always a need for more families and supportive community resources to help children in need. Foster families are especially needed, families willing and able to care for children of all ages, from infants to teens; sibling groups; LGBTQ youth; and children with complex medical needs and developmental disabilities. As a foster care provider, you can be single, married, living with a partner or joined through a civil union. You can be straight or gay, young or old. You can be a stay-at-home parent or one that works. All types of families are needed, and all are welcome to apply. To learn more, go to dcf.vermont.gov/foster. If you want someone to get in touch with you, complete a short form at dcf.vermont.gov/foster-care-inquiry.

Save the date. The 14th annual Tour de Farms will be held Sunday, Sept. 18, in conjunction with the Shoreham Apple Fest. Organizers are bringing the tour back to where it all began — Shoreham and Orwell, with a fantastic lineup of farms for cyclists to visit along what will be a 30-mile course. The course will include some hills along the way, and a number of unpaved roads. Mountain bikes, gravel grinders or road bikes with wide tires are strongly recommended. While the tour is recommended for riders 14 years old and up, any children under 14 should be experienced road riders and must be accompanied by an adult, as participants will be sharing the roads with vehicles. A route map will be provided at registration/check-in. COVID protocols will be posted closer to the ride based on the latest information and CDC recommendations. The annual Tour de Farms is the top fundraiser for the Addison County Relocalization Network. More details about this year’s tour will be forthcoming, so check out acornvt.org/tourdefarms.