We received this message from U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders on Wednesday: “My office is hosting a fun-for-all-ages holiday gathering in Vergennes this Friday, Dec. 13. It will be a great opportunity to come together to for an old fashioned holiday season celebration to enjoy holiday music, eat sweet treats, and connect with friends and neighbors.” The message said “Cookies and Carols with Bernie” will start at 2 p.m. at Armory Lane Senior Housing at 50 Armory Lane in the Little City. There was no promise that Bernie would personally lead the singing, but he said there would be hot chocolate. RSVPs are encouraged — head online to tinyurl.com/BernieCarols.

Officials at the Hub Teen Center in Bristol have initiated a raffle to raise money for improvements to the local skatepark. The raffle includes prizes from Burton, Tata Harper, Vermont Market Place, Bees Wrap, and more. Check it out at tinyurl.com/fe3264ke. All the products are listed independently, so you can purchase raffle tickets for what you’re most interested in. There is no cap on number of submissions for a prize. You can pay online or at the Rec Department office and pay with cash or check for tickets. More prizes could be added during the raffle., which will conclude with an announcement of winners on Dec. 20. You can get more info about the Bristol skatepark project at tinyurl.com/5n7rfxce.

Winter in Vermont is synonymous with home heating, and the Vermont Department of Public Safety’s Fire Safety Division reminds you that the most common causes of fires in the home are cooking, electrical problems, unattended candles, heating systems and smoking. These causes can be mitigated by being fire safe and being attentive to these risks. Here are some simple steps you can take to ensure your safety and that of your family in the event of a fire: Have working smoke and CO alarms, one inside each sleeping space, outside of the sleeping area and one on every level of the home; in the event of a fire, always remember to act quickly and get out, closing the doors behind you as you exit the home to slow the spread of the fire and limit its supply of oxygen; and once you’re out of the home, never go back inside. For more information on being fire safe, visit FireSafety.Vermont.gov.

Speaking of winter, it’s a season in which low-income residents face severe challenges putting food on the table, as they must also contend with heating fuel bills. Bristol’s “Have-A-Heart Food Shelf,” located in the basement of St. Ambrose Catholic Church, is doing all it can to keep up with demand. The food shelf serves folks in need throughout the 5-Town area of Bristol, Lincoln, Starksboro, New Haven and Monkton. You can help by sending a check to Have-A-Heart Food Shelf at 11 School St., Bristol, VT 05443, or by donating at checkout in the Bristol Shaw’s Supermarket. Have-A-Heart Food Shelf is a 501(c)(3) Charitable Organization, is independent and volunteer-run.

New Haven’s Beeman Elementary School needs more mentors. The time commitment is about two hours per month, which is generally accomplished by meeting a student for lunch at the school once a week. If that doesn’t work for you, you can meet outside of school. You don’t have to live in New Haven, so if you work nearby and can get away for lunch, this would be a great way to volunteer. And lunch is covered by the school. The Mentor Program plans events throughout the year, has passes for free or discounted activities, and provides individual support to each match. All volunteers go through a background check, including fingerprinting, and insurance is provided by the district. Any questions? Please contact Vicki Coyle, the Mount Abraham Unified School District’s mentor program coordinator, via email at [email protected].

The holiday season can be a tricky time to reduce waste. On average, households create 25% more waste during the holidays. What can be done? Here are a few tips that can help make a difference, according to Addison County Solid Waste Management District: When wrapping presents, try using reusable or repurposed options such as cloth or newspapers. When shopping for gifts, think about what people will use or need, rather than items that may go to waste, be returned, or be thrown away. Also, dispose of your Christmas tree properly after the holiday season. The solid waste transfer station in Middlebury offers free disposal of Christmas trees through January. Some farmers collect trees to feed goats, and some towns have clubs that collect Christmas trees curbside after the holidays. Check out addisoncountyrecycles.org for more information.

The Vermont Council on Rural Development (VCRD) has announced its awardees for the fourth competitive round of the Climate Catalyst Innovation Fund grants, and the list includes two Addison County recipients. The Addison County Relocalization Network (ACORN) and the Addison County Economic Development Corporation (ACEDC) each received $4,000. The ACEDC will use its grant to “support the expertise and community organizing to advance several Thermal Energy Network projects in Middlebury.” ACORN will use the monty “to support a farmer-led network for climate resilience.” To date, the Climate Catalyst Innovation Fund has awarded 92 local innovators with over $285,000 in support of community-led climate and energy projects.