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Calendar… August 6, 2014

UPCOMING EVENTS AT THE RANDALL LIBRARY
Elizabeth Elo – author of  North of Boston, Thursday, August 7, 7pm. Ms Elo’s debut novel has garnered starred reviews from Booklist and Publishers Weekly as well as praise from well-known authors and critics. This gripping literary thriller introduces Pirio Kasparov, a gutsy and  tough-talking girl from Boston who is  thrown into a gritty mystery which she is drawn to solve. Come meet Ms. Elo and hear her read from her chilling, atmospheric new novel.

Tim Reed’s Science Show on August 12 has been cancelled!- We’re sorry
Explore the Outdoors with Cynthia Maxfield, Wednesday, August 13, 10: 30am. Take a walk with us as we look closely at nature’s wonders. Children will use different magnifiers as they make new scientific discoveries all around the library.

Exploring the Worcester Art Museum, 18th to 21st Century Collections – Thursday August 14,  7pm. The Randall Library is proud to have Martha Chiarchiaro teaching a three-part series of lectures on the great works of art at the Worcester Art Museum. Come to the third of these informative and beautiful discussions of the treasures at this marvelous local museum. Passes to the museum are available, thanks to the Randall Library Friends Association.

Preschool Story Times –  Join our Youth Services Librarian, Christine Morrison, for a fun story time with a craft after the readings.All Prechool Story TImes are on Fridays at 10:30am.     Some special events: August 15 – Come meet Sweet Pea the baby goat! August 22 – Focused on learning more about horses, we will even be making a hobby horse that you can take home to ride! August 29 – Continuing in our “farm-to-family” theme for the month, we will be doing a story-time all about sheep. Come make a wonderful little sheep craft you will love to play with and display around your home.

Sensei Pat’s Karate Demonstration, Tuesday, August 19, 2-3pm. Continuing in our fizz, boom, read science for summer fun, local karate expert Sensei Pat will demonstrate the physics of martial arts. Come learn more about how karate works.

Wings & Wheels: Cruise-In/Fly-In to Minute Man Air Field
Head to Minute Man Air Field (302 Boxboro Rd.) every Thursday night this summer 5pm – 8pm, through August 28. There are featured cars each week, but all cars are welcome. This event features great food including wood-fired pizzas, burgers, and dogs from Nancy’s Air Field Cafe. Plenty of show parking and separate public parking. Suggested donation of $5 to benefit local and international service projects. For more information, visit www.WingsandWheelsMA.com or www.Facebook.com/WingsandWheelsMA.

STOW AREA PARENTS NETWORK PRE-KINDERGARTEN PLAYGROUP
Saturday, August 9, 1:30pm – 3:30pm; Center School playground, Stow. Calling all kid about to enter kindergarten! Join us for a pre-kindergarten playgroup with your soon-to-be classmates. We will meet at the Center School playground for play time, a craft, and a visit from the ice cream truck! All local children who are about to enter kindergarten, along with their caregivers, are invited to join us – you do not need to be a member of SAPN to participate. Please RSVP on BigTent, or email Leigh at [email protected]. For more information about SAPN visit our web site at www.bigtent.com/groups/sapn1, or email [email protected].

Bicycle Recycle Day in Stow
On Saturday, August 9, 9am-12pm, at Union Church (317 Great Rd.), donate your bike for reuse. Any bicycle is a good bicycle, reclaim-reuse: We will take Racing, Mountain, Bmx, Cruiser, kids, old/new. Our aim is to keep bicycles from being destroyed when they can be reused. Too many bicycles get throw away or end up at the transfer station in the scrap metal pile. There is no cost, and your old or new bicycle unwanted bicycle will get a new home. If you are not able to drop your bicycle/s off, please call and we will pick it up. Bikes from all towns are welcome.

Questions – contact Dennis Wood, at 508-277-7513 or [email protected].

WEST SCHOOL EVENTS
On Sunday, August 10, the West School Museum will host an Open House from 3pm to 5:30pm. Visit Stow’s 1825 one room schoolhouse and learn about its history and schooling in the 19th century.
Sunday, September 7, will be the School’s Back to School program, and Sunday, October 5, Storyteller Todd Goodwin’s will offer his Stories of New England.

All events begin at 3pm and are run jointly by the Stow Historical Commission and the Stow Historical Society. The Stow West School is located on Harvard Road at the intersection with Hiley Brook Road. Convenient parking is across the road. These programs are sponsored in part by a grant from the Stow Cultural Council which is supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.

VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL
St. Isidore Parish is pleased to offer our Vacation Bible School again this summer! Our “Weird Animals” adventure begins on Monday, August 11 and ends on Thursday, August 14.  Each day runs from 9:30am – 12:30pm, and there is an evening session for children and parents on Thursday, August 14, from 6:30 – 8pm. The cost is $30 per child, with a maximum of $90 per family.  The week is open to children age 4 by September 1 through those entering 6th grade in the fall.

Additional information and the registration form is available on the St. Isidore Parish website, stisidorestow.org, or you can contact Joyce Pinney, Faith Formation Director at 978-897-2710 or at [email protected].

The New Book Club
The next meeting of the New Book Club will be on Tuesday, August 12, 7pm, at Randall Library. Our pick for August is The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows.

Set in Both London and Guernsey Island, the novel follows author Juliet Ashton as she becomes friends with the inhabitants of the island shortly after the end of World War II.  Written as a series of letters, Juliet begins a remarkable correspondence with the people of this island, learning about the island itself, their taste in books and the impact the German Occupation had on their lives. Questions….call 978-897-2720.

SEE Lower Village  Traffic Plans
The Town of Stow Planning Department will be holding a public meeting to view final traffic design plans for the Lower Village Business District on August 13, 7pm, in Stow Town Hall. Transportation engineers with Howard/Stein – Hudson will discuss the solutions chosen to mitigate traffic congestion, circulation issues, and safety. Planning Department staff will share the results of this past year’s Visual Preference survey to discuss how new zoning and design efforts can boost economic potential in Lower Village. Light refreshments will be served.

Stow Fall Soccer – Pre-K and Kindergarten
Fall soccer registration is now open for Stow boys and girls born between 9/1/08 and 4/1/10. Munchkins (Pre-K) and Transitions (K) will meet on Saturday mornings, with an emphasis on fun and teamwork. Please visit www.stowsoccer.org for additional information and online registration through August 15. For additional question contact Ellen Fagan ([email protected], 978-897-9214) or Art McDonald ([email protected]).

UPCOMING ARTISANS FAIR & LOCAL ARTISANS WANTED
The Lake Boon Association is hosting its annual “Lake Boon Artisans Fair” on Sat., August  23, 10am-3:30pm, at the beautiful Pine Bluffs Recreation Area, as part of the fun-filled 2014 Water Carnival weekend. Shoppers, mark your calendars to come support your talented neighbors by buying wonderful hand-crafted items! We are also looking for additional local artisans to sell, and are asking for a nominal donation from each artisan ($10 for Lake Boon Assoc. members, $15 for non-members) to reserve a space. Artisans will need to provide their own table/display for selling. Space is limited so please contact us soon for more information. Call or email Kris (978-430-4109, [email protected] ) or Lynne (978-212-5269, [email protected] ).

Farm to Table Pot Luck
Save the Date: August 23 from 6 to 9 p.m. Visit a local farm, farmers market or your own garden in the morning, then bring something amazing to share on Saturday night!  This gathering is being sponsored by the Stow Conservation Trust and hosted by Applefield Farm to celebrate the farms that keep Stow a special place. More details to follow at www.stowconservationtrust.org.

STOW BIKE FOR THE WOODS
The 13th annual Stow Bike for the Woods is taking place Sunday, August 24. This is a family-friendly road-bike ride in support of the Stow Conservation Trust. Registration starts at 8:30am, ride at 9am. The ride starts in front of the Randall Librar,  at the junction of Routes 117 and 62. You can register for the ride and get more information at http://bikeforthewoods.org  We will have food and drink including fresh peaches, cider donuts, and our famous mid-ride lemonade stand.

Choose from a variety of ride lengths including 5, 14, 28, 35, 48 and a 65-mile metric century. All ages and abilities are welcome. The routes take you by some of the conservation property in the area. The Stow Conservation Trust aims to preserve open space for future generations. All proceeds from the ride go to the Trust.

Sing Bach with Sounds of Stow Chorus
The Sounds of Stow Chorus and Orchestra welcomes singers to join us in performing our fall concert. Rehearsals are Monday evenings from 7:30pm to 9:30pm in the hall of the First Parish Church, 353 Great Road. First rehearsal is Monday, August 25.

The fall concert will be held Sunday afternoon, November 23, in Stow. Artistic Director and Conductor Barbara Jones will lead us in preparing selections from Bach’s joyful “Christmas Oratorio” cantatas. Its wonderful choruses, arias, and chorales will be performed with full orchestral accompaniment and four accomplished vocal soloists.

Participation in the 4-part SATB chorus is open to all – no auditions required – and offers the opportunity to learn exciting and challenging music in a friendly, fun, and supportive atmosphere. The first three rehearsals – on August 25, September 1 and 8 – are open, where interested singers are welcome to come and see what we are all about. Contact Ms. Jones (978-562-2620) or Martha Pfeiffer (978-562-0302) with questions, visit www.soundsofstow.com for more information, or simply attend rehearsals for the opportunity to learn about this inspiring music and participate in the concert.

Sounds of Stow is supported in part by the Massachusetts Cultural Council as administered by the Stow, Acton-Boxborough, Bolton and Hudson Cultural Councils.

~Outside of Stow~

Assabet Village Food Co-op Information Meeting
Are you interested in food? Is healthy food access important to you? Do you like to support local businesses? Then come learn more about the Assabet Village Food Cooperative. The Assabet Village Food Co-op will hold an open meeting to provide more information about this initiative, how a co-op will support the local economy and community, and how you can get involved!  Come hear about what we’ve done so far, what comes next, and more.   The meeting is on Thursday, August 14, at 7pm, at the Maynard Library (77 Nason St.), first floor. Questions preceding the event, please email [email protected] or go to http://assabetvillagecoop.com.

Worcester County Sheriff to Host Annual Senior Picnic
Worcester County Sheriff Lew Evangelidis has announced the Sheriff’s Annual Senior Picnic will be held at SAC Park in Shrewsbury on Saturday, August 16, from 11am to 3pm. Admission is free for all seniors. In addition to a traditional BBQ menu, the Sheriff’s Picnic will include a fun afternoon of complimentary bingo games, raffle prizes, and music entertainment. Attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs, as space is limited in the pavilion area.   For more information, please contact the Worcester CountyReserve Deputy Sheriff’s Association at 508-796-0344 or visit www.worcestercountysheriff.com.

FAMILY WELLNESS FAIR
The 3rd annual Family Wellness Fair will be held on Saturday, August 16, on the Lancaster Town Green, from 10am-2pm. This year’s event features dozens of local businesses and groups offering family health and wellness services. The event will kick off at 10am with a 1/2 mile family fun walk. Safety tips from the Lancaster firefighters and police officers. Explore a fire truck and police car!  The 4-H will demonstrate animal care with local farm animals! Face painting, Zumba demo, RAD kids self defense demo, healthy foods demo, and more will be offered throughout the day! Huge raffle display and enter to win fabulous health related products and services! This Family Wellness Fair is hosted by Corrective Chiropractic and will benefit Karen’s Closet, a nonprofit organization that provides coats, clothing, and other necessities to local schools for students in need. Free admission!

WINDOWS ON EARTH: Astronauts Photograph the Earth
Gallery Seven presents Windows on Earth, a series of 20 images photographed by astronauts from the International Space Station and fine tuned by artist Dan Barstow. We are accustomed to seeing photographs of the earth from space, and they look like what they are, images taken for scientific or military purposes. In the case of these photographs,the astronauts are working as artists. They are making artistic and aesthetic choices – this is the first step in the process. The second, is Stow artist Dan Barstow working with the digital file in order to fine tune color and tonality, to help capture what the astronauts might have seen and felt as they clicked the shutter.

The exhibition runs from August 19 to September 27. Opening Reception: Saturday, September 6, 7-9 p.m. For more information about Gallery Seven and upcoming exhibitions please call 978-897-9777, or visit us at www.gallerysevenmaynard.com.