News

Art in the Park is Saturday, Sept. 20 - and other news briefs


Published: September 18, 2008

Art in the Park is Saturday

A busy weekend is highlighted by the Andovers Artists Guild's 34th annual Art in the Park on Saturday, Sept. 20 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Park in Andover. In the event of inclement weather the show will be held on Sunday, Sept. 21 for 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Art in the Park is a large, non-profit cultural venture attracting 100 artists from all over New England. It includes exhibits and sales by individual artists and a competition judged by well known individuals in various fields, according to Diane Butler, Art in the Park committee member. She said its purposes are to:

Raise funds to help support the Andovers Artists Guild Scholarship Fund for high school seniors who are continuing their study of art.

Provide a showcase for serious artists in the New England area.

Provide an opportunity for the public to consider fine art works in an informal atmosphere.

 

 

Quota of Andover hosts membership meeting

Quota of Andover cordially invites members of the surrounding communities to a Membership Reception on Thursday, Sept. 25 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Memorial Hall Library, top floor at 3 Main St., Andover

Quota of Andover, a service organization, provides support to women and children in need and the hearing-impaired. Our annual membership reception is an informational forum for prospective members. Members currently reside in the following communities: Amesbury, Andover, Carlisle, Chelmsford, Lawrence, Lowell, Methuen, North Andover, North Reading, Rockport and Tewksbury. Please join us to learn more about the group, become acquainted with our members and to hear from some of our beneficiaries about the impact of our grants. Refreshments will be served. Contact Tina Cummings, Membership Chair at 978-664-0737.

Flags on Graves

On Sunday, Oct. 19, Andover Veterans, boy scouts, cub scouts, girl sco uts and interested citizens will meet at 11 a.m. at Spring Grove Cemetery on Abbot Street to replace 3,500 flags on the graves of deceased Andover Veterans. The process takes about 90 minutes and affords an opportunity to see parts of Andover's history up close. In case of inclement weather the flags will be placed at 11 a.m. on Sunday, Oct. 26. For more information call the Veterans Office at 978-623-8218.

American Rivers and NOAA Award $50,000 to Restore Shawsheen River

Eighty-five miles of the Shawsheen River and local streams will soon be healthier, thanks to a partnership between American Rivers, the nation's leading river conservation organization, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Restoration Center. The river and local community will benefit from a grant of $50,000, which will be used to conduct a feasibility study examining the removal of three dams on the Shawsheen River.

Over the past seven years, the collaboration between American Rivers and NOAA has resulted in more than $2 million being invested in more than 100 projects that provide passage for migratory fish through dam or culvert removal, as well as through traditional and nontraditional fish passage methods.

"All across the country, people are changing the way they look at rivers, from something that cuts a town in half, to something that can bind a community together," said Rebecca Wodder, President of American Rivers. "We're thrilled to be working side by side with NOAA so that communities across the nation can experience the joy of a thriving river, and the economic opportunities it brings with it."

"Strong community-based stewardship is the key ingredient to successful coastal habitat restoration," said retired Navy Vice Admiral Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Ph.D., under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA administrator. "Our partnership with American Rivers promotes local action on behalf of the habitat that sustains our nation's fishery resources and communities."

Restoration of the Shawsheen River will provide 25 mainstem river miles and 60 tributary miles of high quality habitat for American shad, river herring, American eel and other migratory and resident fish. By restoring these fish as well as natural river and floodplain habitat, the Shawsheen restoration will provide substantial ecosystem benefits to the Merrimack River watershed, central New England and the Gulf of Maine. The project will also provide significant social, cultural and economic benefits, through education, stewardship and downtown improvement opportunities.

The Shawsheen River restoration is being accomplished by a partnership of state, federal, local and non-governmental organizations, including the Town of Andover, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and Center for Ecosystem Restoration, working closely with dam owners and other local stakeholders.

Andover- Hot off the Presses: the EAT cookbook! A cookbook containing recipes and stories from Andover.

During the spring of 2008 the Andover Historical Society hosted an enrichment program at both High Plain and West Elementary School's entitled Exploring Andover's Tastes. During the program students studied historic preservation, focusing on oral histories. Students learned the importance of preservation not only of tangible objects, but also of intangibles such a thoughts, emotions, and memories. As a culminating final product the two schools worked collectively to produce a high quality cookbook that features recipes from the Andover Community as well as the memories and stories associated with them. The cookbook is $7 and can be ordered from the Andover Historical Society, 97 Main Street, Andover, MA 01810, 978-475-2236, education@andoverhistorical.org.

Veterans Appreciation Luncheon

On Friday, Nov. 7, the Director of Veterans Service Office is hosing an Appreciation Luncheon for Andover Veterans at noon at the Old Andover Town Hall. This is a free luncheon for Andover Veterans yet tickets are required and space is limited. Stop by the Veterans Office or mail a self addressed stamped envelope to the Veterans Office before Oct. 24 to reserve a ticket. For more information call the Veterans Office at 978-623-8218.

Veterans Day

On Sunday, Nov. 11 the Town of Andover will be memorializing Veterans Day. There will be three brief ceremonies followed by a luncheon at the Masonic Temple located at 7 High St., at 1 p.m. The ceremonies will be at West parish Cemetery at 10 a.m., Spring Grove Cemetery at 11 a.m., and Ballardvale Green at noon. The Veterans Day Program will be held even if there is inclement weather. If the inclement weather is moderate to heavy rain a brief ceremony will be held at Elm Green at noon, followed indoors at the Masonic Temple. For more information call the Veterans Office at 978-623-8218.

NECC Launches Fundraiser

The Northern Esses Community College Student Engagement Center and Athletic Department are working together on a new recycling, fundraiser program called Phoneraiser.

Through this program, donations of used cell phones and inkjet cartridges can be made directly to the college. Individuals making the donations can claim a tax deductible donation on their taxes, and the college will receive money from Phoneraiser for each item collected. The donations help the exvironment by keeping these toxic items out of landfills. Unwanted cell phones and inkjet cartridges will be recycled by the college in accordance to EPA regulations or refurbished and reused.

Donations will be accepted all semester at the following locations: Sport and Fitness Center, Snack Bar, D104 and the Security Office in the Spurk Building on the Haverhill campus, and the Student Engagement Centger, Dimitry Building Room 131, on the Lawrence campus. Proceeds will benefit NECC Athletics and Student Engagement.

For more information contact Dina Brown, director, NECCC Student Engagement Center, at 978-556-3732 or dbrown@necc.mass.edu.

The Lawrence Rotary Club and Interact Club

The Lawrence Rotary Club and Interact Club, comprised of students from the Greater Lawrence Technical School, will hold a car wash at the front of the Greater Lawrence Technical School on 57 River Rd. in Andover from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 20.

Donations of $5 will be paareciated. All proceeds will be donated to various churches in Lawrence, so that they might replenish their food pantries for the needy.

Merrimack River Feline Rescue Society Calendar

The Merrimack River Feline Rescue Society's 2009 Calendar is now available! The calendar is filled with the adorable faces of cats and kittens living with local families and those cared for and available for adoption through MRFRS. A perfect holiday gift for the cat lover in your life, the calendar is available for a $15 donation at locations in an around the North Shore including Village Pet in Newburyport, Newbury Animal Hospital in Newbury, The Natural Dog in Newburyport, Merrimack Valley Animal Hospital in Amesbury and MRFRS adoption centers in Salisbury and Danvers. The calendar can also be ordered online at www.mrfrs.org. Call 978-462-0760 for more information. All proceeds from calendar sales go to fund the nonprofit organization's proactive, compassionate, no-kill programs.

MRFRS is a nationally recognized, non-profit volunteer organization committed to ensuring the health and welfare of feral and domestic cats and kittens by promoting proactive, compassionate, no-kill programs.


Volunteer readers needed: Do you love to read with children?

The Merrimack Valley Jewish Coalition for Literacy, now beginning its seventh year, is looking for volunteers to work with local students who need help learning to read. The coalition offers short training sessions that will teach people strategies for helping students. To learn more, come to our open house on Wednesday, Sept. 24, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the meeting room at Memorial Hall Library in Andover. Meet other volunteers and enjoy dessert and coffee. For more information, call Sherry Comerchero, coalition coordinator, at 978-975-0006.

Korean Cultural Outreach classes

Korean Cultural Outreach at Andover is a nonprofit organization and part of the community service program at Phillips Academy.

Korean Cultural Outreach at Andover is designed for families of adopted Korean children from 3 years of age and up, and for local families who are interested in learning about Korean culture and language. Siblings are welcome. This year, classes begin Sunday, Sept. 21, from 3 to 4:30 p.m. in Bulfinch Hall on the Phillips Academy campus.

For more information, e-mail Elizabeth Wilkin at chinakorea@andover.edu, or call 978-749-4377.

Chinese Cultural Outreach at Phillips

On Sunday, Sept. 21, at 3 p.m., Andover Chinese Cultural Outreach will begin it 10th anniversary year at Phillips Academy. Andover Chinese Cultural Outreach is designed for families of adopted Chinese children from 3 years of age and up and for families in Essex County who are interested in learning about Chinese culture and language. Phillips Academy students meet with families every other Sunday from 3 to 4:30 p.m. in Bulfinch Hall on the Phillips Academy campus. Siblings are welcome.

For more information, contact Elizabeth Wilkin at chinakorea@andover.edu, or call 978-749-4377.

Preschool screenings

Andover public schools will conduct a screening for 3- and 4-year-old preschool children in the community on the third Friday of every month, including Sept. 19. The screening is voluntary and available to parents who have a concern about their child's development. The screening is conducted by members of the special education staff and provides information about a child's speech and language ability, fine and gross motor skills and overall cognitive growth. Screening results help determine whether more information or evaluation is needed.

Call Mary Kay at 978-623-8850 to schedule an appointment.

How's your health?

The Andover Board of Health is hosting a cholesterol screening clinic on Wednesday, Sept. 24, from 9 a.m. until noon. An appointment is necessary. The clinic is for Andover residents only.

The finger stick test costs $5 and does not require fasting. For an appointment, call the Health Department at 978-623-8295.

This program is made possible through a grant from the Andover Home for Aged People.

Registration tonight for Pack 76

Pack 76 Cub Scout registration is Thursday, Sept. 18 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at South School in the cafeteria. Sign-ups for new and returning scouts is open to all boys in South School district in grade 1 through grade 5. Regularly scheduled den and pack meetings plus fun annual events including Rec Park campout, swim night, museum sleepover and pinewood derby. Come by and sign up for scouting! Registration cost is $95 which includes a one year subscription to Boy's Life.

Sign up for PSAT, National Merit tests

The counseling office at Andover High School is accepting registration of Andover High School sophomores and juniors, no walk-ins accepted for the Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test.

Registration can be made Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. The cost of the exam is $23.50, payable by check only at the time of registration. The check should be made payable to Andover High School. No registrations will be accepted after Friday, Oct. 3. A bulletin containing a sample test and answer key will be given to students when they register.

The test is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 18, from 8 a.m. to noon.

All registered Andover High School students should report no later than 7:50 a.m. on that day and bring a calculator and pencils to the exam.

Rotary Club to keep summer rolling

This year, the Rotary Club of Andover will host its principal fundraising event on Friday, Oct. 24, 6 to 11 p.m., at the Andover Town House (Old Town Hall). With the theme "Endless Summer," it will feature live entertainment by the nationally acclaimed Baha Brothers Band.

Andover lawyer Peter Cotch, the club's president-elect, is chairman of the event. He encourages people to show up in festive, resort attire. "This time around it was decided to do something very different," said Cotch. "We're going to have a rollicking beach party! It will be one last fling before putting away the summer clothes."

In addition to door prizes and an auction, there will be a raffle drawing for one's choice of a luxury vacation on the island of Crete (Greece) or $5,000 cash. For tickets, contact any club member (see Web site) or e-mail EndlessSummer@RotaryAndover.org. Attendance will be limited to 200 people by order of the town.

Help after a trauma

Volunteers with the Trauma Intervention Program of Merrimack Valley will begin their 15th year of service to the community this October.

TIP volunteers are called by local police, fire and emergency personnel to provide on-scene emotional and practical support to survivors of events such as automobile and ATV fatalities, deaths of infants, fires, assaults, suicides, bank robberies and natural death.

With the help of a grant by The Rogers Foundation, there will be a TIP Training Academy in October. Anyone interested in applying to be part of the TIP team can e-mail rbela17288@comcast.net.

Art in Ballardvale

Kismet Wellness Center of Andover is hosting "Faces of Buddha," a body of work by Lowell artist Virginia Peck. "Faces of Buddha" consists of 10 limited-edition gicl’©e prints on canvas, all inspired by the artist's daily practice of meditation and yoga and by her careerlong interest in painting the human face. They are published by Keeping Still Mountain Press, co-owned by the artist and by longtime Andover art dealer Peter Alpers.

Kismet Wellness Center is at 204 Andover St., second floor, in the Ballardvale district of Andover.

Andover Historical Society part of Trails and Sails weekend

"Shawsheen Village, A Different Kind of 'Company Town'" is one of the more than 200 free events offered as part of the Trails and Sails 2008.

The Andover Historical Society is one of 140 organizations in Essex County participating in the 7th annual Trails and Sails 2008 Sept. 26 through 28.

The program will allow residents to "discover one man's fascinating vision of a corporate community where company managers and their families lived and worked together in a virtually self-contained environment. The tour will point out how the village contained a variety of structures: company facilities mills, administration building, and sales offices, homes carefully divided between upper and middle management, and community spaces commercial, professional, and recreational/social."

The tour will last 90 minutes, beginning Saturday, Sept. 27 at 8:30 a.m. and departing from Brickstone Square, off York Street. Call 978-475-2236 for more information.

September health clinics

The Andover Health Department will offer a mini clinic on Monday, Sept. 22, from 1 to 2 p.m. at Frye Circle. Senior Center clinics will be held 2 to 3 p.m. each Wednesday, including Sept. 24. No appointment is necessary.

Call For Entries: Young writers invited to enter writing contest

The Massachusetts Center for the Book is now accepting entries for its annual writing contest, Letters About Literature. Students in grades four through 12 are invited to write a personal letter to an author explaining how his or her work changed the student's view of the world or themselves. Young readers can select any fiction or nonfiction book, poem or speech about which to write.

The deadline for entries is Dec. 6. To obtain the required entry coupon and get additional information about the contest, visit the Massachusetts Center for the Book Web site at massbook.org, or call 617-521-2719.

Seniors sought for talent show

Individuals 50 years old and older with a special talent are invited to audition for Northern Essex Community College's Life Long Learning's second annual talent show on Thursday, Nov. 13, at 2 p.m. in the Technology Center on the Haverhill campus. There is a $1 admission fee the day of the show.

Last year, 19 contestants participated for first, second and third place. A panel of three judges will vote on the individual acts.

Auditions are necessary to participate in the program. For an appointment to audition, call Charlene Boucher, coordinator of NECC's Life Long Learning program, at 978-556-3825. Talents may include singing, writing and reciting poetry, comedy, dancing, or juggling.

Life Long Learning is a program of lectures, study groups and trips for adults offered through NECC.

With campuses in Haverhill and Lawrence and extension sites in Andover, Methuen, and North Andover, NECC is a state-assisted college.

Central Catholic High School in Lawrence hosts Homecoming/Reunion Weekend

Central Catholic High School in Lawrence is hosting the second annual Homecoming/Reunion Weekend on Friday, Oct. 10, and Saturday, Oct. 11. Alumni from all classes of Central Catholic and the former St. Mary's High School are welcome. The weekend begins Oct. 10 with the Homecoming football game and culminates Oct. 11 with the Main Event Dinner-Dance Reunion at the Wyndham Andover hotel at 6 p.m. Cost for the reunion dinner is $50 per person and people may sign up through Oct. 3. Events will be going on all weekend. For a full listing of weekend activities and to register for the reunion, go to www.centralcatholic.net or contact Jennifer Plouffe, manager of alumni relations, at 978-682-0260, ext. 63.

Ashland Farm hosts seminar on brain health

The public is invited to learn more about how to keep the brain healthy at an upcoming seminar. "A Healthy Brain, A Healthy You" will be held at 5:30 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 2, at Ashland Farm at North Andover, 700 Chickering Road, North Andover. A light dinner will be served at 5:30 p.m., followed by the workshop at 6 p.m.

Jan Chiampa, director of life enhancement services for Benchmark Assisted Living, will share strategies for lifelong brain health.

Attendees will learn:

The heart and brain connection, what's good for your heart is good for your brain.

How social connections can keep you healthy.

Healthy nutrition tips for eating smart.

The program is free and open to the public. RSVPs are requested. To RSVP, please call Ashland Farm at North Andover at 978-683-1300.

Ashland Farm at North Andover offers assisted living and the Harbor Program, which provides specialized care for those with Alzheimer's disease and other memory impairments.

Massachusetts School of Law to host conference on global climate change

Massachusetts School of Law will host a conference on global climate change on Oct. 11, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

The schools says, "A number of high-profile professionals from the scientific, political and environmental communities are scheduled to conduct presentations geared toward helping attendees understand the scope of the problem; the threats that it presents to our health as well as our national security; and the way that we can all adopt more sustainable lifestyles to mitigate the worst effects of global climate change."

The conference is free and open to the public. Preregistration is not required, but anyone wishing to attend is encouraged to call Laura Lussier at 978-681-0800, ext. 110, or e-mail kolson@mslaw.edu. For more information, visit the Massachusetts School of Law Web site at www.mslaw.edu, or call 978-681-0800.

Jeanne Geiger Crisis Center

The Jeanne Geiger Crisis Center has begun its Volunteer Training Academy. The goal of the academy is to provide community volunteers with the skills, knowledge and confidence necessary to assist victims of domestic violence in a meaningful way. The academy classes will be on Thursdays from 6 to 9 p.m., and will run for 10 consecutive weeks, beginning Sept 11.

There are many other opportunities that do not require training, such as special events, outreach projects and administrative work.

For more information about the Volunteer Training Academy, contact Cintra Warden at 978-465-0999, ext. 13, or e-mail CWarden@jeannecrisiscenter.org.

Public invited to attend opening of Grant Resource Center at NECC

In today's economic climate, local nonprofit organizations are struggling to raise the money needed to keep them financially secure. Soon, the Greater Lawrence community will celebrate a new resource, designed to connect local nonprofit organizations with tools to help them access additional funding. On Thursday, Sept. 25, at 8 a.m., the public is invited to attend a ribbon cutting for the Grant Resource Center, which will be in the library on Northern Essex Community College's Lawrence campus, 45 Franklin St.


Singers needed for new Merrimack College chorale

Merrimack College is currently recruiting singers for all sections of a new chorale group. There is no audition required, and it's open to Merrimack students, alumni, staff, faculty, and members of surrounding communities.

The new Merrimack College chorale says it is "dedicated to the Augustinian values of truth, justice, peace, beauty, understanding and love that Merrimack embraces as a Catholic college in the Augustinian tradition.

Rehearsals are held on Wednesdays at 7 p.m. in Austin Hall on the Merrimack College campus.

The chorale will perform two major concerts a year, one of which is scheduled for Dec. 5 in the Rogers Center for the Arts at Merrimack to benefit the Augustinian Mission in South Africa. Singers will perform a variety of seasonal music including Benjamin Britten's "A Ceremony of Carols"; Mao Tsur; and "How Lovely are the Messengers" by Felix Mendelssohn.

For more information, contact Monica Steele, director of Merrimack College Chorale, at 978- 430-7922 or e-mail monica.steele@merrimack.edu.