BRGN Plans for Busy Holiday Season

Several important events are coming up for the BRGN Thrift Shelf and Food Shelf.

• November 19th – is the 20th anniversary of BRGNS service to the community and it will be celebrated by a day long sales event at the Thrift Shop. All items in the store will sell for 20cents, or a full bag of purchases for just $2.00. Complimentary Tea and home baked goods will be served through out the day.
• Chances to win a hand made queen size Log Cabin style quilt are being sold outside of Shaws on Friday November 9th and 16th from 1pm to 4pm. Tickets are also on sale at the Thrift Shop. The winning ticket will be drawn at 12 noon on November 19th by Municipal Manager Frank Heald in front of the Thrift Shop.
• Qualified persons or families that are interested in receiving a Christmas Basket from BRGNS should have their applications submitted by December 1st. Applications are available at the Thrift Shop or for those unable to get to the shop, by calling Audrey Bridge at 802-228-3663
• Stuff A Bus, which helps fill a significant need in our community will be held on December 1st at Shaws shopping center parking lot in Ludlow. Please be sure to help by donating food/money or by volunteering to sort food as it come in. A list of special items needed will be posted at Shaws on the day of the event or in advance at the Thrift Shop
• Okemo Mountains annual Food Drive to benefit BRGNS Food shelf will be held on November 25th. Skiers are encouraged to bring nonperishable goods to the ticket windows in exchange for reduced priced lift tickets.

Please remember that the Thrift Shop is located at 105 Main Street in Ludlow and that Black River Good Neighbor Services serves the following communities: Ludlow, Cavendish, Proctersville, Mt. Holly and Plymouth.

Okemo Starts Snow-Making

While it may be weeks before Thanksgiving and almost two months before Christmas, Okemo Mountain Resort feels it needs to prepare for the coming skiing and snow-boarding season now.

In the early pre-dawn hours of November 2, Okemo, therefore, started to blow snow at the peak in preparation for the coming season.

According to Okemo, they hope to open the season on Saturday, November 17.

These photos indicate that they seem to be quite serious about getting the white stuff down.

Photos courtesy of Okemo Mountain Resort

United Church Men Dared to Run Dinner Nov 10

The men of the United Church of Ludlow were faced with a daunting challenge from the ladies of the church:  Could they successfully run a dinner at the church without the aid, guidance, and otherwise essential presence of the ladies?  Under the leadership of David Almond, a group of men decided they would accept the challenge and conduct a special dinner on Saturday, November 10 at the church.  In an effort to ensure that the dinner menu would satisfy both caloric and protein needs, Almond, also hoping to preempt any questions about the quality of the menu, permitted Darrah Moore, the group’s dessert specialist, to announce the dessert for the evening.

According to Moore, the dessert will consist of “a large, home-made brownie covered with a larger scoop of vanilla ice cream, topped with an excessive amount of chocolate syrup, with a final touch of hordes of whipped cream and a maraschino cherry”.  He noted that there would only be a single maraschino cherry for those who may be diet conscious.

The precursor menu to this dessert will consist of Wallingford ham, baked potatoes with a new, rich Nottingham gravy, real apple sauce, plus a huge salad bar.  “Naturally,” noted Almond, “there will be all sorts of beverages and breads to supplement the menu.”

The theme of the dinner will be to celebrate the veterans who fought to sustain our democracy.  To this end, George Thomson has been recruited to lead everyone in patriotic songs.

This represents the second effort by the Men of United Church to provide a full dinner without the assistance of the ladies.  “We did a pretty good job with our steak dinner last year,” Almond observed.  “I see no reason why this dinner won’t be ever better than our first effort – especially now that we have got the routine mastered.”

As a side note, it is understood that Fred Marin, responsible for the Wallingford ham, has set up observation posts in Wallingford to ensure that the ham is properly aged and cured.

Pictured above are David Almond, Darrah Moore, and Fred Marin as they review the evening's menu.

The dinner is open to all.  Donations for the dinner will be $10 for adults, $5 for kids under 13, and, as a special treat, $25 for an entire family.  To go dinners will also be available.  The dinner is set for Saturday, November 10 from 5 to 7 pm at the United Church, 48 Pleasant St., Ludlow.  For more information, 228-7239. 

BRAT Goes Looking for Bugs

Bugs abounded on a cool October Saturday, as BRAT Director Kelly Stettner guided area residents on a bug safari at the Welcome Park.  These were not just garden-variety bugs: these critters make their home in the nooks and crannies on the bottom of the Black River!  A source of food for fish and other animals, they play another important role throughout the year.  By shredding and feeding on the leaves and other organic material that falls into the river, these invertebrates help to keep the river's cycles running smoothly. Some of them prefer very clean and pure water, while others can tolerate increasing amounts of pollution.  This makes them a good basic indicator for a snap-shot look at a river's water quality.

The quick sampling taken by Stettner and the kids turned up an exciting variety of creatures including a pair of hellgrammites, a long-legged dragonfly larva, zig-zagging whirligig beetles, fishing spiders, a zebra-striped stonefly larva, a curling water penny, a sowbug and a generous helping of mayfly larvae.  As expected, the most exciting finds were the Big Guys: three small crayfish and a huge predacious diving beetle.

The Bug Hunt was one of many planned by the BRAT for next year, through the group's WaterWorx educational program.  Funding for the Bug Hunt came from a grant by the New England Grassroots Environmental Fund and from local donations.  The BRAT wishes to thank Mr. Harold Grout for the monumental amount of work he has put into the lovely Welcome Park over the years.  His efforts have made an indelible mark on Springfield by encouraging everyone to visit with the Black River.