■East Congregational Church, Grace Episcopal Church, Immanuel Community Church, Granite State Baptist Church, Concordia Lutheran Church and Immaculate Heart of Mary Church are offering a variety of online and in-person worship services and Masses. Please check church websites or Facebook pages for details. If you are attending a service indoors, please wear a mask and social distance. Don’t forget to send a Clergy Appreciation card to your priest or pastor in honor of the day!
■The Grand Knight Matt Poulin is in urgent need of volunteers to help with the food drive on Sunday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Church parking lot. Volunteers are needed to help load the food into a trailer truck. Call Matt at 568-2535 or 715-2575 to volunteer for the food drive.
■The Kiwanis Club of Concord will not be meeting on Monday due to the national holiday. The meeting has been rescheduled to Oct. 19 at the Red Blazer Restaurant at noon.
■The Concord Council of Knights of Columbus is slated to meet Monday at 7 p.m. at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in the Activity Center.
■East Congregational Church is holding a huge yard sale on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., rain or shine. Glassware, clothing, books, toys, games and more will be for sale. A $3 bag sale starts at 11:30 a.m. The church is located at 51 Mountain Road, just north of the exit 16 traffic circle. Please wear a mask and bring a friend!
■Sending a special bouquet of sunshine wishes to Beverly Foote, Nancy DeStefano, Allen Marden, Oscar and Abita Serard, John and Nancy Mollica, and Ginny Strowbridge.
■Don’t forget this is Fire Prevention Week in Concord! Be sure to check those smoke alarms in your home.
■Happy birthday to Zoie Little, whose late parents were Hollis and Lorraine Little. They were all Grange members on the Heights. Zoie has written a book and her folks would be so proud of her.
■ Sending get-well wishes and a speedy recovery to Chris Garrett of WJYY who has been a great help to the Grange holiday events. He is now home recovering from a recent injury and surgery.
■Congratulations to Maria and Don on their new baby boy. Maria and her family own Veano’s in Pembroke, formerly on Loudon Road for years.
■Happy birthday to Rodney Huntoon!
RICHARD PATTEN
496-2917
dickpatten7@gmail.com
■The Friends of The Concord City Auditorium will hold their quarterly business meeting on Monday at 6 p.m. outside in the City Auditorium parking lot (2 Prince St.) with a rain date of Tuesday. Friends President Barbara Shea welcomes the public to attend. The agenda includes updates on the theatre’s reopening and the important current renovation projects. These are critical times for all arts organizations and all the Audi’s friends’ presenters, performers, producers and audience have a stake in Concord’s own arts community. Wear masks, observe social distancing and bring seating for your comfort. For more information, email info@concordcityauditorium.org.
■Join Intown Concord all October long. Intown Concord has come up with some unique ways to celebrate Halloween safely. Check intownconcord.org and learn more about the costume contest, watch the windows and pumpkin hunt. For more information, call 226-2150.
■Bulk leaf collection will start on Nov. 2 and continue as weather permits through Dec. 11. In order for crews to practice safe social distancing, traditional leaf vacuums will not be used for bulk leaf collection this year. Instead, crews will operate trackless leaf loaders. Residents that participate in bulk leaf collection are required to rake all leaves loosely (unbagged) into the street along the edge of the road or sidewalk. Any leaves that are not along the edge of the road or sidewalk will not be reachable for collection. Avoid piling leaves and keep leaves tight along the curb to keep streets clear. Crews can only come by once and work as weather permits, focusing on residential roads with drainage areas to keep the city’s stormwater system clear. For more information, call 228-3727 or visit concordnh.gov/545/Leaf-Collection.
■The 35th annual Concord Christmas Tree Lighting will be held on Nov. 27, the day after Thanksgiving, at the State House/City Plaza, North Main Street. Fundraising efforts are underway to help pay for the expenses. This year’s festivities include music by Brian Waldron, a petting zoo, horse drawn wagon rides and fireworks. Santa Claus will be brought to the Plaza by the Concord Fire Department. The committee needs to raise $10,000 dollars to cover expenses. Donations can be sent to Concord Christmas Tree Lighting, PO Box 1482, Concord, NH 03302. This is a non-profit event with a tax ID number. Face masks must be worn and social distancing will be enforced. This year’s Christmas Tree is being dedicated to the firefighters, police officers and all emergency personnel for their dedication and commitment during the pandemic crisis.
■The Food Pantry at First Congregational Church (177 N. Main St.) is open to Concord residents who need food. The hours are Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Residents can come by one time per week. Please note donations can also be made.
■Happy birthday Mary V. Spain!
LYNDA PLANTE
717-1632
soxpatscats@gmail.com
■There is a new exhibit at the PR Tarbell Gallery of Fine Art, 236 Hopkinton Road. The “Quilt Barn Series” is a combination of Tarbell’s love of color and design, inspired by quilt patterns and decorating barns visited on her travels. You may also take a stroll through the perennial gardens and enjoy the sculptures. For updates, follow PR Tarbell Fine Art on Facebook,@pamelatarbell on Instagram and pamtarbell.com. The Gallery is open Sunday and Monday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Masks and social distancing are required. Otherwise the Gallery is open by appointment by contacting 496-2014 or artsculpt@mindspring.com.
■Red River Theatres has new virtual movies! To browse through more titles in the Virtual Cinema, visit redrivertheatres.org.
■The Friends of The Concord City Auditorium will hold its quarterly business meeting on Monday at 6 p.m. outside in the City Auditorium parking lot at 2 Prince St. The rain date is Tuesday at 6 p.m. Friends President Barbara Shea welcomes the public to attend and join in considering the theatre’s reopening. All are requested to wear masks and observe social distancing. Further information is available at info@concordcityauditorium.org.
■The 11th annual Rising Stars Awards will be broadcast live on Thursday! Register at eventbrite.com/e/11th-annual-rising-stars-awards-tickets-116098195829 for your free ticket. New for 2020: The three finalists for the Cool Company for Young Professionals Award category will each host its own happy hour, sharing employee testimonies, providing virtual tours and talking about why their organization should be selected as the 2020 Cool Company for Young Professionals through online public voting. All proceeds of the event benefit the mission of Stay Work Play.
■The 2020 Virtual Circle Trot continues through Oct. 18 at 8 p.m. To ensure the health and safety of everyone involved, Circle Program has decided to hold its annual Circle Trot virtually this year, while also supporting its “One Day One Girl” initiative. Register for the event to be matched with a Circle participant and run or walk on their behalf! All proceeds from the event will support the Circle Program with a mission to empower, transform, and enrich girls’ lives through community, connection, camp and mentorship. Register at charity.gofundme.com/o/en/campaign/2020-virtual-circle-trot. For more information, visit circleprogram.org or Chelsea Francek at 536-4244 or chelsea@circleprogram.org.
■On Oct. 20, the Poetry Society of New Hampshire Presents, in association with Gibson’s Bookstore, “An Evening of Poetry with Charles Simic” at 7 p.m. via Zoom. Registration is required at eventbrite.com/e/122603180413. Tickets are by donation through Eventbrite. Donation proceeds are split 50/50 between Gibson’s Bookstore and PSNH. Signed bookplates are available, included with your purchase of one of Simic’s books from Gibson’s. Simic is a Serbian-American poet and former co-poetry editor of the “Paris Review” and received the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry in 1990.
■Concord’s own Virginia MacGregor returns to Gibson’s Bookstore, virtually, to present her sixth novel “You Found Me” in its North American launch on Oct. 21 at 7:30 p.m. Signed copies will be available of all of MacGregor’s books. This event will be held via Zoom. Registration required at eventbrite.com/e/123212280247.
■Have fun and exercise with SSG Corey MacDonald, future soldiers and others that love to work out with the encouragement of like-minded people! It is held each week and may involve playing basketball, running, ultimate frisbee and more! This is for ages 16 and up and the cost is free. Just show up! For more information, call 224-1590 and ask for Corey MacDonald.
■On Saturday, Capitol Street is closed from Green Street to North State Street from 6 a.m. to 1 p.m. for the Concord Farmers Market.
■Also on Saturday, Thayer Pond Road will be closed from the first part of Dwinnell Drive to North Fruit Street, and North Fruit Street will be closed from School Street to Thayer Pond Road, from 3 to 6 p.m.
JEAN VER HOEVEN
856-304-5830
jeanann@voicenet.com