■Maker’s Mornings, a series of collage workshops hosted by Dunbarton Congregational Church, will hold its last session of the season on Dec. 20 from 9:30 to 11 a.m. at the Vestry Building in Dunbarton Center. Create your own art piece or collaborate on a community collage. No experience necessary. Joyce Ray, author and poet, will facilitate. All are welcome.
■The Library’s Book Group will hold their No Book Party on Dec. 21 at noon. For more information, email dunlib@gsinet.net. Light refreshments will be served–no need to bring anything.
■The Library’s Toddler Story Time, Read to a Dog, Chair Yoga and Men’s Coffee have been moved across the street to the first floor of the Congregational Church Vestry.
■Town Offices will be closed on Dec. 26 for the holiday. Early release for school on Dec. 23. The elementary school will have PJ Day and class parties that day. Holiday recess is scheduled for Dec. 26 to Jan. 2.
■Stay way from the town hall as construction continues.
NORA LEDUC
774-3141
dtowncrier@gmail.com
■Over 20 students in the area (7th and 8th graders) attended the Youth Voice Summit sponsored by the Mikva Challenge at St. Anselm’s Institute for Politics on Dec 7. Their purpose – teach peers and civic partners in leading roles in New Hampshire about their topic and solutions.
■Hand-in-Hand Ministries Thrift Shop of Weare at 33 N. Stark Highway is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. during the holiday season. A reminder that on Wednesdays there are senior lunches and will be doing Christmas Day meals as well.
■Jan 10, 2023 is the Henniker School District Board Meeting at 6:15 p.m. at the Henniker Community School and Public Hearing Budget at 7 p.m. On Jan. 13, 2023. John Stark School District Board Meeting at JSRHS at 6:30 p.m. and Public Hearing Budget at 7 p.m.
TOM DUNN
dunn.t@comcast.net
■On Dec. 20, the Fuller Public Library’s Cookbook Group will meet at 12:30 p.m. to share their favorite cookie recipes and cookies; and the Mystery Book Group meets at 6:30 p.m. to discuss The Blessing Way by Tony Hillerman.
NANCY SHEE
nshee71@gmail.com
■Come see the Hopkinton Town Library’s second annual community art show. The show will be up through January. There are works of all kinds from 25 local artists.
■Once again you can find beautiful antique sleighs and carriages around Contoocook collecting nonperishable food items for the Hopkinton Food Pantry. Through the month of December, sleighs can be found inside Storms Fitness, Merrimack County Savings Bank, Riverside Pizza, Slusser Center, and Hopkinton Town Library for your viewing and donation drop-off.
■The Two Villages Art Society annual Winter Member Show is open. Support over 30 local artists as you shop! Gallery hours are Thursday through Sunday from noon to 4 p.m.
■Stop by the Hopkinton Historical Society and see our current exhibit, Gather ‘Round: Telling Our History Through Food. You can check out vintage aprons, share your favorite (and not so favorite) foods, and find out about recipes using native plants. We’ll be open on Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
■The Merrimack’s Annual Mitten Tree Drive is officially underway. Drop off new handmade or store-bought mittens, gloves, hats and scarves at any of our locations and for every item we collect, we’ll donate $2 to local food pantries! The Contoocook branch of Merrimack County Savings Bank is located at 35 Kearsarge Avenue. Lobby hours are Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
■With this year’s dramatic rise in heating costs, your support for Operation Holidays is especially needed. Community donations will help ensure that every family in our town has a bright holiday season. For those wishing to help, checks should be made out to Hopkinton Human Services (memo line/ Operation Holidays) and mailed to Hopkinton Human Services Department, 330 Main St., Hopkinton, NH 03229. Hopkinton residents in need of assistance with heat, food, housing, and medication should contact Human Services Director Alicia Presti at (603) 746-8244 or email humanservices@hopkinton-nh.gov.
■On Dec. 21 the Hopkinton Rotary and Hopkinton Interact Club will host the 10th Annual Senior Holiday Luncheon at the Slusser Center. The luncheon will begin at noon; the menu includes spiral ham, mashed potatoes, green beans, rolls, and homemade desserts. Find more information at (603) 746-8263 or HopkintonRec.com.
■Dial A Ride is open for rides for Hopkinton/Contoocook residents for medical appointments and any other errands. The office hours at the Slusser Center are Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 10 a.m. to noon. Call (603) 746-4357 to schedule an appointment or to volunteer.
■The Contoocook Farmers’ Market is open on Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon inside Maple Street School. Stay up to date by visiting the Facebook page Contoocook Farmers’ Market. SNAP/EBT accepted.
■The Contoocook Railroad Museum is entering the last phase of its Semaphore Mast Replacement Project. For photos and to learn more about this project visit contoocookdepot.org/semaphore.html.
■The Winter Parking Ban is in effect through April 15. For the purpose of snow removal and winter highway maintenance, there shall be no parking upon any public right-of-way, or in any public parking lots within the Town of Hopkinton between the hours of 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. Exceptions: Cedar Street parking lot – six marked spaces facing toward and running perpendicular to Cedar Street; and the municipal parking lot at Riverway Park – five marked spaces facing toward the bandstand and running parallel to the Contoocook River.
■It’s that time of year. Want to keep your pets safe – drop in at RueBakers Pet Supply and pick up ‘Safe Paw’ salt-free ice melt. We’re located at 633 Maple St., Contoocook.
KATHLEEN BUTCHER
724-3452
kathb123@comcast.net
■Take yourself off to see The Wizard of Oz, presented by the Kearsarge Conservatory of the Performing Arts on Dec. 16 at 7 p.m. and Dec. 17 at 2 p.m. at Kearsarge Regional High School. Tickets, $20 for adults and $18 for children, will be available at the door or may be purchased online at buy.tututix.com/kcpa. For more information, visit NHPerformingArts.org.
■Warner Historical Society’s last Holiday Barn Sale of the season will be on Dec. 17 from 9 a.m. to noon, at the Upton Chandler House Museum, 10 W. Main St.
■Show your talent on Dec. 18 at 4 p.m., at Open Mic Night at Reed’s North, 2 E. Main St. Don’t forget Trivia Night every Thursday from 6 to 8 p.m.
■Warner Connects NH Food Pantry and Community Resource Center is a distribution site for the Toys For Tots program, which allows clients to shop at WCNH through Dec. 22. Appointments are required and may be made by calling (603) 456-2246.
■The first annual Children’s Holiday Shopping Program is scheduled for Dec. 17 and 18 at the Warner Connects NH Food Pantry. The program offers children a chance to select gifts for their parents/family members/teachers at no cost. Gift wrapping is included! Hours are as follows: Dec. 17 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Dec. 18 from noon to 2 p.m., or by appointment by calling (603) 456-2053. Masks are strongly encouraged!
■Come to the third Annual Waterloo Bridge Neighborhood Carol Sing on Dec. 22 at 6:45 p.m. at the bridge. For questions, email Kendra at kdubbs@mcttelecom.com.
■Subscribe to Warner Alerts and Warner Notices! Warner Alerts emails subscribers in the event of an emergency. Warner Notices keeps subscribers up to date on topics of interest. To subscribe, visit warnerNH.gov/keep-in-touch.
■Pillsbury Free Library is having a yard sale, and everything is free! Stop by the library to put you name in to win a drawing for used library items. For more information, call (603) 456-2289.
■The Warner Fall Foliage Festival is still in need of a Board President, Volunteer Coordinator and Secretary. It is vital for these positions to be filled by the Annual Meeting on Jan. 11 at 7 p.m. so that the Festival can continue being held. To learn more or volunteer, contact the current Volunteer Coordinator, Beth Lukaitis, at volunteerwfff@aol.com.
■Warner Connects NH Food Pantry is in need of donations of the following items: laundry detergent, dish detergent, paper towels, toilet paper, deodorant, shampoo, toothpaste and toothbrushes. Please drop off donations in the tent or during Pantry hours (Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.).
Elibet Chase
warnertowncrier@gmail.com