Every Tuesday from Oct. 24 through Nov. 21, Franklin VNA & Hospice is hosting a Grief Support Group from 2 to 4 p.m. Anyone who has suffered a death is welcome, whether they were the caregiver, family member, friend, or a community member. The group will be facilitated by the Chaplain, Tobias, and Rebecca, a long time Hospice Volunteer and End of Life Doula. Past experience has shown that participants are ready for the class if at least 3-6 months has passed since the death of their loved one. Each session will focus on a new skill for dealing with grief. The support group is free to attend but does require registration. To register call 603-934-3454 or email jjenney@franklinvna.org.
Join Gibson’s Bookstore on Oct. 25, at 6:30 p.m. at Gibson’s Bookstore, 45 S. Main St., in Concord, as they present author David Goethel, a commercial fisherman who is also a Boston University educated biologist. It’s 55 years fishing on the Northwest Atlantic – sea stories, science, and management! There is no registration required for this event.
The New Hampshire Pumpkin Festival is set to carve out downtown Laconia from Oct. 27-28 for two days’ worth of fall fun for the whole family. There will be an art show, food trucks, street performers, beer garden, zombie walk, train rides, live music and a whole lot more. MVSB will proudly sponsor two crowd favorites – The Runaway Pumpkin 5k/10k at 9 a.m. Oct. 28 at Opechee Park and the Children’s Costume Parade at 1 p.m. Oct. 28 starting at the Belknap Mill. Go to nhpumpkinfestival.com to learn more and view the full schedule of events.
New Hampshire writer and poet Jeffrey Zygmont will speak at the Pembroke Public Library on Oct. 27 at 7 p.m. about the poet Robert Frost. “Walking in the Woods with Robert Frost: Seeing Nature through the Words of America’s Most-Loved Poet” is the topic of his discussion. Robert Frost’s poetry offers an intimate look at nature. In this program, author and poet Jeffrey Zygmont recites a selection of Frost’s nature poems, including some of his best-known works. Alongside each recitation, he provides background on Frost’s life, offering insight into the poem’s origins, and its significance. Participants will join in a lively discussion and celebration of Frost’s work that will deepen their appreciation for both the poet and New Hampshire’s natural environment. The event is free and open to the public. This program and others in the series are underwritten by the NH Humanities Council, with the support of the National Council on the Humanities. For more information, call 603-566-1031.
The 2023 Brigade Lecture Series continues with “The Founding Fathers: What Were They Thinking?” by professor Richard Hesse on Oct. 25 at 2 p.m. In 1787 delegates gathered in Philadelphia to address a wide variety of crises facing the young United States of America and produced a charter for a new government. In modern times, competing political and legal claims are frequently based on what those delegates intended. Mythology about the founders and their work at the 1787 Convention has obscured both fact and legitimate analysis of the events leading to the agreement called the Constitution. Richard Hesse explores the cast of characters called “founders,” the problems they faced, and the solutions they fashioned. The Pierce Manse is located at 14 Horseshoe Pond Land in Concord. More information, including a complete calendar of events, can be found at piercebrigade.org.
Following the abrupt loss in 2016 of her 13-year old daughter, Molly Banzhoff, due to a ruptured, undetected brain tumor, Concord local Barb Higgins was adrift. After suffering such a tragic loss, this family found love, hope and resilience in their next chapter; in March 2021, at 57 years old, Higgins became one of the oldest people in the country to give birth. Join Barb as she presents her new memoir, “Motherland,” on Oct. 24 at 6:30 p.m. at Gibson’s Bookstore. Barb will be joined by her co-writer and personal friend, author Virginia Macgregor.
Molly loved Halloween, dressing up, performing, and pink. In honor of Molly, please wear some pink or Halloween accessories. Barb is donating her book proceeds to the Molly B Foundation.