ATHOL—St. Francis will hold a Turkey Dinner on June 24 at 5:30 p.m. in the church hall on 101 Main St., Athol. Tickets are $13 for adults, $6 for kids under 12. Menu is turkey, mashed potato, stuffing, green beans and dessert. Please call Jackie to make a reservation at 978-249-3638 or 617-275-3577. Takeouts will be available. Proceeds from this dinner will go towards the purchase of a new fire alarm electrical board.
NORTHFIELD, VT.— Cassandra Olson of Phillipston is among the students recognized on the Dean’s List at Norwich University for the Spring 2023 semester. Full-time undergraduate students, who earned a semester grade point average of at least 3.40 are awarded Dean’s List honors.
ROYALSTON—Join the Royalston Shakespeare Company for a production of an adaptation of “The Tempest” by William Shakespeare. This free, long-running summer theater group is open to kids 8 to 18. Actors, set designers, stage crew, and costumers are all needed. There are no auditions. Everyone is cast. There is no experience required. This is an amazing opportunity for kids to learn all aspects of theater.
Due to the late ending of school, the program will run from June 28 to July 7. Rehearsals are 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. each day including Saturday but excluding Sunday, with a workshop performance at 7 p.m. on Friday, July 7. While the program is free, attendance at every rehearsal and the performance is necessary. To sign up call the Phinehas S. Newton in Royalston at 978-249-3572 or email the library at royalstonlibrary@gmail.com.
The workshop is sponsored by the Friends of the Phinehas S. Newton Library. This program is supported in part by a grant from the Royalston Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency.
ORANGE—The Library Boogie, Tom Knight’s musical puppet show for children and families, comes to Orange on Thursday, June 29, to kick off the Orange Public Libraries’ Children’s Summer Reading Program.
Knight’s interactive musical performance, which begins at 2 p.m. at the Orange Town Hall, celebrates reading, the environment, science and folk tales, with songs like “The Library Boogie,” “The Garbage Monster,” The Solar System” and “The Rockabilly Goats Gruff.” The show features handmade puppets, unique props, catchy original songs, and plenty of audience participation to bring the performance to life.
“Tom’s got a great voice and shows lots of enthusiasm and humor when he performs,” said Orange Children’s Librarian Jason Sullivan-Flynn. “I’m thrilled he’s coming to perform for our children and families. It’s going to be a super fun kick off for our children’s summer reading program.
The Orange Public Libraries are offering two children’s reading programs this summer, Read and Bead for children 4 and up, and Rubber Ducky Club for children 3 and younger. Each child who registers for Read and Bead will build a personalized necklace during the program, earning beads of different colors and styles to mark milestones as they read as well as a bonus prize once they’ve read for 10 hours.
Parents who register for the Rubber Ducky Club will earn a rubber duck for their child by completing literacy building activities. Families may register for these programs as early as June 22 in the Children’s Room at the Wheeler Memorial Library in Orange.
For information about other summer programs for children at the Orange Public Libraries visit orangelib.org. This program is supported in part by a grant from the Orange Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.
ORANGE—The Orange Community Band will open its summer concert on Friday, June 23, at 7 p.m. on the bandstand in Butterfield Park. The free outdoor concerts have been happening in Orange since the 1850s.
The Community Band is a direct descendant of the Orange Brass Band, the Mechanics Band, New Home Band and the Minute Tapioca Band. Earlier bands were “Union Bands” but the Community Band is open to everyone and has members ranging from high school to nonagenarians. Many members have participated in the band concerts for over 50 years.
Bring a blanket or chair, or remain in the car around the bandstand, and enjoy visiting with your neighbors while listening to traditional concert music, show tunes, and pop music. Enjoy popcorn or a hot dog from the Salvation Army concession stand while celebrating summer as it’s been done for nearly 175 years.
The program for the first concert will include “Star Spangled Banner; Mt. Everest,” by Rossano Galante, “Disney at the Movies,” arranged by John Higgins “That Old Hound Dog Rag,” by Randall D. Standridge, “Just a Closer Wall with Thee,” arranged by Don Gillis, Gustav Holst’s “Second Suite in F,” and “I’ve Had the Time of My Life,” arranged by Mike Story, and “Somewhere,” arranged by Michael Brown.
Following Intermission, the band will continue with “Choose Joy,” by Randall Standridge “Phantom of the Opera,” arranged by Warren Barker, “In the Miller Mood,” arranged by Warren Barker, “The Legend of Danny Boy,” setting by James Swearingen, and “John Williams in Concert,” arranged by Paul Lavender. Several marches will also be included. The program is subject to change.
Conductor Stephanie Parker is in her 19th season as conductor, but she has been a member of the Band for over 30 years.
The summer concert season is sponsored in part by the trustees of New Salem Academy, the Orange Lions Club, Witty’s Funeral Home, the Perkins Family, the John Marsh Howe Family, Orange American Legion Post 172 and the Dance Studio.