ATHOL — The Athol Congregational Church is once again giving the entire community at chance to help out with food donations for a fifth season. It started during the COVID-19 pandemic when worship services and gathering together were not a safe way to make a difference. The drive-thru worked for Puzzle Swap and Community Meals, so Fill Al’s Truck was started.
Volunteers have been at the truck every Sunday morning beginning in November. All the food collected and financial donations have been donated to the Athol Salvation Army. Collections will continue through Dec. 18 from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. at 1225 Chestnut St. in Athol. Donors are asked to join in the effort to support others in need. Contact the church for other details or opportunities to reach out to those in need at 978-249-6202.
On Thursday, Dec. 15, at the Millers River Environmental Center in Athol, Adrienne Bashista of Passalongs Flower Farm in Florence will speak and show slides about her experience as a grower in the Pioneer Valley. Passalongs is a farm and florist business focusing on weddings and special arrangements for events as well as selling cut bouquets at their flower stand at 198 Sylvester Road. Questions will be welcome at the end.
The garden club is hosting a potluck from 6 to 7 p.m. on that date. Attendees can bring a dish. The environmental center uses compostable plates. Attendees can bring their own plates and cutlery. The discussion will begin at 7 p.m. Admission is free.
An interactive presentation of images from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope led by Maura Shea will be held on Tuesday, Dec. 27, at 7 p.m. in the Community Room of the New Salem Public Library. The library is located at 23 South Main St., New Salem. This event is free and open to the public.
Shea will present highlights of selected images and provide time for questions and discussion. An astronomy graduate student studying active black holes at Georgia State University, Shea is a graduate of Wellesley College. She completed National Science Foundation REUs at the University of Birmingham (UK) and MIT’s Haystack Observatory. She has presented posters at the American Astronomical Society Annual Meeting and is co-author on a published paper.
The Athol High School Community Food Pantry was chosen by the Athol Woman’s Club as their holiday donation recipient this year. Members donated bags of non-perishable items for the shelves and a monetary donation was contributed.
The Millers Ladies and Park Volunteers at Millers Woods/Riverbend on Daniel Shays Highway in Athol are honoring their park veterans with a red, white, and blue Christmas tree. The tree has picture ornaments of 26 veterans — 22 are park residents and four are deceased loved ones of residents. The volunteers honor all veterans and thank them for their service. The tree is located at the park gazebo.
The Athol Bird and Nature Club (ABNC) calendar, full of nature notes, trivia questions and photos of local birds, animals and plants is now available. The cover photo is a collage noting moose, porcupine, raccoon and fox, all as youngsters, taken by several individuals.
The calendar, coordinated by Ernie LeBlanc, showcases photos taken in the North Quabbin region mostly by Athol Bird and Nature Club members. In addition, each month features extensive nature notes that provide very specific information such as when certain birds are migrating into or out of the area, when native wildflowers are blooming, when the peak of several meteor showers occur, and even when to listen for coyotes howling.
The calendars are now available for purchase through the following local merchants: Trail Head, Quabbin Harvest, and Mount Tully Kennels in Orange; Flowerland @ Tintagels Gate, Else Where, déjà vu, Cornerstone Insurance, MacMannis Florist, the North Quabbin Chamber of Commerce, in Athol; the Royalston Country Store in South Royalston, the New Salem General Store in New Salem; the Red Apple Farm in Phillipston; the Petersham Craft Center in Petersham; the Hardwick Farmers Co-op in Gilbertville; the Kitchen Garden in Templeton; the Wendell Country Store in Wendell; Connecticut River Liquors in Turners Falls, Deerfield River Liquors in Deerfield, and Ruggeri’s Beverage and Redemption Center in Greenfield.
To learn more about the Athol Bird and Nature Club or the Millers River Environmental Center, or to order a 2023 calendar, go to www.atholbirdclub.org. Contributions to the Center can be sent to MREC, 100 Main Street, Athol, MA 01331.