Cleanup at Athol cemeteries
ATHOL – It’s that time of the year for the clean up of the town cemeteries. Please remove any and all decorations from the graves by April 15. Anything not removed will be considered unwanted and will be thrown away. Please do not put anything back on the graves until after May 15.
Burn permits now available
ATHOL – 2026 burn permits are now available online. The burning season began on Jan. 15, 2026 and will run through May 1, 2026. Visit www.atholfire.org to obtain the permit and review the updated regulations for this season.
WINCHENDON – Dust off the fascinator hat and reserve a spot for a traditional English Tea and lively Celtic music concert to be held at the Beals Memorial Library in Winchendon on Saturday, April 11, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tickets for the luncheon are $25 for adults and $12 for youth ages 10 to 17. Tickets are going fast and can be purchased at the Library until Monday, April 6, or until the event is sold out. All funds raised will support future programs at the library.
Traditional English Tea at Beals Memorial Library
The luncheon is hosted by the Friends of the Library and will feature traditional sandwiches, scones with jam and clotted cream, various cookies, and of course, a variety of favorite English teas. The Friends want everyone to know that men are invited, and they encourage all participants to wear period dress, if possible.
The Celtic music concert will feature lively jigs and reels, hornpipes and maybe even a haunting air. Bill Thomas plays Irish uilleann pipes and traditional Irish wooden flute (and penny whistle, upon request). With him is Matt Harris, who plays fiddle.
Thomas has been playing Irish music on flute and uilleann pipes for over 50 years. He started out playing for contra dances in the Monadnock region, and has since played for many dances and sessions from here to the West Coast. Over the past dozen years, He has made yearly trips to Ireland where he is a welcome visitor at sessions and festivals in many parts of the country.
The Beals Memorial Library is located at 50 Pleasant St. in Winchendon. For more information call the Library at 978-297-0300 or visit bealslibrary.org/friends.
Second Chance to host pet vaccine clinic
WINCHENDON – Pet owners in the Winchendon and Templeton area can now register for a Community Vaccine Clinic for cats and dogs hosted by Second Chance Animal Services on April 11 at 381 Baldwinville Road in Templeton. The clinic will offer $5 rabies and free distemper/parvo vaccines, along with microchipping for $22.
Second Chance is committed to making veterinary care accessible for all pet owners. These vaccines protect pets from preventable and often deadly diseases. With an estimated 30% of pet owners unable to bring their pets to a veterinarian each year for preventive care, many animals remain at risk for serious illnesses such as rabies, and parvovirus in dogs and panleukopenia in cats.
Microchipping offers a simple and reliable way to identify pets if they become lost. Pets with microchips are far more likely to be reunited with their owners, giving families peace of mind and helping lost pets return home safely.
The clinic is open to pets from any community. Advance registration is encouraged, as space is limited. Walk-ins will be permitted as time allows. Pet owners can register online at https://www.secondchanceanimals.org/scasconnect-north-brookfield/. For more information, visit www.secondchanceanimals.org.
Friends of the Quabbin annual meeting
BELCHERTOWN – The Friends of the Quabbin (www.FriendsOfQuabbin.org) will hold its annual meeting on Sunday, April 12, at 1 p.m. at the Belchertown United Church of Christ, 6 Park St., Belchertown. The meeting is open to the public, and all are encouraged to attend.
The program will feature a special presentation titled “Clearing the Valley” by Maria Beiter-Tucker, Department of Conservation and Recreation-Division of Water Supply Protection’s Interpretive Services Supervisor from the Les and Terry Campbell Quabbin Visitor Center.
In 1927, the Swift River Valley was home to four towns and more than 2,000 residents. Just 12 years later, the valley began its transformation into what is now the Quabbin Reservoir, the largest water supply in Massachusetts. This presentation explores the complex and often overlooked process that reshaped the region, including the surveying of land, mapping of cemeteries, rerouting of rivers, and removal of more than 1,000 structures.
Beiter-Tucker’s talk draws on detailed historical records and engineering documentation to provide a compelling account of the dismantling of entire communities and the lasting environmental and human impacts of the project.
During the meeting, the board of directors will also provide updates on the organization’s recent accomplishments, specifically the Keystone Bridge Stabilization Project as well as current and upcoming projects supporting the Quabbin Reservoir and its surrounding communities.