Chuck Stone Little League banquet
ATHOL – The Athol-Orange Chuck Stone Little League will hold a 75th anniversary banquet and dance fundraiser on Saturday, May 2, at the Ellinwood Country Club. Tickets are $50 each and $375 for a table and can be purchased at the Athol Area YMCA. There will be a social hour from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. and dinner will be at 6 p.m. This event is open to all, but is 18+.
Author Sarah Dixwell Brown presents on regicide at Athol Library
ATHOL – With humor and not a little chagrin, Sarah Dixwell Brown uncovers layer by layer two interwoven stories: The first is her discovery, breaking through her father’s reticence on the topic, of John Dixwell, her 17th-century ancestor who hightailed it to the New World to escape the henchmen of British King Charles II, himself bent on avenging his father’s beheading.
Along the way a second story shines through—of her family and a meditation on her own life amid generations of New England Puritan heritage.
Brown taught writing at Stanford University, Santa Clara University, Mount Holyoke College and the Commonwealth Honors College at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. She has published numerous personal essays in national and local publications.
“Regicide in the Family: Finding John Dixwell” was awarded first prize in the Family History/Genealogy category by the Connecticut Society of Genealogists in 2023. Copies of the book will be available for purchase at this event, and Dixie will sign.
For more information about the author and the book, sarahdixwellbrown.com. This event will be held on Tuesday, May 5, 6 p.m. at the Athol Library and is made possible by the support of the Friends of the Athol Public Library. It is free and open to the public, though registration is required. Please call 978-249-9515 for more information.
Giant wasps with Paul Sievert
ATHOL – Using photos taken in Gill and Montague, Paul Sievert will describe the ecology of some of North America’s largest wasps: cicada killers and giant ichneumons. Cicada killer wasps provision their offspring with cicadas they capture in treetops, while giant ichneumons lay their eggs on larvae of other wasp species found deep within rotting tree trunks. These behemoths of the wasp world play an important role in food webs by controlling insect populations, and serving as prey for insectivorous birds.
This event will be held at the Millers River Environmental Center, 100 Main St., Athol, on Wednesday, May 13, 7 p.m. There is also a Zoom option at https://tinyurl.com/yv6c7z2s.
South Athol Church supper
ATHOL – The South Athol United Methodist Church, located at 65 Morgan Ave., will hold its next supper on Saturday, May 16. Supper will be a pot roast of beef with gravy, creamy mashed potatoes, coleslaw, green beans, fresh dinner rolls and the popular homemade pies for dessert. All food is prepared and served family-style by experienced kitchen helpers, many of whom are Serve Safe-certified.
Reservations are required and tickets are $16 each for adults, $8 for children 6-12 years and children under 6 years eat for free. Setting will be at 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. Please Note that the reservation phone number has changed and is now 978-249-3167. When making reservations, please specify if they are for eat-in or take-out, as this will simplify it for servers to accommodate all diners.
Athol Savings Bank donates $2,500 to support veteran grave maintenance
WORCESTER – Athol Savings Bank (ASB), a Division of Cornerstone Bank, has donated $2,500 to Mulch For Military to support the maintenance and beautification of veteran graves across nine cemeteries in Central Massachusetts.
The funding will be used to purchase approximately 53 grave markers that will be installed as part of ongoing, volunteer-driven efforts to preserve and honor the resting places of military veterans. The initiative focuses on maintaining military grave markers and ensuring that veteran memorials remain visible, respectful and well cared for.
Mulch For Military has steadily expanded its impact since its founding, now serving nine cemeteries throughout the region. The organization engages local volunteers in hands-on stewardship activities that honor those who served.
“We are proud to support Mulch For Military and their mission to honor veterans in such a meaningful and lasting way,” said Daniel Zona, president of Cornerstone Bank and former president and CEO of Athol Savings Bank. “This work reflects the deep respect our communities have for those who served our country.”