Athol Knights of Columbus State Free Throw highlights
ATHOL – The Athol Knights of Columbus Free Throw Contest was once again a tremendous success. Participants competed at several levels, beginning with the council competition and progressing through district, regional, and state contests. This year, two outstanding athletes from Athol distinguished themselves at the state competition, earning recognition for their achievements.
A. J. Santiago secured third place in the 13-year-old division, while Lucas Boucher earned the first-place trophy in the 10-year-old division. Notably, this marks the second consecutive year that Athol has claimed the top spot in the 10-year-old boy’s division at the state level.
Approximately 50 of the best free throw shooters from various regions across the state took part in this year’s competition at Hopkinton Middle School on Saturday, April 11. The Athol Knights would like to recognize the Athol YMCA, whose support contributed to the smooth start of this competition and the dedicated parents that transported and encouraged their children in each competition.
Petersham Lions collects 29 units at blood drive
PETERSHAM – The Petersham Lions Club sponsored a blood drive with the Rhode Island Blood Center on April 11. There were 32 donors including six walk- in donors.
A few folks were deferred but all in all, there were 28 donations, providing 29 units of blood with one person being a “Double Red” donor, a donor has two units of red blood cells collected, but the person plasma and platelets are returned to them. The end result is a double amount of red blood cells collected.
The Petersham Lions Club is thankful and grateful for all those who signed up and while the recipients will never know who donated to them, they are alive because of the blood donors.
Mount Wachusett launches The Mount Seed Library
GARDNER – Mount Wachusett Community College (MWCC) launched The Mount Seed Library on Tuesday, April 22, in honor of Earth Day.
Co-sponsored by the MWCC LaChance Library and the Environmental Conservation and Regenerative Agriculture Program, The Mount Seed Library will be a resource for the community to “check out” seeds (saving and returning seeds is optional), encouraging biodiversity and promoting sustainability and community engagement through seed sharing, seed saving and education.
The Mount Seed Library is the result of a collaborative, campus-wide effort involving MWCC staff and students, CAPS Collaborative students, and faculty in the environmental programs. The initiative also benefits from the guidance of librarians at the Mass Aggie Seed Library at UMass Amherst.
The library’s initial collection includes hundreds of seeds donated by The Good Earth Farm and Garden Center in Gardner, as well as seeds grown and harvested at the MWCC Greenhouse. Aubuchon Hardware in Gardner has also pledged future seed donations.
For more information about how the seed library works and for seed library hours, visit: https://library.mwcc.edu/the-mount-seed-library/home.
“Golden Age of Silent Film” with live music
Go back to another time at the Athol Public Library at 568 Main St., Athol, on Thursday, May 7, from 5:30 p.m. – 7 p.m., to experience Richard Hughes for “The Golden Age of Silent Film.”
The height of the silent era (from the early 1910s to the late 1920s) was a particularly fruitful period, with the rise of major stars like Chaplin and Keaton, and the development of film as a global industry. Not truly “silent,” a pianist, theater organist or even, an orchestra would play music to accompany the films.
During this hour and a half long, event, participants will watch movies (including Buster Keaton’s Sherlock Jr.), clips of newsreels, and cartoons to feel what life was like at the Nickelodeon back in the day. Richard Hughes will provide live accompaniment on keyboard.
A piano player since age 7, Hughes found inspiration in the silent movies that were shown on public television. A book called “Motion Picture Moods” for silent movie accompaniment from the Worcester Public Library became a favorite. He devoured it but had to pay fines because it was always overdue.
Hughes creatively devised a way to transport the projector, screen, piano keyboard, and films to a venue. He designed and built a cart for hauling the equipment around…including the sound effects. He currently travels throughout New England presenting his programs at libraries, schools, senior centers, and retirement homes.
This library program is generously sponsored by the Friends of the Athol Public Library. Free and open to the public. Registration required. Register online with our library calendar. Call the library at 978-249-9515 for more information.