The Acton Exchange team is working towards a new calendar function that allows more flexible and powerful access to Acton-relevant calendar information. In the meantime, short notices of upcoming events are published in the Bulletin Board. For now, email your Acton-relevant calendar notice (<150 words) to calendar@actonexchange.org. Your notice can include links to a website or email address, but no flyers or other graphics.
Jimmy Buffet’s Escape to Margaritaville
Theater III, 250 Central St., West Acton
Shows are: Nov 2, 8, 9, 15, and 16 at 8pm. Nov 3 and 10 at 2pm.
This musical comedy features the most-loved Jimmy Buffett classics including “Cheeseburger in Paradise”, “Margaritaville”, “It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere”, and many more. This hilarious, heartwarming musical is the party you’ve been waiting for! Shows are: Nov 2, 8, 9, 15, and 16 at 8pm. Nov 3 and 10 at 2pm. For tickets and more info go here.
Dress for Margaritaville and win prizes!
Calling all Parrotheads and anyone who loves to dress for the tropics! At our shows on Sat, Nov 2 and Fri, Nov 8, audience members can win tickets to a future Theatre III show by dressing for Margaritaville, using our selfie spot, and tagging us in the photo on Facebook or Instagram within 24 hours!
Financial Literacy for HS Students
Wednesdays, 5:30 – 6:30 PM from now until Dec 11.
Cost: FREE
This course offered by Northern Bank and Danny’s Place teaches students crucial money management skills, including budgeting, saving, and using credit responsibly. Grades: 9-12
Meets: Wednesdays, 5:30 – 6:30 PM from now until Dec 11. Cost: FREE
Sign Up: https://www.hisawyer.com/dannys-place/schedules/activity-set/963253
Build your financial future. Register today!
Check out the other great opportunities at Danny’s Place.
Plant-Based Harvest Gathering
Sponsored by EnergizeActon.org
Sat., November 9th, noon-2pm
Address sent upon registration.
Are you trying to incorporate more plant-based meals into your diet? Please join EnergizeActon.org for this informal “tailgate” potluck, with an emphasis on vegetarian/vegan appetizers. Instead of coming together for a sporting event, we are coming together to celebrate our plant world, share recipes, and affirm the importance of plant-based meals for our health and for our environment. This is being hosted at a private home in Acton. The address will be sent when you register. Drop by for delicious food and great conversation! Info/registration HERE.
The Acton Food Pantry
Ongoing – Volunteers Needed!
Current needs include:
- Adults who have flexibility to volunteer for day time shifts, particularly on Wednesday.
- People who might be interested in helping with the Saturday morning pickups at Stop & Shop or Trader Joe’s.
- Fluent Portuguese speakers to help us better serve our large Brazilian client population.
Although these are specific needs, we welcome any interested potential volunteer as we always need a large roster of potential subs and have a variety of opportunities. If you know of anyone who might be interested in volunteering, please have them complete a preliminary application (link on the Pantry website here or email Cathy at Cathy@actonfoodpantry.org.
The Acton Food Pantry has been providing food for residents in need in Acton, Boxborough and surrounding towns since 1984. They typically serve 350 families per week and rely heavily on volunteers
Community Service Day at Trail Through Time
(From The Friends of Pine Hawk)
Sunday, November 10, 1-3 p.m.
In person. Limited to 25, ages 13 and up.
Event is free, but registration is required at tinyurl.com/pinehawk-2024
Assist with trail and site maintenance on the Nashoba Brook Conservation Land’s Trail Through Time, a multicultural heritage trail in North Acton. The focus of this annual effort will be trail and site maintenance as well as cleaning trail kiosks. Rain date is Sunday, November 17.
Presented by The Friends of Pine Hawk.
Questions? Email Friends of Pine Hawk.
Boxborough’s Treasures
Sun, Nov 10 at 2 – 4PM
Boxborough Museum at 575 Middle Road
Come see Boxborough’s historic treasures including the 1850’s scale which is sensitive enough to weigh a penny and strong enough to calibrate a 50 pound weight, the “new” hearse built in 1881, and the “old” hearse (come and see how old is old). Admission is free and all are welcome. For more information or if anyone wishes to arrange a private tour for a small group at a different time please call John Fallon at 978-264-0069.
NAMI Mental Health Course, in Person in Boxborough
(From National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Central Middlesex)
Mondays, November 11 to January 13 6:30 – 9:30 pm (excluding holiday weeks)
Boxborough
Family to Family is a free, evidence-based, eight-session, weekly course from the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) for those who love someone living with a mental health condition. Topics include understanding the symptoms of mental health conditions, learning about treatments & therapies, practicing communication & problem-solving skills, creating a positive team approach, and self-care. Importantly, the course offers family members the invaluable opportunity of open conversation and mutual support in a stigma-free environment.
The course will meet in person in Boxborough Mondays, November 11 to January 13, excluding holiday weeks, 6:30 pm to 9:00 pm. Additional information and registration: namicentralmiddlesex.org/newsletter/family-to-family-fall2024-boxborough.
Veterans Day in Acton
Monday, November 11, 11:00 a.m.
The Town of Acton’s Veteran Services Department, as well as the Celebrations and Ceremonies Committee, invite you to join us for this year’s Veterans Day Ceremony. The ceremony will be observed on Monday, November 11th at 11am. Please park behind Town Hall or behind the Fire Station. The ceremony will take place outdoors (weather permitting) by the Isaac Davis monument on the town common. In the event of inclement weather, we will move the ceremony to the Faulkner room inside town hall. All are encouraged to attend. We hope you can join us in paying reverence to our nations’ heroes.
Veterans Day in Boxborough
Monday, November 11, 11:00 a.m.
Sargent Memorial Library, 427 Mass. Ave., Boxborough
The Town of Boxborough cordially invites our Town Veterans and all residents to attend the 2024 Veterans’ Day Ceremony on Monday, November 11th promptly at 11 am. This will take place at the Veterans Tribute Memorial on the grounds of the Sargent Memorial Library, 427 Massachusetts Avenue. Parking is available up at the Library lot and also at the Blanchard Memorial School lot; using the bridge walkway to get to the Site. Veterans’ Day recognizes the commitment and dedication of Boxborough’s Veterans and their families. We look forward to seeing you there so that we can honor all of those who have served in our Armed Forces.
Countdown to April 19th, 1775: One for the Revolutionary Road: Taverns and the American Revolution
Tues, Nov 12 7 – 8:30 pm
Acton Memorial Library
Acton 250 presents Northeastern University Professor Malcolm F. Purinton to discuss the role of the tavern in local society as the colonies headed into the American Revolution. There were few places more important in colonial and revolutionary America than local community taverns that played witness to local, regional, and national events in American history. Decisions made in these cozy environments had important and far-reaching consequences ranging from protest planning to actions such as the Boston Tea Party. Recordings will be on our website and ActonTV https://actontv.org/on-demand/education shortly after the event. Please see https://www.actonma.gov/250 for all programming information and our commemorative store at https://tinyurl.com/ACTON250STORE.
Generously supported by the Acton Lions Club and the Acton Memorial Library.
WR Grace Superfund Site Open House
Tuesday, November 12, 6:30-8:30pm
Acton Town Hall, Room 204
EPA, along with MassDEP and W.R. Grace, will be holding an Open House for the WR Grace Superfund Site. Residents and community members can learn about the history of the Site, current activities occurring on site and get to know members of the Site Team, including EPA’s Remedial Project Manager, Community Involvement Coordinator, and representatives from the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and W.R. Grace & Co.
A fact sheet and open house information are posted on EPA’s site profile page (www.epa.gov/superfund/graceacton).
“One for the Revolutionary Road: Taverns and the American Revolution”
(From Acton 250 Committee)
Tuesday, November 12, 7:00 pm
Acton Memorial Library, 486 Main St., Acton.
Acton 250 presents Northeastern University Professor Malcolm F. Purinton to discuss the role of the tavern in local society as the colonies headed into the American Revolution. There were few places more important in colonial and revolutionary America than local community taverns that played witness to local, regional, and national events in American history. Decisions made in these cozy environments had important and far-reaching consequences ranging from protest planning to actions such as the Boston Tea Party. Recordings will be on our website and ActonTV https://actontv.org/on-demand/education shortly after the event. Please see https://www.actonma.gov/250 for all programming information and our commemorative store at https://tinyurl.com/ACTON250STORE.
Generously supported by the Acton Lions Club and the Acton Memorial Library.
Presented by Acton 250 Committee.
More information at the website.
Citizens’ Library Governance Public Forum
Acton Town Hall, Room 204
Wednesday, November 13 at 7:00 PM
We would like your feedback!
The Citizens’ Library Governance Advisory Committee was created at the beginning of the year to help resolve certain structural issues in the way the Citizens’ Library Trustees govern within the Acton library system. The goal is to enhance the library patron and staff experience and maintain a close and collaborative relationship between the two Acton libraries.
Learn about the committee’s work and the recommendation that will be brought to the Select Board before the end of the year, and share your thoughts, concerns and questions.
If you are unable to attend in person, please send questions and feedback to the committee at clgac@actonma.gov.
Popular Music and Veterans program at Acton Senior Center
(From Jon Waterman)
Acton Senior Center
Thursday, November 14 – 1 pm
On Thursday, November 14, Jon and Li Waterman will perform “Popular Music and Veterans” at the Acton Senior Center on 30 Sudbury Rd. Rear in Acton at 1:00pm. The program consists of original and traditional songs about the history of veterans in America and some related music history.
Jon and Li have performed their music and history programs in venues throughout New England as part of a series called Live Music Making History Live. The series was designed to encourage the celebration and exploration of history through music. Jon and Li perform regularly as the duo Sultana. Jon is a lifetime musician and songwriter and licensed history teacher in MA. Li is also a lifetime musician and a visual artist.
Light on the Heart STEM kit distribution
Friday, November 15, 5-6 p.m.
Danny’s Place, 543 Mass. Ave. Acton
Light on the Heart is a nonprofit founded by a senior at AB bringing awareness to inequity in cardiovascular care. Through a grant from Fetch, we distributed 100 STEM kits called the Little Hearts Science Crate for free to students in AB. On November 15th, from 5:00 to 6:00 PM at Danny’s Place, Light on the Heart is hosting a distribution event of 25 kits. A group of volunteers will run science experiments with kids ranging from building stethoscopes to modeling the heart with playdough, and will explain to families how to use the kits. Join us for an evening of fun learning, free refreshments, and community building! Please contact lightontheheart@gmail.com with any questions.
Acton Arboretum Walk
(From The Friends of Pine Hawk)
Saturday, November 16, 9:30-11:00 am
Acton Arboretum, 2 Taylor Rd., Acton. Limited to 12, adults only.
Event is free, but registration is required at tinyurl.com/pinehawk-2024
Join Friends of the Nashobah Indians members Kevin Gallant and Bettina Abe for a walk through the Acton Arboretum to observe what may be Native American Ceremonial Stone Landscapes (CSLs). Many cultural structures have been destroyed by development but some may still exist. The walk will be on and off the trail over uneven ground.
Presented by The Friends of Pine Hawk.
Jewish Book Month with Joan Leegant
Sunday, November 17, 2024
7:00 PM – 9:00 p.m.
Congregation Beth Elohim
With the Sisterhood, Adult Ed will host author Joan Leegant for the Jewish Book month Author event. The book is called Displaced Persons, and it was selected by Hadassah as its “One Book, One Hadassah” choice for August.
To RSVP https://www.bethelohim.org/event/jewish-book-month-with-joan-legant.html
You can get your books from the Congregation Beth Elohim office. Please make checks out to the CBE Adult Education Fund. Cost is $18.
Acton-Boxborough United Way’s Casino Royale Fundraiser
Saturday evening, November 16
Wedgewood Pines Country Club, Stow
Casino Royale, the biggest fundraiser of the year for the Acton-Boxborough United Way (ABUW), will be held on Saturday evening on November 16 at the beautiful Wedgewood Pines Country Club, Stow.
Last year’s Casino Royale fundraiser and silent auction raised over $40,000, which helped to underwrite the vital community support A-B United Way and its grantees provide to residents throughout the A/B community. Organizers anticipate this year’s event will be even bigger and better. For more information and tickets, go to abuw.org/casino.
Business leaders: ABUW’s Casino Royale is a great way to spotlight area businesses while making a meaningful contribution to people in our community who need it most. For more information, Contact ABUW Executive Director Katie Neville at 978-254-2806 or abuw.org/sponsor.
“Does Parenting Have to Be This Hard? What Can Babies Teach Us”
(from Discovery Museum)
Tuesday, November 19
7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. EST
Live, via Zoom webinar
“Does Parenting Have to Be This Hard? What Can Babies Teach Us,” a free Discovery Museum 2024 Speaker Series event: Dr. J. Kevin Nugent, Founder and Director Emeritus of the Brazelton Institute in the Division of Developmental Medicine at Boston Children’s Hospital
Free with advance registration, which is required, at http://bit.ly/DMSpeakerSeries.
Community Documentary Viewing- Who We Are, a Chronicle of Racism in America
Tuesday, November 19, 2024
6:00-9:30 p.m.
Maynard Fine Arts Theatre, 19 Summer St., Maynard, MA
The Town of Acton in collaboration with Community Teamwork, Inc. and other local community organizations are hosting a Community Documentary screening of Who We Are, a Chronicle of Racism in America, at Maynard Fine Arts Theatre, 19 Summer St., Maynard, MA. Facilitated discussion to follow the screening. Co-sponsored by several organizations, including Saint Matthews Methodist Church, Indivisible Acton, Out Metrowest, Congregation Beth Elohim, and UCC Boxborough. Register at link.
A Day in the Life of a Local Archaeologist
(From The Friends of Pine Hawk)
Wednesday, November 20, 7:00 pm
In person at the Acton Memorial Library, 486 Main St., Acton and via Zoom.
Event is free, but registration is required at tinyurl.com/pinehawk-2024
David Gutbrod, professional archaeologist and chair of Westford’s Historical Commission, conducted research in North Acton, the first application of Acton’s new Archaeological Protection bylaw. He will share significant highlights from the Acton project as well as remote sensing projects conducted in Tampa Bay’s lost cemetery and the hidden remains of Ethel, Florida.
Presented by The Friends of Pine Hawk.
Questions? Email Friends of Pine Hawk.
Sip ‘n’ Shop – Pink Friday
Friday, November 22
10 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Location: West Acton
Details: Multiple Small Businesses in West Acton participating!! HOME, Wish, Silver Unicorn, E. Drumm Designs, Smudge Ink, Bees Knees, Eve and Murray’s.
Pink Friday is the Friday BEFORE Black Friday, and the idea is to get people to #shopsmallfirst. Before shopping at all the big retailers, don’t forget your small local retailers for your holiday shopping!
Special Town Meeting – Purchase of 19 and 35 Wetherbee Street
Monday, November 25, 2024
More details to come in future issues of the Acton Exchange.
This purchase of 19 and 35 Wetherbee Street has been the topic of Select Board Executive Session discussions for several years. According to Town Manager Mangiaratti, state grant funding is now available, but to use it, a Special Town Meeting vote must be taken before the end of this calendar year. See related article about the LAND grant in the November 2 issue of the Acton Exchange.
Native Americans and the Revolution: The Times are Exceedingly Altered
(From The Friends of Pine Hawk)
Thursday, December 5, 7:00-8:30 pm
In person at the Acton Town Hall, Room 204, 472 Main St., Acton and via Zoom.
Event is free, but registration is required at tinyurl.com/pinehawk-2024
At the end of the 1780s, a group of Mohegans bemoaned that “[t]he times are exceedingly altered, yea the Times have turned everything topside down.” That was true for indigenous peoples in southern New England who survived the devastations of King Philip’s War a century earlier, as well as those between the Appalachians and the Great Lakes who were subject to a half-century of displacement and wars between European powers. Daniel Mandell, Professor of History Emeritus, Truman State University, and author of Tribe, Race, History: Native Americans in Southern New England, 1780-1880, will present information on how thousands of Native people were involved in and impacted by the Revolution, and how they sought to secure their rights in different ways.
Presented by The Friends of Pine Hawk. Funded by Freedom’s Way and cosponsored with Acton 250.
Questions? Email Friends of Pine Hawk.
The Acton Food Pantry
Volunteers Needed!
Current needs include:
1) adults who have flexibility to volunteer for day time shifts, particularly on Wednesday
2) those who might be interested in helping with the Saturday morning pickups at Stop & Shop or Trader Joe’s
3) those who are fluent Portuguese speakers to help us better serve our large Brazilian client population.
We welcome any interested potential volunteers as we always need potential subs and have a variety of opportunities. If you know of anyone who might be interested in volunteering, please have them complete a preliminary application (link on the Pantry website here or email Cathy at
Cathy@actonfoodpantry.org
The Acton Food Pantry has been providing food for residents in need in Acton, Boxborough and surrounding towns since 1984. They typically serve 350 families per week and rely heavily on volunteers.
Kid’s Fall Play Date
Sunday Nov. 17, 2-5 pm
24 Windsor Ave., ACTON 01720
Games, (outdoors, weather permitting) arts and crafts, snacks and cider at a large Victorian home and community space. We host inclusive gatherings for the purposes of learning and sharing in the hopes of creating a better world. All ages welcome! Come and enjoy the waning days of fall with friends!
Please RSVP Karen Boutet 617-875-1790
karenboutet@gmail.com