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. Calendar editor needed!
Acton Lions Christmas Tree Sale
(from Acton Lions Club)
Begins Friday, Nov 29
Fridays 3-6pm / Sat & Suns 10am-6pm
Ace Hardware on 27 – 210 Main St Acton
The Acton Lions continue their over forty-year tradition of selling trees for charity! 6 – 10 foot New Brunswick Balsam trees are $70. Cash or check only. We will help you decide on the tree, trim the base, and tie it down on your vehicle. Happy Holidays everyone!!
Beacon Santa Telethon
(From WAVM, Maynard High School’s radio station)
December 13 7:00 p.m – December 15 11:00 p.m.
The Beacon Santa Telethon is a student-run, 40-hour event broadcast live from Maynard High School on radio and television. The annual telethon consists of a variety of acts, segments, radio shows, live entertainment, and more! A large part of the telethon is our live auction, where people can bid on gift cards, toys, clothing, electronics, and hundreds of other items. Auction items are donated before the event by small families, large businesses, and everyone in between! All proceeds raised by the telethon are given directly to the Beacon Santa Fund, a non-profit that supports families during the holiday season.
1 Tiger Drive, Maynard, MA 01754
(978)-897-5213
WAVMproductions@gmail.com
Comcast – Channel 8
Verizon – Channel 28
Learn More About the Event and How to Donate: https://wavm.org/telethon/
Santa Ride and Food Drive
Dec. 14, 2024
9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
The jolly fellow will ride in a vintage 1936 REO fire truck, escorted by the Acton Fire Department. Come one, come all! Be sure to bring your wish list. Santa’s helpers will also collect non-perishable food items for the Acton Food Pantry.
Santa’s Itinerary:
9:00 a.m. Oakwood Road and Fernwood Road
9:15 a.m. 32 Parker Street, Cucurbit Farm
9:35 a.m. 15 Hillcrest Road
9:50 a.m. Faulkner Hill Road at High Street
10:10 a.m. Robbins Street at Heron View Road
10:30 a.m. Lothrub Road at Spencer
10:45 a.m. Joseph Reed Lane at Captain Forbush Lane
11:05 a.m. Ethan Allen Drive at Black Horse Drive
11:20 a.m. Duggan Road at Townsend Road
12:00 noon Nashoba Road at Huron Road
12:15 p.m. Seneca Road at Seminole Road
12:30 p.m. Musket Drive at Fire & Drum Road
1:10 p.m. Acton Memorial Library, lower lot
1:30 p.m. Acorn Park Drive at Walnut Street
1:50 p.m. 47 Nonset Path (Nagog Woods Post Office)
2:10 p.m. NARA Park 25 Ledge Rock Way (Bathhouse)
2:30 p.m. Bayberry Road at Magnolia Drive
2:45 p.m. Alcott Street at Longfellow Park
Fair Trade Craft Sale at Church of the Good Shepherd
Sunday, December 15
11 a.m.-3 p.m.
Church of the Good Shepherd, 164 Newtown Road in Acton,
in the Church Parish Hall
Come shop for Fair Trade Crafts at Church of the Good Shepherd, 164 Newtown Road in Acton to support local artisans in El Salvador and Guatemala to earn a living wage. These crafts make lovely gifts; are unique, colorful and beautifully handmade using ancestral techniques combined with ever-evolving artistic designs; and are created by artisans committed to sustainable community development. Most artisans are women and single mothers who have formed cooperatives that operate under humane working conditions to provide income-generating alternatives to working in sweatshops or migrating to the United States. The earnings help them afford a decent standard of living with clean water, food, healthcare, and education.
Luminous Night – A Solstice Celebration
Sun., Dec, 15, 2024 5 p.m.
First Parish Church of Stow & Acton
353 Great Road, Stow
Music Director Chris Hossfeld conducts the FPC Choir with accompanist Trevor Berens, soprano Jessica Tunick Berens, and cellist Gary Hodges. The local community is invited.This will be a multi-faith service with seasonal music, and will include a choral piece titled “Luminous Night of the Soul” by Ola Gjeilo, whose compositional style is often described as cinematic and evocative, with a lush, harmonious sound.
Admission is free, masks are optional. Our building is designed to be inclusive and accessible to people of all abilities, including wheelchair users.
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 p.m. (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 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Additional information and registration: namicentralmiddlesex.org/newsletter/family-to-family-fall2024-boxborough.
ABRHS Winter Concert
Tuesday, December 17, 2024
7 p.m.
Free.
Features the ABRHS Jazz Band, Chamber Choir, Bella Voce, Orchestra, Madrigal Singers & Concert Band. Free.
Mt. Calvary Community Supper
(from Mt. Calvary Community Supper)
Where: Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church of Acton 472 Massachusetts Ave. Acton MA 01720
Time: Every Wednesday (except holidays).
Dinner is served 4:30pm – 5:45pm. Doors open at 4:15pm. Please, do not enter prior, so our volunteers can prepare your supper.
Parking: Park your car in the back parking lot and enter from the walkway to the church door.
“The only active Community Supper serving in Acton”
“ALWAYS GRATEFUL FOR ANOTHER WEDNESDAY”
“All are Welcome.”
Join us at our Sit-Down Supper! The month of Holiday Celebrations is here. Please, take time to join us for a dinner with new and familiar friends. Join us as we bring cheer into your lives. We look forward to sharing a meal and friendship with you every Wednesday.
December 2024 Menu
12/4 Meatloaf that we all love.
Sponsored by Thrivent Financial
12/11 Zatar Chicken
Sponsored by Congregation Beth Elohim
12/18 Our Holiday Turkey Dinner with all the Fix’ns
Sponsored by Boston Metro West Bible Church
12/25 Closed – May this month of many Holidays bring you peace!
** Please note that the meals we serve may contain gluten, nuts, seeds, or dairy.
As 2024 comes to an end, we wish to express how grateful we are for the support and dedication of so many individuals, community organizations, church members and the team of our Supper volunteers. Together we hope that each meal we share will bring us closer together.
http://www.mtcalvaryacton.org/Community-Supper
http://www.facebook.com/CommunitySupperofActonMA
Madrigal Singers Holiday Caroling at Boxborough Library
Thursday, December 19, 2024, 6 p.m.
Free.
Sargent Memorial Library, 427 Mass. Ave., Boxborough
Acton-Boxborough Regional High School Madrigal Singers sing carols at Boxborough Library.
Santa at the Concord Market
(From the Concord Market)
Santa will be at the Concord Market.
Sunday, Dec. 22
10:30am-2:30pm
The Concord Market Mezzanine
77 Lowell Road, Concord, MA
The Concord Market will have Santa visiting to take photos and hear what your kids want for Christmas on Sunday, December 22.
There will also be a chance to write Santa a letter for him to read after getting toys to kids all over the world. A hot cocoa bar with toppings will also be available for all ($6 per person).
Come by and see him before he starts his long Christmas journey!
All are welcome!
Volunteer opportunities
Help plan the Acton Food Pantry’s Annual Chef Challenge Fundraiser
Volunteers Needed!
Are you well organized? Do you love to plan events or parties? Are you a foodie?
If you answered yes to any, then the Pantry’s Chef Challenge Committee needs you! This is an amazing event that brings the community together for a night of good food, great friendship, and philanthropy. Chef Challenge Volunteer Leaders are needed in the following areas:
- CC Event Planner- Oversee all aspects of the planning for the Chef Challenge. Hands-on coordinator for the Chef Challenge event
- Chef Coordinator- Meet with local chefs to encourage them to participate in the event. Ensure all food permits are in place prior to the event. Collect chefs’ menus. Be on hand to answer any questions from the chefs at the event
- Marketing Chair – Coordinate event marketing including yard signs, towncenter banner, flyers, and print advertising.
To learn more, please contact Loretta Crumlish, Chair of the AFP Board at loretta@actonfoodpantry.org.
The Acton Food Pantry volunteering
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.
Note also: The Acton Food Pantry is seeking donations heading into the holiday season. Please check out the Amazon Wish List for the Pantry.