Month: September 2022

Love Greater Cape Ann Silent Auction Now Open to All!

~ chambercacc

The Silent Auction portion of the 35th Annual Love Greater Cape Ann Fundraising Auction is now open to ALL! Simply go to bit.ly/lovegca22 to register and start bidding! Bidding will be open until 6:55 PM on Thursday, September 29. You do not need to be at the Live Auction event to win Silent Auction items! Check out all the great Silent Auction items at bit.ly/lovegca22 – there are some sweet deals to be had! You can also set your maximum bid for any item to give yourself a better chance of coming out on top! Bid today!! Bid often!!

SAWYER FREE LIBRARY IS ON THE MOVE

~ Sawyer Free Library

The Sawyer Free Library (SFL) is on the move, although they are not going too far or for too long. 

The Sawyer Free Library’s 2 Dale Avenue location will close to the public at 5 p.m. on Friday, September 30.  The Library’s new temporary home will open at 8 a.m. on Monday, October 24 at 21 Main Street in downtown Gloucester, just a few blocks from the Library’s current location. 

During the three-week closing, library resources will be available online through the Library’s website http://www.sawyerfreelibrary.org. Due dates for physical materials that are checked out will be extended and not become overdue during the move. The Library’s outside book drops at the front entrance and in the parking lot of 2 Dale Avenue will remain open for materials to be returned.

“The Sawyer Free Library is an essential service that supports our residents to reach their full potential in manyaspects of their lives,” said Mern Sibley, President of the Gloucester Lyceum and Sawyer Free Library’s Board of Trustees. “This temporary location will ensure that our Gloucester community continues to have full access to the Library’s resources, including our dedicated staff, as we take another big step towards making the 2025 Sawyer Free Library a reality.”

The Library is moving in preparation for its upcoming historic renovation and expansion project. The temporary location will be in use throughout construction, which includes a renovation of the Sawyer Free’s 1976 main building at 2 Dale Avenue and an addition of 15,000 square feet toward School Street.  The construction is expected to be completed by early 2025. 

SFL will be working with professional relocation and moving services companies, National Library Relocations and Hiltz Moving and Storage, to move the library’s collections, furnishings, and equipment to the temporary location. The Saunders House will be used for library staff office space and onsite storage during the construction. 

As a part of the temporary move, the Library’s Main Floor and Friend Room A/V equipment, valued at $60,000, will be loaned to the Rose Baker Senior Center for use in their Multi-Purpose Room and the Second Floor Meeting Room. The arrangement is an opportunity for the Library’s resources to continue to benefit the Gloucester community during the construction project. 

“This moment has been a longtime coming, and we are so grateful to the Gloucester community for their ongoing patience and overwhelming support of this historic project,” said Library Director Jenny Benedict.  “In the meantime, we want to encourage everyone to visit us at 2 Dale Avenue before the move starts on October 1st. People can take pictures of places that had special meaning to them or just sit and take it all in. We realize how much this Library has meant to so many over the years, but we also want people to know that this is not a farewell to the Sawyer Free Library, but rather, see you again very soon after you get that much-needed TLC.” 

Library hours at the temporary location will remain the same, open six days a week, with the Sawyer Free Library’s staff available to assist the public. The Library phone number and emails will not change and all information is listed on the website, sawyerfreelibrary.org. The centrally located space on Main Street is handicap accessible and offers on-street and public parking in the St. Peter’s Square lot. The Library’s parking lot located on School Street will also be available until construction begins and then will be closed through the project’s duration.

In its new temporary home, the Sawyer Free Library will offer select in-person services, curbside service, outreach programming, and an enhanced level of online services. The approximately 3,600 sq. ft. at 21 Main Street will accommodate library services for both children and adults, as well as the Library’s local history research resources and Wellspring House’s client intake center. The space will have public computers, printing and copying services, Wi-Fi access, and study tables. 

A large selection of books, audiobooks, DVDs, and music CDs will be available for all ages, including adult new releases, bestsellers, magazines and newspapers. Through the hold system, cardholders can request items from the Library’s full CD, DVD and audiobook collections. While the size of the space limits the quantity of books onsite, cardholders have access to thousands of titles from other NOBLE libraries that will be delivered to Gloucester.

SFL will continue to offer a robust schedule of programs for residents of all ages throughout the community onsite at 21 Main Street and many off-site locations in Gloucester’s public schools, preschools, community centers, municipal spaces, local cultural institutions, parks, and other outdoor spaces. It will also work with its many community partners to host collaborative programming. In addition, the Library will continue to utilize and enhance its remote and online virtual programs.

“As we find new ways of providing the same service in our temporary location, it will feel a bit different and take some getting used to, but we are bringing so much with us that it will also be a lot the same,” added Benedict. “We look forward to the day we move back into 2 Dale Avenue. The current library building has so many memories from what the community has created here. It’s exciting to think how people will build new memories in the 2025 Sawyer Free Library.”

When doors open at the 2025 Sawyer Free Library, the building will exemplify what a 21st-century public library can and should be in terms of architecture, sustainability, accessibility, use of natural resources and light, wayfinding, lines of sight, air quality, and public safety. The modernized and expanded Library will double in size with the addition. It will boast new community spaces, including a 110-seat community room with state-of-the-art science presentation technology, a dedicated room for teens, and a digital maker space with a sound recording studio and film editing suite. Additional features include a Library History Center, a quiet Reading Room, and a 16-seat Conference Room. 

The Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners recently approved the Sawyer Free Library’s $9 million provisional construction grant toward the estimated $28 million historic project. In October, the Gloucester City Council is expected to vote on a request for a city loan to provide the financing for the project, which will allow the City to receive the state grant. Gloucester’s Public Library is owned by the Gloucester Lyceum and Sawyer Free Library, a nonprofit corporation, which will repay the series of short-term city loans through grants, corporate and individual donations. 

The Sawyer Free 2025 fundraising campaign has over $15 million in committed funds and continues to seek funding of large and small donations through individual and corporate donors, federal, state, and municipal government grants, and nonprofit foundations. The public is encouraged to learn more about the project by visiting sawyerfree2025.org.  The specifics of Sawyer Free Library’s move to the temporary location at 21 Main Street are available at sawyerfreelibrary.org.  

# # #

35th Annual Love Greater Cape Ann Fundraising Auction

~ chambercacc

Please register in advance at bit.ly/lovegca

You are invited to join us for the 35th Annual Love Greater Cape Ann Fundraising Auction on Thursday, September 29 from 5 to 10 PM at Cruiseport Gloucester. The night will feature:

  • Live Auction and Silent Auction
  • Fund the Future Paddle Raise
  • Heads & Tails Game
  • Passed Hors d’Oeuvres, Plated Dinner, Cash Bar

We Love Greater Cape Ann and work hard to help support our Community in many ways.  Your generous bidding will help the Chamber build for the future of this special place where we live, work and play. Join us and share your love for Cape Ann. 

  •  compete for great gatherings & trips
  •  take home your next piece of art
  •  experience a South Africa photo safari
  •  bid high with our professional auctioneer
  •  meet up with old friends & make new friends
  •  help us fund the future of the greater Cape Ann region

Live and Silent Auction Items may be previewed at: https://one.bidpal.net/lovegca22

Proceeds benefit the Chamber’s work to support Greater Cape Ann through business and regional promotion, economic growth, educational enrichment and community events.

Thank you to our Sponsors:

  • GOLD: Beauport Hospitality, Institution for Savings, Johnson & O’Connor
  • SILVER: Cape Ann Savings Bank, Coastal Windows & Exteriors
  • BRONZE: Applied Materials, BankGloucester, Brookline Bank, Carroll K. Steele Insurance Agency, Inc., Cazeault Solar, Works by JD

Calling All Young Inventors!

~ Hammond Castle Museum

Join us this Sunday for a fun, STEM program at Hammond Castle Museum, the home of one of the nation’s greatest inventors of his time!

Check-in will begin at 12:30 and the program will begin at 1pm.
*This program is geared to children in late elementary school and early middle school grades.

Inventing has changed a lot over the last century since our founder, John Hays Hammond Jr. began his illustrious career, but many of the fundamentals remain the same. Hammond Castle Museum is delighted to partner with the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in presenting a new event: Inventors Day.

The event is inspired by one of Hammond’s inventions: “Seleno,” the world’s first robotic dog, which was controlled by a beam of light. During this two hour-long STEM program, competitors will group into teams with the goal to construct their own light-controlled robot. Each team will be given a robot kit to assemble as well as additional components and electronics to modify and improve upon the core design. The teams will then compete in a series of scored challenges using their robots. Each member of the winning team will receive an award and special recognition across Hammond Castle Museum’s social media platforms as well as its website. Winners also may enjoy all the bragging rights they could want as they may consider themselves a member of the Museum’s exclusive list of inventors.

Reservations & Chaperone tickets are $10 each and available at: www.hammondcastle.org.

Tomorrow: The Autumn Equinox And Psychic Readings & Spirit Mediumships

~ Hammond Castle Museum

Did you know that our founder John Hays Hammond Jr. and his wife, Irene have a deep history of exploration in the spiritual realm? It’s true! The Hammonds once held séances and performed experiments with ESP in the Great Hall. In honor of their fascination and scientific studies around psychic capabilities, we are hosting an evening of psychic readings and spirit exploration! Join us as we bring together Bruce Hoskins, Red Hoskins, Amanda McElhaney, Michelle Guillemette Trahan and Julie Ann Thompson to offer readings for enlightenment, healing, and inspiration. (*Please see their bios below for more information.) They will also offer romantic relationship readings for singles or couples. This type of reading offers unquantifiable guidance and insights into your love life.

Thirty minute Individual Readings and thirty minute Couple’s Relationship Readings are both $50. Thirty minute Spirit Mediumship Readings are $65.00 each. The cover charge is $8 per guest.

Visit Hammondcastle.org to learn more and reserve your tickets!

35th Annual Love Greater Cape Ann Fundraising Auction

~ chambercacc

Please register in advance at bit.ly/lovegca

You are invited to join us for the 35th Annual Love Greater Cape Ann Fundraising Auction on Thursday, September 29 from 5 to 10 PM at Cruiseport Gloucester. The night will feature:

  • Live Auction and Silent Auction
  • Fund the Future Paddle Raise
  • Heads & Tails Game
  • Passed Hors d’Oeuvres, Plated Dinner, Cash Bar

We Love Greater Cape Ann and work hard to help support our Community in many ways.  Your generous bidding will help the Chamber build for the future of this special place where we live, work and play. Join us and share your love for Cape Ann. 

  •  compete for great gatherings & trips
  •  take home your next piece of art
  •  experience a South Africa photo safari
  •  bid high with our professional auctioneer
  •  meet up with old friends & make new friends
  •  help us fund the future of the greater Cape Ann region

Live and Silent Auction Items may be previewed at: https://one.bidpal.net/lovegca22

Proceeds benefit the Chamber’s work to support Greater Cape Ann through business and regional promotion, economic growth, educational enrichment and community events.

Thank you to our Sponsors:

  • GOLD: Beauport Hospitality, Institution for Savings, Johnson & O’Connor
  • SILVER: Cape Ann Savings Bank, Coastal Windows & Exteriors
  • BRONZE: Applied Materials, BankGloucester, Brookline Bank, Carroll K. Steele Insurance Agency, Inc., Cazeault Solar, Works by JD

Author Talk with Simon Winchester: Tuesday, 9/20

~ Sawyer Free Library

Sawyer Free Library is pleased to host a virtual conversation with prolific British-American writer, journalist, and consummate adventurer SIMON WINCHESTER on Tuesday, September 20 at 2:00pm.

The NYT bestselling author will cover many aspects of his work across myriad fields of history, technology, and geology as well as the author’s personal expeditions, including his path to becoming the acclaimed author he is today of more than 30 titles, including The Professor and the Madman, Pacific, The Perfectionists, and most recently, Land: How the Hunger for Ownership Shaped the Modern World. 

Virtual Author Talk on Tuesday, September 20 at 2pm

About the Author: Beginning his writing career in journalism, Simon Winchester has found renowned success in the world of non-fiction and now works almost exclusively as an author.  Aside from his numerous books, Simon Winchester OBE has been published in The Guardian, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, National Geographic, and Conde Nast Traveler among many others. Honored with several awards throughout  his career—Britain’s Journalist of the Year in 1971 among them—in 2006 he was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to journalism and literature. In addition, he received an Audie Award for Non-Fiction for The Perfectionists and was made an Honorary Fellow of St. Catherine’s College, Oxford in 2009.  

This is a virtual event, for link, register at sawyerfreelibrary.org. For questions, contact: moneill@sawyerfreelibrary.org or 978-325-5562.

Sawyer Free Library Receives State Grant for Innovative STEM Programming 

~ Sawyer Free Library

Library to Launch Young Gloucester Scientist’s Club for Elementary and Middle School Students 

It’s full STEM ahead for Sawyer Free Library‘s young patrons with the launch of Young Gloucester Scientist’s Club, a new innovative after-school program made possible through a federal Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) grant from the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC).

The grant of $9,800 will expand Gloucester’s public library’s programming to promote interest in science, engineering, technology, and math (STEM) learning. The Young Gloucester Scientist’s Club supports the digital, scientific and technological goals of 4th through 8th graders aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards. It will introduce young scientists to Gloucester community members with careers across a variety of STEM fields and connect them with Gloucester’s natural environment.

The Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) awarded Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) direct grants to public libraries at its July 7, 2022, board meeting. Federal LSTA grants are funded through the Institute of Museum and Library Services. 

“Each community in Massachusetts is unique and has its own local needs,” said Robert Favini, Head of Library Advisory and Development at the MBLC. “These grants allow libraries to address those local needs directly, whether it’s programming for children and teens, helping residents find a path to citizenship, or protecting the town’s historic documents and artifacts.”

“We’re thrilled to be a recipient of this generous MBLC grant to fund the Sawyer Free Library’s newest program, the Young Gloucester Scientists Club,” said Library Director Jenny Benedict. “Sawyer Free Library plays a vital role in supporting young people to discover their interests and direct their own learning.” Benedict added, “The future of our local environment is dependent on young people today developing a strong sense of place and community and engaging in meaningful learning together to solve our most pressing environmental concerns.”

Children’s Librarian Marisa Hall, who developed the Young Gloucester Scientists Club and applied for the grant, said, “These funds give the Sawyer Free Library an incredible opportunity to expand our current STEM programs and encourage students to further explore their interests in the sciences. This project connects them to a sense of “place” by using our own community’s physical resources and social connections to introduce them to new and innovative STEM concepts and topics.”

The Young Gloucester Scientist’s Club features three components:  in-person programs, circulating STEM kits and online video interviews. The in-person family programming will introduce young people to Gloucester community members with careers across various STEM fields, providing mentors from various backgrounds. Programs will feature local sea, land and sky topics and will highlight our rich Maritime history and culture as Gloucester celebrates its 400th anniversary. 

The Club will take a hands-on approach to learning, build community connections and encourage youth to actively think like scientists by observing, questioning, and experimenting with the world around them. Kicking off in 2023, the library will host Afterschool Young Gloucester Scientist’s Club monthly meetings January through May. In the summer, it will feature a three-day Astronomy “Crash Course” and a series of four Young Gloucester Summer Scientist’s Club Field Trips.  All in-person programs will be held in the Library’s transitional space located on Main Street in downtown Gloucester as well as locations throughout the community.  

The “Young Scientist” STEM kits will provide participants with fun and engaging learning at-home activities. The hands-on kits will be available to check out and include accompanying guides with FAQs, discovery tips, parent conversation starters, and more. There will be seven types: Mini Drone, Microscope and Color Camera, Reflector Telescope, Space Rover Inventor, Coding, and Marine Biology Explorer Kits. Materials will be available in English, Spanish, Portuguese, and, if needed, other languages to be inclusive and accessible to all interested participants.

The “Let’s Meet an Expert” online videos will feature interviews with Gloucester’s STEM experts and scientists conducted by young scientists. The videos will create connections to those working to explore, discover and protect Gloucester’s natural environment. Topics will include Ocean Conservation and Sea Turtle Rehabilitation (NOAA), SnotBots, Drones and Observing Whales (Ocean Alliance), Whale Protection (The Whalemobile), Astronomy (Gloucester Astronomy Club), Using our Natural Environment to Design Solutions for our Future (Biomimicry New England) and more. 

The schedule and specifics of the new after-school program will be forthcoming. For more information, visit SawyerFreeLibrary.org.

Twenty-one libraries received Federal LSTA grants for a total amount of $220,085 awarded. Grants are open to libraries of all types that meet the eligibility requirements. In addition to the direct library grant program, the MBLC uses LSTA funds to support statewide programs and services, including summer reading programs, research databases, the statewide eBook program, the Commonwealth Catalog and mass.gov/libraries which has information and resources for residents. LSTA is administered on the federal level by the Institute of Museum and Library Services and in the Commonwealth by the MBLC. More information about LSTA can be found at www.mass.gov/mblc.

Firebird Pops Orchestra returns to Hammond Castle Museum for a night of music from the silver screen this Friday evening!

~ Hammond Castle Museum

Firebird Pops Orchestra returns to Hammond Castle Museum for a night of music from the silver screen this Friday evening!

A smaller, chamber orchestra division of FPO will perform creative existing and custom arrangements of iconic film scores on our seaside lawn. Conductor Brendan J. Kenney will lead the chamber orchestra through the sweeping, magical scores of films and tv series such as Star Wars, Jurassic Park, Indiana Jones, Harry Potter, The Avengers, Game of Thrones, The Wizard of Oz, and more!

General admission is $40. Tickets are available at www.hammondcastle.org.

As always, special event ticket holders are eligible for a 20% discount on self-guided tours prior to 3pm on the day of the ticketed event. Parking is free.

All proceeds from this program will support the restoration and preservation of the 13th century, French cloister archways which are located at the front of the museum.

Photo by CMO Photography Studios.