Month: August 2024

Help The Open Door Raise Awareness for Hunger Action Month

~ todtheopendoor

September is Hunger Action Month™, an annual, nationwide campaign by the Feeding America network to raise awareness and encourage action to reduce food insecurity.  

The Open Door served 957 MORE people and had 4,452 MORE household visits in the first six months of 2024 than the same period in 2023. That means more people are visiting the nonprofit, more often.  

Want to help raise hunger awareness and keep local people fed?  Learn more below about the opportunities on Cape Ann to participate: 

  • Volunteer with The Open Door! Packing groceries, delivering meals, sorting food or sorting donations at Second Glance, and corporate engagement opportunities are just a few of the many roles available to volunteers. Learn more at FOODPANTRY.org/volunteer. 
  • Wear orange. Orange is the color of hunger awareness. 
  • Enjoy a sweet treat: 

Brothers Brew in Rockport will offer a vanilla donut frosted with orange sprinkles starting Sept. 8 for Hunger Action Month 

Cake Ann will offer special creamsicle and chocolate orange flavored cupcakes to help raise hunger awareness starting Sept. 1 

The Cut will offer a Hunger Action Month cocktail 

Holy Cow’s Gloucester location on Pleasant Street will serve an Orange Creamsicle flavored ice cream 

Turtle Alley will offer chocolate bars embossed with the word “LOVE” 

A portion of proceeds will support local hunger-relief programs of The Open Door! 

  • Watch out for Hunger Action Month themed coasters at 1606 Restaurant & Oyster Bar, the Seaport Grille, and The Cut to donate! 
  • See Gloucester City Hall and the Beauport Hotel lit up with orange lights. 
  • Get tickets for The Open Door Thrift the Runway Fashion Show by Second Glance, the thrift store of The Open Door at The Cut on Sunday, Sept. 8. Visit FOODPANTRY.org to learn more.  
  • Gloucester Mayor Greg Verga will issue a proclamation naming September Hunger Action Month™ at the Thrift the Runway Fashion Show on Sunday, Sept.8.  
  • The Gloucester City Council will also wear orange Hunger Action Month ™ t-shirts to help raise awareness at their Tuesday, Sept. 10 meeting.  
  • SHOP and DONATE at Second Glance year-round. Revenue at the store raises funds for hunger-relief programs of The Open Door. Free referrals are also given to the community for those in need. 

Learn more about Hunger Action Month™ at FOODPANTRY.org.  

Tech Tuesday: Walk-In Sessions – Tues, Sept 3 and 17

~ Sawyer Free Library

Don’t miss Tech Tuesday Drop-in Sessions on Tuesday, September 3 and 17 from 3:00 to 4:00 pm at the Sawyer Free Library for troubleshooting your digital devices, or to chat about tech trends, devices, news, AI or really anything tech related!

No registration is required. First come, first served – or we can chat as a group if there are similar questions, comments or quandaries. Stop in anytime between 3 and 4 pm at 21 Main St and meet with our Technology Assistant, Joe Wilkins at the Information Services Desk.

If you have questions related to this service, call 978-325-5500.

~ Hammond Castle Museum

Audition Dates: Friday, September 6th, and Monday, September 9th from 4-7 pm.
Non-union, paid roles.

This October, the Hammond Castle Museum will present, “The Terror of Abbadia Mare” a new performance based on founder, John Hays Hammond, Jr’s original, horror stories. This room-to-room theatrical performance weaves some of the original members of the Hammond household into the stories. Hammond’s writing style is reminiscent of the 1920s Weird Tale and the 1950s Pulp Fiction and offers a unique blend of supernatural intrigue and kitschy charm.

The Museum is seeking actors to fill the following roles for this performance including:

  • Reporter: Age range: 20’s – 40’s, any build, any gender, character fits the 1920’s look, a slice of the 1920’s right away.
  • The Butler: Age range: 30’s, male presenting, slim to average build, the proper English butler who has been by Hammond and has been running his house for years.
  • Spiritualist:  Age range: 20’s- 30’s, female presenting, a spirit.
  • Sailor: Age range: 30’s-40’s, male presenting, any build, a spirit.
  • Dr. Serisan: Age range: 30’s-50’s, male presenting, South American master of black magic and a horde of zombie workers.
  • The Mason: Age range: 30’s-40’s, male presenting, blue-collar worker, a spirit.
  • Gertrude: Age range: 20’s, female presenting, high class, a spirit.
  • John Hays Hammond Jr.: Age range: 30’s-40’s, slim build, male presenting, Master of the House and host of the party.

Rehearsal dates: October 15th & 16th. 6 – 8 pm.
Performances: October 21, 22, 23 & 25. 6 – 10 pm.

Sign up at: https://forms.gle/aLjxLtDMoRpebkMo6.

No calls to the Museum, please.

2025 Sawyer Free Library Benefit Art Auction & Reception on Thursday, September 19th

~ Sawyer Free Library

Join the Sawyer Free Library for an evening of art, music, and community in support of the 2025 Sawyer Free Library on Thursday, September 19 from 6:00 to 8:00 pm. It is free and open to all!

Set against the picturesque backdrop of the North Shore Arts Association, the 2025 Sawyer Free Library Art Auction will showcase an impressive selection of works from both emerging local talents and established artists including Jeff Weaver, John Terelak, Robert Gruppé, Coco Berkman, and many more. Participating artists generously contribute half or all of the proceeds from their auctioned pieces to the building project to restore, expand, and modernize Gloucester’s historic library.

Walt Kolenda of Cape Ann Auction will lead the live auction, which kicks off at 7:15 pm. Don’t miss out on the silent auction, closing at 7:00 pm. Enjoy refreshments and light bites while live music sets the perfect ambiance for a night of creativity and philanthropy. 

Come, contribute, and be a part of something truly special!  This is more than just an art auction—it’s a unique chance to support this beloved vital community institution poised to make a lasting, transformative impact on downtown Gloucester for generations to come.  All proceeds from the auction benefit the Sawyer Free Library 2025 Capital Campaign. RSVP HERE.

ARTISTS interested in submitting their work for consideration for the juried auction, click HERE for details. This is a great opportunity for artists to exhibit and sell their work to new audiences and support their community!

RSVP HERE for this special evening. It is open to all to attend.

For those interested in learning more about or how to invest in the Library project, visit 2025 Sawyer Free Library 

RSVP HERE to 2025 Sawyer Free Library Benefit Art Auction and Reception  

Library Storytime at 21 Main with Tricia!

~ Sawyer Free Library

Every Wednesday from 10:30 to 11:15 am

The Sawyer Free Library is thrilled to bring storytime back to 21 Main Street! Starting August 28th, join the Library every Wednesday morning from 10:30 to 11:15 am for a fun and interactive experience with the new Children’s Librarian, Tricia Balsan. Children of all ages, along with their caregivers, are welcome to participate in this engaging session where everyone moves, sings, plays, and shares stories together. Tricia, a picturebook enthusiast, will share some of her favorite books and introduce both kids and adults to the unique art and design elements that make these stories special.

No registration is required. If you have questions, call 978-325-5500 or visit sawyerfreelibrary.org.




Rarified Air: One Passionate Birder’s Big Year Quest with Gino Ellison 

~ Sawyer Free Library

Thursday, August 29, 5:00 to 6:30 pm: Big Year Birder, Gino Ellison at Sawyer Free Library

How many different bird species could you dream of seeing, capturing a sound recording of, or photographing, from January 1 to December 31 of any given year? Have you ever considered doing an ABA (American Birding Association) Birding Big Year? How about a county or statewide Big Year? Why would you want to even do one? How does one plan out all the logistics to ensure that each of the important states are visited at the most opportune times? Can you do this alone, or do you need to seek out help? If you find yourself asking any of these questions, or are just interested in birds and birding, read on!

On August 29th from 5:00 to 6:30 pm, the Sawyer Free Library will host Rarified Air – One Passionate Birders’ Big Year Quest, with Gene (Gino) Ellison.

Come and meet Big Year Birder, Gino Ellison, and see tons of beautiful bird photographs, while also hearing one birder’s tale about a 12-month quest of a life time. Learn about the mishaps, the successes, the lessons learned along the way, the hilarious birding stories, the new life-time friends made on the journey, and the joy of reporting 801 bird species during 2023! 

Be warned… if you attend, you just might get the urge to plan a Big Year yourself! 

This will be a 1 hour presentation, followed by a brief question and answer session*.

More about Gino:

Eugene (Gino) Ellison, is a lifetime resident of Massachusetts. He is happily married to his wonderful wife Kate (38 years) and they have three fun kids and four active grandkids. Gino is now retired from the investment business as well as the Professional Bass Fishing Tournament circuit. Gino has been affiliated with Bass Pro Shops for over 25 years and still makes several store appearances each year. Gino is a hunter, fisherman, conservationist and passionate birder who leads dozens of walks in Massachusetts. He greatly enjoys volunteering with Mass Wildlife and with Mass Audubon at their family birding and fishing events. Gino just completed a successful ABA Birding Big Year in 2023 and is scheduled to speak at birding festivals and clubs around New England and nationwide.

The event will take place at the Sawyer Free Library located at 21 Main Street located in downtown Gloucester. No registration is needed. All are welcome to attend. If you have questions, visit SawyerFreeLibrary.org or call 978-325-5500.

Culture Splash Spotlight: “Fishermen’s Ballads and Songs of Sea 150 Years On” at Sawyer Free Library

~ Sawyer Free Library

Sawyer Free Library is thrilled host Discover Gloucester’s Culture Splash spotlight event on Thursday, August 22, 5:00 to 6:30 pm. Gloucester singer and song-searcher Michael O’Leary will share a talk and performance based on pieces in the book Fishermen’s Ballads and Songs of the Sea, published in 1874 by the Procter Bros. of Gloucester. It is a collection of 120 pieces by a wide array of authors, both women and men, a few known widely, many known only locally or not at all, and some anonymous or pseudonymous. It’s a literary, musical, and folkloric time capsule of Gloucester, and 2024 is the 150th anniversary of its publication.  Registration for this special event is required at sawyerfreelibrary.org

This program is supported in part by grants from the Gloucester and Manchester Cultural Councils, local agencies supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency.

The event will take place at the Sawyer Free Library located at 21 Main Street in downtown Gloucester. Registration for this special event is required at sawyerfreelibrary.org. Space is limited. For more information, visit sawyerfreelibrary.org, call 978-325-5500 or email jtravers@sawyerfreelibrary.org.

Rockport PTO Holiday Fair Vendor Sign Up

~ rebsly

Rockport PTO Holiday Fair

Saturday, November 16, 2024

To be a vendor at the Rockport PTO Holiday Fair, please fill out the information in the link below and submit it with your payment of $60.00 for a 6 or 8-foot table. It is $60.00 per table that you order and payment upon this form filled out is highly encouraged to guarantee your spot for the fair and of course, placement is on a first paid basis. We will provide tables, tablecloths, and chairs. You will be able to set up the night before or the morning of the fair. We will have all raffles, bake sales or used items in the main entry way of the school.

You must donate one handcrafted item for a fundraising raffle for the PTO. We will collect your item when you are setting up your table.

We cannot guarantee special requests but will do our best to accommodate them.

Tables will only be reserved with full payment.

For more information and any questions please email rockportptoholidayfair@gmail.com.

We accept payment via Venmo: Rockport-PTO Or a check made payable to Rockport PTO.

Please mail the check to: Rockport PTO, P.O. Box 837 Rockport MA, 01966

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdLmzsClBmXCn8uB7kIdyOdBUgM_PhdKPCMxBhzI64MiiU18Q/viewform?usp=sf_link

50+ Job Seekers Networking Group – this week’s topic: “Career Story: Tell Me A Bit About Yourself”

~ Sawyer Free Library

VIRTUAL MEETINGS: Wednesday, August 21

The Massachusetts Library Collaborative’s 50+ Job Seekers Group meets via Zoom on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of the month, from 9:30am to 11:30am. Informal networking takes place from 9am to 9:30am and 11:30am to noon. If you are unemployed and actively looking, underemployed, seeking a new career direction, re-entering the job market after a long employment gap, or recently retired and looking for your “Encore Career,” this networking group program is perfect for you! Remember, 85% of jobs are found through networking! Registration is required at sawyerfreelibrary.org.

Join us in a professional forum for networking with peers in a safe and comfortable environment conducive to developing new relationships and developing skills and strategies to help in your career transition. Each meeting features a new topic. Meetings include a presentation and interactive workshop on topics relevant to career transition, guest speakers, access to hiring managers, small group breakout rooms to network, and 1-on-1 coaching guidance. Participating on a regular basis will give job seekers the many tools and strategies needed for a successful job search.

Each biweekly meeting is facilitated by Deborah Hope, MBA, PCIC, an experienced executive career coach. Deborah is a former Fortune 500 executive, investment banker and entrepreneur. She transitioned to executive coaching over 12 years ago. Deborah has coached with Harvard Business School Executive Education programs and the Massachusetts Conference for Women. She has been trained or certified in a variety of coaching models and assessment tools. Deborah has facilitated 50+ job seekers networking groups since 2016.

The August 21 the topic is Career Story: “Tell Me A Bit About Yourself.” This group is sponsored by approximately 50 Massachusetts public libraries.

RECORDING NOTE: This program will be recorded. All registrants will receive the recording via email within 48 hours of the program. Register HERE

Questions? Contact Meg O’Neill at 978-325-5562 or moneill@sawyerfreelibrary.org