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An Evening of Poetry at the Sawyer Free Library on Thursday, May 19th

~ Sawyer Free Library

Join us for an Evening of Poetry at the Sawyer Free Library on Thursday, May 19 from 6:00 – 7:00pm.

The Sawyer Free Library is partnering with The Bookstore of Gloucester to present a poetry reading with local poets Rebecca Hart Olander and Jennifer Martelli. The poets books will be available.

The event is free and open to the public. It will take place on the Main Floor of the Library located at 2 Dale Avenue. No reservations are needed. For more information visit sawyerfreelibrary.org or 978-325-5500.

at the Sawyer Free Library

Film Screening of “Lives Well Lived” on Thursday, 5/19 at the Sawyer Free Library

~ Sawyer Free Library

In collaboration with the Gloucester Senior Center, Sawyer Free Library is hosting a screening of the award winning documentary “Lives Well Lived” on Thursday, May 19 at 6:00 p.m. This event is part of a series of events being held in celebration of Older Americans Month.

In our society, the elderly are often overlooked. Lives Well Lived celebrates the incredible wit, wisdom, and life experiences of older adults living full and meaningful lives in their later years. Their stories are about perseverance, the human spirit, and staying positive during the great personal and historic challenges.

The stories told in this film will inspire people of every age to achieve the longevity of both health and spirit, and to realize that growing older can be a journey to be celebrated.

Screening to take place in the Friends Room of the Sawyer Free Library located at 2 Dale Avenue. No reservation required. For more information visit sawyerfreelibrary.org or call 978-325-5500.

WellFest is This Sunday! You Won’t Want To Miss It

~ oliviaperezodess

Celebrate the warm weather this weekend by gathering up your family and friends to attend the first annual WellFest, A Greater Cape Ann Community Wellness Fair. You can expect a diverse range of vendors in the health and wellness sector along with live entertainment courtesy of DJ Mark, and a special menu at Bliss Bites Cafe. The event will take place outside, at the Glen T. MacLeod Cape Ann YMCA’s outdoor turf area. Soak up the sunshine and head to WellFest this Sunday, May 15 from 11am – 2pm!

This Weekend: Stamp Out Hunger Cape Ann & Ipswich!

~ todtheopendoor

Donate food without having to leave your front yard this weekend through Stamp Out Hunger!

If you live in Gloucester, Ipswich, Manchester-by-the-Sea, or Rockport, you can help put food on the table for people in your community by leaving a bag of food donations by your mailbox on the morning of SATURDAY MAY 14. Donations will be transported to The Open Door by your local letter carrier.

Stamp Out Hunger is an annual Food Drive organized by the National Association of Letter Carriers.

Most needed items include: coffee, condiments, cooking oil, peanut butter, and tuna.

Please, no glass containers!

“Stamp Out Hunger is a unique opportunity for members of the community to make a food donation, without having to leave their front yard. It’s traditionally a hugely successful food drive for us, and it’s all possible because our local letter carriers are willing to go the extra mile to put food on the table for others,” President and CEO Julie LaFontaine said. “We’re deeply thankful to partner with them on this event and for their dedication to alleviating the impact of hunger locally.”

The Open Door is also seeking volunteers to sort donations on Saturday, and those interested in volunteering may email volunteer@foodpantry.org.

“This is the largest single day food drive in the United States,” said Bruce Johnson, a retired Gloucester letter carrier who continues to help coordinate NALC Branch 25’s Stamp Out Hunger food drive on Cape Ann. “The timing is crucial because food pantries can face shortages in the spring and summer months after a long winter, and most school programs are not available in the summer. It’s a good time to fill the shelves at the food pantries.”

If you live outside the above communities, contact your local post office to learn if they are participating in Stamp Out Hunger.

More information about The Open Door is available at FOODPANTRY.org.

Seaside Garden Club Annual Auction

~ Dot Sieradzki

Tuesday, May 10 at the Manchester Community Center. Doors open at 6:30, auction starts at 7pm. We have many items, perennials, hanging baskets, gift certificates, garden paraphernalia. There’s something for everyone. Don’t miss it.

2018 auction

Virtual workshop: How to grow your own vegetables in containers

~ backyardgrowersgloucester

Learn how to grow your own fresh food in containers. This training is perfect for gardeners working with a small or unusual growing space – e.g. a driveway, porch, or sideyard. Program Manager Jess Reid will walk participants through how to plan, care for, and harvest from their vegetable container garden, with a special focus on growing in Backyard Growers’ GrowBags.

May 18, 6-7pm on Zoom

FREE admission to Backyard Growers Program Participants (e.g. 2022 Community Garden, Backyard Garden & GrowBag Garden) as well as Backyard Growers Community Consulting Clients

$15 General Admission

Register & purchase tickets.

Proceeds support Backyard Growers‘ work empowering people to grow their own food in schools, backyards, community gardens, and GrowBags.

WELLFEST: A GREATER CAPE ANN COMMUNITY WELLNESS FAIR IS IN TWO WEEKS!

~ oliviaperezodess

The Greater Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce’s Health and Wellness Group is proud to announce their first annual WellFest, a Greater Cape Ann Community Wellness Fair on Sunday, May 15 from 11am to 2pm at the Glen T. MacLeod Cape Ann YMCA.  WellFest is an event that will showcase the Cape Ann region’s broad range of health and wellness services. From yoga and massage to general health resources and youth development, this event will provide something for people of all ages. In collaboration with WellFest, the Red Cross will be conducting a blood drive from 10am to 3pm. 

The event is free, open to people of all ages, and will be easily accessible. Mark your calendars, and gather up your friends and family for a beautiful Spring Sunday at WellFest! A Greater Cape Ann Community Wellness Fair. To learn more about WellFest visit capeannchamber.com.

Not to miss GloCon’22 Workshops – this Saturday at the Sawyer Free Library!

~ Sawyer Free Library

Come check out Sawyer Free Library‘s first annual comic con event, Glo Con on Saturday, April 30 from 10am – 3pm! We’ve got artists, authors, crafts, workshops, cosplayers, snacks, a photo booth, MarioKart on the big screen, and other superhero/comics/graphic novel activities all fun for the whole family!  Visit: SawyerFreeLibrary.org for all the details!

Be sure to sign up ahead of time for these cool workshops:

10:00 – 11:30 a.m. Make Your Own Comics! Come have fun while drawing your own comics! In this workshop, students will play silly drawing games, generate ideas for their own characters, and start to write their own comic book stories. All levels of experience are welcome! The workshop is run by Cathy G. Johnson, Providence-based writer and artist of the graphic novel The Breakaways. REGISTER HERE.

10:30 a.m. – Storytime: We Dig Worms – Young children and their families can enjoy a fun science-filled story time with author and illustrator Kevin McCloskey. No registration needed.

11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Cartooning Workshop with Mark Parisi Recommended for grades 2-7, but all ages will enjoy this fun event with Marty Pants author Mark Parisi. There will be lots of funny cartoons, live drawing, writing and drawing tips and an author Q & A.

Mark is a Gloucester native and the cartoonist behind the comic panel Off the Mark, which is syndicated nationally and appears in The Gloucester Times. He has also authored and illustrated humorous middle-grade books. Mark will be signing books after his presentation.  No Registration Needed.

1:00-3:00 p.m. LightSaber Training – Dabble in the Dark Side or learn how to fight it with the 501st Legion! No Registration Needed.

2:00 – 3:30 p.m. Your Story Matters – Explore storytelling through writing and drawing exercises with Leela Corman, the Providence-based, award-winning artist, cartoonist, and author of the graphic novel Unterzakhn. This program is best for teens and adults.  REGISTER HERE

And that is just the start! From MarioKart, oversized Mad Libs, and a Pokemon Scavenger Hunt to cool crafts, fantastical prizes, graphic novels, and comic books, it will be a day filled with fun activities for all ages to discover.

The Sawyer Free Library is located at 2 Dale Avenue in Gloucester. All Glo Con 2022 presentations and activities are free and open to the public. To register or for more event information, visit sawyerfreelibrary.org or 978-325-5500.