Want to help alleviate the impact of hunger here on Cape Ann? Donating to help stock the shelves at The Open Door is as easy as leaving a bag of nonperishable food by your mailbox this Saturday for Gloucester AND Rockport residents thanks to local letter carriers.
Each year, members of the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) organize the Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive to collect donations of food in their communities. Donations on Cape Ann will be delivered directly to The Open Door.
Most needed donations include:
Coffee
Condiments (ketchup, mustard, mayo, and salad dressings)
Cooking Oil
Peanut Butter
Canned Tuna
The Open Door asks the community to please avoid donating anything in glass containers.
Locally, the Ipswich and Manchester-by-the-Sea post offices are also participating in this year’s Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive.
Those that live in communities other than Gloucester, Rockport, Manchester-by-the-Sea, or Ipswich can check with their local post office to see if they are participating in this weekend’s food drive.
Program: 5:30 PM – 6:00 PM | Networking & Refreshments 6:15 PM – 6:40 PM | Presentation by Curatorial Director John Leysath 6:40 PM – 7:30 PM | Exhibit Tours
Light refreshments will be served.
Join us for our opening reception & presentation celebrating the opening of ‘Spinning Platters with Hammond: Inside the World of Vinyl Records.’ Join us for an evening of history, innovation, and discovery as we unveil never-before-seen and heard archival materials highlighting John Hays Hammond Jr.’s contributions to sound recording.
Exhibition Highlights: -A selection of rare and unique records from John Hays Hammond Jr.’s personal collection, including aluminum, vinyl, and shellac discs in a variety of unusual formats. -Fun and interactive displays that explain how records are made and how they work—perfect for all ages to enjoy and understand. -Rare recordings from the collection, including newly digitized recordings shared with the public for the first time.
See a behind-the-scenes look at our NEW temporary exhibition with our new Assistant Curator Here!
Leo Bergeron will be presented with the Gloucester Rotary’s Paul Harris Distinguished Service Award at a special dinner on Wednesday, May 14, 2025, at Cruiseport Gloucester, located at 6 Rowe Square in downtown Gloucester. The Paul Harris Distinguished Service Award is the highest honor bestowed by the Gloucester Rotary and recognizes Leo as a long-time local banker and community activist.
Leo was selected by a Rotary committee of previous Paul Harris recipients. Over its 100+ year history, the Gloucester Rotary has honored more than sixty individuals with the award. The award is named after Paul Harris, a Chicago attorney who founded the Rotary movement in the early 1900s.
After graduating from Nichols College in 1976, Leo began a career in the banking industry working at lending institutions in the New Hampshire seacoast region and on Boston’s North Shore. In 2000, he joined Cape Ann Savings Bank in Gloucester where he successfully established a commercial lending department to serve Cape Ann businesses.
After previously serving other Rotary Clubs and a presidential position with the Kiwanis Club in NH, Leo was welcomed by the Rotary Club of Gloucester as a member 25 years ago, where he has held several leadership positions, including the club’s 2020-2021 presidency.
Leo has a daughter, Brianna; a grandson, Graham; and has been married to his wife Jacqueline for almost 20 years. His hobbies include freshwater fly fishing and riding his motorcycle.
Tickets for the Paul Harris Distinguished Service Dinner are $60 per person and may be reserved by contacting committee Chair Steve Kaity at 978-407-1504 or skaity@strongleather.com. The dinner is open to the general public and friends and colleagues of Leo are encouraged to attend.
Join us as we explore some of the most legendary organists of the 20th century who have played this remarkable instrument, including Virgil Fox, E. Power Biggs, Joseph Bonnet, and Marcel Dupré.
Gather in the Great Hall, surrounded by the organ’s pipes, which are ingeniously built into the very walls of the room, as we share the story of this one-of-a-kind instrument. We’ll also discuss how the organ now sits silent, and unveil our vision to breathe life back into it and bring organ concerts back to the Museum.
This presentation will be led by Peter Kennett, Vice President of the Board of Directors at Hammond Castle Museum and Organ Restoration Team Lead, alongside John Roper, Deputy Team Lead from the Plenum Organ Company.
REMINDER – this Wednesday, April 30th is the last day for all local youth poets to submit entries for this year’s Poetry without Paper contest! Enter today HERE!
Any questions, email Tricia at tbalsan@sawyerfreelibrary.org, call 978-325-5555 or stop by the Sawyer Free Library at 21 Main Street!
This unique collaborative event brought together four libraries and hundreds of community members to honor the wonders of the natural world. The highlight of the afternoon was a captivating conversation with acclaimed author and naturalist Sy Montgomery and award-winning wildlife illustrator Matt Patterson, who shared insights from their latest book, Of Time and Turtles: Mending the World, Shell by Shattered Shell.
“It was a joy to witness our communities come together to celebrate nature, storytelling, and the enduring power of libraries,” said event organizers. “This Earth Day event reminded us of the vital role libraries play in inspiring imagination, fostering empathy, and encouraging stewardship of our planet.”
Sy Montgomery, author of more than 30 books including The Soul of an Octopus, a National Book Award finalist, is renowned for her ability to bring readers into the heart of the animal world. Her latest work explores the resilience, beauty, and mystery of turtles—and of time itself.
Matt Patterson’s intricate wildlife illustrations, featured in The Book of Turtles—a Robert F. Sibert Honor Award recipient—showcase the rich biodiversity of turtle species and emphasize their importance within global ecosystems.
Sy beautifully captured the spirit of the day when she said, “A library is a portal not just to our own world, but to worlds unknown… a refuge, a space rocket. Libraries show us we can dream anything, do anything, be anything.”
The four Cape Ann libraries are deeply grateful to the nearly 300 attendees who made this Earth Day gathering so memorable. We hope the event sparked a renewed sense of connection—to nature, to community, and to the incredible institutions that are our public libraries.
For those inspired to take further action in support of turtle conservation, Sy and Matt recommend two local organizations doing vital work: Turtle Survival Alliance, dedicated to saving turtles from extinction and Turtle Rescue League, a Massachusetts-based group rescuing and rehabilitating injured turtles, relocating eggs from hazardous areas, and rehoming unwanted pet turtles.
Together, let’s keep celebrating, learning from, and protecting this extraordinary planet we call home.
Left to Right: Essex’s T.O.H.P. Burnhan Public Library Director Carla Christensen, Rockport Public Library Director Cindy Grove, Author Sy Montgomery, Illustrator Matt Patterson, Rockport Library Adult Program Coordinator Osha Rose and Gloucester’s Sawyer Free Community Librarian Meg O’Neill
The Gloucester Meetinghouse Foundation presents Charles Tompkins and son Gregory Tompkins in concert on Saturday evening, May 17th. Charles Tompkins (organ and piano) and Gregory Tompkins (violin) will perform in the Gloucester Unitarian Universalist Church. They are a dynamic and talented father and son duo who have performed in venues such as Trinity University in San Antonio, TX, Harvard Memorial Church in Cambridge, MA, and at the Piccolo Spoleto Festival in Charleston, SC.
Dr. Charles Boyd Tompkins is the Distinguished University Organist and Professor of Music Emeritus at Furman University, Greenville, South Carolina, where as a member of the music faculty he taught organ, harpsichord, church music, and music theory from 1986 until his retirement in December 2022. He currently serves as the accompanist for the University’s outstanding choral ensembles (the Furman Singers, Furman Chamber Choir, and Belle Voci Women’s Chorale), directs Furman’s Hartness Organ Recital Series, and plays for academic convocations and weddings. Charles was central to the commission of a Fisk concert organ, completed in 2003, for the Charles E. Daniel Memorial Chapel.
Gregory Tompkins is a versatile violinist who regularly performs in solo, chamber and orchestral settings throughout the United States. Gregory is a member of the New Haven Symphony Orchestra, the Cape Cod Symphony Orchestra, and serves as principal second violin Opera Theater of Connecticut and Orchestra New England. He is a member of the faculty of Gateway Community College and the Hopkins School in New Haven, CT.
The Gloucester Unitarian Universalist Church is located at the corner of Church and Middle Streets (GPS 50 Middle Street) where parking is available on the green. An elevator is available from the side door at 10 Church Street. Admission for the event is $30 General, $10 Students (all ages), under 12 free. For advance ticket purchases and more information please visit: www.gloucestermeetinghouse.org
Find out at the Sawyer Free Library on Tuesday, April 29, from 2:00 to 4:00 PM!
Local tweens and teens are invited to design and plant their very own mini garden with the help of Backyard Growers. All materials will be provided—including everything you need to start growing your own garden at home.
This special event will be held at Sawyer Free Library, 21 Main Street, Gloucester.
Open to students in grades 6–12 (ages 11–19). Space is limited, so registration is required at sawyerfreelibrary.org.
Want to help feed local people this summer? The Open Door Empty Bowl Enchanted Forest and Online Artists’ Bowls Auction, which benefit summer hunger-relief programs, offer a way for anyone to donate or volunteer.
Empty Bowl Enchanted Forest will be held on Thursday, May 1 from 4-7 p.m. at Cruiseport Gloucester. Pay-what-you-can tickets and the Online Artists Bowls Auction are available at FOODPANTRY.org.
With inflation and looming cuts to social services agencies, the fundraiser comes at a critical moment for food security.
“As we prepare for significant cuts to the federal safety net, more children are at risk of going hungry, especially during the months they are not in school,” said Julie LaFontaine, President and CEO. “We invite the community to join us for an event to remember what we hold in common and to raise critical funds for our summer programs including Summer Meals, Mobile Market, and Food Pantries.”
The Greater Boston Food Bank estimates that, without state intervention, proposed federal cuts and changes to SNAP, TEFAP (USDA), and school meals will lead to a 77% increase in demand at local food pantries like The Open Door.
Last year, The Open Door distributed 2.35 million pounds of food to 11,893 people through its Food Pantries. The nonprofit met a 30% increase in requests for food assistance in 2024, through 100,774 visits.
The Open Door distributed more than 18,000 breakfast and lunch meals to local children during the summer of 2024. The nonprofit also distributed more than 169,000 pounds of food through its Mobile Market.
Attendees of Empty Bowl Enchanted Forest will choose a bowl hand-painted by a member of the community, soup to-go, cookie, roll, fruit, and water. A soup tasting will also allow participants to try a handful of soups prepared by The Open Door kitchen. Additional soups will be available to-go by a handful of local restaurants, caterers, and eateries.
The artists’ bowls will be available to view at Empty Bowl Enchanted Forest, and a select few are featured at Cape Ann Savings Bank on Main Street in Gloucester leading up to the event. The online artists’ bowls auction features bowls painted by numerous, talented local artists.
Monday, May 5th from 3pm to 5pm 
Cape Ann Community 