Middle St Walk Gingerbread Creation Contest
Don’t miss the Sawyer Free Library during Downtown Gloucester Ladies Day this Thursday
It is Downtown Gloucester LADIES’ DAY this Thursday, December 5th! And for all those ladies out and about be sure to stop by the Sawyer Free Library located as 21 Main Street between 4-6pm!
The first 20 visitors (ladies) will receive a wine glass charm, and a holiday romance novel or cozy holiday mystery! We can’t wait to see you! If you have questions, please call 979-325-5500.
Gloucester Rotary Announces 2025 Calendar Fundraiser
The Gloucester Rotary has published a 12-month Cape Ann photo calendar for 2025, featuring the photography of several local photographers. In addition to the beautiful photography, each calendar includes a raffle ticket for a $50 weekly raffle drawing throughout the year. The calendars are $25 each and proceeds from sales will be used for the Gloucester Rotary’s many community and international activities.
The calendars are available for purchase at the Weathervane Gift Shop, located at 153 Main Street in Gloucester (phone 978-281-1227), at BankGloucester, located at 160 Main Street in Gloucester (978-283-8200), and from any Gloucester Rotary member. Calendars may also be purchased online at https://gloucesterrotary.org/page/calendar.
SeniorCare Hosts Discussion on Elder Law
Elder Law Presentation: Protecting Your Assets- Myths & Misinformation
SeniorCare
49 Blackburn Center, Gloucester, MA
Thursday, December 5, 2024, 6:00 – 7:30 PM
Presented by:
Natalie A. Simon, Esq.
Law Office of Natalie A. Simon
Are you worried about losing your assets if you should need to enter a nursing facility?
Attorney Simon will discuss planning for your future:
• Critical documents
• Health Care Proxy
• Durable Power of Attorney
• Advance Directives
• Do You Need a Trust?
Come get your questions answered!
Natalie A. Simon is a Gloucester, Massachusetts elder law attorney. Attorney Simon received her JD, cum laude, from Boston College Law School in 1981, and, after associations with Boston law firms, opened her own elder law practice in Gloucester. She has been a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys since 1991, is a founding officer of its Massachusetts Chapter and has served on the Chapter’s Board of Directors since its inception. She has received awards for Outstanding Achievement from the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys and its Massachusetts Chapter.
RSVP: Tracy Arabian, 978-281-1750 x-508
New Year’s Eve at Hammond Castle Museum
Ring in 2025 in regal splendor! Step into a world of enchantment as Hammond Castle Museum’s Great Hall transforms into the ultimate New Year’s Eve destination with our returning host Bruce Jaques. Dance the night away, indulge in gourmet treats, and uncover the mysteries of the Castle’s unique chambers. As the clock strikes twelve, join us for a spectacular champagne toast and witness our dazzling New Year’s illumination.
So, gather your friends, dress to impress, and create unforgettable memories at Club Castle – the North Shore’s most magical New Year’s celebration. Welcome 2025 in unparalleled style and grandeur! Reserve your tickets now to secure your spot at the North Shore’s most spectacular New Year’s Eve bash.
Doors open at 9:00 pm and the celebration goes to 1:00 am.
21 & Over, ID required upon arrival. Cash bar.
Family Author Talk with Mark Parisi!
Come to the Sawyer Free Library on Thursday, November 21 from 5:00 to 6:30 pm for an engaging evening with award-winning cartoonist, author, and Gloucester native Mark Parisi.
Mark will share insights into his creative process, discussing his new book The Truth About 5th Grade, his Marty Pants middle-grade series, and his long-running Off the Mark comic panel. The event will also feature a live drawing demonstration by Mark himself.
Be sure to register for this fun family event at sawyerfreelibrary.org! Questions? 978-325-5500.
Sawyer Free Library Kicks off 2024 Annual Appeal
The Library’s 2024 Annual Appeal in support of the Sawyer Free 2025 Library Capital Campaign
The Sawyer Free Library has kicked off its 2024 Annual Appeal campaign, Our History to Tomorrow’s Possibilities: Transforming the Sawyer Free Library. With appeal letters reaching over 1,800 Gloucester households, the Library seeks community support to complete the 2025 Sawyer Free Library, a state-of-the-art facility where history meets innovation. All funds raised through the 2024 Annual Appeal will go directly to the Sawyer Free 2025 Library Capital Campaign, which has reached nearly 60% of its $29 million fundraising goal. Contributions will support the Library’s historic renovation, expansion, and modernization building project.
“The 2025 Sawyer Free Library will be more than just a building—it will stand as a beacon of knowledge, creativity, and connection. By supporting this transformative project, we are investing in our community’s future and creating an inclusive space where everyone can learn, grow, and thrive,” said Mern Sibley on behalf of the Library’s Board. “We need everyone’s help to make this vision a reality as we approach the finish line. Every gift, no matter the size, brings us closer to opening the doors to our new 21st-century Library.”
Scheduled to open in Fall 2025, the new Sawyer Free Library will serve as a vital community resource, offering expanded spaces for children, teens, and adults, enhanced digital resources, and sustainable design. It will boast a range of modern amenities, including a larger children’s area, a teen room with creative spaces, a digital learning lab, a local history research center, quiet study rooms, a 100-seat community room, and more. This new facility will allow the Library to serve a broader, more diverse audience and increase its offerings of public programs.
As the Library reaches this milestone, it invites the greater community and beyond to support the 2024 Annual Appeal, ensuring that the Sawyer Free 2025 Library can fully realize its potential as a beacon of learning and connection. Donations can be made online at sawyerfreelibrary.org or by mailing a check to Sawyer Free Library, Annual Appeal, P.O. Box 415, Gloucester, MA 01930.
For additional information, and to donate to the Library’s Annual Appeal, please visit sawyerfreelibrary.org.
THIS SATURDAY: THE OPEN DOOR THANKSGIVING FOOD DRIVE
Donate and help feed local people, right here on Cape Ann, this coming weekend!
WHEN: Saturday, Nov.23 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
WHERE: Participating locations include:
- Market Basket at 101 Gloucester Crossing Road, Gloucester MA
- Stop & Shop at 6 Thatcher Road, Gloucester MA
- Shaw’s at 127 Eastern Avenue, Gloucester MA
- Shaw’s at 146 High Street, Ipswich MA
- Crosby’s Marketplace at 3 Summer Street, Manchester-by-the-Sea MA
- Market Basket at 231 Newburyport Turnpike, Rowley MA
WHAT: The Open Door Thanksgiving Food Drive will have donation locations at six area grocery stores.
Most needed items this year include shelf-stable breakfast foods: cereal, oatmeal, coffee, tea, maple syrup, pancake mix, waffle mix, 100% fruit juice, and granola bars. The Open Door asks people to please avoid donating anything in a glass container.
The Open Door is also holding a Clothing Donation Drive in conjunction with the Thanksgiving Food Drive. Those that wish to donate gently used clothing at The Open Door’s thrift store, Second Glance, can drop donations off without an appointment from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 23 at 2 Pond Road, Gloucester MA. Clothing sold at the store helps raise revenue for The Open Door’s hunger-relief programs.
NEED HELP SETTING THE TABLE FOR THANKSGIVING AND THE DECEMBER HOLIDAYS?
The Open Door has free Holiday Meal Baskets available for local people who need a little extra help setting the table. Order yours today at FOODPANTRY.org.
Each Holiday Meal Basket includes a turkey (or a special diet alternative) and all the fixings for Thanksgiving dinner. For December, hams will be available.
Want to learn more or donate to help feed our neighbors through the holidays and beyond? Visit FOODPANTRY.org.
Author Talk at SFL with Virginia Pye: The Literary Undoing of Victoria Swann – this Tuesday
Join the Sawyer Free Library on Tuesday, November 19, from 5:00 to 6:00 pm for an author talk with Virginia Pye on her latest novel, The Literary Undoing of Victoria Swann.
The event is taking place at the Library at 21 Main Street in Downtown Gloucester. The Bookstore of Gloucester will be onsite selling copies of her works.
About The Literary Undoing of Victoria Swann:
Set in Gilded Age Boston, the novel follows Victoria Swann, a bestselling romance author, who defies her publisher to write from her own perspective, becoming a champion for women’s rights. As she loses her standing, she finds an ally in her young editor, discovering that both writing and reading can be powerful acts of defiance.
About Virginia Pye:
Virginia Pye is the award-winning author of four books, including Shelf Life of Happiness, which won the IPPY Gold Medal. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, Literary Hub, and other publications. She has an MFA from Sarah Lawrence and teaches at GrubStreet in Boston.
For questions, visit sawyerfreelibrary.org or call 978-325-5500.
Cape Ann Community 