On Thursday, June 9 from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m., learn more about GloucesterMarine Railways at the Sawyer Free Library.
Marine Railways Director Viking Gustafson will give a presentation on the marine railways in Gloucester in the Library’s Friends Room this Thursday evening. She will then offer a tour of the railways on site in Rockport on Saturday, June 11, at 10:00 a.m.
Both the presentation and the tour are free and open to the public. The Sawyer Free Library is located at 2 Dale Avenue. For more information visit, SawyerFreeLibrary.com or 978-325-5500.
The Gloucester Rotary has named Tony Corrao as a Paul Harris Fellow, the prestigious award named after the Chicago lawyer who founded Rotary in 1905. Corrao was selected by a committee of previous recipients of the award, and will be honored at a special dinner on Monday, June 27, 2022, at Cruiseport Gloucester, located at 6 Rowe Square in downtown Gloucester. The social hour will begin at 5:30pm, followed by dinner at 6:30pm.
Corrao, perhaps better known as Uncle Tony, was born and raised in West Gloucester. He graduated from Gloucester High School with the Class of 1977, and then spent 3½ years in the Army—serving at NASA’s Space Center in Alabama, Homestead, Florida, and Fort Bragg in North Caroline with the 82nd Airborne Division.
Upon his return to Gloucester, Tony founded Precision Roofing Services of New England in 1984. The company has been an important part of the Cape Ann economy for almost 40 years, providing solid jobs to several generations of laborers. In 2007, Corrao was the recipient of the Northeast Roofing Contractors’ Association President’s Award. After being nominated by his staff, he was named “Best Boss” of the year by the National Certified Contractor’s Network.
Corrao joined the Gloucester Rotary in 2002, and served as its President in 2011-2012. He is an active member of the Greater Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce, working on several key committees and serving two terms on the Board of Directors. Tony is also a longtime member of the Friends of the Rose Baker Senior Center. His reputation as a volunteer is legendary, as is his willingness to put his trucks and his men to work on behalf of the City and numerous community organizations.
Tickets to the Paul Harris Dinner are $53 per person, and may be reserved by contacting event Chair Steve Kaity at 978-879-1051. The dinner is open to the general public, and friends and colleagues of Tony and Joanne, his wife of 25 years, are encouraged to attend.
Gloucester Biotechnology Academy’s popular Summer STEM program is back with new opportunties for middle and high school students!
Our STEM Enrichment Programs are courses designed to provide middle and high school students the opportunity to experience hands-on science in a biotechnology laboratory.
Held in state-of-the-art teaching labs at Gloucester Biotechnology Academy, the week long program allows students to dive into authentic laboratory investigations. Students use cutting-edge biotechnology equipment, the scientific method, and critical thinking to analyze samples and make data-driven conclusions.
All are welcome! There is no math or science experience needed to participate – the course is designed to meet all student needs.
Two courses will be offered this summer – Fish Fraud Forensics and the new Mean Glow Green – with two weeks available for each course. Click here to learn more and to download the registration paper work. Please reach out to Laura Richane, Director of Partnerships and Enrollment, at laura.richane@gmgi.org with any questions.
From New York Times, bestselling author and National Book Award Nominee Sy Montgomery comes the sweet, brightly illustrated true story of a seagull and a sea captain who became friends over the course of four summers.
To celebrate the release of THE SEAGULL AND THE SEA CAPTAIN, the Sawyer Free Library, Cape Ann Museum, and The Book Store of Gloucester are hosting a celebration on Saturday, June 4, from 1:00 – 3:00 pm. The afternoon will feature the book’s author Sy Montgomery, illustrator Amy Schimler-Safford, and special guest Gloucester’s own, Schooner Lannon Captain Heath Ellis, who was the true-life inspiration for the story!
Heath, the president of Schooner Sails, made headlines in 2019 when he made friends with a seagull who would visit him on his sailboat! Author Sy Montgomery heard this news and was inspired to write a picture book which became THE SEAGULL AND THE SEA CAPTAIN.
This Saturday, June 4, at 1:00 pm, Author Sy Montgomery will do a reading and a book signing at the Sawyer Free Library, located at 2 Dale Avenue. Copies of the book will be available for sale. After the reading, participants are invited to the Cape Ann Museum at 2:00 pm for a ‘The Seagull and the Sea Captain’ -themed kids art activity. It promises to be a fun-filled afternoon for everyone!
On Thursday, June 2 at 6:00pm, join Robert Azzi at the Sawyer Free Library, for a conversation about being a practicing Muslim in small-town New England. The Exeter-based photojournalist, who is an Arab-American Muslim, has put together the program called “Ask a Muslim Anything” that he hopes will help reduce misunderstandings between people of different faiths. As a part of it, he visits area communities to provide space for open questions about his faith, offering one man’s perspective and experience. Is there a question you’ve always wondered about Islam but never had the opportunity to ask? This is your chance.
Ask a Muslim Anything: Thursday, June 2 from 6:00 – 8:00pm at the Sawyer Free Library located at 2 Dale Avenue in Gloucester. The event is free and open to all to attend. For more information, visit sawyerfreelibrary.org or 978-325-5500.
TheGloucester Lyceum and Sawyer Free Library is pleased to welcome curator and local author William R. Cross for a discussion of his book Winslow Homer: American Passages on Thursday, May 26 from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m.
Cross’ newly published book Winslow Homer: American Passage is a definitive biography of the painter. It studies Homer in the context of how his life as an artist was shaped by the turbulent, dramatic political times he lived through, from the Panic of 1837 to the Civil War and Reconstruction. Filmmaker Ken Burns (The Civil War) comments that curator/author William Cross “has done an admirable job bringing to life this most American of painters. Finally, Winslow Homer’s brilliant work and fascinating life are united in one volume.”
During this special presentation, Cross will discuss Homer and his art, illustrated with slides of images and photos collected from his research.
William R. Cross is an independent scholar and a consultant to art and history museums. He served as the curator of Homer at the Beach: A Marine Painter’s Journey, 1869–1880, a nationally renowned 2019 exhibition at the Cape Ann Museum on the formation of Winslow Homer as a marine painter. Bill is a graduate of Yale College, magna cum laude, and received an MBA at Harvard Business School. He and his wife live on Cape Ann.
Winslow Homer: American Passage will be available for sale at The Bookstore of Gloucester, located at 61 East Main Street in Gloucester, for those interested in having it autographed at the event.
This event is free and open to the public at the Sawyer Free Library, located at 2 Dale Avenue in Gloucester. Registration is not required. For more information, visit sawyerfreelibrary.org.
On Saturday, May 21 from 2:00 – 4:00pm, the Sawyer Free Library will be concluding its series Of Sound Mind with a presentation by artist, teacher, and author Siobhan McDonald.
Siobhan is passionate about helping seniors with memory loss to connect with loved ones and caregivers through conversation and sharing their personal stories. She will share how providing visual arts workshops to seniors with memory challenges inspired her interactive book designed for entertainment, understanding, comfort, and connection: Hilda’s Story: New Bedford, MA.
Get a nostalgic glimpse into the true-life story of Hilda, the child of immigrant parents, as she grows up during the years following World War II in a historic city on the coast of Massachusetts. Experience the decades through the wonder of invention and love of family.
Hilda’s Story: New Bedford, Massachusettsis meant to be shared, and your interaction with your listener can become as meaningful as the story itself. This Picture Book style hardcover (11″ x 8.5″ / 40 pp.) is a wonderful resource for families and caregivers but can also be offered for someone to enjoy at their own pace.
Caring for a senior who is dealing with dementia or other health issues can be challenging, but also joyful and rewarding. Come learn more about this important topic. The event is free and open to the public. For more information visit SawyerFreeLibrary.org or call 978-325-5550.
The Gloucester Genealogy Group will have its first meeting on Saturday, May 21 from 10 am – 12 pm at the Sawyer Free Library.
Local History Librarian, Julie Travers, will walk you through the very first steps for beginning your genealogy search using online resources available through the library. After a tutorial, you will be able to practice creating a family tree chart of your own. Beginners and experts are welcome to attend, as there will be time for sharing your own research after the tutorial. Participants are encouraged to bring their own laptop, however, the library will have several available for use during the workshop.
The Gloucester Genealogy Club’s monthly meetings will consist of tutorials, how-to’s, and special presentations and events by expert genealogists. Keep an eye out for future meetings.
This first meeting will take place in the Friends Room of the Sawyer Free Library located at 2 Dale Avenue. For more information visit sawyerfreelibrary.org or call 978-978325-5553.
Cape Ann Community 