Vermont Public Community Calendar

The National Alliance on Mental Illness of Vermont (NAMI Vermont) is excited to announce that a FREE in-person Sharing Hope conversation series is coming to Burlington!

Sharing Hope is a three-part community conversation series developed by and for the Black/African Ancestry community, providing a safe and supportive space to discuss mental health and wellness, share lived experiences, access culturally competent care, and explore local resources. In partnership with the Association of Africans Living in Vermont (AALV), this Sharing Hope conversation series will be held in the heart of Burlington and will be led by trained volunteers who identify as members of the Black/African Ancestry community.

Dates: August 20, August 27, and September 3
Time: 5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Location: AALV, 20 Allen St., Room 305, Burlington, VT 05401
Light refreshments provided
Hosted by NAMI Vermont & AALV

Are you a member of the Black/African ancestry community? Sign up for this free series today at www.namivt.org/sharing-hope.

Questions? Please contact our Program Coordinator at program@namivt.org or 802-876-7949 ext. 102.

Green Mountain Habitat for Humanity has been building homes in Northwest, VT since 1984. Starting right around the new year, Green Mountain Habitat will be begin building new homes in Hinesburg, VT. Join us at the Carpenter-Carse library to learn more about the builds, how to apply for the homes, as well as how you can get involved and help us make affordable housing a reality for more families.

The Green Mountain Audubon Society returns to beautiful Cold Hollow Sculpture Park to observe birds before many depart our region for warmer climes. Participants will explore the trails in search of different species while also having the opportunity to appreciate the spectacular work of world-renowned artist David Stromeyer.

For more information about the park, see https://www.coldhollowsculpturepark.com.

Nature journaling is a quiet and reflective practice to enhance our curiosity and connect with nature around us. Join Laura Beltran, Certified Nature Journaling Educator through Wild Wonder Foundation, for a hands-on exploration into the world of nature journaling. Whether you love to sketch, enjoy writing, or someone who just appreciates being outside, this workshop invites you to connect with nature in a meaningful way. No experience needed: just bring a pencil, a journal, a portable chair, and your sense of wonder. This activity will meet at REclaimED, 169 Main Street, Poultney and then explore the outdoors surrounding. To register, email natureinvestigations@gmail.com

This is a Story Listening Workshop for adult LGBTQIA+ Vermonters with cancer experiences who have a story they would like to share and an interest in listening to the stories of others. Family caregivers of LGBTQIA+ Vermonters with cancer experiences are also welcome to attend. The workshop will take place on Saturday, September 6, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the University of Vermont. To register for the workshop, use the QR code on the flyer to reach the registration form or use the link: https://qualtrics.uvm.edu/jfe/form/SV_3t5jK1SW04cAEAe. Participants will be compensated for participating in an optional research study. Meals and snacks will be provided. Once participants register for the workshop, a team member will reach out to them via phone to confirm their attendance and share the exact location. Please email qtcancer@uvm.edu with any questions.

Workshop participants will learn supportive approaches for facilitating meaningful, connectional conversations. Participants will explore techniques to create an open, invitational space for dialogue, including self-preparation, methods for opening and closing communication, and navigating challenging situations, such as intense disclosures. This workshop is ideal for people 18 years of age and older who want to build community through sharing their stories and listening to others. Opportunities for participating in research include filling out surveys and audio recording stories.

Do you live off the grid? Do you have experience setting up your own off-grid systems? Do you need advice from someone who does?
Come check out the Off-Grid Roundtable! It is held the first Saturday of every month in the upstairs gallery at the St Johnsbury Athenaeum at 1p.m. Current off-gridders, people who are thinking about off-grid living or homesteading, or people who are just interested in learning more are welcome.
This event is free, ADA accessible, and open to the public.
For more information, contact Nelly Detra at ndetra@stjathenaeum.org.

The link to this event on our website is here

Join us for a crucial presentation on internet safety, hosted by DVFiber and AARP. This informative session will cover essential strategies to protect yourself from scams and fraud, ensuring you can navigate the digital world securely.

Topics Include:
1. Privacy, Security, and Identity Theft
2. Scammers’ Methods
3. Safeguarding Your Online Credentials

This program is free and open to the public. Don't miss this opportunity to enhance your online security and protect your identity!

Every year one out of three Vermonters takes a serious fall (and this is pretty much true across the nation). The costs are huge—not only to the individual but to their family and community and to our public health system. A shocking number of people even die from falls and the complications resulting from falls.

Tai Chi derives from martial arts first practiced in China more than 800 year ago. Over the centuries various styles of Tai Chi evolved. Numerous studies have found that Tai Chi is one of the best forms of exercise for improving balance and reducing falls. The origin of the forms we'll be working with, Sun style is particularly well-suited for working with people who wish to improve their balance as it is more upright and uses smaller steps. The Centers for Disease Control and Injury Prevention (CDC), the Administration on Community Living (ACL) and the National Council on Aging (NCOA) have recognized Tai Chi for Arthritis—the same form we use but call Fall Prevention Tai Chi--as among the highest tier of most effective falls prevention programs for older adults.

We'll learn forms that emphasize
* deliberate weight transference
* healthy posture
* relaxed breathing
* body awareness
* steps that improve balance and agility

We'll meet at 10 a.m. for eight Tuesdays, September 9-October 28, at the Unitarian Universalist Meetinghouse in Springfield, Vt. (21 Fairground Road) and via Zoom livestream online. Classes are 60 minutes, and recordings will be posted afterwards.

We'll be exploring the movements of Fall Prevention Tai Chi (simplified Sun style), practicing both standing and seated. If being on your feet for an extended time is challenging for you, you can join us right from your chair. And bonus: on Sept. 23 we'll be welcoming other Springfield area tai chi teachers and students to mark Fall Prevention Awareness Month with a special practice and seasonal refreshments.

This class series is supported by Senior Solutions. Reserve your spot (and get the livestream link) by pre-registering online

Mercy Connections is seeking women across Vermont to join its Vermont Women’s Mentoring Program, an initiative that supports incarcerated women as they transition back into the community. This program trains mentors to provide guidance, encouragement, and support to women affected by the criminal justice system. A new five-week training series begins September 10 and runs through October 8 every Wednesday from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Mercy Connections in Burlington. Upon completing training, mentors are carefully matched with mentees—women currently incarcerated, under community supervision, or in pre-trial services—through a collaborative process. No prior experience with the justice system is required.

Death Café is a free discussion about death and life, with a goal of increasing awareness of death while also gaining perspective on how to best live. Rather than a grief support or counseling session, Death Cafés offer the opportunity for participants to engage in small conversations, while enjoying cake. There is no set agenda or planned theme. Sponsored by NVRH and the Athenaeum, this event is free, ADA accessible and open to the public.

If you’re looking for a fun way to get moving, meet new people and learn something new, square dancing might be the best-kept secret you haven’t discovered yet. It’s social, active and surprisingly easy to pick up—even if you’ve never danced a step in your life. So dust off your two left feet, grab a partner (or come solo) and step into the world of square dancing! Join us for new dancer session. First two nights are free (Sept 10 and 17th) for those trying it. Sessions then run through the school year (similar to ballroom) and voila! You can square dance anywhere in the world with these calls!

Discounts available for dancers that pre-pay in session segments. Preregister at website.

Join us online or in-person from the Springfield (Vermont) Town Library, 43 Main Street, 10 a.m. ET Thursday, September 11 for a 60-minute chair yoga practice. You'll learn some accessible movements that you can do right from a chair, leaving you feeling mobile, grounded, nourished ... and hopefully wanting more!*

Head to the library or tune in live from wherever you are in the world to follow along. Those who register online will also get access to the recording so they can watch it again and again.

This one-time class is pay-what-you-wish ($10 minimum). Springfield Town Library cardholders can contact the library (stlib@vermontel.net or 802-885-3108) to get a coupon code to enter at checkout so they can register for FREE ... and get the recording as a bonus.

*From this class we’ll gauge interest in a monthly chair yoga class, so please sign up to let us know that you’d like to see this as an ongoing library offering!

Springfield Town Library cardholders can contact the library (802-885-3108 or stlib@vermontel.net) to receive a coupon code for free admission

Join Chef Ariel Voorhees of Gather Round Chef Service for our first Cook the Book class, featuring Melissa Clark’s Dinner: Changing the Game. Ticket options offer the choice to take a signed copy of the book home courtesy of Waterbury's own Bridgeside Books!

Together, we’ll explore bold, approachable recipes that rethink weeknight meals by infusing familiar ingredients with fresh, global flavors. In particular, we’ll explore the Sheet Pan Dinner, a genius strategy that Clark unveils in this book.

In this hands-on class, you’ll cook a few standout dishes from the book, pick up new techniques and conclude the evening by gathering to share the meal we’ve created.

Whether you’re already a fan or new to Melissa Clark’s world, you’ll leave inspired to bring more joy, ease and creativity to your own dinner table.

Many of these recipes are vegetarian and gluten-free. Particular recipes will be chosen based on the disclosed dietary needs of the participants. Please disclose all allergies and dietary restrictions in the ticket registration. Please note we are not an allergen free facility.

The menu will depend on the number of participants and any disclosed dietary restrictions, but may include:

Smoky Paprika Chicken with Crispy Chickpeas, Roasted Lemon and Baby Kale
Sticky Tamarind Chicken with Crisp Lettuce and Jasmine Rice
Sweet Peppers and Sausages with Ricotta Salata and Fresh Oregano
Roasted Sausage and Cauliflower with Cumin and Turkish Pepper
Spicy Roasted Shrimp with Eggplant and Mint
Shakshuka
Roasted Tofu with Broccoli Rabe and Garlic
Maple-Roasted Tofu with Winter Squash
Eggplant Gratin
Roasted Carrots with Walnuts, Feta and Dill

Tickets must be purchased at Seven Days Tickets.
Many of these recipes are vegetarian and gluten-free. Particular recipes will be chosen based on the disclosed dietary needs of the participants, so make your reservation early!
Please disclose all allergies and dietary restrictions in the ticket registration. Please note we are not an allergen free facility.

The Tell It Slant Poetry Festival returns September 15 - 21, 2025! Join us in celebrating contemporary creativity and the poetic legacy of Emily Dickinson from her home in Amherst. The Festival is hybrid, with events happening online and in-person at the Museum.

This year's free Festival features a headline reading with National Book Award and MacArthur Genius grantee Terrance Hayes and award-winning poet Krysten Hill, the annual Emily Dickinson poetry marathon reading, generative writing workshops, panels, and more! New to the Festival are paid intimate Sunday morning workshops, as well as VIP tickets, which include dinner with the headlining poets.

View the lineup and register for the FREE Festival:

The Tell It Slant Poetry Festival returns September 15 - 21, 2025! Join us in celebrating contemporary creativity and the poetic legacy of Emily Dickinson from her home in Amherst. The Festival is hybrid, with events happening online and in-person at the Museum.

This year's free Festival features a headline reading with National Book Award and MacArthur Genius grantee Terrance Hayes and award-winning poet Krysten Hill, the annual Emily Dickinson poetry marathon reading, generative writing workshops, panels, and more! New to the Festival are paid intimate Sunday morning workshops, as well as VIP tickets, which include dinner with the headlining poets.

View the lineup and register for the FREE Festival:

The 2025 Northeastern Old Growth Conference: Wildlands and Old-Growth Forests, co-hosted by Middlebury College and the University of Vermont, will be held September 17–20, 2025, at Middlebury’s scenic Bread Loaf Campus in Ripton, Vermont. Scientists, conservationists, policymakers, health professionals, writers, and artists will gather to share knowledge and inspire a future with more wildlands and old-growth forests in the Northeast.

This year’s themes include The Future of Old Growth, Healthy Forests, Healthy People, and Old Growth Ecology. Keynotes include Jerry Franklin, Tom Spies, Lynda Mapes, and Bob Leverett. Registration is open and spots are limited — visit our website for more information.

The Tell It Slant Poetry Festival returns September 15 - 21, 2025! Join us in celebrating contemporary creativity and the poetic legacy of Emily Dickinson from her home in Amherst. The Festival is hybrid, with events happening online and in-person at the Museum.

This year's free Festival features a headline reading with National Book Award and MacArthur Genius grantee Terrance Hayes and award-winning poet Krysten Hill, the annual Emily Dickinson poetry marathon reading, generative writing workshops, panels, and more! New to the Festival are paid intimate Sunday morning workshops, as well as VIP tickets, which include dinner with the headlining poets.

View the lineup and register for the FREE Festival:

If you’re looking for a fun way to get moving, meet new people and learn something new, square dancing might be the best-kept secret you haven’t discovered yet. It’s social, active and surprisingly easy to pick up—even if you’ve never danced a step in your life. So dust off your two left feet, grab a partner (or come solo) and step into the world of square dancing! Join us for new dancer session. First two nights are free (Sept 10 and 17th) for those trying it. Sessions then run through the school year (similar to ballroom) and voila! You can square dance anywhere in the world with these calls!

Discounts available for dancers that pre-pay in session segments. Preregister at website.

The 2025 Northeastern Old Growth Conference: Wildlands and Old-Growth Forests, co-hosted by Middlebury College and the University of Vermont, will be held September 17–20, 2025, at Middlebury’s scenic Bread Loaf Campus in Ripton, Vermont. Scientists, conservationists, policymakers, health professionals, writers, and artists will gather to share knowledge and inspire a future with more wildlands and old-growth forests in the Northeast.

This year’s themes include The Future of Old Growth, Healthy Forests, Healthy People, and Old Growth Ecology. Keynotes include Jerry Franklin, Tom Spies, Lynda Mapes, and Bob Leverett. Registration is open and spots are limited — visit our website for more information.

The Tell It Slant Poetry Festival returns September 15 - 21, 2025! Join us in celebrating contemporary creativity and the poetic legacy of Emily Dickinson from her home in Amherst. The Festival is hybrid, with events happening online and in-person at the Museum.

This year's free Festival features a headline reading with National Book Award and MacArthur Genius grantee Terrance Hayes and award-winning poet Krysten Hill, the annual Emily Dickinson poetry marathon reading, generative writing workshops, panels, and more! New to the Festival are paid intimate Sunday morning workshops, as well as VIP tickets, which include dinner with the headlining poets.

View the lineup and register for the FREE Festival: