Springfield's hidden gem, Muckross State Park, is full of surprises. The State of Vermont works diligently on improvements to make the 200+ acre property and multiple trails more accessible for public use. A stream runs through the property, with a small dam forming a pond just before the stream tumbles down the hillside toward the Black River. Since 2016, the Black River Action Team continues to collect data on the long, narrow pond nestled between evergreen-lined banks.

Conquer the strange world of COVID-19 and bring on some joyous holiday spirit by decorating a premade evergreen wreath. The number of holiday wreath workshops, which will take place November 19-21 at St. Luke's Church in Chester, VT, has been increased this year, but the number of participants in each session has been decreased to enable safe social distancing. Early registration will secure a choice session and discount. Masks will be required.

Members of the all-volunteer Black River Action Team joined forces with the Springfield Rotary Club and the Springfield Trails Advisory Committee recently on an "invasive plant management day." While the bulk of the crew worked on plants along Paddock Road, which runs parallel with the Black River, several volunteers tackled the trails of Hartness Town Forest off Dell Road in Springfield. The target: Japanese barberry plants. Japanese barberry was introduced to the U.S. as an ornamental, because, well, it's so darned pretty. Unfortunately, the berries it produces are attractive to birds, which gobble them up and excrete the undigested seeds out in the woods. The plants grow in the wild, unmanaged and in dense thickets.

The Okemo Valley Regional Chamber of Commerce (OVRCC) was recently awarded a Restart VT Regional Marketing & Stimulus Grant from the VT Department of Tourism. This successful application was the result of a regional collaboration with joint applications from other partners including the communities of Chester, Londonderry, Ludlow & Weston.

Fishing is a terrific activity that is fun for all ages and ability levels, and can be done all year round. It's almost inevitable that the line will get snagged, caught, or just plain snapped. If left in the water or on the shore, it poses a hazard for not just boat propellers but also for wildlife of all kinds.

Last year, the Chester-Andover Family Center asked the community to help us provide over one hundred Food Shelf recipients with all the fixings for a Thanksgiving dinner. The positive response was truly an inspiration and we were able to fill all Food Shelf recipient Thanksgiving Turkey requests.

Celebrating the group's 20th anniversary, the Black River Action Team chalks up another successful year of cleaning trash from the bed and banks of our local waterways. Dozens of volunteers worked at various locations over the course of several months, in targeted cleanups of specific sites.

On Saturday, October 10, 2020 from 10am-3pm Columbus Weekend, the Chester Andover Family Center will hold their fifth annual "Christmas Under the Tent" sale. Holiday items for decorating, entertaining and gift giving will be available. We will have toys, gifts, items for your holiday table, artificial trees, Christmas Cards and decorations galore. Everything under the tent will be priced from $.25 to $25.

We did it! Our first ever virtual raffle was a success. We raised over $7,000 for our "generator" fund. The Family Center is grateful to Linda and Tom Diak and DyakCraft for their generous donation of the $700.00 knitting tools prize. We thank them for donating this special prize, their ongoing support for the Family Center and their wise counsel helping us negotiate this new initiative in fundraising.