A dozen coolers of varying sizes. Nets on long poles. Buckets. Wading boots. Kayaks and lifejackets. Tools for tree planting. Totes of trash bags, work gloves, and tee shirts. These are just some of the items stored long-term by the Black River Action Team, according to BRAT Founder and Director Kelly Stettner. While Kelly keeps more perishable items in her home (paper files, water quality measuring instruments, etc.), the durable items accumulated over two decades of water-related projects are in need of secure, dry storage. The existing metal shed has served its basic purpose but is roughly 15 years old. The roof leaks, despite treatment with special rubberized paint a few years ago; the particle-board floor gets damp and soft, and small rodents find their way in to find shelter.

On September 7th and October 5th, 2021, residents of Chester and Andover gathered at the Chester Town Hall to talk about shared aspirations for the community and to envision the future of Whiting Library. Professional library consultant Amy Howlett facilitated these conversations with the assistance of library director Deirdre Doran. The goal of the meetings was to discuss and choose key library service roles that will be incorporated into a new strategic plan for the library.

Get ready for the holidays by decorating a pre-made evergreen wreath with specially collected greens, natural materials, bows, and other embellishments, plus all the wire, glue guns, and equipment necessary to make the decorating fun and successful. Open to the public, the workshops will take place on November 18-20 in Willard Hall at St. Luke's Church, 313 Main Street (Route 11 West) in Chester, VT, and will again benefit both the church and the Chester Conservation Committee's youth environmental-camp scholarships.

Sponsored by Chester's Blair Books, former Chesterite Joe Citro will speak at the First Universalist Parish of Chester in Chester's Stone Village at 7pm on Sunday, October 31, 2021.

The Chester-Andover Family Center Food Shelf needs your help. We are busy preparing to provide Food Shelf participants with food for their Thanksgiving dinner. As Vermont Food bank partners, we can purchase turkeys and shelf stable items at very low cost. We also partner with local grocery outlets and farmers to purchase fresh produce and fruit. Your donation will help us put a bountiful Thanksgiving meal on the table for our hundred plus regular food shelf participants who depend on us for supplemental food to feed their family every month.

For the twenty-second consecutive year, volunteers with the Black River Action Team have stepped up to remove all manner of trash from the bed and banks of the waterways in our communities. On Saturday, September 11th, the annual RiverSweep cleanup took place in Springfield; local radio station WCFR set up a booth to broadcast live from the registration table at Riverside Middle School, while people of all ages and affiliations spread out to tackle trash.

High school students with an interest in creative writing are invited to attend a Teen Writers Workshop at Whiting Library on Wednesday, November 3, 2021 from 4:30 p.m. to 5:45 p.m. at 117 Main Street in Chester. Whiting Library is hosting this writer's workshop for youth in grades 9 through 12. Do you write for fun or want to start? This workshop is for you!