Historical preservation month: May is preservation month at the North Andover Historical Society:
North Andover preservation "Speak Easy" forum, May 8, 7 to 8:30 p.m. at North Andover Historical Society Headquarters, 153 Academy Road, North Andover.
Presented by the Merrimack Vally Preservation Group, in cooperation with the North Andover Historical Society and the North Andover Historical Commission. Local residents are invited to join in the discussion about saving and maintaining local historic buildings, local culture and local history in your town. The Community Preservation Act will be one of the many preservation tools discussed, with representative from the North Andover Community Preservtion Act Board on hand to answer questions on its impact on the town's historic landscape. Free admission; doors open promptly at 7 p.m.
Parson Barnard House begins its summer season on Sunday, May 18. The historical home at 179 Osgood St., North Andover, will be open every Sunday from 1 to 3 p.m. Admission is $5 for adults, $3 for 65 and older, and $2 for children ages 7 through 16. Historical society members are admitted free.
A "This Old North Andover House" lecture about the Samuel Osgood House will be May 21 at 7:30 p.m. at North Andover Historical Society Headquarters, 153 Academy Road, North Andover.
This year's offering in the annual Old House lecture series will look at the Samuel Osgood House circa 1740, which recently was repaired and repainted. Home owner and longtime Historical Society member Martha Larson will show slides about the process. Doors open at 7 p.m. Members are admitted free; nonmembers are $5. Space is limited, reservations suggested at nahistory@juno.com or 978-686-4035.
For more information about any of these events, visit www.northandoverhistoricalsociety.org
Local Weight Watchers group starts: The North Andover Senior Center hosts weekly Weight Watchers meetings at 120R Main St., North Andover. Anyone is welcome to join. The cost is $13 per week or $119, prepaid, for 10 weeks. Registration is free until May 10. Call 978-688-9560 to sign up.
Visit the BEST homes in town: The Boxford Elementary Schools Trust Annual BEST Homes Tour is scheduled for Saturday, May 10, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Eight Boxford homes will be featured — each one highlighting a special element, including a complete wine cellar, a library and media center, a newly renovated kitchen, a pool, patio and entertainment room. Some of the homes are new construction and others are historic; all are sure to satisfy a variety of personal tastes, say organizers. Tourgoers will have the opportunity to bid on specialty raffle items including dinner for six from "Hot Dish Catering" in Lawrence, a spa basket by Body Science in Beverly, a private ladies consultation at Night and Day in Andover, a golf package containing a Keri golf bag from Swing with Style in Middleton and a golf package for four at the Ipswich Country Club.
Visit www.bestforboxford.org for ticket and raffle information.
Genealogy discussion group at Boxford library: In conjunction with Boxford's Connection to the Past, a genealogy program sponsored by the Friends of the Boxford Town Libraries, residents Marsha Cooper and Deanna Shanahan will lead a genealogy discussion group on Thursday, May 8, from 10:30 a.m. to noon at the Boxford Village Library, 10 Elm St.
Participants will share genealogy successes and frustrations, and chat with neighbors who share their interest in genealogy research. Joining the discussion will be Jane Fiske, a Fellow of the American Society of Genealogists.
E-mail information@friendsofboxfordtownlibraries.org to register, or call the Boxford Village Library at 978-887-7323.
Origami workshop on Mother's Day weekend: A Mother's Day origami workshop will be at Stevens Public Library on Saturday, May 10, from 10 a.m. to noon in the community meeting room at the library, 345 Main St., North Andover.
Participants will learn to make an origami scrapbook for mom, or how to make origami animals like a crane, frog, dog, penguin, dinosaur, butterfly and bat. The workshop will be led by a young origami enthusiast who has worked with Michael LaFosse, the origami master whose pieces are on display in the Peabody Essex Museum Origami Exhibit.
The workshop is open to children ages 6 and up, with their parents and older siblings; all materials will be provided. Sign up in the children's room at the Steven's Memorial Library. Space is limited.
This free workshop is supported by Friends of the Stevens Memorial Library and the North Andover Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.
For more information, contact the Library Children's Room at 978-688-9505.
Free Mother's Day concert: Singers from the Trinitarian Congregational Church will perform a Mother's Day concert of Broadway favorites Sunday, May 11, at 2:30 p.m., 72 Elm St., North Andover.
Solos, duets and trios will perform and there will be a reception after the concert. Free admission; goodwill donations accepted for the People's Pantry, a North Andover food pantry for the disadvantaged. For more information, call Janet at 978-688-9870.
New storytime sessions at Boxford Library
New six-week storytime sessions for kids ages 3 to 5 continue through June 5 and will include books, puppets, and crafts. Parents may sign up for Tuesdays at 11 a.m. or Wednesdays at 11:30 a.m. at the East Boxford Library, 10 Elm St., or Thursdays at 1:30 p.m. at West Boxford Library, 188 Washington St. Call 978-887-7323 to register.
Tiny Bookworms, a book and movement program for kids under age 3, will meet Friday mornings at 11 at West Boxford Library, May 2 through June 6. Call 978-887-7323 to register.
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Stevens-Coolidge Place Plant Sale May 10
Celebrate spring and get your garden growing with a visit to the 26th Annual Stevens-Coolidge Place Plant Sale at The Stevens-Coolidge Place on Saturday, May 10 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Annual sale highlights include peonies, Japanese and bearded iris, and old-fashioned roses, along with hard-to-find trillium and ferns for shady, woodland gardens.
People can preview the plants at 9 a.m.before the sale officially opens at 10. Admission is free and refreshments will be available.
Located at 139 Andover Street in North Andover, The Stevens-Coolidge Place is an historic 91-acre country estate owned and maintained by The Trustees of Reservations. It features a rose garden, greenhouses, a French potager garden, historic trees and plantings, and fields managed for wildlife habitats. The historic house and its surrounding gardens are perhaps the best known work of landscape architect Joseph Elliot Chandler, who transformed a simple c. 1800 farmhouse into an elegant gentleman's estate with garden "rooms," murals, bowed windows, and many Colonial Revival architectural details.
Eldercare resource fair on May 15: Interfaith Caregivers of Greater Lawrence, a coalition of faith communities, social service agencies, and health organizations serving elders and caregivers, will sponsor its second annual Eldercare Fair at St. Michael Church Parish Hall, 196 Main St., North Andover on Thursday, May 15 from 4:30 to 6 p.m.
This is an opportunity for caregivers and older adults to learn about available resources and services. Representatives from assisted living facilities, adult day health programs, companion programs, transportation services, Medicaid planning services, caregiver assistance programs, senior centers and skilled nursing and personal care providers will be available to explain eligibility guidelines and answer questions.
This event is free to the public. For more information, call Jean Guyer at 978-686-4050.
Women Helping Women fundraiser: A lunch fundraiser is planned to support the Community Giving Tree, a Boxford nonprofit, at the historic Willowdale mansion in Bradley Palmer State Park, Asbury Street, Topsfield, on Friday, May 16, 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The event will feature light lunch, silent auction and a tour of the restored Willowdale mansion. Those who attend will have a chance to meet the social workers who work with the Community Givng Tree and needy families. Volunteers will assemble "baby bundles" of donated, gently used clothing.
The event will "celebrate the impact we can make when communities join together in sharing their resources with those in need," organizers said.
Tickets are $35 per person and can be purchased by sending a check to Giving Tree/TTC, P.O. Box 508, West Boxford, MA 01885. For more information contact Sue Rubin at 617-461-7744.
Shredding service: North Andover residents will have the opportunity to protect themselves against identity theft by taking part in a shredding event on Saturday, May 17, from 9 a.m. to noon at the North Andover DPW, 384 Osgood St.
One box of paper will be shredded free of charge and each subsequent box will be charged at a rate of $5 per box. (For purposes of this event, a "box" is a standard file box.) This is an excellent opportunity to witness the secure disposal of your personal and business documents.
The shredding will be done on-site by Universal Shredding of Georgetown. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Jason Mello at Universal Shredding at 978-352-8567.
North Andover Garden Club plant sale: Annuals and proven perennials from club members' gardens will be for sale on Sunday, May 18, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Stevens Memorial Library, 345 Main St., North Andover.
Also available for free: great gardening advice from the garden club members working at the sale. For more information, please email northandovergardenclub@yahoo.com
Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jack ... Registration is open for the Tri-town Babe Ruth Baseball League. Open to boys age 13 to 18, the season runs from June 8 and ends on Aug. 1. Playoffs begin Aug. 3 and will last about two weeks. An all-star game will be played on July 26 for those players selected. All teams will be composed of players from Boxford, Topsfield and Middleton.
Divisions of play are:
A Division, ages 14 and 15
B Division, ages 13 through 15
Senior BR Division, ages 16 through 18
The number of teams is dependent upon number of registrants. Everyone makes a team and the coaches will determine team placement. Eligibility age is based on a player's age as of Aug. 1. A player must be between the ages of 13 and 18 by midnight on July 31. To register, e-mail baseball@baasports.com or visit the Boxford Athletic Association Web site at www.baasports.com.
Foster homes wanted for kittens: Want the fun of having kittens but not the lifetime commitment? Animal Rescue Merrimack Valley is in need of fosters for kittens, moms and kittens and pregnant cats. ARMV provides medical treatment and food. Please call 978-374-7233 or go to www.armv.org.
Registration for Booster Club teams: North Andover Booster Club online registration is open for the following sports:
Football, fifth- through eighth-grades, open through June 30
Cheering, fifth- through eighth-grades, open through May 31
Field Hockey, fifth- through eighth-grades, open through June 30
Visit the North Andover Booster Club Web site, www.eteamz.com/nabc, for more information and to register.
High tea served at senior center: Wear your favorite hat and extend your pinky finger for an afternoon of high tea Thursday, May 29, from 3 to 6 p.m. at the North Andover Senior Center, 120R Main St. The event will be a fundraiser for the senior center's capitol improvement fund and will feature Methuen author Jay Atkinson, author of "City in Amber," as guest speaker.
Tickets are $10 and be purchased in advance at the senior center, or by calling Barbara at 978-688-9560.
Attendees can enjoy tea, sandwiches and pastries as well as live music and door prizes. The high tea is being organized by the Ladies High Tea Committee at the senior center.
Bicentennial celebration: Representatives from the 11 parishes of Vicariate III of the Merrimack Region have joined to plan a local celebration of the Bicentennial of the Archdiocese of Boston. With a theme of "Journey Together in Christ," everyone is invited to a Mass and family gathering on Sunday, Sept. 7, at St. Michael Parish in North Andover. Merrimack Regional Bishop Emilio Allue will preside at a noon Mass to be concelebrated by priests of the vicariate. A family picnic celebration will immediately follow with activities for all ages.
ESOL classes: Registrations are now being taken for English for Speakers of Other Languages, citizenship preparation, parenting and preschool classes at the Asian Center, 1 Ballard Way, Lawrence. Anyone interested in signing up for either morning or evening classes should call the Asian Center at 978-683-7316. Check out the Asian Center's Web site at www.asiancentermv.org for directions and more details.
Summer history camp: The North Andover Historical Society is accepting reservations for its children's summer enrichment program, Adventures in Time. The series is geared to boys and girls ages 7 through 12.
The first week, "Working in Time", will be July 7 through 11. During this week we will explore various jobs of earlier time. Field trips to the Andover Historical Society and the Wenham Museum will provide role playing in different trades and vocations.
In the second week, "Our Bright New Age", August 4 through 8, we will compare the good time and the challenges of the early 20th century, including the labor movement, the birth of the movies, the impact of the automobile and the "making due" of the Great Depression. Visits to the Lawrence Heritage State Park and the Larz Anderson Auto Museum will help bring the period alive.
Fee is $140 a week, $250 for two weeks; North Andover Historical Society members receive a 20 percent discount and a second child receives a 10 percent discount
There will be a supervised lunch period each day; children must bring their own brown bag lunch
r For details or to request a reservation form, call the society at 978-686-4035 or e-mail nahistory@juno.com. Visit the society on the Web at www.northandoverhistoricalsociety.org.
Volunteer opportunities: Horizons for Homeless Children is looking for volunteers to play with great children for two hours a week. Your time can make a world of difference for children living in homeless shelters in Massachusetts. Several shelters are on the North Shore, including Lynn, Revere, Malden, Lowell, Lawrence, Tewksbury, Peabody, Salem and Gloucester. A commitment of six months and attendance at a training session are required. New volunteers will be trained at the Peabody Library on March 29 from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For information, visit www.horizonsforhomelesschildren.org, call 978-557-2182, or e-mail northeast@horizonsforhomelesschildren.org.
Windrush Farm in Boxford, which provides therapeutic horseback-riding for disabled children and adults, is looking for volunteers. Volunteers will help groom and tack, lead or sidewalk horses. No horse experience necessary, will train. A willingness to commit for 11/2 hours a week, for whole season. Must be 14 years or older, and able to walk/jog for an hour. Immediate needs are Tuesday afternoon at 1, 3:45 and 4:45 p.m. and Friday at noon, 2:15 p.m. and 4:45 p.m. For more information call Gina at 978-682-7855 or e-mail gina@windrushfarm.org.
Community Giving Tree is seeking volunteers every Tuesday and Thursday between 9:30 a.m. and noon at its headquarters in West Boxford. Volunteers would sort donated items such as baby clothing, toiletries, and toys to make them available for social service workers to distribute to families in need. For more information, visit www.communitygivingtree.org.
Elders Need Volunteer Drivers. Interfaith Caregivers of Greater Lawrence, a coalition of faith communities, social service agencies, and health organizations, is looking for volunteers to drive elders to medical and "quality of life" appointments. Volunteers serve through the Friends in Deed program at Elder Services of the Merrimack Valley. Elder Services provides training and additional liability insurance for its drivers. Volunteers decide when they drive. To help, please call Elder Services at 1-800-892-0890. Ask for Eileen at ext. 463 or Jerry at ext. 445 (and mention Interfaith Caregivers).
Boxford Library news: All Boxford children, age preschool through grade two, are welcome to join in the Boxford Celebrates Reading program. Read, mark your monthly calendar, and win prizes. Preschoolers and homeschool children can pick up their reading calendars in the library. Kindergarten through grade 2 should watch back pack mail from school for their calendars. A new calendar is available each month. Boxford Celebrates Reading is a program sponsored by the Friends of the Boxford Town Libraries.
Boxford baseball registration: Registration is open for the 2008 season. Online registration is possible at the Boxford Athletic Association Web site, www.baasports.com. Boxford players ages 5 to 15 are eligible to participate in the instructional, farm, minors, majors or Babe Ruth programs. The spring baseball program runs through late June. Optional summer baseball is available in July and August.
Instructional Softball is a noncompetitive offering for girls currently in kindergarten through second grade. The emphasis is on fun while building basic playing skills such as throwing, fielding, running, and hitting. For information/registration contact Doug Balek email dbalek@comcast.net.
Adults interested in volunteering as a coach or assistant coach, register at www.baasports.com.
Hospice support group: Merrimack Valley Hospice offers a monthly drop-in support group for those caring for a loved one with a dementia or illness on the fourth Tuesday of each month at Ashland Farm, 700 Chickering Road. For information or to register, call Lois Marra 978-552-4537 or Nancy Thornton 978-552-4528.
Donations: Community Giving Tree is seeking donations of gently used baby equipment to help families throughout the North Shore. Consider donating cribs, strollers, swings, highchairs, baby gates, monitors, port-a-cribs, bassinets and toddler beds. All donations are tax deductible and will be given directly to families in desperate need. Call or email to schedule a convenient pick-up time, or for directions to a drop-off location. You may contact the Community Giving Tree at communitygivingtree@comcast.net or at 978-500-5527. Community Giving Tree is a non-profit organization sponsored by the Tri-Town Council on Youth and Family Services.
The American Lung Association is accepting used cars, trucks, motorcycles and boats in every condition to help support Massachusetts residents living with chronic lung disease. ALA will pick up the vehicle free of charge. For more information, call 800-577-5864 or visit www.lungne.org.
Playgroups: Playful People Playgroup is a nonprofit drop-in play group for children preschool age and under. It provides interaction for children and caregivers. Children play with toys, make crafts to take home, eat snacks and participate in music time with sing-alongs and occasionally some parachute play. The group is run by volunteers and meets Wednesdays from 9:30 to 11 a.m. at the Trinitarian Congregational Church, Elm Street, North Andover. Cost is $1.50 per person. Age 9 months and younger and snack and craft-time volunteers are admitted free. The group follows the North Andover public school calendar for holidays and snow-day announcements. Call Donna Phaneuf at 978-688-4613.
Morning Travelers, a playgroup for children with Down syndrome and their families, meets the third Saturday of every month from 10 a.m. to noon at First Calvary Baptist Church, 586 Massachusetts Ave. For information, call Sharon at 978-974-0191.
Bottoms up! Merrimack Toastmasters meetings are on the second and fourth Thursday of the month from 7 to 9 p.m. at Stevens Memorial Library, 345 Main St. Guests are welcome. Call 617-753-3473 for more information.
North Andover Thrift Shop: At 172 Sutton St., at the corner of Main Street in the historic Scholfield Mill building, the shop has been a North Andover fixture since 1955. Volunteer run and nonprofit, all profits are donated to scholarships and community programs.
Articles of clothing in very good condition, as well as small household items, jewelry, books, are accepted on a space-available basis during shop hours (no toys, puzzles, or electronics please). Please call the shop, 978-689-9520 to check on space availability.
Hours are: Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Closed Sundays and Mondays.
Eldercare Fair: Interfaith Caregivers of Greater Lawrence, a coalition of faith communities, social service agencies, and health organizations working together to serve elders and caregivers, will sponsor its 2nd Annual Eldercare Fair at Saint Michael Church Parish Hall, 196 Main Street, North Andover on Thursday, May 15, from 4:30 to 6 p.m.Representatives from assisted living facilities, adult day health programs, companion programs, transportation services, Medicaid planning services, caregiver assistance programs, senior centers, and skilled nursing and personal care providers will be available to explain eligibility guidelines and answer all your questions. This event is freeto the public. For information, call Jean Guyer at (978) 686-4050.
