GIVING TUESDAY: Some ways to give back this season

November 28, 2023/0 Comments/in Uncategorized /by pollymeyer

Give to your Community!

Donate to the 2023 Holiday Gift Card Program

Now through December 8^th

The Concord-Carlisle Community Chest invites you to donate a gift card, of any value, to a family in need this holiday season.

Gift cards to local merchants, supermarkets, pharmacies, restaurants, or big box stores are all welcome, and will be distributed to families in Concord, Carlisle, and at the emergency shelter.

Donations will be accepted through December 8^th.

They can be brought or mailed to: Concord-Carlisle Community Chest, 19 Main Street, Suite #2, Concord, MA 01742

Questions? Please contact 978-369-5250 or jperrotta@cccommunitychest.org.

Buy “Holiday Fixins” Bags

Give the gift of Thanksgiving sides and desserts. These bags are available for purchase at Crosby’s Marketplace in Concord for $16.99 and include a box of stuffing, a can of gravy, a can of pumpkin, a box of pie crust, a can of cranberry sauce, salt, Bell’s Seasoning, and aluminum foil.

12 Days of Joy from Family to Family

Sponsor a family or senior this holiday season by building a gift kit over the first 12 days of December. Each day that you add a new item, your family can discuss and learn more about food insecurity and how it may affect your neighbors.

Happening Thanksgiving Weekend in Concord

November 20, 2023/0 Comments/in Uncategorized /by pollymeyer

What are you doing for Thanksgiving? In town for the holiday weekend? Consider these things to do & see on and around Thanksgiving:

Walk / run / stroll in the Open Table Turkey Trot! Get a good morning workout to “make room” for your Thanksgiving dinner, while helping to put dinner on the table for your neighbors. The Race starts at 8:30am on Thanksgiving. Sign up!

Cheer on the CC Patriots in Thanksgiving Day HOME Game vs Lexington, 10am

Visit Family Trees Exhibit at the Concord Museum, opens November 22!

Sign up for Indigenous People of Concord Walking Tour

Take a family hike – visit Concord Land Conservation Trust for trail maps.

Tours of the Old Manse – They offer four types of tours over Thanksgiving Weekend

See art exhibits at Concord Art, Concord Museum, Three Stones and The Umbrella Arts

Yoga, crafts and legos at both the Main and Fowler Library on Saturday

Live music at Nosh

Spread JOY! Gather your family & gather items for Open Table’s Family-to-Family Gift Bag Program. Give 12 Days of Joy from your family to another! Sponsor a family or senior this holiday season by building a gift kit over the first 12 days of December. A wonderful way to spread joy this holiday season and as a family, discuss and learn more about food insecurity and how it may affect our neighbors.

Get in the holiday spirit, get your tickets for these holiday events:

Give 12 Days of Joy from Family to Family through Open Table

November 15, 2023/0 Comments/in Uncategorized /by pollymeyer

Sponsor a family or senior this holiday season by building a gift kit over the first 12 days of December. Each day that you add a new item, your family can discuss and learn more about food insecurity and how it may affect your neighbors. Follow us on social media or in your in-box to get information and reminders – or check back here!

This year we again invite you to create a holiday gift bag for either a local family and/or a senior who may be struggling this year. Past donors have said:

“Our family is excited to help out this year and we hope our participation will become a new holiday tradition.”
“This is a great way for people to contribute. Thank you for letting us help.”
“Thank you for the opportunity to share my good fortune.”
“Love this project – looking forward to it!”
“Thanks for this opportunity. It makes our Christmas a happier one.”
“Thank you! This is the most meaningful activity my family does during the holidays!”

You will be provided with a list of suggested items to fill a gift bag. And we will send reminders and other information each of the first 12 days of December. Please leave all items unwrapped; this will allow us to more easily give the bag to an appropriate individual or family.

Gift bags will be collected in Maynard (33 Main Street) on Friday, December 15, 2-6pm and in Concord (40 Beharrell Street) on Saturday, December 16, 10am-1pm. Clients will receive gift bags with the final food distribution of 2023.

Thank you for considering this opportunity to make the holidays more meaningful not only for the families who rely on Open Table, but for your family, too.

If you have any questions about this program, please contact the coordinator, Carolyn, at ccoffin@opentable.org

or visit Open Table

“Revolutionary Stories” Podcasts – A series of History Podcasts from Freedoms Way

October 17, 2023/0 Comments/in Uncategorized /by pollymeyer

About the Podcast Series

Revolutionary Stories is a collaborative history podcast that explores the enduring legacies of the American Revolution in the Freedom’s Way National Heritage Area. By connecting stories to place, each episode provides an opportunity to explore the region through a new lens—opening a window into the past, offering a perspective on the present, and sharing a vision for the future.

Join us each month for a new episode and discover the Revolution anew.

In preparation for the 250th anniversary commemoration of the American Revolution, Freedom’s Way National Heritage Area with support from the Massachusetts Society of the Cincinnati and in partnership with the National Park Service, and local communities, is undertaking an initiative to gather, record, interpret and share both well-known and underrepresented stories about the people, places, events and objects that relate to the period before, after and during the American Revolution in the region.

Revolutionary Stories: The Enduring Legacies of the American Revolution in the Freedom’s Way National Heritage Area will bring awareness to the diverse perspectives and experiences of those who lived within the 45 communities that now comprise the Heritage Area during this complex period of history. Stories will be made available through a publicly accessible online repository. Freedom’s Way and our community partners may use this information to develop programming, projects and itineraries that engage new audiences in the story of the American Revolution and its enduring impacts on the social and cultural fabric of our nation.

Revolutionary Stories: Robbins House

320 MONUMENT STREET, CONCORD, MA

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST: ROBBINS HOUSE

The Robbins House in Concord, Massachusetts was the home of Caesar Robbins, who while enslaved served in the American Revolution and whose descendants continued to advocate for equality and justice.

In this episode, host Patrice Todisco and The Robbins House Executive Director Jen Turner chronicle three generations of a visionary and hugely determined Black family. This moving and evocative story about perseverance and the meaning of freedom begins with Caesar and ends with a woman who committed one of the earliest acts of Black Civil Disobedience.

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST: ROBBINS HOUSE

Contributors

Guest: Jen Turner, The Robbins House
Host: Patrice Todisco, Freedom’s Way National Heritage Area
Content Developer: Kelsey Perrett
Producer: Timothy Banker
Recording Engineer: Minuteman Media Network

Produced in Partnership with

Concord 250
The Umbrella Arts Center
National Park Service

Revolutionary Stories: Hancock-Clarke House

36 HANCOCK STREET, LEXINGTON, MA

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST: HANCOCK- CLARKE HOUSE

The Hancock-Clarke House in Lexington, Massachusetts is where John Hancock, Sam Adams, and sixteen others were awakened by Paul Revere in the early hours of April 19, 1775, and warned of the British advance.

In this episode, host Patrice Todisco and Lexington Historical Society Programs Manager Sarah McDonough explore historically how we know what we do about what happened there that night and reveal the equally fascinating other players in the story, including the enslaved people who lived here.

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST: HANCOCK- CLARKE HOUSE

Contributors

Guest: Sarah McDonough, Lexington Historical Society
Host: Patrice Todisco, Freedom’s Way National Heritage Area
Content Developer: Kelsey Perrett
Producer: Timothy Banker
Recording Engineer: Minuteman Media Network

Produced in Partnership with

Concord 250
The Umbrella Arts Center
National Park Service

Revolutionary Stories: Jason Russell House

7 JASON STREET, ARLINGTON, MA

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST: JASON RUSSELL HOUSE

Did you know the Jason Russell House in Menotomy (now Arlington, Massachusetts) is where the bloodiest fighting took place on the first day of the American Revolution?

In this episode, host Patrice Todisco and Arlington Historical Society Museum Director Sara Lundberg discuss how recent high-tech forensics and ongoing research have shed light on what happened here on April 19th, 1775. You’ll discover where the bodies of the men who died in the skirmish are buried and peer into the lives of those who lived in the house, including an enslaved woman named Kate.

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST: JASON RUSSELL HOUSE

Contributors

Guest: Sara Lundberg, Arlington Historical Society
Host: Patrice Todisco, Freedom’s Way National Heritage Area
Content Developer: Kelsey Perrett
Producer: Timothy Banker
Recording Engineer: Minuteman Media Network

Produced in Partnership with

Concord 250
The Umbrella Arts Center
National Park Service

Do you know about Freedom’s Way National Heritage Area?

October 11, 2023/0 Comments/in Uncategorized /by pollymeyer

Freedom’s Way National Heritage Area promotes a place-based identity for forty-five communities in Massachusetts and New Hampshire that share a uniquely American story.

Founded in 1994 as a non-profit organization, the Freedom’s Way Heritage Association is identified in the enabling legislation for the Freedom’s Way National Heritage Area, enacted March 30, 2009, as the local coordinating entity for the Heritage Area.

As a partnership endeavor, the Freedom’s Way Heritage Association serves as facilitator, host, and guide for heritage area-wide presentations, activities, and initiatives that recognize and preserve the unique identity of the region. Freedom’s Way is committed to promoting, preserving, enhancing, and curating the natural, cultural, and historical resources that define its sense of place.

Their website offers:

Interesting stories about the people, places, events, and objects of the Heritage Area that explore the enduring legacies of the American Revolution in the region through diverse perspectives and experiences.

A map and trip planning guide

Sign up for their newsletter and read monthly short stories that provide “a closer look” into the people and places of Freedom’s Way National Heritage Area that contribute to its unique regional identity.

Learn more and explore the 45 communities that make up the Freedom’s Way National Heritage Area. Visit their website plan an outing and visit their calendar of events of local happenings!

Concord Museum Launches Contemporary Leaders Program

October 4, 2023/0 Comments/in Uncategorized /by pollymeyer

New Membership Program for Young Patrons of Arts and Culture

The Concord Museum gathered museum supporters under age
55 on Friday, September 22, 2023 at a launch event for the new Concord Museum Contemporary Leaders membership program. Over eighty young patrons of arts and culture enjoyed an evening of music, conversation, and refreshments and learned about the mission of the Concord Museum Contemporary Leaders.

The Contemporary Leaders are the heart of the Museum’s mission to connect people to Concord’s multifaceted history and its continuing influence on American cultural, political, environmental, and literary life. Members of the Contemporary Leaders program will enjoy special access experiences at the
Museum as well as family-focused events, social gatherings, and other opportunities to deepen their engagement with the Museum and connect with one another.

“The Concord Museum is a gathering place of objects, ideas, and friends,” said Allison Shilling, the Museum’s Deputy Director and Director of Engagement. “The Contemporary Leaders will convene at the Museum for intellectual and social engagement as well as to drive transformative impact in the
community. In time, the Leaders’ philanthropic leadership will underwrite exhibitions, programs, commissions from contemporary artists, and strategic that bring people together and extend our reach into areas of Concord’s history and contemporary culture that have been historically underrepresented.”

The Contemporary Leaders’ Steering Committee includes Concord Museum Governors Matt Boger and Greg Creamer, Trustees Jason Griswold, Hayley Maybury-Gross, and John Coughlin, plus Chessie Cataldo, Kristen Tahirak Bitterman, and Erica Cohen.

To become a Concord Museum Contemporary Leader, click here

The Concord Museum connects people to Concord’s multi-faceted history and its continuing influence on American cultural, political, environmental, and literary life. Founded in 1886, the Museum presents centuries of objects from Concord and surrounding areas for everyone to experience and explore. These
objects let us bring to life the stories of the diverse people who lived in Concord since its earliest days.

Every day, Concord’s history comes alive in our collections, exhibitions, and programs. To learn more, visit www.concordmuseum.org and follow us on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

Fall & Winter Coat Drive

September 26, 2023/0 Comments/in Uncategorized /by pollymeyer

The weather is turning chilly!

Consider donating to the Fall & Winter Coat Drive to benefit families at the emergency shelter. Accepting new or gently used (and clean) coats for infants through adults.

Concord Festival of Authors

August 28, 2023/0 Comments/in Uncategorized /by pollymeyer

Celebrating the 150th ANNIVERSARY of the Concord Free Public Library in October 2023!

a town-wide celebration of the written and spoken word

planned under the auspices of the Friends of the Concord Free Public Library

Concord Free Public Library - Main Branch, 129 Main Street, Concord, MA — CONCORD FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY – MAIN BRANCH, 129 MAIN STREET, CONCORD, MA

For 31 years, the Concord Festival of Authors (CFA) has celebrated the written and spoken word throughout the town of historic Concord, Massachusetts. Every October, the CFA collaboratively honors the narrative arts by featuring dozens of literary and performative programs, the majority of which are free to the public.

In 2018, the CFA shifted from founder Rob Mitchell’s leadership to co-create a Bridge Year led by Kerry Cronin (then Concord Free Public Library Director), Dawn Rennert (owner of Concord Bookshop) and Lara Wilson (founder of nonprofit mindful wellness collaborative, Be Well Be Here). Twenty-five events presented by over a dozen Concord organizations took place throughout the month of October. Fall 2019 marked a shift in the development and implementation of the CFA, which moved to a two-week schedule at the end of October. The Friends of the CFPL took on a leadership role in oversight and planning, hosting a third of all events, including a Keynote Presentation by National Book Award winner, Sigrid Nunez. With the encouragement of CFA founder Rob Mitchell, CFA Team member Lara Wilson was appointed festival curator by the CFA Team, comprised of members from the Friends of the CFPL, the CFPL Corporation, the Concord Bookshop, the Concord Museum, Orchard House and The Umbrella Arts Center. At the end of 2019, Rob Mitchell officially retired and the CFA Foundation passed the torch to the Friends of the CFPL. The Friends continue to oversee the administration of the CFA with generous marketing support from the CFPL Corporation.

When challenges arose in 2020 due to Covid-19, the CFA Team pivoted yet again to co-create exceptional virtual literary programming. The benefit of this massive undertaking was the festival’s ability to reach an international audience with featured events such as the CFA 2020 Kick-Off with esteemed author and historian, Dr. Jill Lepore, winner of the Concord Free Public Library’s 22nd annual Ruth Miller Memorial Award for Excellence in American History, presented by the Friends of the CFPL. With intention, in 2021 the CFA curator and team deepened their commitment to equity and inclusion with regard to leadership as well as event planning. The Robbins House, Concord’s African American History Museum, joined the CFA Team with Board Member Nikki Turpin leading the search committee that confirmed CFA Keynote Speaker, Dr. Clint Smith, author of the bestseller How the Word is Passed: A Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America.

The 31st annual Concord Festival of Authors, which runs October 20-30, coincides with the 150th anniversary of the Concord Free Public Library. This year’s event kicks off on Friday, October 20th with Keynote Speaker Jennifer DeLeon and continues with the Miller Award presentation on the 21st, the Riedel Lecture with Chris Van Dusen on the 22nd, the 150th Concord Free Public Library celebration with Elizabeth Graver on the 27th, and the Thoreau Prize presentation honoring Terry Tempest Williams on 28th. Join us as the CFA 2023 presents top-notch, town-wide literary events that celebrate the practice of storytelling and engaged community conversation.

THE FRIENDS OF THE CONCORD FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY present

CFA 2023 KEYNOTE SPEAKER

Jennifer De Leon

“The Power of Storytelling”

Friday, October 20 , 7:00 PM

CFPL Goodwin Forum

129 Main Street, Concord, MA

FESTIVAL CALENDAR OF EVENTS

October 20-30th

Back-to-School Backpack Drive

August 9, 2023/0 Comments/in Uncategorized /by pollymeyer

his summer marks the 9th year that Concord’s Community Services will be running a Back-to-School Backpack Drive to distribute backpacks filled with school supplies to Concord families in need. Donations of NEW backpacks and school supplies for students of any age would be greatly appreciated! You may drop off a donation at one of the boxes located at: Town Hall, 55 Church Street in West Concord, the Beede Center, the downtown Public Library’s Sudbury Road entrance, or the Concord-Carlisle Community Chest. Backpack Drive runs through August 25th. For more information, contact Bonny Wilbur, Community Services Coordinator, bwilbur@concordma.gov or tel. 978-318-3034.

Runs until August 25.