The Recorder – North Quabbin Notebook: June 9, 2022

ORANGE — A bottle and a can will take place Saturday, June 11 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Orange Recycling Center/Transfer Station, with proceeds going to the Wheeler Memorial Library Renovation Fund.

This campaign is part of ongoing fundraising efforts to offset the cost of the project to the city. The state will finance 52% of the renovation costs. Nearly $400,000 has already been committed.

Direct contributions are also welcome by writing a check to the City of Orange, with “Library renovation project” on the memo line. Mail or bring check to Wheeler Memorial Library, 45 East Main St., Orange, MA. 01364. For more information, call Library Manager Jessica Magelaner on 978-544-2495.

Meeting place in honor of the late Dorothy Johnson

NEWS SALEM — Meetinghouse 1794 at 26 South Main St. will host a celebration of life honoring Dorothy Johnson on Saturday, June 11 at 1 p.m.

Johnson, who died earlier this year, was a playwright, author and a strong supporter of the 1794 Meetinghouse. The program will include guest speakers selected from Johnson’s friends and family; improvisational piano performed by Johnson’s neighbor Steven Schoenberg; a selection of songs from Johnson’s plays; and pictures of his life.

Capacity is limited, so advance registration is recommended. According to a 1794 Meetinghouse news bulletin, any overflow crowd will have room to sit on the lawn under a tent, with the sound of the hall playing outside. Athol-Orange Community Television (AOTV) will also broadcast the event live on aotv13.org/live.

For more details and to register, visit 1794meetinghouse.org/Dorothy.

Additionally, Johnson had begun planning a new reading of his book, “A Swift River Anthology,” before his death, the newsletter said. Friends who have worked with her before have kept this project alive. The reading will take place at the 1794 church on Sunday, June 26 at 4 p.m. Readers will include Matthew Crowner, Peter Frost, Pam Hardy, Sally Howe, John Reese, Richard Trousdell and Dee Waterman. More details and the Registration Form can be found at bit.ly/3NWoIxz.

The Historical Society holds an annual meeting, elections

ORANGE – Serendipity blessed the Orange Historical Society at its annual spring meeting and elections in May.

Members present at Witty’s funeral home on South Main Street expressed frustration that they could not find any portrait of State Senator Ralph C. Mahar, the namesake of the local regional school and the man remembered as “the father of the regional schools of Massachusetts. It was then that Witty owner and Historical Society Treasurer Jeffrey Cole left the meeting room and returned to unfurl a large canvas of the man who lived from 1912 to 1962. Cole explained that he had taken it upon himself to commission a California artist to paint the enlarged likeness of Mahar’s obituary photo. Attendees at the meeting applauded, and Cole pledged to have the painting framed for the Historical Society exhibit.

Followed by a social hour, the meeting produced the elections of: Kathryn Schiappa, president; Ingrid Pollard, vice-president; Sandra Eklund, secretary; Linda Knechtel, Assistant Secretary; Jeffrey Cole, Treasurer; Tom Smith, Assistant Treasurer; and Jeri Deyo, auditor. Denise Andrews, Irene Ballou, Anne Colo, Lurene Hall, Glenn Johnson, Gregory Metevier, Ann Reed, Maureen Riendeau, Ginette Richard, Frank Schiappa, Linda Temple and George Willard were elected to the board.

meeting, book
scheduled social reading and ice cream

NEW SALEM – Friends of the New Salem Public Library will vote on next year’s board members and budget at the group’s annual meeting on Saturday, June 18 from 2-4 p.m. at the library , located at 23 South Main St.

After the business meeting, retired Greenfield Recorder reporter Richie Davis, author of “Good Will & Ice Cream,” will offer a reading, paired with an ice cream social. Email friends at [email protected] with questions.

Chamber of Commerce Plans Leisure Map and Business Guide

ATHOL – The North Quabbin Chamber of Commerce is partnering with Rhumb Line Maps to create the 2022 North Quabbin Area Leisure Map and Business Guide which will highlight small businesses, local events and attractions, and fundraising to support this effort.

The cost to design, edit and produce the map will be around $12,000, according to a Chamber of Commerce newsletter. Any money raised beyond the initial production costs will be invested in the second and third phases of the project, which will involve making large prints for public display throughout the region and creating an interactive online version of the map with links to web pages.

For more information, email [email protected].