All month: In honor of Richards Memorial Library’s 100th anniversary, the Paxton Garden Club will have a display of 1920s gardening books, a floral arrangement, and packets of free heirloom seeds popular in the 1920s. 

April 3-April 30: Winnie the Pooh, who also turns 100 in 2026, is hiding around the J/Y Room at Richards Memorial Library. Find all the images to complete the riddle and earn a small prize.

Wednesday, April 8

10:15 Veterans’ meeting.10:30 am: program All About Drones The Worcester County Sheriff’s Office presents an overview of jail operations and programs. Hear how to protect yourself from fraud and get the inside story of how the Drone Program helps locate missing people, includes a drone demonstration. Open to all.

Thursday, April 9

10:30 am-12 pm: Craft of Writing Workshop at Gale Free Library. What Makes Good Poems Work? They will look at pairs of poems side by side and discuss writing strategies. Online via Zoom. Registration required.

11 am: What’s up with AI (Artificial Intelligence)? Find out in this program presented by publisher and author Henry Quinlan. It’s in the news and finding its way into industry, academics, business, and daily life. Quinlan is owner/publisher of Omni Publishing Co. Bring your questions. Paxton Senior Center.

1 pm: Real Estate Planning: This educational presentation will cover home maintenance and seasonal upkeep, prioritizing improvements to build equity, cost-saving strategies, and real estate planning. Refreshments will be served. At the Rutland Senior Center.

4:30-6:30 pm: How Goddard launched us into the Modern Era of Astrophysics lecture at Museum of Worcester, 30 Elm St., by Worcester State University Professor Andrew Burkhardt followed by a tour of the museum’s Goddard Exhibit. Admission is free but registration is required. Go to worcesterhistory.org.

6:30-7:30 pm: Sourdough Starter workshop with Sourdough Brandon at Richards Memorial Library. Learn tips and tricks on how to make, maintain, and store a sourdough starter. Registration required at www.rmlpaxton.org or call the library.

Friday, April 10

8:30-11:30 am: Health Care Proxy Clinic. Attorney Erin Bradbury will assist you in understanding and completing health care proxy documents. She and her staff will provide the forms to execute the legal document. You will leave with your original health care proxy. Please register at the office or call the Holden Senior Center.

10-11 am: Books and Blankies with Community Connections at Richards Memorial Library for babies birth to 24 months. 

2:30-4:30 pm: Friends of Richards Memorial Library Book Sale and Donation Days Donate books. Shop for books. All on the same day! Proceeds benefit library programs. The Friends accept book donations only during scheduled dates and times. We accept gently used books, DVDs, CDs, and video games. They do not accept textbooks, magazines, encyclopedias, VHS tapes, or bootleg CDS/DVDs. Do not leave books when the library is not open. The book sale and donation continue tomorrow, Saturday the 11th, but from 10:30 am-1:30 pm.
Future dates: the second Fridays, 2:30-4:30 pm and Saturdays, 10:30 am-1:30 pm. of each month.

Fridays Apri 10, 17 & 24, 7 am: Early Bird Birding with Jeff Johnstone, sponsored by Athol Bird & Nature Club. Meet at Millers River Environmental Center, 100 Main St., Athol, then the group will explore the North Quabbin area for migrant birds. Come for as long as your schedule allows. Severe weather cancels. For more info, call or text Johnstone at 978-249-9052.

Saturday, April 11

7 am: Birding at Hodges Village Dam, hosted by Forbush Bird Club, led by Mary Baker Caulway. Resident birds are adorned in breeding plumage and early migrants are returning. They will walk 2-3 miles on a relatively flat cart road. Meet at the main dam parking area, 30 Howarth Rd. Oxford. For more info, contact Caulway at [email protected] or 508-612-5130.

9 am-noon: Ware River Trail Hike, Hubbardston, sponsored by Princeton Open Space Committee. Starting at Route 122 in Barre, this walk will be along the Burnshirt River to Route 62 in Hubbardston. Return will be along a gravel road. For more info/to register: [email protected]

Sunday, April 12

1 pm-3 pm: Public information session on the FY2027 budget. At the Rutland Free Library. 

Monday, Apri 13

9:30 am-10:45 am: Public information session on the FY2027 budget. At the Rutland Senior Center. 

1:30 pm: Legacy Writing: Passing on More Than Valuables. Pamela Reidy will explore meaningful ways to share your life and the wisdom you’ve gathered. She will discuss “legacy documents” and creative ways to capture memories, values, and love you want to pass along to your family. Please register at the office or call the Holden Senior Center. 

6 pm: The Rutland Business Association invites the public to its first membership drive at Ladd’s Restaurant, 64 Barre Paxton Rd., Rutland. Tickets, at $25 per person, are on sale at www.discoverrutlandma.com. There will be opportunities to network, enjoy appetizers and sip a favorite drink from the cash bar. See the article in this month’s Newsbitz for more details.

Tuesday, April 14

10 am: The Friends of the Paxton COA meeting. The Friends are the fundraising arm of the Council and offer other support as needed. The Friends meet on the second Tuesday of every month in the Activity Room at the Senior Center.

2:30 pm: Veterans and American Legion Meeting For more info, contact Doug Harvey, Commander of Post 42 [email protected] or call 508-450-9965. Holden Senior Center. 

4:20 pm: Harold and the Purple Crayon for ages 5+. Listen, learn, and be inspired! Join Mary Shepherd and let your imagination lead the way. Draw on muslin fabric with special markers and fabric crayons. Registration opened 4/7. Gale Free Library.

6:30 pm: Cooking Club Grains and Seeds at Gale Free Library. These natural whole foods are great to add to your diet. Registration required. 

7-9 pm: History at Play (a Rachel Revere enactment) sponsored by the Rutland Historical Society at the Rutland Free Library.

Wednesday, April 15

11 am-12 pm: Shingle Shanty: Research, Monitoring, and Climate Resilience in a Boreal Peatland Complex in the Adirondacks by Steve Langdon, managing director Shingle Shanty Preserve and Research Station. Hybrid format in person at Harvard Forest in Petersham or by Zoom. For more info, email Joshua Plisinski at [email protected]

1 pm: Antique Hand Fans From Around the World. Shelly Goncalves, member of Fan Association of North America and the Fan Circle International, has been collecting antique hand fans for over 50 years. See 100 antique hand fans from France, China, Japan, America and novelty examples. This presentation will explore the history, designs and varied materials used for this art. Have an antique hand fan at home? Bring it for identification. Register at the office or call the Holden Senior Center.

4:20 pm: Pokeman Club for ages 6+. Hang out with other Pokeman trainers and make some inspired crafts! At Gale Free Library.

Thursday, April 16

9 am: Coffee and ... with Miles Funeral Home. The staff will discuss advanced planning topics, a celebration of life, and services they provide. Learn options and ask questions. Register at the office or call the Holden Senior Center.

11 am: The Music of McCartney by musician Dan Kirouac comes to the Paxton Senior Center. Delivered on piano and vocals, the program explores McCartney’s music from the Beatles through Wings and into the 1980s. The program is free and open to members of the center and others as space allows. For more information, or for non-members looking to attend, call the center. This program is sponsored by a grant from the Paxton Cultural Council, which is supported by the Mass. Cultural Council.

1:30 pm: Create a Mosaic Bird. No experience necessary. Registration began April 1 until full. Each participant must register themself in person with $20 cash. If you cancel after 3:30 pm on April 13, you will not be refunded. Holden Senior Center.

Holden Senior Center Trip: Viva Las Elvis at Castleton Banquet Center in Windham, NH. $140 pp includes transportation, plated lunch, and show ticket. Call the trip line at 508-210-5579, leave a message and Sheryl will call you back. Full trip descriptions at the Senior Center.

6-7:30 pm: Herbal Steam Baths, Compresses & Poultices with Christine Leo. This hands-on workshop will explore simple skills and tips to enhance how medicinal herbs work. Common herbs include lemon balm, sage, comfrey, broad leaf plantain, and mint. At Gale Free Library, registration required. 

Friday, April 17

9-11 am: Wachusett Food Pantry distribution for seniors 65+. General public distribution Saturday, April 18 from 9-11 am. 50 Worcester Rd, Sterling. 978-563-1064.

10 am: Read, Build, Play with Community Connections for ages 2-5. At Gale Free Library.

Youth poetry submission deadline for the 4th Annual National Baseball Poetry Festival, which will be held again at Polar Park from May 7-10. Submit your poem about opening day, Little League, softball, Fenway Park or other baseball memories to baseballpoetryfest.com. Free submission.

Saturday, April 18

9-10:30 am: Rutland Food Pantry distribution this morning.

11 am-12 pm: Art reception for two exhibits: Holden Senior Center’s art show “America the Beautiful” and the Community Art Show’s theme “Abundance.” At Gale Free Library. Refreshments will be provided.

Sunday, April 19

Native Plant Trust/Garden in the Woods in Framingham opens!

9 am-1 pm: Explore wildlife tracks & signs in the Quabbin region (location TBD) with leader Bryan DiFabio, sponsored by Central Mass. Wildlife Tracking Club. For more info/to register email [email protected]

Tuesday, April 21

2:30 pm: Earth Day Paper Quilling for ages 7+. Registration opens 4/14. Learn the craft of paper quilling and create nature-inspired artwork. Gale Free Library.

6:30 pm: An organizational meeting to create a 24/7 community refrigerator/pantry in Holden. This project is being initiated by 4 Others Inc., a Holden-based nonprofit that seeks to make food readily available to those in need 24/7. The meeting will take place at St. Mary’s Church, Princeton St., Jefferson. For more information, email [email protected] or call 774-622-9732. 

Tuesday April 21 through Saturday April 25, school vacation week

April Vacation Centennial Celebration for kids at Richards Memorial Library. Drop in anytime during open hours to explore the Winnie Pooh scavenger hunt, Robert Goddard’s launch of the first liquid-fueled rocket in 1926 by making and launching a straw rocket, and how to use a quill pen and ink to sign your name in honor of the Declaration of Independence’s 250th anniversary.

Enjoy building Lego and Duplo bricks in the Children’s Room at Gale Free Library all week.

Wednesday, April 22

9 am-11 am: Hiking Old Mill Road to Rutland sponsored by Princeton Open Space Committee. Casual hike starting on Lovers Lane, down to Quinapoxet Reservoir, finishing via Old Mill Road to the Rutland town line. For more info email [email protected].

11:30 am: Lunch with the Town Administrator. Join Heather Butler for lunch at the Rutland Senior Center where she will talk about the Town Meeting and proposed Prop 2 ½ override options. Enjoy a lunch of roast turkey with all the fixings. Bring your appetite and questions. Sign up by April 17.

1 pm and 6:30 pm: The Holden Finance Committee will hold two informal public information sessions at the Holden Senior Center. All residents are welcome to attend and ask questions about the fiscal year 2027 budget.

2 pm: Support Group for Families Affected by Mental Illness. If someone you love is struggling with mental illness, this peer-to-peer support group is here to help. Meets every other Wednesday (again May 6) at the Rutland Senior Center. 

Thursday, April 23

10:30 am: Building brain health is an often-overlooked aspect of overall well-being. This program shares healthy habits for your brain, the brain/heart connection, and building your personalized action plan for brain-healthy habits. Find out how to minimize decline. Presented by the Alzheimer’s Association.

Friday, April 24

10-11 am: Spring Puddles Stroll & Story. Join DCR for a morning of outdoor adventure on this slow-paced walk to spot signs of wildlife and listen for frog calls. We’ll stop at the forest play area to read The Noisy Puddle and celebrate the magic of vernal pools. This 3/4-mile easy stroll is geared toward early childhood, and all ages are welcome for this family event. The flat, accessible trail is stroller and wheelchair friendly. Meet at the Mass Central Rail Trail – Sterling Spur, 25 Gates Road, Sterling.

12:30 pm: Sashiko Workshop. Catherine Karp will teach this traditional Japanese embroidery technique to stitch, patch, and mend existing garments. Participants will learn the technique, about the basic materials needed, and how to start a geometric pattern on fabric using a grid. All materials are supplied. Please register at the office or call the Holden Senior Center.

Saturday, April 25

7 am: Birding Mass Audubon’s Wachusett Meadow Sanctuary: Sponsored by Forbush Bird Club, leaders Jay and Gail Cormier. Wachusett Meadows is a former farmstead that supports birds of the woodlands, wetlands, and meadows. Walk will be on easy trails. Meet at the sanctuary’s parking lot. For more info/to register email [email protected].

8 am- 2 pm: Rutland’s 30th Annual Town Wide Yard Sale.

9 am-12 noon: Hike Midstate Trail: Westminster Road to Four Corners sponsored by Princeton Open Space Committee. This 4.5 mile mostly level (but wet in places) moderate hike starts at Westminster Road in Princeton and follows the Midstate Trail through Wachusett Meadow Sanctuary and Four Corners to the East Branch of the Ware River. Some cars will be dropped at the end for a ride back. For more info/to register: [email protected].

9:30 am-10:45 am: Public information session on the FY2027 budget on the Rutland Town Common during the townwide yard sale.

10 am - 2 pm: Friends of the Rutland Library Book Sale: The book room has a large number of books, CDs and DVDs available. Children who attend the sale can select five children’s books for free. Lower level of the library. 

12 pm: 2nd Annual Earth Day Repair Fair. Hosted by the Barre Historical Society. This community event centers on repairing household items. Volunteers with expertise in everything from electronics and clothing to small engines, houseplants, and knife sharpening donate their time to teach repair skills, reduce waste, and strengthen community connections. Free to all. Barre Common. Rain date is Sunday the 26th.

1-2 pm: Creatures of the Forest, a DCR event: Explore what the wild things in the watershed are up to this Spring on a guided sensory adventure designed for explorers of all abilities. Enjoy a slow, 3/4-mile round-trip stroll to listen and look for telltale signs of forest life. With a flat trail and benches to rest, this inclusive outing is stroller and wheelchair accessible. Meet at Mass Central Rail Trail, Sterling Spur, 25 Gates Road, Sterling.

5:30-8:30 pm: East Quabbin Land Trust Gala Dinner and Silent Auction at the Cultural Center at Eagle Hill, 242 Old Petersham Rd, Hardwick. Tickets are $80 per person. Tables are set for 8 or 10 people. Reserve your seats or a full table by purchasing tickets at eqlt.org, with payment by credit card or PayPal. Or mail a check to EQLT, PO Box 5, Hardwick MA 01037. Please reply by April 17. Social hour & hors d’oeuvres from 5:30-7; silent auction 5:30-8:30.

Sunday, April 26

3 pm: The Frederick Collection in Ashburnham offers its first historical piano concert of the spring season, Trio Confero with Maksim Shtrykov clarinet, Julia Kang violoncello, and Misuzu Tanaka piano. The Piano Trio, Reimagined by Alexander Zemlinsky at the New Dawn Arts Center, Ashburnham Community Church. Tickets are $20, children and students free.

Monday, April 27

9:30 am: Friends of the Rutland Council on Aging monthly meeting – a great time to see other people and learn what the Friends are all about.

Tuesday, April 28

3:30-5:30 pm: Dungeons and Dragons One-Shot: At Gale Free Library. For grades 6+. Registration opened April 21. Join the party for a second-level adventure, ideal for new and experienced players. 

6 pm: Native Plants with Nikki Howell of Lady Fern Farm, who will talk about what native plants are and why they’re important. At Gale Free Library, registration required.

Wednesday, April 29

 9:30 am-1pm: The Paxton Council on Aging Spring Fair will showcase professionals such as Apple Home Care, Lifefone, Vibra Hospital, eternalHealth, Able Home Accessibility, Elder Services of Worcester Area, Starr Home Care, Country Bank, Holden Hearing, Mass College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Medicare advisor Joe Best, elder law attorney Nick Daviau, financial planner Brett Kubiak/Clifford & Rano Associates, tech advisor Bob Bureau, Diane Graham, RN, and Paxton Fire Dept. Browse displays and attend mini-seminars on finance planning, exercise, the benefits of massage, and art therapy. Early birds receive a gift bag. All ages invited. Free at the John Bauer Senior Center, 17 West St.

12:30 pm: Make a Resin Bookmark with Laura Darrow using epoxy resin, silicone molds, and decorations. $15 for two bookmarks, RSVP and payment by April 22, limited to first 10 people.

1:30 pm: Scam Presentation by the Worcester County District Attorney’s Office. Kevin Donohue will talk about the types of scams that are active in our area, and the tactics scammers use. Scams are on the rise, don’t fall prey to tactics. Register at the office or call the Holden Senior Center.

6-7:30 pm: Art Club at Gale Free Library. Bring your own supplies or use theirs. Each month they have a quotation, book or image for inspiration. Intended for patrons of all abilities.

7 pm: Digging in: Exploring Soil Health at Rutland Free Library with Bethany Nichols, program manager, Healthy Soils Action Plan, Worcester County Conservation District. Hosted by Ware River Nature Club. Get your hands dirty and explore the world of soils. In this hands-on workshop, Nichols will cover soil basics and how to create healthy soil. 

Thursday, April 30

6:30 pm: All About Vernal Pools with Scott Smyers at Rutland Free Library. sponsored by the Rutland Conservation Commission and Friends of Mt. Wachusett. Smyers is a wetland scientist and wildlife biologist who will talk about vernal pools and his research on these unique ecosystems. Learn how citizen scientists can certify these habitats with the state. 

Friday, May 1

10 am-2 pm: The Holden Woman’s Club will be selling raffle tickets at Jed’s Hardware in Holden beginning today and continuing May 2, 3, 8, and 9. The prizes are three beautiful, themed gift baskets. The raffle benefits the club’s scholarship fund.

Saturday, May 2

11 am-12 pm: Women Who Stirred the Teapot: Tea and Chocolate Pairing with Kim Larkin of Klassic Kreations at Richards Memorial Library. This informative and tasty program celebrates the bold women who birthed the suffrage movement. Join Larkin for whimsical poetry, interactive trivia, and more. For adults 18+. Registration required at www.rmlpaxton.org.

1 pm: Floral Arranging with Sam’s Stems. Sponsored by Paxton Garden Club. In this DIY workshop, Sam will show how to create a wall/door hanger out of dried flowers. Class is limited to 20 attendees. Advanced signup and payment are required. $20 for club members, $25 for nonmembers. To be held at Paxton Senior Center, 17 West St. Register at paxtongardenclub.com

Sunday, May 3

3 pm: The Frederick Collection in Ashburnham offers its second historical piano concert of the spring season, Yuan Sheng on piano: Johannes Brahms: The Late Piano Works at the New Dawn Arts Center, Ashburnham Community Church. Tickets are $20, children and students free.

Monday, May 4

7 pm: Paxton Annual Town Meeting will discuss and vote on the FY2027 budget at the Zecco Auditorium, Anna Maria College.

Wednesday, May 6

12:30 pm: Mother’s Day event. Details to come. You must register at the office with $5 cash by Monday, April 27. Seating is limited. Holden Senior Center.

2 pm: Support Group for Families Affected by Mental Illness. If someone you love is struggling with mental illness, this peer-to-peer support group is here to help. Meets every other Wednesday (again May 20) at the Rutland Senior Center. 

Saturday, May 9

8 am-3 pm: Spring Hawk Watch at Admas Farm, 854 Bearsden Rd., Athol: Organized by the Ware River Nature Club and lead by Mark Morris, this hawk watch has become the second largest spring site in New England. The Adams Farm owners ask observers to park in the employee parking lot across from the store. All are welcome regardless of experience. Bring binoculars and come count with them.

6 pm: Rutland’s Annual Town Meeting at Glenwood Elementary School, 65 Glenwood Rd. where a 3-tiered override option will be discussed and voted on. Go to rutlandma.gov. to see the 10-minute video the town has produced that explains the budget deficit and the override proposals. 

Sunday, May 10

3 pm: The Frederick Collection in Ashburnham offers its third historical piano concert of the spring season, the Kiran Piano Trio with Zoia Bologovsky, violin, Dorothy Braker, violoncello, and Amira Acre, piano as they present Lili Boulanger, Maurice Ravel & Ernest Chausson at the New Dawn Arts Center, Ashburnham Community Church. Tickets are $20, children and students free.

Monday, May 11

7 am-8 pm: Rutland’s Annual Town Elections. Precincts 1 & 3 vote at Naquag Elementary School, 285 Main St. Precinct 2 votes at Rutland Free Library, lower level, 280 Main St. For more information on what is on the ballot, in-person, early, absentee, or voting by mail, go to rutlandma.gov.

Holden’s Annual Town Elections will vote on its FY2027 budget will be voted on. Precincts 1 & 2 vote at the Senior Center, 1130 Main St. Precincts 3 & 6 vote at Davis Hill School, 80 Jamieson Rd. Precincts 4 & 5 vote at Mountview School, 270 Shrewsbury St. Go to holdenma.gov for budget information.