Community Events

David Shultz: September 9

Vermont State Curator David Schutz speaks about one of the nation’s best-preserved historic state capitols. For over 150 years the Vermont State House has served as the center of the state’s political world, and as one of the most-visited statehouses in the country, Schutz will celebrate its 25-year restoration—the subject of his new book, “Intimate Grandeur: Vermont’s State House at 150”, written with Nancy Price Graff and soon to appear early in 2011.

Chester Arthur Room, Fairfield Town Clerk

NRPC Stormwater Workshops

The Unknown Rockwell: Thursday, August 12th at 7pm in the Fairfield Town Clerk Building

James “Buddy” Edgerton presents – The Unknown Rockwell: A Portrait of Two American Families – ABOUT the artist you thought you knew, told by the man who knew him best…

You’ve seen his face a million times; now – for the first time – meet the man who inspired Norman Rockwell: Rockwell’s most illustrated Boy Scout, next door neighbor, and dear friend. Hear stories about Norman Rockwell, the private man, you’ve never heard before from the one man who knew him in a way no one else could – James A. “Buddy” Edgerton. And, for the first time, see an unknown Rockwell portrait that hung on his family’s wall for almost sixty years, a portrait Rockwell gave to the family personally, upon the death of Buddy’s young cousin.

In today’s times of economic hardship and electronic disjointedness in families, we long for core values, even as the pace of our lives pulls us apart. The need and desire to connect is important; but yet somewhere along the way, caught up in our laptops and texts, touch screens and Twitter accounts, we have lost touch with what really matters: Family, community, hard work, and simply sharing face-to-face time with one another.

Authors Buddy Edgerton and Nan O’Brien remind us in their book “The Unknown Rockwell: A Portrait of Two American Families” of the courage that got our country through an incredibly tough time in the past, that of the Great Depression and World War II, and urge us to unpeel the distractions of our current lives so that we are empowered to embrace the challenges of our times instead of being defeated by them. The book resonates with the memories of our own family histories told around the dining room table, when families still gathered to share a meal

The book, told in anecdotal narratives, provides a first person account of two families who were unique because of both their disparity and their similarity. While they came from two economic ends of the spectrum – the Edgertons, poor dairy farmers/the Rockwells, successful due to Norman’s talents – they shared a love of family, a commitment to integrity, and a consideration of one another that created a closeness of friendship that mirrored the physical closeness of their two houses.

Don’t miss this great event on Thursday, August 12th at 7pm in the Fairfield Town Clerk Building. History comes alive through Buddy’s lively and vivid description of the friendship between the Edgerton and Rockwell families. Filled with great anecdotes, Buddy’s presentation also includes unpublished pictures and memorabilia from his private archives.

Mr. Edgerton is a seventh-generation Vermonter from West Arlington and is well-known as the face on millions of Boy Scout calendars illustrated by his neighbor and friend, Norman Rockwell. He also served as the model for the Lone Ranger comic books by Dell Comics. After receiving his Master’s Degree from the University of Vermont, Mr. Edgerton continued to work for the University of Vermont (Extension Service / College of Agriculture) for thirty years as County Agent and Lecturer, retiring as a Professor Emeritus in 1986. Mr. Edgerton was recently honored by Vermont’s Governor Jim Douglas with the proclamation of the James “Buddy’ Edgerton Day.

Nan O’Brien is an author of books, as well as magazine and newspaper articles. She also writes a daily syndicated blog and column for The Tribune Company that is published on the Tribune broadcast and news paper sites including LA Times and Chicago Tribune. Nan hosts her syndicated radio show “The Nan O’Brien Show” Saturday nights. She appears regularly on television shows and radio shows nationwide, and conducts speaking engagements throughout the US.

Join us afterwards for a book signing with the authors! Mark your calendars for Thursday, August 12th at 7pm in the Chester Arthur Room of the Fairfield Town Clerk Building. This program is brought to you by the Bent Northrop Memorial Library. Please contact the library with any questions at 827.3945 or bentnorthrop@gmail.com.

The Fairfield Community Center and The Vermont Arts Council present Storyteller, Stuntman and Magician PETER BURNS: Friday, August 13, at 3 p.m. At The Community Center, East Fairfield

A little history from Peter: “This program is inspired by my childhood in a working class neighborhood in Providence Rhode Island. Unusually for that time, my family had no TV, so we had to amuse ourselves. At home we read aloud, sang songs, told stories and played board games, just as New England families have been doing for hundreds of years. New England is a land of emigrants. Each ethnic group brought their own traditions, so the New England folk tradition is a rich stew of different cultures. Each of my Grandparents came from a different country – Italy, Ireland, England and Russia, and each of them contributed their unique traditions to our family entertainments.”

Peter has collected stories, games, riddles, magic tricks, poems and brain teasers from audiences throughout New England. The hour-long performance combines elements from his childhood, material collected from New England audiences as well as his current storytelling work. Vermonters are a part of a living folk tradition of informal fun and amusement that goes back to the dawn of time.

This highly interactive show features traditional New England family fun, including fantastic folk tales, stupendous stunts, brilliant brain teasers, polite (and not so polite) poems, ridiculous riddles and magnificent magic tricks. Think of Peter as an entertaining guest at a family gathering, leading fun for the whole family. You will learn the folk knowledge that entertained New Englanders before the days of computers and television. The program lasts about an hour, and is designed to be enjoyed by children as young as three and adults of any age. After this show you will be inspired to set up your own family fun time!

The performance is FREE and open to the public. Ice cream will be served afterwards.

River Festival 2010

Please join us!

Sat., August 28, 4-11 pm.

Recreation field

Route 118

Montgomery Center, VT

$5 per person cover charge

Live music – Food – Portage race – Beer tent – and more!

To benefit the Missisquoi River Basin Association (MRBA),

volunteers working for water quality improvement in the Missisquoi River watershed.

MRBA is holding its first annual River Festival, sure to be a fun-filled time for all! Come listen to live music provided by the Missisquoi River Band, Canyonero, Sweet Jayne, and more. Participate in our canoe portage race to be held at 4 pm. – test your skills and knowledge with this primitive mode of travel, race against the clock, get past the obstacles while demonstrating some finesse, and win a prize! Food available from Tosca’s at Trout River Traders, Snowshoe Lodge and Pub, and Montgomery Pizza & Subs. And quench your thirst with beer from RockArt brewery and soda courtesy of Hannaford’s.

MRBA is a group of volunteers working to improve water quality by reducing phosphorus inputs to the Missisquoi River and its tributaries. Planting trees for streambank stabilization, sampling the water for the presence of phosphorus, nitrogen and turbidity, collecting data to assess the condition of our waterways, teaching elementary students about water and bugs through Bugworks, and holding river clean-ups are some of the ways we put our concern into action.

Bent Northrop Memorial Library