Debbie Hanlon, left, and Barbara Prindle, right, sign up Sharon Selectman Lynn Kearcher, center, as a member of the Taghhannuck Grange #100 at Friday’s Volunteer Recognition and Recruitment Event at the Hotchkiss Library.
SHARON — Volunteerism is alive and well in Sharon. This was apparent Friday, April 4, at the Volunteer Recognition and Recruitment Event held at Hotchkiss Library.
Library Executive Director Gretchen Hachmeister explained that she and Karen DePauw, executive director of the Sharon Historical Society, and Eileen Fielding, executive director of Sharon Audubon, spoke last year about holding such an event for National Volunteer Month, which is April, but the timing wasn’t right. So they decided to make it happen this year.
Eighteen groups were represented at booths throughout the building, proving that activism and civic involvement is crucial to the successful operation of a town. The volunteers in attendance showed passion and enthusiasm for their causes, which helped recruit others to join them.
“We all need help, even more now,” said Hachmeister. She was pleased with the turnout, which included new residents, as well as those who’ve been in Sharon for a long time. There were also some from out of town.
DePauw said so many organizations rely on the extraordinary contributions made by volunteers. “This event had a two-fold purpose: to bring them all together in one space and to recruit and make connections.”
Among those in attendance were Donna DiMartino and Marlene Woodman of the Sharon Community Foundation. “Our goal is to keep Sharon residents in their homes by helping with some financial assistance,” said DiMartino. “Many have been in town for years and are trying to hang on. We’re trying to help them.”
Barbara Prindle and Debbie Hanlon were there representing Taghhannuck Grange #100. Hanlon compiled a history of the organization, which explains the local chapter received a charter in 1889 with 12 members. The hall on Dunbar Road, an example of Greek Revival architecture, was originally built as a Methodist church in 1839. The Morey brothers operated a store there for a time starting in 1894. In 1928 the Grange purchased the property for $400.
The Sharon Fire Department’s ambulance squad was established in 1948 when the Grange gave the department a LaSalle ambulance. In 1968 the Grange completed an addition to the hall for the fire department to use as a substation, which is still in operation today.
Blake Myers was at the event representing 2-year-old nonprofit Tri Corner F.E.E.D., which works to increase food access and support local farms. She spoke excitedly about the market opening in Millerton in June where shoppers will find everything they need.
Other volunteer organizations spreading information about their missions were: Project SAGE, Sharon Ambulance and Fire Department, Sharon Daycare, Sharon Playhouse, Sharon Housing Trust, Sharon Energy & Environment Commission, Democratic Town Committee, Republican Town Committee, Sharon Housing Authority, Equus Effect, Sharon Woman’s Club and the Voice of Art.
The newest video by Eric Veden follows a tour of town led by Bill Beebe, pictured above, and Judy Jacobs.
FALLS VILLAGE — Eric Veden’s 36th installment of his Falls Village video series includes an October 2024 Housatonic Heritage walk through downtown Falls Village led by Judy Jacobs and Bill Beebe.
In the video, participants gather at the Depot, home of the Falls Village–Canaan Historical Society. As the group sets out along Railroad Street, Jacobs notes that the Depot was constructed between 1842 and 1844 to serve the newly established railroad.
Jacobs pauses by one house, explaining that it was originally built by the railroad, has a murder in its history, and is said to be haunted — supposedly.
The footage follows the group along Prospect and Miner streets as they admire the architecture and discuss the stories behind the houses. The tour spent some time examining the largest cottonwood tree in Connecticut, on Beebe Hill Road. The tree with its massive base has been significantly pruned in the upper reaches.
The film captures the group pausing to view, from a distance, an 18th-century home once known for its Revolutionary-era dances — a house that still bears a couple of bullet holes in its old windows.
Viewers then see the group mosey down Beebe Hill to Main Street, with Jacobs and Beebe providing interesting tidbits about the buildings, such as:
100 Main St., now devoted to fine home furnishings, was automotive legend John Fitch’s shop.
The video also includes the former Toymakers Café site, which was once a hardware store. Jacobs recounts hearing stories of a spur line from the railroad running to the property for deliveries, with the cars likely pulled by horses.
With the property up for sale and its future uncertain, programming is winding down at the iconic Race Brook Lodge in Sheffield, Massachusetts. But there are still events on the calendar designed to carry music lovers through the winter and into spring.
From Friday, Nov. 21, to Monday, Nov. 24, Race Brook Lodge will hold its Fall Gratitude Festival. Celebrating the tail end of fall before the colder depths of winter, the festival features an eclectic mix of music from top-notch musicians.
The festival begins Friday, Nov. 21, with an evening of Indian classical music with Eric Fraser (bansuri flute), Abhik Mukherjee (sitar), Mir Naqibul Islam (tabla) and Vinay Desai (santoor). Fraser is one of the few exponents of the original “gayaki-ang,” or vocal style, of bansuri flute. He is also a key member of Brooklyn Raga Massive, a nonprofit musicians’ collective that creates cross-cultural understanding through the lens of South Asian classical music. Fraser’s playing rings with authenticity and pure Indian tone, carrying a distinct and masterful sound imbibing a pure gharana, or lineage. He is also a multi-instrumentalist, educator, composer and songwriter.
On Saturday, Nov. 22, Palestinian multi-instrumentalist Zafer Tawil (qanun, violin, nay) performs alongside friend and collaborator Rabbi Zachi Asher (oud), offering Arabic maqam, Sufi trance, piyut and tarab sounds that bring ancient desert traditions to life. Tawil and Asher present a rare vision of collaborative futures at the crossroads of art and justice, music and spirituality. For this performance, Duo al Rouh will be joined by vocalist Zahra Zubaidi, percussionist Rich Stein, violinist Megan Gould, belly dancer Myrto Daskaloudi and other special guests.
Rabbi Asher will also lead a special Shabbat gathering, ceremony and dinner with songs, teachings, dance, stillness, silliness, poetry and wilderness time for adults and kids on Friday, Nov. 21. Everyone is welcome. Shabbat dinner is included.
On Sunday, Nov. 23, master Senegalese sabar percussionist Aba Diop performs with fellow griot artists and global collaborators the Yermande Family. The group’s full-length release, “Family,” affirms sabar as a rhythmic language that has shaped music across continents and centuries and continues to shape what comes next. The group takes its name from the Wolof word “yermande,” which means compassion, care for others and deep respect for community.
Closing out the festival on Monday, Nov. 24, keyboardist John Medeski, along with bandleader Mike Rivard on bass and sintir, Will Bernard (guitar), Mister Rourke (turntables) and Dean Johnston (drums), performs as Club d’Elf. Club d’Elf has been helping audiences lose track of time for 27 years with its synthesis of Moroccan traditional music and electronic, dubbed-out funk.
Race Brook Lodge is a restaurant, inn and event space that provides a place for guests to engage with nature, culture and community. With a commitment to sustainability and accessibility, Race Brook Lodge is a unique Berkshire institution. The property is for sale and long-time owners Dave Rothstein, Casey Rothstein-Fitzpatrick and Saadia Khan hope that the new owners “will care for the property in a way that is respectful to the land and our local community,” said a social media post.
For tickets to the Fall Gratitude Festival, visit rblodge.com/fall-gratitude-festival-2025.
Holiday decorations bring cheer.
I just put the skeletons away — literally — into their neatly labeled Halloween plastic bins, along with the faux cobwebs, flickering lanterns and haunted houses that feature tiny tea lights. As I closed the lid, I found myself eyeing — albeit hesitantly — the Christmas décor.
We just voted, and now I’m sprinting toward Christmas? Too soon? Maybe. But before you judge, hear me out.
As an interior designer with a seasonal division, decorating restaurants, hotels and client homes fills the calendar long before December’s first flakes fall. While many of you are still working your way through leftover trick-or-treat candy, I’m busy fluffing garlands, steaming bows and untangling strings of lights that somehow tie themselves into sailors’ knots. Full inventory assessments are underway, batteries and extension cords are being tested, and by Thanksgiving or shortly after, every wreath, tree and ornament will be perfectly placed.
As for my own holiday décor? Well, it’ll likely go up somewhere between Black Friday and Christmas Eve, when I’ll be tiptoeing through my living room at 2 a.m., stringing lights and hoping I get even half of it up before I run out of time.
This year, I’m seriously considering pulling a page from my freshman daughter’s and college-aged niece’s book. Their bedrooms in our home are already little winter wonderlands — soft fairy lights, flocked mini trees, cozy throws, flannel sheets and all the sparkly magic of the season. It’s less “Santa’s Workshop” and more “quiet snow globe” — peaceful, pretty and brimming with cheer.
And honestly, who couldn’t use a bit more of that?
Truth be told, there’s some science behind it. Studies show that people who decorate earlier tend to be happier. Psychologists say it triggers nostalgic feelings, releases dopamine — the “happy hormone” — and brings back joyful memories from childhood. In other words, twinkling lights really do make life brighter.
Still, not everyone’s on board with decking the halls before the bird’s even in the oven. So, in the spirit of balance, let’s do a deep dive into the pros and cons.
The Pros of Decorating Early.
Longer enjoyment: You’ve spent time, energy and maybe a small fortune on décor — why not enjoy it for more than three weeks?
Less stress: Getting it done early means you can actually relax come December. Imagine that!
Instant cheer: The world feels a little kinder under twinkle lights.
Creative freedom: You’re not rushed. You can style and restyle until it feels just right.
Built-in motivation: Once it’s up, you’ll want to keep everything else organized and tidy. (It’s the decorator’s paradox.)
The Cons of Decorating Early.
Holiday burnout: Start too soon and you might be ready to take it all down before Santa even arrives.
Thanksgiving confusion: A turkey centerpiece under mistletoe just feels ... conflicted.
Peer pressure: Not everyone’s thrilled about jingling bells before mid-November.
Storage shuffle: Early decorating means the Halloween bins and Christmas bins battle for garage space.
Power bills: All those early twinkle lights can add up — financially and electrically.
For me, it’s a toss-up. I’m not hosting Thanksgiving — I do a big bash in October for our traditional Canadian Thanksgiving — so we’ll be at my in-laws’ here in Lakeville. That might give me just the breathing room I need to lean into the sparkle a little sooner.
But really, in the end, it isn’t about when the décor goes up — it’s about what it stirs inside us. The scent of pine, the glow of soft lights, the little moments that slow us down and remind us what we’re grateful for. Whether in November or December, if your holiday décor fills your home with peace and your heart with joy, that’s perfect timing.
Kerri-Lee Mayland is an Emmy award-winning news anchor and designer. She lives in Lakeville.
