CALENDAR

Saturday, Feb. 27

ALIGNED WITH SOURCE: Saturdays, Aligned with Source with Annaita Gandhy - 10:30 a.m.-noon, free. Buttonwood Tree, 605 Main St., Middletown. Details at buttonwood.org, TheButtonwoodTree@gmail.com or 860-347-4957. Donations are appreciated to help keep the organization serving its mission.

Sunday, Feb. 28

LIBRARY DAYS: Take The Library To Your Child, Henry Carter Hull Library, 10 Killingworth Tpke, Clinton, through the month of February, free, with activities. For information call 860-669-2342 or email: askus@hchlibrary.org

VIRTUAL 5K: A new virtual 5K in Old Saybrook is being held March 7-20, to raise money for new play areas at the Kathleen E. Goodwin Elementary School. Registration is $20, and runners can sign up online at runsignup.com/ goodwingallop5K.

CHDR AUCTION: Connecticut Draft Horse Rescue is holding an online auction for a chance to win a date with a CHDR horse, either in-person or on Zoom, with one or more of our horses The auction runs until Feb. 14 at 11:59 p.m. and winners will be announced. Minimum bids are $25; bid on multiple horses. Go to www.ctdraftrescue.org/ winadatewithadraft to read more about the horses and event.

VALENTINE TAKE AND MAKE: Valentine Kit Pickup/Dropoff, through Feb. 28, Henry Carter Hull Library, 10 Killingworth Tpke, Clinton. Free. Pick up/dropoff heart in library lobby. For information call 860-669-2342 or email sarah@hchlibrary.org.

IN-PERSON SERVICES: First Congregational Church, 355 Main Street, Cromwell, CT is holding in- person services on Sunday mornings at 9:30 a.m. all are welcome. Masks must be worn at all times. Social distancing is practiced and temperatures are taken prior to entering the sanctuary. See our website at www.fcccromwell.org. Sunday School starts at 8:45 a.m. To attend Sunday School, call the church office at 860-638-8014, leave your information and be contacted by the Sunday school superintendent. Or, watch the service via our Facebook page, at First Congregational Church Cromwell or on the website.

Monday, March 1

STANTON HOUSE AUCTION: The Adam Stanton House Museum, 63 East Main Street, Clinton, is sponsoring a virtual auction fundraiser to continue to raise the funds needed to replace the roof this spring. Bidding opens March 1 and closes March 11. Instructions for pickup will be given to successful bidders. Auction details can be found on the museum’s website at adamstantonhouse.org. For information on donating items for the auction, call the museum at 860-669-2132, weekdays, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. and weekends 1-3 p.m.

KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION: Registration for kindergarten at Valley View School, Portland, is open to children turning five on or before Jan. 1, 2022. Contact the school at pgross@portlandct.us and provide your child’s full name, phone number and address. Further information regarding registration will be provided once you contact the school.

ONLINE LUNCH: Online Lunch with Shoreline Unitarian Minister, Mondays at noon starting Jan. 11 on Zoom, the Rev. Terry Sweetser, To receive the Zoom link for this virtual lunch and virtual Sunday services at 10:30 a.m., contact the church office: office@shorelineunitarian.org or (203) 245-8720.

OPEN MIC: Anything Goes Open Mic with Moments of Gratitude, Mondays, 7 p.m., free, Buttonwood Tree, 605 Main St., Middletown. Details at buttonwood.org TheButtonwoodTree@gmail.com or 860-347-4957. Donations are appreciated to help keep the organization serving its mission.

Tuesday, March 2

VACCINATION TRANSPORTATION: The Middletown Transit District’s Complimentary

COVID Vaccination Transportation provides free accessible transportation to COVID-19 vaccination sites, including drive-through sites, in the district 7 days per week. Trips must begin in Middletown, Middlefield, East Hampton, Portland or Durham and may be to any testing site in those towns. Any resident regardless of age or ability is eligible, and up to four people may travel together. Trips must be booked at least one day in advance by calling Curtin Transportation at 860-443-1655 between 9 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. weekdays. Wheelchair accessible vehicles are available upon request. Face coverings are required when riding. Full program details are available at www.middletownareatransit.org. LAUGHTER YOGA: Tuesdays: Laughter Yoga - 7 p.m., free. Buttonwood Tree, 605 Main St., Middletown. Details at buttonwood.org TheButtonwoodTree@ gmail.com or 860-347-4957. Donations are appreciated to help keep the organization serving its mission.

BLOOD DRIVE: A Red Cross Blood drive will be held March 2, 11:45 a.m. - 5 p.m., at Deep River Ambulance Association, 284 West Elm St., Deep River. To make a donation, download the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit RedCrossBlood.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or enable the Blood Donor Skill on any Alexa Echo device to make an appointment or for more information.

Wednesday, March 3

D&D ON ZOOM: Zoom Dungeons & Dragons. Wednesdays at 7 p.m. starting Jan. 13. Grades 7 and up welcome. See www.durhamlibrary.org (Kids tab at top of page) to register.

CANDY CRUISE: Participants are wanted for the City of Middletown’s Recreation Department Easter Candy Cruise at Crystal Lake, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. March 27. The Easter Candy Car Cruise will run just like our Halloween Car Cruise, last October. Participants will enter the lake and loop through all the vendor stops. Email Karen Nocera at karen.nocera@middletownct.gov if you are interested in being a stop or for information.

Thursday, March 4

CENTRAL BUSINESS BUREAU: The Middlesex Chamber’s Central Business Bureau has announced its meeting schedule for 2020-21, Sept. 3, Oct. 1, Nov. 5, Dec. 3, Jan. 7, Feb. 4, March 4, April 1, May 6, June 3, July 1, Aug. 5. To register, go to https://business.middle sexchamber.com/

GOTTA’S OPEN MIC: Thursdays, Bob Gotta’s Open Mic, 7 p.m., free. Buttonwood Tree, 605 Main St., Middletown. Details at buttonwood.org, TheButtonwoodTree@gmail.com or 860-3474957. Donations are appreciated to help keep the organization serving its mission.

TERRIFIC THURSDAY: Terrific Thursday, an indoor story time for families with young children, will feature books and music & movement, 10:30 a.m. March 4, 11, 18, 25. Masks will be worn for all participants over 2 and an air scrubber will be used to reduce risk. Take-and-make crafts are available on a first come, first serve basis. Room capacity is limited during Covid, so registration is a requirement. To register go to deepriverlibrary.accountsupport .com/

FRENCH CONVERSATION: French Conversation Circle on Zoom. First Thursday of the month at 5 p.m. Facilitated by Simone Howe. Email kmcnally@durhamlibrary.org for the Zoom link to the meeting. All levels welcome.

MUSEUM TOUR: The Portland Library and the Connecticut Historical Society will lead guests on a virtual tour of items from the society’s collection, representing examples of the Black experience in Connecticut. Learn about a Harlem Renaissance writer, Ann Petry, who carefully preserved artifacts chronicling the black community of Saybrook; examine daguerreotypes by Augustus Washington, who abandoned a successful Hartford photography business to build a new nation in Africa; browse the photo album of a Hollywood actress who became a champion of labor rights for black entertainers, and see a variety of artifacts. The program will be held at 7 p.m. March 4 on Zoom. Go to www.portlandlibraryct.org for the link; password, 8603426777 and the passcode is Portland.

Friday, March 5

FAST FRIDAY: Fast Friday with the Deep River Public Library is a live Zoom class where we say hello to our friends and share stories, 10:30 a.m. March 5, 12, 19, 26. For the Zoom link, go to deepriverlibrary.accountsupport.com/

GET YOUR GED: Middletown Adult Education invites residents to register for free, online classes to hear their high school diploma. MAE has free online high school completion classes and a free, online GED program to prepare for the GED exam. Registration is ongoing for area residents. Call 860-343-6044.

SPANISH CONVERSATION: Spanish Conversation on Zoom. Fridays at 4 p.m., Durham Library. Practice your Spanish with moderator Marilyn Horn. Email kmcnally@durhamlibrary.org for the weekly Zoom link to the meeting. All levels welcome.

SURGICAL WEIGHT LOSS: Free educational webinars provide information about surgical weight loss and a review of procedures offered, risks and benefits of surgery, weight loss outcomes and details on the program process. There also will be a live question-and-answer session with the surgeon.Upcoming webinars for this month are scheduled for March 5 or 9, from noon to 1:30 p.m., or March 15 or 23, from 4:30-6 p.m. Only one session is required. Registration required; call 855-442-4373 to register.

NILSSON GALLERY CONCERT: Leif Nilsson Spring Street Studio and Gallery, 1 Spring Street, Chester, presents its next Chester First Friday from 5-8 p.m. March 5. Hear the Arrowhead and Friends Band. Distanced seating. See an exhibit of Nilsson’s paintings. Weather and COVID-19 restrictions permitting. For information, call 860-526-2077 or visit www.nilssonstudio.com.

Saturday, March 6

ALIGNED WITH SOURCE: Saturdays, Aligned with Source with Annaita Gandhy - 10:30 a.m.-noon, free. Buttonwood Tree, 605 Main St., Middletown. Details at buttonwood.org, TheButtonwoodTree@gmail.com or 860-347-4957. Donations are appreciated to help keep the organization serving its mission. VOLUNTEERS, DONORS WANTED: Joni and Friends, Wheels for the World, collect unwanted mobility devices, send them to refurbishing centers and distribute them all over the world to people who need them, but can’t afford them. Volunteers are needed for noncontact collections, transport equipment, distribute information, and spread the word to potential donors and other organizations. For information, call Cindy Dunbar at 203-747-0542 or email at cdunbar9191@gmail.com or visit Joniandfriends.org.

FOOD PANTRY OPEN: Starting March 6, 9 a.m.-10:30 a.m. the Branford Food Pantry (BFP) will be open every other Saturday morning to neighbors who need food support. The pantry is also open from 8:30-11 a.m. on Tuesdays. The BFP provides supplemental groceries for individuals, seniors and families including fresh meat and poultry, eggs, milk, fresh vegetables and fruit, and shelf-stable food, such as soup, peanut butter, and jam, and weekly snack packs for school-age children.

NEW NATURALISM: Horticulturalist and author Kelly D. Norris, free illustrated talk on stylish yet naturalistic garden design, 11 a.m. Mar 6, on Zoom for the Essex Library. Focus on garden designs to increase biodiversity, provide refuge for wildlife, and reconnect humans to nature. Registration is required. RSVP: 860-767-1560 or https://www.youressexlibrary.org/

SAT PRACTICE: Live Online Practice SAT Exam, Henry Carter Hull Library, Clinton, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. March 6. Free; registration required. Visit www.revolutionprep.com/partners/139771 to sign up. For information email sarah@hchlibrary.org or call 860-669-2342