Loaves & Fishes
Loaves & Fishes will offer drive-thru pantry access Feb. 5, 10, 12, 17, 20, 24, and 26 from 9 a.m. to noon.
Girl Scout cookie sale
Support Harvard’s Girl Scouts by buying your favorite Girl Scout cookies now through March 14.
Look for small, individual Girl Scout cookie booths around town, or contact a scout you know to buy cookies online and to set up a time for contactless delivery.
Rental, mortgage assistance applications due March 1
Residents who need help paying rents or mortgages can apply now for emergency assistance from the town. The new program is available to renters and homeowners living in low- to moderate-income housing who need help due to lost income caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Funded by the Community Preservation Act, the assistance program was approved by last year’s Spring Town Meeting.
Up to three months of assistance is available for those who meet income qualifications. For details and to get an application, go to www.harvard.ma.us/planning-board. Anyone who needs help obtaining or filling out an application can contact Council on Aging Director Deb Thompson (978-456-4120 or dthompson@harvard.ma.us) or Director of Community and Economic Development Chris Ryan (978-456-4100, ext. 323 or cryan@harvard.ma.us).
Ice skating at Rogers Field in Devens
The free, outdoor skating rink at Rogers Field is open to the public daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., weather permitting. Visitors should follow current Massachusetts COVID-19 guidelines. For updates and closing announcements, visit facebook.com/devensrecreation.
Open burning season has started
Open burning season has started and will last through the end of April. It is regulated by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection and enforced by the Harvard Fire Department. A valid permit obtained from the fire department is required. To obtain a permit go to http://massfire.net/brush/harvard.php. Note that the fire chief reserves the right to deny open burning on any day due to weather or unfavorable environmental conditions.
Go to https://bit.ly/3bxqgOA for more information on open burning.
Youth lacrosse registration now open
Harvard youth lacrosse, with programs for boys and girls in grades K to 8, has announced that Phase 1 of registration for the spring 2021 season is open. Registration, which closes on Feb. 15, is required in order for spring participation. Visit www.harvardlax.org for details and to register.
Red Cross blood donation during February
The call for healthy blood donors is even more important this year as the pandemic poses an additional challenge to maintaining an adequate blood supply for patients in need. As a thank-you, those who donate during February will receive a $5 amazon.com gift card via email. (Some restrictions apply. See details at RedCross Blood.org/Together.)
To make an appointment to give blood, platelets, or plasma, download the Red Cross blood donor app, call 1-800-733-2767, or visit redcrossblood.org.
Snowshoe rentals available at town beach
The Parks and Recreation Commission has set up a snowshoe rental program at the town beach’s boat rental kiosk. Residents pay online through CivicREC and get a code that will allow them to access the snowshoes at the kiosk.
The Commission advises residents to use any suitable Harvard trail, and has marked the nearby Whitman Road and Barba Point trails. Ice thickness and safety is not measured at Bare Hill Pond, and it is spring-fed; residents are therefore advised to avoid snowshoeing on the pond.
A four-hour rental is $10 for adults and $5 for children. For a full-day rental, the price is $20 for adults and $10 for children. Go to www.harvard.ma.us/parks-recreation-commission to register and pay.
