Absentee ballots available for May 8 Town Election
Absentee ballots are available at the town clerk’s office in Town Hall for Harvard’s May 8 Town Election. The clerk’s office is open Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For more information call 978-456-4100.
Collection continues for library book sale
The Friends of the Harvard Public Library will collect books for its annual book sale Saturdays through May 5, from 9 a.m. to noon at the main entrance to the library. Please bring only books in good condition, and do not bring encyclopedias, magazines, Readers Digest books, VHS tapes, record albums, or cassettes.
The book sale itself will start on Friday, May 11, with a preview for members of Friends of the Library and will continue Saturdays and Sundays through May 20. All proceeds go to support services and programs at the library, including museum passes, children’s programs, and Friends of the Arts events.
Bromfield boys lacrosse Rake-a-Thon
Need some help with spring yard work? On your choice of Sunday, April 29, or Sunday, May 6, the Bromfield boys lacrosse team will provide a team of four boys and a parent supervisor to rake, spread mulch, or do whatever you need done in your yard or house. There are two options:
• team of four for four hours (noon to 4 p.m.), $300
• team of four for two hours (noon to 2 p.m. or 2 to 4 p.m.), $200
Email bromfieldboyslax@gmail.com to sign up. All proceeds will benefit Bromfield’s boys lacrosse program.
Scholarship information for high school/college students
Ginny Thurston scholarship available to high school seniors
The Board of Selectmen will offer financial assistance to Bromfield seniors through the Ginny Thurston Scholarship fund. Interested students should write to the selectmen’s office at 13 Ayer Road listing their community and extracurricular activities along with their post-graduation plans. More information is available at the selectmen’s office and Bromfield’s guidance office. Letters of interest are due no later than Thursday, May 10.
Sarah Watson scholarship available to college students
Financial assistance is also available to second- and third-year college students from trust funds left to the town by Sarah Watson. Applications are available at the selectmen’s office or on the town administrator’s page of the town website. Applications must be returned to the trustee Attorney David Taylor by July 1. As sole trustee, he will make final decisions on scholarship awards by early summer.
Woman’s Club scholarship applications due April 30
The Harvard Woman’s Club is accepting applications for its annual scholarship awards to deserving graduating Bromfield School seniors and/or to Harvard residents graduating from other public schools. Applications are available at https://harvardwomansclub.wordpress.com/scholarship They must be received by no later than April 30.
Count frogs at Bare Hill Pond!
The Pond Committee is looking for volunteers to help with the annual frog counts at Bare Hill Pond. Information from these counts provides a measure of the health of the pond. The frog counts happen at dusk; species are identified by their calls. Meet at the junior ball field parking lot (next to the library). Remaining counts are scheduled for Sundays, May 13, at 8 p.m., June 10 at 8:20 p.m., and July 15 at 8:20 p.m.
The species common to our area are bull frog, gray tree frog, green frog, pickerel frog, spring peeper, wood frog, and American toad. To learn their distinctive calls visit http://animaldiversity.org/collections/frog_calls.
Support Project Bread’s 2018 Walk for Hunger
On Sunday May 6, the Harvard Hunger Resistance Movement will take part in Project Bread’s annual 20-mile walk. Join the team by registering online at projectbread.org/walk-for-hunger, or support the cause by sponsoring a walker. If there are enough walkers, there will be a charter bus leaving from the Common at 7 a.m. and returning by 5 p.m. For more information contact annwhitney9@gmail.com.
Come play Sunday-morning softball
Continuing a 42-year tradition, this year’s season of Sunday-morning softball has started. Games are at 10 a.m. each Sunday at the ball field next to Hildreth Elementary School. All are welcome. Age, gender, and talent are not important … just the desire for exercise and fun.
Babysitting available at Annual Town Meeting
The League of Women Voters of Harvard is once again coordinating babysitting services so parents can attend Annual Town Meeting on Saturday, May 5, at the Bromfield School. Child care will take place on site at Bromfield.
Parents are requested to preregister online at the League website www.lwvharvard.org so planners know how many youngsters to expect, to staff the right number of sitters at the right times, and to compile a check-in list.
This is the first year the League will likely pay groups or individuals to provide babysitting services. Extra help will be needed because of higher expected attendance. Because of this, parents will be asked to pay a fee for each 4-hour segment of the day. For four hours, the suggested amount will be $20 for one child; $15 for the second child; and $10 for each additional child. No one will be turned away for an inability to pay at the time of the meeting.
