Windham County Action Network (WeCAN)

"The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members." 
Coretta Scott King
American author, activist, civil rights leader, and the wife of Martin Luther King Jr. As an advocate for African-American equality, she was a leader for the civil rights movement in the 1960s. King was also a singer who often incorporated music into her civil rights work.

     This week's email has more new entries than usual, Friends, so you know what to do: grab that calendar, open it up to November (!), and make plans to check out a meeting, lecture, or event in the coming weeks. As the days grow shorter and the holiday season approaches, there is often a lull in volunteer and activist activity; now is the perfect time to step up and be present, if you are able. Your presence, ideas, and actions are needed now more than ever. 
     In the meantime, many of us may be celebrating in the next few days--All Saints Day, All Hallow's Eve, Samhain, Halloween, Football Sunday--and we would like extend our wishes for happy and healthy celebrations to us all. We at WeCAN can't wait to see you at a meeting or event this week! 

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5 Minute Action from Lean Left

It's Time to Pass the Freedom to Vote Act!
-Senator Schumer, as Senate Majority Leader, represents us all.
Call : 202-224-6542 or email and tell him to support filibuster reform in order to get national voting rights protections done: 
https://www.schumer.senate.gov/contact/email-chuck
-It’s time for President Biden to put his full weight behind the Freedom to Vote Act. Email President Biden here: https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/
-As President Pro-temp Senator Leahy has power. He needs to use it and come out for overhauling the filibuster or getting rid of it. Call his office: 202 224 4242
Let's get this bill over the finish line!

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HAPPENING TODAY:
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 31st, 2021

Share the Harvest Stand (Last Harvest Stand until July 2022)
a project of Edible Brattleboro
Sunday, October 31st, 2021 in the garden at Turning Point Recovery Center (corner of Frost Street and Elm Street, Brattleboro, VT, 05301). 11am-1pm.
Fresh produce available at no cost thanks to local farmers, VT Foodbank and local gardeners. Donations accepted with gratitude. If you have surplus from your garden, please drop them off on Sundays between 10:30 and 11:15am, or by appointment (call or text Marilyn 516-298-9119).

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Apple Cider Pressing
hosted by Edible Brattleboro
Sunday, October 31st, 2021 at the Retreat Farm (45 Farmhouse Square, Brattleboro, VT, 05301). 1pm-4pm.
Free; donations accepted with gratitude. Please bring a jar. Mason jars will be available for purchase in case you forget.
Our orchard in West Brattleboro produced an abundance of crispy, organically grown apples this year, and once again we are inviting the public to come help make cider and take some home with you. The Retreat Farm generously offered the use of their cider press, so we will be there this Sunday, October 31, from 1-4pm making cider. Bring your own jar to fill or purchase one from us and enjoy freshly pressed cider.
We can use your help with operating the press - it has a hand-cranked grinder and it is helpful to have a rotating team helping out. The last time we did this (in 2019) there were some children who stayed much of the time taking turns cranking the grinder and pressing the apples into cider. So if you have kids, or would like to give your inner child a chance to have some fun, please come down. You can come any time between 1-4pm, or sign up for a specific time. You can even earn Community Service, Co-op Shareholder or Time Trade hours. Signing up is not required, but it is helpful for us to know we have a crew. Use this link if you'd like to sign up for a specific time.
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About Signup.com:
We're using SignUp.com (the leading online SignUp and reminder tool) to organize our upcoming SignUps. Note: SignUp.com does not share your email address with anyone. If you have difficulty, please contact Marilyn directly to be signed up manually.
Here's how it works in 3 easy steps:
1) Click this link to access our SignUp:https://signup.com/go/jScJkEV
2) Review the options listed and choose the spot(s) you like.
3) Sign up! It's Easy - you will NOT need to register an account or keep a password on SignUp.com.

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HAPPENING THIS WEEK:
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 1st, 2021-SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 7th, 2021

Vermont Food Bank’s Veggie Van Go Upcoming Schedule
The First and Third Mondays of Every Month in the parking lot across the street from the main entrance to Brattleboro Union High School (131 Fairground Road, Brattleboro, VT, 05301). 10am-11am. 
Veggie Van Go is a program through the Vermont Foodbank that gives out free produce and local food for people to take home.
November 1st, 2021
November 15th, 2021
December 6th, 2021
December 20th, 2021
January 3rd, 2022

Important information:

• Drive through model- please stay in your vehicles
• If you are walking there: see a Vermont Foodbank associate but please make sure to stay 6 feet back.
• There are no income requirements, registration or paperwork to participate
• You do not need to be present to get food: you may ask someone to pick up on your family's behalf.

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Rich Earth Virtual Summit
Tuesday, November 2nd, 2021-Thursday, November 4th, 2021, Online. The Summit begins at 9am on November 2nd and ends at 2pm on November 4th.
Tickets can be reserved HERE.
Join the conversation about ecological sanitation and urine nutrient reclamation!
The Rich Earth Institute’s annual Urine Diversion Summit brings together researchers, practitioners, policy makers, industry leaders, and students, catalyzing new collaborations and partnerships as we continue to grow the body of knowledge about this innovative practice.
This 3-day gathering will feature presentations on the technology, regulation, design, culture, and art of urine reclamation as well as opportunities for networking and collaboration. Recordings will be available after the event.

Keynote Speaker: Dr. Lynn Broaddus
Nov. 2, 9am -10:30 am EDT
Lynn Broaddus, Ph.D, M.B.A. is the 2020-21 president of the Water Environment Federation (WEF), an international organization of water quality professionals headquartered in Alexandria, Va. Lynn formed Broadview Collaborative Inc. in 2014 as a platform for advancing sustainable, resilient practices in the water sector. She serves as a strategic adviser and facilitator for private-sector, nonprofit and philanthropic clients throughout North America, and is known for bringing new ways of thinking to the crucial environmental challenges of our day.

Admission By Donation
Your contributions will help to cover the cost of hosting this Summit. Additional funds raised will be donated to support the Container Based Sanitation Alliance (CBSA), which provides access to dignified, safe, and affordable sanitation in dense urban areas otherwise lacking in options. This alliance includes Clean Team (Ghana), Loowatt (Madagascar), Sanivation and Sanergy (Kenya), SOIL (Haiti) and x-runner (Peru).
If you do not have a PayPal account, please click the white "Pay with Debit or Credit Card" button beneath the log-in section of the PayPal window.

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Rural Caucus Public Hearing
Tuesday, November 2nd, 2021, Online. 5pm-7pm.
Register at the link below to join us via Zoom and/or submit written testimony to [email protected].
https://www.eventbrite.com/.../vermont-rural-economic...
Do you have ideas about what can be done in the legislature to support our rural economy? The Rural Economic Development Working Group (REDWnG) of the Vermont House of Representatives wants to hear from you on November 2 between 5pm-7pm.

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LEAD Vermont: Candidate Night School
hosted by Vermont-NEA, Rights & Democracy Institute and Rights & Democracy VT
Starting Tuesday, November 2nd, 2021, Online. 6pm-8pm
Have you ever thought about running for office?
It’s hard to believe, but the 2022 elections are just around the corner - starting with Town Meeting Day in March - and now is the time to think about how you can get involved.
Leadership Education and Development Vermont (LEAD-VT) was created to demystify the process of running for office. And, we’re excited to announce that LEAD-VT is holding a three session “Candidate Night School” this fall.
The training will provide you with the skills and knowledge needed to run an engaging grassroots campaign, and to build leadership in your community.
Apply here >>> https://forms.gle/KhKe5xu4gnkr7pp77
Candidate Night School will take place over three consecutive weeks:
6-8pm on Tuesday, November 2nd
6-8pm on Tuesday, November 9th
6-8pm on Tuesday, November 16th
If you are interested in running for office, we encourage you to be a part of LEAD-VT!
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Please note that this training is only available to people considering running for office, it is not open to people who have already announced their candidacy for elected office. Additionally, participation in the program does not guarantee endorsement by any of the participating organizations in any future electoral campaigns.
LEAD-VT is a collaborative training opportunity organized by Rights & Democracy, Vermont-NEA, VPIRG, Planned Parenthood of Northern New England, Vermont Conservation Voters, and Let’s Grow Kids.

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Philanthropy and Civil Society in Challenging Times
Underwriter: Peter Gilbert Endowment Fund / Sponsors: Vermont Department of Libraries and Institute of Museum and Library Services / VT Humanities Council
Wednesday, November 3rd, 2021, at the Brooks Memorial Library (224 Main Street, Brattleboro, VT, 05301). 7pm.
Find out more and register at: https://www.vermonthumanities.org/.../digital.../
The pandemic year of 2020 challenged every aspect of modern community, including our visions of equality, civility, health, and democracy. Stuart Comstock-Gay, former president of the Vermont Community Foundation, discusses how civic engagement can help us rebuild our communities and reclaim our dreams.
Stuart Comstock-Gay is president of the Delaware Community Foundation, and former president of the Vermont Community Foundation (2009 to 2016). He has spent his career addressing issues of community, democracy and civil rights, in philanthropy and civil rights organizations – at national and statewide organizations in Maryland, Boston, New York and New Hampshire.

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Marlboro Community Food Share
hosted by the Marlboro Community Center
Thursday, November 4th, 2021, and every Thursday, at the Marlboro Community Center (524 South Road, Marlboro, VT, 05344). 4:30pm-5:30pm.
Every Thursday from 4:30pm-5:30pm the Marlboro Community Center invites you to fill a grocery bag with non-perishables and fresh local produce. No registration or eligibility required. This weekly opportunity is available for anyone who could use an extra bag of groceries or knows someone who does.
Food will be set up in the entry-way to the Marlboro Community Center. For proper social distancing, please enter one person at a time. Bring a grocery bag or use ours. Masks are required. Deliveries will be made through Marlboro Cares for those needing assistance. Please call Marlboro Cares at 802-258-3030 in advance to arrange a delivery.
To donate food:
Leave non-perishable food in the donation box at the Marlboro Post Office. It will be collected on a weekly-basis. (Please note that this box previously supplied the Deerfield Valley Food Pantry, which is now distributing food exclusively from VT Food Pantry) 
Gardeners and farmers are welcome to donate produce. Wear masks and wash hands when harvesting and handling food. Fresh produce can be dropped off at the Community Center on Thursday between 1pm and 4pm. (Any leftover produce will be taken to FoodWorks the following morning)

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Guilford Cares FoodPantry
Thursday, November 4th, 2021 (and every Thursday) at the Guilford Fairgrounds (163 Fairground Rd, Guilford, VT 05301). 5pm-6pm. If you have questions, concerns or would like to donate groceries or monetary gifts please contact Pat Haine 802-257-0626. For additional questions or more information call 802 579 1350 or email [email protected].
Guilford Cares Food Pantry has moved! The Pantry has moved to the First Aid building at the Guilford Fairgrounds. We will be fully stocked with all our usual grocery items.
The Fairgrounds are on Fairground Road, just off Weatherhead Hollow Road. From Guilford Center Road turn onto Weatherhead Hollow Road. Travel 1.7 miles down the road. The Fairgrounds are on the left and there will be a sign directing you up the hill for about .2 miles. The red building is on the left with a sign out in front. Please remain in your car; we’ll greet you,  and give you a shopping list as we have been doing for the past year.
If the Pantry will be closed for any unexpected reason, the closure will be announced on WKVT, WTSA, and Front Porch Forum.
If you cannot come to the Pantry due to illness or high risk, you can call also call Pat to arrange for food delivery by a volunteer.
We know that supplemental food can make such a big difference in one's budget. That is why we are stocking our shelves for our neighbors. All are welcome to come and take home fresh produce, staples, meat, dairy.
Guilford Cares welcomes anyone in need of supplemental food for themselves or their families.

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Brattleboro Winter Farmers’ Market 
a project of Post Oil Solutions
Saturday, November 6th, 2021 at the C.F. Church Building (80 Flat Street, Brattleboro, VT, 05301). 10am-2pm.
For info email Sherry at [email protected], call 802-275-2835, or visit us at www.brattleborowinterfarmersmarket.org. 
Weekly indoor farmers market, creating community and boosting food security every week.  
All locally grown and made: farm produce, meats, syrup, fresh baked goods, cheeses, fruits, cider, preserves, handmade jewelry, pottery, soaps and more. 
Accepting credit, debit and EBT. Crop Cash + Food Boost turns $10 EBT into $30 every week. 

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350VT’s Eighth Annual Convergence: Nourishing Our Roots
hosted by 350VT &
sponsored by Natural Mattress Company and Seventh Generation
Saturday, November 6th, 2021, Online. 2pm - 6pm.
Click here to register today!
Pricing: $5-$30 Sliding scale.  No one will be turned away for lack of funds; email [email protected] if you'd like to reserve a ticket without paying.
Join 350VT online for our eighth Annual Convergence: Nourishing our Roots. Be inspired, build connections, get active!  We are thrilled to be featuring keynote speaker Vic Barrett, one of 21 youth activists between the ages of 10 and 21 suing the government to take action on climate change in Juliana Vs. United States.  Vic is a powerful and inspiring young organizer who will talk about the importance of centering justice in climate organizing and what's next for the climate movement.  
Join us to learn how our statewide Just Transition fits into the broader context; find out about how to get involved in our upcoming campaigns; reconnect with our community; and be re-energized to build a strong and vibrant statewide movement!
Thank you to our sponsors for making this event affordable for participants!

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Youth 4 Change Open House
Saturday, November 6th, 2021 at The Root Social Justice Center (The Whetstone Studio for the Arts, 28 Williams Street, Brattleboro, VT, 05301). 2pm-4pm.
Youth 4 Change invites youth and their families to join us for our Fall Open House!
Youth 4 Change (Y4C) is a youth led activist group that focuses on racial justice and community organizing, we're open to ages 12-22. Y4C is very centered around historically marginalized groups, for example LGBTQ+ and BIPOC. 
Come meet youth members of the program, eat food, win prizes, and learn how you can get involved with Y4C.

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Harvest/Gratitude Celebration and Potluck
hosted by Edible Brattleboro
Saturday, November 6th, 2021 in West Brattleboro. 2pm-4pm. RSVP by emailing [email protected] with the subject “Potluck”. You will receive confirmation with the exact location. In order to keep waste to a minimum, please bring your own plate and utensils. We have a limited number of chairs, so if you can, bring a chair and/or a blanket to sit on. We will be outdoors, so dress for the weather.
We will gather on this last day of Daylight Savings Time (we'll all get an extra hour) to celebrate a memorable year. We invite all our amazing patrons, volunteers and donors to come join us. It's a potluck, so bring a dish to share if you can. We prefer that you bring something vegan and gluten free so everyone can partake. Check out the recipes from our cooking events on our website. Also, please write up a list of ingredients on a card to place with your contribution for those of us who have food allergies. Lastly, label your dishes and serving utensils in case some items are left behind.

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Coffee with Coffey Hours
Tuesday, November 16th, 2021
Tuesday, December 2nd, 2021, Online. 6:30pm-7:30pm.
Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87653733300?pwd=c0pDdk9EcHJKUnUzQjY0cm0wbEw3Zz09
Communication with my constituents is a high priority for me, especially as we prepare for the 2022 session. I want you to know what I'm working on and I want to hear from you. I encourage folks to join me at one of my monthly coffee hours. I will be holding coffee hours on third Tuesday of the month.
If you would to receive my newsletters or have questions about the legislation we passed in 2021 or to talk about your priorities for 2022 please email me at: [email protected] 
Your feedback is critical to my legislative work, so please do not hesitate to reach out anytime. 
Take good care,
Sara Coffey
State Representative, Windham-1

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Red Cross Blood Drive at the Winston Prouty Campus
Saturday, November 27th, 2021
Saturday, December 18th, 2021 at the Winston Prouty Center for Child and Family Development (Austine Drive, Brattleboro, VT, 05301). 9am-3pm. To help make these events possible by volunteering, please contact Lisa Whitney at [email protected].
Winston Prouty and the American Red Cross are hosting monthly blood drives throughout 2021.The Red Cross has over 135 years of experience providing humanitarian aid including more than 75 years of supplying blood to those in need. Each pint of blood we collect can help save up to three lives and will touch the lives of so many more. What a great way to pay it forward and make an impact on people in our community and across the country.
You can participate by donating blood or by volunteering to help support the event (set-up/clean-up, registration, parking, etc).
Sign up to DONATE blood here:
https://www.redcrossblood.org/give.html/drive-results?zipSponsor=

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COMING IN 2022

Lucy Terry Price: Witness, Voice, and Poetics within the American Tradition
presented by Vermont Humanities
Wednesday, February 2nd, 2022, Online. 7pm.
Register for this talk at www.vermonthumanities.org/stjohnsbury
Beginning with Vermonter Lucy Terry Prince, the first known African American poet in the US, poet Shanta Lee Gander explores creative lineage within poetics. Surveying the work of Phillis Wheatley, Laurence Dunbar, Rita Dove, and slam poet Dominique Christina, Gander considers the poetic arc from the past to the modern moment. 

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The Poetics of Girlhood and Womanhood in America
presented by Vermont Humanities
Wednesday, April 6th, 2022, at Brooks Memorial Library (54 Main Street, Brattleboro, VT, 05301). 7pm.
Poets and writers Diana Whitney and Shanta Lee Gander join Christal Brown, associate professor of Dance at Middlebury College, in a conversation that explores how girlhood and womanhood in America are manifested across the boundaries of poetry, dance, and lived experience.

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COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS

Covid 19 Pop-Up Testing

Testing is available for all. 
If you need testing, there are a variety of options available to you: your primary care provider, pop-up test sites and pharmacies. The Test Site Finder below can help you find other testing near you.
HEALTH DEPARTMENT POP-UP TESTING LOCATIONS
Here are the steps to set up a testing appointment at a pop-up testing site:

• Register to get an account
• Receive an email with your patient ID and use that to confirm your account (check your spam folder if you don't see the email)
• Log in with your patient ID
• Set up an appointment

Register for Pop-Up Testing Here

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FREE HEALTHY AND NUTRITIOUS FOOD IN WINDHAM COUNTY

Brigid’s Kitchen, St. Michael’s Church, 47 Walnut Street, Brattleboro 802-254-6800 or 802-558-6072 
Grab-and-go lunches and fruit/nuts on Mon, Weds, Thus, and Sat, 11:30am-12:20pm.

Loaves and Fishes, Centre Congregational Church 193 Main Street, Brattleboro (802) 254-4730
Grab-and-go lunches on Tuesdays and Fridays at 12pm.

VT Foodbank and Veggie Van Go will be at Brattleboro Union High School (Fairground Ave, Brattleboro, VT, 05301), in the parking lot, on the 1st and 3rd Monday of the month, from 10am-11:30am. Drive up, touchless pickup. Walkers welcome, too. Call VT 211 for more information. 

Foodworks, the food shelf program of the Groundworks Collaborative https://groundworksvt.org (802) 490-2412, [email protected] 
Households in need of food are asked to call or email to coordinate delivery. There is an urgent need for volunteers, and Foodworks has set up protocols to keep staff, volunteers, and clients as safe as possible. Please email us at [email protected] if you are able to help.

Guilford Food Pantry 
Every Thursday at the Guilford Fairgrounds. 5pm-6pm.
We know that supplemental food can make such a big difference in one's budget. That is why we are stocking our shelves for our neighbors. All are welcome to come and take home fresh produce, staples, meat, dairy. Guilford Cares welcomes anyone in need of supplemental food for themselves or their families.

Everyone Eats continues, including grab-and-go meals at these times and locations: 

• Thursdays after 5pm at the Retreat Farm farm stand
• Sundays outside of Turning Point from 11am-1pm

Folks receiving services through Foodworks, Loaves and Fishes, and the Brattleboro Community Justice Center can obtain free meals through those organizations.
You can also order Everyone Eats! meals directly from participating restaurants using the Localvore App.

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ADDITIONAL COVID 19 RESOURCES CAN BE FOUND AT THEIR PERMANENT HOME ON OUR WEBSITE, HERE: https://www.wecantogether.net/covid19_resources

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RESOURCE FOR WeCAN

Rapid Response Text Alert System

When WeCAN began, Song & Solidarity set up a Rapid Response Text Alert System for WeCAN Groups. Directions for signing up are on WeCAN's website, here: https://www.wecantogether.net/rapid_response. We are grateful to Song and Solidarity for providing this service.

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ONGOING EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING 

Indigo Radio
Sundays at 12pm on Brattleboro Community Radio 107.7FM. To stream live, visit: www.wvew.org 
Indigo Radio, deepening understanding and making connections! IndigoRadio is a group of area educators seeking to learn through engaging with others in our community and throughout the world. We will be talking about educational and social issues both globally and locally and connecting them to our lives and Brattleboro community. Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/indigoradiowvew/. For archive recordings of past shows: https://soundcloud.com/user-654648353. 

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  Thank you for your continued support, WeCAN Community. Until next week...

Your Friendly WeCAN Editors,

Joanna and Sam