In brief

Autumn season to be celebrated in style!

The New England autumn season will be celebrated at Townsend Methodist Church, corner of routes 13 and 119, from 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 14, with AppleFest Day.

Verbal antique appraisals will be given from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. by Dick Fiorentino of Hobart Village Antiques and Martha Perkins of Perkins & Menson, both of West Townsend. Cost is $10 for three items.

Apple pies, other tasty baked goods, jams and jellies, and cider and coffee will be available from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. The apple pies will be fresh baked or frozen so you can bake them at home.

Tour guides will show visitors the "slave pews" located in the bell tower, the huge cedar beams used in the construction of the building, and artifacts from early church life. A collection of early pictures of the building will be displayed. The building, built in 1770, was Townsend's second meetinghouse.

A Ham and Bean supper will be served from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. The menu includes ham, baked beans, scalloped potatoes, coleslaw, rolls, and apple crisp. Adults $7, seniors $6, children $4, children five and under, free (eat in or take out.)

For more information, call (978) 597-2486.

Business Association to hold first annual flea market

The Townsend Business Association will hold its first annual flea market, to be held on the Townsend Common, Saturday, Oct. 14, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (setup and breakdown before and after). Rain date is Sunday, Oct. 15, from 1 to 5 p.m. (setup and breakdown before and after). Booths are available for $25 ($5 to Parks and Cemetery and $20 towards scholarship). Crafters are welcome along with any town organization (ie: bake table). Food vendors will be on hand. Space must be reserved/pre-paid by Saturday, Oct. 7. Please send checks payable to: TBA, P.O. Box 542, Townsend, MA 01469. For more information, call Cal Robbins at (978) 808-1733 or Kathleen Ballos at (978) 597-6040.

A "Kid's Fishing Derby" to benefit food pantry

The Townsend Rod and Gun Club is holding a "Kid's Fishing Derby" from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 15, at the club pond, Emery Road and Dann Colburn Way, off Route 13. Registration begins at 7 a.m.

The fishing derby is open to all area children. A fishing license is not needed and Townsend Rod and Gun Club membership is not required. Fishing bait will be sold throughout the day and prizes will be awarded to the first and second place winners from each group of girls, ages 5 to 9 and 10 to 12, and each group of boys, ages 5 to 9 and 10 to 12. Also, the club kitchen will be open for breakfast and lunch.

This event will benefit the Townsend Ecumenical Outreach (TEO) Food Pantry. Admission is one can of nonperishable food. Additional cans of food will give entrants more tickets for prizes. Children can even bring a grocery bag full of canned goods! The more canned goods brought, the more TEO will benefit and the more chances for the children to win prizes! For more information, visit www.townsend-rod-andgun club.org or call John Auriemma at (978) 386- 7316.

Ed and Mary West to be honored at dinner

The William E. May Endowment Award Dinner, sponsored by the Friends of the Townsend Seniors,

honoring the 2006 awardees Ed and Mary West will be held at the Townsend Ridge Country Club on Saturday, Oct. 28. Tickets are $50 per person. Cocktail hour (cash bar) will be held from 6 to 7 p.m. followed by a family style turkey dinner with all the trimmings. For tickets and/or information, contact Bob Tumber at (978) 597-8843, Shirley Kao at (978) 597-6338 or Tubby Boucher at (978) 597-8876.

Townsend's 275th Anniversary Parade being planned

The town has been very busy with activities and fundraisers for the past few years. At last the announcement can be made about the official date of the parade. Mark the calendars for Sunday, Sept. 23, 2007 at 2 p.m. The Parade Committee is planning on making the parade a wonderful event for the whole family. Local clubs and groups, scouts, churches and businesses will be contacted soon with details about participating in the parade. It will be quite a day in Townsend and the perfect time to plan a high school or family reunion. Watch for continuing publicity about Townsend's 275th Anniversary, which will be celebrated throughout 2007.

Get your chance to win a wonderful quilt!

Tickets may be purchased for $1 each or six for $5. In addition to being available at the Townsend Public Library, tickets may be purchased at special demonstrations at selected locations. The drawing will be held on April 21, 2007. This machine-pieced, hand quilted friendship sampler was created as a fund raiser for the Friends of the Townsend Public Library by the "Quiltteas": Lucille Forest, Beverly Johnson, Joan Landry, Mae Larson, Lillian Martin, Nancy Martin, and Irene Nicholson.