CALENDAR

Cushing Academy invites the public to exhibit reception Cushing Academy welcomes the public to a reception for "Images of the Civil Rights Movement" from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday, May 11, at the Maude Bowen Carter Gallery, Emily Fisher Landau Center for the Visual Arts, 39 School St., Ashburnham. This exhibit, on loan from the Howard Greenberg Gallery of New York, features the work of influential photographers Bob Adelman, Bruce Davidson, James Karales, Danny Lyon, Charles Moore, Gordon Parks and Dan Weiner. The public may call (978) 827-7066 for gallery hours. Pictured is Photographer Charles Moore speaking to Cushing students about his Civil Rights photographs during a recent visit.

11 FRIDAY The Material Girls Quilt Guild presents its quilt show "…from simple cloth" from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. today and Saturday, May 12, at the National Plastics Museum and Center, 210 Lancaster St., Leominster. The event will feature door prizes, a vendors mall, a raffle quilt, a quilter's yard sale, a Keepsake Quilting Challenge Display, and refreshments. Also, a "Small/Mini Quilt Silent Auction" will be held to benefit Ginny's Thrift Shop. Admission is $5 (children under 12, free with paid adult). For information, call (978) 534- 6861.

The Outlaws Soccer Club will host a Spring Dance from 7 p.m. to midnight at the Westminster Country Club. Ray Richard will DJ the event. Tickets, sold at the door, are $10.

"Stratton Spring Break: A Festival of Short Plays" will be held at 8 p.m. at Stratton Players, 60 Wallace Ave., Fitchburg. Tickets are

12 $15. For information, call (978) 345-6006. SATURDAY A Spring Tori (marketplace) will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the Finnish Center at Saima Park, Scott Road, Fitchburg. A Finnish pancake breakfast (pannukakku) will be served from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m., cost is $5. A plant table, baked goods, silent auction, books and music, will be for sale by Raivaaja Publishing Co. For information call, Maija Mard at (978) 582-7717.

The Gardner and Winchendon Lions Club will sponsor a Ride for Sight. The ride starts at 10 a.m. at the Williams Restaurant in

Gardner, with check-in from 8:30 to 9:45 a.m. (held rain or shine). The ride will end at the Ashburnham Turnpike Rod & Gun Club, Corey Hill Road, Ashburnham. A chicken barbecue will be served at approximately 1 p.m. For information, call (978) 632-6761

The Crocker Pond Development Committee will hold a beach cleanup/setup day - for the beautification of the Crocker Pond area in

Westminster - from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Please bring rakes (all kinds), barrel buckets, wheelbarrows, shovels, and brooms. Opening Day for the pond, located in Westminster, is Saturday, May 26. The facility is open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., seven days a week.

Ashby Grange will host its sixth annual Poop-A-Palooza from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the Ashby Town Common. Bring a bucket and grab some of the best manure available. Unique "got poop" t-shirts will be for sale along with Mother's Day Portraits by Alfred Gadway Photography in the Grange Hall. For a sitting appointment, call (413) 387- 9139. Held in conjunction with the Legion Auxilliary's plant sale. All proceeds to benefit Grange charities. For more information, call Debbie or Tom at (978) 386-2323.

A free screening clinic, to identify children in the area who can benefit from the care provided at Shriners Hospitals, will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Wallace Civic Center, 1000 John Fitch Highway, Fitchburg. All care provided is free; for children ages 18 and under. For information, or to make an appointment, call (978) 827-6093 or (978) 343-2592.

Riverbend will kick off the season of RiverJam 2007 from 2 to 4 p.m. at Riverfront Park, Fitchburg. For information, visit http:// www.discoverfitchburg.com/

A "Fifties Night" dinner and dancing will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. at St. Edward the Confessor Church, 10 Church St., Westminster. Hamburgers, hot dogs, potato and macaroni, salad, baked beans, dessert and beverage will be served. Sound Sensations will perform. The Mid-State Antique Automobile Club will display their antique and classic autos in the church parking lot. Cost is $5. For information, call Louise Rathier at (978) 874-0639.

"Stratton Spring Break: A Festival of Short Plays" will be held at 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. at Stratton Players, 60 Wallace Ave., Fitchburg. Tickets are $15. For information, call (978) 345-6006.

13 SUNDAY The Westminster Historical Society will hold a Town Wide Yard Sale from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information about this event, or to help on the committee, please call Betsy Hannula at (978) 874-0430.

In honor of Mother's Day, the Fitchburg Art Museum, located on Merriam Parkway, will offer free admission to mothers attending the museum today. Among the current exhibitions are a unique family-oriented exhibition, "Exploring with Pictures and Print: Children's Book Illustrations." For information, call (978) 345-4207, or visit fitchburgartmuseum.org.

Dance2Swing Studios presents The Red Riders at 7 p.m. at the Leominster Lodge of Elks, 134 North Main St. A group swing dance lesson will be held at 6 p.m. For information, visit their Web site at www.dance2swing.

14 com. MONDAY Jeanne d'Arc Circle No. 44 Daughters of Isabella will meet at 2 p.m. at the Joseph P. Keating Knights of Columbus Hall, 165 Electric Ave., Fitchburg. Members will participate in a Living Rosary. Carmella Berube and Mary Borg are co-chairmen of the meeting. For information, call Anita Winters at (978)

15 345-5279. TUESDAY The Ashburnham COA is celebrating a "Special Mother's Day Luncheon" at noon, at 1 Memorial Drive. The lunch will be pork roast with brown gravy, sweet potato, cauliflower supreme, and pears. Donation of $2 requested. For information, or reservations, call (978) 827-5000. Van transportation available.

Twin City Toastmasters will meet from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Ronald M. Ansin Foundation Community Conference Room, 1 Main St., Leominster. For information, call (978) 343-7259.

16 WEDNESDAY The Westminster Seniors Friendship Club will meet at 1:30 p.m. in St. Edward's Church Hall, Church Street, Westminster. Policeman Ralph LeBlanc will speak about scams and what precautions should be taken. Meetings are open to seniors 55 years and older in Westminster and surrounding towns. For information, call (978) 874-2445.

The monthly dinner meeting of the Appleseed Chapter of the International Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP) will be held at Slattery's Back Room Restaurant, Lunenburg Street, Fitchburg. Networking will begin at 5:30 p.m. with a dinner/business meeting at 6 p.m. Representatives from Summit ElderCare will give a brief presentation. Installation of new officers will be held. This will be the last meeting until September. For information, contact Phyllis Grammont at (978) 784-9202.

Leominster author Ernest Caponi will present his newly published book, "Arthur and Rose: The Caponi/Mosca Union, October 21, 1915: In Search of My Italian Roots" at 7 p.m. at the Fitchburg Historical Society, 50 Grove St. A book-signing will also be held. For more information, call (978) 345-1157.

17 THURSDAY The Westminster Council on Aging will make butterfly gardens from 9 to 10:30 a.m. at the American Legion Hall, 127 Main St. Supplies provided. For information, call (978) 874-7402.

A Well Adult Clinic will be held at 1:15 p.m. at the Ashby Free Library, 812 Main St.,

Ashby. Sponsored by the Nashoba Associated Boards of Health. For information, call (978) 386-5377.

18 FRIDAY The Gardner Chair City Pipers will perform at 7:30 p.m. at "ACT 3rd Friday" coffeehouse, located at Stevens Memorial Library, 20 Memorial Drive. This female a capella group will entertain the audience with a varied program of "oldies but goodies" sung in a balanced barbershop quartet style. Baked goods as well as coffee and herbal teas available. Suggested donation is $5. For information, call Lois Somers at (978) 827-4301.

19 SATURDAY An Indoor/Outdoor Flea Market will be held from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Ashburnham Community Church, corner of Route 12 and Chapel Street. Over 25 vendor's tables will sell craft supplies, furniture, CDs, video tapes, household items, stamped cards, toys, knick-knacks, books, dishes, candles, some clothes, and odds and ends. There will be a breakfast grill with bagels and egg sandwiches, lunch grill with hamburgers, hotdogs and salads, and a bake table. Inside space is available for $15; outside space for $10. For information, call (978) 827-5492. Held rain or shine.

The 12th annual Habitat for Humanity Hike will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Mt. Monadnock, in Jaffrey, N.H. Raise money to build homes with families in need in north central Massachusetts For information, call (978) 348-2749.

Charlie's Angels Relay for Life Team will host the Winchendon Town Wide Yard Sale from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. For a fee of $10, you can guarantee yourself a spot on the map. Maps setting out the locations of the yard sales will be sold for $1 at the park (intersection of Front and Pleasant streets) starting at 8:30 a.m. the morning of the sale. For more information, contact Co-Captain Mary M. Hasselmann at (978) 297-4484.

Townsend United Methodist Church will host its 26th Annual Spring Festival and Craft Fair from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the Townsend Common, junction of routes 13 and 119,

Townsend Center. Crafters from all over New England will participate with a great variety of arts and crafts. (Rain date is Sunday, May 20). For information, or to apply for crafter space, call (978) 597-2486.

Kid Expo 2007 will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at HealthAlliance Hospital, 60 Hospital Road, Leominster. Festivities include demonstrations, activities, performances, give-aways, and refreshments. Held in partnership with the Molly Bish Institute for Child Health and Safety.

The Wachusett Writers and Poets Club of Central Massachusetts will hold a celebratory reception called "Meet Your Local Writers Day" from noon to 2 p.m. at Forbush Memorial Library, 118 Main St., Westminster. Held in conjunction with the publication of their second annual collection of writings titled "The Power of Words," this event will feature readings from their work by the authors, books available for purchase, and refreshments. For information, call the library at (978) 874-7416.

"Springtime in Paris with Eleanor Norcross" is the theme of Fitchburg Art Museum's Gala Auction and Fundraiser beginning at 5:30 p.m. in the museum's courtyard, Merriam Parkway. This is a tribute to museum founder Eleanor Norcross, an educator who loved art and lived in Paris for much of her life, and features a Silent and Live Auction and dinner. Proceeds to benefit the cultural mission of the Fitchburg Art Museum. For information, call (978) 345-4207, or visit fitchburgartmuseum. org.