CALENDAR

COMMUNITY CHOICE
Love is in the Air
The following community events celebrate Valentine's Day in style…

The Thayer Symphony Orchestra will present its Valentine Pops Concert - a "Romantic Night of Songs" - at 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 9, in the Stratos G. Dukakis Performing Arts Center, Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical School, Route 2A, Fitchburg. Renese King, vocalist, will perform with the orchestra. To purchase tickets, call (978) 466-1800.

A Valentine's Day Dance will be held from 8 to 11 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 9, at the Finnish Center at Saima Park, 67 Scott Road, Fitchburg. Music will be provided by Veikko Honkala and Juhani Puutio. Donation is $10. Call Maija Mard at (978) 582-7717.

A Mother-Daughter American Girl Doll Valentine Tea will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. Feb. 10, at St. Edward the Confessor Church, 10 Church St., Westminster. Enjoy an afternoon
of storytelling, crafts and refreshments. Cost is $15 per girl; $10 per adult.

Seating is limited. Reservations can be made by calling Sarah Paiste at (978) 874-4020.

A Valentine Dinner Dance will be held Friday, Feb. 15, at the Franco American War Vets, 300 Water St., Leominster. A prime rib dinner will be served from 4 to 8 p.m., followed by music by DJ Earl from 8 p.m. to midnight; prizes and surprises. Cost is $8. Call (978) 534-6409.

A Valentine Dance will be held from 7:30 to 11:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 16, at St. Joseph's Parish Hall, 49 Woodland St., Fitchburg.

Music by MO-CO. Admission is $10.

8 FRIDAY

An American Red Cross Blood Drive will be held from 12:30 to 6:30 p.m. at Sterling National Country Club, 33 Albright Road,

Sterling. The first 100 donors will receive a lift ticket to Wachusett Mountain Ski Area (certain restrictions apply). For information, or to make an appointment, call (800) 448- 3543. Walk-in donors welcome.

Eddy's Chowder House will be open from 4 to 7 p.m. at St. Edward the Confessor Church Hall, 10 Church St., Westminster. Call Louise Rathier at (978) 874-0639.

9 SATURDAY

Fitchburg Art Museum presents a oneday workshop for shutterbugs, "Getting the Most from Your Digital Camera?" from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p. m. (1/2 hour for lunch). Cost is $60. For information, or to register, call (978) 345-4207, Ext. 303.

The Drawbridge Puppet Theater, 1335 Massachusetts Ave., Lunenburg, presents "Cinderella" today at 11 a.m. and Sunday, Feb. 10 at 11 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Tickets are $6. Call (978) 582-6565 or visit www. drawbridgepuppets.com

Registered Democrats in Ashburnham will hold a caucus at 11 a.m. in the COA room at the VMS Building, 1 Memorial Drive, to elect four delegates and two alternate delegates to the 2008 Massachusetts Convention. Contact Nancy Rosbury at (978) 827-4205.

First Church of Templeton, located on Templeton Common, will hold a Roast Pork Supper with open seating from 4:30 to 6 p.m. The family-style supper features pork roast, vegetable, beverage, and homemade pie for dessert. Tickets are $8; $4 for children (children under 5 free). Call (978) 939-2784.

Sacred Heart Parish of West Fitchburg will sponsor its annual Ham and Bean Supper and Auction at the British American Club, Route 31, Fitchburg. Dinner will be served at 5:30 p.m., followed by the auction at 7 p.m. Tickets, at the door, are $6.50, $5 for seniors, $4 for children.

Fitchburg Lodge of Elks No. 847 will host a Chicken Dinner at 6:30 p.m. at the lodge, 860 Ashby State Road, Fitchburg. Dinner will include a half roasted chicken with vegetables, salad, dessert and coffee for $6. Tickets must be prepaid by Feb. 7 (no tickets will be sold at the door). Tickets can be purchased by calling (978) 549-8005 or (978) 342-8480 or at the lodge after 4 p.m. daily.

The Boulder Coffeehouse presents Randy Browning at 7:30 p.m. at Unitarian Universalist Church of Fitchburg, 923 Main St. Browning is a modern folk musician, playing and writing a variety of acoustic music on guitar, slide guitar and old-time banjo. Call (978) 345-2661.

Team Tickle Me Pink will sponsor a Comedy Show, to benefit the Avon Breast Cancer Walk. The event will be held at the Westminster V.F.W., Westminster. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. with the show beginning at 8:30 p.m. Cost is $10. For advanced tickets, call Kath-e Westwood at (978) 632- 8703.

10 SUNDAY

An Open House will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. at North Central Charter Essential School (NCCES), 1 Oak Hill Road, Fitchburg. Call (978) 345-2701 or visit www. ncces.org. The Fitchburg Public Library Sunday Performing Arts Series presents Hist'ryonics at 2:30 p.m. at the library, 610 Main St. Local musicians Keith Penniman, Dennis Poitras, and Paul Luria use stories, well-known folk songs, and original material to tell the story of America from the Revolution through Sept. 11. Free. Call (978) 345-9635.

Dance2Swing presents the Velvet Elvis Band at 7 p.m. at the Leominster Eagles Hall, 456 Litchfield St. Admission is $12. A beginner-friendly group swing dance lesson will be held at 6 p.m. Visit www.dance2swing. com or call (978) 263-7220.

12 TUESDAY

An American Red Cross Blood Drive will be held from 1 to 7 p.m. at the Leominster Lodge of Elks, 134 North Main St. For information, or to make an appointment, call (800) 448-3543. Walk-in donors welcome.

A screening from The Boston Jewish Film Festival, "Marti, the Passionate Eye" will be shown at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. at Fitchburg State College. This evening also marks the return of @6:45 - screenings of short films by Communications Media Department students and faculty at 6:45 p.m. The series opens with "Thunder Mountain." Films will be shown in the Ellis White Lecture Hall. For tickets, call (978) 665-3347.

An Open House will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. at North Central Charter Essential School (NCCES), 1 Oak Hill Road, Fitchburg. Call (978) 345-2701 or visit www. ncces.org.

The Westminster Historical Society invites all members and their spouses and friends to a meeting at the Old Mill Restaurant, 69 State Road East, at 7 p.m. and to enjoy one of the Old Mill's famous desserts with coffee or other beverages. Following dessert, a program on the history of the Old Mill will be held featured. For information, or to make reservations, call (978) 874-5569 (please leave your name and telephone number on the message machine). Cost is $10 (payment can be made at the Old Mill that evening).

13 WEDNESDAY

The North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce's POWERLunch will be held from 11:45 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Four Points by Sheraton, in Leominster, sponsored by Vision Advertising. Guest speaker is Chief Justice Margaret Marshall of the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts. Cost is $25 for chamber members; $45 for non-members. For information, or to make reservations, call (978) 353-7600.

The Fitchburg-Westminster-Ashburnham Babe Ruth League will hold its 2008 Spring registrations from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Reingold Elementary School, 70 Reingold Ave., Fitchburg. Players age 13 to 15 (as of May 1, 2008 are eligible to register. Call Tom Sarasin at (508) 331-3277 or (978) 790-2721.

14 THURSDAY

Members of the Leominster Land Trust and the Recreation Department are planning a snowshoe/cross country ski event for women at Windblown Cross Country Ski Area in New Ipswich, N.H. Meet at 9 a.m. at Barrett Park in Leominster; plan to return at 3 p.m. There is a fee; rentals available. In case of no snow, a local hike will be held. For details, or to make reservations, call (978) 534-7529 or (978) 537-3018.

The Great Decisions program will meet from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Oakmont Regional High School, Room 414, Ashburnham. Former Ambassador George Lane and Dr. Kevin Hart will discuss the 2008 Russian elections. To sign up and receive a book, visit the public service desk or call (978) 874-7416.

15 FRIDAY

Eddy's Chowder House will be open from 4 to 7 p.m. at St. Edward the Confessor Church Hall, 10 Church St., Westminster. Call Louise Rathier at (978) 874-0639. The Christian Performing Arts Center presents "Do Lord Remember Me" at 7 p.m. at North Central Charter Essential School, One Oak Hill Road, Fitchburg. Call (978) 345-2915.

A Valentine Dinner and Dance will be held from 8 p.m. to midnight at the Franco American War Vets, 300 Water St., Leominster. The evening will feature a prime rib dinner, music by DJ Earl, prizes and surprises. Cost is $8. Call (978) 534- 6409.

16 SATURDAY

A dog and cat rabies clinic and vaccination clinic will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. today and Saturday, Feb. 23, at the Robert J. Tashjian, VMD Animal Medical Center, 29 Prospect St., West Boylston. Sponsored by the West Boylston Animal Control. Call (508) 835-6258.

The Drawbridge Puppet Theater, 1335 Massachusetts Ave., Lunenburg, presents "Cinderella" today at 11 a.m. and Sunday, Feb. 17 at 11 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Tickets are $6. Call (978) 582-6565 or visit www. drawbridgepuppets.com

A church supper will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Congregational Church of Christ, UCC, 583 Main St., Leominster. Turkey, potatoes, vegetables and homemade pies will be served. Tickets are $7 at the door.

The Christian Performing Arts Center presents "Do Lord Remember Me" at 7 p.m. at North Central Charter Essential School, One Oak Hill Road, Fitchburg. Call (978) 345-2915.

A Valentine Dance will be held from 7:30 to 11:30 p.m. at St. Joseph's Parish Hall, 49 Woodland St., Fitchburg. Music by MOCO. Admission is $10.

The Creole Jazz Serenaders - New Orleans' premier jazz orchestra - will turn up the heat at 8 p.m. in Weston Auditorium,

Fitchburg Public Library. The Creole Jazz Serenaders provide today's audiences with a glimpse of the real spirit of early jazz, a period when jazz was the pop music of the time. For tickets, call (978)