Orange Senior Citizens Club to hold annual installation

ORANGE – The Orange Senior Citizens Club plans to hold its annual installation of officers meeting at the Orange Senior Center at noon on Thursday.

There will be a pizza party promptly at noon followed by the business meeting and installation ceremony at 1 p.m. Members and guests will pay at the door. Everyone is asked to bring cash. Soft drinks will be available, however, members may bring their own beverages if they prefer. No alcoholic beverages are allowed.

Annual dues of $5 should be paid at the meeting or, if the member is unable to attend, prior to this meeting. Any member who has not yet paid his/her dues for 2024-25 is asked to submit them to Treasurer Jerilynn Deyo as soon as possible.

The annual memorial service to honor all members of the Orange Senior Citizens Club who have died in the previous year is held at the June meeting. The Scholarship Committee will be announcing the names of the recipients of the two $500 scholarships awarded by the club this year. The Program Committee will report on the programs planned for the meetings in Autumn.

The Orange Senior Citizens Club does not meet in July. Any current member no longer able to remain a member is asked to contact President Judy Rowe.

Orange Community Band to begin summer season rehearsals

ORANGE – The Orange Community Band plans to begin its summer season rehearsals today at the Orange Central Congregational Church. Rehearsals begin at 7 p.m., and will continue through the end of July.

The six summer concerts begin June 21 and continue on Fridays until July 26. There will also be a back-to-school special concert Aug. 30.

The Orange Community Band traces its roots to the 1850s, when a “Town band” performed in Orange. The group has been known as the Orange Community Band since 1976. Corporate support ended when the Tapioca Company moved out. The band has since been sponsored – first by the town, and now by the generosity of businesses and individuals throughout the community. Area musicians are welcome to join the band by coming to the June rehearsals or contacting an officer.

Band members range in age from middle school to nonagenarians, and musicians of all ability levels are welcome.

St. Mary’s Women’s Club planning day trip

ORANGE – St. Mary’s Women’s Club in Orange is closing its 101st club year with a project and a day trip.

A crib has been set up in the entrance to the church since Mother’s Day to collect clothes and baby items that will be donated to Valuing Our Children, established in 1993 to address the needs of children in the area by providing primary prevention of child abuse through family support, parenting education, and community development. The collection will continue through Father’s Day. The club is accepting clothing, diapers, formula, and other items that would be useful for new mothers.

The final meeting of the club year will be held on June 11, with members and friends meeting at the Parish Center at 8 a.m. for an 8:15 a.m. departure. Members will go to Barre, where they will attend 9 a.m. Mass, then proceed to The Barre Cross for a visit, watching an informational video and touring the grounds. After the visit, they will stop for lunch at a local restaurant.

The trip is open to women throughout the community. Contact Maureen Riendeau at 978-413-6867 to arrange to a carpool.

The club, which recently installed officers for the coming year, will resume meetings on Sept. 10.

1794 Meetinghouse presenting summer concerts

NEW SALEM – The 1794 Meetinghouse presents its 31st season of summer concerts, with 14 events from June through September, from classical piano and choral music to folk, pop, jazz and contemporary singer-songwriters.

The meetinghouse will present Rani Arbo & daisy mayhem live on June 8. The performers are made up of Rani Arbo (fiddle and guitar), Andrew Kinsey (bass, banjo and ukulele), Anand Nayak (electric and acoustic guitars) and Scott Kessel (percussion). The show starts at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for guests 13 to 17 years old. Children 12 and younger are free.

The meetinghouse plans to present Quabbin Valley Pro Musica, a chorus open to singers of all ages, genders, and musical backgrounds, at 4 p.m. on June 9. The concert is titled “A Handful of Cheer.” Geoffrey Hudson directs singers from across the North Quabbin area in a program of bright, uplifting songs from several traditions.

The concert begins with “Six Strains from Moravia,” a set of folk songs arranged for chorus by two of the greatest Czech composers – Antonín Dvořák and Leoš Janaček. Another highlight of the concert is a set of pieces by Robert Nathaniel Dett, a pioneering Black composer active in the early 20th century. The program also includes four songs by Edward Elgar and a handful of American folk songs (about murder, heartbreak, time, travel, and trains).

This concert starts at 4 p.m. Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for those 13 to 17. Children 12 and younger are free.

New Salem Museum to hold concert

NEW SALEM – The New Salem Museum and Academy of Fine Art has scheduled for July 12 a recital featuring pipa player Minqi Wang and pianist Anthony Tracia.

Wang is an accomplished music producer and avid Chinese culture enthusiast based in Massachusetts. Her area of specialization lies in the fusion of Eastern and Western music. The pipa is a traditional Chinese musical instrument with a pear-shaped wooden body. Tracia is music teacher and pianist in the Pioneer Valley. He holds a bachelor’s degree in piano performance and music studies from the University of Lowell and a master’s degree in music education and piano performance from UMass Amherst.

The concert is titled “Summer Breeze.” The performance is slated for 6:30 p.m., with a reception to start at 7:30. Tickets are $20 for NSMA members and $25 for non-members.

New Salem Selectboard needs minute-taker

NEW SALEM – The town’s Selectboard is looking for a minute-taker for its meetings.

The pay is $17.70 per hour. For a complete job description and contact information, visit tinyurl.com/22hp9atz.