Composer-Performer Ben Cosgrove in Concert at The Park Theatre

Acclaimed composer and pianist comes to Jaffrey performing arts center on August 25

JAFFREY, New Hampshire (August 21, 2023) Composer and pianist Ben Cosgrove will perform in concert at The Park Theatre this Friday, August 25, at 7 p.m. The local musical artist will present his award-winning compositions in the Jaffrey performing arts center's acoustically acclaimed 333-seat Eppes Auditorium.

Ben Cosgrove is a traveling composer-performer whose "compelling and beautiful" instrumental music explores themes of landscape, place, and environment. He has performed in every U.S. state, but Delaware collaborated with groups ranging from rock bands to research scientists and held residencies and fellowships with institutions including Acadia National Park, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, White Mountain National Forest, Harvard University, Middlebury College, the Schmidt Ocean Institute, the New England National Scenic Trail, NASA, and the Sitka Center for Art & Ecology.

Ben's fourth studio album, The Trouble With Wilderness, an evocation of different expressions of nature and wildness within the built environment, was released in 2021. It has been the subject of an episode of the NHPR show Outside/In, was deemed one of the spring's best new releases by WBUR, and has been called "beautiful and fascinating" (The Maine Edge), "instant relief" (Boston Globe), "deeply impressive" (Independent Clauses) and "immediately evocative and fully arresting... brim[ming] with technical mastery and emotional capital" (Seven Days).

His next album, Bearings, a collection of new work developed using an improvisation-focused compositional process that aims to reflect the experience of learning topographical space through movement, will be released in October 2023.

He has also composed music for Ken Burn's newest documentary, The American Buffalo, that debuts on PBS in October. For more information about Ben and his work, please visit www.bencosgrove.com.

Tickets for Ben Cosgrove are $20. They can be purchased in advance online at theparktheatre.org or by calling the box office at (603) 532-8888.

The Park Theatre is located at 19 Main Street in downtown Jaffrey, NH, just 95 minutes from downtown Boston. The theatre's bar, The Lounge, will be open at 6:00 p.m. on August 25 with live free music from George Garcia.

Coming Up at Nova Arts

Join us at Nova Arts in Keene in August for these exciting shows!

Friday, August 25, William Tyler and the Impossible Truth will be here, with Garcia Peoples opening. This night will be a deep dive into contemporary underground jam bands, as both of these groups are famously incredible at delivering that heavy Dead inspired realm to folks usually outside of the jam circuit.

For all shows, tickets are available at novaarts.org/events or at Brewbakers / Terra Nova Coffee.

Nova Arts is supported by and under the fiscal sponsorship of Arts Alive, and is supported by the Putnam Foundation and the Osier Fund. Events take place at 48 Emerald St, within Brewbakers Cafe & Terra Nova Coffee. novaarts.org

NRG Energy Supports Massachusetts Farm Resiliency Fund with $10,000 Donation

The contribution helps central and western Massachusetts farms affected by recent catastrophic flooding

BOSTON (August 18, 2023) - NRG Energy, one of the leading energy suppliers and home services companies in Massachusetts, today announced a donation of $10,000 to the recently-created Massachusetts Farm Resiliency Fund.

The fund, which was launched to support central and western Massachusetts farms damaged by last month's historic flooding, also aims to strengthen regional farm resiliency. The fund is administered by United Way of Central Massachusetts and supported by the Healey-Driscoll administration as well as private foundations and philanthropic organizations.

"Supporting the communities where NRG's customers and employees live and work is a key pillar of NRG's business," said Mike Rombach, vice president and general manager, NRG Home East. "NRG is grateful to the United Way of Central Massachusetts and Governor Healey for quickly standing up this fund."

About NRG
NRG Energy is a leading energy and home services company powered by people and our passion for a smarter, cleaner, and more connected future. A Fortune 500 company operating in the United States and Canada, NRG delivers innovative solutions that help people, organizations, and businesses achieve their goals while also advocating for competitive energy markets and customer choice. More information is available at www.nrg.com

The 27th Annual Source to Sea Cleanup Invites Community Action for Clean Water Throughout the Connecticut River Watershed

Greenfield, MA [8/21/23]: What began as a group of volunteers organizing to remove trash from local rivers over two decades ago has become a hugely popular annual event that brings communities together in support of clean water and healthy habitats throughout the Connecticut River Watershed - in New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, and Connecticut.

Connecticut River Conservancy's (CRC) 27th annual Source to Sea Cleanup is back this September 22nd – 23rd, with opportunities for individual groups to set their own specific cleanup days around this time. The objective is clear: safely collect as much trash as possible to reduce the impact of pollution across all four states of the 410-mile Connecticut River basin, including the tributaries that feed the main river in NH, VT, MA, and CT. [Millers River is a tributary of the Connecticut River; it flows from Winchendon to the Connecticut River in Erving.]

Volunteers are organized into groups with Group Leaders coordinating details at different trash sites. Trash tallies are also gathered after each cleanup, contributing to CRC's long-standing database which is used to inform the nonprofit's work in advocacy to reduce future pollution, support river restoration, and inform the public and policy-makers of issues affecting the environment.

In last year's cleanup over 1,300 volunteers reported hauling 37 tons of trash from riverbanks and waterways across the four watershed states. Volunteers removed everything from recyclable bottles and cans to fishing equipment, food packaging, tires, televisions, and refrigerators. Over 12K beverage containers were tallied in 2022 alone!

Registration is now open for both Group Leaders and Volunteers to participate. Businesses and community groups are also encouraged to register, and entities able to support cleanup efforts through in-kind or monetary donations are greatly appreciated.

"There are lots of ways to get involved," says CRC's Source to Sea Cleanup Coordinator Stacey Lennard, "volunteers can report a trash site in need of cleaning, organize and register your own local cleanup group, or be a #RiverWitness on social media."

"It is always great to support an environmental organization, but this is an opportunity for everyone to actually dig in, get their gloves a little dirty, have fun, and make this a better river system for everyone." Jim Perry, President, Deerfield River Watershed Association.

CRC promotes #RiverWitness to help people connect with each other online through their shared concern for and appreciation of our rivers. Take a photo or video when you are at the river, participating in the Source to Sea Cleanup, or enjoying time outside. Or make art inspired by river beauty or river pollution. Share on Instagram, include #RiverWitness and tag @ctriverconservancy.

Group leaders who need help finding a cleanup site can check out CRC's map of reported trash sites in need of adoption. Or they can choose a site of their own. Removing litter from parks, city streets, and neighborhoods all contribute to cleaner rivers. Leaders are encouraged to scout the site out beforehand to determine if it's suitable for their group.

Connecticut River Conservancy would also like to thank the following sponsors for supporting this initiative – in some cases for many years! Our lead sponsors are Eversource, USA Waste & Recycling Inc., and All American Waste. With additional support from Athletic Brewing Company, Hypertherm HOPE Foundation, Ashuelot River Hydro, LLC, Charter Next Generation, Chroma Technology, Connecticut River Gateway Commission, Enterprise Holdings, Florence Savings Bank, Great River Hydro, LLC., Greenfield Savings Bank, GZA GeoEnvironmental, Inc., Inter-Fluve, Inc., Jamrog HVAC, PeoplesBank, Prentiss Smith & Co, Reynold's Boats & Reynold's Subaru, Savings Bank of Walpole, SLF, SumCo Eco-Contracting, SWCA Environmental Consultants, TOMRA of North America, Inc, Urban Lodge Brewing, Walmart-Northampton, and Wright Builders. For more information, visit CRC's cleanup info page.

To sign up as a Volunteer or Group Leader, register at https://secure.qgiv.com/event/source2seacleanup2023/.

For any questions about getting involved, contact Stacey Lennard at cleanup@ctriver.org.

About Connecticut River Conservancy:
Since 1952, Connecticut River Conservancy has been a voice for the Connecticut River watershed, from source to sea. They collaborate with partners across four states to protect and advocate for your rivers and educate and engage communities. They bring people together to prevent pollution, improve habitat, and promote enjoyment of your rivers and streams. Healthy rivers support healthy economies. To learn more about CRC, or to make a contribution to help protect your rivers, visit www.ctriver.org.