Saturday, July 12 ~ 6:00-10:00 p.m.
Light Up the Night!
Get ready for an unforgettable glow-up! Join Sunset Socials for a vibrant night of music, lights, and nonstop fun!
Wear your brightest neon
Dance under UV lights
Enjoy live DJ sets spinning the hottest tracks
Capture glowing memories with friends
Whether you're coming to party or just enjoy the vibes, this night is all about electric energy and luminous celebration. There will be something for everyone with glow in the dark chalk, brown sugar lemonade, snow cones, organic wines and local Timberyard Beer and a great show that includes dancing LED robots. Stop by The Farm Stand to pick up tickets for free admission between 6:00-7:00.
At Winchendon Community Park, 86 Ingleside Dr
For complete information, see www.facebook.com/events/1430075321565144
Sponsored by Winchendon Parks & Recreation Commission and Winchendon Community Park
This Week's Winchendon News
WPS Superintendent Dr. Marc Gosselin Leaves District
The Superintendent of the Winchendon School District, Dr. Marc Gosselin, "has fulfilled his contract with the Winchendon Public Schools and has moved on," according to a statement released by the Winchendon School Committee and signed by Chair Michael Barbaro on Tuesday, July 8. Many people in town reacted with shock when they heard the news.
Currently, former Assistant Superintendent Charlotte King is serving as Acting Superintendent. "We are going to do a 90 day contract" with Ms. King "and go from there," Mr. Barbaro told the Courier.
Dr. Gosselin was named Interim Superintendent in summer of 2024 following the departure of previous Interim Superintendent Dr. Ruthann Petruno-Goguen. In December 2024, he signed a contract to take the permanent Superintendent position until June 30, 2025, when it would be renegotiated.
The Courier found that Dr. Gosselin was recently a finalist for the position of Superintendent in the Monson Public School District. The Monson School Committee chose another candidate in early June, hiring Roland Joyal Jr., who interviewed with the Winchendon School Committee during their Superintendent search in summer of 2023. The Monson position, according to the school district's published FY26 budget, offers a salary $20,000 lower than the FY26 salary budgeted for Superintendent in the Winchendon School District.
In a message to the Courier via LinkedIn, Dr. Gosselin said, "Winchendon is a wonderful community, and I will miss it deeply. I'm proud that we improved scores, improved attendance, and improved graduation rates. More importantly I am proud of the connections and relationships that I had with students. I loved the conversations and fist-bumps in the hallways, and found so much joy in eating lunch with the kids, attending their games and shows, and working out with our athletes in the weight room.
"As Winchendon looks ahead I hope that they continue a laser focus on improving learning in every classroom, every period, every day. Our kids and community deserve nothing less. Continued efforts to improve early reading and math skills will remain crucial to the success of the schools and unlocking the greatest potential for our kids' future dreams."
Community Connector "Microtransit" Launches with Official Ribbon Cutting
Community Connector van with its brand new "wrap"
Photo by Inanna Arthen
The ribbon is officially snipped by the Connector's first rider, Joe, as Rep. Jon Zlotnik (at left) and members of the Community Connector team look on
Photo by Jill Nicholson Sackett
During the bi-monthly Community Partnership Breakfast on Tuesday, July 8, Winchendon's new "microtransit" system, The Community Connector, got its official ribbon-cutting ceremony in front of the Old Murdock Senior Center. The system has been running for several months, "leveling up" continuously as different components came online. The ribbon cutting had been planned to take place during the Food Truck Festival on June 28, but was bumped ahead so that everyone could attend.
Parked in front of the Senior Center was a Community Connector van with brand new "wrapping" displaying the Community Connector logo and icon. Chairs were set up under popup tents, the Community Connector's shiny new banner was displayed, there were flowers and swag bags for drivers and team members, brand new Community Connector t-shirts, and complimentary mini-cupcakes for everyone.
Program Director Miranda Jennings thanked everyone for being there. "We had to do this," she explained, "the transportation program has been running and in creation for about a year, but we had to do some special thing because it is just so special, and it has been made possible by a whole community of people. It started when Chelsea [Patriss] from the Health Equity Partnership called and said, 'Hey, does the town of Winchendon want to apply for this grant?'" Said grant, from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT), being for $500,000 and due in a week.
"I didn't think little Winchendon would get this grant," Ms. Jennings said, "but we did, and it's been an amazing opportunity. It's an innovation grant. So it was for us to do something innovative that wasn't the run of the mill, and it's not fair that to live in a rural community, you have to own a car. That's not how it should be. So this grant is all about building universal access to transportation, so that whether you live in the city or a rural town, you have access to transportation. We formed a task force of residents, of many of whom are up here today--Inanna, Jane, Nancy, Paul, and Bonnie. This group of people met every other week to design what this transportation system would be."
The Transportation Coordinator who guided the process was Katie Johnson, who recently left to take a full time job as she finishes getting her Masters in Social Work. She was not able to attend the ceremony. Ms. Jennings went on, "But they just worked so hard and made this all possible and built off what was already a really solid team of people and a transportation system here at the Senior Center, but brought it to a whole other level."
The Community Connector now has an app which riders can download from the Apple or Google Play stores and use to schedule their rides. The number of rides provided by the system has already tripled from what it was a year ago.
"We also really thought about the name," Ms. Jennings said. "It wasn't just a transportation project. It was about connecting our community--to food, to health, to jobs, to recreation. We're bringing people to work every day. We're bringing people to medical appointments, to the amphitheater, to all the wonderful places around town, to Hampton Beach...it's a web, here we go with the web analogy again, that it's not just about vehicles. We put a lot of effort into communication. So the grant is funding for a year the print copy of the Winchendon Courier. We're excited to partner with Inanna to do that, but that is why the paper is free. It's through this grant we also...instead of creating a standalone webpage for transportation, we are investing in the entire website for the town. So we've really used it to try to connect all of the pieces, because it is really interconnected, and the vehicles are what's connecting all of it."
Ms. Jennings called the drivers and Senior Center team up, including Jen, the dispatcher who has been juggling it all for so long, saying, "They have all been driven to the brink of insanity, and they're still here." She passed out flowers and swag bags to each of them.
State Representative Jon Zlotnik took the mic to say, "Whenever Miranda calls to ask me to help her get a grant, I'm always very happy to do it. I know that if she's going for it, it's something that really means a lot to the town, and something that's been been really vetted and really well thought through. And transportation is so critical in these small towns, like many of the ones I represent. And, you know, the state's been putting a lot of money into RTAs, bolstering up the backbone of that infrastructure, but the 'last mile' piece can be really challenging, especially in small towns. Every town I have has some version of this. Winchendon is the first and only one with an app, which is really cool, but the solution is going to look a little bit different in each town, because the challenge is a little bit different in each town, to make sure you can get that point to point transportation, that you can get that last mile covered to make people's lives work in rural parts of the state, rural parts of the country.
"So I'm always thrilled to see the innovative stuff that's going on here, cobbling together a bunch of different people, a bunch of different programs to make this work, is exactly what we need to do to make rural communities work. Very excited to be a part of this, and like I said, anytime Miranda calls me up to support something, I know it's a good idea."
Community Connector task force member Jane LaPointe said, "I wanted to say that when Miranda invited people to take a ride, the rides aren't just for people who don't have cars. We really want to encourage people who do have cars to also try using our community transportation system, the Community Connector, to connect with the community and to really help to lift this thing off the ground and keep it going."
The honor of wielding the giant scissors went to Joe, who Miranda called one of the inspirations for the whole idea, and their "pioneer rider." She said, "he called right when this program started, even before we got the grant, and said, I need to get to work. I want to work, and I don't know a way to get there. Can you guys help us? And we were like, We don't know, but we're gonna figure it out. And then this grant happened, and Joe was here, and now there's multiple other people that rely on the service for employment." Joe is also going to be working in dispatch, a very large job.
With cell phones videorecording and snapping photos, the blue ribbon was snipped to cheers and applause. It was a moment that all those present had been anticipating for almost a full year.
The Winchendon Community Connector had been ramping up to begin charging fares for rides as of July 1, but will not be charging fares for the foreseeable future. Ms. Jennings was notified on Friday, June 27 that MART will be continuing to offer rides at no cost. The Community Connector closely collaborates with MART and utilizes some of MART's vehicles, so it will be observing the same policy.
Riders can still use the Community Connector app to schedule their rides, and are strongly encouraged to do so. The app is free and can be downloaded from the Google Play or Apple app stores. The app is provided by the scheduling software, Via, and has the Community Connector icon to identify it. Riders can also call 978-297-3155 to request a ride. Riders are asked to schedule their rides 24 hours in advance.
Lifeflight Lands in Clark Field for Medical Transfer
An emergency medical call from the Clark Memorial YMCA on Tuesday, July 8 at 10:38 a.m. led to a Medevac helicopter being called to the field by the Clark for a dramatic and highly efficient transfer to a distant hospital. Witnesses described the patient under care being whisked to the helicopter on a stretcher and on their way to the hospital in a matter of minutes.
The town of Winchendon contracts with the Clark for the use of its field in medical emergencies, as the field is one of the few places in town with sufficient space for a helicopter to land and take off, and is also centrally located in the middle of town and close to main roads such as Rtes 12 and 202. The town budgets $10,000 per year for this contract (under the category of Board of Selectmen in the budget), although in some years the funds are not all expended.
The patient being transferred had been at the Clark when their medical emergency took place. The Winchendon Fire Department told the Courier that they have no updates as to that person's condition.
The Lifeflight helicopter waits on the field for its patient
Photo by Jill Nicholson Sackett
The Lifeflight helicopter lifts off
Photo by Jill Nicholson Sackett
Upcoming Summer Events at the Beals Memorial Library
Enjoy the comedic juggling talents of performer, Bryson Lang, at the Beals Memorial Library
Photo courtesy of Beals Memorial Library
The Beals Memorial Library in Winchendon invites the whole community to level up their summer by joining their annual Summer Reading Club from June 23 to August 16! This year's theme, "Level Up at Your Library", centers around games and play, and the library will have fun programs, activities, stories, and more for the entire family to enjoy. Here's what's going on the week of July 14 - July 19:
On Tuesday, July 15, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., join the library and the Winchendon CFCE for an interactive reading adventure out on the library lawn with the second of this summer's Storywalks! Follow the path set up throughout the library lawn to discover an exciting, new story each week. The second Storywalk of the month will feature the book, Pete the Cat: Play Ball!, by James Dean. Pete the Cat is ready to play baseball with his team, but what will he do when the game doesn't go his way? Find out by coming to the Storywalk! Each child will receive a free copy of the book while supplies last!
On Wednesday, July 16, at 12:00 p.m., teenagers are invited to come play at the library's Teen Library Hide & Seek! Enjoy an hour of fun and play where you get to explore hidden nooks and crannies throughout the library, hide in the stacks, and challenge friends and staff to find the best hiding place in the library! Sign up today to join!
Finally, on Thursday, July 17, at 2:00 p.m., enjoy a Juggling Show and Workshop with professional juggler, Bryson Lang! Enjoy and be amazed as he takes both ordinary and out-of-the-ordinary objects and literally spins them into a visual tapestry in a distinctive and dynamic way. After the performance, he'll conduct a juggling clinic to teach the art form to the young participants.
The Winchendon CFCE is funded by a grant from the MA Dept. of Early Education & Care. The Summer Reading Club's programs and events are sponsored in partnership with the Friends of
the Beals Library, the Winchendon CFCE, the Winchendon Cultural Council, the Winchendon Public Schools and the See Beyond the Spectrum Initiative.
The Beals Memorial Library is located at 50 Pleasant Street in Winchendon. For more information, contact the library at 978-297-0300 or visit their website at bealslibrary.org.
Beals Prize for Poetry - Call for Entries
WINCHENDON, MA, July 10 - The Beals Memorial Library in Winchendon, Massachusetts seeks entries into the sixth annual Beals Prize for Poetry. Ten finalists will be chosen by the judges to read their work at the awards presentation on Thursday, September 25, 2025. Prize money of $250, $100 and $50 will be awarded to the top three competition finalists. Submissions for the contest are now being accepted through Friday, August 15.
Entrants may submit only one, original and unpublished poem. Contestants must live in Massachusetts or in one of these New Hampshire towns: Keene, Swanzey, Richmond, Fitzwilliam, Troy, Marlborough, Dublin, Peterborough, Jaffrey, Rindge, New Ipswich, Greenville, and Sharon. Submissions must be emailed to: bealspoetryprize@gmail.com (Word docs preferred). Competition finalists will be notified on or before Friday, September 12. All entries will be judged blindly. Previous Beals Prize first place winners are not eligible to participate, and submitters should be at least 18 years of age.
The judges for this year's competition are poets Sara Letourneau, 2023 winner of the Beals Prize for Poetry, Managing Editor at Heart of the Story Editorial & Coaching Services and author of "Wild Gardens"; Maria Williams, author of White Doe, which won the 2023 Verse Daily Prize, and A Love Letter to Say There is No Love; and Cleo Rohn, current holder of the 2024 Beals Prize for Poetry.
The Beals Prize for Poetry is funded in part by the Winchendon Cultural Council and by the Friends of the Beals Memorial Library. Call the Library at 978-297-0300 or go to bealslibrary.org for more information.
Blues, Brews and BBQ Returns to Winchendon Community Park on Saturday, July 19
Get ready to kick back and enjoy the soulful sounds of Memphis Kelley featuring Cailte Kelley, followed by a powerhouse headlining performance from Grammy-nominated blues legend Anthony Geraci. Savor mouthwatering bites from top BBQ food trucks and sample a variety of brews that perfectly pair with the music and the mood. It’s the perfect summer night out--great music, delicious food, and cold drinks under the open sky. It all happens on Saturday, July 19, 4:00-9:00 p.m. at the Winchendon Community Park, 86 Ingleside Dr. Tickets $15 per person, available at www.eventeny.com/events/ticket/. Sponsored by Winchendon Parks & Recreation Commission, Winchendon Community Park and Anthony Geraci
Anthony Geraci is a two time Blues Music Award (BMA) Winner from The Blues
Foundation in Memphis, TN for Instrumentalist-Piano/Pinetop Perkins Piano Award.
Anthony has been nominated for the award again this year. He has 18 personal BMA
Nominations as well as a Grammy Nomination for Super Harps I (Telarc). His recent
recording Tears In My Eyes (Blue Heart) debuted on The Billboard Blues Chart.
Anthony has toured world wide for over 40 years with Ronnie Earl, Sugar Ray and the
Bluetones, The Proven Ones, and his own band The Boston Blues All-Stars which were
nominated 3 times for Band of the Year by the Blues Foundation. He has recorded with
traditional blues artists such as Odetta, Big Walter Horton, John Brim, Lazy Lester,
Carey Bell...and contemporary blues artists Kenny Neal, Debbie Davies, John Primer,
Welch/Ledbetter, Charlie Musselwhite, Sugaray Rayford, Zora Young and many more.
He has also toured with Otis Rush, J.B. Hutto, Hubert Sumlin, Big Joe Turner. He has
backed up Big Mama Thorton and John Lee Hooker, and has had the honor to sit in
with Muddy Waters and B.B King.
"Anthony Geraci has long been part of the bedrock of the Boston-Providence
blues scene. In recent years, he has stepped out of the seaside shadows into the limelight of international acclaim, largely on the strength of feature albums. Tears keeps the momentum going. Blessed with a fraught musical imagination and considerable ability on piano or organ, Geraci airs out a set of original songs of blues or bluesy persuasions."
4 Star review in Downbeat Magazine by Frank-John Hadley.
"Tears In My Eyes, Anthony Geraci - on piano, Hammond organ, and vocals. I'm
talking about the kind of stuff that would garner as many as ten Blues Music Award
Nominations for one release. It appears that Anthony's dues are paid in full and it's now his time to shine."
Mary 4 Music by Peter Blewzzman Lauro.
Learn more at www.anthonygeraciblue.com
