Category: Past Events

Reducing Behavioral Health Disparities:
The Role of Substance Abuse Prevention
Thursday, March 6. 1:30pm-3:00pm
Parks Place
Bellows Falls

New Community Garden Gathering
Sunday, February 23. 1:30pm
Stone Church
Bellows Falls
Light refreshments provided.

The Food Security Collaborative is partnering with the Stone Church to establish a new community garden on the church grounds for the 2014 growing season!  The garden will offer plots to community members who live and work in the Bellows Falls area.  If you live or work in the Bellows Falls area, see below for details on how to get involved and sign up for a plot!

The garden will be built with the help of local experts during hands-on
workshops designed to teach gardeners and community participants how to build
the soil and get started with planting.  Throughout the growing season
gardeners will have the opportunity to attend additional workshops and will
have the support of the Food Security Collaborative to have a successful
gardening experience.

To kick-off the garden planning, a gathering will be held for anyone
interested in having a plot at the new Stone Church Garden.  This gathering
will be held on Sunday, February 23 at 1:30pm at the Stone Church in the
Chapel.  Light refreshments provided.

For more information and to RSVP please contact Food Security Collaborative
Project Manager, Kari Gypson at kgypson@yahoo.com or 802-282-8669.

Is Poverty Making Us Sick? Brown-Bag Lunch Webinar
Thursday, January 30. Noon-1:00pm
Parks Place (2nd Floor)
44 School St.
Bellows Falls

Is Poverty Making Us Sick?

Tracy Dolan, Deputy Commissioner of Public Health, Vermont Department of Health

Using Vermont statistics and personal stories, Deputy Commissioner Dolan will challenge our assumptions about what it means for people who live in poverty to have access to health services, and describes some of the hidden challenges people living in poverty face related to positive health behavior change.

This will be an hour-long webinar provided by Greater Falls Connections. Bring your own lunch or something to share!

For more information, contact Chad Simmons by clicking here or calling 802.463.9927 ext 210.

Cooking and Freezing Local Food Workshop
Sunday, February 16. 1:00pm
Immanuel Episcopal Church, Bellows Falls

The workshop is free, though we always pass the hat to support our presenters.
Because of limited space, registration is required. To do so, call Tim
Stevenson, 802.869.2141.

THERE IS STILL SPACE AVAILABLE!!  CALL TO REGISTER!!

Our workshop presenter is Rachel Ware who, with her husband, runs their
AlpineGlo Farm in Westminster. Rachel will feature winter available vegetables
broccoli and carrots, and, perhaps, chicken. She will demonstrate the best way
to wash and cut up vegetables, how to simply freeze them, from blanching
through the freezing process, and then how to cook blanched vegetables by
adding them to three different recipes.Rachel will also show how to freeze the
three different prepared meals, along with best packaging and reheating
techniques.

Sponsored by the Food Security Collaborative.

The Food Security Collaborative is a project of Post Oil Solutions and is
active in the communities of Rockingham, Bellows Falls, Westminster, Saxtons
River, Cambridgeport, Grafton, and Athens. Its mission is to achieve greater
food security through the development of a garden-based local food system
resulting in enhanced civic pride, a stronger local economy, and a more
sustainable environment. For further information, contact Kari Gypson,
Collaborative Program Manager, kgypson@yahoo.co

January Coalition Gathering
Friday, January 17. 12-1:30pm
44 School St.
Bellows Falls, VT 05101

Happy New Year! As part of GFC efforts to prevent the abuse and misuse of prescription drugs, we are kicking off 2014 with stories, discussion and action surrounding local prevention efforts. Through our collective efforts, we can build community and prevent the devastating effects of Rx drug abuse.

Free, home cooked lunch will be served. All are welcome.

RSVP at our Facebook Event here.

Holiday Celebration
Thursday, December 19. 5-6pm
44 School St.
Bellows Falls, VT 05101

Save the date. Join us for some December cheer, warm beverages and some creative fun as we look towards 2014! Kids from the Boys & Girls Club of Bellows Falls will lead the fun. Everyone is welcome!

Oh, and we’ll also be announcing our next A.C.E. Award! Who’s it going to be?!? Check out more about A.C.E. and our previous recipient here.

RSVP at our Facebook event here.

Thursday, November 21. All day.

Today is your day to be a quitter. Each year, the American Cancer Society encourages smokers to use the third Thursday of November as the day to make a plan to quit. Community groups, leaders and schools are joining together to promote the Great American Smokeout. We are also using the day to support the activities of our local Vermont Quit Partners.

As a special promotion of this year’s Great American Smokeout, Greater Falls Connections is sponsoring a free turkey raffle. The winner will receive a 16-18 pound, free-range turkey provided by Harlow’s Organics. Harlow’s is an organic family farm in Westminster. To enter, contact Laura Schairbaum at 802.463.9927 ext 213. You can also stop by the Great Falls Regional Chamber of Commerce to enter the raffle and see our window display.

Thursday, November 21. 6:00pm

A follow-up discussion to the film screening of “Bully.” Youth, parents, community leaders and those concerned with the profound impact of bullying and intimidation are invited to participate in a constructive and informative discussion. A panel of speakers will provide information and context for the discussion.

This event is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be provided.

Location:
Rockingham Free Public Library
65 Westminster St.
Bellows Falls, VT 05101

RSVP and share our Facebook event Here.

Haven’t seen the movie yet? View the trailer below and watch the film with your family or students.

Patch Team Discussion: Food Accessibility & Affordability
Thursday, October 17. 9:30-11:00am

Monthly Patch Team discussion focusing on making food more accessible and affordable.

1) The immediate needs of our community

2) Share what is currently happening in the community (ex: Our Place services, Garden Collaborative initiatives, faith-based meals, Boys & Girls Club Family Food nights, etc.)

3) Tie it all to the long term vision and initiatives to make healthy food
accessible and affordable (i.e. forum on food including local businesses, organizations, residents. Also, pursuing a local food policy council, identifying policies at the local level to support food security efforts)

4) How individuals and groups can support and get involved in the items
above

Location:
Parks Place Resource Center
44 School St.
Bellows Falls, VT
05101