The Mad River Valley Village

Cellos in the Morning
2023-06-10 11:00 - 13:00 (America/New_York) | Moretown Town Hall and Library, 1147 Route 100B, Moretown, 05660
Drop in to hear Suzanne Smith, principal cellist of the Montpelier Chamber Orchestra, and a group of friends and neighbors as they play pieces for cello ensemble. The family friendly event will also include several musical children’s stories in between and the group will be available for questions and give you a chance to get up close to a cello!

Good Citizen Challenge
2023-07-17 18:00 - 19:00
Created and sponsored by Seven Days and KidsVT, this Challenge asks participants to find the answers to some questions about their community and to consider what we can do when we work together, the impact we can have, and the messages we can send to each other about how we should act. We will focus on completing one of the challenges listed on the bingo card. Finish a row of five activities and receive a Good Citizen sticker and patch, a pocket-sized U.S. Constitution, and an invitation to a fall reception at the Vermont Statehouse, with special recognition given to those who fill in their whole card. Best for elementary/middle school-aged children. Part of the MRV Libraries “All Together Now” summer learning program.

Pizza & PG-13 Movie Night
2023-10-28 18:30 - 21:00
Come to Moretown Library for a Halloween themed movie night geared towards anyone who watches PG-13 rated titles and featuring free pizza! Bring any other snacks or beverages and a cozy chair (or use one of ours). Visit our website for the movie title (hint: Cousin IT makes an appearance).

Climate and Ecology Film Discussion: Surviving the ’72 Flood
2024-01-16 17:30 - 19:30
🌿We’re excited to announce our partnership with the Mad River Valley Libraries on a monthly environmental-themed book club. For January, in partnership with the Moretown Library, we’re excited to mix things up and watch a documentary instead! 🌿
We’ll be watching and discussing two documentaries:
The first tells the story of the 1972 Rapid City flood in South Dakota. We’ll hear firsthand from the town’s residents about their experience on the day of the flood and from the town officials on steps taken afterward to prevent future flood devastation. The second is closer to home and talks a bit about a similar preventative technique but at a much smaller scale being applied in Montpelier in the aftermath of the July 2023 flood.
This event is free and open to the public. Please register below if you’d like to attend and contact onome@friendsofthemadriver.org with questions.
Please note that the Moretown Memorial Library is located in the Town Hall.

Moretown Library Chili Cook-Off
2024-02-17 16:00 - 18:00
Tickets are now on sale for the Friends of the Moretown Library’s second annual chili cook-off, a community event that is sure to heat up a cold winter afternoon. Last year’s event was so much fun that we had to make it a tradition!
Tickets are $10 each. Your ticket will get you a sample tasting of each chili made by our very talented volunteer chili chefs. Then, vote for your favorite recipe. Prizes for the winning recipes are from Sugarbush, Mad River Glen, Oles, and many other local businesses. It’s a lot of chili, so bring your appetites. Beverages, sides, and desserts will be sold separately.
Details: Saturday, Feb. 17, 2024, 4:00-6:00pm
Location: The historic Moretown Town Hall / Library
Parking: Park at the Town Hall, or the community parking lot by Moretown Elementary and the Town Office.
Tickets are $10 each. Buy your tickets here: https://tinyurl.com/FMMLChiliCookOff2024

Seed Swap
2024-03-23 10:00 - 13:00
Join your friends and neighbors in getting ready for the upcoming growing season with a community seed swap hosted by the MRV Libraries and ShareMRV. We invite you to drop your seeds to swap off at Joslin, Moretown or Warren libraries the week before the swap: March 16-22. Seeds should not be more than two years old and mark them clearly in packets. All remaining seeds after the swap will be donated to our Little Seed Libraries.

Comics and Queerness in Vermont and Beyond
2024-03-24 16:00 - 17:30
Vermont Cartoonist Laureate, Tillie Walden, will facilitate a discussion about the intersection of indie comics with queer identity through her many graphic novels—from science fiction to memoir to historical retelling. Come and explore the power of visual narrative and learn why comics are relevant to Vermonters and beyond. This event is sponsored by the Vermont Humanities Council.

Author Talk: To Walk It Is to See It
2024-03-26 18:00 - 19:00
Join us at the Moretown Library as author Kathy Elkind reads from her memoir ” To Walk It Is To See It: 1 Couple, 98 Days, 1400 Miles on Europe’s GR5″, and shares a short slideshow and her writing process. Free refreshments provided! Please RSVP at our website to let us know you are attending.

Climate & Ecology Book Discussion: The Omnivore’s Dilemma
2024-04-18 18:00 - 19:30
Join the Friends of the Mad River and the Mad River Valley Libraries for a climate and ecology-themed book discussion. In April, we will be discussing “The Omnivore’s Dilemma” by Michael Pollan.
In The Omnivore’s Dilemma, Pollan explores our food choices and their connection to our health and survival as a species and offers a glimpse into America’s food and agriculture business. Join us for this discussion which will be co-facilitated by a Harwood High School student studying Food Systems.
Copies of the book are available to check out from Moretown Memorial Library and other MRV Libraries.

VT Kindness Project: Returning Home to Ourselves
2024-05-30 18:00 - 19:00
Come to the Moretown Library for a free wellness event with trauma educator and local PA Kimberly Pierce, and view her short film followed by a discussion on the impacts of stress and childhood trauma, and what we can do to help heal ourselves. Light refreshments provided. RSVP here: https://forms.gle/FYnJg154TGewD1hw5
The Vermont Kindness Project believes that all life is sacred and that our world would be a better place if we all had universal education about the medical science of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). This research proves what we already know to be true, that stress leaves physical, emotional, and spiritual wounds in our bodies. Dr. Robert Anda, the author of the ACE study tells us that “what is predictable is preventable;” yet how do we prevent that which we cannot even speak? The ACEs framework is the language, and by bearing witness, we remove shame and empower ourselves and each other. The Vermont Kindness Project believes that the time is now to create a brighter and more loving world, and that kindness to ourselves, our fellow humans, and the earth can and should save the world.

Birding By Ear Workshop
2024-06-01 15:00 - 2024-06-02 16:30
Have you ever wondered which bird is making what sound in the overwhelming chorus of song this time of year?
Then join the library and the Mad Birders as we delve into the exciting world of birding using our ears. We will meet indoors on Saturday afternoon to learn the basics, then practice these skills on an outdoor walk Sunday morning. Both sessions are free, and all ages are welcome. Visit our website for more information.

Juneteenth Emancipation Day Storytime
2024-06-15 10:30 - 11:30
The Mad River Valley Libraries announce a day of free, celebratory Juneteenth events for all ages. Each library will host a special event aimed at different audiences.
The Juneteenth celebration day kicks off with a special storytime designed for children ages 0-5 with their caregivers and siblings. Children will enjoy Juneteenth-themed picture books and crafts.

Solstice Yoga with Anjali Budreski
2024-06-20 09:30 - 10:45
Join Anjali at the Moretown Library at the Moretown Town Hall for a gentle and inclusive yoga class to celebrate the APEX point on the wheel of the year. Celebrate the start of summer with movement, breath, joy, flow and an open heart. What is in full bloom inside of your own heart? What are you creating with the vibrant summer energy?
This is a community class geared for all levels. Donations of $5-15 are appreciated but no one will be turned away for lack of funds. Bring your own yoga mat and water bottle, as well as any props you like to have with you.
Visit the library’s website to sign up, or register here: https://forms.gle/v4qdCKaaPXohbmQH6

Thank You Moretown Road Crew and Town Community Potluck
2024-08-22 17:00 - 19:00
All community members are invited to come together at the Moretown Town Hall for a potluck in appreciation of the road crew and town office staff who have given many extra hours during the flooding events last month and over the past year. Please consider bringing a dish to share, along with your own plates, cups and utensils. Visit Moretown Library’s website to RSVP or email moretownlibrary@gmail.com directly. We hope to see you there for good food and conversation with friends and neighbors.

Learn to Texas Two Step
2024-09-24 18:30 - 2024-10-08 20:00
Join instructor Jean Elizabeth Shockley from Vermont Swings at the Moretown Library for a fun three week series. If you can walk, you can 2-step! Two-step is a traveling partner dance (that’s where the walking comes in) that can add enjoyment to the music you love listening to. In our time together, you’ll learn the basic steps and rhythm of the dance, how to connect with your partner, and several fun moves that will keep you 2-stepping for years to come.
No partner necessary, please bring shoes that allow you to shuffle and spin without much resistance. Best suited for ages 14 and up. Donations of $5-15 per class are greatly appreciated but no one will be turned away for lack of funds.
We look forward to dancing with you this fall!

Equinox Yoga With Anjali
2024-09-29 09:30 - 10:45
Autumn days come quickly, like the running of a hound on the moor. –Irish proverb
Join Anjali Budreski for a deep stretch and gentle flow to welcome the season of Autumn. Enjoy a thoughtfully curated yoga flow and end with a blissful guided relaxation. We will gently release the energy of summer and welcome the gifts and gold of fall. Rather than fearing the colder, darker months, we might recognize that they hold a potent opportunity to slow down, listen and do less, not more. Please bring your own yoga mat and water bottle, as well as any props you like to have with you.
This is a community class geared for all levels. Donations of $5-$15 are greatly appreciated but no one will be turned away for lack of funds.

Journeys on the Long Trail
2024-10-04 18:00 - 19:30
Join Sandi Pierson for a presentation on this 272 mile trail along the crest of the Green Mountains from Massachusetts to Canada. Sandi has hiked the trail alone, with her four sisters, twice with her son and always with a pup by her side. Light refreshments will be served.

Around the World in 120 Days
2024-10-11 19:00 - 20:30
Join Moretown Resident Bill Nowlan at Moretown Library for an evening of human interest stories and photographs from a recent four month journey that took him literally around the world . While traveling with Semester at Sea, a floating college campus, he visited nine countries in Asia and Africa . With six days in each port, Bill had time for meaningful exploration and interaction with the local communities. He says he came home a changed man. Light refreshments will be served.

VT Kindness Project: The Faces of Aces
2024-10-17 18:00 - 19:30
A presentation on the cutting edge science of trauma and resilience, followed by a
screening of the film The Faces of ACEs, a discussion, and a demonstration of a few simple techniques for regulating stress.
Facilitated by filmmaker and trauma educator Kimberly Pierce, founder of The Vermont Kindness Project. No registration required!

Welcoming Disagreement and Difference: Introducing the Skill of Real Dialogue
2024-10-20 16:00 - 18:00
Are you tired of conflicts and misunderstandings?
Struggling to get your point across?
Avoiding conflicts because they don’t teach you anything?
Facing family estrangement, divorce, or alienation?
Dealing with endless disputes at work?
Feeling hopeless about political polarization?
What is Real Dialogue?
Real Dialogue is a conflict transformation skill that, when practiced in difficult conversations, helps us to avoid polarization by lowering emotional threat, overcoming stereotypes and biases, and transforming breakdown into breakthroughs. The skill and method of Real Dialogue heal divisions by allowing both sides to be respected — fostering a resilient and creative social and emotional environment.
Key Skills
You will be introduced to three key skills: Speaking for Yourself, Listening Mindfully, and Remaining Curious. These practices will help you increase problem-solving abilities and reduce polarization at home, work, and your community.
About the Center for Real Dialogue
The Center for Real Dialogue aims to end polarization in relationships at home, work, and beyond. We
transform relationships by breaking cycles of emotional disrespect and violence, fostering unity and
connection. Our mission is to equip people with healthy dialogue skills, reduce emotional threats and biases, and promote inclusive problem-solving. Join us in creating a respectful and interconnected world where all voices are heard and valued.

Puzzle Swap
2024-11-02 10:00 - 14:00
Bring your puzzles (with all of their pieces) to Moretown Library to share anytime up to and during the swap, and then come take some new-to-you ones home for the colder, darker months ahead. Don’t have a puzzle to share? No problem, there are plenty to choose from!

“River” Nature Documentary Screening
2025-01-30 18:00 - 19:45
Join Friends of the Mad River and Moretown Library for a screening of the visually stunning documentary “River” narrated by Willem Dafoe. With gripping music and breathtaking shots of river systems around the world, this film explores the timeless relationship between humans and rivers.
There will be popcorn provided!
Check out the film’s trailer at https://youtu.be/EBgIKJ6YhVY?feature=shared.
Note: In the case of inclement weather, the back up date for this screening with be February 3rd at 6 pm.

Learn to Line Dance
2025-02-04 18:30 - 19:30, 2025-02-11 18:30 - 19:30, 2025-02-18 18:30 - 19:30
Join instructor Jean Elizabeth Shockley from Atomic Ranch Dance at the Moretown Library for a fun three week series and learn the basics of line dancing, no partner necessary!
Registration is Required, best suited for ages 14 and up.
Donations of $5-15 per class are greatly appreciated but no one will be turned away for lack of funds.

3rd Annual Chili Cook Off
2025-02-15 16:00 - 18:00
Join us for the Friends of the Moretown Library’s third annual chili cook-off, a community event that is sure to heat up a cold winter afternoon.
Tickets are $10 each. Your ticket will get you a sample tasting of each chili made by our talented volunteer chili chefs. Then, vote for your favorite recipe. Prizes for the winning recipes include Bar Hill, Mad River Glen, Sugarbush SHARC, Salt & Rind, and more! It’s a lot of chili, so bring your appetites.
Beverages, sides, and desserts will be sold separately. All proceeds benefit the Friends of the Moretown Library.
Parking: Park at the Town Hall, or the community parking lot by Moretown Elementary and the Town Office.

Bear Haiku Challenge
2025-03-25 00:00 - 23:59, 2025-03-26 00:00 - 23:59
Celebrate National Poetry Month with The MRV Libraries and MRV Bear Initiative!
We invite all in the community to contribute a bear-themed haiku for display at local businesses throughout April and May. People of all ages may submit their haiku about bears using this form: https://forms.gle/f17U5tWVMHtVqeoF7
or by picking up a paper copy at any of the MRV Libraries. Submissions will be accepted until April 30.
What are Haiku, again?
Haiku are a form of poetry originating in Japan. Each haiku contains seventeen syllables divided into three lines. The first and last line each contain five syllables while the second line contains seven syllables. Here’s a bear-themed haiku by Megan Sharkey of Alaska:
Garbage on the porch
is the best way to get a
bear on short notice
We welcome submissions by children, teens, and adults. Everyone who submits a haiku may pick up a free MRV Bear Initiative magnet available at any MRV library. Let’s celebrate poetry, community, and bear awareness together!
What is the Mad River Valley Bear Initiative?
The Mad River Valley Bear Initiative is a local volunteer group that raises awareness about the bears that live around us in the Valley. Members come from the 5 towns in our watershed: Warren, Waitsfield, Fayston, Duxbury, and Moretown. Find out more at https://mrvbears.org.
