Aesthetics and the Environment

On April 19, from 6 to 7 p.m., Norfolk Hub Talks will present The Arts of Noticing: Aesthetics and the Environment. Norfolk residents Fox Hysen and Molly Zuckerman-Hartung will present an introduction to an emerging Artist Collective and Residency in Norfolk, exploring questions such as, how can art connect us with a place and the environment of that place and how can art help us to notice the world around us? This will be a virtual Zoom webinar.  

Registration is required online at: norfolkfoundation.net/hub-events 

Celebrate Easter with St. Martin of Tours

The schedule of services for the Easter Triduum at St. Martin of Tours Parish is as follows: Holy Thursday, April 1 at 7 p.m.; Good Friday, April 2 at 3 p.m.; Easter Vigil/Liturgy of Light, April 3 at 8 p.m., all at Immaculate Conception Church in Norfolk. Easter Sunday services will be held at 9 a.m. at St. Mary’s Church in Lakeville and at 11 a.m. at St. Joseph’s Church in Canaan.

Norfolk Artists & Friends 

The spring exhibit of works by Norfolk Artists & Friends will be on display at the Norfolk Library through the months of April and May. Face masks are required in the Library. A video of the exhibit will be posted on the library website.

Travel Series at the Norfolk Library

On Sunday, April 11, at 5 p.m., explore Croatia with photographer and writer Babs Perkins. She’ll take you through the stone streets of Dubrovnik, the boardwalks of Plitvice Lakes, Historic Zadar, lovely Rovinj and maybe a few lesser-known locations too. She’ll share stories from her extensive travel in the region and answer your questions. At the end of the month, on Thursday, April 29, at 5:30 p.m., Michael Cobb will take us to Galicia in northwestern Spain, where he and his wife Martiña, a native of Santiago de Compostela, Galicia, have visited for the past twenty years. Michael will give an overview of the region highlighting interesting places to visit, food, wine, music, culture, and history. You may even hear the music of a Galician bagpiper (the national instrument).  Please register for these two virtual programs on the library website or by calling 860-542-5075.  

Sharon Audubon Center: Birds in Decline

North America’s birds are disappearing from the skies at a rate that’s shocking even to ornithologists. Since the 1970s, the continent has lost three billion birds, nearly 30 percent of the total, and even common birds such as sparrows and blackbirds are in decline. How do we know these statistics, what caused the decline, and what simple actions can we all take to bring back our birds? The Norfolk Library will mark Earth Day on Thursday, April 22, at 5:30 p.m. with a virtual program on birds in decline presented by the Sharon Audubon Center. Please register for the Zoom link on the library website or by calling 860-542-5075. 

Documentary Film Series Celebrating the Earth

This spring, the Norfolk Library and the Green Group at the Norfolk Church of Christ, Congregational (UCC) will present a variety of programs to celebrate the Earth and help foster our connection to nature and inspire stewardship of our planet. The April film is “Birders: The Central Park Effect,” in which a diverse group of full-of-attitude New Yorkers reveals how a hidden world of beautiful wild birds in the middle of Manhattan has upended and magically transformed their lives. At your convenience, watch the selected film, available at the library on DVD and to stream though Kanopy with a Norfolk Library card, and then join us via Zoom for the discussion on Tuesday, April 27, at 7 p.m. Please register on the library website to be emailed the Zoom link.

The Lions Club is Selling Be Kind Signs

Let’s show what “kind” of town Norfolk is by trying to have all the lawns in town displaying “Be Kind” signs. This is a fundraiser for the Lions Club. Signs may be purchased for $10 by contacting Angie Bollard at abollard@comcast.net or 860-201-3135. 

Spring Clean-up Day

On Saturday, April 24, from 9 a.m. to noon, the Community Association needs your help with cleaning up the town after a long, hard winter. Meet outdoors at the Hub. Social distancing guidelines will be followed. There will be suggested cleanup routes and trash drop-off sites. We will provide trash bags, but bring your work gloves and wear appropriate footgear. This event will take place rain or shine.

Bunny Hunt 2021

Norfolk Bunny Hunt 2021! To participate, place a stuffed animal bunny (or other Easter-themed stuffy or stand-in) in your window or your yard April 3-4. Then, on Easter weekend, travel through town and SPOT the Bunnies! Post your pictures on social media, #norfolkbunnyhunt. Selfies are great, but not too close & no touching please! A map of bunny locations will be available online on Friday April 2 at https://tinyurl.com/2hbckshj. So please be sure to check back! 

Summer Fun for Kids

Learn about the kid-friendly places and activities this summer in and around the Norfolk area, moderated by Kelly Kandra Hughes. This is part of Norfolk Hub Talks, and will be a virtual Zoom webinar on April 5 from 6 to 7 p.m. Registration is required online at:  norfolkfoundation.net/hub-events. In case you miss the event, it will be recorded and available to watch at your convenience from the “hub-events” webpage.

Pre-Kindergarten Program at Botelle School

 All children born in 2017 or on January 1, 2018 are eligible for enrollment in Botelle School’s pre-kindergarten program for the 2021 -2022 school year. Please contact the school at 860-542-5286, ext. 200, or email mplasko.norfolk@snet.net to have your child included on our roster for the 2021 – 2022 school year. Registration forms will be mailed out in May.

Save the Date for James Mars Day

A celebration in honor of James Mars, the last slave bought or sold in Norfolk, is scheduled for May 1, time to be determined. The celebration will take place at the Norfolk Church of Christ, where James Mars became a member after gaining his freedom. Speakers include Representative Jahana Hayes, Representative Maria Horn, and a spokesperson from a local chapter of the NAACP.