October at Waterbury Public Library
October 4, 2024 | By Judi Byron Schedules shift to fall mode this month at the Waterbury Public Library. Here is a rundown of highlights of the free programs for adults offered now through the season, with many continuing into winter and spring.
For more information on these and all library offerings for all ages, visit the library’s website at waterburypubliclibrary.com.
Board Games move to Tuesday
Participants at Board Game night at the Waterbury Public library (left to right) Robert Bradford, Ken Boring, Evan Hoffman and Dan Barone. Photo by Judi Byron
Board Game Night with Robert Bradford is back for fall through spring on a new schedule: the first Tuesday of the month, 6-8 p.m.
Robert (he/him) and Z (they/them) invite all gamers to experience Euro-styled board games, also known as Designer Games with a mix of skill and chance and fun. Some examples: Ticket to Ride, Catan, Concordia, and Wingspan to name a few. All games will be explained before play, and gamers are welcome to bring one or two of their favorites as well. Please no Monopoly or Checkers. Pizza will be served. To register, email judi@waterburypubliclibrary.com Our first game night of the season comes up this Tuesday, October 1st from 6-8 in the Library’s SAL Room.
Also taking place on Tuesdays is Autumn Watercolor. For beginners and artists alike, this autumn series with Pauline Nolte will introduce you to and fine-tune your watercolor techniques. Demonstration, instruction and independent work. Register with judi@waterburypubliclibrary.com. Though November 12th in the Steele Room from 10:30-12:30.
Chair Yoga Wednesdays
Chair Yoga with Diana Whitney takes place on Wednesdays via Zoom from 10:30-11:30 a.m. Diana is a superb teacher with clear instruction. If you’ve never taken Chair Yoga before, you are in for a treat! Gentle but strong movements in both chair and on the feet make for a complete workout. It is a wonderful way to loosen and stretch your muscles, reduce stress, and improve circulation. To join, go to the library’s website for the Zoom link: waterburypubliclibrary.com/chair-yoga/. You can also enjoy the many videos recorded over the past few years.
Waterbury Bridge Club returns
After a summer break the Waterbury Bridge Club is back for the fall led by Grace Sweet and Millie Merrill who are always looking for new bridge players.
They play Duplicate Bridge on Thursdays from 12:30-4:30 p.m. What is Duplicate Bridge? Simply put, each hand is played twice, albeit by different players. Usually there are 3-4 tables with 12-16 players. If more come, you are welcome to watch and get in the next play. Call Millie at 802-522-3523 or Grace 802-244-7123 for more information.
If you don’t feel ready to jump into an established bridge group, come check out Basic Bridge for Beginners also on Thursdays but from 6-8 p.m. The class runs through October with the exception of Oct. 24 when there is no class. You will learn the basics of bridge – how to count cards, bid, take tricks, and most importantly, how to build a community with like-minded folks. Grace Sweet is a wonderful teacher and she has a few other patient leaders at each table. Bridge has a language of its own and you will learn how to speak it. Email judi@waterburypubliclibrary.com to register.
Qigong on Thursdays
Also on Thursdays, Judi Byron leads a Qigong workshop from 4:30-5:30 p.m. This six-week series began in September and runs through Oct. 24 in the library’s garden.
Titled “The Eight Brocades” or Ba Duan Jin, this series shares one of the most popular Qigong practices dating back nearly 1,000 years. Qigong combines mindful movement with meditation and breath to strengthen the body, quiet the mind, and balance the emotions. The Eight Brocades is also known as the Eight Brocades of Silk because of the silken quality of movements practiced during this form. Ancient texts reveal that the Eight Brocades was also a form of Qigong designed to eliminate fatigue. Register with judi@waterburypubliclibrary.com. Dress for the weather. If it is raining, the group will meet inside the library.
Book group? No pressure!
The No Pressure Book Group meets on the second Tuesday of the month at 7 p.m. via Zoom. The name is as it sounds: No Pressure. That means no pressure to read a certain book in a certain time. No pressure to go out and buy a book for a book club. No pressure to read something you don’t want to read. Read what you want and share it with the group. Go to the library’s website for the Zoom link: waterburypubliclibrary.com/no-pressure-book-group Next date: Thursday, Oct. 10.
Friday Exercise Class
On Fridays, the Arthritis Foundation Exercise Class meets from 10:30-11:30 a.m. in the Steele Community Room. Led by Pauline Nolte, this low-impact and evidenced-based program will help keep joints flexible, muscles strong, and increase energy. It can improve sleep, decrease pain, and improve overall well-being. For more information contact Anne Greshin at 802-241-4840. Register on site or preregister at tiny.cc/cvcoawellness.
Fiber Arts Fridays
The second Friday of the month is Fiber Arts Friday. From noon to 2 p.m., all fiber crafters are welcome to bring their projects and a snack or lunch. Knit, crochet, weave, needle felt or practice another type of fiber craft in this space to gather, work on your projects with like-minded people, and have fun.
Oct. 12: Stand-Up Comedy workshop
Denise McCarty at Vermont Comedy Club. Courtesy photo
On Saturday, Oct. 12, Denise McCarty visits the library with another of her engaging Stand-Up Comedy workshops. If you have been wanting to try an open mic, but didn't know where to start, this workshop is for you! Denise will go over the elements of comedy – what makes a good joke, how to write good material, timing and more. Register with an email to judi@waterburypubliclibrary.com.
Saturdays: Learn & play Mahjong
Saturday mornings are time for learning and playing Mahjong, 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Steele Community Room with teacher Pauline Nolte who teaches both the Chinese and American versions. Mahjong is an ancient Chinese game played with tiles and is over 2,000 years old. Classes run through Nov. 30 with one exception: No class on Oct. 26.
No judgment at Writers Wertfrei
Writers’ Wertfrei meets on the third Saturday of the month, 10 a.m. to noon, for group members to share their work, get feedback and encouragement. “Wertfrei” comes from the German “Wertfreiheit” meaning non-judgmental or value-free. The next meeting is Saturday, Oct. 19. New members are invited to attend and bring what you are currently working on. For more information, email judi@waterburypubliclibrary.com.
Saturday afternoons are made for D&D
The library’s Dungeons and Dragons program is mixing it up with new Dungeon Masters and games this month. The group meets on Saturdays from 1 to 5 p.m. Beginning on Oct. 5, new DM Vick leads Monsters of Murka, an immersive parody of U.S. pop culture designed for the 5th Edition complete with bad jokes, recognizable references, meme-worthy monsters and obvious real-world analogues. Sign into Discord to meet the group and ask questions here: discord.com/invite/urBsJjUvj4. Although both Discord and Zoom are available online, most of the group meets in person.
Oct. 15: Life coaching session
Lou Bevacqui. Courtesy photo
On Tuesday, Oct. 15, from 6 to 8 p.m., emotional resilience coach and speaker Lou Bevacqui is back for the third seminar in his coaching series titled “Fail Without Fear: Live your Life on Purpose.”
Begin to see failure as not separate from success, but actually an integral part of it. Learn to get vital information from your setbacks so as to succeed more quickly. You will also acquire the knowledge of how to consistently go after goals by identifying your wins and using them as motivation to succeed. “By leveraging your emotions, one becomes more resilient and better equipped to pursue whatever challenge one is after or whatever is being brought to them,” Bevaqui said.
An acupuncturist and emotional resilience coach for over 20 years, Lou Bevaqui has helped many folks reach their potential. He works with individuals and groups and is associated with Norwich University, the Mad River Valley Health Alliance, Harwood Unified Union School District, and Longwood University.
Join Lou and participants for this free workshop. He promises that attendees will walk away from the event with practical strategies to implement right away. Sign up with an email to judi@waterburypubliclibrary.com.
Oct. 21: Reading + Empanadas
Paprika Empanadas exterior on Foundry Street in Waterbury. Courtesy photo
Midday on Monday Oct. 21 brings another Silent Reading Party in collaboration with Bridgeside Books. This time the destination is Paprika Empanadas on Foundry Street at 12:30 p.m. Order food, if you'd like, then relax with your book.
The group will start at 12:30 p.m., read for an hour or so, then share a brief description of each attendees’ books. If your lunch time is limited, leave when you must. The bookshop and library are planning to schedule future Silent Reading Parties at a different locations and at varying times and days so as many people can have the opportunity to participate as possible.
Oct. 21: What Happens after the Paychecks Stop?
On Monday, Oct. 21, from 6:30 to 7:45 p.m. the library welcomes Nick Hart of Edward Jones for a presentatoin titled, “What Happens After the Paychecks Stop? A Retirement Income Primer.” Building an income stream and making it last are essential considerations in retirement. This seminar will explore budgeting for retirement expenses, examine potential sources of income, and identify ways to address potential risks. Register with an email to judi@waterburypubliclibrary.com.
Handstiching Group
The Handstitching Group continues to meets on the third Monday of the month. In October it will meet in the updsairs Green Room due to the overlap with the retirement seminar. The group is open to anyone with interest in hand stitching, including embroidery, cross-stitch, and any type of needlework. Bring your own supplies and any pieces or ideas you’re working on, or ones that you’ve completed and want to share. This is a monthly drop-in.
Oct. 22 and 24: Workshop on Vermont’s new literacy law
On Tuesday and Thursday, Oct. 22 and 24, educators Nicole Chick, Dorinne Dorfman and Kathryn Grace present a two-part series titled, “Understanding Vermont's New Literacy Law: Teaching ALL Students to Read.”
The Tuesday program addresses understanding how the brain works and teaching methods to target literacy gaps; Thursday's session tackles phoneme-grapheme mapping which helps teachers and students better understand the alphabetic principle.
These workshops are for parents and caregivers, educators and anyone interested in literacy. Attend one or both. More information is online at waterburypubliclibrary.com/teaching-all-students-to-read/
Judi Byron is the Waterbury Public Library’s Adult Program Coordinator.