Author: Deb Klatte

The Acton Agricultural Commission is a Town committee that represents and advocates for Acton’s agricultural community. They are tasked with promoting and developing the agricultural resources of the municipality, educating the public on agricultural issues and initiatives, supporting farmers, farm businesses and farm interests, assisting farmers in resolving municipal problems or conflicts related to farms, seeking to coordinate agricultural-related activities with government bodies or unofficial local groups or organizations that promote agriculture, and preparing a comprehensive local agricultural plan. 

ActonAgriculturalCommission

September 15, October 6

Save Nashoba Wildlife is a group of volunteers who are dedicated to inform the public about Second Generation Anti-Coagulant Rodenticides (SGARs) that can kill wildlife, pets, and contaminate our water supplies. Did you know? Since 2020, every red-tailed hawk or great horned owl autopsied by Tufts Veterinary Clinic proved to have poison in its system. Raptors (hawks, eagles, owls), bobcats, foxes, fishers, and coyotes, as well as domestic cats and dogs have all eaten poisoned rodents (dead or alive). There are almost 10,000 children poisoned annually by rodenticides. 

Don’t use Second-Generation Anticoagulant Rodenticides (SGARs) in your home, business or farm!  Learn non-toxic ways to control rodents. To learn more: https://www.massaudubon.org/take-action/advocate/rescue-raptors

August 4

The Stewardship Council (RSC) was established to coordinate the conservation of the 29-mile Wild and Scenic River segment of the Sudbury, Assabet and Concord Rivers. The Council functions as an official advisory committee to the National Park Service on federal permits affecting the rivers’ outstanding resources. The Council also raises awareness of the rivers through events and publications, including RiverFest, an annual celebration of the Sudbury, Assabet, and Concord Rivers, and facilitates efforts to preserve and improve river resources.

Sudbury-Assabet-Concord.org

Girl Scouts bring their dreams to life and work together to build a better world. Girl Scouts of all backgrounds and abilities can be unapologetically themselves as they discover their strengths and rise to meet new challenges—whether they want to climb to the top of a tree or the top of their class, lace up their boots for a hike or advocate for climate justice, or make their first best friends. Backed by trusted adult volunteers, Girl Scouts lead the way as they find their voices and make changes that affect the issues most important to them.

ABGirlScouts.org

June 16, September 1

Acton’s FREE Clean Energy Coaching program offers ongoing consultations with trained volunteers for Acton residents and building owners. Request a coach to learn about and plan for weatherization and insulation, heat pumps for heat + AC, solar, electricity sourcing, electric vehicles, and other clean energy upgrades! Visit ActonEnergyCoach.com to learn more.

ActonEnergyCoach.com

October 6

Improving the wellbeing of individuals and communities through the therapeutic use of nature

We bring the healing power of nature to those most vulnerable ~ those who cannot get out to experience it on their own.  We bring our programming to adults in memory care, people with disabilities, seniors, and at risk youth, servicing an area within a 40 mile radius of Acton/Concord.  In addition to bringing seasonal nature from the outdoors, we also bring small therapy animals. (rabbits, pygmy hedgehogs, guinea pigs, chickens, to name a few ~ even live snails and hermit crabs!)

Nature-Connection.org

September 17, October 15

A little shop of crocheted items

Etsy Shop

Instagram

The LIVE FOR LIV FOUNDATION honors the memory of Olivia Marchand by continuing the joy, love & dedication Olivia brought to every moment. She worked hard to always grow and to create positive change in her own life. We embrace that for ourselves & encourage the same for our world community. The Foundation’s funds are used to educate young people about domestic violence and any forms of bullying and non-compassion whether to others or themselves. We also support efforts to protect and help those affected by violence.

Live, Laugh, Love.

liveforliv.org

We lift voices of those who care for and nurture children so that we are heeded by those in power. We focus resources on communities suffering injustice from racism, fossil fuels and climate change.

MothersOutFront.org

June 16, September 8

AB PIP STEM is a parent-led volunteer group that hosts and sponsors free K-12 STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) educational events in Acton and Boxborough, MA.  Recent events include Night of Code, nature walks, and an after-school makerspace for children in the community. We are purely a volunteer run group and depend on fundraising, including the sale of Acton Nature Guides, to host our events.

AB PIP STEM (actonpip.org)

Proscenium Circus is the student-based theater at Acton-Boxborough Regional High School. Promoting student expression of creativity, PC opens up leadership positions to the students for anything from designing lighting schemes to assisting in directing productions, under the guidance of the theater program’s director, Maggie Maguire, and the creative team. Enjoyed by the community for over fifty seasons, Proscenium Circus is pleased to present its 2022-2023 theatre season, set in motion by its production of Urinetown the Musical (showing Dec 9-17), a musical that explores a Brechtian take on what it means for society when large corporations manage the people’s access to and expression of basic human rights in the midst of a public health and environmental crisis.

 abdrama.org.

We are Resource Force: a student-led organization dedicated to fighting climate change with equitable local and state-level policies. In the fall of 2021, our group partnered with Acton’s sustainability director to offer student input on the Acton Climate Action plan. And recently created and advocated for our plan to reduce Acton’s electrical reliance on fossil fuels through changes to the Acton Power Choice Program, which will go into effect in September.

Acton-Boxborough United Way mobilizes the caring power of community to drive positive, lasting change. By pooling your donations, ABUW makes significant grants to 21 incredible organizations, attracting the quality services necessary for all residents to belong and thrive.  Stop by our tent at ABFM to learn about our new site, A-B Volunteer Central (www.myABUW.org) — a hub for volunteer opportunities with dozens of local organizations here in Acton and Boxborough.

We serve the informational, educational, and recreational needs of Acton residents of all ages and backgrounds. Recognizing the diversity of the community and the high level of demand, the Library develops collections in a variety of formats to meet known and anticipated community needs; we strive to make residents aware of our services and collections, and to make those resources as accessible as possible.

ActonMemorialLibrary.org

July 7, August 25, September 29th

The Friends of the Acton Libraries is a volunteer organization dedicated to raising funds for the town’s elementary, middle, and high school library budgets. We also provide support to the Acton Memorial Library and West Acton Citizens’ Library for programming, museum passes and more.  The Friends additionally present scholarships each year to deserving high school seniors.

Friends-of-the-Acton-Libraries

October 15

We will be making leaf prints this week at the Market Booth.

The Acton Water District is a community public water system that delivers high quality drinking water to the majority (about 95%) of the residents of the town of Acton, Massachusetts.  All the water provided by the District comes from 24 wells located within town. The District’s system consists of approximately 135 miles of water main, four storage tanks, and four treatment facilities that assist in the production of high-quality finished water. The Acton Water District is a municipal entity separate from the Town of Acton chartered by the Massachusetts Legislature’s Acts of 1912.

ActonWater.com

June 30

Elders Climate Action Massachusetts mobilizes elders and society to address the climate crisis while there is still time to protect the well-being of our grandchildren and future generations.

ECAmass.org

June 23

The Acton-Boxborough Cultural Council (ABCC) is one of 329 all-volunteer local cultural councils serving every municipality in Massachusetts.  The legislature appropriates funds annually to the Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC), which then allocates funds to local councils. Local councils use funding guidelines and priorities established by the MCC and may add local guidelines and priorities as well. ABCC then distributes these funds to support performances and cultural activities in and around our towns

www.ActonBoxboroughCulturalCouncil

October 13

The Acton Conservation Trust is a non-profit, non-governmental organization devoted to the preservation of open space in Acton. As a land trust, we can hold permanent conservation easements, accept gifts of land, accept tax-deductible gifts to be used for open space preservation, and purchase land for conservation purposes. We also provide education to landowners about various options for preservation. Founded in 1962, ACT has 8 trustees and over 300 member families.

ActonConservationTrust.org

July 28

The Massachusetts Healthy School Lunch Coalition (MHSLC) is a non-profit and evidence-based advocacy group working directly with policymakers in Massachusetts to improve the healthfulness of public-school lunches. Our coalition is bringing together students, parents, teachers, school leaders, nutrition and sustainability experts, and community members to make sure every child is nourished now and set up for the healthy future they deserve.

www.HealthySchoolLunchMA.com

The LWV-Acton Area is a non-partisan, grassroots organization in Massachusetts that supports and opposes issues, but not candidates or political parties. Our charter is to protect voters, educate and engage voters, reform money in politics and defend the environment. The League is open to women and men over the age of 16 who want to make democracy work. The League works at national, state and local levels to influence policy through civic education and advocacy. 

LWV-ActonArea.org

September 8

EnergizeActon.org is dedicated to helping the community implement a clean energy future and ensure a healthy, resilient environment through education, support, and website resources that offer Acton residents concrete ideas to reduce carbon emissions. Co-sponsored by the Town of Acton Sustainability Office and the Acton Climate Coalition, the interactive website allows you to mark climate efforts already taken, learn about other actions, and connect with support people such as Acton’s free Clean Energy Coaches.

EnergizeActon.org

Friends of Acton Community Dog Park supports – and will help maintain — the dog park being constructed at 348 Main Street in Acton. Dog parks promote health and well-being; decrease social isolation; encourage acceptable dog behavior and responsible dog ownership; reduce the number of dogs in shelters; increase home values; and promote a sense of community. Check out our plans, learn how you can participate, and pick up some free treats for Fido!

ActonDogPark.weebly.com

Eighty-Eight years after its inception, the Acton Garden Club continues to follow the traditions and goals of its founding members. The Acton Garden Club shares its love of gardening and civic pride by maintaining three historic gardens in the Town.  There are also seasonal plantings done each year that are provided and maintained throughout Acton by the Club.

actongardenclub.org