Local Americana band Joinery will be playing at Next Stage, 15 Kimball Hill in Putney at 7 pm on Sunday, January 19, 2014 to raise money for local cancer survivor Kirsten Jeppesen.  A $10.00 donation is suggested at the door and all proceeds will help defray Kirsten's expenses as a result of her cancer treatments, with a portion going to the Brattleboro Memorial Hospital Cancer Support Group to continue their good work with cancer patients in our community.

Colin Blazej, bass player for Joinery, first met Kirsten Jeppesen around 1991 when they worked together for a local environmental consulting firm.  They remained friends over the years and when he heard this fall of her ovarian cancer surgery and treatments he wanted to help.  "I knew West Hill Shop had helped raise funds for Kirsten's expenses as she is an avid biker and cross country skier.  I thought if there was a way to get all the people that Kirsten and I knew together it could have a greater impact than just my donation and music seemed like a great way to make it happen.  Billy Straus and Maria Basescu of Next Stage Arts Project were instrumental in making the concert happen by graciously donating the use of the wonderful Kimball Hill Next Stage venue." 

Joinery will be releasing their first album in January, 2014 and will have just played their first gig in New York City on January 5.  Joinery features John Pozzi on lead vocals and rhythm guitar, Chuck Davison on lead guitar and mandolin, Andy Foster on lap steel guitar and Colin Blazej on stand up bass and backing vocals.

Next Stage Arts is a non-profit organization dedicated to revitalizing Putney's cultural and economic village center through the programming, development and operation of Next Stage.  Next Stage presents a wide range of events including music, theater, spoken word and film.

For more information contact: Maria Basescu, Executive Director, 387-0102 or nextstagearts@gmail.com.  You can follow Joinery at www.facebook.com/joinerymusic.  

Lynn Levine will present "Snow Secrets: Exploring Mammal Tracks" on Saturday, February 8, from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. This workshop is offered by The Nature Museum at Grafton and will take place in Dummerston. The easy to moderate animal tracking hike will likely require snowshoes, depending on weather conditions. It is open to adults and to children age 10 and up. (Children must be accompanied by an adult.)

Registrants will meet in Dummerston and will carpool to nearby Nature Conservancy land, where there are relic red cedar trees. The group will tramp into the winter woods with Levine, who will demonstrate how to identify signs of wildlife. The group will reconvene at Levine's home after the hike for a presentation and a question and answer session.

Levine is a noted tracking expert and a licensed forester. She is the co-author of Mammal Tracks and Scat: Life-Size Tracking Guide and the author of Snow Secrets. She holds a master's degree in forestry from the University of Massachusetts.

The snow date for this event is Sunday, February 9. Pre-registration is required, and space is limited. Early-bird registration (by Wednesday, January 29) costs $20 per person. After January 29, if any spaces remain available, registration will be $25. There will be no registration on the day of the event. To pre-register, visit http://www.nature-museum.org/Register-for-Tracking-Hike.html or call (802) 843-2111.