Engineer a Rube Goldberg machine: 6 p.m. Nov. 16, Reading Public Library, 64 Middlesex Ave. This program is for grades 6-12. Registration is required. For information and registration: https://goo.gl/JVSvir. Participants can design and build a Rube Goldberg machine at Reading Public Library in this teen workshop presented by educator Jay Mankita. A Rube Goldberg Machine is a contraption that is deliberately over-engineered to perform a simple task in a complicated manner. It is named after American cartoonist and inventor Rube Goldberg. This event is part of Teennovation, a monthly meetup for teens interested in innovation, learning, imagination and creativity. Each month offers a new experience from guest experts to hands-on activities covering STEAM topics and themes.
Sen. Jason Lewis office hours: 2-3 p.m. Nov. 17, Reading Senior Center, 49 Pleasant St. For information: http://SenatorJasonLewis.com. In recognition of Veterans Day, office hours will not be held in Wakefield, Winchester, and Stoneham on that day, despite it being the second Friday of the month. Residents in these communities are encouraged to attend office hours on Nov. 17 in Malden, Melrose or Reading, or to contact his office any time at Jason.Lewis@masenate.gov or 617-722-1206 with any concerns, questions, feedback or other constituent matters to bring to his attention. The traditional office hours schedule for these communities will resume in December.
St. Athanasius Christmas Faire: 5-9 p.m. Nov. 17; 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Nov. 18, St. Athanasius Parish, 300 Haverhill St., Reading. For information or to donate: http://stathanasiusreading.org. The St. Athanasius Christmas Faire will offer an early bird opening for $10 will begin at 4:30 p.m. Doors open for free to the public at 5 p.m. The event will feature a white elephant room, gently used jewelry, homemade candy, jams, cookbooks, hostess gifts, handmade gift and decorating ideas for the Christmas season, handmade knit and crochet items, toys and games. The Fair will be accepting all major credit cards. Cash and check are also welcome. �Selfie with Santa� is back. Santa will be taking a break from his busy schedule at the North Pole and visiting the Faire at 10:15 a.m. Nov. 18 � don�t forget to bring a camera to take a picture with Santa. The Faire will also offer clam chowder, homemade baked goods, gift baskets and cash prize raffle � first prize is $500. The Christmas Faire has been a tradition for the St. Athanasius community for over 25 years. The Faire has grown over the years and now covers two buildings and has 13 areas offering everything from shopping to eating to playing. Monies raised have gone toward parish work and outreach and to build fellowship and community. Any leftover items at the end of the Faire are donated to charities such as Mission of Deeds and Good Will.
Fall-iday Fair: 6-8 p.m. Nov. 17; 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Nov. 18, Church of the Good Shepherd, 95 Woburn St., Reading. The Church of the Good Shepherd will host its Fall-iday Fair, featuring craft items, vendors, gifts, raffles, baked goods, toys, books, jewelry, live music and more.
Trivia Night to benefit Reading 375: 7 p.m. Nov. 17, RCTV Studios, 557 Main St., Reading. Space is limited; reservations are required. For information, visit https://.facebook.com/reading375/ or http://reading375.com. For reservations, visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/trivia-night-tickets-39129653848. Tickets are $25 each or $150 for a table of six. Those without a team will be assigned to a table.
�Pippin the Musical�: 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 3 p.m. Sundays, Nov. 17-19, William Endslow Performing Arts Center. Tickets are now available at the RMHS box office and via http://Ticketstage.com. The Reading Memorial High School Drama Club�s first production of the year will be �Pippin the Musical.� The musical tells the story of Pippin, a young prince on his search for meaning and significance. The show originally opened on Broadway in 1972, with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz. This production features well-known songs from the original Broadway version, including �Magic to Do� and �I Guess I�ll Miss the Man.� More than 100 RMHS students are in the cast and crew, with Isabel Molettieri as Leading Player 1, Ryan Norton as Leading Player 2 and Wyatt Mittnight as Pippin.
Boy Scout troops 702 and 728 Turkey Roast: Nov. 18. To register or for more information, contact Steve Gousie or Mike Terry at Turkey.roast.reading@gmail.com. The deadline for registration is Nov. 5. Boy Scout Troops 702 and 728 announce their annual Turkey Roast to be held in the Town Forest. Dinner will be served at 4 p.m.; events will be held all day. The event celebrates Scouting in Reading, and brings Scouts together to give thanks for the opportunities that Scouting offers. Webelos from all Packs and Reading troop alumni are encouraged to attend.
Red Cross Blood drive: 2-7 p.m. Nov. 28, Good Samaritan Lodge, AF & AM, 110 Haven St., Reading. Make an appointment to give blood by using the app, visiting http://redcrossblood.org, or calling 800-733-2767. With the free Red Cross Blood Donor App, donors can schedule and manage donation appointments, access their donor card, track the impact of their donations and earn rewards. Donors can also save up to 15 minutes at the blood drive by using RapidPass to complete their pre-donation reading and health history questions online at http://redcrossblood.org/RapidPass before coming to their appointments.
Merrimack Valley A Capella Chorus: 7 p.m. Nov. 28, Reading Public Library, 64 Middlesex Ave. For information: http://merrimackvalleychorus.com. This event is free and open to the public, courtesy of a sponsorship of The Friends of the Reading Public Library. The Merrimack Valley A Capella Chorus will perform carols, hymns, romantic songs and party classics. The Merrimack Valley A Capella is an award-winning women�s chorus that performs four-part harmony without accompaniment throughout the Greater Boston area and southern New Hampshire. This chorus won the Adult Large Group title of WGBH�s �Sing That Thing,� season one.
Dementia Support/Education Group: 6-7 p.m. Nov. 29, The Residence at Pearl Street, 75 Pearl St., Reading. To RSVP: 781-944-9200. The Residence at Pearl Street invites the community to join their monthly Dementia Support/Education Group. This group meets the last Wednesday of every month from 6-7 p.m. and is intended for those caring for a person living with dementia. Come share experiences, learn from guest speakers or just listen and be amongst those who understand. Drop-ins are welcome, but an RSVP is requested. Light refreshments will be served.
Memory Tree Lighting Ceremony: 4 p.m. Dec. 3, Reading Public Library, 64 Highland Ave. Memory Tree Lighting Ceremony is sponsored by the Reading Garden Club. This event gives people the opportunity to commemorate an individual or to celebrate an event by purchasing one or more �lights � to decorate the Memory Tree. A donation of $5 per light is suggested. All proceeds from the Memory Tree go toward RGC projects for the Town of Reading. The public is invited to participate in and attend the brief commemorative ceremony. Musical vocals during the ceremony will be offered by members of the Colonial Chorus along with live instrumental selections provided by members of the Reading Civic Concert Band. After the names of those who have purchased �lights� and the individuals and events being honored have been read aloud, the Memory Tree will be lit. In addition, A Memory Tree Remembrance Book listing the names of remembered individuals, events and contributors will be placed on display at the RPL during the month of December. Forms for purchasing �lights� may be downloaded from the RGC website at http://readinggarden.org. Forms and money need to be returned by Nov. 19.
State Rep. Bradley Jones office hours: Dec. 8, Reading Public Library, 64 Middlesex Ave. For information and appointments: 617-722-2100; bradley.jones@mahouse.gov. House Minority Leader Bradley H. Jones Jr., R-North Reading, will hold office hours on the second Friday of each month at the Reading Public Library. Reading residents are encouraged to visit at their convenience during office hours and will be seen on a first-come, first-served basis. No appointment is necessary. Constituents who wish to speak with Jones, but are unable to attend the scheduled office hours, may make an appointment to arrange a more convenient time.
Ongoing
Girl Empowerment Book Club: 3-4:15 p.m. Mondays Oct. 30-Dec. 18, Reading Public Library, 64 Middlesex Ave. Register at http://goo.gl/K6RKtD. Join Sophie & Rachelle, high school National Honor Society candidates, as they lead interactive discussions and activities centered around the new best-selling book �Strong is the New Pretty� by photographer Kate T. Parker. This club will meet for eight consecutive weeks, with activities building upon each other. Attendance for all sessions is encouraged. This program is for girls in grades 4-7 only. Registration is required and space is limited, with preference given to Reading residents.
Reading Ramblers Walking Club: 1:30 p.m. Tuesdays, 10 a.m. Fridays. For information: 781-942-6658; jburns@ci.reading.ma.us. The club will meet all over town. For meeting spots, check out the Pleasantries newsletter or contact the Pleasant Street Center at 781-942-6794. Walking improves overall health in a stress-free environment. Walk at your own pace and enjoy benefits such as increased energy, a healthy lifestyle, and a friendly, non-competitive exercise.
Overeaters Anonymous: Overeaters Anonymous meets weekly at the following times at the Church of the Good Shepherd, 95 Woburn St., Reading: 9:30 to 11 a.m. and 8 to 9 p.m. Tuesdays, 9:30 to 11 a.m. and 6 to 7 p.m. Wednesdays. For information: 781-641-2303.
Reading Food Pantry donation collection: The Reading firefighters are collecting canned goods and nonperishable food items for the Reading Food Pantry. Collection boxes are located at the Main Street Fire Station, 757 Main St., Reading. For information: 781-944-3132.
http://reading.wickedlocal.com/news/20171115/around-reading