Welcome to your Buzz Around Weekender, our regional "what's good" and more!
May 8, 9 & 10
Share your good news! Submit your original non-fiction short story related to one of the BuzzAround Hives: Bridgewater, Brockton, East Bridgewater, Halifax, Raynham, West Bridgewater or Whitman and you could win $100! buzzaround.info/whats-your-good-news
Last Day to Submit: 5 pm TOMORROW! May 8, 2020.
4 prizes of $100/ each:
1) Popular vote: Vote on stories on BuzzAround.Info from May 11 -17, 2020.
2) Bridgewater, Raynham, and West Bridgewater
3) Brockton 4) East Bridgewater, Halifax & Whitman
Your Buzz Around is excited to offer this exclusive weekly column with Paul Engle, Director of Brockton Public Library.
Prior to Brockton, Paul was the Director of Library Services at Berklee College of Music. An accomplished professional musician as well as librarian, Paul brings to the Brockton Area a unique view on library services; he is "passionate about diverse cultures sharing ideas, free and open access to information, libraries as a space for sharing artistic, scientific and cultural ideas, and promoting life-long learning skills."

Libraries in Times of Crisis

Libraries are amazing community centers, they always have been. I was running the Stan Getz Library at Berklee on 9/11. I remember grabbing every available TV to broadcast what was going on. The school was in the process of closing down and securing itself. Faculty and students were huddled in the lobby of the library, seeking comfort and information. I thought that 9/11 would be the high water mark for my management chops.

I was wrong. What we are facing in 2020 is off the charts. How do you comfort? How do you inform? How does the library continue as a community center? The community is still there. There are families who need resources to educate and entertain. And a sad reality is that there are folks in the community that do not have adequate access to the internet to avail themselves of the free online resources public libraries can provide.

 Today I want to point you to the free resources public libraries offer. This is a list of Brockton's free online resources .
If you live in a neighboring town, check out your local library web-page, there you will find plenty of free online resources for you and your family. What’s more, in Brockton and elsewhere, we are creating original content. Check out the Brockton Public Library Playlist (oldest to newest by date) there you will find not only past events, you can find content that the Library has been creating, like the Virtual Everyone Has A Voice.
We, as is true with most public library in the US, are running children’s story times. Our own Mayor Robert F. Sullivan does a story time every Friday for our library on our Children’s Facebook page. As will a majority of public libraries, we will be offering our summer reading program virtually this summer.

There are over 300 public libraries in Massachusetts alone. Each one serving a unique community in sometimes unique and sometimes similar ways. There are thousands of library staff; from Directors on down to Pages, who have not let this pandemic slow them down in the pursuit of creating safe, welcoming spaces for their community to meet, learn, create, gather, explore, and just hang out. We are just finding new ways to accomplish this. The world will return to something like it has not seen in a long time, and we will be doing, living, learning, inventing, and creating in a new modality. Rest assured, your Public Library will be there for you, offering services in new and different ways. Public Libraries are mirrors that reflect to the world the true colors of the community it serves. So check out your Brockton Public Library www.brocktonpubliclibrary.org our Facebook page facebook.com/brocktonpubliclibrary,
Teen zone page facebook.com/TeenZoneBPL, BrPL children’s page facebook.com/ChildrensRoomBrocktonPL,
our Twitter account twitter.com/brocktonlibrary,
instagram account www.instagram.com/teenzonebppl .

Stay safe, stay healthy.
For business ideas on how to continue generating income is this new economy and access aid available:
Metro South Chamber of Commerce

Leading Businesses, Leading Communities

Read more
www.metrosouthchamber.com
BEAUTY COUNTER
CHRISTINE HARKINS
See how important your make-up is
 to your health!

THIS WEEKEND:

Abington - Online Learning Resources Explore many online opportunities available for you and your your children through the Abington Public Library.

 Boston - Greenway Virtual Marketplace Sat, May 8th, 11a - 5p. We are proud to present the Greenway Virtual Marketplace! Featuring over 90 of the areas top makers, artists and designers. We launched this brand new initiative to support our creative community through this time and beyond until we are able to vend on site at the Greenway Open Market in Boston. Support the artists, small businesses, and creatives you know and love all from the safety of your home!

Boston - Managing Stress & Negativity in the Job Search Fri, May 8th, 1p. Does your job search have you stressed out? Would you like to learn coping strategies? Learn to identify self-sabotaging thinking patterns along with simple techniques to manage the psychological and physiological symptoms of stress while maintaining energy and motivation in your job search. After completing this workshop, you will be able to Identify what triggers stress in your job search & Practice stress reduction techniques during the search Registration is required here.

Bridgewater - Virtual Beginner Yoga Class Fri, May 8, 6:30p. Learn the basics of Svaroopa® yoga from the comfort of your own home. All you'll need are a folding chair, pillows, some books or yoga blocks and you're ready to get started. Enjoy two guided awarenesses and a breathing exercise, as well. Experience the bliss of an open spine and destress, all at the same time.

Bridgewater - Bridgewater Public Library Online Games Choose from Card Games, also includes Minesweeper and Mahjong, Club Penguin Online, Dungeon and Dragons, Playing Cards: play any tabletop game in your browser,
Pogo, Sudoku, Trickster Cards: play online with other players or Washington Post Crossword Puzzles.

Brockton - Virtual Foster Parent Info Session Sat, May 9th, 11a. Children need us now more than ever! May is National Foster Care Month; this year to celebrate while social distancing, we will be holding weekly webinars to gather families and individuals who are interested in foster care.
Ascentria Foster Care continues to recruit, train, license, and support foster families during the COVID-19 pandemic. If you have ever considered opening your heart and home as a foster parent, now is the time to take the first step. You’ll walk away with info on taking the next steps toward becoming a foster parent, much of which can be completed online! Register and join us online here.

Brockton - Cutest Animal "Sheltering in Place" Photo Contest Ongoing through May 6th @ 8p. The Animal Protection Center decided to launch this contest to bring some PAWSitivity into the lives of our shelter community during these difficult times. We want our supporters to feel a sense of togetherness. Photos may be submitted for a $15 donation . Click on the following link for more details.

Brockton - Digital Art Archive Fuller Craft Museum. This Digital Archive is a window into the Fuller Craft Permanent Collection. With a few clicks you can access images and information about a vast selection of craft works from the collection. Search by artist/maker, title, media, and more. Browse specific categories and perform advanced searches with key words or phrases.

Canton - Shop Seedling Sale Online Sat & Sun, My 9th - 10th, Brookwood Farm. Go to tickets link in Facebook event! Dates listed are for the scheduled pick ups only! Purchase seedlings online. Plan to select a time to pick up orders. Annual sale of oodles of seedlings - vegetable, herb, flowers, fruit and other items!

Easton - Borderland State Park Now open daily 8a - 7p. To ensure your safety and the safety of others please continue to:
  • social distance 
  • if the park looks busy, come back at another time or choose to go to another state park
  • stay a shorter time
  • carry in; carry out
  • keep your dogs on leash (and carry out any waste) 
  • the disc golf course, visitor center and restrooms remain closed until further notice
  • all programs and events have been suspended until further notice
DCR has closed all DCR beaches, as of now Borderland is open- but we need your help by not overcrowding the park.
Halifax - Audio books Holmes Public Library. Enjoy your favorite audio books in the mobile app or on your computer. Our desktop app supports transfer to a variety of devices.

Middletown, RI - Tipping the Scales: Sea Turtles & Reptile Online Lecture Sat, May 9, 2p. Reptiles may be some of the world’s most misunderstood animals. Join NBS educator Meghan Davies for an online lecture featuring reptile research, ranging from sea turtles to snakes and alligators. Learn about the innovative and exciting ways scientists are gathering data on these incredible animals and some ways that anyone can contribute to community science. This interactive experience will help you gain the knowledge needed to explore Rhode Island’s reptilian habitats and species. Recommended for families Virtual Learning Price: $10 Members, $15 Non-members

New Bedford - BPZoo to You: Virtual Keeper Chats Fri, May 8, 11a. While kids are home from school and BPZoo is closed, we want to continue connecting you to the animals you love through educational videos each afternoon. Join us for a Facebook Live virtual keeper chat each day at 11a, where you can spend time with our keeper staff and animals, ask questions and learn from home.

New Bedford - SC Lessons Presents: Cajun Hobos Sat, May 9th, 7p. Streaming live, right on our page! Alan and Michelle have been playing Cajun music together for 25 years. They are most well known for playing with Magnolia, and currently are also playing in smaller combos in the Cajun Hobos and French Roast. Learning from Louisiana's finest, they are passionate about sharing their love of Cajun culture, music, and dances. Their dance lessons and music have helped build a strong sense of community at festivals and fais-do-dos all over Northeast. Their monthly Saturday night dance has been New England's hottest ticket for almost 25 years! Playing high energy two steps and sultry waltzes, the band's fiddle, accordion, guitar, and rich vocals keep the audience tapping their toes all night long.

Norwood - Shelter At Home Blues Festival Fri - Sun, May 8th - 10th. From our Shelter to Yours. This special Blues Celebration showcases 5 years of Fallout Shelter Blues music featuring some 35+ great local and national bands who have performed on our stage. We are presenting this weekend of music to provide some timely quality entertainment - but also as an effort to support the great artists performing in this video. In addition, this will support food banks and other non-profit support groups around the country, area restaurants featuring take-out and our own Fallout Shelter music refuge.

Plainville - Virtual Unlikely Trivia Fri, May 8th, 6:30p. Join us for weekly Virtual Unlikely Trivia hosted by Patrick Kinney live on Facebook! Patrick will bring fun, wit, and, most importantly, trivia, right to the comfort of your home. All you need is to follow us on Facebook, register at least one member of your household below by Friday at 12pm (to receive the proper answer sheets), and tune in on the An Unlikely Story Facebook page at 6:30p. Please note you do not need to have the answer sheets in order to play, a blank piece of notebook or printer paper is fine. For our virtual trivia nights, there will be no official scoring. Patrick will go over the answers after each round so you can score your own answer sheets. Instead of prizes for the winning teams, we will randomly select three registrants to win a $20 gift card to An Unlikely Story. The three winners will be notified via email during the live game.

Plymouth - Plimouth Online Our Museums may be temporarily closed, but you can still experience Plimoth online! We're bringing history into your home with a range of online programs and resources for families and individuals - from our new History @ Home™ live virtual visits with Plimoth educators to  coloring pages for children  to our  Interwoven podcast series .

Raynham - Explore Raynham HIstory Browse historical photos of Raynham in,  Raynham Remembers . This collection is part of the library’s local digital history collection which includes histories, yearbooks, and centennial celebrations.

Raynham - Local Trails Hewitts Pond Conservation Area – North Main St: Pond, trail, dam, bird watching (No hunting is allowed at the Hewitt Pond Conservation Area located on North Main St or the Kransberg Conservation Area located on King St at Dam Lot Brook.). Forge River Conservation Area – South Main St: River, forest trail, historical site, bird watching. Raynham State Forest – Locust St: Upland forest, trail.
THIS WEEKEND Continued:

  Taunton - Old Colony History Museum Virtual Tour 66 Church Green. Thanks to TCAM TV, if you can’t join us in person enjoy a walking tour of some of Taunton’s oldest homes and buildings hosted by the OCHM’s Community Programming Coordinator Saria Sweeney. Check out our blog .

Taunton - Local Parks Links to parks in your area: Hopewell Park, Playground & Splash Pad ;

West Bridgewater - Free Public WiFi WB Public Library. Access right out side the library even when they are closed. Network: WB-Library-Guest, Password: hoWard80
Massachusetts State Parks COVID - 19 Update
At this time ALL restrooms, visitor centers, playgrounds, hockey rinks, campgrounds, athletic fields and courts, golf courses, and coastal beach reservation parking areas are CLOSED to aid in the prevention of spreading COVID-19. In an effort to stop the spread of the COVID-19 virus, the Baker-Polito Administration is urging the public to stay home as much as possible to avoid person-to-person contact. However, should individuals and their families need to get outside for healthy, outdoor recreational activities, including walking, hiking, jogging, and bike riding, Massachusetts state parks and other natural resources managed by DCR remain open and accessible to the public. 
Additionally, state parks are public areas, and while the agency continues to make efforts to sanitize high-touch locations, these surfaces are only as clean as the last person who has come in contact with it. Please take appropriate steps to protect your health and the health of others by following the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health’s (DPH)guidelines to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Visitors to state parks should follow these additional guidelines:
  • Minimize outdoor recreational time to limit potential exposure to COVID-19;
  • Stay within solitary or small groups, and avoid gatherings of ten or more people;
  • Practice social distancing of at least six feet between individuals;
  • Administer healthy personal hygiene, such as handwashing for at least 20 seconds;
  • Participate in only non-contact recreational activities;
  • Leave a park or area should large gatherings begin to build; and,
  • Stay home if ill, over 70, and/or part of a vulnerable population. 
The agency appreciates your support and understanding as we all continue to work together to stop the spread of COVID-19. Below are specific details regarding the closure of agency managed facilities and other information:
Virtual Activities for All - Interact with Trustees staff from your favorite locations, see behind the scenes, ask questions you've wondered about, and experience The Trustees in a whole new way. Select the group that best fits what you are looking for or click around and see what you find. The Trustees preserves, for public use and enjoyment, properties of exceptional scenic, historic, and ecological value in Massachusetts. Together with our members, government officials, and partners we strive to implement smart and effective public policies that help protect the special places of Massachusetts.
May 1 - 10th. A Statewide Creative Festival for ALL!
HOW TO PARTICIPATE:
  Twitter
  1. Follow us on social media @ArtWeekMA
  2. Keep an eye out for the themed challenge each of the ten days
  3. Complete the challenge and share it by posting on social media and tagging us at @ArtWeekMA and #ArtWeekAtHome
  4. *Bonus* Follow along with our BINGO card (coming soon)
West Bridgewater - Old Bridgewater Historical Society Lectures You can check out some of our fantastic lectures on YouTube! The Memorial Building is closed.

West Bridgewater - Conservation Area Trail Maps Wondering where you can walk and keep your distance while staying close to home? Enjoy some of our towns open spaces while getting some much needed exercise and fresh air. 

Whitman - FOOD4VETS FOOD4PETS WHITMAN Fri, May 8, 10a - 12p in the parking lot at the Whitman VFW. The Massachusetts Military Support Foundation is proud to partner with Whitman area Veterans Services Officer and other local Veteran and Military Family supporters as we provide another 100 Meal Kits for Whitman area Veterans, Military, and Gold Star Families in need.
  1. Pre-Registration is required and can be done easily by clicking here.
  2. Arrive in Parking Lot
  3. Stay INSIDE vehicle
  4. Open Trunk
  5. 14 Day Meal Kit will be placed inside trunk by a Volunteer with PPE
  6. Drive away

Whitman - Libby by Overdrive Whitman Public Library. Access to thousands of eBooks and audio books. You can borrow them, instantly, for free, using just the device in your hand.

Whitman - Digital Magazines Whitman Public Library. Download a wide range of magazines including areas such as sports, entertainment, travel, business, & more. iPad®, iPhone®, Kindle Fire, and Android® compatibility.
The Children's Museum in Easton daily #socialdistancelearning challenge
can be completed at home with everyday materials, If your child gives one of our activities a try, tag us on social media and use the hashtag #socialdistancelearning and we will share your child's project!

Today's Project: Ziploc Seedlings
A sprout emerges from a seed. It’s an exciting process that usually happens in the ground and out of sight – until now. Today we’ll show you how to plant a bean in a clear plastic bag so you can observe how roots form and leaves emerge before your very eyes!

YOU’LL NEED:
A small plastic storage bag with a zipper top, a dried uncooked bean or pea or other seed, paper towels, and water.

DIRECTIONS :
For this experiment, choose a window where the seeds will get plenty of light, but won’t be blasted by intense sun all day. If your windows are freezing cold, tape the bag to a clear glass or vase in a sunny spot indoors, rather than a window.

  1. Have your child cut a paper towel in half and fold it a few times so it can fit into the zipper storage bag.
  2. Soak the paper towel in water and slide it into the bag. Smooth it so that it’s relatively flat inside the bag.
  3. Let your child position two beans or seeds about a half inch from the bottom of each bag, on one side of the paper towel. Don’t worry if they don’t stay in place, but if necessary, stuff a little piece of paper towel into the bottom of the bag so that the seeds aren’t sitting in water.
  4. Seal the bag part way, leaving an opening near the top so the growing plants can get some air.
  5. Tape the bag in a window with the beans facing indoors, so that your child can watch them as they grow. Be sure to periodically moisten the paper towel to keep an ideal growing environment for the seeds.      
                                                                                                                                                                     
THE SCIENCE BEHIND IT:
Dried beans and peas are seeds that contain dormant (sleeping) baby plants. These tiny plants need signals to make them “wake up” and emerge from the seed: light, air and water. Temperature can also play a role, which is why you don’t want to put your seed against a freezing cold window. 

Germination is the name for the processes the plant goes through in order to sprout from the seed and form leaves. When a plant first sprouts, it gets nutrients from the seed. You can see the seed shrinking as the plant grows. As the plant develops, it depends on its roots and leaves to collect the energy it needs. Once it reaches a certain size and uses up the nutrients in the seed, your window sprout can be transplanted into soil outside.