The coming weeks will bring something fun (or instructive) for nearly everyone via the following events, offered by the Andover Institute, an arm of the newly formed Andover Community Association (ACA). All events are open to the public at no charge. For more information on any of the events, please e-mail AndoverCommunity03216@nullgmail.com.
In chronological order, the events are:
On Saturday morning, October 3, the seventh in a series of “Space Explorations” will take visitors inside the Ice House Museum in New London for a guided tour and close-up hands-on view of the Bill Kidder special collection of automobiles and Americana, offering a memorable experience for visitors of all ages. Features include antique Ford automobiles, children’s ride-on vehicles, steam whistles, padlocks, washing machines, auto parts, a town jail, blacksmith and tinsmith shops, and more. Participants can either meet behind Andover Town Hall at 10:30 AM for carpooling to and from the museum, or provide their own transportation to the museum at 91 Pleasant Street, New London, and join the fun at 11 AM. For more information about the museum, including directions, go to wfkicehouse.org.
On Saturday morning, October 10, in a totally different exploration, Andover resident Glenn Haley will lead an outdoor demonstration of geocaching, also known as high-tech hide-and-seek, a recreational hobby in which participants of all ages use a Global Positioning System (GPS) or smart phone to find previously hidden containers, called “geocaches,” containing logbooks and, often, small items for trading. Haley’s list of geocaching finds now includes over 250 caches located across New England as well as in Bermuda and Grenada. Participants will meet in the East Andover fire station parking lot on Channel Road at 10 AM and are encouraged to bring their own GPSs or smart phones, if available. The workshop will include a short walk along the Northern Rail Trail. Rain date is Saturday, October 24. Call 735.5135 if questionable.
On Tuesday, October 13, from 7 to 9 PM in Proctor Academy’s Stone Chapel, a “Button Up N.H.” workshop will show participants how to reduce home energy bills and take advantage of rebates, incentives, and other offers of local support. See article on page __ for additional information.
On Saturday, October 17, from 9 AM to noon, Andover resident and Colby-Sawyer College Professor Harvey Pine will offer a hands-on workshop entitled “How to make hard cider.” Apples and cider presses will be provided. Pine will provide the know-how, and participants will need to bring a “growler” (available from any brew pub) or the equivalent half-gallon jug with a one-inch-diameter opening. The workshop will be held at the Pines’ residence at 420 Tucker Mountain Road in East Andover. Space is limited; please contact Susan Chase at 735-5135 or srfchase@nullaol.com to sign up.
On Saturday, November 7, local photographers and will-be photographers are invited to join in the first-ever Andover Photo Expo to be held in the East Andover Grange Hall between 10 AM and 2 PM. The event will feature four photo workshops, including one by Andover’s Rick Libbey, owner of Moose Man Nature Photos, on close-up wildlife photography. There will also be opportunities for local photographers to discuss, exhibit and sell their work.