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Weekly Drop-In Knitting Circle (In-Person)
Tuesday, April 30
1:30 pm - 2:30 pm
Meets Tuesdays, 1:30 pm – 2:30 pm Our popular weekly drop-in knitting circle continues to meets every Tuesday in the Library's Mark Twain Room. Share your knitting, crochet, and needlepoint project or learn basic techniques like casting on, knit, and purl stitches. Each week brings an opportunity to learn something new and there is always someone who can help with any problem.
Paths To Autistic Empowerment: Open Communication and Self-Advocacy
Tuesday, April 30
7:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Registration Required Below April is Autism Awareness Month, a time for sharing stories and providing opportunities to increase understanding and acceptance of people with autism. Jeremy Farrell, an Autism Spectrum Disorder Advocate, provides a roadmap to help those with autism and their loved ones find ways toward open communication and advocacy. As an autistic individual who has been on his own personal journey, Jeremy has unique insight on cultivating autistic empowerment. Jeremy goes beyond the textbook “dos and don’ts” for those on or off the autism spectrum, providing actionable steps toward empowerment. Jeremy will use examples from his personal and professional life to provide a comprehensive understanding of the common barriers autistic individuals face in everyday life and how to break through those barriers. Jeremy K. Farrell is a passionate Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Advocate and a proud person on the spectrum himself. He has been working with children with developmental disabilities, specializing in autism, since the age of 15. Since graduating from Southern Connecticut State University, he has run social skills groups for kids through Western Connecticut Behavioral Health. He has also worked with autism-focused organizations to provide recreational resources for clients. He spent time working as a University Assistant for Southern Connecticut State University, where he traveled around the state as the Leader of Community Outreach and Recruitment for the Listening to Faces Speech and Language Autism research with Yale’s Child Study Center. About Our Speaker
Jeremy K. Farrell is a passionate Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Advocate and a proud person on the spectrum himself. He has been working with children with developmental disabilities, specializing in autism, since the age of 15. Since graduating from Southern Connecticut State University, he has run social skills groups for kids through Western Connecticut Behavioral Health. He has also worked with autism-focused organizations to provide recreational resources for clients. He spent time working as a University Assistant for Southern Connecticut State University, where he traveled around the state as the Leader of Community Outreach and Recruitment for the Listening to Faces Speech and Language Autism research with Yale’s Child Study Center.
In his role as the Director of Family and Personal Growth at Planning Across the Spectrum, Jeremy has consulted with businesses and organizations, aiding them in understanding autism to effectively serve their autistic clients. More recently, he has been involved as a Certified Job Coach for the Connecticut Autism Waiver program, empowering autistic adults to establish their own businesses and advocating for the autistic community by offering webinars and presentations built on what he’s learned through his personal and professional life
Family Story Time (birth-5)
Wednesday, May 1
10:30 am - 11:10 am
Registration Required It's time for Family Story Time! We'll sing, dance, and read together. This event is designed for children birth - 5 but interested older siblings are welcome to attend. You only need to signup once for all the Family Story Time sessions. It is okay to miss sessions. Questions, please email Lisa at Lisa@marktwainlibrary.org Photos & videos from this event may be used on the Library's social media sites.
MTL Cookbook Club: “The Woks of Life” (In-person)
Wednesday, May 1
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
Registration Require Below Join us for the MTL Cookbook Club – part book club, part culinary tasting! Each meeting will focus on a particular cookbook from the Library's collection. Group members are invited to read the book, select a recipe to cook and enjoy sampling with one another as we discuss. Meetings will be held on the first Wednesday of every other month.Register online and we'll be in touch with details about the meeting and your recipe selection to share with the group. Space is limited.
This Month's Pick: The Woks of Life: Recipes to Know and Love from a Chinese American Family by the Leung Family
Copies of this month's cookbook will be available to check out at the front desk beginning April 1. Browse the book and let us know what recipe you plan to make and share at our next meeting. See below for recipes already selected.
Chosen Recipes:
Fast Sizzled Cucumber Salad
Eggplant with Garlic Sauce
Lazy Veggie Noodles
Shanghai Cold Noodles
Old Shanghai Potato Salad
Chicken Curry Puffs
Pork, Mushroom and Cabbage Dumplings
Milk Bread
Chinese Bakery Cream & Fruit Cake Reinvented
Pineapple Cakes
Bearing Witness: Yom HaShoah — Holocaust Remembrance Day (In-Person)
Thursday, May 2
7:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Registration Required Below As a descendant of two Holocaust survivors, Redding's Renee Bronner Pessin will mark this Holocaust Remembrance Day (May 5—6) by telling the story of her parents, Helen and Sam Bronner, who met while imprisoned in a concentration camp. Helen was the only survivor of more than 50 members of her immediate and extended family, while Sam and one brother were the only survivors of his immediate family. The couple became separated during the war, but they eventually found each other following liberation. Soon after, Helen and Sam got married and immigrated to the United States to start a new life in Brooklyn, NY. Renee shares the story of her parents through excerpts of her mother's video testimony to the Shoah Foundation and through family pictures that survived the horrors of the Holocaust. About Our Speaker
Renee Bronner Pessin has been a Redding resident for over seven years. Originally from Brooklyn, NY, Renee has worked as a registered nurse, editorial associate for scientific journals and for over 20 years, she has worked as a biomedical grant and manuscript editor.
This program is part of the Conversations Series, created in partnership by the Redding League of Women Voters and the MarkTwain Library. This award-winning series offers opportunities to continue and expand conversations on race, justice and democracy. Community members can exchange ideas, hear differing perspectives and talk about our ever-evolving democracy.
Frog Frolic Family Festival
Saturday, May 4
10:00 am - 4:00 pm
Click here to learn all about the Frog Frolic Family Festival! A Day of Fun for Everyone! SATURDAY, MAY 4TH, 2024 - 10AM-4PM @ Redding Community Center - 37 Lonetown Road, Redding, CT 06896
MTL Open Mic: A Literary Event for Teens and Adults (Registration for AUDIENCE MEMBERS)
Sunday, May 5
3:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Please register below. Mark Twain Library invites local writers and lovers of literature to join us for an open mic event! Read your own work or someone else’s work, or just listen to others read. All literary genres are welcome, but participants should limit their readings to no more than 5 minutes. We will also accommodate drop-in readers as time permits. About our emcee: A high school senior in New York City, Anisha is an avid reader and is very passionate about writing (particularly poetry), and is an active member of her school’s poetry club. In 2021, she received the Scholastic Silver Key Award for her poetry and is an alumna of the Kenyon Review Young Writers Summer Program. This fall will mark Anisha's second time hosting a popular teen poetry workshop series focusing on social justice and activism at the Mark Twain Library. REGISTRATION FOR READERS/PARTICIPANTS Light refreshments will be served. Program contact: Sarah Zimmermann (sarah@marktwainlibrary.org), Teen and Reference Librarian
MTL Open Mic: A Literary Event for Teens and Adults (Registration for READERS/PARTICIPANTS)
Sunday, May 5
3:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Please register below. Mark Twain Library invites local writers and lovers of literature to join us for an open mic event! Read your own work or someone else’s work, or just listen to others read. All literary genres are welcome, but participants should limit their readings to no more than 5 minutes. We will also accommodate drop-in readers as time permits. About our emcee: A high school senior in New York City, Anisha is an avid reader and is very passionate about writing (particularly poetry), and is an active member of her school’s poetry club. In 2021, she received the Scholastic Silver Key Award for her poetry and is an alumna of the Kenyon Review Young Writers Summer Program. This fall will mark Anisha's second time hosting a popular teen poetry workshop series focusing on social justice and activism at the Mark Twain Library. Registration for AUDIENCE MEMBERS Light refreshments will be served. Program contact: Sarah Zimmermann (sarah@marktwainlibrary.org), Teen and Reference Librarian
Kindergarten May Story Time
Monday, May 6
4:00 pm - 4:45 pm
Kindergartners, we'll gather together for a relaxing afternoon of books, stories and songs. The Kindergarteners will attend this program without an adult. Photos and videos from this event may be used on the Library's Website. Registration Required
MTL Youth Chess Club (Recommended for Grades 4-8) IN PERSON Program
Monday, May 6
5:30 pm - 6:30 pm
Registration recommended; drop-ins welcome. We invite young chess players and chess enthusiasts to participate in our newly launched Youth Chess Club. No prior chess knowledge is required; all levels of experience are welcome to participate! The library will provide chess boards and pieces for all to use. While this program is recommended for grade 5-8, older teen players are welcome too! About our facilitator: Matthew Shirvell (aka Coach Matt) is an avid chess player who has been teaching chess in Connecticut for over 6 years. He has competed in USCF tournaments across the country, worked as a tournament director to run some of the largest events in the state, and has helped his students reach their goals. Recently, in January 2023, one of his students earned sole 1st place in a USCF event with a perfect score! The club will meet every Monday, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. except on holidays or as otherwise noted. Program contact: Sarah Zimmermann (sarah@marktwainlibrary.org), Teen and Reference Librarian
Adult Chess Club (In-person)
Monday, May 6
6:30 pm - 7:30 pm
Registration Recommended, See Below We invite all adult chess players and chess enthusiasts to participate in our newly launched, weekly Adult Chess Club. No prior chess knowledge is required; all levels of experience are welcome to participate! The library will provide chess boards and pieces for all to use. As space is limited, we recommend participants register for each program that they plan to attend. About our facilitator: Matthew Shirvell (aka Coach Matt) is an avid chess player who has been teaching chess in Connecticut for over 6 years. He has competed in USCF tournaments across the country, worked as a tournament director to run some of the largest events in the state, and has helped his students reach their goals. Recently, in January 2023, one of his students earned sole 1st place in a USCF event with a perfect score!
Great Decisions (In-Person)
Monday, May 6
7:30 pm - 9:00 pm
Registration for this program is closed. Look for our next session in the Fall of 2024 Join our popular Great Decisions series, an international relations discussion group that meets in person at the Library. This 8-session course, designed by the Foreign Policy Association, focuses on the most pressing issues of our time. The discussions will be moderated by members of the Library’s World Affairs Forum. Read the Foreign Policy Association briefing book before each session and engage in lively discussions. The World Affairs Forum meets on the first and third Monday of the month at the Library. Participants are encouraged to attend in person to fully participate in the discussion; however, an option for individuals to join virtually via Zoom is available. All registered participants will receive a Zoom link on the day of the meeting. Dates and Topics February 5 - Mideast Realignment February 19 - Climate Technology and Competition March 6 - Science Across Borders March 18 - U.S. - China trade rivalry April 1 - NATO’s future April 15 - Understanding Indonesia May 6 - High Seas Treaty May 20 - Pandemic Preparedness Registering on this page will register you for the full 8-week course. Registered participants will receive notification when the briefing books arrive in late January. There is a suggested donation of $20 to help defray the cost of the briefing book and materials for this program. Donations welcome when you pick up your book or click here to donate. More About Great Decisions: Great Decisions is America's largest discussion program on world affairs. The name is shared by a national civic-education program, briefing book, and PBS television series produced by the Foreign Policy Association. The Great Decisions program highlights eight critical foreign policy challenges facing Americans each year. In libraries across the country, Great Decisions discussion group participants discuss and debate each issue. Supported by the Foreign Policy Association for over 50 years, Great Decisions involves citizens in the foreign policy-making process.
Creative Collective Discussion Group: “The Creative Act” (Virtual)
Tuesday, May 7
10:30 am - 12:00 pm
Registration is closed for this session. Please join us for our next session in June.
Have fun and make friends while cultivating your creativity in our weekly group discussions about art, creativity and so much more! Our facilitated conversations invite participants to consider imaginative and alternative viewpoints about the creative process in a congenial, relaxed Zoom setting. Empower your creativity and feed your brain by joining us in the Creative Collective Discussion Group!
This spring, our exploration into the power of creativity continues with the book The Creative Act: A Way of Being by Rick Rubin. Copies of the books are available for loan at the Library's front desk.
The Creative Collective meets weekly on Tuesdays. Register once for the 8 meetings in this session running from April 2 to May 28.
Click Here to attend Zoom Meeting (For registered participants only)
Weekly Drop-In Knitting Circle (In-Person)
Tuesday, May 7
1:30 pm - 2:30 pm
Meets Tuesdays, 1:30 pm – 2:30 pm Our popular weekly drop-in knitting circle continues to meets every Tuesday in the Library's Mark Twain Room. Share your knitting, crochet, and needlepoint project or learn basic techniques like casting on, knit, and purl stitches. Each week brings an opportunity to learn something new and there is always someone who can help with any problem.
Regenerative Farming — Eat Better, Save the Planet (In-Person)
Tuesday, May 7
6:30 pm - 7:30 pm
Registration Required Below This program is co-sponsored by Little Meadow Farm of Redding and Redding Land Trust What did our planet look like before industrial farms, crowded cities and pollution-emitting factories? How can we reverse the damage to our atmosphere, wildlife populations and health? Whitney Freeman discusses the principles of Regenerative Farming, a conservation and rehabilitation approach to food production. Whitney, owner of Henny Penny Farm in Ridgefield, will discuss ecological methods to grow food and raise livestock, and how this method can be used as medicine for our planet and our bodies. Whitney will talk about the integral role that livestock can play in healing soils, which aids in bringing back wildlife to our habitats — and how all of this is tied to producing better food. Learn about Regenerative Farming to find out how to eat better and make better food choices. This is a hybrid program that will take place both live at the Library, and virtually over Zoom. For a full experience we recommend attending this program live at the Library. Scroll to the bottom of the screen to register for the In-Person option and you will receive an email reminder. Include a cell for a text reminder. Would you prefer instead to attend the program virtually over Zoom? Click here to register for the virtual event. About Our Speaker Dr. Whitne
y Freeman owns and operates Henny Penny Farm in Ridgefield, a working farm and teaching space for children and adults to learn about livestock, sustainable agriculture, food systems and more.
She holds a degree in biochemistry from Imperial College, London and a PhD from the University of Cambridge Department of Pharmacology. Whitney's scientific training helps inform the research and teaching on her farm, and propels its mission to protect the environment by working in harmony with nature’s rhythms, raising nurtured, happy animals, teaching children about food and offering families the healthiest, most nutrient-dense food possible.
Down the road from the farm, Whitney grazes sheep on an 18-acre plot of leased Conservation Land, which is considered one of the best environmentally-focused grazing programs in the state. Since 2023, Henny Penny has been working on a regenerative project at Little Meadow Farm and Jean’s Farm in Redding with sheep, pigs and chickens.
Whitney's farm was awarded a Charter School Program grant from the USDA to continue to work with livestock as part of an environmental stewardship plan focused on soil health and regenerative agriculture.
**Photo: Courtesy of A. Burmeister
Regenerative Farming — Eat Better, Save the Planet (Virtual)
Tuesday, May 7
6:30 pm - 7:30 pm
Registration Required Below This program is co-sponsored by Little Meadow Farm of Redding and Redding Land Trust What did our planet look like before industrial farms, crowded cities and pollution-emitting factories? How can we reverse the damage to our atmosphere, wildlife populations and health? Whitney Freeman discusses the principles of Regenerative Farming, a conservation and rehabilitation approach to food production. Whitney, owner of Henny Penny Farm in Ridgefield, will discuss ecological methods to grow food and raise livestock, and how this method can be used as medicine for our planet and our bodies. Whitney will talk about the integral role that livestock can play in healing soils, which aids in bringing back wildlife to our habitats — and how all of this is tied to producing better food. Learn about Regenerative Farming to find out how to eat better and make better food choices. This is a hybrid program that will take place both live at the Library, and virtually over Zoom. For a full experience we recommend attending this program live at the Library. Scroll to the bottom of the screen to register for the Virtual option and you will receive an email with a Zoom link on the morning of the program. Include a cell for a text reminder. Would you prefer instead to attend the program in person at the Library? Click here to register for the live event at the Library. About Our Speaker Dr. Whitne
y Freeman owns and operates Henny Penny Farm in Ridgefield, a working farm and teaching space for children and adults to learn about livestock, sustainable agriculture, food systems and more.
She holds a degree in biochemistry from Imperial College, London and a PhD from the University of Cambridge Department of Pharmacology. Whitney's scientific training helps inform the research and teaching on her farm, and propels its mission to protect the environment by working in harmony with nature’s rhythms, raising nurtured, happy animals, teaching children about food and offering families the healthiest, most nutrient-dense food possible.
Down the road from the farm, Whitney grazes sheep on an 18-acre plot of leased Conservation Land, which is considered one of the best environmentally focused grazing programs in the state. Since 2023, Henny Penny has been working on a regenerative project at Little Meadow Farm and Jean’s Farm in Redding with sheep, pigs and chickens.
Whitney's farm was awarded a Conservation Stewardship Program grant from the USDA to continue to work with livestock as part of an environmental stewardship plan focused on soil health and regenerative agriculture.
**Photo credit: Courtesy of A. Burmeister
Family Story Time (birth-5)
Wednesday, May 8
10:30 am - 11:10 am
Registration Required It's time for Family Story Time! We'll sing, dance, and read together. This event is designed for children birth - 5 but interested older siblings are welcome to attend. You only need to signup once for all the Family Story Time sessions. It is okay to miss sessions. Questions, please email Lisa at Lisa@marktwainlibrary.org Photos & videos from this event may be used on the Library's social media sites.
Nature Book Club — ‘Better Living Through Birding’ (Off-Site)
Wednesday, May 8
11:30 am - 12:30 pm
LOCATION: New Pond Farm Education Center Co-Sponsored by New Pond Farm Education Center and Redding Land Trust Delve more deeply into nature, ecology and wildlife with a new bookclub focusing on science, conservation and natural history! Whether you're an avid birder, a devoted gardener or an enthusiastic weekend hiker, you'll expand your understanding of the world around us while also meeting folks who share a devotion to our planet! The Nature Book Club is moderated by Cole Tucker-Walton, a Redding Land Trust board member and author of Redding's Big Outdoors column in the Redding Sentinel, and John McLeran, a member of the Redding Land Trust and Town of Redding's Open Space Manager. This bookclub will meet for three sessions on Wednesdays at 11:30 am at New Pond Farm Education Center, 101 Marchant Road, Redding. Books will be available to borrow at the Library. Space is limited, so please register early!UPCOMING — Register Below
Wednesday, May 8 — Better Living Through Birding: Notes from a Black Man in the Natural World by Christian Cooper (2023)
A self-described “Blerd” (Black nerd), Christian Cooper is an avid comics fan and expert birder who devotes every spring to gazing upon the migratory birds that stop to rest in Central Park, just a subway ride away from where he lives in New York City. While in the park one morning in May 2020, Cooper had an encounter with a dog walker, which exploded age-old racial tensions. Cooper’s viral video of the incident would send shock waves through the nation.
In his bestselling memoir, Cooper tells the story of his extraordinary life leading up to the now-infamous incident in Central Park and shows how a life spent looking up at the birds prepared him, in the most uncanny of ways, to be a gay, Black man in America today.
Previous Selections:
Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer (2015)
Soil: The Story of a Black Mother's Garden by Camille T. Dungy (2023)
Women and Money Roundtable: How to Make Sense of Today’s Financial Markets (Virtual)
Wednesday, May 8
1:00 pm - 2:00 pm
Registration Required Below The Women and Money Roundtable is a monthly financial program created to empower and educate women on financial matters that impact their families and themselves. Join Julia Strayer and Liz Maccarone virtually as they lead a lively and informative discussion on how to make sense of today’s financial markets. The Women and Money Roundtable series will meet throughout the spring. Please register for each session separately. April 10 May 8 June 12 Registered participants will receive a Webinar link on the day of the program. Include your cell phone number on the registration form and receive one text reminder, with link before the program begins. About the Speakers: Julia Strayer, CPWA®, CIMA®, CRPC®
Senior Vice President, Wealth Management Advisor
Prior to joining Merrill Lynch Wealth Management in 2000, Julia was a vice president and private banker for BankBoston’s Private Bank for 7 years, responsible for asset management and trust services. Previously, Julia worked in marketing for 9 years with Merrill. Julia has a BA from Ohio State University and an MBA from New York University’s Stern School of Business. Julia has appeared on the CNBC show “Power Lunch,” CBS “This Morning,” WGCH’s “Women in Business,” in addition to featured articles in USA Today.
Liz Maccarone, CRPC®
Senior Financial Advisor
Liz joined Merrill Lynch Wealth Management in 2012. Liz works closely with high-net-worth individuals and their families to create personalized and comprehensive strategies that support their goals, including investment management, retirement planning, liability management, and multigenerational planning. Liz values the importance of establishing and cultivating relationships with families including the next generation. Liz graduated from Fairfield University with a dual bachelor’s degree in Finance and Marketing. She began her career working at a boutique investment firm as a Business Development Associate, specializing in commodities and futures trading.
This program is sponsored in partnership by the presenters and libraries in Fairfield and Westchester Counties.