The Acton Exchange Bulletin Board is for volunteer opportunities and other announcements not tied to a single specific time and date. Please send your Bulletin Board announcements to editors@actonexchange.org. (Calendar events are submitted separately to calendar@actonexchange.org.)
Discovery Museum To Host “Bessie’s Closet,” a Free Pop-up Clothing Shop, May 2 – 4
Discovery Museum will host a free-of-charge pop-up clothing shop, called “Bessie’s Closet,” May 2 – 4, 2025. Donations of new or gently used clean clothing in any size were being collected through April 27.
Bessie’s Closet will be open to all on Friday, May 2, 3:30pm – 7:30pm and Saturday and Sunday, May 3 and 4, 10:00am – 3:00pm. Museum admission is not required to shop, nor is it included.
Per Kellie Roche, Discovery Museum Programs Educator, “Reusing clothing is eco-friendly and a great way to help support members of our community.”
Bessie’s Closet began as a staff-led initiative in 2022, and since then more than 8,000 pounds of clothing has been distributed.
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About Discovery Museum
Discovery Museum is a hands-on museum for families that blends science, nature, and play. The museum and its Discovery Woods accessible outdoor nature playscape and giant treehouse blend the best of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) learning on a beautiful 4.5-acre campus abutting 180 acres of conservation land in Acton, MA, about 20 miles west of Boston. Originally founded in 1982 and expanded to two museums in 1987, the museum reopened in a single, 16,000sf accessible building after a complete renovation and expansion in early 2018. Hands-on, open-ended exhibits developed by professional educators inspire curiosity and exploration, providing a fun and engaging experience for children and adults to discover their world together. Serving families and schools from towns throughout the region, the museum is devoted to informal education that enhances classroom learning. Discovery Museum is committed to accessibility and is a proud recipient of the Massachusetts Commonwealth Award, the only winner in the Access category, and a LEAD® Community Asset Award from The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
In 2024 Discovery Museum was awarded a National Medal for Museum Service from the Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS), the nation’s highest honor awarded to museums that make “significant and exceptional contributions to their communities.”
Discovery Museum is a community-supported non-profit organization.
Discovery Museum to Hold Online Auction Fundraiser May 5-14
Discovery Museum will kick off its annual Bid for Kids online auction fundraiser on Monday, May 5 at 8:00am at https://www.biddingforgood.com/discoveryacton and close on Wednesday, May 14 at 8:00pm.
Many popular, useful, and/or hard-to-get items have been donated by generous individuals and businesses in the community in support of the Museum. The catalog will have more than 150 items, including a Red Sox VIP Package for 4 including scoreboard message, 3-month cheese-of-the-month club subscription, Graham Nash and Ben Folds tickets at Groton Hill Music Center, private sourdough bake-along experience, summer camp, gift certificates for local services and restaurants, and much more.
Proceeds from the auction will support Discovery Museum’s Open Door Connections programs which serve to make the Museum affordable and accessible to all through programs such as Especially for Me, supporting free visits for families with children on the autism spectrum, are deaf or hard of hearing, or are blind or low-vision, and free Friday night admission year-round. Shoppers and museum supporters alike can visit the auction at https://www.biddingforgood.com/discoveryacton.
2025 Acton-Boxborough Bioblitz, April 18-May 5
We invite you to document and celebrate biodiversity in Acton and Boxborough. Last year 26 participants made almost 1000 observations and identified over 500 species in the Acton and Boxborough area.
To join, first create an account on the iNaturalist website using your phone or computer.
Then, join our project. You can search for our project by name on the Community tab on your computer or phone: “Nature of Acton and Boxborough April 2025” or click here.
(Please make sure you are joining the 2025 project, not the 2024 project!)
We are opening the window on April 18 to commemorate the 250th anniversary of Samuel Prescott’s ride (and Paul Revere’s Ride) to Acton. But the Boston Area City Nature Challenge will only count observations from April 25 to 28, so it’s important to make observations during that time period as well. For more information about the Boston Area CNC, visit: https://www.bostoncnc.org/
Then snap away at any plant, animal or fungus you see and get it on our list. Can we break 500 species this year? Who can ID the most? Taking observations of wildlife helps advance science too! According to National Geographic, “High quality data uploaded to iNaturalist become part of the Global Biodiversity Information Facility, an open source database used by scientists and policy makers around the world.”
This is a fun activity for your family and to celebrate Earth Week.
This Bioblitz is a collaboration of people from Energize Acton, the Acton Conservation Trust, Green Acton, AB Steam, Acton Men’s Outdoor Club, Acton Discovery Museum, the Boxborough Conservation Trust, and the Town of Acton Sustainability office.
If you have any questions about the activity or how to join the project in iNaturalist, email Matt Liebman.
South Acton Rummage Sale moved to Harvard Thrift Shop
The organizers of the South Acton Rummage sale are continuing their love of rummage, our community, and the environment by partnering with the Congregational Church of Harvard (HCC) to launch a clothes room at their Unique Boutique thrift store.
In addition to being open each Wednesday 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., the new clothes section of the store is open on the first Saturday of every month at 5 Still River Rd, Harvard, MA.
All are welcome. Come to shop or donate! All proceeds from the shop will go to the missions and justice work of the HCC, some of which are Worcester Area Mission, Loaves and Fishes food pantry, and A Friend In Need.
For questions, please email pmkbabcock@gmail.com, subject Thrift Store.
COA Seeking Event Coordinator for LGTBQ+ Programs for Older Adults
The Acton Council on Aging is seeking someone to coordinate a monthly event at the Senior Center for older adults in the LGBTQ+ community. Gatherings may include entertainment, speakers, socializing with refreshments, and pool and ping pong. It would be ideal if this coordinator could attend Acton COA Rainbow Team meetings (via Zoom or in person) where members discuss ideas for programming and work with the COA’s program manager in planning events. A monthly stipend is available. For more information, please contact Chris Chirokas at the Council on Aging. cchirokas@actonma.gov or 978-929-6652.
The Swap Shop, located at the Acton Transfer Station, needs more volunteers!
The Swap Shop is open May through October, Tuesday through Saturday, and volunteers pick their own hours.The purpose of the Swap Shop is to reduce trash by putting perfectly good items into the hands of those who can use them.
We’d love to have more volunteers so we can be open for as many hours as possible. Will you have a few hours this year to help keep good things out of the trash?
Here is the Town of Acton link to the Swap Shop Program: http://www.actonma.gov/507/Swap-Shop
All volunteers for the Town of Acton are screened by the Human Resources department and need to complete an online ethics training.
Please contact Debby Andell if you would like the Human Resources forms and/or more information – debbyandell@gmail.com.
Acton Nursing Services offers free loaner equipment
Submitted by Adrian Hancock, Chair, Acton Nursing Services Advisory Committee
Did you know that Acton Nursing Services (ANS) offers a range of home-health equipment on free loan on a first-come-first-served basis for Acton residents? Often we think of our very own home health organization as being focused only on older members of the community, but it can also be very helpful for anyone else. Whether it’s a slip-and-fall accident on snow or ice, a sports accident, a motor vehicle incident, or recovery time at home after a hospital procedure, ANS can often offer free equipment like crutches, canes, wheelchairs, walkers, shower chairs, etc.
Recovery can be hard enough; why make it more expensive than it has to be? Call:978.929.6650 to check availability. These items are also available on loan to residents hosting visitors from out of town who may need them during their stay. Full information about ANS’ year-round services for all Acton residents is available at https://www.actonnursingservice.com.
AB Community Fitness Center is open! AB Regional High School
The Acton Boxborough Community Fitness Center at ABRHS is a fun, flexible, fitness resource for AB residents! Volunteer led and sponsored by AB Community Education, the Center is open Mon, Wed, Thurs 7:30-9 p.m. and Sat 9-11 a.m., including most holidays including AB School Vacation week. New members (age 16+) are welcome. Check in with an AB Fitness Center volunteer on duty. Join us! (Enter via upper ABRHS parking lot if ABRHS gazebo entrance is locked). Learn more at Fitness Center – Community Education (abschools.org). Check out the AB Fitness Center discounted punch cards.
Volunteer at Danny’s Place! 543 Mass Ave. West Acton
Volunteer at Danny’s Place after school or on your days off! Calling All High School & Junior High Students. We’re looking for enthusiastic volunteers to join our team at Danny’s Place! Support our programs, gain valuable administrative skills, and make a difference in your community. Flexible hours & meaningful opportunities await! Email us to apply: info@dannys-place.org
The Acton Food Pantry volunteering
Ongoing – Volunteers Needed! Current needs include:
- Adults who have flexibility to volunteer for daytime shifts, particularly on Wednesday.
- People who might be interested in helping with the Saturday morning pickups at Stop & Shop or Trader Joe’s.
- Fluent Portuguese speakers to help us better serve our large Brazilian client population.
Although these are specific needs, we welcome any interested potential volunteer as we always need a large roster of potential subs and have a variety of opportunities. If you know of anyone who might be interested in volunteering, please have them complete a preliminary application on the Pantry website here or email Cathy at Cathy@actonfoodpantry.org.
Other notes from the Acton Food Pantry: “We decided not to host the Chef Challenge this year due to lack of volunteers. Because we have been operating in crisis mode (now serving an average of 425 families per week up from 280 pre-covid) we decided to take on a new less labor intensive fundraiser.
The Ride for Food is an annual event organized by Three Squares New England. It returns 100% of the funds raised by participants back to the pantry. It includes a 25, 50 mile or 100K bike ride or a 5K walk. It is a no pressure, fun event.
We are looking to encourage people to ride for the Acton food Pantry Team. I am collecting names and emails of riders (or walkers) as registration will open on May 1.” Look for more information during the next few weeks.
The Acton Food Pantry has been providing food for residents in need in Acton, Boxborough, and surrounding towns since 1984. They typically serve 350 families per week and rely heavily on volunteers.