Culture

BRATTLEBORO, VT (November 3)—The Boston Gay Men’s Chorus served up a memorable night of song, advocacy, and community spirit in front of a capacity crowd at the Latchis Theatre on Saturday night, November 1st. The sold-out event helped raise more than $25,000 for the Brattleboro Retreat’s LGBT Program, now in its 5th year of serving the LGBTQ community.

As a part of the evening’s program, the Retreat presented Representative Bill Lippert of Hinesburg with the hospital’s 2014 Anna Marsh Award in recognition of his advocacy on behalf of people with mental illness or addiction.

I remember Galway as a man of action, conviction, and kindness. Some years ago I had spoken to him about our mutual poet friend Hayden Carruth, and Hayden never receiving the recognition that he deserved as one of the truly great Vermont poets. I had suggested that Hayden should be recognized as a state poet laureate, but the state wouldn’t offer that recognition. Galway quietly said, “Let’s see what we can do.”

November’s exhibit in the Gallery at the Garden (Robert H. Gibson River Garden, 157 Main St.) features works by painter and set designer Clay Coyle in a show titled Fresh Paint: Reflections of Color in Landscapes and Trees.

Concurrently, the River Garden, home of Strolling of the Heifers, will host an exhibit of historical materials from the archives of Kurn Hattin Homes for Children, the Westminster residential school for children at-risk or in need. Established in 1894, Kurn Hattin serves boys and girls, ages 5-15, who are affected by tragedy, social or economic hardship, or other disruption in family life.

Now a resident of Venice, Florida, Coyle maintains a studio in Putney and just recently moved from his S. Londonderry, Vermont homestead which he had kept since 1980. Clay has actively painted and worked on set and lighting design since he entered Williams College in 1968. He graduated in 1972, winning the Gilbert W. Gabriel Prize in Drama for his design and technical work. From Williams he headed to New York City where he designed sets for the Classic Stage Company, the New Dramatists Inc., the Producer’s Association for Young America, the Spanish Repertory Company, and others.

WESTMINSTER, VT—Kurn Hattin Homes for Children will hold a public reception to celebrate the unveiling of a new historical exhibit entitled, A Legacy of Caring: Adapting to the Changing Needs of Children and Families. All are welcome to attend Thursday, November 6 from 5:30 – 7:00 PM at the Robert H. Gibson River Garden, 157 Main St. Brattleboro.

This opening reception will be hosted by Kurn Hattin Homes for Children’s Executive Director, Connie Sanderson, and will feature a brief presentation and Q and A session. Refreshments will be provided.