As much as I love doing this column each week, I will not be doing one next week. To avoid withdrawal, save this one and read it again.

The cross on the Grantham United Methodist Church was lit on Nov. 16 in memory of Peg Miles by Pat Masone.

It will be lit on Nov. 23 in memory of Fred Lee by Ruth Lee.

* The annual Lebanon Project Graduation auction (live, silent and raffle) begins at 9:30 a.m. Nov. 20 at Lebanon High School. There will be lunch available, and a pie and bake sale, including some wonderful homemade cakes and pies. Doors open at 8:30. This program benefits graduating seniors, including those from Grantham.

* A craft fair sponsored by the Lake Sunapee Region Visiting Nurse Association and Hospice to benefit the Hospice Program will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Nov. 20 at the Kearsarge Community Presbyterian Church in New London.?There will also be entertainment and refreshments.

Bistro Brain Busters Trivia Night begins at 7 p.m. Nov. 20 at Bistro Nouveau, giving everyone the opportunity to show just how much they know about the most trivial things. Bring a team of two to six people for this free night of fun and prizes. Call 863-8000 to reserve a table; walk-ins are also welcome.

There will be a Thanksgiving celebration service at the Grantham United Methodist Church at 7 p.m. Nov. 21. Everyone is welcome.

A benefit dinner for the Upper Valley Humane Society will be held at the Common Man Restaurant in Claremont Nov. 23. Seatings for the three-course dinners are at 5 and 7 p.m. Cost is $20/person, with 50 percent of the proceeds going to the humane society. Tickets can be purchased by calling 448-6888 ext. 100, or at the Common Man.

The town offices, Dunbar Free Library and the transfer station will be closed for Thanksgiving, Nov. 25. Additionally, the library will close at noon Nov. 24 and will reopen at 9 a.m. Nov. 26. The town offices will be closed Nov. 26.

There will be no Storytime Nov. 24 or 25.

Acoustical musician Jason Cann will appear 6-9 p.m. Dec. 3 in the tavern at Bistro Nouveau at The Center at Eastman. Reservations can be made by calling 863-8000.

* Our Town’s annual Breakfast with Santa will be held 8:30-10 a.m. Dec. 4 at the Grantham Town Hall. Enjoy pancakes, sausage, juice, coffee, and milk for a donation of $4 for ages 12 through adult. Children 11 and younger are free with the donation of a non-perishable food item. Bring your camera for pictures with Santa. Candy canes and gifts for children.

* Judging for the annual Our Town Holiday Lights Contest will begin at 4:30 p.m. Dec. 12. Do you have the best Christmas lights in town? Prove it! Drop an e-mail to Laurie Field (field83@comcast.net) with your name, phone number and address to enter the contest. Prizes will be awarded to the top three decorators, and a special Holiday Spirit Award will be given to the best decorated home or business on Route 10. Let’s show them how Grantham’s spirit can shine.

Fire station helps neighbors

Please join the Grantham Fire Department in our drive to help our neighbors, 8:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Dec. 4 at the fire station. Bring the kids to touch a fire truck. Donations being collected are new, unwrapped toys for Toys for Tots, non-perishable food items for local food banks, and unable coats for Shepherd Realty’s annual Coat Drive. Refreshments will be served. Call 863-5710 if you have questions.

The monthly Community Potluck will be held at 6 p.m. Dec. 4 in the church hall at Grantham United Methodist Church. Everyone is welcome. Bring a dish to share.

The annual Holiday Crafts Fair will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dec. 5 at the town hall. Homemade creations by local artisans will include baskets, ornaments, jewelry, handmade journals/notepads, wooden bird houses/candle holders, woven scarves, felted animals, fiber bags and wall hangings, hand knits, photography, pottery, miniature paintings, lotions/scrubs, baked cookies/candies, and T-shirts.

Lunch will be available to benefit the Grantham sixth grade trip to Nature’s Classroom.

Shop locally, save gas, avoid the traffic!

School district budget work continues

The Grantham School Board will continue to refine the FY12 budget throughout December and January. The next school board meeting is 6:30 p.m. Dec. 6 in the Grantham Village School Music Room. Everyone is encouraged to attend.

The Grantham Historical Society will host an Antiques Appraisal Day, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Dec. 11 in the downstairs of the Grantham Town Hall. While you’re pulling out holiday decorations, look for those old items that might be worth a zillion! These appraisers specialize in early military, Civil War items, early photography, historical documents, clocks, musical instruments, Asian antiques, Japanese and Chinese porcelain, jade, Victorian jewelry, gold, art, some furniture and general old items. The charge is $5 for one item, or $12 for three items; proceeds benefit the GHS. There will also be homemade soups and desserts, so you can just stop, watch and enjoy a nice hot lunch too.

Volunteers are needed to help that day. Please call Kathi Osgood at 863-4726 for additional information. GHS hopes this will become an annual fundraising event.

Seventy-one runners and 17 walkers turned out for the Turkey Trot and helped raise over $1,000 for food certificates for people in need in Grantham, Enfield and Springfield. The event, sponsored by Eastman Recreation Department, also netted several boxes of food for area food banks. Thanks to the runners, walkers and volunteers who help make this possible each year.

• Selectmen meet at 5 p.m. the second and fourth Wednesdays each month. (There is a meeting scheduled for the day before Thanksgiving, but they may change the time.)
• Storytime at Dunbar Free Library: babies and toddlers (with adults) at 10 a.m. Wednesdays through Dec. 15 (except Nov. 24); preschoolers at 10 a.m. Thursdays through Dec. 16 (except Nov. 11 and Nov. 25).
• Don’t forget to pick up your 2011 Transfer Station “hang tag” at the Selectmen’s Office. The old tags expire Dec. 31. The first hang tag is free to the property owner; each additional tag and replacement tags are $10. You must provide the license number of the vehicle in which the tag will hang.
• A Medicare specialist will be available Tuesday mornings at Grantham Town Hall to help with open enrollment or other issues. Call ServiceLink at 448-1558, leave a telephone number, and the counselor will call you to make an appointment.
• Indoor Pickleball Tuesday and Thursdays from noon-2 p.m. at Newport Recreation Center. Check http://lovepickle.com/ for latest Upper Valley pickleball news. Milly and Fred have been appointed as USAPA Pickleball Ambassadors for the Upper Valley.
• Grantham United Methodist Church offers Sunday service at 10 a.m. each week.
• The town has a food collection box in the town hall foyer. Food donations are brought alternately to The Listen Center and the Newport Food Pantry.
• Burn permits are required for any outdoor burning. For a permit application, visit www.granthamnh.net . Click on departments, click on fire, and click the link for the application. It takes a few seconds to download.
• Visit www.granthamnh.net for official minutes, meeting dates, lists of elected officials and more.