If you're looking for a place to put all the seemingly useless bits of local folklore and knowledge you've acquired over the years to good use, Newburyport Elementary School PTO's upcoming trivia night could be an event right up your alley. The goal is to raise money for a good cause — helping to fund special programs for students — but the evening is being designed with an emphasis on fun as it pits team against team in the battle over who knows more.
With questions like who were the original owners of the site where Newburyport High now stands and a number of other tricky trivia trip-ups, the party promises a lively evening for those who participate.
Trivia teams are encouraged to register in advance for the Friday, June 11, event and can consist of one to eight players. The preregistration entry fee is $25 per person or $30 at the door, or pay $200 and join as a corporate team, with a table branded with a company logo. Teams are encouraged to dress creatively, to get into the spirit and to distract their opponents when possible.
Prizes will be awarded for bonus rounds and for the last team standing, and there will also be a 50/50 raffle, a three-card bingo game and, of course, an opportunity to stun the competition with mastery of trivial facts. Teams are encouraged to bring their own picnic dinner and sample one of the delicious desserts provided by the PTO. The event will begin at 7 p.m. at the Elks Club, 25 Low St. For more information regarding corporate table branding or how to register, visit www.newburyportpto.com or e-mail triviacontest@hotmail.com.
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With the Newburyport skyline across the river serving as a background, the 15th biannual Newburyport Retired Teachers Association luncheon was held May 12 at Striper's Grille in Salisbury. In addition to taking the Royal Order of the Chalk pledge, the assemblage held a moment of silence for NHS retiree Bill Morris, who recently passed away, and a collection was taken for the NRTA Book Fund that will benefit the Newburyport public schools' libraries. Former music teacher Gordon Bowman provided an update on the state of health insurance, and the event was attended by more than 50 retired teachers of Newburyport public schools.
Those in attendance were: Gurney Arnold, Dawn Bennett, Gordon Bowman, JoAnne Brislin, Suzanne Brown, Leslie Childs, Mary Ellen Clarkson, Ruth Connors, Elaine Cox, Mary Ann Daley, Louis Dispenza, Chris Dollas, Susan Down, Richard Doyle, Mary DuGrenier, Connie Fitzgerald, Mary Flaherty, Mary Flynn, Mary Fordham, Marin Fortune, Judy Fuller, Roger Gagnon, Al Gates, Nancy Griffin, Elizabeth Hicken, Kay Holleer, Jane Holway, Christine Johnson, Robin Johnson, Shirley Kilgour, Ted Kyrios, Furmer Lattime, Margaret Nichols, Dot MacDonald, Jim Marshall, Alice McLeod, Priscilla Morse, Margaret Nichols, Eleanora Paciulan, Neil Reardon, Lillian Shapiro, Loretta Stafford, Dan Sullivan, Peg Taranda, Karen Twomey, Nancy Weare.
The committee for this luncheon was JoAnne Brislin, Elaine Cox, Ellen Erekson and Linda Kuse, and they did a great job, including conducting a raffle with prizes for retirees.
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Talented Newburyport High School student Jessica Clayton has been singled out to represent the school in the 23rd annual Massachusetts Art All-State program at the Worcester Art Museum on May 28 and 29. She will join 145 high school juniors throughout the Bay State, as they work together to design and produce artworks inspired by the works from the museum's collection, which will be displayed at a public reception on Saturday.
"This program is a gateway to a possible career in the arts, as many of our former participants now work in the arts industry or are professional artists," said Gillian Bonazoli, art all-state manager at WAM. "We encourage students to follow their passion, and our staff gives the students advice on how to help make their dreams become a reality."
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The Provident Bank recently unveiled in its Newburyport Lobby for the Arts a special show titled Banking on Art, showcasing the work of Newburyport High School students. An artists' reception for the show will be held Thursday, May 27, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the Storey Avenue branch.
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The Friends of Newburyport Lacrosse will be holding a fundraiser Sunday at NHS stadium in support of the NHS lacrosse programs. Everyone is invited to join them and participate in the fun, which will include alumni games pitting varsity players against former NHS graduates from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
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The Molin Upper Elementary Science Fair will be held Thursday from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Molin School cafeteria. The community is welcome to attend.
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Lynne Hendricks covers Amesbury for The Daily News. She can be reached at lhendricks@newburyportnews.com, or call 978-462-6666, ext. 3254.
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