White River Junction — The Hartford Parks and Recreation Department again is teaming up with the Hartford Rod and Gun Club to hold a free hunter safety and education course next month.

The two-phase instruction process starts with a series of seven weeknight classes starting on Sept. 10 at the Dothan Brook School. Each class will take place from 6-8 p.m. and will cover a wide variety of topics such as firearms safety, hunter responsibility, personal preparedness and wildlife conservation.

The training will include a field day at the Hartford Rod and Gun Club on Wildlife Road in West Hartford on Sept. 15 from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. The field day gives participants a chance to put the lessons learned in the classroom to work.

All classes are led by certified Hartford Rod and Gun Club volunteers. The program is open to hunters of all ages and ability levels. All would-be hunters, bow hunters and trappers are required to complete the course in order to purchase their first licenses. Participants taking the bow hunting safety course are welcome to bring their own bows and field arrows for the program.

Registration is required and must be done through the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department website at www.vtfishandwildlife.com. Call Hartford Parks and Recreation at 802-295-5036 for more information.

With Weights

TSAC Lifting Meet

Lebanon — The Lebanon-based Thor’s Stone Athletic Club will hold its annual Mike Costello Memorial powerlifting meet starting at 10 a.m. on Aug. 25 at the Lebanon Elks Club.

The meet will consist of the bench press and dead lift, and all proceeds from the event will be earmarked for local charities. The cost of the meet is $60 per entrant.

For more information, contact Carl Wallin at carl.j.wallin@dartmouth.edu or 603-448-2164 before 8 p.m.

On the Tee

NHGA Hosts Rules Clinic
For H.S. Players, Coaches

Grantham — The New Hampshire Golf Association and the New Hampshire Interscholastic Athletic Association are getting together to hold a rules clinic for high school golf teams on Tuesday at Eastman Golf Links.

Tuesday’s event is one of five being held around the state in advance of the high school golf season, whose preseason preparations begin on Monday. Parents also are welcome to come to the clinic, which is free to all attendees.

Contact the NHIAA at 603-228-8671 or the NHGA at 603-219-0371 for more information.

Carter GC Ladies Night

Lebanon — Carter Golf Club has added a weekly night for women golfers as part of its schedule.

Ladies night will begin at 5:30 p.m. every Monday at the nine-hole course.

For $25 each week, golfers will get a nine-hole scramble tournament round on the par-36 layout along with a power cart, food and post-round prizes.

Participants are asked to call the course at 603-448-4483 to reserve a spot each week.

On the Pitch

VSOA Seeking Referees

Ludlow, Vt. — The Vermont Soccer Officials Association is seeking candidates interested in becoming a varsity or subvarsity soccer official.

VSOA referee trainer Gary Blodgett will hold a workout later this month attuned to people seeking entry into the ranks of soccer officials.

The workout is set for Rutland High School from 1-6 p.m. on Aug. 23, which will include on-field training as part of the clinic. The session includes a review of the rules of the game, a test and the field practice. The cost is $75, which also covers VSOA membership for the coming fall season. Interested men and women should contact Blodgett at gblodg@comcast.net or 802-558-3147.

More information is also available online at www.vermontsoa.com.

On the Run

Sprouty Coming in Sept.

Sharon — Runners will get the chance to help the Sharon Elementary School lunch program by running in the Sprouty on Sept. 8.

The Sprouty consists of five- and 10-kilometer routes, with walkers welcomed to the former. Both races begin at 9 a.m., with a kids’ fun run set for 10:15 a.m., all at the elementary school. The cost is $15 for the 5K and $20 for the 10K through Aug. 24; prices increase by $5 after that date up through the day of the event. The fun run is free, with no registration required.

Refreshments will be provided, live music is included and all runners will get a free lettuce plant from Dandelion Acres for taking part. Proceeds from the event go toward bringing locally produced food to the Sharon Elementary School lunch program.

All information on the day and a link to the registration page is available on the race website, www.thesprouty.com.

To the Hoop

Hanover Girls Host Clinic

Hanover — The Hanover High School girls basketball program will host a clinic for youngsters on Aug. 27 at the Hanover High gymnasium.

Coaches Dan O’Rourke and Gema Mayo-Prada will join current Marauders to lead the clinic, which is open to boys and girls entering grades 1-6 this fall. This one-day clinic will run from 1-3 p.m., with doors opening at 12:45 p.m. Parents are asked to pick up their young participants by 3:15 p.m.

There is a suggested donation of $25 to take part, which will go toward the Hanover program. Contact Hanover High School at 603-643-0655 for more information.

On Two Wheels

Pedal Power Upcoming

Tunbridge — Royalton Community Radio will stage its fifth Pedal Power to the People benefit bicycle ride on Aug. 18, beginning and ending at the Tunbridge Fairgrounds.

Riders will have the option of two gravel grounder routes, the Milk Run and the Beer Run, from which to choose. The 10-mile Milk Run will feature back roads and three covered bridges along with numerous working dairy farms and views of Tunbridge and Royalton. The 25-mile Beer Run is more strenuous, with multiple stretches on Class IV roads, single track and wooded paths; it includes an optional “adventure” leg that adds 4,000 feet of elevation gain to the ride.

This fully supported ride includes numerous water stops, a PPP T-shirt for all registrants and free entry into the third NanoFest beer event that runs from noon-6 p.m. the same day at the Fairgrounds.

Advance registration for the ride is $40, while day-of-race registration is $50. The event is a fundraiser for Royalton Community Radio.

For more information, visit www.wfvrppp.com or contact folkbloke@fmail.com or 802-431-3433.

Tour de Taste Set

Fairlee — The Upper Valley Trails Alliance will hold its 12th Tour de Taste pedaling picnic starting at 10 a.m. on Sept. 9.

The tour takes cyclists along scenic routes covering six, 21 or 30 miles, with food stops along the way staffed by local restaurants and farms.

Pre-registration is required for the Tour de Taste. All funds raised go toward the UVTA’s programs and trail improvement projects.

Visit www.uvtrails.org for more information or to register.

On the Slopes

Storrs Hill SeekingPart-Time Snowmaker

Lebanon — The Storrs Hill Ski Area is in the market for a part-time snowmaker for the coming ski and snowboard season.

The job involves creating manufactured snow from nearby water sources along with other maintnenance duties. The ideal candidate is a self-starter capable of operating snowmaking equipment and moving it frequently, sometimes by hand, into positions to lay out a consistent blanket of snow. The ability to performance light maintenance or repairs on equipment is also essential.

Candidates must be a high school graduate, an owner of a GED or someone with comparable work experience who also has a valid driver’s license, as piloting ATVs or snowmobiles will be part of the job. An ability to lift 50 pounds safetly is also requested, as is an ability to ski or snowboard.

Storrs Hill will train the ideal person for the job. Contact the Lebanon Outing Club at 603-448-4409 or visit www.skistorrshill.com for more information.