Chris Evans doesn’t forget his Concord roots

TO THE RESCUE: Actor Chris Evans has had a string of superhero roles, playing Johnny Storm/Human Torch in the movies “Fantastic Four” in 2005 and “Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer” in 2007; and Steve Rogers/Captain America in “Captain America: The First Avenger” in 2011, “The Avengers” in 2012, “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” being released later this year, and “Avengers: Age of Ultron,” scheduled for 2015.

The Sudbury native put down his theatrical roots nearly 20 years ago at Concord Youth Theatre, where his mother, Lisa Capuano Evans, has been artistic director since 1998.

So when Vanity Fair provided a donation in his name for hosting the magazine’s pre-Oscar party in Los Angeles, Evans directed it to the youth theater.

Aside from the financial gift, the Concord Youth Theater gained national exposure from its logo posted along the red carpet route at the Feb. 25 event, as well as a featured listing in the magazine. The Hollywood connection also benefited the nonprofit organization last spring when the youth theater opened the doors to its new $130,000, 83-seat black box theater thanks to donors including Evans; his agent, Jim Toth; and Toth’s wife, actress Reese Witherspoon.

In fact, Capuano Evans said her other three children have also remained loyal to the place she calls their “home away from home.”

Scott Evans, a Los Angeles-based actor who appeared in the TV soap opera “One Life to Live,” volunteers by teaching dance classes during his regular visits home. Shanna Evans, an art teacher at the Corwin-Russell School in Sudbury, lends her visual arts expertise to set design and costumes. Carly Evans, who directs the drama productions at Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School, oversees the annual cabaret and summer show for high school and college students at Concord Youth Theater.

While Capuano Evans is proud of all her children, she cautions that the youth theater isn’t necessarily the path to show business — nor should it be.

“People often assume that’s my goal, but it’s the opposite,” she said. “CYT is a safe place for kids to find their creative voice, and the confidence and self-esteem to be accepted for who they are and whatever they want to be, without judgment or competition. I think everybody should have that.”

For more information, visit concordyouththeatre.org.

THE CHICKEN AND THE EGG: With 19 chickens in her backyard flock, Terry Golson of Carlisle enjoys her fill of fresh eggs. For those thinking about joining the trend, her book coming out Tuesday, “The Farmstead Egg Guide & Cookbook,” teaches about raising chickens and recipes for 100 egg dishes.

With a degree in animal science, the chef and food writer published her first of five cookbooks in 1990. For more than seven years, she has also written and blogged about chicken-keeping, compiling a lengthy list of frequently asked questions on her website.

Golson addresses many of the essentials for backyard flocks in the expanded, revised edition of “The Farmstead Egg Cookbook,” which was first published in 2006. Topics include which chicken breeds are best, how to care for them, a hen’s life cycle, and the cost of keeping chickens.

The guide also describes how to tell if an egg is fresh; the differences between organic, cage-free, and pastured varieties; maximizing the flavor and quality of eggs; and how to store and freeze them. Recipes range from the perfect scrambled eggs to frittatas, quiches, custards, and desserts.

Golson, who has had a chicken coop for 18 years, said people often underestimate the responsibility of chicken-keeping and unintentionally contribute to problems with pecking order and illness by purchasing prefabricated chicken coops that are too small and poorly ventilated.

“Chicken-keeping is work, and you need to think it through, but it’s also a lot of fun when done right,” said Golson, whose dozen breeds produce green, blue, brown, speckled, and white egg shells. She said that fresh yolks are also more flavorful, visibly brighter, and firmer than those of eggs sold in supermarkets.

“Personally,” she added, “I believe all the pluses are worth it.”

Golson plans to bring a hen to her book talk and signing on March 16, from 3 to 4 p.m., at the Concord Bookshop, 65 Main St. For a list of her book events, chicken-keeping talks, workshops, and school visits, visit hencam.com.

SERVICE TO OTHERS: Anisha Gundewar of Marlborough was presented with a plaque and $1,000 scholarship as part of the 2014 Sue S. Stewart Leadership and Community Service Award, which she recently received through the Susan B. Anthony Center for Women’s Leadership at the University of Rochester.

The annual award recognizes a senior female undergraduate committed to justice, equality, and community service as related to diversity and inclusion.

Gundewar, who graduated from Marlborough High School in 2009, is on track to earn dual degrees in microbiology and public health this May. A Rochester Early Medical Scholar, she plans to begin medical school next fall.

In addition to research, laboratory, leadership, and volunteer experience, Gundewar (inset) gained six months of international field experience by assisting with mobile health clinics and managing a disabilities program in Ollantaytambo, Peru; completing a research internship on developing a school-based tobacco intervention program in Ladakh, India; and completing a GlobeMed Grassroots On-Site Work internship with partner organization Kallpa to help youth from impoverished neighborhoods pursue higher education in Iquitos, Peru.

Gundewar said she is “humbled and proud” to receive the award because it reflects her commitment to service, especially as it applies to health disparities in marginalized populations.

“My most basic goal has been the same,” she said, “to somehow find some way to make someone’s life better.”

150 AND COUNTING: The Southborough-based Massachusetts Dental Society kicked off its 150th anniversary celebration at the recent Yankee Dental Congress in Boston with several events and the publication of a sesquicentennial edition of the Journal of the Massachusetts Dental Society.

Established in 1864, the society is a 5,000-member professional association and statewide constituent of the American Dental Association. The organization is dedicated to oral health care, advocacy, and continuing public and professional education.

People items may be submitted to Cindy Cantrell at cindycantrell20@gmail.com.