Hilltown Families 
Suggested Events 01/15/10-01/22/10
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Discover fun and educational events happening this weekend in Western Mass, along with announcements, upcoming events, links, resources and the HFVS podcast.
SUGGEST AN EVENT
Celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day on Monday in Western Ma. Family friendly events for MLK Day are listed below.
If you have a family-friendly event or educational program happening in Western Massachusetts that you’d like to let us know about, post your event on our “Suggest An Event” page. The events below are “suggested.” Please take the time to confirm that these events are happening, along with time, location, age appropriateness and costs before attending.
FRIDAY NIGHT IN THE HILLTOWNS
Sarah Stockwell of Cummington, MA writes: Please join me for a warm night of wonderful food, company and music at Bread Euphoria this Friday night 1/15 from 6 pm to 8 pm. This event is part of Winter Fare Northampton week in support of local food (sponsored by CISA). You probably know that I am passionate about local food and learning to live sustainably, and I’ll be singing about it! And ancestors, land and deepening our connections with the earth and each other. Bread Euphoria serves homemade pizza, sandwiches, salads and soups, in addition to their absolutely rockin’ cakes and pastries. They use local and organic ingredients, when in season, including sourdough crusts. You are welcome to bring your own bottle of wine or beer if you like. Bread Euphoria is at 206 Main St. in Haydenville, just minutes from Northampton, on Rt. 9 at the Williamsburg line. For more information about Bread Euphoria call 413-268-7757 or email info@breadeuphoria.org. And please mark your calendars for my annual Earth Hour Concert in Cummington, Saturday March 27 at the West Cummington Church! http://www.sarahstockwell.com
DINNER IN THE HILLTOWNS:
- Here’s what they’re cookin’ up at Elmer’s in Ashfield: On Thursday it’s Sweet and Sour Pork or Sweet and Sour Tofu over fried rice. Friday dinner is Horseradish and Smoked Salmon Encrusted Atlantic Salmon with Roasted Red Pepper Coulis over vegetable and feta cous cous. The vegetarian option on Friday is Mixed Roasted Vegetables over feta, kalamata olive and cucumber cous cous. Ashfield, MA ($)
- On Saturday, the Remington Lodge in Cummington is serving up a Mexican Fiesta with guest chefs Joe Frye and Lisa Newman. Menu includes spicy pickled vegetables, chips and fresh salsa, black bean, corn, and red onion salad, chicken tortilla pie with Spanish rice and leche quemada dessert. Call to RSVP. Cummington, MA ($)
BULLETIN BOARD
Hilltown Families is offering one winning family a copy of this newly release DVD. Deadline to enter to win is Monday, 01/18/10 @ 7pm. Click on image for details.
SPONSORSHIP, ADVERTISING & ANNOUNCEMENTS: Deliver your message to a large local family based audience while supporting the work of Hilltown Families. Advertise your event, camp, workshop, fundraiser, business or announcement on our Weekly List of Suggested Events. Serious inquiries can email us at hilltownfamilies@gmail.com for details.
Kara Kitchen of Plainfield, MA writes: I now work at the Dalton Community Recreation Association, a great community fitness center and pool (we have sports too!). Just wanted to let you all know we are accepting sign-ups for swim session 3 (Jan.25-April 10) all levels! Classes are $60 for 10 weeks (that’s $6 per class). Call 684-0260 or stop by-we are located on Rt. 9 just before Crane/Coltsville/Pittsfield-about 15 miles from Plainfield, Cummington, and Worthington.
Tom Adams of Williamsburg, MA writes: In case you haven’t heard, there’s a new website in town that caters to “all things Williamsburg.” It’s a place for people to post events, photos & videos, ask questions, find answers, start a group, …basically meet & communicate with folks in town, etc., etc. We’d love for you to join and help spread the word. Here’s the link: http://allthingswilliamsburg.ning.com
GAME SWAP: Family Board Game Swap Now Forming. Families with games their families have out-grown are invited to participate in a family game SWAP! Email hilltownfamilies@gmail.com with the names of the game(s) you have to swap and the name of the town you live in. If there is a good response the organizing will begin!
HOMESCHOOL HORSE RIDING LESSONS: Ten week horse riding program offered by Heritage Farm in Easthampton, MA for homeschoolers. Beginner level (ages 6 & up) is on Tues. from 12:30pm-2pm,beginning Feb. 6th; Intermediate level is on Wed. at same time, beginning Feb. 11th. Heritage Farm is well known for their year-round riding program which emphasizes safety, horsemanship and fun.Their home school riding program is a chance for riders to spend time riding as well as horsemanship activities. Each week’s session will be 90 minutes, with approximately 60 minutes horseback. Cost: $425 for 10 week session; $225 due February 1, $200 due March 1. Pre Payment: $400 if paid in full by February 1. For more info contact Diane at 527-1612. www.farmheritage.com
HISTORY LECTURE: Pounds, Pence, & Pistareens: The Real Story of Money in Colonial America, part of the Historic Deerfield’s Winter Lecture Series to explore Colonial Numismatics, on Sunday, January 24th at 2 p.m., White Church Community Center. Erik Goldstein, Curator of Mechanical Arts and Numismatics at the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation will deliver the first of three lectures in the 2010 Winter Lecture Series “A Freshly Minted Democracy: Coins and Medals in Early America.” For more information on the entire 2010 Historic Deerfield Winter Lecture Series, please visit www.historic-deerfield.org. Free. Appropriate for high school students and older.
SUPPORT GROUP FOR KINSHIP CAREGIVERS: Are you a grandparent, aunt, uncle, cousin, or sibling who is raising your relative’s children? If so, you are a Kinship Care provider! A free ten-session educational and support group for Kinship Caregivers who are parenting at least one child age six or under, will begin January 27th from 5:00 pm until 7:30 pm at Berkshire Children and Families 220 Russell St. Suite 200, Hadley, MA. A meal and child care will be provided. For more information call Katarina Noyes at 413-584-5690 ext 140.
HAITI EARTHQUAKE | PARTNERS IN HEALTH: A major earthquake centered just 10 miles from Port-au-Prince has devastated sections of the city and knocked out telephone communications throughout the country. Partners In Health staff in Boston and Haiti are working to collect as much information as possible about the conditions on the ground, the relief efforts taking shape, and all relevant logistics issues in order to respond efficiently and effectively to the most urgent needs in the field. Read full article.
HAITI EARTHQUAKE | HOW TO HELP: CBS News shares a list of charities, including how to text the Red Cross and others here.
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY: Share your talents at the River Valley Market Co-op in Northampton, MA. The Member-Owner Outreach Committee meets each month to plan fun events that help the public learn about River Valley Market and co-ops in general. Are you good with people and eager to share your talents? Come join the adventure and make your mark with Outreach! Their next meeting is Wednesday, February 10, from 7-8:30 pm. This is a great, fun way to meet people and help grow the co-op!
WEEKLY LIST OF SUGGESTED EVENTS
Suggest an Event | Local Forecast | School Closings and Delays | Free Museum Passes | Family Centers (Ages 0-4)
Events Happening in the Hilltowns
Saturday – 01/16/10
9am-3pm – FOOD | WINTER FARMERS’ MARKET: Winter Farmer’s Market at the Dynamite Space at Thornes Marketplace. From honey to hamburger, kale to apples, you’ll have access to the best in local produce, brought to you by the best in local farmers. Plus, live music, art, and a warm space to get out of the cold and into the community. Northampton, MA
SUSTAINABILITY: NOFA Winter Conference. www.nofamas.org 978-928-5646 Worcester, MA ($$$)
Sunday – 01/17/10
Monday, January18th in Florence, MA
MLK Jr. Kid’s Celebration at the Florence Community Center
10am-12noon
Come join other families for dancing, singing, drumming, and arts & crafts. Program designed for ages 2-6, but all are welcomed! snack provided. donations welcomed.
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Monday, January18th in Sturbridge, MA
Martin Luther King Jr. Day at Old Sturbridge Village Jan. 18
“Life after Slavery: the Clo Pratt Story”
Storyteller and museum educator Tammy Denease Richardson will present “Life after Slavery: the Clo Pratt Story” as part of the Martin Luther King Jr. Day activities at Old Sturbridge Village Jan. 18. The performance is based on the true story of Clo Pratt, an African-American woman born into slavery in Massachusetts in 1737.
Old Sturbridge Village is also offering free admission for children in January (a $7 value per child). Through Jan. 31, all kids age 17 and under get free admission to the Village when accompanied by an adult (the offer does not apply to educational groups of 10 or more).
Other MLK Jr. Day activities include ice skating (bring your own skates), sledding on 1830s-style sleds, and sleigh rides (snow permitting). After enjoying the museum’s outdoor winter activities, visitors can warm up indoors beside one of the Village’s many cozy fireplaces and take part in hands-on crafts and activities. Children can also spend time “pretending” in OSV’s popular “KidStory” indoor play area.
In character as former slave Clo Pratt, storyteller Richardson introduces her audience to a fascinating woman whose story has been obscured through history, but who was influential in the African-American community of her day. In 1774 after her owner’s death, Pratt finds she has been willed her freedom and must earn a living and make a place for herself in colonial New England.
As a child in Mississippi, Richardson listened to stories told by her own great-grandmother, a former slave who lived to the age of 125. “It’s amazing to me that living in the year 2010, I personally knew–and loved dearly–someone who survived slavery,” Richardson says. “I draw on my great-grandmother’s own life story for inspiration when portraying Clo Pratt.”
All MLK Jr. Day programs at Old Sturbridge Village are included in the cost of admission to the museum. With more than 40 restored buildings–farmhouses, mills, meetinghouses, and craft shops–on more than 200 acres of fields and woods, Old Sturbridge Village is one of the country’s oldest and largest living history museums.
Located just off the Massachusetts Turnpike (I-90) and Routes I-84 and 20 in Sturbridge, Mass., the Village is open year-round, but hours vary seasonally. Winter hours are Wed.-Sun. 9:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. (the Village is open on all Monday holidays); daily operations begin April 3. Admission is: $20 for adults; $18 for seniors; $7 for children ages 3-17 (no charge through January 31); children under 3 are admitted free. Each admission includes a free second-day visit within 10 days. For details, visit http://www.osv.org or call 800-SEE-1830.
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Monday, January 18th in Northampton, MA
On January 18th, Community Action Youth Programs will be holding a MLK Day Celebration for Youth. This celebration will be a community event including lunch, social justice art workshops, a hip-hop dance performance and workshop, and more. Workshops will include protest songwriting, peace poster making, and hip-hop dancing. There will also be a space for youth to facilitate discussions on various social justice topics ranging as far as participants can imagine. The event is for youth ages 9-21, but all are welcome. It will be held Monday, January 18th, at the College Church at 58 Pomeroy Terrace in Northampton from 11am to 2pm. Bring any youth you work with and anyone else that might enjoy this festive event!
For more information, contact Loren at (413) 475-1571 or lhalman@communityaction.us
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Monday, January 18th in Northampton, MA
American Friends Service Committee will host:
WHAT: AFSC Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Celebration
WHERE: First Churches, Northampton
WHEN: Monday, January 18, at 3:00 p.m.
For the 26th year in a row, the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) will be hosting its Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Celebration at First Churches in Northampton. The first part of the celebration will begin at 1:00 p.m. at the Sojourner Truth Statue in Florence, at the intersection of Pine and Park Street, when an African-American Heritage Tour, led by Steve Strimer, will walk past the homes of Sojourner Truth, other former slaves, and underground railroad sites.
We will then convene in the sanctuary of First Churches at 3:00 p.m. for a program including a brief tribute to the late Julius Ford, a community reading of King’s speech “Why I Oppose the War in Vietnam”, a talk about militarism and racism by Vijay Prashad, and a call to action.
The day will conclude in a Community Dinner in Lyman Hall of First Churches at 5:00 p.m., with food provided by local sponsors and AFSC.
Contact:
Jeff Napolitano, Program Coordinator
American Friends Service Committee
(413) 584-8975
jnapolitano@afsc.org
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Monday in Hadley, MA
Kids’ Passport Cooking Class: Visit to the Caribbean from 3:30pm-5:30pm (FREE)
At Whole Foods Market
586-9932
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Mondays in Conway, MA
9:15-10:15am
Morning Yoga with Toddlers at the Town Hall
with Lisa Schmitt
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Vote on Tuesday, Jan. 19
This Tuesday, January 19, there is a state-wide special election to fill the Massachusetts U.S. Senate seat vacated by the passing of Ted Kennedy. Recent polling indicates the race is quite close, so your vote is important.
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Tuesday in Northampton, MA
Young Peoples Performing Arts: The Lisa Leizman Dance Company
The Northampton Center for the Art’s 2010 Young People’s Performing Arts (YPPA) series with an appearance by the Lisa Leizman Dance Company. The company is a special favorite with 2-5 year-olds who are treated to lively music, colorful costumes and an interactive session that usually revolves around the question, “What Is Dance?” The YPPA program is on the third Tuesday of every month from 10:30 to 11:15 a.m.
Free for children/$5 suggested donation for adults. Child-friendly.
Northampton Center for the Arts
email: ncfa@nohoarts.org
phone: 413.584.7327
web: http://www.nohoarts.org
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Wednesday in Williamsburg, MA
Every Wednesday at 10:30 am – Note new time (FREE)
Meekins Library in Williamsburg, MA
Preschool Storytime
with Children’s Librarian Rochelle Wildfong
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Wednesday, January 20th in Chesterfield, MA
ASK AN ACCOUNTANT, A WORKSHOP FOR BUSINESSES OF ALL SIZES, January 20
Hilltown CDC announces a new workshop for businesses of all sizes called “Ask An Accountant,” on January 20 at the Hilltown CDC office in Chesterfield. Accountant Caleb Harris, CPA, of Worthington will answer questions from businesses about all aspects of business and taxes. He will discuss the pros and cons of different forms of business, the definitions of employees and contractors, depreciation, health insurance, and much more of interest to existing and prospective small businesses. And he will review recent tax law changes, including those in the 2009 stimulus bill. Bring your questions about accounting and taxes; no question is too simple. Caleb Harris has over 25 years of individual and small business tax experience.
The three-hour evening session will be from 6 to 9 PM. The cost is $15, with tuition waivers available for low and moderate income people, and with $5 off for Hilltown CDC members. More details are available at http://www.hilltowncdc.org, or by calling 413-296-4536 ext. 12.
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Wednesday in Northampton, MA
Kuumba Choir Performs in Celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr.
The Northampton Community Music Center’s Kuumba Women’s Choir will taking part in the V.A. Medical Center Chapel’s celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr. The event will take place on Wednesday, January 20th at 11am.
The Kuumba Women’s Choir is led by NCMC’s Evelyn Harris. This a cappella choir is known for their wonderfully diverse musical repertoire.
The Northampton Community Music Center is a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to “foster the love and pursuit of music within the community through quality musical education, performances, and activities that are accessible to all.” NCMC’s talented faculty offer a diverse range of musical programs to more than 750 participants a year – both adults and children – and bring concerts and other musical events to hundreds more in our surrounding communities, uniting people of all ages and backgrounds through the shared experience of music. NCMC is the only music school in Hampshire County that offers financial aid: no qualifying student has ever been denied a scholarship.
Registrar
Northampton Community Music Center
413-585-0001
lindsay@ncmc.net
139 South Street, Northampton
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Thursdays, January 14th, 21, 28 and February 4 in Sunderland, MA (FREE)
FREE Polka Lessons For Kids & Adults Starting January 14th *
Sunderland’s very own Tom and Deb Zimnowski are offering free polka lessons for everyone Thursday evenings January 14, 21, 28 and February 4, 6:30-8:00 PM in the Cafe Sun at the Sunderland Elementary School, Swampfield Drive, Sunderland 01375. FREE babysitting services available courtesy of Frontier Regional High School National Honor Society. For more information and pre-registration call 413-665-1151 or 413-768-9857 or go to http://www.cafesun.org. Sponsored by the Sunderland PTO. C’mon, you know you always wanted to learn…
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Wednesday and Thursday in Huntington, MA
Huntington Public Library Events for families in January (FREE)
Wednesday, January 21st from 5-7:30pm
GAME DAY: Come play board games, cards, puzzles. Refreshments will be served.
Thursday, January 21st @ 6:30pm
WINTER BLAHS STORYHOUR: Come listen to Tristan and Kristine tell you a story (one they created themselves) and stay to do a craft and enjoy refreshments.
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Friday in Ashfield, MA
Emergency Survival & Self-Sufficiency Weekend Workshop
Friday evening, January 22nd to Sunday noon, January 24th, 2010
Ashfield, MA
Adults only
$250 for the weekend workshop (lodging and meals are separate)
Did the ice storm of winter 2008/09 bring an “emergency” to your door step? This storm was a powerful teacher; it was a reminder we need each other, and need to have certain awareness and skills: shelter, water, fire, food and community support.
Hands-on workshop that will demonstrate the practical skills you need during an emergency. Learn to:
* Create warm shelter in or outside your home;
* Stay healthy through safe hygiene and sanitation practices;
* Make water safe to drink;
* Make fire when your matches are wet or your lighter fluid doesn’t work due to extreme cold;
* Find the best food sources when grocery stores are wiped out or you can’t get to them, and how to prepare the food when your stove or microwave doesn’t work;
* Use your car as a shelter, for cooking food and making a fire.
Register online (www.earthworkprograms.com) or contact Frank Grindrod (413-522-0338)