Agenda
Old Post Road Orchestra Concert
June 16: Shriners Hospitals for Children – Springfield will host the Old Post Road Orchestra for a summer concert on the hospital’s front lawn from 7 to 9 p.m. The music is inspired by composers from New England. This event is free of charge, and light refreshments will be available for purchase. Attendees should bring their own lawn chairs. No alcohol, smoking, or pets will be permitted.
Bike to the Future Motorcycle Ride
June 17: Best known for special events involving tea, white gloves, dresses, fancy hats, and horse races, Square One is moving toward leather, helmets, and motorcycles for its next big fund-raising event. Hosted by the Springfield chapter of the Buffalo Soldiers Motorcycle Club, the Bike to the Future Motorcycle Ride will begin at Square One’s offices on Main Street in Springfield. All riders are encouraged to participate with a donation of $20 per rider and $5 per passenger. Registration is currently open at www.startatsquareone.org. Proceeds from the ride will benefit the children and families of Square One. The ride is sponsored by Alekman DiTusa Attorneys at Law, Harley Davidson of Southampton, National Ambulance, Interstate Towing, and Haymond Law. Sponsorship opportunities are still available. “We couldn’t be more excited to be working with the Buffalo Soldiers on this very exciting opportunity,” said Kristine Allard, chief Development & Communications officer for Square One. “This event has enabled us to introduce Square One’s critical work to new partners who will help us continue to advance our cause.” Check-in will begin at 8:30 a.m., and the ride will start at 10 a.m. The 90-minute ride will wind through Springfield, Chicopee, and Holyoke and finish at 11:30 a.m. in Court Square in Springfield. An after-ride celebration will be held, including lunch and dessert provided by Frankie & Johnnie’s, as well as music and prizes. Children and families are encouraged to participate in the celebration. Tickets for the party are available for $12 per person.
Estate-planning Discussion
June 21: Attorney Michael Gove of Gove Law Office will offer an informative discussion about key issues that are important to understand when planning for the future or for the care of an aging loved one. The session will take place at Christopher Heights Assisted Living Community at 6 p.m. Gove will review various documents, such as healthcare proxy, trusts, power of attorney, last will and testament, declaration of homestead, and medical orders for life-sustaining treatment. Those in attendance should gain a better understanding of when and if these documents are necessary to complete. The event is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be provided, and tours of the assisted-living community will be available after the program. Seating is limited, and reservations are requested by June 16 by calling (413) 584-0701 or e-mailing [email protected]. Parking is available on Village Hill Road, Moser Street, and in the Christopher Heights parking lot on the corner of Moser Street and Musante Drive.
40 Under Forty
June 22: The 11th annual 40 Under Forty award program, staged by BusinessWest, will be held at the Log Cabin Banquet & Meeting House in Holyoke, honoring 40 of the region’s rising stars under 40 years old. An independent panel of judges has chosen the winners, and their stories are told in the April 17 issue and at BusinessWest.com. The event is sponsored by Northwestern Mutual (presenting sponsor), PeoplesBank (presenting sponsor), Moriarty & Primack, Health New England, the Gaudreau Group, the Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst, Six-Point Creative Works, Renew.Calm, Baystate Health, and the Young Professional Society of Greater Springfield. The event is sold out.
BFAIR Walk for Independence
June 24: Berkshire Family & Individual Resources (BFAIR) announced its second annual Walk for Independence. Last year, the inaugural walk along the Ashuwillticook Rail Trail saw participation of nearly 100 walkers of all ability levels, with this year already set to exceed that number. A stroll to Cheshire and back (with or any distance in between), the walk will be a fund-raising event in which BFAIR participants, community members, and sponsors can get involved in through sponsored walking, lunch, bucket raffles, and entertainment. Starting and finishing at the Adams Visitors Center, the walk is a day of fun and helps BFAIR share its mission to enrich the lives of people of all ages and abilities by providing positive life experiences and advocacy through distinctive, individualized, quality services. As a local nonprofit, BFAIR relies on public funds to provide critically needed residential, vocational, habilitative, and clinical services for adults, adolescents, and children with developmental disabilities, autism, and acquired brain injury, as well as home-care services for the elderly. The registration fee for the walk is $25 for adults and $12.50 for children 10 and younger. Registration includes a picnic lunch and ball-cap giveaway. Interested walkers can register online at thedriven.net/bfairwalk, by calling (413) 664-9382 ext. 40, e-mailing [email protected], or visiting www.bfair.org. In addition to registering, walkers may seek individual sponsors by asking family and friends to support their walk. Donations are accepted via thedriven.net/bfairwalk, or donation envelopes can be provided for walkers. Corporate sponsorships are available for the trail, mile, bronze, silver, and gold levels, ranging from $100 to $2,500, respectively. Interested businesses should contact Jennifer Civello at [email protected] for more information. Current gold-level walk sponsors include Greylock Federal Credit Union, MountainOne, and the Print Shop Williamstown.
Nomination Deadline for Healthcare Heroes
June 29: Healthcare Heroes, an exciting recognition program involving the Western Mass. healthcare sector, was launched this spring by BusinessWest and Healthcare News. Sponsored by American International College, Bay Path University, Elms College, and Renew.Calm, with additional sponsorships available, the program was created to shed a bright light on the outstanding work being done across the broad spectrum of health and wellness services, and the institutions and individuals providing that care. Nominations are now being sought — and will be accepted until June 29 — in the following categories: Patient/Resident/Client Care Provider; Innovation in Health/Wellness; Community Health; Emerging Leader; Collaboration in Health/Wellness; Health/Wellness Administration/Administrator; and Lifetime Achievement. The nominations will be scored by a panel of judges to be announced in the coming weeks. The winners will be chosen in July and profiled in the September issue of BusinessWest. The guidelines to consider when nominating individuals, groups, or institutions in these various categories are available HERE.
Movie Premiere
June 29: The Basketball Hall of Fame will turn Columbus Avenue into Hollywood Boulevard for a premiere of Grey Lady, a new film by Springfield resident John Shea. Shea will be present at 6 p.m. for a benefit cocktail party before the audience moves into the theater at 6:45 p.m. He will also host an exclusive party after the film, and will take questions from the audience. Shea wrote and directed the film, and also plays a small role as an island police chief. Tickets to the benefit are $100, and proceeds will go to Gray House, the Bing Arts Center, and the Community Foundation’s Dr. John V. Shea Scholarship Fund. Party entertainment will be provided by the Eric Bascom Trio.“The reason I’m doing this is to return as much as I can to the town where I grew up,” said Shea, who calls Los Angeles home today. Tickets are available online at the Bing Arts Center at www.bingartscenter.org. For mail orders, send a check to Keith Sikes, 61 Texel Dr., Springfield, MA 01108. Checks should be made out to the Bing Arts Center. The Bing Arts Center box office will also be open Thursday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Brightside Golf Classic
July 24: More than 200 golfers are expected to participate in the 37th annual Brightside Golf Classic at Springfield Country Club in West Springfield. “This event raises funds to continue Brightside’s mission to support our community’s most vulnerable children and their families,” said Allison Gearing-Kalill, vice president of Fund Development for Mercy Medical Center and its affiliated services. Two tee times are available. Breakfast and registration for the morning session begins at 7 a.m. with a shotgun start at 8 a.m. Lunch and registration for the second session will begin at 11:30 a.m. with a 12:30 p.m. shotgun start. The evening reception will be held immediately following the tournament from 5 to 8 p.m. Prices include green fees, golf cart, breakfast or lunch, a gift and swag bag, and reception featuring cocktails, food stations, auction, networking, and live entertainment. On-course food and beverages will be provided by event sponsors throughout the day. Golfers will also be eligible for a chance to win prizes and participate in raffles during the day. The 2017 Golf Classic chairs are Hank Downey, vice president and Commercial Loan officer, Florence Savings Bank; John Kendzierski, president, Professional Drywall Construction Inc.; Matthew Sosik, president and CEO, Easthampton Savings Bank; and William Wagner, Chief Business Development officer and vice chairman of the board, Westfield Bank. Brightside for Families and Children provides in-home counseling and family support to more than 650 children and their families throughout Western Mass. Services include resource coordination, parenting-skills development, behavioral-technique instruction, community-support programs, and other programs tailored to prevent hospitalization from occurring. Specialized assessments such as neuropsychological evaluations and testing are also available. For more information on sponsorships, donations, and attending the event, contact Gearing-Kalill at (413) 748-9986 or [email protected]. Information is also available at www.mercycares.com/brightside-golf-classic.
