Agenda
‘Wolf to Woof’
Through May 12: In today’s society, dogs enhance the lives of millions of people in countless ways, but they are also some of our oldest friends. Ancient clues like cave paintings and burials reveal that dogs and people have lived together for thousands of years. But why have humans formed such close relationships with dogs, and not cows or chickens? “Wolf to Woof: The Story of Dogs” is the largest and most comprehensive traveling exhibition ever created on the history, biology, and evolution of dogs. The exhibit, on view at the Springfield Science Museum through May 12, attempts to sniff out the facts on dogs and explore what makes the human/dog relationship so unique. It uses the familiarity and love of these four-legged friends to explore science and biological concepts. The exhibit has four themed sections including multi-media displays, artifacts, photo murals, and dioramas of taxidermied wild canines and sculpted modern dog breeds. Additionally, interactive, hands-on components demonstrate key exhibit concepts. For example, visitors can enter a ‘howling area’ and guess what dogs are saying, test their nose against a dog’s great sense of smell, and examine fossil and genetic evidence of how modern-day dogs are descended from wolves. “Wolf to Woof: The Story of Dogs” is sponsored by United Bank. MassMutual is the 2015-16 Premier Sponsor of the Springfield Museums.
Valley Gives Day
May 3: Nearly 500 community organizations will participate in the Pioneer Valley’s 24-hour e-philanthropy event, Valley Gives — the fourth year for the event, but the first time it is being held in the spring. Valley Gives is hosted by the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts. Valley Gives will take place from 12 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. Participating community organizations span the Pioneer Valley and are eligible if their work is focused on Franklin, Hampden, or Hampshire county. Organizations include nonprofits, schools and educational institutions, places of worship/religious organizations, and local community groups that can be fiscally sponsored by nonprofit organizations. Since Valley Gives began in December 2012, $5.8 million has been raised from more than 24,000 donors in support of 559 nonprofits that are doing good work in every corner of the Pioneer Valley. With nearly 500 organizations signed on to participate this May, Valley Gives is expected to add substantially to those numbers again this year.
Kentucky Derby Day
May 7: Starting at 4:30 p.m., the Colony Club in Springfield will the setting for hats, horses and hors d’oeuvres to celebrate the 142nd annual Kentucky Derby. Presented by The Gaudreau Group, with support from Northeast IT, as well as the Colony Club and host Jeffrey Lomma, the event will raise much-needed funds for Square One’s programs and services. Tickets are $35 and include big screen monitors to enjoy the race, hearty hors d’oeuvres, and a complimentary mint julep. Prizes will be awarded for the best Derby attire. Tickets may be purchased via Eventbrite or by contacting Heather at Inspired Marketing at (413) 303-0101.
‘Creating a Western Massachusetts Renaissance’
May 11: The Springfield Regional Chamber, in partnership with the Western Mass. Economic Development Council (EDC), will present a panel discussion, “Creating a Western Massachusetts Renaissance,” from 7:15 to 9 a.m. at the MassMutual Center, 1277 Main St., Springfield, sponsored by People’s United Bank. Panelists will discuss the Massachusetts economy and how communities across the Commonwealth can work together to create a broader and more robust economy. Panelists will also outline local economic-development initiatives at work in Western Mass. and how the region can capitalize on its existing assets and develop its growth engines, and the important role the healthcare sector plays in developing centers of excellence for future growth. Panelists will include John Traynor, executive vice president and chief investment officer at People’s United Bank; Rick Sullivan, EDC president; and Dr. Mark Keroack, president and CEO of Baystate Health, and the discussion will be moderated by David Hobert, the bank’s regional president. Reservations for the breakfast event are $35 and may be made online at www.springfieldregionalchamber.com or by e-mailing Sarah Mazzaferro at [email protected].
Community Enterprises 40th-Anniversary Luncheon
May 12: Richard Venne, president and CEO, invites the public to join Community Enterprises Inc. in celebrating 40 years of empowering individuals with disabilities to live, learn, work, and thrive in the community. A luncheon will be held at the Log Cabin in Holyoke from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Individual tickets are $50 per person, a reserved table for eight is $400, and tickets for clients and staff of Community Enterprise are $30. For more information about tickets, sponsoring the event, or placing an ad in the program, e-mail Krystle Bernier at [email protected] or call (413) 584-1460, ext. 120. Community Enterprises is a human-service organization that provides employment, education, housing supports, and day supports for people with disabilities. Headquartered in Northampton, it maintains 27 service locations in Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, and Kentucky. Massachusetts offices include Gloucester, Greenfield, Holyoke, Pittsfield, Plymouth, Salem, Somerville, Springfield, Wakefield, and Worcester.
‘Maximize Your Website for Business Growth’
May 13, 20, 27: MarketingWorks, a series of educational programs for business owners, marketing professionals, and entrepreneurs hosted by Stevens 470 in Westfield, announced an upcoming program called “Maximize Your Website for Business Growth.” It meets weekly for three Friday mornings, May 13, 20, and 27. Customers, prospects, and associates make an immediate assessment of a business based on the content of its website. Participants in this group program will evaluate their current website and clarify the steps needed to make it the company’s most valuable marketing channel. For program details, visit www.stevens470.com/educational-programs.html or call Tina Stevens at (413) 568-2660.
Youth Mental-health First-aid Training
May 13, 20: Funded by a three-year grant by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration (SAMHSA) through the White House’s “Now is The Time” initiative, Clinical & Support Options Inc. is now offering free youth mental-health first-aid trainings to the community. The free, two-day training will be held at CSO’s administrative offices in Northampton; attendance both days is required. Youth mental-health first aid is designed to teach parents, family members, caregivers, teachers, school staff, peers, neighbors, health and human services workers, and other caring citizens how to help an adolescent (age 12-18) who is experiencing a mental health or addiction challenge or is in crisis. The training is primarily designed for adults who regularly interact with young people. The course introduces common mental-health challenges for youth, reviews typical adolescent development, and teaches a five-step action plan for how to help young people in both crisis and non-crisis situations. Topics covered include anxiety, depression, substance use, disorders in which psychosis may occur, disruptive behavior disorders (including ADHD), and eating disorders. Identified on SAMHSA’s National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices, the training helps the public better identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental illnesses. Registration is required; e-mail [email protected] for a registration form. CSO is also available to bring this training on site to local agencies and businesses that wish to have a group of people trained for free. For more information on bringing this training to your agency or business, contact Allison Garriss, director, Business Development and Projects at CSO, at (413) 773-1314, ext. 5502 or [email protected].
‘Grieving the Death of a Child’ Workshop
May 14: The Garden: A Center for Grieving Children and Teens announced a free workshop, “Grieving the Death of a Child,” from 12:30 to 4 p.m. The workshop is open to adult parents and caregivers who have experienced the death of a child. The workshop will include a screening of the video “Helping Parents Grieve: Finding New Life After the Death of a Child,” which was produced by Paraclete Press and features real stories about families who have lost a child. The video has five parts, including knowing you are not alone, loss of hopes and dreams, death of a baby, families, and honoring and remembering. Following each section there will be a break for discussion and an activity. Parents and caregivers who have experienced the death of a child are welcome, and there are no limits on how, where, or when the child died. The workshop is for appropriate for adults only and is open to the public. It will be held at the Cooley Dickinson VNA & Hospice, 168 Industrial Dr., Northampton. The event is free, but registration is required. For more information, contact Shelly Bathe Lenn, coordinator at the Garden, at (413) 582 5312, or [email protected].
Mental Health and Wellness Fair
May 18: In celebration of Mental Health Awareness Month, Clinical & Support Options Inc. (CSO) will host its 14th annual Mental Health and Wellness Fair at the Energy Park in Greenfield from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Featuring CSO’s Green River House and Quabbin House Clubhouse members, the fair will be an afternoon of music, singing, poetry, and testimonials by members to highlight mental-health illness, wellness, and recovery. The fair started in 2002 in an effort to bring awareness and information to the community about mental-health illness and recovery. The event is an opportunity to dispel the stigma around mental-health illness, encourage people to seek support, and spotlight agencies available to assist. This year, the theme is “Mental Health Matters.” Local mental-health and wellness providers are welcome to present their materials and programming for free by registering for a table by calling the Green River House at (413) 772-2181. In addition to local community providers sharing information, there will be live music, a food vendor, and raffles, and WHAI will be on site doing a live broadcast. For questions or more information on how to be a part of this event, call the Green River House at (413) 772-2181.
‘Women Lead Change’
May 23: The Women’s Fund of Western Massachusetts (WFWM) will host “Women Lead Change,” a celebration of the Leadership Institute for Political and Public Impact (LIPPI) class of 2016, at the Log Cabin in Holyoke from 6 to 8 p.m. The event will include remarks from Mass. Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito, and a keynote address from Julie Chavez Rodriguez, special assistant to the president and senior deputy director of Public Engagement at the White House. WFWM will acknowledge the lieutenant governor as well as Rodriguez with a “She Changes the World” award presented to honor exceptional contribution to social change, creating economic and social equity for women and girls. More than 300 participants are expected to attend the annual celebration of graduates of the Women’s Fund LIPPI program. LIPPI is the only program of its kind in Massachusetts. Through 11 sessions over eight months, the program is designed to respond to the shortage of women stepping into leadership at all levels. LIPPI gives women the tools and confidence they need to become more involved as civic leaders in their communities and to impact policy on the local, state, and national levels. The event is open to the public with online registration at www.womensfund.net. The current graduating LIPPI Cohort represents 60% women of color, and LIPPI graduates also embody a wide spectrum of backgrounds, ethnic groups, and ages with ranges from 18 to 60. They represent the entire state of Massachusetts, from the Berkshires to Boston-area counties. Together, graduates form a strong cohort of like-minded women who support each other when they run for office, meet with policy makers, form coalitions, and get-out-the-vote efforts. The Women’s Fund of Western Massachusetts (WFWM) is a public foundation that invests in local women and girls through strategic grant-making and leadership development. Since 1997 the Women’s Fund has awarded more than $2 million in grants to over 100 organizations in Western Mass.
40 Under Forty
June 16: The 10th 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 were told in the April 18 issue. This is a sell-out event, and only a limited number of standing-room-only tickets remain. The event is sponsored by Northwestern Mutual and Paragus Strategic IT (presenting sponsors), EMA Dental, Health New England, Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst, Moriarty & Primack, United Bank, and the Young Professional Society of Greater Springfield. For more information, call (413) 781-8600s, ext. 100.
