SALEM — Insa, a vertically integrated cannabis organization with locations in Springfield and Easthampton, announced the opening of its newest location on Highland Avenue in Salem, near the Lynn town line. 

“We are so proud of our team here in Salem,” Insa CEO Mark Zatyrka said. “For the past month, they have gone through extensive trainings as well as volunteered at dozens of nonprofits, community events, and cleanups. We couldn’t be more excited to open up a dispensary in the city of Salem. This city has been wonderful to work with, and we are looking forward to furthering our partnership and commitment to the city. We are so excited to open here in the North Shore.”

Insa Salem will be a recreational dispensary and the first Insa location in Eastern Mass.; however, many other dispensaries across the state carry Insa’s cannabis products.

Insa Salem will also offer online express ordering, a first-of-its-kind offering in the North Shore area. Patrons can skip the line by placing their orders on myinsa.com, and their order will be ready for pickup and payment when they arrive at the shop. 

Insa’s newest location will open its doors to the public today, Nov. 11, at 11 a.m. A grand-opening ceremony will follow on Tuesday, Nov. 12 at noon.

GREENFIELD — On Wednesday, Nov. 20 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the Cohn Family Dining Commons at Greenfield Community College (GCC), the Interfaith Council of Franklin County and GCC are collaborating to create Come for Supper, a community meal celebrating the cultures, traditions, and ethnicities of the region.

This family-friendly event will include games for children, music, dance, information tables, and food representing Guatemalan, Egyptian, Thai, Puerto Rican, Korean, Mexican, Jewish, Senegalese, Tibetan, and indigenous peoples’ cultures. There will also be an opportunity for people from different communities and ethnicities to offer blessings or share traditions.

The idea for the collaboration emerged from a desire to highlight and celebrate the many cultures and ethnicities embedded in Franklin County and the surrounding areas. Come for Supper is designed to be a community meal that encourages interaction and helps people to get to know the neighbors that help make Franklin County so dynamic.

“To a certain degree, you can measure quality of life by the diversity of cultures represented in a city or town’s culinary options. We are incredibly lucky in this region to have a wealth of locally grown food that feeds into a rich range of restaurants and caterers,” said Dean Leo Hwang. “People in Franklin County are hungry and eager to try new foods and meet new people, but sometimes in a rural region, it is hard to have the space to make that happen. We hope that Come for Supper will be one way to bring people together to strengthen our bonds of community.”

Added the Rev. Kate Stevens, “as a member of the Interfaith Council of Franklin County, it is an honor to work in partnership with GCC to celebrate the culinary and cultural diversity of this community. I look forward to a stimulating and delicious evening.”

The event is free and open to the public. RSVP at gcc.mass.edu/supper.

LONGMEADOW — Ruth’s House, an assisted-living residence at JGS Lifecare, is kicking off a free monthly Lunch and Learn program.

On Friday, Nov. 15, Dr. Neil Epstein, a SHINE counselor, will offer a general overview of Medicare benefits followed by a question-and-answer session with attendees and free lunch. For those confused by or dissatisfied with their Medicare benefits, or unsure of the options, Epstein will help make sense of this complex program and attempt to answer questions and concerns.

SHINE is the state’s health-insurance counseling program, which provides free and unbiased health information, counseling, and assistance to Medicare beneficiaries of all ages and their caregivers. The SHINE program is supported by the Massachusetts Executive Office of Elder Affairs in partnership with elder-services agencies, social-services agencies, and councils on aging.

The event takes place from 10  a.m. to noon, with lunch served at 11:30 a.m. RSVP to Lori Payson at (413) 567-3949, ext. 3105 or [email protected].

On Monday, Dec. 2, Jeff the Plant Guy will talk about plants that clean the air. He will look at daytime and nighttime oxygen-producing plants, what plants clean office toxins, as well as the best plants to invest in for the home. He will take questions and share his depth of knowledge and insights.

Attendees with a question about a specific plant should bring a picture, leaf, cutting, or the whole plant, for an assessment for identification and/or bug eradication. Anyone with a plant to swap or a cutting to share should bring it along as well.

The event takes place from 10  a.m. to noon, with lunch served at 11:30 a.m. RSVP to Lori Payson at (413) 567-3949, ext. 3105 or [email protected].

The Ruth’s House Lunch and Learn program is free and open to the public. Tours of independent and memory-care neighborhoods will be available.

SPRINGFIELD — Dr. Said Nafai, professor of Occupational Therapy at American International College (AIC), has been selected to receive the American Occupational Therapy Assoc. (AOTA) International Service Award at the 2020 annual conference in Boston in March.

The AOTA International Service Award recognizes occupational therapists who demonstrate a sustained, outstanding commitment to international service in this field; promote and advance occupational therapy abroad in regard to occupational health and/or occupational justice in underserved countries, thereby promoting a globally connected community; and provide incentive to extend international relationships and contributions to address global health issues. 

Nafai, known as the ‘father of occupational therapy’ in his home country of Morocco, returns several times a year to volunteer, teach, and raise awareness of occupational therapy as a profession and a tool for empowering people of all ages who face physical, cognitive, or behavioral challenges. Students and faculty from across the U.S. and Europe frequently accompany him to learn about Morocco’s healthcare system.

Among his credits, Nafai is the Moroccan delegate to the World Federation of Occupational Therapists; co-founder of the OT Project in Morocco; founder and president of the Occupational Therapy Assoc. of Morocco; vice president of Emmanuel’s Dream, a nonprofit for children with special needs; and a board member of the Lymphedema Advocacy Group, which currently has the most co-sponsored healthcare bill in the U.S. Congress. Passage of the Lymphedema Treatment Act would ensure access to compression garments and other vital tools for managing lymphedema.

Nafai has been invited to speak at the University of New England in Maine at the Interprofessional Education Collaborative Program, addressing 13 different health professions on the topic of “Considerations in Working with Muslims and Interprofessional Team Members.” Additionally, he was an invited speaker at the Lymphedema Symposium at Harvard University Medical School in 2018, and has been requested by the World Health Organization in Geneva, Switzerland, to participate in the “Global Report on Assistive Technology.” Further, he chairs a yearly conference in Morocco that features presenters from five continents.

According to AIC Dean of Health Sciences Karen Rousseau, “Dr. Nafai has dedicated his career to bringing awareness of OT as a life-changing intervention around the globe. Occupational therapy is a specialty in healthcare that finds solutions to myriad unique challenges, things that many of us take for granted. We are indeed fortunate at AIC to have a devoted professor and mentor in Dr. Nafai, who is deeply committed to making lives better. While he and his students provide OT services free of charge to communities near AIC, his passion and dedication extend to the global community as well.”

SPRINGFIELD — NeighborWorks America, through its affiliate Way Finders, has awarded Congressman John W. Olver Scholarships to two individuals — Melissa Fales, program manager for Quaboag Valley Community Development Corp., and Kerry Homstead, community facilitator for the Treehouse Foundation — to attend the NeighborWorks America Training Institute (NTI).

The scholarships provide travel, lodging, and tuition to a catalogue of more than 100 topic- and skill-focused courses. NTI creates an opportunity to network with other community-development organizations from across the country to share ideas and learn best practices in their field. Two scholarships are awarded annually to NTI attendees.

The Congressman John W. Olver Scholarship recognizes outstanding individuals and organizations that demonstrate leadership, dedication, and commitment in the housing and community-development field in Hampden, Hampshire, Franklin, and Berkshire counties.

Olver retired in 2012 after more than 40 years in public service, including 20 years serving in the U.S. House of Representatives. While in office, he not only provided strong support for NeighborWorks America, but also increased funding for housing vouchers, community block grants, and other affordable-housing programs. He was instrumental in the establishment of the National Foreclosure Mitigation Counseling Program, which assisted more than 1.5 million distressed homeowners through May 2013.

SPRINGFIELD — On Monday, Nov. 11, American International College (AIC) will host its annual Veterans Day ceremony dedicated to honoring and supporting those men and women who have served their country.

The ceremony will be held in the Schwartz Campus Center auditorium beginning at 11 a.m. The multi-generational Alumni Veterans Committee sponsors this annual event, which includes alumni spanning more than 50 years. The public is invited to attend.

This year, the college will also remember a founding member of the Veterans Committee, Henry Benjamin, who died late last month. In addition to being a two-time alumnus (1950 and 1962) and founding member of the Veterans Committee on campus, Benjamin was a professor at AIC for 50 years. A tribute to his lifetime of devotion to the institution as a student, alumnus, and veteran will be part of this year’s remembrance.

The ceremony includes the presentation of colors by the U.S. Marine Corps, the display and historical significance of the POW/MIA Missing Man table by the U.S. Air Force Honor Guard, and keynote speaker Brig. Gen. Sean Collins.

Collins assists the deputy surgeon general in the overall operation of the Air Force Medical Service, composed of a $6.1 billion, 44,000-person integrated healthcare delivery system across the U.S. and overseas. Key areas of his responsibilities include clinical operations, aeromedical evacuation, global force management, readiness, strategic medical plans, programs and budget, medical force management, and medical information systems management. He facilitates Air Force Medical Service operations through major commands, joint service agencies, the assistant secretary of Defense (Health Affairs), the Defense Health Agency, and the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Collins began his career at the 104th Fighter Wing, Barnes Air National Guard Base, where he was commissioned in the nurse corps. He earned his master’s degree and Ph.D. in philosophy from UMass Medical School in Worcester.

In keeping with tradition, freshman English students are asked to write a patriotic essay. The committee selects standout works, and the top three winners are announced at the event, with the first-place essay read by the student. 

HOLYOKE — Holyoke Medical Center (HMC) was awarded an ‘A’ grade in the fall 2019 Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade, a national distinction recognizing HMC’s achievements protecting patients from harm and providing safe healthcare.

The Leapfrog Group is an independent national watchdog organization driven by employers and other purchasers of healthcare committed to improving healthcare quality and safety for consumers and purchasers. The Safety Grade assigns an ‘A,’ ‘B,’ ‘C,’ ‘D,’ or ‘F’ grade to all general hospitals across the country based on their performance in preventing medical errors, injuries, accidents, infections, and other harms to patients in their care. 

“Being recognized again with an ‘A’ Hospital Safety Grade from the Leapfrog Group is a testament to the hard work and dedication practiced by each one of our team members every day. We give thanks to them and express our sincere gratitude for the commitment they provide to every patient who chooses Holyoke Medical Center for their care,” said Spiros Hatiras, president and CEO of Holyoke Medical Center and Valley Health Systems Inc.

Developed under the guidance of a national expert panel, the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade uses 28 measures of publicly available hospital safety data to assign grades to more than 2,600 U.S. acute-care hospitals twice per year. The Hospital Safety Grade’s methodology is peer-reviewed and fully transparent, and the results are free to the public.
Hospitals that receive ‘A’ grades “show us their leadership is protecting patients from preventable medical harm and error,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of the Leapfrog Group. “It takes genuine commitment at every level — from clinicians to administrators to the board of directors — and we congratulate the teams who have worked so hard to earn this ‘A.’”

HOLYOKE — In its inaugural year in Western Mass., the Real Men Wear Pink campaign raised more than $21,000 to support the American Cancer Society’s efforts to save lives from breast cancer. During October, 20 area leaders raised funds and encouraged community members to take action in the fight to end breast cancer.

The community is invited to attend a free celebration and networking event to recognize the efforts of these dedicated individuals on Wednesday, Nov. 13 from 5 to 7 p.m. at Nadim’s in Springfield. No tickets are needed to attend, but donations are welcome. Guests of the event will be treated to appetizers and music by Aaron Fay of Maxxtone. A cash bar will also be available.

“We are grateful for all our Real Men Wear Pink participants for lending their voices to our cause,” said Jill Monson of the American Cancer Society. “Not only did they wear pink, but they raised awareness about breast cancer and made a huge commitment to raise funds to help save more lives. Those donations help us save lives from breast cancer through early detection and prevention, innovative breast-cancer research, and patient support.”

Congratulations to the 2019 Real Men Wear Pink of Western Mass. candidates: American International College baseball team; American International College hockey team; Nadim Kashouh, Nadim’s Mediterranean Restaurant & Grill; Jay Seyler, PeoplesBank; Aaron Fay, Maxxtone and the Still Bar; Justin Roberts, MassLive Media; Alfonso Santaniello, the Creative Strategy Agency; Robert Roy, RMG Wealth Management Group; Dave Smith, H.L. Dempsey Co.; Joel Cox, town of Manchester; Drew Hastings, 94.7 WMAS; the Brew Crew, co-ed softball team; Westfield State University Police Department; Van Johnson, Raipher, P.C.; Phil Sheridan, EMT Academy; Viktor Boss, Pioneer Valley Transit Authority; John Paglier, student; Trevor Smith, Blue Sky Consulting and Training; Darren James, Northwestern Mutual; and UMass football team.

As the headlines keep coming about the state’s casinos not meeting their projections for gaming revenues, the announcement last week that the Boston Red Sox will bring their annual Winter Weekend fan event to MGM Springfield and the MassMutual Center was well-timed and quite poignant.

We’ve been saying for some time now — and we’ll keep on saying — that, while the revenue projections for the state’s casinos are somewhat disappointing, they are just part of what gaming brings to the state and the communities in which they are located. Do we wish their revenues were more in line with the projections made all those years ago? Sure, but the casinos, and especially the one in Springfield, have brought benefits well beyond additional revenues to the state.

In the City of Homes, it has created momentum and traffic on most Saturday nights. On nights when there are shows, downtown comes alive and looks like … well, it doesn’t look like Springfield, or at least the Springfield of much of the past several decades. And the casino continues to bring energy and benefits in ways that probably couldn’t have been anticipated when officials were signing the host-community agreement drafted several years ago.

Which brings us back to the Red Sox and the Winter Weekend. This is one of the many benefits resulting from the new, multi-year partnership the team inked with MGM as the “official and exclusive resort of the team” early last year.

That designation once belonged to Foxwoods Resort and Casino in Connecticut, meaning that, for two days in January, a large group of Red Sox players (past and present), officials, and, yes, fans traveled to the Nutmeg State and spent a considerable amount of money there.

Next Jan. 17 and 18, those players, officials, and fans — and that spending money — will instead be coming to Springfield. And they’ll be coming during a time when the tourism sector here could certainly use a boost.

Several thousand fans are expected to come to the festival, which will include a town-hall event, autograph sessions, and photo opportunities with the players from today and yesterday.

This will be a great opportunity for fans of the team to connect with the players and coaches in a way they probably never have before. Meanwhile, those who come to see the team’s stars will also see a rising star in the city of Springfield — which they probably haven’t seen up close either.

Overall, this will be a tremendous opportunity for the city to roll out the red carpet and showcase all the good things that have happened here in recent years.

Some logistically minded people are already wondering, ‘what happens if it snows?’ We’re pretty certain the organizers will figure out. And they’ll also figure out how to make these two days something memorable, not only for Red Sox fans but for those doing business in downtown Springfield.

It all came to be because MGM forged a strong business partnership with the Red Sox. That’s one of the benefits you don’t see when you’re just looking at statistics concerning gross gaming revenue. And it’s one of the many reasons why it’s far too early to discuss whether the gaming industry is off to a disappointing start in the Bay State.

The Red Sox are coming to town. And Springfield is the big winner in this game.

SPRINGFIELD — Brian Benson, CPA has joined the investment-management team at St. Germain Investment Management as a financial planner, while Kathy Stewart has joined the firm’s client services group.

Benson has extensive experience in accounting, risk assessment, audit procedures, and planning methodologies, and adds client relationship management to his quantitative and analytical competencies. Previously, he was a senior audit associate at Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C. He also held accounting and auditing responsibilities at Menzel & Associates, P.C.

Benson earned bachelor’s degrees in accounting and business management as well as an MBA with a concentration in financial planning from Elms College. He is an active volunteer and organizer involved with charity golf tournaments as well as sharing his time with Junior Achievement and the MSCPA. At World Sports Camp in Easthampton, he produced individualized coaching lessons for golfers and tennis players.

Stewart brings skill and experience in communications, corporate administration, client engagement, and secondary research. Most recently, she was the executive assistant for the operations & production manager at WWLP-TV22 News. She also held responsibilities as an executive producer for As School Match Wits, as well as administrative coordinator for the FCC 398 Children Television’s programming quarterly reports. Prior to her broadcast television experience, she worked in the Community Relations and Marketing department at the Sisters of Providence Health System. She earned an associate degree in administration from Bay Path University.

SPRINGFIELD — Scott Foster, partner at Bulkley Richardson, has been recognized as a New England Trailblazer in American Lawyer Media’s (ALM) inaugural publication.

ALM recently introduced New England Trailblazers, a special supplement developed to recognize professionals in New England who have “moved the needle” in the legal industry, are “agents of change,” and have made significant marks on the practice, policy, and advancements in their sector. 

Foster’s nomination notes that “he is recognized as a trailblazer because of his unwavering commitment to the business community in Western Massachusetts, providing the resources for emerging businesses that encourage growth, provide education, and make collaboration possible. As a partner at Bulkley Richardson, he is responsible for the recent launch of important practice areas, including cannabis, cybersecurity, emerging businesses, and craft breweries.”

Dan Finnegan, managing partner, added that “Scott is thoroughly committed to the business growth and overall success of his community. He is an active participant in economic-development initiatives, industry organizations, and legal associations, and never misses the opportunity to remind our elected officials that our region is one where entrepreneurs can thrive. He has made a lasting impact and strengthened the Western Massachusetts community through his vision and work.”

All of the honorees are featured in the Nov. 4 issue of the Connecticut Law Tribune.

SPRINGFIELD — The Springfield College Department of Visual and Performing Arts and the Digital, Web, and Multimedia Design Program will host a free Game Lab and Career in the Arts Day Workshop on Saturday, Nov. 9 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. inside Blake Hall. The program is designed for high-school students who have an interest in becoming a game designer or working in the arts. 

The workshop will introduce individuals to video-game-design experts and allow guests the opportunity to experience the field firsthand. Attendees will also have the opportunity to be a part of a panel discussion with industry experts who will discuss career options including game design, digital design, art teacher, art therapist, and community art coordinator.

The event will include a panel of industry experts representing multiple careers in the arts, including Pat King, co-founder of Pioneer Valley Game Developers; Creath Carter, designer at Interactive Media; Easthampton Arts Coordinator Pasqualina Azzarello; Alicia Shibley, a trauma-informed care clinic art therapist; and Michelle Shibley, a multimedia artist and art educator.

For more information about the event, visit springfield.edu/artcareers.

AMHERST — C&H Architects is celebrating 30 years of designing sustainable architecture.

The firm’s work serves as an example of how, in a time of critical climate challenges, developers can add to the built environment in a way that improves the sustainability of future generations, rather than threatening it, partner Jesse Selman said. “We have an ethical duty to understand the impact of our work — both socially and environmentally. It is a challenge that forms the basis of our work — and is what gets us up in the morning.”

At their most basic level, buildings protect individuals from the elements. Beyond that, they shape the environment and provide texture to people’s lives. Buildings, however, are also one of the largest contributors to global warming, accounting for nearly 40% of all greenhouse-gas emissions worldwide — a statistic expected to double by 2050. In an effort to mitigate these impacts, there has been a steady increase in sustainable architecture — the design of buildings that work in harmony with the environment.

C&H Architects has been at the forefront of this effort for the past 30 years. It designed the fifth-ever certified Living Building Challenge project in the world (and the first in New England) for Smith College’s MacLeish Field Station, the most rigorous performance standard for buildings available. The firm has designed more than 10 net-zero homes, the most recent of which won the top honor at AIA (American Institute of Architecture) Rhode Island in 2018, and includes a solar array that powers both the house and the car of its occupants.

Founded in 1989 by Bruce Coldham to create architecture that responds to our rapidly changing climate and resources, the Amherst-based firm has served hundreds of clients with projects at every scale, from small residential renovations to large institutional construction.

Today, the firm’s four partners — Tom Hartman, Garth Schwellenbach, Jesse Selman, and Elizabeth Morgan — carry on the tradition Coldham started, while constantly incorporating advances in building technology, materials, and practices. Their forward-thinking mindset is embodied by their mission to “design for the next hundred years.” Their work can be seen on their website, candharchitects.com.

AMHERST — Dillon Bodley & Associates, P.C., owned and operated by certified public accountants Brian Dillon and Catherine Bodley, recently moved its Amherst location to 196 North Pleasant St. to offer its clients more convenient parking and better access.

The firm closed at its former location at 37 South Pleasant St. on Oct. 27 and reopened at the new address on Nov. 1.

“We’re looking forward to offering a better parking situation for our clients, as well as providing ourselves with more office space, as our company has grown,” Bodley said. “We anticipate the move will go smoothly, and there will be no disruption in service.”

Dillon Bodley & Associates, P.C. provides a broad range of accounting and tax services, including tax preparation and planning engagements for individuals, small businesses, corporations, and nonprofit organizations. It also offers bookkeeping services to its business tax clients and provides consulting to small businesses and startups. 

The firm was located on South Pleasant Street for four years, with Bodley working on Tuesdays and Thursdays and Dillon working on Wednesdays during tax season. Services are provided on other days of the week and throughout the rest of the year by appointment.

Dillon Bodley & Associates, P.C. also has a West Springfield office at 63 Myron St., which will move to 71 Park Ave., Suite C, on Dec. 4 to accommodate an increased number of staff members. Approximately 20% of the firm’s clients are served at the Amherst office.

Founded by Dillon as Dillon Consulting and Tax Services in 2011, the firm changed its name when he joined forces with Bodley in January 2014.

SPRINGFIELD — Springfield Technical Community College will hold its annual Veterans Day ceremony today, Nov. 6, from 12:15 to 1:15 p.m. outside the Student Learning Commons (Building 19).

The ceremony will include a presentation of the colors by Commerce High School’s JROTC. A guest speaker from One Call Away Foundation, a PTSD support network, will talk about veteran suicide awareness. Following the ceremony, there will be a reception in the Veterans Center in Building 19.

SPRINGFIELD — On Saturday, Nov. 9, Western New England University’s multi-cultural student organization United & Mutually Equal will host World Fest 2019, celebrating the cultures of the world.

The evening, beginning at 6 p.m. in Rivers Memorial Hall, will showcase various foods and include performances and a fashion show. The event is open to the public as part of the university’s celebration of Diversity Week. Admission is $3 for students and $5 for non-students.

HOLYOKE — Marcus Printing announced it has acquired ILS Business Services of West Springfield, strengthening the capabilities of both companies. 

“The marriage of these two long-standing family businesses makes good sense,” said Susan Goldsmith, president of Marcus Printing. “The depth of printing experience we have at Marcus is unparalleled in our region, and we also offer mailing services. ILS offers nearly 40 years of direct-mail experience, and also sold printing services. Our services and expertise complement each other, allowing us to expand our capabilities across the board. It’s a perfect match.”

Both Marcus Printing and ILS Business Services are local Western Mass. companies built on the shared values of providing exceptional customer service at excellent prices, Goldsmith said. Marcus Printing was established in 1930 by Goldsmith’s grandparents, Phil and Sarah Marcus. ILS Business Services was founded by Bob and Irene Scalise in 1980, and their daughter, Amy Scalise, grew up around the business and officially joined the family business in 2014. Amy joins Marcus as the mailing manager, Bob will remain on board as a consultant, and the other ILS employees have joined the Marcus staff.

The operations of ILS will move in the near future to the 33,000-square-foot Marcus Printing plant at 750 Main St. in Holyoke.

“Printing and direct mailing often go hand in hand,” Goldsmith said. “By joining forces, we can offer our customers expanded services and recognized economies of scale with all services located under one roof.”

HOLYOKE — Carlos Santiago, commissioner for the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education, will visit Holyoke Community College (HCC) today, Nov. 5, and lead a discussion with faculty and staff about equity in higher education.

Santiago’s talk will run from 2 to 3 p.m. in the PeoplesBank Conference Room in HCC’s Kittredge Center for Business and Workforce Development.

“Enrollment, retention, and equity are critical to student success,” said HCC president Christina Royal. “We are very happy that Commissioner Santiago will be joining us to talk about these very important topics, which are critical components of HCC’s strategic plan.”

SOUTH HADLEY — The Massachusetts chapter of Pinups for Pitbulls, an international not-for-profit organization, announced an upcoming fundraising event to be held on Saturday, Dec. 7 from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at Abandoned Building Brewery in Easthampton.

The “Calendars, Cheers & Beer” party will feature an opportunity for guests to have their 2020 calendar autographed by calendar model and South Hadley native Bryn Nowell. The event will also feature a dogs-and-Santa photo shoot, provided by Julie Ann Blonaisz Photography, along with raffles and merchandise sales.

Pinups for Pitbulls — an organization that aims to do away with breed-specific legislation, among other goals — has published its annual fundraising calendar for the past 15 years. Featuring pinup-style hair, makeup, and clothing and a varying annual theme, calendar models include individuals and dog models who have been selected through an extensive application process. The 2020 calendar’s theme is “Fantastic Time Travel Adventures,” which includes iconic styles from the past and a glimpse into potential future styles.

The calendar release party is free to attend, and guests should be age 21 and older. There is a $10 suggested donation for dog photos with Santa.

NORTHAMPTON — Girls on the Run (GOTR) of Western Massachusetts and presenting sponsor MedExpress Urgent Care will host the annual GOTR 5K celebration on Saturday, Nov. 23 at 10:30 a.m. at Smith College.

The 5K event is open to the public. Event-day registration is available for $30. Approximately 1,600 runners are expected to participate.

The mission of Girls on the Run is to inspire girls to be healthy, joyful, and confident. Girls on the Run is a positive, physical-activity-based, youth-development program that uses fun running games and dynamic discussions to teach life skills to girls in grades 3 to 8. During the 10-week program, girls participate in lessons that foster confidence, build peer connections, and encourage community service while they prepare for an end-of-season celebratory 5K event.

The event begins on the Smith athletic fields and goes through the Smith College campus. The run will begin at 10:30 a.m., but festivities, including a group warmup and games, will begin at 10 a.m. Early arrival is strongly suggested.

Registration is available online at www.girlsontherunwesternma.org. The pre-registration cost is $25 for adults and $10 for children and includes a GOTR 5K event shirt. Registration will also be open the day of the event beginning at 9 a.m. For more information about the event, how to register, and volunteer opportunities, visit www.girlsontherunwesternma.org.

Event supporters include Scout Curated Wears, Cooley Dickinson Medical Group – Women’s Health, Holyoke Gas and Electric, Marisa Labozzetta and Martin Wohl, Mill 180 Park, PeoplesBank, People’s United Bank, River Valley Counseling Center, RunReg, Smith College, and Synergy Physical Therapy.

SPRINGFIELD — Hooplandia, the largest 3-on-3 basketball competition and celebration on the East Coast, will take place on June 26-28, 2020, hosted by Eastern States Exposition and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

The event will feature hundreds of games for thousands of players of all ages and playing abilities, with divisions for young girls, boys, women, men, high-school elite, college elite, pro-am, ‘over the hill,’ wheelchair, wounded warrior, Special Olympians, veterans, first responders, and more.

More than 100 outdoor blacktop courts will be placed throughout the roadway and parking-lot network of the Eastern States Exposition fairgrounds in West Springfield. Slam-dunk, 3-point, free-throw, dribble-course, vertical-jump, and full-court-shot skills competitions will be spotlighted. Themed state courts will be mobilized along the Exposition’s famed Avenue of States. Featured ‘showcase games’ will be held on new court surfaces in the historic Eastern States Coliseum and on the Court of Dreams, the center court of the Basketball Hall of Fame.

“Eastern States is proud to co-host this terrific new signature event for all of New England and beyond,” said Eugene Cassidy, president and CEO of the Eastern States Exposition. “We are always looking for paths to reinvent our role in promoting commerce and community and appreciate opportunities to collaborate with other regional icons, like the Basketball Hall of Fame. We are excited to transform our grounds into the magical kingdom of Hooplandia for thousands of visitors next summer.”

Added John Doleva, president and CEO of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, “the role of Greater Springfield in the global growth of basketball is undeniable, from Dr. James Naismith to our annual Enshrinement Week at the Hall of Fame and points in between. Hooplandia is a natural extension of this legacy, with a grassroots competition and celebration befitting this area and all of New England. We are thrilled to help launch and build this event, which we hope will inspire hoopsters of all ages from throughout the Northeast.”

A year-long community outreach effort will begin immediately. Registration will open on March 1, 2020. Information and engagement is available now through www.hooplandia.com or on Instagram: @hooplandia.

SPRINGFIELD — Law firm Pullman & Comley, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary of practicing law, recently expanded into Springfield with an office in Tower Square at 1500 Main St.

Pullman & Comley’s new Springfield office is its first in the Bay State, adding to offices in Bridgeport (where the firm was founded 100 years ago), Hartford, Westport, Stamford, and Waterbury, Conn., as well as an office in White Plains, N.Y. With nearly 100 attorneys, Pullman & Comley is one of the area’s largest law firms.

The law firm’s expansion into Massachusetts gives its local clients — whom it has served for years — easy access to their lawyers. The lawyers in the Springfield office currently focus on legal matters relating to property tax and valuation, labor and employment law, and litigation. In addition, the firm’s Springfield location allows Pullman’s real-estate and public-finance attorneys, who often collaborate with the firm’s environmental, land-use, and energy practices, to serve the commercial real-estate industry in Western Mass. and bring their experience to local public and private development projects.

SPRINGFIELD — The Boys and Girls Club Family Center at 100 Acorn St. in Springfield will open its doors to members of the community for its fourth annual Thanksgiving dinner on Sunday, Nov. 17 from 2 to 6 p.m.

Many local organizations have joined the effort in support of the Springfield community. American International College has provided several healthy side dishes, and the Assoc. of Black Businesses & Professionals has continued to provide funds for the Boys & Girls Club Family Center to purchase items for the dinner. Many community partners have come together to purchase food and volunteer their time for the event. This list of contributors and volunteers continues to grow.

“Working closely with many of the businesses and organizations in the city, we understand that there are people in our community who struggle to make ends meet, or who live alone and feel they have little to celebrate,” said Boys & Girls Club Family Center Executive Director Keshawn Dodds. “Our neighbors are family, and we need to be present for them. We are grateful for the positive response from the businesses and organizations that have asked to be involved and will be joining us in making this Thanksgiving Dinner special for all in attendance. It is their collective generosity and concern for those who may not have the financial means or emotional support that many of us may take for granted that continue to make this event possible.”

The Boys & Girls Club Family Center anticipates serving approximately 300 guests this year. The event is free and open to the public. No reservations are needed. For more information, call Dodds at (413) 739-4743.

AGAWAM — Glenmeadow will offer an educational program on protecting the planet on Tuesday, Nov. 19 from 10 a.m. to noon at Agawam Public Library, 750 Cooper St., Agawam.

“Environmental Responsibility: Taking Steps to Protect Our Planet” is the third and final program in the fall Glenmeadow Learning series, which provides free educational offerings in the community.

The presentation will be led by Terra Missildine, who will speak about how her mission to protect the planet began and why it’s important for everyone to commit to doing so.

Missildine will also outline what individuals, organizations, and legislators can do to begin to bring about positive change and environmental healing. She will offer samples of earth-friendly products.

Missildine has had a lifelong passion for sustainability. While in an early iteration of a sustainable-living program at UMass Amherst in 2005, she founded Beloved Earth, the first eco-friendly cleaning company in Western Mass. 

Since then, the business has blossomed to support 18 team members and still operates by cooperative principles and the values of the triple bottom line: people, planet, and profit. Missildine also helps to support her sustainability and that of her family through running a small suburban homestead, where they grow a fair amount of their own organic food.

“Environmental Responsibility” is free, but space is limited, and reservations are required. To register, contact Jazlyn Wanzo at [email protected]. For more information, or to register online, visit glenmeadow.org/events.

SPRINGFIELD — American International College (AIC) is announcing a new undergraduate initiative in the School of Business, Arts and Sciences titled Micro-Emerging Markets: Cannabis Certificate Program. Three business courses are offered in rotation beginning with the spring 2020 semester. The first course of the series will run on Wednesdays, 3:50 p.m. to 6:20 p.m., starting Jan. 13, 2020 and continuing through May 5, 2020. There are no prerequisites to enroll other than a high-school diploma or GED equivalency. Non-matriculated students can enter the program at any time in the sequence.

The first course, “Cannabis Entrepreneurship,” will examine customer groups, products, and services in the recreational market. The effect of price, quality, and competitors will be explored relative to competing effectively. This will involve key components of the industry, including legal aspects, business models, financing, and marketing.

In “Cannabis Business Operations,” students will analyze the evolving cannabis marketplace and investigate the complexities and challenges of this sector. This course will conduct an in-depth look at the key components of different business types, how the sector is evolving, starting and operating a cannabis business, in addition to financial constraints, investments, and strategic marketing in the industry.

The final course, “The Law and Ethics of Cannabis,” will examine the legalization of cannabis. Discussion around the legal and ethical implications of cannabis use, its legalization, criminal activity, and marketing will be explored in addition to perspectives of law enforcement, business owners, and recreational uses.

According to Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Mika Nash, “the college is pleased to be able to introduce a new program that provides courses in a developing field. The certificate itself is a business-based offering that is essentially a focused way of looking at one product in a micro-emerging market.”

For more information about the Micro-Emerging Market: Cannabis Certificate Program, visit aic.edu/mem.

AMHERST — The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation awarded the Five College Consortium $800,000 to reimagine the way museum collaborations can share their online collections with each other and the world.

The current shared collections database at Five Colleges was developed more than 20 years ago, and this commitment to a consortial database has enriched collaboration across the Five Colleges and opened up discovery and access to museum collections for students, faculty, staff, and the public. It remains one of the few collections databases in the country that is shared among several museums, but with advancements in technology and new accessibility needs on the part of the user, this database has revealed its age and limitations. These facts, combined with Five Colleges’ long history of collaboration, was what originally led the Mellon Foundation to request a grant proposal from the consortium.

“We’re honored to receive this generous grant from the Mellon Foundation,” said Sarah Pfatteicher, executive director of Five Colleges, who led the grant-application effort. “This is a groundbreaking model for how a variety of museums can work together to connect, leverage, and facilitate access to collections data.”

The museums that are a part of the current collections database are the Hampshire College Art Gallery, the Mead Art Museum at Amherst College, the Mount Holyoke College Art Museum, the Smith College Museum of Art, the University Museum of Contemporary Art at UMass Amherst, and Historic Deerfield, an independent museum that works closely with the campuses.

The award from the Mellon Foundation’s Arts and Cultural Heritage program is a 30-month planning grant that will be used to assess the museums’ collections-management needs within the broader landscape of research collections within the Five College campuses. With a focus on the needs of users, the planning project seeks to identify the requirements for a next-generation collections-management system that will allow the integration of museum data with library discovery systems. This project supports the long-term priority of making it easier for students, faculty, scholars, and the general public to find and access the extraordinary cultural-heritage collections distributed across the Five College campuses and Historic Deerfield.

“This planning grant will help our institutions lay the groundwork for developing what could be a truly transformative cross-collection network of knowledge and discovery,” said Jessica Nicoll, director of the Smith College Museum of Art and lead author of the grant proposal.

SPRINGFIELD — Best Lawyers, in partnership with U.S. News and World Report, has included Bulkley Richardson in its 2020 list of “Best Law Firms,” ranking the firm in the top tier for the most practice areas of any Springfield law firm.

The 2020 “Best Law Firms” list ranks Bulkley Richardson in the following 11 practice areas: bankruptcy and creditor debtor rights/insolvency and reorganization law, bet-the-company litigation, commercial litigation, corporate law, criminal defense: general practice, criminal defense: white-collar, litigation – labor and employment, medical malpractice law – defendants, personal injury litigation – defendants, tax law, and trusts and estates law.

To be eligible for a ranking, a law firm must have at least one lawyer included in Best Lawyers. Bulkley Richardson has 12 of its lawyers included on the 2020 Best Lawyers list, the most from any Springfield law firm. Three of the firm’s partners were also named 2020 Springfield Lawyer of the Year: Michael Burke, David Parke, and John Pucci. The rankings are based on a rigorous evaluation process that includes the collection of client and lawyer evaluations and peer reviews from leading attorneys in their field.

NORTHAMPTON — For the fourth year in a row, Webber and Grinnell Insurance received a Super 60 award from the Springfield Regional Chamber.

Webber and Grinnell was recognized as one of the fastest-growing privately owned businesses in the region. Webber and Grinnell has seen growth as a company this past year by opening an office in Holyoke. The company also contributes to the community on an economic and philanthropic level by supporting a variety of events and organizations, such as Santa’s Trains at Look Park, the Hot Chocolate Run for Safe Passages, the Cancer Connection, Friends of the Homeless, and the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts.

“We are so happy to receive another Super 60 award because it acknowledges our growth as a small business serving the Pioneer Valley, but more importantly it recognizes my staff and sales team’s hard work by going above and beyond to provide the absolute best service to our customers,” said Webber & Grinnell President William Grinnell.

This is the 30th year the Springfield Regional Chamber has given Super 60 awards, which were presented by Health New England and sponsored by People’s United Bank, MassHire Hampden County Workforce Board, Wells Fargo Bank, the Republican, 22News, and Zasco Productions.

EAST WINDSOR, Conn. – The Collins Companies, one of the largest privately owned industrial distributors of pipe, valves, fittings, and engineered specialties serving the Northeast, announced it has acquired International Valve and Instrument Corp. (IVI), headquartered in Springfield.

“The Collins Companies has long been recognized as a large, regional distributor of automated control valves with nine degreed engineers on staff to assist our customers with the specifying, sizing, and selection of their control-valve requirements,” said Brian Tuohey, owner and president of the Collins Companies. “However, with the acquisition of IVI, we will now be able to expand the services that we can offer to the marketplace through the significant capabilities of this great company, which over the last 37 years has built a stellar reputation in the safety-valve-testing and valve-repair market.”

Founded in 1982, IVI is engaged in repairs of all types of valves, hydraulics, and pressure-relief valves.

“Collins has an outstanding reputation, and this merger will provide the additional resources we’ve always needed to grow to the next level,” said Marianne Brodeur, president of IVI. “We’ve always prided ourselves on having the technical expertise that has allowed us to bring a consultative approach to problem solving for the valve industry. Now, combined with Collins’ size and expertise in valve automation, I’m very excited to see both companies get started on this next chapter.”

Added Tuohey, “Marianne Brodeur is a born entrepreneur who had a dream 37 years ago and followed it, and today we are thrilled to have Marianne and her 22 associates join the Collins family.”

WESTFIELD — James Hagan, president and CEO of Westfield Bank, a wholly owned subsidiary of Western New England Bancorp Inc., announced that the bank will open a new branch office in Bloomfield, Conn. in mid-2020.

The bank will open a full-service branch in the Copaco Center shopping plaza on Cottage Grove Road. The office will include lobby and safe-deposit services, an image-technology ATM, and multiple drive-through teller lanes. The bank looks forward to breaking ground as soon as it secures the necessary permits and approvals, with construction being facilitated by AmCap Inc., the property owner and manager, and Borghesi Building and Engineering Co. Inc. of Torrington. Plans are subject to regulatory approval.

“We couldn’t be more thrilled to welcome Westfield Bank as a valuable member of the Copaco Shopping Center,” said Carly Beetham, leasing senior associate at AmCap Inc. “Their first-class commitment to community and customer service is evident in every interaction with their team. I know the town of Bloomfield will enjoy working with them as much as we have.”

The Bloomfield location will follow a new Financial Services Center, which is expected to open in West Hartford Center earlier in 2020. In addition to a full-service branch, the West Hartford Financial Services Center will include a suite of offices for residential lending, commercial lending, and business and government deposit services. Representatives of these departments currently occupy temporary space at 977 Farmington Ave. to assist with their community-outreach activities.

The two new offices will represent the bank’s 23rd and 24th branches and are part of the organization’s strategic expansion into Connecticut, which began with the opening of its Granby and Enfield branch offices in 2013 and 2014, respectively.

“We are very pleased to announce that Bloomfield will be home to our newest branch location,” Hagan said. “Combined with our new West Hartford Financial Center, the bank is excited to expand deeper into Connecticut and serve the Greater Hartford market. Both of our new locations will offer the deposit, lending, and technology solutions our customers need, and we’re confident that our community-bank values and customer-first approach will be a great fit.”