The Years That Matter Most: How College Makes or Breaks US
2019-11-05 18:00 - 19:00 (America/New_York) | Springfield Symphony Hall, 34 Court St., Springfield, MA, 01103, United States
Paul Tough is the bestselling author of “How Children Succeed” and a contributor to The New York Times Magazine and This American Life. In his new book, “The Years That Matter Most,” Tough describes the way higher education in America can both help and hinder young people searching for better opportunities. The book tells the stories of several remarkable students, including some for whom college acts as a powerful engine of social mobility. But Tough also reveals the sometimes hidden ways that our higher education system favors children of wealth and privilege and holds back striving young Americans from modest backgrounds.
This event is part of our “Spotlight on Education Series” which is sponsored by Platinum Sponsor, MassMutual.

Basics of Starting a Business
2019-11-07 09:00 - 23:30, 2019-12-02 13:00 - 15:30 | Scibelli Enterprise Center
Who should attend? Anyone wanting to start a business and existing business owners looking for guidance on creating a business plan and securing financing to grow their business.
Workshop Facilitators: Springfield – Allen B. Kronick, Senior Business Advisor, MA Small Business Development Center. Greenfield – Anita J. Eliason, Senior Business Advisor, MA Small Business Development Center. Oreste Varela, U.S. Small Business Administration Branch Manager, Springfield, MA, is a scheduled presenter in both Greenfield and Springfield. The presentation will help you gain a better understanding of the various SBA programs and services available to prospective or current entrepreneurs who need assistance in starting or expanding their businesses, and will include capital, counseling and contracting information.
This FREE workshop will focus on business fundamentals; from startup considerations to business plan development and funding sources.
Learn the whole nine yards of starting a business. The presentation will help entrepreneurs start a business plan and provide structure to starting/managing their venture. Topics will include:
• Introduction and need for planning
• Basic business plan format
• Choosing your legal form of organization
• Marketing, market planning and research
• Cash flow projections
• Financial Statements
• Financing

CHC’s 25th Anniversary Gala “A Night in Oz: There’s No Place Like Our Medical Home”
2019-11-08 18:00 - 22:00 | Sheraton Springfield Monarch Place Hotel
COME CELEBRATE WITH CARING HEALTH CENTER ON THE YELLOW BRICK ROAD!
Experience the power of hard work and success as we commemorate CHC’s 25th Anniversary on Friday, November 8, 6:00 to 10:00 pm at the Sheraton Springfield Monarch Place Hotel.
Enjoy an enchanting evening of fine dining, entertainment, and a silent auction. End the evening clicking your heels together dancing the night away with a live band! This year’s theme: “A Night in OZ: There’s No Place Like Our Medical Home”, will highlight CHC’s youth programs for vulnerable children in Springfield.
Proceeds raised for the event will support CHC’s Bright Bodies Programming with a special focus on preventing obesity among today’s and tomorrow’s youth.
For more information, visit event page »
http://caringhealth.org/OZ.html
EARLY BIRD TICKETS ON SALE NOW
Save $10 each if you purchase tickets by September 30.

Centennial Program honoring Dr. Mary-Beth Cooper
2019-11-11 17:30 - 20:00 | Ludlow Country Club
The public is cordially invited to join us in celebrating Dr. Mary-Beth Cooper, President of Springfield College on Monday, November 11th starting at 5:30 with a reception and dinner at the Ludlow Country Club, Ludlow MA.
On November 8, 1919, a small group of pioneering women came together in Buffalo, New York with a vision to help all women realize greater equality while using their individual and collective expertise in service to their community. Their vision became Zonta International (ZI), an organization that has grown to more than 29,000 members in 63 countries, working together to make gender equality a reality for women and girls worldwide..
In honor of Zonta’s 100th birthday, we have chosen to recognize Dr. Cooper – someone who is not only a champion for women’s empowerment but an influencer and mentor for equality.

Business Legal Primer
2019-11-14 09:00 - 11:00 | Scibelli Enterprise Center
Presented by: Attorney Sarah K. Willey, Esq., Bulkley, Richardson and Gelinas, LLP
This presentation will help you gain a better understanding of
the core legal concepts impacting your business.
 Choice of Entity – What does it mean to be a sole
proprietor, partnership, limited liability company or
corporation; which type is right for your business?
 Employee vs. Independent Contractor – Avoiding the
steep risks of misclassification — the basics of
determining whether you are hiring an employee or
engaging an independent contractor.
 Trademark, patent or copyright – What’s the difference,
when and how you need to get one.
Sarah K. Willey is Counsel in the firm’s Business and Finance
Department, and is also a member of the firm’s Intellectual
Property Practice Group and Employment Law Practice Group.
She has experience advising clients in the areas of business
formation, mergers and acquisitions, business succession
planning, and corporate structuring of businesses in regulated
industries. Sarah counsels’ clients in protecting and
maximizing their intellectual property via trademarks,
copyrights, and licensing agreements. She also assists
businesses with designing, implementing and auditing
corporate compliance programs under International Traffic in
Arms Regulations (ITAR), Export Administration Regulations
(EAR) and Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA).
FEE: Free
REGISTER: http://bit.ly/BusinessLegalPrimer

She Said: Breaking the Story that Helped Ignite #MeToo
2019-11-18 18:00 - 19:00 | Springfield Symphony Hall, 34 Court St., Springfield, MA, 01103, United States
Jodi Kantor is one of the Pulitzer Prize-winning reporters who broke the news of Harvey Weinstein’s sexual harassment and abuse for The New York Times.
Kantor will share their investigation and its consequences for the #MeToo movement and will take us for the first time into the very heart of this social shift, reliving in real-time what it took to get the story and giving an up-close portrait of the forces that hindered and spurred change.
Her talk will describe the surprising journeys of those who spoke up–for the sake of other women, for future generations, and for themselves–and so changed us all. Both revelatory and insightful, she will not only address “how did we get here?” but “where do we go now?”

Understanding Your Company’s Cash Flow
2019-11-20 09:00 - 11:00 | Florence Savings Bank
Presented by: Robb Morton CFM, CMA, CPA Managing Partner
Many a new business owner has asked, “What is cash flow and why is it so important?” The short answer is cash flow is the amount of money coming in to a business and the amount of money going out. Think of it as a water tank: water comes in at the top and drains out the bottom. So to keep your tank nice and full, you want more coming in than going out. Your business runs on cash – cash in and cash out – a very critical aspect to you and your business. Understanding Your Company’s Cash Flow will help you understand what cash flow is, why it’s so important and how to monitor. Whether you hire someone to handle your financials or do them yourself, you must understand these fundamentals. This workshop will teach:
• the basics of cash flow • the timing of cash inflows and outflows • how cash flow is different from profit
• how to manage your cash flow projections
• how to improve your company’s cash flow
Location: Florence Bank, 85 Main St. Florence, MA. Free Parking is along Keyes Street or in the bank visitor parking lot off of Keyes Street. The entrance is under a blue awning stating “Florence Bank” in the middle of the building on Keyes Street.
Fee: $25
Robb Morton has more than 30 years’ experience in public and management accounting. His over seven years’ experience as a controller has given him a unique perspective that serves as a tremendous benefit when dealing with the challenges faced by his small business clients. He also has extensive experience working with family owned businesses both as advisor and as a member of their management team.

Holyoke Medical Center's Annual Gala 2019
2019-11-23 17:30 - 23:00 | The Log Cabin
Please join us at the 2019 Holyoke Medical Center Annual Gala at The Log Cabin in Holyoke, MA on Saturday, November 23, 2019.
This year we’re featuring ACE Awards at the event for Best Caregiver, Best Supporting Employee, Best Leader, and Best Physician, along with a Lifetime Achievement Award of M. Saleem Bajwa, MD.
The evening’s event will begin at 5:30pm and will include:
· Complimentary cocktail reception
· Silent auction
· Seven-course chef’s dinner with wine pairings
· Award presentations
· Dancing to The O-Tones
Also, discounted hotel rooms are available at the D. Hotel Suites & Spa by calling 413-533-2100 and mentioning code HMC126 before October 23, 2019.
For more information email the Development Office at development@holyokehealth.com or call 413-534-2579.

STEM Vendor and Craft Fair
2019-11-30 09:00 - 15:00 | STEM Middle Academy, 60 Alton St, Springfield, 01104, United States
Fundraising event for student going to Florida in June for a STEM based trip to NASA and Universal Studios. Student will be taking classes to learn about the science and technology behind the rides and space. We will have 25+ vendors who are selling all different type of items. Their will also be raffle baskets.

Sibling Connections Celebration of Western Mass Office
2019-12-04 17:30 - 19:30 | Student Prince & The Fort
Sibling Connections’ mission is to support the creation of enduring family relationships and community connections for sisters and brothers separated by the foster care system in Massachusetts. This effort is important in order to maintain their familial relationship and bond.
Founded thirteen years ago, Sibling Connections is headquartered in Boston but has run programs in Western Massachusetts for several years. The purpose of the new office is to extend its presence to better serve the increasing need of siblings in foster care.
The event will take place on Wednesday, December 4, 2019 at The Fort/Student Prince in Springfield from 5:30 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. RSVP sboniface@siblingconnections.org

2019 Women of Impact
2019-12-05 11:00 - 13:45 | Sheraton Springfield Monarch Place Hotel
BusinessWest has consistently recognized the contributions of women within the business community and has created the Women of Impact awards to honor women who have the authority and power to move the needle in their bu

siness; are respected for accomplishments within their industries; give back to the community; and are sought out as respected advisors and mentors within the field of influence. Nominees can be high-level executives, entrepreneurs, leaders of a non-profit organization, business owners, volunteers, or mentors: any inspirational woman, at any level in her career, who is doing remarkable things.
Nominations for 2020 consideration can be submitted via this link https://businesswest.com/women-of-impact-nomination-information-criteria/
Winners will be profiled in the Oct. 28 issue of BusinessWest and will also available online at www.businesswest.com. Winners will be honored at the Women of Impact Luncheon Awards on Thursday, December 5 at the Sheraton Springfield.
The event is sponsored by Country Bank (presenting), TommyCar Auto Group (presenting), Comcast Business, Granite State Development Corp. (supporting), New Valley Bank & Trust (speaker), and WWLP 22 News/CW Springfield (media sponsor).

Smith Executive Education Online Course: Women on Boards
2020-01-10 08:00 - 2020-02-14 17:00 | Online at Smith College Executive Education, 42 Green Street, Smith College Executive Education, Northampton, MA, 01063, United States
One of the best ways to build your network and career is through board service.
Join a cohort of women leaders who want to give back and grow through board service. This four-week online course takes a deep dive into all you need to know to thrive on a corporate or nonprofit board.
You will learn strategies and work through exercises that help you prepare for service. An ongoing discussion board and live session on February 11 add to this lively, interactive learning environment.
Key Takeaways
After completing the course, you should be able to:
Make an affirmative statement, “Yes, I could serve on a board.”
Recognize the importance of serving on a board.
Enhance professional development skills by setting up new strategies for board engagement.
Begin developing a personal roadmap for future growth with board service.
Build and expand your network of women professionals.

FREE Vision pre-screening for children and adults
2020-01-25 09:00 - 14:00 | Sheraton Springfield Monarch Place Hotel
The Western MA Lions Clubs will offer a free vision pre-screening for ages 2 through adult. This SPOT vision screening technology screens for 7 different vision problems and is non-invasive and simple to use. Requires only seconds to complete.

Apple Hill String Quartet Concert
2020-01-26 14:00 - 16:00 | Community Music School of Springfield, 127 State Street, Springfield, MA, 01109, United States
Called “dashing and extraordinary” by The Strad Magazine, the Apple Hill String Quartet is the resident ensemble of the Apple Hill Center for Chamber Music. They serve as the organization’s artistic directors as well as the coaches, mentors, and music directors for Apple Hill’s Summer Chamber Music Workshop, which welcomes 300 students and 45 faculty to its 100 acre campus each summer to study and perform chamber music. During the regular concert season, the Quartet performs for and teaches thousands more throughout the world while serving as the representatives of Playing for Peace, Apple Hill’s guiding philosophy of creating community and fostering artistic growth through chamber music. The CMSS concert features the String Quartet #1 by French composer Charles Koechlin, Strum by Jesse Montgomery, and the beautiful String Quartet #1 by Tchaikovsky.

Board Development: Bored to Brilliant – Better Meetings
2020-01-29 08:30 - 12:00 | Valley Venture Mentors
According to a recent Avast survey, the US professional spends an average of 61 hours per month in meetings and considers more than 50% of them to have been a waste of time (that’s 15 wasted days per year.) There are a number of simple and easily implemented tactics your organization can employ so that your board will consider yours among the BEST meetings they participate in.
In this workshop we will examine the conditions that work against effective board meetings. We will provide practical tools that you and your colleagues can put to use immediately. We will help you get you from “having a quorum” to hosting dynamic and effective meetings.
This workshop is designed for organizational senior leadership and those responsible for the coordination of meetings and events
$150 – 1 person $100 – 2 people* With 2 people attending, it breaks down to $50 per person. $75 – 3-5 people* (must include one board member) With 5 people attending, that breaks down to just $15 per person! *Additional individuals must be from the same organization! We recommend executive leadership, development and program staff and board members attend. YES, you read that right. Three to five people from your organization would only cost your agency $75 to attend a half day workshop!!!

Family Outreach of Amherst Turns 30
2020-02-05 17:30 - 19:30 | Eric Carle Museum, 125 W Bay Rd, Amherst, MA, 01002, United States
CHD’s Family Outreach of Amherst (FOA) marks thirty years of service to Amherst’s most vulnerable families with a reception and presentation of the Helen Mitchell Community Service award to Tony Maroulis, Executive Director of External Relations and University Events at UMass Amherst. Catered by award-winning UMass Dining, the reception will be held Wednesday, February 5 from 5:30 – 7:30 at the Eric Carle Museum.
Beginning with just 6 families in 1990, last year FOA helped nearly 600 struggling families deal with such issues as homelessness, domestic violence, physical and mental health, immigration, substance abuse, and trauma. Working with all members of the family, FOA helps them gain access to the services they need, find educational and employment opportunities, and develop the life skills they need to not only to survive, but to thrive. “We are proud to help our clients who are important members of our community gain access to the services they need as they learn to advocate for themselves in order to raise happy, healthy children,” said FOA Director Laura Reichsman.
2020 will feature many events to celebrate this milestone. The kickoff reception will be followed by the Jeanne Juster Literacy Fair in May, the 17th annual “Light Up the Night!” benefit dinner and auction on June 12 and “Warm Up the Night,” a strolling culinary extravaganza on October 14.
The Helen Mitchell Community Service Award is given to an individual or group who best exemplifies a spirit of selfless dedication to helping improve the quality of life for families in the Amherst community. Maroulis is being recognized for the support and leadership he has shown towards FOA and human services, both in his current position at UMass and at his job as Executive Director of the Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce.

STARMAN: The Bowie Tribute
2020-02-07 19:00 - 22:00 | Westfield Woman’s Club, Westfield, MA
STARMAN presents the entire dynamic David Bowie Experience, covering all stages of his career. This includes mid-set costume changes -executed flawlessly- to represent his ever evolving stage personas and musical styles. Performed with much humor and a deep love of his music, the concert is authentically presented by an ensemble of 7 dedicated musicians who perform David Bowie’s catalog with care, humorous reverence, and impeccable attention to detail. For details: https://www.starmanbowietribute.com/

7th Annual Easthampton WinterFest
2020-02-08 | MA
The 7th Annual Easthampton WinterFest will be held on Sat. Feb. 8, 2020 in locations throughout the city. This family-friendly event includes an historical ice harvest, wagon rides , a 90+ vendor craft fair, dance and music parties, art making, a family movie, chili cook-off, scavenger hunt, nature walks, cupcake decorating, magic shows, public mural making, and much more! Most activities are free or by a small donation. For a description of updated activities, go to http://www.nashawannuckpond.org/winterfest.html.

33 1/3 Live's Killer Queen Experience
2020-02-08 19:00 - 22:00 | Westfield Woman’s Club, Westfield, MA
33 1/3 LIVE’s Killer Queen Experience is a 90-minute concert set of all your favorite Queen tracks spanning their extensive catalog and is guaranteed to satisfy even the biggest Queen fans. 33 1/3 LIVE’s Killer Queen Experience reproduces each track faithfully, while retaining the energy and excitement of a live performance. “For the Killer Queen Experience we have nine musicians, playing multiple instruments, and six vocalists, so we can reproduce live the parts that even Queen could not manage on stage,” says lead vocalist Justin Gonzalez. For details: https://kqexperience.com/
The inaugural Westfield Concerts series are produced by Gaslight Entertainment, co-founded by Patrick Berry and Jay Pagluica, to present monthly music weekends with national touring music acts and regional up-and-coming artists in downtown Westfield, MA.The music program s include all kinds of music genres from pop to rock, jazz, blues, and folk. Westfield Concerts are held at The Westfield Woman’s Club in downtown Westfield, MA. For details on Gaslight Entertainment and Westfield Concerts: 413) 579-8540‬ or www.westfieldconcerts.com., and on Facebook as Gaslight Entertainment.

Snow Networking
2020-02-11 08:30 - 17:30 | Pico Mountain Ski Resort, 73 Alpine Dr, Mendon, VT, 05701, United States
GraVoc, a technology-consulting company located in Massachusetts, is hosting a one of a kind business networking event at Pico Mountain in Vermont on Tuesday, February 11th, 2020. The event is open to any business professional who is looking to escape the office to enjoy a day of skiing or snowboarding while networking with like-minded people from all over New England!
Tickets start at $50 and include 1 lift ticket, lunch & access to the après ski party. Looking for a ride? Purchase the transportation ticket for $80 which includes lift ticket, lunch, access to the après ski party and a round-trip bus ride from GraVoc’s headquarters in Peabody, MA to Pico Mountain.
When you arrive, you’ll check in at your registration table where you’ll get your lift ticket and other goodies. Then you are off to explore Pico Mountain and just about all the terrain it has to offer! The event will utilize the two main quads (Golden Express & Summit) so grab a chair with a stranger and network on your ride up the mountain! The après ski party will kick off at 3:00pm and the event will conclude at 5:30pm. Visit our website for more information or to purchase your ticket!

LEGOLAND New York Resort at Holyoke Mall
2020-02-14 - 2020-02-17 | Holyoke Mall
LEGOLAND New York Resort, opening July 4, 2020 in the Hudson Valley (60 miles north of NYC), is heading to Massachusetts from Friday, February 14- Monday, February 17 for a roadshow at the Holyoke Mall. Fun for the whole family, the roadshow will include LEGOLAND characters, a simulated Dragon Coaster ride vehicle, LEGO building activities with Master Model Builders, a large-scale LEGO panda and zebra, and Driving School cars. Upon its summer grand opening, the 150-acre theme park will include seven themed lands and 50 rides, shows and attractions catered to families with kids ages 2-12.

Manufacturing Forum 2020
2020-02-14 08:00 - 10:00 | MA
The Western MA Chapter of the NTMA and the Masshire Hampden County Workforce Board cordially invites regional manufactures for an open forum discussion on existing and future-forward topics in Manufacturing on February 14th, 2020. Non-NTMA Members and traditional manufacturers are welcome to attend this event as we will be discussing workforce requirements of diverse manufacturing Sectors. Topic such as the MA Manufacturing Investment Initiative (M2I2), apprenticeships, research on electro-mechanical skills requirements and an open discussion on staffing skills and competencies for the existing and near-future workforce. Local legislators will also be in attendance for the discussion. This event will be held at Hamels Creative Catering in Holyoke, MA from 7:30 to 10:00. Continental breakfast will be served
Please register at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/planning-for-the-workforce-of-today-and-the-future-tickets-83673990157 or contact Angie Beavis, Western MA Chapter NTMA, www.wmntma.org , Cell: 413-219-6111, E-Mail: angie_ntma@msn.com

Multi-Chamber Lunch and Learn: The Sate of Small Business in Western Mass
2020-02-27 11:00 - 13:30 | Springfield Country Club
The ERC5-East of the River Chamber and WRC-West of the River Chamber are co-hosting a Multi-Chamber event at the Springfield Country Club 11:30 am -1:30 pm. Participants will hear and learn about the State of Small Business in Western Mass. presented by Ms. Beth Yohai, VP Business Development AIM HR Solutions. Be advised registration is closing on Monday February 24th. Visit ERC5.com for more information.

Designer Purse Bingo to Support the Junior League of Greater Springfield
2020-02-29 18:00 - 21:00 | Our Lady of Mount Carmel Society, 93 Park Ave, Enfield, CT, United States
Join the Junior League of Greater Springfield on February 29th for Designer Purse Bingo! Tickets are $35 a person for 10 games and 10 chances to win a designer bag! We will also have raffle tickets available! The event is a fundraiser for the Junior League of Greater Springfield’s Scholarship. This event is BYOB.

Driven By Community
2020-03-04 17:00 - 19:00 | MA
Driven by Community is a networking event not to miss! FOUR CHAMBERS (East of the River Five Town Chamber, West of the River, Amherst Chamber, North Hampton Chamber), TWO Young Professional Society groups (YPS Springfield, YPS Hampshire County) and Six stellar non-profits! Hosted and held at Mercedes Benz Springfield and graciously sponsored by People’s Bank. Stop by at our table and say hello! ERC5.com for registration and more details.

Photography 101
2020-03-07 14:00 - 2020-03-28 16:00 | Make-It Springfield, 168 Worthington Street, Springfield, MA, 01103, United States
Plenty of hands-on photography experience, and with zero intimidation! You will learn: 1) Best handling techniques and tips/tricks to work with a DSLR camera 2) Understand and feel comfortable in manual mode on your DSLR 3) Learn and apply the basic principles of photography composition 4) Apply what you learn in walking photography field trips. Class Format: Lecture, class discussions, journaling, and walking field trips. For adults and students 18+.
There are 5 shop cameras available, or bring your own. Please email anamarie@makeitspringfield.org if you would like to use one of the shop cameras.

East Longmeadow Skilled Nursing Grand Opening
2020-03-18 16:00 - 18:00 | 305 Maple Street East Longmeadow, MA 01028, 305 Maple Street, East Longmeadow, MA, 01028, United States
Please be our honored guest as we celebrate the opening of this unique, all-private room rehabilitation and skilled nursing facility. East Longmeadow Skilled Nursing Center is introducing a whole new way to recover in an environment dedicated to patient wellness and clinical excellence. Join us for a first look at the newest center in the state. Hear from special keynote speakers while we raise our glasses to toast an extraordinary future.
Keynote Speakers: 5:00 PM
Please kindly RSVP by March 12,2020 to (413)-447-3500 or www.RSVPReimagined.org

AAUW Work Smart Salary Negotiation Skills Workshop
2020-03-31 17:00 - 20:00 | Greenfield Community College, 1 College Drive, Greenfield, MA, 01301, United States
Do you want to get paid what you deserve? Want to learn how to maximize your income when looking for that next job?
Attend AAUW Work Smart, a FREE, salary negotiation skills workshop co-hosted by the Women’s Fund of Western MA, the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women, the Treasurer’s Office of Economic Empowerment, and the Greenfield Community College Women’s Resource Center.
This program provides women with the tools they need to overcome the negative impacts of wage inequality. AAUW’s Work Smart program is designed to empower women with skills to advocate for themselves in the workplace, close their personal pay gaps, and earn their market-value through salary negotiation.
Check-in begins at 5:00 p.m. and the program begins at 5:30 p.m. Light refreshments will be served.
