Problem Pregnancy Center of Athol, on Main Street next to St. Francis Church, has reopened after reorganizing. The office is staffed Thursdays between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., or by appointment. Call 978-602-5617 to speak with a volunteer.
The Center offers free pregnancy testing and provides clothes, diapers and furniture for infants up to size 2. The Center is available to help any mother, regardless of age or circumstances. Mothers are encouraged to bring clothes home for a three-month period and exchange them as the child grows.
The Center accepts infant and children’s clothing and nursery equipment and supplies. It is looking for volunteers in order to expand service hours.
Kingsmen Chess Club: Meets Sundays, noon to 4 p.m., Millers River Environmental Center, 100 Main St. For more information, call John Dould at 978-249-5905 or email aelb@trysb.net or aelb@hotmail.com.
Smoking Cessation: Led by Tim Sweeney, tobacco treatment specialist. Meets Mondays, 6 to 7 p.m. Athol Hospital’s cafeteria.
TOPS: Take Off Pounds Sensibly: Thursdays, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., Athol Congregational Church.
Community Meal: Stone Soup Cafe takes place Saturdays at noon at All Souls Church, 399 Main St. (Hope Street entrance). Local, delicious food served. Pay-what-you-can. All welcome.
Vet to Vet: The RECOVER Project and the Recovery Learning Community offer Vet to Vet every Thursday from 3 to 4:30 p.m. at 74 Federal St. This collaboration is for all veterans, regardless of discharge status, to offer support when the civilian world is a challenge. For more information, contact Tim at 475-0226.
Helpful Programs at LifeSpan: Any plan of care starts with your needs. LifeSpan services provide assistance with light homemaking, home-delivered meals, personal care and adaptive equipment. Caregivers can take a break to de-stress with LifeSpan’s respite services. In addition, the Consumer Directed Care Program at LifeSpan allows elders in need to select their own caregiver — perhaps a friend, neighbor or even a family member — who can be paid through this program (excludes spouses). For more information, visit: info@lifepathma.org or call 413-773-5555 or 978-544-2259. Read more at lifepathma.org.
Pitch: Come play pitch Friday at 10 a.m. at the Northfield Center. The game will be taught to those who do not know how to play. Plans are to have this become a monthly event.
Free Community Meal: Offered every Friday at 5:30 p.m. at Trinity Church, Severance Street.
Preschool story time: Fridays, 11 a.m., in the Children’s Room of the Sunderland Public Library. These story/craft times are for children ages 3 to 5 and their families or caregivers. Each story time is about 45 minutes and includes theme-related stories, songs, finger plays and crafts.
Serendipity Shop: Saturdays, 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Congregational Church basement. Men’s, women’s, children’s clothing, shoes and sneakers. Most items $1. Men’s suits and all coats, $3. Women’s suits, $2. Donations accepted. Proceeds to benefit the church. 413-665-2890.
Great Falls Discovery Center, 2 Avenue A:
Kidleidoscope, a program for children ages 3 to 6, will take place three Saturdays in September from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. The topic this week will be racoons, Sept. 10, deer, and Sept. 17, bears. Come learn about our neighbors who share our home in the Connecticut River Watershed. Program includes a story, interactive games and a craft to introduce young children to wildlife along the river. Meet in the Great Hall. Siblings and friends welcome. Children must be accompanied by an adult.
Franklin Area Survival Center: The Food Pantry and Thrift Store hosted by staff and volunteers is at 96 Fourth St. 413-863-9549. The Thrift Store is open Monday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Food Pantry is open Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The center is closed on federal holidays. The Thrift Shop is open to the general public and helps finance its food pantry. In an emergency, such as a fire or flood, the center will supply needed clothing and linens, free and additional food to help the victims of a disaster.
“Back To The Future” will be shown Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at the Wendell Free Library. A young man is accidentally sent 30 years into the past in a time-traveling DeLorean invented by his friend, Dr. Emmett Brown, and must make sure his high-school-age parents unite in order to save his own existence. There will be a short one half hour film before the movie: an episode of “Caption Z-Ro called “William Tell.” These films are part of the monthly series of Science Fiction/Fantasy and Horror/Monster movies at the library, located in the center of Wendell. Free admission. 978-544-3559. www.wendellfreelibrary.org
Monadnock Tri-State Dance Club featuring music by Champagne Jam, will take place Saturday from 7 to 11 p.m. at ELMM Community Center, Durkee Street, off Parker Street. For more information, call 603-357-0794 or 802-722-9205.
Vigil for Racial Justice: Every Saturday, 9 to 10 a.m., at the Greenfield Common. Bring your own sign or use one of ours. Everyone is welcome. For more information: email@racialjusticerising.org
Help the blind: Your car, truck or camper may be worth more as a donation than a trade-in. Call the Massachusetts Association for the Blind at 888-613-2777 for details. This is a free two, quick pick up and donations are tax deductible. Proceeds benefit blind and vision impaired persons in Massachusetts.