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.
Ham and bean supper will be served Saturday at 6 p.m. at UCC Conway. The menu will include baked ham, beans, scalloped potatoes, coleslaw, rolls, blueberry dessert and beverage. $12; $6 for 12 and under. For reservations, call Muriel Antes at 369-4350. Walk-ins welcome as space permits.
A speak-out on issues of violence against black, brown and immigrant people locally and nationally will take place on Saturday at the First Congregational Church, 43 Silver St. at 10:30 a.m. Local Speak Out: How are you feeling about the escalating violence against black and brown and immigrant people? organized by Racial Justice Rising is free and open to the public.
Memoir-writing course: Local writer Mary Clare Powell will lead an eight-week memoir-writing course at Greenfield Public Library beginning Thursday, Sept. 15. Classes will be Thursday mornings from 9:30 to 11:30 in the library’s Greenfield meeting room. Registration is required and will be limited to 25. Stop by the library or call the adult circulation desk at 772-1544 to register. The program will explore memoir in a variety of forms using exercises to help spark memories and encourage writers to experiment. Writers at all levels of experience are welcome.
Contact Jane Buchanan at 772-1544, ext. 5120 with questions about the program, which is sponsored by the Friends of the Greenfield Public Library.
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.
Farmers market and tag sale Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Leverett Congregational Church (across from Leverett Post Office). Rain or shine. Tag sale space: 12-by-12-feet for $10. No reservations needed. Homemade baked goods, preserves and homegrown produce will be for sale along with tag sale items. Proceeds to benefit Heifer International. For more information, contact Claudia Gere at 413-359-0003.
Helpful Programs at LifePath. Any plan of care starts with your needs. LifePath services provide assistance with light homemaking, home-delivered meals, personal care, and adaptive equipment. Caregivers can take a break to de-stress with LifePath’s respite services. In addition, the Consumer Directed Care Program at LifePath 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 773-5555 or 978-544-2259. Read more at lifepathma.org.
Food Pantry: The community food pantry will be open Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The pantry is in the basement of Dickinson Memorial Library, 115 Main St. The pantry is open the second and fourth Saturdays of the month.
A pork roast dinner will be served Saturday a 6 p.m. at Central Congregational Church of Orange. The menu consists of pork roast, gravy, potatoes, carrots, salad, bread, beverage and dessert. Tickets, $10. For more information call 978-544-6895.
The Orange Historical Society will host the season finale Breakfast on the Porch at the society building, the Weymouth-French House, 41 North Main St. on Saturday from 8 to 10 a.m. Breakfast will include quiche, French toast, pancakes, waffles, doughnuts, fruit and beverages. Open seating is on the porch and inside the society building. All proceeds go to the renovation and maintenance of the building. For more information on historical society activities, see the website: http://www.orangehistoricalsocietyma.org, or contact Irene Ballou, Frank Schiappa or Linda Temple.
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/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, 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. 665-2890.
Adult Coloring Hour Saturday from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. at Greenfield Savings Bank, 282 Avenue A. Come and participate in the latest craze — adult coloring! Challenge your mind and creativity. All materials and light refreshments provided by GSB. No reservations required. Free.
Franklin Area Survival Center: The Food Pantry & Thrift Store hosted by staff and volunteers is at 96 Fourth St., 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 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.
Whately Library: Whately Book Group — “Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Olympics” by Daniel James Brown will take place Saturday at 11 a.m. at the library.
The 2017 edition of the Hilltown Business Directory is now soliciting listings. The Directory has been published by Hilltown CDC for 30 years to help make hundreds of Hilltown businesses more visible and more viable. It will be delivered in January to 14,600 households in 20 towns.
The directory includes businesses in six towns in eastern Berkshire County (Dalton, Hinsdale, Peru, Becket, Washington and Windsor), nine towns in western Hampshire County (Plainfield, Cummington, Goshen, Williamsburg, Chesterfield, Westhampton, Huntington, Worthington and Middlefield) and Chester, Blandford, Russell and Montgomery in Hampden County and Ashfield in Franklin County.
Reservation forms are available at www.hilltowncdc.org or from Bea von Hagke at 413-296-4536, ext. 115 or at beavh@hilltowncdc.org. Deadline is Oct. 14.
SHINE: Serving the Health Insurance needs of Everyone: do you have Medicare but feel overwhelmed by your options? SHINE counselors are volunteers who provide free unbiased health insurance information, education, and assistance to Medicare beneficiaries and adults with disabilities to help people figure out what their best health insurance options are based on their unique needs. Contact a SHINE at LifePath at 773-555 or 978-544-2259. Email info@lifepathma.org and learn more at lifepathma.org.
Vigil for Racial Justice Every Saturday, 9 to 10 a.m., at the Greenfield Town Common. Bring your own sign or use one of ours. Everyone is welcome. For more information: email@racialjusticerising.org.
Free Reiki sessions: Reiki for Breast Cancer Patients/Survivors in Franklin County. Saturday mornings by appointment, 474 Main St., Suite 2, Greenfield. Reiki, an ancient and relaxing, noninvasive therapy, enhances the body’s natural healing ability while calming the body, mind and spirit. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call Mary Jessie Blazejewski, Reiki master/teacher at 774-9927.
Straight Spouse Support: One to one support for straight individuals currently or once married to lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender partners. Confidential helpline at 625-6636 or email jcmalinski48@gmail.com locally or at the Straight Spouse Network nationally at www.straightspouse.org.
Counseling Referrals: the Social Work therapy Referral Service offers free confidential referrals for individual, couple, family and group therapy, matched for specialty, location and insurance. This is a public service of the National Association of Social Workers. Call 800-242-9794.
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 tow, quick pick-up and donations are tax-deductible. Proceeds benefit blind and vision impaired persons in Massachusetts.