“Healthy Bones and Balance” Thursdays, 9:30 a.m., St. John’s corner. Free. For more information, call 413-625-2502.
Take Off Pounds Sensibly (TOPS): Meets Thursdays at 5:45 p.m. at Athol Memorial Hospital, 2033 Main St. Attendees should use the main entrance and turn left to the conference room on the right. Visitors to a TOPS chapter are welcome to attend their first meeting free. Membership is $32 a year plus nominal chapter fees. Harvey Laprade has been named the new chapter leader. To find another local chapter, visit tops.org or call 800-932-8677.
BrattleMasters will meet Thursday at 6 p.m. in Room 249, Vermont Technical College, 41 Harmony Place. Eddie Sause of Shelburne Falls will be the emcee. The local Toastmasters club normally meets the second and fourth Thursdays of the month, but because Thanksgiving falls on the fourth Thursday, the next get-together will be in December. For directions or more information, go to brattleboro.toastmastersclubs.org.
Divorcecare and Divorcecare for Kids Special Holiday Seminar will take place Thursday at 6 p.m. at Living Waters Assembly of God, 450 Davis St. When a marriage ends, the holiday season can be especially painful. This Surviving the Holidays seminar helps participants face challenges and discover: how to deal with emotions, helpful tips for surviving any social event, ways to help children through the holidays and how to find hope for the future. Cost for resource is $5, but can be waived in the event of financial hardship. For more information and if you are planning to attend, call 413-773-9506 or 413-774-4032.
Space available for craftspeople/vendors for Arcana Chapter No. 50 Order of the Eastern Star Snowflake Bazaar on Saturday at the Republican Masonic Lodge Building from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Spaces are $25 for 8 feet, tables provided. To reserve a space, call Deb Caldwell at 413-774-2581 or email debbedo50@comcast.net.
Cozy Home Critters will be available for sale Thursday from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the main lobby at Baystate Franklin Medical Center, 164 High St. The pet beds are machine washable and come in four sizes. They are made in a variety of fleece prints: dog, cat, outdoor, southwest, modern. Made with healthy filler with no harsh chemicals or resins. Grown-in Greenfield catnip toys also available. Cash, checks, payroll deduction accepted. No credit cards. Sponsored by the hospital Gift Shop to benefit patients and services at Baystate Franklin.
Greenfield Senior Center, 35 Pleasant St.: “Unbelievable Feats of Mind” will be presented Friday from 10 to 11 a.m. at the center. By day, Alexander George is a professor of philosophy. By night, he explores the mind’s strange ways, including the history of magic, mediums, cons and charlatans. Back by popular demand. Free. Greenfield Senior Center membership and registration required. Call 413-772-1517, ext. 0, or stop by the front desk to reserve a seat. For more information, visit HeReadsMinds.com. Sponsored by Highland Street Foundation.
Building Bridges Veterans Initiative will offer free weekly veterans lunches Thursdays from noon to 1:30 p.m. at the Greenfield Elks Lodge, 2 Church St. Building Bridges is a veterans initiative of the Episcopal Diocese of Western Mass. buildingbridgeswma.com.
Greenfield Moose Family Center: A pasta meal is served Wednesday, 6 p.m., at the center. The cost is $8. Open to members and guests. A line dance is at 7.
Gamblers Anonymous: Wednesdays, 6:30 p.m., The RECOVER Project. Use 1 Osgood St. entrance. For more information, call 413-325-1389.
Franklin County Cadet Squadron (CAP) Seeks Recruits: Meets Thursdays, 6:45 to 9 p.m. Greenfield Teen Center, Sanderson Street. CAP is seeking new recruits, ages 12 to 18. If interested, call Maj. Gary Longley at 413-773-9331.
Al-Anon — Struggles for Intimacy: Thursday, 7:15 to 8:30 p.m., The RECOVER Project, 68 Federal St. Anyone who feels her/his life has been affected by close contact with a problem drinker is eligible for membership in Al-Anon or Alateen. Al-Anon is online at al-anon.org.
Ongoing Yoga for Ages 60 and Up: Mats and props provided. Drop in anytime Thursdays, 9:30 to 10:30 a.m., at Town Hall, 69 Main St., second floor. Elevator available at ground level; parking at rear of building. Donations appreciated but not required. Donations are used for equipment and additional exercise sessions. Simple seated and standing yoga postures, breathing exercises, relaxation and concentration techniques. Accessible to men and women with any amount of flexibility and yoga experience. Funded by grants from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Title III grant administered by LifePath, and Executive Office of Elder Affairs (EOEA).
Tai Chi led by Lois Bascom runs every Thursday morning from 9 to 9:45 a.m. at the Senior Center. Easy forms and repetition. Good for improving balance and stability.
Meat Raffle: Shelburne Falls Eagles on State Street, downstairs, will hold a meat raffle on Friday starting at 7 p.m. There will be 14 raffles and the event is open to the public. 413-625-2593.
Veterans Seminar: Upper Pioneer Valley Veterans’ Services will offer a seminar Wednesday from 2 to 3 p.m. at Greenfield Savings Bank, 282 Avenue A, titled “Recent Changes for Veterans and Their Families.” This will include changes to veterans’ state and federal benefits including the Mission Act and Blue Water Law. The seminar will cover changes within the last year and any upcoming changes that will go into effect Jan. 1, 2020. For information, contact Chris Demers, Upper Pioneer Valley Veterans Services, at 413-772-1571.
A Low-Cost Yoga class will be offered for seniors (55 and older) Thursdays, 4 to 5 p.m. at the Gill-Montague Senior Center, 62 5th St. Andrea Chesnes will offer gentle mat yoga stretches, yoga breathing techniques and deep relaxation. Seniors from all towns, including beginners, are welcome. A $1 donation is requested. For more information, call 413-863-4500.
Emergency Basic Needs Program: This is a program of Montague Catholic Social Ministries and is open Wednesdays, 9 a.m. to noon, for resources and referrals. If you have questions or want to make an appointment, call Mary at 413-863-4804, ext. 1002, or email BasicNeeds@mcsmcommunity.org. To access Emergency Basic Needs, buzz No. 103 at the Moltenbrey entrance on 3rd Street.
Playgroup: A program of Montague Catholic Social Ministries meets Wednesdays and Fridays, 9:30 a.m. to noon, 78 Avenue A. This informal, drop-in playgroup for parents, caregivers and children younger than 8 offers music, movement and other early literacy activities, a children’s clothing exchange and a parent resource lending library. For more information, contact Mary King at 413-863-4804, ext. 1005 or email mary.king@gmrsd.com.
Retired and Senior Volunteer Program helps adults who are ages 55 and older find meaningful local volunteer opportunities. Share your lifetime of experience, meet new friends and help nonprofits in your community who depend on volunteer assistance, like volunteer drivers. If you have two hours weekly, a dependable vehicle and want to make a difference, contact Pat Sicard, RSVP volunteer manager, at 413-387-4558, ext. 1 or psicard@hcg-ma.org.
Free Hearing Screenings: Baystate Rehabilitation Care, 48 Sanderson St., Greenfield. For an appointment, call 413-773-2227.
Information and Caregiver Resource Center (ICRC) at LifePath: ICRC at LifePath has answers to all your questions about elder services/caregiver support. LifePath resource consultants are experts in finding the information you need to solve any problem. Contact ICRC at LifePath at 413-773-5555 or 978-544-2259.
Free Mediation: Landlords/tenants can save money and time using free eviction prevention mediation services. The Mediation & Training Collaborative is offering mediation at no cost to help resolve housing-related problems before they go to court. For more information, call 413-475-1504 or 413-475-1503.
Breastfeeding Support Group: Meets Wednesdays, 11 a.m. to noon, Obstetrics Classroom, third floor of Baystate Franklin Medical Center. Led by Suzanne Stoneham. The group is for mothers who are breastfeeding infants (moms are welcome to bring their infants). For more information, call the Birth Place at BFMC at 413-773-2359.
Stutterers Support Group: A support group for people who stutter, sponsored by the National Stuttering Association and led by Carla Bernier, speech language pathologist. Meets on the second Wednesday of the month at 7 p.m. at 15 Brewster Court, Northampton. Anyone interested should call in advance at 413-586-1945 or email carla@comtherapy.com.
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