“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 Tuesday, 6 p.m. in Room 249, Vermont Technical College, 41 Harmony Place,. The holiday party will include pot-luck food and verbal word-smithing by those present. There will be three speeches, five to seven minutes in length, followed by a break. After the break, there will be a speaking-off-the cuff exercise available to everyone including guests, followed by evaluations of the three speeches, plus reports by the timer, grammarian, ah counter and general evaluator.
Greenfield SEPAC (Special Education Parent Advisory Council): Are you the parent or guardian of a child with an IEP or 504 plan? The SEPAC is a volunteer organization of parents or guardians of children with special needs, in-district, private/out-of-district placements and/or homeschooled. It meets the fourth Wednesday of each month at the Greenfield YMCA from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Because of the November and December holidays, the SEPAC will not meet on their regular dates. Instead, we will meet Wednesday at the same place and time. The next regularly scheduled meeting will be Jan. 22. Free childcare. RSVP to SEPAC@gpsk12.org or find us on Facebook.
Beadalicious, unique jewelry creations, offered Thursday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Baystate Franklin Medical Center lobby. Cash, checks, employee deduction accepted. Sponsored by the Gift Shop, to benefit patient services.
Relax and Rejuvenate Friday, 9:30 to 11 a.m. at Greenfield Senior Center, 35 Pleasant St. Take time for self-care with gentle and accessible chair stretching. Guided relaxation and visualization exercises will transport you to the rainforest or beach without ever leaving your chair. Session ends with a soothing hand massage with essential oils. Offered by Franklin County Technical School, Health Technology Program students. Free. Space is limited. Call 413- 772-1517 ext. 0 or stop by our Front Desk to register.
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.
Knights of Columbus: Lt. John J. Galvin Council No. 133 of Greenfield meets on the third Thursday of the month at 7 p.m. in Holy Trinity Church’s parish hall.
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.
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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