Eight-week trauma support group starts Jan. 14
GREENFIELD — The Brick House Community Resource Center in Turners Falls and the Salasin Project in Greenfield have come together to offer an eight-week program called “Beyond Trauma: A Healing Journey.”
This confidential support and discussion group will explore the impact of interpersonal violence and trauma on individuals. The group will learn about how trauma affects people and will explore ideas for creating safety and developing healthy relationships while sharing healing activities for the mind, body and spirit.
The program, which is open to people who identify as female and are at least 18 years old, begins Wednesday, Jan. 14, from 1 to 2:30 p.m. and will run through March 4. Attendees can join on Zoom or in person at the Salasin Project at 33 Riddell St. in Greenfield.
Advance registration is required by calling either Stacey Langknecht at 413-800-2496 or Lynn Norwood at 413-575-0042.
Poet’s Seat Poetry Contest seeks submissions
GREENFIELD — The Friends of the Greenfield Public Library is accepting entries for the 35th annual Poet’s Seat Poetry Contest. The contest is open to all Franklin County residents and to students ages 12 to 18 who attend school in Franklin County.
The Poet’s Seat Poetry Contest is sponsored annually by the Friends of the Greenfield Public Library. The competition is held in honor of poet Frederick Goddard Tuckerman, who was a Greenfield resident from 1847 until his death in 1873. Although he never achieved wide public acclaim, his poems are often included in anthologies of noted American poets. It was Tuckerman that referred to the contemplative location on Mountain Road as a “poet’s seat.” The sandstone observation tower that is there today, Poet’s Seat Tower, was built in 1912, replacing a wooden tower built in 1879.
Poems can be submitted either digitally or by mail. Only unpublished poems may be submitted and poets may enter up to three poems. For complete guidelines and to submit electronically via the online form, visit wlm.im/gflib/poet.
Mail poetry submissions to: Poet’s Seat Poetry Contest, Greenfield Public Library, 412 Main St., Greenfield, MA 01301. Digital entries must be submitted by Feb. 21 and entries via USPS must be postmarked by Feb. 21.
For more information, contact Poet’s Seat Committee Co-Chairs Cyndie Rothschild at cyndierothkid@gmail.com or Lynn Waldron at lynnw99@gmail.com.
Jan. 13: ‘Winter Ecology & Horticulture’
GREENFIELD — The Greenfield Public Library will welcome horticulturist Erik Vegeto on Tuesday, Jan. 13, at 6 p.m. for his talk, “Winter Ecology & Horticulture: Setting the State for Spring.”
He will talk about how plants survive in winter, how to identify plants in winter, dormant-season pruning, cold-weather protection for plants, pest management and winter tool care.
Vegeto is the owner of Earth Gardeners, an ecological gardening business based in western Massachusetts. He holds a bachelor’s degree in plant and soil science from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and has worked across the horticulture and cultivation industry in roles ranging from researcher to cultivation supervisor. He specializes in ecological restoration, native plant propagation and insect-plant interactions, and his mission is to help communities restore local ecosystems through hands-on, practical knowledge.
Crafts for teens offered each Friday
GREENFIELD — Teens are encouraged to stop by the Greenfield Public Library’s Teen Room on Fridays in January from 3 to 4 p.m. to relax with crafts.
The schedule is as follows:
- Jan. 9: Paper punches.
- Jan. 16: Sewing.
- Jan. 23: Shrinky Dinks.
- Jan. 30: Drawing.
The program is possible due to funding from the Library Initiative for Teens and Tweens.
‘Connections’ group to meet Jan. 15
GREENFIELD — Social worker Irene Woods will lead “Connections,” a group exploring ways to be proactive about making connections with others, at the Greenfield Senior Center on Thursday, Jan. 15, from 1 to 2:30 p.m.
Advance registration is required. Space is limited to 11. Call 413-772-1517, ext. 0 or stop by the center’s front desk to sign up. Seniors from all towns are welcome.
Timeless Tunes to perform at Senior Center
GREENFIELD — Timeless Tunes, a musical group made up of members between the ages of 60 and 90 years old, will perform at the Greenfield Senior Center on Friday, Jan. 16, from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.
Timeless Tunes is dedicated to performing for local senior centers, nursing homes and retirement communities in the Hampshire, Hampden, Franklin and Berkshire counties. At present, members include a pianist, an accordionist, two violinists, four guitar players and vocalists. They play music from the 1950s, ’60s, ’70s and ’80s of all types, from polkas to songs by The Beatles.
Greenfield Senior Center membership is not required, but advance registration is necessary. Sign up by calling 413-772-1517, ext. 0 or by stopping by the center’s front desk.
Children’s book author coming to library
GREENFIELD — Local children’s book author Susan LaScala will read from her “Munchie Tales” books at the Greenfield Public Library on Saturday, Jan. 17, at 10:30 a.m. Children will also get to meet the dog that inspired them, Munchie.
This program is recommended for children ages 4 to 8.
Jan. 21: Wreath-crafting workshop
GREENFIELD — Margot Peck will lead a wreath-crafting workshop at the Greenfield Senior Center on Wednesday, Jan. 21, from 10 a.m. to noon.
The workshop focuses on rag wreaths, which are made by tying strips of material to a pre-made frame. There is a $10 materials fee paid to the instructor on the day of the class, cash only. Exact change is appreciated.
Registration and Senior Center membership (free) are required. Call 413-772-1517, ext. 0 or stop by the center’s front desk to register.
Climate change play recordings available to view online
GREENFIELD — The play reading recordings of “The Time is Now: Climate Change Theatre Action” are now available to view online.
The recordings encompass the play readings from the three-day festival that took place at The LAVA Center during the weekend of Oct. 24 to Oct. 26. Produced in collaboration with the international organization Climate Change Theatre Action and made possible by funding from Greening Greenfield, the recordings show nine plays that center around one of three themes: resilience, urgency and hope.
The plays are “Science is Dead!” by David Geary, “Consultation” by Dylan Van Den Berg, “We’re Running Out of Chairs” by Kirby Vicente, “Space Cat” by Lewis Hetherington, “Appreciation” by Katie Pearl, “Six Polar Bears Fell Out of the Sky This Morning” by Alister Emerson, “A Letter From the Ocean” by Caridad Svich, “The Mermaid” by Nikhil Katara and “All Its Tainted Glory” by Georgina H.L. Escobar.
The online recordings will be available to view by donation through March 31. Views are available on a sliding scale for each recording between $5 and $15. Anyone may make an additional donation to support The LAVA Center’s fundraising campaign.
To view the play recordings, visit tixtree.com/o/lava.