Waste district partnering with school for fix-it event
TURNERS FALLS — The Franklin County Solid Waste Management District is working in conjunction with Franklin County Technical School to host a fix-it/repair event on Saturday, May 30, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Franklin Tech, 82 Industrial Blvd. The event is free and open to all residents in Franklin County.
A combination of tech school students and instructors plus other “fixers” will help residents fix household items, sharpen knives and equipment, and glue broken items back together. Fixers are being sought. To express interest in volunteering, call the Franklin County Solid Waste Management District at 413-772-2438.
The event does not involve registration. More information will be available in the coming weeks at franklincountywastedistrict.org.
Peacemaker Awards honoring student activists on May 12
GREENFIELD — For the past quarter-century, the Interfaith Council of Franklin Council and the Traprock Center for Peace & Justice have worked together to honor young activists who are working for peace and justice in their schools and communities, and this year has seen increased organizing and speaking out for change, both locally as well as nationally.
On Tuesday, May 12, at 6:30 p.m., 13 high school students will be honored with this year’s Peacemaker Awards in a free, public event at All Souls Church, 399 Main St.
As part of the program, award recipients will describe their work and receive various honors, with a special address from 2025 Peacemaker awardees Nate Woodard, now a senior at Greenfield High School, and Northfield Mount Hermon School junior Seneca Smith. Music will be provided by Greenfield High School student Henry Anhalt on piano and the Northfield Mount Hermon Singers.
Photographer to present ‘Weather, Light and Luck’
BELCHERTOWN — The Quabbin Photo Group will host a presentation by Shutesbury resident and landscape photographer Jamie Malcolm-Brown on Monday, May 18, at 7 p.m. at the Belchertown Recreation Department, 66 State St.
His presentation, “Weather, Light and Luck: The Reality Behind the Shot,” will offer an in-depth look at the decision-making process behind his images. Attendees will gain insight into how he finds locations, uses tools such as PhotoPills, tracks weather patterns and adapts when conditions change unexpectedly.
Rather than focusing solely on technical settings, Malcolm-Brown will emphasize the realities of fieldwork that include missed opportunities, shifting plans and the importance of flexibility. The program will highlight how learning to pivot can lead to stronger, more compelling photographs that convey a sense of place and story.
“We’re really looking forward to learning how Jamie puts together his incredible images,” Quabbin Photo Group President Mark Lindhult said in a statement. “He has an impressive ability to capture absolutely stellar images.”
Malcolm-Brown’s photos can be viewed at jamiemalcolmbrown.com or on Instagram at @jamiemalcombrown.
Jennie L. Bascom Educational Fund announces 2026 scholarship recipients
GREENFIELD — The Trustees of the Jennie L. Bascom Educational Fund have announced the 2026 scholarship recipients. The recipients are Kristina Kostov, Suhani Patel and Javion Williams, all of Greenfield High School; and Guenivere Silva-Ryan of the Mohawk Trail Regional School District.
Established in 1953 through the will of Jennie L. Bascom, the fund, administered by a board of local trustees, provides financial assistance to deserving students who are residents of Greenfield and are pursuing education beyond high school.
“The trustees are proud to support these outstanding students as they take the next step in their educational journeys,” Ann Mayo, chair of the trustees, said in a statement. “Each of these recipients has demonstrated strong commitment and promise, and we are honored to play a small role in their continued success.”
DCR staff to lead Quabbin hikes
BELCHERTOWN — The Department of Conservation and Recreation’s Les and Terry Campbell Quabbin Visitor Center is launching a new season of guided hikes across the Quabbin watershed, offering participants an opportunity to experience the region’s natural beauty and history alongside DCR staff.
Advance registration is required and space is limited. Dogs are not permitted. Participants should be prepared for outdoor conditions, including by wearing appropriate clothing, bringing water and snacks, and protecting themselves from tick bites.
The upcoming walks include:
- Saturday, May 16, 11 a.m. to noon — From the Visitor Center parking area, accessible through the main entrance off Route 9, hikers will walk a moderate, 1.7-mile loop that travels below the Winsor Dam, along the Swift River and through the forest behind the Visitor Center.
- Saturday May 23, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. — A 2.5-mile guided walk on relatively flat terrain will teach attendees how to read the natural landscape while uncovering clues that reveal the hidden history of Webster Road. Explore old cellar holes and historic stone walls, get to know native and invasive plants, and learn about the families who lived in the town of Enfield a century ago.
- Thursday, June 4, 10 a.m. to noon — On the Tower Trail Habitat Hike, participants will walk about 3 miles round-trip up Quabbin Hill through woodland and mountain habitat and back. It is a moderately difficult hike.
Walks continue throughout June. For more details about the hikes or to register, visit friendsofquabbin.org/dcr-programs.
Grants to fire departments to fund life safety education
STOW — The Healey-Driscoll administration recently announced $1.9 million in grants that will help 229 local fire departments deliver life safety education to school-aged children and older adults.
The grants represent two longstanding fire safety programs coordinated by the Massachusetts Department of Fire Services. The Student Awareness of Fire Education (SAFE) program sends firefighter-educators into schools to deliver lessons to young people, while the Senior SAFE program is geared toward older adults and delivered through senior centers, councils on aging and home visits.
“Any firefighter will tell you that we’d rather prevent a fire than fight one,” State Fire Marshal Jon Davine said in a statement. “And we’d much rather fight a fire than respond after a tragedy. The SAFE and Senior SAFE grants are geared toward prevention, but they also help kids and seniors recognize the steps to surviving a fire at home.”
The SAFE program was launched in the mid-1990s after child fire fatalities climbed into the dozens each year. Since then, Massachusetts has experienced some of the lowest numbers on record, including two straight years with none at all. In 2014, the Senior SAFE program was developed to reach older adults, who now account for about half of each year’s fire deaths in Massachusetts and across the nation.
The Franklin County recipients and their grant amounts, rounded to the nearest dollar, are Ashfield, $4,723 for SAFE and $2,405 for Senior SAFE; Greenfield, $7,637 for SAFE and $3,232 for Senior SAFE; Leverett, $3,362 for Senior SAFE; New Salem, $399 for SAFE and $4,331 for Senior SAFE; Shelburne, $6,546 for SAFE and $8,222 for Senior SAFE; and South Deerfield, $4,606 for SAFE and $2,345 for Senior SAFE. Leverett shares its award with Shutesbury, New Salem shares its award with Wendell, and Shelburne’s funding represents a regional award with Buckland, Shelburne Falls, Colrain and Heath.