Historical Society talk to consider ‘The Importance of Keeping Diaries’
GREENFIELD — The Historical Society of Greenfield’s next program in its speaker series will feature Sandra Haynes, who will present “The Importance of Keeping Diaries: Preserving Old Manuscripts and Creating New Ones” at the Greenfield Public Library’s Community Room on Wednesday, Sept. 16, at 6 p.m.
Haynes has kept a personal diary for 45 years. Volume 153 was the last volume she didn’t bind herself, and she is now writing Volume 297. As a lifelong craftsperson, Haynes found that bookbinding combines the techniques and materials of several crafts into one object: paper-craft, painting, printing, weaving, sewing, leather, wood and even metal working.
In 2025, she graduated from the bookbinding program at North Bennet Street School in Boston, where, along with the craft of bookbinding, she learned bookbinding history, and how to repair books and manuscripts. That same year, she joined the board of the American Diary Project, an archive dedicated to preserving and transcribing diaries and journals, and making that collection available as primary sources for research, teaching, genealogy or just personal curiosity.
Along with the preservation of the stories in the diaries, Haynes is interested in how the cultural viewpoints, creative practices and physical materials of diaries have evolved over time, from the tiny pocket diaries of the 19th century to contemporary mixed-media volumes overflowing with ephemera and artwork as well as writing.
In this talk, Haynes, using diaries from the Historical Society of Greenfield’s collection, her own diaries and her collection of published diaries will offer a variety of different ways to engage with diaries as artifacts, primary sources and expressions of personal creativity.
Networking for Good event to benefit Stone Soup Café
GREENFIELD — Greenfield Cooperative Bank is partnering with Stone Soup Café for the latest event in its Networking for Good series. On Thursday, Sept. 17, from 8 to 9 a.m., the co-op will host business and community leaders to collect donations for Stone Soup Café’s Community Store at 399 Main St. The collection event will be held at Stone Soup Café.
Every Saturday, Stone Soup Café offers groceries and personal care items during its curbside meal pickup, providing between 80 to 110 families access to essential items at no charge. To support the Community Store, the co-op is asking attendees to bring non-perishable food donations, including microwave-ready meals, canned beans, jerky, coffee and shelf-stable, plant-based milk.
“Earlier this year, the Greater Boston Food Bank released a sobering report: 48% of our neighbors in Franklin and Hampshire counties have experienced food insecurity over the past year,” Jess Thompson, assistant vice president of community outreach and business development, said in a statement. “At Greenfield Cooperative Bank, we believe the vitality of our communities starts with the basics — and access to food is foundational to that. That’s why we’re proud to partner with Stone Soup Café in their work to ensure that our neighbors don’t go hungry.”
Cable Advisory Board announces upcoming forum, survey
GREENFIELD — The Greenfield Cable Advisory Board is encouraging community members to give input on cable television services by responding to an online survey and/or attending the public forum slated for Wednesday, Sept. 23, at 5:30 p.m. in the second-floor meeting room at Greenfield City Hall and on Zoom.
The Cable Advisory Board is evaluating Comcast/Xfinity’s performance and conducting a community needs assessment prior to beginning negotiations for Comcast/Xfinity’s next franchise license. The findings of this process will inform the negotiations.
Under state and federal law, cable operators must obtain a license to operate and/or construct a cable television system in a community. The city’s current five-year license with Comcast/Xfinity is set to expire in July 2028, and about 10% of Greenfield residents subscribe to Comcast/Xfinity cable television services. The cable contract may affect funding for Greenfield Community Television, cable service to public buildings, the cable operator service area, quality of customer service, senior discounts and more.
For more information or to access the online survey, visit greenfield-ma.gov/government/boards_and_commissions/cable_advisory_committee.php.
Attorney to discuss estate planning basics
GREENFIELD — Attorney Michael Gove will present estate planning basics and how to avoid common pitfalls during a program at the Greenfield Senior Center on Tuesday, Sept. 29, from 2 to 4 p.m.
Gove received his juris doctorate from Boston College School of Law in 2004, after graduating cum laude from the University of Massachusetts Amherst in 2001. He served as law clerk for the Western Division of Housing Court and has been in private practice since then, including as the sole owner of Gove Law Office from 2013 to 2021.
The talk is free to attend and membership is not required, but advance registration is necessary. To sign up, call 413-772-1517, ext. 0.