Garden Cinemas trying out film, crafts pairing

GREENFIELD — In hopes of meeting a community demand, the Garden Cinemas on Main Street will hold a special screening of “Twisters” (PG-13) on Sunday, Aug. 18, at 6:45 p.m. during which the lights will be left on so that crafters can see their work while watching the movie. For residents who needlepoint, knit, crochet or quilt, this is a chance to do it while seeing a first-run movie at the theater.

“We keep getting requests for this,” Garden Cinemas co-owner Isaac Mass said in a statement. “I think people see it online on the other side of the country and get excited.”

Auburn Mass, the youngest employee at the Garden Cinemas, has been encouraging the theater to try this for years. Auburn is a crocheter who has raised hundreds of dollars for Special Olympics through crafts sales.

If successful, the Garden Cinemas plans to host more craft nights in the future.

“We compete with the couch and if you don’t leave home, it is easy to spend your night knitting,” Isaac Mass said of seeking new ways to attract people to the business. “We wanted crafters to be able to take their passion into the public and have a shared experience with the community.”

The theater does not usually allow large bags, but will make an exception on craft night. The policy prohibiting outside food will still be in place.

Canedy promoted to Northfield branch manager

NORTHFIELD — Greenfield Cooperative Bank has promoted Kristen Canedy to branch manager of its Northfield location. Canedy will oversee all branch operations, including customer service and team management.

Canedy joined Greenfield Cooperative Bank in 2020 as a teller and quickly advanced to the position of head teller. Her strong leadership skills, dedication to exceptional customer service and in-depth knowledge of the community makes her an ideal fit for the branch manager position.

“Kristen is a valuable asset to our team and we are thrilled to promote her to branch manager,” Lisa Kmetz, executive vice president – retail and security officer at the bank, said in a statement. “We are confident that Kristen will continue to excel in her new position and contribute significantly to the growth and success of our branch.”

BusinessWest accepting nominations for Women of Impact awards

SPRINGFIELD — BusinessWest, the business journal of western Massachusetts, is now accepting nominations for the seventh annual Women of Impact awards.

In 2018, BusinessWest created the Women of Impact program as a way to honor women in the region who are making an impact and creating positive change.

Women of Impact was chosen as the name for the program because, while nominees can hail from the world of business, they can also emerge from other realms, such as the nonprofit community, public service, law enforcement, education, social work, the mentorship community or a combination of these.

Nominations for the Class of 2024 are due by Monday, Sept. 2, at 5 p.m., and the honorees will be announced in the Oct. 14 issue of BusinessWest. Nominations should be written with one underlying mission: to explain why the individual in question is, indeed, a woman of impact. Visit businesswest.com/women-of-impact-nominations for details and a nomination form.

For more information, call Marketing and Events Manager Natasha Mercado-Santana at 413-781-8600, ext. 100 or email mercado@businesswest.com.

Hall Malo returns as bank’s senior mortgage originator

GREENFIELD — Greenfield Cooperative Bank has announced that Shelly Hall Malo has returned to the bank to work as a senior mortgage originator.

Hall Malo previously worked at Greenfield Cooperative Bank for eight years in the early 2000s. She brings more than 25 years of experience in the mortgage industry to the role, as well as a deep understanding of the local market and a commitment to providing exceptional customer service.

“We are thrilled to welcome Shelly back to GCB,” Jane Wolfe, executive vice president – residential lending, said in a statement. “She is a highly respected mortgage professional with a wealth of experience and a strong reputation for building relationships. Her return will be a tremendous asset to our team.”

“I am excited to be rejoining Greenfield Cooperative Bank after my years away. Together we create an exceptional team that is focused on helping families become new homeowners [and moving] up buyers within our communities,” Hall Malo said in a statement. “I look forward to putting my years of lending experience to work at the bank, and will be here to help customers on their schedule when they need me.”

Funding recipients speak to impact of PVGrows Investment Fund

HATFIELD — Roughly 45 people who are interested in investing in the local food system through the PVGrows Investment Fund gathered at Bardwell Farm on June 25, where they heard funding recipients speak about how being able to access financing that was otherwise unavailable to them positively impacted their businesses.

The PVGrows Investment Fund, created in 2015, aggregates community investments and lends them to farms and food businesses. For as little as $500, community members contribute to the local agricultural sector. Investors receive up to 2% interest on their three-year investment and 100% return on their values.

Harrison Bardwell, the ninth-generation farmer who operates Bardwell Farm, spoke about how even though he had land and a viable farm business, as a new farmer, he couldn’t secure a bank loan. Financing from the PVGrows Investment Fund allowed him to buy a high tunnel to increase production. He sells more than 100 varieties of vegetables through a community supported agriculture (CSA) program and to restaurants, grocery stores and area farm stands.

Tom Willits, a founding partner in the creation of the PVGrows Investment Fund and a trustee of the Lydia B. Stokes Foundation, an early and sustained investor, spoke about how the fund benefits the region.

“That was the whole point [of the fund],” he said. “Not necessarily making money, but providing capital to folks working toward a stronger food system.”

As more extreme weather events — such as intense heat, and last year’s floods and early freeze — imperil farmers’ crops and threaten their livelihoods, the PVGrows Investment Fund is available to mitigate losses through zero-interest loans. In partnership with Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture (CISA), the investment fund issued 10 such loans totaling $199,000 to area farms last year. Including the Emergency Farm Fund loans, the PVGrows Investment Fund has provided $4.9 million total in funding since its inception.

To date, the fund’s community investors have provided 96 loans to farms and local food businesses for projects of varying scopes and sizes, including historical barn renovations, delivery truck purchases, vegetable washing stations, tractors and hoop houses. Clients include Mycoterra Farm in South Deerfield, All Farmers in West Springfield and Sutter Meats in Northampton.

“PVGrows’ mission is to strengthen our local food and agricultural system by providing loans and business assistance to farms and businesses that demonstrate a positive impact on local agriculture, the community and the environment,” said Hannah Sobel, PVGrows program manager at the Franklin County Community Development Corporation. “We are so glad that the fund has been nimble and flexible to support all types of local food businesses, whether that’s farms old and new, restaurants or local food producers. And with everyday people participating in the fund as investors, that brings with it an entire community who are sticking with these farms and businesses through the highs and lows.”