Author Dean Cycon to speak on ‘Finding Home’

GREENFIELD — Author Dean Cycon will discuss his novel, “Finding Home (Hungary, 1945),” at Temple Israel at 27 Pierce St. on Sunday, March 23, at 10:30 a.m.

“Finding Home” is about a group of Holocaust survivors returning to their hometown of Laszlo, Hungary, as they struggle to reintegrate into society in 1945, with a particular focus on young pianist Eva. Battling with her trauma and memories, Eva endeavors to reclaim her former life before the Nazi occupation. However, many of their homes have been sold or repurposed, creating further hurdles in their attempts to rebuild their lives. The war was over, but hatred had not surrendered.

Cycon is an author, lawyer, human rights advocate and founder of Dean’s Beans Organic Coffee Co. in Orange. He has previously published “Javatrekker: Dispatches from the World of Fair Trade Coffee,” which was awarded the Gold Medal for Best Travel Essay by the Independent Publishers Association and has been translated into Chinese, Korean and Spanish. “Finding Home” is his first novel. He is dedicating all royalties from the sales of his novel to supporting elderly Holocaust survivors.

The event is free, with donations welcome. Registration is not required. Light refreshments will be served. Zoom access is available by request at templeisraelgreenfield.org.

For more information, contact Kim Audette at audette7@comcast.net.

March 22: Belly dance showcase

GREENFIELD — The LAVA Center at 324 Main St. will host a belly dance showcase on Saturday, March 22, at 5:30 p.m. Doors open at 5.

There is a $10 suggested donation, though no one will be turned away for inability to pay. Cash and Venmo are accepted.

Visit facebook.com/events/625059630031350 for more information.

Submit pieces to GCC’s literary journal by April 1

GREENFIELD — Greenfield Community College’s literary journal, “Plum,” is being revived and is in need of fresh, previously unpublished pieces for its next edition.

Residents are invited to share their work with the GCC community whether they are poets, fiction writers, essayists or visual artists. Work will be considered from artists and writers from the region and anyone who is affiliated with GCC in any way.

Submissions will be accepted through April 1. The next edition will be published both digitally and in print this spring. For more information about the guidelines or to submit a piece, visit gcc.mass.edu/english/plum.

GCC, FRCOG organizing film screening and Involvement Expo

GREENFIELD — Greenfield Community College and the Franklin Regional Council of Governments are organizing a pair of events geared toward building a sense of community and engagement.

A free screening of the film “Join or Die” will be held at the Garden Cinemas on Monday, March 24, at 6 p.m. The documentary tells the story of America’s “civic unraveling” over the past 50 years as perceived by social scientist Robert Putnam. He contends that joining a club, volunteering and participating in civic life have a powerful positive effect on personal well-being and on community health. One of the film’s directors will join attendees virtually for a question-and-answer session.

Then, on Wednesday, April 2, from 6 to 7:30 p.m., GCC and FRCOG will host The Involvement Expo at GCC’s Cohn Family Dining Commons. The event is designed to build on the themes presented in “Join or Die,” with opportunities to join social and civic associations, nonprofits, sports and hobby clubs, mutual aid and other community-building groups.

Advance registration is requested at gcc.mass.edu/events/get-involved-expo.

March 27: Manga Club

GREENFIELD — Greenfield Public Library’s Teen Librarian Francesca Passiglia will offer Manga Club, intended for ages 13 to 18, on Thursday, March 27, at 3 p.m. Attendees will make candy sushi while discussing their favorite manga and anime.

For more information, contact Passiglia at francesca.passiglia@greenfield-ma.gov.

‘Counted Out’ screening coming to The Center School

GREENFIELD — The Center School invites the community to a screening of “Counted Out,” a documentary by filmmaker Vicki Abeles, on Thursday, March 27, at 6 p.m. on The Center School campus, 739 Bernardston Road.

In a world driven by data, algorithms and statistics, “Counted Out” exposes the hidden ways in which math shapes our democracy, economy and daily lives. The film challenges the myth that only some people are “math people” and reveals how numeric literacy can be a powerful tool for equity and social change.

“Counted Out” features a mix of personal stories and expert insights, including the final interviews with civil rights activist Bob Moses, who dedicated his life to making math literacy a cornerstone of social justice.

Along with the screening, attendees can join members of The Center School’s math team for a discussion on the school’s approach to math education.

This event is free and open to the public, and a community discussion will follow the film. For more information, visit countedoutfilm.com or reserve tickets at tinyurl.com/CountedOutScreening.

Sojka, Thomas to lead talk on Eastern European immigrant history

GREENFIELD — As part of “New Roots in River Banks: Polish and Other Eastern Immigrant Stories,” an exhibit by the Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association exploring these histories, The LAVA Center at 324 Main St. will host a talk by Jeanne Sojka and Peter Thomas on Friday, March 28, at 6 p.m.

Sojka is project manager of the Eastern European project, business manager at PVMA and vice president of the Polish Genealogical Society of Massachusetts. She is also the curator of the “New Roots in River Banks” exhibit, which is now on display at The LAVA Center through April.

Drawing on primary source documents, images, photographs, newspaper articles and family stories, Sojka will explore and illustrate the triumphs and tragedies of these immigrants and their experiences here, as well as of their descendants. She will focus especially on the agricultural history of Polish and other Eastern European farmers.

Thomas will be present a portion of his recorded oral histories and his slideshow of farmers and farming, including experiences by descendants of Polish and Ukrainian immigrants. For example, attendees will be able to listen to Deerfield’s Walter Kownacki (1929–2023) share his family’s farming experiences. His parents came from Eastern Europe at the turn of the 20th century.

Thomas’ oral history collection was recorded in 2023 as part of the Deerfield Oral History Project. He is a retired associate professor of anthropology at the University of Vermont and also worked for the Federal Emergency Management Agency as an environmental and historic preservation officer. He is now conducting research on the Connecticut River Valley, focusing on Deerfield and the Indigenous communities.

Musical Petting Zoo coming to Greenfield

GREENFIELD — The Greenfield Public Library will welcome the Springfield Symphony’s Musical Petting Zoo, a hands-on traveling exhibit of musical instruments, on Saturday, March 29, at 10 a.m.

After an introduction to the instruments, participants will get a chance to bow a violin, blow a horn or tap out a rhythm on a drum. The Musical Petting Zoo aims to allow attendees to try an instrument in a judgment-free zone that encourages exploration.

For more information, contact Lisa Prolman at librarian@greenfieldpubliclibrary.org or call 413-772-1544.

Online program explores changing gender markers on IDs

GREENFIELD — The Greenfield Public Library, in collaboration with the Springfield City Library and Forbes Library, invite residents to an online presentation, titled “How to Change Gender Markers on Your Identification Documents,” on Saturday, March 29, at 11 a.m.

The program, open to all Massachusetts residents ages 18 and up, will be led by Brianna Hand of the Western New England University School of Law. Hand will talk about how the Gender Affirming Identification Project (GAIP) helps people seeking gender-affirming changes to their state and federal identification documents. There will be time for questions from attendees. Anonymous participation is offered online to protect attendees’ privacy.

For more information, contact Blaise Kyrios at bkyrios@springfieldlibrary.org or call 413-263-6828, ext. 213.

Habitat for Humanity taking applications for Greenfield home

GREENFIELD — Pioneer Valley Habitat for Humanity is accepting applications for a two-bedroom adaptable home in Greenfield. The application deadline is Tuesday, May 13, and eligible applicants must have incomes up to 60% of area median income (adjusted for family size).

Those who are interested in submitting an application are invited to attend an information session to learn more. An in-person session will be held Monday, April 14, at 6 p.m. at the Greenfield Public Library (RSVP at tinyurl.com/HabitatInfoSession1) and an online session will be held Sunday, May 4, at 4 p.m. on Zoom (register at tinyurl.com/HabitatInfoSession2).

During the information session, potential applicants will learn about Habitat for Humanity’s selection criteria and how to prepare a complete application. The selection criteria include housing need, ability to make mortgage payments and willingness to partner with Habitat for Humanity, such as participating in the construction of the home and future projects. More information can be found at pvhabitat.org/apply.

The home, to be built this year, will be all-electric and built to ENERGY STAR standards. The home in Greenfield will be one-story and will be adaptable for someone with mobility impairments.