Big Screen Movie Series Debuts at The Park Theatre
Classic films presented on the theatre's 27' wide screen
JAFFREY, New Hampshire (December 13, 2021) The Park Theatre announced the debut of their new Big Screen Movie Series starting Wednesday, December 15 with the 1984 classic, Gremlins.
The series of restored movies continues with single night presentations of National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (Thur, 12/16), ELF (Fri, 12/17), A Christmas Carol (1938) (Tue, 12/21), The Wizard of Oz (Wed, 12/22), and Singin' In The Rain (Sun, 12/26). All have 7pm showtimes.
"People grew up watching these classics mostly on television. Even with a 65" LED home TV, it just does not compare with a 27' big cinema screen and the type of sound we provide in the Eppes Auditorium. Watching The Wizard of Oz at The Park Theatre will be like seeing it for the very first time. It is so larger than life. We have begun this ongoing series with some great holiday movies and two non-holiday titles. The series will continue as a regular feature at The Park Theatre. We hope families and friends will come out and enjoy these classic films and experience them in this unique way," said CEO and Managing Director of The Park Theatre, Steve Jackson.
Regular tickets are $9. Tickets for seniors (62+), children (12 and under), students/teachers, and active military are discounted at $8. ParkPASS discounted ticket passes can also be purchased. With a $100 ParkPASS you can see 14 movies ($7.15 each). Tickets for A Christmas Carol are $5 (all tickets). Masks are mandatory at all events. Monday and Wednesday screenings require proof of vaccination. See the theatre website for details. All tickets and passes can be purchased at theparktheatre.org or by calling the theatre's box office (603) 532-8888. The theatre is located in downtown Jaffrey at 19 Main Street, just 90 minutes from Boston.
Disney+ Subscription Prize Added To Studio Two Beatles Concert at Park Theatre
1-year Disney+ subscription will be awarded to one ticket purchaser of Studio Two concert on December 18
JAFFREY, New Hampshire (December 13, 2021) The Park Theatre and Studio Two, New England's premier Beatles tribute band, will give away a year-long subscription to Disney+ to one lucky ticket purchaser of Studio Two's Beatles Tribute concert on Saturday, December 18th at 8pm.
The new 3-part documentary, The Beatles: Get Back, is currently playing on Disney+ and receiving rave reviews. One name will be randomly pulled at the end of the concert on Saturday night and awarded the subscription. The show is being held in The Park Theatre's acoustically acclaimed 333-seat Eppes Auditorium in southern New Hampshire.
Studio Two has consistently received enthusiastic reviews for its tribute performances of the Beatles. Studio Two is unique because they focus most of their performance on the Beatles's club and touring years (1962-1966).
Tickets are $20-$30. They can be purchased with any major credit card at theparktheatre.org or by calling the theatre's box office (603) 532-8888. The theatre is located in downtown Jaffrey at 19 Main Street, just 90 minutes from Boston.
Note: The winner of the Disney+ gift subscription must be at least 18 years old, and they cannot be an employee or trustee of The Park Theatre.
Delegation Announces Award for Polus Center
Boston - On Wednesday Baker Administration Secretary of Labor and WorkForce Development, Rosalin Acosta sent notice announcing an award to be granted to the Polus Center for Social and Economic Development, in Petersham. The funding was made through the Employment Program for Young Adults with Disabilities Grant Program.
According to the Polus Center, this money will be used to support training and placement of program participants in retail and customer service jobs. Partners in this work include Whole Foods Market, Price Chopper Market, MassHire North Central Workforce Board, and Thryv Consulting. Polus Center participants will receive four weeks of virtual training, followed by four more weeks of training on-site.
Senator Anne M. Gobi (D-Spencer), offered these remarks, "As we move to recover from economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, programs like the Polus Center ensure that everyone in our community has the tools to move forward. I am glad to support recovery efforts, and appreciative to the Administration, for this commitment to the residents of Central and North Central Massachusetts."
Incoming delegation member, Representative Jake Oliveira (D-Ludlow) said, "I'm proud to work with my colleagues to support state investments into programs that provides opportunities to Massachusetts residents. As we emerge from the the Pandemic it's vital that we continue to fund job training programs like the Polus Center to give individuals the tools they need to be successful in the modern workforce."
Outgoing Representative Susannah M. Whipps (I-Athol) offered these remarks, "I'm very happy to join my colleagues in supporting the Polus Center. Building our workforce and creating meaningful opportunities is a win-win."
To learn more about the Polus Center and its initiatives, please visit www.poluscenter.org
Nova Arts Schedule for December 20-December 26
Nova Arts is proud to continue in person entertainment at 48 Emerald Street in Keene NH.
Wakadoodles kids art sessions continue this week with Priya Allaire, on Mondays and Tuesdays from 4:00-5:00 p.m. Register via our website: novaarts.org/workshops
Thursday 12/23 is the last Irish Session of the year, featuring an ever-changing group led by Randy Miller and Matt Harris. Music starts at 5:00 p.m. in the cafe and goes until 7:00 p.m. The kitchen and bar will be open throughout, and donations will be accepted. Starting in 2022, this session will be moving to the first Thursday of every month.
Thursday 12/30 we are closing out the year with Jim Murphy's Blues Night. We'll get music going around 8pm with Jim's amazing band. Donations accepted.
Most Nova events see doors open at 7:45 p.m., unless otherwise specified. Masks are required when moving about the space.
Nova Arts is supported by and under the fiscal sponsorship of Arts Alive.
Mount Grace Expands Its Programming While Maintaining Its Commitment to Large-Scale Land Conservation for 35th Anniversary
Sunrise View of Mt. Grace and Mt. Monadnock from the Richardson Overlook in Northfield, MA.
Photo credit: Photo by Paul Rezendes, © Paul Rezendes
Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust celebrated its 35th anniversary this year by commemorating 35,000 acres conserved since 1986 and launching plans for the next 35,000 acres. "Protecting our trails, woodlands, and watersheds are not only critical for our health and peace of mind, but for nature's sake," said Executive Director Emma Ellsworth. "At Mount Grace we celebrate our tremendous accomplishments, but we still have much urgent work to do."
Mount Grace has expanded its programming to meet community needs while maintaining its commitment to large-scale land conservation. The trust's newest projects have been overseen by Youth Education Coordinators Meira Downie and Amanda Carotenuto. In Orange, students and teachers at Dexter Park School learned about nature while creating a woods trail with interpretive signage. During the spring, youth participated in a workday to clear brush, paint trail markers, and mark paths for the trail. Inspiration for the signage came from the students who after learning more about local flora and fauna with Mount Grace created their own artwork to be used in the signs. In Winchendon, Mount Grace launched the Nature Adventure Backpacks pilot project with the Beals Memorial Library. Backpacks contain binoculars, a compass, field guides, and interactive worksheets for children, and can be checked out for free by families looking for something to inspire a walk in the woods. The backpacks were made possible thanks to grants from the Community Foundation of North Central Massachusetts and the Robinson Broadhurst Foundation.
This year's biggest project pairs Mount Grace with Mass Audubon and other partners to protect 700+ acres of open meadows, working forests, and riparian habitat along Gales Brook, Rum Brook, Black Brook, Hodge Brook, and Fish Brook in the Millers River Watershed. The Greater Gales Brook Conservation Project creates corridors connecting thousands of acres of existing protected land so that large, connected parcels of open space are sustained--providing habitat that is more resilient in the face of climate change. Mount Grace was awarded over $589,000 from the Massachusetts Landscape Partnership Program to help fund the work. This fall, Mass Audubon completed the first project: the 53-acre Littlewood property in Warwick which will be added to the Town Forest. Mount Grace conserved an additional 10 acres of forested land in Warwick adjacent to the project area this month.
"In Northfield, we have been working with the Appalachian Mountain Club to ensure permanent access to the Richardson Overlook for all," said Conservation Director Sarah Wells. "Mount Grace will own and steward the land, while AMC will continue to manage the use of the Richardson-Zlogar cabin and the New England National Scenic Trail."
"I encourage everyone interested in making a difference for our region's natural and working lands to make a year-end gift and help meet our $180,000 goal," said Ellsworth. Donate online at mountgrace.org/donate or by mailing a check to Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust at 1461 Old Keene Road, Athol, MA.
DA's Community Outreach Talks Reach Audience of 600,000
Photo courtesy of Office of Worcester County District Attorney Joseph D. Early, Jr.
WORCESTER (December 15, 2021) - Worcester County District Attorney Joseph D. Early Jr.'s office has officially reached more than 600,000 people with his crime prevention and community safety programming.
"We are at schools, senior centers and community events across Worcester County nearly every day, presenting on topics such as bullying and cyber bullying, scams and fraud, drugs and alcohol, and texting and driving," Mr. Early said. "I've always said I'd rather prevent a crime than have to solve one. I'm proud to say we've officially reached 600,000 residents with this programming, many of them youth."
The District Attorney's Community Outreach Team, made up of 10 staff members, presents programming to schools and groups of all sizes by request. These presentations are always free and can be tailored to the specific age range or audience. Our Outreach Team also runs our intern program and manages grant implementations.
The most popular program is bullying and cyber bullying prevention. This program also helps kids understand the importance of protecting their digital footprint and imparts the knowledge that nothing on the internet is ever deleted.
There are two specific programs addressing drugs and alcohol, including "This Is (Not) About Drugs" and "If They Had Known." The office also has a display called "Hidden In Plain Sight" that shows parents potential warning signs of substance use by their children.
"Early substance use can lead to a lifetime struggle with addiction for our youth," Mr. Early said. "These evidence-based programs help kids understand the risks associated with all substance use, including prescription medications."
Scam and fraud education is regularly provided to seniors. New this year, the Outreach Team is also presenting a program called "Creating A Caring Community" to senior housing facilities.
"Our seniors, who have contributed so much to our society, deserve to live without fear of losing their hard-earned money or being bullied or excluded in their social life," Mr. Early said.
These presentations are coordinated with schools and community partners who share a commitment to protecting residents and preventing crime.
"This level of widespread outreach would not be possible without our dedicated staff," Mr. Early said. "Thank you to our Outreach Team: Nelson Colon, Kevin Donahue, Elisabeth Haddad, Michael Jennette, Eileen Kneeland, Kevin Lefrancois, Julie Lesure, Ellen Miller, Julie Nonni, Jill Wooldridge and, until recently, Abigail Westerlind."
North Star Family Services, Inc. Launches Annual Appeal to Help Homeless Families in North Central Massachusetts
Donations will fund emergency family shelter and comprehensive support services
Photo courtesy of North Star Family Services, Inc.
LEOMINSTER, MA: December 15, 2021 - North Star Family Services, Inc. is asking the community to help bring shelter to homeless families for the holidays--and all year-round--with its recently launched annual appeal. Seeking to raise $20,000, the appeal will support North Star's emergency shelter, which houses and provides services for homeless families in North Central Massachusetts.
North Star, formerly the Montachusett Interfaith Hospitality Network, Inc., has been assisting homeless families since 2003. Its emergency shelter, located on Main Street, is the only shelter in the area that serves families with children, taking in five families at a time, including extended family members. The shelter is open 365 days a year and always has a waiting list.
Donations to the annual appeal will help the shelter continue to operate and provide essentials during the cold winter months and beyond. They will also support North Star's additional services that aim to enable families to overcome barriers and transition to permanent stable housing, including intensive case management, education and skills building, and financial training.
North Star President and CEO Dr. Jon Hogue notes that North Star is unique in that it is completely funded by the community through grants and donations, as it is privately run and receives no state funding. The shelter relies on a small number of staff members, army of more than 300 volunteers, and the generosity of community members.
"Every gift we receive really does make a big impact, especially at this time of year when many families have no place to go in the cold," says Hogue. "We are so grateful for everyone's support during the holidays and throughout the year, which brings us closer to our vision of stable living for everyone in North Central Massachusetts."
Donations to North Star's annual appeal can be made at northstarfs.org, or by mailing or dropping off a check to the following address: North Star Family Services, Inc., 758 Main Street, Leominster, MA 01453.
About North Star Family Services, Inc.
North Star Family Services, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that provides stable housing, comprehensive services, and advocacy for families in need of support in North Central Massachusetts. Stay tuned for information on North Star's exciting new project, Journey Home, which will create more supportive and affordable housing for local families.