Schedule for the Park Theatre "Happy Holidays at the Park 2022"
JAFFREY, New Hampshire (November 7, 2022). The Park Theatre will be humming throughout December with a wide variety of holiday events. They include concerts, two classic holiday movies, a filmed ballet as well as a stage play plus Santa live for the kiddies.
Saturday, December 17, 1:00 p.m.
Santa's Annual Christmas Party!
This program of a free movie and Santa in-person was first conceived by the founder of The Park Theatre, Romolo Vanni. The tradition was brought back last year with the opening of the new theatre. First, there is a free screening of the holiday comedy movie ELF, followed by photos with Santa Claus. Plus, free gifts. Sponsored by The Given Family. No admission, but reservations are recommended.
Saturday, December 17, 7:30 p.m.
The Heather Pierson Trio presents A Charlie Brown Christmas Soundtrack
The Heather Pierson Jazz Trio has been performing the famous Vince Guaraldi score from the 1965 animated film, A Charlie Brown Christmas throughout New England for over ten years. The award-winning score is now part of the top ten lists of holiday music. Tickets are $25 and $10 for children 12 and younger.
Sunday, December 18, and Wednesday, December 21. 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.
The Nutcracker and The Mouse King
A brilliant and imaginatively conceived production of the Tchaikovsky classic holiday produced by Ballet Zürich. Christian Spuck puts the literary origin at the heart of his choreography of "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King", emphasizing the fantastical nature. Filmed live at the Zürich Opera House. Presented on the Eppes Auditorium's big screen, it is a feast for your eyes and ears. Tickets are $20 and $10 for children 12 and under.
"A theatre should be a magical place over the holidays. We have assembled a line-up of wonderful and enchanting shows that appeal to all interests and ages. We hope our existing fans and new fans will join us throughout December," said Steve Jackson, CEO and Managing Director of The Park Theatre.
Tickets for all of the holiday events can be purchased in advance by visiting theparktheatre.org or calling the box office (603) 532-8888.
The Park Theatre performing arts center is located at 19 Main Street in downtown Jaffrey, New Hampshire, just 90 minutes from Boston. The facility has a bar lounge and is fully accessible.
Mount Grace Celebrates an "Excellent" Year of Conservation
Andre Strongbearheart Gaines Jr. conducting cultural inventory of a conservation area to integrate traditional ecological knowledge into Mount Grace stewardship plans.
Photo courtesy of Mount Grace
Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust celebrated national and international recognition this year while protecting its 37,000th acre since 1986. The Land Trust Alliance awarded Mount Grace the National Land Trust Excellence Award for the strength of its connection to community, embracing new technologies, and capacity to make landscape scale impacts even in a state with small parcel sizes. Over 1,000 acres, spread across nineteen individual projects, have been conserved with Mount Grace in the past year.
Mount Grace has been building on its relationship with Indigenous partners to integrate traditional ecological knowledge into its land stewardship protocols and implementing Cultural Use and Respect Agreements to return land rights to Indigenous people. "This year alone we have tackled a lot of issues facing Indigenous people," said Andre Strongbearheart Gaines Jr., a Cultural Steward of the Nipmuc Tribe, "Mount Grace has shared its platform for us to speak to other groups and this has opened the door to a lot of other conversations."
"Mount Grace has continuously stood beside us while we confronted the hard conversations of who should be at the table when it comes to land access and Indigenous rights. Working with Mount Grace has felt healthy. It hasn't felt extractive," said Strongbearheart Gaines Jr.
The International Land Conservation Network also drew broad attention to the trust with a case study highlighting Mount Grace's exemplary practices and growth since its start as a volunteer effort more than three decades ago. The report is being distributed as a "how-to" guide for smaller regional land trusts around the world.
"Protecting our farms, woodlands, and watersheds are not only critical for our health, but for the health of our planet," said Mount Grace Board President David Spackman. "At Mount Grace we celebrate our tremendous accomplishments, but we still have much urgent work to do."
This year's biggest conservation project paired Mount Grace with Mass Audubon and other partners to protect 700+ acres of farmland, working forests, and riparian habitat 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. With this project complete, Mount Grace has its sights set on the next landscape scape conservation project that is on the horizon in Barre, MA for 2023.
"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 annual appeal goal," said Spackman, "we are so grateful to the community and our members without whose support none of this would be possible." Donate online at mountgrace.org/donate or by mailing a check to Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust at 1461 Old Keene Road, Athol, MA.
Treasurer Goldberg's Baby Bonds Task Force Releases Findings Report and Virtual Briefing
The report details the Task Force's findings on establishing a Baby Bonds program in the state
BOSTON - The Massachusetts Baby Bonds Task Force released its findings report on creating a Baby Bonds program in the state on Monday, December 12th. Included within the report are comprehensive recommendations on establishing an at-birth Baby Bonds program, an asset-building policy aimed at increasing economic opportunities for vulnerable communities.
The report can be viewed in its entirety on this page. https://www.mass.gov/service-details/massachusetts-baby-bonds-task-force
In conjunction with the report, members of the Task Force held a virtual briefing to highlight their findings. State Treasurer Deborah Goldberg opened the event with special remarks before members of the Baby Bonds Task Force provided an overview of their report.
Baby Bonds Task Force Chair and South Hadley Town Administrator Lisa Wong moderated the panel which included Leimary Llopiz, Advocacy Coordinator at YWCA Southeastern Massachusetts; Robert Dais, Statewide Director of GEAR UP Massachusetts; and Beth Mattingly, Assistant VP, Community Development Research and Communications at the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston.
The recording of the event can be found here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27O3wgcfHyI&t=47s
"Baby Bonds has the potential to narrow the racial wealth gap and provide a more inclusive and productive economy for many of our state's youngest generation," said State Treasurer Deborah B. Goldberg. "This program will give us an opportunity to reach children across the state who suffer from generational poverty, providing them with a foundation for future success in adulthood."
"This report and the event are made possible thanks to the tremendous work by the Baby Bonds Task Force," said Chair of the Baby Bonds Task Force Lisa Wong. "A diverse group of stakeholders from across our state helped shape this important asset-building program for future generations of Massachusetts residents."
During the virtual briefing, State Senator Paul Feeney and State Representative Andy Vargas announced their support of the Baby Bonds bill, which will be introduced in the 2023 legislative session.
"With this report complete, we can now start building an effective and transformational Baby Bonds program that will build wealth from the bottom up, and the middle out, to put hard-working residents on a trajectory for real opportunity from day one," said State Senator Paul R. Feeney (D-Foxborough). "By investing at the start of a child's life, we are providing a jump-start to individuals otherwise at a disadvantage by beginning to narrow the racial wealth gap and giving our most vulnerable residents a fighting shot at the middle class and the American Dream."
"A Baby Bonds program brings us a step closer towards addressing our racial wealth gap and ensuring everyone in Massachusetts gets their chance at the American Dream, regardless of the home they're born into. I'm proud to join Senator Feeney in this effort and am grateful to Treasurer Goldberg and the Baby Bonds Task Force for making this possible through their diligent work and collaboration," said State Representative Andy Vargas (D-Haverhill).
Baby Bonds is a term used to describe trust funds set up by governments intended to build assets for low-to-moderate income residents and narrow the racial wealth gap. These trust funds are established at birth and grow until recipients reach adulthood. Account holders can then access their funds for asset-building activities such as post-secondary education, homebuying, or investing in a business.
Treasurer Goldberg convened the Baby Bonds Task Force earlier this year to explore the creation of Baby Bonds in Massachusetts. The Baby Bonds Task Force is a diverse cross-sector collaboration with members who have work, research, or volunteer experience in racial wealth equity, child welfare, public policy, community engagement, and asset-building initiatives. The Task Force also serves as an instrument to engage with impacted communities to allow community participation in the design of the program.
About the Office of Economic Empowerment
Treasurer Goldberg created the Office of Economic Empowerment, led by a deputy treasurer, with the deliberate goal of implementing a range of economic empowerment initiatives that include closing the race and gender wage gap, addressing racial equity, increasing access to financial education, and creating pathways to economically stable futures for all residents across the state.