Charles Dickens' Great-Great-Great Granddaughter is Highlight of Park Theatre's DICKENS FEST

Jaffrey is home to the inaugural "New England Dickens Fest" from December 6 through 10

JAFFREY, New Hampshire (November 8, 2023) The Park Theatre in Jaffrey announced today their production of the first annual New England Dickens Fest. The festival honors the celebrated British author with five days of holiday concerts, stage plays, movies, contests, craft & food fair, and much more. The festival runs from Wednesday, December 6 through Sunday, December 10.

A major highlight is on Thursday night, December 7 at 7:00 p.m. It is entitled "An Evening with Mr. Dickens." The evening is hosted by Charles Dickens expert and great-great-great granddaughter of Mr. Dickens, Lucinda Dickens Hawksley. She will lead readings of Dickens' A Christmas Carol with actors Lisa Bostnar and Ken Sheldon. Lucinda has written many award-winning books on Dickens as well as the Victorian era. She lectures worldwide on her beloved relative, whose classic books include Oliver Twist, David Copperfield, and Great Expectations. A talkback Q&A with Lucinda and the cast will follow the event.

Other events include Project Shakespeare's debut of their 2023 production of A Christmas Carol, The Granite (Bell) Ringers Holiday Concert, Ashuelot Concerts' Mendelssohn, Schubert, Beethoven & Schumann Solo Piano Works, The NH Gay Men's Chorus "Holly, Jolly, Folly!" Concert, Lindsay & Her Holiday Puppet Pals, and the Kazoo Caroling Choir. Contests include Ebenezer's Best Whiskers & Beard Contest and Miss Havisham's Brass Bed Race.

Movies include the critically acclaimed 1968 production of the musical Oliver!, and the recent film about Dickens, The Man Who Invented Christmas. Both movies will be shown on The Park's giant 27-foot wide screen with 17-speaker surround sound. There will also be craft and food vendors from around the Monadnock regions and carriage rides.

Regional restaurants will be adding special Dickens Fest items to their menus. The Park Theatre will be selling a special "Dickens Grog" mulled warm wine in a commemorative mug.

New England Dickens Fest is made possible from an underwriting sponsorship from M&T Bank.

"We are so excited to produce this new annual multi-day holiday festival in honor of Charles Dickens. We hope to bring folks from all over New England to our great town with a broad mix of entertainment, food, crafts and contests. It will be an event filled with community spirit. We are fortunate to have M&T Bank as the sponsor. They understand the value of events such as this and what lasting impressions and memories are made," said Steve Jackson, CEO & Managing Director of The Park Theatre.

Ticketed events can be purchased in advance, whether online at theparktheatre.org/dickensfest/ or by calling the box office at (603) 532-8888. Tickets will also be for sale at the box office before the screening.

The Park Theatre is located at 19 Main Street in downtown Jaffrey, NH, just 95 minutes from downtown Boston. The facility is completely accessible.

Coming Up at Nova Arts in Keene

Mr. Bill, a local quartet, is bringing the holiday warmth to Nova Arts for a Post-Turkey Bluegrass night!

KEENE, NH - Join us on Saturday, November 25, at 7:00 p.m. at 48 Emerald St, Keene, NH for some high lonesome sound. Mr. Bill is a local bluegrass band based out of Keene New Hampshire. They offer a mix of traditional and contemporary bluegrass music accompanied by original songs and some familiar favorites from the 60s and 70s. Come enjoy their powerful and earthy styled sound with Steve "Zuber" Armstrong on bass, Matt Atkinson on guitar and vocals, John Meehan on mandolin and vocals, and Rich Sullivan on five string banjo.

Doors open at 7:00 p.m., and music will begin no later than 8:00 p.m. This show is by donation so bring cash, or donate via the link on the event page!

https://www.novaarts.org/events/mrbill

LaunchSpace Makerspace Launches "Access to the Arts" Scholarship Fundraising Campaign with $20,000 Multi-year Commitment from Dean's Beans

Photos courtesy Brianna Drohen, Launchspace Inc.

Orange, MA - LaunchSpace Makerspace, a vibrant creative hub dedicated to innovation and education, founded in 2017, is thrilled to launch its "Access to the Arts" Scholarship campaign, with a remarkable initial pledge of $20,000 from Dean's Beans Organic Coffee.

This groundbreaking campaign, which officially began on Monday, November 6, is aimed at breaking down barriers and ensuring that people from all backgrounds have the opportunity to engage with, participate in, and benefit from various forms of creative expression. The campaign embodies LaunchSpace's steadfast commitment to democratizing the arts making classes and membership accessible and inclusive for a broader audience.

Dean's Beans Organic Coffee has pledged a substantial $5,000 per year for the next four years toward the scholarship fund setting a strong foundation for the campaign's success over the next four years. The campaign aims to raise $20,000 per year from regional businesses and individuals to provide access to arts education for over 200 individuals without the financial means to pay for LaunchSpace classes.

Beth Spong, Dean's Beans new CEO, said "Our company is proud to help launch the 'Access to the Arts' Scholarship program. We know that children and teens thrive in greater numbers when they get to experience the power of arts and creativity. This multi-year contribution to LaunchSpace invests in the success of young people and our community as a whole."

Funds raised will be directed towards scholarships that cover the cost of arts-related classes and workshops at LaunchSpace Makerspace, creating a level playing field for children, teens, and adults seeking a creative outlet and experience. Throughout November and December, LaunchSpace will host tours and events to showcase the transformative power of the arts. Supporters are encouraged to participate and experience the impact of their contributions.

Mountains of research over many decades make clear that the arts are an investment that delivers both community well-being and economic vitality. LaunchSpace serves as a regional hub providing direct access to arts in a vibrant community of makers. The Access to Arts Scholarship campaign provides life-enhancing creative expression and hopes to support a resulting boost to educational outcomes for students of all ages in the area.

Local businesses and individuals are invited to join Dean's Beans in supporting the campaign. Sponsorship opportunities are available for those who wish to be instrumental in this movement.

LaunchSpace invites everyone to be a part of this transformational initiative, follow campaign updates, join the conversation on social media using the hashtag #AccessToTheArts, learn more about scholarship opportunities, and explore ways to support the campaign.

"The generous commitments deeply move us from Dean's Beans Organic Coffee and believe that community supporting the community is one of the most powerful ways to grow together," said Brianna Drohen, President & CEO at LaunchSpace Makerspace. "Their contribution is the cornerstone of an ongoing campaign that will bring arts and culture to countless community members."

For media inquiries, interview requests, or further information, please contact:

Brianna Drohen
President & CEO
LaunchSpace Makerspace
Phone: (978) 633-5131
Email: brianna@launchspace-orange.com

About LaunchSpace Makerspace:
LaunchSpace Makerspace is a dynamic creative hub providing resources, classes, and workspace for makers, artists, and innovators of all backgrounds. Our mission is to support innovative economic development in post-industrial, semi-rural communities by providing opportunities to explore and develop hands-on skills in support of enhanced personal satisfaction, increased employment value, and business incubation to benefit individuals, schools, businesses, and the broader community.

Blais, Comerford launch legislation to establish a state disaster relief fund in the Commonwealth

(BOSTON, MA) - Senator Jo Comerford (D-Northampton) and Representative Natalie Blais (D-Deerfield) filed and launched new legislation, An Act creating a state disaster relief fund for emergency management (HD.4669/SD.2839).

Watch the full launch event here.

"It rained in July and August, across the Commonwealth," said Comerford to attendees. "This bill creates the first ever emergency disaster relief program in Massachusetts. We are all wrestling with the reality that Massachusetts is one of a few states that does not have a framework in place to respond to disasters in our municipalities. I am grateful to Representative Blais for her partnership in finding a way to support our communities as they recover financially from emergency disasters."

"Natural disasters can happen anywhere, whether you're a small community or a large city," remarked Blais. "We have felt the devastation of our constituents and our partners in municipal government as they worked tirelessly to repair and rebuild their communities. I am proud to partner with Senator Comerford, as well as colleagues and municipal officials from around the Commonwealth, on this legislation."

The launch event also highlighted communities across the Commonwealth that were impacted by disasters in recent years.

"In July, we had rainstorms here in excess of six inches per hour," said Northampton Mayor Gina-Louise Sciarra. "These days were extremely stressful, and frankly frightening, as we sleeplessly watched our very old and insufficient infrastructure strain to hold. We are still dealing with the impact of what happened during that time...With the climate crisis, we know we are going to experience more frequent and more severe weather events like this summer, and that's why I am so grateful that this bill has been filed."

"We all know we had certain challenges, 100-year storm issues," said Fitchburg Mayor Stephen DiNatale. "The damage was in the neighborhood of $4 to $5 million...It affects so much more of a city's financial health, if you have to go into the rainy day fund...This will happen again...This is much needed legislation."

"Geographically, Deerfield is at the bottom of a bowl," said Carolyn Shores Ness, Chair of the Deerfield Selectboard. "We have been historically and will be at risk for flooding, despite our best efforts to prepare for these events. Communities across the Commonwealth are being devastated fiscally and overwhelmed by these gap storm events that are occurring. On July 21, we had a reported nine inches of rain in 53 minutes. This bill is extremely important to all communities' fiscal wellbeing...We need consistent, reliable, and prompt fiscal help when these storms occur."

"As many of you may know, Conway beat all competitors in the month of July to be named by the National Weather Service as the rainiest city in North America, including the July 21 storm which featured eight inches of rain in 20 minutes," said Phil Kantor, Chair of the Conway Selectboard. "Spending money in deficit...is tightrope walking without a safety net. We sorely need this bill, we are enthusiastically in favor of it."

"The storms on August 8...caused a six foot sinkhole alongside our house...and it's still there," said Megan Bowen, a homeowner in Haverhill. "We have gotten no support. We have gotten no financial assistance. Homeowners insurance doesn't cover this at all...We ended up with a total of around $70,000 in losses, and none of that has been reimbursed in any capacity...To have this bill support citizens is so crucial, because right now there is no support."

"We saw parking lots flood until you could only see the tops of cars," said Melissa Rodrigues, North Andover Town Manager. "The total estimated damage to the town from the August flood totals $29.9 million. The Merrimack Valley has been burdened numerous times over the last five years and continues to struggle to rebuild. The creation of a disaster relief fund will aid communities in times of need and help with spending during an emergency can have lasting effects on a town's financial health."

"When you have eight to nine inches of rain in less than an hour, it causes damage that cannot be entirely predicted or prevented with good planning and preparation," said Linda Dunlavy, Executive Director, Franklin Regional Council of Governments. "So this bill is so critical to help our municipalities after an emergency, so they can get back on their feet and begin to recover emotionally, physically, financially."

Massachusetts is one of only a handful of states that does not have a permanent disaster relief fund. To learn more about how states respond to emergency disasters, please review a recent report from the National Association of State Budget Officers (NASBO) and research from the Pew Charitable Trusts.

Nichols partners with Pocasset Pokanoket Land Trust for farmer outreach project

Accounting and finance professor Karin Curran, M.B.A., to teach financial literacy course for BIPOC farmers in New England

DUDLEY, MA (11/13/2023) - Nichols College is partnering with the Pocasset Pokanoket Land Trust (PPLT) in a USDA-grant-sponsored program to offer a farming financial literacy course for farmers in New England. The course is part of a farmer outreach grant initiative by the PPLT that was awarded $524,040 over three years to increase beginning farmers' knowledge in business planning, financial literacy and soil health.

The farming financial literacy course will cover creating a balance sheet, outlining assets, building equity, understanding industry benchmarks and more. Diverse and U.S. military veteran beginning farmers who have less than 10 years of farming experience are encouraged to take the course. The course is free for farmers. As part of the Nichols partnership, they will have the option to take the course in person at the Nichols campus or online. A Spanish-speaking interpreter will be provided.

Karin Curran, M.B.A., an accounting and finance professor at Nichols who helped secure the USDA grant, will teach the course. Curran has spent the past 30 years teaching business and instructional technology skills in a variety of settings both nationwide and abroad including professional development seminars, corporate and teacher training programs and online institutions. She has also taught financial literacy topics in the local community, including at Abby's House and Swissturn/USA, Inc.

About Nichols
Nichols College has earned business accreditation from the prestigious Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International), the longest serving global accrediting body for business schools and the largest business education network connecting learners, educators, and businesses worldwide. Founded in 1815, Nichols College transforms today's students into tomorrow's leaders through a dynamic, career-focused business and professional education. Nichols offers real-world learning focused on professional depth - combined with vibrant living, competitive athletics, and an unmatched alumni advantage - equipping students to exceed their own expectations. www.nichols.edu

About Pocasset Pokanoket Land Trust
The Pocasset Pokanoket Land Trust (PPLT) is a tribally-led non-profit dedicated to reconnecting communities of American Indian tribes, clans, Urban Indians and indigenous people across the Northeast. We embody an American Indian cosmology that holds Mother Earth and all living beings with deep reverence. As mindful caretakers of the land for all future generations, we teach our decedents to honor the connection to Earth, Sky, and to the Creator.