News Briefs

Published on May 09, 2008

Eat a low-carbon diet?

The Center for Ecological Technology will hold a low-carbon living workshop on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Hitchcock Center for the Environment, 525 S. Pleasant St.

Participants will be trained how to lead low-carbon living groups in their communities using the workbook program by David Gershon, "Low Carbon Diet."

The team approach is a key part of the program with groups of six to eight individuals and/or households. The team leaders calculate each person's carbon footprint and then helps them choose eco-friendly actions to carbon reduction.

For more information, visit cetonline.org/Events or contact Tomasin Whitaker at 586-7350, ext. 25, or e-mail tomasin@cetonline.org.

Heal a little, play a little

The Play and Healing Spring Festival will be held rain or shine Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Sweetser Park on Main Street.

Play for All is a new cooperative offering wholesome, fun activities to inspire health, laughter, healing and deeper community connections and brings the best of free, fun, connecting outdoor activities in conjunction with World Laughter Day, a worldwide event bringing people together for peaceful fun and togetherness.

Activities will include hooping, cooperative games, free hugs, Laughter Yoga, Ultimate Medicine Ball, Tai Chi and Chi Gong, events for kids of all ages and most activities will be accessible/adaptive for all levels of ability.

For information, visit playforall.ning.com, or contact David Shakun at 685-0179 or dshakun@gmail.com.

Shepherd celebrated

A tribute to David Shepherd, an improv theater and video master who founded Chicago Compass in 1955, will conclude this spring's Valleywood II series of lectures.

The presentation, which will take place Saturday from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Jones Library, 43 Amity St., will feature improvisation games, a half-hour documentary on Shepherd and a performance from members from Group Creativity, the improv troupe Shepherd continues to run.

Valleywood II is a series of weekend lectures by writers, screenwriters, filmmakers, animators and others who develop content for Hollywood, television and even mobile devices. The idea of the program is to celebrate the digital arts in the Pioneer Valley.

For information about the cost of the presentation, contact Amy Zuckerman at 253-4124 or send email to az@a-zinternational.com.

Raise that eco-consciousness

The town's Energy Task Force is helping to sponsor two events this month that can help residents reduce the amount of carbon they put into the environment.

A workshop for people looking to reduce their carbon emissions will take place May 10 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Hitchcock Center for the Environment, 525 South Pleasant St.

Co-sponsored by the Center for Ecological Technology, Tomasin Whitaker of CET will discuss the "Low Carbon Diet," a carbon reduction workbook program by David Gershon.

The event is free and open to the public.

Then, on May 21, a "Solar Workshop for Residents and Small Businesses" will take place from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Town Room at Town Hall.

There is a suggested donation for this program, which will provide background information on solar technology systems.

To register for this workshop, call CET at 586-7350, ext. 25.

Throw down the birdhouse gauntlet

Jones Library is going to the birds with its second annual Literary Birdhouse Challenge.

Entrants can choose literary subjects ranging from classic novels to children's stories as themes for their birdhouses, which can be artistic or functional.

Each bird house is an interpretation of a book found in the library. The maximum base size is 18-by-18 inches.

The Friends of the Jones Library will host a free Garden Party to unveil the bird house May 31 from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. in the Kinsey Memorial public gardens behind the library.

The event includes a bird call contest, speakers, music, awards and refreshments will be served.

Visitors are encouraged to guess the theme of each literary birdhouse and to vote for their favorite birdhouse on the library Web site, www.joneslibrary.org.

The event is the kick-off for a silent auction of the birdhouses to raise money for the garden.

The birdhouses will be on display for bidding in the library atrium from June 2-14.

The auction closes June 14 at 3 p.m. High bidders will be notified by phone.

For information, call 259-3090.

GOP meets

The Amherst Republican Town Committee will meet on May 13 at 7 p.m. in the Jones Library upstairs meeting room.

Railway society meets

PELHAM - The Pelham Historical Society will meet May 19 at 7:30 p.m. in the Ramsdell Room of Pelham Community Center. After a meeting, Douglas Kimball of Kimball's Auction and Estate Services will describe and appraise one item for each person. He will also tie these items into his broader presentation about the world of auctions and antiques. For information, call Linda Hanscom at 323-7377.

Quabbin-area deceased honored

The Memorial Day observance honoring the people removed from their original resting-places for the building of the Quabbin Reservoir will be held May 25 at 11 a.m. at Quabbin Park Cemetery. Members of the Pelham Historical Society will meet at the Pelham History Museum at 9:30 a.m. to carpool to the cemetery. The group will march behind the society's banner at the service. For information and to sign up, call Elva Anderson at 253-3970.

Lawyer up

Western Massachusetts residents can receive free legal advice May 21 through the Massachusetts Bar Association's semiannual Dial-A-Lawyer call-in program.

Volunteer lawyers from the Massachusetts Bar Association will field phonecalls from 3:30 to 7:30 p.m. from residents of Berkshire, Franklin, Hampden and Hampshire counties who have legal concerns or problems including issues involving workers' compensation, divorce, estate planning, landlord disputes, health and Medicare problems, criminal matters, discrimination and adoption.

The Dial-A-Lawyer number is 782-1659. If a caller gets a busy signal, they are asked to hang up and try again. Normal telephone charges will apply.