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SUPPORT
HILLTOWN FAMILIES
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COMMUNITY FEEDBACK
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"Hilltown Families has been a huge help to our family! It's a wonderful resource to find out what is happening in our community (and surrounding communities). We have learned about many things in the area that we were unaware of as well! Thanks Hilltown Families! - Renee Hill (Easthampton, MA)
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If you have any additional events, camps or classes to suggest, please feel encouraged to share on these free bulletin boards, or find out more about our enhanced publicity options.
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TICKET GIVEAWAY
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SUMMER CAMPS & PROGRAMS IN WESTERN MA
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HILLTOWN FAMILIES SPONSORS
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HILLTOWN FAMILIES
eNEWSLETTER
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Celebrating Earth Day, Everyday!
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 Earth Day is this weekend and there are several ways families can be eco and community minded this weekend and next.
Volunteering in their community can help kids learn to appreciate the resources available to them, and spring clean-ups are a great way to get involved. There are four community service clean-ups which families can take part in this weekend. In Plainfield the Historical Society will be planting sugar maples, a tree with great importance to our local culture and history. Join them in planting more of these important natural resources for generations to come. In Great Barrington families can volunteer to prepare the Housatonic Riverwalk for the summer (River walk tours follow the clean up). In Williamstown the Williamstown Rural Lands Foundation welcomes families to help them clear land and mark a new trail. And families can help clean up downtown Westfield at one of many locations around town. Then next weekend the Springfield Museums invites families to come help them clean up their grounds.
Looking for an Earth Day community celebration? The annual Amherst Sustainability Festival happens on the town common this Saturday and on Sunday there will be an Earth Day Festival at the Springfield Museums! Both events will have live music, hands-on activities, and opportunities to discover the work of eco-friendly businesses and non-profits.
Other ways the community is marking Earth Day include a screening of The Lorax at the Western Gateway Heritage State Park in North Adams, a seed-planting activity at River Valley Market in Northampton, earth-friendly crafts made out of recycled bottles at the Amelia Park Children's Museum in Westfield, and the Great Cloth Diaper Change happening simultaneously in both the Berkshires and Pioneer Valley.
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Recycle shoes into art in Shelburne Falls this Friday, April 20th at the Art Garden!
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Looking for ideas on how to participate in Earth Day, every day? Here are four recycling ideas:
- Trophy Recycling Program: Do you have old trophies cluttering up your attic from your days of glory? Did you know there is a Trophy Recycling Program you can donate those beauties to to support non-profit organizations? Find out how you can conduct a Trophy Recycling Drive and collect trophies to be passed along rather than ending up in a landfill or on the free table at your next tag sale!
- Keys for Kindness: How many old, unidentified keys can your kids find in your junk drawer? Have them take a look, pull them out, and mail them off to Keys for Kindness. Every key mailed in goes towards raising money for M.S., and is an excellent way to recycle keys from previous cars, unused locks and unknown origins!
- National Crayon Recycling Program: Did you know there is a National Crayon Recycling Program that families, schools, day cares, restaurants, etc. can send their unwanted, broken and rejected crayons to for recycling? Find out how this program works and how you can set up a crayon collect in your local school, library, or community center.
- Recycling Shoes into Art: Wondering what to do with that single shoe(s) that is missing it's matching pair? Donate it to the Art Garden in Shelburne Falls this Friday, April 20th! They are hosting a free shoe-decorating workshop for the village Art Walks and welcome the donation of shoes (single or paired). Drop by any time between 3-7pm this Friday to donate and/or decorate! Art Garden is located at 14 Depot St.
Looking for more ideas? Local families in Western Mass offer helpful tips showing that it IS easy being green. Here are over 10 suggestions on how to celebrate Earth Day and make each day a little greener. Get inspired and share your own idea and inspire others!
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BULLETIN BOARD
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  CLOTH DIAPERS: The Great Cloth Diaper Change Western Mass serves to promote the joys of cloth diapering, celebrate Earth Day, and break a World Record! Saturday. April 21st 11:30am at the Florence Community Center, 140 Pine Street, Florence, MA. Colorful cloth diapers galore! Local Eco-Conscious Vendors! Music! Door Prizes! Raffles! Come capture tons of excitement as we attempt to break the Guinness World Record™ of most number of diapers changed simultaneously. Doors Open at 11:30am. World Record Diaper Change Attempt will be at 12:30 sharp! If you don't already cloth diaper your baby EVEN BETTER! They will have diapers to borrow for the event and there will be demonstrations of various kinds of cloth diapers that are available.
PRESCHOOL OPEN HOUSE:
The Ashfield Community Preschool invites you to join them for their annual open house on Saturday, April 28th 10am-Noon. This event is for families with young children age 2.9 - 5yo who are looking for quality care and small class sizes in the rural Hilltown of Ashfield, MA. Children who attend the preschool participate in a hands-on gardening program, growing sunflowers, pumpkins and blueberries. The preschool grazes the neighbors' sheep and llamas in their pastoral setting and offers a six week summer program with walking trips to visit local Ashfield artists. Join their staff on April 28th and tour their facility and grounds. 103 Baptist Corner Road. Ashfield, MA. Call for more information 413-628-3248.
SUPPORT THE BALLET: Dance, Dine, & Indulge at Pioneer Valley Ballet's Third Annual Silent Auction, "April in Paris," on Friday, April 27th. Treat yourself to a fabulous night of great live music, wonderful food, and an exceptional silent auction that promises something for everyone. The theme of this year's auction is "April in Paris." The event will be held from 6-9pm at the Log Cabin in Holyoke. Music will be provided by the Paul Collins Quintet. Performers include: mime Chris Yerlig, dance instructor Andre Russo, and dancers from Pioneer Valley Ballet. Food will be provided by the Log Cabin. Cash bar available. Tickets $35 at the door and $30 in advance by contacting the Ballet at 413.527.6363 or www.pioneervalleyballet.org.
 SUMMER CAMP: Adventure Camp: Four two-week sessions, June 25-August 17, 2012 The Bement School Summer Programs offer a preschool program and adventure day camp for boys and girls ages 15 months to 15 years. Adventure Camp provides a traditional day camp experience. Your child will participate in many activities to make his or her summer a memorable one. At the same time, parents can enjoy peace of mind knowing their child is in a safe and caring place. A sibling discount is available for siblings who enroll in multiple sessions. Bement School, Deerfield, 413- 475-3044. www.bement.org/summer. Optional services include: round-trip van transportation (Hadley, Northampton, Amherst), extended day supervision, enrichment programming, and bag lunches.
SUMMER CAMP: Adventures in Chinese: Two two-week sessions, July 16-Aug 10. Campers, ages 5-12 years, participate in activities designed to build vocabulary and confidence in speaking Mandarin Chinese. Campers will gain an understanding of Chinese art, culture and tradition. They will learn daily conversations in Mandarin including listening, speaking, reading and writing skills. Bement School, Deerfield. 413-475-3044. www.bement.org/summer. Optional services include: round-trip van transportation (Hadley, Northampton, Amherst), extended day supervision, and bag lunches.
 SUMMER CAMP: Are you looking for a great summer experience for your kids? Check out our post Summer Camps and Programs in Western MA which highlights opportunities happening throughout the region. With a great variety of themes, there are many summer camp/programs your family can choose, including: farm & gardening, music, art, technology, nature, personal development, science, theater, sports, ballet, preK, college... as well as a good old fashion summer camp! Discover what's being offered near you, and find out how you can add a camp to this growing list too!
 SPONSORSHIP & ADVERTISING: Reach thousands of families in Western MA while supporting the work of Hilltown Families. See your event, camp, workshop, business featured here in the bulletin board section of our list of Weekly Suggested Events and eNewsletter! Find out more about our Enhanced Publicity options and how we can help with your marketing.
JOIN OUR TEAM OF CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Interested in becoming a Contributing or Guest Writer for Hilltown Families? We welcome writings that reflect the community building and educational efforts parents, teens, teachers, artists, activists and community leaders work towards and accomplish and how that affects, supports and empowers our families. All writing styles welcomed, including DIY posts, seasonal cooking, and community-based educational opportunities. Send your query to hilltownfamilies@gmail.com.
JOIN THE FESTIVAL: The Hilltown Community Development Corporation is signing up local artisans, businesses, non-profit organizations and volunteers for the 6th annual Hilltown Spring Festival, to be held Saturday, May 12, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Cummington Fairgrounds. This year's Festival, which is expected to draw 2,000 visitors, will feature performances and workshops by professional musicians and student musicians, specialty food and drink from Hilltown vendors, displays by businesses, artists and craftspeople, children's activities all day long, and an all-ages contra-dance beginning at 5pm. Registration forms are at www.hilltowncdc.org, or email sethi@hilltowncdc.org or call 413-296-4536 ext. 112. The deadline for reserving a space is April 29, 2012.
CITIZEN SCIENTIST: Become a Grassland Bird Monitor at the Bullitt Reservation in Ashfield and nearby communities by helping survey grassland habitat and assist The Trustees of Reservations in evaluating the management of the grassland and agricultural resources on their properties. Conduct three site visits, record survey results on a standardized data sheet, and submit all data to The Trustees ecology staff. For more information please contact the Trustees of Reservations at jrichburg@ttor.org or call 413.532.1631 x1
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| BEST BETS THIS WEEKEND |
On Saturday, April 21st, learn about the history of shadow puppetry in cultures all around the world with Nanny's Puppets at the Ramsdell Library in Housatonic, hear (and learn about!) traditional folk music and how it reflects American history and culture at the Jones Library in Amherst, or enjoy a pink-themed lunch and a performance of a musical version of the popular children's book, Pinkalicious! at Chandler's in South Deerfield. And on Sunday, April 22nd. celebrate Earth Day at the Springfield Museums with live music (featuring environmentally-themed songs), free seedlings, a presentation on a birds of prey rehabilitation program, and displays from many local businesses, nonprofits, and initiatives - all Earth Day-themed!
Find out all the details at www.HilltownFamilies.org.
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| MARK YOUR CALENDARS |
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The Hilltown CDC's 6th Annual Hilltown Spring Festival will be on Saturday, May 12 at the Cummington Fairgrounds! Entertainment will include live music, workshops, artists & artisans, local food, family contra-dance, kids-made craft bazaar, Maypole, Morris Dancers, and much more!
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On Saturday, April 28th celebrate Earth Day by volunteering with your family to help clean up Springfield's outdoor spaces at the Springfield Museum. In Pittsfield Gathered Resources of Women (GROW) will be hosting a toy and clothes giveaway! And in Leverett, kids can learn about all kinds of creatures at Birds, Beasts, and Bugs, a program for kids at the Leverett Library.
And on Sunday, April 29th, Miss Leticia Davies performs at Groff Park in Amherst! Sponsored by the Amherst Family Center, the performance will get kids dancing and singing to fun spring-y music.
Find out more at www.HilltownFamilies.org.
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CALL FOR KID CRAFTERS FOR THE HILLTOWN SPRING FESTIVAL
KIDS-MADE CRAFT BAZAAR
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 | | The Hilltown CDC's 6th Annual Hilltown Spring Festival will be on Saturday, May 12 at the Cummington Fairgrounds! 2,000 people are expected at the Hilltown Spring Festival this year and entertainment will include musical performances and workshops, exhibits by artists and craftspeople, displays by local businesses, food from local vendors, a family contra-dance, kids-made craft bazaar, children's activities and much more. |
The Hilltown CDC's 6th Annual Hilltown Spring Festival is on Saturday, May 12th
at the Cummington Fairgrounds. This will be the 3rd year the Kids-Made Craft Bazaar happens at the festival, spearheaded by Hilltown Families founder, Sienna Wildfield in 2010.
Children up to the age of 12 are invited to sell and bartered their hand-made crafts and arts... and each year it's a huge success! The Kids-Made Craft Bazaar allows children to participate directly in the Festival, rewards them for their creativity, and gives them some real-world experience showing and selling their work.
Kids ages 12 and younger are invited to participate! The Kids-Made Crafts Bazaar will be located in a central covered area on the fairground, and all crafts and art must be hand-made predominantly by children. Children will participate directly in the Festival as vendors, allowing for hands-on experience in showing and selling their crafts. Participants must be pre-registered and be able to bring their own tables (card table size) and chairs. The fee for child artists and crafters is $5. Registration forms must be filled out and returned with registration fee to the Hilltown CDC:
Only a certain number of children can be accommodated, so register early. One adult free pass will be provided for each exhibitor. If there are questions, call Seth Isman at 413-296-4536 x12 or email sethi@hilltowncdc.org.
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HILLTOWN FAMILY VARIETY SHOW: Jacob Stein from the Pop Ups is our Guest DJ
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Next week the Sukey Molloy guest DJs the Hilltown Family Variety Show!
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HILLTOWN FAMILY VARIETY SHOW: This week Jacob Stein from the Pop Ups is our Guest DJ this week spinning tunes about animals.
Families have several ways to tune in to the Hilltown Family Variety Show:
Streaming Audio: Surf on over to ValleyFreeRadio.org on Saturday (9-10am) & Sunday (7-8am) mornings and listen to us live via streaming audio.
On Your FM Dial: Tune in to WXOJ 103.3FM if you live near Northampton, MA.
Podcast: Listen to the most recent episodes of the Hilltown Family Variety Show anytime you wish! Click here to see our current select of episodes, and be sure to subscribe to our podcast too!
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SPONSORSHIP & ADVERTISING
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 Serving Western Massachusetts since 2005, Hilltown Families supports development and enhancement of our local economy and community! Local businesses, individuals, schools and non-profits are invited to Sponsor and Advertise with Hilltown Families. Let us help get the word out about your class, event, camp, workshop, fundraiser, business or announcement. Deliver your message to thousands of families living throughout Western Massachusetts while supporting the work of Hilltown Families. Email hilltownfamilies@gmail.com for more information, or click here. |
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Hilltown Families' Blog was voted as Best Local Blog in the Valley Advocate Best of the Valley Readers' Poll for 2011!
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Hilltown Families is an online grassroots communication network serving thousands of families living in the four counties of Western MA. Through a dynamic web site, social networking, listserv, radio show/podcast, online bulletin boards, and collaborations with civic and nonprofit groups, Hilltown Families connects people and organizations in the widespread communities of Western MA. With your support, we help area residents to share ideas, organize activities, support their children's education and increase participation in community life. We welcome your participation and feedback at anytime.
Warm regards, |
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