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COMMUNITY FEEDBACK
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"Hilltown Families always seems to have the best list of events in the valley! Every month I find out about festivals, workshops and farmers' markets in the area to attend. also, you did a great job of promoting the Hilltown Spring Festival! Even when I can't make it to an event I feel connected to my community by knowing what is happening - and try to get to it in the future!" - Anneliese Mordhorst (Chesterfield, MA)
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SUPPORT
HILLTOWN FAMILIES
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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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SUMMER CAMPS & PROGRAMS IN WESTERN MA
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TICKET GIVEAWAY
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HILLTOWN FAMILIES SPONSORS
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HILLTOWN FAMILIES
eNEWSLETTER
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Community Celebrations & Weekend Highlights
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It's Turtle Day at Laughing Brook Wildlife Sanctuary this Saturday, May 19th, 2012! Learn all about turtles - kids will get to meet a live turtle, learn about local turtle species, and take a walk along the brook highlighting the area's natural history. (Photo credit: Sienna Wildfield)
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COMMUNITY CELEBRATIONS: This weekend there are a number of community celebrations happening throughout the region, one of which is the 23rd annual Chester on Track event taking place this Saturday, May 19th in Hampden County! Also in Hampden County, all weekend is Long Meddowe Days. In northern Berkshire County on Saturday, families can head to Mass MoCA (with bikes!) for the BIKEfest Family Bike Rodeo in North Adams.. In central Berkshire County, celebrate all things mud at Muddy Brook Elementary School's Mud Day in Great Barrington. In the Pioneer Valley, Laurel Park in Northampton will host its annual Spring Festival at Laurel Park, and throughout downtown Northampton, the Community Music Center will host Springfest with live music at various locations all day.
COMMUNITY BREAKFASTS: Take your family to enjoy breakfast together with your community this weekend, excellent intergenerational opportunities to engage with your family in your community! On Saturday, there will be a free community breakfast at the Community House in Longmeadow to enjoy before Long Meddowe Days, and on Sunday, a fundraising community breakfast for the Manhan Rail Trail happens at the American Legion Hall in Easthampton before heading over to Big Rig Day.
ANIMAL ADVENTURES: If your kids are interested in fish, turtles, birds, sheep, nocturnal creatures, or cats & dogs, there's an opportunity for them this coming weekend and next. On Saturday, it's Turtle Day at Laughing Brook Wildlife Sanctuary in Hampden, and the Ramsdell Library in Housatonic will host The Creature Teachers for kids to learn about creatures of the night. On Sunday, the Forbes Library in Northampton is hosting a community bird walk where older kids can learn to spot birds, and get help identifying their markings and songs. And for the fish enthusiasts, head on over to the Turners Falls Fishway in Turners Falls to see directly into the river through a special viewing window as anadromous fish (those who live in rivers but spawn in the ocean) make their way to their Atlantic breeding grounds down the Connecticut River.
 Find out about all of these events and well over one hundred other family friendly events, workshops for parents, and community opportunities happening all throughout Western MA in our list of Weekly Suggested Events!
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BULLETIN BOARD
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 FAMILY DAY: Don't miss Family Day at Katywil Farm Community (katywil.com) in Colrain, MA on May 26 from 10am-1pm. See for yourself why 'it takes a farm community to raise a child'. Come to info session and Q&A from 10-11. At 11am, Trevor the Games Man will entertain preK-adults, all ability levels, by leading games outdoors, guaranteed to be fun for all! Noon-1pm you will be ready for lunch after an active hour of games! The folks at Katywil will be making fire roasted pizzas in their cob oven (gluten-free pizzas available). If interested, tours available of the beautiful community and homes. Families are discovering why cohousing is a great way to raise a family!
INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL: Experience the World on the Amherst Common, Memorial Day Weekend at the Cultural Survival Bazaar. A FREE Admission, International Festival of Native Arts & Culture Featuring artisans, products, & performers from around the world. Shop handmade, fairly traded art, jewelry, clothing, crafts, decor, tribal rugs & more. Enjoy FREE music performances, presentations, Native American storytelling, educational displays, craft-making demos and Tibetan cuisine. Click Here for Preview. Proceeds support Native artisans, fair trade & Cultural Survival's non-profit work worldwide. For special features, artisan profiles, performance schedule, and other dates & locations visit their website at bazaar.cs.org. Amherst Common on Boltwood Ave. 10am-6pm.
  HOST FAMILIES: Joe Bock writes, "Share your summer with a young person from Spain! Homestaysusa offers Spanish children the opportunity to experience American culture by living with a host family for the month of July. We match ages, genders & interests to those of the host family. Students come to the area with a supervisor who is nearby & in contact the entire time. Host families receive $600 stipend, the student pays for extra activities, including camps & excursions. Hosting teens are invited to an exciting 2-day New York trip with the group. More info & testimonials at homestaysusa.org. Personal references available upon request. Become a host family & represent the Hilltown community to students from abroad. A summer you will always remember. joe@homestaysusa.org."
MotherWoman writes, "Join our "MOMS ARE WORTH A MILLION!" Campaign. When you support a mother, you uplift her family. When you uplift her family, you strengthen their community. When you strengthen their community, you change the world. Want to help us change the world? Help us raise $10,000 towards scholarships for women leaders from low-income communities and professionals working for nonprofits to take the MotherWoman Support Group Facilitator Training. Watch this short video in which four mothers tell you how the Training has changed their lives as they navigated the struggles of motherhood. Each woman shares why she is now giving back to other mothers by leading a MotherWoman Support Group in her community. www.MotherWoman.org."
OPEN HOUSE: The Deerfield Academy Children's School is hosting an Open House on Tuesday, May 22nd from 6-7 PM. Come see their school, meet their teachers and learn about their nurturing philosophy. Fall slots available for toddlers and preschoolers. Call Elizabeth Bertini-Franseen at 413-774-6626 for more information. 488 Greenfield Rd., Deerfield, MA (RT 5&10 across from Williams Sugar House).
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!
Pat Odiorne writes, "The Southwick History Museum, 86-88 College Highway, (Rtes. 10 & 202) will open for the season on Sunday, May 20 and will be open Sundays throughout the warm months. Hours are 2 to 4. The museum has two buildings: the Moore House built in 1751 and the C.J. Gillett Cigar Factory built in 1872 that are open to the public. Both buildings are furnished with artifacts of the past-domestic, industrial, and agricultural. A library for research about Southwick history and local genealogy is also included. Groups that would like to have a tour at other times may contact the museum at southwickhistory@yahoo.com or by mail at P.O. Box 323, Southwick, MA 01077 to make an appointment.
 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.
Kyla Allon writes, "The Shelburne Falls Farmer's Market will take place at The Baptist Corner Lot green every Friday from 2-6pm, Memorial Day through Columbus Day. The market is welcoming back many returning vendors as well as some incredible new additions. Expect to find seasonal vegetables, berries, mushrooms, bread, maple syrup, canned goods and specialty crops. Come hungry because there will be wood fired pizza cooked fresh at the market using local ingredients. For snacks, there will be kettle corn, cinnamon buns, maple candies, ice cream and more. We will also have many local crafters and artisans joining us with their handmade soaps, wool, wooden bowls, glass beads and more. Most markets will have music, demonstrations or activities so bring your family, a blanket and an empty basket and spend the evening with us! Looking forward to seeing you at our opening day on Friday, May 25th!"
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Hilltown Families presents Safe and Healthy Food Choices: Educating and Empowering Families in an Era of High-Tech Food Production on Tuesday, May 29th from 7-9pm in the Hawks~Hayden Community Room at the Meekins Library, 2 Williams Street in Williamsburg, MA (FREE).
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Saturday, May 26th & Sunday, May 27th, learn about sheep shearing and sheep farming at Old Sturbridge Village's Wool Days! Visitors can see sheep getting sheared, then view demonstrations of the entire process of turning the freshly cut wool into yarn, then woolen clothing! Kids can learn about the history of textiles, as well as 19th century life in general.
Same weekend is the Massachusetts Sheep and Woolcraft Fair at the Cummington Fairgrounds! The event is a great opportunity to learn about all things sheep-related - there will be tons of sheep around to visit, competitions of all sorts (including sheep dog herding), workshops galore, and fiber arts to view and/or purchase.
Find out more at www.HilltownFamilies.org. |
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HILLTOWN FAMILY VARIETY SHOW: South Africa Music with Guest DJ, Debbie Lan of Grenadilla
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Next week the fine family from Secret Agent 23 Skidoo guest DJs the Hilltown Family Variety Show!
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HILLTOWN FAMILY VARIETY SHOW: Guest DJ Debbie Lan, from the award winning band Grenadilla, (pronounced "gren-a-dill-a", the South African name for passion fruit) is our host, sharing some of her favorite songs from South Africa, as well as songs from Grenadilla's newest CD, Can't Wait, winner of a Parents Choice Gold Award.
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. |
| Hilltown Families' Blog was voted as Best Local Blog in the Valley Advocate Best of the Valley Readers' Poll for the past two years in a row! Thank you for your support!
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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 an award winning 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.
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ENTER TO WIN
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 Signature Sounds Concerts presents Eilen Jewell at The Shea Theatre in Turners Falls on Saturday, June 2nd at 8pm and Hilltown Families has a pair of tickets to giveaway for a special Parents' Night Out in Franklin County! Guitar instrumental kings, Los Strait Jackets, co-bill the concert.
To enter to win reply to this email with "Eilen Jewell" in the subject line by 12midnight, Sunday, May 27th. We'll randomly select a winner from all who reply and post the name of the winner on our Facebook page. Limit of one entry per subscriber.
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