The Greater Holyoke Chamber of Commerce is sending weekly event updates to our friends and members. These updates will include Chamber, civic, and organizational news, events and entertainment.
Our goal is to keep our Chamber and Community members informed and engaged in local events. We invite you to discover the creative pulse that makes Holyoke such a great place to live and to visit. We will also, on occasion, include information on regional events that might be of interest to our Chamber and Communtity members.
If you would like to include a company or civic event please do so by submitting it on the Chamber's website at holyokechamber.com and clicking on "Submit a Community Event".
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| What Will Your Tax Rate be This Year?
The Greater Holyoke Chamber of Commerce and the Holyoke Taxpayers Association have been working together for many years on education and advocacy around the city's tax rates for both residential and commercial properties. Simply put..... taxes raised need to cover the cost of the city budget and that is not going to happen this year. So what do we do???
COME TO THE PUBLIC HEARINGS TO VOICE YOUR CONCERNS AND ASK TO KEEP THE RATE THE SAME, $39.97!
There are a number of meetings taking place that relate to establishing the tax rate. Please note the dates and times of these meetings if you would like to attend or watch and learn.
Thursday, December 12 at 6:30pm: Finance Committee to discuss Finance Appropriations. The Assessor's office cannot have the public hearing until the City Council votes on appropriations at this meeting.
Monday, December 16 at 7pm: City Council Special Meeting. Purpose is to take up the results of the Finance Committee recommendations from December 12.
Please come to this meeting: Tuesday, December 17
5:30pm: Assessor's Public Hearing, City Council Chambers
7:00pm: Full City Council Meeting - a vote will be taken at this time to pass the tax rate for residential and businesses
Tax Classification Rally at the Greater Holyoke Chamber of Commerce 5pm prior to the Public Hearing at 177High Street
Join us with other residents and businesses ahead of the meeting !
Get first-hand information and be informed!!
We will walk over to the City Council Chambers together.
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Darlene Morse named Ambassador of the Year
The Greater Holyoke Chamber of Commerce announced its first-ever "Chamber Ambassador of the Year Award" to Darlene Morse, Business Account Representative at CareerPoint.
Chamber Ambassadors are volunteers who make a commitment to help new members feel welcome and demonstrate to all members how to make the most of their Chamber benefits. They also gather feedback from members to help the Chamber improve.
Other members of the Chamber Ambassador Committee include: Co-Chair Brittany Kelleher of Westfield Bank, Keith McKittrick of Holyoke Community College, Jean Deschaine of Berkshire Bank, Wendy Palmer of PeoplesBank, Jessica Picard of Loomis Communities, Irene Feliciano and Wanda Rivera of Community Enterprises, Katie Buckley of Goss & McLain Insurance, and Harry Montalvo of Easthamp;ton.
Morse received the award after volunteering the most hours of any Ambassador this past year. Since becoming an ambassador in 2006, Morse has attended and assisted in over 100 events.
Morse and her manager, Executive Director of CareerPoint, David Gadaire were honored yesterday at the Chamber's Holiday Business Breakfast.
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HOLYOKE MEDICAL CENTER UNVEILS
NEW PATIENT PORTAL
Holyoke Medical Center has unveiled its new patient portal that is currently available to all patients! This secure interactive web portal will allow patients to access their own health information from the privacy of their own home.
The HMC Patient Portal allows patients instant access to their hospital health information, including laboratory results and radiology reports, medications, allergies, demographic information, visit history, discharge/aftercare information and more. This will enable patients to become "partners" with their primary care physician. In addition to managing their own care, parents of minors and health care proxies with authorized consent will appreciate the ability to access information for those for whom they provide care.
Additional benefits of the portal include requesting and tracking appointments, updating demographic information and email notifications alerting users to any new activity such as laboratory test results, appointments or physician reports.
Anyone interested in enrolling in the HMC Patient Portal should visit the medical center's website at www.holyokehealth.com for details. Holyoke Medical Center encourages all of its patients to enroll as it presents a valuable opportunity to become proactive in one's own healthcare. Please note is not intended for self-diagnosis or self- medical management and patients should always contact their primary care physician with questions.
For additional information about the HMC Patient Portal, please visit the website or contact the HMC Health Information Management Office at (413) 534-2528.
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Support your favorite nonprofits from Hampden, Hampshire and Franklin counties on Thursday 12.12.13, and give them a chance to win $225,000 in prizes!
More than 350 nonprofits from every corner of the Pioneer Valley will be participating this year, so you'll be sure to find one that does good work you want to support.
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Local Events and Holiday Spectaculars
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Annual Springfield Armory
Christmas at the Armory in WWII  Go to the Springfield Armory webpage for additional information and other FREE events |
Santa's Land at
Buttery Brook
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Enjoy the annual Santa's Land at Buttery Brook Park! Held Dec. 12-15 and Dec. 19-22, the festive tradition is fun for the whole family.
Children can have their photos taken with Santa for $5 while the family can ride on Santa's train through an enchanted holiday wonderland. The park is decorated with lights and displays. Hot chocolate and cookies will be served.
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Yuletide at Storrowton
ready to welcome holiday season
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By Keith O'Connor masslive.com
on December 02, 2013 at 2:37 PM, updated December 02, 2013 at 2:40 PM
The romance of old New England traditions make for a popular backdrop for many a modern-day Christmas.
This weekend the past will combine with the present when Storrowton Village Museum presents its annual Yuletide at Storrowton celebration.
The free winter festival - to be held Saturday and Sunday on the grounds of the Eastern States Exposition beginning at 11 a.m. - has become a staple at Storrowton Village where history and Christmas lovers come together to celebrate the holidays with traditional Yuletide activities, entertainment and shopping in the historic re-created early New England village. Click on image for rest of the story.
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Santa's Trains at Look Park
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All Aboard! Next stop...Santa's Trains at Look Park. This holiday season, Look Memorial Park is celebrating this special time of the year with model trains and locomotives whirling by displays of a whimsical wonderland of Christmas favorites and village landscapes. The Garden House is transformed into a Victorian style train station to offer all the sights and sounds of the holiday season. Chat with our authentic engineers, view our plethora of holiday trees and visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus before relaxing with a holiday cookie and hot chocolate. Each evening features a special guest Conductor and Station Master from the community greeting you as you enter our magical world. Say hi to Santa's helpers, who will be happy to deliver your letter to Santa personally and let the "Big Guy" know you are ready to visit him. Open Daily December 11th-23rd from 4:00pm-8:00pm and December 24th 10:00am-2:00pm
Look Park Holiday Express: During Santa's Trains, step aboard our train on wheels and take a one mile ride around the Park aboard The Look Park Holiday Express and view our over 50 holiday light displays made by our Grounds and Maintenance staff. Cost is $5/pp. The train departs nightly every 20 minutes beginning at 4:20 p.m.
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| Holyoke Mall | |
Dan Kane & Friends Holiday Performance!
Dan Kane & Friends will be performing holiday favorites on the Lower Level near the Customer Service Center. Time to be determined.
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| Delaney House | |
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SAVE THE DATE
Holyoke Chamber
Winner Circle
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Join the Greater Holyoke
Business Community in congratulating newly elected officials at the popular
Winners Circle 2014
Government Reception.
Wednesday January 8, 2014
5 to 7 p.m.
Yankee Pedlar, 1866 Northampton Street, Holyoke
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 Bright Nights Dates & Rates 2013 |
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November 27 - January 5
Closed December 2 & 3
Sunday to Thursday -- 5PM to 9PM
Fridays, Saturdays and Holidays* -- 5PM to 11PM
Buses with Reservations -- 5PM to 6PM
2013 Rates Cars, Mini-Vans, Trucks & Motor Homes (Price per vehicle)
OPENING NIGHT SPECIAL - $6
Coupons and discount admission not accepted
Monday to Thursday - $18
Friday to Sunday and Holidays - $21
Gift Passes - $16
ALL MAJOR CREDIT CARDS ACCEPTED
Gift Passes
Individual passes - Purchase in advance at Big Y World Class Markets with Big Y Express Cards
$14 with Silver Coin/Card * $16 with Big Y Express Card in increments of 25 - Order Form Mini Buses (seating capacity 17-31) - $70
Buses (seating capacity 31+) - $150
Your experience will be enhanced with a musical simulcast on 98.5FM.
* Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas and New Year's Eve
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Merry Go Round
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Santa will make one last stop this Saturday, Dec. 14th from 12:30-3:30 to the Holyoke Merry-Go-Round. Santa will take time from his busy schedule to come and ride his favorite carousel and hand out treats! You can come down, see Santa, and please consider making a donation of a new hat or pair of mittens to our warming tree to benefit a local organization. The Holyoke Merry-Go-Round is open Saturdays and Sundays, 12-4 PM. For more information, please visit our web site www.holyokemerrygoround.org.
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The Holyoke Merry-Go-Round is once again inviting our visitors to help out this holiday season with a donation of a new winter hat or a paid of gloves/mittens that can be added to our warming tree. As in years past, this annual event helps out local agencies as we donate all the items to a local agency at the end of the month. Anyone who brings in a donation for our tree will receive a free ticket to ride our beautiful 84 year old carousel. We are open Saturdays and Sundays, 12-4. We will also be open Thursday, Dec. 26th, Friday, Dec. 27th and Monday, Dec. 30th 11-4 in addition to our weekend hours. For more information please call (413) 538-9838 or visit our web site www.holyokemerrygoround.org
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Jim Brickman
The Magic of Christmas
With Special Guests
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Sunday, December 15
3:00
Symphony Hall
34 Court St., Springfield
The Magic of Christmas is the must-see concert of the holiday.
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Wistariahurst Museum
Nutcracker & Sweets
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Photo courtesy of Theodore Paradise
Friday & Saturday
December 13 & 14
6 to 10 p.m.
$35 general admission
$12.50 general
$3.50 for 8 yrs & under
Nutcracker & Sweets
Presented by
Massachusetts Academy of Ballet
at Wistariahurst Museum
The best thing about the holidays is Massachusetts Academy of Ballet's Nutcracker & Sweets at Wistariahurst Museum on December 13, 14 and 15! Created for children of all ages, Nutcracker & Sweets is a unique and intimate experience presented through narration and dance, in the historic setting of Wistariahurst.
Student dancers will perform the magical story with lively choreography and Tchaikovsky's wonderful score as it may have been in Holyoke in the 1890's when the Skinner Family lived at Wistariahurst. Sparkling dancers and sugarplum fairies will alight, mice will scamper, snowflakes will gracefully scatter, colorful nutcracker soldiers will march, bonbons will delight, and there's so much more to the story!
Massachusetts Academy of Ballet Educational Training Association is a school for students interested in pursuing classical ballet. Classes are based on the Russian syllabus, a training method that has created some of the best ballet dancers in the world. Rose and Charles Flachs, the directors of the Academy, have danced professionally and are currently Professors of Dance at Mount Holyoke College and guest teachers with the Pennsylvania Academy of Ballet.
Advance reservations necessary as seating is limited. Tickets are available online at www.wistariahurst.org or by calling the museum at 413-322-5660.
Show times are Fri. at 4:00 and 6:30 p.m., Sat. at 11:30 a.m., 2 p.m. and 4:30 p.m., and Sunday at 2 and 4:30 p.m.
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Scholarship Benefit
Moira Murphy and Brian Callahan Scholarship Fund
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Saturday, December 21
6:00 PM
Memorial Christmas Party Benefit
There will be a Christmas Party benefit in honor of Moira Murphy and Brian Callahan on
Saturday, Dec. 21. The event starts at 6 p.m. at the Holyoke Elks Lodge, located at 240 Whitney Avenue.
All of the proceeds will go to the Moira Murphy and Brian Callahan Scholarship Fund. Tickets are $25
each. The party will be Jack & Jill style with raffles, food and beer. If you have any questions or would like
to donate please email cMahon.heatherm@gmail.com
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Through December 15
1-8 p.m.
Tower Square
Springfield
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Old Sturbridge Village
Dining by Candlelight
Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evenings, 4:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Escape the frenzy of a modern Christmas with an enchanted evening of gingerbread, roasted chestnuts, music, dance, and a sleigh ride (weather permitting). Meet Father Christmas and chat with Santa Claus (bring your camera!).
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You're invited to attend Northampton's most beloved signature event. On Tuesday, December 31st, the Center for the Arts and PeoplesBank welcome you to a city-wide New Year's Eve party. For the 29th time, we host a 12-hour, family-friendly festival of the arts that culminates in a traditional ball-raising from the roof of the Hotel Northampton. We anticipate gathering with friends, neighbors and visitors at 22 downtown venues for an astounding array of entertainment presented by hundreds of talented performers. |
Madrigal Singers and
Bell Choir
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Skinner Chapel
The United Congregational Church
300 Appleton St., Holyoke
presents a holiday concert featuring the Holyoke HIgh School Madrigal Singers and Bell Choir
Sunday, December 15 at 2:000 p.m..
Suggested donation $10 and $5 for students and seniors.
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