Area briefs: Self-care series for caregivers; Northampton Arts Council awards grants; Valley Players’ Production coming to Hatfield; Deerfield forum on flood mitigation

Black Birch Vineyard in North Hatfield.

Black Birch Vineyard in North Hatfield. STAFF PHOTO/CAROL LOLLIS

Published: 01-23-2025 2:40 PM

Valley Players’ Production coming to Hatfield

HATFIELD — Tickets are available for the Valley Players’ February production of A. R. Gurney’s award-winning play of romance-by-post, “Love Letters.” The show goes up Feb. 7–15, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., at Black Birch Vineyard, 108 Straits Road. Reservations and more information are available at valleyplayers.org.

As part of the Valley Players’ mission to support the community through community theater, half of net ticket revenue from the show will be donated to River Valley Counseling Center, a nonprofit community-based mental health agency serving the Valley for over 70 years.

“Love Letters” takes the form of two characters sharing the letters they have written each other from second grade through their golden years, relating their struggles and triumphs, dreams and fears, and setbacks and second chances.

The Valley Players production features two different Valley actors on each evening of the run. Chip Roughton, of Florence, and Kimberly Salditt-Poulin, of Amherst, play the roles of “Andy” and “Melissa” for opening night on Feb. 7. David Bull, of Hadley, and Becca Greene-Van Horn, of Amherst, take the stage the next night, on Feb. 8. On Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14, the cast features Paul Rothenberg and Katie Hertel, both of Amherst. The closing night show will be performed by Lisa Parker, of Suffield, of Connecticut, and Konrad Rogowski, of Chicopee. The show is produced and directed by Matteo Pangallo, of Shutesbury.

Tickets are available on a pay-what-you-can system starting at $15. Seating is limited, so advanced booking is recommended.

Northampton Arts Council awards 31 grants to groups

NORTHAMPTON — The Northampton Arts Council recently awarded 31 grants totaling $24,451 in support of art projects and programming in Northampton. The Massachusetts Cultural Council's Local Cultural Council (LCC) program allocated funds to the city.

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The Arts Council received 131 applications for $218,510 in requested funding. Grants were awarded in the following categories: dance, literature, media arts, multidisciplinary arts, music, theater and visual arts.

Deerfield forum on flood mitigation for brooks

DEERFIELD — The town of Deerfield’s Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) Core Group will hold a community forum on Wednesday, Jan. 29, at 6 p.m., at Town Hall.

The purpose of the forum is to raise public awareness and understanding about the challenges of mitigating flooding problems along Bloody Brook and Blacksmith (also known as Sugarloaf) Brook in South Deerfield center.

This will be an opportunity for the public to hear about a watershed analysis being conducted for Bloody Brook and Blacksmith Brook in South Deerfield by the consultants GZA GeoEnvironmental and Field Geology Services. The purpose of the study is to better understand the causes of flooding and identify potential mitigation measures. The forum will also include a presentation on Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) federal cost sharing programs for flood prevention and watershed protection.

Free self-care series for caregivers

SPRINGFIELD — Jewish Family Service of Western Massachusetts this week started a free six-week self-care series called “Building Resilience from Within” designed to help prevent caregiver burnout.

The series began on Wednesday and continues through Feb. 26, each day via Zoom from 11 to 11:45 a.m.

All ages are welcome, and all exercises can be done seated or standing. No experience is required. Registration is required. To register, call 413-737-2601, or go to the JFS website.

While the series was developed to help prevent caregiver burnout, it is open to anyone experiencing heightened stress in their lives. Presenter Reina Goldberg will teach simple techniques to build core resilience including mindfulness, gentle movement, and guided visualization.

Practices will include guided visualization, gentle movement, brain and body balancing, and boosting the immune system.

Goldberg is a mindfulness educator, trauma informed coach, and multifaceted healing practitioner. She holds a Master of Education in Mindfulness Studies from Antioch University, and a bachelor’s in psychology and education from York University. She is certified as a yoga therapist and grief coach.