On the Calendar

Tanglewood Benefit Art Exhibit

Through Sept. 30: The Kimball Farms Life Care Center Connector Gallery located at 235 Walker St. in Lenox is currently hosting a Tanglewood Benefit Art Exhibit. The show features evocative paintings and drawings by artists including Stephanie Anderson, John MacGruer, Jane McWhorter, William Oberst, Ali Moshiri, Bob Watkins, Julio Granda, and Diana Felber.

The public is invited to view the show any day between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., with a percentage of sale proceeds going to Tanglewood.

WOC Ribbon Cutting

Aug. 23: Work Opportunity Center Inc. will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony at its newly acquired and renovated community-based day service (CBDS) facility located at 111 Park Ave. in West Springfield. Mayor Will Reichelt will cut the ribbon at approximately 9 a.m.

Established in 1969, Work Opportunity Center (WOC) initially served its participants through a center-based work-service model. Community-based day services were added in the summer of 2014. On June 30, 2016, center-based work services were discontinued for all participants, and those services were converted to CBDS. As of July 1, 2019, there are approximately 84 individuals participating in WOC’s CBDS services. On July 1, 24 program participants and five staff members transferred from the WOC facility in Agawam to its newest facility in West Springfield.

The CBDS program of enables individuals with developmental disabilities to enrich their lives and enjoy a full range of community activities by providing opportunities for developing, enhancing, and maintaining competency in personal, social, and community activities. Service options for individuals participating in the CBDS program include career exploration, community-integration experiences, skills development and training, volunteer opportunities with local nonprofits, health and fitness classes, socialization experiences, and support to enhance interpersonal skills, as well as the pursuit of personal interests and hobbies.

The renovation of the 111 Park Ave. facility is supported by a $5,000 grant by United Bank in addition to a $1,000 grant from the Rotary Club of West Springfield.

Car-wash Fundraiser for Chris Thibault

Sept. 7-8: Mercedes-Benz of Springfield is hosting a car-wash fundraiser benefiting Chris Thibault and his family.

Chris Thibault and his wife, Missy, own and operate Chris Teebo Films, a local production company. Chris has been diagnosed with stage-4 cancer and is fighting hard for his life. He recently lost his younger brother, Brandon, to cancer as well. So far, his cancer has been unresponsive to the past three treatments. He is currently undergoing a fourth treatment as well as alternative treatment options.

The car wash will run from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days at Mercedes-Benz of Springfield, 295 Burnett Road, Chicopee. Anyone who would like to donate time or services to the event should contact Michelle Wirth at mwirth@mbspringfield.com.

RVCC Golf Tournament

Sept. 13: River Valley Counseling Center (RVCC), a multi-faceted mental-health agency, will hold its fourth annual golf tournament fundraiser at 10:30 a.m. at East Mountain Country Club in Westfield. The event is presented by Action Ambulance Services.

The cost per golfer is $100 and includes greens fees, a golf cart, gift bag, lunch, and dinner. Golfers will also be able to participate in a raffle and silent auction. Registration will begin at 8:30 a.m. with a 10:30 a.m. shotgun start. There will also be contests on the course, with prizes donated by Marcotte Ford and Teddy Bear Pools. Other tournament sponsors include HCN, Unidine, PeoplesBank, CINTAS, Goss & McLain Insurance, Marsh & McLennan Agency, BMC HealthNet Plan, and Jefferson Radiology.

For more information on sponsorships, in-kind donations, and registration, contact Angela Callahan, RVCC’s Marketing and Development specialist, at (413) 841-3546 or callahan_angela@holyokehealth.com. Information is also available at www.rvcc-inc.org or by visiting River Valley Counseling Center’s Facebook page.

Austen Riggs Fall Conference

Sept. 21-22: The Austen Riggs Center will convene a conference of national and international experts in the fields of mental healthcare, treatment, research, advocacy, and the law to explore “The Mental Health Crisis in America: Recognizing Problems, Working Toward Solutions,” a two-day conference.

The conference will examine crucial issues, including complex psychiatric problems, suicide, treatment goals, health parity law, and innovative solutions to clinical challenges. For the latest conference news and more details, visit www.austenriggs.org/centennialconference.

Mini-Medical School

Sept. 26 to Nov. 14: Baystate Medical Center’s Mini-Medical School will give area residents an inside look at the expanding field of medicine. The program is an eight-week health-education series featuring a different aspect of medicine each week. Classes this fall will include sessions on various medical topics such as surgery, emergency medicine, genetics, pharmacy, obstetrics and gynecology, neurology, and pathology.

Many of the ‘students,’ who often range in age from 20 to 70, participate due to a general interest in medicine and later find that many of the things they learned over the semester are relevant to their own lives. The goal of the program, offered in the hospital’s Chestnut Conference Center, is to help members of the public make more informed decisions about their healthcare while receiving insight on what it is like to be a medical student — minus the tests, homework, interviews, and admission formalities.

Baystate Medical Center is the region’s only comprehensive teaching hospital, and each course is taught by medical-center faculty who explain the science of medicine without resorting to complex terms. All classes are held Thursdays at 6 p.m. and run until 8 or 9 p.m., depending on the night’s topic. No basic science knowledge is needed to participate.

Tuition is $95 per person and $80 for Senior Class and Baystate Health Every Woman members, as well as Baystate Health employees. Visit www.baystatehealth.org/minimed for a list of topics and speakers and to register. Students may also register by calling (413) 794-2413. While it is not difficult to be accepted into the program, slots are limited, and early registration is recommended.

Golf Tournament to Fight Childhood Hunger

Sept. 30: Feed the Kids will hold its second annual charity golf tournament to benefit No Kid Hungry and the HPS Weekend Backpack Program at Springfield Country Club, 1375 Elm St., West Springfield.

No Kid Hungry is a national organization that raises funds to support school breakfast programs, summer meals, afterschool meals, and more for children throughout the country. The HPS Weekend Backpack Program distributes bags of nutritious and easy-to-prepare meals to children at the end of each week that they can enjoy over the weekend. Feed the Kids is currently seeking donations for the tournament’s silent auction, individual and corporate sponsors, and, of course, golfers.

Check-in for the scramble-format tournament will begin at 10 a.m., with a shotgun start at noon. The fee is $160 per golfer, which includes greens fees, driving range, cart use, lunch, cocktail hour, dinner, and a gift bag. There will also be prizes, a raffle, and an auction. To make a cash donation, donate an item for the raffle or auction, learn more about sponsorship opportunities, or register to golf or for the dinner, visit feedthekidsgolf.com.

Healthcare Heroes

Oct. 17: The third annual class of Healthcare Heroes will be honored at the Sheraton Springfield from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Healthcare Heroes, a recognition program involving the Western Mass. healthcare sector, was launched in 2017 to shed a bright light on the outstanding work being done across the broad spectrum of health and wellness services, and the institutions and people providing that care.

The class of 2019 will be profiled in the September issue of HCN, and will be feted at the Oct. 25 gala. Tickets will go on sale in August.