A Better Chance Benefit Concert

Come to a Gospel Choir Concert to benefit Amherst A Better Chance (ABC) on Tuesday, May 16^th, at Grace Episcopal Church, Amherst.  The concert starts at 7:30 PM and features the Amherst Area Gospel Choir, the Amherst Regional High School Chorale, and the Gospel Choir at Amherst College.  A reception immediately follows the concert.   A Donation of $20 (or more!) from each concert-goer will be gratefully accepted, but all who wish to celebrate the ABC Program through gospel music are most welcome!  For more information, contact Wendy Kohler at wendykohler@comcast.net .

Human Rights Youth Heroism Awards- Nominations Due May 15

Dear Teachers and Staff of Amherst Schools, and Amherst Community Members:

The Amherst Human Rights Commission has as its prime purpose to promote a community of mutual respect and to honor our diversity. We strive to promote attitudes of compassion and concern for all of our neighbors. To encourage these values, we offer the Human Rights Youth Heroism Awards, an annual celebration of Amherst-area youth. 2017 represents the twelfth year of these awards! It is the Commission’s intent to identify and celebrate local youth who have demonstrated acts of kindness, unselfishness, social courage and/or community service within their families, schools or community. Please help us by nominating a young person you have observed displaying exceptional kindness or consideration in the past year. Groups of young people may also be nominated to share an award. We strive to recognize children and teens across the spectrum of age groups and schools, including those who do not live in Amherst but who attend any school in town.

Nominations may be submitted through May 15, 2017, to humanrights@amherstma.gov or to the Commission c/o Deborah Radway, Amherst Town Hall, 4 Boltwood Ave., Amherst MA 01002. The Human Rights Commission will celebrate this year’s Heroes at its annual community picnic on June 17 at Mill River Recreation Area. We will alert nominators and award recipients prior to the event so they can make plans to attend. We hope you will join us! Yours truly, Matthew Charity, Sovann Malis-Loeung, Emily Boutilier, Ingrid Askew, Sidonio Ferreira, Brenda Mutai, Jessica Maposa and Greg Bascomb The Amherst Human Rights Commission

Stamp Out Hunger in Amherst on May 13

This Saturday, May 13 is the national STAMP OUT HUNGER POST OFFICE FOOD DRIVE, sponsored by the National Association of Letter Carriers. 

This is a great time to help the Amherst Survival Center’s Food Pantry stock up on needed foods as they prepare to provide groceries to more families during the summer. Please participate and share with your friends and neighbors to let them know of this upcoming opportunity to support our neighbors.

Everyone can participate in 3 easy steps:

1. Join the drive by donating canned food and/or personal care items
2. Place your donation(s) at your mailbox on Saturday, May 13 by 9 am (or before your letter carrier’s normal mail pick up time).
3. Your letter carrier will pick up the donation(s) and they will get to your local food pantry, including the Amherst Survival Center’s pantry!

For more information on this Food Drive and the Amherst Survival Center’s needs click on the following links:

www.amherstsurvival.org/pofd

Press Release

Starlight's Les Miserables - School Edition on May 12 and 13

Do You Hear the People Sing? 

Award winning musical Les Miserables School Edition is performed by Amherst's own Brandon Dallmann as Jean Valjean, Shannon Lambert as Madame Thenardier, Sophie Schweik as Fantine and many other local talent from Starlight’s Youth Theatre, which was established 10 years ago as a non-profit youth theater in the Valley. 

Artistic Director Cynthia Strycharz, 30 year veteran director states, “In Les Mis we learn that love and compassion are the most important gifts one person can give another and that always displaying these qualities should be the most important goal in life. I’m so proud of the cast and how they are demonstrating those same qualities to each other. You will be brought to tears by the emotions they bring to this performance.” Truly a timely musical in this age of resistance.

Url for tickets: https://www.ticketfly.com/purchase/event/1458342

Website: http://www.starlights-youth-theatre.com/les-miserables-schoo-edition-spring-musical-7th-to-12th-grade/

At Academy of Music, 274 Main St., Northampton, MA 01060

May 12, 7:00 pm; May 13, 2:00 pm; May 13, 7:00 pm

Pioneer Youth Action Project Presents: Hampshire County Mental Health Resource Fair

There will be Outdoor Youth Mental Health event that the Pioneer Youth Action Project is hosting Saturday May 13th in Amherst Center (Sweester Park across from  Black  Sheep Deli). 

The event will will provide an opportunity to meet with representatives from many of the great organizations that provide youth mental health services in Hampshire County. Whether you are a youth seeking services or a service provider interested in networking and learning about some of these organizations, the main goal of the event is to help spread awareness about the many fantastic organizations and services that exist, and to make those services more accessible to a greater number of youth.

Here is the link to the facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/event s/1885103751760813/.

Auditions for the Hampshire Young People’s Chorus

Does your child love to sing? The Hampshire Young People’s Chorus (YPC), an award-winning youth choir, will hold auditions on June 6 for new members for the 2017-2018 year. YPC offers children the opportunity to experience choral singing in a comfortable and encouraging atmosphere. Healthy vocal technique and fundamental music skills are taught through singing a wide range of music from many styles and traditions. The choir’s roster includes more than 45 children in two age divisions – Concert Choir (grades 3-6) and Chamber Singers (grades 6-10). Rehearsals take place on Tuesdays in Amherst. For more information, please visit www.hampshireypc.org or call the director, K.C. Conlan, at 413-530-9337.

Jones Library- Film & Discussion: Three Short Films from Brave New Films

Join us on Thursday, May 18, 2017 at 7 pm in the Woodbury Room for the next in this ongoing film and discussion series that may educate, touch your heart, and inspire you to action to help dismantle racism.

This month showing is an excellent three-part series from Brave New Films that explores the many ways black Americans face racial bias. These short, but powerful films - Racism is Real; Black Protests vs. White Riots; and Prison System by the Numbers - explore the effects of racial bias on the lives of black Americans and the ways in which racism impacts American society as a whole. The film will be followed by a brief discussion and then an opportunity to continue work on some local anti-racism action projects.

Free and open to the public.  For more information, please contact Janet Ryan at 413/259-3223. 

This film series is co-sponsored by the Jones Library and Coming Together.  More information about Coming Together can be found athttp://www.coming-together.org/.