Fort River Division of Silvio O. Conte Wildlife Refuge "Migratory Bird's Egg Hunt" on April 15th from 12pm-2pm

The new Fort River Division of Silvio O. Conte Wildlife Refuge will be hosting monthly storybook hikes and other activities.  Our first activity will take place on April 15th from 12pm-2pm.  

Title: Migratory Bird's Egg Hunt at Fort River Division

Date: April 15th

Time: 12pm-2pm

Age Range:  1-100+, Trail is Handicap Accessible 

Contact Information: Tasha_Daniels@fws.gov or call (413) 548-8002 Extension: 8132

Location: Silvio O. Conte Refuge, 69 Moody Bridge Road, Hadley, MA

Cost: FREE

Facebook Page: Friends of Fort River Refuge

Join us at the Migratory Bird's Egg Hunt at Fort River Division. Not your traditional egg hunt! We will use Geographic Positioning Units (GPS) to find eggs! Each colorful egg has a bird inside that makes the Refuge its home for the spring and summer. The challenge is to read a fun story as you walk the trail, find all your colorful eggs, learn about the birds and decode the special message found within the golden eggs. There is an interactive worksheet to help you along as you hunt. Look for eggs as you walk the trail finding clues to fill in your hunt worksheet, then you put the clues back in the eggs so the next family can play too! So, at the end of the journey, if you can tell us the magic phrase, each child will receive a grab bag.

To RSVP Contact: Tasha_Daniels@fws.gov or call (413) 548-8002 Extension: 8132

Please download these FREE GPS App to your smartphone we will teach you how to use it:

IPHONE in Apps store search: EASY GPS by 2Kit Consulting

ANDROID in Google Play search: GPS Coordinates by WOOZILLI, LLC

Amherst Survival Center - Furniture Pickups for Trash to Treasures

Did you know that the Amherst Survival Center can pick up furniture donations for Trash to Treasures (for a tiny fee)? Looking to replace that table? Moving and you don't want to bring that chair or sofa? Donating starts with a phone call (549-3968 ext 308)or an email (furniture@amherstsurvival.org). Furniture collected all summer for the sale. Thanks for helping to spread the word!

Trash to Treasures is Saturday, September 12 from 9am-3pm.

Volunteers wanted for Childhood Learning Research Study at Amherst College

Do you have a child between 0 and 10 years of age? Professor Carrie Palmquist, Assistant Professor of Psychology at Amherst College, is conducting a series of studies at the Child Learning and Development Lab that investigate how children learn from others and about the world around them. Participation in a study takes no more than 30 minutes. If you want your child to participate, contact the The Child Learning and Development (CLAD) Lab at Amherst College at 413-542-5652, email cladlab@amherst.edu, or visit bitly.com/cladlab to learn more and register your family! 

Volunteers wanted for Adolescent Research Study at Amherst College

Adolescent Social Interaction Study

 

We are recruiting 13 to 16 year-old adolescents for a research study conducted by Dr. Julia McQuade at Amherst College. Participating adolescents and their parent will complete a 45minute assessment at Amherst College that includes an interview and completion of measures assessing social experiences.

 

$30 compensation is provided!

 

For more information, contact the Peer Relationships Lab at 

413-542-5619 or email peerstudy@amherst.edu.

Summer Events and Resources for Families

• Amherst Survival Center Summer Boost (food program): http://amherstsurvival.org/boost/
• Amherst Health Department Clinic (free immunizations):https://www.amherstma.gov/69/Immunization-Clinics
• Jones Library, Summer in the Kids Room:http://www.joneslibrary.org/juv/programs.html
• LSSE Summer Programs (enriching youth programming): http://www.amherstma.gov/432/LSSE
• Eric Carle Museum, Program & Events:http://www.carlemuseum.org/content/upcoming-events
• Downtown Events (Amherst BID):http://www.amherstdowntown.com

Use your SNAP/EBT card at the Amherst Farmer’s Market!

Every Saturday in Amherst Center from 8:00am-1:30pm until 11/21/15. 

To use your EBT card: 

(1) Go to the market booth in front of the Lord Jeffery Inn on Boltwood Avenue; 

(2) Give the person your SNAP/EBT card. They will give you tokens. These tokens act as “cash” at the market; 

(3) Use your tokens at any vendor booth.

Amherst Together Community Presentation on June 25th at 6pm @ the Jones Library

  

 

Amherst Together and UMass Department of Landscape Architecture & Regional Planning Release Final Report of Public Perception Study, Announce Public Presentation of Results, and other activities.

 

For Immediate Release

Contact: 

Carol Ross: 413-362-1820

Flavia Montenegro-Menezes: 413-687-7963

 

(June 17, 2015) Amherst Together, in collaboration with Dr. Flavia Montenegro-Menezes of the University of Massachusetts, Department of Landscape Architecture and Regional Planning, will release the final results of the public perception study and will share the report and preliminary conclusions during a public presentation on June 25, 2015 at 6:00 pm at the Jones Library Woodbury Room, 43 Amity Street, Amherst, MA. The presentation will review report highlights with a question and answer session to follow. 

 

The study, performed by Dr. Montenegro-Menezes, took approximately 10 months to complete and included three phases: qualitative data collection that included one-to-one interviews, focus groups, comment boards, maps, marbles, and graffiti walls; online and face-to-face survey collection; and extensive analysis, report preparation and presentation. The study provided an opportunity to engage the community in dialogue about values, identity and wellbeing, in order to gauge values and understand how residents perceive the community and their overall quality of life in Amherst.The surveys were fairly distributed amongst the town’s voting precincts, and the level of participation far exceeded the expectations of Dr. Montenegro-Menezes and Amherst Together. 

 

“We spent extra time out in the field to obtain valid sampling from each of the voting precincts and we managed to gather more information from more people than any of us had hoped. It has taken additional work, including the need to recruit a fresh round of student volunteers, but they were spectacular. We gathered the input of 1052 participants in the overall process and collected 456 survey responses, which exceeded the initial target (380),” says Dr. Montenegro-Menezes. “The response and comments imply that the residents have a strong interest in this community. The study and the overall outreach will have long-lasting benefits for the community.”

 

Amherst Together intends to use the final survey results to help identify priorities for Amherst Together and develop recommendations for collective impact, to be addressed over the next several years.

 

“A tremendous amount of work went into this effort. Dr.Montenegro-Menezes and research analyst Jennifer Stromsten went above and beyond to provide this service and deliver a comprehensive report for our community. This study, based on reliable and validated data collection, gives us solid information for continuing our efforts to encourage authentic collective action,” stated Carol Ross, of Amherst Together. 

 

Recent Amherst Together activities include the TAP THE MAP! online interactive map, the Who Are You? Identity Challenge and the Eyes Are The Window digital poetry exhibit. Amherst Together is a town-wide project intended to creatively advance community, collaboration, equity, and inclusion. For more information or to get involved, contact Carol Ross at 413-362-1820 or rossc@arps.org.

www.amhersttogether.org

AEF Stars in Our Schools Donations still accepted!

AEF STARS IN OUR SCHOOLS – extended to June 19! Can't figure out what to give as an end-of-year gift? A donation through STARS IN OUR SCHOOLS is a meaningful way to recognize our teachers.  NOW is the time to let teachers and staff members know how much you appreciate their hard work, expertise, care, and dedication.  We have extended the deadline to June 19. Make your gift on-line at www.amhersteducationfoundation.org  or send your gift by mail on the form you received in the mail or in your child’s backpack.  Thank you for supporting our schools by donating to AEF. Our mission:  Amherst Education Foundation (AEF) supports Amherst area public schools in providing a challenging and enriching educational experience that maximizes the learning potential of every student and prepares them to succeed in the 21st century.

Volunteer Request from Amherst Survival Center

Victorian Ballroom Dance Performance June 27 @ 11am

VICTORIAN BALLROOM DANCE PERFORMANCE on the lawn of the Amherst History Museum 

On Saturday, June 27, at 11 am. You are invited to waltz through time on the lawn of the Amherst History Museum. A Victorian ballroom dance performance will take place on the front lawn of the Amherst Historical Museum at 67 Amity Street. This performance will provide a glimpse into the 19^th century. The Small Planet Dancers, a community-based performance/dance troupe focusing on historically-accurate cultural dance, will transport you on a journey back in time. The past will come to life during this performance. The performance is funded through a grant from the Amherst Cultural Council; it is free and open to the public. After the performance you are welcomed to tour the museum or buy tickets to the Garden Tour, 10 am to 4 pm. For information about the museum and Garden Tour tickets visit www.amhersthistory.org

Amherst Survival Center Request For Volunteers