Storytelling open mic set for Sept. 7

GREENFIELD — Trouble Mandeson and Nisse Greenberg will host “Beautiful Disasters,” a place to share five- to seven-minute true stories on stage of times from your life where you found something beautiful amid disaster, at The LAVA Center, 324 Main St., on Thursday, Sept. 7, at 7 p.m.

For this show, attendees will explore medical disasters. There will be six names picked to tell stories. The show is pay-what-you-want.

Monthly brown bag distribution set for Sept. 7

GREENFIELD — The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts’ monthly brown bag program for qualifying seniors will be held Thursday, Sept. 7, from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. at the Greenfield Senior Center.

Seniors who receive fuel assistance, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits or other benefits will qualify. Applications are also on hand at the Senior Center, and a SNAP coordinator will be present during the Sept. 7 distribution to assist with filling them out.

No appointments are required. Seniors who are unable to get to the food distribution can send a friend or family member in their place.

Sept. 9: ‘The
Poetry of Puddles’ reception

GREENFIELD — Photographer, educator and journalist Dave Madeloni will host a reception for his photography exhibit, “The Poetry of Puddles,” on Saturday, Sept. 9, from noon to 3 p.m. at The LAVA Center, 324 Main St. The exhibit will be on display throughout September.

As a photographer, Madeloni finds beauty all around us — not where we ordinarily look, but right in front of us, reflected in the thousands of puddles, canals and ponds that we tend to ignore. His photos have been displayed at Hosmer, Fiddleheads, A.P.E. and Robert Floyd galleries, and were published as part of the “Sun on the Muddy” poetry book (Levellers Press).

For more information, visit bit.ly/3sOckKF.

Rep. Blais holding office hours

GREENFIELD — State Rep. Natalie Blais will hold office hours for constituents of her 1st Franklin District at the Greenfield Senior Center, 35 Pleasant St., on Monday, Sept. 11, from 1 to 3 p.m.

These are drop-in hours; no appointment is necessary. Or, residents can contact Corinne Coryat at corinne.coryat@mahouse.gov or 413-362-9453 to schedule an appointment outside of this session.

Make air-dry nature pinch pots in library program

GREENFIELD — The Greenfield Public Library’s Shannon Gilcreast will lead a free craft program on making air-dry nature pinch pots with pressed flowers on Tuesday, Sept. 12, from 3 to 4 p.m.

This project is intended for children ages 5 to 12. Participants will leave your pots behind to get glazed, and can come in the next week to pick up their finished creations.

For more information, contact Gilcreast at shannon.gilcreast@greenfield-ma.gov or 413-772-1544, ext. 5104.

Julie Stepanek to teach ukulele playing

GREENFIELD — Julie Stepanek will teach the fundamentals of ukulele playing on Tuesday, Sept. 12, at 6:30 p.m. at the Greenfield Public Library.

No experience is necessary, and ukuleles will be provided. Registration is not required.

LAVA Center hosting monthly Writers Read event

GREENFIELD — The LAVA Center at 324 Main St. hosts a monthly series, Writers Read, on the second Wednesday of each month at 7 p.m. Reading on Sept. 13 will be Janet MacFadyen, Jan Freeman and Candace R. Curran.

MacFadyen’s third full-length collection, “State of Grass,” is forthcoming from Salmon Poetry. Honors include a Massachusetts Cultural Council grant and a Fine Arts Work Center fellowship, with recent work in The High Window, Osiris, Soul-Lit, Scientific American and Wordpeace.

Freeman is the author of three books of poetry, most recently “Blue Structure” (Calypso Editions). During a 2023 MacDowell fellowship she completed a new collection, “The Odyssey of Yes and No.” Her poems recently appeared in Barrow Street, The Brooklyn Rail, Gargoyle, Plume and Salamander.

Curran is the author of “Playing in Wrecks.” She is the 2023 Slate Roof Elyse Wolf Chapbook Prize winner, with a full-length poetry collection expected to be published in early 2024. Her poetry has appeared in New Generation Beats, Writing the Land, Meat For Tea, the Valley Review and RAW NerVZ Haiku.

There is a $5 suggested donation. For more information, visit bit.ly/3qU7iMt.

Library offering Pocket Constitutions

GREENFIELD — In observance of Constitution Day, the Greenfield Public Library will give out free Pocket Constitutions on Saturday, Sept. 16.

Constitution Day is a federal observance that recognizes the adoption of the United States Constitution and those who have become U.S. citizens. It is observed on Sept. 17, the day in 1787 that delegates to the Constitutional Convention signed the document in Philadelphia.

Registration is not required, but supplies are limited: one copy per person will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.

NAMI hosting Family-to-Family Education Program

GREENFIELD — The National Alliance on Mental Illness of Western Massachusetts will offer its Family-to-Family Education Program starting Tuesday, Sept. 19, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at Baystate Franklin Medical Center.

Family-to-Family is a free, nine-session educational program for relatives, significant others and friends of people with mental health conditions. Research shows that Family-to-Family improves the coping and problem-solving abilities of the people closest to a person with a mental health condition. The program is taught by NAMI-trained family members, and includes presentations, discussions and interactive exercises.

Advance registration is required by contacting Susan Sharbaugh at suesharbaugh@gmail.com. For details, visit namiwm.org/support.