Monthly puzzle swap planned for Saturday

NORTHFIELD — Free used puzzles will be available at Dickinson Memorial Library on Saturday, Oct. 7, from 10 to 11:30 a.m.

Attendees are advised to park in the back and enter through the side door of the library. Turn left to find the Community Room.

Participants are invited to take as many puzzles as they want, and can keep them as long as they need. The puzzle swap is offered monthly.

For more information, visit northfieldpubliclibrary.org/friends-of-the-library or email friendsofdml01360@gmail.com.

Senior Center
hosting ‘Acrylics for the Beginner’ classes

BERNARDSTON — My Art Company will present “Acrylics for the Beginner” at the Bernardston Senior Center on Tuesdays, Oct. 10 and 24, at 12:30 p.m.

This multi-part class will focus on laying out the palette, mixing colors, preparing the canvas and brushwork techniques. Participants will be working on both canvas paper and stretched canvas with assorted brushes. Artists can bring their own paints and brushes.

Call 413-648-5413 for more information.

Travel Club heading to Hager’s Farm Market

The Travel Club offered by the Bernardston and Northfield senior centers will take a trip to Hager’s Farm Market in Shelburne for lunch and to go leaf peeping on Friday, Oct. 20, at 9 a.m.

Sign-ups are limited to six people from each town. There will be a waitlist in case one town has spaces open up. The cost is $6 roundtrip and participants will meet at the Bernardston Senior Center.

Call Shannon at 413-768-1824 to sign up by Thursday, Oct. 12. Van rides to the Bernardston Senior Center are also available.

Yard games planned at Avery Field

LEYDEN — The Recreation Committee will host an evening of yard games at Avery Field on Sunday, Oct. 15, from 4 to 6 p.m.

Games will include horseshoes, cornhole, badminton, lawn bocce and petanque. Free popcorn and water will be provided, and attendees can bring their own beverages. Inclement weather will cancel.

Happy Feet walkers take to Brattleboro

NORTHFIELD — The Senior Center’s Happy Feet walking group will meet at The Marina restaurant’s trailhead in Brattleboro, Vermont, on Monday, Oct. 16, at 10 a.m.

Participants are advised to park in the lower parking lot for the walk — which is approximately 3 miles roundtrip — along the lower section of the West River Trail. Dogs on leashes are welcome and participants are encouraged to bring their own picnic lunch or snacks. Steady rain cancels.

Additionally, the Happy Feet walkers will meet at the Senior Center on Tuesday, Oct. 31, at 9:45 a.m. for a recess activity with Northfield Elementary School’s kindergarten class.

SHINE rep has appointments in October, November

NORTHFIELD — Serving the Health Insurance Needs of Everyone (SHINE) program representative Chris Maguire has one-on-one appointments to help seniors review their Medicare prescription drug coverage during Medicare’s open enrollment period from Oct. 15 to Dec. 7.

Appointments are available on Mondays, Oct. 16, Oct. 30, Nov. 13 and Nov. 27, with time slots at 9 a.m., 10:15 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. Seniors are asked to bring their Medicare card, list of medications, any recent communication regarding their current plan, and the username and password for their Medicare account, if applicable.

To schedule an appointment, call the Northfield Senior Center at 413-498-2901, ext. 123.

Outreach coordinator available Oct. 17

NORTHFIELD — Outreach Coordinator Matt Aversa is available through the Northfield Senior Center on the third Tuesday of the month from 9 to 11 a.m. to help with fuel assistance, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) applications, electric bills, veterans’ questions, Serving the Health Insurance Needs of Everyone (SHINE) applications and other matters. This month’s outreach clinic is on Oct. 17.

According to the Northfield Senior Center’s September newsletter, the outreach coordinator position is funded thanks to a grant awarded to the Bernardston Senior Center from the Massachusetts Councils on Aging and the Massachusetts Executive Office of Elder Affairs. Call 413-498-2901, ext. 114 to make an appointment with Aversa.

Oct. 19: Rock painting

LEYDEN — Mary Glabach will lead a rock painting class for children and adults at Town Hall on Thursday, Oct. 19, from 2 to 3 p.m.

Completed creations can be added to the Robertson Memorial Library’s pollinator garden or taken home by the creator.

The program is funded in part by the Leyden Cultural Council.

Lunchtime talk to share health care plans

BERNARDSTON — Learn the basics of Medicare, as well as the difference between Medigap and Medicare Advantage plans, during a presentation by Blue Cross Blue Shield at the Bernardston Senior Center on Thursday, Oct. 19, at noon.

The talk will also explain how Medicare Part D plans work, share resources that are available to help and help attendees understand when they can switch plans. Lunch is available at 11:45 a.m. by calling 413-648-5319.

Franklin Tech
students offering nail painting, hand massages

BERNARDSTON — Franklin County Technical School cosmetology students will offer nail painting and hand massages at the Bernardston Senior Center on Friday, Oct. 20, from 9 to 11 a.m.

Call 413-648-5413 to reserve a space.

Oct. 23: Talk on health care fraud, abuses

NORTHFIELD — Scott Simundza, from the Massachusetts Senior Medicare Patrol Program, will visit the Northfield Senior Center as part of the coffee social on Monday, Oct. 23, to talk about health care fraud, as well as health care errors and abuses.

The Senior Medicare Patrol Program works in partnership with government, non-government and grassroots community-based organizations across the state to raise awareness about protecting, detecting and reporting health care errors, fraud and abuse.

Simundza’s talk starts at 11 a.m., while the coffee social continues from 10 a.m. to noon.

Oct. 23: Indigenous history talk

BERNARDSTON — David Brule from the Nolumbeka Project will lead a talk called “Indigenous lifeways, loss and renewal in the Connecticut River Valley” at the Bernardston Senior Center on Monday, Oct. 23, at 3 p.m.

Brule’s talk will be followed by macaroni and cheese as part of the Evening Cafe at 4 p.m. Call Clare to reserve dinner at 413-648-5319.

Senior Center hosting Halloween pizza party

BERNARDSTON — The Bernardston Senior Center will host a Halloween pizza party on Monday, Oct. 30, at 3 p.m.

Costumes are encouraged. Call 413-648-5319 to register for pizza.

Learn how to administer Narcan in Senior Center program

BERNARDSTON — Randy Herk from CONNECT will lead a discussion on opioid addiction and Narcan use at the Bernardston Senior Center on Monday, Oct. 30, at 1 p.m.

CONNECT, which stands for Community Opportunity, Network, Navigation, Exploration and Connection Team, is a regional collaboration of law enforcement, community health centers and outreach organizations created to combat the opioid epidemic in Franklin County. It provides free, confidential resources and referrals for those who have experienced or witnessed an opioid overdose.

Free doses of Narcan, an overdose reversal drug, will be available for participants to take home following a lesson on how to administer it.

Learn about fuel assistance on Oct. 30

BERNARDSTON — Linda Bryant will lead a roundtable on fuel assistance and the Massachusetts Good Neighbor Energy Fund at the Bernardston Senior Center on Monday, Oct. 30, at 2 p.m.

Work bee to clean Beaver Meadow Cemetery

LEYDEN — A clean-up work bee will be held at Beaver Meadow Cemetery on Sunday, Oct. 15, at 8 a.m.

Those who are willing to volunteer are encouraged to bring a rake, shears or other equipment.