Retired reporter Richie Davis to read from trilogy

Retired longtime Greenfield Recorder reporter and editor Richie Davis will read at the Greenfield and Leverett libraries from his trilogy of collected feature stories from Franklin County and beyond. The dates are as follows:

■Wednesday, Dec. 4, at 6:30 p.m. at the Greenfield Public Library.

■Thursday, Dec. 5, at 4:30 p.m. at the Leverett Library.

The readings are from Davis’ collections “Inner Landscapes” (2020), “Good Will & Ice Cream” (2021) and “Flights of Fancy, Souls of Grace” (2022), all published by Haley’s in Athol. Each book highlights the region’s unique character, yet the stories are universal. Details are available at richiedavis.net.

Red Kettle Campaign volunteers sought

With the holiday season upon us, The Salvation Army Massachusetts Division is kicking off its annual Red Kettle Campaign across the state, and volunteers are needed in almost every region.

As the cost of living increases, millions of Americans face the threat of poverty and the inability to provide for themselves and their families. The Salvation Army Massachusetts Division works to be a resource and part of the safety net by providing Christmas gifts and food, offering support to pay bills and providing shelter to those without a home. All Red Kettle proceeds support The Salvation Army’s work with individuals, families and households in the communities where the donations are collected. On average, volunteer bell ringers raise enough money to provide nearly 200 meals to children and families in their respective towns.

“No matter how big or small, every effort counts for us and the many people in need across Massachusetts this holiday season,” Maj. Elijah Kahn, general secretary of The Salvation Army Massachusetts Division, said in a statement. “The volunteers who spend time during the holiday season staffing Red Kettles, and those who take the time to stop and make a donation, are absolutely critical to the success of this campaign and our efforts to ensure this is a joyous time for families across the state.”

Areas with upcoming Red Kettle Campaign launches that are still in need of volunteers and support include: the Merrimack Valley, Cape Cod and southeastern Massachusetts (Hyannis, Fall River and New Bedford), the North Shore (Newburyport, Salem and Lynn), MetroWest, Mass Bay/Boston, the Route 2 area (Athol, Greenfield and Fitchburg), as well as western Massachusetts (Springfield and Pittsfield) and central Massachusetts (Milford and Worcester).

The Salvation Army Massachusetts Division is setting out to raise more than $2.25 million to help support year-round social services through this year’s Red Kettle Campaign. To learn more about volunteering or to donate online, visit salvationarmyma.org/redkettle.

Scholarships available for environmentally related studies

The Henry David Thoreau Foundation will be awarding four-year collegiate scholarships of up to $26,000 to eight students who are graduating from public or private high schools in Massachusetts and who plan to major or minor in an environmentally related field.

Henry David Thoreau Scholars have studied a wide variety of environmentally related areas, including biology, epidemiology, oceanography, international affairs and environmental law. The Henry David Thoreau Foundation further assists its scholarship winners by identifying environmentally related internships, offering internship stipends and providing networking opportunities. Upon graduation from college, scholars are inducted into the Henry David Thoreau Society.

To learn more about the Henry David Thoreau Foundation and the Henry David Thoreau scholarships, visit thoreauscholar.org. Students have until Feb. 1, 2025, to apply.

Vermont company honored by Connecticut River Conservancy

GREENFIELD — The Connecticut River Conservancy has announced that Redstart, a Corinth, Vermont-based company, is this year’s Restoration Partner of the Year.

The Restoration Partner of the Year award is a celebration of collaboration for positive ecological impact within the Connecticut River watershed.

River restoration projects include buffer plantings to reduce erosion, strategic wood additions to increase aquatic biomass, and floodplain forests to improve natural river functions and store carbon.

All projects ultimately help to improve water quality, expand fish passage and habitat for aquatic organisms, and support flood resiliency.

“Redstart and their knowledgeable staff have been fantastic partners on many fronts, from project development to landowner outreach to project implementation,” Ron Rhodes, director of programs at the Connecticut River Conservancy, said in a statement. “We always try to work with good, local companies so these restoration dollars have both a positive environmental and economic impact in our local communities.”

Founded in 1992 by Virginia Barlow, Redstart combines knowledge of natural systems and stewardship practices with decades of field experience to provide responsible management of natural resources in Vermont’s forests, rivers, farms and fields. To date, the Connecticut River Conservancy and Redstart have restored 17 miles of river habitat in 50 streams with 13 different landowners.

The Connecticut River Conservancy began recognizing a Restoration Partner of the Year in 2022 with the Northwoods Stewardship Center and again in 2023 with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. These awards come with a small gift such as a framed certificate, a joint project walk-through and gathering of staff, and a group lunch.

Schools can suggest a snowplow name by Dec. 6

BOSTON — Through its third annual “Name a Snowplow” contest, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) is seeking names for 12 MassDOT snowplows that will be in service for the 2024-2025 winter season. The deadline for an elementary school to suggest a name is 5 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 6.

The purpose of the contest is to celebrate the snow and ice season and to help recognize the hard work and dedication shown by public works employees and contractors during the winter season.

“The Name a Snowplow contest has been a major success the last two years, with great submissions from schools across the commonwealth” Highway Administrator Jonathan Gulliver said in a statement. “This contest is a fun way for kids to learn about public works and for our snow and ice crews to connect with their communities. We are excited to receive creative names for our plows this year.”

Suggested names can be submitted using an online portal at mass.gov/forms/name-a-snowplow-contest-submission. There is no limit to the number of applications that can be submitted per school. The contest winners, to be announced by Monday, Dec. 23, will be invited to participate in a scheduled snowplow unveiling event.

A selection panel composed of MassDOT employees will choose two elementary school classroom winners that are located within each of the six Highway Division districts. The winning submissions will be evaluated based on two grade-level categories: kindergarten through fourth grade and fifth grade through eighth grade.

For more information, visit mass.gov/name-a-snowplow-contest-2024-25.