Stolen/lost bicycles notice
Great Barrington — Great Barrington Police Department Chief William Walsh has issued a notice to those who have had their bicycles stolen or lost: The GBPD has been holding bicycles to be reclaimed by their owners and any person wishing to inquire about a lost or stolen bicycle should contact Sgt. Paul Storti at PStorti@Townofgb.org with a description of the bicycle and contact information. Any and all bicycles remaining will be auctioned off on Sunday, Feb. 26, at 9 a.m. at the police station, 465 South Main St.
–E.E.
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‘Lenox: The First 100 Years’ exhibit
Lenox — The Lenox Historical Society is kicking off Lenox’s 250th birthday celebration with the exhibit “Lenox: The First 100 Years,” which features artifacts, documents and ephemera from the 1750s to 1840s depicting life in Lenox. A collection of early coopers’ tools as well as carpentry and farming tools give one a sense of the ingenuity of the first inhabitants of the Berkshires, who farmed their own land and manufactured tools necessary for everyday life.
The exhibit will run through Saturday, April 15. For more information, call Vickie at (413) 441-7902.
–E.E.
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FAFSA Day Massachusetts
Pittsfield — Every high school senior, college student, and adult student who will be attending college during the 2017-2018 academic year must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid in order to apply for federal, state and institutional financial aid. The 13th annual financial aid FAFSA Day Massachusetts will be held on Sunday, Jan. 29, at 1:15 p.m. at Berkshire Community College.
The services are free and available to anyone who will be attending college during the 2017-2018 academic year; low-income and first-generation college students are especially encouraged to attend. Families are encouraged to register online and view a list of what to bring. For more information, contact (413) 597-4181 or fafsaday.pittsfield@gmail.com.
–E.E.
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Writers Read at the Lee Library
Lee — The Writers Read monthly reading series will present Barbara Ungar and Stuart Bartow on Tuesday, Jan. 24, at the Lee Library.
Ungar’s most recent book, “Immortal Medusa,” was chosen as one of Kirkus Reviews‘ Best Indie Books of 2015 and was a co-winner of the Adirondack Center for Writing’s Poetry Award, along with Bartow’s “Einstein’s Lawn.” A native of Worcester, Ungar is a professor of English at the College of Saint Rose in Albany, New York, where she teaches writing and literature.
Bartow teaches writing and literature at SUNY Adirondack where he directs the college’s Writers Project. He is also chair of the Battenkill Conservancy, a grassroots environmental organization along the Vermont-New York border. In addition to “Einstein’s Lawn,” he has published a prose work called “Teaching Trout to Talk: the Zen of Small Stream Fly Fishing,” and lives in Salem, New York.
For more information, contact David Giannini at davidgpoet.com.
–E.E.
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Williams College seeks ‘books’ for Human Library project
Williamstown — Williams College is seeking “books” for its sixth annual Human Library on Friday, Feb. 24, and Saturday, Feb. 25, from 1 to 4 p.m. in the Paresky Student Center.
A Human Library has “books” and “readers,” all of whom are, as the name suggests, human. Each book volunteers to share a personal story about a topic related to stereotypes and discrimination. Readers “check out” books with titles such as “Buddhist,” “Growing up in the Jim Crow South,” “Interracial Family,” or “Recovering Alcoholic,” for 30 minutes and participate in one-on-one conversations about the book’s life and experiences. The book can also ask questions of the reader, prompting further discussion about shared experiences and differing perspectives. To engage in these discussions, each reader must sign a form agreeing to respect each book.
Individuals with stories they would like to share are encouraged to volunteer. This year, the project is looking to add new titles to add to the collection such as Refugee, Parenting Autism, Orphan, Home Schooled, Teen Parent, NRA Member, Homeless, PTSD, Brain Damaged, Addict, Convert, Eating Disorder, Polyamorous, Anti-Vaxxer, Trump Supporter, etc. Those interested in participating should fill out online forms to become a book or suggest a book no later than Wednesday, Feb. 1.
For more information, contact Lois Banta at (413) 597-3495 or lbanta@williams.edu.
–E.E.
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Free puppet plays for children
Great Barrington — The Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School’s (GBRSS) Spring Puppet Series for children ages 2 to 6 will present “A Visit to Snow Mother,” a marionette play based on an original story by kindergarten teacher Somer Serpe, at Mason Library on Saturday, Jan. 21, starting 11:15 a.m. The puppet plays will continue on Saturday, March 4, at 10:30 and 11:30am at Matrushka Toys and Gifts and on Saturday, April 8, at 10:30 a.m. in GBRSS’ Early Childhood building.
All events are free. For more information, call Robyn Coe at (413) 528-4015 x106.
–E.E.
