The Villages of the Shadowbrook Estate Condominums

South Hadley’s annual fireworks will be back for 2021. Mark your calendars for Saturday, September 4th, with a rain date of Sunday, September 5th. As usual, the event will take place at at the Michael E. Smith Middle School on Mosier Street. The major corporate sponsor is PeoplesBank, and more information will be available on the Special Events section of the Recreation Department website as the event date nears.

The two Town spray parks at Buttery Brook Park on Route 33 and Beachgrounds Park on Main Street are open daily from 10:00am to 4:00pm through the Monday, September 6 Labor Day holiday. Restroom facilities will be open during these hours.

For latest information (including weather-related schedule changes), see: https://www.facebook.com/southhadleyrecreation/

The annual Children’s Summer Series returns to Buttery Brook Park for 2021 on three Wednesday mornings in July. There is a $5 suggested donation per family per concert to help support the South Hadley Family Center. 

• Tom Knight
  Wednesday, July 7 at 10:00am
  Featuring handmade puppets, funny stories and catchy songs, with audience participation. 
• Roger Tincknell
  Wednesday, July 14 at 10:00am
  Two-time Parents’ Choice Award-winning recording artists performing original, traditional, contemporary songs in a variety of styles.
• In the Nick of Time
  Wednesday, July 21 at 10:00am
  An eclectic mix of folk, rock, funk, and hip-hop, from energetic husband-and-wife duo, Nick Deysher and Tracey Freitag, with Top-10 Album of the Year honors from USA Today and Parents Magazine.
• 2021 Children’s Summer Series Flyer (1 page PDF)

The series is organized by the South Hadley Family Center (SHFC) in collaboration with the South Hadley Recreation Department, and is supported in part by grants from the South Hadley Cultural Council and the Massachusetts Cultural Council.

For more summer programs, visit: South Hadley Recreation Department

Like the Valley itself, the Town of South Hadley has a long history of agriculture. But our farms are increasingly under threat from development. In 1950, there were nearly 5,000 dairy farms across the Commonwealth, including in South Hadley. Now, less than 120 dairy farms are left state-wide. Today, the 210-acre Lauzier Farm on Alvord Street is the last of its size in South Hadley. The Kestrel Land Trust is working with the Town, the Commonwealth, and the landowners to save this remaining piece of agricultural land with the sale of an Agricultural Preservation Restriction to prohibit development and ensure the land is “Forever Farmland.” Details about this important local project are available at: https://www.southhadley.org/1100/Protect-Lauzier-Farm

Help is needed to raise $150,000 in local matching funds to secure the remaining public funding, and many local residents have already donated to this effort, which was recently approved by Town Meeting. The Town of South Hadley has partnered with Kestral Land Trust to raise the needed match. To donate to the fund online or to download a donation form and send a check, visit: www.kestreltrust.org/lauzierfarm

For more information about agricultural preservation in Massachusetts, see: www.mass.gov/service-details/smart-growth-smart-energy-toolkit-modules-agricultural-preservation

The Thursday evening Summer Concert Series presented by The South Hadley Recreation Department and the Village Commons is back! The free concerts are held at the Town Commons from 6:30 to 8:00pm on Thursdays, starting on July 1 and continuing through August 26. The Town Commons is located near the Village Commons and the Post Office, at the intersection of Routes 116 and 4. In the event of cancellation due to inclement weather, the rain date will be the following Sunday (there will be no rain date for the July 1 concert). For complete details: https://leagues.bluesombrero.com/Default.aspx?tabid=1203478

• July 1–Jeff Gavilo and his Bad News Jazz Orchestra (big band, swing)
• July 8–The Willie’s (danceable 50s, 60s, 70s rock and roll)
• July 15–Midlife Crisis (southern rock and more)
• July 22–Livio Gravini & the Free Spirit Society (original, hi-energy rock)
• July 29–Off the Record (favorite 60s and 70s classic rock)
• August 5–Night Moves (4 decades of great rock and roll)
• August 12–Jimmy Jazz Due (classic rock, motown, country)
• August 19–3x Social (acoustic rock classics)
• August 26–Berkshire Hills Academy

Information on cancellations and other details can be found on the South Hadley Recreation Department’s Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/southhadleyrecreation/

Thank you to the following businesses that have provided ongoing support to the Summer Concert Series: The Village Commons, Village Eye Care, PeoplesBank, Easthampton Savings Bank, and TechFab.

Both the South Hadley Public Library (SHPL) and Gaylord Memorial Library are open for patrons. Hand sanitizer is still available and anyone entering the library who has not been vaccinated or is at risk for illness should wear a face mask. SHPL is open on its regular full schedule while Gaylord has limited hours.

South Hadley Public Library hours are Monday-Tuesday-Wednesday: 9:30am-8:00pm; Thursday-Friday: 9:30am-6:00pm; and Saturday: 9:30am-1:00pm. Gaylord Memorial Library hours are Thursday-Friday: 1:00-5:00pm. Both libraries will be closed on Friday, June 18 and Saturday, June 19 for the Juneteenth state holiday.

Upcoming activities include:

• Free Tails & Tails family program on Wednesday, June 30 at 6:30pm on Zoom, presented by Riverside Reptiles. Meet seven native Massachusetts reptiles and amphibians and learn about their lives and environments!  Register at: https://bit.ly/3c8V5Zq. Registration is limited to the first 25 families.
• Free outdoor concert at Gaylord Library on Thursday, June 17 at 6:30pm featuring Cameron Sutphin. Cameron is an Americana singer/guitar player who released his solo debut  in 2017, the Nashville recorded Heartbreak Town.  He has also appeared on the Blue Plate Special live audience radio program in Knoxville TN, and has had the privilege of performing at The Big E multiple times. Cameron performs original material and classic country and folk cover songs such as Bob Dylan, Pete Seeger, Neil Young, and many others.
• The 2021 Tails & Tales Summer Library Program featuring stories and programs about animals, opens June 16.  Programs will be offered for children, teens, and adults with registration beginning on the last day of school, Wednesday, June 16.  Registration will be online or at the library.  Check the library website on June 16 for registration information.
• For all upcoming SHPL and Gaylord events: South Hadley Library Event Calendar
• Previously recorded craft and author talk programs for children can be viewed at: https://vimeo.com/shpl

Click here for 2021 Town Election Results
Click here for 2021 Fire District 1 Election Results

South Hadley’s 2021 Annual Town Election is Tuesday, April 13, with in-person voting hours from 10am to 6pm (Shadowbrook is in Precinct A and Fire District 1). All precincts vote at South Hadley High School, 153 Newton Street (Rt. 116). To receive a mail-in ballot, return a completed Absentee or a no excuse Vote-By Mail application form to the secure drop box behind the Police Station by the Wednesday, April 7 at 5:00pm deadline. Download an application form at: https://www.southhadley.org/156/Clerk. Completed mail-in ballots can be returned to the same secure drop box by 6:00pm on Tuesday, April 13 (election day). Specimen ballots can be viewed at: https://southhadley.org/1088/Specimen-Ballots

For information about those seeking Town offices, candidate statements and a recent candidate forum can be viewed at: 
https://www.knowyourtown.org/election-info/meet-the-candidates  
https://vimeo.com/532400687

The Fire District 1 Election will take place on the same date and times at the District 1 Fire Station, located at 144 Newton Street.  For an Absentee ballot, call the Fire District 1 Treasurer at 413.538.9044; return completed ballots to the Fire Station by election day.

Phase 2 Covid vaccination eligibility current includes those age 55+ and PreK-12 educators/workers, and those with certain medical conditions. Everyone age 16+ will be eligible beginning on April 19 (at present, only the Pfizer vaccine has been approved for ages 16-17).

In addition to the pre-registration system for mass vaccination sites, those seeking vaccine appointments may also want to try periodically checking the direct links below for sites in our area. Baystate, which is very well run, has had some openings available from time to time. The clinic at UMass Campus Center has had openings available in recent days. Northampton and Amherst are collaborating and have announced that they will release their appointments on Monday mornings at 11:00am. Baystate, Noho Senior Center, and Amherst have had both Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, though a choice is not always available. Appointments can sometimes be found at CVS, Big Y, and Stop & Shop, through their systems.

• Baystate Health-Holyoke, near Holyoke Mall (no health card photo required to date)
  https://workwell.apps.baystatehealth.org/guest/covid-vaccine/register?r=mafirstresp210121
• UMass Campus Center (appointments have recently become available on Fridays at 4pm)
  https://www.umass.edu/coronavirus/vaccine
• Northampton Senior Center (PrepMod registration may require health card photo)
  https://www.northamptonma.gov/2219/COVID-19-Vaccination-Clinics
  
• Amherst-Bangs Center (Information and assistance: 413-259-2425)
  https://www.amherstcovid19.org/vaccine
• Eastfield Mall-Springfield—PRE-REGISTRATION SYSTEM
  Appointments for the state’s 7 mass vaccination sites (more sites to be added in April), including the one at Eastfield Mall in Springfield, are available through the state’s pre-egistration system (new appointments drop on Thursdays). Those who sign up for preregistration will receive weekly updates and will be notified about available appointments at mass vaccination locations; once notified, you’ll have 24 hours to accept and book the appointment. You can opt out at any time if you find an appointment elsewhere.

The state’s main vaccine locator website is: https://vaxfinder.mass.gov
Two other useful vaccine locator sites have been created by volunteer groups:
https://www.macovidvaccines.com | https://vaccinatema.com
Sign up for Dr. B, a standby list/notification system for for extra doses:
https://hidrb.com/
Text and email notification system created by volunteers:
https://www.covidvaccinetexts.com/ | https://macovidvaxhelp.com/
Pioneer Valley Vax (@ValleyVax) monitors and posts local availability on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/ValleyVax
Those without internet or having difficulty with preregistration can call the State Resource Line at 2-1-1 for assistance.

State senator Jo Comerford, has compiled additional information about vaccinations in western MA on her website at: https://senatorjocomerford.org/constituent-guide-to-covid-19/#Vaccine

Massachusetts COVID Vaccination Help:
A Step-by-Step Guide for Securing Your Appointment
https://macovidvaxhelp.com/resources?locale=en

To help eligible people seeking to book their own appointments, a volunteer group organizer has created a resource page showing how-to steps to research, prepare to book, search for, and secure an appointment (see the link above). A story published in the Boston Globe on 3/2/21 describes a volunteer group of mostly young women who have banded together to help those eligible for vaccination land appointments. Frustration with the process has been particularly keen especially among older residents who find the system difficult to navigate, but even those with technical expertise have been stymied by the process.