South Pittsfield Friends Church
The South Pittsfield Friends Church will be open on Sunday, August
16th with Harold Muzzey as the speaker. Services begin at 1:00 pm.
All are welcome to attend.
The Church will also host the Quakers’ quarterly meeting on Sunday,
August 30th. Service that day begins at 10:30 am.
Everyone is welcome to attend the service and meet with the Quaker
members.
Pittsfield Economic Development Committee
To Sponsor Forum
TOPIC: Downtown Revitalization Zone Tax Incentive/Credit
* Tax Incentive Power Point Presentation
- How it works
- Who qualifies
* Discussion/Questions
ATTENDEES: Open to any residents;
Strongly encourage all board and committee members, downtown
commercial property owners and in-town realtors to attend.
WHEN: Saturday, September 19th from 9:00 am to Noon
WHERE: Elementary School Cafeteria (Location may change)
Questions? Email:
[email protected] or call Ted:
435-6573.
VA Expands Review Of Chemical Exposure In Drinking Water At
Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune
Submitted Via Merrill Vaughan
As part of VA’s ongoing commitment to provide care to Veterans and
their families, the Department of Veterans Affairs today announced
that it will start the process of amending its regulations to
establish presumptions of service connection for certain conditions
resulting from exposure to contaminated drinking water at the U.S.
Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune in North Carolina.
This process is in addition to the healthcare VA already provides
for 15 conditions to eligible Veterans who were stationed at Camp
Lejeune for at least 30 days between August 1, 1953 and December 31,
1987 as a result of the Honoring America’s Veterans and Caring for
Camp Lejeune Families Act of 2012. VA also provides reimbursement
of healthcare expenses for those 15 conditions to eligible family
members who resided at Camp Lejeune during that time period.
The Secretary of Veterans Affairs recently met with Senators
Isakson, Burr and Tillis and the Director of the Agency for Toxic
Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) to discuss the creation of
presumptions of service connection for diseases associated with the
contaminated water at Camp Lejeune. The diseases that are currently
being reviewed for potential presumptive service connection include
kidney cancer, angiosarcoma of the liver, and acute myelogenous
leukemia, which are known to be related to long-term exposure to the
chemicals that were in the water at Lejeune from the 1950s through
1987. The chemicals are Benzene, Vinyl Chloride, Trichloroethylene
and Perchloroethylene, which are known as volatile organic
compounds, used in industrial solvents and components of fuels.
ATSDR and VA representatives will meet at ATSDR offices on August
19 to begin discussions on establishing these presumptions.
VA will also work with ATSDR and potentially the National Academy of
Sciences to evaluate the body of scientific knowledge and research
related to exposure to these chemicals and the subsequent
development of other diseases. VA will carefully consider all public
comments received when determining the final scope of any
presumptions.
Veterans with health problems they believe are
related to exposure to the water at Camp Lejeune may file a claim
for disability compensation online at
www.ebenefits.va.gov, or call
1–800–827–1000 for assistance.
For more information, Veterans and family members
should contact the nearest VA healthcare facility by calling
1–877–222–VETS (8387 ) or visit
www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/camp-lejeune.
The U.S. Marine Corps encourages all those who lived
or worked at Camp Lejeune before 1987 to register for notifications
regarding Camp Lejeune Historic Drinking Water at
https://clnr.hqi.usmc.mil/clwater.
VA Launches New No-Cost Training Programs
Programs Designed to Help Transitioning Servicemembers and Veterans
Develop New Skills and Credentials
Submitted Via Merrill Vaughan
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) today launched two new
no-cost training programs, Accelerated Learning Programs (ALPs) and
VA Learning Hubs, to help transitioning Servicemembers and Veterans
from all eras learn skills, earn credentials, and advance in
civilian careers following separation from service.
ALPs and Learning Hubs are part of VA’s Veterans Economic
Communities Initiative (VECI), promoting education and employment
opportunities for Veterans through integrated networks of support in
50 cities. VA launched the VECI program in response to President
Obama’s August 2014 challenge to help Veterans and families
integrate with their communities and find meaningful jobs that can
lead to economic success. Under VA Secretary Robert McDonald’s MyVA
transformation, VECI is now in place in cities across the United
States.
“My message to transitioning Servicemembers is simple: Plan early
and stay engaged, because transition is the mission,” said McDonald.
“These two new resources provide no-cost opportunities for our
transitioning Servicemembers and Veterans to learn new skills and
earn credentials, which can increase their competitiveness during
their transition.”
ALPs offer transitioning Servicemembers and Veterans the opportunity
to build on their world-class training and technical skills gained
through their military service, and earn certifications in
high-demand fields.
VA is piloting ALPs this summer with seven courses focusing on
building skills and certifications needed to advance in high-demand
careers in information technology (IT), as part of the President’s
TechHire initiative. Each ALP course is offered at no cost and
includes free referral and support services..
The first ALP cohort includes seven courses covering a range of
IT-related topics, including:
Coding/Programming Boot Camps;
80+ IT Certifications in Hardware, Software, Networking, Web
Services, and more;
Network Support Engineer Job Training and Certification;
Cybersecurity Training and Certification;
IT Help Desk Job Training; and
IT Boot Camps for Desktop Support and Windows Expertise.
Transitioning Servicemembers and Veterans from any era are invited
to apply to their choice of courses. Applications will be accepted
starting August 17, 2015 – seats in the pilot cohort are limited;
applicants are encouraged to apply early. ALPs do not involve use of
the Post-9/11 GI Bill.. Students are able to participate in these
programs while also pursuing other programs of study using Post-9/11
GI Bill benefits. Visit the ALP website to learn more about each
program and apply.
VA is also launching Learning Hubs in 27 cities across the country
this year in partnership with the American Red Cross, The Mission
Continues and Coursera, an online education platform.
Transitioning Servicemembers and Veterans can take advantage of both
online and in-person study. Each week, online course modules will be
completed outside the classroom while class sessions, led by
Learning Hub facilitators, provide opportunities to discuss course
materials with peers, hear from subject matter experts, and network.
Upon completion of the program, Servicemembers and Veterans may
elect to receive one free verified certificate issued by Coursera.
For more information about the VECI or to learn more
about VA ALPs and Learning Hubs, contact
[email protected].
Festival Of Hymns Organ Concert
The First Congregational Church, 24 Main St, Pittsfield, will
welcome Mr. Mark Thallander and his colleague, Dr. Peter Green, for
a spectacular concert playing the one-of-a-kind 1877 Wilson W.
Ricker organ and Hallet & Davis grand piano. The free concert will
take place Saturday, August 15 at 7 p.m. A love offering will be
received.
During the summer of 2003, Mark was involved in a dreadful car
accident that left him in critical condition. In order to save his
life, the doctors had had to amputate his left arm. He wondered if
he would ever be able to play the organ again.
A few months later, he returned to the organ realizing that recovery
had begun. He has played across America and across the world.
Composers have written music especially for those like Mark. To read
more about Mark and his foundation, consult his website:
markthallander.com.
Plan on attending this concert, meet Mark and Peter, and hear the
church organ and piano played like never before!
Parking and wheelchair accessible entry located at rear of church
building. For more information, call the church office, 603
435-7471.
Pittsfield Circle Of Home And Family Announces Raffle
Winners!
The Pittsfield Circle of Home and Family group would like to thank
everyone that purchased tickets for our annual Hot Air Balloon Quilt
Raffle. The winners were: Hot Air Balloon Quilt - Cameron Bastien,
Hand Woven Basket - Marianne Rivet, “Mini Charmer” Quilted Tote Bag
- Melissa Babcock, Watercolor Print - Mike Lush, Balloon Rally
Pillow - Ellen Smith, Set of Anna-Lee Dolls- Kathryn Bergeron,
Folding Lawn Chair - Jill Cannon, Hand Knit Blanket - Lynn Lamy,
Snowman and Pink Fluffy Bunny - John Maulfair, Herbal Flax Relax
Pack - Regina Tremblay, and Hand Knit Pot Holder Set & Trivet --
Robert Bernard.
The Pittsfield Circle of Home and Family group is a
women’s group that meets once per month on the 4th Thursday at 7pm
at the Community Center. Our meetings typically consist of some
kind of an educational program, such as a guest speaker, making a
craft, or cooking demonstrations....and we always have refreshments!
Many of the program topics are geared towards women’s health,
finances, community outreach, history and heritage arts. New
Members are always welcome. We have a great time and it’s a fun
bunch of ladies - come join us! Please call Andi Riel at 435-6346
or email at
[email protected] if you’d
like more information.
The Pittsfield Players Announce Open Auditions for “70, Girls, 70”
Okay, so maybe you haven’t heard of this one yet but “70, Girls, 70”
is the next new thing, get involved and be the first to say “I did
it before it was popular.”
What is “it” you ask? Masterworks Broadway cites it as “ a
musical unlike any musical you’ve ever seen. On the outside, it’s
about all these veteran stage and vaudeville performers having a
ball returning to Broadway. Given the options – either dying young
or getting old – the folks in this musical chose to stick around and
celebrate. And that’s what it’s about – the celebration of their
mutual triumph – Old Folks. But 70, Girls, 70 is a show within a
show, and, on the inside, 70, Girls, 70 is about a bunch of equally
venerable ladies and a few gentlemen living at The Sussex Arms, a
senior citizens’ hotel in New York City, as run-down and dispirited
as most. While there is no lack of humor or courage or willingness,
there is a lack of money. And it shows. The favorite lady of The
Sussex Arms, Ida Dodd had been turned away from hospitals for lack
of funds and had moved into the Waldorf for a last fling at living.
But she was running a fever and had no thermometer. Treated rudely
by the drugstore clerk when trying to make her purchase, she
suddenly found herself out on the street with a “hot” thermometer.
And feeling so much better from the excitement of her little crime,
she decided to try it again – for more valuable “loot” each time.”
Based on the play “Breath Of Spring” by Peter Coke, already a source
for the British film “Make Mine Mink,” the aging group at the Sussex
Arms decide this will be how they will pay for their crumbling home.
Directors Meggin Dail, Carole Neveux and Jeff Gregoire will be
sharing the honors to bring this hilarious Kander and Ebb musical
comedy to the Scenic stage.
Auditions have been set for Sunday and Monday, August 23 and 24 at 7
pm at the Scenic Theatre, 6 Depot Street, Pittsfield each evening.
Phil Breton will be accompanying and serving as musical director.
The directors will be casting six women’s lead roles and four men’s
lead roles, as well as supporting roles and chorus. While many of
the roles require more mature actors, there are still openings for
younger actors as well.
The show will run at the Scenic Theatre Friday, Saturday and Sunday,
November 13, 14 and 15 and again the following week on Friday and
Saturday, November 20 and 21.
Want to have your or your business’s name attached to this show? The
Pittsfield Players are seeking sponsors for this and other shows at
the Scenic. Call Meggin Dail, 736-8073 with any queries
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