XpoCanna returns to Conn.
MASHANTUCKET, Conn. — XpoCanna’s third Connecticut Cannabis Expo is back to celebrate a year of cannabis on Feb. 24 and 25 in the Sky Convention Center at Mohegan Sun Casino.
“We are thrilled to be back for another year of XpoCanna, where we come together to celebrate the progress, setbacks, and potential of the cannabis industry in Connecticut,” said organizers of XpoCanna.” Our event serves as a testament to the dedication and resilience of our community as we navigate the landscape of cannabis laws and regulations.”
Taking place at Mohegan Sun Casino, XpoCanna stands as a platform for education, networking, and celebration within the cannabis community.
The X Cup awards ceremony to be hosted Feb. 24 at 2 p.m. on the main stage, showcases New England’s most rigorously tested and judged cannabis competition. Sponsored by Northeast Labs, participants can expect full panel testing for flower THC levels.
A glass bowling competition, sponsored by Blazin’ J’s & FoGlass, will feature 12 local glass artists competing to create the most outstanding spoon or sherlock. Exhibitors will have the opportunity to judge, which will enter them in the raffle for the winning piece, adding an element of creativity and camaraderie to the event.
The event includes a lineup of esteemed speakers and lecturers, including keynote speakers Erik Williams and Meg Sanders of Canna Provisions.
For more information about XpoCanna and to join the upcoming event, visit xpocann.com or email wes@jenksproductions.com.
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The African Hall Committee of the Springfield Museums is seeking nominations for the Ubora Award and Ahadi Youth Award, which recognize African American people from Greater Springfield who have demonstrated a commitment to community service, education, science, humanities and/or the arts.
Nominations forms are available at SpringfieldMuseums.org/Ubora; the deadline is March 31. Nominations may be submitted to ubora@springfieldmuseums.org or mailed to African Hall Committee, Springfield Museums, 21 Edwards St., Springfield, MA 01103.
The African Hall Committee is a volunteer group of educators, businesspeople and community leaders from the African American community.
Named for the Swahili word meaning “excellence,” the Ubora Award has been awarded annually since 1992. In 2023, the recipient was Lisa J. Green, a distinguished professor at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
The Ahadi Youth Award has been given since 2009 to an African American student (age 19 or younger) who embodies the Swahili word for “promise” and excels both in academics and service to the Greater Springfield community. The student must be currently enrolled in grades 10, 11, or 12. Last year’s recipient was Catherine Thompson, a student at Johns Hopkins University who graduated from Springfield Central High School in 2023.
The Ubora and Ahadi Awards will be presented on Sept. 21 at the Springfield Museums. For more information or to become an event sponsor, email ubora@springfieldmuseums.org.
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The New England High School Journalism Collaborative announces that it will hold an all-expense-paid summer workshop for students interested in journalism for the 37th year.
The 2024 workshop dates are June 22 to 29.
The program is intended for students who are from traditionally underserved populations. Some preference is given to current juniors and seniors in high school.
Students will work out of a newsroom at Simmons University in Boston and learn to report, write, edit for a newspaper and produce multimedia projects for a website. They will be assigned stories, do interviews, and will be exposed to working on a deadline to create their own newspaper.
The New England Newspaper and Press Association will assist with the application process.
Only students who attend high school in the New England states are eligible. Only students currently in high school may apply, including graduating seniors. The program is not accepting students who have already taken part in the program.
Students must be recommended by a teacher and a letter of recommendation from the sponsoring teacher must accompany the application, along with a transcript from the school with the student’s most recent grades.
An essay of no more than 500 words must accompany the application. The applicant can write about why they should be selected to participate in this program or how writing has helped the applicant explore and understand a problem in their life. Students will need to upload a headshot.
Applicants will receive an email confirming the receipt of their application with a link to a Dropbox folder to upload the required documents (letter of recommendation, transcript, personal essay, and headshot).
If you have problems using the form or uploading documents, you should email students@nenpa.com.
The deadline for applications is April 12. Students will be notified of their status by the end of April.
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A check presentation took place on Jan. 25 at the Gary Rome Hyundai dealership at 150 Whiting Farms Road in Holyoke. Two donations were made from Hyundai Hope on Wheels: $10,000 to LukeStronger Inc. of South Hadley and $10,000 to Each Moment We’re Alive of West Springfield. Representatives from both organizations were present to accept their checks.
Gary Rome is the Eastern Region board member of Hyundai Hope on Wheels.
Hyundai Hope On Wheels, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization supported by Hyundai Motor America and its more than 820 U.S. dealers, celebrates its 25th anniversary in its fight against childhood cancer.
Each Moment We’re Alive was launched by Sheridan Murphy in 2015, after her second bout with breast cancer. Since then, she has helped organize support groups and workshops with a focus on emotional and spiritual health. Murphy has since expanded her network to help families with all types of cancer, including pediatric cancer.
LukeStronger Inc. is a local nonprofit 501(c)(3) providing assistance to local families dealing with pediatric cancer so that parents can spend time with their children. LukeStronger originated when Luke Bradley, then a 10-year-old boy from South Hadley, relapsed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Local residents rallied to support his family with, among other things, a benefit golf tournament. Complications and another unforeseen relapse kept him at Boston Children’s Hospital for 15 months. In December 2017 he underwent a bone marrow transplant and is doing well.
Luke’s family created a nonprofit to help other families by continuing the golf tournament tradition. LukeStronger has helped seven local families fill in the income gap caused by pediatric cancer. All profits go to the family.
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Valley Opportunity Council, which manages the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program, providing free tax preparation to those of low- and moderate-income, has begun its 2024 tax preparations.
VITA in-person tax preparation appointments are available now through May 15 at 35 Mt. Carmel Ave., Chicopee; 300 High St., Holyoke; and new this year, 20 Lathrop St. in West Springfield.
To schedule an appointment, call (413) 612-0206. Those eligible program must live in Massachusetts with an income of up to $60,000. Appointments are available on weekdays, evenings and Sundays.
Certified volunteer tax professionals help qualified individuals prepare and file basic state and federal tax returns and prior year returns. VOC also offers free electronic filing (e-filing) of tax returns, allowing for individuals to receive their refunds much quicker than paper filings.
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Dee Dice, the owner of the marketing and consulting business Constant Growth, will offer a workshop series on enewsletter production, Wednesdays from Feb. 14 through April 24, from noon to 1:30 p.m., via Zoom.
“From Concept to Inbox” is for business owners who have dabbled with distributing enewsletters and want better results in less time. Participants will learn to enhance the readability, effectiveness, production time and engagement of their communications. Checklists and templates will be provided.
Each week will focus on a specific topic, technical aspects, hands-on activities, demonstrations, and Q&A sessions to ensure participants can apply the new concepts and technology to their email newsletter.
Dice is a consultant with the Hilltown Community Development Corp. and formerly was the small business director for Valley Community Development. She also has worked as a business advisor for the Center for Women and Enterprise and Small Business Strong, and she serves these organizations that provide free business consulting: Hilltown Community Development Center, Center for Women and Enterprise, Small Business Strong and Sphere Northampton.
To register or learn more, email Dice at dd@constant-growth.com.
