State Rep. Angelo J. Puppolo Jr., D-Springfield, presented an official citation from the Massachusetts House of Representatives to the Maloni family in recognition of the celebration of their 10th anniversary as owners of Rice Fruit Farm in Wilbraham.
The farm was stablished by Wilbraham farmer and preserver of nature Jesse Rice in the late 1800s.
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MassHire Holyoke will present the Fresh Start Career Fair, a hiring event designed to connect motivated job seekers with local employers, training programs and legal resources, on Wednesday, May 21, from 1 to 5 p.m. at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield,
This event is open to all job seekers and features over 50 employers, job training programs, and a legal clinic offering CORI sealing and support for other employment-related legal concerns.
A welcome and kickoff will be held from 12:15 to 12:45 p.m. with remarks from Peter Fargas, president of the MassHire Hampden County Workforce Board and Hampden County Sheriff Nicholas Cocchi.
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In its 14th year of funding organizations in the Greater Holyoke area who are fighting injustice, oppression and poverty, The Carlos Vega Fund for Social Justice received a record 22 grant applications with a total request of over $40,000 for the 2025 Grant Cycle and awarded 19 grants totaling $34,950.
Since 2012, the fund has awarded more than $65,000 to over 55 organizations. A complete list of grantees and more information about the fund is available at www.carlosvegafund.org.
Four of the grants are being named in honor of founding board members Mary Birks, Jane Frey, Miguel Arce and Orlando Isaza.
The awards will be presented on Thursday, May 22, 4 to 6 p.m. at Wistariahurst Museum at 23 Cabot St., Holyoke. The grant award program will start at 4:30 p.m. Light refreshments will be provided and the public is invited.
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The Irish Cultural Center of Western New England is now an official sponsor of the UMass Gaelic Football Club. ICC President Sean Cahillane, said, “We are thankful to be able to support and influence Irish sports, culture and history so directly in the Western New England area.”
The UMass Amherst team played their first game at the ICC on April 27 against the College of the Holy Cross.
The National Collegiate Gaelic Athletic Association was established in 2009 by college students to assist in the development of new hurling and Gaelic football teams on college campuses throughout North America.
Visit www.IrishCenterwne.org for more information.
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Gagne Wealth Management Group has partnered with the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce to launch the Gagne Wealth Gift Card promotion. With a $10,000 donation, the initiative will inject more than $20,000 directly into small businesses across Franklin County.
Gift cards can be purchased online through a Gagne Wealth Management Group checkout page on the chamber’s website, where a $25 bonus is automatically added to a single $25 e-gift card at checkout. Gift cards are also available by phone, in person at the chamber office at 79 Old Main St. in Deerfield. The cards are expected to sell out quickly.
The Franklin County Gift Card is accepted at restaurants, retailers, and services across Franklin County. For a list of participating businesses and more information on how to purchase the Gagne Wealth Gift Card, visit franklincc.org.
