Several years ago, I worked with Gerry Hass on his book about the South End Community Health Center. The pandemic prevented him from doing a public reading when his book was published, but he was able to do so in grand style in mid-March. This blog by my editorial assistant Jillian Tillian is a Q and A with Gerry on his book, his event, and his work at the center. The photo by Agnieszka Rytych-Foster Photography was taken at the gala in Boston.

What inspired you to write a book? 

I wanted the history and story of the South End Community Health Center in Boston, Massachusetts, to be recorded so that we could pay tribute to the people who helped us found it. I wanted to acknowledge the extraordinary hard work of all the people who helped make the health center possible without any funding and also acknowledge the wonderful hard work that helped us grow the center over time.

How did Janice help you complete your book project?

The stories about the center came from interviews conducted by Pearl Vercruysse, who at that time was an undergraduate at Emmanuel College. I transcribed the interviews and edited them and wrote a draft of the book. Then I reached out to Janice, who is well-known in the Northampton area; my daughter and her husband actually knew Janice. So I thought it would be helpful to work with her, since I have never been a good writer. She turned the book into something that was readable and appealing while maintaining the feeling of what I had written. 

What value did you find in Janice’s work? 

She corrected a lot of my writing and corrected things such as peoples’ titles. And there were other things that didn’t read well, and she was able to trim those and make them more coherent. 

Tell me about your book reading! I understand it was delayed several years, thanks to COVID:

No thanks to COVID! In March 2020, we were meant to have the reading and signing at the South End of Boston library, and the week before I was supposed to do it they called me to say it had been postponed indefinitely. I realized it wasn’t going to work, and then three years later it seemed that it might just work, and I just wanted to pay tribute to the wonderful people who started the center. The only sad part was that three of the people who were instrumental in starting the health center had died by then, including Mel Scovell, the director and planner. So I thought I better get on with this before anyone else passes on. I wanted to do it while I was still coherent and able to speak. 

Who was in attendance at the reading?

Many of the people who started the health center that could make it—nearly 100 people. The nurses, the doctors, the support staff, the organizers. It was wonderful because we became very close. In fact, the health center has been regarded as a family. The people worked together and knew each other and knew the people in the community because there was no health care in the community other than the big Boston city hospital. They were so grateful to come, and they brought their friends. We were like a family, and we remained friends for the next 50 years. All of us. 

What kind of agenda did you plan for the event?

It was really a celebration of the 50 years-plus and there was a book reading and a discussion of what the South End was like in the late ’60s. 

Are you proud to be unveiling your book so many years after publication?

I am. I have a whole pile of them from three years ago. and I didn’t want to sell them, and I knew people wanted them, so we were able to give them away. Over the years I took care of thousands of patients, and I had staff who moved on to other places, but we always remained friends. So there wasn’t ever any trouble in getting rid of the books. Three years later is not quite a terrible time to wait. Three years ago, we had a reunion for our 50th anniversary of our founding in 1969, and so many people came. I mentioned that I was writing a book at that time, and everyone said they’d love to have it. The book stands on its own. It’s not a memoir, and it’s not about me. It’s about the people who started the center and made sure it provided wonderful care. It was very special. 

What does it feel like to have successfully told the center’s story?

Wonderful! 

What advice do you have for others who have a book in progress?

I think they need an editor, and Janice is a terrific editor. I am very grateful to her and her time and friendly help. It’s very important to get an editor. There are very few people who can write books. This is not the only book I’ve written as I’ve written medical books, but this is a story and she was able to edit and shape it and for that, I am very grateful.

The post A Client Q and A with Gerry Hass appeared first on Beetle Press.

I help clients promote news and events to help raise awareness and attract notice. I wrote a press release for neuro-artist Laura Bundersen to promote an art pop-up shop she hosted in Springfield, Massachusetts, at the end of 2021. Here is an interview with Laura about the experience.

Tell me about your organization.

I am an independent artist. I’ve been working in the field of creating neuro art for about seven years now. Everything is in the shape of a brain or is brain-related. I am primarily a fiber artist. So, I work with fabric, thread, and also include paint. In the last couple of years, I’ve branched out in creating a line of enamel pins, and I have notecards that are based on my original artwork designs. I also make earrings and a lot of good fun “brainy” things.

What inspired you to get into this creative work?

I’ve always been an artist, and when I moved to Western Massachusetts 12 years ago, I really decided that I would try to concentrate on creating an art business. Then about seven years ago, I did my first two brain pieces, and they were just very well received. They had an immediate impact, and I was really fascinated by doing this kind of work. I read a lot, and I was working part-time at Mount Holyoke College, working with neuroscientists, helping them submit grant proposals to help get their research funded. They encouraged me as well, and I ended up going to the Society for Neuroscience Convention for three years in a row. I have been fascinated and encouraged and inspired by people who have neurologic disorders and people who work with those people. So neurologists, neuroscientists, neurosurgeons—they’ve all kept me encouraged and inspired. 

How did you learn about Janice’s PR work?

I think my partner mentioned her to me, but I had also been on her email list or getting her newsletter for years. So, I think I may have reached out to her years ago just to see what it was that she did, but I wasn’t quite ready yet, and I didn’t have anything locally that was going on. Most of my work is online. I have a website, and I sell online primarily or sometimes internationally. Then I was part of a funded event in Springfield, and it just occurred to me that Janice could perfectly help me to promote that. 

What prompted you to reach out to Janice?

I was feeling really overwhelmed with “How do I get people to know about this shop that I’m going to have for a week in Springfield?” I remembered that Janice could do press releases, so I initially thought I’ll just contact her and ask her to write a press release for me. Then it became more than that, and she actually helped me design a marketing email and letter that I sent out to neurologists and neuroscientists in the area. 

What was the quality of Janice’s work?

Oh, I just found it really easy to communicate with her. Her writing is wonderful, and she was very easy and painless. 

Did the press release Janice wrote for you attract attention from the media?

Oh yeah. I got quite a few hits. The WWLP came down and did a little in-person news story, which is on my website, and there was a business insider piece in the Hampshire Gazette. It was really quite fabulous. I got a lot of traction out of the one press release. 

Who in your various audiences benefited from the PR work and in what ways?

My biggest audience is the neurologists, neuroscientists, and people who have neurologic disorders. I had people who came down to the shop who heard about me through the press. 

What else would you like Janice’s blog reader to know?

I would just say that Janice is really, really easy to work with. It’s difficult to promote yourself. It can be kind of daunting to go to an outside person who doesn’t know you that well, and Janice completely put me at ease and made me feel really comfortable, and she made the whole process really seamless and easy. Her responses, when I had any questions or tweaks, were seamless. She responded rapidly to every email I sent her too. 

The post Q and A with Laura Bundesen, a neuro artist extraordinaire appeared first on Beetle Press.

I have been writing for Plymouth State University in central New Hampshire (my younger daughter Molly’s alma mater) for several years now. My stories about students, alumni, and campus projects have appeared in the university’s alumni magazine and on its website.

Most recently, I wrote the following piece, and rather than offering it in full here on my site, I am providing the link to read it on the Plymouth State website:

Chris Steffanci ’96: “Plymouth gave me everything I needed to be successful”

Working his way through college while also earning good grades taught Chris Steffanci ’96 about hard work, and the experiences propelled him into almost instant success in the business world. In his 30s, Steffanci was Heineken’s youngest-ever regional vice president. For the past decade, he’s been president and CEO of Columbia Distributing and is now also a minority owner. The firm is the fifth largest beverage distributer in the United States with locations on the West Coast, where Steffanci lives in Seattle.

Read more about Chris and Columbia Distributing.

The post Chris Steffanci ’96: “Plymouth gave me everything I needed to be successful” appeared first on Beetle Press.

I have been partnering with the Florence Bank marketing team for many years as a PR specialist. I develop and craft press releases to send to the media and also provide occasional blogs that appear on the bank’s website.

This recent blog takes a look at What To Do If You Think You’ve Fallen Victim to Fraud.

If you are a Florence Bank customer and suspect your account with us has been comprised by online crime, please—even if you have only the slightest suspicion—make your first call to our customer service team at 413-586-1300.

We want you to call us because there are things we can do to help, and we can also guide the next steps you take.

More and more, people around the world are being hacked and attacked by fraudulent activity. Make sure you learn how to protect yourself from scams and know what to do if you are inadvertently fooled.

When you call customer service, you can expect to be transferred to a representative who is familiar with cybercrime and knows the proper steps to take to counter any transactions you may have initiated. We can attempt to recover your funds.

It’s critical that when you call or visit one of our branches, you extend your full trust to the team member who is assigned to help. We are your neighborhood bank, and we are here to protect you and your money and serve as your advocate.

Sometimes, when customers have been scammed, because the person who contacted them and the scenario itself felt so believable, they are uncertain as to whether they have fallen victim and hesitate to let us get involved. But we can’t help you if we don’t know what happened.

So, please do not be embarrassed or ashamed. Thousands of very intelligent people are duped by online crime every day. Simply let us help you.

Tell your bank representative exactly what happened. Did someone call, text, or email you? What did they ask you to do? How did they gain access to your account? How did your communication end? Did you buy gift cards or otherwise send them money?

Once we understand the details, it is possible we can terminate or reverse a transaction—but again, our chance of success is highly dependent on you walking us through the scenario as it happened in a clear and thorough way.

If we confirm that money has actually been removed from one of your accounts, your next call should be to the police department in your community. They will take the information and, if possible, initiate an investigation.

It is also very wise to report the incident to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) using its online reporting mechanism.

Here are some other steps you might wish to take:

Update your antivirus software. If you allowed someone to have remote access to your computer, update your security software, run a scan, and delete anything that is flagged as a risk.

Change your username and password. If you gave out usernames or passwords to your Florence Bank online accounts—or to any accounts—you should change your passwords immediately.

Protect your Social Security number (SSN) and identity. If you gave a scammer your SSN, report it at IdentityTheft.gov. Someone will ask you to explain the situation and help you create a recovery plan.

Contact any companies that are involved. If you paid a scammer with a store gift card, prepaid card, or cash reload card, contact the company you purchased the card from right away. Tell them what happened and request a refund. The sooner you call, the better the chance they can help.

Try to reverse a wire transfer. If you paid a scammer by wiring money, call the company you used immediately. Firms like Western Union or MoneyGram have a complaint department and can possibly reverse the transfer.

Contact the app you used. If you paid a scammer using an app like PayPal, Venmo, or Zelle, contact the company you used to see if the payment can be reversed.

To further protect yourself from future fraud, you can contact the major credit bureaus—Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian—and ask for advice. They may suggest you lock your credit so no one can open accounts using your personal information.

Consider investing in a phone that has a call-blocking or call-labeling feature. You can also learn more about unwanted calls and what to do about them on the FTC’s website.

Please remember that, at Florence Bank, we are your biggest asset in times of distress. We are here to help you navigate the frightening fallout from fraud. Given the information we need, we will guide you through the steps you need to take and do all we can to recover any lost funds.

You can also call us at 413-586-1300 if you have questions, need advice, or—of course—need to report an incident.

We’re always here to help.

The post What To Do If You Think You’ve Fallen Victim to Fraud appeared first on Beetle Press.

I have been writing for Plymouth State University in central New Hampshire (my younger daughter Molly’s alma mater) for several years now. My stories about students, alumni, and campus projects have appeared in the university’s alumni magazine and on its website.

Most recently, I wrote the following piece, and rather than offering it in full here on my site, I am providing the link to read it on the Plymouth State website:

Kelsie Brook Eckert ’13G: Engaging and Inspiring Students

Kelsie Brook Eckert ’13G is constantly pushing herself as a professor. Inspired by the eagerness of her students and the critical need to support teachers to build an educated citizenry, she is a champion for social studies education, which encompasses US history, world history, geography, economics, government, and behavioral sciences. She believes it should be taught from kindergarten through high school graduation, rather than be relegated to middle school, as it too often is.

Read more about Kelsie and her work with students.

The post Kelsie Brook Eckert ’13G: Engaging and Inspiring Students appeared first on Beetle Press.

I have been the PR partner for Thornes Marketplace for about six years now, working with Jody Doele, co-owner and marketing director of the historic and eclectic shopping center in Northampton, Massachusetts. My work is to help brainstorm topics for press releases, then develop and distribute them. When the release has gone out to the media, I also repurpose the story as a blog, which Thornes posts on its website. This release about the new wall mural behind the Thornes building drew a record high media response. It was sent to the media in late September 2022, and the mural was completed in October 2022.

The back side of Thornes Marketplace will soon become a sprawling canvas for a Florida artist who will paint one of his nature-inspired works of art on the 67-foot-high by 50-foot-wide structure. 

Chosen from a field of 87 applicants for the $20,000 project funded by a grant from the city of Northampton, Ernesto Maranje will begin his work at the end of September, and it is expected to take roughly two weeks to install the art. His design features weaver birds and raccoons, created with layers of much smaller images of flora, fauna, and creative touches.

“Weaver birds have continuously been a symbol in my work. I imagine that they are the ones constructing my pieces, weaving together leaves, twigs, flowers to create the finished piece,” Ernesto said. “The weaver birds are the composers of the design.”

He is excited about the shape of the east exterior wall of Thornes, adjacent to the parking lot and the entrance to the parking garage and is excited that the façade has a lot of windows—16 to be precise. “I like that challenge,” he said.

The finished mural will cover the entire back side of the building, from the parapet to the ground, including the space under the roof and awning.  

A $20,000 grant from the city of Northampton will be expended to cover the fee for Ernesto’s services and supplies, and Thornes will cover the roughly $6,000 in other costs associated with the project. Jody Doele, marketing manager for Thornes; Brian Foote, director of arts and culture for the city of Northampton; and Mi Belitsky, a member of the Northampton Arts Council, reviewed all 87 applicants and chose Maranje’s work.

“Thornes is super excited by the project,” Jody said. “Northampton’s continued vibrancy and relevancy are important to all of us, especially at this point in its history. We believe public art adds enormous value to the cultural, aesthetic, and economic vitality of a community.”

She added that Northampton’s downtown faces economic and social challenges currently, and as a dominant retail player in the downtown, Thornes wants to help insert vitality and positive change. “Thornes remains committed to doing what it can to help Northampton thrive,” she said. 

Brian said the grant was funded by two donations from D.A. Sullivan & Sons, Inc., both earmarked for mural art, and he noted Thornes owners have for several years expressed interest in hosting a mural. 

“It’s great to see building owners excited to invite mural art, and D.A. Sullivan & Sons has been a longtime supporter of projects intended to improve the city for everyone,” Brian said. 

He noted that last year, the city was involved in installing two murals on Short Street and Kirkland Avenue with permission and support from Jordi Herold, owner of the Iron Horse Music Hall and a developer of historic properties in Massachusetts.

Ernesto, of Sunrise, Florida, will travel to Northampton with his wife, Hilary Maranje, his business partner, from Tennessee, where he is currently painting. He said he began exploring art as a vocation in 2012, when he was serving as a diesel mechanic in the U.S. Coastguard and became injured; he was assigned to work on land, doing odd painting jobs. 

“One of the painting tasks was to paint the California flag on a pair of window shutters,” he explained. “Someone had started the job, setting up a grid on the shutters, and then transferred the project to me. Basically, from that day on, I’ve never stopped painting. I fell in love with it. I started going home after work and painting.”

Ernesto took art classes at the Art Institute of Miami for several years before he was invited to take part in mural festivals in Europe and the Middle East. Along with other invited artists, from 2015 to 2018, Ernesto painted murals on walls, residential houses, and the sides of buildings in communities with orphanages and refugee camps. 

“The goal was to lift spirits and expose children to artwork,” Hilary said. 

The festivals were not paid jobs; they provided Ernesto with experience—and stipends. By 2018, he was being commissioned by companies and developers for paid projects, and he launched his own company; his wife manages the business side of the operation.

Ernesto mainly paints murals with acrylics and spray paint and has created roughly 80 murals to date. He also does smaller gallery work. 

“The inspiration comes from different avenues,” he said. He enjoys the hard work that comes with painting murals—lifting, walking up stairs, waking up early. “Another inspiration is seeing the final product—seeing the wall complete and being satisfied with completion. Inspiration for the subject matter comes from biology. I have a fondness for evolution and species. There are lots of animals and organic elements in my work.”

In the request for proposals for artists, the artwork goals were to create a decorative, large-format design that is visually captivating and will promote goodwill and tourism. Artists were asked to create a design that is not Northampton-centric in terms of history or geography.

The city requires that Ernesto will use Smog Armor paint and primer products on fifty percent of his final work because it is proven to reduce air pollution and is non-toxic. Two coats of paint are also required.

To learn more about Ernesto and his work, visit www.maranje.com. 

To learn more about Thornes Marketplace, visit thornesmarketplace.com.

# # #

Thornes Marketplace has been the cornerstone of downtown Northampton and at the center of the Main Street shopping district for more than a century. Built in 1873, it holds 55,000 square feet of space for merchants and includes features like pressed tin ceilings and hardwood floors.

The post Thornes Marketplace to Become a Canvas for Wall Mural appeared first on Beetle Press.

I have been writing for Plymouth State University in central New Hampshire (my younger daughter Molly’s alma mater) for several years now. My stories about students, alumni, and campus projects have appeared in the university’s alumni magazine and on its website.

Most recently, I wrote the following piece, and rather than offering it in full here on my site, I am providing the link to read it on the Plymouth State website:

Jackpot Bingo Promotes Student Success and Scholarships

Plymouth State University students have been brushing up on their Bingo lingo this semester as first years take part in an innovative and engaging new campus challenge.

There are no traditional cash prizes in the Plymouth Jackpot Bingo game, though, and there are no numbers drawn by a caller. No daubers or dabbers either to mark off your numbers. Students take part by attending club meetings and events, immersing themselves in campus traditions, and using Plymouth State resources throughout the fall 2022 semester.

Read about Jackpot Bingo.

The post Jackpot Bingo Promotes Student Success and Scholarships appeared first on Beetle Press.

I have been partnering with the Florence Bank marketing team for many years as a PR specialist. I develop and craft press releases to send to the media and also provide occasional blogs that appear on the bank’s website.

This recent blog takes a look how to Get Ahead of Fraud.

Fraud keeps finding unsuspecting victims.

At least three to five times a day, we get calls from customers who have been tricked into giving out their private account information, and money has been stolen from them—sometimes thousands of dollars. They are often stunned because what happened to them happened quickly—without raising an eyebrow in distrust.

Sometimes, we can track the funds successfully or reverse a transaction that was started, but in other cases, the losses are permanent and traumatic.

All of our customers are intelligent people, and many even have a healthy awareness of the dangers, yet the sheer genuine nature of many scams disarms them. So, in the spirit of prevention and protection, we want to educate you as best we can so that you do not fall prey to the fraudsters who continually imagine and execute online crime with devious and seemingly believable scenarios.

Fraudsters may reach you by calling, texting, or emailing. And there are thousands of ways they might hook you in. They may suggest your child or grandchild is in jail and needs bail money. They may offer you a cash prize. Or you may visit a website that looks authentic but is not, and so the “purchase” you make is really a theft.

We offer up here a handful of stories of actual incidents customers experienced in hopes that, if a fraudster reaches you, you will recognize some aspect of the crime in progress before it’s too late.

Sadly, these stories are true.

One customer who uses Norton Antivirus software in her computer received a telephone call from someone purporting to be from the software company. She was told she was entitled to a rebate and that Norton wanted to deposit the $200 into her account. The customer provided her online banking credentials—meaning, user name and password. The scammer then told her that he accidentally deposited $20,000 into her account and asked her to return $19,800. Because that scammer had access to the customer’s account, he was able to make it appear that he had made such a deposit. The customer came to the branch to withdraw the cash to return it to Norton. Staff at the branch she visited recognized the red flags of fraud and stopped the transaction. However, the scammer still has the customer’s entire account profile—and possibly other personal information that could be used to steal her identity.

Another customer applied for a loan through a bogus company after receiving a telephone call. The customer was convinced to supply his online banking credentials and other confidential information, and the scammer deposited a counterfeit $5,000 check into our customer’s account via mobile deposit. The customer was then told that the company needed $2,500 returned to activate the fraudulent loan and the customer was directed to set up a payment via online banking. The bank noticed that the transaction for this customer was unusual and was able to cancel it.

Yet another customer was told over the phone that he owed money to the IRS. The caller threatened him with arrest if he did not pay. The customer then received a text message from someone pretending to be in law enforcement, indicating an arrest was imminent. The customer came to the bank, withdrew the requested amount in cash, purchased gift cards at CVS and Target to make the payment—as directed by the scammer—and provided that gift card information to the scammer over the phone. Unfortunately, in this case, the money was not recovered.

In yet another scenario, a customer trying to change her address online paid $199 to complete a change-of-address form, thinking she was on the website for the US Post Office. The money was removed from her account by the scammers. She eventually realized the postal service does not charge for a change of address, and she contacted Florence Bank customer service. While we were not able to refund her money, we were able to find that customer a phone number to call, and the fraudulent firm issued a full refund.

These situations have become more commonplace.

“Online fraud has ramped up significantly,” says Michele Bennett, Florence Bank’s longtime security officer. “There are a myriad of versions of these stories—so many variations of scams. It all comes back to social engineering and believing a stranger contacting them through a text, email, or on the phone. These scammers are extremely skilled.”

Michele says customers need to develop a healthy dose of skepticism and consider who they might be speaking to or communicating with via text or email. She offers up some basic facts:

• No company that is trustworthy would call you and ask for your online banking information.
• The IRS will never call you and ask for money.
• These days, there are no cash “prizes” given out over the phone.
• Real law enforcement and federal agencies will never call, text, or email threats to you.
• No one at Florence Bank will ever call you and ask for account information.

When someone you do not know and cannot see asks you for personal or financial information, take that as a warning and hang up, refuse to reply to the email, close your browser, or otherwise end the communication before it’s too late.

If someone calls and claims they are calling from any online or brick-and-mortar business and asks to remote into your laptop for any reason, hang up. Then, reassure yourself that the problem they raised was an invented one; make your own independent phone call to the business at which they claimed to work.

“Don’t take any caller’s word for it,” Michele says. “Any legitimate business is not going to ask for your login credentials or ask to access your computer or online banking profile.”

We can’t stress enough that fraud will try to find you and that you must be attuned and aware to protect yourself.

If you fear you have fallen victim to cybercrime, reach out to us immediately.

Also, look for a second post in this series on fraud so you know what to do if you are scammed. If you act quickly after you suspect you’ve been scammed, there are steps you can take—and steps we can take for you—that might allow you to recover some, or all, of your hard-earned funds.

Trust us. We’ll do our best to protect you.

The post Getting Ahead of Fraud appeared first on Beetle Press.

I am always available to help organization leaders promote an event. In October 2022, I helped the Working Weavers raise awareness about the 2022 Studio Trail tour.

The Working Weavers organization will host its fourth Studio Trail tour on Saturday, Oct. 22 and Sunday, Oct. 23, with 10 weavers from Florence to Shelburne Falls and Conway in between opening their studios to the public for demonstrations and sales.

Studios will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

“We are weavers dedicated to bringing handwoven textiles into the future,” said Paula Veleta, one of two founding members of Working Weavers. “Our mission is to make cloth visible again by producing and selling high-quality textiles as well as by presenting the process and the people who make weaving their livelihood. We picked October for the Studio Trail because it’s fall foliage season—a nice time of year to drive from one end of the Valley to the other.”

The organization’s website at workingweavers.com offers suggested routes for traveling to the various studios and interesting stops along the way, including restaurants, pubs, inns, and local attractions. The information can be easily printed from a PDF on the site, and guests can also RSVP if they choose.

Trail stops, from Shelburne Falls south to Florence, are at these weavers’ studios:

• Peggy Hart and Western Mass Fibershed, 8 Martin Road, Shelburne Falls. A production weaver who mass produces her cloth on mechanical looms, Hart is the founding member of the Western Mass Fibershed and author of “Wool: Unraveling an American Story of Artists and Innovation.” She designs, produces, and markets blankets.
• Emily Gwynn and guest weaver Lisa Bertoldi, 124 North St., Shelburne Falls. Gwynn’s business, Hands to Work Textiles, focuses on fine table linens influenced by both traditional and mid-century Scandinavian design.
• Sue McFarland, 49 Conway St., Shelburne Falls. McFarland’s studio, in the former Lamson Cutlery Factory in Shelburne Falls, features chenille tapestry scarves.
• Lisa Hill and guest weaver Trish Colson-Montgomery, 156 Elmer Road, Conway. Hill, the master weaver behind the business Plain Weave, is a teacher, designer, and writer who works out of her 1840s barn in Conway.
• Scott Norris, 20 Wilder Place, Florence. Norris, of Elam’s Widow, weaves exclusively hand-dyed fine linen for table and kitchen use.
• Chris Hammel, 221 Pine St., Studio #315, Florence. Hammel is a scholar, teacher, and master weaver who directs the Hill Institute and operates her studio, Ekphrasis Defined Designs, where she creates exquisite textiles for use in home or to wear.
  Paula Veleta and her guest, Judi Bajgot, 221 Pine St., Studio #338, Florence. Paula, of Studio 338 Handwoven, produces woven fabrics in her studio at the Arts & Industry Building in Florence, using the intricately designed textiles to create household adornments such as wall hangings and pillows.

Paula said one of the Working Weavers mantras is, “Making cloth visible again.”

“It’s something all of us use, but we take it for granted and don’t realize how it’s produced,” she explained. “During the tour, we offer information on the history of woven cloth. It’s connected to human existence and has a very old history. We like to bring it to peoples’ attention again.”

Most of the professionals in the group are handweavers who use traditional wooden looms with no mechanization. “As weavers, we’re really interested in the process. There’s a lot of steps to weaving and designing a fabric,” Paula said.

She noted that, typically, a weaver will use a computer program to design a particular pattern for the fabric, and then create it on the loom in a painstaking and time-consuming process.

“When it’s all completed, it could be ten yards long. It gets cut off the loom and wet-finished—basically washed and dried—and then it’s made into things like linens, pillows, hand-hemmed kitchen towels or blankets with finished edges,” she said. “We have to think about all the different aspects of creating cloth.”

In 2016, Paula and a colleague, Marilyn Webster from Conway, founded Working Weavers, and in 2017, they hosted the first Studio Trail, modeled after pottery tours that are hosted in the Valley.

The Studio Trail was also held in 2018 and 2019, going on hiatus during the height of the pandemic. “We’re excited to be doing it again,” Paula said, noting most of the original group of weavers will be involved this year.

The tour typically generates about 1,000 visitors.

For more information, or to sign up for the 2022 Studio Tour, contact Paula at paulaerk@comcast.net or 413-320-0808, or visit the website at www.workingweavers.com.

The post Working Weavers Organization to Host 2022 Studio Trail appeared first on Beetle Press.

I have been partnering with the Florence Bank marketing team for many years as a PR specialist. I develop and craft press releases to send to the media and also provide occasional blogs that appear on the bank’s website.

This recent blog, which was also distributed as a press release, takes a look at the bank’s New Brand Campaign Celebrating Valley Residents Who Inspire.

Samantha Bertini is a ninth grader at Ludlow High School. A seasoned wrestler, she weighs in at 97 pounds and is a few inches shy of five feet, yet she frequently champions even in the boy’s division and was the recent title winner in the 40th annual Bay State Games Wrestling Competition.

Samantha excels because she has access to broad athletic opportunity and knows how to overcome barriers with dedication.

Likewise, Emma Boyer-Martinez, a 7-year-old poised to enter a second-grade classroom at E. N. White School in Holyoke in the fall, lives with disabilities that make some activities more difficult for her. She loves horses and riding and takes part in therapeutic lessons that help her build strength and balance, pushing past the fears she sometimes has about falling from on high.

Both Samantha and Emma are featured in our new brand commercial, which we hope raises awareness about access and inclusion and also inspires and encourages community members to overcome barriers and offer an assist to those who might need one.

Over a dozen Valley residents are featured in the spot, including a man who relies on a wheelchair and caretakers to access opportunity, and seniors and people of different ethnicities. Also featured in the commercial are several local nonprofits, such as the Therapeutic Riding Center in Holyoke, where Emma takes lessons, and All Out Adventures in Northampton, which promotes community health and independence for people with disabilities through outdoor recreation.

“I think the ad will resonate,” says Emma’s mother, Lisette Martinez, of Holyoke. “The theme is something a lot of people can relate to, and I think it’s a great theme to focus on. There’s not just one way to be a strong person. What an important message.”

Our President and CEO Kevin Day says bank staff homed in on the idea for the ad after seeing so many people in the Valley staying strong, pushing through adversity, and overcoming challenges, particularly in the past few years.

“In this year’s brand campaign, we decided to celebrate the overcomers—those who inspire us by their achievements, despite the challenges they face every day,” he says. “The campaign highlights that spirit and reinforces the idea that access and inclusion are essential in a community, and that even when life can be hard, we can be inspired to rise above.”

In addition to releasing the new 30-second television commercial, we will also launch companion radio spots, billboards, and social media. And in keeping with our brand, the new ad features custom music drawing on elements from the original Florence Bank Always score and also incorporates a fresh new style.

“The song is upbeat and happy, just like the people in the Valley,” says Monica Curhan, our Vice President / Marketing Director. “Even though life isn’t always easy, we can still experience joy and find something to sing about.”

James Soffen of Ludlow, Samantha’s stepfather, said Samantha has been wrestling since kindergarten and currently trains at five area gyms, including Team Link Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in Ludlow, where Samantha’s section of the ad was filmed.

He said Samantha is drawn to learning and “being able to do things that most people can’t.” Taking part in the ad offered an opportunity for her to showcase her drive and ability to overcome the odds.

“I appreciate the theme of the commercial and think it’s great for the community to see what other people are capable of, and, hopefully, it will help others in their personal struggles,” James adds.

Lisette says her daughter Emma rides with three other children at the equestrian center, and there are volunteers who help offer the mix of physical and occupational therapy.

Emma says, “It’s fun to learn something new, and there’s only a little bit of scariness. One time, I almost fell off my horse, and then I caught myself.” She loves interacting with the horses and agrees with her mother that the lessons help her build confidence.

All Out Adventures is also about building self-assurance, in part by creating access to outdoor activities for people with disabilities and their family members and friends. Karen Foster, executive director, said the nonprofit helps people go cycling, kayaking, canoeing, stand-up paddle boarding, snowshoeing, hiking, ice skating, and cross-country skiing.

“One of our goals as an organization is to break down barriers to participation and recreation, and one barrier is that people don’t think it’s possible for them because most advertising and imagery we see of people taking part in outdoor recreation features younger and able-bodied people,” Karen says.

She appreciates that the Florence Bank ad portrays roughly a dozen of the organization’s participants, cycling through the Frank Newhall Look Memorial Park. “That helps to change the perception of what’s possible,” she says. “Celebrating inclusion is so powerful and so important, and I’m really invested in that.”

The post New Brand Campaign Celebrates Valley Residents Who Inspire Us appeared first on Beetle Press.